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.
NEXT (AND LAST)-
Chapter 32: Of the Last Judgment. Paragraph 3: “As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity, so will he have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may ever be prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus; come quickly. Amen.”
We have spoken already in some detail about the message of the Lord and of his Apostles about the judgment to come. Acts 17:30-31 can serve as a mission statement for the Gospel: “having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” In John 5:21-23, Jesus made it abundantly clear what his role is in that judgment to come. Any presentation of the message of Jesus that doesn’t call into view that Day is a sketchy view. Christians will be and alone can be ready.
The wisdom of God in making this Day always pending should never be lost on us. Every generation should live knowing 1) we’re one generation closer to that Day, and 2) that that Day may be tonight. Matthew 24:50. God wants every generation of the church, even if there are to be seven thousand more to come, to live in the light of the possible hope that they’ll see Jesus come again in their lifetime. 2 Peter 3:3-9. There was a generation that saw him incarnate, and a day coming when all will see him glorified! The confession writers affirm what’s simply called the “imminent return of Christ.” That it’s always at the door. It’s the next thing we expect on the calendar of the Lord. I do not believe in a private rapture. The Second Coming will be right into judgment and the eternal state. The Apostles, like every generation, had this same expectation put before them. They were no exception in the days just after Jesus’ own in Israel.
Today could be the day. I’m ready because I’ve been justified.
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Thus ends my 8-yr tour through the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. Hundreds of thousands of you have joined me on this nearly unbroken weekly journey. Thank you! I hope at least some of it’s been a blessing to you. It’s been a blessing to me to work my way through it line by line.
3,185 days ago, I began this 255-part tour through this great 32-chapter confession. What’s really strange is that I’ve gone around the world since I started it- moving twice with my family- and I’m right back in the exact same 20 square foot room where I was when I began. I live on Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. I lived in this same house I’m now in for a few years back around 2016, we moved to Germany (Bavaria) for four years, then the Lord brought us back to Fort Bliss and back into the exact same house by a providential arrangement only the Reformed can love! I’m sitting today in an empty room in an almost entirely empty house overlooking the mountains of Juarez, Mexico. I can almost see the city of Juarez. If I walk about 100 feet outside I can. I’m sitting on a folding chair with my laptop literally on my lap in the same room that was my study where I began this study on 23 Aug 14. Our house is all packed up. It’s a Saturday evening. We leave for Florida on Monday morning. And this ends today. Of course, I didn’t plan to divide the confession up like this. In about 35 hours, I will be moving back to the great state of Florida. I’m retiring from active-duty military service after nearly 26 years. I’m retiring from the Army. I’m moving to Florida to get to work in the church. To be dedicated to an organization wholly devoted to the Gospel.
There was no way I’d know, but I love that I’m finishing this confessional tour one day before I officially finish my time in the Army. It is amazingly humbling! Folks, enjoy the ride. Trust in Christ. Work to bring him the reward of his suffering and leave it all to him. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7.
My next entry- Lord-willing- will be from sunny Florida!
God bless!
