Reflections on the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689
23 Aug 14 began a perhaps unbroken, orderly, and personal journey through my favorite written confession of faith. These are my personal reflections on this beloved historic Particular Baptist confession of the Christian Faith.
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Chapter 23. Of Lawful Oaths and Vows. Paragraph 3: “Whosoever taketh an oath warranted by the Word of God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he knoweth to be truth; for that by rash, false, and vain oaths, the Lord is provoked, and for them this land mourns.”
There are many reasons not only why God made life, but why God made life to be lived as it is today or since The Fall. Life began both by and in the entirely supernatural. Creation itself was a miraculous work of a supernatural and transcendent triune being. Genesis 1:1. It was not only created by God, but it is sustained by God today as well. Acts 17:28, Paul said to the Grecians that, “In Him we live and move and exist…” This is a reality even over today’s breakfast. Hebrews 1:3 says Jesus upholds everything by the word of his power. In this life, we are not able to see the invisible because God does not want us to. He has veiled what it otherwise perfectly visible for the time being. His design in a fallen world was that man would live by truth. By things almost entirely unseen. At times they were seen, but that’s all a very small part of history. Man is accountable to God as he reveals himself, but live able to enjoy all that’s of itself enjoyable by the graces of life itself. We cannot look upward and see him on his throne with our plain eyes. We don’t see him riding on the waves. Our lives are to be led by his word that crosses the plain between us. For the very small number of people who saw some of his outpourings of miracle power in this life, even they had to be led by something more than just what was seen to be truly led by God.
Though life began in miracle, it was designed to continue in the veil of the miracle. Man was not to walk by sight. With few exceptions, this has been true. Colossians 1:16 speaks of all things made by God be they visible or invisible. Romans 1:20 says that God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen in the world. His attribute of truthfulness to his word is something God has made known to those who love him.
Now comes in you and your word in your life. The writers here have already laid out what a lawful oath is. It’s good counsel. Based on this, they speak of the manner in which we’re to undertake such a thing at any time. If God is so much so of his word, how much should you and I be? I watched a movie last night called, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” It was made in 1962. Watching each member place their hand on a Bible and swear to tell the truth is of the spirit we speak here. Let your words be true! God’s are. The Bible is true. Yours should be too. When your word comes out, even in this veiled world, let it ring true in every hall both here and above! If you do, if you value your word, you’ll do well.
“One who walks in integrity walks securely, but one who perverts his ways will be found out.” Proverbs 10:9.
Blessings!
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