Requirements #6: Confession and Constitution

The Centrality of Christ and the Importance of Church Order

0:02 The following sermon was delivered on Sunday morning, June 10, 2001, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. In the 18th chapter of the book of Acts, in verse 11, we are informed that the Apostle Paul spent at least 18 months ministering in the ancient city of Corinth, and this during his first visit to them, he preached, he taught, he labored in his gospel and apostolic endeavors, and reflecting back upon that period of ministry in his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul could say in the language of 1 Corinthians 2, 1 and 2, And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming unto you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you. Save Jesus Christ and him as crucified. Here the Apostle declares that the very heart and soul of his ministry was a preaching of Christ, and a preaching of Christ particularly in that work that he accomplished as the substitutionary, sin-bearing Redeemer.

1:22 He preached Christ and him crucified. And nothing is more edifying to the souls of men, or exactly exhilarating to the soul of a preacher, than to stay close to those truths that radiate outward from the cross of Christ as the only hope of hell-deserving sinners. But that very Apostle, who had such a passion and a delight to preach Christ, and who says that he was determined to know nothing among the Corinthians, save Jesus Christ and him as crucified, that's the same. The Apostle wrote a lengthy letter to one of his protégés, to one of his spiritual companions and sons in the faith named Timothy, and he tells him that the purpose of that letter, all six chapters, was that Timothy might know how men are to behave themselves in the house of God, the church of the living God, which is the pillar and the ground of the truth. And we learn from that many things, not the least. The least of which is this. There is no incongruity, there is no contradiction between a man's passion to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, and a passion to be concerned with the details of church life and practice.

2:50 And the reason is that Christ did not merely die to save individuals, he died to save his church. He loved the church. He loved the church and gave himself for the church that he might sanctify it and present it to himself, a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And according to Ephesians 3.10, it is through the church that God is making manifest here and now to principalities and powers the manifold wisdom of God. And later on in that chapter, to him, that is to Christ. Be glory in the church unto the ages of the ages. And so as we return this morning to our series of studies that I've entitled, Living Together in the Father's House, let us not grow weary of addressing these issues or allow the devil to whisper to us, when is Pastor Martin going to preach Christ?

3:55 To preach the biblical teaching concerning Christ's will for his bridegroom. The church is to preach Christ. And therefore, we return this morning after four weeks' digression in terms of my wife and me physically and bodily and me up to Ballston Lake and the message last week. It has been four Lord's Days since we last engaged our minds in this subject of living together in the Father's house, opening up biblical truths contained in our church constitution.

Review of Membership Requirements and the Purpose of a Pure Church

4:29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . as that constitution requires that we do at least for fifteen Lord's Days every five years. And so I'm going to take a few more minutes for a more thorough review that we'll all be back on board as to where we've been and then where we are going. And God helping us, we'll go there and arrive at a terminus as far as the requirements for membership at the conclusion of the ministry of the word tonight. Now, a word of caution again for some visitors.

5:01 For the next amount of minutes in this review, you're not going to hear me citing scripture. I've already cited a number of scriptures, but in order to keep the review condensed, I'm not going to cite the major text that we looked at, let alone the secondary text. And if your interest is awakened and you were not present for the opening up of those texts, the tapes are available in our lending library as well as in the Trinity pulpit for purchase, and I commend those tapes to you. But I want us to have the whole picture in mind.

5:31 As we return after four weeks to this subject, after giving a rather extensive and detailed study concerning the purpose of the church, I believe some 19 messages altogether. We then proceeded to begin to examine what our constitution and the scriptures say with respect to this matter of requirements for membership in the church or for entrance into the church. And as we began that division of our study, I sought to identify and underscore this very vital principle. It is this, that the church will be able to fulfill its God-given purpose only when those who have a biblical warrant to be in its membership are actually received and retained within that membership. Purpose and membership. Purpose and membership. Purpose and membership are crucial.

6:33 They will stand or fall together. To state it more simply, the church can only do what she is called to do when she is what she ought to be. And she can only be what she ought to be when her membership is comprised of those whom Christ the head of the church says have a right of admission to. See the verse 14.

7:05 The law of the church is powerful because it has the ability to establish a meeting and to discuss the issues of the church. And being a member of the church is to be given the opportunity to discuss the issues of the church. But核 . This is our time.

7:20 To be a member of the church is to be a member of the church. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.

7:26 Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

7:30 Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

7:30 Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

7:30 Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

7:30 fanatical or unrealistic idealism or a fool's pursuit of the fanciful notion of a perfectly pure church here on earth. Listen to the words of John Brown, a godly Presbyterian minister and theologian and commentator of another generation. Listen to John Brown. How could a shepherd manage a flock composed of swine as well as of sheep? Or how could an overseer manage a family into which aliens, strange children, were continually intruding themselves? Nothing can be plainer from the New Testament than this, that though Christian churches are the grand means for converting the world, the apparent conversion of the worldling must precede and not follow his admission. The great ends to be gained by Christian churches, and then it was interesting to me that we can organize what he says those ends are in terms of the arrows, Godward arrows, inward arrows, outward arrows. Listen to it. The great ends, that's the purpose of the Christian churches, whether in

8:45 reference to their Lord as living manifestations of his truth and holiness and grace, or in reference to their members, their edification in knowledge and in knowledge and in knowledge, faith, love, and Christian excellence and usefulness generally, or outward arrows in reference to the world lying under the wicked one, that is, their conviction and conversion, these ends will be secured just in the degree in which these churches are formed of men and women who really know and believe the truth and have felt its transforming power. The churches of Christ, must be churches, that is, assemblies, and then he has about eight or nine little phrases in quotation marks, the very ways they are described in the New Testament letters, sanctified, separated from this present evil world, etc. Then he goes on to say, Christian elders should encourage the admission of none to the communion of the church except those who make an intelligent and credible profession of the faith, who in their faith, who in their faith, who in their faith, who in their judgment of an enlightened charity are Christians in the only true sense of that word, and should, as in every church will be the case, should persons be admitted who are not what they appear to be when the real

10:10 character is developed, the elders and the members ought in the exercise of impartial discipline exclude them from the place which they never should have occupied in the first place. Isn't it interesting? A godly Presbyterian, not a Christian, but a Christian, who is a Christian, who is a Christian, who is a Christian, not afflicted in the judgment of the church, looking back upon this man and his stable biblical ministry, no one accused him of being a brownist. For some of you who know church history, you'll know what that means. That's a nasty word. Someone trying to have the perfect church.

10:44 This man understood what I am seeking to set before you, that this issue of the standards for membership is critical for the church to fulfill her God-given mission. Then we proceeded to take up those requirements for membership in this particular church. We saw the first one. I called it the requirement of maturity or age. Our Constitution says any man or woman shall be eligible. Secondly, the requirement of gospel knowledge, confession, and experience. Our Constitution says any man or woman shall be eligible for membership in this church who profess, is repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, who manifests a life transformed by the power of Christ. Third requirement is what I call discipleship baptism, and who is baptized upon profession of faith. We looked at the duty of baptism resting on these three

The Significance of Baptism and the Gospel

11:48 massive pillars of New Testament data, the clear command of the Lord Jesus, the consistent pattern of apostolic practice, and the common assumption of apostolic letters. And then our last study was on the significance of baptism, and I tried to highlight this principle. I want to give it to you again. It's crucial. Jesus Christ instituted only two visible, tangible, physical rituals within his church, baptism and the Lord's Supper. The physical, visual, and tangible ordinances instituted by Christ are intended to illustrate, validate, and reinforce the spiritual, invisible, and non-material realities set forth in the saving truth of the gospel. Jesus never instituted an ordinance to confuse the gospel, or to negate the gospel, or to dilute the gospel. He gave two simple ordinances.

12:55 In order to illustrate, validate, and reinforce the spiritual realities of the gospel. And what are those realities? All salvation is in Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, risen from the dead. That salvation becomes ours when, by faith, we are united to Christ in the virtue of his death, burial, and resurrection, so that Scripture says we died with him, were buried with him, were raised and seated with him.

13:24 And in union with Christ, we have the cleansing of our sins, we have newness of life, and we joyfully consecrate ourselves to our Savior. Baptism illustrates, validates, and reinforces those realities. It does not convey them. It does not declare that hopefully our children may someday have them if they repent and believe. There is not one phrase on the scripture that points to the significance of baptism in the New Testament that points to blessings hopefully conferred in time upon the subject. They all point to blessings possessed already by the subject by faith in Jesus Christ. Why are some of us so dogmatic? We love the gospel. We don't want the gospel obscured.

14:23 We don't want our children to sit there and say, I don't want to go to church, I don't want to go to church, I don't want to go to church, I don't want to go to church, I don't want to go to church, I don't want to go to church, I don't want to go. I am right there saying, well, I'm the, quote, covenant child. I am not quite all in Adam, not quite all in Christ, and Mom and Dad committed me to God in baptism, and yet I am told, baptism signifies cleansing, rising to newness of life. Have I? Am I? Look at the confusion when the Lord gave a simple ordinance to be used amongst all the world as disciples are made. You can explain its fundamental significance in films and books. Fifteen minutes to a raw pagan takes you weeks and years to develop out of the confused rationale for placing water upon any other than a confessed disciple of Christ. And may God help us not to be moved from this simple, simple declaration, validation, and illustration of gospel truth.

Introduction to the Remaining Membership Requirements

15:20 Well, that's where we've been. Now, today we're going to take up the three remaining requirements as they are stated in our Constitution. I want you to listen to them, and then we're going to consider some introductory perspectives about them. I told my wife, I said, honey, I don't like when I have to preach like I'm going to preach tomorrow morning because we're going to go rather large patches without digging into a specific text and opening it up.

15:48 But I believe it's absolutely essential. If I'm to do what I am to do in terms of my general job description, to be a teacher, that you be not tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. And if you're visiting among us, please remember, this is not standard fare. And be patient and don't judge us in the light of just the exercise of teaching this morning.

16:11 All right? The three remaining requirements. Listen to them as I read them. Any man or woman shall be eligible for membership in this church.

16:21 Who? Who professes repentance, is baptized. Here are the remaining three now. Who expresses agreement with the confession and constitution of this church.

16:31 Secondly, who intends to give wholehearted support to its ministry. And thirdly, who is willing to submit to its government and its discipline.

16:44 So there were the three initial requirements. The requirement of age or maturity. The requirement of gospel knowledge, profession, and experience. And discipleship baptism.

16:54 Now, there are three additional requirements. And we might describe them in terms of the person to be received being one who embraces our confession and our constitution. Who is committed to the life and ministry of the church. And who is submitting to its government and to its discipline.

Implicit Nature and Common Concern of the Final Requirements

17:18 But now, I want us to think clearly. And ask. Accurately about these three remaining requirements. And I want to say three introductory things about them.

17:27 And then we'll just get to the first. That's where I hope to go this morning. Number one. These last three requirements are specifically focused upon admission into this particular church.

17:38 These last three requirements are specifically focused upon admission into this particular church. There are many churches seeking to be biblical and pleasing to God. Who would not see these requirements. As either necessary or wise.

17:55 May I repeat that? There are many churches sincerely seeking to please God to be radically biblical who would not see these requirements as either necessary or wise. These have to do with requirements which we as a congregation under the instruction of your elders have agreed together are both wise. These have to do with requirements which we as a congregation under the instruction of your elders have agreed together are both wise.

18:23 These have to do with requirements which we as a congregation under the instruction of your elders have agreed together are both wise. And necessary applications of biblical principles for this particular assembly in this particular place at this particular time in human history. However, we have sought to walk in the light of the scriptures and to promote the purity, unity, and peace of this assembly. We believe these last three requirements are a wise and healthy application of biblical principles.

18:51 So that's the first thing you need to understand. Don't, and when you show up at another church, judge that church's commitment to have a God-honoring membership by whether or not they include the things we do. Please don't do that. Please don't do that.

19:07 And please don't do that saying that's what Pastor Martin taught you. Pastor Martin taught no such thing. Before he even took up these things, he said very clearly, and it will be on tape to prove that I said it, that these last three requirements are specifically focused upon admission into this. Particular church.

19:25 And that leads very naturally to this second observation by way of introduction. These last three requirements are implicit and inferred from the scriptures. And they're not explicit and clearly mandated by the scriptures. Some things in scripture are explicit and clearly mandated.

19:45 The requirement for profession of repentance and faith, that's explicit. Except you repent, you shall perish. What shall we do, Peter? Repent and be baptized.

19:58 You shall receive the gift of the spirit. Your sins may be blotted out. You shall receive the gift of the spirit, etc. So, these requirements are not explicit, but implicit.

20:08 In other words, there are certain directives in scripture, which when applied to our situation, have brought us to the persuasion that it is right and wise to make these requirements. But they are only implicit, not explicit. They are inferred and not mandated. And our confession of faith acknowledges that there will be things of this nature.

20:33 Chapter 1 paragraph 6 The whole counsel of god concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the holy scripture, unto which, nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the scripture, spirit or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the word, and this is critical, and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church common to human actions and societies which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence according to the general rules of the word which are always to be observed. These are things concerning the ordering of our life together, concerning the government of this church as it touches the question of admission. And while we must do nothing that contradicts anything explicit or clearly inferred or contained in scripture, there are things that we have warrant to do that are an application of biblical principles. We do not say they

21:58 are on an equal par with what is explicit and commanded, and we'll touch on that in a little bit. Third introductory observation is this. These last three requirements are connected by a common concern, and as I sat at my desk this week pondering and praying, how do I open these things up. The more I studied them, the more I pondered them, the more I understood I believe I saw an umbilical cord running through them, connecting them in an organic way to change the imagery.

22:28 I saw that there was a common thread on which these three beads were hung. See if you can pick up what it is as I mention these. Let's go back to our imagery of the house and the door. We're going to work with that again this morning.

22:43 I said that it's helpful to think of the church as a household within a house. The Lord of the house is in heaven. And he's left a standard by which those in the house are to welcome others in and put others out. And someone's knocking at the door.

23:00 And we say, who are you? And the person answers and says, I am a man. I am a woman. We say, good, you meet the requirement of maturity.

23:10 Furthermore, and then they give us their testimony of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus. And what this experience of repentance and faith. And the ongoing relationship to Christ means. We say, all right, they have the credential of gospel knowledge, profession, and experience.

23:27 And they say, I've got a little piece of paper to validate that when I was in Timbuktu so many years ago, I was baptized. We say, good. They say, any other requirements? We say, yes.

23:37 As you come through the door, we want you to be able to say, number one, if we open the door to you, you will come in embracing our stated documents of belief. And practice confession of faith and constitution. Furthermore, if you come through that door, we want you to be able to say that you're committing yourself to our corporate life and ministry. And finally, if you come through that door, we want you to declare you are submitting to the government and discipline of this church.

24:10 Anything more, nothing more. If you can declare those realities, you are welcome. Now, what is the common denominator of those three things? What is the cord that ties them together?

24:23 Our expectation that the one coming through the door comes embracing our stated documents of faith and practice. Committing himself to our corporate life and ministry. And submitting himself to our discipline and to our government.

24:48 Beginning to at least see a faint line of something that brings them all together. Let me say. I set this out as a proposition. I bounced it off two of my fellow elders and it washed with them.

24:58 So I feel confident that at least I'm not totally off the wall. Maybe only halfway there.

25:04 What the common denominator in all three of those is, is this. It is a disposition of mind and of heart conducive to the harmonious integration into the ministry and life of this congregation. All we're saying with those requirements. To the one knocking at the door.

25:27 Accepting as valid your maturity. Your gospel knowledge, profession and experience. Accepting your testimony that you are prepared to be baptized as a disciple or you have been baptized. All we're asking John, all we're asking Mary is the coming in.

25:48 You have a disposition of mind and of heart. Conducive. To your harmonious integration into the family that's already here inside the door. And that's what these three requirements are.

26:06 They're simply an attempt to see if the one coming through the door has a disposition. What do we mean by disposition? We mean a prevailing character or character trait. He's got a cheerful, chirpy disposition.

26:20 What do we mean? He goes around basically cheerful and chirpy. He's got a very serious. Disposition.

26:27 Seriousness, reflectiveness, pensiveness marks the individual. He's got a sour disposition. That's the person always looks like he's just eaten a lemon and wants you to eat one too. Curl your lips like he does.

26:41 Or an anxious disposition. Someone that's always fretful. What we're saying is we want to know if coming into the church a person has a disposition that is a prevailing state and characteristic of mind and of heart. Not just of heart, but of mind.

26:58 Not just mind, but heart. Understanding, affections, volitions. That's what we're talking about when we say mind and heart. That's why there's something about embracing our confession of faith that has propositional statements that address the truth of God to the mind.

27:16 But it goes beyond a mere intellectual reception. Conducive, something that leads to, tends toward. We might say a regular regimen of exercise. Coupled with a low intake of animal fats is conducive to good cardiovascular health.

27:35 I'll get in a little of my health block. A regular exercise. And what you eat, it's conducive. It tends toward.

27:44 It leads in the direction of. This is what we're looking for. A disposition, a prevailing bent of mind and heart that will lead to and tend toward a harmonious integration. When you integrate things, you put them together.

28:00 A harmonious putting together of this one who comes through the door with those who are already on the other side of the door. And you see, I don't need to quote a raft of text. If you know your Bible, you know that the unity of the people of God in mind and heart and affection is a central issue in the New Testament. A central issue.

Embracing Subordinate Standards: Confession of Faith

28:23 And so it is right for us in this particular church. In assessing someone's readiness to enter into this particular congregation to seek to assess whether or not there is within their mind and heart that disposition that will make them integrate harmoniously into this assembly. Now then, in the time that remains, we take up just number one. And then, God willing, the second and third tonight.

28:56 The requirement of embracing. Now, don't run away when I give you some words. Some of you may not know. I'm going to explain them.

29:04 The requirement of embracing our subordinate standards of doctrine and practice. The requirement of embracing our subordinate standards. You say, what are those things? I never did that when I came into membership.

29:18 Yes, you did. You just didn't know you did. The term subordinate standards is not a biblical term. It's like the term Trinity.

29:27 It's not found in the Bible. But helps explain. Express a biblical truth. Likewise, the term plenary verbal inspiration or the regulative principle.

29:38 Those terms are not found in the Bible. But historically and theologically, they have proved helpful ways of encapsulating and expressing very precious truths that are found in the Bible. Likewise with the terms subordinate standards. A standard is by dictionary.

29:59 Definition. Something that is established for use as a rule or a basis of comparison in measuring or judging. When I was wrestling with what to do with my prostate cancer. Everything I read said radical prostatectomy is the gold standard for prostate cancer that has not metastasized elsewhere in the body.

30:24 It is the standard. The measurement by which all other modalities at that. Time were measured. That's changing.

30:31 I know you men who have a sympathy for radiology are keeping abreast of those things. Take no offense. But back then it was still the gold standard standard is something that acts as a measure. That which is the basis of comparison and our confession and our Constitution are standards.

30:54 They are human standards, but they are standards. Our confession expresses. What we believe on the major issues of biblical revelation. When we say the scriptures.

31:07 What do we mean by the scriptures? The first chapter tells us when we say God. What do we mean by God? Our chapter on God in the Trinity tells us when we say man.

31:19 What do we mean by man? What do we mean by the fall? What do we mean by salvation? What do we mean by justification adoption sanctification?

31:28 What do we mean by the church? Our confession of faith is our subordinate standard. It is that norm by which we evaluate and shift. What we hear as being biblical truth, but they are subordinate standards.

31:49 Our confession encapsulates. What we believe the Bible teaches about these major issues and our Constitution embodies. What we believe the scripture says as to how we're to walk as a church. How are we to recognize elders?

32:04 How are we to act in discipline? How are we to conduct our life together in our homes, et cetera? But they are subordinate standards. They are not ultimate or the supreme standards.

32:16 Only scripture has the place of supreme authority. To be subordinate is to be under the power or authority of another. Therefore, we can change these documents. As God gives us further life.

32:29 We can refine. Our confession. We can alter and amend or delete portions of our Constitution as God gives us life. They are subordinate to the only absolute rule of faith and the practice.

32:45 That's the scripture. So they are subordinate standards and throughout the history of the church. The terminology subordinate standards speaks of precisely what the function is of our confession. And our Constitution.

33:02 Now then, having given an explanation of the term subordinate standards. Secondly, an identification of our subordinate standards. We state that one must come through the door embracing. The term we actually use is agreement.

33:22 Expresses agreement with the confession and Constitution. And what is that particular confession of faith? Well, here I give you a little history. Now I said, this is unusual for me.

33:33 We've not yet dug into a specific passage. But I'm constrained by believing it's the only responsible way to do what I'm called to do. As much as everything in me wants to go in some other direction. I can't and maintain a good conscience.

33:46 So I'd rather live with an uncomfortable psyche than with a bloodied conscience. Growing out of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th and 17th century. The leading pastors and theologians of the United Kingdom produced what is called the Westminster Confession of Faith in 1644. They didn't do it all in 1644.

34:07 It was the product of years. But it was officially ratified and adopted and approved as the confession of the churches. And it was decidedly reformed and Presbyterian. In fact, we could say that confession was marked by these things.

34:23 It was biblical as opposed to a mere doctrine based on men's ideas. It was Catholic. Not Roman Catholic. But Catholic.

34:32 That is, it embodied those elements of the faith of God's people throughout the centuries. And at that time, it embodied the faith of the vast majority of the people of God. So it was biblical, Catholic. It was reformed.

34:49 In opposition to Arminianism, which denies God's absolute sovereignty while man is totally responsible. Denies the obvious sense of the biblical. words, election and calling and the perseverance of the saints. Please turn this cassette over to continue the message.

35:11 God's absolute sovereignty while man is totally responsible. Denies the obvious sense of the biblical. words, election and calling and the perseverance of the saints, etc. So that confession was decidedly biblical.

35:27 Catholic, that is, universal. It wasn't cultic. It wasn't peculiar to just a little handful. It was reformed.

35:35 It was evangelical. As opposed to sacramental. Those who believed that grace came through baptism in the Lord's Supper. It made it plain that grace is funneled through Christ alone who is received by faith alone.

35:49 And that baptism in the Lord's Supper were but signs and seals of that which a believer has in Christ. But it was decidedly Presbyterian in terms of how this church, A, relates to church, B, C, D in one area. And so it was Presbyterian in its view of government and in its view of who are the proper subjects of baptism and who are to be conceived of as members of the church. Well, what happened shortly thereafter, some of those who were not Presbyterian in terms of their view of church government, the independents, they adopted large sections of the Westminster Confession, but they made it a confession of the independent churches. It was called the Savoy Declaration, and that was done in 1658. So here you have the mama, Westminster Confession of Faith, 1644. In 1658, you have the first child of the Westminster Confession, or we might say the first cousin, however you want to connect the genealogy, the Savoy Declaration.

36:57 But they practiced infant baptism. There were other believers, a good many of them throughout the UK, particularly in Britain and in Wales, who shared the vast majority of what was stated in the Westminster Confession. They had a Biblical, Catholic, Reformed, Evangelical faith. But they differed in terms of the proper subjects of baptism, who are the proper members of the church, and how the churches should relate to one another.

37:26 They had a view that every church stood directly under the Lordship of Christ, and while there should be voluntary communion, and encouragement, there was no organic connection that would have representatives from here, here, here, and here, come together with church authority. That's called the Presbytery, wider synod, General Assembly. I don't want to go into all the details, but that's what our confession is, what these Baptists did in taking the fruit of the Westminster and Savoy Declarations, altering it in a number of places that are not major, except when we come to these issues, and Pastor Lamar pointed out those matters along the way in his detailed study of that confession, or his leadership in our detailed study of it, so that in July of 1689, representatives from a hundred churches in England and in Wales gathered to adopt what was drafted earlier. It had been drafted earlier, but in 1689, they adopted that confession, and from that time on, it's been called the Second London Baptist Confession. There was one drawn up in 1644, much more brief, much more truncated. This was much fuller as the Westminster Confession, and the men who signed that were unashamed to have this statement made

38:50 with respect to how they recognized either their grandmother or their first cousin once removed, or second cousin, whatever you call it. Westminster, Savoy, London Baptist Confession. Listen to what they said. For as much as this confession is not now commonly to be had, and also that many others since embrace the same truth which is owned therein, it was judged necessary by us to join together in giving a testimony to the world of our firm adhering to those wholesome principles.

39:25 We did conclude it necessary to confess ourselves the more fully and distinctly, and finding no defect in this regard in that confession fixed on by the assembly. See what they're saying? We found the Westminster Confession a very excellent confession, and after them, by those of the Congregational Way, that's the Savoy Declaration, we did conclude it best to retain the same order in our present confessions, for the most part without any variation of the terms making use of the very same words with them both. This we did to convince all that we have no itch to clog religion with new words, but readily to acquiesce in that form of sound words which has been used by others before us in those things wherein we differ from others, we've expressed ourselves with all candor and plainness. Contention is the most remote from our design in all that we have done in this matter. You see, they had a Catholic spirit, and they wanted the world to know you may think our watery ways strange, for those who believed at that time that only confessed disciples should be baptized, and that there was a strong case in the Scriptures

40:47 for baptism being an immersion and an immersion from water of the whole of the disciple's person, they were in a minority in terms of large segments of the Catholic Church, that is, the people of God across the face of the earth. And they wanted people to know, though we conscientiously have stated our views on baptism and our view on the independence of each local church, we want the world to know we're not a bunch of coops who think we're the first ones who ever studied the Bible. We gladly acknowledge our grandmother or our whatever it is, and cousins, I can't figure that out, whatever the Westminster is, we stand right over there with God's people, unashamed, while conscientiously expressing where we stand. Now, why is it important to know that? Because we live in a day when people have the notion that if they have God, the Holy Ghost, and the Bibles, they don't need nothing in the way of creeds, confessions. Who needs them?

41:52 We've got God, the Holy Ghost, and the Bible. Well, I've got news for you. You and I aren't the first ones that ever opened our Bibles with the Holy Ghost dwelling in us. When Jesus promised the presence of the Spirit in His church, to lead His church into truth, it had unique, non-repeatable, time-bound application to the apostles.

42:13 But there is an abiding ministry of the Spirit in illumination, enabling God's people, as they live out their lives in history, and the Lord sovereignly allows enemies of the truth to attack it, and it drives the people of God afresh to their Bibles, and they collate what the Bible says. There was no formal declaration of the doctrine of the Trinity until the fourth century. Now, some woolly-headed Russellite comes by and tells you, oh, the church invented the Trinity in the fourth century. That's nonsense, and if you know little church history, you won't be thrown by that.

42:46 No, the church was born in a Trinitarian consciousness. So when Paul writes and says, May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all, the people of God at times say, wait a minute, he's acting like Jesus and God and the Holy Ghost are all the dispensers of blessing that fit only God. Well, what's he talking about? No, Trinitarian belief and experience was part and parcel of the apostolic church.

43:20 It's clear in so many areas. In fact, it's been a long time since I preached on the Trinity, and this is a reminder, maybe I need to do that soon. But what the church did when people began to deny it, was to deny the essential deity of Christ, and later on, the essential deity of the Spirit. It drove God's people to their Bibles.

43:39 And being driven to their Bibles, they came up with formulary statements that are hedges around the truth of God, the great mystery of the one in three and the three in one. Well, similarly, many of the ancient conflicts were hammered out and incorporated into the Westminster Confession and the Savoy Declaration, where we stand in that great stream of Biblical, Catholic, Reformed, Evangelical confessional truth. And we are not kooky, even though in our day we may appear kooky, we've locked in to historical Christianity, and we want to be unashamed to declare that that confession is our confession of faith, a subordinate standard. Now, what about our Constitution? Where in the world did that come from? Well, that's going to be a lot simpler.

Embracing Subordinate Standards: Church Constitution

44:32 That doesn't go back to the fourth century, or to 1644, or 1658, or 1689. Let me give you the little bit of history that's right in the front piece of our Constitution. The original Constitution of the church, then known as Trinity Church of West Essex, was adopted in March 1967. The name of the church was changed.

44:54 The Trinity Baptist Church of Essex fells in 71, and a number of amendments to the Constitution were adopted in March of 1978. Since that time, the elders have combined suggested changes, resulting in an even more extensive revision that took place all the way from 1987 to 1995. A proposed draft was distributed to the membership in April of 1995. Time was given during 12 consecutive adult classes to discuss those changes, and on October 1st, 1995, a duly called congregational meeting, the church unanimously adopted this present revised Constitution of October 1, 1995.

45:38 But then we state this to show it's a subordinate standard. Although much effort has been given to prepare this Constitution as an effective method for ordering our life together, we recognize it's still an imperfect and changeable product of men. We therefore prayerfully commit this Constitution to the church. It is intended to govern, and we commit it into the hands of our omniscient and changeless God, whose Word shall stand forever.

46:05 So now we've addressed two things. The meaning and explanation of the words subordinate standard. I've helped you to identify our subordinate standards, what they are, where they came from, and now in the time that remains, thirdly, the biblical justification for such standards. Now at last, we come to our Bible.

Biblical Justification for a Confession of Faith

46:28 What is the biblical justification for such subordinate standards? Why can't we all just put our hand on the Bible and say in the presence of the living God who knows the hearts of all men, I'm prepared to believe everything the Bible teaches and to do everything the Bible commands? Why don't we do that? Well, because the moment we begin to say, what does the Bible teach, by what standards shall we evaluate those who will become our official teachers, who will teach our children in the Sunday school, who will lead us in prayer?

47:03 When someone prays, Oh, God, do I want to have any suspicion that when he says the word God, he's thinking of some great, undefinable monism, a God who has eternally been nothing but one and only one, no mystery of the inner Trinitarian life of Father, Son, and Spirit, the Word who was from the beginning with God and himself is God. I want to know when you use the word God, your God is my God and not an idol spun out of your own head. And when we gather to pray as a company of saints who say, Yes, that subordinate standard is what I believe. When you say God, my heart can say, Amen to your prayer.

47:44 And when we pray, Lord, save people, what are we asking God to do? Help people to use their almighty, independent, sovereign will and choose for Jesus? Or are we praying God will rock their cage, rattle their cage, and loose their will from bondage to sin and the devil and give them a sight of Christ that will ravish their hearts and make him precious? What are you praying when you say, Lord, save my children?

48:08 You're just praying, Lord, help them to help you by raising a hand in the meeting and saying they're saved and then go merrily on their way and then have no fears. If they live like the devil, say like I've heard many people say to me. Well, they're the Lord's. They accepted Jesus at age six.

48:22 The Lord will bring them back. We want to know when we pray, saved, we mean the same thing. And therefore it is right that we should have a confession because, and here we turn now back to our original text, way back in the beginning of this series, 1 Timothy 3 and verse 15. Just for a few minutes now, the biblical justification for these subordinate standards.

48:47 First of all, the justification for a confession of faith. In 1 Timothy 3, when Paul is giving Timothy the rationale of this letter, he says in verse 14, these things I write unto you hoping to come unto you shortly, but if I tarry long that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground, the pillar that upholds and the foundation underneath the pillars of what commodity? Of the truth. The church is pillar and foundation of the truth.

49:27 Now here's the mystery. The church is itself the product of the truth. The church doesn't create truth. The church is formed by the truth.

49:37 Having been begotten again, Peter says, by what? By the word. By that living word. That is the word by which we are begotten.

49:47 James 1.18, having begotten us again by the word of his truth. But having been born by the truth, the church is made a steward, of the truth. The truth that is in scripture.

50:01 The truth that can never change. God has constituted his church a steward of that truth. She is to be the foundation and pillar holding aloft that truth to the world. And to that truth, no word is to be added or subtracted now.

50:17 If that's what the church is to be, then surely the church must have some mechanism of declaring what it believes to be the truth. For as in apostolic days, Peter says, the ignorant and the unstable twist the scriptures to their own destruction. And within the very apostolic age, certain controversies precipitated certain letters in certain terminology in order to counteract those errors. And now this stage in human history, where the history of the church is found strewn with the wreckage of heretics and errorists.

50:56 Every individual local church needs to be able to declare when we say God and Christ and sin and man and saved and justified, this is what we believe the scriptures teach. And we unashamedly declare that that is our understanding of God's truth. Furthermore, in Ephesians 4, 1 to 5, where Paul is encouraging an earnest endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit to cultivate the graces of lowliness and meekness and forbearance, which are utterly essential in maintaining unity, he then declares the basis of that unity that they are to strive to keep. Verse 4, here's the basis of that unity. There is one body, one spirit, even as you're called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. One faith. And there it is not faith subjective,

52:04 my trust in God and in Christ, but it is the faith that is the body of revealed truth. One faith. And our confession is our effort to declare what we believe to be the major elements that comprise the faith. And so we declare this is what we believe the scriptures teach.

52:26 What the scriptures teach concerning these various matters. And Christian maturity, later on in this passage, is described in terms of stability in the truth. A stability that enables us not to be battered about by every wind of doctrine. Verse 14, that we may be no longer children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men in craftiness after the wiles of error.

52:56 Error is like a snake in the grass. There are wild stratagems of error. And we look back and see how error has infected the church and the church has continually sought to refine her confessional statements to isolate truth and to insulate error. That we might be able by the grace of God to speak the truth in love and grow up in all things into Him who is the head.

53:24 Our growth into Christ is related to our grasp upon the truth of the word of God and our ability to detect and reject error. That is one of the great functions of the confession of faith. Is there any explicit, commanded word of scripture that every...

53:45 No, I say the duty of having a confession of faith is inferred. It is, in our judgment, vital to pursue these explicit directions and objectives in scripture. If the church is to be the pillar and ground of the truth, she must know what the truth is in distinction from error. If she is to have a unity fostered on the basis of the one faith, we must be able to articulate what that faith is.

Biblical Justification for a Constitution

54:12 And then briefly again, the biblical justification for a constitution, a document in which the fundamental rules and principles of any society is going to operate. The key text, in my judgment, is 1 Corinthians 14.40. And we quote that in the scripture proofs in our constitution.

54:33 You remember the situation at Corinth. God was giving these unusual gifts. The apostles were not able to be everywhere. Their letters were not able to go everywhere.

54:42 God was still revealing through New Testament prophets the significance of the death and burial and resurrection of Christ and the gift of the Spirit. The New Testament apostolic church was dependent upon apostolic understanding. And apostolic guidance and the gift of prophecy. While the scriptures were not yet complete.

55:03 So there at Corinth, there were people who had a gift of prophecy. Others had a gift in which they could speak in languages they had not ordinarily acquired. They could speak the truth of God which when interpreted was equal to prophecy. And they were like a bunch of kids in a candy shop.

55:20 And they were irresponsibly exercising these gifts and people standing up all over the place speaking in these languages. And nobody translating and this one prophesying. And then Paul said, Whoa, whoa, whoa, we've got to sort out this ecclesiastical charismatic zoo. And so he gets very specific.

55:37 And he says, Now as to gender, I don't care woman. You say you've got a gift of prophecy, tongues and interpretation. Keep your mouth shut in the gathering of the saints. It's shameful for you to speak.

55:48 Prophecy, tongues with interpretation equal to prophecy is authoritative declaration of the word of God. That is not the province of women. In the gathered assembly, be quiet. And he says, And you prophets one at a time.

56:02 Oh, did you say the spirit of God came upon me? No, no. The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets. Keep your mouth shut while your brothers prophesy.

56:10 And furthermore, count on your fingers. If three have prophesied in the given meeting, that's all for that meeting. No more. Oh, but the Holy Ghost.

56:17 I don't care what you say about the Holy Ghost. Stop it. No women, tongues and prophecy. Men, one at a time.

56:25 Let the others stand by, evaluate and speak. And then at the end of all of this, or toward the end, he says there are two great principles that have caused me to give these very restrictive directions to these Corinthians. The first is in verse 33. God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.

56:49 As he has told them, let it be done this way and that way, all unto edification. He said, otherwise you do not reflect the character of God. God is not a God who is behind the confusion that exists in your midst. He is a God of order.

57:08 He is not a God of confusion, but of peace. Peace in the sense that you don't come into an assembly and everything is going all around you and anyone aware of this would get nervous. No, no. God will come in the assembly and the exercise of those gifts in a way that reflects order and discipline, a climate of peace.

57:28 And then he concludes the passage by saying, but let all things be done decently and in order. That is, all things done decently. Not jarring with unseemliness. Not indulging that which is indecorous and that which is disorderly.

57:49 Let all things be done decently and toxis. That's the word that would be used to describe the military structure or the structure of a military unit. Each one in his order. He says, let everything be done with decorum and with order.

58:06 Now, it is those principles that we believe necessitate a constitution. How are we going to, with decency and order, conduct a church meeting? How are we, with decency and order, going to recognize officers? How are we going to, with decency and order, establish the proper relationship between elders and deacons so that they're working harmoniously and not as two conflicting or checks and balances the Senate and the House of Representatives and that kind of nonsense that some people say is the rationale for having two governing bodies within the church, deacons and elders.

58:46 Checks and balances on the abuse of authority. No, we believe if all of these facets of our life are to be done decently, and in order, and reflect the God who is not a God of confusion, the constitution is a helpful, subordinate standard to attain those God-given ends. The second text is 1 Timothy 3.5.

59:07 We're giving the requirements for an elder. Paul says, If a man rules not well his own household, how shall he take care of the church of God? Here, the apostle establishes a pattern between the administrator of a godly household and the administration of the house of God. Now, in a godly household, a father will make administrative decisions that he does not impose on every household on the block.

59:38 For example, he says with Joshua, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. That means the Lord's day is sacred. And because the Lord's day is sacred, as you children come into years of maturity and you have various social actions on Saturday, 10 o'clock Saturday night is curfew time in this house. I can say that because that was a rule I made for my house.

60:02 But there's not another person in this church who can say I ever tried to impose that rule on someone else. Given my situation, my house, I deem that was a wise administrative decision. When you get in the car to go from Cedar Grove, first of all to Caldwell, and then here to Montville on Sunday, the rule of thumb was we begin to sing. And we learned the hymns that we learned over the years.

60:27 Some of which I can quote word perfect to this day because of the hours singing them in the car. Did I impose that on anybody else? No. But that was perfectly proper and right and necessary for me to administer my household.

60:39 Well, in the same way, elders are to administer the household of God. And therefore they must set before things, set before the people of God, principles by which we're going to function together, secure their judgment, and then the household concurs. Yes, that is how we see we can order our life to the glory of God and so together. I'm as much in submission to this Constitution as you are.

61:06 That's why I'm bringing this series of sermons. That's why. And that we might do things decently and in order. The Constitution is a helpful, expedient, it is a legitimate, subordinate standard.

The Importance of Confessions and Constitutions for Future Generations

61:20 Well, I've got out what I hope to get out this morning. And I know it's been a lot of material. I know it isn't normally what we do. But again, as I said to my wife, I said, Honey, I'm in this for the long haul.

61:31 And I'm thinking of 5, 10, 15, 20 years down the road. There will be people who suggest we don't need a confession of faith. And some who will say, Well, our Constitution is restrictive and let's just follow the Holy Ghost and our Bibles. And I hope there's some of you sitting here today that will rear back on your hind legs and say, No!

61:54 That will put us out of the mainstream of historic Christianity and make us a bunch of wild coots in which everyone will do that which is right in his own eyes. And then God will be dishonored. People will think God's a God of disorder and disruption. And they will not know Him to be the God of order and of peace who calls His people to do that which is decent and orderly.

Concluding Application: Disposition for Membership and Call to Christ

62:17 So then, we come around full circle to the end of our message. Here is our friend knocking at the door. And he says, I believe I'm a Christian. Here's why.

62:30 I have been or I'm prepared to be baptized. And from within, someone speaking on behalf of the house says we have one further question to ask you. Will you come through the door with a disposition of mind and heart conducive to your harmonious integration into the life and ministry of this family of God? And he said, Well, as far as I know, can you give me any particulars?

62:55 I'll give you one now. Come back tonight. I'll give you two more. You must come through the door embracing our subordinate standards.

63:06 That's all we're telling you. We want to know when you're inside and we praise God, we mean the same God. And when we pray that God will save, we mean the same thing. And when we talk of what God has done and what we long for Him to do, in the language of 1 Corinthians 1.10, Paul says, I would that you be of the same mind and of the same judgment and that you speak the same thing. That's true Christian unity. May God be pleased to increase it among us and multiply it in the days to come. And if you're not a Christian, your concern should not be what do I have to do to get into Trinity Church?

63:47 But what do I have to do to get into Christ? That's your primary concern. Get into Christ. You say, how do I?

63:56 You go to Him in repentance and faith. You come in all the nakedness of your need with all your chains and all your defilement and say, Lord Jesus, you said you're the friend of sinners. I'm a sinner. Be my friend.

64:11 Lord Jesus, I give myself to you. I entrust myself to you. I cast myself upon you and the virtue of your death and burial and resurrection and to embrace your promise and to give me your cleansing and give me your Holy Spirit that I may have power to live a life that is pleasing to you. If you're not in Christ, go to Christ.

64:35 If you're in Christ, ask yourself, if you're seeking admission to this church, do you have those biblical credentials? If not, why not? If not, may God give you grace to pursue them until you do. Let's pray.

64:57 Our Father, we thank you. That you are the God who brings to your people life and salvation. And you gather your people into assemblies of saints to worship you, to speak of you to others, to carry out your work in their generation. And we pray that you will take the things we've wrestled with today and make them clear to all of our minds and help us by your grace that we shall walk with biblical integrity before you and before an onlooking world.

65:35 Bless your dear people this day. Take each one safely to his or her home. Bless our afternoon hours. Gather us again tonight with joy and expectation of your presence and your grace.

65:48 We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.