The Baptist Catechism

The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman (paperback)

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Creedal ImperativeThe Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman

Paperback: 208 pages

Publisher: Crossway; (September 30, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1433521903

ISBN-13: 978-1433521904

 

 

 

Summary:

What if “No creed but the Bible” is unbiblical?

The role of confessions and creeds is the subject of debate within evangelicalism today as many resonate with the call to return to Christianity’s ancient roots. Advocating for a balanced perspective, Carl Trueman offers an analysis of why creeds and confessions are necessary, how they have developed over time, and how they can function in the church of today and tomorrow.

 

 

Reviews:

CredoCovenant Review – Billy Leonhart

“How might creedal and confessional commitments jeopardize the protestant commitment to Sola Scriptura? Are such commitments not tantamount to the elevation of tradition to the level of, if not above, Scripture itself? Will not such commitments in essence render the church irrelevant in this modern age? Whatever happened to ‘no creed but the Bible’? Carl Trueman, Professor of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia, PA.), seeks to answer these questions and more in The Creedal Imperative. In this book, Trueman argues that ‘creeds and confessions are, in fact, necessary for the well-being of the church’ (20).” Read more…

Listen to Our Discussions of This Book

Listen to Our Discussions of This Book

IX Marks Review – Peter Hess

“In The Creedal Imperative, Carl Trueman argues that, if a church hopes to ‘follow the pattern of the sound words’ that has been entrusted to it (2 Tim. 1:13), that church requires a robust confessionalism.” Read more…

 

The Aquila Report – Aimee Byrd

“Apparently, this book is too cool for a subtitle. Carl Trueman has a market on cool by rebelling against cool. Especially skinny jeans. But I digress. I’m thinking something like, ‘The Indicatives are Imperative.’ But that’s just me. Does your church catechize or teach with creeds? Sure it does. Trueman makes the case that all churches and all people have a creed, whether they admit it or not. ‘No creed but the Bible’ just doesn’t exist, and is a creed in itself (maybe that’s a good subtitle).” Read more…

 

The Blog (Founders) – Tom Hicks

“With Christianity on the wane in Western culture, some leaders have urged Christians to deemphasize secondary doctrines in order to stand united on gospel essentials.  Our numbers are too small, they say, for Christians to continue nit picking at each other on long disputed matters of theology.  Let me suggest, however, that doctrinal minimalism is the wrong approach, especially at this time.  While all true Christians should stand united for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom and against the rising specter of secularism, this is not the time to sideline secondary doctrines of the faith.  Now, more than ever, we need robust, thoroughly biblical expressions of Christianity.  We need an encyclopedically confessional faith.” Read more…

 

Thoughts on The Baptist Catechism, Question One

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The following was taken from some lecture notes I taught at my church a couple years ago from The Baptist Catechism.

 

Q.1: Who is the first and chiefest being?

A. God is the first and chiefest being.1

1Isaiah 44:6; 48:12; Psalm 97:9

 

Note: The first question and answer from the Westminster Confession of Faith begins with man and points to God:

 

Q.1: What is the chief and highest end of man?

A. Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God and fully to enjoy Him forever.

The Baptist Catechism takes a decidedly more presuppositional and, I would argue, more Calvinistic approach. In Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin begins his instruction by asking whether man must first know himself in order to know God or know God in order to know himself. After much deliberation, he concludes:

“But though the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves are bound together by mutual bond, it is only right that the former is given first place, and then we can come down to the latter.”[1]

Men must first be confronted with the character and nature of God before they can begin to properly assess themselves. God is both the source and the focal point of all truth. Every confession, every catechism, every creed, every gospel presentation should endeavor to begin and end with Him, not man.

God is the first and chiefest being.

Isaiah 44:6

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:

‘I am the first and I am the last,

And there is no God besides Me.’”[2]

 

Isaiah 48:12

“Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called;

I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.”

 

Psalm 97:9

“For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth;

You are exalted far above all gods.”

“Should God then be chiefly loved? Yes. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, Luke 10:27. And chiefly feared? Yes. Rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, Matthew 10:28. And are those happy who are interested in him? Yes. Happy is that people whose God is the Lord, Psalm 144:15.”[3]

_____________________________________________

[1]John Calvin, The Institutes of Christian Religion (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1987), 24.

[2]All citation of the holy Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) except where otherwise noted.

[3]Benjamin Bedomme, A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism (Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books, 2006), 2.

CCF Episode Eight: Wrapping Up The Creedal Imperative

/ William F. Leonhart III / 1 Comment

CredoCovPodcastMaster

In this episode, JD and Billy are joined by Jack DiMarco, Rene Del Rio, Pastor Jason Delgado, and Junior “Big Dippa” Duran to wrap up our discussion of The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman. Featuring music from Bernard Herrmann and Timothy Brindle (feat. Shai Linne).

MP3 Download | stream:

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Subscribe to future podcasts and leave us a review on iTunes: RSS | iTunes

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The book we’ll be going through in the weeks to come:

How_To_Read_A_Book

 

How to Read a Book
by Mortimer Adler & Charles Van Doren

We’d love your participation. Contact us with your comments and questions about the book’s contents:

Longing for Egypt: Discontentment with the Ordinary Means of Grace

/ William F. Leonhart III / 1 Comment

Lately, in considering the continuationist movement in Evangelicalism, I have begun to wonder if what lies at root of the movement is not a discontentment with the ordinary means of grace. One thing that is not often considered is the fact that such an emphasis on the extraordinary, emotions-based revelry that passes as worship in many churches today encourages in the mind of the average congregant a dissatisfaction with the means God has ordained for the edification and sanctification of His saints. Let me state this clearly: True worship is that which leads the worshiper to find his joy and satisfaction in God’s weekly, incremental, ordinary means of grace. Does God sometimes work through lightening bolts to jolt His saints into greater obedience and faith? Sure. Will God work outside of the ordinary means of grace to bring us to the places He wills for us to be? Certainly. Do we have any right to require anything more than His ordinary, week-by-week, incremental dealings with us? Absolutely not! Let us be content with the manna we have received for this day and repent of our longings for the food of Egypt.

CCF Episode Two: Goals for 2014

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In this episode, Billy and JD sit down with Jason Delgado (The Confessing Baptist), Pastor Larry Vincent (Heritage Baptist Church; Mansfield, TX.), and Michael King to discuss our goals for 2014.

MP3 Download | stream:

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Subscribe to future podcast: RSS | iTunes [official page pending]

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The book we’ll start going through:

Creedal Imperative

The Creedal Imperative Paperback
by Carl R. Trueman

We’d love your participation. Contact us with your comments and questions about the book’s contents:

The Baptist Catechism – Questions 105-114, Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer

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Q.105: What is prayer?

A. Prayer is an offering up our desires to God, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, believing, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgements of His mercies.

( Psalm 32:5-6; 62:8; Daniel 9:4 Matthew 21:22; John 16:23; Romans 8:26-27; Philippians 4:6; James 1:6; 1John 5:14 )

 

Q.106: What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?

A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that prayer which Christ taught His disciples, commonly called the Lord’s Prayer.

( Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4; 1John 5:14 )

 

Q.107: What doth the preface of the Lord’s prayer teach us?

A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.

( Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:13; Acts 12:5; Romans 8:15; 1Timothy 2:1-2 )

 

Q.108: What do we pray for in the first petition?

A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be Thy name, we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify Him in all that whereby He maketh Himself known, and that He would dispose all things unto His own glory.

( Psalm 67:2-3; 83:1-18; Matthew 6:9; Romans 11:36 )

 

Q.109: What do we pray for in the second petition?

A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray that Satan’s kingdom may be destroyed, and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it and kept in it, and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.

( Psalm 68:1, 18; Matthew 6:10; John 17:19-20; Romans 10:1; 2Thessalonians 3:1; Revelation 12:10-11; 22:20 )

 

Q.110: What do we pray for in the third petition?

A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we pray that God by His grace would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to His will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.

( 2Samuel 15:25; Job 1:21; Psalm 67:1-7; 103:20-21; 119:36; Matthew 6:10 )

 

Q.111: What do we pray for in the fourth petition?

A. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, we pray that of God’s free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy His blessing with them.

( Genesis 28:20; Proverbs 30:8-9; Matthew 6:11; 1Timothy 4:4-5 )

 

Q.112: What do we pray for in the fifth petition?

A. In the fifth petition, which is, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, we pray that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are rather encouraged to ask because by His grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

( Psalm 51:1-2, 7, 9; Daniel 9:17-19; Matthew 6:12; 18:35; Luke 11:4 )

 

Q.113: What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

A. In the sixth petition, which is, Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

( Matthew 6:13; 26:41; 2Corinthians 12:8 )

 

Q.114: What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach?

A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen, teacheth us to make our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise Him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory, to Him. And in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.

( 1Chronicles 29:10-13; Daniel 9:4, 7-9, 16-19; Matthew 6:13; 1Corinthians 14:16; Revelation 22:20-21 )

The Baptist Catechism – Questions 93-104, The Ordinary Means of Grace

/ William F. Leonhart III / 1 Comment

Q.93: What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?

A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are His ordinances, especially the Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper; all which means are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

( Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42, 46-47 )

 

Q.94: How is the Word made effectual to salvation?

A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation.

( Nehemiah 8:8; Psalm 19:8; Acts 20:32; 26:18; Romans 1:15-16; 10:13-17; 15:4; 1Corinthians 14:24-25; 1Timothy 3:15-17 )

 

Q.95: How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?

A. That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.

( Psalm 119:11, 18; Proverbs 8:34; Luke 8:15; 2Thessalonians 2:10; Hebrews 4:2; James 1:25; 1Peter 2:1-2 )

 

Q.96: How do baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation?

A. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation, not for any virtue in them, but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of the Spirit in those that by faith receive them.

( Matthew 3:11; 1Corinthians 3:6-7; 12:3; 1Peter 3:21 )

 

Q.97: What is baptism?

A. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Christ, to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with Him, in His death, burial, and resurrection; of his being engrafted into Him; of remission of sins; and of giving up himself unto God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.

( Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12 )

 

Q.98: To whom is baptism to be administered?

A. Baptism is to be administered to all those who actually profess repentance toward God, faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to none other.

( Matthew 3:6; 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:37-38; 8:36-38 )

 

Q.99: Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?

A. The infants of such as are professing believers are not to be baptized, because there is neither command nor example in the Holy Scriptures, or certain consequence from them to baptize such.

( Proverbs 30:6; Luke 3:7-8 )

 

Q.100: How is baptism rightly administered?

A. Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the party in water, into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, according to Christ’s institution, and the practice of the apostles, and not by sprinkling or pouring of water, or dipping some part of the body, after the tradition of men.

( Matthew 3:16; 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 8:38; 10:48; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12 )

 

Q.101: What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?

A. It is the duty of such who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they might walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

( Luke 1:6; Acts 2:41-42; 5:13-14; 9:26; 1Peter 2:5 )

 

Q.102: What is the Lord’s Supper?

A. The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ; wherein by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to His appointment, His death is shown forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of His body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.

( Matthew 26:26-28; 1Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-26 )

 

Q.103: Who are the proper subjects of this ordinance?

A. They who have been baptized upon a personal profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from dead works.

( Acts 2:41-42 )

 

Q.104: What is required to be worthy of receiving the Lord’s Supper?

A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, of their faith to feed upon Him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience, lest coming unworthily they eat and drink judgment to themselves.

( 1Corinthians 5:7-8; 10:16-17; 11:28-29, 31; 2Corinthians 13:5 )

The Baptist Catechism – Questions 90-92, The Proper Response to the Gospel

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Q.90: What doth God require of us that we may escape His wrath and curse, due to us for sin?

A. To escape the wrath and curse due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.

( Proverbs 2:1-6; 8:33-36; Isaiah 55:2-3; Acts 20:21 )

 

Q.91: What is faith in Jesus Christ?

A.  Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the Gospel.

( Isaiah 26:3-4; John 1:12; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 10:39 )

 

Q.92: What is repentance unto life?

A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of and endeavor after new obedience.

( Isaiah 1:16-17; Jeremiah 3:22; 31:18-19; Esekiel 36:31; Joel 2:12; Acts 2:37-38; 11:28; 2Corinthians 7:11 )

The Baptist Catechism – Questions 78-89, The Second Table of the Moral Law (Part Two)

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Q.78: Which is the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.

( Exodus 20:15 )

 

Q.79: What is required in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.

( Genesis 30:30; 47:14, 20; Exodus 23:4-5; Leviticus 25:35; Deuteronomy 22:1-5; 1Timothy 5:8 )

 

Q.80: What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward estate.

( Proverbs 21:17; 23:20-21; 28:19; Ephesians 4:28; 1Timothy 5:8 )

 

Q.81: Which is the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

( Exodus 20:16 )

 

Q.82: What is required in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing.

( Proverbs 14:5, 25; Zechariah 8:16; 3John 12 )

 

Q.83: What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor’s good name.

( Leviticus 19:16; 1Samuel 17:28; Psalm 15:3 )

 

Q.84: Which is the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment is Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.

( Exodus 20:17 )

 

Q.85: What is required in the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his.

( Job 31:29; Romans 12:15; 1Corinthians 13:4, 7; 1Timothy 1:5; 6:6; Hebrews 13:5 )

 

Q.86: What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.

( Deuteronomy 5:21; 1Kings 21:4; Esther 5:13; Romans 7:7-8; 1Corinthians 10:10; Galatians 5:26; James 3:14, 16 )

 

Q.87: Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

A. No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

( Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:9-21; Galatians 5:17; James 3:2-13; 1John 1:8, 10 )

 

Q.88: Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.

( Psalm 78:17, 32, 56; Ezekiel 8:6, 13, 15; 1John  5:16 )

 

Q.89: What doth every sin deserve?

A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come?

( Lamentations 3:39; Matthew 25:41; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 5:6; Galatians 3:10 )

The Baptist Catechism – Questions 68-77, The Second Table of the Moral Law (Part One)

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Q.68: Which is the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

( Exodus 20:12 )

 

Q.69: What is required in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor and performing the duties belonging to everyone in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, and equals.

( Romans 12:10; Ephesians 5:21; 1Peter 2:17 )

 

Q.70: What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglect of, or doing anything against the honor and duty which belongeth to everyone  in their several places and relations.

( Ezekiel 34:2-4; Matthew 15:4-6; Romans 13:8 )

 

Q.71: What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?

A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God’s glory, and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment.

( Deuteronomy 5:16; Ephesians 6:2-3 )

 

Q.72: What is the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.

( Exodus 20:13 )

 

Q.73: What is required in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.

( 1Kings 18:4; Ephesians 5:28-29 )

 

Q.74: What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment absolutely forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.

( Genesis 9:6; Acts 16:28 )

 

Q.75: Which is the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

( Exodus 20:14 )

 

Q.76: What is required in the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior.

( 1Corinthians 7:2-3, 5, 34, 36; Colossians 4:6; 1Peter 3:2 )

 

Q.77: What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.

( Matthew 5:28; 15:19; Ephesians 5:3-4 )