Confession of Faith, According to the Holy Word of God.

Concerning this wonderful creation, read: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Rev. 4:11.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and in him.” Col. 1:16; Ps. 33:6.

Regarding the angels, read: “He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Heb. 1:7,14; Ps. 104:4.

Concerning the apostasy of the angels, read: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them unto chains and darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Luke 10:18; Is. 14:8; Rev. 12:4.

Regarding the creation of the visible things, read: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Gen. 1:1; John 1:3; Ps. 33:6.

God said: “Let heaven and earth be made; and thy word was a perfect work.” 2 Esdr. 6:38.

“For thine almighty hand, that made the world of matter without form.” Wis. 11:17.

“I beseech thee, my son, look upon the heaven, and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not; and so was mankind made likewise.” 2 Mac. 7:28.

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Heb. 11:3; Acts 17:24; Ps. 146:6; 148:5.

Concerning the creation of man, read: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen. 1:26.

“And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Gen. 2:7; Acts 17:25; 1 Cor. 15:45.

How man was created, read: “This only have I found, that God hath made man upright.” Eccl. 7:29; Gen. 1:26; 5:1.

“For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity.” Wis. 2:23; Syr. 17:1.

“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Eph. 4:24.

“And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Gen. 1:31; Deut. 32:4.

ARTICLE VII.

Of the fall and punishment of man we confess: The first man, Adam, and Eve, having been thus gloriously created after the likeness of their Creator, unto eternal life, did not continue long in this estate; but as they were created with a free will, to choose what they would, so that they could fear, serve and obey their Creator, or, disobey and forsake him; and as their Creator had given them a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that they should eat thereof, they should surely die; they, notwithstanding this, in their vain desire to be equal to their Creator in wisdom and knowledge, were led and drawn away from God, and deceived by Satan; and thus they disobediently and voluntarily transgressed the command of their Creator. The woman, last created, was first deceived, and turned her ears away from God to Satan, and, also seducing her husband, they, through this sin, fell under the wrath and disfavor of God, and, with all their posterity, became subject that very day, to temporal and eternal death, and were thus divested of the divine virtue, which is righteousness, and true holiness, and became sinful and mortal.

On this account, God the holy and righteous Judge, in whose sight wickedness can not endure, but who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, or to look on iniquity; and who threatens from heaven with his wrath and disfavor all disobedience and ingratitude of men; was so incensed by the sin thus committed by Adam and Eve, that thereby they not only fell into eternal condemnation, together with all their posterity, but God the Lord moreover imposed upon Adam and Eve divers temporal, bodily punishments, which also continually extend themselves into all their generations. Who are so corrupted in Adam, that they are all from their youth, by nature, inclined to sin and evil, and are therefore deprived of the beautiful pleasure-garden, or paradise, but must eat their bread, all their life, in sorrow and in the sweat of their face, from the uncultivated earth, which because of this first sin was so cursed and marred, that it brings forth of itself weeds, thorns, and thistles; and cover the shame of their bodies made naked by sin. The woman, as the chief transgressor, has to subject her will and power to the man, and was constrained to bring forth her children in pain and anguish. This punishment continues upon all men, until they finally return to the dust and ashes whence they came.