I would love yet to say good morning to you. Good morning. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in Ephesians chapter 4.
We're going to continue this morning, week three of four, on a series on authority.
And as I've done the last two weeks, and probably will do every time we teach something topical, I just want to warn you to be extra discerning as we open up the Bible in this way.
It's good. It's really valuable for us to take up topics from time to time and think about broadly what the Bible has to say about a particular thing.
But we must be cautious as we do it. We want to be so careful that we don't read into the text what we want it to say, but rather that the Bible itself communicates to us about a topic.
So, we've been working on this issue of authority, and I told you before that we're doing this largely because the congregation, a number of you were asking for us to teach more about congregationalism.
For us to help you wrap your minds around what the Bible has to say about such a thing.
I worry about sermons like this. I've been thankful that some of you have expressed encouragement across the past two weeks.
But it can feel a little bit just like the mechanics of things.
Like, why does this matter for us?
But this one perhaps matters most readily as we think about the responsibility of the church, the authority the church has, and more specifically, the congregation.
So, what does it mean to be a congregationalist?
We are a congregationalist congregation.
What are the responsibilities held by the congregation, and therefore, what authority does the congregation have?
These are important questions for us to ask and answer if we're going to be a healthy church.
So, I hope that our time together this morning will help us all have clear answers to those questions in our minds.
Now, before we delve into congregationalism and look at Ephesians chapter 4,
I need to remind you that I have made eight overarching biblical assertions in our study so far.
And so, you'll do well to listen to the previous recordings of the sermons if you weren't with us.
But I quickly want to give them to you because they're important as framework, especially if you haven't been with us so far.
So, number one, God's authority is innate.
That means it belongs to him, and nobody gave it to him, right?
He is the ultimate authority figure because he is God.
And that authority is final because he is God.
He is the highest of authority.
And if he wasn't, he wouldn't be God.
Secondly, God's authority is necessarily good, whether we recognize it or experience it to be good.
It's necessarily good because he is good, right?
He's 100% good all the time.
And so, his authority is necessarily good.
Thirdly, humankind has an authority problem.
We just generally don't seem to like it.
We've experienced a lot of misplaced and misspent authority.
We have good reason to be suspect of authority.
But at our very core, our sinful nature wants to reject authority, authority of God's making.
So, humankind has an authority problem, and we do well to remember that as we come to the issue and think about authority.
Number four, we are delegated authority.
Part of the way God works his authority in the world is through delegated authority.
And that delegated authority always has limits and is always subservient to the one who delegated it.
It's been given parameters, that authority, and therefore, it is subservient to the higher authority of the one who granted it, which is God.
Number five, when a person or institution takes up a responsibility not granted to them,
or exercise an authority granted to them in a way not granted to them,
it is, at best, ineffective.
It is, at worst, abusive.
Right?
So, we want to be clear on our categories.
What authorities have been given to whom, and how should that authority be exercised?
Sixth, the aim of exercising authority, and this is, I stole this from Jonathan Lehman's book on authority.
This is his subtitle.
In submission to God's good authority, it's for the sake of protecting the vulnerable,
strengthening our communities, and promoting human flourishing.
Right?
So, it has good purpose in mind.
Godly authority exercised properly is for the good of people.
Number seven, God delegates his authority through three institutions and six positions.
Because I've talked about these now for two weeks, I'm going to breeze through them fairly quickly.
But we see in the Bible three institutions.
We see the family, we see the church, and we see the government.
Okay?
The family, the church, and the government.
And within those institutions, there are positions.
So, in the family, we have the role of husband and the role of parent.
So, both have granted authority.
In the church, we see the role of elder, the position of elder, and the position of congregation.
So, all of us as a whole, together, has an authority.
In the government, we have various offices, kings, governors, judges, citizens, etc.
And then an extra institutional, unless you are employed by the church or government, we have the position of employer, boss, manager, etc.
There are commands and authorities given there as well.
Within, number eight, within these three institutions and six positions, there is granted two types of authority.
Number one, there is the authority of command or coercion, which is the power to make someone do something by force.
It possesses the right of corrective discipline.
And I have spoken to you about how those institutions we see in the Scripture, a tool is given to each one of them.
For the family, it is the rod.
For the church, it is the keys.
And for the government, it is the sword.
And that's this authority of command or coercion.
And so we want to think about that authority and how it applies to each of those institutions.
Today, to the church and the congregation.
Secondly, we see the authority of counsel or persuasion.
The power to convince someone to do something.
Now, we can only call this authority or power if it has some measure of bearing on you.
Unlike the advice you might receive from a friend, the authority of counsel has weight.
There's actually an authority behind it.
And an example which we considered at length last week is the authority of counsel that an elder holds.
We argue that an elder does not have the power of coercion or command, but rather the authority of counsel or persuasion.
But there is an authority there because the author of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 17,
this is just the beginning of that verse, says,
Obey your leaders and submit to them.
For they are keeping watch over your souls as those who have to give an account.
And so, last week I asked the question,
To what extent is the author of Hebrews expecting his hearers to obey and submit to their leaders?
Certainly not outside the bounds of the Bible, but if he only intends to have them obey and submit to the Bible,
why not just say that?
As they exercise this authority of counsel,
why not just say,
When they teach you the Bible, in the way you want the Bible taught, then you should listen to them.
He doesn't say that.
He says you should obey and submit to them.
And the reason I presented to you is because there are matters of application of the Bible,
gray areas that require careful navigation and decisions that must be made.
So, I suggested to you that elders of a church possess authority in matters of prudence,
careful, wise application of the Bible in a particular circumstance,
and in matters of preference.
All the particulars, the so many things that need to be decided in the life of a church.
And my example was what time a meeting begins.
While we might care, we do, about your input and want to receive feedback,
we still just have to make a decision at some point about what we think is the best time.
Beloved, you don't want pure democracy in the life of our church.
There is not enough time in your day for us to have the number of meetings we would have to have.
You likely have no idea all of the details that have to be decided
and all of the counsel that needs to be given.
And you may think, well, I don't want to help decide everything.
I just want to help decide the significant things.
But what constitutes significant?
And who decides what or when something is significant?
If we were to operate this way, the whole matter would be just a mess.
Recall the assertion I made previously,
when a person or institution takes up a responsibility not granted to them
or exercise an authority granted to them in a way not granted to them,
it is at best ineffective.
It is at worst abusive.
And I know that none of us want to be abusive.
Certainly we don't want to be ineffective.
But I think that's where we find ourselves
if we're not clear about how the church should function.
So, our church believes that the most biblically faithful form of polity or governance
is what is often called elder-led congregationalism.
That's the term that we pick up and use.
Elder-led congregationalism.
And we can see both of these authoritative roles
in our starting text for today's study.
So join me in Ephesians chapter 4.
And we'll begin in verse 11 and read through verse 16.
And he, being Christ, gave the apostles, the prophets,
the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers
to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to mature manhood,
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves
and carried about by every wind of doctrine,
by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Rather, speaking the truth in love,
we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head,
into Christ,
from whom the whole body,
joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped,
when each part is working properly,
makes the body grow
so that it builds itself up
in love.
This is a really important text.
It's a paramount text
for us to understand
how it is that the church
is meant to function.
In fact, I just wanted to show you,
you may note that in my Bible,
if you can see this,
this is the page that is most likely to fall out first
in this particular copy
because I go to this text quite often.
This text begins with Jesus Christ
giving gifts to the church.
You see this in verse 11.
We see the apostles,
the prophets,
the evangelists,
the shepherds,
and teachers.
Now, first I want to say,
there's a lot of debate
about what these gifts are
and how they functioned
and or function now.
So I just want to give you a brief aside
as I don't intend for this
to be an exhaustive exposition
of this passage.
Remember, we're really talking about
elder-led congregationalism.
That's the focus.
But I think it's helpful for us
to see this just for a moment.
I believe that the apostles and prophets
that Paul is referring to
were modern apostles and prophets
of his day,
not today,
but of his day,
who were in the process
of writing the New Testament
and the Old Testament prophets
as the books of the Old Testament
were often referred to
as the prophets.
Additionally,
if you look back a bit
at Ephesians chapter 2,
verse 19 and 20,
there Paul says this,
So then you are no longer
strangers and aliens,
but you are fellow citizens
with the saints
and members
of the household of God,
built on the foundation
of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus himself
being the cornerstone.
So, in their day,
he's writing to the Ephesian Christians.
I think he's saying,
he's referring back to the prophets,
the books you already have,
as well as this new teaching
that's being brought to you
by the apostles, right?
So, we have today
the very same foundation
for the church,
the apostles and the prophets.
I think what he's referring to
in chapter 4 and verse 11,
for us,
are the Old and New Testaments.
I think that's what he's talking about
when he says the apostles
and the prophets.
We have the scripture.
And we should not belittle that, right?
That's not a light thing to have, right?
But as I believe Paul is doing,
we should magnify it
as a gift to the church.
So, Christ gave to us
the scriptures
and the evangelists
and the shepherds and teachers.
Many of you are using
the same translation that I do
to preach from the ESV.
And you may note
that each of these roles
are separated
by a comma.
But not shepherds
or you could think
pastors here
and teachers.
Not pastors
or shepherds and teachers.
We know that ancient Greek
did not have equivalent punctuation
to our English,
so this was a
translative decision.
The translators decided
where they wanted
to place those commas.
And I am happy to say
that the ESV translators
are not anti-Oxford comma.
If you are anti-Oxford comma,
I would like to have
a conversation with you later.
I think they liked
the Oxford comma
and they left it out
intentionally
because the Greek word
translated and
can also be translated
that is
or in particular.
So it could read
shepherds,
that is teachers,
or shepherds
in particular teachers,
which is a little clunky
in the English,
but does give us
a better idea
of who these men are.
So they merely
leave it out.
Shepherds
and teachers.
Many simply say
that this could
have been translated
shepherd teachers
or pastor teachers
and we also understand
these men
to be elders.
We have further evidence
that this is Paul's meaning
when he writes to Timothy
in 1 Timothy chapter 5
and verse 17.
There he says,
let the elders
who rule well
be considered worthy
of double honor,
especially those
who labor
in preaching
and teaching.
He ties those activities
together
to the elder,
the overseer.
So evangelists
and elders
are gifts given
to the church.
They employ the Bible,
but for what reason?
And verse 12 tells us
to equip the saints
for the work of ministry,
for building up
the body of Christ.
Now, once again,
we have a translative
decision being made
because there are
some commas
placed in verse 12.
In the translation
I'm using,
there's a comma
right after the word
ministry
and there's a comma
right after Christ.
Some, though,
have translated this
and put a comma
after the word
saints.
So,
to equip the saints,
comma,
for the work of ministry,
comma,
for building up
the body of Christ.
And if you could just think,
put on some grammar minds
for just a moment
and think behind saints.
who is doing
the work of ministry
if we put a comma
behind saints?
It's evangelists
and shepherd teachers.
However,
if you exclude it,
the job of those evangelists
and shepherd teachers
is to equip the saints
for the work of ministry
and what follows
at the end of the verse
for building up
the body of Christ
is the point
of that very ministry.
It's modifying
that idea.
What is the work of ministry?
It is the building up
of the body
of Christ.
And so you would think,
well then,
how do we know?
How are we to know?
Well, the text gives us
some really great clues.
I think contextually,
it's responsible
to leave out
that comma
after saints.
So let me read it again
quickly to you
and just point those things
out to you.
How do we know
that the evangelist
and the shepherd teacher
employing the scripture
is meant
to train the church
for the work of ministry,
for this building up.
Right?
We see it starting
in verse 13.
Until,
we're being built up,
until we all attain
to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge
of the Son of God
to mature manhood
to the measure
of the stature
of the fullness
of Christ
so that we may
no longer be children
tossed to and fro
by the waves
and carried about
by every wind of doctrine,
by human cunning,
by craftiness
and deceitful schemes.
Okay?
So we don't want
to be these
immature Christians.
We want to be
mature Christians
able to stand up
to the counter-truth.
Rather,
speaking the truth
in love,
we are to grow up
in every way
into Him
who is the head,
into Christ.
All of us
speaking the truth
in love,
all of us
growing.
And if you're not
with me yet,
verse 16 says,
from whom
the whole body,
Christ being the head,
joined and held together
by every joint
with which it is equipped,
when each part
is working properly,
makes the body grow
so that it builds
itself up
in love.
Right?
That's the work
of ministry
that all of us
together
are ministering
the gospel
to all of us
together
so that all of us
together
grow into this maturity.
I hope you can
see that.
Right?
To equip the saints
for the work
of ministry,
for building up
the body
of Christ.
So as a
member of this church,
you have a role
in this church.
You're not
a consumer.
You don't just come
and get served.
You are meant
to also
serve others
to this
great end.
So elders
lead by
teaching
in word
and in deed,
giving theological
foundation
and exampled
application
so that the church
as a whole
does this
work of ministry,
this building up
of the body
of Christ.
It also bears
saying that the
evangelists
share the gospel,
that the church
would increase
through conversions,
and that the church
as a whole
would share the gospel
for that same
end.
Now I said,
we can see both
of these authoritative
roles in our
starting text
for today's study.
I hope that I've
sufficiently shown you
the authority
of counsel
that an elder holds
in such a way
that you can see
the same authority
here,
this persuasive
authority.
But what about
the congregation?
What about the congregation?
The congregation
or the church
as a whole
is doing
two things
in this text.
We see them
firstly,
teaching the truth.
They're teaching.
They're teaching
one another
the truth.
Verse 13 and 14,
until we all
attain the unity
of the faith
and the knowledge
of the Son of God
to mature manhood
to the measure
of the stature
of the fullness
of Christ
so that we're
no longer children
tossed to and fro
by the waves
and carried about
by every wind
of doctrine,
by human cunning,
by craftiness
and deceitful schemes.
And beloved,
there is so much
out there
pressing at our
thinking from
every single direction,
maybe more
than in any other
generation
because we have
the internet.
If you ask me
if there's one thing
I could do
to bring about
maturity in my church,
I think I would say
let's destroy
the internet.
I don't think
it's been a net
positive for
the life of the church.
And you perhaps
yourself have felt that
and maybe you've seen
others tossed around.
They hear a thing
and it sounds good
until they hear
another thing
that sounds good
and those two things
may run in direct
contradiction
to each other
and we should be people
who are so founded
in God's word
that we can discern
all of that stuff
that comes at us
in the world around us.
The enemy
is seeking
to erode
the foundation
of our faith.
Human cunning,
craftiness
in deceitful schemes.
And so
we have to speak
the truth
to one another.
And while
the preaching
of God's word
on the Lord's day
is extremely important
to the life
of a church,
it's of major importance.
It is the broadest
discipling
that we can do
as a church.
All of the little
day-to-day stuff
also matters.
It all needs
to be happening
all the time
if we're to stand
against these waves
that will come
our way.
So we see
the congregation
having been equipped
to do it,
turning around
and doing
that very same thing,
teaching the truth.
We also see
them applying
the truth.
Verse 15 to 16,
speaking the truth
in love.
We're to grow up
in every way
into him
who is the head.
We're to learn
what it means
to be a follower
of Jesus Christ.
Right?
Not just in the gray matter
between our ears,
but in everything
that we do.
From whom
the whole body
joined and held together
by every joint
with which
it is equipped.
He's talking about
you and me there.
Every joint
with which
it is equipped.
The whole body
held together
when each part
is working
properly
makes the body
grow
so it builds
itself up
in love.
I mean,
there's just
limitless activity
packed within
verse 16.
All of the varied
ways that God
calls us
to love
and serve
one another.
So there's a teaching
of the truth
and there is
an implying
of the truth.
the congregation,
the church
as a whole,
is responsible
for discipling
and they are
responsible
for doctrine.
This is that
work of ministry,
building up
the body of Christ.
I have told you
that the congregation
has the authority
of command
or coercion
and I have told you
that God delegates
authority
and that it always
has limits
and is always
subservient
to the one
who delegated it.
So I want to
take you
to some other
text to show
you that the
two areas
that the congregation
holds authority
in are discipline
and doctrine.
Let's think a bit
together about
those two
and specifically
how we're meant
to carry them
out.
Now,
if you've ever
heard me talk
about ecclesiology
at all,
you've heard me
say this stuff,
but nonetheless,
let's be reminded
together.
So that first
responsibility
of discipling,
turn with me
to the book
of Matthew.
Let's start
in chapter 28
and verse 18.
Three verses
you may be
familiar with.
Make the point
clear for us.
And Jesus came
and said to them,
and I like that
the word authority
is here,
all authority
in heaven and on earth
has been given
to me.
Go therefore,
and he doesn't say
I'm granting you
authority to go,
but he is in fact
sending us
and we find
elsewhere that
there's an authority
that goes with us.
Go therefore
and make disciples
of all nations.
In all of your going,
be about this work
of teaching people
how they're to
follow me.
Baptizing them,
there we see the church
at work in the ordinance
of baptism in the name
of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Teaching them
to observe
all that I have
commanded you,
to know it
and to live it
and behold,
I'm with you
always
to the end
of the age.
So at the very outset
we can see
that the authority
that we have
has been granted
to us
and it
accompanies
us.
Jesus' power
goes with
us
when we go about
this work
of discipling.
But there's a way
that we are to go
about this
work.
There's a process
by which we are
to teach people
how to follow
Christ.
And I will say
to you
that this happens
most readily
in the life
of a local
congregation.
I got in a
friendly conversation
with one of our
campus ministry
directors
and what I was
trying to say
to him
was he was
stepping out of bounds
for what a campus
minister can really
accomplish.
And I was saying
this as a kindness
to him.
He was overwhelmed
with the work
that he had
on his plate.
He had way
too much
going on.
So I was trying
to get him
to dial back
how much
he felt like
he needed
to disciple
college students.
And I was making
the case to him
you need to help
them be involved
in a local church.
This would be
the best thing
for those young
people.
And he just
didn't seem
to quite get it.
And so I made
the case to him
I said I'm not
saying that I
personally
can be a more
effective minister
of the gospel
than you can be
a minister
of the gospel.
In fact this
man had much
more training
than I do.
But I said
there's no
authority given
to the campus
ministry
to disciple
young people.
The church
has that
authority
to correct
the sin
in young people's
lives.
and his
response to me
which was
just heartbreaking
a Southern
Baptist
Seminary
educated
young man
said well
you're going
to tend
to disciple
with discipline.
Yep
those words
are the same.
He said
we're going
to tend
to disciple
with grace.
And it was
such a shocking
statement to me
that I just
kind of crumbled
inside.
I didn't even
know really
how to unpack
such a
statement.
And it was
just so clear
that he
misunderstood
who has
been granted
the authority
to teach
all that I've
commanded.
To help
these people
to observe
all of those
things.
So let me
show you this
further.
Back up a few
pages to
Matthew chapter
16.
I'll begin
reading in
verse 13.
Here we see
Jesus ask
a question.
Verse 13
says when
Jesus came
into the
district of
Caesarea
Philippi he
asked his
disciples who
do people
say that
the son of
man is?
And they
said some
say John
the Baptist
others say
Elijah and
others Jeremiah
or one of
the prophets.
He said to
them but who
do you say
that I am?
Simon Peter
replied you
are the
Christ the
son of the
living God.
Jesus answered
him blessed
are you Simon
Barjona for
flesh and
blood has
not revealed
this to
you but
my father
who is in
heaven.
And I tell
you you are
Peter and
on this rock
he's playing
with the
meaning of
the word
Peter but
I think he's
referring to
the thing
that Peter
has proclaimed
that he's
the Christ.
I will
build my
church and
the gates
of hell
shall not
prevail against
it.
You're probably
familiar with
that text but
what does
verse 19
say?
Something
curious.
He says I
will give
you the keys
of the kingdom
of heaven
and whatever
you bind on
earth shall
be bound
in heaven
and whatever
you loose
on earth
shall be
loosed in
heaven.
So there's
that tool
that I
mentioned
previously
that's given
to the
church and
I'm arguing
that that's
the church
as a whole
as a
congregation
is given
these keys
and we're
meant to be
doing a
work of
binding and
a work of
loosing.
But it
doesn't seem
to explain
what that is
in Matthew
chapter 16.
And because
we often
read the
Bible far
too piecemeal
we are just
left shrugging
our shoulders.
What in the
world is he
talking about?
Keys?
Binding?
Loosing?
What?
Well, a few
short chapters
later in
Matthew
chapter 18
we learn
exactly what
he's talking
about.
So turn
there.
Matthew
18.
I'll begin
reading in
verse 15.
Before I
read this I
want to say
this is a
picture of
discipling work
in the
church.
I sometimes
get tired of
people using
this just to
refer to what
they would say
church discipline
and that is to
put somebody out
of the church.
This is more
than that.
So hear it
with me.
Beginning
verse 15.
If your
brother sins
against you
go and tell
him it's
fault between
you and him
alone.
If he
listens to
you you have
gained your
brother.
He's saying
if somebody
who professes
to be a
Christian is
acting in a
way that is
contrary to
that confession
go and tell
them.
Help them to
see it.
And if he
hears you if
he heeds what
you're saying
which would
lead to
repentance and
faith you
have gained
your brother.
We have seen
that his
confession is
true.
That kind
of discipling
work happens
all the
time in
the life
of a
healthy
church.
It's
happening
constantly.
Verse 16.
But if he
does not
listen take
one or two
others along
with you that
every charge
may be
established by
the evidence
of two or
three witnesses.
You're taking
some further
opinion along.
We all see
this the very
same way.
Look at the
text.
It's very
clear that
you're living
in contradiction
to this
command.
You pile up
on him for
his good.
Verse 17.
If he refuses
to listen to
them tell it
to the church.
Here it is.
The congregation.
Those gathered.
And if he
refuses to
listen even
to the
church let
him be to
you as a
Gentile and
a tax collector.
an outsider.
So there's
four steps
going on here.
Repentance and
faith.
A possibility
at every step.
And cut up the
final one where
you say we
once thought you
were in Christ
but now as
far as we can
tell you no
longer are.
Your life does
not line up to
the profession
that you
make.
Now.
Verse 18.
Look at the
phrasing.
Truly I say
to you
whatever you
bind on earth
shall be bound
in heaven.
And whatever
you loose
on earth
shall be
loosed
in heaven.
So the
keys
to the
kingdom
are this
very careful
work we
do of
bringing people
into the
life of the
church.
The ordinance
that accompanies
that is
baptism.
Doing the
work of
correcting sin
in their
life that
their confession
and their
life lines
up together
in ever
increasing
ways.
things.
And in
some
tragic
cases
for the
good of
that
person
and the
witness
of the
church
seeing
them
out
of the
life
of the
church.
That
is the
keys
to the
kingdom.
This is the
discipling
work that
belongs to
the congregation
as a whole.
thing.
So when
somebody asks
me what I
say when
I mean
I'm a
congregationalist
pure
democracy
is not
what pops
into my
head.
Voting
on every
single
thing that
we are
going to
do as
a church.
This is
what I'm
thinking
about.
This
really
important
work of
helping
people
mature
in
Christ.
Making
sure that
their
confession
is a
true
confession.
That
they
would
be
preserved
to
the
end.
What
a
task.
I
began
talking
about
this
with
the
great
commission
because
I
wanted
you
to
be
reminded
that
Jesus
says
that
all
authority
belongs
to
him
and
he
is
with
us
because
this
is
a
big
task.
Join
me if
they're
like
I'm
going to
move
really
fast
so you
may
not
care
to
but
he
says
there
and
there's
been
some
rather
horrific
sexual
things
going
on
in
the
life
of
this
church
and
there
he
says
beginning
in
verse
three
for
though
absent
in
body
I
am
present
in
spirit
and
as
if
present
I
have
already
pronounced
judgment
on the
one
who
did
such
a
thing
when
you
are
assembled
in
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus
and
my
spirit
is
present
with
the
power
of
the
Lord
Jesus
you
are
to
deliver
this
man
to
Satan
for
the
destruction
of
the
flesh
so
that
his
spirit
may
be
saved
in
the
day
of
the
Lord
what
he's
communicating
is
that
you're
supposed
to
take
sin
so
seriously
that
when
a
person
lives
in
contradiction
to
their
confession
you
put
them
out
of
the
church
that
they
would
see
the
seriousness
of
their
sin
there's
the
hope
that
they
see
!
I
think
was
a
familial
thing
so
perhaps
you're
not
even
going
to
have
a
meal
with
this
person
because
you
want
to
be
so
clear
about
their
status
with
the
Lord
he
says
for
what
have
I
to
do
with
judging
outsiders
is it
not
those
inside
the
church
whom
you
are
to
judge
God
judges
those
outside
purge
the
evil
person
from
among
you
so
this
work
is
an
incredibly
important
work
for the
good
of the
individual
for the
witness
of the
church
and it
is a
responsibility
and an
authority
that belongs
to the
entire
congregation
so
what
happens
in my
previous
example
of a
college
student
who's
only
getting
any
spiritual
direction
from a
college
ministry
which
college
ministries
have
their
place
don't
hear me
say
they
don't
but
if
that's
the
only
place
it's
coming
from
everything
is
great
until
he
doesn't
like
something
that
he's
told
hey
man
you
can't
be
doing
that
with
your
girlfriend
and he
goes
I'll do
what I
want
there's
no
authority
granted
to
that
organization
to do
anything
to follow
up
but the
church
has
a response
to
unrepentant
sin
and this
is very
very good
for people
if
you
are
a
Christ
follower
you
ought
to
want
to
submit
yourself
to
that
kind
of
authority
I
need
it
in
my
life
I
am
blind
to
my
sin
sometimes
and I
need
to be
shown
it
and
I
hope
that I'm
a
first
step
discipline
kind
of
guy
I
want
to
just
live
in
verse
15
I
don't
want
to
go
any
place
else
beyond
that
when
I'm
the
person
being
corrected
I
in
the
life
of
our
church
but
if
I'm
not
willing
to
repent
oh
I
hope
because
sin
is
serious
and
I
want
to
persevere
to
the
end
I
want
this
good
authority
of the
congregation
for
me
so
back
in our
text
draw
your
mind
to
it
Ephesians
4
all
of
this
language
about
us
attaining
the
unity
of
the
faith
the
knowledge
of
the
mature
manhood
the
measure
of
the
stature
of
the
fullness
of
Christ
so
we're
no
longer
children
tossed
to
and
fro
by
every
wind
of
doctrine
by
every
human
cunning
and
deceitful
scheme
all of
this
stuff
this
is
that
careful
work
that
we're
doing
in
the
life
of
the
church
right
and
this
has
been
given
to
us
this
authority
because
God
loves
us
and
he
loves
the
purity
of
his
church
on
the
back
of
your
bulletin
is
a
quote
from
William
Gurnall
I'll
encourage
you to
look
him
up
he
said
God
would
not
rub
so
hard
if
it
were
not
to
fetch
out
the
dirt
that
is
ingrained
in
our
natures
God
loves
purity
so
well
that
he
would
rather
see
a
hole
than
a
spot
in
his
child's
garments
it's
not
always
easy
to
exercise
this
authority
or
to
submit
to
this
type
of
authority
but
if
it's
being
properly
exercised
it is
for
our
eternal
good
so
authority
what
follows
authority
for
discipline
what
follows
from
that
is
doctrine
right
if
we're
to
teach
people
all
that
Jesus
has
commanded
what
are
we
supposed
to
be
teaching
Galatians
chapter 1
verse 8
and 9
Paul said
this
but
even
if
we
or
an
angel
from
heaven
should
preach
to
you
a
gospel
contrary
to
the
one
we
preach
to
you
let
him
be
accursed
as
we
have
said
before
now
I
say
again
if
anyone
is
preaching
to
you
a
gospel
contrary
to
the
one
you
teaching
the
wrong
doctrine
needs
to
be
corrected
the
truth
must
be
preserved
and
it
must
be
defended
David
Gibson
in an
article
entitled
assumed
evangelicalism
some
reflections
in route
to denying
the
gospel
he
said
this
you
may
have
heard
the
story
of
the
Mennonite
brethren
movement
one
particular
analysis
goes
like
this
the
first
generation
believed
and
proclaimed
the
gospel
and
thought
that
they
were
certain
social
entailments
conclusions
the
next
generation
assumed
the
gospel
and
advocated
the
entailments
the
third
generation
denied
the
gospel
and
all
that
were
left
were
the
entailments
so
preached
it
assumed
it
forgot
it
we
have
to be
so
careful
not
to
do
this
very
thing
and
this
is
a
congregational
responsibility
this
includes
elders
giving
leadership
to
it
but
it
also
includes
you
it
is
always
a
shuddering
thing
to
read
Acts
chapter
20
verse
28
through
30
where
Paul
saying
his
farewell
to
the
Ephesian
elders
and
he
says
pay
careful
attention
to
yourselves
and
to
all
the
flock
in
which
the
Holy
Spirit
has
made
you
overseers
to
care
for
the
church
of
God
which
he
obtained
!
with
his
own
blood
I
read
that
text
to
you
last
week
and
he
says
this
I
know
that
after
my
departure
fierce
wolves
will
come
in
among
you
not
sparing
the
flock
so
there's
a
there's
a
defense
thing
happening
that
untrue
things
are
going
to
come
in
from
the
outside
and
then
he
says
in
verse
30
and
for
among
your
own
selves
will
rise
men
speaking
twisted
things
to
draw
away
the
disciples
after
them
so
all
of
us
every
one
of
us
needs
to
be
vigilant
in
protecting
doctrine
Jude
writes
in
verse
3
and
4
of
his
lever
beloved
although
I
was
very
eager
to
write
to
you
about
our
common
salvation
I
found
it
necessary
to
write
appealing
to
you
to
contend
for
the
faith
that
was
once
for
all
delivered
to
the
saints
for
certain
people
have
crept
in
unnoticed
who
long
ago
were
designated
for
this
condemnation
ungodly
people
who
pervert
the grace
of our
God
into
sensuality
and deny
our only
master
and Lord
Jesus
Christ
so you
see
people
coming in
not
living
consistent
with their
confession
and
changing
that
confession
all
together
so we
are to
protect
preserve
defend
the truth
all of
us
to do
this
work
in
what
measure
what
doctrines
must
we
defend
what
convictions
do
we
contend
for
we
certainly
don't
want
to
come
together
and
do
this
work
and
try
to
work
out
every
little
tiny
particular
oh
what a
mess
that
might
be
and
here's
where
and I'll
spare you
today
because I'm
noticing
the time
present to
you the
idea of
theological
triage
if you've
been
around
you've
heard me
talk
about
this
before
if you've
not
I've
got
time
after
we're
done
I'd
be
happy
to
share
it
with
you
but
what
I
think
we
need
to
be
applying
from
this
idea
of
theological
triage
is
really
defending
those
doctrines
that are
necessary
for
salvation
an example
justification
by grace
alone
through
faith
alone
in
Christ
alone
pride
out
of
my
dead
hands
this
is
the
hill
that
I
will
die
on
as
a
congregation
we
need
to
stand
on
that
hill
together
and
that
is
a
doctrine
that's
being
destroyed
around
us
this
morning
all over
the place
this morning
in churches
it's being
destroyed
justification
by grace
alone
through
faith
alone
in
Christ
alone
that
people
would
be
saved
as
an
example
also
secondary
doctrines
those
things
that we
believe
that we
should
agree
upon
to
fellowship
as a
local
congregation
what
will
we
call
sin
and
not
call
sin
and
there's
a
number
of
complicated
matters
to
think
about
the
simplest
example
is
baptism
how do
we
practice
such a
thing
more
complicated
ones
what do
we
think
about
divorce
and
remarriage
And we
have to
be careful
about that
right?
Because
we
collectively
may have
to approach
somebody
that we
think
is
sinning
and we
don't
want to
be
split
down
the
middle
about
what we
think
about
this
what a
difficult
thing
to disciple
somebody
if we're
all on
a
different
page
on such
an
issue
So those
types
of things
are
gathered
into
what are
most often
called
confessions
statements
of faith
creeds
etc
We
are
confessional
people
Now
if somebody
ever asks
you if
your church
is confessional
you should
ask them
what they
mean
by that
But
we are
in fact
confessional
because we
believe
that it is
important to
make truth
claims
concerning
what the
Bible
teaches
on any
particular
topic
You have
to make
truth
claims
Some
people will
say
things like
no creed
but Christ
which I
think is
funny
because that
itself
is a
creed
That's a
statement
of truth
We think
it's
important
to say
what does
the Bible
teach
on
particular
things
Our
congregational
recitations
on Sunday
morning
are an
expression
of
this
belief
We
call
and
respond
through
historic
confessions
and
catechisms
that we
are in
agreement
with
and
currently
we're
reciting
our
own
current
statement
of
faith
Wonderful
thing
What
do we
believe
about
such
and
such
Now
some
of
you
know
and
many
of
you
don't
right
now
your
elders
are
working
on
a
more
robust
statement
of
faith
because
we
think
it's
going
to
be
important
for
us
to
more
clearly
define
what
we
think
the
Bible
teaches
on
a
number
of
topics
as
this
age
continues
to
get
harder
And
harder!
And
guess
what?
You
get
to
be
involved
in
that
whole
process
But
in
our
elder
led
congregationalism
we're
giving
leadership
to it
We're
working
hard
to
start
with
a
historic
document
we're
working
hard
to
make
what
we
believe
are
appropriate
changes
to that
document
We're
going
to
bring
it
to
you
and
ask
you
to
pour
over
it
and
ask
questions
and
come
back
and
it
could
be
terrible
but
I
also
want
to
suggest
it
could
be
a
joy
that
we
would
open
the
word
together
and
see
what
God
has
!
So
these
two
areas
are
together
is
for
discipling
and
for
doctrine
So
what does
that look
like
in action?
You see
it all
the time
Sermons
preached
classes
taught
Discipling
relationships
where the
Bible
is read
and studied
and applied
Earnest
prayer
for one
another
Burdens
born
Weeping
together
Rejoicing
together
Food
provided
Sin
confronted
and
corrected
Discipline
processes
carried
out
and
sadly
from
time
to
time
to
their
very
end
Evangelism
and
missions
Welcoming
new
members
through
the
ordinance
of
baptism
Celebrating
the
Lord's
Supper
together
each
Lord's
Day
Confessionalism
and all
that it
entails
doing
the
exercise
of
careful
theological
triage
in the
life
of our
church
I
could
go
on
but
note
that
you
the
congregation
the
church
as a
whole
have a
profound
and
precious
responsibility
and what
I want
you to
hear
is
be
freed
to do
this
most
important
work
for the
good
of our
people
and for
the
witness
of the
gospel
to the
glory
of our
great
God
don't
get
distracted
by the
minutia
it's
not
the
most
important
thing
we
as
your
elders
want
to
lead
you
by
equipping
you
for
the
work
of
ministry
the
building
up
the
body
of
Christ
and
we
want
to
free
you
to
do
that
and
to
do
it
well
to
the
glory
of
our
God
let's
pray
together