King’s Cross Church, Wenatchee has adopted as its own statement of faith the Westminster Confession 1788. We believe it to be a reliable, but not infallible summary of Biblical doctrine. (See Appendix I, page 57, for the Scots Confession on the proper use of creeds.) It is our prayer that the Church at large will recover the truths expressed in this historic confession, that she will debate the issues where there is not full agreement, and that in due time she will rise up as one and edit the Westminster Standards, adding articles to address modern heresies, using the same principles of sola Scriptura and consensus that she employed at its first drafting. (See Appendix II for a brief discussion of specific areas of concern and proposed changes.)
For a brief summary of our core beliefs see Appendix III, What We Believe.
This statement of faith is not intended to define the boundaries of our fellowship. Some Christians will certainly differ with some of what is set forth here. Such Christians are nevertheless welcome to fellowship together with us. Our basis for fellowship is a biblical confession of the lordship of Jesus Christ, and the absence of a scandalous lifestyle.
This statement of faith does represent the doctrinal understanding of the leadership of King’s Cross Church, and it is our intention that the teaching and preaching at King’s Cross Church reflect this understanding. Procedural standards for our church government can be found in our Constitution.
Appendix I
The Proper Use of Creeds from The Scots Confession 1560
Chapter XX
General Councils, Their Power, Authority, and the Cause of Their Summoning
As we do not rashly condemn what good men, assembled together in general council lawfully gathered, have set before us; so we do not receive uncritically whatever has been declared to men under the name of the general councils, for it is plain that, being human, some of them have manifestly erred, and that in matters of great weight and importance. So far then as the council confirmed its decrees by the plain Word of God, so far do we reverence and embrace them. But if men, under the name of a council, pretend to forge for us new articles of faith, or to make decisions contrary to the Word of God, then we must utterly deny them as the doctrine of devils, drawing our souls from the voice of the One God to follow the doctrines and the teachings of men. The reason why the general councils met was not to make any permanent law which God had not made before, nor yet to form new articles for our belief, nor to give the Word of God authority; much less to make that to be His Word, or even the true interpretation of it, which was not expressed previously by His holy will in His Word; but the reason for councils, at least to those that deserve that name, was partly to refute heresies, and to give public confession of their faith to the generations following, which they did by the authority of God’s written Word, and not by any opinion or prerogative, that they could not err by reason of their numbers. This, we judge, was the primary reason for general councils. The second was that good policy and order should be constituted and observed in the Kirk [presbytery] where, as in the house of God, it becomes all things to be done decently and in order. Not that we think any policy or order of ceremonies can be appointed for all ages, times, and places; for as ceremonies which men have devised are but temporal, so they may, and ought to be, changed, where they foster superstitions rather than edify the Kirk.
(Modern Translation by: James Bulloch, St. Andrews Press, Edinburgh, 1960)
Appendix II
Proposed Changes to the WCF 1788
In the interests of honest subscription, we want to state plainly here what portions of the WCF 1788 we believe could be revised profitably by the church at large. The first section concerns phrases which we believe require careful historical study so that the contextual meaning of seventeenth century theologians may be understood. The second section includes some exegetical concerns, and the third reveals some theological disagreements.
Contextual concerns:
1. WCF VII.ii -- Change "covenant of works" to "covenant of creation." The same of WCF XIX.i.
2. WCF XXV.vi -- Delete "but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition." This does not represent any softening of the Reformed view of the Roman Catholic claims.
Exegetical concerns:
1. WCF I.viii -- Change "in Hebrew" to "in Hebrew and Aramaic."
2. WCF XXVIII.iii -- Insert the word "also" between "is" and "rightly."
3. WCF I-XXXIII - The Scripture proofs cited by the WCF do not uniformly support the theological truths expressed in the articles to which they refer.
Theological concerns:
1. WCF XXI.viii -- Replace "the whole time" with "with rest."
2. WCF XXIII.iii -- Delete the last phrase, beginning with "to provide that whatsoever..."
3. WCF XXV.i -- Delete "which is invisible."
4. WCF XXVII.iv -- Replace "by any but by" with "without the oversight of," and follow the phrase "minister of the Word" with "or elder."
As you can see, even though the above concerns are substantive, we are in agreement with the overwhelming majority of the WCF 1788. May God move on the hearts of His people everywhere to take heed to their doctrine (1 Timothy 4:16) until it is evident to all creation that there is indeed but one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:4-5).
Appendix III
King’s Cross Church
What We Believe
We believe God is the center of the universe, and that man exists to glorify Him. We believe God sovereignly ordains whatsoever comes to pass. We are evangelical in the historic sense of the word. We believe God, through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, actually saves helpless, hell deserving sinners; He does not merely assist them in saving themselves. We believe sinners are saved by the grace of God alone, through the instrument of faith alone, plus nothing.
We believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, internally consistent, and the only rule for belief and practice. We believe God's law is found in the Bible and is three-fold in purpose: First, to drive the sinner to trust in Christ alone, the only perfect law-keeper. Second, to provide a standard of obedience for the Christian, by which he may measure his progress in sanctification. And third, to maintain order in society, restraining and arresting evil in the civil realm. Although we have a high regard for God’s law, we do heartily condemn all forms of legalism -- the binding of men’s consciences by man-made rules which exceed God’s revealed standard -- as hatred of God’s law.
We believe in the existence of God because the Bible says so, not because we can "prove" it. We do not try to convince the unconverted that God is real. Unbelievers know God, but suppress their knowledge of Him in wickedness. They need repentance, not evidence. Of course, we believe there is evidence for the Faith, in fact, we believe that there is nothing but evidence for the Faith.
We believe Christ has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, and has commanded and empowered His church to make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the triune God, and teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded. We believe Satan is a defeated foe, and that Christ will reign till He has put all enemies under His feet, and then comes the end.
We believe the earth and all its fullness is the Lord's and that every area dominated by sin must be redeemed by the Gospel and reclaimed for Christ’s glory. This includes the individual, the family, the church, and society at large, including the state. We firmly believe in the separation of church and state, but not the separation of the state or anything else from God. We declare the Lordship of Christ in every sphere through the preaching of His Word with prayer, expecting eventual triumph.
We believe truth is absolute and that doctrine matters. However, our doctrine does not define the boundaries of our fellowship. Our basis for fellowship is a biblical confession of the lordship of Jesus Christ, and the absence of a scandalous lifestyle.
Appendix IV
Historic Creeds
The Apostles' Creed (2nd Century)
WE BELIEVE in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into Hades; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic* church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen
* "catholic", meaning universal, not Roman Catholic.
The Nicean Creed (381 AD)
WE BELIEVE in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things, visible and invisible.
And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God; begotten not made; being of one substance with the Father; by Whom all things were made; 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; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and the Giver of Life; Who proceeds from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets.
And we believe in one catholic*, and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life and the world to come. Amen
Definition of Chalcedon (451 AD)
Following, then, the holy fathers, we unite in teaching all men to confess the one and same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This selfsame one is perfect both in deity and in humanity; truly God and truly man, with a rational soul and a body; consubstantial with the Father according to His deity, and consubstantial with us according to the humanity; like us in all respects, sin only excepted. Before the ages He was begotten of the Father, according to the deity, and in these last days, for us and for our salvation, He was born of Mary the virgin, who is Godbearer according to His humanity; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only-begotten, to be acknowledge in two natures; without confusing them, without interchanging them, without dividing them, and without separating them; the distinction of natures by no means taken away by the union, but the properties of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one subsistence; not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as from the beginning the prophets have declared concerning Him, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the symbol of the fathers has handed down to us.