1689 London Baptist Confession
1. It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose
and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between
them both, to be the mediator between God and man; the prophet, priest, and king; head and
saviour of the church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world; unto whom he did
from all eternity give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time redeemed, called,
justified, sanctified, and glorified.
( Isaiah
42:1; 1
Peter 1:19, 20; Acts
3:22; Hebrews
5:5, 6; Psalms
2:6; Luke
1:33; Ephesians
1:22, 23; Hebrews
1:2; Acts
17:31; Isaiah
53:10; John
17:6; Romans
8:30 )
2. The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the
brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance and equal with him who made the world,
who upholdeth and governeth all things he hath made, did, when the fullness of time was
come, take upon him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities
thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin
Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing
her; and so was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David
according to the Scriptures; so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were
inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion;
which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and
man.
( John
1:14; Galatians
4;4; Romans
8:3; Hebrews
2:14, 16, 17; Hebrews
4:15; Matthew
1:22, 23; Luke
1:27, 31, 35; Romans
9:5; 1
Timothy 2:5 )
3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature thus united to the divine, in the person of the
Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in Him all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should
dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he
might be throughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety; which office he
took not upon himself, but was thereunto called by his Father; who also put all power and
judgement in his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.
( Psalms
45:7; Acts
10:38; John
3:34; Colossians
2:3; Colossians
1:19; Hebrews
7:26; John
1:14; Hebrews
7:22; Hebrews
5:5; John
5:22, 27; Matthew
28:18; Acts
2:36 )
4. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which that he might discharge
he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due
to us, which we should have borne and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us;
enduring most grievous sorrows in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was
crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead, yet saw no corruption: on the
third day he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered, with which he
also ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father making
intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.
( Psalms
40:7, 8; Hebrews
10:5-10; John
10:18; Gal
4:4; Matthew
3:15; Galatians
3:13; Isaiah
53:6; 1
Peter 3:18; 2
Corinthians 5:21; Matthew
26:37, 38; Luke
22:44; Matthew
27:46; Acts
13:37; 1
Corinthians 15:3, 4; John
20:25, 27; Mark
16:19; Acts
1:9-11; Romans
8:34; Hebrews
9:24; Acts
10:42; Romans
14:9, 10; Acts
1:11; 2
Peter 2:4 )
5. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the
eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of God, procured
reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all
those whom the Father hath given unto Him.
( Hebrews
9:14; Hebrews
10:14; Romans
3:25, 26; John
17:2; Hebrews
9:15 )
6. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after his
incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect
in all ages, successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises,
types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed, and signified to be the seed which should
bruise the serpent's head; and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being the
same yesterday, and to-day and for ever.
( 1
Corinthians 4:10; Hebrews
4:2; 1
Peter 1:10, 11; Revelation
13:8; Hebrews
13:8 )
7. Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures, by each nature
doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which
is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by
the other nature.
( John
3:13; Acts
20:28 )
8. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly and
effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them; uniting them to
himself by his Spirit, revealing unto them, in and by his Word, the mystery of salvation,
persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit, and
overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as
are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and
absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.
( John
6:37; John
10:15, 16; John
17:9; Romans
5:10; John
17:6; Ephesians
1:9; 1
John 5:20; Romans
8:9, 14; Psalms
110:1; 1
Corinthians 15:25, 26; John
3:8; Ephesians
1:8 )
9. This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the
prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any
part thereof, transferred from him to any other.
( 1
Timothy 2:5 )
10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we
stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God, and
imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and
present us acceptable unto God; and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to
return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his
kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly
kingdom.
( John
1:18; Colossians
1:21; Galatians
5:17; John
16:8; Psalms
110:3; Luke
1:74, 75 )
For further study:
"Baptist Roots in America: The Historical Background of Reformed Baptists in America", Samuel E. Waldron, Simpson Publishing Co. (1991)
"A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith", Samuel E. Waldron, Evangelical Press, 1989
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