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We'll just do a bit of an overview 
of it this morning. A very robust and a very excellent 
detailed explanation of the particular Baptist view with reference to 
the church. It basically breaks down into 
two sections. You see the emphasis on the universal 
church in paragraphs one to four, and then the emphasis on particular 
local churches in paragraphs five to 15. So I'll just pick 
up reading from paragraph one. The Catholic or universal church, 
which, with respect to internal work of the spirit, truth, and 
grace, may be called invisible, consists of the whole number 
of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into 
one under Christ, the head thereof, and is the spouse, the body, 
the fullness of him that filleth all in all. All persons throughout 
the world, professing the faith of the gospel and obedience unto 
God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own 
profession by any errors converting the foundation or unholiness 
of conversation, are and may be called visible saints, and 
of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted. 
The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error, 
and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, 
with synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, Christ always has 
had and ever shall have a kingdom in this world. To the end thereof, 
of such as believe in him can make profession of his name. 
The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, in whom, 
by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, 
order, or government of the Church is invested in a supreme and 
sovereign manner. Neither can the Pope of Rome 
in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that 
man of sin, son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the 
church against Christ and all that is called upon, whom the 
Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. In the execution 
of this power, wherewith he is so entrusted, the Lord Jesus 
calleth out of the world unto himself, through the ministry 
of his word, by his Spirit, those that are given unto him by his 
Father. that they may walk before him in all the ways of obedience, 
which he prescribeth to them in his word. Those thus called, 
he commandeth to walk together, in particular societies or churches, 
for their mutual edification and the due performance of that 
public worship which he requires of them in the world. The members 
of these churches are saints by calling, visibly manifesting 
and evidencing, in and by their profession in walking, their 
obedience unto that call of Christ. and do willingly consent to walk 
together according to the appointment of Christ, giving up themselves 
to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God, in professed 
subjection to the ordinances of the gospel. To each of these 
churches thus gathered, according to his mind declared in his word, 
he hath given all that power and authority, which is in any 
way needful for their carrying on that order in worship and 
discipline, which he hath instituted for them to observe, which demands 
and rules for the due and right exerting and executing of that 
power. A particular church, gathered 
and completely organized according to the mind of Christ, consists 
of officers and members. The officer is appointed by Christ 
to be chosen and set apart by the church, so called and gathered, 
for the peculiar administration of ordinances and execution of 
power or duty which he entrusts them with, or calls them to, 
to be continued to the end of the world are bishops or elders 
and deacons. The way appointed by Christ for 
the calling of any person fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit 
unto the office of bishop or elder of the Church is that he 
be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the Church itself, 
and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of 
hands and of the eldership of the Church, if there be any before 
constituted therein. and of a deacon may be chosen 
by the like suffrage and set apart by prayer and the like 
in position of hands. The work of pastors being constantly 
to attend the service of Christ in his churches, in the ministry 
of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls as they 
that must give an account to him, it is incumbent on the churches 
to whom they believe, not only to give them all due respect, 
but also to communicate to them of all their good things, according 
to their ability. so as they may have a comfortable 
supply without feigning themselves in tenuous secular affairs, and 
may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others. And 
this is required by the law of nature and by the express order 
of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the gospel 
should live of the gospel. Although it be incumbent on the 
bishops or pastors of the churches to be instant in preaching the 
word by way of office, Yet the preaching of a word is not so 
peculiarly confined to them, but that others also gifted and 
fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by 
the church, may and ought to perform it. As all believers 
are bound to join themselves to particular churches, when 
and where they have opportunity to do so, so all that are admitted 
under the privileges of the church are also under the censures and 
government thereof, according to the rule of Christ. No church 
members, upon any offense taken by them, having performed their 
duty required of them towards the person they are offended 
at, ought to disturb any church order, or absent themselves from 
the assemblies of the church, or the discretion of any ordinances, 
upon the account of such offense at any of their fellow members, 
but to wait upon Christ in the further proceeding of the church. 
As each church and all the members of it are bound to pray continually 
for the good and prosperity of all the churches of Christ, In 
all places, and upon all occasions to further it, everyone, within 
the bounds of their places and callings, and the exercise of 
their gifts and graces, so the churches, when planted by the 
providence of God, so as they may enjoy opportunity and advantage 
for it, ought to hold communion among themselves, for their peace, 
increase of love, and mutual edification. In cases of difficulties 
or differences, either in point or of doctrine or administration, 
where neither the churches in general are concerned or any 
one church in their peace, union, and edification, where any member 
or members of any church are injured in or by any proceedings 
and censures not agreeable to truth and order. It is according 
to the mind of Christ that many churches holding community together 
do by their messengers meet to consider and give their advice 
in or about that matter in difference to be reported to all the churches 
concerned. Albeit these messengers assembled 
are not entrusted with any church power properly so called, or 
with any jurisdiction over the churches themselves, to exercise 
any censures, either over any churches or persons, or to impose 
their determination on the churches or officers. Amen. As I said, 
this is a good detailed description or instruction concerning the 
particular Baptist doctrine of the church, or what we call ecclesiology. If you turn to Matthew's Gospel, 
you'll see that the word church is found three times. It's actually 
not just in Matthew, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There's 
three uses of the word of church, and all three appear in Matthew's 
gospel. And you see in chapter 16, specifically, 
when Jesus questions his disciples, and says in verse 15, but who 
do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, 
you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered 
and said to him, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh 
and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is 
in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on 
this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall 
not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys 
to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will 
be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed 
in heaven. So this is a reference to the universal church. I will 
build my church. The gates of Hades shall not 
prevail against it. The gates of Hades certainly 
prevail against some expressions of local churches, but in terms 
of the church as church, Christ's people through all ages, from 
all tribes, young people, and nation, Christ builds his church. That's the emphasis in our confession 
in paragraphs one to four concerning the universal church. If you 
look over at chapter 18, when he's discussing church discipline, 
he gets to that final step. And in verse 17, he says, if 
he refuses to hear them, the witnesses that have come to approach 
him concerning his sin, he says, tell it to the church. Now, there 
it does not mean the universal church. This isn't a decree that's 
supposed to go out to every single local church all over the world. 
It is the local church. is a number of. He says, if he 
refuses even to hear the church, again, that local church, let 
him be to you like the heathen and the tax collector. Now, the word church itself is 
more related to the Scottish kirk. And the Scottish kirk relates 
to a word that is used twice in the New Testament. You can 
turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. 1 Corinthians chapter 11. You see this word kur, or literally 
kuriakon in the Greek, used in chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians. Verse 20, therefore when you 
come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's supper. So it's a supper that is possessed 
or owned by the Lord. And then you turn to Revelation 
chapter one, specifically at verse 10, and there is a reference 
again to that which belongs specifically by the Lord. So Revelation 1.10, 
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. And I heard behind me a 
loud voice as of a trumpet. So karyakon in Greek simply means 
something that is owned by or belongs to the Lord. So the Lord 
owns every supper, every dish, every dinner that you and I eat. 
But the Lord's supper, that meal wherein we remember specifically 
the Lord's death has broken body and has shed blood on our behalf. 
That's the Lord's Supper. God certainly owns Monday through 
Saturday, but Sunday is the Lord's Day. That which peculiarly belongs 
to the Lord. So kuriakon, the Greek word, 
simply means that which belongs to the Lord. And that's what 
Kirk is related to. Now the Greek word translated 
church is ekklesia. and it's common to define Ekklesia 
from its etymology. Etymology simply means the source 
or origin of a word. Now that can be helpful to be 
sure but if we consider the word pineapple only on an etymological 
ground we'll never understand what a pineapple is. not related 
to a vine or an apple in any direct sort of way. So the etymology 
is good with words, but it's not all that is contained about 
words. And so the etymology of Ectacea 
means called out ones. And typically you'll hear the 
church referred to that way. They're the called out ones of 
God. Now that's not necessarily wrong, but that's not necessarily 
how the New Testament uses the word ekklesia. The word ekklesia 
corresponds to the Hebrew word qahal, which simply means assembly, 
convocation, or congregation. So when it comes to the etymology 
of church, we have to go beyond even the ekklesia, meaning the 
called out ones, and see the connection with the Old Testament 
people of God, the assembly, convocation, or congregation. Now as we look specifically at 
chapter 26, I mentioned that the universal church is addressed 
in paragraphs one and four. You have the identification of 
the church in paragraphs one and two. Secondly, you have the 
perpetuity of the church in paragraph three. And then finally under 
this head, you have the head of the church in paragraph four. So let's look at these particulars 
for a moment. Notice the identification of 
the church. You have the Catholic, or universal 
church. Now, catholicity, or the word 
catholic simply means universal. Often times when we use that 
word catholic, if I were to stand in the pulpit and say, Brethren, 
we need to be more catholic in terms of our approach to think that Roman Catholicism, 
or Catholic in that context, means specifically the Roman 
Catholic Church. Now, it does. We refer to Protestants. We refer to Catholics. But the 
word Catholic is a good one. And the word Catholic shouldn't 
be lost, because we're concerned to be identified as Roman Catholics. 
It is the invisible or universal church that has been established 
by our blessed Savior. Notice with respect to election, 
says the Catholic or universal church, which, with respect to 
the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace. In other 
words, this church does not exist on its own. This church did not 
call itself into being. This church is not a group of 
people that said, you know, it's time that we rightly relate to 
God. No, it's as a result of what 
God has done. It's God who builds the church. 
It's Christ who says, the gains of age shall not prevail against 
it. So with reference to, with respect 
to election, we see with respect to the eternal work of the spirit 
and truth of grace, and then notice it says it may be called 
invisible. Now there are some, unintended, that would say there's 
no such thing as the universal church. These have been identified 
as landmark Baptists, and they denounce the whole concept of 
a universal church. They think that the only expression 
of the church is to be seen in local churches. Again, that does 
not do justice and 18, and it does not do justice 
to what we see in the epistles, specifically Paul's teaching 
with reference to the Church. So notice, it says, may be called 
invisible, it consists of the whole number of the elect. So 
everyone that was ever chosen by God for salvation is in the 
Church. And there are those who deny 
it, called dispensationalists, the church as the assembly, convocation, 
congregation of the people of God, I don't have a problem seeing 
the church in the Old Testament. The people of God are the remnant 
of Israel, were the true church, they were the true people of 
God. Now in terms of the actual institution of the church as 
church, yeah, the New Testament speaks more concerning that, 
but for, say, a Puritan or a Reformer to refer to the church in the 
Old Testament, We ought not to lose our minds. We ought not 
to say, oh, no, that can't be. The church was officially started 
on the day of Pentecost in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 
That is to go over and above and beyond. So it says, it may 
be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect 
that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ 
the head thereof. And it is the spouse, the body, 
the fullness of him that filleth all in all. So in terms of election, 
you see, it is the word of God that brings the church together 
with respect to its various stages of existence. It doesn't use 
the terminology here, but it has been typical in the history 
of the church to consider the church militant. That typically 
refers to the church on earth that is being assaulted by the 
devil, the world, the flesh, all those things that are contrary 
to the church of Christ. We are the church militant. It's 
not the time for rest. It's not the time for ease. It's 
not the time for comfort. It is the time for militancy 
to proclaim the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. But 
then there is the church triumphant, and that's the church in heaven. 
It's the church we see assembled in Revelation chapter 7, when 
every tribe, tongue, people, and nation are gathered before 
the Lord and the Lamb who sits upon the throne. And they cried 
out, salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb who sits 
on the throne. Now, in terms of the church's 
relation to Christ, it's specified at the end. So Christ is the 
head thereof. The church is his spouse. The 
church is his body. The church is the fullness of 
him that filleth all in all. Again, we've seen that emphasis 
in the book of Ephesians, specifically in chapter 1, verses 20 to 23. 
now notice the visible church or the visible catholic church 
with reference to its membership look at paragraph 2 all persons 
throughout the world professing the faith of the gospel so positively 
they are persons that profess the faith of the gospel you're 
not in the church if you don't profess the faith of Catechism makes that observation. It tells that baptized persons, 
including babies, are members of the Church. I suspect the 
three forms of unity do the same thing. So the Baptists are a 
bit different here than the Westminster and then the Savoy Declaration, 
Chapter 26 of the Church, being longer than either of those confessions. Now, in their defense, documents 
concerning the church polity, the Presbyterians and the Independents. 
So all persons throughout the world professing the faith of 
the gospel. So persons that profess faith 
are persons that are to be included or to be considered included 
in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But notice, professing 
the faith of the gospel and obedience unto God by Christ according 
unto it. So it's not just, hey, I'm a 
believer, or I'm a Christian, because I'm not a Muslim, I'm 
not a Buddhist, I'm not a whatever. It's not just that, but it details 
or fleshes out what a profession of faith in the gospel is. And when one professes faith 
in the gospel, there are works that are consequent as a result 
of that. We believe the gospel, and then there are those consequent 
attendant fruits. And that's what the confession 
says. And obedience unto God, by Christ according unto it, 
But then notice further details, not destroying their own profession 
by any errors averting the foundation or unholiness of conversation. 
So there is the sense where it's a profession of faith in the 
Lord Jesus with those attendant fruits, those consequent fruits 
that are the result of a profession of faith in Jesus. You see that 
emphasis? in James chapter two, 14 to 26. We're gonna see it 
this morning in our study in Matthew chapter seven, verses 
24 to 29, which is the two builders. There's a wise builder and there's 
a foolish builder. The wise builder is the one who 
built his house on the rock. He's the one who hears the words 
of Christ and does it. The foolish builder hears the 
words of Christ and then builds his house on the sand because 
he doesn't listen to those words of Christ. So a profession of 
faith can be done in some sort of a reckless, or erratic, or 
surface manner. We can say I'm a Christian simply, 
again, because we're not Muslims, or we're not Buddhists, or we 
don't espouse atheism, or something like that. But it goes on to 
detail. And then notice it says, they 
are, and may be called, visible saints. Now here again is the 
difference between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant 
Confessions. A saint in the Catholic Church 
is someone that has done above and beyond. They're the persons 
that the church looks at as having done more than their fair share 
in terms of good works, and they are elevated to saint status, 
or sainthood. That's not how the New Testament 
uses the word saint. The New Testament uses the word 
saint to identify believers in Jesus Christ. It's related to 
the word sanctified. They are set apart by God through 
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and are therefore saints. You 
may not think of yourself as a saint. I typically don't think 
of myself as a saint. But if we ask the New Testament 
who are the saints of Christ, the saints of Christ are not 
just a special class of outstanding performers in the church, but 
they are those who, by grace, believe the gospel of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. there's a distinction between 
the visible and invisible church. Here we've got the visible saints. 
And of such, ought all particular congregations to be constituted. 
So there's a nod or a hat tip to the local church that's gonna 
be spelled out in more detail in five to 15. We have this statement 
concerning the universal church in terms of her membership. Now notice in paragraph three, 
we have the perpetuity of the church. There is first a qualification 
and then there is a declaration. Notice the qualification. The 
purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error. You have to appreciate the confessions 
of faith because they're candid, they're open, and they're honest. 
Why? Because they're biblical. The 
Bible tells us that the purest churches under heaven are subject 
to mixture and error. It doesn't use that precise language, 
but 1 Corinthians tells us that that is the case. When Paul comes 
to deal with the church in Corinth in his first epistle, that church 
has some serious problems. That church has sectarianism. 
I'm of Cephas. I'm of Paul. I'm of Apollos. And the apostle has to refute 
that. There is incest in the church at Corinth according to 
1 Corinthians chapter 5. The man had his father's wife. And instead of the church exercising 
discipline and kicking that man out, they rather were arrogant 
about it and boasted about it. That church as well had persons 
that were either engaged with or getting dangerously close 
to engaging with prostitutes, 1 Corinthians chapter 6. So though 
there's not a statement that says the purest churches under 
heaven are subject to mixture and error, all you have to do 
is read the New Testament to see that that is in fact a valid 
statement. 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and 10 has 
to deal with the idea of Christian liberty, eating meat that's offered 
up to idols. I don't believe the emphasis 
in the first half of the chapter is that women need to make sure 
they're wearing their hats. I think the emphasis in the first 
part of 1 Corinthians 11 is that the church must be led by men. Men must be in the pulpit. Men 
must be the ones who pray and prophesy publicly in the meetings 
of Christ's church. The end of chapter, the latter 
half of chapter 11, what do we deal with there? They come together 
for the Lord's supper. Instead of getting together in 
love and showing affinity and solidarity and expression of 
kindness, they are eating to the point of gluttony and drunkenness 
while they're excluding others. 1 Corinthians 12-14, you had 
teaching concerning spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 13, the 
Apostle Paul says that knowledge is great, but knowledge puffs 
up. He's trying to rebuke this triumphalism where they have 
this spirit or ability So then you get to 1 Corinthians 
15. You know what's happening there? There's actually persons 
that are suspicious of and perhaps captivated by the idea that there's 
not gonna be a full bodily resurrection of the dead. So when we look 
at this statement, the purest churches under heaven are subject 
to mixture and error. Though that itself is not a biblical 
statement, it is a valid representation of the biblical data. Galatians 
chapter one, we considered that not many weeks ago. What happens 
in Galatia? They're turning away so soon 
from him who called you in the grace of Christ to another gospel, 
which is not enough. It is damning perversion. He 
is dealing with that Judaistic tendency wherein persons say 
that it's faith plus words and then they'll be accepted by God. You move through the epistles, 
Colossians chapter two, let no one cheat you. Let no ascetic 
tell you that this is the better way to live the Christian life. 
Let no legalist tell you this is the better way to live the 
Christian life. First Timothy, second Timothy, you see that 
this statement is in fact biblical. You get to the seven letters 
to the churches in Asia Minor in Revelation chapters two and 
three. Most of them are rebuked and 
condemned for the problems that exist in their church. I think 
there's only two out of the seven that have no condemnation. Only 
commendation for those two churches. But for the rest of that, they're 
condemned, but also commended. It is an interesting and curious 
thing that while imperfect, we nevertheless enjoy God's blessing. Imperfect, we nevertheless are 
considered the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the 
confession underscores that and highlights that. The purest churches 
are not without error. They are not without some challenge, 
some issue, some problem, some trial, some difficulty, some 
blind spot. This ought to evoke from all 
the less charitable spirit with reference to the churches. I've 
made it a practice when people leave our church, as our constitution 
says, as long as they find a church that's preaching the gospel, 
they're free to leave. If they go to a Jehovah's Witness 
or to a Mormon place, they're gonna get a warning. They're 
gonna get, you know, talked to in terms of, you shouldn't do 
that. We need to understand there are other churches out there 
that do preach the gospel, and that every single church, the 
purest churches under heaven, are subject to mixture and error. 
That is always going to be the case. Jesus says, the poor you 
will always have. Well, he could also say there'll 
always be mixture and error within the churches of the Lord Jesus. 
We're not perfect. We're not infallible. We'll not 
arrive to that place where everything is absolutely positively spot 
on. We need to be conscious of that 
reality because I think it does evoke, as I said, charity for 
others who don't dot their I's or cross their all that, when it comes to church 
life, we ought to try to got our eyes and cross our T's doctrinally 
on as many agreed-upon doctrines as we can. I think that confuses 
people. Sometimes I suggest we ought 
to be charitable. And then on the other hand, I 
say we need to subscribe to the 1689. Yeah, because we are like-minded. Why not traverse this lobe with 
persons who are like-minded? want to engage in those sorts 
of things. There's churches out there that I don't doubt preach 
the true gospel that still engage in those sorts of things. That's 
not going to happen here. And we ought to rally around 
those things most surely will lead among us. So we ought to 
be able to hold fast to the truth and at the same time exercise 
charity to those who differ. But holding on to the truth and 
holding on to a confession of faith should not be interpreted 
as narrow-minded or bigoted or prejudicial or anything like 
that. I think it is a good thing that when a person comes into 
the life of a church, they know what the church teaches, they 
know what the church believes, they know what to expect. when 
they sign up for membership in that church. It's disingenuous 
to get people in with a vague or ambiguous confession of faith 
and then to change things up along the way. That's not righteous. I wouldn't want that if I was 
a member joining the church. So I don't want to extend that 
sort of confusion to any potential members joining our church. So 
we've got this qualification. The purest church is under heaven 
or subject to mixture and error. and some have so degenerated 
as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. That's 
a reality as well. Not everything that says it's 
a church is necessarily a church. Not all that glitters is gold, 
and that's what the confession highlights here. Some have so 
degenerated, no gospel preaching, no substitutionary atonement, 
no bought of Jesus, There is no gospel preaching, 
I would argue, that is not a church. If you could go to a church and 
get the same impact that you could get out of a Jewish synagogue, 
or that you could get out of a motivational speaker, then 
that is not a church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember seeing 
a documentary, it wasn't even a religious show, I think it 
was, the news show, it was 2020, it might have been, and it was 
about Joel Osteen and the church there that he pastors to. And 
I remember at the end, or not at the end, they just showed 
footage, and he was there signing books, you know, hair all in 
place, and teeth gleaming and sparkling, and this man and his 
wife came up, and the man says, I'm Jewish and my wife is Catholic, 
and we just love it here. Oh, I'm sorry, that shouldn't 
happen. A Jew shouldn't love a Christian 
church. A Jew should be offended by the 
cross. He should be scandalized at the 
preaching of Christ and Him crucified. And we don't do that in an arrogant 
way. We don't do that with, you know, malice in our hearts to 
just upset the Jew. But if a Jew can go to a Christian 
church and never be offended, then there's something offensive 
about that church to the Lord God Most High. If we are not 
preaching Christ who did crucify to the chagrin of the Jew and 
to the confusion of the Greek that wants wisdom, then we are 
not doing our job. So some have so degenerated as 
to become no churches of Christ, but sitting on the satan. I praise 
God for the last several years within our movement of churches, 
there's been a recovery or retrieval of the doctrine of God started 
in 2001. debate with reference to Arca. That was a good thing. People 
said, oh, you're splitting hairs, and you're sipping out the naps, 
and all that sort of thing. Brethren, if you get God wrong, 
everything else is going to be wrong. You get chapter 2 in our 
confession wrong, and everything's going to topple like a house 
of cards. If we're not willing to fight for our triune God, 
then what is it we're going to fight for? If we're not going 
to fight for the Trinity, if we're not going to fight for 
Christology, if we're not going to fight for Soteriology, which, 
by the way, are the three areas I think we actually should fight 
about, then all those other fights are just banging gongs and clanging 
cymbals. When it comes to this reality, 
some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, 
but synagogues of Satan. I think there's a problem with 
a repudiation, or rather a rejection, of classical theism, or this 
biblical and confessional and creedal understanding of who 
God is. It's not that we're asking people to come to this as if 
they're the first cavemen to develop fire, or find fire, or 
build the wheel. We all have access to those creeds. We all have access to those confessions. All you got to do is make two 
pushes on your phone, And you can read the Nicene Creed. It's 
a wonderful explanation of what God is or who God is concerning 
the trinity of God. Again, it's not we need you to 
discover fire. We need you to build a spacecraft. 
We need you to just pay a little bit of attention to what the 
rest of the church has always confessed and has believed. So if a church is too lazy or 
too negligent or too foolish to see how important our They 
may so degenerate as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues 
of Satan. What differentiates us from the 
Jehovah's Witness? I mean, it is doctrine, isn't 
it? And it's specifically the doctrine 
of our triune God and our blessed Savior. They have a lot of other 
things in place. I mean, soteriology. indulge 
me for a minute. They're whacked out there, for 
sure. But in terms of their view of God, the only distinction 
between them and us is the confession that God is triune. That Christ 
is, in fact, very God of very God. True God from true God. Light from light. That is what 
the Bible tells us. And so it is that small bit of 
a confession that distinguishes so it's not some small thing 
it's not oh you guys are making mountains out of molehills again 
if we're not going to make a mountain out of the doctrine of God or 
the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ what else should 
we make mountains out of? This is what we differ on. This 
is what we are different from, not only Jehovah's Witnesses, 
but from the world as well. I don't doubt there's a lot of 
unbelievers out there. Unbelievers, in terms of the 
Lord Jesus and the true church, they think they're religious. 
They think they're religious people. Paul could wander our 
streets and appeal to them, you know, because they've got alters 
to the unknown God. The Areopagans, or those that 
were at Mars Hill, were very religious. They were very superstitious. They were persons that tried 
to cover their bases. That altar to an unknown god 
was probably just that. We don't know who's out there. 
We suspect there are several. And in terms of the several, 
we're going to appease to them as much as we can. But if we've 
left any bases uncovered, we'll set up this altar to an unknown 
god, just to sort of cover our bases there. The same sort of 
thing could be said in modern Canada. There's a lot of people 
out there that are religious, a lot of people out there that 
have some conception of God, but they don't confess the true 
and saving religion. Well, what differentiates us 
from them? It's the confession of who Jesus is. Now notice, 
after having given the qualification, it says, nevertheless, Christ 
always hath had and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, 
to the end thereof, of such as believe in him and make profession 
of his name. You see, we need to make sure 
that on the one hand, we don't get proud and arrogant and triumphalistic, 
but on the other hand, we don't get pessimistic and gloomy to 
the point where we think there's nobody else. This is the case 
in 1 Kings chapter 19. After seeing the successful intervention 
of Yahweh of Israel in the God contest at Tarmel, the next scene 
we see Elijah there under the brook tree ready to check it 
in, ready to check in, ready to cash out, ready to say, you 
know, God, just take me. He's not suicidal. He's not got 
a gun to his head. He's simply expressing the momentum 
of a weary soul. He says, Lord, I'm ready to go. 
But the nature of his complaint was not personal. It wasn't, 
oh, nobody will listen to me. Oh, this is such a difficult 
thing for me. No, it was corporate. He looked 
at the covenant people, and he saw full-scale rebellion against 
God. You'd think 1 Kings 18 would 
have solved the bail question, wouldn't you? I mean, 1 Kings 
18, the prophet of Baal, you've got one prophet of Yahweh. The 
prophet of Yahweh wins. You would think that would have 
been the damel for bail worship forever, once and for all. and 
found wanting at Carmel. Baal worship survives. Baal worship 
continues, subsequent to 1 Kings 18 in the god contest at Carmel. I get why Elijah is under the 
broom tree. I get why he's lamenting the 
current state of Israel. But what is God's admonition 
to him? I have 7,000 that have not bowed 
the knee to Baal. In other words, Elijah, you're 
not alone. Elijah, you don't see everything. 
Elijah, there is a bigger kingdom. Elijah, there is a bigger program. And Elijah, get back up, go back 
over there, and do what you're called to do. So when it comes 
to this reality, we need to be encouraged. I tried to bring 
this up the other night or a few weeks ago. My concept of time 
is getting worse as I get older. I don't know if that's unique 
to me or it happens to everybody. But a couple of weeks ago or 
a few weeks ago, we looked at Ephesians 3. Actually, it was 
probably two months ago now that I'm thinking. Ephesians 3.20, 
how the hymn was able to exceedingly abundantly above all that we 
ask or think. according to the power of the words in us, to 
him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations. That was a great encouragement 
to me, studying that passage. That's why I tried to emphasize 
it, to us, to all generations. Whatever Newsweek says, whatever 
the Progress says, whatever CNN says about the church, the church 
is Christ's business and Christ will make her successful. It 
may not be the success we're looking for. It may be 7,000 
knees that haven't bowed, or 7,000 that haven't bowed the 
knee of Baal. It may not be a profuse number 
in our local expression of a church, but there will be a church for 
God to be glorified through Jesus Christ to all generations, forever 
and ever, amen. So with the qualifications given 
that there are problems in every good church, And that there are, 
obviously, those who have defected to such a place where they're 
no longer to be considered churches. Nevertheless, Christ always hath 
had and ever shall have a kingdom in this world. To the end thereof, 
of such as believe in him and make profession of his name. 
And then this final paragraph, paragraph four in the section 
here on the universal church, deals with the head of the church. 
Notice there is first a positive statement, and then a negative 
qualifier. The positive statement, the Lord 
Jesus is the head of the church. That's a great encouragement. 
Matthew 16, I will build my church. He doesn't say, y'all go out 
there and try to build this for me, and if it's good enough, 
then I'll take it. No, I will build my church, and 
the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. As well, 
Ephesians 1, we saw that he has all authority, all power, but 
in a special way to the church. He has this universal empire, 
but he has specific reference or specific connection, the head 
to the body, which is his church. So the Lord Jesus is the head 
of the church in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all 
power for the calling, institution, order, or government of the church 
is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner. So in other 
words, when you have questions concerning the church, you have 
the head of the church, which is Jesus Christ. And the head 
of this church has revealed to us his will for the church in 
the New Testament. We have all the epistles that 
are very much churchly oriented. They deal with individuals, to 
be sure. They speak to the role of the 
family, to be sure. But they are churchly in terms 
of the primary referent. Paul writes to the church in 
Corinth. Paul writes to the churches of Galatia. Paul writes to the 
church in Ephesus. Paul writes to the church in 
Colossae. And again, while he hits on individual responsibility, 
while he hits they are churchly documents with 
a view to establishing or rather building up those that have been 
established by the Lord Jesus Christ. And I think this is helpful 
even before we get to the negative qualifier which denounces the 
Pope in language that is very clear and very pointed. It's 
good, brethren, no man, no body of men, no group of men are the 
ultimate authority in the church. We will see later on that there 
is authority granted to the officers of the church. But it's a ministerial 
authority, not a magisterial authority. It's not the case 
that the men that are called by the churches to function as 
officers in the churches are any tyrants or despots. They're 
not to be those who let that power go to their heads, and 
they see the church as their church, or as their own. They 
don't become cult leaders. There's no man, men, or body 
of men that function as the head of the church. The Lord Jesus 
Christ alone is the head, and that's the emphasis here in paragraph 
four. Now notice the negative qualifier. 
Neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof. So the Pope of Rome would claim 
to be the head of the church. He would claim to be the vicar 
of Christ on the earth. Now that word vicar is related 
to the word vicarious. We use the word vicarious when 
we talk about atonement. Vicarious atonement means substitutionary 
atonement. So when the Pope uses that word 
vicar of Christ, he is saying that he is the substitute Christ 
on earth. Now I doubt Romanism would that, that also say the pope 
is his visible representation or visible representative on 
the earth. He is the head of the church. 
He is the vicar of Christ on the church or in the church. 
Now, when we look at a paragraph like this, I think it's hard 
for at least many that have not come from Rome or that don't 
live in a place where Rome is the dominant religion To think 
that, you know, maybe they're overstating their case. That's 
pretty harsh. You know, we don't usually like 
to talk like this. I mean, look at what they say. But is that 
antichrist, that man of sin, that son of perdition, the man 
that exalteth himself in the church against Christ and all 
that is called God, who the Lord shall destroy at the brightness 
of his coming? Well, things were a bit different in 17th century 
Pyrrhic England. Things are a little bit different 
in the Spanish-speaking world, where Romanism does dominate, 
and where Romanism is the predominating religion. In a country where 
they're second or third fiddle, they're like chameleons. They 
play nice. They play really nice. They just 
try to be one of us. We're just like you. We're Christians, 
too. But when they're in charge, it's 
not like that. they are tyrannical, they are 
despised, they are vicious, they are ungodly, they are unholy, 
they are unrighteous. And so for these divides to identify 
the Antichrist, or rather the Pope, as the Antichrist, it was 
not outlandish. So notice, neither can the Pope 
of Rome in any sense behead thereof, but it is that Antichrist, that 
man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the 
church against Christ, and all that is called God, whom the 
Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." That's good news. He will be destroyed. I think 
we could put that in the category of 1 Corinthians 15, 20 to 28. He must reign till all his enemies 
are made his footstool. And when we look at this language 
of antichrist, it does reflect to some degree If we ask a simple question, 
who or what is Antichrist, is it the government? The government 
can function in an Antichrist manner, to be sure. But when 
you look at the epistles of John, and those are the only places, 
the first and second epistles of John, the only places where 
Antichrist is mentioned, we notice certain things. In fact, you 
can turn to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2. Four passages that talk about 
Antichrist. Notice, first they were contemporaries 
of John and his audience. 1 John 2.18, little children, 
It is the last hour. And as you have heard, the Antichrist 
is coming, even though many Antichrists have come, by which we know that 
it is the last hour. I would suggest that the capital 
A in your New King James there is an interpretative call by 
dispensational translators. They have a theology of the Antichrist 
that they are trying to impose on 1 John. They try to impose 
it in 2 Thessalonians as well. If it wasn't capitalized, we 
probably wouldn't think that there's some future malevolent 
figure that is waiting to arise and do dastardly deeds against 
the Church of the Lord Jesus. What he says, it is the last 
hour. As you've heard, the Antichrist is coming, even though many Antichrists 
have come. Huh, many Antichrists have come? What does that mean? Well, it 
at least means that many Antichrists have come. So they were contemporaries 
of John and his audience. Look at 4.3, 4.3. Every spirit that does not confess 
that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and 
this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming 
and is now already in the world. Again, that capital A, though 
very insignificant and little in terms of its, it stays on 
the page, it's interpretive. There is a theology behind that 
capital A that I take issue with. And if you don't get all that, 
you don't need to. But that is an interpretative 
call. And then notice in 2 John 7, for many deceivers have gone 
out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming 
in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. The first thing we can say about 
antichrists is that they were contemporaries of John and of 
his audience. The second thing John indicates 
is that they weren't religious people. When the government does 
anti-Christian things, we can say that's anti-Christian. We 
can even, in a general sense, call them anti-Christ. But if 
words have meanings and contexts have meanings, what John describes 
in terms of anti-Christ is a religious person or their personas. So 
the pope would fit that sort of bill of goods. So they were 
religious people who went out from the church. Notice in 1 
John 2.26. These things I have written to 
you concerning those who try to deceive you. Hang on here. 1 John, I'm sorry, look at 2.19. They went out from us, who? Even now, many antichrists have 
come, by which we know that it is the last hour. Verse 18. Now, 
verse 19. They, probably the antichrist 
he just mentioned, went out from us, but they were not of us. 
For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. 
But they went out, but they might be made manifest that none of 
them were of us. Which is the doctrine of eternal 
security, or perseverance of the saints, or not all that glitters 
is gold. Because somebody goes to the 
church, doesn't necessarily mean they're a believer. He says it 
very clearly. They went out from us, but they 
were not of us. If they had been of us, they would have continued 
with us. They're staying power in the true confession that Jesus 
is the Son of the living God. But notice, they went out from 
us. They were within the church. 
They were religious people. Same sort of emphasis again in 
2 John 7. For many deceivers have gone 
out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming 
in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 
And then notice in 10 and 11. If anyone comes to you and does 
not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house, 
nor greet him, for he who greets him shares his evil deeds. So 
there is the religiosity. As well, they work by deception. You see that in 1 John 2.26, 
and again in 2 John 7. And then they were recognizable. You could recognize them. You 
could see them. You could understand them. Not 
because they have horns and a bitch for it. Not because they wore 
on their heads a C for Antichrist. But they were recognizable because 
of their heresy. This, the heresy, denied that 
Jesus is the Christ. Look at 1 John 2.22. Who is a 
liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist 
who denies the Father and the Son. Calvin says Christ is denied 
whenever those things which peculiarly belong to Him are taken away 
from Him. You can identify an Antichrist 
because they deny that Jesus is the Christ. Are Jehovah's 
Witnesses Antichrist? Yeah. Are Mormons Antichrist? Yeah. Aren't Protestants who 
have botched the person of Christ to the point that it's irrecoverable? Probably, possibly, potentially. We ought not to think that a 
man is in a good place when he disagrees with the 20 centuries 
of Christ's teaching through his church, and now sets himself 
up as the man who's got it all figured out. As well, they denied 
father and son, 1 John 2, 23. Whoever denies the son does not 
have the father either. He who acknowledges the son has 
the father also. You see, this is a religious 
problem. And then the denial that Jesus 
came in the flesh, look at 1 John 4. This brings us a bit closer, 
probably, to what John is dealing with. Commentators, theologians, 
all are saying that Gnosticism wasn't around until the second 
century. But there is an incipient Gnosticism. in the New Testament, you see 
it here. Verse one, chapter four, beloved. Do not believe every 
spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God. Because 
many false prophets have gone out in the world. By this you 
know, by this you know the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses 
that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And every 
spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in 
the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the 
Antichrist, which you have heard was coming and is now already 
in the world. So a denial of the true humanity 
of Jesus is a denial of Jesus. It is true humanity, true divinity, 
two natures in the one person. You botch with a hypostatic union, 
you forfeit the entirety of Christ. If you don't have Christ, then 
guess what? You don't have the Father also. So you see, it is 
a religious problem. It is a problem within the professing 
church. a personal opponent of the Lord, 
or principles and systems antagonistic to him and his cause. The authors 
of our confession can hardly have intended to declare that 
each individual poet with a long succession is the personal antichrist, 
and they probably meant that that papal system is in spirit, 
form, and effect wholly unchristian, and that it marked a defection 
from apostolical Christianity foreseen and foretold in scripture, 
all of which was true in their day and is true in ours. See, 
the tendency is to take that capital A, Antichrist, and find 
the referent. Is it Barack Obama? Is it Joe 
Biden? Is it Justin Trudeau? Is it the 
Pope of Rome? I think what Hodge hits out here 
is clear. It is probably meant that papal 
system in spirit form and a fact that is wholly un-British-ed. 
But you can extrapolate from there Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, 
those false religionists that make a profession of faith in 
the Lord and yet deny Him in other parts of their confession 
or in the way that they live. So when we get back to the confession, 
we see that this language is powerful, but it is persuasive 
in terms of this identification. So it's not the pope that is 
the head, it is rather the Lord Jesus Christ who is the head. 
We'll see later in this statement of the Confession concerning 
the officers of the Church have authority, but it's a delegated 
authority. It's a ministerial authority. 
It is not an authority wherein they become the head, where they 
become the everything, where they become the ones that rule 
and dictate in terms of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, 
let us close in a word prayer. Our Father in heaven, we thank 
you for this wonderful statement concerning the universal church. 
We thank you for the wonderful grace of God that has made us 
members of this. We are connected to Abel. We 
are connected to all of the saints of Christ in the Old Testament 
and in the New and throughout the 20 centuries of Christ's 
church. And we look forward to hearing more people from every 
tribe and tongue and people and nation coming out of darkness 
into marvelous light, entering that church of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And we pray in his most