84a) Three Errors (9/16/1994)

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin introduces the topic of fundamental errors concerning the call to pastoral office, aiming to categorize unbiblical perspectives. He begins by referencing Thornwell's…

Martin references Thornwell's essay, 'The Call of the Minister,' which is a review of a sermon by Dr. Breckinridge, to show that others have historically attempted to categorize errors regarding the call to ministry.

there is an essay on the theme entitled The Call of the Minister or The Call to the Ministry. Let me be accurate in terms of the title. Yes, The Call of the Minister. And what this essay is, is Thornwell's review of a sermon by Dr. Breckinridge who was one of the leading lights of that day. I'm assuming that Warfield's middle name was after, Dr. Breckinridge, Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield. And what Thornwell is doing is giving a review and an assessment and plugging in his own perspectives with reference to Breckinridge's tract which with two others was found in one booklet and he gives a rev...

1:30 - 2:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: They rest, upon the conviction and belief of the individual himself unsupported by any proof but his own extravagance or enthusiasm. And that would be the claims of crass individualism.

Martin uses the Anglican and Roman Catholic concepts of apostolic succession as examples of the second category of error identified by Breckinridge, where authority is passed down through an unbroken line of office bearers.

They rest upon a perpetual succession which is transmitted the rights and properties of the office from Christ the head through an unbroken line of office bearers to the present incumbent and then the succession becomes a question of facts. To be proved by testimony and the validity of the title founded upon it a doctrine to be established by scripture. And that would be the Anglican concept, you see, and the Roman Catholic. That there is in the bishop the power to pass on the authority of the office of the ministry and that they can trace their lineage back to the apostles and to our Lord him...

4:16 - 4:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Deal tenderly and lovingly with people caught in fanaticism or mystical piety, but sometimes you must shock them out of it, especially when unmortified pride is involved.

Martin refers to a previous lecture's illustration of a farmer who saw 'GPC' in the clouds, using it as an example of misinterpreting signs as an infallible call, falling under 'fanaticism or mystical piety'.

of hermeneutics etc. they would realize I am in no way fit to exhort in sound doctrine and to convict gainsayers if they had an inkling of an understanding of Acts 20.28 what does it mean to perform the manifold tasks that a shepherd performs to his sheep in conjunction with the flock of God shepherd the present imperative of poimino be continually performing the functions of a shepherd to the flock of God which is among you or 1st Timothy 3.4 if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he epi maleo mai that verb which means sensitively to be aware of and to respond to the needs of t...

11:10 - 12:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Deal tenderly and lovingly with people caught in fanaticism or mystical piety, but sometimes you must shock them out of it, especially when unmortified pride is involved.

Martin recounts hearing stories of individuals who claimed God 'killed one of their kids' or caused 'a wreck' because they 'fought the call,' illustrating the subjective and often superstitious nature of 'fanaticism or mystical piety'.

how they fought the call and God killed one of their kids and God caused them to have a wreck and they fought the call and fought the call and finally they gave in but when you ask them what was this call that you were fighting it was a totally subjective feeling I must preach in a context of utter ignorance of the biblical doctrine of the place of the church as the quality control upon a man's sense of his own calling what the work of the ministry they just had this compulsion I must preach and in many cases they were people who were naturally loquacious were brought up in a context and we'll...

12:40 - 14:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Deal tenderly and lovingly with people caught in fanaticism or mystical piety, but sometimes you must shock them out of it, especially when unmortified pride is involved.

Martin shares a personal anecdote of confronting a man at a Christian college who claimed to have 'a word from God' by asking about the tonal quality of God's voice, illustrating a direct approach to challenging 'cheeky fanaticism'.

with people who are in the grip of this very tenderly and very lovingly sometimes you've got to try to shock them out of it I was ministering at a Christian college some years ago and I was in my room praying studying preparing for the next ministry because it was the powers of hell were let loose on that campus because I was seeking to beard the enemy with all of these so-called Christian kids most of whom were no more saved than this pulpit is from their fruits and I was very conscious that we were in the midst of warfare and a knock I had a knock on my door and I went and there stood this m...

14:08 - 15:36 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are in a church that is not subject to the word of God and lacks spiritual discernment, get out of it and get into a true church.

Martin recounts his personal realization that most New Testament letters were addressed to churches, not individuals, which profoundly impacted his understanding of 'individualistic atomistic Christianity' and the corporate nature of faith.

fell on me like a ton of bricks that the vast majority of New Testament letters were not sent to individuals they were letters to churches and it hit me I said you mean the Holy Ghost didn't give a collection of writings for me to just have my devotions these are letters to churches you say that's so fundamental yeah it is but you see my background is individualistic atomistic Christianity and you will deal with those who come from that background Romans 12 3 calls us to sober self-assessment in the context of the life and the quality control of the church now if it's no true church with peopl...

17:06 - 18:35 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are in a church that is not subject to the word of God and lacks spiritual discernment, get out of it and get into a true church.

Martin describes Paul's inquiry into Timothy's character and reputation among the brethren in Lystra and Iconium as 'sanctified snooping,' illustrating how the church's assessment confirms a call, contrasting with individualistic claims.

of prominence that he eventually had as reflected in the pastoral epistles he that is Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra and behold a certain disciple was there named Timothy the son of a Jewish that believed but his father was a Greek the same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium him would Paul have to go forth with him and when you read the preceding context the disappointing experience with John Mark who went forth relatively unproven and caved in under pressure all the more it seems Paul was sensitive if I'm going to take another younger companion I want ...

18:35 - 20:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: you cannot build churches on rationalistic and pragmatic principles and suddenly think and think and act biblically when a young man comes questioning what he ought to do with his life

Martin uses the analogy of the church being treated as a corporation, where CEOs look at resumes and finger personnel for leadership, to illustrate the error of 'pragmatism or rationalistic ecclesiology' in discerning a call to ministry.

print out when Paul got there how'd he get the report folks he put his ear to the ground did a little holy snooping and the report came back so when Paul broaches the subject with Timothy and Timothy has some sense of call it is not an individualistic or atomistic call it's one that came in the context of the churches that had opportunity to assess his character and his gifts and then there is a fourth erroneous category or category of erroneous thinking and action and I've called it pragmatism or rationalistic ecclesiology now brethren as you get to know me better you'll know I don't use big ...

20:05 - 21:32 Read in full sermon