All Articles For Faith Of Our Fathers

Article 11—We look for the resurrection of the dead, Article 12—and the life of the world to come. Amen.  The final two articles of the Nicene Creed speak of the final glory of the church. Two spiritual realities are mentioned here. Article 11 speaks of the final resurrection. Article 12 speaks of the life of the world to come. These two are inseparably connected. For the resurrection of the dead is a resurrection to the life of the world to come. And they both mean our final salvation. 

As many readers will recall, chapter III of the Westminster Confession treats the subject of God’s eternal decrees. Whereas the Confession simply proceeds to a treatment of creation, the relationship between God’s decrees and creation is given in the Westminster catechisms. Question 14 of the Westminster Larger Catechism asks, “How doth God execute His decrees?” That question is answered briefly in the Shorter Catechism, “God executeth His decrees in the works of creation and providence. Rev.

Article 8: And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life; Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets.

James D. Slopsema is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. Having instructed us in the meaning of baptism and establishing the necessity of infant baptism, the baptism form now proceeds to lead us in prayer. The prayer of the baptism form, along with the introductory exhortation to prayer, is as follows: That therefore this holy ordinance of God may be administered to his glory, to our comfort, and to the edification of his church, let us call upon his holy name.  PRAYER  O Almighty and eternal God, Thou, who hast according to thy severe judgment punished the...

Article 2 of the Nicene Creed reads as follows: “And (I believe) in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by Whom all things were made.” We have already discussed much of this second article. We have discussed the confession of the church that there is one Lord Jesus Christ by Whom all things were made.

Article 3: . . . Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. . . . 

James D. Slopsema is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. According to the baptism form there are three principal parts of the doctrine of holy baptism. The second principal part is that: Holy baptism witnesseth and sealeth unto us the washing away of our sins through Jesus Christ. Therefore we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. For when we are baptized in the name of the Father, God the Father witnesseth and sealeth unto us, that he doth make an eternal covenant of grace with us,...

james D. Slopsema is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. Our Part in the Covenant According to the Baptism Form the third principal part of the doctrine of baptism is as follows: Whereas in all covenants, there are contained two parts: therefore are we by God through baptism, admonished of, and obliged unto new obedience, namely, that we cleave to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; that we trust in him, and love him with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our mind, and with all our strength; that we forsake the...

Article 3 (cont’d)  Article 3 of the Nicene Creed speaks of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, “Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.” 

Article 4: He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; and suffered and was buried.  In the previous article of this creed the early church confessed that the Son of God was incarnated for us men and for our salvation. Now in Article 4 the church proceeded to show how the Son incarnate accomplishes this salvation of man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried.  The suffering of Jesus Christ and His crucifixion under Pontius Pilate belong together. For it was especially at the cross that our Lord suffered.