Church and Sacraments 3

7/30/2019 Church and Sacraments 3

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THE CHURCH


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5/16/2013 Church and Sacraments 3 2

ATTRIBUTES OF THE CHURCH

ONE

HOLY

APOSTOLIC

CATHOLIC CHURCH


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CHURCH IS ONE

For Roman Catholics

Unity consists in relationship with the Apostolic See This is better than the traditional institutional model of

unity

For the Reformed

Unity is primarily of an internal, spiritual characterOne Lord, one faith, one baptism, =doctrinal unity

The Unity of the invisible church is no substitutefor unity in the visible church

Multiformity (or, pluriformity) of the churches ispart of Gods providential unfolding of history

Biblical Unity=grounded in Truth, John 17:17


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CHURCH IS HOLY

For many Roman Catholics, this has beeninterpreted in external terms

At times, this affirmation, in light of the reality ofthe Churchs mixed character, has led toschismatic groups, such as Novationists,Donatists, Montanists, Cathari, etc. separatingfrom the Church

Fundamentally, the affirmation of holiness is

An assertion ofobjective righteousness, i.e., theChurch in Christ Jesus

Secondarily, it is an affirmation that God who sanctifiesindividuals is also at work purifying (sanctifying) hisChurch


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CHURCH IS HOLY

The gap between these affirmations andthe reality of present ecclesiastical life is areminder The wheat/tares: grow together till the end of

the age It is often difficult to distinguish them

Church Discipline- a necessary elementfor maintaining holiness in the Church The Standard of Holiness is Gods moral law

The dangers of Antinomianism and Legalismare never far away


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CHURCH IS APOSTOLIC

For Roman Catholics, affirmations ofapostolicity are intertwined with notions ofapostolic succession

For the Reformed, apostolicity is continuitywith the doctrines and principles of theapostolic church I Cor. 15:1-4, according to the Scriptures

Jude 3, faith, once for all deliveredThe church is apostolic because it is founded

on apostolic teaching. Ed Clowney, TheChurch, 77


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CHURCH IS CATHOLIC

For Roman Catholics, catholicity (universality)is often equated with institutional unity withRome

For the Reformed, catholicity may refer either tothe invisible church when referring to all truebelievers, or the visible church when referringto all who profess the true religion

Catholicity has a temporal axis (i.e., its relationto the church of the ages) as well as a horizontalaxis

Catholicity and Heresy: Heresy-hunting, A LostArt in need of recovery


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MARKS OF THE CHURCH

Augsburg Confession: Article 7 (seeCalvin, ICR, 4.2.9)

The Gospel is rightly taught

The Sacraments are rightly administered.Of course, this implies church discipline(for Calvin at least)

The Proper Exercise of Discipline isadded in the Belgic Confession, Art. 29


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MARKS OF THE CHURCH

Ultimately, all three marks may besummarized as the Word. Whether taught,sacramentally received, or practiced, it is theWord that is the ultimate mark(Nota) of the

Church The issue ofschism or separation Brought to the fore by the lack of faithfulness in

many churches to maintain these three marks

This was the dilemma of the twentieth century- acentury in which unbelief was no longer outside thecathedral door, but often in the chancery, the pulpit,and the confessional


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THE CHURCHS PURPOSE

The Purpose of the Church: PerWayne Grudem, Systematic Theology,867ff: Ministry to God: Worship

Ministry to Believers: Nurture Ministry to the World: Evangelism and Mercy

All three purposes of the church are

commanded by the Lord in Scripture;therefore all three are important and nonecan be neglected. Grudem, ST, 868


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THE CHURCHS PURPOSE

Per David Smith,All GodsPeople, 341

Martyria, or WitnessDiakonia, or ServiceKoinonia, or Fellowship

Leitourgia, or Worship


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CHURCH AND POLITY Extraordinary Officers in the Church

Apostles Mark 3:14, And he appointed twelve (whom he

also named apostles) so that they might be withhim and he might send them out to preach

Luke 6:13, And when day came, he called hisdisciples and chose from them twelve, whom henamed apostles

Gal. 1:1, Paul, an apostle- not from men northrough man, but through Jesus Christ and God theFather, who raised him from the dead

Acts 1:21, So one of the men who haveaccompanied us during all the time that the LordJesus went in and out among us


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CHURCH AND POLITY

Extraordinary Officers in the Church ProphetsActs 11:28, And one of them named Agabus

stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there wouldbe a great famine over all the world (this took

place in the days of Claudius).Acts 13:1,2, Now there were in the church atAntioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeonwho was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen

a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, andSaul. While they were worshiping the Lord andfasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for meBarnabas and Saul for the work to which I havecalled them.


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CHURCH AND POLITY Extraordinary Officers in the Church

Prophets I Cor. 12:10, to another the working of miracles,

to anotherprophecy, to another the ability todistinguish between spirits, to another various

kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation oftongues.

I Cor. 13:2, And if I have prophetic powers, andunderstand all mysteries and all knowledge, and ifI have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but

have not love, I am nothing. Eph. 2:20, built on the foundation of the

apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself beingthe cornerstone


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CHURCH AND POLITY

Extraordinary Officers in theChurch

Prophets

Eph. 3:5, which was not made known tothe sons of men in other generations as it

has now been revealed to his holy apostles

and prophets by the Spirit.

Eph. 4:11, And he gave the apostles, theprophets, the evangelists, the pastors and

teachers


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CHURCH AND POLITY

Extraordinary Officers- or Ordinary? Evangelists

Acts 21:8, crying out, Men of Israel, help! Thisis the man who is teaching everyone everywhereagainst the people and the law and this place.

Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the templeand has defiled this holy place.

Eph. 4:11, And he gave the apostles, theprophets, the evangelists, the pastors and

teachers II Tim. 4:5, As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of anevangelist, fulfill your ministry.


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CHURCH AND POLITY

Ordinary Officers: Elders, presbyteroi,

Acts 20:17,28, Now from Miletus he sent toEphesus and called the elders of the church to cometo him. . . .Pay careful attention to yourselves and to

all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made youoverseers, to care for the church of God, which heobtained with his own blood.

I Tim. 3:1, The saying is trustworthy: If anyoneaspires to the office ofoverseer, he desires a nobletask.

I Tim. 4:14, Do not neglect the gift you have, whichwas given you by prophecy when the council ofelders laid their hands on you.


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CHURCH AND POLITY


I Tim. 5:17,9, Let the elders who rule well beconsidered worthy of double honor, especially thosewho labor in preaching and teaching. . . .Do not admit

a charge against an elderexcept on the evidence oftwo or three witnesses.

Titus 1:5,7, This is why I left you in Crete, so thatyou might put what remained into order, and appointelders in every town as I directed you . . . For anoverseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach.He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or adrunkard or violent or greedy for gain


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CHURCH AND POLITY


I Peter 5:1,2, So I exhort the elders among

you, as a fellow elderand a witness of thesufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker inthe glory that is going to be revealed:shepherd the flock of God that is among you,exercising oversight, not under compulsion,but willingly, as God would have you; not forshameful gain, but eagerly


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CHURCH AND POLITY

Ordinary Officers: Teachers, didaskaloi,

Eph. 4:11, and he gave the apostles, the

prophets, the evangelists, the pastors andteachers

I Tim. 5:17, Let the elders who rule well beconsidered worthy of double honor, especially

those who labor in preaching and teaching


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CHURCH AND POLITY

II Tim. 2:2, and what you have heardfrom me in the presence of many

witnesses entrust to faithful men who

will be able to teach others also.Titus 1:9, He must hold firm to the

trustworthy word as taught, so that he

may be able to give instruction in sound

doctrine and also to rebuke those who

contradict it


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CHURCH AND POLITY

Deacons, diakonoi,

Phil. 1:1, Paul and Timothy, servants of ChristJesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at

Philippi, with the overseers and deacons

I Tim. 3:8-10,12, Deacons likewise must bedignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much

wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold

the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And

let them also be tested first; then let them serve as

deacons if they prove themselves blameless. . . . Letdeacons each be the husband of one wife, managing

their children and their own households well


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CHURCH AND POLITY Deacons, diakonoi,

Acts 6:1-6, Now in these days when the disciples wereincreasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose

against the Hebrews because their widows were being

neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve

summoned the full number of the disciples and said, It is

not right that we should give up preaching the word of God

to serve tables.Therefore, brothers, pick out from amongyou seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of

wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will

devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they

chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, andPhilip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and

Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they

set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their

hands on them.


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CHURCH GOVERNMENT

Current Options

Episcopal, in which oversight is

vested in BishopsCongregational, in which oversight

is vested in the congregation

Presbyterial, in which oversight isvested in the elders of the Church


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CHURCH GOVERNMENT: Principles

The Office-bearers were chosen by the peopleActs 1:13-26, And when they had entered, they went

up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peterand John and James and Andrew, Philip andThomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the sonof Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son

of James. All these with one accord were devotingthemselves to prayer, together with the women andMary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. In thosedays Peter stood up among the brothers (thecompany of persons was in all about 120) and said,Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which theHoly Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of Davidconcerning Judas, who became a guide to those whoarrested Jesus.For he was numbered among us andwas allotted his share in this ministry.


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(Now this man bought a field with the reward of hiswickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in themiddle and all his bowels gushed out. And it becameknown to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that thefield was called in their own language Akeldama, that

is, Field of Blood.) For it is written in the Book ofPsalms, May his camp become desolate, and letthere be no one to dwell in it; and Let another takehis office.So one of the men who have accompaniedus during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and

out among us, beginning from the baptism of Johnuntil the day when he was taken up from us- one ofthese men must become with us a witness to hisresurrection.


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And they put forward two, Joseph calledBarsabbas, who was also called Justus, andMatthias. And they prayed and said, You,Lord, who know the hearts of all, show whichone of these two you have chosen to take theplace in this ministry and apostleship fromwhich Judas turned aside to go to his ownplace. And they cast lots for them, and the lot

fell on Matthias, and he was numbered withthe eleven apostles.


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Acts 6:5-6, And what they said pleasedthe whole gathering, and they chose

Stephen, a man full of faith and of the

Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus,and Nicanor, and Timon, and

Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of

Antioch. These they set before the

apostles, and they prayed and laid their

hands on them.


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CHURCH GOVERNMENT: Principles The titles Bishop and Elder appear to distinguish

the same office and the same order of personsActs 20:17,28, Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus

and called the elders of the church to come to him. . .. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the

flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made youoverseers, to care for the church of God, which heobtained with his own blood.

I Tim. 3:1, The saying is trustworthy: If anyoneaspires to the office ofoverseer, he desires a noble

task. I Tim. 5:17, Let the elders who rule well be

considered worthy of double honor, especially thosewho labor in preaching and teaching.


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CHURCH GOVERNMENT: Principles The titles Bishop and Elder appear to distinguish

the same office and the same order of persons Titus 1:5,7, This is why I left you in Crete, so that

you might put what remained into order, and appointelders in every town as I directed you . . . For an

overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach.He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or adrunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

Phil. 1:1, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi,

with the overseers and deacons James 5:14, Is anyone among you sick? Let him call

for the elders of the church, and let them pray overhim, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.


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In each church there was a plurality ofElders

Acts 14:23, And when they had appointedelders for them in every church, with prayer

and fasting they committed them to the Lord

in whom they had believed.

Acts 20:17, Now from Miletus he sent to

Ephesus and called the elders of the churchto come to him.


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COMPETENT LEADERSHIP

Competent Leaders exercise authority toaccomplish the Good

Competent Leaders need to define

what is (Reality) and declare whatwill be(Future)

Competent Leaders do not simply respond

to crisis, but also determine how you goabout mission


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Competent Leaders do what God sentthem to do

Competent Leaders are effective in givinga witness in the 21st century, in a time of

denominational change, cultural shifts,and institutional turmoil

Competent Leaders define excellence in

the moment Competent Leaders define systems thatwill serve us well


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Competent Leaders display the whole loveof God, the affective and the effective,making use of all faculties (the wholeperson), all persons, and all gifts

Competent Leaders keep direction byintention in the midst of whitewater

Competent Leaders rely upon Christsefficacy, not their own effort

From Gordon-Conwell Roundtable III


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THE CHURCH

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Church and Sacraments 3