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Emmaus is a Reformed Baptist church in Hemet, California. We are a community of Christ followers who love God, love one another, and serve the church, community, and nations, for the glory of God and for our joy.
Our hope is that you will make Emmaus your home and that you will begin to grow with us as we study the scriptures and, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, live in a way that honors our great King.
LORD'S DAY WORSHIP (SUNDAYS)
10:00am Corporate Worship
In the Emmaus Chapel at Cornerstone
26089 Girard St.
Hemet, CA 92544
EMMAUS ESSENTIALS
Sunday School For Adults
9:00am to 9:45am most Sundays (Schedule)
In the Chapel
MAILING ADDRESS
43430 E. Florida Ave. #F329
Hemet, CA 92544
The Realm is our church's online network. We use this tool as our primary means of communication. Be sure to check it often and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Interested in becoming a member? Please join us for a four-week study in which we will make a case from the scriptures for local church membership and introduce the ministries, government, doctrines, and distinctive's of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church.
Gospel Community Groups are small group Bible studies. They are designed to provide an opportunity for the members of Emmaus to build deeper relationships with one another. Groups meet throughout the week to discuss the sermons from the previous Sunday, to share life, and to pray.
Emmaus Essentials classes are currently offered online Sundays at 9AM. It is through our Emmaus Essentials (Sunday School) that we hope to experience an in depth study of the scriptures and Christian theology. These classes focus on the study of systematic theology, biblical theology, church history, and other topics practical to Christian living.
An audio teaching series through the Baptist Catechism aimed to instruct in foundational Christian doctrine and to encourage obedience within God’s people.
A podcast produced for International Reformed Baptist Seminary: a forum for discussion of important scriptural and theological subjects by faculty, administrators, and friends of IRBS.
A 24 lesson Bible study in which we consider “what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man” (Baptist Catechism #6).
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At Emmaus we believe that God has given parents, especially fathers the authority and responsibility to train and instruct children up in the Lord. In addition, we believe that God has ordained the gathering of all generations, young to old, to worship Him together in one place and at one time. Therefore, each and every Sunday our children worship the Lord alongside their parents and other members of God’s family.
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Q. 96. How do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation?
A. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them or in him that doth administer them, but only by the blessing of Christ and the working of the Spirit in those that by faith receive them. (1 Peter 3:21; 1 Cor. 3:6,7; 1 Cor. 12:13)
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” (1 Peter 3:18–22, ESV)
There is a doctrine out there that goes by the name of baptismal regeneration. This is the teaching that God regenerates sinners—that is to say, makes them spiritually alive—through the waters of baptism. This view is to be rejected, for it contradicts what the scriptures clearly teach, which is that God regenerates sinners by the power of his Holy Spirit, not because they believe and are baptized, but so that they will believe and be baptized. Those who are dead in the trespasses and sins do not believe, brothers and sisters, for they are dead. God must breathe spiritual life into them if they are to run to God through faith in Christ. We are naturally blind. God must give us eyes to see. We are naturally deaf. God must provide us with ears to hear. We are naturally rebellious. God must subdue us and call us to himself by his word and Spirit. Regeneration does not happen because we believe. And regeneration certainly does not happen because or when we are baptized. No, regeneration (or new birth) happens before we believe. We can believe only because God has made us spiritually alive.
But this does not mean that the Spirit of God does not work any further within us after regeneration and faith. No, the Spirit does continue to work within those he calls to the Father through the Son. He seals those who believe by his Spirit, and he sanctifies them further still.
But what about this passage in 1 Peter that I have just read, which says, “baptism… now saves you”. Does Peter mean to say that we are saved by baptism? Is baptism the instrument by which we receive the gift of salvation? Certainly, our answer must be no, for the scriptures clearly teach in many other places that the instrument by which we receive salvation is faith in Christ alone. Then what does Peter mean?
The short answer is this: it may be said that baptism saves us because of what it is that baptism signifies. In water baptism, the believer makes a public profession of faith. It is not the baptism itself that saves, but the thing that baptism signifies, namely, faith in Christ. Water baptism signifies the washing away of our sins. And how is it that our sins are washed away? Not by the baptismal waters themselves, but by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and received by faith. That is what 1 Peter 3:21 actually says. And I quote: “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” (1 Peter 3:21, ESV). So, when one is baptized in water, they say to the world, “Jesus is Lord”, and they are appealing to God for a good conscience through faith in Christ. What is their appeal rooted in? Not the baptismal water itself, but the finished work of Christ. Faith in Christ is how we come to have the salvation that Christ has earned. It may be said that baptism saves us because baptism is a sign of all that.
Now, this is not an exposition of 1 Peter 3:18-22. Much more could be said about that passage. Here we are considering the doctrine presented in Baptist Catechism 96, and this doctrine is very helpful as we seek to understand how the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper work.
The question is, “How do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation?”
Are baptism and the Lord’s Supper used by the Lord to bring the benefits of salvation to the elect of God? Well, of course. They are means of grace in much the same way that the word of God is a means of grace.
If I said that the word of God saves you, what would you think? I hope you will understand what I mean. The word does not save automatically, so that all who hear God’s word are saved by it. No, it is a means to salvation because of the message it proclaims and the person it promotes, namely, Christ the Lord! But to be saved one must receive the word by faith. In particular, they must receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is presented there. And it is the same with baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They are a means of grace, for they do signify the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But they do not save automatically, so that all who are baptized, or all who partake of the Lord’s Supper, are saved.
Listen to the answer our catechism gives. It is most helpful.
“Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation…” Notice the word “become”. They are not an automatic means of salvation, as I have already said.
Next we read, “not from any virtue in them…” Baptism and the Lord’s Supper save and sanctify, not because there is power in the water itself or in the bread and cup itself, but because of what they point to, namely, Christ, crucified and risen, and the forgiveness of sins that is found in him.
The answer continues with these words, “or in him that doth administer them…” In other words, it is not the minister who makes these sacraments effective by his blessing. By the way, it may be that you were baptized by a man who later showed himself to be a fraud. It doesn’t matter. Did you have sincere faith when you were baptized? Were you baptized in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Then your baptism should be considered valid, even if the minister showed himself to be unworthy.
Next, we find the phrase, “but only by the blessing of Christ and the working of the Spirit in those that by faith receive them.” So it is Christ who makes these sacraments an effective means of grace for his people. He uses these things to bring his people into the faith, to sanctify them, and to keep them. This he does by the working of the Holy Spirit.
Baptismal water, and the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper, are common elements. But they are made Holy by the blessing of Christ, through the working of the Holy Spirit. We should approach these sacraments with reverence, therefore. The water is just water. It is not magical water. The bread is bread, and the wine is wine. They are not transformed into anything else when the minister blesses them. But we know that the Spirit is present in a special way when his people partake of these things. Reverence is needed, therefore. We must be careful to approach the sacraments in a worthy manner.
And what is required, above all else, to approach worthily? Faith in Christ is needed. It is a most unworthy thing to partake of these elements without faith, for then we are hypocrites. When we are baptized, and when we partake of the Supper, we say through our actions, “Jesus is Lord”, and “I believe”. But if there is no true faith, then we contradict ourselves. Worse yet, we take God’s name in vain. We claim that we are his, and that he is ours, when in fact it is not true.
So let us come worthily, brothers and sisters. Let us be careful to give baptism only to those who make a credible profession of faith, and let us come prepared to the table lest there be found in any of an unbelieving heart. And how do those who believe live? They strive to keep the commandments of God.
Lastly, let us come to the waters of baptism, and to the bread and the cup of the Supper, knowing for certain that God does work through these things to distribute his grace to his people. We should come expecting to receive from him, therefore.
Q. 96. How do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation?
A. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them or in him that doth administer them, but only by the blessing of Christ and the working of the Spirit in those that by faith receive them. (1 Peter 3:21; 1 Cor. 3:6,7; 1 Cor. 12:13)
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Aug 25
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WEEKLY READINGS
SUNDAY > 1 Sam 3, Rom 3, Jer 41, Luke 10
MONDAY > 1 Sam 4, Rom 4, Jer 42, Luke 11
TUESDAY > 1 Sam 5‐6, Rom 5, Jer 43, Luke 12
WEDNESDAY > 1 Sam 7‐8, Rom 6, Jer 44‐45, Luke 13
THURSDAY > 1 Sam 9, Rom 7, Jer 46, Luke 14
FRIDAY > 1 Sam 10, Rom 8, Jer 47, Luke 15
SATURDAY > 1 Sam 11, Rom 9, Jer 48, Luke 16
MEMORY VERSE(S)
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63, ESV).
CATECHISM QUESTION(S)
Baptist Catechism #96:
Q. How do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation?
A. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them or in him that administers them, but only by the blessing of Christ and the working of His Spirit in them that by faith receive them.
Aug 25
3
“The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread.”” (Exodus 12:1–20, ESV)
“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. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, ‘Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’” (Luke 22:14–20, ESV)
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.
At the end of the sermon I preached last Sunday, I mentioned that I might return to the topic of the Lord’s Supper one more time to consider the relationship between the Lord’s Supper and church membership. I think you knew that I would.
This will be the fourth sermon I have devoted to the topic of the Lord’s Supper. Luke 22:14-20 is about the institution of the Lord’s Supper by Jesus Christ the Lord. This text has provided us with an opportunity to think theologically about this holy sacrament. By that I mean, we have taken the opportunity, not only to consider what this particular passage says about the Supper, but to consider what the rest of the New Testament says about it. This, brothers and sisters, is a very important thing to do. The Scriptures, if they are to be understood, must be interpreted theologically. The Scriptures are not written like a systematic theology or like a church constitution or polity manual. If we wish to know what the Scriptures teach about a particular subject, such as the Lord’s Supper, then we must pay careful attention to all that the Scriptures have to say on the subject.
As you know, the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus Christ on the night he was betrayed, the night before the day of his crucifixion. Like baptism, the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of positive and sovereign institution (see Second London Confession 28.1). By that, we mean the Lord’s Supper did not exist before its institution. It was something brand new that Christ gave to his disciples. It was a law that he added to be observed by his people in the New Covenant era. Like with baptism, if we wish to know what this ordinance is all about, we must look to the New Testament Scriptures, therefore. In other words, we must pay attention to the institution of this ordinance and to its development throughout the New Testament. Though we might identify precurses or foreshadowings to baptism and the Lord’s Supper in the Old Testament, it is the New Testament that informs us about the beginning of these sacraments, their meaning, and their proper administration.
In this little series, we have considered the author and elements of the Supper. Furthermore, we have asked who is to administer or serve the sacrament, who is to receive it, and how frequently. In the last sermon, we considered the purpose of the Supper. For what purpose did Christ give the Supper to his church? That was a very important question to answer. In brief, it was said that Christ gave the Supper to us so that we might remember him, commune with him, and renew our covenant with him, until he returns.
Having said all of that in previous sermons, I do believe it is right for us to give attention to the role that the Lord’s Supper plays in the life of the local church as it pertains to church membership, or we might say, church communion.
To fully appreciate the connection between the Lord’s Supper and church membership, a few words must first be said about the connection between baptism and church membership. The New Covenant has two sacraments or ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. And both have something to do with membership in the New Covenant community, that is to say, the church.
Baptism symbolizes many things. When someone is baptized, it is a sign that they have given themselves up to God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life. It also signifies their fellowship with Christ, in his death and resurrection, of their being united to him by faith, and of the washing away of their sins. And as it pertains to membership in the local church, baptism is a prerequisite. Before a disciple of Jesus can be received into the membership of a local church, they must first be baptized upon profession of faith. And those baptized upon profession of faith must join themself to a local church. This is what the Scriptures require.
Our catechism states the relationship between baptism and church membership well. Q. 101 asks, “What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?” Answer: “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 true. Those baptized are to “give up themselves…” (we might say, join) “some particular…” (that is to say, local or visible) “and orderly church of Jesus Christ.” Stated differently, those baptized are to become members of a local church that is properly ordered (or organized) according to the Word of God.
The Scriptures clearly require this.
We may start with the Great Commission. “And Jesus came and said to [his Apostles], ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV).
The Apostles were commanded by Christ to preach the gospel. Those who responded to the gospel by turning from their sins and placing their faith in Christ were to be baptized. And these baptized disciples were to be taught to observe all that Christ has commanded, including the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Where, I ask you, would this teaching take place, and where would the Lord’s Supper be observed, except in properly ordered local churches?
Indeed, this is what we see in the book of Acts, beginning with Acts 2:38-47. Peter preached the gospel and “said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit… So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:38–47, ESV).
The connection between the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and this description of the activities of the early disciples of Jesus in Acts 2:38-47 should be obvious to all. Christ commissioned his Apostles, and in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we see that the Apostles obeyed the commission of Christ. What did they do? They proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ, baptized those who believed, and taught those who were baptized to observe all that Christ commanded. Again, those baptized people “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers”.
Furthermore, as the book of Acts unfolds, it is clear that the Apostles of Jesus fulfilled the Great Commission by engaging in what we would call church planting. The gospel was proclaimed. Disciples were made. These disciples were baptized. Local churches were formed. Elders were appointed. And the Lord’s Supper was observed. Acts 13:23 proves that the Apostles were church planters, saying, “And when they had ordeined thẽ Elders by election in everie Church [they had planted], and praid, and fasted, they commended them to the Lord in whom they beleved.” (Acts 14:23–28, GB). And that these churches, once planted, observed the Lord’s Supper on the Lord’s Day is seen in Acts 20:7, which says, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7, ESV).
Finally, that those who are baptized are to join themselves to properly ordered local churches is clearly observed in the rest of the New Testament. It has been said that the New Testament is a church book, and that is true. The Gospel tells us of the life and ministry of Christ, the Savior and head of the church. The book of Acts describes the planting of local churches by the Apostles in fulfilment of the commission of Christ. And it is impossible to read the rest of the New Testament without local churches in mind. Local churches, if not explicitly mentioned, are always in the background.
The letters written by Paul, Peter, and others are written to baptized disciples of Jesus who are members of local churches. “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1, 7, ESV). “Paul, an apostle—To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Galatians 1:1–3, ESV). “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you… ” (1 Peter 1:1–2, ESV). And a little later he says, “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you…” (1 Peter 5:1–4, ESV). Even the book of Revelation is addressed to local churches: “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come… To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:4–6, ESV).
Friends, our catechism is correct. “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” (Baptist Catechism 101). There is a relationship between baptism and church membership. Baptism is a sign that a person is united to Christ by faith. Baptism is a sign that the person has been washed and raised to newness of life. Through baptism, a believer says publicly, Jesus is Lord! And those who have Jesus as Lord will obey their Lord by joining themselves to an orderly local church where the kingdom of God is made visible. Baptism is a kind of rite of initiation, therefore. And what is church membership except an agreement, commitment, or covenant made between professing Christians to walk together in obedience to the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ?
To whom is baptism to be given? Is it to be given to little infants or little children? No. Is it to be given to those who are ignorant of the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ? No. Is it to be given to those who show no evidence of being disciples of Jesus? No. Is it to be given to those who hold to heretical doctrines that undermine the foundation of the faith? No. Baptism is to be given by the church, being administered by those “who are qualified and thereunto called, according to the commission of Christ”, to those who make a credible or believable profession of faith.
What is a credible profession of faith? I’ve written a little piece about this. It’s available on the back table. In brief, a person’s profession of faith must be deemed credible when they demonstrate sorrow over and repentance from sin and claim to have faith in Jesus Christ. And to have faith in Jesus Christ, three things must be present: knowledge, assent, and trust.
By knowledge, we mean that certain truths must be known to have faith in Jesus. They are the truths summarized ever so briefly in the Apostles Creed. They are the truths taught in our catechism.
By assent, we mean that these truths must be known and believed or received as true.
By trust, we mean that a person must claim to trust in the person and work of Jesus and not some other thing.
You know, I will often get the question, How old must a person be before you will give them baptism? Brothers and sisters, I won’t state an age. My answer is this: if a young person (or anyone else) makes a credible profession of faith, baptism must be applied to them. As a minister of Jesus Chris,t I am duty-bound to apply baptism to those who make a credible profession. As a church, we are duty-bound to receive these into the fellowship. We must be very careful, brothers and sisters, not to withhold baptism from those who have a right to it. But we must also be careful not to give it out indiscriminately.
If your little one claims to have faith in Jesus and desires baptism, we should all rejoice in that. But before baptism is applied, the credibility of their profession must be recognized by the church, with these elders in the lead. Is there evidence of true repentance (it seems to me that parents and maybe peers are in the best position to answer that question). And does the young person know the fundamentals of the gospel?
If a young person (or anyone else) came to me and said, I have faith in Christ and desire baptism, the first thing I would do is rejoice with them! After that, I would want to have a discussion. I would say, tell me about your faith. Who is Jesus? Why do you trust in him? What has he saved you from? What has he saved you to? Who is God? What is he like? What does it mean to trust in Christ? How are followers of Jesus Christ to live? Etc., etc. The standard for baptism is not mastery of Christian doctrine. The standard is a credible profession of faith. And true faith involves knowledge—a knowledge of the basic truths expressed by the Apostles Creed and taught in our catechism. A person must be able to discuss these truths, even if it is on a basic level, before their profession of faith is deemed credible and baptism is applied.
What does this have to do with the Lord’s Supper? Well, when all is considered, we must confess that, while baptism is to be given (once) to those who make a credible profession of faith, the Lord’s Supper is to be given (regularly) to those who maintain a credible profession of faith.
As I say this, I do not mean to suggest that we, as church members, should always be scrutinizing one another’s profession of faith in an attempt to find some flaw in it. No, such a critical, judgmental, scrupulous spirit is not becoming of a Christian. And it is not necessary, for God has a way of exposing sin when it is unrepentant of, as Paul wrote to Timothy, “The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later” (1 Timothy 5:24, ESV).
But the truth remains: The lord’s Supper is for those who maintain a credible profession of faith. If baptism marks the entrance of a believer into the New Covenant community, the Lord’s Supper signifies their continuance in it.
This principle is clearly seen in those passages in the New Testament that are about church discipline and the removal of those who have undermined the credibility of their profession of faith by living in unrepentant sin, holding to and or spreading false doctrines that undermine the foundation of the faith, or by walking in a disorderly way.
Please allow me to, very briefly, present you with five important passages that speak of church discipline and the removal of those who destroy the credibility of their profession of faith.
Matthew 18 – The Excommunication Of An Unrepentant Sinner
“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:17, ESV)
1 Corinthians 5 – The Excommunication Of A Heinous Unrepentant Sinner
“When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 5:4–5, ESV)
“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” (1 Corinthians 5:9–11, ESV)
Galatians 1 – The Excommunication Of False Teachers
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8–9, ESV)
1 John 2 – The Excommunication (Or Exclusion) Of Those Who Walk Away From The Faith
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:19, ESV)
2 Thessalonians 3 – The Excommunication Of Disorderly Christians
“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, ESV)
“If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thessalonians 3:14–15, ESV)
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.
The Lord’s Supper is a powerful thing. It marks those who have made a credible profession of faith, who have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and who have maintained the credibility of their profession by abiding in Christ and in his doctrine. Excommunication is also a powerful thing. It signifies that the credibility of a person’s profession of faith has been undermined by them. It signifies that a person has been cut off from the visible kingdom of Christ and is no longer to enjoy Christian communion or fellowship with God’s people.
Aug 25
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Aug 25
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Q. 95. How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation?
A. That the Word may become effectual to salvation we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation and prayer, receive it in faith and love, lay it up in our hearts and practice it in our lives. (Prov. 8:34; 1 Peter 2:1,2; 1 Tim. 4:13; Heb. 2:1,3; Heb. 4:2; 2 Thess. 2:10; Ps. 119:11; James 1:21,25)
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:19–25, ESV)
When we talk about the ordinary means of grace, two things must be remembered. On the one hand, we confess that these are the things that God ordinarily uses to work within the lives of his people: the Word of God read and preached, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. On the other hand, we must guard against the error of thinking that these things work in an automatic fashion irrespective of the condition of the mind and heart of the one who partakes. No, brothers and sisters, we do have the responsibility to partake of these means of grace in a worthy manner and with hearts prepared.
Does that sound like a strange thing for a Calvinistic minister to say? I’ll say it again, we do have the responsibility to partake of these means of grace in a worthy manner and with faith in our hearts. It is a common misunderstanding, but a very serious one, that the Reformed only believe in the sovereignty of God over salvation and deny all human responsibility. Have you encountered that misconception before? Or perhaps you have actually held such a view. It simply is not true.
Is God sovereign over our salvation and our sanctification? Yes, he is. Do we come to be saved and to be sanctified by his grace alone? Yes, we do. But are we also responsible to repent and believe in Christ, to turn away from evil and to cling to what is good, and to persevere in Christ, making use of the means of grace that God has provided? Yes, we are. And this is why the Scriptures call us to do these things. They are things that we must do. But we can do them only by the free grace of God.
All of this does connect to what we are learning about the means of grace, doesn’t it? God works through these means; that is true. But we are called by God to partake of these means thoughtfully and prayerfully with faith in our hearts.
So then, the Word of God is a means of grace. People are brought to salvation through the Word, and they are sanctified in Christ by the Word. The Spirit of God works through the Scriptures as they are read and preached.
Now we ask, “How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation?’ In other words, how are we to approach the Scriptures?
Let us consider the answer: “That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence…” This means that we are to give our undivided attention to the Word regularly. In Proverbs 8:34 we read, “Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors” (Proverbs 8:34, ESV). The one who is wise will run daily to God for wisdom and nourishment. We must diligently partake of the Word of God as it is read and preached.
Next, we find the words, “preparation and prayer”. ”That the Word may become effectual to salvation we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation and prayer…” The prayer of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:18 should be our prayer: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” I’ll ask you this, do you pray on Saturday night, or as you come to church on Sunday morning that the Lord would speak to you through his Word as it is read and preached. Do you pray for those who minister the Word that they would speak with clarity and that God’s Spirit would move upon you and others? Do you come to hear the Word eagerly, expecting to hear from the Lord? We should, brothers and sisters. We should expect God to work through the ministry of the Word every Lord’s Day, and we should come to the assembly with our hearts and minds prepared to receive. James says, “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21, ESV).
You know, we live in an age where Christians may scour the internet and find audio recordings of the most gifted preachers delivering the very best sermons. Beware of this, friends. Those resources are a blessing, but do not forget that God has determined to work through the ordinary — ordinary preachers reading and preaching God’s Word in an ordinary way. Come expecting to hear from the Lord, and come prepared.
Next, we are instructed to receive the Word “in faith and love”. To receive God’s Word in faith is to receive it, believing that it is, in fact, God’s word to us, that he inspired the composition of it, and has preserved it so that when we read the Scriptures, we are, in fact, reading the Words of God. To receive God’s Word by faith is also to receive it believing that God will surely keep all of the promises that are found within. One should not expect to be blessed by the Word, nourished and strengthened, if he comes doubting, “for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6–7, ESV). To receive God’s word with love is to receive it, being reassured of God’s love for us in Christ, and with love in our hearts for God.
Next, we are to lay God’s Word up in our hearts, brothers and sisters. This means that we are to hear God’s Word, meditate upon it, cherish it, and even devote it to memory. This is what Psalm 119:11 so beautifully describes, saying, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11, ESV).
This leads nicely to the last phrase of our catechism, which is “practice it in our lives.” We are to approach God’s Word with the intention of putting it into practice. We must be doers of the Word, and not hearers only.
Listen again to James: “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:21–25, ESV)
The one who diligently hears God’s Word read and preached, with their heart prepared, in faith and with love towards God, with the resolve to obey what God commands, will be blessed. To approach God’s Word in this way is a very good thing. It is a means of grace for the people of God. I am afraid it is a very dangerous thing, however, to approach God’s Word in a careless manner. To come to it casually and unprepared, with unbelief and a lack of love for God, with no intention to obey what is said. Both the Scriptures and experience testify that to approach God’s Word in this careless way leads not to a blessing but a curse. The one who approaches God’s Word in this careless way will find their heart growing harder and harder with the passing of time, and not softer to God and the things of God. Let us approach God’s Word with reverence, brothers and sisters.
Q. 95. How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation?
A. That the Word may become effectual to salvation we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation and prayer, receive it in faith and love, lay it up in our hearts and practice it in our lives. (Prov. 8:34; 1 Peter 2:1,2; 1 Tim. 4:13; Heb. 2:1,3; Heb. 4:2; 2 Thess. 2:10; Ps. 119:11; James 1:21,25)
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