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 26. Of the Church. Paragraph 3d: “…nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name.”
I love this! I’ve seen a lot of movies about fairytale lands dying without someone to believe in them. Whether it’s a tooth fairy, Santa Clause, or the City of Monstropolis, if the kids or adults stop believing, they disappear. I think more than could admit it actually feel this way about heaven. Reader, heaven cannot fade away. Jesus started this thing on purpose in a garden with one then two people, and later with a New Covenant church built on 12 men. Today, his kingdom is still bigger than this world, and his Gospel fills the earth.
Jesus said, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Matthew 16:18. This is an offensive verse, not just defensive. Hell itself, were it a force to defend itself, would not survive an assault by the church. Jesus has kept his word here. The church, which consists of the faith propagated wherever it’s found, has never failed. Paul reflects a similar idea later that truth casts down false ideas and imaginations in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 speaking of the “…destruction of fortresses…arguments and…arrogance…” Truth smashes lies…even when the liars deny it.
Churches come and go. A whole group may apostatize. No one group gets to claim ascendency over the whole. Never has. We may each fall, but the church never will. The light of the Gospel will never and has never gone out. God will continue to save his elect. He has an exact number to be born and then redeemed fixed from before the world spun. He will not come again until that appointed work is complete. I see no other reason for what I sometimes am tempted to wrongly call a “delay.” They’ll continue to come together. The church will continue.
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