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Article 26 – Lapsed Membership
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XXVI. Lapsed Membership. We believe that Christians who have suffered their Church membership to lapse, and that such as have been withdrawn from, (whether for non-attendance, immorality, or holding unscriptural doctrines,) have no Church standing; but, if they so desire, must be received by an oral and public confession of faith and experience, in the same way as when they first connected themselves with the Lord’s people,—their Baptism, (as in Article xxiii) being recognised as valid. Js 5:19,20—From this we learn that a reputed Christian who has “erred from (the profession…
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Article 25 – Reception Of Christians From Other Churches
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XXV. Reception of Christians from other Churches. We believe that, should Christians, belonging to Churches of another Faith and Order desire membership with us, such should be received on a confession of their experience and Faith; but that their Baptism should be accepted as valid, if they were immersed as spiritual believers “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Annotations: Note 1.—This deals with our conduct towards religious communities whose standing we, without questioning the personal godliness of their Members, cannot formally recognise…
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Article 24 – Reception Of Members From Sister Churches
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XXIV. Reception of Members from Sister Churches. We believe that a member of another Church, professing the same Faith and Order as ourselves, who is desirous of uniting with us, should be received by an honourable dismission from the Church to which he belongs, without an oral and public statement of his experience and Faith. [The Rule at Chadwell Street Chapel is that “Members of other churches professing the same Faith and Order may be received by an honourable dismission, such dismission to be regarded as a guarantee of their moral…
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Article 23 – Transient Communion To Be Extended Only To Members Of Churches Of The Same Faith And Order
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XXIII. Transient Communion to be extended only to Members of Churches of the same Faith and Order. We believe that, inasmuch as by receiving persons at the Lord’s Table, we sanction their Christianity, their doctrinal profession, and their walk before men[1] transient, or occasional Communion at this ordinance of our Lord's, should be extended to such persons only as stand in creditable membership with scripturally constituted Churches of Jesus Christ, (such, that is to say, as are known as Strict and Particular Baptist Churches,) in which the essential truths and the…
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Article 22 – Strict Communion
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XXII. Strict Communion. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a Church ordinance, and that it is scripturally administered to such persons only as have manifested their loyalty to Christ by being baptised, and by joining and continuing in honourable membership with a Baptised Church of the New Testament Faith and Order, one, that is to say, that is commonly described as a Strict and Particular Baptist Church: and who are assembled “in one place” as a Church, for the observance of this ordinance of their Lord and Saviour. ------------------------------- Acts…
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Article 21 – The Lord’s Supper
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XXI. The Lord’s Supper. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a symbolical repast, setting forth, by the breaking, taking, and eating of Bread, and the drinking from a Cap of the juice of the fruit of the vine, the method of our salvation through the death of our Lord; the ratification of the Covenant of Grace by the shedding of His blood; and our union and communion, both with Him and His people; and that it is to be observed till He comes again. ------------------------------- Matt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-25; Lk…