First Confession of Basel
By John Oecolampadius, Oswald Myconius, Basel, Switzerland.
- Chapter I: CONCERNING GOD
We believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, one holy, divine Trinity, three Persons and one single, eternal, almighty God, in essence and substance, and not... - Chapter II: CONCERNING MAN
We confess that in the beginning God made man faultless in the likeness of righteousness and holiness. But he willfully fell into sin. Through this fall the whole human race... - Chapter III: GOD'S CARE FOR US
Although man through the fall became subject to damnation and became God's enemy, yet God never ceased to care for the human race. Witnesses to this are the patriarchs, the... - Chapter IV: CONCERNING CHRIST, TRUE GOD AND TRUE MAN
We firmly believe and confess that Christ was given to us by the Father at the appointed time according to the promises of God, and that the eternal, divine Word became flesh,... - Chapter V: CONCERNING THE CHURCH
We believe one holy, Christian Church, the fellowship of the saints, the spiritual assembly of believers which is holy and the one bride of Christ, and in which all are... - Chapter VI: CONCERNING OUR LORD'S SUPPER
We confess that the Lord Jesus instituted His holy Supper for the observance of His holy passion with thanksgiving, to proclaim His death, and also to attest Christian love and... - Chapter VII: CONCERNING THE USE OF EXCOMMUNICATION
Because weeds are mixed with the Church of Christ, Christ has given His Church authority to excommunicate such weeds when they show themselves by intolerable crimes and sins... - Chapter VIII: CONCERNING GOVERNMENT
God has charged governments, His servants, with the sword and with the highest external power for the protection of the good and for vengeance upon and punishment of evildoers.... - Chapter IX: CONCERNING FAITH AND WORKS
We confess that there is forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ the crucified. Although this faith is continually exercised, signalized, and thus confirmed by works... - Chapter X: CONCERNING THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
We believe that there will be a Day of Judgment on which the resurrection of the flesh will take place, when every man will receive from Christ the Judge, according as he has... - Chapter XI: CONCERNING THINGS COMMANDED AND NOT COMMANDED
We confess that just as no one may require things which Christ has not commanded, so in the same way no one may forbid what He has not forbidden. For this reason we hold that... - Chapter XII: AGAINST THE ERROR OF THE ANABAPTISTS
We publicly declare that we not only do not accept but reject as an abomination and as blasphemy the alien false doctrines which are among the damnable and wicked opinions... - Chapter C: CONCLUSION
Finally, we desire to submit this our confession to the judgment of the divine Biblical Scriptures. And should we be informed from the same Holy Scriptures of a better one, we...