HOLDING FAST OUR CONFESSION

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                                                                    PREFACE

The Westminster Confession of Faith has survived intact since being formulated by a special Assembly of an initial one hundred and forty-two “learned, godly and judicious Divines,” and thirty-two lay assessors. The Assembly convened for the first time on July 1^st 1643, and held regular meetings till February 22^nd 1649. The Westminster Confession of Faith itself was completed in 1647.

The Confession, comprising of thirty-three chapters, is simply a summary of the teaching of the whole Bible. Each chapter is a condensation of the Biblical doctrine listed by its heading. Thus, the Confession’s chapters are interconnected because the Bible Itself is a “seamless garment.”

To be sure, some Denominations have felt compelled to either add to or subtract from the Westminster Confession of Faith in order to make it fit with their own particular understanding of the Holy Scriptures. But the Presbyterian Churches throughout the world have asked their officers upon their ordination: “Do you own and accept the Westminster Confession of Faith as an exhibition of the sense in which you understand the Holy Scriptures, and as a confession of your Faith; and do you engage firmly and constantly to adhere thereto, and to the utmost of your power to maintain, and defend the same?”  Thus, the Westminster Confession expresses the sense in which Presbyterians understand the Holy Scriptures.

The Confession seeks only to declare what the infallible Holy Scriptures teach. We believe the Confession does this faithfully and concisely. Therefore, in the following, by utilising the Confession, we simply seek to declare and apply to you the infallible Holy Scriptures to God’s glory.

The following is an exposition of the Biblical teaching of the Westminster Confession of Faith.