Membership and Churchmanship

September 23, 2019

#membership #churchmanship

Some brief thoughts on the two matters; I hope they are coherent; I'm a poor communicator.

1. I believe that resident membership is not a prerequisite for a believer's baptism.

Many, who were baptized and added to the church in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, soon after dispersed and returned to their homes in the various far-flung places throughout the vast Roman empire, Acts 2:5.

They, as devout Jews, would likely return to Jerusalem a few times a year initially until churches were established in their far-flung cities by the itinerant Apostles.

However, non-resident membership is not the normal or ideal state of discipleship.

 2. I believe that baptism and membership are co-extensive. The Apostles established the pattern in Acts 2. Everyone baptized on that day is added to the church as a member, regardless of whether they can be residents or non-residents. The Apostles certainly knew that many of them were non-residents.

3. I believe that members of a church MUST practice good churchmanship, regardless of whether they are residents or non-residents for the time being, just as good citizenry is expected of each citizen whether they are at home or abroad.

4. Good churchmanship is a duty each Christian - baptized member of a church - OWE to Christ the Lord and a reasonable duty and befitting adorning of our profession of Christ's blessed name, whether we are resident members or non-resident members.

Therefore, non-resident members, are to be a part of a church as much as their conviction and conscience permit them in their circumstances. Be regular, be punctual, be alert, sing well, hear well, minister to others when opportunities arise, practice hospitality, support appropriately, etc, etc.

This way, you bear a good testimony for your home church where you still maintain your membership.

5. More importantly,  you are doing all these unto the Lord and for His sake; these good works are owed to Him, wherever His providence has put you now. Do the same as if you are in your home church.

- And if and when you are *DOCTRINALLY* comfortable with that church, cast your lot with it.

However remember, "Buy the truth, and sell it not." Don't trade the truth for a morsel of convenience or a bowl of red bean soup. Don't be a red pottage, Esau.

6. If you still have a sense of belonging to the church of your membership because of the truth, at least keep in touch with home, pray for your home church, and come home whenever you can scheme (we are all good at that, aren't we?) an opportunity in the meanwhile.

Have a long-term plan... *plot and scheme* to return home... if the Lord so lead you. The location of your home church (Penang is a beautiful place...) is not too bad a place; any place is a lovely place where the Lord is loved and served.

7. If the gospel truth is of enough value to you, pray that the Lord will give you the opportunities to convert others (God's children), one by one, and gather them under your wings and start a church work; the Lord will raise you up to meet the herculean task. Perhaps that's the reason the Lord's providence directed you to your present place.

Surely, those at home will do their utmost to assist, unless they have become so self-obsessed and inward-looking.

p/s a Christian is one who has confessed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God AND has been baptized upon a credible confession of faith in Christ Jesus.

 

Multifaceted Jewel - The Five Aspects of Justification.

September 22, 2010
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid02uzQggZNTra54HSRsEE2sMEg1UzFBA1fxai2fUvS7fCX51tqeMUFcnzJKme5PYB42l  

The Five Aspects of Justification.

"In God's plan, I was saved before the foundation of the world; then, in God's sacrifice, I was saved when Christ died and was raised, and now, I am being saved by God's preserving and sanctifying grace." ~ Michael S. Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic ...Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California since 1998.

Sing F Lau
It was a pleasant surprise to read that statement in Mr Horton's post by another friend. Mr Horton recognizes that there are different and distinct aspects of salvation.

Many are ignorant of these distinct aspects of salvation. When you tell them that there is eternal salvation wholly by the free grace of God, and temporal salvation that is conditioned upon the faithful obedience of God, they jumped and raved and throw abusive names!

In the old school theology, it is standard to distinguish the various distinct aspects of salvation pointed out by Mr Horton and a few others.

However, It seems there is one very vital aspect missing:
- There is DECRETAL salvation in God's purpose
- There is LEGAL salvation at the cross
- There is VITAL/PERSONAL salvation at effectual calling out of the state of sin and death; what is LEGAL is applied to each individual personally, thus becoming VITAL/PERSONAL. This part in missing. [This aspect is entirely monergistic].
- There is EXPERIENTIAL salvation in God's preserving and sanctifying grace. What was made PERSONAL is capable of being experienced. [This aspect is synergistic]
- Then there is the FINAL salvation when we are glorified at Christ's return. This is a separate and distinct phase altogether.

All these parts/aspects are summarized plainly in the old school confessions, e.g 1689 LBCF - look at chapter 11 on justification.

Let us apply that simple truth to justification:
- There is DECRETAL justification in God's purpose.
- There is LEGAL justification at the cross.
- There is VITAL/PERSONAL justification by God's free grace at effectual calling out of the state of sin and death. What is LEGAL is now applied to each individual elect, by God's free and sovereign grace, thus making the legal justification PERSONAL. This part is ENTIRELY missing in new school Calvinism.
- There is EXPERIENTIAL justification when God's children are brought to faith in Christ. This is the justification spoken of in Gen 15:1-6. But new school Calvinists mistake and confuse this with the VITAL/PERSONAL justification by God's free grace.
- Then there is the FINAL justification when publicly vindicated before all the goats on the great judgment day.

These are five, and distinct aspects of justification taught in the Scriptures. They are the five fingers of a well-formed hand.

But the deformed theology so prevalent today is like a monstrous ONE-fingered hand... the ring-finger of experiential justification by faith as the sum total doctrine of justification.

Take a look here: A One-Fingered Hand is a Monstrous Deformity: https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2009/08/one-fingered-hand-is-monstrous.html

The Five distinct aspects of salvation is beautifully stated in this short article found here: http://letgodbetrue.com/questions/when-was-paul-saved.htm

==========

When Was Paul Saved?

One of the most common questions unlearned Christians like to ask is: "When were you saved?" This question assumes a person's eternal salvation is dependent on a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as Savior at some specific point in time.

However, the Bible knows nothing about this kind of salvation. The Apostle Paul never once mentioned such a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as savior in order to obtain eternal salvation.

However, Paul many times wrote of his salvation from sin. If we were to ask him the same question, "When were you saved?" he would tell us his salvation from sin occurred at five different times. Yes, that's right; Paul was delivered from sin in five different ways and at five different times. How do we know this? Simply by reading what the Apostle wrote in his epistles. By comparing the epistles of Paul, we see five different phases or aspects of God's glorious salvation from sin through our Lord Jesus Christ.

First, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin before the world began. This is salvation from the PLAN of sin.

"Who [God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." II Tim.1:9

Second, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin when Christ Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. This is salvation from the PENALTY of sin.

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." I Tim.1:15

Third, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin when the Holy Spirit regenerated him and gave him a new nature. This is salvation from the POWER of sin.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Titus 3:5

Fourth, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin whenever he kept in memory the gospel that he had preached. This is salvation from the PRACTICE of sin.

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel … by which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." I Cor. 15:1-2

Finally, Paul would tell us that he wasn't saved yet, but that he would be completely saved from sin some day in the future. This is salvation from the PRESENCE of sin.

"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11

These five passages from the epistles of Paul illustrate the work of salvation from five different perspectives. These are the five phases of God's glorious salvation from sin through Jesus Christ our Lord.

If you want to hear more about the Bible doctrine of salvation without man's contemporary inventions, check out the rest of this website, or contact us.

http://letgodbetrue.com/questions/when-was-paul-saved.html

Sing F Lau
Joel Beeke, professor of Systematic Theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids on the five DISTINCT aspects of justification:

=====

“Justification (a judicial term) takes place by the sovereign grace of a triune God in the courtroom of the conscience of God’s people when the Holy Spirit may lead them deeper into the further exercises of graces. It is something few children of God experience in our day, yet something all children of God are commanded to beg of the Lord. They can never be satisfied with less with respect to their state before God. They desire to hear from the Lord’s own mouth that their sins are forgiven eternally, to receive from the First Person of the Holy Trinity a receipt of such forgiveness as well as a right to eternal life, and to have personal justification sealed with the sevenfold seal of the heavenly Recorder – the Holy Spirit.

There is much confusion concerning this experience and justification in general, even among God’s people. Justification itself may be defined as the act of God’s sovereign grace whereby He imputes to the elect sinner, who is in himself guilty and condemned, the perfect righteousness of God in Christ, acquits him on the ground of Christ’s merit of all guilt and punishment, and gives him a right to eternal life.

This justification is FIVEFOLD:

(1) in and from eternity, for the Lamb was slain already from before the foundation of the world (with respect to God’s eternal decrees) on behalf of His elect.

(2) in the resurrection of Christ, for that resurrection was the Father’s judicial stamp of approval upon the work of Christ on Calvary’s cross, so that in His resurrection Christ was not only justified as Mediator by the Father in time, but His entire elect church was also justified in Him: “Christ Jesus was raised again for our justification.” (Rom 4:25)

(3) in the moment of regeneration, where justification becomes reality in time from God’s side, who transfers the elect sinner from the state of condemnation into the state of reconciliation with God in and through Christ;

(4) in the consciousness and assurance of this personal justification for the soul itself, which takes place when the soul is justified in the court of his own conscience, where the First Person of the Holy Trinity (acting on behalf of the injured divine essence) hands the elect sinner an acquittal of all his transgressions and an eternal life receipt on the basis of the Second Person who demands such acquittal as Mediator and Advocate, which is then sealed to the soul by the Holy Spirit (so that each of the Divine Persons has His own economy with respect to this type of justification also): and

(5) in the public justification when the Lord Jesus Christ comes again on the clouds of heaven to judge the living and the dead.

[End quote]

Joel Beeke, professor of Systematic Theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids.

Good news; alienated, but reconciled!

September 22, 2021 

#alienated_but_reconciled

Alienated and enemy... BUT reconciled and presented as holy and unblameable and unreproveable in God's sight.

That's the good news!

How is a man, alienated and in enmity against God, made holy, unblameable and unreproveable in the sight of God!

"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." Col 1:21,22.

By grace alone is a sinner reconciled, and presented as holy, unblameable and unreproveable before God!

How does a sinner become such?

Christ Jesus, by His redeeming work, Himself reconciled a sinner, who was alienated and an enemy, and presented him holy, unblameable and unreproveable before God!!!!!!!

Good news, good news... do you know it? Have you been made to understand the gospel of God by your preachers? Or have you been told lies all these while, that you have to do something to become such!

i. What you were by nature:
- 'alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works.' What can you do to assist or cooperate in such a state?

ii. What Christ did by Himself (i.e. without your aid in any sense):
- '... yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death.'

iii. What Christ Himself did for you: (i.e without your aid in any sense):
- 'to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.'

Are you grounded and settled in these gospel truths?

"... man became a living soul."

A Brother asked:
Pastor Lau during the first sermon it was mentioned that man does not have a soul. Man is a living soul.

How can it be explained in the light of :
1 Thessalonians  5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOUL  and BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews  4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of SOUL and SPIRIT, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

======= 

Thanks for the excellent question.

While alive, the Lord preserves our whole soul - spirit and body united; while dead, the Lord preserves BOTH our whole body and spirit... that both may be united again into a glorified living soul. Blessed be our Lord God.

I'm not saying that the mortal body is preserved in the sense that it will not rot and decompose and return to the dust!

Nevertheless, the Scriptures plainly declare that the Lord preserves the body... in the SENSE that the SAME BODY that has decomposed and returned unto dust shall be resurrected and glorified! If the Lord does not preserve the body unto resurrection, would dust be left for the resurrection?

Of course, the glorified body is entirely different in the sense of its quality, immortal instead of mortal, spiritual instead of natural. However, it is still the same body that shall be resurrected!

1Co 15
¶42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in corruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Now, concerning Hebrews 4:
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight : but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Some important things to note:
1. The "word of God" refers to a divine person - He is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts of men; the person indicated by the personal pronouns in verse 13 - his, him, and whom. Too many Christians are oblivious of this simple but momentous truth.

2. This Divine Person is a powerful discerner of the thoughts and intents of the deepest secrets in men's hearts. His is likened to a double-edged sword, able to pierce even to the dividing asunder THINGS MOST INTIMATELY UNITED TOGETHER - like a human's soul and spirit, human's joints and marrow.

A living soul has both spirit and body; the spirit and soul are intimately and mysteriously united. However, this Divine discerner is capable of dissecting and separating them. It is like water (hydrogen and oxygen); water and hydrogen in the water are so intimately related and united.

The text is about the Divine Discerner, not the essential constitution of man.
We are completely NAKED before this powerful and sharp Divine Discerner of the thoughts and intents of our hearts.

We need to stop fooling ourselves. The pastor can fool you, and you can fool your pastor, but none can fool this Divine Discerner; He is too powerful and too sharp to be fooled by any.

Genesis 2:7 KJV — And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 KJV — Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV — For ye ( living souls ) are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

This is to refute/counter the pagan dualism that the spirit is good and the body is bad; the idea that what the body does is unimportant as long as the spirit is kept 'pure'.

Questions for BOTH the Calvinists and their close cousins Arminians.

 

September 19, 2018
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid02vMV5pjUZfpPEiwUp6pJSxbjkoZCPvkgiwVEDxrhFq8AyJvQXSA49zVi2XowTjpwnl ·

Questions for BOTH the Calvinists and their close cousins Arminians.
They have a lot in common.

I saw the above meme with questions posed by those opposing Calvinism. The questions are rhetorical, and presuppose certain doctrinal beliefs that evidence wrongly dividing the word of truth.

If you are interested, please discern what beliefs/errors are assumed by each rhetorical question, and comment on them.

This exercise will help to set forth the biblical truth.

In case you don't already know, I have no sympathy for either Calvinism or Arminianism.  However, I do see Calvinists and Arminians who believe in Jesus Christ as brethren in Christ.

Needless to say, both systems have their share of inconsistencies and contradictions. Both are united in their fable of sola fide.

------

 

Dellis
I'm glad I took the time to ask you the many questions I've asked in the past. It's been a while since I saw anything the Calvinist way.

There is so much scripture that opens up to you when you read it in the context of the Primitive Baptist way.

Still learning to stay grounded in the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. May God bless!

Btw, I have already saved this and I plan to study up a little more on the posted scripture in preparation for further discussion on these matters.

Charles Page
Questions in support of temporal salvation and nothing to do with eternal Salvation

Sing F Lau
1. Why does the devil fight to stop people from believing?
-------
Who are these people the devil needed to fight to stop them from believing?

Are they those already freely saved by God in Jesus Christ, i.e. effectually called out of their native state of condemnation, death, and alienation to that of grace and salvation in Christ - justified, regenerated and adopted? Or are they those still dead in trespasses and sins?

Does the latter need any stopping?

Some think the devil is as stupid as they imagine. That idea is no less stupid [lacking common sense] as the idea of fighting the blind from seeing or the more stupid idea of trying to feed the dead with food.

Dellis Layne
Satan wants to ruin your chance at being a Christian. He can do nothing about the new birth, but he can stop the light of the gospel from entering your mind and soul so that you might be converted.
[sing: wonderful understanding]

Dellis Layne
There is an excellency of power in the gospel of Christ, to enlighten the mind, to convince the conscience, to convert the soul, and to rejoice the heart; but all this power is from God the author. ~~ Matthew Henry

Steve Mcghee
I'll give you an AMEN on that.

Charles Page
So Faith Is The Gift Given To The Unregenerate accompanied by regeneration

Zhao Liang Wei
In a nutshell: All is done to glorify god. We are all part of this plan and act out our roles on the stage and God is the director of his "movie".
I believe this answers all your questions?

Charles Page
Zhao Liang Wei, now I'm really confused.

sing
Perhaps Zhao may want to explain to defuse Charles' confusion. I also don't know his deep statement.
I ALSO don't know what answers all of whose questions. Those questions in the meme are asked by those opposing Calvinism.

sing
So Faith Is The Gift Given To The Unregenerate accompanied by regeneration
-----------
That's a popular fable.
A regenerated elect is ADOPTED and is given the Holy Spirit to dwell in him... this is the Spirit of adoption spoken of here:
Romans 8:15 KJV — For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

This indwelling Spirit works the multifaceted fruit of the Spirit in the child of God, of which faith is one of them.

Galatians 5:22 KJV — But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The ministry of the word is ordained to draw out these graces that the Spirit of God has worked in His children.

A gift comes from WITHOUT; faith is spiritual grace, among many others, worked from WITHIN by the indwelling Spirit of God in a child of God.                      

sing
Zhao @ In a nutshell: All is done to glorify god. We are all part of this plan and act out our roles on the stage and God is the director of his "movie".I believe this answers all your questions?
===========
In a cockleshell, wrong doctrines injure God's name and rob Him of His glory. Man, even God's own children, has a great inclination to such evil.

It is true that many are embraced in the redemptive purpose of God. But God is the Star Actor, acting sovereignly on the people He had elected - who were by nature dead in trespasses and sins and were in enmity and rebellion against Him. In that native state, they CAN'T act out their roles on the stage.

God is both the Director and the Star Actor... He sovereignly and freely acted to save His chosen people out of their native state of condemnation, death and alienation through His Son Jesus Christ. This enables them to act out their roles are God's children in obedience to their Lord and Father.

Those whom God has saved are then directed on what they are to believe and how to conduct themselves.

Titus 2
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Dellis Layne
Hi Sing, For the purpose of staying in context with a few thoughts I've had about the mention of the devil's work in hiding the gospel from the lost,

Am I on the right track when I assume that the lost mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4:4 are the same 'lost' mentioned by Christ in Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

sing
I'm not sure if I understand your question.
The lost sheep of the house of Israel would be God's elect among the Jews (Mt 15:24) Other sheep not of this fold would refer to the elect among the Gentiles. Christ came to seek and to save both.

The lost in 2Cor 4:3-4
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The gospel is relevant only to the children of God, it is intended for them; it makes sense to speak of hiding it from them, that they remain ignorant of the truth of their salvation. It is nonsensical to speak of hiding the gospel from those dead in trespasses and sins; it is no less irrational speaking of the blinding of the same; such are already too blind to perceive the dazzling light of the gospel of Christ.

John the Baptist's ministry is described in these words, Luke 1:
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The gospel light failed to enlighten some of God's children... they remain lost in the temporal sense - remain in darkness, lost in ignorance of the truth of their glorious salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dellis Layne
Yes, you understand correctly. I was just looking for an affirmation.
As the god of this world blinds the minds of the elect to prevent them from seeing the gospel light, lest they be converted.

sing
"Why does the Bible say salvation is available to all? (1Tim 2:4-6)
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Many Calvinists would insist the same, that salvation is available to all. It agrees with the popular idea of "salvation is sufficient for all," and the basis of their "free offer" doctrine.

Calvinists and the Arminians have much in common.

Even if salvation is available to all, how is it relevant to those who are dead in trespasses and sins, in enmity against God, incapable of discerning spiritual things? What good is the universal availability of salvation? What is the relevance of the availability of universal health care to the dead?

The truth is simple...
God purposed eternal salvation for a particular people;
Christ accomplished that eternal salvation for the same people;
The Spirit of God and Christ applies the eternal salvation to each individual of the same people.

1Tim 2:4-6 DOES NOT say salvation is available to all.