The God You Were Made to Worship But Can Never Comprehend
Chapter 2 of the 1689 Baptist Confession teaches that there is one living and true God who is infinite in all His attributes, perfectly self-sufficient, sovereign over all things, and eternally exists
God’s Nature, Attributes, and Works
The Lord our God is but one only living, and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being, and perfection, whose Essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, Almighty, every way infinit, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the councel of his own immutable, and most righteous will, for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withall most just, and terrible in his judgements, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
The One True God
This dense paragraph introduces who God is by declaring His oneness and uniqueness, followed by a series of divine attributes. It begins with the affirmation that “the Lord our God is one,” a clear declaration of monotheism. God is not one among many. He alone is the living and true God. The phrase “the Lord our God” personalizes this doctrine, reminding us that the one true God has made Himself our God by covenant grace.
Scripture consistently teaches that there is only one God. Moses proclaims, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Dt 6:4). The apostle Paul writes, “There is no God but one” (1Co 8:4). There is one living and true God (Jer 10:10), in contrast to all false gods. Because God is one, He is the same God worshiped by all believers throughout history.
The Confession continues, stating that God’s “subsistence is in and of Himself.” This expresses the idea of divine self-existence or aseity. In other words, God has life in Himself and depends on no one. When God revealed His name to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM,” it signified that He simply is—the source of His own being (Ex 3:14). No other being is self-existent. Jesus echoes this truth: “The Father has life in himself” (Jn 5:26), underscoring that God;s life is underived. Only God exists by His own power while all other creatures live through Him (Ac 17:28). This doctrine emphasizes God’s absolute independence and self-sufficiency.
The Confession then describes God as “infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself.” God’s being is infinite without limitation or imperfection. He possesses every perfection in unlimited measure. “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable” (Ps 145:3). No creature can fully understand God’s infinite essence. “His understanding is beyond measure” (Ps 147:5). Only God fully knows Himself: “No one knows the Father except the Son; and no one knows the Son except the Father” (Mt 11:27). Although we can know God through His self-revelation, we cannot know Him exhaustively. This truth should humble us.
God’s Spiritual and Infinite Nature
Next, the Confession teaches that God is “a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions.” Scripture affirms that “God is spirit” (Jn 4:24). He is immaterial and invisible: “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God…” (1Ti 1:17). Unlike human beings, God has no physical form: “You saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you” (Dt 4:15–16). He is without a body and also without “parts,” meaning He is not composed of various components. God is simple. All that is in God is God. His attributes are not separate parts but simply God Himself under different descriptions. For example, “God is love” (1Jn 4:8). Love is not a part of God but His very nature.
The phrase “without passions” reflects the classical doctrine of divine impassibility. This means that God is not subject to involuntary emotions or mood swings like we are. While Scripture uses anthropopathic language (describing God with human emotions like anger or regret), these expressions are meant to help us understand and do not imply that God changes. In reality, God's inner life is one of unchanging joy, love, and holiness. “I the LORD do not change” (Mal 3:6). We can trust that God is always faithful and true to Himself.
The line “who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto” is drawn directly from Scripture. Paul writes that God “alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see” (1Ti 6:16). God is immortal. He is not subject to death and will never cease to be. His glory is so radiant and holy that no fallen human can approach or behold Him directly. As John Owen noted, God’s brightness is such that “we cannot bear the sight of him,” just as we cannot stare at the sun. This underscores His transcendence and holiness.
The Confession continues with a list of divine attributes that emphasize God’s eternality, immutability, and infinitude. He is “immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite.” Each term underscores God's absolute perfection.
“Immutable” means unchanging over time. God declares, “I the LORD do not change” (Mal 3:6). “With Him there is no variation or shadow due to change” (Jas 1:17). His character and purposes remain constant.
“Immense” means that God is not limited by space. He is omnipresent. As Solomon said, “Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you” (1Ki 8:27). God asks, “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” (Jer 23:24). He is fully present everywhere.
“Eternal” means God transcends time. “From everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Ps 90:2). He has no beginning or end. All times are immediately present to Him.
“Incomprehensible” reminds us that God’s full glory cannot be grasped by finite minds.
“Almighty” affirms His unlimited power. “I am God Almighty” (Ge 17:1). “Nothing is too hard for you” (Jer 32:17).
Finally, “every way infinite” sums it all up. In every attribute—being, wisdom, power, love—God is without limit. “Great is our Lord… His understanding is beyond measure” (Ps 147:5). The finite creation can never contain the infinite Creator.
God's Sovereign Will and Moral Perfection
After establishing God’s being and incommunicable attributes, the paragraph shifts to those attributes God possesses in the highest degree and also shares in a finite measure with His creatures. It says God is “most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute.” The word “most” indicates the superlative degree. God is supremely holy, wise, free, and absolute. These are often called God’s communicable attributes, since we reflect them in a creaturely way, though in God they are infinite and perfect.
Most holy: God is utterly set apart and morally pure. The seraphim cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts” (Isa 6:3). His holiness has no limit. “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong” (Hab 1:13).
Most wise: God is all-knowing and perfectly applies His knowledge. “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Ro 11:33). He always chooses the best ends and means.
Most free: God is entirely free to do as He pleases, constrained by nothing outside His own will. “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases” (Ps 115:3). “None can stay His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Da 4:35). God never acts out of obligation or external compulsion. He sovereignly decrees and accomplishes all things.
Most absolute: God is the ultimate being, dependent on no one and nothing. No higher principle governs God. He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” (Rev 1:8). Because He is most absolute, “He works all things according to the counsel of His will” for His own glory.
The paragraph continues, stating that God is “working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory.” This speaks to God’s sovereign purpose in creation and providence. Whatever happens in the universe occurs under the decree of God’s infallible will (Eph 1:11). The Lord declares, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose” (Isa 46:10). “The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble” (Pr 16:4).
Everything God does aligns with His perfect wisdom and righteousness—His will is “most righteous,” never unjust. And the ultimate goal of His eternal plan is His own glory. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen” (Ro 11:36). Even the judgment of the wicked glorifies God’s justice. Every part of creation reveals something of God’s character—His mercy or His justice. The Confession’s language here reinforces that God’s glory is the ultimate end of all His works (Ps 19:1; Rev 4:11).
The Goodness and Justice of God
The paragraph then extols God’s goodness and mercy. He is “most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.” This list of attributes is drawn from God’s self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 34. When the LORD passed before Moses, He proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, … forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Ex 34:6–7).
God is love (1Jn 4:8), and here we see many expressions of His love toward sinners. He is loving, and actively doing good to His creatures. He is gracious, showing undeserved favor and freely giving blessings. He is merciful, compassionate to the miserable, and ready to relieve their distress. He is long-suffering, patient with sinners, bearing with them and giving space for repentance (2Pe 3:9). He abounds in goodness and truth, overflowing with covenant loyalty and faithfulness (Ex 34:6). And He is forgiving, ready to pardon iniquity when we turn to Him.
The Confession piles phrase upon phrase to highlight that the true God is abundantly good. As Nehemiah declared in worship, “You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ne 9:17). These attributes are “infinite, eternal, and unchangeable” in God, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it. They belong to His very nature, giving believers every reason to adore Him. Reflecting on the richness of God’s goodness should move us to bow in worship before such a marvelous Lord.
Finally, Paragraph 1 balances God’s mercy with His justice and holiness. He is “the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal most just and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.” God rewards those who seek Him in faith. “Whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). He graciously promises blessing and eternal life to His people.
At the same time, God is perfectly just and terrifying in His judgments against the unrepentant. He hates all sin (Ps 5:5–6). “You are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong” (Hab 1:13). Because God is infinitely holy, He cannot ignore or dismiss evil. He has declared that He “will by no means clear the guilty” (Ex 34:7). Nahum repeats this truth: “The LORD will by no means clear the guilty” (Na 1:3).
Every sin will be judged either in hell or through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The Confession’s language anticipates the gospel. Apart from a Mediator, guilty sinners have no hope of acquittal. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31). While God is love, His love does not compromise His justice. He is “most just,” the ultimate Judge who “will by no means clear the guilty.”
Only through faith in Christ can the guilty be forgiven, for on the cross God’s mercy and justice meet (Ro 3:25–26). Paragraph 1 offers a full portrait of God’s character: uniquely one, self-existent, spiritual, infinite, sovereign, good, and righteous. These truths form the foundation for true worship.
The All-Sufficient, Sovereign, and Worship-Worthy God
God having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself: is alone in, and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any Creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but onely manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them, he is the alone fountain of all Being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most soveraign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independant upon the Creature, so as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain; he is most holy in all his Councels, in all his Works, and in all his Commands; to him is due from Angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience as Creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them.
God’s Self-Sufficiency and Creative Purpose
While Paragraph 1 focused on who God is in Himself, Paragraph 2 emphasizes God’s relationship to everything outside Himself—namely, creation. It teaches that God is completely self-sufficient and that all things exist from Him and under His sovereign rule. Several key truths emerge: God’s self-sufficiency, His role as Creator and sustainer, His sovereign dominion, His omniscience, His moral perfection, and the duty of creatures to worship Him.
This paragraph of the Confession begins by declaring that God has “all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself” and is entirely all-sufficient. This means that within God’s own being is every perfection of life, joy, and goodness. He does not receive any part of His blessedness from outside Himself. God is perfectly fulfilled and joyful in Himself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—from all eternity. When the apostle speaks of God as “blessed” (1Ti 1:11), he is pointing to the fullness of delight and contentment that belongs to God’s own life.
Because God has “all life… in Himself,” He is the source of life for others while remaining dependent on no source. Jesus affirmed this when He said, “He is not served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Ac 17:25). God needs nothing. He has no lack. “Can a man be profitable to God? … Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to Him if you make your ways blameless?” (Job 22:2–3). The answer is no. Our goodness adds nothing to Him.
Unlike the pagan gods who were thought to be fed or helped by offerings, the true God is not enriched by our service. The Confession sets God’s independence in contrast to the utter dependency of His creatures. God is “alone in and unto Himself” all-sufficient—perfectly content to be God, needing nothing outside Himself to add to His being or increase His glory. This is the doctrine of divine aseity and independence. God possesses infinite, unborrowed, and unchanging glory, goodness, and blessedness.
Because of this, the Confession goes on to say God is “not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them.” In other words, creation adds nothing to God. He does not need the world and gains no increase in glory from it. Before anything was made, God was already perfectly glorious (Jn 17:5). Why, then, did He create? Not to get glory He lacked, but to display and communicate the glory He already possesses.
“The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1), not because creation makes God more glorious, but because His splendor is now revealed to creatures. Ephesians 1:11–12 says God works all things “so that we… might be to the praise of His glory.” When we glorify God, we are not giving Him something He didn’t have. We are reflecting the glory that is already His. He gains no innate benefit from us. Instead, we receive everything from Him.
God’s Sovereign Dominion and Perfect Knowledge
The Confession next declares, “He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things.” This echoes Romans 11:36: “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” God is the source of all that exists (“of whom”), the sustainer of all things (“through whom”), and the goal of all things (“to whom”). Everything that exists flows from God as the living fountain of being. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Ge 1:1). The entire cosmos came into existence by His will.
Paul told the Athenians, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Ac 17:28). Hebrews 1:3 adds that the Son “upholds the universe by the word of His power.” Every creature continues to exist only because God sustains it moment by moment. And ultimately, all things exist for God’s glory and purpose (Pr 16:4; Col 1:16). He is the sole fountain of all being. From the highest angel to the smallest particle, all owe their existence to God’s sovereign “Let there be.” Without Him, nothing would exist, yet without creation, God remains complete and perfect in Himself.
Because He is Creator, the Confession continues: God has “most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleaseth.” Since God made everything, He rightly rules everything (Ps 103:19). He is the supreme King and Lord over all. He can do by His creatures whatever He chooses, using them as instruments in His providential work (e.g., using Cyrus or Pharaoh to fulfill His purposes, Isa 44:28; Ro 9:17). He can do for His creatures what He pleases, showing mercy, providing, guiding, or correcting. He can do upon them what He pleases, executing judgment or grace as He wills.
This is the doctrine of divine sovereignty. “He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth” (Da 4:35). “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth” (Ps 135:6). We saw in Paragraph 1 that God works all things according to His will. Here, the emphasis is on His dominion being “most sovereign,” supreme and unchallenged. Earthly rulers have limited power, but God’s authority is boundless. “Who can resist His will?” (Ro 9:19). Nebuchadnezzar, after being humbled, confessed, “[God’s] dominion is an everlasting dominion… All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will… and none can stay His hand” (Da 4:34–35).
This truth is deeply humbling. God is the potter, and we are the clay (Isa 64:8; Ro 9:20–21). He may do with us whatever He pleases. Yet this is not arbitrary or cruel because His will is “most righteous.” It reminds us that God is God, and we are not. He owns us, having created us (Ps 100:3). He owes us nothing, while we owe Him everything.
The Confession next highlights God’s omniscience and wisdom: “In His sight all things are open and manifest; His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain.” This means that God knows absolutely everything, perfectly. “No creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him” (Heb 4:13). Even the thoughts and intentions of the heart are fully known to Him. “I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them” (Eze 11:5).
God’s knowledge is infinite without limit. He knows all actual and all possible things. His knowledge is infallible, never mistaken or incomplete. And it is entirely independent of the creature. God does not learn by observing, nor does He receive information from outside Himself. He knows the end from the beginning because He ordained the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10). “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows Him His counsel?” (Isa 40:13). “Who has been His counselor?” (Ro 11:34). The answer is no one.
God’s plan encompasses all events, so “nothing is… contingent or uncertain” to Him. From a human perspective, the future appears uncertain. Events often seem to happen by chance. But from God’s viewpoint, all is certain and foreknown. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the Father (Mt 10:29). God’s exhaustive knowledge rules out surprise or chance. Even the free choices of angels and people are fully known and included in His plan (Ac 15:18). All things are eternally present in His understanding.
Accordingly, “He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands.” Everything God plans, does, and commands is absolutely holy and good. His counsels—His eternal plans and decrees—are perfectly righteous. “The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His works” (Ps 145:17). His works—what He brings about in creation and providence—are holy. Even when we don’t understand His reasons, we can be certain He does no wrong (Dt 32:4). His commands—His moral law—are pure and just. “The commandment of the LORD is pure” (Ps 19:8). “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Ro 7:12).
There is no evil or arbitrariness in God. His holiness saturates every decree He makes, every action He performs, and every word He speaks. This reassures us that the sovereign God who ordains all things never ordains anything unjust. All His ways are good, even when they are beyond our understanding, such as in the story of Job. Abraham asked, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Ge 18:25). The answer is yes, always.
When God permits evil or suffering, it is part of a wise and holy plan that will ultimately magnify His justice and mercy. Nowhere is this clearer than on the cross (Ac 2:23; 4:27–28), where God’s righteous plan included the worst evil ever committed, yet brought about the greatest good.
The Worship Due to God from All Creatures
Paragraph 2 concludes by asserting God’s worthiness to be worshiped by all creatures. “To Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them.” Because God is Creator and Lord of all, every creature owes Him worship and obedience by nature. This is the basic duty of every rational being, whether angel or human.
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things” (Rev 4:11). In Revelation 5:13, John hears “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them” praising God. The angels continually worship Him (Isa 6:3; Rev 5:11–12). Humans, made in God’s image, owe Him our love and obedience (Mt 22:37–38).
This is not an arbitrary demand. It flows from the relationship between Creator and creature. “Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His” (Ps 100:3). God is our Maker and sustainer, and He deserves our reverence and service.
The Confession also notes that God may require “whatever He is further pleased to require” of angels and men. This means He has the authority to impose specific commands or ordinances as He chooses. For example, in Eden, God gave a particular command not to eat from one tree (Ge 2:16–17)—a positive, prescriptive law, determined by His sovereign authority. Similarly, God has appointed particular forms of worship under both Old and New Covenants. Whatever He commands, we are bound to obey simply because He is Lord.
If the heavenly seraphim cover their faces and cry “Holy” in His presence (Isa 6:2–3), how much more should we approach Him with obedient worship? Revelation 5 shows all creation singing, “To Him who sits on the throne… be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev 5:13). God’s absolute supremacy calls for our absolute submission and devotion.
In short, Paragraph 2 impresses on us that God is completely independent and sovereign, while every creature is completely dependent on Him and obligated to honor Him. As creatures, we can give God nothing that He does not already possess—except our worship, praise, and gratitude. As Paul puts it, “Who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?” (Ro 11:35). No one. We exist for Him. This truth should humble us and lead us to worship.
One Essence, Three Distinct Persons
In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father the Word (or Son) and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and Eternity, each having the whole Divine Essence, yet the Essence undivided, the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding, the Son is Eternally begotten of the Father, the holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son, all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and Being; but distinguished by several peculiar, relative properties, and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our Communion with God, and comfortable dependance on him.
One God in Three Persons
After describing God’s nature in general terms, the Confession’s final paragraph presents the doctrine of the Trinity. The one true God exists eternally as three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is the crown of Christian theology and the deepest mystery of God’s self-revelation. Though essential to the Christian faith, it is utterly beyond human invention or discovery. As the Puritans acknowledged, natural reason could never arrive at this truth. We know it only because God has revealed it. We approach this mystery with reverence, echoing the humility of earlier saints who said, “No language is rich enough, no words are significant enough to declare this profound mystery.” Yet what God has made known, we affirm. He is one being in three “subsistences” (or persons).
The paragraph begins, “In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word (or Son), and Holy Spirit.” The term “subsistence” here is equivalent to “person” in Trinitarian theology. Earlier, “subsistence” described God’s self-existence, but now it refers to personal existence within the one divine being. Within the one infinite essence of God, there are three personal distinctions: the Father, the Son (called “the Word” because of Jn 1:1), and the Holy Spirit.
These three are not three separate gods, but one God. The Confession immediately clarifies this. They are “of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided.” In other words, the Father, Son, and Spirit all share the same divine nature. They are co-equal in power and co-eternal in being. Each possesses the fullness of the one divine essence, not a part or portion of it. God’s essence is indivisible, so each person is fully and equally God. As the early church creed states, the Son is “very God of very God,” and the Spirit is likewise true God.
Scripture affirms the deity of each person. The Father is called God (Php 1:2), the Son is explicitly called God (Jn 1:1; Jn 20:28; Heb 1:8), and the Spirit is identified with God (Ac 5:3–4). Yet Scripture is just as clear that “God is one” (Gal 3:20). The doctrine of the Trinity holds all this biblical data together—one God in three persons. Jesus said, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (Jn 14:11), and “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30). “In [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col 2:9). The Son has the whole divine essence in Himself, and so do the Father and the Spirit. The Confession carefully avoids the error of dividing God into parts. The persons are distinct, but not separate beings.
Eternal Relations Within the Godhead
Next, the Confession outlines the distinctions among the persons. “The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit [is] proceeding from the Father and the Son.” These statements describe the eternal relationships within the Trinity.
The Father is “of none.” He is not generated or proceeding. He is the personal source within the Godhead.
The Son is “eternally begotten” of the Father. This refers to the doctrine of eternal generation. The Son’s identity is to be the only begotten of the Father. Scripture calls Him “the only Son from the Father” (Jn 1:14) and “the only begotten God, who is at the Father’s side” (Jn 1:18 NASB). This begetting is eternal, not a beginning or act of creation. The Father has always been Father to the Son, and the Son has always been Son to the Father. “In the beginning was the Word” (Jn 1:1). The Son’s personal distinction lies in being from the Father (Heb 1:5), “the radiance of the glory of God” (Heb 1:3).
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This is the classic Western (Augustinian) view, affirmed by the Protestant confessions. Jesus said, “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—He will bear witness about me” (Jn 15:26). The Spirit proceeds from the Father, and Jesus also says He will send the Spirit, indicating the Spirit comes from both. Galatians 4:6 refers to the Spirit as “the Spirit of His Son.” Theologically, the Spirit is often described as the mutual breath of the Father and the Son, proceeding eternally from both. This is expressed in the phrase “and the Son” (the filioque clause) in the Nicene Creed.
These distinctions, begetting and proceeding, do not imply any inequality in deity. The Confession affirms that all three persons are “all infinite, without beginning,” directly rejecting Arianism, which claimed the Son was created. These are personal relations, not differences in essence. The Father eternally begets, the Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds. Apart from these personal relations, we could not distinguish the three, since they share all divine attributes.
By God’s revelation, we know the Father as unbegotten, the Son as begotten, and the Spirit as proceeding. The Confession draws directly from the language of the Athanasian Creed and the Reformed scholastics. The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinguished by their eternal relationships of origin, not by any difference in nature or rank. This teaching aligns with the historic Nicene faith and reflects the Particular Baptists’ desire to affirm full Trinitarian orthodoxy alongside the broader Reformed tradition. The inclusion of “and the Son” also identifies their view with the Western tradition of Augustine and Calvin, emphasizing the unity of Father and Son as one principle of the Spirit’s procession.
In short, the Confession’s final paragraph confesses the one true God, infinitely glorious and undivided in essence, who eternally exists as three distinct, coequal, and coeternal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Confession goes on to declare that the three persons are “all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations.” This is a vital safeguard against any form of ontological subordinationism. Each person of the Trinity is equally infinite and uncreated. There is no hierarchy of being—that is, no greater or lesser gods. Because they share the one, undivided divine essence, they are one God.
At the same time, the persons are truly distinct. The divine nature is not divided among them, but they are “distinguished by… personal relations.” This language is carefully chosen to defend both the unity and the threeness of God. On one hand, it refutes modalism, which claims God is one person who merely appears in three modes. On the other hand, it refutes tritheism (three separate gods) and adoptionism (the view that the Son is a creature exalted to divine status). The phrase “not to be divided in nature and being” affirms the unity of God’s essence. The phrase “distinguished by… personal relations” affirms the real distinction between the persons. This is classic Western Trinitarian theology, fully aligned with the Nicene and Athanasian creeds.
Foundation of Christian Life and Worship
The paragraph concludes, “Which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.” This is more than a theological summary. It is a profoundly pastoral statement. The Trinity is not an abstract doctrine for theologians alone. It is the basis for the entire Christian life. All true communion with God is communion with the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit.
In prayer, we “have access in one Spirit to the Father” through Christ (Eph 2:18). Our salvation involves the work of each person: the Father chose us, the Son redeemed us, the Spirit regenerates and sanctifies us (1Pe 1:2; Eph 1:3–14). We relate to God as triune, experiencing the Father’s love, the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Spirit (2Co 13:14).
This is why we can depend on God with comfort and confidence. The Father sent the Son, and the Father and Son sent the Spirit. Because of this, we are welcomed into the very family of God (Gal 4:4–6). The doctrine of the Trinity assures us that God is, in Himself, eternally love, for the Father loved the Son before the foundation of the world (Jn 17:24). And through the Son, we are drawn into that love (Jn 17:26).
It is the Father who calls us into fellowship, the Son who makes that fellowship possible by His blood, and the Spirit who unites us to God and assures us we are His children (Ro 8:15–16). Therefore, Christian worship is inherently Trinitarian. We worship the Father in the name of the Son and in the power of the Spirit. Baptism is administered “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19), showing that our covenant relationship is with the triune God.
Every comfort we take in God—His providence, His grace, His promises—rests on this foundational truth: He is Father, Son, and Spirit, working together for our salvation and joy. Remove the Trinity, and Christianity collapses. As the framers rightly understood, this doctrine must be preserved because is the very heart of the faith. It is the God we adore.
They placed this doctrine at the close of Chapter 2 because knowing God as Trinity is the highest and clearest revelation Scripture gives of His nature. It is essential for our salvation, our communion with God, and our worship. These truths are fuel for praise. Our response should be wonder, humility, and adoration. “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Ro 11:33). We see that God is infinitely above us, and yet graciously with us.
The only fitting response is worship. “To Him be glory forever. Amen” (Ro 11:36).