The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession has mapped out for us the Scriptures. What traveler or pilgrim does not need the assistance of a road map to get to their destination? A road map is not the land itself, no more than the 1689 Confession is the Bible. However, though it is not an infallible document, it has nonetheless been a trusted guide for several hundred years to aid in understanding the doctrine of Bible, which alone has the “only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.“
This is an ongoing project with steady progress. I am about one third of the way through the 32 chapters. So if you did not find the chapter you were looking for posted, keep checking back and Lord willing it will be done soon.
My name is Gary Marble, and I am a member of Grace Covenant Church in Gilbert, Arizona: http://gracecovenantministry.org/. Although I have a B.A. in Biblical Studies, I have no seminary training, and as such am not an expert in theology or Biblical studies. I am mindful of my limitations, and when I get into areas that are difficult, I try to be especially careful to check with expert sources before posting my commentary. As you will see from my end notes for each post, I rely heavily on time-tested theologians who are either knowledgeable in the areas addressed by the 1689 Confession, or have written respected commentaries on either the Westminster Confession (which has much parallel wording to the 1689 Confession) or the 1689 Confession. Because I am not a lone ranger (meaning I read others opinions before posting mine), I am hopeful that I have given a reliable commentary, but please be mindful of my stated limitations.
If possible, it is best to start at the very first post (the very bottom) for introductory material (background information on creeds/confessions and the history of the 1689 confession) and work your way up. After the introductory material, the posts are section by section, chapter by chapter of the 1689 Confession.
If you read something, please leave a comment (good, bad or indifferent), I would love to hear from those who read any posts.
Hey, I just wanted to let you know that over 20 men in our church are meeting every Saturday morning at 7am to study the 1689. Your blog is one of our online study resources! Keep up the good work.
Hello Gary
We will be starting a study of the 1689 with a group of men in Titusville FL. We’d appreciate your prayers as we seek the Lord’s will in regard to starting a reformed and baptistic church here. Gracias
EM
Hi Eduardo,
I can tell you that the study will be rewarding. Also, thanks for sharing that prayer request; I consider it an honor to be in prayer for that work of starting a reformed batpist church.
Our church in Arizona is a member of of ARBCA (Association of Reformed Baptist Churches in America at http://www.ARBCA.com). I wonder if being a part of an association is something that would be beneficial for you folks. Also we have a recent IRBS graduate who is interning with our two pastors; he is (with the help of our church) starting a church plant in Tucson, AZ; there are no reformed baptist churches in Tucson at all as of now. I am sure the Lord has or will supply you with all you need, but if your interested, I could connnect you with our Tucson church planter. As our church is in the thick of church planting, I can identify with your request for prayer. I will be in prayer for you on this work; my heart is with you.
Thanks for the comment.
Lord Bless,
Gary
Hi Gary,
Great Work! I thank God for your such beautiful and enriching articles. We also as a church are doing study on 1689.
I had just one query, we could able to see commentary till Chapter 9.
I appreciate your kind words. It always encourages me to hear of churches using the 1689 Confession, as it is a fine tool to help us grow in Christ.
I was not clear on your meaning in the last sentence. Are you asking if I could finish my posts on chapter 9? If so, I will try and finish chapter 9 (three more sections) this week and get it posted. If that is not what you meant, please let me know.
Just out of curiousity What state or country is your church located?
May God richly bless you and your congregation!
Gary
We are located in India.
Sorry for the confusion. What I meant was remaining posts of others Chapters are not uploaded in this blog. Are they uploaded else where?. But you made it clear that you will upload as and when is finished from your side,
Thanks.
Wow, India!
I have been meaning to get back to work on this since August, and you have motivated me to do that. I do not have the remaining chapters posted else where.
I you are interested, and think it would be of any use at all to you, I would be happy to e-mail you my notes for all 32 chapters
from a study I did at our church. The total pages are about 600. If you are interested just e-mail me at 1689commentary@cox.net.
May the Lord bless you and your church in beautiful India!
Gary
Thanks. I have send a mail to you concerning the notes.
Hi Gary
I cant find any of your commentary on chapter 15 of the 1689. A mate of mine raised an issue, was wondering if you had any thoughts, point 2 says, “… God hath, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation.”
Any idea what was meant by , “…renewed through repentance unto salvation” could mean, since obviously the confession also holds to perseverance of the saints. The word ‘renewed and salvation’ are the points of issue. I also notice that the Westminster doesn’t have this in.
Anyway any thoughts you may have would be appreciated.
Hi Tyrell,
Sorry for the delay in my response.
This does present a seeming contradiction or at least a tension within the 1689 Confession.
In my mind, the tension is resolved by viewing the phrase “repentance unto salvation” as referring to a particular thing (i.e. the nature of true repentance, which leads to or “unto” salvation). Rather than the focus of repentance being on the prepositional phrase “unto salvation” the focus of the repentance is upon the “renewal” of the repentance that led previously to salvation.
If true repentance truly saves, a renewal of that repentance does not lead AGAIN to salvation, but simply to a renewal of what ONCE HAD ALREADY led to salvation, a salvation that never left.
The opposite of a person who IS RENEWED in true repentance (i.e. “repentance unto salvation”) is a person who is NOT RENEWED in repentance unto salvation. A non-renewal of repentance could only occur in a “temporary believer” (See 1689, Ch. 14:3). A temporary believer is a person with a “false” or “temporary repentance” which is ultimately no repentance at all.
Such a person reminds me of Heb. 6:4-6: “For it is impossible TO RESTORE AGAIN TO REPENTANCE those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”
It is possible, even probable, that the 1689 Confession, Chapter 15, section 2, is alluding to Hebrews 6:4-6, but in the opposite. Hebrews 6 deals with a temporary believer who is not renewed in repentance and thus never was saved. But what about true believers who sins and does not immediately repent? Surely a true believer will not remain on forever in unrepentant sin? If they did, we would have the possibility of someone whom God saved by his eternal decree of election entering into a state of non-repentance, thus showing themselves to be reprobate or non-elect—that is not possible.
In summary, I think the renewed repentance in the 1689 is an allusion to Hebrews 6, but the 1689 speaks of the permanent believer, whereas Hebrews 6 is referring to temporary believer. Bottom-line is I think the “renewed repentance unto salvation”, simply means a renewed repentance of a previous repentance that was unto salvation at that previous time (thus the word “renewed”).
What are your thoughts about my view here?
Gary