First Confession

Drawn up at Amsterdam, the 27th of September, 1627, called Scriptural Instruction, concerning who the people are on whom the peace of God rests, and how they are bound to peace and unity; given in answer to the following several questions, of which the first is

What are the fundamental and unmistakable marks by which the children of God and members of Jesus Christ (being the church of God) can and must be known, according to the testimony of the word of the Lord?

In order to answer this question correctly, we must consider what the means are by which men become children of God, members of Jesus Christ, and the church of God. For although the blessed Lord Jesus Christ is the only meritorious cause of the justification of man, of their adoption by God as His children, and of the foundation of their eternal salvation (Romans 3, verses 24 and 25; First Corinthians 1, verse 30; Titus 3, verse 7; Hebrews 5, verse 12; Ephesians 1, verse 5; Colossians 3, verse 11; Acts 4, verse 12), God, the heavenly Father, of whom all things are, First Corinthians 8, verse 6, and who is the true Father of the whole family in heaven and earth, Ephesians 3, verses 14 and 15, has nevertheless been pleased to impute the merits of His Son Jesus Christ to man, and to make him a partaker of the same, through the means of faith in His beloved, only, and only begotten Son (Romans 3, verse 25; Galatians 2, verse 16; Ephesians 2, verse 8; John 3, verses 15 and 36; 6, verse 40); by which He owns them as children, and adopts them as heirs of everlasting life, according to the testimony of John, who says: "He" (that is, Christ) "came to his own, and his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1, verses 11 to 13). Paul confirms this with these words: "You are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3, verse 26). Through this means, faith apprehended from the Word of God and confirmed by the Holy Spirit, men are born of God; hence the name children of God truly belongs to them, since they have God for their father, and Christ for their brother. God the Father acknowledges them as His sons and daughters; and Christ, for this reason, is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters. (Romans 10, verse 17; Second Corinthians 4, verse 13; Romans 8, verse 16; John 1, verse 12; First John 5, verse 1; James 2, verse 18; First Peter 1, verse 23; Matthew 5, verse 45; John 1, verses 12 and 13; 3, verse 2; 20, verse 17; Romans 8, verse 15; Galatians 4, verse 16; Matthew 12, verse 50; Second Corinthians 6, verse 18; Hebrews 2, verses 11 and 12). These children of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ are heirs of God, indeed joint heirs in the inheritance of their brother Jesus Christ, as has been promised to them by God the Father, through the means of faith: all the acquired benefits of our Savior Jesus Christ, which are chiefly forgiveness of sins, justification, and peace with God; and, because they are children of the resurrection, they shall not come into condemnation, but have passed from death to life; they shall enjoy salvation, eternal life, and unspeakable happiness, indeed possess all things that the Lord Christ possesses. Romans 8, verse 17; Ephesians 1, verse 11; John 7, verse 3; Acts 10, verse 43; Romans 3, verse 26; 4, verse 5; 5, verse 1; Galatians 2, verse 16; Luke 20, verse 26; John 5, verse 24; Matthew 16, verses 16 and 17; Mark 16, verse 16; Romans 10, verse 9; First Peter 1, verse 9; John 3, verse 16; 6, verse 47; 17, verse 3; 20, verse 31; First John 5, verse 11; First Peter 1, verse 8; Luke 22; Revelation 21, verse 7.

Hence we reply, in conclusion, to the question presented: that the fundamental, certain mark of the children of God and members of Jesus Christ is that by virtue of which this name belongs to them in truth according to the promise of God, namely, the only saving faith, which works by love; upon which God Himself looks with gracious eyes, and which alone avails before Him (Galatians 5, verse 6; Jeremiah 5, verse 3; Hosea 2, verse 2; Jeremiah 5, verse 1; Acts 8, verse 37; 15, verse 11; Isaiah 26, verse 2). Therefore we, being one or unanimous with God, must have respect to it alone, seeing that the Lord Christ Himself, promising Peter salvation upon his faith and confession, adds "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16, verse 18).

We shall now briefly show what faith in Christ is, what is to be believed, what its design is, and what the internal and external operations of faith are.

This faith in Christ, by which men become partakers of all the acquired benefits of Jesus Christ, is neither an uncertain opinion nor merely a bare confession of the mouth, but a firm and sure confidence of the heart, which does not doubt the things promised by God in Christ, but has a firm assurance that He who has promised them is also able to perform them. Hebrews 11, verse 13; 3, verse 6; Romans 10, verse 10; 4, verses 20 and 21. By this firm and sure confidence the believer in the promises of God is established in Jesus Christ his Savior, because he knows that all the promises of God are yes and amen in Him; on which he lays firm hold, as on an anchor of his soul, both sure and steadfast. Acts 10, verse 43; First Peter 1, verses 10 and 11; John 8, verse 56; Hebrews 11, verse 26; Second Corinthians 1, verse 20; Hebrews 6, verses 18 and 19. He believes with his heart that God, for the fulfilling of His gracious promises, and willing to show His great love toward mankind, who through sin had fallen into death and manifold corruptions, by redeeming them sent into this world for this purpose, when the time of all prophecies was fulfilled, His only, dear, and beloved Son. This Son was from eternity with His Father in great glory, and beloved by Him before the foundation of the world, possessing great riches and being equal with God His Father; by Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made of all that was made in heaven or upon earth, and in Him they all stand, since He upholds all things by the word of His power. Genesis 22, verse 18; Deuteronomy 8, verse 15; Isaiah 7, verse 15; 9, verse 6; 11, verse 1; 40, verse 9; Micah 5, verse 2; John 3, verse 16; Romans 5, verse 8; 9, verse 31; First John 4, verses 9 and 10; Genesis 3, verse 19; Wisdom of Solomon 2, verse 24; Fourth Esdras 7, verse 48; Romans 4, verses 5 and 12; First Corinthians 15, verse 21; Romans 5, verse 16; Fourth Esdras 3, verse 7; Genesis 3, verse 17; Romans 1, verse 2; 8, verse 3; Colossians 1, verse 13; Ephesians 1, verse 7; Galatians 4, verse 4; Mark 12, verse 6; 1, verse 11; Matthew 17, verse 5; 3, verse 17; Hebrews 1, verse 8; 7, verse 3; 13, verse 8; 1, verse 3; John 16, verse 28; 17, verses 5 and 24; Second Corinthians 8, verse 9; Philippians 2, verse 6; Revelation 1, verse 18.

He left His divine glory, form, and riches, went out from God His Father, and came down from heaven into this world, so that He was conceived by a virgin, and she brought forth this Son at Bethlehem, where God brings His firstborn Son into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh. John 13, verse 3; 3, verses 13 and 31; 6, verses 38, 51, and 62; Ephesians 4, verses 9 and 10; Isaiah 7, verse 14; Matthew 1, verse 23; Luke 2, verse 21; Isaiah 9, verse 6; Luke 3, verse 6; Galatians 4, verse 4; Micah 5, verse 2; Matthew 2, verse 6; Hebrews 1, verse 6; Romans 8, verse 3. For the Word became flesh; that which was from the beginning, which the apostles saw, which they heard with their ears, and which their hands handled, of the Word of life; for the life was manifested, so that there was seen that eternal life which was with the Father. John 1, verse 14; First John 1, verses 1 and 2; John 1, verse 9; 20, verses 25 and 27; Isaiah 40, verses 5 and 9. Therefore all true believers must show and ascribe to their Savior, not as to a creature, but as to the Creator, all divine honor, even as they do to the Father. John 5, verse 23; 3, verses 30 and 31; 20, verse 28. For although for a little while He was made lower than the angels, yet all the angels of God must worship Him. Philippians 2, verse 10; Matthew 14, verse 33; Hebrews 1, verse 6; for He is worthy of this, who has so loved us that He purchased us with His death, and washed us from our sins in His own blood; who died for our sins and rose for our justification; who destroyed the power of the devil, hell, and death; who abolished the sinful handwriting of the law, and has forgiven all sins, reconciling to God the Father all things that are in heaven and earth, in that He made peace through the blood of His cross; who brought life and immortality to light, and to whom we are appointed by God, to inherit eternal salvation. Revelation 5, verse 9; 1, verse 5; Romans 5, verse 10; Acts 20, verse 28; Colossians 1, verse 14; First Peter 1, verse 19; Romans 4, verse 25; 5, verses 6 and 8; Colossians 2, verses 13, 14, 19, and 20; Hebrews 2, verse 14; First Corinthians 15, verses 54 and 55; Revelation 20, verse 14; Isaiah 25, verse 8; Second Timothy 1, verse 10; Ephesians 1, verse 10; 2, verse 13; First Thessalonians 5, verse 9.

Thus the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is the true cornerstone, the way and door to eternal life, and there is no other name given to man, either in heaven or on earth, by which he can be saved and become a child or heir of God, than the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 28, verse 16; Romans 9, verse 33; Ephesians 2, verse 20; First Peter 2, verse 6; John 14, verse 6; 10, verse 9; Acts 4, verse 12.

The believer, seeing by faith that God in His weightiest and unspeakably great promises is not changeable, but does in truth fulfill them through the giving of His only, dear, and beloved Son, feels assured by this that there is nothing with God which He shall not also give us with His Son. He therefore has firm confidence that the benefits which God has promised in and through the suffering, death, shed blood, resurrection, and ascension of His Son belong to the believer, and that he shall in truth receive them. Hebrews 6, verses 17 and 18; Psalm 33, verse 4; John 3, verse 16; First John 4, verse 9; Ephesians 1, verse 6; Colossians 1, verses 12 to 14; Second Timothy 4, verse 8; Ephesians 1, verses 11 to 13; Romans 8, verses 32, 34, and 38; Second Peter 1, verse 3; Galatians 2, verse 21; Ephesians 2, verse 17; Second Corinthians 4, verses 6 and 7.

This faith begets in the heart of the believer an inward taste of the kindness of God, and of the powers of the world to come; which is followed by gladness, joy, and a firm security of the Father's favor in the soul, so that in every time of need he is enabled to say, confident that he will be heard, "Abba, Father;" and he does not doubt, though the thing promised is not apparent to human eyes, or even seems contrary to nature, and goes beyond the comprehension, understanding, and capability of man (Psalm 34, verse 8; First Peter 2, verse 3; Ephesians 2, verse 7; Hebrews 6, verses 5 and 19; Second Corinthians 4, verse 17; Romans 12, verse 12; 14, verse 17; Second Corinthians 6, verse 10; John 8, verse 56; Revelation 19, verse 7; Romans 8, verses 31 and 38; Psalm 32, verse 1; First Peter 5, verse 7; Psalm 55, verse 22; Romans 8, verse 15; Galatians 4, verse 6; Romans 4, verse 20; James 1, verse 6; Hebrews 11, verse 1; Romans 4, verses 18 and 19; Hebrews 11, verse 11; Hebrews 11, verse 29), for the believer, by faith, looks not only at the things which, through the creation and government of God, exist in nature (which man may comprehend and understand), but to the goodness and omnipotence of the Promiser, to whom nature and all created power in heaven, earth, and sea, and even death itself, must bow. Upon this ground the believer stands fast, even when, with Abraham, the father of the faithful, and with many of the pious, he is tried by God with things that seem contradictory; for he is assured that God cannot lie. Psalm 52, verse 9; Romans 4, verse 21; Hebrews 11, verse 19; Psalm 135, verse 5; Isaiah 40, verse 26; Fourth Esdras 3, verses 21 and 23; Joshua 10, verse 13; Habakkuk 3, verses 10 and 11; Matthew 27, verse 44; Isaiah 40, verse 12; Revelation 20, verse 11; Proverbs 8, verse 29; Jeremiah 5, verse 22; Exodus 14, verse 22; Hebrews 11, verses 10 and 35; Second Corinthians 1, verse 10; Genesis 22, verse 1; First Peter 1, verse 7.

But this faith of the heart is known best of all to God, who also, being the only discerner of the intents and thoughts of the heart, will judge the internal signs of the faith of the heart, according as He finds it to be upright or dissembling. Jeremiah 17, verse 10; Acts 1, verse 24; Revelation 2, verse 23; Hebrews 4, verse 12. But to man, who has no other way of judging this faith of the heart than by its fruits, which he hears and sees, there are given as signs by which to distinguish it the confession of it with the mouth, and the obedience of faith as shown in outward works. Therefore the believer, according to the command of Christ, must confess openly before men, to the honor of his Creator and Redeemer, what he believes and experiences in his heart, no matter what sufferings may come to him on that account. He cannot do otherwise, for he must listen to God more than to men (Mark 16, verse 16; John 3, verse 26; First Corinthians 2, verse 11; John 3, verse 11; Romans 10, verse 10; 1, verses 5, 16, and 25; Acts 4, verses 19 and 20); for the Lord Christ has said: "Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10, verse 32; Luke 9, verse 26. John says: "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God" (First John 4, verse 2), and Paul explains: "We, having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore I have spoken;* we also believe, and therefore speak" (Second Corinthians 4, verse 13).

That oral confession proceeding from sincere faith therefore leads to salvation, Paul testifies with these words: "If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation" (Romans 10, verses 9 and 10).

This faith also shows its outward fruits of love worthy of the faith; therefore the believer, according to the teaching of the apostle Peter, must give all diligence to show forth from his faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly love, and charity; and to walk in the Spirit, whose fruits, such as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, are seen on them outwardly. [n33-1] Second Peter 1, verses 5 to 7; Galatians 5, verses 16, 22, and 23; 6, verse 1; Ephesians 5, verse 9. By these good fruits, and by brotherly love, as outward signs of the true life, they are known as good trees, the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a light which is put on a candlestick to give light to all that are in the house, a city set on a hill which cannot be hid. In this way they let their good works so shine before men that they, seeing them, may glorify God, the heavenly Father. Matthew 7, verses 17 and 20; 12, verse 35; 5, verses 13 to 16.

For as children who in their appearance and deportment show forth their father's form and qualities are by this judged and known to be the children of that parent, so also the believers, having through the new birth become partakers of the divine nature (inasmuch as they pattern after God in virtues), are by this judged or known to be His children; and, so that they might well express this image, they are abundantly admonished about it by Christ and His apostles. So, for instance, with these words: "Be therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect." "But as he who has called you is holy, so be holy in all manner of conversation." "And every man . . . purifies himself, even as he is pure." "Be therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Forgive one another, as God has forgiven you. Second Peter 1, verse 4; First Peter 1, verse 23; John 3, verse 6; First John 4, verse 7; 5, verse 1; James 1, verse 18; John 1, verse 13; Romans 8, verse 16; Matthew 5, verse 48; First Peter 1, verse 15; First John 3, verse 3; Luke 6, verse 36; Ephesians 4, verse 2; Colossians 3, verse 13.

Again "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5, verse 9). The Lord says further: "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you; that you (show that you) are the children of your Father who is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Wherever, then, such likeness to God appears, through the putting on of the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, these show forth the image of Christ in their mortal flesh. Ephesians 4, verse 24; Colossians 3, verse 10; Galatians 2, verse 20; Second Corinthians 5, verse 17. They are an epistle of Christ, in which Christ can be seen and read by all men; and they are justly called Christians; and consequently they are true children of God and members of Jesus Christ. Therefore they must be recognized and accepted by all those who truly fear God as belonging to one body, which is the church of the living God; and as having, through this fruitful faith, fellowship with God the righteous judge, with Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, with the church of the firstborn, who are written in heaven, with an innumerable company of angels, and with all the spirits of just men made perfect. Second Corinthians 3, verse 2; Acts 11, verse 26; Romans 12, verse 5; Ephesians 4, verses 4 and 16; First Corinthians 12, verse 13; Acts 20, verse 28; First Timothy 3, verse 15. Of this church Christ is the foundation, Head, King, Shepherd, Leader, Master, and Lord. First Corinthians 3, verse 11; Ephesians 4, verse 15; Jeremiah 33, verse 15; Luke 1, verse 33; John 10, verses 11 and 14; 13, verse 14. She alone is His body, adorned bride, dove, flock, and people, spiritual flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bones. Romans 12, verse 5; Revelation 21, verse 2; Song of Songs 2, verse 14; 4, verse 1.

Now, although this fruitful faith is the only certain fundamental mark by which the children of God and members of Jesus Christ shall be known, and through which alone they are also, by grace, made partakers of the (by us unmerited) benefits of Christ, God has nevertheless been pleased to set forth and confirm to believers, by external, visible signs, the benefits and merits of His Son Jesus Christ, which, as has been said, are received only by faith, and retained by obedience, so that the things signified (of the promises of the grace of God) might shine forth the more clearly by the external signs, partly to assure the consciences of the believers in the new covenant of the grace of God, and partly to bind the members of Jesus Christ together in unity, as members belonging to one body. For this purpose He has instituted in the church of the New Testament especially two such ordinances or signs suited to the thing signified, in which all true believers find great benefit and comfort. These are the Holy Baptism and the Holy Supper. Ephesians 2, verse 7; John 1, verse 16; Mark 16, verse 16; Luke 22, verse 19; Acts 2, verse 38; First Corinthians 11, verse 24; Jeremiah 31, verse 31; First Peter 3, verse 21; First Corinthians 12, verse 13; 10, verse 17; Romans 6, verse 5; Matthew 28, verses 19 and 26. [n33-3]