# Advantages/Disadvantages of the Various Reformed Confessions



## Taylor (Sep 28, 2016)

Hi, all.

I wish to ask a question of those of you who are well-versed in the Reformed confessions, particularly the Westminster Standards and the Three Forms of Unity. Are there "advantages" to one or the other? Are there certain things one stresses that the other does not? From my cursory reading, here are a couple things I gather:

1) The Westminster Confession has an explicit discussion of covenant theology, where the Three Forms of Unity seem to lack it (it is definitely assumed, however).
2) The Three Forms of Unity has an extended discussion on the so-called TULIP, and a defense of each point contained in one large section, where the Westminster Confession seems to have this spread throughout.

Please note: I am not asking which confession is "better." I am simply asking 1) if any confession has a particularly greater emphasis in a certain area and 2) why someone would confess one over the other (aside from those who confess it because they were raised on it; I am excluded from that group). Also, is there a particular emphasis unique to the Second Helvetic Confession?

Thank you all!


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## Jack K (Sep 28, 2016)

I appreciate the precision and thoroughness of the Westminster Standards. And I appreciate the personal tone and pastoral feel of the Heidelberg Catechism. In terms of tone (and tone matters), I think those two are significantly different and I use them for different purposes. Doctrinally, they are essentially the same; you'll just find one or the other giving a more extensive treatment of some topics.

Which should one confess? Why, the one that the rest of your church is confessing, of course. The purpose of confessions is to bind us together and declare our beliefs _as a church._ If you are in a church that doesn't use a Reformed confession, and you only need to pick one for the purposes of this board, the question is not nearly as important as it would be if connected to church membership. Either Westminster or 3FU puts you in the same general camp and tells us what we need to know about your beliefs.


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## Jack K (Sep 28, 2016)

I'll give you this as an example:

If I were an independent operative and had to pick between Westminster and 3FU, I would probably go with 3FU because there are a few more places where I think Westminster overstates things and affirms items I'm unsure about and suspect should be left out of a confessional document. But I'm not an independent operative. I'm still joined to a Presbyterian church and am best connected to folks in Presbyterian circles. So I affirm Westminster, because a chief purpose of confessions is to bind us together.


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## KeithW (Sep 28, 2016)

There is a clear distinction between the two when it comes to describing "repent and believe". 

*Reformed Church*

1563 - Heidelberg Catechism 
This catechism stresses the word _repent _but there is no explanation given of what it might mean.

1618 - The Canons of Dordt 
This catechism leads us to believe that _repentance _has two parts. The first part is sorrow for our sins. The second part is belief that there is forgiveness of sins.

1618 - Belgic Confession 
This confession does not contain the word _repent_.

*Presbyterian Church*

1646 - The Westminster Confession of Faith 
This confession explains that _repentance _is to be grieved by sins and "to turn from them all unto God".

1647 - Westminster Shorter Catechism 
This catechism explains that salvation is "faith in Jesus Christ" and _repentance_. _Repentance _is described as grieving over sin and turning from sin to God.

1647 - Westminster Larger Catechism 
This catechism explains that _repentance _is grieving over sin and turning from sin to God. And that salvation is "_repentance _toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ".

I discovered this difference at my previous church. The pastor followed the three forms of unity too closely in this area and left out things which are important.


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## MichaelNZ (Sep 29, 2016)

Or you could be like our church, and confess _both _the 3FU and the Westminster Confession. We don't, however, have the same view of the Sabbath that strict Westminster confessing churches (eg OPC) do. Our pastor has said that Jesus is our Sabbath rest.


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