A. What is confession of faith?

1. What is faith?

a. According to the Heidelberg Catechism (Lord’s Day 7) faith is a “certain knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word”.

2. This implies two things:

 a. Faith is knowledge of God’s Word.

3. A person who does not know the truth of God’s Word cannot be said to possess faith.

B.  Where is the truth of God’s Word faithfully summarized for us?

1.  Faith is acceptance of the Word of God as truth.

2.  Do you believe all that is taught in the Bible?

3.  Do you believe that our churches faithfully teach the Word of God?

4. This knowledge of faith is more than an intellectual knowledge but also a spiritual knowledge. It is not just a matter of the head but also of a heart which has been born again (Romans 10:9, 10).

a. Thus, for example, faith causes a person not only to accept the existence of God as revealed in the Bible but also to love that God.

 b. Carrying this principle through:

 1. When the Bible speaks of sin, what will that attitude of faith be toward sin?

 2. When the Bible sets forth the law, what will the attitude of faith be toward that law?

3. When the Bible speaks of salvation in Christ, what will the attitude of faith be  towards that salvation?

C.  According to the Heidelberg Catechism (Lord’s Day 7) faith is also an assured confidence.

1. What is this confidence?

2. What relation does this confidence have to the knowledge of faith? Can you have this confidence without the knowledge?

3. Do you possess this confidence?

D.  What is confession of this faith?

1.  It is sometimes called “confession” and other times called “profession” of faith.

a. “Confession” has the idea of acknowledging along with (con) the church.

2. “Profession” has the idea of acknowledging before (pro) the church and the world.

b. What specifically do we acknowledge or proclaim when we confess or profess our faith? (confer the question asked at the time of confession of faith found in the back of the Psalter, page 59)

1. Do we simply confess that we have faith?

 2. Do we say anything about our intention and ability to walk in the way of faith?

E. When is a person ready to make confession of faith?

1. A person is not necessarily ready to confess his faith when he first comes to the consciousness of faith.

a. When does an elect child of God born in the sphere of the covenant (i.e. of believing parents) normally receive faith?

b. When does such an elect child of God normally become conscious of his faith so that it is an active power within him?

c. Is such a person at this point able to make the promises required at the time of    confession of faith? (confer again the back of the Psalter.)

d. Is he able to come to the Lord’s Table properly?

2. A person is ready to make confession of faith when he has a mature faith.

a. Faith like any other gift of God is something in which we grow, develop, and mature. Thus, for example, the gift of singing, speaking, patience, meekness, etc.

b. At what point is a person mature in faith?

1. Does this imply a certain level of knowledge of the Scriptures and the creeds? If    so, what level?

2. Is a person mature in faith if he has reservations about the teachings of the Bible or creeds?

3. Can a person make confession of faith if he is living in a particular sin or cherishes certain sins in his life?

4. Is there any age at which a person matures in his faith?

F.   The importance of making confession of faith?

1.  What does Romans 10:9, 10 have to say about the importance of confessing our faith?

2.   Through confession of faith a person becomes a member in full standing in the church.

a. This implies among other things:

1. The privilege of using the sacraments: coming to the Lord’s Table, having one’s children’s baptized.

 2. For the male member, the privilege of:

a. exercising the office of believer at the congregational meetings.

b. being eligible to be on the consistory.

c.   How important are these?

G.  How important is it to make full use of the sacraments as soon as possible?

1.  How important is it that as soon as possible young men attend the congregational meetings and are eligible for a place on the consistory?

2.   Is it proper for a consistory eventually to erase a person from the church or exercise Christian discipline on a member who fails to make confession of faith?

H.  How can we make ourselves ready for confession of faith?

1.  God uses means to strengthen and mature us in faith.

a. What does God use primarily to accomplish this, sometimes called the chief means of grace?

b. How do prayer, Bible study, society life, catechism, fellowship of the saints fit here?

2.   We prepare ourselves spiritually to make confession of faith by making diligent use of these means. Do we?