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the chapter 26 of the church. And chapter 27 continues something 
connected to the doctrine of the church, and that is the doctrine 
of the communion of saints. Remember, we noted last time 
that saints simply means Christians, so those who are believers. They 
are those who constitute the church. And then here in chapter 
27, it speaks to the communion that obtains among the saints 
within the context of the church. both the church local and the 
church universal. In fact, chapter 27 sort of proceeds 
in a reverse fashion relative to 26, starting with the local 
church and then moving to the extension to the church universal. 
But there's simply two paragraphs, so a smaller chapter. So I'll 
read these two paragraphs and then we'll get into its content. 
All saints that are united to Jesus Christ, their Head, by 
His Spirit and faith, although they are not made there by one 
person with Him, have fellowship in His graces, sufferings, death, 
resurrection, and glory. and being united to one another 
in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces, 
and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, 
in an orderly way, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in 
the inward and outward man. Saints, by profession, are bound 
to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship 
of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend 
to their mutual edification, as also in relieving each other 
in outward things according to their several abilities and necessities. which communion, according to 
the rule of the gospel, though especially to be exercised by 
them in the relations wherein they stand, whether in families 
or churches, yet as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended 
to all the household of faith, even all those who in every place 
call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, their communion 
one with each other as saints doth not take away or infringe 
the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and 
possessions. So it's a small chapter, but 
as with any chapter in the confession of faith, it's an important one. 
And here, following the chapter of the doctrine of the church, 
it extends something of that content into the obligations, 
the hopefully joyful, the blessed obligations that we have as Christians, 
one to each other, built upon the foundation of the union of 
the saints with our head, Jesus Christ. And so, we'll look at 
these two chapters under five particular points. From chapter 
one, we'll look at the found- excuse me, paragraph one. From 
paragraph one, we'll look at the foundation for the communion 
of saints, and secondly, the constituent elements of the saints' 
communion. And then from paragraph two, 
we'll look at the local church obligations for the saints' communion, 
the extension of the saints' communion obligations to the 
universal church, and then lastly, an anti-collectivism qualification. So first off, the foundation 
of the communion of the saints. You'll notice here, right at 
the beginning of paragraph one, all saints that are united to 
Jesus Christ their head by his spirit and faith, although they 
are not made there by one person with him, have fellowship in 
his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory, and 
being united to one another in love. So we have a foundation 
here, the foundation for the communion of the saints, and 
it's twofold. The first thing is our union 
with Christ, and then secondly, our union with each other. So 
there is a difference between union and communion, and hopefully 
that will come out as we move along. So the foundation for 
the communion of the saints is first, our union with Christ. And the confession reads there, 
all saints that are united to Jesus Christ, their head by His 
Spirit and faith. It also goes on to say, it makes 
an important statement, although they are not made there by one 
person with Him, have, nevertheless, fellowship in His graces, sufferings, 
death, resurrection, and glory." So, our union with Christ is 
the foundation, the primary foundation for our communion with fellow 
Christians. So, first off here, under our 
union with Christ, then, we just want to note what it does not 
entail. And the Confession makes that 
statement, what our union with Christ isn't, or what it does 
not entail. And that is seen in the statement 
although they are not made there by one person with him." So, 
we want to note first here that there is no ontological union 
between Christ and his saints. Remember that ontology simply 
means the study of the nature of being, or the study or doctrine 
of being. And so, the confession here is 
asserting that there's no ontological union, that is a union of being 
or some sort of substantial or essential union between Christ 
and his saints. The statement again is, although 
they are not made there by one person with him, the Westminster 
Confession of Faith has a paragraph three, and in paragraph three, 
a portion of that paragraph reads, this doth not make them in any 
wise partakers of the substance of the Godhead. So our union 
with Christ, or we could say all saints that are united to 
Christ, Although that union does not make them in any sense partakers 
of His Godhead, nevertheless we fellowship in His graces, 
sufferings, etc. So there's no ontological union 
between Christ and His saints. The Westminster Confession of 
Faith does not have the statement, although they are not made there 
by one person with Him, in there, paragraph 1, But the Savoy Declaration 
does, and here our Baptist Confession picks up the Savoy. So that statement 
that we have in ours, although they are not made there by one 
person with him, that captures the essence of what the Westminster 
Confession of Faith has in their paragraph three. Again, this 
doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of 
the Godhead. So, there's some differences there regarding the 
confessions, but they all uphold and maintain the same reality 
that our union with Christ isn't one of a substantial or essential 
union. We are, we want to note though, 
the beneficiaries of the eternal grace of God, that is, of the 
effects of his divine love and benevolence, but we do not partake 
of the very divine perfections themselves as they are in God, 
who is his perfection simply. So we are, again, the beneficiaries 
of the divine perfections insofar as those effects extend to His 
creatures, and in our case, those saved by His redemptive perfection 
and the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the application 
of salvation by the Holy Spirit. But again, we do not partake 
of the very divine perfections themselves. Secondly, as that clause captures, 
although they are not made there by one person with him, there's 
no hypostatic union between Christ according to his humanity and 
the saints. A hypostatic union is uniquely 
applied and uniquely and exclusively a truth only that concerns the 
second person of the Trinity. So when the Confession states 
that we have fellowship in his graces, it doesn't intend to 
mean that we are partakers of the very graces He has by virtue 
of His messianic task. You can go back to paragraph, 
chapter 8, paragraph 3 for a moment, just to see something of what 
we're talking about. So when it says that later on 
in this, in chapter 27, paragraph 1, that we are partakers of His 
graces, or that we have, rather, fellowship in His graces, it 
does not mean the very same graces he was bestowed with by virtue 
of having the Spirit without measure. Notice in chapter 8 
at paragraph 3, the Lord Jesus in his human nature, thus united 
to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed 
with the Holy Spirit above measure. We'll just pause there for a 
moment and note that that above measure is exclusive only to 
Christ. We're given the Holy Spirit. 
We're sanctified and anointed in the sense, in that redemptive 
sense, whereby by virtue of the saving work of Christ, we have 
the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon us in a redemptive manner 
and in a sustaining manner as we're sanctified unto glorification. But his is above measure and 
ours is with measure. And so we see here the confession 
goes on to say, having in him all the treasures of wisdom and 
knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all the fullness 
should dwell to the end, that being holy, harmless, undefiled, 
and full of grace and truth, he might be thoroughly furnished 
to execute the office of a mediator. So that reality whereby Christ 
and Christ alone is full of this grace and truth, Specifically 
for the office of mediator or surety, that is exclusive to 
Christ alone, and we do not have fellowship in those very graces 
which were peculiar to His messianic task. But we are the blessed 
beneficiaries of the grace that extends by God through Christ 
in the Spirit to us, redemptively speaking. So, just to eliminate, 
going back to chapter 27, or to remove from our concept of 
union with Christ what it does not entail. Again, not an ontological 
union, and not a hypostatic union. What then does it entail? And 
that's the second point under our union with Christ. What does 
it entail? Three things we want to note 
here. First off, the indwelling of the Spirit, that same Spirit 
that dwells in Christ. So the indwelling of the Spirit 
of promise, that same Spirit that dwells in Christ. Secondly, 
the gift of faith and the carrying on of faith in us by the Spirit. And then thirdly, close association 
with and interest in His redemptive work. So notice what the Confession 
says here. After that qualifying statement 
that we're not ontologically or hypostatically united, it 
says that we do, though, have fellowship in his graces, sufferings, 
death, resurrection, and glory. So one of the blessings of our 
union with the Lord Jesus Christ, this statement that all saints 
are united to Jesus Christ, is that great statement there. We 
have fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, 
and glory. So first under that, the indwelling 
of the Spirit. Notice that The confession begins 
by saying that those who are united to Christ are such by 
two things, his spirit and faith. And so the indwelling of the 
spirit, yes, that same spirit that indwelt Christ with regards 
to his peculiar work of mediation, that same spirit that he had 
without measure that is the spirit who is at the foundation of our 
union with the Lord Jesus Christ. We're united to Him by His Spirit. And so the indwelling of the 
Spirit of promise is something that is primary and central in 
our union with the Lord Jesus Christ. And just a note on being 
united to Jesus Christ, again, as the foundation for our communion 
with the saints. John Owen writes, Because it's 
been called our mystical union, it's been called, other adjectives 
have been employed to capture the biblical sense, the true 
sense of our union with the Lord Jesus Christ, yet it is very, 
it's mysterious. It's one of those things that 
is unfathomable, at least here in this present age. John writes, 
John Owen writes, the scripture expresses it to be very eminent, 
that is our union with Christ, near, durable, setting it out 
for the most part by similitudes and metaphorical illustrations 
to lead poor, weak creatures into some useful, needful acquaintance 
with that mystery whose depths in this life they shall never 
fathom." So as much as we can know that we are in union with 
the Lord Jesus Christ, as much as we can capture the biblical 
revelation concerning that blessed union that the saints obtain 
with our head, Jesus Christ, it is nevertheless, in this life 
at least, beyond fathoming. It's a blessed reality that we 
have, our union with the Lord Jesus Christ. And just a note 
here, if you go back to chapter 13 for a moment, we have the 
fact of our union with Christ is is obviously and intimately 
connected to the doctrine of salvation. In fact, that doctrine 
of our union with Christ is captured as central and also almost contemplating 
a summary of salvation by the amazing grace of God. So notice 
the beginning of chapter 13, they who are united to Christ, 
effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new 
spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death 
and resurrection, are also farther sanctified really and personally. 
So you see the chapters that preceded capturing certain doctrines 
such as justification and adoption, such as effectual calling and 
those sorts of things, it's almost sort of somewhat wrapped up in 
or at least intimately connected to this doctrine of union with 
Jesus Christ, they who are united to Christ. And so that union 
Because we have in view here effectual calling, regeneration, 
the new heart, the new spirit, these things are often ascribed 
to and appropriated to the Holy Spirit, then we see in the doctrine 
of union with Christ that the indwelling of the Spirit of promise 
is very central. John Owen writes regarding this, 
Herein, then, consists the union of head and members. And when 
he says herein, he means the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as 
that who indwells the saints, or as he who indwells the saints. Herein, then, consists the union 
of head and members, that is, Christ and his church, that though 
they are many and have many offices, places, and dependencies, there 
is but one living, quickening soul in head and members, as 
then one living soul makes the natural head and members to be 
one, one body, so one quickening spirit dwelling in Christ and 
his members, gives them their union and makes them one Christ, 
one body. So our union with the Lord Jesus 
Christ does not first and foremost, isn't first and foremost seen 
in Christ as the head, communicating redemptive benefits, but as the 
spirit uniting Christ with his church by virtue of those redemptive 
benefits. So John Owen is here saying that 
that same quickening spirit dwelling in Christ and His members gives 
them that union. Also, the gift of faith and the 
carrying on of faith in us, that's Owen's language, is in the background 
with regards to the union of the saints. Going back to communion 
of the saints, going back to chapter 27, it says, by His Spirit 
and faith. And notice that there is a close 
association with and interest in His redemptive work. If we're 
back in chapter 27, paragraph 1, notice what we have as far 
as benefits in being united with the Lord Jesus Christ. We have, 
the Confession says, fellowship in His graces, sufferings, death, 
resurrection, and glory. We can turn in our Bibles for 
a moment to Romans 6 because there we see something of what 
the confession is bringing out, this fellowship in the work, 
the blessed redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 
chapter six. Paul has been dealing with the 
doctrine of justification by faith alone. He's moving into 
the doctrine of sanctification, and here he begins by connecting 
believers to their head, the Lord Jesus Christ, and speaks 
regarding union. And notice in Romans 6 at verse 
5, for if we have been, well actually we don't want to skip 
the beginning of the chapter because that's foundational, 
it leads up to it. So let's read a little bit more 
here. Romans 6, 1. What shall we say then? Shall 
we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. How 
shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not 
know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were 
baptized into his death?" So before we read on a little bit 
there, we see there captured fellowship in his sufferings 
and death. So reading on then, therefore, 
we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just 
as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, 
even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have 
been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also 
shall be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that 
our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might 
be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. So 
this statement, having fellowship in His graces, sufferings, death, 
resurrection, and glory, obviously that fellowship doesn't exist 
in some sort of exact identification that we suffered what He suffered, 
that we died what He died, that we were those that are resurrected 
Like Christ by virtue of the completion of a mediatorial perfection 
or anything like that But we have fellowship by virtue of 
the fact that Christ's benefits one for us in the perfection 
of his work are Extended to us by virtue of our salvation and 
through the power of the Holy Spirit So we have that blessed 
union we have we are united together in by virtue of His graces, sufferings, 
death, resurrection, and glory. And so our union with Christ 
consists in those things, the indwelling of the Spirit, the 
gift of faith and the carrying on of faith in us, and also the 
close association with and interest in His redemptive work. And then 
secondly, under the foundation of the communion of saints is 
our union with each other. So first and foremost, it is 
our union with Christ. Secondly, it is our union with 
each other. And so notice after that statement of fellowship 
in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory, it says, 
and being united to one another in love. So we have been united 
together by virtue of the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ 
and by virtue of the union that obtains between the saints and 
their head, Jesus. And that union is or bears the 
character of love. Hopefully, as we're working through 
this, we'll see an intimate connection between the subject matter of 
Pastor Butler's sermon last Sunday evening from Ephesians chapter 
4, regarding the gifts and graces that are bestowed by the giver 
Christ, by the joyful obligations that believers have one to each 
other, and the fact that this proceeds from the character of 
love, that Christ has saved us by virtue of divine love, that 
He has given us the Spirit, which causes us to bear love, to have 
love, to be marked by love, not only for our head, Jesus Christ, 
but also for each other. And that's something that's foundational 
to the communion of the saints. That is the love that the Spirit 
has given to us by virtue of regeneration and sanctification. 
So our union with each other is also foundational to that 
communion. that we have with each other. So, largely, secondly, we have 
now the constituent elements of the saints' communion. Notice 
that the Confession goes on to speak concerning some things, 
and those three things we could summarize this way. First, complementary 
profiting. Secondly, spiritual encouragement. 
And thirdly, physical provision. So notice first, complementary 
profiting. It says here, they have communion 
in each other's gifts and graces. You can turn in your Bibles with 
me to 1 Corinthians 12 for a moment. It's something that the confession 
points to as proof texts in more than one occasion here in this 
particular chapter. In 1 Corinthians 12, We have some language that certainly 
touches upon this, not only in the verse we'll read, but in 
the verses beyond. And I believe Pastor Butler read 
from this, do I remember correctly, last Sunday evening, Jim? I think, 
yeah, okay. My memory serves well. It's been 
a week. Isn't that impressive? After 
a whole week, I can... So, picking up at verse 4 of 
chapter 12, there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there 
are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works 
all in all. But the manifestation of the 
Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. And so, and 
we see in this extended text here in 1 Corinthians 12, the 
obvious emphasis upon unity. And so, we have here the confession 
bringing out complementary profiting when it says here that we are 
united to one another in love and we have communion in each 
other's gifts and graces. There is a mutual a mutual relationship, 
a reciprocal relationship that obtains among the saints in their 
communion. And we are, by the gifts and 
graces that we are given by God, by the exalted Christ through 
His Spirit, we are to pour out or exercise those gifts and graces 
one to each other. We're not to somehow be like, 
actually Gil brings this out in his quote. This is a good 
quote because it speaks to the casting off of a selfishness 
or the jettisoning of some sort of selfish desire for power by 
virtue of the Spirit given to us, and the emphasis upon a mutual 
gifting or giving of our gifts and graces one to each other. 
And this is Gil commenting on this passage that we just read. 
Not to make gain of, that is, when the text says, to each one 
for the profit of all. It says here, John Gill writes, 
not to make gain of, as Simon Magus intended, could he have 
been possessed of them. nor to encourage pride or envy, 
or to form and foment divisions in parties, but for profit and 
advantage, and that not merely private or a man's own, but public, 
the good of the whole community or church, to which the least 
grace or gift rightly used may contribute. And that's what's 
important here to realize, and I think we all get it. It's the 
chapter on the communion of the saints. And so the gifts and 
graces given to each one of us are not for us to somehow just 
compartmentalize in our own private settings, or just to selfishly 
keep for ourselves, as if that could ever be intended by our 
divine gift giver, but rather it is to be seen in a mutual 
one-to-each-other relationship that we have in the context of 
the Church, whether public or private. And so it is an others-mindedness 
that obtains among the Christian church. It's what Paul brings 
out in Philippians 2. We are to put the interests of 
others before those of ourselves. We are not self-minded. We are 
others-minded within the context of the church. And regardless 
of whether the gift is small or great, regardless of whether 
the particular grace is small or great, you know, Gil's point 
is here the least grace or gift rightly used may contribute to 
the communion of the saints and the lives of believers within 
the context of the church. So there is a complementary profiting. There is secondly spiritual encouragement. Notice that the confession goes 
on to say, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, 
public and private, in an orderly way as do conduce to their mutual 
good both in the inward and outward man." It's interesting that the 
Baptists here add the clause, the modifying clause here, in 
an orderly way. So I like that addition, that 
within the context of public worship, within the context of 
public and private gathering, that that endures with regards 
to the communion of the saints. It's to be done in an orderly 
way. So those, you know, those spiritual giftings in our particular 
New Testament era and those things that we have been given by God 
to use with In the context of that others-mindedness, all of 
that is to take place in an orderly way. There's not to be any chaos, 
any madness, any strange spiritual goings-on within the context 
of the church that we might see in other evangelical charismatic 
and Pentecostal context, but rather the communion of the saints 
and the gathering for the exercise of public and private duties 
are to take place in an orderly way. But spiritual encouragement, 
so we see here that the language is both in the inward and outward 
man. So the first observation is that 
we are to exercise spiritual encouragement as the gathered 
church. Our coming into the church, our 
coming into the doors of the church isn't to be self-serving. You know, the language of the 
New Testament is that we sing psalms and hymns and spiritual 
songs to each other. We are singing them, yes, first 
and foremost, to the worship of God and for the worship of 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but there is, remember, that 
horizontal reality where we are singing the Bible to one another. 
We're singing blessed truth to one another. We're singing of 
the stuff of the blessed gospel of our glorious God and amazing 
grace, one to each other. And so we have spiritual encouragement 
as one of those constituent elements of the saints' communion. You 
can turn with me to 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. we see here something of that 
spiritual encouragement that is to take place amongst the 
gathered assembly and amongst the assembly of the saints if 
it be in private as well. So notice 1 Thessalonians 5 beginning 
at verse 11, and edify one another, just as 
you also are doing. And we urge you, brethren, to 
recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord, 
admonish you, and esteem them very highly in love for their 
work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort 
the faint-hearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all, See 
that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue 
what is good both for yourselves and for all." So we have this 
reality that we are to comfort each other and edify one another. 
And this is something that must take place among the gathered 
church, among fellow Christians, isn't it? To be contrary to that 
or to be indifferent to that is to simply not be Christian. 
We need to perhaps actively speak to ourselves in order to stir 
this up, speak to one another in order to stir this up, because 
it's so easy to be tempted to that default human position to 
be about ourselves and not to be about others. simply to seek 
perhaps our own comfort and not the comfort of others. And so 
here we see this admonition, this exhortation, comfort each 
other and edify each other. The importance in the doctrine 
of the saints' communion, or one of the important aspects, 
is this spiritual encouragement. Also Hebrews chapter 10. You'll 
know this passage, no doubt, but Hebrews chapter 10, an important 
passage that speaks to, among other things, what the gathered 
assembly is to do and the blessings that obtain in the gathered assembly 
by virtue of the exalted Christ who has perfected salvation. And one of those things is, beginning 
at verse 24, Hebrews 10 verse 24, this spiritual 
encouragement, and let us consider one another in order to stir 
up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together 
as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so 
much the more as you see the day approaching. So we see this, 
we see this exhortation let us consider one another first off. 
We have this, again, the other-mindedness that is to exist among Christians. And it's set in contrast to the 
self-mindedness of the heathen around us. That is a mark of 
the unregenerate, that is a mark of the non-Christian, that we 
consider ourselves and that considerations of one another are you know, 
perhaps self-serving or certainly secondary or tertiary or whatever. It's not a spiritually wrought 
consideration of one another when the unbeliever might exercise 
that, but after self-consideration has no doubt been primary. Nevertheless, 
it is a mark of the Christian that we are to consider one another, 
and there's an end in view with regards to this spiritual encouragement, 
the text goes on to say, in order to stir up love and good works. So there is an end for spiritual 
encouragement, and it's really to stir up more spiritual encouragement. It's in order to stir up the 
exercise of joyful obedience to the law of God, knowing that 
we've been saved by amazing grace. And it's also to engender or 
to encourage an increase in this spiritual edification. And notice 
that this takes place within the context of the gathered church. Remember, it speaks here first 
to public duties. And so the text goes on to say 
that the manner by which this takes place is in not forsaking 
the assembling of ourselves together, but exhorting one another. And 
so the context within which this communion of the saints takes 
place most primarily is within the gathered assembly. And so 
we are obliged to the performance of such duties public, and yes, 
of course, private as well. Now, thirdly, under the constituent 
elements of the saints' communion, we have physical provision. Notice 
that the Confession doesn't stop at the inward man, but says both 
that these things conduce to their mutual good, the mutual 
good of Christians, the mutual good of saints within the communion 
that they have, both in the inward and the outward man. And so the 
outward man is also to be considered in our other's mindedness. Not 
only spiritual, you know, spiritual encouragement, but also physical 
provision. You can turn with me to 1 John. 
1 John chapter 3. Remember that in 1 John there's 
something of evidences given that speak to the veracity of 
a claimant to covenant inclusion. Someone who claims themselves 
to be a Christian, there are things that will be evident. And one of those things is love 
to the brethren. And so we see here in 1 John 
3, beginning at verse 17, but we'll back up to verse 16, but 
this we know, love, by this we know love, because he laid down 
his life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives for 
the brethren. But whoever has this world's 
goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart 
from him, how does the love of God abide in him? So, you see, 
we are to, however, to whatever degree we may be blessed physically, 
and with some they've been blessed with more physical blessings, 
others not so much, in the diversity of things that exist among Christians, 
among people generally speaking. Nevertheless, to whatever degree 
we've been gifted with physical benefit, when we see our brothers 
in need, and even when we don't see our brothers in need, we 
are to give of those blessings to each other. We have a qualification 
at the end of paragraph two that we'll talk about. But we're not 
to be so individualistic and so pressing our individualism 
that we reject the communion of the saints and not bless with 
physical provision those who are in need. And so 1 John speaks 
to that clearly, and it is demonstrative of a Christian love to do this. to when we see a brother in need, 
we don't shut up our heart, but open up our heart to him, evidencing 
that the love of God does abide in us. Also, the book of Galatians 
in chapter 6. Galatians 6 at verse 10 reads, 
therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially 
to those who are of the household of faith. Our first and our primary 
obligation among the communion of the saints, of course, then, 
is to bless the saints with physical provision. We are to be such 
who do good to those who are of the household of faith, but 
also as we have opportunity to those who are not of it. But 
getting back to the point of the constituent elements of the 
saints' communion, physical provision is important as it is important 
also to bless the inward man with spiritual encouragement. 
Moving on to paragraph two then, Paragraph 2, we have three things. First off, we have the local 
church obligation for the saints' communion. And this really elaborates 
upon what we just read at the end of paragraph 1. You'll see 
something of an elaboration here. And this speaks to a... This 
speaks, again, the language of obligation, that there is a binding 
that takes place among the saints. It's not something that's optional, 
but it's something that ought to be seen as, again, a joyful 
obligation that we have in our communion one with each other. 
Saints by profession, the confession says at paragraph two here, are 
bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship 
of God and in performing such other spiritual services as tend 
to their mutual edification. So this is a little bit of an 
expansion upon what it means with regards to mutual good in 
the inward man. We maintain a holy fellowship, 
and communion in the worship of God and in performing such 
other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification. 
So if we were to consider, it's a chapter that was taught many 
a Sunday ago, but the stuff of chapter 22. Chapter 22 is of 
religious worship and the Sabbath day. And so, When the communion of the saints 
here is speaking regarding the gathering of the church for the 
worship of God and spiritual service for our mutual edification, 
we ought to have chapter 22 in our minds. And there we see, for example, 
in paragraphs two and three. So paragraph one speaks to the 
fact that the light of nature demonstrates that there is a 
God who is to be worshipped, who does good to all, but that 
the proper means by which that God is to be worshipped are prescribed 
by the scriptures alone. And then we read in paragraphs 
two and three, religious worship is to be given to God the Father, 
Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him alone. not to angels, saints, 
or any other creatures, and since the fall, not without a mediator, 
nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone." Now notice 
as well here, paragraph three, prayer with thanksgiving being 
one part of natural worship is by God required of all men, but 
that it may be accepted it is to be made in the name of the 
Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to his will, with understanding, 
reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance, 
and when with others, in a known tongue." So if we think here 
about our obligations as Christians in our communion one with each 
other, we ought to see worship here as primary. And in that 
spiritual mutual edification that we are to have, we are to 
encourage a knowledge of this God who is to be worshipped. 
This God is to be taught, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This God 
who alone is to be worshipped, not angels, saints, or any other 
creatures. He is to be taught. He is to 
be instructed in. He is to be communicated in blessed 
fellowship and conversations with each other, to lift each 
other up in the knowledge of this God who is to be worshipped. And when we pray, whether it's 
for another or in the public gathering, when we're gathered 
together to pray, either in a prayer meeting or primarily in gathered 
worship, This is what is to obtain as we bring our petitions to 
God. It being a part of worship required 
by all men, we are to pray in the name of the Son, by the help 
of the Spirit, according to His will, with understanding, reverence, 
humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance. We are to be 
marked by that when we pray. you know, some simple things 
that we don't think are a part of this spiritual encouragement, 
or perhaps that a lot of Christians might not think, is the manner 
in which we pray. It's to take place with understanding. We're to have a knowledge of 
God, a knowledge of the triune God to whom we pray and by whom 
we pray, and a knowledge of the Scriptures such that we're not 
praying in a manner that is unworthy of that triune God. We are to 
have reverence and humility, fervency, faith, and love. These 
are things that encourage the saints, that should encourage 
the saints. Paragraph 5, the reading of the Scriptures, preaching 
and hearing the Word of God, teaching and admonishing, note, 
one another, in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing 
with grace in our hearts to the Lord. So all of these elements 
of worship, participating in them, being here for them, first 
off, participating in them, and doing them in such a manner that 
God is first in that blessed vertical relationship, but then 
without the sacrificing of one another, engaging in that worship, 
one with each other, singing to each other, teaching, admonishing 
by virtue of that particular and blessed action. Also, the 
administration of baptism in the Lord's Supper are all parts 
of religious worship of God to be performed in obedience to 
Him, again here, notice, with understanding, faith, reverence, 
and godly fear. Moreover, solemn humiliation 
with fastings and thanksgivings upon special occasions ought 
to be used in an holy and religious manner." So, coming back to chapter 
27, when we're noting the local church obligation for the saints' 
communion, and we see here that there is to be maintained a holy 
fellowship and communion in the worship of God, we are to see 
that in the background. The stuff of chapter 22. not 
only that, but I want to say primarily that we are to see 
that in the background for this holy fellowship and communion 
in the worship of God and in performing other such spiritual 
services as tend to their mutual edification. So there is an obligation 
with regards to that spiritual encouragement and then notice 
again this physical provision is reiterated as also in relieving 
each other in outward things according to their several abilities 
and necessities. So paragraph two elaborates upon 
what was sort of just summarily stated in paragraph one at the 
end. The confession there in paragraph 
two goes on to say that, describing this particular communion, which 
communion, according to the rule of the gospel, though especially 
to be exercised by them in the relations wherein they stand, 
whether in families or churches. And then it leads into, secondly, 
under this particular paragraph, and fourthly as a whole, the 
extension of the saints' communion obligations to the universal 
church. Notice this transitional word 
yet, And we read here, as God offereth opportunity is to be 
extended to all the household of faith, even all those who 
in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. So as 
opportunity arises, as we perhaps gather together with the church 
in Surrey for perhaps an extra ecclesiastical gathering outside 
of the gathered church, whether it's something that obtains within 
the gathering of an association of churches, whether it's a gathering 
of churches somewhere for an act of prayer or whatever it 
might be, in a wholesome and biblical ecumenism, We are to 
extend this communion of the saints to all the household of 
faith, even all those who in every place call upon the name 
of the Lord Jesus. So we're not to be isolationists. We're not to be insular with 
our communion. The local church comes first, 
but not to the absolute exclusion of extending the communion of 
the saints and the reality of union one with each other to 
fellow believers beyond the walls of our local church. And lastly, 
we have this particular statement given. Lastly, we have an anti-collectivism 
qualification, or we could say an anti-communistic assertion. And the phrase, the confessional 
language reads thus, right at the end of paragraph two. Nevertheless, 
their communion, one with another as saints, doth not take away 
or infringe the title or property which each man hath in his goods 
and possessions. At the time of the, well, in 
the 17th century, and actually prior to that, middle to the 
end of the 16th century, there were those of the Anabaptist 
Reformation, if we can call it that, there were those of the 
Anabaptist flavor that had a doctrine of communism in essence. The giving up, you know, sort 
of the destruction of the individual and the exaltation of the collective 
in an inordinate fashion such that our property and goods, 
our personal property, was no longer our own but was that that 
belonged to the community exclusively. For example, there were Mennonites, 
Hutterites, others that had a particular doctrine of this collectivism 
or communism. In the 20th century, we had issues 
with in Canada with, you know, the Communist Party, people marching 
in Vancouver in, you know, the 19, whatever that was, 1950s, 
60s, before and after probably, with, you know, the Russian, 
you know, the Russian Soviet symbol on flags pressing communism, 
pressing the destruction of individualism, and being opposed to the exaltation 
of it. And so I think there are obviously 
issues when we press individualism such to the extent that it is 
selfish and others excluded. but we are not to destroy individualism 
and cast off the freedom that we have as citizens and as individual 
Christians with respect to our own personal property and those 
things that we have by virtue of the gifts of a gracious God. 
And so the Confession rightly says, speaking against any sort 
of collectivism or communism of any sort, that the communion 
that we have with the saints does not take away or infringe 
the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and 
possessions." And it's a good statement. I know Pastor Butler 
has spoken of that from Acts chapter 5 before, that those 
goods that they had prior to being sold were theirs. and after 
being sold were also theirs, but in committing them to the 
church, and then in taking some away, they spoke against the 
Holy Spirit, lying to God. And so we still have this reality 
as the communion of the gathered saints, that we are not to destroy 
individualism, we are not to exalt it, but operating as individuals 
In union one with each other, we are to be in communion, spiritually 
encouraging, providing physically, and lifting one another up before 
a thrice holy God. Well, let's close in prayer, 
and if there are any questions, you can ask away. Heavenly Father, 
we rejoice in your goodness to us. We thank you that we can 
gather we thank you that we have union with our blessed head Jesus 
Christ we thank you that we have communion one with each other 
that you've united us by a virtue of your amazing grace given to 
us calling us to gather together to to give spiritual encouragement 
one to each other to relieve physically and to provide physically 
when and where we can and we do pray that you'd help us in 
this that we would see our joyful obligations as Christians gathering 
together in the local church and even extending to those who 
everywhere call upon the name of Jesus Christ, that you would 
help us now as we go into worship. Give us hearts focused upon your 
worship, that we might lift you up, that we might rejoice in 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and in the blessings of amazing 
grace. And we pray in Christ's