The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
Last updated: 2026-04-10
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith is a historic theological document that expresses the core beliefs of Particular Baptists, emphasizing the doctrines of grace and congregational church governance. It follows the structure and language of the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Savoy Declaration, while establishing the Baptist conviction that baptism is reserved for those who profess credible faith in Jesus Christ.
📜 Historical and Theological Heritage
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith—often called the Second London Confession—was published by Particular Baptist congregations to articulate their theology in a post-Restoration England. It is a deeply Reformed document, affirming the sovereignty of God, the Doctrines of Grace, and the sufficiency of Scripture as the sole rule of faith and obedience. While it closely mirrors the Westminster Confession of Faith in its articulation of soteriology and the nature of God, it diverges significantly in its ecclesiology, specifically regarding the regulative principle of worship, believer's baptism, and a congregational form of church government. It reflects the conviction that we are "more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, and more accepted and loved in Christ than we ever dared hope."
Sources: 1689 LBCF · Westminster Confession of Faith
✝️ A Gospel-Centered Foundation
At its heart, the 1689 LBCF is a gospel document. It teaches that justification is received by faith alone, not by works, through the imputed righteousness of Christ. It consistently directs the believer away from moralism—the idea that our obedience is the basis for our acceptance—and away from license, asserting that true faith necessarily results in the fruit of holiness. As it states, our good works spring out of a true and lively faith, which is the evidence of our union with Christ. This faith is not a human achievement but a gift of God's sovereign grace, securing the perseverance of the saints. In the words of the Apostle Paul regarding the nature of salvation, "for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Sources: Ephesians 2:8-9
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689 LBCF) is largely modeled after the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), but it introduces key departures regarding the nature of the church, the ordinances, and the application of the covenant of grace. While the WCF maintains a Presbyterian view that includes infants of believers in the visible church and the covenant, the 1689 LBCF adopts a Credobaptist position, restricting baptism and church membership to those who provide a credible profession of faith.
📜 Covenantal and Ecclesiological Distinctions
The primary difference lies in the definition of the 'visible church.' The Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 177 reflects the Presbyterian view that baptism is a seal of ingrafting into Christ administered to infants of believers. In contrast, the 1689 LBCF Ch. 26 teaches that the visible church consists only of those who make a credible profession of faith and obedience to Christ, excluding infants from the sign of baptism until they possess a personal, professionable faith. This reflects the Particular Baptist commitment to a regenerate church membership.
Sources: Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 177 · 1689 LBCF Ch. 26
💧 Baptism and the Ordinances
While both confessions affirm that baptism and the Lord's Supper are outward signs of inward grace, they disagree on the subjects of baptism. The Reformed tradition, exemplified by the Belgic Confession Art. 34, maintains that baptism has replaced circumcision as the sign of the covenant for the children of believers. Particular Baptists, conversely, argue in the 1689 LBCF Ch. 28 that baptism is a sign of fellowship with Christ in His death and resurrection, and therefore can only be rightfully administered to those who are united to Him by personal faith. This distinction ensures that the Baptist church order focuses on the actualization of the covenant through individual conversion.
Sources: Belgic Confession Art. 34 · 1689 LBCF Ch. 28
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