Plain-language reading guide
READING HELP
Read this chapter alongside the Confession chapter on the same subject. The Testimony states what the church teaches, applies that teaching, and identifies views it rejects. Read each statement with its Scripture proofs and the surrounding paragraphs.
To find explicit rejections in this chapter, go to point 2, point 5, point 10, point 13, point 14, point 15. Read each full point to see exactly which teaching is rejected.
This reading guide is separate from the official text below.
Read the official text, or choose a simpler explanation to explore together.
Westminster Confession
1. There is but one only, living, and true God: who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel 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 withal, most just and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
Scripture proofs: Deut. 6:4, 1 Cor. 8:4, 6; 1 Thess. 1:9; Jer. 10:10; Job 11:7-9; Job 26:14; John 4:24; 1 Tim. 1:17; Deut. 4:15-16; John 4:24 with Luke 24:39; Acts 14:11, 15; Jas. 1:17; Mal. 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jer. 23: 23-24; Ps. 90:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ps. 145:3; Gen. 17:1; Rev. 4:8; Rom. 16:27; Isa. 6: 3; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 115:3; Ex. 3:14; Eph. 1: 11; Prov. 16:4; Rom. 11:36; 1 John 4:8, 16; Ex. 34:6-7; Heb. 11:6; Neh. 9:32-33; Ps. 5:5-6; Nah. 1:2-3; Ex. 34:7.
2. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only 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 hath most sovereign dominion over them, 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 independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service or obedience He is pleased to require of them.
Scripture proofs: John 5:26; Acts 7:2; Ps. 119:68; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rom. 9:5; Acts 17:24-25; Job 22: 2-3; Rom. 11:36; Rev. 4:11; 1 Tim. 6: 15; Dan. 4:25, 35; Heb. 4:13; Rom. 11: 33-34; Ps. 147:5; Acts 15:18; Ezek. 11:5; Ps. 145:17; Rom. 7:12; Rev. 5:12-14.
3. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding: the Son is eternally begotten of the Father: the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.
Scripture proofs: 1 John 5:7; Matt. 3:16-17; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 1:14, 18; John 15: 26; Gal. 4:6.
Words to know
- Trinity
- The one God who is three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Eternal
- Without beginning or end.
- Begotten and proceeding
- Words for the Son’s and Spirit’s eternal relationships within God; they do not mean being created or starting to exist.
WCF 2.1 · There is one living God
There is only one true God. He is Spirit, without a body or parts, and never changes. He has no beginning or end, knows perfectly, and can do all his holy will. We cannot fully understand him. His love and mercy are perfect, and he is never controlled by changing creaturely moods. He forgives sin, judges justly, and never treats evil as harmless.
Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:9.
Why is it comforting that God never changes?
WCF 2.2 · God does not need us
God has life, goodness, and joy in himself. He did not create because he lacked something. Everything depends on him, but he depends on nothing he made. He knows everything perfectly, including our thoughts. All he does is holy. We owe him the worship and obedience he requires.
John 5:26; Acts 7:2; Psalm 119:68.
Who depends on whom: God on us, or us on God?
WCF 2.3 · Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
The one God is three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is fully God, with the same divine nature, power, and eternity. They are not three gods. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and Son. These relationships have no beginning and do not mean anyone was created.
Matthew 3:16–17; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14.
How can we confess one God while naming three persons?
1. The true God is revealed in Scripture. Any concept of God, however sincerely held, that is contrary to Scripture is false, and in the end idolatrous. A knowledge of the true God is essential to saving faith. Rom. 10:14-17; Isa. 44:6, 10-17; Acts 17:22-29.
2. We reject any teaching which denies or obscures the difference between God the Creator and man the creature or the rest of creation. Rom. 1:23-25; Acts 5:3-4.
3. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are equally to be worshipped by angels and men. Phil. 2:9-10; Heb. 1:2-3, 6, 8; 2 Cor. 13:14.
4. The doctrine of the Trinity is knowable only by special revelation. It is not possible for an explanation or comparison from any other source to serve as a true representation of this doctrine. Isa. 40:18; Isa. 46:5; 1 Cor. 2:10-13; John 1:18.
5. We reject any teaching which subordinates any person of the Godhead as to substance, power or glory. John 1:1-2; Acts 5:3-4.
6. The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is truly God, of the same substance, equal in power and glory with the Father and the Son. He is to be believed in, loved, obeyed and worshipped by men in all ages. 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:26; Matt. 28:19; Luke 1:35; Heb. 10:29; Rev. 22:17; Eph. 2:18-22; John 16:7; Gal. 4:6; Acts 5:3-4; Acts 16:6-7; Mark 3:29; Rom. 8:26-27; 1 John 2:20-27.
7. The Holy Spirit, as the giver of life, is everywhere present and makes manifest the grace of God toward all His creatures. He supplies man’s powers of reason and conscience, restrains his disposition toward evil, and preserves a degree of justice and morality in society. His common work for all mankind does not regenerate but leaves those who reject God without excuse. Gen. 1:2; Job 33:4; Ps. 104:30; Job 34:14- 15; Gen. 6:3; Isa. 32:15-17; Rom. 1:20.
8. The special work of the Holy Spirit is to apply to the elect the redeeming benefits of Christ’s atonement. The outward and ordinary means through which He communicates the knowledge of redemption is the written Word, in which is infallibly recorded the will of God for man’s salvation. He prepares for the reception of the Word and accompanies it with His persuasive power. He regenerates the elect by His grace, convicts them of sin, moves them to repentance and persuades and enables them to embrace Christ through faith. In regeneration He works secretly, supernaturally and effectually. This work is in itself so distinct and necessary, that without it, no evidence of the truth of the Gospel, no power of argument, no persuasion of love or of terror, no human eloquence, no combination of the most favorable circumstances, can be effectual in producing salvation. John 3:1-8; Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:3; 2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Sam. 23:2; John 7:39; John 16: 13; Titus 3:5; Ezek. 36:27; 1 John 4:2; Gal. 4:6; 2 Thess. 2:13.
9. The Holy Spirit in uniting all believers to Christ, dwells in them as their Comforter, guiding, teaching and performing in them all those gracious activities by which they are sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption. His guidance and teaching cannot contradict anything written in God’s Word, but makes known the will of God to His people through prayer and submission to the Word. Rom. 8:14, 26-27; 1 Cor. 2:12-16; Eph. 4:30; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rom. 15:4; John 16:5-11.
10. We reject the teaching that inner light, dreams, visions or charismatic gifts provide a new, more advanced or infallible revelation of God.
11. The sin against the Holy Spirit which will not be forgiven, commonly called the unpardonable sin, is the final—secret or open—rejection of His testimony concerning Jesus Christ. It is a sin unto death, because it is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and because, by its very nature, it is the willful and persistent rejection of the only hope of forgiveness through the Savior. On the other hand, the fear of having committed this sin, together with an earnest desire for fellowship with God in Christ, give evidence that this sin has not been committed. 1 Thess. 5:19; Acts 7:51; Heb. 10:26-29; Matt. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12: 8-10; 1 Cor. 12:3; 1 John 5:16; Heb. 6: 4-6; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; Isa. 50: 10; 1 John 1:7; Heb. 6:9-11.
12. The Holy Spirit, abiding in believers, unites them to Christ the Head, and to one another in the Church which is His body. He imparts various gifts and graces to all her members that they may serve Christ. He calls and fits His servants for their work, and qualifies all officers of the Church for their particular tasks. He makes effective the Word and the ordinances of the Gospel. By Christ working through His Spirit, the Church will be preserved, increased, purified, and, at last, made perfectly holy in the presence of God to all eternity. Eph. 2:14-18; Eph. 4:1-5; Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 12; Acts 13:2; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 1 Thess. 1:5-6; John 20:22-23; Matt. 16: 18; Matt. 28:19-20.
13. We reject the view that the work of the Holy Spirit is limited to individuals. Rev. 2:11.
14. We reject the teaching that some true believers have not received the Holy Spirit.
15. We reject the teaching that particular charismatic gifts such as those of tongues and of healing are normal or necessary signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Words to know
- Trinity
- The one God who is three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Eternal
- Without beginning or end.
- Begotten and proceeding
- Words for the Son’s and Spirit’s eternal relationships within God; they do not mean being created or starting to exist.
- Revelation
- God making himself and his will known to us.
- Rejects
- Says that a teaching is wrong and must not be accepted.
Testimony 2.1
Our understanding of God must come from Scripture. A sincere belief about God can still be false if it contradicts what he reveals.
Read original point 1 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.2
The Testimony rejects blurring the difference between God and his creation. Human beings and the world are not God.
Read original point 2 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.3
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each deserve worship equally.
Read original point 3 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.4
We know the Trinity because God reveals it. No illustration drawn from creation can fully or accurately represent who the triune God is.
Read original point 4 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.5
The Testimony rejects making any person of the Trinity less divine, less powerful, or less glorious than the others.
Read original point 5 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.6
The Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and Son. He proceeds from the Father and Son. We should trust, love, obey, and worship him.
Read original point 6 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.7
The Spirit gives life and restrains evil throughout society. These benefits help all people, but do not by themselves give them new spiritual life.
Read original point 7 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.8
The Spirit brings God’s chosen people to faith in Christ through the Word. No persuasive argument or favorable circumstance can replace his work of giving new life.
Read original point 8 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.9
The Spirit lives in believers, comforts them, and makes them holy. His guidance agrees with Scripture and is sought through prayer and submission to the Word.
Read original point 9 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.10
The Testimony rejects using inner impressions, dreams, visions, or spiritual gifts as a source of new or infallible revelation.
Read original point 10 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.11
The unforgivable sin is a willful, persistent rejection of the Spirit’s testimony about Christ. Fear of having committed it, together with a real desire for Christ, is evidence against having done so.
Read original point 11 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.12
The Spirit joins believers to Christ and to each other, equips them to serve, and preserves and builds up the church.
Read original point 12 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.13
The Testimony rejects limiting the Spirit’s work to individual people. He also works in the church as a body.
Read original point 13 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.14
The Testimony rejects the claim that some genuine Christians have not received the Holy Spirit.
Read original point 14 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 2.15
The Testimony rejects making tongues or healing gifts normal or necessary evidence of being filled with the Spirit.
Read original point 15 and its Scripture proofs →Source: The Constitution of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, updated 2026, A-11, A-12, A-13, A-14, A-15, A-16.