Chapter 26 - Of the Church
1689.26.1 The One Complete Church
Introduction
1. A brief history of the various well-known English confessions in the UK in the 17th century:
- First London Baptist Confession of Faith (1644) by the persecuted Particular Baptists
- Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) by the Anglicans/Presbyterians (denominational)
- Savoy Declaration (1658) by the Congregationalists (independent, non-denominational Presbyterians)
- Second London Baptist Confession (1677), based on the First London BCF, by the persecuted Particular Baptists.
b.
The Act of Toleration passed in 1689 (May 24) enabled some religious freedom
and plurality to co-exist alongside the established churches in England and
Scotland.
-
This official reprieve for the persecuted Particular Baptists resulted in
representatives from over 100 Particular Baptist churches meeting together in
London from 3–12 September to discuss and endorse the 1677 document. Despite
the fact that the document was written in 1677, the official preface to the
document has ensured that it would be known as the "1689 Baptist
Confession of Faith".
c.
The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, also called the Second London Baptist
Confession, was written by Particular Baptists, who held to the old school
Calvinistic soteriology in England to give a formal expression of their
Christian faith from the Particular Baptist perspective.
-
Since it was adopted by the Philadelphia Association of Baptist Churches (USA)
in the 18th century, it is also known as the Philadelphia Confession of Faith.
d.
Chapter 26 of the 1689 CoF differs most widely from the chapter entitled 'On
the Church' in the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647).
-
WCF has six paragraphs, while 1689 has fifteen.
-
The doctrine of the church separates the Baptists from the Paedobaptists. The Independents in their Savoy Declaration
of Faith (1658) rejected the Presbyterian's form of church government
(hierarchical), setting forth their distinctive views of 'Independency' as
the biblical form of church government.
-
However, Savoy's doctrine of the church is still paedobaptist. This error was
repudiated by the Particular Baptists when they published their Confession in
1677.
-
The Baptists were thorough, going, all the way back to the Scriptures, not just
fiddling with the errors of the Harlot (Roman Catholic) church.
-
In the 1689 CoF, the Baptists carefully and extensively summarized the doctrine
of the church in conformity with the Scriptures.
-
The Baptists upheld the gathered church principle; they rejected the state
church fable, an old covenant notion.
e.
The chapter is divided into two main sections:
-
Paragraphs 1-4 deal with the Church of Jesus Christ as a whole, while
paragraphs 5-15 deal with the local churches. Para 1-4 are substantially
derived from the Savoy revision of the WCF.
-
Paragraphs 5-15 are unique to the 1689 CoF, even though the principles are
advocated and expounded by the Independents (e.g. John Owen, John Cotton,
Thomas Goodwin) as well.
(1689.26.1) The
catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the internal work of the
Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole
number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under
Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that
fills all in all. 1
1
Heb. 12:23; Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:10,22–23, 5:23,27,32
1. The Unity and Universality of Christ's Church
a.
There are three key terms in this paragraph: 'universal', 'invisible' and 'the
entire number of the elect'. By means of these key terms, this paragraph
teaches three things:
-
1st, there is one universal church: "The universal church... and is the
spouse... of Him that fills all in all."
-
2nd, this universal church is invisible: "... which (with respect to the
internal…) may be called invisible..."
-
3rd, this universal church consists of all the elect: "... consist of the
entire number of the elect, all those who have been, are, or who shall be
gathered into one under Christ..."
-
‘catholic’ means all-embracing, i.e. embracing every elect of God given to
Christ and redeemed by Him. "Catholic" has nothing to do with the Romish church.
b.
Does the Scripture teach that there is one universal church?
-
The NT uses the word 'church' 115 times. Most of those occurrences refer to a
local church or local churches.
-
However, NT does speak of the one universal church. (Mt 16:18; 1Cor 12:28; Eph
1:22, 4:11-15, 5: 23-32; Col 1:18,24).
-
All these passages speak of one universal church of Jesus Christ, not a
particular local church.
c.
Does the Scripture teach that this universal church consists of all the elect?
-
Here a biblical distinction is crucial. The visible church is the organized,
earthly, and local expression of the people of God. We must distinguish between the church
as an outward institution (in all its diverse locations, cultures, doctrinal,
ecclesiastical traditions, etc) and the church as the people of God.
-
There was a sense in which historically the church began with the first coming
of Christ (Mt 16:18; Ep 2:20).
-
Though Israel was a type of the church (Rm 2:28-29; 1Cor 10:18; Gal 6:16; Ph
3:3) and though the church is the new Israel of God (Acts 2:16; 15:14-18; Eph
2:12-19; Heb 8:7-13), it is true that the church as an institution did not
exist in the OT. There is a vast difference between the NT church and OT Israel
-
The church will one day be composed of all the elect, the redeemed. The church
as the people of God does consist 'of the whole number of the elect.' (Jn 6:39;
10:14-17; Heb 11:39-40; Rev 21:9-14)
2.
The Invisibility of the Christ's Church
a.
"... may be called invisible"
-
Does the Scripture teach that this one universal church is invisible?
-
The term 'invisible' can be easily misunderstood. So, if we use the term, we
must, like the Confession, define and use it carefully. Certain principles are
presupposed when the term is used.
-
There is no visible church (local) distinct from and unrelated to the one
invisible church; local churches are tiny fractional expressions of the one
universal church loved and redeemed by Christ.
-
The universal church is always partially visible; a tiny portion of it is
always manifested as an organized institution. It is always visible, even
though only a tiny part of it is visible at any one time in church history.
- A
person may not credibly profess/claim to be a member of the invisible church
while despising membership and fellowship in the visible church. A credible
profession is joined to membership and fellowship in the visible church. The
universal church manifests itself as local churches in the world.
b.
In what sense is the universal church invisible then? The universal church is invisible in the following
senses:
-
with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace, i.e. this
refers to the eternal salvation that is freely applied to each elect and thus
is gathered into the one universal church.
-
the complete number is never seen visibly together. Others have gone to glory.
Many are yet to be gathered into local churches. We, therefore, do not know exactly who, or how
many, are in the universal church, even though the number of the elect has been
divinely fixed from eternity (see chapter 3, para 4.)
-
we cannot perfectly judge the truth of another person's grace (we only judge
the credibility of the profession based on outward, visible fruits).
3.
The internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace
a. This has been dealt with in 1689.10.
- This speaks of the application of eternal salvation (purposed by God, accomplished by Jesus Christ, applied to
each elect personally by the Holy Spirit)
-
This internal work of the Spirit is absolutely necessary to gather an elect
into the one, universal, and invisible church of Jesus Christ.
4.
The whole number of the elect
a. The fact of election is assumed; the divine election resulted in the definite
and fixed number elected; the whole number of the elect: check 1689.3.4.
-
The gathering of these whole elect has been going on since Adam's time: “have
been, are, or shall be gathered into” the one church. This gathering shall be
completed one day.
5. The church under Christ
a. Christ alone is the head thereof and is the spouse of the one universal church.
-
the fullness of Him that (i.e. His one church) fills all in all.
-
Christ, the head of the church: 1689.8.1.
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The 1689 Confession of Faith
Chapter 26 - Of the Church
1689.26.2 The Manifestation of the Universal Church as Local Churches
(1689.26.2) All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints;2 and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.3
2 1 Cor. 1:2; Acts 11:263 Rom. 1:7; Eph. 1:20–22
1. Its manifestation as visible local churches throughout the world
a. "All persons throughout the world"
- “professing the faith of the gospel…”
- “and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it.”
- These alone “are and may be called visible saints.”
2. A profession of faith, no matter how impressive, may be destroyed
a. by doctrinal errors, “any errors everting the foundation.”
- by practical ungodliness, “unholiness of conversation.”
- everting: turning upside down, or inside out!
3. Visible local churches are to be made up of visible saints only
a. “and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted”
- Therefore only visible saints, those “professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it” can be members of Christ's churches.
