Are they merely a guideline? Something we refer back to when needing to define our faith? How much weight should they have when deciding on issues of life and morality?

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Erick Bohndorf, Covenant Baptist Church, KS
http://qayaqtraveler.blogspot.com/
The question for us today is, will we be like the majority of Israel and continue to look in fear at the giants in the land and urge our fellow Christians to be "realistic," or will we be like Joshua and Caleb and faithfully follow our king, trusting to fulfill every one of his promises completely?

See the board rules
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And see The Utility and Importance of Creeds and Confessions by Samuel Miller.
The Utility and Importance of Creeds ... - Google Book Search

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
• Naphtali Press: Presbyterian & Reformed Books
• The Confessional Presbyterian Journal
• The Blue Banner Archive

The Regulative Principle: Samuel Miller gives a succinct statement of this principle when he writes that since the Scriptures are the “only infallible rule of faith and practice, no rite or ceremony ought to have a place in the public worship of God, which is not warranted in Scripture, either by direct precept or example, or by good and sufficient inference.”

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1. They are standards, hence referred to as the Westminster Standards.

2. They are in subjection to the Scriptures, but also a systematic summary thereof.

3. When a church is confessional, they than have a written, systematic standard by which they can point out error & heresy, and help articulate the justification of proper biblical discipline.

That soooooo not exhaustive, but a very brief explanation.

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Attending CCRPC, Member of TRBC
Reformers & Puritans -lllll- Puritan Pub
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And as far as the confessions and the PB see:
What?! This is a Reformed Board?!

AA Hodge lists 4 reasons for creeds and confessions in his commentary on the Confession of Faith.

Let's see if I can remember all 4......

1. They are markers of the attainments of the church.
2. They distinguish between true and false teachers.
3. They serve a pedagogical function.
4. ___________________________________

Anyone....? I will look it up later.

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Nathan Eshelman
Grand Rapids, MI
First Reformed Presbyterian Church

PRESBYTERIAN THOUGHTS

First Reformed Presbyterian Church

Probably what I said, as subsets of number 4. He got those 3 you mentioned from me some time back anyway.

Shack,

Christianity is God's revealed religion. God is ultimately, and infinitely wise, truthful, and rational. Thus, whatever He reveals is wise, truthful and rational. God does not reveal inconsistent or contradictory propositions.

That said, His revelation must be viewed and understood, not as a set of unrelated (albeit heartwarming) ideas. Rather, Scripture is one consistent whole, and therefore may be brought together into a "pattern of sound doctrine" or a system of truth; a confession.

Thus, when a particular confession is in line with the teaching of Scripture, it is the same as God's Word. Here's how the WCF puts it:

Chap. 1:VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added

Note, nothing is to be added to what Scripture explicitly says, or to what may be deduced from Scripture using good and necessary consequence: theology.

Confessions are a bulwark against error, an encouragement to piety, and are a lowest-common-denominator, from which the church may then grow into the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.

Without sound confessions, we are subject to every wind of doctrine, the trickiness of men and their craftiness.

Here's a contemporary example. The Federal Vision is interested in twisting Scripture to say certain irrational propositions, clearly contrary to sound biblical theology and the Reformed confessions: justification is perfected or completed "eschatologically", based (at least in part) on our good works.

The Confessions soundly condemn this sort of mishandling of Scripture, and therefore, we are spared the trouble of giving such drivel a second hearing. We need not be troubled by the shades of falsehood, but may confidently affirm the truth, and move on. See Hebrews 6 for an example of people who had to rediscover the basics, rather than progress. Confessions are a help to this good end.

Not sure that this answers all questions, but I think is a starting point.

Cheers,

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Adam Brink, Livermore, California
Grace Church of Pleasanton, PCA

He who was punishable by death under the judicial law, is punishable by death still; and he who was not punished by death then, is not to be punished by death now.

A.A. Hodge, Outlines of Theology:

Creeds & Confessions, by A.A. Hodge

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

So I had 4, but not three. Bonds of Christian fellowship, right.

A creed is the Word of God "believed." A confession is the Word of God "confessed." A catechism is the Word of God "taught." If they are looked on as anything less than this then the words "creed," "confession," and "catechism" are dishonest.

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Yours sincerely,


"Illum oportet crescere me autem minui."

Many religions and cults claim to believe the bible. The real question becomes what do you believe the bible teaches?
This in part is the purpose of these documents.They exist to offer both instruction and protection from error ,and cult like practices.
When a new convert joins a confessional church , he or she should have a reasonable expectation that the members will believe and conduct themselves in accordance with what they profess,and confess in these documents. This should promote unity in the truth ,discipleship, further material for godly meditation on the works of the Lord.
To give a new convert a systematic theology might be like trying to feed an infant a nice porterhouse steak. The food is good ,but strong meat belongs to those of full age. These documents seek to introduce the same kind of good food in more manageable portions
In a negative way- if a member drifts from the faith these standards can be used as a benchmark to call the straying person to repentance.

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Anthony D'Arienzo
Sunday School Teacher
Hope Reformed Baptist Church:
Medford, N.Y.