Dr. Robert Paul Martin presents a few of the important uses of Confessions “The Legitimacy and Use of Confessions,” which is his introduction to Sam Waldron’s volume, A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. He mentions four specific uses of a good Confession:

• It aids in the public affirmation and defense of truth.
• It provides standards of church fellowship and discipline.
• It outlines concise standards by which to evaluate ministers of the Word.
• It contributes to our sense of historical continuity.

In summary, while historic Christian confessions of faith in no way replace Scripture or are equal to it, being completely subordinate to it, they nonetheless help us state what we believe Scripture teaches, putting forth those things “most surely believed among us” (Luke 1:1, KJV).