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)

Second London Confession 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 filleth all in all. (Hebrews 12:23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:10, 22, 23; Ephesians 5:23, 27, 32)

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:22–33

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:22–33, 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

For some time now I have been telling you that I would like to present teaching to you concerning our doctrine of the church, also know as ecclesiology. It took me a while to decide where to deliver this teaching. I thought about presenting this material in Sunday School, but then I thought, too many would miss it! I also thought about delivering a series of sermons on the doctrine of the church in the first portion of our liturgy, but I decided against this not wanting to disrupt our study of the Gospel of Luke. And then one day it dawned on me: this study would fit very nicely in the second portion of our liturgy in the place of the catechetical preaching for a time. 

Catechetical preaching is theological or doctrinal preaching, and that is what this will be. In the weeks to come I will present you with a series of short sermons on the doctrine of the church. What do the Scriptures teach us about the church?  That will be the general question we will address. 

And thankfully, we do have time to address this question. For many years now it has been our custom to progress through the 114 questions and answers of the Baptist Catechism once every two years. When we decided many months ago to join the morning service and the afternoon service into one liturgy with two parts, one of the positive consequences was that we will not need to cancel the second portion of the liturgy to make room for the quarterly worship gatherings of our association or members meetings. This means I now have a little room in our two-year schedule. I intend to use that room in the schedule to elaborate further on certain topics addressed by our catechism or to address topics that our catechism does not address at all.

Speaking of our catechism, it is interesting that the Baptist Catechism says very little about the doctrine of the church. The word church appears only once. It is found in question and answer 101. That section of the catechism is about the external and ordinary means of grace: the word of God read and especially preached, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. Question 101 asks, What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized? A. It is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. This is an important question and answer. It helps us to see that baptism is to be administered by those ordained within the church and that baptism marks the entrance into the covenant community. The church is the place where disciples of Jesus Christ are taught to observe all that Christ has commanded. As I have said, Baptist Catechism 101 is very important, but our catechism does not contain anything like a full-blown doctrine of the church. Please hear me, this is not a complaint. The Baptist Catechism is designed to be used to instruct in the fundamentals of the faith. Also, it is designed to summarize our confession of faith. And our confession of faith does contain a very robust statement concerning our doctrine of the church. 

As I thought about the best way to present our ecclesiology to you, I could not think of a better way than to walk through chapter 26 of our confession of faith, the Second London Confession (2LCF). Chapter 26 consists of 15 paragraphs. I intend to present one paragraph to you each Sunday for the next 15 weeks. I trust that these brief sermons will feel very much like the catechetical sermons you are accustomed to hearing. 

After deciding on this approach, the only other question to answer was, when should this be done? Or where would be the best place to break from our journey through the catechism to insert this teaching? I suppose it would have been natural to wait until  Baptist Catechism 101 where the word “church” is found, or to insert this teach right before or after the section on the external and ordinary means of grace, especially the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, given that they are the two sacraments or ordinances of the church (Baptist Catechism 96-104). Frankly, I didn’t want to wait that long. I think we need this teaching sooner rather than later. And so I have decided to insert this teaching on the church right here at this point of transition in Catechism.  We considered question 43 last Sunday. That was the last question in the second major section of our catechism. Questions 7 through 43 teach us what man ought to believe concerning God. Questions 44 through 114 will teach us about the duty God requires of man (see Baptist Catechism 6). This is a very natural place to break, therefore, and to teach systematically on the doctrine of the church. 

There is one more thing I would like to say by way of instruction before looking at paragraph 1 of 2LCF 26. As we begin this topical sermon series I would ask you to read chapter 26 of our confession. In fact, it would probably be good for you to read chapters 26-30, for these five all relate to the topic of ecclesiology. But do please read chapter 26. And as you do, I would ask you to look for two themes. One, look for Jesus Christ and ask yourself the question what is the relationship between Christ and the church? Two, look for the theme of power and authority. Where does church power come from, where does it reside, and how is it disseminated? No doubt, I’ll be drawing your attention to these two themes as we progress through these 15 paragraphs in the weeks to come.  

Now, let us briefly consider 2LCF 26.1. 

The Catholic Church Is The Universal Church

Typically, the first paragraph of each chapter in our confession states the doctrine under consideration in the most general terms possible. If you wish to know what we believe about any given topic addressed by our confession, and you only had time to read one paragraph, you should read the first paragraph. When it comes to chapter 26 of the Confession and our doctrine of the church, you should probably dig deep and read the first two paragraphs, for they are both essential to a proper understanding of the church, as we will soon see.   

This introductory paragraph is about the catholic church. Brothers and sisters, we must not be afraid of the word catholic. This introductory paragraph has nothing to do with what is called Roman Catholicism. That is a false religion. That tradition proclaims a false gospel. Catholic simply means universal. And that is what we are considering here – the catholic or universal church. 

It is worth noting at this point that chapter 26 of our confession is mainly about local or particular churches. Paragraph 2 will turn our attention to local, particular, or visible churches, saying,  “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.” The remaining paragraphs are about local, particular, or visible churches, such as this one. But paragraph 1 is about the church catholic or universal.

The Catholic Church May Be Called Invisible

Here in this paragraph, we are told that the catholic or universal church “may be called invisible.” Local churches are not invisible. You can see them. A photo can be taken of the members of local churches. But the catholic or universal church is said to be invisible. How so? Our catechism clarifies that it is invisible “with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace.” So then, the catholic or universal church is not a visible church now. No, it is a spiritual church. 

Now would probably be a good time for me to tell you what the word church means. The word church simply means “assembly”. Local or particular churches are local and particular assemblies. They are visible. But the catholic or universal church does not yet assemble, at least not on earth, and so it is rightly said to be invisible. Invisible to whom? It is invisible to us but not to God.

The Catholic Church Consists Of The Whole Number Of The Elect

Who then are the members of this universal and catholic church? Pay very careful attention to what our confession says.  The universal church “consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof…” Stated differently, the members of the universal church are the elect of God and the elect in waiting. The universal church consists of all whom God has chosen. 

I ask you, is the membership of this church mixed? By that I mean, does it consist of true believers and unbelievers, or true believers and false professors? No! In paragraph 3 we will confess that “The purest churches under heaven (that is to say, the purist of the local, visible churches on earth) are subject to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan; nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name.” But the universal and invisible church of Christ is pure. It is only those who are united to Christ by faith who are members of the universal church. And all the members are pure. Why? Because Christ has made them pure! 

This, dear friends, it the one church that Christ laid down his life for. Did Jesus lay down his life for Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church in Hemet CA? No! For two reasons. One, it is possible that there are people on our membership roster who do not have true faith in Christ. Two, it should be abundantly clear that Christ laid down his life for more than just the members of this particular visible church. To use the language of Ephesians 5, what church did Christ “give himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” What church is this? Did Christ lay down his life for the church in Ephesis or the church in Galatia? Not exactly. He laid down his life for one church, and that one church is the church catholic. 

Again, The universal church “consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been”, that is to say, who lived in the past from Adam’s day to the present, “are…”, that is to say, who are alive now, “or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof…” This is a reference to the elect who are alive now but have not yet believed, or the elect who have not yet been born. 

The Catholic Church Will Not Always Be Invisible

This catholic or universal church is invisible now. This church has members (the elect), but it does not have officers. The sacraments are not administered within the universal church, for it cannot be assembled on earth. But will the universal church always be invisible? Will it always be unable to assemble? No. Though the catholic church cannot assemble now, it will assemble in the new heavens and earth. And that is what our confession draws our attention to with the words, “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.”    

A moment ago I urged you to read 2LCF 26 in its entirety and I asked you to look for two themes. One, look for Jesus Christ and ask yourself the question what is the relationship between Christ and the church? Two, look for the theme of power and authority. Where does church power come from, where does it reside, and how is it disseminated? Church power is not explicitly mentioned in this introductory paragraph, but Jesus Christ is. And his relationship with the church is presented in such a way that it prepares us to take up the topic of church power in the future. 

What is the relationship between Christ and the church? 

Notice, all of God’s elect shall be “gathered into one, under Christ.” Christ is the one who unifies the one true church. The members of the one true church share this one thing in common: spirit-wrought union with Christ through faith in him.

Notice that Christ is here called the head of the church. The English Annotations say, “Christ is said to be the Head of the Church in three respects, especially. First, in that he is above the Church, and ruleth it, as the head guideth the body. Secondly, because he conveyeth life into it, as the head doth to the members. Thirdly, he provideth for it, as the Head doth for the members, and participates in the same nature with it, as the head doth with the members” (English Annotations on Ephesians 1:22).

Borrowing language from Ephesians 5, the church universal is also said to be the bride of Christ. This is the church that Christ laid down his life for. The confession alludes to Ephesians 1:23 when it calls the church “the body of Christ, and the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” 

Conclusion

Though it is true that chapter 26 of our confession will quickly turn our attention to particular local churches (such as this one), and though it is true that the Scriptures speak often of local churches – the church in Ephesus, Philippi, etc., and rather infrequently of the church universal, I’m glad our confession begins here with a definition of the church universal. This should help us to not lose sight of the bigger picture as we sojourn together in these last days as members of a local, particular, visible church. Christ has sheep who are not of this fold! And we must not forget about them. As we seek to build one another up in this local church, and as we seek to encourage the planting and prosperity of other local churches, we must not forget about the church catholic. How marvelous it will be to assemble with that perfect and pure church in the new heavens and earth. She will be a splendid church “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing…” She will be “holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27, ESV). This is because Christ shed his blood to atone for her sins. He will have then sanctified her, “having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26, ESV). 

Friends, being a member of a local congregation matters nothing at all if you are not a member of the church catholic. You must be found in Christ, being united to him by faith. 

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 25

“These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied. It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable. Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel; take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone. If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it. Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you. A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow. Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips. Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda. If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks. It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” (Proverbs 25, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 14:7-24 

“Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’ He said also to the man who had invited him, ‘When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.’ When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, ‘Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” (Luke 14:7–24, 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

Luke begins the section we are considering today by saying, “Now [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited…” This reminds us of the scene. Back in Luke 14:1, we were told, “One Sabbath, [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees…” (Luke 14:1, ESV). Remember, he healed a man of dropsy there, and he confronted the Pharisees for their cold-hearted legalism. So, this is the scene. Jesus is at the home of a high-ranking Pharisee for dinner, and it is to this group that he speaks.

Interestingly, Luke describes Jesus’ teaching as a parable. A parable is an earthly story with a spiritual meaning. Typically, a parable is a fictional story designed to illustrate spiritual truths. Eventually, in Luke 14:15-24, Jesus does tell a fictional story. But he began by using the real-life situation he was in – the dinner at the ruler of the Pharisees’ house – as a kind of living parable. By this I mean, in verses 7-14, Christ used the situation he observed in the room as an opportunity to teach about spiritual things.

What are the spiritual lessons delivered by Christ in this passage? Here Christ teaches us about life in his eternal kingdom and he does so by contrasting it with the way these Pharisees were living. No doubt, these Pharisees thought they were in the kingdom of God. More than this, they believed they were the preeminent ones in the kingdom of God. But here Christ condemns their way of life and insists that the values and ethics of his kingdom are radically different from the values and ethics of theirs.

You have heard me say that the gospel of Luke is all about the inauguration of the kingdom of God at Christ’s first coming, and so it is. If you pay careful attention to what Jesus has to say about life in his kingdom and the ethics of his kingdom, you will see that Christ’s kingdom is an upside-down kingdom when compared to the kingdoms of this world. This is what we see in the text that is open before us today. The way of the world is not the way of Christ and his kingdom. Things work differently in Christ’s kingdom. In brief, it is not the prestigious, powerful, prideful, and self-promoting who flourish in Christ’s eternal kingdom, but those who are humble, lowly, and servant-hearted.   

This passage consists of three parts. 

Everyone Who Exalts Himself Will Be Humbled, And He Who Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted   

The first is found in Luke 14:7-11. There we read, “Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor…”  In that culture, men lounged on the ground at low tables to eat. As it is in our culture, certain positions at the table were considered to be places of honor. The places of honor at the table were the most comfortable, provided the best view of the room, and were situated close to the host or guest of honor so that conversation could be had with those of importance. What did Jesus observe at this dinner party? He saw men clamoring for the best and most honored places at the tables.  

And so he took the opportunity to instruct them concerning them, saying, in verse 8, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

This is a wise saying. It sounds very much like Proverbs 25:6-7: “Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble” (Proverbs 25:6–7, ESV). This is very good advice. One would be wise to follow this advice at dinner parties or at weddings. But I trust you can see this is about more than dinner party etiquette. This is about life in Christ’s kingdom. 

In the world, and even in the world of the Pharisees of Old Covenant Israel, men clamor for positions of honor, power, and prestige.  But this is not how things work in the inaugurated kingdom of Christ, that is to say, the church. In the kingdom of Christ, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” It is this final remark from Jesus that makes his teaching a parable. Christ used the scene that was unfolding before him – men clamoring for positions of honor – to make the point, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”      

As I was contemplating this passage it occurred to me that later in Luke’s gospel we find another story about Jesus dining with others. It is in Luke 22 that we find Jesus dining with his own disciples. There is a linguistic connection between this passage and that one. In Luke 14:1 we are told, “One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees…” (Luke 14:1, ESV). And in Luke 22 the same Greek word translated as “dine” appears. In Luke 22:14 we read: “And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:14–15, ESV). There the Greek word translated as “eat” is the same as the Greek word translated here in our text as “dined”. Not only is there a linguistic connection between Luke 14 and Luke 22, but the scenes are very similar. In both scenes, Christ is dining with people. I do believe that Luke wants to compare and contrast these two dinner parties. 

In Luke 14, the ruler of the Pharisees is the host. In Luke 22, Jesus is the host. In Luke 14, the Pharisees are found clamoring for positions of honor. And what do you know, in Luke 22 the twelve Apostles are found doing the same thing. In Luke 22:24 we read, “A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest” (Luke 22:24, ESV). In Luke 14 Christs rebukes and instructs the Pharisees, saying, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” In Luke 22:25, Christ speaks to his ambitions, self-seeking, and self-promoting disciples saying, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:25–27, ESV). Luke does not tell the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at this Passover feast. Only John tells that story in chapter 13 of his gospel. No doubt, the words of Jesus recorded in Luke 22:17 are meant to remind us of this story. Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, the Messiah, the Lord of Glory, humbled himself and took the position of a servant. As he celebrated the last Passover with his disciples, he “rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:4–6, ESV). And he instructed his disciples, saying, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:13–15, ESV).

This is the ethic of Christ’s kingdom. The great are those who are truly humble. The great are those who are resolved to serve and to put the needs of others ahead of their own desires. This kingdom ethic is exemplified by the King of the kingdom, Christ the Lord, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:6–11, ESV). All who have Christ as their King are to have this mind within themselves (see Philippians 2:5). We are to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another, knowing that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5, ESV).

It is possible, dear friends, to act humble in public but to lack true humility in the heart. We must not forget that God sees the heart. True humility comes when we begin to see ourselves as we really are.  Those who are proud have a distorted view of themselves. They see themselves as righteous (in themselves), being blind to their sin and folly. They see themselves as self-sufficient, oblivious to the fact that it is God who upholds their life and gives them their every breath. Contrary to all the evidence, the proud think of themselves as immortal and invincible. They do not see that their life is but a vapor and a breath. Those who are truly humble see themselves as they truly are. They agree with God’s word that they are sinners by nature, creatures who depend on God for everything, and created to give thanks and praise to God and to worship and serve him forever. True humility comes only when we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, as revealed in the pages of Holy Scripture. 

The Pharisees lacked a proper view of themselves, and so Christ warned them and taught them, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Sometimes the proud are humbled even in this life, and sometimes the humble are exalted even in this life. Certainly, the proud will be humbled and the humble will be exulted on judgment day and in the life to come.        

Do Not Invite Those Who Can Repay, For You Will Be Repaid At The Resurrection Of The Just 

In Luke 14:12 Christ delivers another message. This time, he spoke directly to the man who had invited him to the banquet and said, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:12–14, ESV).

If in the previous parable, Christ confronted the Pharisees concerning their pride and self-promotion, here Christ confronts them for the preferential treatment they showed to their kinsmen according to the flesh and those with prestige.

It would be a mistake to think that Christ is here forbidding private dinner parties wherein those invited are all friends or members of the same family. Certainly, there is a time and place for private celebrations. Jesus’ words must be interpreted in kingdom terms if they are to be correctly understood. These were Pharisees, remember? They were recognized as religious leaders within that society. Clearly, this dinner that Christ attended was not a simple celebration for family and friends, but an event of religious and political importance. This is why the people were clamoring for the honored places as the tables. I’m sure the whole scene made Christ sick, and so he confronted them for the preferential treatment they showed to family and those with prestige while neglecting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind among them. 

Jesus’ concerns in this instance seem to be very much like the concerns that James had when he wrote his letter to Christians, saying, “For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘

You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well.” (James 2:2–8, ESV)

As I have said, this passage is about Christ’s kingdom and the ethics of his kingdom. I do not doubt that what Christ saw in the house of the ruler of the Pharisees repulsed him. He delivered this teaching as a rebuke to the Pharisees, and also to instruct his disciples concerning life in his inaugurated kingdom, that is to say, in the church. Dear friends, as the church – that is to say, as the officers and members of Christ’s church – we must never show partiality or preferential treatment to family members or to those of wealth and prestige within society but must care for the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind among us. In other words, we must not relate to people thinking, how will I benefit from this relationship in the here and now? Instead, we must love our neighbor as ourselves and do unto them as we would have them do to us if we were in their position. Here Christ reminds us that there will be a reward for those who live according to this ethic when he says, “For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 

 Blessed Is Everyone Who Will Eat Bread In The Kingdom Of God

Christ had one more lesson for this group. It is found in verses 15-24.

In verse 15 we read, “When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, ‘Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’” Evidently this man understood that Christ was talking about the kingdom of God and the ethics of this kingdom. Why did he speak up? I do not know. Perhaps he genuinely agreed with Jesus. Perhaps he simply wanted his voice to be heard. Perhaps his statement was intended to prompt Jesus to answer the question, who will eat bread in the kingdom of God? Whatever the man’s motive, Jesus did take the opportunity to teach about entrance into the kingdom of God. Here we find a classic example of a parable. 

Verse 16: “But he said to him, ‘A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet’” (Luke 14:15–24, ESV).

The primary meaning of this parable is clear. The man who gave a great banquet represents God. The banquet represents the marriage supper of the lamb that will be enjoyed in the new heavens and earth when the kingdom of God is consummated (see Revelation 19:9). The servant who was sent out to say to those invited, “Come, for everything is now ready”,  is Jesus Christ. Those who were invited first – the ones who made excuses as to why they could not come because they were preoccupied with the cares of this world – represent the Jews and especially the leaders of the Jews, men like the Pharisees. The master of the house growing angry and saying to his servants, “Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame”, represents the realities of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Not many who were wise according to worldly standards, or powerful, or those of noble birth followed after receiving the invitation to the great banquet. Rather it was foolish, the weak, the low and despised in the world, who responded in faith to the invitation of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 1:26–29). When the servant in the parable spoke to the master, saying, “Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room”, it symbolized the fact that not all of God’s elect were called to faith and repentance in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry. Far from it! There was still room – a lot more room – at God’s banquet table table. When the master said to the servant, “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled”, it symbolized the fact that the gospel of the kingdom of heaven would soon go out from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (see Acts 1:8). When the master spoke to the servant saying, “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet”, it was a condemnation of the Jews, especially the religious elite from amongst the Jews, who had rejected the invitation of Christ and persisted in unbelief. 

The man at the table said, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” No doubt, his statement was true! But Christ made it clear by this parable, that none of these Pharisees would be blessed to eat bread in the kingdom if they continued to make excuses and reject the invitation delivered by Jesus because they loved the world and the things of this world more than God.

This, I say, was the primary meaning of this parable. This is what the parable meant primarily as it was originally delivered by Jesus the audience he had at the ruler of the Pharisee’s house. But parables can have layers of meaning. The secondary meaning of this parable is that this dynamic continues even to the present day. The invitation to the great banquet of God continues to go out. It is the gospel proclaimed by the followers of Jesus Christ. And men and women continue to make excuses and reject this invitation because they love this world and the things of this world more than God and the things of God. 

It could be that you are one of those fools who have chosen the fleeting pleasures of this life over a seat at God’s heavenly banquet table. How do you receive this invitation and come to take your seat at God’s heavenly and eternal banquet table? Only by turning from your sins and trusting in Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. How foolish the men in this parable were! They were invited to a very great and grand banquet! And yet they made excuses. The first one said, “I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.” And another said, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” These were lame excuses indeed. And they reveal the indifference, lovelessness,  and lack of interest that these men have in the master and in the master’s house.  Some who are here might have the same indifference, lovelessness, and lack of interest in God and in the things of God. 

It is so, I pray it will soon change. May the Lord grant to all who hear these words a true appetite for the great banquet of God that will be enjoyed when Christ returns to consummate his kingdom. May our hunger for the things of this earth pale in comparison to our hunger for the marriage supper of the lamb. And dear friends, may the Lord grant us the grace to have our hunger pains for the feast of that great and final day satisfied by the feast that God has set before us now in the Lord’s Supper.  

The man at the table with Jesus was right! “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” This will be true in the world to come when the kingdom of God is consummated. But it is also true now as those with faith in Christ eat bread at the Lord’s table in the inaugurated kingdom of heaven.

Conclusion