The Westminster Confession A Study of the Synthesis and Substance of Faith A Study of the Synthesis and Substance of Bible Doctrine

Session 1: Introduction

What is doctrine?

What is doctrine?

1. Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone - A reaffirmation that the Bible contains all things necessary to understand and obey God. - A denial that any other form of authority is needed to bind the conscience of the Christian.

2. Solus Christus: Christ Alone - A reaffirmation that Christ alone and his penal substitutionary atonement on the cross are the means by which all Christians are saved. - A denial that the Gospel can be preached without the atonement being declared and without faith being solicited from the listeners.

3. Sola Gratia: Grace Alone - A reaffirmation that salvation is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. - A denial that salvation is in any sense a work of the human heart, either fully or partially.

4. Sola Fide: Faith Alone - A reaffirmation that a person is justified (declared innocent) before God through faith alone and through Christ alone - that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the Christian. - A denial that justification relies upon any human merit, and that churches which teach this cannot be considered legitimate churches.

5. Soli Deo Gloria: God’s Glory Alone - A reaffirmation that salvation is ultimately for God’s glory rather than man’s, and that Christians everywhere should understand that they are under God’s authority and act for his glory alone. - A denial that God can be glorified through “entertainment”-style worship; the removal of law and/or gospel in preaching; and preaching that focuses upon self-improvement, self-esteem and self fulfillment.

The Reformation Occurred Over Time Luther (ca. 1517) Calvin (ca. 1536) Westminster Standards (ca. 1646)

Westminster History: - The Church of England had broken off from the Roman Catholic Church. - Parliament felt that Luther’s reformation was incomplete; the Church of England was essentially the Roman Catholic Church with the king as pope. - Arminianism was also creeping into the Church of England.

Westminster History: - Scotland agreed with Parliament; things needed to change. - Parliament and Scotland entered into the “Solemn League and Covenant” in which Parliament pledged to bring the Church of England into conformity with Scottish Presbyterianism.

Westminster History: - King Charles I disagreed and opposed the Parliament in its efforts to reform the Church of England. - Finally, in 1643, Parliament was able to charter the Westminster Assembly to review the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England. - Following disagreement in the Assembly, the Parliament rechartered the Assembly to draft its own doctrinal statements.

The Westminster Assembly: About 121 “Divines” (esteemed ministers and scholars) - Observers: - 10 from the House of Lords - 20 from the House of Commons - Some sent from other countries, including 11 Scottish “Commissioners”

Different Political Perspectives: - Erastians (civil government should rule churches) - Episcopals (bishops should rule churches) - Presbyterians (a federal system should rule churches) - Congregationalists (each local church should rule itself)

The “Westminster Standards:” - The Westminster Confession - The Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms (for ministers and children, respectively) - The Directory of Public Worship - The Form of Church Government (The latter two are now subsumed in our Book of Church Order)

Course Principles - You’re smart and knowledgeable. - I’m going to ask a lot of questions of you. - We’re at different levels of understanding. - We can all learn doctrine together.

Course Objectives - Understand that we need to think about why we believe what we believe - Understand that variations in nonessential beliefs/practices are OK - denominational distinctives - Understand that variations in fundamental beliefs are not OK - heterodoxy/heresy - Understand the structure of the Bible and the need for a systematic doctrine/theology

Course Objectives - Understand that the Westminster Standards are not God’s Word - Understand that the Westminster Standards are an excellent statement of doctrine and worthy of great respect - Gain an appreciation of doctrine as an apologetic tool Understand how doctrine is relevant to you and can and should be your daily companion - Gain a love for Bible doctrine and God Himself

(handed down from Parliament) Course Rules (handed down from Parliament) 1. That two assessors be joined to the prolocutor, to supply his place in case of absence or infirmity. (I may be out of town occasionally and need some substitutes.) …

(handed down from Parliament) Course Rules (handed down from Parliament) 3. Every member, at his first entry into the Assembly, shall make serious and solemn protestation, not to maintain any thing but what he believes to be truth and sincerity, when discovered to him. (Don’t be a gadfly or the Devil’s advocate.) …

(handed down from Parliament) Course Rules (handed down from Parliament) 5. What any man undertakes to prove as necessary, he shall make good out of Scripture. (Base the doctrine you purport on Scripture.)

(handed down from Parliament) Course Rules (handed down from Parliament) 6. No man to proceed in any dispute after the prolocutor has enjoined him silence, unless the Assembly desire he may go on. (Constructive argument is good; obstinacy is bad.)

(handed down from Parliament) Course Rules (handed down from Parliament) 7. No man to be denied to enter his dissent from the Assembly, and his reasons for it, in any point, after it hath been first debated in the Assembly. (You have the right to disagree.)

(that we ourselves should adopt) Course Rules (that we ourselves should adopt) 1. That every session begin and end with prayer. … 3. That the appointed hour of meeting be nine in the morning; the time before to be reserved for hot coffee and fellowship.

I have not been to seminary. Please correct me with kindness. I am not a theologian. I have not been to seminary. Please correct me with kindness.

Course Style - Highly interactive, but I won’t call on people. - Not a lecture; I’m here to facilitate/lead. - Different views are encouraged; let’s reason together. - Each session is generally outlined, but we can stray significantly. - No set end to the class -- we can go as short or as long as we want.

Course Format - Each session will be devoted to a section of the Westminster Confession, in order. - I will have each section on PowerPoint Slides – no books (other than the Bible) are required. - In many sessions, I would like to include a “controversy of the week” in which we can debate different doctrinal viewpoints or to respond to a worldview with Bible doctrine.

Course Format - Debates will be handled positively, lovingly and cooperatively. - Each session will include a “personal focus” portion in which we apply the doctrine practically.