The Recipients of the Gospel (Defining Evangelism)

/ William F. Leonhart III / 1 Comment

You can listen to the audio lesson here.

You can also find the “Working Definition of Evangelism” here.

_______________________

DEFINING EVANGELISM

PART II – THE MESSENGERS AND THE RECIPIENTS

Lesson Five: The Recipients of the Gospel

“So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” (Philippians 2:15; NASB).

 

In the world. When Christians in the West consider the work of evangelism, we often think of it in terms of outreach and church growth. As such, the primary focus is often placed upon getting youth and young adults through the doors of the church. We think of the man-on-the-street style of evangelism that most of us have seen on YouTube and other places. We think of knocking on doors, asking our waiters and waitresses how we might pray for them and leaving them a gospel tract with their tip, and having smoke break, coffee break, and water cooler conversations at work. In other words, our focus in much of our talk of evangelism is outward focused.

Today, I’d like to make the argument that evangelism rightly understood ought to be focused both outside the walls of the church and inside them. First, let us consider those outside the church. These are the most obvious recipients of our evangelistic efforts. It is most clearly modeled for us by the apostles in the Acts of the Apostles. We see not long after Pentecost and the gospel being brought to the Jews that it was soon brought to the Samaritans (Acts 8:1,4-25) and the Gentiles as well (Acts 8:26-38; Acts 10:9-48). This expansion of the kingdom of God beyond the borders of Judea was in keeping with Christ’s words:

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come,” (Mt. 24:14; NASB).

And…

“The gospel must first be preached to all the nations,” (Mk. 13:10; NASB).

As Gentiles living in a predominantly Gentile nation, we must recognize that our mere presence in this land is a fulfillment of Christ’s commission to take the gospel to the nations. When we leave our gatherings on the Lord’s Day and go into our homes, the marketplace, and our workplaces, we are going into the kingdom of man. We are entering the nations and bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations. We are on mission, witnesses of Christ Jesus in our own context.

We see this idea expressed in Luke’s account of the Great Commission. Matthew is not the only apostle to have recorded the Great Commission for us. In Luke’s account, we see a bit more of Christ’s intent for the gospel. In Matthew’s account, Matthew highlights Christ’s command that we go into all nations in order to make disciples. In Luke’s account in Acts, we get a little more specificity.

“7He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth,’” (Acts 1:7-8; NASB).

The church was commissioned not merely to go into every nation, but into “even the remotest part of the earth” in order to make disciples. We see in some denominations today a push to plant churches only in urban centers like Dallas, Chicago, New York, Paris, London, etc. Jesus did not only command that the gospel penetrate the urban centers of the nations in which we sojourn, but that it should be taken even to the remote pioneer locations like West Texas, rural China, the mountains of Chile, and even to tribes whose languages we’ve yet to learn.

Christ taught not to forbid even little children from coming to Him. He likened forbidding a child from coming to Him to forbidding every citizen of His kingdom from doing so, because “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it,” (Mark 10:15; NKJV). All who come to Christ are to believe in Him and trust in Him just like a little child. This is one reason we should not be opposed to properly ordered children’s ministries, like catechism classes, as are some in the church. We must labor to minister the gospel to the children in our midst. This is also why fathers and mothers must preach the gospel to and catechize their children. Do you have children at home? There should be no space in your home where the gospel is not being preached.

Are you the only true Christian, or one of only a few true Christians, in your workplace? You have an opportunity there to help your coworkers to understand the lordship of Jesus Christ over their lives and to, Lord-willing, be used of Him to make disciples in that very particular context. What other contexts might lend themselves to the making of disciples? Local political organizations, college classes, sports teams, scout troops, home school communities, etc. For our context, these are our “remotest parts.” Should the gospel have no representation in them? Should these be considered “safe spaces” from our witness to Christ?

In our midst. Certainly, we are called to make disciples of those who are outside of the church. Our gospel ministry does not stop there, though. We are also called to minister the gospel in our midst. Consider the words of Paul as he instructed the church at Corinth on the topic of Christian liberty.

“19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you,” (1Cor. 9:19-23; NKJV).

Paul did not merely assume that all of his readers, by virtue of the fact that they were members of a local church, were necessarily saved. This is a common mistake we often make in Reformed churches today. We just assume that everyone is already a believer merely because they profess to be so. On the contrary, Paul encouraged the church at Corinth: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified,” (2 Corinthians 13:5; NKJV). He didn’t just assume that they must necessarily be in the faith.

This is the reason why he wrote three entire chapters on the church’s use of Christian liberty. We are to practice our liberty in Christ with joy and liberality, but also with love toward our weaker brothers. If by our lack of caution and concern for our weaker brothers we cause them to stumble, we might also by the same act prove that we were never truly saved. “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified,” (1 Corinthians 9:27; NKJV). Therefore, all of us—teachers and disciples—are called to self-examination. We’re all called to make our calling and election sure.

Knowing that many within the church may not truly be saved, it is incumbent upon the church to minister the gospel on a regular basis. This is also why weekly attendance to the preached word is also important. As we sit under the preached word, we get more and more of a full picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is one of the main reasons why I am no longer convinced that we must have a cookie-cutter, five-minute gospel presentation that we preach every time we talk to our lost friends, acquaintances, and coworkers. Our job is to make disciples (learners), not converts. Whether someone is yet saved or not, if they are regularly sitting under the preaching of Christ, there is a very real, practical sense in which they are disciples. As these disciples sit and add weekly to their understanding of the gospel of Christ, they are also weekly subjecting themselves to the power of God unto salvation.

It’s not just the lost, though, who need to hear the gospel on a regular basis. We each need to be regularly reminded of the law of God, the gospel of Christ, and our need for continued repentance and belief in Him. So the weekly reinforcement of the gospel through the preaching of the word is not just for the benefit of the lost. It is also for the benefit of the saints. Consider the fact that Paul himself calls the Roman church saints (Romans 1:7). It was only a few short sentences later that he tells them that he is “eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome,” (Rom. 1:15; NASB).

Was this because he thought them not to be saved? Surely, based on what we’ve already observed from his letters to the Corinthians, he knew that not all of them were necessarily saved. That was not his primary concern, though. Paul recognized the duel effect of the gospel when preached in the assembly. For the lost, it is the power of God unto regeneration, justification, and adoption into the family of God. For the saints, though, it is the power of God unto sanctification, edification, admonition, and preservation. In both cases, it is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

Also, where the gospel is not regularly preached in the midst of the saints, there is a great danger of a false gospel creeping in. Paul recognized this when he wrote to the churches of Galatia. He assumed that there were faithful ministers still preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, though there were some who were already trying to still them away with a false gospel.

“8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed,” (Gal. 1:8-9; NKJV).

Let us be careful, then, to preach the gospel to all. Whether we are in the church or outside of the church, whether we are talking to a professing Christian or a raging atheist, let us ever have the gospel of Jesus Christ on our lips. Preaching the gospel to all people in all places, then, we will by exhausting all means at our disposal save some.

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 268

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Day 268

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 3.

“….But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the Name of the Son,…”

Scripture Lookup

John 14:13,14

Reflection

All of humanity is called to pray to the true and living God. However, not all of humanity prays in a way that is acceptable to Him. How can we pray in a way that is pleasing to Him? How can we know that our prayers are accepted by Him?

True worship needs to be given through a mediator. Prayer, as a part of natural worship, is also to be given through a mediator. Only One being is capable of being a suitable go-between – Christ Jesus. Thus prayer needs to be directed through the name of Jesus Christ in order to be acceptable to God.

What does it mean to pray in the “Name of” Jesus? Thomas Vincent in his The Shorter Catechism Explained From Scripture wrote:

To pray unto God in the name of Christ, is not barely to mention the name of Christ with our lips in the conclusion, or any part of our prayers; but it is by faith to mention his name, depending upon Christ alone for admittance and access unto God in prayer, for acceptance, audience, and a gracious return unto our prayers.

When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are offering up our praise and petitions based upon the mediatorial work of Jesus. His authority, His place of honor at the right hand of the Father, and His intercession on His people’s behalf all ensure that prayers uttered in His name will be heard and accepted.

Questions to Consider

  • Are you treating Jesus’ intercession lightly in your prayers? Are you even praying in the name of Jesus?

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 267

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Day 267

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 3.

“Prayer with thanksgiving, being one part of natural worship, is by God required of all men….”

Scripture Lookup

Psalm 95:1-7, 65:2

Reflection

“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16, NASB) Prayer is a beautiful offering, a means of praising our God and making our requests known. But what about the prayers of Jane Unbeliever? If they don’t “accomplish much”, and are not part of true worship, should she even bother? As Christians, are we to encourage unbelievers to pray, knowing that they do so incorrectly?

God is to be worshiped by all humanity. He deserves no less than every man, woman, and child love and worship Him with all their heart, soul, and might. Obedience is His due. Not only is He to be obeyed in His law regarding how we treat one another, He is to be obeyed in His commands regarding worship. In the same way that Christians and non-Christians alike are commanded to not steal, both groups are commanded to worship God correctly. Prayer is part of that true worship.

The American holiday of Thanksgiving will be held in a couple months. Millions of people, many unbelievers, will stop their daily routines to “give thanks,” not knowing or caring to whom they give their thanks. Rather than discouraging such behavior, we should encourage it, using the opportunity to point to the true God who deserves to be worshiped. Cringe-worthy as it might be to hear prayers that are spoken by known unbelievers, they are still required by God to do so. May we be bold in pointing them to the Mediator who can make their prayers acceptable.

Questions to Consider

  • Should anyone be discouraged from praying?

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 266

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Day 266

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“…nor in the Mediation of any other but Christ alone.”

Scripture Lookup

1 Timothy 2:5

Reflection

True worship of God requires a mediator. We are not righteous on our own, and cannot approach God in our sinful state. Attempts to worship Him on our own results in disaster.

Thankfully, God has been pleased to provide a mediator for His people. Jesus, the Son of God become flesh, has become the mediator between God and men. Being a man, He can sympathize with our weaknesses, yet He can also approach God, for He is without sin. As God, He can offer endure the punishment due to sinners, so that His sacrifice on our behalf is accepted. With His righteousness imputed to us, the barriers that impede our worshiping God in spirit and in truth are broken. Christians are freed in Christ to worship God rightly.

No other being can serve as mediator between God and man. Jesus alone can successfully intercede for us. Who else can do what He does? Who else has such credentials, in who else does “the fullness of deity dwell” (Colossians 2:9)? Who else has perfectly fulfilled the Law? Who else bore the punishment due us? Who else has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven? Who else has revealed our need for a savior, intercedes at God’s right hand for the elect, and rules and preserves His people?

There truly is no other name under heaven by which men and women must be saved. To worship God the way He has commanded, we must go through the perfect mediator, Christ Jesus. Solus Christus: Christ Alone.

Questions to Consider

  • Is there any need for other mediators beside Jesus? What about “co-mediators”? Why would any other mediator be an affront to God?

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 265

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Day 265

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“…and since the fall, not without a Mediator,…”

Scripture Lookup

John 14:6

Reflection

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)

 

“God is my co-pilot.”

“God is my best friend.”

Many people in today’s culture treat God as if He were their #1 fan. According to them, He’s always there to tell you how awesome you’re doing, how pretty you look, and how blessed you are. You and He are best buds, and you can ring Him up whenever you need to. Repentance? Awe? Not needed with God, so goes the popular thinking. He can be worshiped face-to-face. Such a view distorts God and ignores His holiness.

In order for God to be worshiped rightly, such worship must be done through a mediator. Before the Fall, Adam and Eve had unfettered access to God. They could commune with Him because they had not sinned. However, when they chose to transgress God’s command, they plummeted all of humanity into a life of sin and misery. The corruption that each one of us born by ordinary means is a chain that keeps us from freely communing with God. In order to hold an audience with the holy God, we must go through a mediator, someone who intercedes on our behalf.

Knowing that true worship must be through a mediator reminds us of our sinful condition. Humbly do we remember that we are not worthy of approaching Him, and gratefully acknowledge the work of the mediator on our behalf. As Christians, we can run boldly to the throne of grace. But only because of the High Priest who intercedes on our behalf.

…we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,… – Hebrews 4:14 (NASB)

Questions to Consider

  • Have you ever considered that true worship necessitates a mediator?

 

A Whole Church Endeavor (Defining Evangelism)

/ William F. Leonhart III / 2 Comments

You can listen to the audio lesson here.

You can also find the “Working Definition of Evangelism” here.

_______________________

 

DEFINING EVANGELISM

PART II – THE MESSENGERS AND THE RECIPIENTS

Lesson Four: A Whole Church Endeavor

“so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,’” (Philippians 2:15; NASB).

 

An endeavor. Making disciples from every nation is not something that happens by osmosis. It takes work on the part of the church. It’s something we pursue as a church, not merely something we hope will happen. It is an endeavor that starts with our view of Christ.

If we do not already have a high view of Christ in our everyday lives, we will not seek to bring His gospel to the world. We must, then, work to sanctify Christ—set Him apart as precious and holy—in every aspect of our lives. Only then will we as a church truly desire to commit ourselves to the work of evangelism in our community.

“but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence,” (1 Peter 3:15; NASB).

As the Apostle Peter wrote, one of the effects of sanctifying Christ in our hearts will be that we will be always ready to make a defense to everyone who asks us to give an account for our hope. Another effect will be that our defense will be with gentleness and reverence. We will recognize that it is not our message, but the message of God Himself.

As such, we will not seek our own ends in the methods and message we use, but we will seek His ends. We will be careful with how we handle the gospel of Christ, because it is not our gospel. It is rather like a car we have borrowed or a home we’re watching for a friend. As we handle it in the world, we will handle it with great care and great reverence, because it is not our own.

Another motivating factor that will drive us to our rightful duty of evangelism is the recognition that the world is a dark place. As we look around this world, even in our own nation, we see such deep darkness and misery. We see the depths of depravity, and how man’s heart is only, continually turned against God.

Seeing this great problem in our world should not drive us merely to social justice or political solutions. The problem of pain and of evil should drive us to shine our lights even greater in this dark and fallen world. It should not cause us so much to see solutions in activism or the promotion of this political candidate or another. Rather, it should cause us to recall the pure light of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fact that we have been called to reflect that light.

“14Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain,” (Philippians 2:14-16; NASB).

We have been shown great mercy in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been granted the very word of life! As we hold forth that great word of life in this world, we hold forth a light that pierces the darkness and, where the light shines, no darkness can remain.

We know that “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more,” (Luke 12:48; NASB). We who have been granted much light are expected to shed much light into the darkness of our fallen world. Consider then how dreadful a thing it is that many churches that enjoy a high theology of God and sit under such a wealth of biblical preaching would be called “the frozen chosen.”

Our endeavors to make disciples then are not for the sake of achieving a closer relationship and more accurate view of God. Instead, they should spring from having received such a pure light. The Calvinist rightly decries the non-Calvinist who thinks he is earning anything from God for all the work he does. However, because the Calvinist recognizes Christ has already earned everything he needs from God, it should find all the more joy in his labors for Christ!

A whole-church endeavor. There has long been much debate over who is responsible to accomplish the work of evangelism in the life of the church. The short answer with which most can agree is that it is the endeavor of the whole church. Some might say that every member has a responsibility to do evangelism in much the same way as everyone else. Others might say that, with the support of the whole church, the officers and a few other chosen men are to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility of evangelism.

While both of these views would agree that evangelism is the endeavor of the whole church, I would disagree with both of these extremes. The Bible nowhere offers one cookie-cutter approach to evangelism or, much less, commands that everyone follow such a cookie-cutter approach. Nor does the Bible anywhere restrict the work of evangelism to a select group of ordained or recognized men within the church.

What we see instead is that every member within the church of Christ is called to be about the spread of the kingdom of Christ. For some this will mean a much more overt, visible teaching labor than for others. Some are called to go into the highways and byways and preach the gospel of Christ. These are the men that Paul means when he says that some must be sent.

“And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!’” (Romans 10:15; NKJV).

There is great wisdom in churches coming together under the direction of the elders to recognize godly men who are suited for the work of pulpit preaching, street preaching, teaching from house to house, teaching Sunday Schools, etc. As the preaching, teaching, and evangelism ministry of church elders allow, other godly men will arise who demonstrate the willingness, qualification, and ability to join and support them in their efforts. The Baptist Confession makes specific mention of such men.

“Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching the word, by way of office, yet the work of preaching the word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to perform it,” (The Baptist Confession, 26.11).

Were the work of evangelism to be so narrowly defined as to only include that public teaching and preaching marked by the above definitions, we might be inclined to agree with those who say that all men must be recognized by the church in order to do evangelism. However, the work of evangelism is much more thorough than just the public ministries of teaching and preaching. Under this definition, workplace conversations, family worship, a mother catechizing her children, and discussions in the marketplace would all be considered something other than evangelism.

Used in its most general sense, evangelism is simply gospel preaching. That is what is meant in the biblical use of the term. When Paul told the church in Rome that he wished to “preach the gospel” to them (Romans 1:15), he used one word for “preach the gospel”: εὐαγγελίζω. He did not mean in the sense of making converts, but rather in sense of continuing the work of discipleship among them.

Christian discipleship is rooted in the gospel. In that sense, all who endeavor to aid in the work of discipleship are aiding also in the work of evangelism. For Christians who are hearing the gospel for the thousandth time, the work of the gospel on their hearts is be the power of God unto their sanctification, drawing them afresh to the bosom of Christ. For those who have yet to draw near to Christ in true discipleship, the gospel will hopefully be the power of God unto their regeneration, justification, and adoption into the family of God.

For this reason, sermons, Sunday School lessons, workplace conversations, family worship, daily instruction of children, etc., ought always to be done with a view toward supporting the gospel of Jesus Christ. They will not always overtly hit on the exact same elements of the gospel of Christ, but they must be conducted in such a way that they do no injustice to the true gospel of God. The whole life of the Christian, then, will be seen as a life lived in support of evangelism.

This evangelistic life should impact every aspect of how we view church. When pastors come to the pulpit, they should be mindful that the people need to be hearing the preached gospel and learning how to convey that same gospel. The people also, as active listeners, should come ready to learn how to take they gospel they are receiving and convey it to the lost and dying world in which they sojourn. For this reason, Christ gave pastors and teachers to the church: “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:12; NASB).

Teaching Obedience to Christ’s Commands (Defining Evangelism)

/ William F. Leonhart III / 1 Comment

You can listen to the audio lesson here.

You can also find the “Working Definition of Evangelism” here.

_______________________

 

DEFINING EVANGELISM

PART I – THE GREAT COMMISSION

Lesson Three: Teaching Obedience to Christ’s Commands

“ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you [a]always, even to the end of the age,’” (Matthew 28:20; NASB).

 

Defining a disciple. What is it to be a disciple. Discipleship means learning. That’s what the term in the Greek means: “to learn.” Christian disciples are first and foremost disciples of Christ. They will have to answer directly to Him on the day of judgment. However, they will not be the only ones answering for their souls. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews was very clear that teachers, too, will have to give an account for every soul they have been commissioned to teach.

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you,” (Hebrews 13:17; NASB).

This was the practice of the early church. They gave themselves regularly to the teaching of the apostles (Acts 2:42). Teaching was so paramount in the early church that the apostles even requested that men be set aside from the church to aid in the administrative matters of the church so that they could more fervently devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:1-5). This is a vital role within the church. Deacons are necessary for the freeing up of elders for prayer and the ministry of the word, and as the word is preached, new disciples find their place in the economy of Christ as true, teachable disciples.

When Christ makes disciples, He does not leave them as orphans. Rather, He gives them the Holy Spirit as a Helper, a Comforter, and an Advocate. When Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father, He sent the Spirit to us to guide us into all truth (John 14:16-26; 16:5-15). This same Spirit gives gifts to the church that are necessary for her unity in the faith (Romans 12:3-8).

Christ told His disciples on the night in which He was betrayed that it was for their benefit that He go. Why? In the giving of His Spirit, He was also giving godly men to the church for their preservation in the unity of the faith. He was giving them, and all subsequent teachers, to the church for her edification, refreshment, admonition, exhortation, and sanctification. The Spirit of God does His work primarily through the teaching ministry of the church.

“7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,

‘When He ascended on high,

He led captive a host of captives,

And He gave gifts to men.’

9(Now this expression, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) 11And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:7-13; NASB).

If a disciple is one who learns, then what is a disciple of Christ? What kind of disciples are we to be seeking to “make”? A disciple of Christ is one who submits to the teachings of Christ in His present teaching ministry, and Christ presently teaches through the teachers He has given the church through the Spirit.

What are disciples to be taught? Disciples are those who are to be taught to obey all that Christ commanded. They are not mere converts left to their own devices with no expectation of growth in holiness. They are meant to be brought into the church and taught the statutes of Christ. It is through the preaching and teaching ministry of the church, then, that we come under subjection to Christ. Outside the auspices of the local church, then, growth in godliness is not to be expected.

 “The bottom line is that God has designed the church to be the context in which we move from sinfulness to holiness. Attempting to grow in Christ outside of the church is like trying to learn to swim without ever getting into the pool!” (Mack and Swavely, Life in the Father’s House, pg. 29).

Consider then what a horrible thing it is to assure someone of his or her salvation outside of regular attendance to the preaching and teaching of the church. To offer a person such assurance is like assuring a blind man that he is in no danger as he walks toward a 500-foot cliff. Such assurance would be terribly unloving. Yet, this type of assurance is offered regularly by well-meaning Christians in the name of evangelism.

Disciples, then, are to be taught two main things:

“what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man,” (The Baptist Catechism of 1693, Q.6).

This means that the disciple is to be trained thoroughly both in right doctrine and in right practice, orthodoxy and orthopraxy. We are to believe what God has said about Himself and, at the same time, walk in accordance with that belief. The word of God has given us sufficient testimony to both. As such, the role of the church in the life of the new disciple is to be one of pointing him or her to the word of God.

This is not just the job of the pastor in the pulpit. Other Christians are to be committed to the task of training up the new disciple in what we ought to believe concerning God and what He requires of us. The pastor cannot be everywhere at once. The whole church is required for the teaching of new disciples.

A further requirement for disciples is that they be teachable. After all, that is what a disciple is: a learner. The moment a disciples ceases to learn in accordance with Christ’s ordained means, he ceases to be a disciple of Christ. We must labor, then, to remain teachable at every turn of our Christian lives.

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 264

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Day 264

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“…not to Angels, Saints, or any other Creatures;…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 1:25

Colossians 2:18

Revelation 19:10

Reflection

Angel statues, angel art prints, “Angels in the Outfield”, “Touched By An Angel”…angels are quite popular.  Are they worshiped? You don’t see many church buildings devoted to bowing down before angels. Yes, people might pray to angels and seek their help, but is that actually worship? Look at this prayer I remember reciting from my Roman Catholic childhood:

“Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this might, be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and guide.”

This prayer calls upon the angel to rule and guide the supplicant. Isn’t that the work of God alone? This prayer is an act of worship.

Spiritual beings are being feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served by many who deny they are worshiping them. Yet they are giving angels the the glory that is due God alone. The same goes for saints. Stories of miraculous men and women who forsook all for the sake of piety, who supposedly have the ability to help us from heaven. Once again, they are called upon, trusted in, and given the glory that is God’s alone. Such worship of angels, saints, or any other creature is repugnant to Him. “My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:11, NASB)

God alone is to be worshiped. He makes that very clear in Scripture: “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:5, NASB) Worship is not to be given to angels, saints, or any other creature. As followers of the true and living God, we should guard God’s honor and not let it be given to another. To God alone be the glory!

Questions to Consider

  • Is “venerating” a creature the same as worshiping them? How would you respond to someone who says they don’t worship a creature because they don’t bow down to it?

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 263

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Day 263

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone;…”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 4:9,10

John 5:23

Matthew 28:19

Reflection

God alone is to be worshiped. Pretty simple, right? Why would anyone disagree about that?

A popular view of God is that He loves everybody and is super forgiving, bending over backwards to affirm you and be there for you. With such a view of God, it becomes easy to move to the logical next step, which is allowing other things to be worshiped. Since God is loving and forgiving, why would He be upset with other things getting praise and adoration? Aren’t we supposed to build up, not tear down?

Such a view distorts the true God, the God who has revealed Himself through creation and Scripture. God is love, that is correct, and He is most gracious and merciful. But He is also good and holy. Allowing glory to be given to another when it is due Him alone is not right. God cannot do wrong, so He naturally demands that He only be worshiped. “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8, NASB)

Not only is God to be the sole object of worship, all three persons of the Godhead are to be worshiped. This is why Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other trinity-denying groups are not considered Christians. Decry the divinity of Christ or the Spirit, deny that the Father continually exists with the Son and Spirit, and you are worshiping a completely different god than the One who has breathed out the Scriptures.

Do we as believers worship all three persons of the Trinity? In theory we do, but how does that play out practically? Do we acknowledge all three in their respective roles regarding salvation? Do we place greater emphasis on one over another in our prayers? If we are to fear, love, praise, call upon, trust in, and serve the Triune God, let us make sure that we do so, not neglecting any member of the Trinity.

Questions to Consider

  • Do you tend to acknowledge one person of the Trinity over another?

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 262

/ Reformed Baptista / Leave a comment

Day 262

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 1.

“… and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be Worshipped according to the imaginations, and devices of Men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.”

Scripture Lookup

Exodus 20:4-6

Reflection

How are we to worship the true and living God?

I cannot choose my own method of worshiping Him. Setting the terms of how He is to be worshiped is akin to insubordination: “Oh, yes, God, You’ve said how to worship You in Your Word, but I think this will work better so…”  If He is truly to be feared, loved, obeyed and praised, than the right to determine how these acts are to be performed rests solely with Him.

Humanity – even redeemed humanity – cannot be the final authority on how to worship God. Such ideas originate with men, not God. How can such services, then, be forced onto believers? Christians are free from following the doctrine and commandments of men, and churches should take heed they do not bind a believer’s conscience. When churches have “Children’s Sunday” with lots of cute kids but no sermon; when a “message” includes playing clips from popular movies; when time is set aside during the service to light candles, all these are not methods of worship given by God. Such sights, smells, and sounds not prescribed by Him tend instead to draw focus away from the very God they are supposed to glorify!

God sets the terms of how He is to be worshiped. Through Scripture alone the elements of true worship are revealed. When we follow God’s instructions regarding worship, we know with certainty that our worship is acceptable to Him.

Questions to Consider

  • Can you think of some elements of worship in churches today that are not what God has prescribed?