← Back to sermon library

Does anyone need one? Okay. We're going to consider 
how he providentially and specially guides it unto that great day. 
And so we'll start reading in paragraph 5 of chapter 26. I'll read to paragraph 15 and 
then we'll make those observations. 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 requireth of them in the world. The members of these 
churches are saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing, 
in and by their profession and 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, with commands and rules 
for the do 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, and 
the officers 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 in a 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 of the eldership of the church, if there 
be any before constituted therein. And of a deacon, that he be chosen 
by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like 
imposition 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 minister, not only to give them all due respect, 
but also to communicate to them of all their good things. according 
to their ability, so that they may have a comfortable supply, 
without being themselves entangled in 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 work of preaching the 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 
unto the privileges of a 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 administration 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, in 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 of doctrine or administration, 
wherein either the churches in general are concerned or any 
one church in their peace, union, and edification, or 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 communion together 
do by their messengers meet to consider and give their advice 
in or about that matter and difference, to be reported to all the churches 
concerned. How be it 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. Alright, so that's 
a lot of words concerning the doctrine of the local church. 
And those 11 paragraphs could be the stuff of 17 different 
sessions on a Sunday morning. to work through a little bit 
of an overview and some key points and some helpful observations 
as to why perhaps we, as particular or Reformed Baptists, do church 
the way that we do church, and some significant differences 
related to how other churches do church. So just sort of a 
summary of all of the paragraphs, and then we'll look at them each 
individually and repeat these short summary titles as we move 
along. But these 11 encapsulations align 
with each of the 11 paragraphs that we just read. So paragraph 
5 is the local gathering of Christ's church. Paragraph 6 is the deliberate, 
mutually assenting action of Christ's church. Paragraph 7, 
the independence of the local church. Paragraph 8, the constitution 
of the church. 9, the installment of officers. 10, the responsibility of churches 
to their pastors. 7, or excuse me, 11. an allowance 
for the words proclamation, 12, the privilege of Christians relative 
to the church, 13, the requisite patient duty of Christians in 
the life of the church, 14, the Christian commitment to associationalism, 
and then 15, church assistance and independence relative to 
that associationalism. First off, the local gathering 
of Christ's church in paragraph five. We want to notice a number 
of things here, but in paragraph five we have the local gathering 
of Christ's church. And the first thing that we want 
to notice is the foundational and necessary Trinitarianism 
of the church. Notice the language that we have 
in paragraph five right at the beginning. In the execution of 
this power wherewith he is so entrusted, the Lord Jesus, There 
is a foundational and necessary Trinitarianism to the Church 
of Christ. And so any church, that rejects the doctrine of 
the Trinity is obviously not a proper church, so-called. It 
is rather a synagogue of Satan. It is no true church at all. Churches are built, churches 
are foundationally connected to the work of Father, Son, and 
Holy Spirit. So those are only true churches, 
of course, that the triune God himself builds, but then, of 
course, reciprocally speaking, that recognize and acknowledge 
and glory in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the one true and 
only living God. And so the foundational and necessary 
Trinitarianism of the Church is asserted here in paragraph 
five. And notice that there is an initiatory state for entrance 
into the church, if we can use that language, and it is simply 
salvation by that self-same triune God. unto Himself through the ministry 
of His Word by His Spirit, those that are given unto Him by His 
Father. So if you can sort of think back upon the previous 
months upon months where we worked through those chapters pertaining 
to salvation, where we looked at the decree of God, where we 
looked at election, justification, adoption, sanctification, all 
of those particular doctrines, we can see all of those things 
encapsulated here in the language, So the doctrine of salvation 
is clearly in and joyfully here in the background 
of the doctrine of the Church as that initiatory state for 
entrance into the Church. In other words, it is the saved, 
it is believers who constitute the Church of the living God. And so, Universally speaking, 
that's the case, as you would have already looked at previously 
in paragraphs 1 through 4. And then, of course, locally, 
the local expression of those churches are such that those 
who are called from out of the world unto Christ, by the Word, 
by the Spirit, and who are such that are given to Christ by His 
Father, those are they who are members proper of the Church 
of Christ. So there is an initiatory state 
for entrance into the church, and it is divine and saving grace. It is God who brings forth those 
to the church. And that's what we have, those 
summary reports in the book of Acts, where we see the narrative 
of the exalted Christ, working through his sent messengers to 
proclaim the richness of the gospel, and that's attended by 
the power of the Spirit. The preaching of the Word is 
attended by the power of the Spirit, and we see those reports, 
and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. 
That's what's in the background here as the framers of the Confession 
recognize that blessed, redemptive historical truth that the Lord 
God, in the case of the, well, it is the Lord God, but in the 
case of the narrative of the Book of Acts, the exalted Christ, 
by His Spirit, bringing forth those designed by the Father 
in eternity past to be brought forth into the ranks of the churches 
that they might glorify their God and edify each other. So 
the initiatory state of entrance into the church, salvation by 
the triune God. Thirdly, under the local gathering 
of Christ's church, the utility of the word in populating the 
church. Notice the language here. In 
the execution of this power, wherewith he, that is Christ, 
is so entrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto 
himself through the ministry of his word by his spirit. So the utility of the word is 
primary, it's vital in bringing forth those from out of the darkness 
of sin to life and light in Christ to be members of churches that 
they might avail of that same word continually preach is that 
which by they live off of. So, the Word, attended by the 
power of the Spirit, the utility of the Word in populating the 
Church. The Confession, taking its cues 
obviously from the Bible, is setting forth the truth that 
it is the Word by which people are brought forth. And we can 
think of many passages in the Bible that speak to this particular 
fact. You know, Peter talks about the 
fact that we've been born again not by corruptible seed, but 
incorruptible. through the Word of God, which 
lives and abides forever. So our salvation is linked to 
the utility of the Word. The Word comes to our souls by 
a preacher, normatively speaking, perhaps where a sinner is sitting 
with his Bible and reading the gospel account, reading something 
in the Word of God. But whatever the situation may 
be, Whether it's ordinary or extraordinary, it is always the 
case that Christians are brought forth by the Word of God. And 
that they are brought forth by that Word, joined with the power 
of His Spirit. utility of the word in populating 
the church. And then lastly, under the local 
gathering of Christ's church, we have the command and therefore 
the responsibility of the church to gather. Notice the end of 
paragraph five, 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." That isn't a one or the other choice, it's simply 
elaboration, or churches is elaborating society. So it's not that you 
walk either in a society or in a church, it's that Churches 
is further qualifying or modifying society. So churches, for their 
mutual edification and the due performance of that public worship 
which he requireth of them in the world. So there's a command 
and therefore the responsibility for the church to gather. We 
gather not simply because it might be convenient when it's 
convenient. We don't gather as some sort 
of simple social exercise. But we gather together first 
and foremost by the command of Christ. by the command of our 
blessed commanding Lord. And it's not as if it should 
come to us as some sort of labor, but we joyfully obey the command 
of Christ in gathering together. Yes? Did it? Thank you for pointing 
that out. I obviously didn't clamp that 
with much skill. All right, that's better. It does, yes. And I am lacking 
in that regard. So we are commanded by Christ 
to gather, and we joyfully gather. Christians are never, we should 
not ever be seen as those who count the commands of our living 
and true God as weariness, as labor, as something that's heavy 
and a burden, but rather we should joyfully comply, and we ought 
to joyfully comply in a rejoicing obedience that we get to gather 
together as the saints of Christ. And so moving on then to paragraph 
six, the deliberate mutually assenting action of Christ's 
church. So we engage in church with deliberation 
as Christians who joyfully obey the command of God, and we are 
mutually assenting one to the other in the gathering. Notice 
paragraph six. The members of these churches 
are saints by calling. visibly manifesting and evidencing 
in and by their profession and 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." So there are two things largely 
of note here to recognize. The first is the status and manifest 
confirmation of church members. We are saints by calling. There is not some special category 
of Christians called saints, and then the lower rank and file 
that are underneath those, as in the Roman Catholic Church, 
where the saints have a glowing orb around their head and and, 
you know, they're attended to by winged, naked babies and that 
sort of a thing. There isn't a special class of 
saints within the Christian church. There are saints. Saints is a 
synonymous term for Christians, and we see that in the New Testament 
epistolary accounts where the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Peter, 
they start their epistles with something like, to the saints 
that are in such and such a city. So those who are Christians are 
saints, and those who are saints are those who gather together 
in local churches. And there is a manifest confirmation 
of their status as saints or as Christians. We read they're 
visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their profession and 
walking, their obedience unto that call of Christ. Going to 
church is, it's not a soul evidence, but going to church is manifest 
evidence of a Christian's profession, that they are in fact a saint 
of the living Christ. A saint goes to church. So, Christians 
are to be found in church and they are to visibly manifest 
by that walk their joyful obedience to Christ. Secondly, there is 
a one accord nature to the church. We are to be found as those who 
are in one accord. And in fact, that's language 
that we find in the book of Acts. For example, in Acts chapter 
4, after the apostles are released from prison, after being persecuted, 
they come back to the rest of the disciples. And the church 
there is found as being in one accord, praying to God, and in 
essence, thanking God that they're able to suffer in the name of 
Christ, and that God would give them boldness in the midst of 
that suffering to, as one church, proclaim with boldness the gospel 
of Jesus Christ to a dying world. And so there is a one-accord 
reality. The language of the Confession 
is that we do willingly consent to walk together according to 
the appointment of Christ. And notice this language, giving 
up themselves to the Lord and one to another. There is a there's 
a twofold responsibility, a twofold blessed responsibility that we 
have as Christians, as members of the gathered church. And that 
is, of course, first and foremost, that vertical responsibility 
that we have to worship the Lord God Almighty, to give to him 
our joyful obedience, to give to him our spirit filled worship 
and to glorify and exalt his most holy name. And there is 
also a horizontal responsibility. and one to another, the confession 
says. And this, of course, comes with 
the weight of biblical witness. So we have that vertical responsibility, 
which is primary, and then we also have, of course, that secondary 
responsibility, one to each other. Which is why the gathering of 
the Church is so important. For those two reasons, of course, 
the Godward reason being primary and inestimable and glorious, 
that we have that responsibility to give to God the worship that 
is due His name, and the worship that is specifically specified 
by the Word of God, But then we also have this horizontal 
responsibility to each other. We edify one another. We encourage 
one another by our simple presence in the gathered assembly and 
also by our activity and communion with each other in walking in 
all the ways of obedience, in assenting to the same truths, 
in singing the same hymns to God and to one another. in praying 
in one accord, in being attentive to the preached word and the 
red word, and all of those blessed things, in engaging in the ordinances, 
the sacraments of Christ. And so there is a responsibility, 
a one-accord nature to the church. I want to draw special emphasis 
here at the end of paragraph six, improfessed subjection to 
the ordinances of the gospel. The gathered church, the churches 
of Christ, the local church, is to be a church that holds 
in high esteem the confession of faith. a creed or a confession. We are to be professors who are 
in subjection to the ordinances of the gospel. The madness if 
we did not, as a church, have a creed or a confession of faith. 
We would not know what we were to be in one accord over or with, 
one with each other. We have a blessed collection 
of theological conclusions here drawn from the Bible that clearly 
state what we are about as a church as far as our belief in God, 
our doctrine of salvation, and the doctrines that are to be 
believed, one with each other. And so to have a confession of 
faith, to have a creed, is vital. in recognizing what our shared 
faith is, what our common faith is, and being in subjection to 
the word of God as it is summarily contained therein. And so never 
underestimate the necessity, the function, the utility, the 
blessed utility of a confession of faith for the gathered assembly 
as we, as professors, subject ourselves to the ordinances of 
the gospel. Now moving on to paragraph seven. 
the independence of the local church. So it's a shorter paragraph, 
but it touches upon an important thing. To each of these churches, 
this is seven, 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 with commands and rules for the do and right 
exerting and executing of that power. Now, Paragraph 7, well, 
in fact, Paragraph 7 all the way through to Paragraph 15, 
they are not in the Westminster Confession of Faith. A lot of 
7 to 15 is drawn from the Savoy Declaration of Faith, the Congregationalist 
Confession of Faith. But they have, man, their chapter 
26 is like 30 paragraphs or something like that. But anyway, there's 
an important difference that we have here in this paragraph 
relative to pretty much every other doctrine of the church, 
or ecclesiastical approach. And that is the independence 
of the local church, though a qualified independence, but an independence 
of the local church. You'll see here that there is 
no ecclesiastical institution or hierarchy above that of the 
local church. 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. So 
you can see the extent to which the local church has authority 
for her governance. It is not subject to, now, let's 
just say at the outset, it is subject to the headship of Christ. And that's the point of paragraph 
4. There's a two-fold point, in the very least, to paragraph 
4 regarding the independence of the local church. That it 
is under the headship of the exalted Savior, and that it is 
not under, though, the headship of any man or institution, specifically 
in this case, that Antichrist, the Pope of Rome. And so, when 
we get to paragraph seven, we see here the independence of 
the local church asserted. So, it is not under any ecclesiastical 
authority, but we also want to say, most certainly, it is not 
under any civil authority. And so, the same power and authority 
needful for the carrying on of order and worship that applies 
to the rejection of any hierarchical ecclesial authority, applies 
also to the civil magistrate. We're not under the state. The 
church is not under state rule. There are a number of approaches 
to the doctrine of the church throughout history. Regarding 
state rule, there's a doctrine of the church. We call it church 
polity, or how the church is to be governed. One of those 
approaches is called Erastianism, which is basically that the state 
is over the church. So the civil magistrate has headship 
over the church. I'll name the next one first, 
and then we can give an example of an approach to church government 
where both of those are merged together. But another approach 
to the polity of the church or church governance is Episcopalianism. And you might recognize that 
from like the Church of England or Anglicanism, but that also 
applies to Roman Catholicism and to the Eastern Orthodox Church. 
So Episcopalianism is a an ecclesiastical hierarchy, usually with someone 
at the top, an institution, either an individual or a college of 
individuals at the top, and then sort of ever-decreasing substructures 
from top to bottom under the church. So you can, with the 
Church of England, they are an Erastian Episcopalianism. They have the Queen of England, 
or I guess now the King of England, as head over the Church of England. So they are Erastian, and they 
are also Episcopalian. The Roman Catholic Church is 
Episcopalian. They have the Pope of Rome, that 
Antichrist, as paragraph four brings out, who is the head of 
their church system, and then cardinals, archbishops, bishops, 
priests, etc. that follow the tree of dissension 
in that hierarchy. The Eastern Orthodox Church, 
rather than having the Pope, they have a college of Patriarchs, 
or I'm trying to remember the other term that they use. Anyway, 
it's a collegial Episcopalianism, so it's not one man, it's multiple 
men, usually, is how that works. Also, Presbyterianism, you're 
probably familiar with that term. That is also an approach to church 
government, where the church, the local church, does not have, 
still does not have, independent governorship. It's either under 
a presbytery and then even greater, sometimes under a synod. So there 
is still a measure of hierarchy to that approach to church polity. We also have denominationalism, 
which is closer to what we're going to get and identify as 
our particular form of church governance. But denominationalism, 
you have a set of independent churches, sort of, but they are 
superseded by denominational interests. So there is a denominational 
governance where there's an institution, sort of, and you pay your members 
of that, but they supersede the government of the local churches. Lastly, we have congregationalism, 
which would be our approach to church governance. Sometimes 
it's often called Baptist church polity because predominantly 
Baptists are those who exercise congregational church polity. 
But our approach to the confessional approach to church polity or 
church governance is congregationalism. So the authority has been granted 
by Christ, the head of the church, to the local church for her governance, 
for her power, and for carrying out order in worship and discipline. Ideally, I think this is what 
Dr. James Renahan identifies in his 
book on church polity, the ideal particular Baptist model is plural 
elder-led associational congregationalism. You can call him and talk to 
him about that. So those are some of the differences 
with regards to church governance. The Baptist approach, or we should 
say the Reformed Baptist approach historically, has been congregationalism, 
and we see that brought out in part in introductory fashion 
here in paragraph 7. Moving on then to the constitution 
of the church, the constitution of the church in paragraph eight, 
there are three things that we see here. First, the definitive 
character of the local church, that first clause or set of clauses 
that we have there. A particular church, gathered 
and completely organized according to the mind of Christ, consists 
of officers and members. So that is the simple definitive 
character of the local church. And notice the language, gathered 
and completely organized. We could still use the language 
of church to apply to a church that does not yet have church 
officers. That is not an ideal situation, 
and I think it might be James Renahan that says, that church 
has being, but not yet well-being. In other words, it's still a 
church, but it isn't gathered and completely organized, according 
to the mind of Christ, until it consists of both members and 
officers. So that is the definitive character 
of the local church. And then we have the constituent 
character of the local church. or excuse me, the definitive 
character is that it's completely organized according to the mind 
of Christ, and then the constituent character is that it's officers 
and members. Thirdly, the simplicity of ecclesiastical 
organization. Notice, the simplicity of just 
the organization of the church is what we mean by that. Notice 
the language here. the officers 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 with them or calls them to, to 
be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders 
and deacons." So there are two officers that obtain in the life 
of the church until the blessed day when we are all brought in 
on that final day, and that is uh... elders and deacons so two 
offices in the abiding church today and so what we mean by 
simplicity of ecclesial or church organization it pertains to that 
first that we simply have two offices in the church elders 
and deacons that we are not you know the roman catholic church 
where where you've got where you've got pope cardinal archbishop 
bishop priest uh... you know prelates and friars 
and deacons and all these other interesting things. We have simply 
the organization that Christ intended in the New Testament 
to be continued till the end of the world, and that is elders 
and deacons. The language of bishops is used 
there. Overseer is also used in the Bible. Elder has essentially 
been what we retain. You could probably call Pastor 
Butler Bishop Butler, but he probably won't want you to But 
if you ever want to have fun, you can call him Bishop Butler. 
No, let's just forget I said that. But pastor. What's that? Pastor Barcelos 
does. Pastor Barcelos does, that's right. Yeah, Bishop Butler. But 
bishops or elders, another synonymous term there is pastor. That's 
a similar term. So bishops, overseer, pastor, 
elder, that's all New Testament biblical language. But we can 
just say that it's elder and deacon, the two offices. that 
are simply remaining until the great day of Christ. Also with 
regards to the simplicity of church organization, notice that 
the church officers are appointed for the peculiar administration 
of ordinances and execution of power or duty which Christ entrusts 
them with. There are things that the church 
is to do and there are things that the church should not be 
about. And we have in the Bible our confession echoing that, 
that the preaching of the Word of God, the peculiar administration 
of ordinances, and the execution of power at Christ entrusts to 
the officers. There is a blessed simplicity 
to the church and to her gathered character. So that's the constitution 
of the church. Notice the installment of officers 
in paragraph nine. The installment of officers. 
This is the process by which officers are brought into their 
particular spirit-appointed offices. Notice paragraph 9, the way appointed 
by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted 
by the Holy Spirit unto the office or elder in a 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 of the eldership of the church if there be any before 
constituted therein, and of a deacon, that he be chosen by the like 
suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands." 
So notice that we have, first off, the concurrence of the Spirit 
and the Church in the proceedings. So we have fitted and gifted 
by the Holy Spirit, and then we have chosen thereunto by the 
common suffrage of the church. The Lord our God is kind to us 
in that He does not submit us unto some sort of individual's 
boasting and positioning and machinations that He has somehow 
been appointed by the Holy Spirit to be Lord over the church. we 
have the providential blessing that that calling by the Holy 
Spirit, that calling by Christ, and the fitting of the Holy Spirit 
is given a providential consent by the gathered church. The language 
here is that the church, assuming that it's a gathered church, 
that there is common suffrage, or simply voting, that the church 
votes, that the church has recognized that that particular man has 
been fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, and they give their 
suffrage consent, they give their voting consent that he is to 
be appointed in the church as an elder. So we have this concurrence, 
not that it is mutual in the sense that there's, you know, 
partial or equal power on the point of the Holy Spirit and 
on the point of the church, but there is concurrence in that 
God providentially confirms the calling by the Spirit by the 
church's consent. And so this is something that 
ought to be a blessing to any church member that we're not 
under some sort of tyrannical impositions of men 
who impose their will upon the church, but much rather, in our 
form of congregationalism, our form of church polity, it is 
the church that gives voting consent to one who is gifted 
by the Holy Spirit. So we have the concurrence of 
spirit and church in the proceedings, and we also have the solemnity 
of the process. There is a serious and dignified 
nature to the process of appointing elders and deacons in the church. 
It's not just some sort of casual exercise. This is Christ's church. And so the proceedings ought 
to be joyful. We ought not to say that there's 
a solemnity to the process absent of joy, because isn't it a joy 
when we can add elders to the church? Isn't it a joy when we 
can add deacons to the church to spread about the work? But 
there is a marked solemnity, and the language here is solemnly 
set apart by fasting and prayer with the imposition of hands 
of the eldership of the church, and then the deacon by that same 
like suffrage set apart by prayer and the imposition of hands. 
So it is a religious exercise. It is not simply some sort of 
human administrative exercise. It is something that has in the 
background the calling of Christ the gifting of the Spirit, and 
the consent of the gathered Church, the Church of Christ. And so, 
there is solemnity to the process. There is a seriousness and a 
dignified character to the process. And we always ought to see it, 
accept it, and proceed as such. Paragraph 10 brings to us the 
responsibility of churches to their pastors. And there are 
two things at large I want to note here. First thing is that 
there is to be a sanctified esteem recognizing their calling and 
worth to the church, that is the pastor. So a sanctified esteem 
recognizing their calling and worth to the church. Notice, 
beginning of paragraph 10, 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. Notice, it is incumbent on the 
churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due 
respect, So, we're not to somehow read into this, and no pastor 
is to somehow read into this and then thus so act, as if there 
is this hyper-elevated exaltation and elitism on the part of the 
pastor. where they're the most venerable, 
right, reverent so-and-so who never stoops down to the common 
peasant. That's not the sort of approach 
to elders or bishops, or deacons for that matter, but pastors 
are particularly in view here. However, there is to be a sanctified 
esteem, a sanctified respect. We are to respect the men who 
are over us who have just been described as those who are constantly 
attending the service of Christ in His churches, who are ministering 
the Word with prayer, and who are watching over our souls. 
And so we are, as church members, to have a sanctified esteem for 
the churches. excuse me, for the church's pastor. So secondly, there is to be a 
tangible demonstration of honor for their laborings. So we have 
a sanctified esteem or respect for them, and then we have a 
tangible demonstration of honor for their laborings." Notice 
the language here. Not only to give them all due 
respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things 
according to their ability. So that simply means that we 
are to pay our pastors for the work that they do. They are to 
be rewarded. They are to be paid for the very 
important work that they do of attending to the service of Christ, 
of ministering the Word and prayer, in feeding us and watching over 
our souls. So we don't just say, hey, Pastor 
Butler, respect to you, man, and then walk away with our hands 
on our wallets. We are to pay the man because 
he is laboring in both body and soul for our souls in the ministry 
of word and prayer. So not only are we to give esteem, 
a right and sanctified and biblical esteem, but we are also to pay, 
to demonstrate with honor for their laborings. And notice there's 
a particular reason in view. There are reasons in view so 
as they may have a comfortable supply that is of money, resources 
whereby they may live and pay for their family and support 
their family without being themselves tangled in secular affairs. So 
it should not be the case that a pastor is caught up in secular 
labor. He shouldn't also have to be 
a grocery clerk in addition to ministering the word and watching 
over the souls of the flock. The church, so called, so gathered, 
and so able, is to reward a pastor such that he can live of the 
gospel. And so we are to respect and 
we are to honor in the way of payment so that they may have 
a comfortable supply, not having to supplement their work for 
the souls of the sons of men with secular things, and then 
also that they may be capable of exercising hospitality themselves 
to others. Because we are all called to 
be hospitable Christians, because we are all called to a measure 
of love and a demonstration of honor to fellow image bearers, 
and peculiarly those who are of the household of God, that 
also applies to pastors who are members of the church. They need 
to be given such a comfortable supply that they may survive 
themselves along with their family, but also so that they might exercise 
Christian hospitality to those around them. And notice there's 
a twofold reality to this that argues for it. This is required, 
the paragraph ends, by the law of nature, so that's the first, 
and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained 
that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel. It's 
by the common sense of reason and the light of nature that 
a man who works ought to be paid for his work. And the Apostle 
Paul uses the imagery of the ox, you know, feeding off that 
which is scattered in the agricultural enterprise. You know, the man 
who labors ought to be paid and ought to be able to live of the 
gospel. And the simple light of nature 
demonstrates that. We can't We don't survive off 
of love and fresh air. We survive with those resources 
in a particular universe where we require them to live. And 
so also the Word of God itself or the express order of our Lord 
Jesus Christ testifies to this reality and its necessity that 
pastors are to be rewarded for their labor. Paragraph 11, there 
we have an allowance for the Word's proclamation, and this 
is peculiar to a congregational approach to church polity. Other 
particular approaches to church polity would exclude the preaching 
of the Word of God to elders. But there is a concession made, 
and based upon some biblical evidence, for example in the 
book of Acts, where certain men from Cyrene go out and preach 
the word of God, and many are added to the church, other places 
as well. But we have the reality that 
we have, of course, primarily that the work is to be done by 
those who are attending the service of Christ, the ministry of the 
Word, that is, the elders themselves. However, in cases where they 
might need a break or, you know, something providentially occurs 
in the proceedings of the Church, those that are so fitted by the 
Holy Spirit and called by the Church can also do so. So paragraph 
11 reads, 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 work of preaching the 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. So there may be and there are 
instances where a particular man who is fitted by the Holy 
Spirit for the proclamation of the Word is able to and should 
be able to preach as occasion comes. Paragraph 12, we see the privilege 
of Christians relative to the Church. And this is another small 
one that is, I think, very packed. So, the privilege of Christians 
relative to the Church. Notice the language. As all believers 
are bound to join themselves to particular churches. First 
of all, we have there a repetition that we are to joyfully comply 
to the command of Christ in gathering together in a local church. We 
are bound here, the language says, to join ourselves to particular 
churches when and where they have opportunities so to do. 
So all that are admitted unto the privileges of a church are 
also under the censures and government thereof, according to the rule 
of Christ." It isn't to be the case that we are to be so many 
wanderers, you know, wayfaring Christians that just bounce about 
from church to church, never attaching ourselves in membership 
to a local church, perhaps, maybe, because the primary reason is 
we don't want to be under the censures and the government thereof. 
We are not to be those who avail of the privileges of a church, 
but then don't assume ourselves such that we are also to be under 
the centers and government of the church. I think there can 
be within modern evangelicalism some who love to avail of the 
privileges of the church. Well, maybe that could be said 
of all of us. We love to avail of the privileges 
of the church, but we don't necessarily like submitting ourselves to 
the centers and the government of the church. I think that's 
sort of, that's human nature. But it is a blessed privilege 
to be under both, or it is a blessed thing to be under both the privileges 
and the centers and the government. You know, the Lord chastises 
those whom he loves, like sons and like daughters. And so not 
only do we avail of those positive blessings, but also perhaps those, 
might we say, negative things or seasons where we fall under 
the censure and the government of the church. We've sinned. 
We've sinned repeatedly, perhaps, and unrepentantly for a season. 
And we're therefore under the discipline and the censure and 
government of the church. Those are good things, because 
a chastised son is a blessed son who matures in his walk with 
Christ. And so it ought to be a blessed 
joy for Christians to be under both the privileges and the censures 
of the Church. Paragraph 13, we see the requisite 
patient duty of Christians in the life of the Church. The paragraph, 
no doubt practically, but of course also with biblical witness, 
speaks of one having been offended by another brother or another 
sister, and resolution doesn't come. And there isn't to be some 
sort of inordinate upsetting of church order and proceedings, 
but rather a patient resting upon the providence of Christ. 
I think this is hard for, especially in Western society, where we're 
all about, you know, about pressing freedoms and liberties and individualism, 
and obviously freedoms and liberties are a very important thing, but 
inordinately and sort of in an overreactionism when we've been 
offended. And I think that's the nature 
of humanity generally, but can often obtain when we are in the Western environment where 
to a large degree we have a lot of benefits and freedoms and 
we can go about our way mostly unmolested, but more recently 
so not so much. All that to come back to this, 
that very often persons in churches, when they are offended, can cause 
a horrible ruckus, madness, and chaos. And what does the paragraph 
say? Note church members, upon any 
offense taken by them, having performed their duty required 
of them towards the person they are offended at, So the Matthew 
18 command by the Lord Jesus Christ to go to your brother, 
to go to the one who has offended you, and plead for their repentance, 
plead for their recovery, and to go about the other processes 
as well, which follow after that with one or two, and then with 
the church. So ought to disturb any church 
order or absent themselves from the assemblies of the church 
or administration 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. So while It ought to grieve us 
that there are offenses that take place in the context of 
the local church. And while it will grieve us when 
we're sinned against, I think a proper governing doctrine of 
the reality of remaining corruption, of the love of Christ our head, 
the head of the church, and the reality that he will build his 
church, I think we can acquiesce or rest in the fact that the 
Christ of providence will bring about good things for the glory 
of God and the good of the church. And so we are not to cause madness 
and chaos and some sort of crazy ruckus, you know, not coming 
to church but standing outside with picket signs and screaming 
with foaming mouth as if that's sanctified and Christian, but 
rather we are to wait upon Christ in the further proceedings of 
the church. And then the last two paragraphs speak to associationalism, 
so the Christian commitment to associationalism, and then church 
assistance and independence relative to that. So we are to be such 
that hold communion among ourselves. While we are independent, while 
we believe in an independent church government within this 
rubric of congregationalism, That doesn't mean we are to be 
islands unto ourselves and isolationists. We are to have communion with 
those who hold the form of sound words with us. We are to have 
communion and association with them, the language here, so that 
they may, at the end of paragraph 14, enjoy opportunity and advantage 
ought to hold community among themselves for their peace, increase 
of love, and mutual edification. I think it's a blessing that 
we have Mike Kirkpatrick and the church there in Surrey, that 
we have Pastor Maljars in Armstrong, that we have association with 
other churches, Pastor Barcelos and others. We bring visitors 
in for ministerial updates and those sorts of things. Now, there 
is a difference between a simple functional associationalism and 
an official associationalism, and the Confession is no doubt 
speaking to both, that there ought to be communion, generally 
speaking, but that there also ought to be communion or association. 
officially speaking, like we had with ARBCA, that didn't go 
well, but associationalism is a good thing, and paragraph 15 
brings it out in the way of injured persons within the context of 
the Church, that there is recourse, not authoritarian recourse, and 
not recourse to an ecclesiastical institution above the local church, 
but recourse among like-minded brethren that could bring advice 
and wisdom to the church in order to how they may proceed when 
disruptions occur. And so hopefully this was a whirlwind 
tour of 11 paragraphs, but hopefully you retained some of it and it 
helped a little bit with regards to how we are to approach the 
local church. Let's close in prayer. Heavenly 
Father, we thank you for the doctrine of the local church. 
Thank you for the doctrine of the church at large. We rejoice 
in the blessed reality that Christ is building our church and that 
the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We thank you for 
your empowering spirit. We thank you for the blessing 
of the Word of God. We do pray that you'd help us 
now as a church to proceed as we ought under the headship of 
Christ and that we would have that blessed vertical relationship 
to our triune God and that horizontal relationship one to each other, 
that we would rejoice in You and rejoice that we can gather 
together with the saints of Christ in mutual edification. And so 
we pray for that now as we go into worship, that You would 
help us to be mindful of our God and mindful of each other 
in the exercise of the gathered church.