Dec 24
15
Second London Confession 26.9
“The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself; and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein; and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands.” (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 4:14; Acts 6:3, 5, 6)
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 3:1–13
“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 3:1–13)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
We have confessed that “the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church” and that in him, “by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner” (see 2LCF 26.4). Furthermore, with the help of 2LCF26.5-8, we have considered how Christ executes his power to call, institute, order, and govern his churches. As we move on in this chapter of our confession, it would be good for you to know that paragraphs 9 through 13 all have to do with the government of the church.
To govern a church, remember, is to conduct or carry out the order of the church that Christ has revealed in his word. And how does Christ govern his churches? In general, the answer that 2LCF 26.8 gave, was that Christ governs his churches through the officers (elders or bishops and deacons) that he appoints. Now the question is, how does Christ appoint officers in his churches? The answer has already been given. In general terms, 2LCF26.8 says they are “to be chosen and set apart by the church (so called and gathered)”. But there is more to say about how officers are to be appointed and how the church is to be governed than what 2LCF 26.8 has said.
In paragraph 9, we will consider how church officers are to be appointed. In paragraph 10, we will consider the congregation’s obligation to support her ministers. In paragraph 11, we will take up the question, are ordained elders the only ones who may preach and teach in the church? Finally, paragraphs 12 and 13 are about church discipline. I think you can see that these four paragraphs elaborate on what is said in 2LCF 26.8 regarding the way in which Christ executes his power to govern his churches.
Before jumping into the details of paragraph 9, I want to make an observation about paragraphs 5-13. I have alluded to this in previous sermons, but I want to be more explicit. As you know, the central point of 2LCF 26.4 is that the risen and ascended Christ has “all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church” invested in him in a supreme and sovereign manner (I bet you’ll have that statement memorized by the end of this sermon series). The question addressed in paragraphs 5-13 is, how does Christ execute or carry out this power of his to call, institute, order, and govern his churches? The long answer is found in paragraphs 5-13. A much shorter answer would be, by his Word and Spirit. How does Christ call his church into existence (first, the universal and invisible, then the local and visible)? The short answer is, by his word and Spirit. How does Christ institute local churches? The short answer is, by his word and Spirit. How does Christ order his churches? You guessed it! By His word and Spirit. And how does Christ govern his churches? Again I say, by his word and Spirit. It is the word of Christ contained within the Holy Scriptures and as proclaimed in the gospel that provides the content required for the calling, institution, order, and government of the church, and it is the Spirit of God who provides the power, gifts, and graces.
The Power Of Christ: His Act Of Government: The Appointment Of Officers
As has been said, paragraph 9 is about how Christ appoints church officers (elders and deacons). The paragraph begins with these words: “The way appointed by Christ…” From the outset, it is stated that Christ has appointed a way for elders and deacons to be appointed to their offices within his church. How do we know the way that Christ has appointed? Where is this “way” found? In the Holy Scriptures, of course (remember 2LCF 1.1 & 6). This principle, that the church is to be instituted, ordered, and governed according to the will of Christ as expressed in the Holy Scriptures, is found throughout 2LCF 26.5-13.
So what is the way appointed by Christ for the appointment of church officers?
First, we confess that the risen and ascended Christ fits and gifts men to hold office within his church. When we say that Christ makes men fit to hold office within his church, we mean that he, by his grace, and by his word and Spirit, sanctifies them so they meet the qualifications of the office of overseer or deacon as expressed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus one. When we say that Christ gifts men to hold office within his church, we mean that he, by his grace, and by his word and Spirit, gives them the gifts or abilities they will need to fulfill their office. Elders or overseers must have the ability to rule and to teach. Deacons must have the ability to administer service. Ultimately, it is not the man who makes himself fit or gifted to hold office within the church, and neither is it the church that makes him fit or gifted – it is Christ that makes fits the man and gives him the required gifts. It is the job of the man and the church to recognize these gifts and graces, to use them, and to fan them into flame.
Ephesians 4:8 teaches us that it is Christ who gives these gifts to the church. “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’” (Ephesians 4:8). In verse 11 we read, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:11–13, NKJV).
Returning now to 2LCF 26.9, “The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself…”
The second thing we confess about the appointment of men to the office of elder or deacon in the church is that they are to be chosen by the church. The job of the church is to be on the lookout for those fitted and gifted by Christ to hold these offices. When the church identifies men fitted and gifted by Christ, the church must vote to appoint them. That is what is meant by “common suffrage”. Suffrage is the right to vote. Men are not to be appointed as officers within the church by some entity presiding over the local church. Instead, officers are to be appointed by the church through the vote of the church.
This is what is described in Acts 6 with the appointment of the first deacons. Even the apostles did not simply select the deacons and impose them upon the church. Instead, even the apostles said, “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty” (Acts 6:3). So, it was the brethren who selected men who were fitted and gifted, and the apostles then confirmed their selection by appointing them to the work. In Acts 6:3, the word translated as “pick out” means to select carefully or to pick out after careful investigation. With the appointment of these first deacons, the church learned a valuable lesson. Great care is to be taken when selecting men to hold the office in Christ’s church. The apostles were the first elders of the church. They were selected by Christ himself. And the seven servants of Acts 6 were the first deacons. They were recognized by the church as men who possessed the necessary gifts and graces to fulfill the duties this office required.
Thirdly, our confession details how elders are to be appointed to their office. Once chosen by the church by way of a vote of the congregation, they are to be, “solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein…”
Acts 14:23, 1 Timothy 4:14, and Acts 6:3, 5 & 6 are listed as proof texts. Each of these passages confirms that this was the practice of the apostles in the early church. When Paul and Barnabas returned to the churches they had planted in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (Acts 14:21), they “appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting [and] committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23). In 1 Timothy 4:14 we learn that Timothy was ordianed to the ministry through the laying on of the hands of the eldership. And this agree with what was done in Acts 6. After the brethren selected the seven, “These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them” (Acts 6:6).
So then, the scriptures teach that this is the way for officers to be appointed. The members of the church must choose her officers, and if there be any existing elders, the elders must agree with the choice, and appoint the men to the office. This is to be done with solemnity and prayer. When elders are chosen and appointed, the church is to fast and pray. This agrees with the seriousness of the decision.
Conclusion
How does Christ govern his churches? By his word and Spirit through the appointment of elders and deacons? And how are these officers to be appointed? “The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself; and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein; and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands.” (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 4:14; Acts 6:3, 5, 6)
