Difficulties Associated With Articles Of Religion Among Particular Baptists

70 2 LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION 1689 3 BIERTON PARTICULAR BAPTISTS ARTICLE OF RELIGION, 1831 These article of religion were drawn up in 1831 and I transcribed them myself before joining the church in1976.

After my conversion from crime to follow the Lord Jesus Christ I visited several churches and educated myself by reading the bible classical Christian literature.496 I was introduced to the Bierton Particular Baptists church in 197. And discovered the church believed the doctrines of grace. I believed that I had that responsibility, having experience the new birth and having been being baptized, to support the cause of Christ at Bierton.

I was received into church membership at the Bierton Strict and Particular Baptist Church on 8th January 1976.

Difficulties Over Articles of Religion A problem arose because in the articles of religion that were given to me, and that I was required to subscribe too in order to join the church, were not those listed in the trust deed of 1831. There were two articles that I could not subscribe too. With the agreement of the church I discussed this matter with Mr Hill the Pastor of Ebenezer from Luton. Mr Hill who fully understood my concerns and after looking at the original articles of Religion , for the Bierton Church, it was realized that there was no record as to how these articles had come into existence. So the church was bound to be subject to their original articles of religion. These were listed in their trust deed of 1831 and these did not contain these items I could not in conscience subscribe too.

The church was please to allow me to join them upon my confession faith and my acceptance of the original Articles of Religion, and not the spurious ones. There was in fact no record of how these other articles of faith came to be in use.

It was also said to me, by one of the senior members, that they were only man made rules so why not ignore them, which to me was no help as I saw the seriousness of articles of religion and they were not to be ignored.

Problematic Articles The two articles that I could not subscribe too were : Article 12. We believe that Christ has set apart a day of rest, to be kept holy, and for his honour and glory, which is the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, Mark 2 27. Acts 16 13. Hebrew 4, 9.

I did not believe that was true or that these scripture taught that.

496 As told in Bierton Strict And Particular Baptists, Chapter 11 Going to Church, by David Clarke.