“The
‘confession of our faith’ is that solemn acknowledgment which is made by a
person when (she) publicly claims to be a Christian.
It
is the avowal that (she) has renounced the world, the flesh, and the devil, for
Christ. It is the declaration that
(she) disowns (her) own wisdom, righteousness and will, and receives the Lord
Jesus as (her) Prophet, Priest and King:
(her) Prophet to instruct (her) in the
will of God,
(her) Priest to meet for (her) the claims
of God,
(her) King to administer in and over (her) the
government of God.
It
is the owning
that (she) hates sin and desire to be delivered from
its power and penalty;
that (she)
loves holiness and longs to be conformed to the image of God’s Son.
It
is the claiming
that (she) has thrown down the weapons of (her)
warfare against God,
and has now completely surrendered to His just
demands upon (her).
It
is the testification that (she) is prepared to deny self, take up (her) cross
daily, and follow that example which Christ has left (her) as to how to live
for God in this world. In a word,
it is the publishing abroad that (she) has from (her) very heart “received
Christ Jesus the Lord” (Col.2:6).
And
let it be said plainly and emphatically, that no one acknowledging less than
this is scripturally entitled to be regarded as a Christian.