Why is the Westminster Confession of Faith important in my Christian life? Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn reflects on how the Westminster Confession of Faith is a resource to help Christians understand and glorify God more fully.
Why is the Westminster Confession of Faith important in my Christian life? Well, if you’re a Presbyterian church member, the Westminster Confession of Faith is is important because it’s what your church is going to seek to teach you. It’s a document that’s intended to guide you. But really, for anyone, the Westminster Confession of Faith helps you personally, because it enumerates all the ways which God is faithful to you, in the way in which God reveals himself. The more doctrine you learn, the more reason you have to praise God and live for his glory.We’re reminded of how God is faithful, and it gives us reason to praise him. And when we think about God’s decrees, his creation, his providence—his astonishing providence, and the fall of man, and then in his salvation for us, the more doctrine we learn—which is summarized and packaged so nicely and helpfully in the Westminster Confession of Faith—the more reason we have for doxology.
It’s great to be able to say “God has saved me. Praise God!” It’s even greater to be able to say God, in time, redeemed me. By his Holy Spirit, he’s applied Christ’s work to me. He’s given me justification, adoption, and sanctification. And justification is is an umbrella term for two distinct benefits: forgiveness and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. You see, the more doctrine you learn, the more reason you have to praise God and live for his glory.
