Philadelphia Confession (1742)

The Philadelphia Confession is a historical baptist confession of faith that was published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was a result of the Philadelphia Association of Baptist Churches adopting the Second London Baptist Confession (1689) and adding to it an additional modification (which was an allowance for the singing of hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs in the Lord's Supper and made optional the laying on of hands in baptism).

Chapter 1 – Of the Holy Scriptures

1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience, although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God to such an extent that men are left without excuse. Nevertheless, they are not sufficient to give the knowledge of God and His will that is necessary for salvation. Therefore, it pleased the Lord, at different times, and in various ways, to reveal Himself and to declare His will to His church. To this end, the Holy Scriptures are absolutely necessary, having been inspired by God to be written for our benefit.
2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these: Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation
3. The books commonly called the Apocrypha are not divinely inspired and are not part of the canon of Scripture. Therefore, they are of no authority in the church of God, nor are they to be considered as part of the Holy Scriptures.
4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, does not depend on the testimony of any man or church, but wholly on God, who is the truth itself. The testimony of the Holy Spirit is sufficient to persuade us that the Scriptures are the Word of God.
5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to an awareness and acknowledgment of the truth and divine authority of the Holy Scriptures. Nevertheless, our full persuasion and assurance of their infallible truth and divine authority come from the work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

Chapter 2 – Of God and of the Holy Trinity

1. The Lord our God is one, the only living and true God. He is self-existent and infinite in being and perfection. He is a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, and most absolute. He works all things according to the counsel of His own unchangeable and righteous will for His own glory. He is most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. He rewards those who diligently seek Him, but He punishes the wicked and will not at all acquit the guilty.
2. God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself. He alone is in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He has made, nor deriving any glory from them. Instead, He manifests His own glory in, by, to, and upon them. He is the only fountain of all being, from whom, through whom, and to whom all things exist. He has absolute sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatever He pleases. In His sight, all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent of the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain.
3. In this divine and infinite Being, there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word (or Son), and the Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided. The Father is not begotten nor derived from anyone. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. All three are infinite, without beginning, and are therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations.

Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree

1. God has freely and unchangeably ordained whatever comes to pass. Yet, He does so in such a way that He is not the author of sin, nor does He force His creatures to act against their wills. God's decree is wise, holy, and free, and it serves His glory, power, wisdom, and goodness.
2. Although God knows whatever may or can come to pass, yet He has not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, as if it were dependent upon that foreknowledge. Instead, He has ordained all things to come to pass, as the possibility of them was within the scope of His omniscience.
3. In the execution of God's decree, angels and human beings are passive, being created and governed by His providence, to act according to His sovereign will. In this, they are free and responsible agents, with actions determined by the nature He has given them and their own voluntary choices.

Chapter 4 – Of Creation

1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and all things therein, in the space of six days, and all very good.
2. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with rational and immortal souls, endowing them with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image, having the law of God written in their hearts and the power to fulfill it. They were made upright but capable of falling from that state.
3. By God's appointment, man was to have dominion over all other creatures. However, man subjected himself to sin, and the curse and death came upon all humanity in Adam's transgression. As a result, all mankind is now fallen and utterly depraved in every part of soul and body.

Chapter 5 – Of Divine Providence

1. God, the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom, upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures and things, from the greatest to the least. He does this according to His infallible foreknowledge and the free and unchangeable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
2. In His providence, God often uses means, yet He is free to work without, above, or against them at His pleasure.
3. By His providence, God ordains and permits sin, yet without being the author or approver of it. He governs it in such a way that it brings about His own holy purposes and the praise of His glorious grace.
4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in His providence that His determinate counsel extends even to the first fall and all other sinful actions of angels and humans. Yet God never forces anyone to commit sin or interferes with human responsibility.
5. The providence of God extends over all His creatures, in all their actions, and preserves and governs them all in their distinct natures, properties, and beings, according to His own will.

Chapter 6 – Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof

1. Although God created man upright and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, man eventually sinned against God by his own voluntary transgression. Through this disobedience, Adam and Eve fell from their original state of innocence and communion with God, bringing guilt and corruption upon themselves and all their posterity.
2. Through Adam's sin, the guilt of his sin was imputed to all his posterity. As a result, all humans are conceived in sin, are by nature children of wrath, the servants of sin, and subject to death and various miseries—both spiritual and temporal.
3. Man's fall into sin disrupted the entire human race and brought them into a state of sinfulness and misery, rendering them utterly incapable of doing anything truly good and acceptable to God. Every aspect of man's nature has been tainted by sin, leaving him spiritually dead and in need of God's grace for salvation.

Chapter 7 – Of God's Covenant

1. The distance between God and the creature is so great that the creature cannot attain to the knowledge of God's will or determine what is good for them without divine revelation. Therefore, in His great mercy, God has made Himself known to humanity through covenants.
2. The covenant of works was made with Adam, wherein life was promised to him and his descendants upon condition of perfect and personal obedience. However, Adam failed to fulfill this covenant, and the curse of death and condemnation fell upon him and all his posterity.
3. God was pleased to make a second covenant, the covenant of grace, wherein He freely offers sinners life and salvation through Jesus Christ. This covenant is revealed in various promises throughout the Scriptures and is administered through the means of grace.

Chapter 8 – Of Christ the Mediator

1. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the mediator of the new covenant and the only redeemer of God's elect. He is fully God and fully man, yet one person, possessing two distinct natures, perfectly and inseparably joined together.
2. Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by taking upon Himself the form of a servant, being made under the law, and perfectly fulfilling it. He also endured the punishment for human sin, suffering and dying upon the cross, and was buried, rising from the dead on the third day. All of this was done to reconcile the elect to God and to make atonement for their sins.
3. Christ is the only mediator between God and man. There is no other name or way given by which humanity can be saved but through Him.
4. Those who are effectually called and regenerated, having faith in Christ, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power. They receive the fullness of the benefits of His mediation.

Chapter 9 – Of Free Will

1. God has endowed human beings with rationality and volition, making them morally responsible creatures. However, as a consequence of the fall, all of humanity is now fallen and corrupt, making them unable to choose what is truly good and pleasing to God.
2. As fallen creatures, all humans are in bondage to sin, enemies of God, and spiritually dead. They cannot, by their own strength, convert themselves or prepare themselves for conversion.
3. In salvation, God, by His grace, chooses those whom He will save and effectually calls them to faith in Jesus Christ. This is not due to anything meritorious in the individual but solely based on God's sovereign will.

Chapter 10 – Of Effectual Calling

1. Those whom God has predestined to life, He is pleased, in His appointed time, to effectually call by His Word and Spirit. This calling is made out of the state of sin and death to grace and salvation.
2. Effectual calling is accomplished by God enlightening the minds of sinners spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God. He takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh. He renews their wills, so they willingly and freely embrace Jesus Christ as He is offered in the Gospel.
3. All who are effectually called are also justified, adopted into God's family, sanctified, and enabled to persevere in faith and obedience until the end.

Chapter 11 – Of Justification

1. Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies. Justification is an act of God's grace wherein He pardons all the sins of the justified and accounts and accepts them as righteous in His sight, solely based on the righteousness of Christ imputed to them and received by faith alone.
2. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the only instrument of justification. Yet, it is not alone in the person justified but is always accompanied by all other saving graces and is evidenced by a life of holiness and obedience.
3. Christ, by His obedience and death, fully discharged the debt of all those who are justified. By bearing their sins in His own body on the cross, He made a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice on their behalf.
4. God continues to forgive the sins of the justified, but they can never fall back into a state of condemnation because they are united to Christ by faith. Their faith is a gift of God and can never be totally lost or finally fall away.

Chapter 12 – Of Adoption

1. All those who are justified by faith in Christ are also granted the privilege of being God's children. They receive the Spirit of adoption and become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
2. The grace of adoption is not due to any merit in the individual but is entirely of God's sovereign will and good pleasure.
3. The adoptive relationship between God and believers is most real and intimate. They can call Him "Abba, Father," and are assured of His fatherly care, protection, and provision.

Chapter 13 – Of Sanctification

1. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby believers are renewed in their whole man, after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness.
2. The Holy Spirit indwells believers, enabling them to walk in obedience to God's commands. This sanctification is progressive and continues throughout the entire life of the believer.
3. While sanctification does not completely remove the presence and influence of indwelling sin in believers, it does weaken its power and increase their strength in the struggle against it.
4. The assurance of salvation does not depend on the degree of sanctification attained, but on the work of Christ and the evidence of faith and repentance in the life of the believer.

Chapter 14 – Of Saving Faith

1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts. It is ordinarily produced by the ministry of the Word and is accompanied by other saving graces. The Spirit also enlightens the mind and spiritually opens the eyes of the understanding to perceive and embrace the truths of the Gospel.
2. Faith's principal acts are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life. It is a direct act, a whole soul reliance, and a full-hearted embracing of Christ as He is offered in the Gospel.
3. Faith is not a mere assent of the intellect but also includes a disposition of the heart, which includes humble submission to Christ's authority and sovereign rule.

Chapter 15 – Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation

1. Repentance unto life and salvation is a saving grace, worked in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God. It is an evangelical repentance, whereby the sinner, being deeply convinced of their sin, humbles themselves with godly sorrow, hatred of sin, and a turning away from it with a sincere purpose to walk before God in all the ways of obedience.
2. Repentance is not only a sorrow for sin but also a turning from sin unto God, with a full purpose of and endeavor after new obedience. This grace is a necessary part of salvation and is inseparable from saving faith.

Chapter 16 – Of Good Works

1. Good works are the fruits and evidences of a true and living faith. They flow from a renewed heart and aim at God's glory as their ultimate goal.
2. Believers are called to be diligent in good works, for these are ordained by God for the purpose of glorifying Him, adorning the Gospel, and proving the sincerity of their faith.
3. While good works are unable to merit salvation, they are not to be disregarded or neglected. They are the result of the sanctifying work of the Spirit in the lives of believers.

Chapter 17 – Of the Perseverance of the Saints

1. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace. They will persevere to the end and be saved.
2. This perseverance is not based on the strength of their own inherent goodness or power but is the result of God's preservation and the interceding work of Christ on their behalf.
3. True believers may fall into various sins and endure God's chastisement, yet they will be renewed through repentance and will ultimately be preserved and brought safely to glory.

Chapter 18 – Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation

1. Although assurance of grace and salvation is attainable in this life, it is not promised to all believers. True believers may sometimes experience doubts and fears concerning their salvation due to the remainders of indwelling sin, Satan's temptations, and the various trials and afflictions of life.
2. However, those who truly believe in Christ will be kept by the power of God unto salvation and eventually attain full assurance through the work of the Spirit in their hearts, enabling them to perceive and recognize the evidence of grace within themselves.

Chapter 19 – Of the Law of God

1. The law of God, as revealed in the Scriptures, is a perfect rule of righteousness, setting forth the will of God for the obedience of all people. It is to be the standard for believers' thoughts, words, and actions.
2. The moral law, summarized in the Ten Commandments, remains binding on all people and is not abolished by the coming of Christ. Instead, Christ fulfills the law and brings believers into obedience to it.
3. The ceremonial law, which included various types and shadows pointing to Christ, is now abrogated. These types and shadows find their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 20 – Of the Gospel and the Extent of Grace Thereof

1. The covenant of grace is revealed in the Gospel, wherein God freely offers salvation and eternal life to sinners through Jesus Christ. This offer of salvation is to be made to all nations and people without distinction.
2. Although the Gospel is to be preached to all, not all who hear it will be saved. Some will reject the message and perish in their sins.
3. The Gospel call is to be proclaimed indiscriminately, and those who believe and are saved can rejoice in the extent of God's grace that reaches to all corners of the earth.

Chapter 21 – Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience

1. The liberty that Christ has purchased for believers under the Gospel is a freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, and the curse of the moral law. It is also a freedom from bondage to sin, Satan, and worldly influence.
2. Christian liberty does not entitle believers to indulge in sinful practices or disregard the moral law. Instead, it should lead them to live in obedience to God and love for others.
3. Although Christians have liberty of conscience and should not be forced into beliefs or practices contrary to their convictions, they are still subject to obeying the lawful commands and ordinances of civil authorities, insofar as they are not contrary to the Word of God.

Chapter 22 – Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

1. Religious worship is to be given to God alone and is to be performed in accordance with His revealed will. The acceptable way of worshiping God is instituted by Himself and is regulated by His Word.
2. God has appointed various means of worship, including prayer, the preaching and hearing of His Word, singing of psalms and hymns, the administration of the sacraments, and the orderly discipline of the church.
3. The Sabbath Day, which is the seventh day of the week, is to be kept holy unto the Lord. It is a day of rest from ordinary labor and worldly activities, set apart for the public and private worship of God.

Chapter 23 – Of Lawful Oaths and Vows

1. Lawful oaths and vows, which are expressions of religious worship, are to be made with reverence and in sincerity, in truth, and in judgment. They are not to be made lightly or rashly, but with a proper consideration of their seriousness and implications.
2. Oaths may be taken by individuals in matters of truth and righteousness and by civil authorities in the administration of justice. However, they should not be taken to fulfill sinful or unlawful requests.
3. Vows, which are voluntary and solemn promises made to God, must be made and performed with utmost care and integrity, as they are binding upon the individual's conscience.

Chapter 24 – Of the Civil Magistrate

1. God has ordained civil magistrates as rulers over His people for the good and welfare of society. They are to be honored, obeyed, and prayed for, and the duty of submission extends to all lawful commands of civil authorities.
2. The role of civil magistrates is to protect the rights and liberties of the people, punish evildoers, and uphold justice. They should promote the public welfare and administer their authority according to the laws of the land, respecting the freedom of conscience and worship.

Chapter 25 – Of Marriage

1. Marriage is an institution of God and is honorable in all. It was ordained for the mutual help, support, and comfort of husband and wife, the procreation and education of children, and the prevention of immorality.
2. Marriage is to be a monogamous union between one man and one woman, and no person is allowed to marry within the degrees of blood or affinity prohibited in the Scriptures.

Chapter 26 – Of the Church

1. The universal Church, which consists of all the elect throughout the world, is the body of Christ. He is the head, and the Church is the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
2. The Lord Jesus Christ has appointed a visible Church, consisting of those who profess faith in Him and have been baptized. This visible Church is to be governed by the laws and discipline revealed in the Scriptures.

Chapter 27 – Of the Communion of Saints

1. All true believers are united to Christ and to one another in the bond of the Holy Spirit. This spiritual union forms the communion of saints, where they share in the common faith and graces of the Spirit.
2. Believers are to express their communion with one another through mutual love, care, and edification, contributing to the spiritual well-being of the body of Christ.

Chapter 28 – Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper

1. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution by the Lord Jesus Christ. They are to be observed by His Church until the end of the world.
2. Baptism is a sacrament wherein a believer is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. It signifies the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and their cleansing from sin.
3. The Lord's Supper is a sacrament wherein believers partake of the bread and wine, which symbolize the body and blood of Christ. It is to be observed in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice and to show forth His death until He comes again.

Chapter 29 – Of Baptism

1. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, to be administered only to those who profess faith in Christ and obedience to Him.
2. Baptism is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of a believer's regeneration, and of their ingrafting into Christ. It signifies and seals the believer's engrafting into Christ, forgiveness of sins, and their adoption as children of God.
3. Immersion is the mode of baptism recommended in Scripture, but if circumstances prevent it, pouring or sprinkling may be used.

Chapter 30 – Of the Lord's Supper

1. The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ. It is to be observed by His Church until His return.
2. In the Lord's Supper, the bread and wine represent the body and blood of Christ. However, the elements do not physically change but remain in their natural substance.
3. The Lord's Supper is a commemoration of Christ's sacrifice and a means of spiritual nourishment and growth for believers.

Chapter 31 – Of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead

1. The bodies of people, after death, return to dust and undergo corruption. The souls, being immortal, immediately return to God, who gave them. The souls of the righteous are then made perfect in holiness and immediately pass into glory, while the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torment and darkness, reserved for the judgment of the great day.
2. At the last day, all the dead will be raised with the same bodies, but those bodies will be changed and glorified. The righteous will be received into eternal life and glory, while the wicked will be condemned to everlasting punishment.

Chapter 32 – Of the Last Judgment

1. God has appointed a day wherein He will judge the world in righteousness. On that day, He will reveal the secrets of all hearts and bring to light the hidden things of darkness.
2. At the last judgment, the righteous will be openly acknowledged and accepted in Christ. They will be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity. The wicked will be cast out, along with Satan and his angels, into everlasting punishment and torments.

See also

• 1st London Baptist Confession (1644)
• 1st London Baptist Confession (1646)
• 2nd London Baptist Confession (1689)
• Charleston Confession