Oct 24
20
Second London Confession 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; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.” (1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 11:26; Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:20-22)
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1–3
“Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:1–3, ESV)
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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
I thought it best to begin this brief sermon with a few reminders. Last Sunday I delivered the first of, what I think will be, 15 sermons on the doctrine of the church. Many of you are members of this church. You assemble with the church each Lord’s Day. You love the church and long to see her prosper. But what is the church according to the Scriptures? This is a very important question, but it is often neglected. I hope to answer it in the weeks and months to come.
Those who were here last Sunday will remember that Chapter 26 of our confession of faith – the Second London Confession (2LCF) is about the church. The fifteen paragraphs of this chapter provide us with a succinct yet sufficiently thorough summary of what the Bible teaches about this important topic. Last Sunday, we considered 2LCF 26.1. That paragraph is about the universal or catholic church. It says, “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 filleth all in all.”
In the sermon I delivered on this paragraph, I said that I am glad our confession begins with a statement about the universal or catholic church. After all, this is the church for whom Christ died. Christ is the head of the church universal. The church universal is the bride of Christ and is his body. Brothers and sisters, it is very important for us to remember the universal or catholic church. Does this church assemble on earth now? No. Does this church have officers? No. Does this church administer the sacraments? No. Are you and I able to see this church? No. But God sees it. And it will be this church – the one true church – that assembles in the new heavens and earth after Christ returns to make all things new. It is important for us to remember the universal church lest we loose sight of the bigger picture of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He came to redeem, not you and I only, but his elect living in all times and places. This is the church for whom. Christ died. This is the church that will assemble in the new heavens and earth.
But what about now? Are God’s people to assemble now as we sojourn in this world and eagerly await the assembly of the redeemed at the consummation? Yes, of course. God’s people are to assemble every Lord’s Day (see Hebrews 10:24-25). They are to assemble as members of particular, local, visible churches. That is what 2LCF 26.2 is about. In fact, the remainder of the paragraphs in 2LCF 26 are about the local church and the relationship that local churches are to have with one another.
Paragraph 2 of 2LCF 26 is very important, for it clarifies who the members of local churches are to be.
Paragraph 1 told us who the members of the universal church are. They are the elect of God gathered into one body under Christ the head, having been united to him by faith. But who are the members of local churches to be? The answer provided by our confession is very good. It is good, first of all, because it is true to the Scriptures. It is also good because it is sufficiently thorough and clear.
Local Or Particular Congregations Are Constituted Of Visible Saints
To understand what 2LCF 26.2 is teaching, I think it is best to begin at the end. Who are the members of local congregations to be? The end of the paragraph tells us that particular congregations are to be constituted (composed, comprised, or made up) of visible Saints.
Notice a few things about this statement.
One, our confession uses the word “Congregation” instead of the word church here. This is to clarify that the word church means assembly. A church is a group of people who congregate together. The church and the word congregation can be used interchangeably. By the way, the idea of attending church virtually is ridiculous. We do stream our services online so that those who are ill or otherwise hindered from assembling with the church may be encouraged from home or wherever they are. But this is no replacement for assembling with the church in person. This should be clear to all. When you watch and listen to a worship service online, you see the pastor, but you do not see the whole congregation. And the pastor and the congregation cannot see you! I’m afraid this is what many of those who “attend” church virtually want! They want to see and hear but to not be seen. This is not Biblical Christianity. A true church is a church that assembles for worship. More than this, a true church has members. As we will soon see, a true church is not a service to attend but a body to belong to as a member.
Two, when our confession uses the word “particular” it is a reference to a local, visible church. As was said last Sunday, the Scriptures do sometimes use the word church to refer to the universal or catholic church, but more often than not, the word church is used in the Scriptures to refer to particular, local congregations, like this one.
A moment ago, we read 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. There we heard Paul the Apostle address his letter to “the church of God that is in Corinth.” There the word church refers, not to the church universal, but to one, particular, local, and visible congregation in the city of Corinth. We could pile up many examples like this from the New Testament. One more will do. In Galatians 1:2 Paul Paul addresses his letter, “To the churches of Galatia…” (Galatians 1:2). Here the word “church” appears in the plural. Why? Because Paul wrote this letter to many particular, local, and visible congregations spread throughout the region of Galatia. So then, the Scriptures sometimes use the word “church” to refer to the universal or catholic church. More often than not, the word “church” is used to refer to particular, local, and visible congregations.
Three, our confession states that these particular churches are to be constituted of visible Saints. In this context the word “constituted” means, composed, comprised, or made up of. Who is a local church made up of? Who are the parts of the whole? Answer: local churches are made up of visible saints.
Let’s focus on the word “saints” for a moment. In the previous sermon I said, brothers and sisters, we must not be afraid to use the word catholic! We believe in the catholic or universal church. This has nothing to do with Roman Catholicism. And now I say, brothers and sisters, we must not be afraid to use the word “saint”. The Roman Catholics have ruined this word. They claim that only a handful of super Christians are saints. But the Scriptures often use the word “saint” or “saints” to refer to all who have faith in Christ. A saint is one who is holy. All Christians have been made holy through faith in Christ, having been washed in the blood of the lamb. And all true Christians are pursuing a holy life and will make progress in it, by God’s grace. If you read the letters of Paul you will see that he often uses the word “saint” to refer to the Christians who were members of the particular churches to whom he was writing. Listen to Ephesians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 1:1). Listen to Philippians 1:1: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons…” (Philippians 1:1). Saints are simply Christians.
And now let us consider the word “visible”. The universal church is invisible, remember? We cannot see with total certainty who the members of the universal church are. Why? For one, the universal church is made up of God’s elect living in all places and times, past, present, and future. We cannot see that body of believers yet. Two, the universal church is invisible because we cannot see the hearts of men or discern with utter certainty whether or not they have been regenerated or have true saving faith. But the invisible, universal, church of Christ is made visible (in a limited and imperfect way). How so? Through the visible saints as they assemble in Jesus’ name as members of particular, local congregations.
Visible Saints Identified
Now the big question is, who are we to regard as visible saints and thus receive into the membership of the local church?
The first portion of paragraph 2 tells us. There we read, “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…” And then the paragraph concludes, “…and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.”
Who should our churches be made up of? Who should the members be? The simplest way to say it is like this: The members of local churches are to be those who have made a credible profession of faith in Christ Jesus. In the simplest of terms, that is what our confession is stating. I am glad, though, that our confession says more, for in saying more, our confession clarifies what a credible profession of faith is.
Dr. James Renihan’s commentary on the confession is helpful here. He observes that in this paragraph there is “a mirror image of positive and negative qualities of visible saints” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). Who are the visible saints? Positively, they are those who profess the faith of the gospel and offer up their obedience unto God by Christ. Negativity, the visible saints are those who do not destroy their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation.
Let us consider these positive and negative qualities side by side.
First, visible saints are those who positively profess the faith of the gospel. According to Renihan, “To profess the faith of the gospel is an ability to articulate [or express] a personal appropriation [or taking ahold] of Jesus Christ by faith and acknowledge and own Christian orthodoxy” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). Stated differently, a person who professes the faith of the gospel is one who claims to trust in Jesus Christ personally and to rely upon him for the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. More than this, a person who professes the faith of the gospel also knows the fundamental truths of God’s word – the truth about God, creation, man, sin, and salvation in Jesus Christ – and claims to agree with these orthodox tenets of the Christian faith.
Negatively, visible saints will not destroy their own profession by any errors everting the foundation. Take careful note of this: Our confession does not say that visible saints will not destroy their own profession by any errors. Rather, they will not destroy their own profession by any errors everting the foundation.
Quoting Renihan again, errors everting the foundation are errors in “those doctrines without which Christianity cannot exist and would include denial of original sin and personal sinfulness, false views of Christ as the God-man and of His work of redemption and resurrection, and a rejection of the ‘scriptural Word as the ground of faith.’ Edward Leigh says, ‘Fundamental truths are all such points of doctrine which are so plainly delivered in Scripture, that whosoever doth not know or follow them shall be damned, but he that doth know and follow these (though erring in other things) shall be saved,’ and then proposes twelve fundamentals of the faith grouped into four sets of three” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). In brief, the first is about God, the second is about man, the third is about Christ, and the fourth fundamental category presented by Edward Leigh is about “‘the means of applying’ the work of the ‘Redeemer’: salvation is only by faith in Christ and repentance, which produce a holy life…” (Renihan quoting Leigh’s, A Systeme or Body Of Divinity, unnumbered pages 8-9).
The second positive quality of a visible saint is “obedience unto God by Christ.” Renihan says, “Obedience unto God by Christ simply means living carefully under the lordship of Christ” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). I saw a billboard this past week when driving the 15 freeway. It said, “Real Christians obey Jesus”. Typically, the billboards and church marques that Christians put up really annoy me. I think that was the best Christian billboard I’ve ever seen! “Real Christians obey Jesus”. How true that is! To be a Christian one must confess that Jesus is Lord! And Lords are to be obeyed. Christ himself said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). John the Apostle wrote, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3). In another place he said, “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6). To be clear, there is not a Christian alive who does not sin. But a true Christian will not live a life of sin. True Christians will repent. True Christians will pursue obedience to Christ the Lord.
Negatively, visible saints will not destroy their own profession by unholiness of conversation. Today the word “conversation” means to talk. In the seventeenth century, when our confession was written, the word “conversation” was used to refer to someone’s conduct or behavior”. Unholiness of conversation means and unholy way of life. True believers will not destroy their own profession by living an unholy or sinful life in disobedience to God’s moral law.
To bring it all together, local churches are to have members. The members of local churches are to be visible saints. Who are these visible saints? They are those who have made a credible profession of faith. Positively, they are those who say they trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. They know the foundational truths contained within Holy Scripture – the truths about God, creation, sin, and salvation in Christ Jesus – and claim to believe those truths. Furthermore, a credible profession of faith also involves repentance and a life of new obedience in Christ the Lord. Stated negatively, those who make a credible profession of faith will not destroy their own profession by holding to fundamental theological errors – erroneous beliefs that undermine the very foundation of the faith. And neither destroy their own profession by living an unholy life of sin and rebellion against God’s law.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, all of this might sound very obvious to you. But it has not been obvious to all. In the days when our confession was written, the doctrine of the church expressed in 2LCF 26.1-2 seemed radical to many. In those days, church and state were wed together so that citizenship in a nation would mean membership in the church. Connected to this, in those days most believed that the members of the church were to be those who professed faith in Christ and their children! Many who are reformed still believe this.
As you may know, our confession of faith is based on the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) – it’s an alteration of it. The Westminster Confession is the confession of the Presbyterians. We agree with them on an awful lot. We disagree with them on some points. The most well-known point of disagreement is over the doctrine of baptism. The Presbyterians believe that the infant children of believers are to be baptized. We believe that baptism is for those who make a credible profession of faith only. But I would like to suggest to you that it is our doctrine of the church that is more fundamental. Who are the members of local churches to be? We say, visible saints, or those who make a credible profession. But listen to what the Westminster Confession of Faith says about the visible church: “The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.” We disagree with a number of things that the WCF says about the visible church. For the sake of time, I draw your attention to the remark about the children of believers. They are regarded as members of the church from birth before they can make a credible profession of faith. It is no wonder we also disagree about the timing of baptism, which marks a person’s entrance into the visible church.
Even more concerning to me than the Presbyterian error is the trend that I see today within Evangelicalism. Churches seem to care less and less about formal membership. If a church has formal membership, little effort will be made to discern a credible profession of faith in prospective members. Also, professing Christians will be allowed to bounce from one local church to the next with out much concern over where the Christians are coming from and why they are leaving their previous church. Just as 2LCF seemed radical to the majority of churches in the day it was written, I suspect it would seem radical to most of the churches that surround us if properly understood.
Brothers and sisters, we must understand what our confession teaches about the church and we must strive to have our practice conform to our beliefs. One of the most important things that a church does is receive and release or remove members. This is what the keys that Christ gave Peter were for (see Matthew 16:19). Keys have the power to bind and lose. Keys have the power to open and close doors. Where did these keys that Christ gave to Peter go? Those who pay careful attention to the rest of the New Testament will see that they were not given to the Pope as the Roman Catholics claim but to the elders and members of local congregations. The elders and members of each congregation each have a key. The elders hold, what has been called, the key of authority. The members hold, what has been called, the key of liberty. One of the things these keys are used for is the opening or unlocking of the door of the church to new members. To receive new members the elders must turn their key and the members must turn theirs. Don’t you think we should know what the qualifications for church membership are? It would be a shame to lock a believer out when he should be received in! And it would also be a shame (and a danger) to let a non-believer in when he should be locked out! And the very same points could be made about church discipline resulting in exclusion or excommunication. The keys that Christ has given to the church through Peter are powerful keys. Christ says, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). The elders of the church do not hold the keys alone. No, one key belongs to the elders. The elders have the key of authority. And the other key belongs to the members. The members have the key of liberty, that is to say, the power and freedom to appoint officers, and to agree or disagree with the elders in the reception and removal of members from the church of Jesus Christ. Again I say, we all better know what the church is and who its members are to be.
Who are the members of the church to be? “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; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.” (1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 11:26; Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:20-22)
