1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 21
Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Consciencey
The Liberty which Christ hath purchased for Believers under the Gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of Sin, the condemning wrath of God, the Rigour and Curse of the Law; and in their being delivered from this present evil World, Bondage to Satan, and Dominion of Sin; from the Evil of Afflictions; the Fear, and Sting of Death, the Victory of the Grave, and Everlasting Damnation; as also in their free access to God; and their yielding Obedience unto him not out of a slavish fear, but a Child-like love, and willing mind.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Galatians 3:1313Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
Galatians 1:44who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
Acts 26:1818to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
Romans 8:33For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
Romans 8:2828And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
1 Corinthians 15:5454When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
1 Corinthians 15:5555“Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:5656The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
1 Corinthians 15:5757But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
2 Thessalonians 1:1010on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.
Romans 8:1515For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Luke 1:7474deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
Luke 1:7575in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
1 John 4:1818There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
Galatians 3:99So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Galatians 3:1414He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
John 7:3838Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
John 7:3939He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Hebrews 10:1919Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
Hebrews 10:2020by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,
Hebrews 10:2121and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
God alone is Lord of the Conscience, and hath left it free from the Doctrines and Commandments of men, which are in any thing contrary to his Word, or not contained in it. So that to Believe such Doctrines, or obey such Commands out of Conscience, is to betray true liberty of Conscience; and the requiring of an implicit Faith, and absolute and blind Obedience, is to destroy Liberty of Conscience, and Reason also.
Scripture references for paragraph 2
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
James 4:1212There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Romans 14:44Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Acts 4:1919But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
Acts 4:55The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,
Acts 4:2929And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness,
1 Corinthians 7:2323You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
Matthew 15:99They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”
Colossians 2:2020If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations:
Colossians 2:2222These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
Colossians 2:2323Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
1 Corinthians 3:55What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
2 Corinthians 1:2424Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers with you for your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.
They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinfull lust; as they do thereby pervert the main design of the Grace of the Gospel, to their own Destruction; so they wholy destroy the end of Christian Liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our Enemies we might serve the Lord without fear in Holiness, and Righteousness before him, all the days of our Life.
Scripture references for paragraph 3
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Romans 6:11What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?
Romans 6:22Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?
Galatians 5:1313For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
2 Peter 2:18-2118With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.
19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
20If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.
21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.
Source and edition
1689 London Baptist Confession. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
Unlicense. Source transcription.
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