Confessions of Faith
Baptist Faith and Message 2000
The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 represents our larger associational confession along with the Southern Baptist Convention. Affirmation and committment to this document is necessary for joining membership at Coram Deo Church.
1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith represents our historical and robust doctrine. This document represents, to a larger extent than the BFM 2000, the guiding doctrine of the church. Everything in this document is not necessary to affirm to join our church, but we would recommend it be studied before joining.
Statements We Affirm
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We believe that Scripture is inspired, inerrant, sufficient, and canonically closed.
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We affirm the biblical definition of man and woman in function and essence. We believe that men and women are of equal value but distinct in nature and function. We believe marriage is only between a man and a woman, and is intended to be a lifelong commitment.
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We believe that God has made available to us and commanded us unto obedience in all matters including society, sexuality, culture, justice, and government. Since these are biblically defined we are bound to define and obey Christ as He has prescribed in Holy Scripture.
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We believe that our culture does not have the authority to define male and female, sexuality, marriage, biology, or reality as it pertains to human design and function for God’s glory and our good. Only God through Holy Scripture has the authority to define and prescribe regarding these matters.
Why we believe…
Why does doctrine matter?
If Christ is our King, the Father is our Creator, and the Spirit our Seal, then we believe as Christians we are utterly not our own. God’s design is for His people to flourish under His rule. It is then our job to submit to what our King has designed for us for our good.
We believe that for a church to stand strong and unified we must have faithful, cohesive, and transparent doctrine (or beliefs). For this reason we have chosen to establish ourselves on the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as well as the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.
Why a confession?
We believe that every Christian affirms a confession or creed, even if it’s their own. For truth, order, and unity to exist in the church, that confession must be biblical, transparent, and agreed upon. You have a right to know what your church believes and to what you can hold its leaders accountable, as well as what you are submitting yourself to. Furthermore, the time-tested nature of the 1689 provides a robust and faithful representation of what we believe Scripture teaches.
We do not believe either document replace Scripture, rather, they present clear doctrinal instruction from Scripture. In this way, we recognize that we stand atop the shoulders of giants in the faith who have dedicated themselves to the faithful work of studying and obeying God’s Word for our good and His glory.
Isn’t a confession divisive?
What we believe does divide us and that’s necessary (1 Cor. 11:19), however the 1689 is actually a wonderfully unifying document. During its formation there was incredible persecution against Baptists. However, the men who penned it built it off of the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Savoy Declaration for two reasons. First, they chose these documents because of their faithfulness and fidelity to God’s Word. Secondly, they chose them to show that they are actually more united to their Presbyterian brothers than separate.
What makes us different than other churches is important to our understanding of what it means to love God and love our neighbor, as well as what it means to be of “one mind”.
What makes us the same as other true churches is that we all confess: the Gospel and essential teachings regarding our faith.
What if I’m not sure what I believe?
In any church, the unsure, undecided, or any other “un” should be welcome. We heartily agree! While everyone is invited to our gatherings as a guest or visitor, not everyone has committed themselves to this local church as a member.
A family has guests over for dinner, but to be a part of that family means something more. This cuts both ways. We believe that being a member (believing and committing oneself to shared doctrine, discipline, and duties) means benefits and expectations have been freely committed to. That wouldn’t be fair to put on a visitor. So while everyone is welcome, only the members belong to the body.
Members are defined by a shared:
Confession of Christ
Believer’s Baptism
Doctrine and Covenant
The Lord’s Table
