The Westminster Creed

I believe the Bible to be the only inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God, and the only true standard for all of life, faith, and practice. I believe there is but one true and living God, who is Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. I believe God has ordained whatsoever comes to pass, having made all things out of nothing, by the Word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good. I believe that God providentially preserves and governs all His creatures and all their actions.

I believe our first parents, though created perfect in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, sinned against God, by eating the forbidden fruit, and that all mankind, through Adam’s fall, became dead in trespasses and sin. I believe that God decreed, out of the good pleasure of His will, to deliver His elect out of the bondage of sin, and to bring them into the estate of salvation, by grace alone. I believe the only Mediator of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, took upon Himself man’s nature, and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, in one person, forever. I believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and that He perfectly fulfilled the Law of God, was crucified, dead, and buried. I believe that He rose again from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father, wherein he executes the three-fold office of Prophet, Priest, and King.

I believe God requires faith in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation, and repentance unto life to escape the wrath and curse of God due to our sin. I believe we are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of the Holy Spirit. I believe by God’s free grace we are effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation, being baptized by the Holy Spirit into the invisible church of His elect, and baptized by water into the visible church, the church universal, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.

I believe that we also are given in this life the accompanying benefits of salvation as assurance of God’s love, peace, and joy by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the increase of grace and perseverance to the end. I believe that God’s Law is a standard of righteousness for all men and nations. I believe that at death, the spirit having departed from the body, immediately passes into God’s glorious presence. I believe that our bodies, being still united with Christ, rest in the grave, until the resurrection, when our bodies shall be raised up in glory, reunited with our spirits, and made perfectly blessed for all eternity. I believe that Christ is coming to judge the world at the last day; the righteous unto everlasting life, and the unrighteous unto everlasting condemnation.