A Comparison and Contrast of:

“A Short Confession of Faith of 1610” and “The Philadelphia Confession (Particular) 1742”
The history of the formation of the Baptist faith is extremely important in understanding the doctrine it holds today. It is interesting to look at the growth since an English confession from the year 1610, to the American need to perfect it through a new confession over a century later. I will focus entirely on a comparison and contrast of A Short Confession of Faith of 1610 and The Philadelphia Confession (Particular) of 1742. This examination of two different Baptist confessions will analyze doctrinal, polity and ordinance differences, and show how these distinctions would affect the movement as well as history.
Baptists have drafted confessions of faith since 1609 for an assortment of reasons. In the years of persecution, confessions reacted to false accusations. The Baptist distinctiveness was etched by their rejection of the creed of a state church. This shaped their opinion of religious liberty, freedom of conscience, and confessions of faith. The confession A Short Confession of Faith of 1610 emphasizes the character of the community of faith and its righteous living. It was signed by thirty-four women and men, with John Smyth at the top. The Second London Confession was revised to form the Philadelphia Confession of Faith and is believed to have been adopted by the Association in 1742. Serving as a benefit to apologetics and education, this was the principal confession for Calvinistic Baptists until the Second Great Awakening.
A Short Confession of Faith of 1610 shows strong belief in General Atonement. This states that Christ's redemption made it possible for everyone to be saved but does not actually secure the salvation of anyone. Only those who believe on Him are saved. The Philadelphia Confession of Faith of 1742 leans towards Limited Atonement. This position says that Christ's redemption was intended to save the elect only, and secured their salvation. Charles Spurgeon once preached that since we really do not know which of these is true, we should accept them both. Limited atonement is a non-Biblical doctrine, as seen in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
A Short Confession of Faith of 1610 tells us that we can fall from Grace. This means that those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up their faith, by partaking in non-Christian acts such as drinking, etc. The Philadelphia Confession of Faith of 1742 believes in the perseverance of the saints. Everyone who is chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. Many Scriptures teach that a true believer is safe and secure in Christ, that salvation doesn't depend on our ability to keep ourselves, but on God's ability to keep us, as in John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
A Short Confession of Faith of 1610, concretely believes that baptism brings salvation. The Philadelphia Confession of Faith of 1742 decrees that baptism by immersion is the believer’s next step in fellowship with Jesus. The bible and the Baptist church teach that believer's baptism is performed after a person professes Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and is symbolic of the cleansing or remission of their sins.
In A Short Confession of Faith of 1610, it is stated that Christ took away the kingly office, kingdom, sword, revenge appointed by the law from the domain of the Church. Furthermore, God has armored the Church only with spiritual weapons for the spiritual warfare. Their first stand for liberty was directed against the Roman Church. They disputed the notion of the two swords, the temporal and the spiritual, both under the control of the Church, which was Catholic doctrine. Secondly, they disputed the Reformers' concept of the two orders, where the Church is superior to the State and has the right to use the state for the defense of the faith. Paul explained that each Christian is to fight this war with spiritual weapons rather than the weapons of the world. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds".
In The Philadelphia Confession of Faith of 1742, in no uncertain terms, the words “The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon (or rule) of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of than other human writings“ refute all deity attributed the Apocrypha. The church should be afraid to add Apocrypha at all, as the Lord tells us in Revelation 22:18-19, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
When we speak of salvation, A Short Confession of Faith of 1610 insists that salvation is accomplished through the combined efforts of God (who takes the initiative) and man (who must respond) - man's response being the determining factor. Therefore man, not God, determines who will be recipients of the gift of salvation. Yet, The Philadelphia Confession of Faith of 1742 is firm when it tells us that the Father chose a people, the Son died for them, the Holy Spirit makes Christ's death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by grace alone. Therefore God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
What a strong grouping of differences, yet the Baptist faith is strong and prospering today! With a strong Biblical balance; Bible believing brothers and sisters who love Jesus, desire to know Him personally, long to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, and who yearn to see the lost world know His eternal love will find peace in the Lord’s Hands.
Traditionally, Baptist confessional statements and theological writings reveal that Armenian and Calvinistic or Particular Baptists unfailingly accepted God’s foreknowledge of all events, including the choices of individuals.
“God hath before all time foreseen and foreknown all things, both good and evil, whether past, present, or to come.”– A Short Confession of Faith (1610)
“His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain....”–Philadelphia Confession of Faith (1742)
“God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures.”– Baptist Faith and Message (2000)
Our hearts need to clutch the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Our spirits need to be excited by the truth of the Word of God. The confessions of the Baptist faithful truly bring our minds in a twist when we imagine where would the Baptist church be right now if it took hold of the idea of falling from Grace? Many people today still believe that we can lose our salvation, but the bible tells us clearly that this is not possible. The Baptist church today stands firmly upon the gospel and states in its latest confession, Baptist Faith and Message of 2000: “Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.” How could a true Baptist hold onto the theory of limited atonement? There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Can the Apocrypha be accepted? The Baptist Faith and Message of 2000 states that the Scripture “ is a perfect treasure of divine instruction.” Can the Baptist faith break through and not accept the omniscience of God? The Baptist Faith and Message of 2000 reminds us that “God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures.”
Confessions are used to declare a belief in the doctrines which the Scriptures teach. The sole written authority for Baptist faith and practice is the Bible. The confessions of faith have equipped believers to discern false prophets from those who spoke biblical truth. I believe that this is precisely what Paul meant at when he directed Timothy to remember that which his mother and grandmother taught him from birth in 2 Timothy 3. That which we are taught from childhood directs our future. When we see the truth, hope and desire that scripture holds, our heart and our spirits will have a Wisdom that will naturally lead to salvation. Thank you, Jesus!