Well, good morning. If you have a copy of God's Word with you, I do hope that you do. Please join me in Romans chapter 15.
Once again, this morning will be a bit different than usual. We've had a lot of that here at the beginning of the year.
It's starting to feel a little usual, isn't it? If you are a guest with us this morning, I want you to know that we normally preach,
verse-by-verse expositions through a book. I feel some need to prove that to you.
So, I'll just say, last year we completed a study of the Book of Romans, which took about two and a half years to make its way through.
Spent a couple of weeks in the Book of Judges, and then just before Advent season, four weeks in the Book of Ruth.
We went on to consider the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.
We're about to begin a seven-week study of the life of King David, and then, Lord willing, we will begin, once again, a verse-by-verse exposition of a gospel account.
I think, I think, John's, perhaps Matthew's.
This morning, though, in doing a different thing than usual, I want to take a moment to consider confessionalism.
You may be asked, from time to time, is your church confessional? At least, I am, as a pastor, asked that quite regularly.
What is it? What is confessionalism? Why does it matter?
Why is our church a confessional church? The answer to that question is yes.
Our church is, in fact, confessional.
We live in an age that grapples with the truth.
Some people don't know how to define it, or even believe that it's possible to arrive at any truth at all.
This is a serious problem, and it is most likely an age-old one, although we only experience the unraveling of truth in our day.
But praise be to God that he has ordained a solution for a confused age.
In 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15, Paul calls the church a pillar and buttress of the truth.
We are not originators of the truth.
Those things Paul is talking about in 1 Timothy chapter 3 are those things found in the scriptures.
We don't originate them, but we are to be its support and its protection.
It is a high calling to hold the truth in our generation and to pass it on to the next.
Sadly, I think the church can and often does err in this charge in one of two ways.
On the one hand, doctrine is jettisoned for pragmatic expediency.
Anything that the Bible teaches that makes anyone uncomfortable is perceived as an obstacle to seeing people make professions of faith in Christ.
I think very often there's good intention that underlies this, but it's an error to be sure.
You may be familiar with the apologetic attempt of a popular preacher in our very backyard to, quote, unhitch our faith from the Old Testament.
So that's one possible error.
On the other hand, doctrinal matters of lesser importance can become a distraction to meaningful fellowship
when they are elevated in importance beyond their station.
When things that aren't unimportant become too important in the life of a Christian fellowship.
We believe that confessionalism can, it should, help us avoid these two potential errors.
A confession is a document in which a church or group of churches, some association of Christians,
states what it believes the Bible teaches on given subjects for the sake of Christian unity.
That's the aim.
That's where it's headed.
That's what we're trying to accomplish with confessions.
We're going to look at a number of texts today,
but I would like for us to begin in Romans chapter 15, verse 5 and 6, which says this.
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another,
in accord with Christ Jesus.
That is in relationship to, right?
Consistent with Christ Jesus.
That together, verse 6, you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There's one simple point I want to make from these two verses.
Christian harmony or unity, it exalts Jesus Christ.
The Christian, one whose soul has been saved by the work of Christ on their behalf.
One who has been justified by grace through faith in Christ alone.
The highest aim of their life ought to be the exaltation of Christ.
We, having been saved by him, ought to want all people to see how grand and glorious he is.
Paul hopes here that the Roman Christ followers and that you and I would be given grace for Christian unity
so that the Lord Jesus Christ would receive glory.
So it's a big thing that we're talking about here when we talk about confessionalism.
This is not just some nerdy endeavor to take up,
but it's for this great good of the exaltation of Christ in our Christian unity.
But we don't always agree, do we?
Sometimes we have personal conflict,
and the Bible is replete with commands and instruction
for how we are to set aside our preferences,
bear with one another with compassion and reconcile.
Sometimes we have conventional differences.
Faithful Christians haven't always seen eye to eye on everything.
This has always been true.
It is true amongst us.
We don't all agree on everything,
and this creates some genuine challenges for unity.
Beyond the general challenge of maintaining unity,
our enemy we bring to it,
our sinful inclinations,
and our enemy is pleased to see us working against one another.
In the back of your bulletin today,
there's a quotation from Charles Spurgeon.
He once said this,
quote,
Satan always hates Christian fellowship.
It is his policy to keep Christians apart.
Anything which can divide saints from one another,
he delights in.
He attaches far more importance to godly interaction than we do.
Since union is strength,
he does his best to promote separation.
End quote.
We have a lot working against our unity.
Our disagreements certainly create the need
to ask that God would be gracious to us,
that we might live in the type of harmony
that exalts Jesus Christ.
We could just leave it off there and go,
well, there we go.
We're just going to pray for grace to be unified.
But I would recommend that we take some practical steps
to maintain the unity that is ours in Jesus.
So how do we do this?
Assuming that you are in Christ
and that your greatest desire is to exalt Jesus Christ
in word and deed,
how do we maintain unity amidst disagreement?
We do so by employing the practice
of an idea called theological triage.
And yes, if you remember here,
you've heard me talk about this before.
We're doing it again
because it's that important.
And the way we bring theological triage
to bear in the life of the church
is in the formation of confessions.
It's that practice brought into reality
in a tangible way.
Triage is the process of assigning urgency
or importance to a matter.
If a bus that is full of people
were in an accident
and that number,
those people in that accident,
were brought into an emergency room
those patients would be ranked for treatment
from most severe need
to least severe need.
You've probably experienced this
if you've ever been to an emergency room.
You may not have known it was going on,
but you've waited a long, long time
because your emergency
was not as severe
as somebody else's emergency.
This can, and we argue should,
also be done theologically.
If you believe that the Bible teaches a doctrine
and a well-meaning Christian,
brother or sister,
disagrees with your view,
what are you to do?
How important,
or perhaps in some cases unimportant,
is said disagreement?
Theological triage helps us
to determine this.
Now, at this point,
I want to be clear.
The term theological triage
was coined,
as far as anybody can tell,
by Al Mohler,
who is the current president
of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
So new in this formulation,
this idea,
termed this way,
theological triage.
However,
this concept can be seen historically
in the creation of confessions
and creeds,
Christians carefully pinning
doctrinal standards
for the sake of agreement,
and,
much more importantly,
as I will show you this morning,
we can see this idea
in the Bible.
So,
when we talk about theological triage,
there are
four orders of doctrine.
First,
second,
third,
fourth,
or if you prefer,
primary,
secondary,
tertiary,
and quaternary,
a word I'm always happy
to slip into a conversation,
I'm going to talk about these
out of order
because it makes sense,
as I hope you'll see,
why to talk about them
out of order.
The first is quaternary,
or fourth order doctrine.
We're going to talk about it first
because it's simple,
and we're going to get it
out of the way.
These are things
that are unimportant.
We are welcome
to talk about them.
It could be fun,
perhaps,
to talk about them,
but at the end of the day,
they just really don't matter.
The only example I have
in 17 years
of being a pastor,
the only one,
but it's happened on repeat,
is the question,
is there life
on other planets?
It's interesting,
we can talk about it,
but it just doesn't really matter.
Where you land on the topic,
who cares
at the end
of the day,
right?
We know there's life
on this planet
that's cursed.
We need a savior.
Moving on.
Fourth order.
Third order doctrine,
or tertiary doctrine,
are matters
that are important
for the individual.
So, important.
Hear me say,
not unimportant,
important
for the individual.
Things that we ought
to have some conviction about,
but our conviction
may vary from
someone else's conviction.
temptation.
So,
I'm going to give you
a really
base and simple
example
that has changed
over time,
and I'm giving this one
to you because I just
had a conversation
about it
with a brother.
Over time,
I've decided
to wear a jacket
on Sunday mornings
when I'm preaching.
And that's coming
from a desire
to not offend anybody.
I just want to be sure
anybody coming
and visiting
who might be used
to a pastor
in a suit,
which I'm currently
not convicted to do.
I want to be able
to get down
on my knees
and play with little kids,
but I don't want
to get dry cleaning,
but I'm going to wear
a jacket.
So,
it's a conviction
that I came to,
but I'm not going
to put it on anybody
else who preaches here.
I never once asked
one of the other guys
that preaches
on a Sunday morning
to also wear a jacket.
It's a personal conviction,
right?
I've decided.
I think this is a good thing
for me to do.
Other examples,
right?
You should have
some conviction
about the consumption
of alcohol,
whether or not
that's appropriate
for you
or in your house
or out in public.
There's some things
to consider
when it comes
to the consumption
of alcohol.
The types of television
that you're willing
to watch
or allow your children
to watch.
There's some clear
parameters to that
kind of thing,
but there's some
gray area there
where we might
want to not
include some stuff
in our home
that you might
feel okay with
in your own.
These are the kinds
of things
that we're all
trying to work out
as we're trying
to be faithful
to the scripture.
It's so often
being derived
from the Bible,
but then with the
application of prudence.
Like, what is the
best way for me
to obey this command
or that command
where the application
isn't as clear
as sometimes
we may want it
to be,
but we should
be having
conversations.
We should be
pressing at one
another in these
matters, right?
But the way we
hold this doctrine
is a way that says
it's really important
to me.
It may not be
felt the same
by you.
If you turn back
just a page,
perhaps,
in your scripture,
I'll show you
an example of this
from Romans chapter
14.
There Paul says,
this is the first
six verses,
as for the one
who is weak
in faith,
welcome him,
but not to quarrel
over opinions.
One person
believes he may
eat anything
while the weak
person eats
only vegetables.
The concern here
was food
sacrificed to idols,
right?
And some conviction
about that.
And Paul's saying,
don't get in arguments
about this kind
of thing.
It's fine
that one person
is a vegetarian
and another
is not.
Let not the one
who eats
despise the one
who abstains
and let not
the one
who abstains
pass judgment
on the one
who eats
for God
has welcomed him.
Who are you
to pass judgment
on the servant
of another?
It is before his
own master
that he stands
or falls
and he will
be upheld
for the Lord
is able
to make him
stand.
One person
esteems
one day
as better
than another
while another
esteems
all days
alike.
Each one
should be
fully convinced
in his own
mind.
The one
who observes
the day
observes it
in honor
of the Lord.
The one
who eats
eats
in honor
of the Lord
since he
gives thanks
to God
while the one
who abstains
abstains
in honor
of the Lord
and gives
thanks
to God.
So the
assumption
in these
matters
is that
there's
good
underpinnings.
These people
belong to
Christ
and they're
trying to
be faithful
to the
Lord.
They're
trying to
do what
is right
and proper.
Let's
not
inquire
over
opinions.
I think
that much
of the
disunity
that we
see
amongst
Christians
lies here.
Third
order doctrine
being elevated
to levels
that it
doesn't
belong
and then
fights
ensue
over these
things.
And it's
tragic
that that's
the case.
So here
comes
this process
and the
pinning of
confessions
to help us
not do
this.
Okay,
now we're
going to
jump up
the order
to
first
order
doctrine
or
primary
doctrine.
I think
this is a
much smaller
category
but of
course
the most
important.
This is
of vital
importance
for
Christian
unity.
These are
those things
that must
be believed
for a
person
to be
Christian.
first
order
doctrines.
I've said
to you
many times
before
these are
the doctrines
that we
stand on
a hill
together
and die
for.
Justification
by grace
through faith
in Christ
alone.
If you
want to
get into
a debate
with me
about the
order of
salvation
exactly the
way all
of these
things pair
out.
Does
regeneration
precede
faith
or
regeneration
I have
an answer
to that.
But if
you want
to get
in a debate
with me
about that
that's
fine.
My
question
will be
for you
do you
believe
were
justified
by grace
through faith
in Christ
alone.
If you
say yes
then I
will
embrace
you.
First
order
doctrine.
The deity
of Jesus
Christ.
What do
we believe
to be
true
of Jesus
person?
Incredibly
important
that we
understand
who
he
is.
These
things
matter
greatly
for
Christian
unity.
Jude
verse
three and
four.
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.
I think
Jude is
talking about
these
first order
doctrines.
And here's
why.
Verse
four says
for certain
people have
crept in
unnoticed
who long
ago were
designated
for this
condemnation.
Ungodly
people who
pervert
Christ.
These are
the wolves
in amongst
the sheep.
And we
have to
be able
to recognize
by doing
this process
and by
having
confessions
what things
we need
to contend
for.
What are
the types
of doctrines
that we
would be
willing to
see somebody
out of
our
fellowship
and say
there's
no way
you can
claim to
be a
Christ
follower
if you
don't
believe
these
things.
So tragic
in our
day.
Across
traditions
people who
have largely
agreed on
the stuff
that matters
most
being just
schismed
apart by
those things
that are
third order
that are
being elevated
to first
order.
Over these
past years
not amongst
us!
But I
have experienced
this!
I have been
called
names that
I cannot
say here
by brothers
who claim
to be
Christian
because I
didn't agree
with them
on things.
I have
been called
unfaithful
because I
didn't agree
with their
positions on
things like
COVID policy
for example.
It's shameful.
A shameful
way for
Christians to
act toward
one another.
Beloved,
if we agree
on these
first order
things,
they are so
massive
and the
world
is against
us on
these
things.
There's so
much space
for unity,
for linking
arms if we
agree on
first order
doctrines,
primary
doctrine.
Then it
follows by
implication.
We're not
going to agree
on everything.
You're thinking
about things,
but what about
this and what
about that
and what
about this?
that there
are going
to be
some
second
order
doctrines,
things that
are important
for church
and perhaps
outside of the
church,
ministry
fellowship.
Things that
we ought to
agree upon
together in
order just to
function together
as a church.
These doctrines
are going to
define our
practice,
for example,
the regulative
principle.
We want to
make a clear
Bible argument
for everything
we do
together when
we gather
as a
church.
Or,
who are the
proper
recipients for
baptism?
That's a thing
we should agree
upon as a
church.
If you come
here, we are
a Baptist
church.
We are
credo
Baptists.
So, if you
come here and
you want to
have your
infant child
baptized,
you don't
get to just
decide that
here because
we would
not accept
that as a
baptism.
We wouldn't
do it.
We would
try to show
you a Bible
case for it.
We would
love and
embrace you
on all of
those first
order doctrines.
But as a
church, we
don't feel
comfortable
administering
baptism to
infants.
So, you're
welcome to
stay and
change your
view or
go find a
paedo-baptist
church that
agrees with
you on that
matter.
That's a
very reasonable
option for
you to take.
So, those are
examples of how
it would define
our practice
together.
But also,
possibly these
second-order
doctrines can
help us define
what is sin
or what is
not sin.
A very
complex issue
would be a
view on
divorce and
or remarriage.
Are there
instances in
which people
can be
divorced and
then following
instances in
which they
could be
remarried?
And if the
church is to
practice church
discipline, if
the church is
to call sin
sin, what do
we think about
these matters?
How are we to
deal with them?
Because life is
going to present
these kinds of
things to us in
the life of
our church.
So, second-order
doctrine fits in
that category.
Important for
church
fellowship.
Think long and
deep about
Christian unity.
how is it that
we can be
agreeable even
when we
disagree?
It's going to
vary situation
by situation.
Theological
triage needs to
be a regular
part of our
thinking practice.
I just think as
people are
presenting to us
ideas, talking
about the
scripture, thinking
about applications,
how is it that
they're following
Lord?
I think we
need to be able
to run through
this process and
categorize things
quickly so we
know how
to respond to
people.
What doctrines
are of highest
order?
What truths
would you be
willing to
die for?
I'll tell you
this, I'm not
dying for wearing
a jacket on
Sunday morning.
It's not a
chance.
If the
government
declared I
couldn't wear
jackets on
Sunday morning,
I'd go,
alright, that's
fine.
If the
government
tells me I
can't teach a
biblical ethic
for marriage
and sexuality,
lock me up.
Have you
caused disunity
over beliefs
that should
not have
caused
disunity?
You may have
some repentance
and repair
work to do.
When is it
appropriate to
bear with
another in a
disagreement?
When is it
appropriate to
part ways
peacefully for
the very sake
of unity?
We may need
to go
separate ways
because we
do think
we need to
practice a
bit differently.
When is it
appropriate to
go to war,
I mean not
figuratively,
over a
doctrine?
We think that
the answer to
many of these
questions should
be defined in
confessions and
creeds.
Most traditionally
a creed is
just a short
confession,
just so you
know how
that term is
typically used.
Those matters
of first order,
and those
matters of
second order
should be
maintained in
a document or
documents adopted
by a local
church.
Doctrinal
standards should
be thoughtfully
written,
poured over,
carefully
considered,
kindly debated,
and then taught
and held to.
So, your
elders have
been hard at
work creating
these types
of documents.
We've been
behind the
scenes,
many of you
know this,
we've not been
doing it as a
secret,
but we've been
out ahead trying
to think about
this kind of
thing.
How do we
continue to
maintain
Christian unity,
especially in
such a
confused age?
It's difficult
to say this,
because I could
just be totally
wrong as I say
it, but I
think second
only to
declaring the
gospel of the
Lord Jesus
Christ, this
is the most
important thing
I've been
spending time
on lately.
Second only to
gospel proclamation,
it's been working
on doctrinal
standards for
our church.
We've not been
without across
all these years,
we have had a
confession that
we've functioned
under, but it
was pretty
brief, and we
think it's time
for something much
more robust in
the life of a
church.
So, this
evening, we're
having a
members meeting
in which we're
going to hand
out documents to
you, so if
you're here this
morning and you
wish you had
them in your
hand, you're
going to have
to wait until
next Sunday
when I have
them prepared
for you.
But if you're
a member and
you're coming to
the members
meeting, we'd
love to put
them in your
hand at that
point.
We've created
a creed, which
is a one-page
document, looks
like so, and a
confession, which
is a 46-page
document that
looks like this.
It has within
it 33 articles,
so various
matters that we
feel need
addressing, careful
clarification.
Those are the
first and second
order types of
doctrine.
For example,
the first one is
on the Holy
Scripture.
What is the
Bible?
What do we
believe is God's
inspired word?
word?
The fifth
article is on
divine providence.
How is it that
God functions as
the ruler of
this world?
Article 15 is on
saving faith.
What does it look
like when somebody
places their faith
in Jesus Christ?
Article 20 is on
the law of God.
How is it that
that law works in
the life of a
Christian?
Article 26 is on
marriage, divorce,
marriage, and
remarriage.
These are just
some examples of
the 33 contained
within.
As I mentioned,
we will distribute
this evening at our
members' meeting
with an explanation
for how we propose
they be used in the
life of our church
to preserve
Christian unity
and with an
explanation of the
editorial and
adoption process
for these documents.
If you're unable
to join us this
evening, we'll post
a recording of
that portion of
our meeting.
But in order to
get ahead of any
possible panic, I
want you to know
that we don't
intend to adopt
any of the
proposed changes
until the members'
meeting is scheduled
in July.
So a good six
months to take
the time to get
in, to do this
work, thoughtfully
pour over it,
carefully consider
it, kindly
debate it, make
potential edits
to it, come
back together
and establish
a more robust
doctrinal standard
for our church.
So let's be
good, elder-led
congregationalists
and get to work
for the sake of
Christian unity
to the end
that Christ
will be
exalted.
Beloved,
unapologetically,
as far as I have
any influence
on the life of this
church, we will
be confessional.
We believe the
scripture teaches
things and we
want to be clear
about what we
believe it says
on matters of
most importance
and we also want
to be clear on
what it may not
be so clear on,
things that we
may be able to
see differently
and yet maintain
Christian unity
for the exaltation
of Christ.
In closing,
let me read
one more time
Romans chapter
15, verse 5
and 6
and we'll pray
to this end.
May the God of
endurance and
encouragement
grant you to
live in such
harmony with one
another in accord
with Christ Jesus
that together you
may with one
voice glorify the
God and Father
of our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Let's pray.
God of