What we believe ...

While differing occasionally on particular issues of theological interpretation, New Focus generally maintains a doctrinal position closely akin to the historical Reformed confessions of faith such as the 39 Articles of the Church of England, the Westminster Confession of Faith as espoused by confessional Presbyterians, and the Savoy Declaration of the 17th Century Independents. Consequently we also value the theological clarity of the Canons of Dort and the Heidelberg Catechism. 

The following two statements of faith, perhaps better than any other we have discovered, provide a general introduction to the theological position maintained by the editor of New Focus and reflect our Christ-centred, free grace and baptistic heritage.

1729 Goat Yard Declaration of Faith

A Declaration of the Faith and Practice of the Church of Christ at Horsely-down, under the Pastoral Care of Mr. John Gill, &c.

 Having been enabled, through divine grace, to give up ourselves to the Lord, and likewise to one another by the will of God; we account it a duty incumbent upon us to make a declaration of our faith and practice, to the honour of Christ, and the glory of his name; knowing, that as with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, so with the mouth confession is made unto salvation--our declaration is as follows:

 I. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice.

 II. We believe that there is but one only living and true God; that there are three Persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are equal in nature, power, and glory; and that the Son and the Holy Ghost are as truly and as properly God as the Father.

 III. We believe that, before the world began, God did elect a certain number of men unto everlasting salvation, whom he did predestinate to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, of his own free grace, and according to the good pleasure of his will: and that, in pursuance of this gracious design, he did contrive and make a covenant of grace and peace with his Son Jesus Christ, on the behalf of those persons, wherein a Saviour was appointed, and all spiritual blessings provided for them; as also that their persons, with all their grace and glory, were put into the hands of Christ, and made his care and charge.

 IV. We believe that God created the first man, Adam, after his own image, and in his likeness; an upright, holy, and innocent creature, capable of serving and glorifying him; but, he sinning, all his posterity sinned in him, and came short of the glory of God: the guilt of whose sin is imputed, and a corrupt nature derived, to all his offspring, descending from him by ordinary and natural generation: that they are by their first birth carnal and unclean, averse to all that is good, uncapable of doing any and prone to every sin; and are also by nature children of wrath, and under a sentence of condemnation, and so are subject not only to a corporal death, and involved in a moral one, commonly called spiritual, but are also liable to an eternal death, as considered in the first Adam, fallen and sinners; from all which there is no deliverance but by Christ, the second Adam.

 V. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, being set up from everlasting as the Mediator of the new covenant, and he, having engaged to be the surety of his people, did, in the fulness of time, really assume human nature, and not before, neither in whole nor in part; his human soul, being a creature, existed not from eternity, but was created and formed in his body by him that forms the spirit of man within him, when that was conceived in the womb of the virgin; and so his human nature consists of a true body and a reasonable soul; both which, together, and at once, the Son of God assumed into union with his divine Person, when made of a woman, and not before; in which nature he really suffered and died as their substitute, in their room and stead, whereby he made all that satisfaction for their sins, which the law and justice of God could require, as well as made way for all those blessings, which are needful for them both for time and eternity.

 VI. We believe that that eternal redemption which Christ has obtained, by the shedding of his blood, is special and particular, that is to say, that it was only intentionally designed for the elect of God, and sheep of Christ, who only share the special and peculiar blessings of it.

 VII. We believe that the justification of God's elect is only by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, without the consideration of any works of righteousness done by them; and that the full and free pardon of all their sins and transgressions, past, present, and to come, is only through the blood of Christ, according to the riches of his grace.

 VIII. We believe that the work of regeneration, conversion, sanctification, and faith, is not an act of man's free will and power, but of the mighty, efficacious, and irresistible grace of God.

 IX. We believe that all those who are chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sanctified by the Spirit, shall certainly and finally persevere, so that not one of them shall ever perish, but shall have everlasting life.

 X. We believe that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust; and that Christ will come a second time to judge both quick and dead, when he will take vengeance on the wicked, and introduce his own people into his kingdom and glory, where they shall be for ever with him.

 XI. We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of Christ, to be continued until his second coming; and that the former is absolutely requisite to the latter; that is to say, that those only are to be admitted into the communion of the church, and to participate of all ordinances in it, who upon profession of their faith, have been baptized by immersion, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

 XII. We also believe that singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, vocally, is an ordinance of the Gospel to be performed by believers; but that as to time, place, and manner, every one ought to be left to their liberty in using it.

 Now all, and each of these doctrines and ordinances, we look upon ourselves under the greatest obligations to embrace, maintain, and defend; believing it to be our duty to stand fast, in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the Gospel.

 And whereas we are very sensible, that our conversation, both in the world and in the church, ought to be as becometh the Gospel of Christ, we judge it our incumbent duty to walk in wisdom towards them that are without, to exercise a conscience void of offence towards God and men, by living soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

 And as to our regards to each other, in our church-communion, we esteem it our duty to walk with each other in all humility and brotherly love: to watch over each other's conversation; to stir up one another to love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as we have opportunity, to worship God according to his revealed will; and, when the case requires, to warn, rebuke, and admonish one another, according to the rules of the Gospel.

 Moreover, we think ourselves obliged to sympathize with each other, in all conditions, both inward and outward, which God, in his providence, may bring us into; as also to bear with one another's weaknesses, failings, and infirmities, and particularly to pray for one another, and that the Gospel and the ordinances thereof might be blessed to the edification and comfort of each other's souls, and for the gathering in of others to Christ, besides those who are already gathered--all which duties we desire to be found in the performance of, through the gracious assistance of the Holy Spirit, whilst we both admire and adore the grace which has given us a place and a name in God's house, better than that of sons and daughters.

THE CONFESSION OF FAITH

Originally Published in 1644 

A confession of faith of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London, which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the vindication of the truth and information of the ignorant, likewise for the taking off those aspersions which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed in London, Anno 1646.

1. GOD

The Lord our God is but one God, whose subsistence is in Himself; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto; who is in Himself most holy, every way infinite, in greatness, wisdom, power, love; merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; who giveth being, mov­ing, and preservation to all creatures. 

1 Corinthians 8:6; Isaiah 44:6; 46:9; Exodus 3:14; 1 Timothy 6:16; Isaiah 43:15; Psalm 147:5; Deuteronomy 32:3; Job 36:5; Jeremiah 10:12; Exodus 34:6,7; Acts 17:28; Romans 11:36.

2. FATHER, WORD AND HOLY SPIRIT

 In this divine and infinite Being there is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; each having the whole divine Essence, yet the Essence undivided; all infinite without any beginning, therefore but one God; who is not to be divided in nature, and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties. 

1 Corinthians 1:3; John 1:1; 15:26; Exodus 3:14; 1 Corinthians 8:6

3. THE DECREES OF GOD

God hath decreed in Himself, before the world was, concerning all things, whether necessary, accidental or volun­tary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, dispose, and bring about all things according to the counsel of His own will, to His glory: (Yet without being the [charge­able] author of sin, or having fellowship with any therein) in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, un­changeableness, power, and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree: And God hath before the foundation of the world, foreordained some men to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace; [having foreordained and] leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His justice.

Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:33; Psalm 115:3; 135:6; 33:15; 1 Samuel 10:9,26; Proverbs 21:6; Exodus 21:13; Proverbs 16:33; Psalm 144; Isaiah 45:7; Jeremiah 14:22; Matthew 6:28,30; Colossians 1:16,17; Numbers 23:19,20; Romans 3:4; Jeremiah 10:10; Ephesians 1:4,5; Jude 4,6; Proverbs 16:4.

4. CREATION & FIRST SIN

In the beginning God made all things very good; created man after His own Image, filled with all meet perfection of nature, and free from all sin, but long he abode not in this honour; Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to se­duce first Eve, then by her seducing Adam; who without any compulsion, in eating the forbidden fruit, trans­gressed the command of God, and fell, whereby death came upon all his posterity; who now are conceived in sin, and by nature the children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of death, and other miseries in this world, and for ever, unless the Lord Jesus Christ set them free.

Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 45:12; 1 Corinthians 15:45,46; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Genesis 3:1,4,5; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:14; Galatians 3:22; Romans 5:12,18,19; 6:22; Ephesians 2:3.

5. PROVIDENCE

God in His infinite power and wisdom, doth dispose all things to the end for which they were created; that neither good nor evil befalls any by chance, or without His provi­dence: and that whatsoever befalls the elect, is by His ap­pointment, for His glory, and their good.

Job 38:11; Isaiah 46:10,11; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Mark 10:29,30; Exodus 21:13; Proverbs 16:33; Romans 8:28.

6. THE LOVE OF GOD

All the elect being loved of God with an everlasting love, are redeemed, quickened, and saved, not by themselves, nor their own works, lest any man should boast, but, only and wholly by God, of His own free grace and mercy, through Jesus Christ, who is made unto us by God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and all in all, that he that rejoiceth, might rejoice in the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:2; Ephesians 1:3,7;2:8,9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Acts 13:48; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Jeremiah 9:23,24; 1 Corinthians 1:30,31; Jeremiah 23:6.

7. ETERNAL LIFE

And this is life eternal, that we might know Him the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. And on the contrary, the Lord will render vengeance, in flaming fire, to them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

John 17:3; Hebrews 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; John 6:36.

8. THE HOLY SCRIPTURE 

The rule of this knowledge, faith, and obedience, con­cerning the worship of God, in which is contained the whole duty of man, is (not men’s laws, or unwritten tra­ditions, but) only the word of God contained [viz. written] in the holy Scriptures; in which is plainly recorded whatso­ever is needful for us to know, believe, and practice; which are the only rule of holiness and obedience for all saints, at all times, in all places to be observed.

Colossians 2:23; Matthew 15:6.9; John 5:39; 2 Timothy 3:15,16,17; Isaiah 8:20; Galatians 1:8,9; Acts 3:22,23.

9. LORD JESUS CHRIST

The Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses and the Pro­phets wrote, [and] the Apostles preached. He is the Son of God, the brightness of His glory, etc. by whom He made the world; who upholdeth and governeth all things that He hath made; who also when the fulness of time was come, was made of a woman, of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David; to wit, of the virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, the power of the most High overshadowing her; and He was also tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Genesis 3:15; 22:18; 49:10; Daniel 7:13; 9:24, etc.; Proverbs 8:23; John 1:1,2,3; Hebrews l:8; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5; Genesis 49:9,10; Romans 1:3; 9:10; Matthew l:16; Luke 3:23,26; Hebrews 2:16; Isaiah 53:3,4,5; Hebrews 4:15.

10. MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT

Jesus Christ is made the mediator of the new and ever­lasting covenant of grace between God and man, ever to be perfectly and fully the prophet, priest, and king of the Church of God for evermore.

1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15; John 14:6; Isaiah 9:6, 7.

11. APPOINTED BY GOD

Unto this office He was appointed by God from ever­lasting; and in respect of His manhood, from the womb called, separated, and anointed most fully and abundantly with all gifts necessary. God having without measure poured out His Spirit upon Him.

Proverbs 8:23; Isaiah 42:6; 49:15; 11:2, 3, 4, 5; 61:1,2; Luke 4:17, 22; John 1:14, 26; 3:34.

12. CALLED OF GOD

Concerning His mediatorship, the Scripture holds forth Christ’s call to His office; for none takes this honour upon Him, but He that is called of God as was Aaron, it being an action of God, whereby a special promise being made. He ordains His Son to this office; which promise is, that Christ should be made a sacrifice for sin; that He should see His seed, and prolong His days, and the pleas­ure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand; all of mere free and absolute grace towards God’s elect, and without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.

Hebrews 5:4,5,6; Isaiah 53:10,11; John 3:16; Romans 8:32.

13. OFFICES PROPERLY CHRIST’S

This office to be mediator, that is, to be prophet, priest, and king of the Church of God, is so proper to Christ, that neither in whole, or any part thereof, it cannot be transferred from Him to any other.

1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:24; Daniel 7:14; Acts 4:12; Luke 1:33; John 14:6.

14. NECESSARY THREEFOLD OFFICE

This office to which Christ is called, is threefold; a proph­et, priest, and king: This number and order of offices is necessary, for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of His prophetical office; in respect of our great alienation from God, we need His priestly office to recon­cile us; and in respect of our averseness and utter inability to return to God, we need His kingly office, to convince, subdue, draw, uphold and preserve us to His heavenly kingdom.

Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22,23; Hebrews 3:1; 4:14,15; Psalm 2:6; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:21; John 16:8; Psalm 110:3; Song of Solomon 1:3; John 6:44; Philippians 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:18.

15. REVEALING GOD’S WILL

Concerning the prophecy of Christ, it is that whereby He hath revealed the will of God, whatsoever is needful for His servants to know and obey; and therefore He is called not only a prophet and doctor, and the apostle of our profession, and the angel of the covenant, but also the very wisdom of God, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who for ever continueth re­vealing the same truth of the gospel to His people.

John 1:18; 12:49, 50; 17:8; Deuteronomy 18:15; Matthew 23:10; Hebrews 3:1; Malachi 3:1; 1 Corinthians 1:24; Colossians 2:3.

16. AS BOTH GOD AND MAN

That He might be a prophet every way complete, it was necessary He should be God, and also that He should be man: For unless He had been God, He could never have perfectly understood the will of God; and unless He had been man, He could not suitably have unfolded it in His own person to men.

John 1:18; Acts 3:22; Deuteronomy 18:15; Hebrews 1:1.

Note:

That Jesus Christ is God is wonderful[ly and] clearly ex­pressed in the Scriptures. He is called the mighty God, Isaiah 9:6. That Word was God, John I:I. Christ, who is God over all, Romans 9:5. God manifested in the flesh, 1 Timothy 3:16. The same is very God, I John 5:20. He is the first, Revelation 1:8. He gives being to all things, and without Him was nothing made, John 1:2. He forgiveth sins. Matthew 9:6. He is before Abraham, John 8:58. He was and is, and ever will be the same, Hebrews 13:8. He is always with His to the end of the world, Matthew 28:20. Which could not be said of Jesus Christ, if He were not God. And to the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, Hebrews 1:8; John 1:18.

Also, Christ is not only perfectly God, but perfect man, made of a woman, Galatians 4:4. Made of the seed of David, Romans 1:3. Coming out of the loins of David, Acts 2:30. Of Jesse and Judah, Acts 13:23. In that the children were partakers of flesh and blood He Himself likewise took part with them, Hebrews 2:14. He took not on Him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, verse 16. So that we are bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh, Ephesians 5:30. So that He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one, Hebrews 2:11. See Acts 3:22; Deuteronomy 18:15; Hebrews 1:1.

17. THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST

Concerning His priesthood, Christ having sancti­fied Himself, hath appeared once to put away sin by that one offering of Himself a sacrifice for sin, by which He hath fully finished and suffered all things God required for the salvation of His elect, and removed all rites and shad­ows, etc. and is now entered within the veil into the holy of holies, which is the presence of God. Also, He makes His people a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Him. Neither doth the Father accept, nor Christ offer to the Fa­ther, any other worship or worshippers.

John 17:19; Hebrews 5:7,8,9,10,12; Romans 5:19; Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 1:20; Ephesians 2:14, etc.; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24; 8:1; 1 Peter 2:5; John 4:23,24.

18. ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD

This priesthood was not legal or temporary, but according to the order of Melchisedec, and is stable and perfect, not for a time, but forever, which is suitable to Jesus Christ, as to Him that ever liveth. Christ was the priest, sacrifice, and altar: He was a priest according to both natures; He was a sacrifice according to His human na­ture; whence in Scripture it is attributed to His body, to His blood: Yet the effectualness of this sacrifice did de­pend upon His divine nature; therefore it is called the blood of God. He was the altar according to His divine nature, it belonging to the altar to sanctify that which is offered upon it, and so it ought to be of greater dignity than the sacrifice itself.

Hebrews 7:16, etc.; Hebrews 5:6; 10:10; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Colossians 1:20, 22; Hebrews 9:13; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 9:14; 13:10,12,15; Matthew 23:17; John 17:19.

19. CHRIST’S KINGLY OFFICE

Concerning His kingly office, Christ being risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and having all power in heaven and earth, He doth spiritually govern His church, and doth exercise His power over all, angels and men, good and bad, to the preservation and salvation of the elect, and to the overruling and destruction of His enemies. By this kingly power He applieth the benefits, virtue, and fruits of His prophecy and priesthood to His elect, subduing their sins, preserving and strengthening them in all their conflicts against Satan, the world, and the flesh, keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by His Spirit: By this His mighty power He ruleth the vessels of wrath, using, limiting and restraining them, as it seems good to His infinite wisdom.

1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Peter 3:21,22; Matthew 28:18,19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:1;  5:30, 31; John 19:36; Romans 14:9; John 5:26,27; Romans 5:6,7,8; 14:17; Galatians 5:22,23; Mark 1:27; Hebrews 1:14; John 16:15; Job 2:8; Romans 1:21; [9:17,18]; Ephesians 4:17, 18; 2 Peter 2.

20. KINGLY POWER AND GLORY 

This His kingly power shall be more fully manifested when He shall come in glory to reign among His saints, when He shall put down all rule and authority under His feet, that the glory of the Father may be perfectly mani­fested in His Son, and the glory of the Father and the Son in all His members.

1 Corinthians 15:24,28; Hebrews 9:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:9,10; 1 Thessalonians 4:15,16,17; John 17:21,26.

21. SALVATION FOR THE ELECT

Jesus Christ by His death did purchase salvation for the elect that God gave unto Him: These only have interest in Him, and fellowship with Him, for whom He makes in­tercession to His Father in their behalf, and to them alone doth God by His Spirit apply this redemption; as also the free gift of eternal life is given to them, and none else.

Ephesians 1:14; Hebrews 5:9; Matthew 1:21; John 17:6; Hebrews 7.25; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Romans 8:29,30; 1 John 5:12; John 15:13; 3:16.

22. FAITH

Faith is the gift of God, wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God; by which faith they come to know and believe the truth of the Scriptures, and the ex­cellency of them above all other writings, and all things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in His attri­butes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices. and of the power and fulness of the Spirit in its [His] workings and operations; and so are enabled to cast their souls upon His truth thus believed.

Ephesians 2:8; John 6:29; 4:10; Philippians 1:29; Galatians 5:22; John 17:17; Hebrews 4:11,12; John 6:63.

23. PERSEVERANCE

All those that have this precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit, can never finally nor totally fall away; seeing the gifts of God are without repentance; so that He still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods arise, and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock, which by faith they are fastened upon; not withstanding, through unbelief, and the tempta­tions of Satan, the sensible sight of this light and love, be clouded and overwhelmed for a time; yet God is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palms of His hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.

Matthew 7:24,25; John 13:10; 10:28,29; 1 Peter 1:4,5,6; Isaiah 49: 13,14,15,16.

24. THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL

Faith is ordinarily begotten by the preaching of the gos­pel, or word of Christ, without respect to any power or agency in the creature; but it being wholly passive, and dead in trespasses and sins, doth believe and is converted by no less power than that which raised Christ from the dead.

Romans 10:17; 1 Corinthians 1:28; Romans 9:16; Ezekiel 16:16; Romans 3:12; 1:16; Ephesians 1:19; Colossians 2:12.

25. CHRIST FREELY PREACHED

The preaching of the gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free; no way requiring as absolutely neces­sary, any qualifications, preparations, or terrors of the law, or preceding ministry of the law, but only and alone the naked soul, a sinner and ungodly, to receive Christ crucified, dead and buried, and risen again; who is made a prince and a Saviour for such sinners as through the gos­pel shall be brought to believe on Him.

John 3:14,15; 1:12; Isaiah 55:1; John 7:37; 1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 4:5;  5:8; Acts 5:30,31; 2:36; 1 Corinthians 1:22,24.