Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)

Chapter 27
THE FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS

27.1 All believers are united to Jesus Christ¹ their Head by his Spirit and by faith,² although this does not make them one person with him.3 Therefore they have fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory.⁴ Being united to one another in love, they have fellowship in each other’s gifts and graces,⁵ and are obliged to discharge their duties, both public and private, in an orderly way so as to ensure their mutual good in both spiritual and temporal matters.⁶

(1) Eph 1:4; Joh 17:2,6; 2Co 5:21; Rom 6:8; 8:17; 8:2; 1Co 6:17; 2Pe 1:4
(2) Eph 3:16-17; Gal 2:20; 2Co 3:17-18
(3) 1Co 8:6; Col 1:18-19; 1Ti 6:15-16; Isa 42:8; Psa 45:7; Heb 1:8-9
(4) 1Jo 1:3; Joh 1:16; 15:1-6; Eph 2:4-6; Rom 4:25; 6:1-6; Phi 3:10; Col 3:3-4
(5) Joh 13:34-35; 14:15; Eph 4:15; 1Pe 4:10; Rom 14:7-8; 1Co 3:21-23; 12:7,25-27
(6) Rom 1.12; 12:10-13; 1Th 5.11,14; 1Pe 3:8; 1Jo 3.17-18; Gal 6.10

27.2 By their profession, believers are obliged to maintain a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God and in performing whatever spiritual services may promote their mutual edification.¹ They should also relieve one another in temporal things according to their various abilities and needs.² According to the rule of the Gospel, this fellowship applies particularly to family and church relationships,³ but as God offers opportunity, this fellowship is to be extended to all the ‘household of faith’, that is, all those in every place who call on the name of the Lord Jesus.⁴ Nevertheless, this fellowship with one another as believers does not take away or infringe on the personal ownership that each one has of his goods and possessions.⁵

(1) Heb 3:12-13; 10:24-25
(2) Act 11:29-30; 2Co 8-9; Gal 2; Rom 15
(3) 1Ti 5:8,16; Eph 6:4; 1Co 12:27
(4) Act 11:29-30; 2Co 8-9; Gal 2; 6:10; Rom 15
(5) Act 5:4; Eph 4:28; Exo 20:15

Chapter 1: The Holy Scriptures
Chapter 2: God and the Holy Trinity
Chapter 3: God’s Decree
Chapter 4: Creation
Chapter 5: Divine Providence
Chapter 6: The Fall, Sin and its Punishment
Chapter 7: God’s Covenant
Chapter 8: Christ the Mediator
Chapter 9: Free Will
Chapter 10: Effectual Calling
Chapter 11: Justification
Chapter 12: Adoption
Chapter 13: Sanctification
Chapter 14: Saving Faith
Chapter 15: Repentance to Life and Salvation
Chapter 16: Good Works
Chapter 17: The Perseverance of Believers
Chapter 18: The Assurance of Grace and Salvation
Chapter 19: The Law of God
Chapter 20: The Gospel and its Gracious Extent
Chapter 21: Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
Chapter 22: Worship and the Lord’s Day
Chapter 23: Lawful Oaths and Vows
Chapter 24: Civil Government
Chapter 25: Marriage
Chapter 26: The Church
Chapter 27: The Fellowship of Believers
Chapter 28: The Ordinances
Chapter 29: Baptism
Chapter 30: The Lord’s Supper
Chapter 31: The State of People after Death and the Resurrection of the Dead
Chapter 32: The Last Judgment
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