Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

1689 Chapter 26 - Of the Church

1689 Chapter 26 - Of the Church

#Christprescribes
#Christcommands
#Christrequires

 1689.26.5
“In the execution of this power wherewith he is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calls out of the world unto himself, through the ministry of his word, by his Spirit, those that are given unto him by his Father,9 that they may walk before him in all the ways of obedience, which he prescribes to them in his word.10 Those thus called, he commands to walk together in particular societies, or churches, for their mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which he requires of them in the world.11
9 John 10:16; John 12:32 10 Matt. 28:20 11 Matt. 18:15–20

Chapter 26 is divided into two major sections:
- paragraphs 1-4 deal with the one universal church,
- paragraphs 5-15 deal with the local churches

The Confession, having stated the teaching on the universal church in the first four paragraphs and having concluded that the Lord Jesus Christ alone is its sole living Head, moves on in paragraphs 5ff to apply this truth to particular, individual expression of the universal church - the local churches.
- Having just concluded on how Christ as the Head of the universal church is vested in a supreme and sovereign manner all power for the calling, institution, order, or government of the church, the Confession goes on to show how Christ exercises that power in bringing into being the local churches.

The local churches originate from Jesus Christ; the Lord, Saviour, and Head of His Church. He builds His church. His execution of the power invested in Him is the ground and basis of that mandate. Mt 28:18-20
- The gospel ministry appointed by Christ, and administered by men is for the gathering of God’s children (i.e. elect already effectually called to grace and salvation by the free and sovereign activities of God) into the visible local churches.
- The salvation associated with the gathering of God’s children into local churches is in the realm of temporal salvation, it relates to their *spiritual WELLBEING.*
- The effectual calling by God (1689.10) out of our native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ is in the realm of eternal salvation; it relates to their *spiritual BEING.*
- A biblical distinction is the essence of sound theology.

1. The basis of the local church mandate: 
Christ's execution of the power entrusted to Him
- "In the execution of this power wherewith he is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calls out of the world unto himself…” Mt 28:18-20. He is the Lord of the harvest; He sends out labourers to gather His redeemed into the local churches.
- In the execution of His power, He ordained and instituted teaching offices in His church. Eph 4:10-16. This is in the context of the visible local churches.
- Calling out of the world into local churches, and calling out of sin and death to grace and salvation in Jesus Christ are two vastly DIFFERENT and DISTINCT callings.

2. The means through which Christ’s saving power is executed: 
"... through the ministry of His word, by the Spirit..."
- This ministry of the word is through the labourers Christ has given to His church. Christ gave the gift of teaching offices to His church. Eph 4:10f.
- The first three of these four offices are extraordinary for the apostolic age; the last, that of pastors/teachers is normative for the entire gospel age. 1Tim 3:1-7
- Without the Holy Spirit accompanying, even the ministry of the most eloquent and erudite men, none will be enlightened and be converted to the gospel of God.

3. The recipients/objects of the execution of Christ’s power:
"... those that are given to Him by His Father..."
- There are TWO distinct givings by the Father to Christ: the first giving happened (simple past) at the election before the foundation of the world; the second is at the effectual call of each elect in time.
- The latter is intended here; only those effectually called, i.e. vitally given to Christ, are capable of being called out by the ministry of the word and be gathered into the visible local churches.
- John 6:39 "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of *all which he HATH GIVEN me* I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." "Hath given" is present perfect, the giving in the election before the foundation of the world, and the effect of the action remains true to the present.
- John 6:37 *All that the Father GIVETH me* shall come to me..." This present tense refers to the ongoing present act of God in calling His elect out of their native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation, to be vitally united to Christ.
- The ministry of the word is intended for such.

4. The chief end/goal of the execution of Christ's power in calling out such:
"... that they may walk before Him in all the ways of obedience..."
- Mt 28:20 “… teaching them to OBSERVED all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
- Titus 2:12 "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world..."
- This is the chief reason we are members of a local church of Jesus Christ.
- Eph 4:12 "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ..."

5. "... which He prescribes to them in His word." (the Scriptures).
- "To live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world..." is DEFINED by the word/will of Christ alone, not the opinions/will of religious men.
- The call to *temporal salvation* comes to us in the context and framework of *discipleship* through the gospel call, Mt 28:18-20.
- And the goal is that those called should be taught to observe all that He has commanded the apostles.
- The call to *eternal salvation* comes to us in the context and framework of *sonship* through the effectual call by the Triune God alone. (1689.10)

6. The Gathered-Church Principle of the Baptists
a. Those called out by the gospel ministry are to be associated with Christ's local churches.
- "Those thus called, *He commands* to walk together in particular societies, or churches…” They are to be members of local churches.
- The Head of the church *requires* that His disciples be taught to observe all that He has commanded. How shall this be possible?
- By the constitution of local churches, and with pastor-teachers ordained to shepherd them. This command to His called-out people to walk together in particular local churches is one aspect of Christ's exercise of the power and authority invested in Him.
- This command provides the foundational structure and framework in which the ministry of the word is carried out. The centrality of the local church in the outworking of God’s redemptive purpose is presupposed and taken for granted, cp. Mt 18:15-20.
- The apostles, Christ's personal representatives, fulfilled the Great Commission; everywhere they went, they gathered the converts/disciples by constituting them into local churches and appointing elders in those churches. Acts 14:21-23; Tit 1:5; 1Tim 3:17-22.
- Therefore church planting is an essential, integral part of the Great Commission given to the Apostles. The Apostles fulfilled and completed their great commission.
- Christ, the head of His Church has authorized His churches to evangelize and gather the converts into churches.

b. The purpose of the local churches is the building up of the saints in their obedience:
- “for their mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which he requires of them in the world.”
- Edification is being built up in the faith, doctrinally and practically - to all the commands of Christ.
- Ordinarily and normatively, this demands the existence of the office of teaching elders in the church, cp. Eph 4:11-13; 1Tim 3:2; 5:17; Tit 1:9-11.- Christ *requires* these duties of His redeemed, and called-out saints… as long as they are in the world until called to glory.
- Freelance churchless disciples is a fiction and monstrosity.

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p/s after covering the book of Job for our midweek bible study, we began covering the 26th chapter of the 1689 CoF.

Brethren,
If we learn the truth summarized in this chapter (1689.26), we will be better instructed than a vast majority of churchgoers.

Make an effort to learn the truth summarized so that we may be good church members and practice good churchmanship; even so, when men and women learn and understand the truths of their marriage, they will be good spouses.

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