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“Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.” Psalm 60:4

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Home / About Us / Who We Are / The Free Presbyterian Church Catechism / 2. The Westminster Confession of Faith (14–22)

2. The Westminster Confession of Faith (14–22)

14 Question. What is the Westminster Confession of Faith?
Answer. The Westminster Confession of Faith is a document which was drawn up by the Westminster Assembly of Divines in 1646.

15 Q. What is the importance of the Westminster Confession of Faith?
A. The Westminster Confession of Faith was accepted by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1647 and the Scottish Parliament in 1649. It was the creed of the Free Church in 1843, and continued to be until the Declaratory Act was passed.

16 Q. What matters does the Confession deal with?
A. The Confession has 33 chapters on the Bible, God and the Trinity, God’s Decrees, Creation, Providence, the Fall of Man, the Covenant of Grace, the Mediator, Free Will, Effectual Calling, Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, Saving Faith, Repentance unto Life, Good Works, Perseverance of the Saints, Assurance of Grace and Salvation, the Law of God, Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience, Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day, Lawful Oaths and Vows, the Civil Magistrate,[1] Marriage and Divorce, the Church, Communion of Saints, the Sacraments, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, Church Censures, Synods and Councils, the State of Men after Death and the Resurrection of the Dead, and the Last Judgement.

17 Q. Is the teaching of the Confession in accordance with Scripture?
A. Yes. The Westminster Confession is an accurate summary of the Bible’s teaching and is established by Scripture references.

18 Q. Were the doctrines of the Confession believed by all the ministers, elders and deacons of the Free Church?
A. Yes, to begin with all office-bearers in the Free Church believed the doctrines of the Confession. All ministers, elders and deacons signed the Formula[2] at their ordination and thus publicly professed to accept “the whole doctrine” of the Confession.

19 Q. Did all the office-bearers continue to accept the whole doctrine of the Confession?
A. No, latterly a majority of office-bearers in the Free Church began to deny some of the doctrines in the Confession.

20 Q. Was the Declaratory Act passed because office-bearers did not accept the Confession?
A. Yes, the Declaratory Act was passed in order to ease the consciences of men who had signed the Formula but no longer believed what they had signed.

21 Q. Was it wrong of the Free Church to pass the Declaratory Act?
A. Yes, it was wrong to pass the Declaratory Act for two reasons: (1) it entailed affirming false doctrines and giving up doctrines which were scriptural; (2) the office-bearers of the Free Church had all solemnly vowed before God that the whole doctrine of the Confession was the confession of their own faith.

22 Q. Was it wrong for office-bearers to subscribe to what they did not believe?
A. Yes, it is deceitful and dishonourable to make vows in which we claim to believe what in fact we do not believe.[3]

[1] ‘Magistrate’ here means ‘ruler’.

[2] The Formula is a paper signed by all the office-bearers (ministers, elders, and deacons) at their ordination, see Appendix IV, Section IV on page 58.

[3] See Free Presbyterian Synod Resolution on Creed Subscription, Appendix III.2 on page 46.

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About Us

  • Who We Are
    • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland – Why It Exists Today
    • The Free Presbyterian Church Catechism
      • A Catechism of the History and Principles of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland – PDF
      • 1. Origins of the Free Presbyterian Church (1-13)
      • 2. The Westminster Confession of Faith (14–22)
      • 3. The Declaratory Act and the Free Church (23–53)
      • 4. The Infallibility of Scripture (54-67)
      • 5. Erroneous Doctrines (68-77)
      • 6. Innovations in Worship (78-93)
      • 7. Church and State (94-104)
      • 8. Church office-bearers (105-130)
      • 9. Church Courts (131-140)
      • 10. Church Unity (141-149)
      • 11. Modern Religious Cults (150-159)
      • 12. Modern Errors (160-170)
      • 13. Evolution (171-175)
      • 14. Christ’s Second Coming (176-179)
      • Appendix 1. Deed of Separation 1893
      • Appendix 2. Free Church of Scotland Declaratory Act 1892
      • Appendix 3. FP Synod Resolutions
      • Appendix 4. Questions put to Office-bearers and Formula to be signed by them
      • Appendix 5. Memorandum on the Church of Scotland Enabling Bill 1920
    • The Declaratory Act Controversy
      • Declaratory Act – Reasons for Separation
      • How the Declaratory Act changed the Constitution of the Free Church
      • Explanatory Criticism of the Declaratory Act
      • The Consequences of the Declaratory Act
      • The Declaratory Act and Admission into Office in the Free Church
      • The Constitutional Aspects of the Declaratory Act
      • A Brief History of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
  • What We Contend For
    • Our Free Presbyterian Heritage
    • The Authorised Version
      • The Importance of the Authorised Version for the Church in Britain
      • 2015 Synod Resolution on Versions of the Bible
    • Evangelical or Reformed
    • A Protestant Witness
      • The Pope and the Constitution of the United Kingdom
      • The Pope as the Head of a False Religion
      • Papal Infallibility
      • The Pope in Scripture
    • The Five Points of Calvinism
      • The Canons of Dort
    • The Free Offer of the Gospel
    • Resolution on Creed Subscription
    • Church Discipline
      • The Purposes of Church Discipline
      • The Church’s responsibility to administer Biblical discipline faithfully
      • The benefits of exercising Church discipline
      • Accusations Levelled against a Church Exercising Discipline
    • Baptism
      • Subjects of Baptism – by Rev. William MacIntyre
      • Mode of Baptism – by Rev. William Macintyre
      • Should Infants be Baptised?
    • The Lord’s Supper
      • Why do the minister and elders interview intending communicants?
      • Restricted Communion
      • Fencing the Table
        • The Origins of Fencing the Table
    • Our Separate Stance
    • The Sabbath
      • Why the Sabbath should Still be Kept
      • How the Sabbath should be Kept
      • Sabbath or Lord’s Day – not “Sunday”
      • What about using Public Transport on the Sabbath?
        • Synod’s Statement in Reference to Church-going by Public Conveyances on the Sabbath
        • Historical Controversy over Using Public Transport on the Lord’s Day
    • Family worship
      • Family worship – a recent overview
      • Family worship – a recent address to young people
      • Family worship – a convicting appeal from C H Spurgeon
      • Family worship – a wartime appeal from more than a century ago
      • Family worship – a review
      • Family worship – another wartime appeal
      • Family worship – an illustration of its power
    • Distinctions between Male and Female
      • Men and Women Equal in Value
      • The Distinct Roles of Men and Women
      • Can women lead in public prayer?
      • Distinct Clothing for Men and Women
      • Long hair for women and short hair for men
        • If a Woman have Long Hair, it is a Glory to Her
  • What We Believe
  • How We Worship
    • Order of Service
    • The Right Way to Worship
      • Standing for Prayer
      • The Charismatic Movement – The Gifts have Ceased
    • The Regulative Principle of Worship
      • Does the Bible tell us how we are to Worship?
      • The Importance of the Regulative Principle for Today
      • The Regulative Principle as defined by the Scottish Reformers and others
    • Exclusive Psalmody
      • Does the Bible tell us What to Sing?
      • Why Psalms Only
    • No Musical Instruments
      • Musical Instruments in Worship
    • No Christian “Festivals”
      • Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?
  • How We Are Organised
    • Church Courts
    • Scripture does teach the right form of Church Government
    • The Apostolic Church – Which Is It?
      • Statement of the Question
      • Meaning of the word Church
      • Government of the Church
      • Apostolic Principles
      • The First Principle
      • The Second Principle
      • The Third Principle
      • The Fourth Principle
      • The Fifth Principle
      • The Sixth Principle
      • Application of the Test
      • Application of the Test to Prelacy
      • Application of the Test to Independency
      • Application of the Test to Presbytery
      • Application of the Test – Result
  • Important Documents
    • The Scots Confession
    • The First Book of Discipline
    • The Second Book of Discipline
    • The National Covenant
    • The Solemn League and Covenant
    • The Westminster Confession of Faith
    • The Larger Catechism
    • The Shorter Catechism
    • The Directory for Public Worship
    • The Form of Presbyterial Church Government
    • The Sum of Saving Knowledge
    • The Directory for Family Worship
    • The Claim Declaration and Protest
    • The Protest
    • The Deed of Separation 1893
  • Frequently Asked Questions

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