Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 24

“Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth. Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind. If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both? These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good. Whoever says to the wicked, ‘You are in the right,’ will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips. Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’ I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Proverbs 24)

New Testament Reading: Luke 14:25-35 

“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’” (Luke 14:25–35)

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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

These words from our Lord and Savior regarding the requirements for being a disciple of his are shocking. Hear him again: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” These words from our Lord grab the attention, don’t they? They are meant to! But they must be properly interpreted if they are to be properly applied. So let us consider these words of Jesus carefully and be sure to take then in their context. 

Luke has just told us about an interaction Jesus had with a group of Pharisees and other prominent people at a dinner hosted by a ruler of the Pharisees. Someone invited Jesus to this dinner and judging by the hard things Jesus said to these elites, as recorded in Luke 14:1-24, I don’t think he made many friends at this banquet! What did Christ condemn these Pharisees for? He condemned them for their legalistic and loveless observance of the Sabbath day, their self-exalting pride, and the favoritism they showed to friends, relatives, and rich neighbors while neglecting the poor and the needy in their midst. Christ concluded his condemning remarks with a classic parable – a story about a man who gave a great banquet and invited many through his servant. The servant obeyed the will of his master and invited the guests of honor, but they all made excuses! The man then instructed his servant to go into the streets and lanes of the city to bring in the poor and the crippled. This the servant did, but there was still room at the table! And so 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.” And then the master remarked, “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet” (Luke 14:23-24). The meaning of this parable was and is clear. The guests of honor were the Pharisees and other religious elite within Israel. The gospel of the kingdom of God came to them through Jesus, God’s servant, but they rejected the invitation. The gospel of the kingdom would go to the poor and crippled within Israel and would be received more readily by them. And because room remained at God’s banquet table, the invitation would be extended to all nations. 

As we approach our text for today, it is important for us to remember a few things: 

One, the hostility between Jesus and the religious elite within Israel was growing. It was back in Luke 9:22 that Christ spoke to his disciples, “saying, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised’” (Luke 9:22). Since then, we have watched the hostility grow! Indeed, the hostility would culminate in the crucifixion of Jesus and the persecution of the disciples of Jesus. 

Two, Christ warned his disciples that they would experience hostility, not only from the religious elite within Israel but from their fellow Jews and even from members of their household. It was in Luke 12:49 that we heard Christ say, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (Luke 12:49–53).

Three, we must remember how Luke portrays the Pharisees and others who rejected Jesus. He portrays them as people in love with the world and the things of this world. They are hypocrites who love to appear clean and righteous before men but inwardly they are full of greed and wickedness (see Luke 11:39). They clamored for positions of power and prestige while neglecting the poor. Stated differently, Luke portrays those who rejected Christ as people who loved the world supremely. Love is the most powerful motivator. And what did these people love most? They loved themselves most. They loved the praise of men most. They loved the pleasures of this world most. 

When we remember these things – the increasing hostility between Christ and the religious elite within Israel (a hostility that would result in the crucifixion of Christ, and the persecution of the disciples of Christ), the hostility that would arise against Christians even from the members of their own households, and the thing that hindered people from following after Jesus, namely, a supreme love for self,  the world, and the things of the world – then we will better understand the shocking words of Jesus concerning what is required to follow after him. 

Hear his words again: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”  

Disciples Of Jesus Must Hate Their Parents, Spouse, Children, Siblings, And Even Their Own Life 

What does Jesus mean when he says that to be his disciple we must hate our father and mother, wife and children, yes, even our own life? Does this not flatly contradict the clear teaching of Scripture?  

As it pertains to the requirement of hating father and mother, what about the fifth of the Ten Commandments which requires us to honor father and mother (see Deuteronomy 5:16)? Did Jesus mean to abrogate the fifth commandment? This cannot be! For one, it is a part of God’s ever-abiding moral law. Two, in another place Christ commands obedience to the fifth, saying, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother’” (Luke 18:20). 

As it pertains to the requirement to hate wife and children, what about those places in Scripture that clearly command the husband to love the wife and fathers to lovingly care for their children? For example, Colossians 3:19 says, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them”. And in Ephesians 6:4 fathers are commanded to not provoke their children to anger, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Even the requirement to hate your own life seems to be a contradiction, for elsewhere Christ sums up the last six of the Ten Commandments with the command to love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). Indeed when Paul commands husbands to love their wives in Ephesians 5 he says that “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…” (Ephesians 5:28–29). And a little later he says, “let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).

If the words of Christ found here in Luke 14:26 are taken in a strict and literal sense, then Christ contradicts himself and the very Scriptures he has inspired. This cannot be. And so we must ask ourselves, can these words be interpreted in another sense? Indeed they can. 

What then does Christ mean by the words, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple”? He means that the love we naturally have for our mother and father, our spouse and our children, yes, even the natural love and concern that we have for our own well-being, must pale in comparison to the love that we have for him. The love that we have for God and Christ must supersede the love we have for parents, spouses, children, yes, even for our own lives. And here is the real point: if a choice must be made between father and mother, spouse and children, yes, even one’s own life and following after Christ, our love for Christ must prevail, and those who would hinder us from following after him must be neglected, forsaken, and turned away from. 

To be clear, there is nothing about being a disciple of Jesus that requires us to break off relationships with parents, spouses, and children. Ideally, if a parent, spouse, or child does not follow Christ along with you, the natural relationship will remain happy and intact (see 1 Corinthians 7:12). But Christ is here anticipating hostility from the non-believing world and he is calling his disciple to count the cost. 

The point is this: to be a disciple of Christ, one must be willing to lose relationships with the people they love most – parents, spouses, and children – indeed, they must be willing to lose their own lives for the sake of following after Jesus. 

Contrast this with the unbelieving Pharisees at the dinner party. What did those men love supremely? They loved themselves supremely. They loved the world and the pleasures and prestige of the world supremely. What hindered them from following Jesus? Many things, I’m sure. It seems that one of the hindrances was this: they would not let go of their places of honor (see Luke 14:8), or the approval they received from friends, brothers, relatives, or the rich (see Luke 14:12) to follow after Jesus. This, friends, is why Christ said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” 

Disciples Of Jesus Must Bear Their Own Cross

Christ then stated this same principle in another way: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” 

In modern times the image of the cross has been sterilized and romanticized. In Jesus’ day, the cross was known only as a brutal instrument of death. The Romans would execute criminals by hanging them on crosses. There they would die, typically of asphyxiation. 

Jesus would soon bear his cross. Quite literally, he would carry his cross part of the way to the place of his crucifixion. He would die on that cross, and there make atonement for the sins of those given to him by the Father in eternity.     

Here Jesus says that all who follow him must bear their own cross. 

Notice, it is not the cross of Christ that we are called to bear. Only Christ could bear that cross. He atoned for the sins of his people on that cross. He bore the wrath of God in the place of sinners on that cross. Only Jesus the Messiah, the eternal Son of God incarnate, could bear the weight of that awful load. The disciples of Jesus cannot bear the cross of Christ, but we are called to bear our own cross.   

This is actually the second time the word “cross” appears in Luke’s gospel. Back in Luke 9:23, we heard Christ say, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). These two sayings of Jesus are very similar. When we take them together it is very clear what Christ means. To take up your cross is to deny yourself. To take up your cross is to die to yourself.  

Sometimes disciples of Jesus will be called to take up their cross in the ultimate sense, that is, to die the death of a martyr. As you know, many of the original disciples of Jesus would be called to take up their cross in this ultimate sense – many were put to death because of their allegiance to Jesus. Indeed, there have been many martyrs throughout the history of the church. Even so, the truth remains that most disciples of Jesus have and will die a natural death. But notice, that all of Jesus’ disciples are called to bear their own cross. And in Luke 9:23 Christ says that this cross is to be carried daily. This means that all disciples of Jesus must die to themselves in metaphorical or spiritual way. This we must do to follow Jesus in the beginning, and this we must do throughout the Christian life.

What does it mean to take up your cross daily and to die to yourself? It means that you no longer live for yourself, for this world, or for the pleasures of this world, but for the pleasure of knowing and serving God and Christ, and for the joy of serving others. 

Paul the Apostle spoke of his personal cross-bearing when he said, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:7–11)

Earlier in the same letter, Paul urged the believers to bear their own crosses, when he said, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 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” (Philippians 2:3–8).

Dear brethren, this is truly the essence of the Christian life. The Christian life begins when a sinner, by the grace of God, dies to self and trusts in Christ. And the Christian life is to be marked by continual and daily cross-bearing. There are many hindrances to this. Pride will rear its ugly head. Selfish ambition will sometimes reemerge. A love for the world and the pleasures of this world will intrude. But the disciples of Jesus must daily put to death what is earthly in them (see Colossians 3:5).

Disciples Of Jesus Must Count The Cost

Now that Jesus has told the multitudes what is required to be a true disciple of his, he urges them to count the cost before continuing with him, lest their profession of faith be found false. This exhortation to count the cost was delivered by Jesus to the crowd through three illustrations.

The first is found in verses 28-30. There we read, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’” (Luke 14:28–30).

This great multitude that followed Jesus was filled with excitement. They had high hopes for Jesus. But as has been said in previous sermons, the hopes of many in this multitude were misguided. Many expected him to immediately bring an earthly kingdom and earthly prosperity, and so Christ set them straight. Following me may cost you your relationship with your parents, your spouse, or your children. Following me may cost you your life! Those who wish to follow me must bear their own cross. Are you sure you want to continue with me? Are you sure you have what it takes to finish what you are beginning to build?

Of course, we know that all who have true faith in Christ will finish. True believers will persevere because God will preserve them (see Philippians 1:6). But one of the means God uses to preserve his elect is his word. And here, the Word of God says, count the cost! The elect of God will count the cost and will continue with Christ to the end. The nonelect will either turn back immediately or make false professions and turn back later. Why? Because they love this world more than Christ! Their god is their belly; their minds are set on earthly things (see Philippians 3:18-19). But the elect of God will hear the Word of God. The Spirit will call them inwardly and make the word effectual. They will understand what the cost of discipleship is. They will count the cost. And they will say, it is worth it! They will agree with the Apostles and say, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…” (Philippians 3:7–9).   

The second illustration is found in verses 31-32. There we read, “Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace” (Luke 14:31–32). 

The illustration is different, but the message is the same. Wise builders will count the cost before building, and wise kings will count the cost before waging war. Disciples of Jesus must do the same. Those who follow after Jesus must first count the cost.

By the way, I do wonder if Jesus used the illusion of building a tower because being a disciple of Jesus involves participating in the building of Christ’s kingdom. Christ’s kingdom is built as the disciples of Jesus die to self daily and testify concerning the hope that is in them through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I do wonder if Jesus uses the illustration of waging war because being a disciple of Jesus involves spiritual warfare, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Clearly, Christ calls those who wish to follow him to first count the cost. 

In verse 33 we read, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). This is another way of saying what was said before: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). To renounce is “to willingly give up or set aside what one possesses—‘to give up, to part with one’s possessions’”(Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, 565). Just as not all Christians are called to bear their cross in the extreme by dying the death of a martyr, but must carry their cross daily by dying daily to self, so too, not all Christians will be called to actually give up all that they have. The first disciples of Christ did. In Luke 18:28 we hear Peter speak to Jesus, saying, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And [Jesus] said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life” (Luke 18:28–30). Some disciples of Jesus throughout the history of the church, and even in the present time, have been called by God to renounce all to follow Christ, but many disciples of Christ are, by God’s grace, permitted to retain the good things of this life – house, wife, brothers, parents, and children. Those disciples of Jesus who enjoy these blessings must be very careful to obey Christ’s words still! These earthly blessings must be enjoyed and held onto with an open hand and not a clenched fist. Hear again the words of our Savior: “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).

The third and final illustration is found in verses 34-35. “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:34–35).

Salty salt makes things savory. Salty salt preserves things. But salt that loses its saltiness is good for nothing. It’s not good for the soil. It’s not even good for the manure pile. It is simply thrown away. And this is a warning to the backslider, the apostate, and the false professor. The person who once made a profession of faith but then afterward turns back from it is like salt that has lost its savor. He is in a most miserable condition, for at one time he knew the truth and claimed to love it, but afterward, he went back to the world.  Hebrews 6:4-6 speaks of the miserable condition of the apostate and says, “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt” (Hebrews 6:4–6).

Conclusion

Count the cost. That is what Christ called the multitude that followed him to do. Christ was not interested in having many followers. He was interested in having sincere and faithful followers though. And the same is true to this present day. Do you wish to follow Jesus? Then count the cost.  “If anyone comes to [him] and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be [his] disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after [him] cannot be [his] disciple” (Luke 14:25–27). Those who do not renounce all they have cannot be a disciple os Jesus (Luke 14:33). Those who love themselves, this world, and the things of this world will surely say, the price is too high! Those whom God has graciously chosen and is calling by his Word and Spirit will say, the price is just right. I’ll gladly suffer the “loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…”

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.