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 XXVII. Obligations of Church Members. We believe that the members of a Church are solemnly bound to lead godly and consistent lives[1] to attend all meetings when practicable[2] to be courteous, conciliatory, and forgiving to all the rest[3] to contribute to the funds of their own church,[14] and to aid other churches, and the needy members of the one family of God in all places[5] as the Lord enables them.[6] ------------------------------- [1] Acts 19:36; Rom 12:1,2; 1 Thess 4:11; 1 Tim 2:3; Tit 1:13; 2:12; 1 Pet 4:15 [2] Heb 10:25…

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 We believe that Christians who have suffered their Church membership to lapse, and that such as have been withdrawn from, (whether for non-attendance, immorality, or holding unscriptural doctrines,) have no Church standing; but, if they so desire, must be received by an oral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…

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…

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…

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…