Study 1: An Introduction (PDF Print Version)
Study 2: The Prophethood Of Christ (PDF Print Version)
Study 3: The Priesthood Of Christ (PDF Print Version)
Study 4: The Kingship Of Christ (PDF Print Version)
Study 5: Christ’s Teaching Ministry (PDF Print Version)
Study 6: Christ’s Gospel Ministry (PDF Print Version)
Study 7: Christ’s Good Works (PDF Print Version)
Study 8: Radical Reformation! (PDF Print Version)
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Study 1: An Introduction (Eph. 4:1-6)
o To understand the concept of “semper reformanda” and its relevance to us today.
I. Its origin and meaning.
1. The Reformation of the 16th century was a watershed in the history of the church. It was a work of God — a spiritual revival involving the preaching of God’s word, the salvation of souls, the recovery of biblical teaching and practice, and the founding of new churches.
– John Calvin (1509-1564) may be considered a spokesman of the Reformation. In his magnum opus, “The Institutes of the Christian Religion”, which was revised and enlarged a number of times until its final edition in 1559, he says: Christ “loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish,” (Eph. 5: 25-27.) Nevertheless, it is true, that the Lord is daily smoothing its wrinkles and wiping away its spots. Hence it follows that its holiness is not yet perfect. Such, then, is the holiness of the Church: it makes daily progress, but is not yet perfect; it daily advances, but as yet has not reached the goal.” (Institutes, 4:1:17.)
– As the Reformation spread, there were calls for the spirit of the Reformation to be maintained. John Robinson, an early leader of the English Separatists based Leiden in the Netherlands, addressed those of his church migrating to America in 1620 (called the Pilgrim Fathers): “I charge you before God and His blessed angels, that you follow me no further than you have seen me follow the Lord Jesus Christ. If God reveals anything to you by any instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as you were to receive any truth by my ministry, for I am verily persuaded the Lord hath more truth yet to break forth out of His Holy word. For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of those reformed churches which are come to a period [i.e. a full-stop] in religion, and will go, at present, no further than the instruments of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; whatever part of His will our God has revealed to Calvin, they will rather die than embrace it; and the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is a misery much to be lamented, for though they were burning and shining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God; but were they now living, would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received, for it is not possible the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick anti-christian darkness and that perfection of knowledge should break forth at once.” (E. H. Broadbent, pp. 245-246.)
– In Britain, the Particular Baptists were pushing for reformation beyond what the paedobaptist Puritans had arrived at. Writing against infant baptism, Benjamin Keach stated: “Our first Protestant Reformers were raised up to restore those grand fundamentals of faith, more than to reform matters of discipline, and about this rite of infant-baptism and some other ceremonies. ‘The path of the just is as a shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect Day, Prov. 4. 18.’” (Light Broke Forth, 1696, pp. 226-227.)
2. In the Netherlands, during the Second Reformation, which corresponded with the age of the Puritans in Britain, there was a similar call for the spirit of the Reformation to be continued. It was urged that the Reformation reformed the doctrine of the church, but the lives and practices of God’s people always need further reformation.
– In 1674, a devotional was written by an important figure of the Second Reformation called Jodocus van Lodenstein, in which were found these words, “The church is reformed and always [in need of] being reformed according to the Word of God.” The verb is passive: the church is not “always reforming” but is “always being reformed”. Although the Reformers did not use the phrase, it expresses well their belief. This phrase is often shortened to “semper reformanda”, i.e. “always being reformed”.
3. Like anything good, right, and true, the term “semper reformanda” has been abused. It is often taken to mean the church must actively reform itself, by adjusting traditional doctrine and practice to suit the times. The principle of “sola scripture” is forgotten.
– The Modernist Swiss theologian, Karl Barth (1886-1968), used the phrase much to advocate change in the dead orthodoxy seen in the churches around him. From the 1960s, radical Roman Catholic theologians like Hans Kung used this term to advocate reform within the RC Church.
– In 1967, the United Presbyterian Church in the USA rejected the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture under this modern understanding of the phrase. It is also used by the Federal Vision movement to advocate either a need to change Reformed theology or to recover an earlier version of it. According to the Federal Vision, no one is finally regenerate, elect, or justified until the last day. Their view of justification is in line with the NPP (New Perspective on Paul), the view held by the Karl Barth, and similar to Roman Catholic teaching.
II. Its implications.
1. While the term “semper reformanda” has been abused by some, it is more common to find those who are “Reformed” only in doctrine but not in practice. In other words, they do not adhere to “semper reformanda”.
– The Particular Baptists of the 17th and 18th centuries were misunderstood and suffered much for holding to believer’s baptism, the autonomy of the local church, and the liberty of conscience. They held that the task of reformation should not stop at doctrine, but be extended to worship and church government, and to the separation of church and state.
– Consistency in upholding “semper reformanda” would require that we separate from those in serious errors while reforming ourselves according to the Bible.
2. The doctrine of separation from sin, wrong teaching, and worldliness (Rom. 16:17; Gal. 1:9; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15; 1 John 2:16; 2 John 10) must be held together with the doctrine of love between the brethren (John 17:20-23; Eph. 4:1-6; 1 John 4:1, 7). These apply primarily to individuals within the local church but should be extended to interaction between churches.
– Selective fellowship is based on the truth (Eph. 4:4-6), and also on the spirit of the truth (Eph. 4:1-3; Acts 4:32). The more truth we share in common, the greater is the likelihood of fellowship. The more love, humility and acceptance is found in like-minded people, the greater is possibility of fellowship.
3. The 1689 Confession states in Chap. 26:4 that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. In Chap. 8:1 it is mentioned that Jesus Christ is “the Mediator between God and man; the prophet, priest and king; head and saviour of His church”.
– Chap 8:10 contains a clause, “This number and order of the offices is necessary.” This is not found in the Westminster Confession nor in the Savoy Declaration. Instead, it came from the 1644 Confession. The Particular Baptists, being Separatists, wanted to carry on reform by subjecting themselves to the three offices of Christ. “Semper reformanda” will require us to reform the local church according to the three offices of Christ.
– It is further proposed that the Lord must be imitated in His ministry, not just in His character (1 Cor. 11:1). The apostles Paul shows this in his own ministry. An all-round ministry as shown by our Lord (Matt. 4:23; 9:35) must be aimed at in regard to the ministry of the church in the world.
= While practising separation from those in serious errors we will be helped in reforming our churches according to the three offices of Christ and the pattern of ministry set by the Lord.
Questions
1. How should we look upon the Reformation of the 16th century?
2. What did John Calvin teach about the holiness of the church when he expounded on Eph. 5:25-27?
3. What was John Robinson appealing for when he addressed the Pilgrim Fathers before they sailed?
4. In Britain, what were the Particular Baptists pushing for when they insisted on believer’s baptism instead of infant sprinkling?
5. What does “semper reformanda” mean?
6. How does the Federal Vision movement abuse the term “semper reformanda”?
7. While “semper reformanda” has been abused by some, what is the more common problem?
8. The Particular Baptists of the 17th and 18th centuries were misunderstood and suffered much for what issues?
9. Selective fellowship is based on what two ingredients?
10. State the conclusion of this study.
Assignment/Discussion
There are those who claim themselves to be “Reformed” but do not seem to uphold “semper reformanda”. How may we recognise such? Do they not have the right to be known as “Reformed”? Do we have the right to stop them from calling themselves “Reformed”?
Memory passage (Eph. 4:1-6)
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
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Study 2: The Prophethood Of Christ (Rev. 2:12-29)
o The principle of “semper reformanda” requires that the church submit to Christ’s prophethood.
I. The significance of Christ’s prophethood.
1. Jesus Christ is the great prophet promised by God would come to His people (Deut. 18:18 cf. John 1:45; 4:25; Acts 3:20-22).
– A prophet reveals (forth-tells & foretells) God’s word (Deut. 18:18). In the OT, a prophecy that turned out be false, or turned the people away from God, would require the prophet to be put to death (Deut. 18:20; 13:5).
– Jesus Christ is Himself the incarnate Word, so that he who has seen Him has seen the Father (John 1:1-3; 14:7, 9). The risen Christ continues to strive with His people to bring them into closer conformity with His word (Eph. 5:25-27). In other words, He reveals God and His will to His people.
2. Prophethood is concerned with doctrine and the word of God. A church that submits to Christ’s headship will show submission to His word. There will be an appreciation of correct doctrine and the authority of Scripture, shown practically in three ways.
– First, the teaching and preaching of God’s word will be central in the life of the church. The Roman Catholics would commonly say, “We are going to church for the mass,” while Protestants would say, “We are going to church to hear the word of God.”
– Second, the church would want to sort out its doctrine of salvation, since this concerns the gospel, the core teaching of the Christian faith (1 Cor. 2:2; Gal. 1:9). Following the Reformation of the 16th century, three views of the gospel emerged: Calvinism, Arminianism, and Amyraldianism. Which is the biblical view? Calvinism upholds the so-called Five Points of Calvinism, while fully-fledged Arminianism holds to the Five Points of Arminianism. Amyraldianism does not hold to “limited atonement”, claiming that “Christ’s death is sufficient for all, and efficient to some”.
– Third, a good Confession of Faith would be accepted as the doctrinal basis of the church. Churches that trace their origin – historically or doctrinally – to the Reformation would hold to one of the Confessions that arose during or after the Reformation. These are “Reformed churches”, characterised by confessionalism (i.e. the esteem for, and use of, the Confession of Faith). Churches that arose after the Reformation tend to be content with a short Statement of Faith, of 10 to 20 articles, e.g the Methodist denominations, the Plymouth Brethren, and the Evangelical Free Churches.
3. In the early 20th century, Theological Liberalism developed within the Protestant ranks.
– Liberalism is Modernist in outlook – rejecting accepted ideas, and the miracles and supernatural events of the Bible. Modernism relies on human ability, the rational faculty, and the scientific approach in the study of the Bible. It is claimed that the Bible is not infallible (incapable of error) and not inerrant (without errors).
– The Evangelicals, who were Conservative in outlook, united to counter the Liberals. They held that the Bible is infallible and inerrant as originally given, and has been preserved pure by God’s providential care through the centuries. The copying errors in the process of transmission are so minimal that they do not affect the doctrine of the Bible.
: The characteristics of Evangelicals are adherence to the sole authority of Scripture, the
gospel of justification by faith, and the belief in evangelism.
Once Liberalism was contained, the Conservatives split into three camps: the Reformed, the Fundamentalists, and the Neo-evangelicals. By the end of the 20th century, another camp appeared, viz. Charismatism.
: The Reformed are characterised by their adherence to Reformed theology (the Five
“solas”), covenant theology, confessionalism, the primacy of preaching, and traditional
worship. It is not possible to be Reformed and non-cessationist or dispensationalist.
: The Fundamentalists are characterised by a tendency to be over-literal in their
interpretation of Scripture, the practice of aggressive separation, holding tenaciously to
dispensational premillennialism, and a lack of patience with those who use Bibles other
than the KJV.
: The Neo-evangelicals are characterised by a tendency to be ecumenical-minded, placing
emphasis on social concerns, being non-cessationist, and being open to contemporary
worship. The Ecumenical movement emphasises organised visible unity between churches
at the expense of truth.
: Charismatism began with the Pentecostal movement from the early 20th which merged
with the Charismatic renewal movement of the 1960s. The Charismatic renewal movement
emphasised the restoration of the extraordinary gifts and the subjective aspect of the
Christian life. The charismatic renewal was largely welcomed by the Neo-evangelicals and
the Roman Catholics. Excesses such as dancing, making sounds like animals, speaking in
tongues, and prophecies were associated with the churches of the Vineyard Movement and
John Wimber in the West, and the churches of the Full Gospel Assemblies and Paul Cho
Yonggi (later changed to David Cho Yonggi) in the East. Historically speaking, the
Charismatics are not Evangelical. In spirit and doctrine, they are not Conservative.
II. Its implications.
1. In practising selective fellowship, we want to avoid the extremes of laxity and rigidity. There are fundamentals of the faith over which we cannot compromise, while there are differences over non-essentials of the faith which we must tolerate (cf. Eph. 4:4-6; Heb. 6:1-3; Phil. 3:15-16). (We are not saying the so-called non-essentials are not important, but rather that they do not cause immediate harm to the faith. e.g. whether one is pre-millenial, post-millenial, or amillenial.)
– Arminianism is similar to Pelagianism, but they are not exactly the same. Pelagianism denies original sin and holds that the human will is capable of choosing between good and evil without special divine aid. Arminianism, as held by the Methodists and many other Evangelicals today, believe in total depravity but also “prevenient grace”, i.e. divine grace that precedes human decision, and that Christ died for everyone to make salvation possible. They also uphold the Evangelical belief in justification by faith and the need to evangelise. Arminianism was rejected by the Synod of Dort but never condemned as heresy. It is an error concerning the mechanism of salvation, not the manner/way of salvation.
– Charismatism undermines the authority of Scripture by teaching the continuance of the sign gifts, including tongue-speaking and prophecy (2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:4). It emphasises subjective feelings at the expense of correct doctrine. It focuses on the ministry of the Holy Spirit at the expense of the glory of Christ (cf. John 14:17; 16:13-15). Fellowship with Charismatic churches will not be possible.
– We may have various degrees of fellowship with Fundamentalist and Neo-evangelical churches that are Arminian in soteriology, depending on how much other truths we share in common. It is difficult to have fellowship with Neo-evangelical churches that have adopted Charismatic beliefs and practices, or are involved in the modern Ecumenical movement.
Fellowship with Liberal churches is not possible. Liberals not only have a low view of Scripture, but also do not believe in an exclusive gospel and the need for evangelism.
2. Fellowship between Christians operate on the same basic principles – the more of truth we
hold in common, the greater is the likelihood of fellowship; the more of love for the Lord
shown by submission to His word, the greater is the likelihood of co-operation in gospel
enterprises.
– It is possible to love doctrine, to be correct in doctrine, and yet lack submission to Christ as Prophet. Beware!
= In the process of submission to Christ’s prophethood, we keep in mind the admonition to “love the brotherhood (1 Pet. 2:17)”.
Review Questions
1. What does the Old Testament reveal about Christ?
2. As prophet, what does Christ reveal to His people?
3. An appreciation of correct doctrine and the authority of the Bible will show itself in what three practical ways?
4. What does Modernism think of the Bible?
5. What do Evangelicals believe about the Bible and its preservation?
6. State the characteristics of the Reformed.
7. State the characteristics of the Fundamentalists.
8. State the characteristics of the Neo-evangelicals.
9. State the characteristics of the Charismatics.
10. Why is it not possible to have fellowship with Theological Liberals?
Assignment/Discussion
What difficulties do you foresee in our interaction with those who Fundamentalist, and those who are Neo-Evangelical? What difficulties might we encounter with those who are Reformed?
Memory passage (John 14:15-18)
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
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Study 3: The Priesthood Of Christ (Heb. 7:14-28)
o The principle of “semper reformanda” requires that the church submit to Christ’s priesthood.
I. The significance of Christ’s priesthood.
1. Christ’s high-priesthood is taught in detail in Heb. 7-10. In the OT, the high-priest officiated in the worship at the tabernacle and the temple. The high-priest had to be appointed from among the priests, the descendants of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi.
Christ’s high-priesthood was of the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:15, 17 cf. Ps. 110:4; Gen. 14:18-20). It is superior to the priesthood of Aaron and the Levites (Heb. 7:11, 16, 22; 8:1-6).
– Christ needed no sacrifice for Himself (Heb. 7:27). He offered up Himself as the perfect sacrifice for His people (Heb. 9:12-14, 25-26; Matt. 20:28).
– As our high-priest, Christ continues to intercede for His people in heaven (7:25; 9:24). He is able to sympathise with those who are tempted (Heb. 2:18; 4:15).
2. In the life of the church, priesthood is concerned with worship, prayer, and the pastoral care of God’s people. Practically, submission to the priesthood of Christ will be shown in the following ways.
– First, the worship services will be in accordance to the Regulative Principle. This is a characteristic of Reformed churches. The RP basically states that in the worship of God, whatever is commanded by the word of God must be followed while anything not commanded is to be rejected. The opposing principle was in the past called the Normative Principle, which states that whatever is not forbidden by the word of God may be allowed (or, is permissible. Since the Bible teaches by commands, precepts, instructions, and examples we have often to establish the “norm” from the “exception” to follow. It is better, therefore, to refer to the opposing principle as the Permissible Principle.
– Second, the prayer meeting of the church is important. It is for good reasons that we have “the high-priestly prayer” of our Lord in John 17, which sets an example for the pastoral prayer in a worship service and also for corporate prayer. Church members must not neglect the prayer meetings of the church, just as they should not neglect the two main services on the Lord’s day. (The fourth commandment requires that the day be kept holy, which began with worship and ended with worship (Exod. 20:8-11 cf. Num. 28:10 cf 4).)
– Third, pastoral care of the members is part-and-parcel of church life. Different churches place different emphasis on this and carry this out in different ways. Extremes must be avoided – that of heavy shepherding, and that of non-existent shepherding. Most personal problems are resolved when members attend the public meetings regularly to hear God’s word and be in fellowship with others. The principle of “the priesthood of all believers” require that we minster to one another instead of relying totally on the elders of the church to help us in our spiritual life (Exod. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:9 cf. 1 Cor. 12:26). Mature members should look out for the welfare of weaker members.
3. We have seen how the Evangelicals in the 20th century split into three camps after countering Theological Liberalism – the Reformed, the Fundamentalist, and the Neo-Evangelical camps. A fourth camp arose, viz. the Charismatic camp, which became particularly influential from the 1960s.
– As the 21st century dawned, Postmodernism set in. There is disillusionment with the rationalism of Modernism, and the subjectivism of the Charismatic movement. There was a revival of interest in Reformed theology at about the time of the Charismatic renewal of the 1960s, so that two strands of influence came into play – Charismatism and Reformed teaching.
– The Neo-evangelicals embrace Postmodern characteristics such as the seeker-sensitive approach to evangelism, singing of choruses and gospel songs, and the practise of contemporary worship.
– Some from the Fundamentalist and the Neo-Evangelical camps have embrace Calvinistic doctrines while others are influenced by Charismatism. The Fundamentalist Calvinists are cessationists while the Neo-evangelical Calvinists are non-cessationists (or continuationists) who also practise contemporary worship. The Fundamentalist Calvinists would not identify themselves as “Reformed” as they are non-confessional nor hold to Reformed Theology. The Neo-Evangelical Calvinists would call themselves “Reformed” when in reality they hold only to Calvinistic soteriology and not to Reformed theology, are non-confessional, and practise contemporary worship.
II. Its implications.
1. We have seen that it is possible to have fellowship with Fundamentalist and Neo-evangelical churches that are Arminian in soteriology, depending on how much other truths we share in common. It is difficult to have fellowship with Neo-Evangelical churches that have adopted Charismatic beliefs and practices, or are involved in the modern Ecumenical movement. The Ecumenical movement advocate visible, organisational, unity among churches at the expense of truth.
– Apart from doctrine, the issues involved also determine to some extent the interaction we have with others. In relief work during a natural disaster, we co-operate with non-Christians (atheists, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, politicians, social-workers, etc.), and we work in fellowship with other Evangelicals. Co-operation is different from fellowship, which involves acknowledging one another as brethren in Christ. For us, inter-faith worship is not possible.
2. Many churches new to the Reformed faith fail to extend the work of reformation to worship.
– Not only do the special ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper fall under the purview of the priesthood of Jesus Christ, the style of worship does as well. The Regulative Principle of worship must be applied to the types of songs sung, the instruments used, and the overall spirit/mood of the worship created. Leviticus 10:3 shows that worship must arise from a heart of reverence for God and be concerned for its witness to others. We posit traditional worship consistent with the Regulative Principle, over against contemporary worship.
– Others fail to emphasise the importance of the corporate prayer meeting. It is not a good idea to combine the church prayer meeting with Bible Study as each will be weakened by the lack of time. Many churches have succumbed to the influence of Charismatism in practising simultaneous prayer, contrary to the principles of understanding and orderliness of the Bible (1 Cor. 14:8-9, 12, 16; 14:31, 40).
– Pastoral care should not be narrowly focussed on pastoral visitation, but be extended to the nurture of spiritual maturity in the members. Spiritual maturity is shown not only by growth in knowledge of God’s word, but also by prayerfulness and a concern for the welfare of others. Church members must not only grow in spiritual knowledge, but also in involvement in the life of the church.
= Submission to Christ’s priesthood requires the adoption of biblical worship, a high regard
for corporate prayer, and the practice of biblical pastoral oversight.
Review Questions
1. Which part of the Bible gives detailed teaching on the high-priesthood of Christ?
2. As high-priest, what did Christ do, and continues to do, for His people?
3. Priesthood is concerned with what three matters in the life of the church?
4. What principle governs worship in Reformed churches?
5. What are the characteristics of Neo-Evangelical churches that have adopted Postmodernism?
6. What are the differences between the Fundamentalist Calvinists and the Neo-Evangelical Calvinists?
7. Why are Neo-Evangelical Calvinists not truly Reformed?
8. In our interaction with others, what is the difference between co-operation and fellowship?
9. Why is simultaneous prayer wrong?
10. How must we view pastoral care in the life of the church?
Assignment/Discussion
The extremes of heavy shepherding and non-existent shepherding are to be avoided. What are the roles of the pastor, the elders and the members in the work of pastoral oversight?
Memory passage (Heb. 9:11-15)
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
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Study 4: The Kingship Of Christ (Heb. 7:1-10)
o The principle of “semper reformanda” requires that the church submit to Christ’s kingship.
I. The significance of Christ’s kingship.
1. Christ’s kingship is taught in the NT (Matt. 2:2, 6; 27:11; Rev. 17:14; 19:16) and alluded to in the OT (Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16 cf. Matt. 22:41-46; Zech. 9:9 cf. Matt. 21:5).
– Jesus Christ is a King indeed (Matt. 21:5, 9). None is like Him. His kingship is inseparable from His priesthood, i.e. He is the priestly King (Heb. 7:1-3 cf. Gen. 49:10; Psalm 110:1-2, 4). Along the same line, His kingship is inseparable from His prophethood, i.e. He is the prophetic King who rules by His word (Matt. 28:18-20; Rev. 1:16; 19:13, 15-16).
– He has a kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36; Luke 17:21), does not extend by force (Matt. 26:52; Eph. 6:17), grows imperceptibly (Matt. 13:31-32, 33), and extends to eternity (Dan. 2:44; 7:14; Luke 1:33).
2. In the life of the church, kingship is concerned with church discipline, church government,
and outreach. Practically, submission to the kingship of Christ will be shown in the
following ways.
– First, there will be church discipline practised in the congregation. Christ the King rules His church by His own laws found in the Bible. Candidates for baptism will be examined to determine if there is a credible profession of faith. Participants at the Lord’s Table would be informed that it is meant for baptised believers who are not under church discipline in any church. Sins of commission and omission will be dealt with by the three steps of admonition, suspension, and excommunication. The practice of discipline is a mark of a true church – the other marks being the preaching of the gospel and the right administration of the special ordinances. While the church exists to edify one another (Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 10:23; Eph. 4:12, 16) and seeks to do all things to God’s glory (Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 6:12, 20; 1 Cor. 10:31) discipline must not be neglected (1 Cor. 5:12-13).
– Second, there will be a desire to practise the biblical form of church government. If the Bible is the only authority in all matters of faith and practice, the form of church government must be determined from it. While this was an unsettled issue during the Reformation and the Puritan age, it is not to be left unpursued. Human traditions must not be allowed to replace biblical principles. The Bible teaches the autonomy of the local church, the priority of the ministry, the validity of ruling elders, the unity of the eldership, rule by elders, and rule with congregational consent (Heb. 13:7, 17; Acts 15:6, 12, 22; 1 Cor. 5:4-5).
– Third, there will be organised outreach in the church (Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 17:21; 1 Cor. 9:5), while spontaneous personal outreach is encouraged (Acts 1:8; 2:47; 4:31; 5:42; 8:4). In the days of old, kings led their armies into battle (2 Sam. 11:1). Today, we do not use literal swords but “the sword of the Spirit” which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12). In the same way, elders should take the lead in opening up preaching points and in the weekly outreach. Local outreach should extend to wider church planting (2 Cor. 10:15-16).
3. The Puritan age of the 17th and 18th centuries ended with churches being troubled by Socinianism on the one hand, and Hyper-Calvinism on the other.
– Socinianism was an earlier form of Theological Liberalism which denied the deity of Christ and adopted a rationalistic approach to Scripture and to faith. Hyper-Calvinism emphasised the sovereignty of God at the expense of human responsibility. Many Presbyterian and General Baptist churches became Unitarian because of the influence of Socinianism. A number of Particular Baptist churches became Hyper-Calvinistic, due to the influence of John Gill and John Brine (Oliver, 2006). John Gill, whose writings strengthened the churches against Socinianism, nevertheless tended towards Hyper-Calvinism. This was taken as step farther by John Brine.
– The Evangelical Revival in the mid 18th century that accompanied the preaching of George Whitefield and the Wesley brothers (John and Charles) was welcomed by many Particular Baptist churches. By the end of the 18th century, leading to the beginning of the 19th century, the Particular Baptists and the New Connexion General Baptists were co-operating closely in the work of missions. The emphasis on missions was accompanied by a de-emphasis of doctrinal distinctives. The same phenomenon was observed in America.
– Partly due to the influence of the General Baptists, the Particular Baptists lapsed into the one-pastor-many-deacons form of church government, in which decisions are made by congregational democracy. Among the Presbyterians, there was disagreement over the eldership during the Westminster Assembly met. Controversy over the matter re-surfaced in the 19th century but remained unresolved.
II. Its implications.
1. Evangelical churches generally do not have problems with church discipline, since it is one of the three marks of a true church. There might have been excess in one direction or another in the exercise of church discipline – either of being too rigid or too lax – but the necessity of upholding church discipline was never questioned.
– The spirit of Reformation – “semper reformanda” – was lost, however, in so far as church government was concerned. Historically, four systems of church government have come down to us, viz. Episcopalism (or Prelacy), Presbyterianism, Independency, and Congregationalism. For long, Independency was confounded with Congregationalism, leading to confusion. Each church seemed content with the system it had inherited. Newer denominations experimented with different styles of government, but ended up adopting one of these four forms. For example, the Plymouth Brethren, attempt to restore “the simplicity of the NT” but ended up practising an elementary form of Independency. The Methodists ended up practising a modified form of Presbyterianism.
– “Semper reformanda” is also not seen in local outreach, which is left to individual initiatives, i.e. the practise of spontaneous personal evangelism. If there is organised evangelism, the method of post-modernism is followed, i.e. using the seeker-sensitive approach, the adoption of contemporary worship, having home cell-groups, etc.
2. Reformed Presbyterians are stuck where the Westminster divines left them. The issue of the eldership, unresolved at that time, which surface again in the 19th century, is no longer a matter of concern for them. So is infant baptism and the synodical system of church courts. The same may be said of Reformed Anglicans and the Dutch Reformed Churches.
– A number of Reformed Baptists have adopted the Absolute Equality view of the eldership and the method of Congregational democracy in decision-making, failing to see that their spiritual forebears, the Particular Baptists of the 17th and 18th centuries, practised clearcut Baptist Independency. (See “The Keys of the Kingdom”.)
– The Absolute Equality view of the eldership (or “Parity View”) was accompanied, in a number of instances, by the “heavy shepherding” approach of pastoral care which intruded into legitimate personal space of church members, causing much harm to the individuals concerned.
– Insufficient attention has been given to the recovery of the biblical principles undergirding outreach and missions. e.g. preaching a distinctive gospel message from any passage of the Bible, going to the same people on a weekly basis, witnessing until the hearers are converted or the preachers unwanted, initiatives in outreach by the elders, etc. (See later.)
= Submission to Christ’s kingship requires the adoption of biblical principles in church discipline, church government, and outreach.
Review Questions
1. How is Christ’s kingship related to His other offices?
2. State four characteristics of Christ’s kingdom.
3. In the life of the church, what areas come under the kingship of Christ?
4. What are the three steps of church discipline?
5. State six principles of church government.
6. How should the local church carry out outreach?
7. What are the characteristics of Socinianism and Hyper-Calvinism?
8. How did close interaction over missions with the General Baptists affect church government among the Particular Baptists?
9. Among Evangelical churches, what areas need reformation?
10. What harmful view of eldership has been adopted by some Reformed Baptist churches?
Assignment/Discussion
Compared to church discipline and the form of church government, outreach is talked about most. Does this mean that the outreach carried out by most churches are biblical? As with worship, the general opinion seems to be that outreach is left to personal initiative, taste, and ingenuity. Comment.
Memory passage (Rev. 19:11-16)
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
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Study 5: Christ’s Teaching Ministry (Matt. 4:12-25)
o The principle of “semper reformanda” requires that the church imitate the all-round ministry of Christ, beginning with the teaching ministry.
I. The significance of Christ’s teaching ministry.
1. The apostle Paul played a special role in setting the pattern of church life in the NT age.
– He was an apostle “born out of due time” (1 Cor. 15:8 cf. 1:1; 9:1-2). The marks of an apostle was seen in him (2 Cor. 12;12), and he was accepted as an apostle by the other apostles (Gal. 2:7-9). Paul’s writings were regarded as Scriptures (2 Pet. 3:1-2, 14-16).
– The things written by Paul are commandments of the Lord (1 Cor. 14:37). Imitate me… (11:1). How? (i) In personal life, i.e. sanctification (Phil 2:2-8; 3:17 “imitators” as in 1 Cor 11:1). (ii) In church life (14:33 cf 7:17). (iii) In service (Phil 3:10 cf Col 1:29; Phil 3:12-14, 16).
2. Important hermeneutical principles to keep in mind when “imitating Paul”.
– Commands given to apostles are meant for the churches, unless it can be shown that those commands are specifically for the apostles, or unique for the time and circumstances. Examples: Matt. 18:15-17; 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 11:23ff.
– Apostolic examples “hath the force of a divine institution” (Owen 16:197). Not mechanical, literal fashion. To determine the principle involved. Then, strive to apply that principle, make effort to achieve the ideal. Examples: support of full-time preachers (1 Cor. 9:5; 1 Tim. 5:17 cf. Acts 18:3; 20:33-35; 2 Thess. 3:7-9); rule by elders (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3:1ff.); orderly worship (1 Cor. 14:27, 31, 40 cf. 7:17; 14:33).
– The norm to be distinguished from the exception. Allowance must be made for the transition between the OT age and the NT age. Scriptures were given gradually and cumulatively. “The NT teachings are in the OT concealed, the OT teachings are by the NT revealed.” Examples: the appointment of Matthias to replace Judas (Acts 1:23-26 cf. Rev. 21:12-14), the determination of God’s will by the casting of lots (Acts 1:26); the sign gifts to mark the beginning of the NT age (Acts 2:17; Heb. 2:4; 2 Cor. 12:12).
3. Apart from submission to Christ’s three offices, the principle of “semper reformanda” requires that we imitate the Lord in His ministry in relation to the world. Reformation must be extended from within the church to the church’s relation to the world.
– Paul’s ministry was modelled after the Lord’s and in accordance to the Lord’s commands: in carrying out the GC, in evangelism, in training preachers, in good works, in baptism and the Lord’s Supper, etc.
– Matthew’s Gospel was “prepared for converts from Judaism” (Origen, c. AD 185-254). Paul was one such. He must have learned of the Lord’s ministry from Matthew’s gospel, apart from receiving direct revelation from the Lord. Matthew’s Gospel was written before the destruction of the temple in AD 70, probably in AD 50. The birth of Christ is described in Chs 1 & 2. The ministry of John the Baptists is given in Ch 3. The beginning of Jesus’s ministry is described in Ch 4. Two parts: vv 1-11 shows the private, personal, preparation for ministry, in His temptation. Second part, His public ministry, how it began, its nature, and effects. Important for us to understand the character of Jesus’s ministry and its relevance to us today.
II. The character and relevance of Christ’s teaching ministry.
1. Christ ministry had a definite beginning (12-16).
– Jesus had begun preaching (cf Luke 4:23). Andrew & Peter, ex-followers of John the Baptist, had followed Christ for a time before returning to fishing at Capernaum (John 1:40-42).
– Public ministry officially began after John imprisoned, and Jesus left Nazareth for Capernaum. John imprisoned for rebuking Herod Antipas (14:3-4). Jesus moved to Capernaum after people of Nazareth tried to murder Him (Luke 4:16-30).
– The call to the gospel ministry follows the same pattern. The private & personal preparation of the man, through various trials & temptations. The experience of preaching & providences in life before certainty of God’s calling.
= Pray for men truly called to ministry.
2. Christ’s ministry had a definite theme and task (17-22).
– Jesus’s ministry has definite theme of repentance before one could enter kingdom of God (17). Exactly the same as that of John’s (3:2). Not surprising, as John was His herald/messenger.
– The four of 12 disciples called at this time: Peter & Andrew, James & John. All fishermen, all left all to follow Him, all to become “fishers of men”.
– Putting the theme together with the task to be performed, we know it has to do with making disciples by proclaiming gospel. The theme of repentance & God’s kingdom involves wining souls to Christ (cf. Luke 5:32). The continuing task of the church until Christ’s return is encapsulated in the GC (Matt 28:18-20).
= Never lose sight of GC. No vision, no mission.
3. Christ’s ministry had a definite method (23-25).
– It was an all-round ministry, consisting of three activities involved, viz. teaching, preaching the gospel, & healing. Matt. 4:23 (cf. 9:35) is a key verse. No more miraculous healing, but good works expected (Tit 3:8, 14). Here, we focus on teaching.
– Three factors distinguish the acts of preaching from teaching (cf Matt 11:1): mode of delivery, audience, purpose to be accomplished. Teaching (“didasko”) imparts doctrine, to a homogeneous group, to dispel ignorance. Preaching (“kerusso”) authoritatively proclaims God’s will, to a mix audience, to change lives.
– There is considerable overlap between the two, but helpful to keep distinction between them. “Teaching” is also a general term to cover all modes of imparting knowledge by words, e.g. 1 Tim 3:2; 4:11; 6:3; 1 Cor 12:28-29; James 3:1. This is the sense of the word when used wrt Christ’s overall ministry. A key passage is Eph. 4:11-16, which shows that the teaching God’s word to build up the faith of believers is important aspect of the church’s ministry.
– Apart from building up the faith of church members, preachers are to be trained. The Lord trained disciples before sending them forth to preach (Luke 9:1; 10:1). Paul trained up Timothy, Titus, Silas, Luke, and others (Acts 20:4-6). A key passage is 2 Tim. 2:2, which shows that churches are to work in co-operation in the training of preachers. (Ephesus was likely the “mother” of all the Asian churches.”) Seminary or college to start only when there are model churches. Teachers are experienced pastors. Students are members of churches.
= The primacy of the word of God must be upheld. Consider what John Owen said:
On Eph. 4:8-13, “The thing aimed at is, the bringing of all the saints and disciples of Christ, the whole church, to that measure and perfection of grace which Christ hath assigned to them in this world, that they may be meet for himself to receive in glory. The means whereby this is to be done and effected is, the faithful, regular, and effectual discharge of the work of the ministry; unto which the administration of all his ordinances and institutions doth confessedly belong.” (Works 15:11)
“…the edification of them that are converted unto God and do believe. Herein consists that feeding of his sheep and lambs that the Lord Christ hath committed into them; and it is mentioned as the principal end for which the ministry was ordained, or for which pastors and teachers are granted unto the church, Eph. iv. 8-13.” (Works 15:116)
= An all-round ministry requires the building up of the faith of believers while engaging in gospel preaching and good works.
Review Questions
1. Paul imitated Christ not only in personal life but also in what other areas?
2. State the three hermeneutical principles that must be kept in mind when “imitating Paul”.
3. Apart from submission to Christ’s three offices, what does the principle of “semper reformanda” require of us?
4. Which Gospel was most likely read by the apostle Paul?
5. What may we learn from the Lord about the call to the gospel ministry?
6. What was the theme of the Lord’s ministry?
7. In the all-round ministry of the Lord, what three activities are involved?
8. What are the three factors that distinguish the act of preaching from the act of teaching?
9. Which key passage shows the importance of building up the faith of believers in the church?
10. Which key passage shows that full-time preachers must be trained up?
Assignment/Discussion
An all-round ministry requires teaching believers while engaging in gospel preaching and good works. What are the likely consequences of an unbalanced ministry?
Memory passage (Eph. 4:11-16)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
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Study 6: Christ’s Gospel Ministry (Matt. 9:35-38)
o The ministry of the church must extend from teaching believers to the winning of souls.
I. The significance of Christ’s gospel ministry.
1. The Reformation of the 16th century recovered not only important biblical truths, but also the zeal for missions. This is seen in John Calvin’s attempt to evangelise Europe, including a failed mission to Brazil (see M. Haykin, “John Calvin on Missions”).
– In the 18th century, the Moravians were exceptionally zealous in sending out missionaries to foreign lands. “This was the first time in the history of Protestant Europe that a congregation of orthodox Christians had deliberately resolved to take the gospel to the heathens.” (JE Hutton)
– The Particular Baptists were also extremely missions-minded. Preachers were sent out to plant churches throughout Britain in the 17th century. Following the Great Awakening from the 1730s, under the ministries of George Whitfield and John Wesley, the first PB missionary organisation was formed in 1792 which sent out William Carey (1761-1834) and his friends to India. Due to his 87-page book, “An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens” published in 1792, and his subsequent extensive labour in India, Carey has been called the “father of modern missions”. Following that, many missionary organisations were started on both sides of the Atlantic, including the one that sent Hudson Taylor to China and another which sent Adoniram Judson to Burma.
– Sadly, as the Evangelicals focussed on missions, doctrinal distinctives were sidelined. The modern Church Growth Movement advocate the use of a scientific approach and the adoption of business marketing strategies in evangelism and missions, e.g. contextualisation, seeking numbers, being success oriented, the seeker-sensitive approach, chronological preparationism, etc.
2. Our aim is to recover the biblical approach to missions. The apostle Paul says in 1 Cor. 11:1, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ”.
– Paul plays a special role in setting the pattern of church life in the NT age (Gal. 1:15-16; 2:7). Three aspects of Paul’s ministry need to be noted: (i) his understanding of the GC; (ii) the relationship between local church growth and wider church planting; (iii) the training of preachers.
3. The principle of “semper reformanda” requires that we follow the pattern set by the Lord of an all-round ministry, which included teaching, preaching the gospel, and good works.
– These are included in the GC. We note the following about preaching the gospel:
In any gathering of God’s people to hear God’s word, we expect some non-believers to be present (Acts 2:38-39; 1 Cor. 14:23, 24). Believers must be built up in the faith, at the same time that the gospel is preached to win souls within the church.
– Acts 2:39 shows that there are the temporal and spatial dimensions to gospel preaching. The gospel must be preached to those outside the church, and to those of the future generations.
II. The character and relevance of Christ’s gospel ministry.
1. It was an extension of the teaching ministry (35). Comparing Matt. 9:35 with 4:23, we realise that the Lord had kept to the same pattern of ministry from the beginning.
– The theme of His ministry must not be over-looked, viz. the necessity of repentance, in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (4:17 cf. 3:2). The membership of Christ’s church consists of those who have been born again of the Spirit of shown by repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ.
: Teaching in the church includes the preaching of the gospel. The pattern of beginning the Lord’s day with worship and ending the Lord’s day with worship is a time-honoured one. It is also biblical (cf. Num. 28:1-10; Acts 3:1; 10:9; 20:7ff.). There still exist churches whose historical beginning stretches to the time of the Puritans and the Reformation. Unlike modern churches, these have a history of having two main services on the Lord’s day. Having two services on the Lord’s day allows for one service to be dedicated to teaching the believers, while the other to winning souls to Christ. The church members attend both services, as they are intended to start and end the Lord’s day with worship.
– Not all will be engaged in direct gospel work, but all have a role to play.
: The apostles were not only to pray for others to be sent forth, but to offer themselves. We are to be salt & light (Matt. 5:13-16). We are also to be fishers of men (Matt 4:19).
: Each believer has been given gifts for the edification of the church (1 Cor. 12:27-31; 14:26; Heb. 5:12). Each has been baptised in the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:31; Gal. 3:2; Rom. 8:9). Opportunities for gospel work abound (Matt. 9:37). We must pray for the filling of the Spirit, to enable us to be used in the work of the GC (Acts 4:31; Rom. 8:11; Col. 1:29).
2. It was a soul-winning ministry (36).
– Preachers must travel regularly, and in planned manner, to win souls (cf. Mark 6:6; 1 Cor. 9:5). Gospel preaching should not be confined to within the church. The gospel is to be brought to this e outside the church.
: The leading teacher of the church is to be sent (cf Acts 13:1-3). The extraordinary offices of apostle, prophet and evangelist have been withdrawn. They were given for the founding of the NT church. The ordinary office of pastor-teacher remains (Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 5:17).
: The work of evangelists is subsumed under responsibility of the pastor (2 Tim. 4:5). “Missionaries” perform the function of evangelists but do not posses the office (Rom. 10:14-15).
: Many Reformed preachers today do not place emphasis on systematic outreach and church-planting because their idea of ministry have been influenced by Richard Baxter’s book “The Reformed Pastor”, and Charles Bridges’s book “The Christian Ministry”. Both writers were Anglicans, who believed in the territorial church.
: Contrast this with the view of the Nonconformists: “When, therefore, there are great opportunities and providential calls for the preaching of the gospel unto the conversion of souls, and, the harvest being great, there are not labourers sufficient for it, it is lawful, yea, it is the duty of pastors of particular churches to leave their constant attendance on their pastoral charge in those churches, at least for a season, to apply themselves unto the more public preaching of the word unto the conversion of the souls of men.” (John Owen, Vol. 16, p. 85.) “Two peculiarities distinguish the Baptist history of the seventeenth century. It was the age of public disputation; and ministers devoted a large amount of time to to evangelistic work.” (Joseph Angus, 1895:183-190).
– Local church growth must go hand-in-hand with wider church planting (2 Cor 10:15).
: The GC is about local churches planting other local churches (cf. Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor 11:23). Outreach & evangelism must be planned, not left to providence. Beware practical Hyper-Calvinism!
: Method? Publicly & from house to house (Acts 20:20). Normally, elders must take the initiative to start preaching points. The same households/groups are to be visited regularly, until souls are converted or the preachers unwanted (Matt. 28:19; Acts 18:4-8).
3. A soul-winners’ ministry (37-38).
– The training of preachers essential. It is is part-and-parcel of the Great Commission.
: The Lord trained up the 12 & the 70 (Luke 9:1; 10:1). Paul trained up Timothy, Titus, Silas, others (Acts 20:4-6).
: Timothy was asked to train up other teachers (2 Tim. 2:2). The context shows that this is a reference to full-time preachers. Timothy was an apostolic representative, setting an apostolic example (Phil 3:17). This “hath the force of a divine institution” (Owen 16:197).
: Not all preachers are equipped to train other preachers on a formal basis. Not all churches are called upon to train preachers. Ephesus was the “mother” of the churches in Asia. The training of preachers was done in concert with the other churches.
– A church-based, personal, approach to training is taught (cf. Matt. 18:19: 28:18-20). The principle of accompaniment in training is seen (Mark 6:1, 6; Acts 20:4-6). Doctrine and practical experience are given equal emphasis (Acts 20:20-21, 27; Luke 9:1ff; 10:1ff.)
: Today, four basic models of missions. The Mentoring Model, the School Model, the Organisation Model, and the Local Church Model. We believe the last is biblical – local churches coming together to run the training of preachers.
: Ill-trained missionaries may cause havoc, & learn the hard way. Examples include ignorance of doctrinal controversies and practical dangers. Questionable approaches to missions may be absorbed unwittingly, e.g. modern church-growth ideas, chronological preparationism, etc.
= A church without a vision for missions the church will stagnate and die.
Review Questions
1. What is the special role of Paul in the NT age?
2. What three things should be noted about Paul’s gospel ministry?
3. What do the temporal and spatial dimensions of Acts 2:39 mean in practice?
4. What is the advantage of having two services on the Lord’s day?
5. Under “an extension of the teaching ministry” what two main points are made about teaching in the church?
6. Under “a soul-winning ministry”, what two main points are made about the effort to win souls?
7. Under “a soul-winners’ ministry” what two main points are made about the training of preachers?
8. What four basic models of missions are seen today?
9. What are some examples of questionable approaches to missions?
10. What conclusion may we make about a church that is without a vision for missions?
Assignment/Discussion
Comment on the following: (i) “The same groups are to be visited regularly until souls are saved, or the preachers are unwanted;” (ii) “Local church growth must go hand-in-hand with wider church-planting.”
Memory passage (Acts 2:38-39)
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
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Study 7: Christ’s Good Works (Tit. 3:1-14)
o The teaching and gospel ministries of the church must be accompanied by the ministry of
good works, and not replaced or overshadowed by it.
I. The significance of Christ’s gospel ministry.
1. Under the Kingship of Christ, we saw how a recovery of mission-mindedness followed the Great Awakening under George Whitfield and the Wesley brothers. The Particular Baptists co-operated with the General Baptists of the New Connexion in missions but, sadly, this was accompanied by a de-emphasis on the doctrinal integrity. The same situation was observed among other denominations.
– The pursuit of inter-denominational co-operation in missions was accompanied by the condemnation of denominational rivalry and and religious bigotry “which frequently appears under the guise of a zeal for truth”. History showed that the pendulum had swung too far the other way. Theological Liberalism appeared in the late 19th century, spread, and grew to a head in the early 20th century. This, as we have seen, was met head-on by the conservative Evangelicals, which then split into three main camps – the Fundamentalists, the Reformed, and the Neo-Evangelicals. A fourth grouping, viz. Charismatism, arose, consisting of the Pentecostal movement of the early 1900s and the Charismatic renewal movement of the 1960s.
– Along with a recovery of mission-mindedness following the Great Awakening was a recovery of “good works”.
2. John Newton (1725-1807), an Anglican minister and former slave shipmaster spoke out
against slave trading. He had an influence upon many young Evangelical Christians,
especially William Wilberforce (1759-1833) who fought for the abolition of slavery in
Parliament. In America, slavery was finally abolished in 1865.
– At the same time, various medical, moral and educational charities were formed, including the Sunday School movement. Co-operation in these works led to denominational barriers crumbling down, and distinctive doctrinal convictions melting away. This was the age of CH Spurgeon (1834-1892) winning souls to Christ in London, George Mueller (1805-1898) and his orphanage in Bristol, Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) and the evangelisation of China. It was a extension of the work of John Newton and William Wilberforce in Britain, William Carey (1761-1834) in India, and Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) in Burma.
– After the confrontation between Theological Liberalism and Conservative Christianity in the early 20th century, the Neo-Evangelicals were on the forefront of carrying on the work of missions and social action. Some promulgate the modern church growth ideas of Donald McGavran and Peter Wagner that repudiates social action while advocating social and marketing strategies to gain numerical success. Others advocate the social action of Ron Sider and John Stott which have cause consternation in some quarters.
– By the end of the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century, the missional church movement has taken over in which the earlier ideas of contextualisation and inculturation are combined with the postmodern ideas embracing the seeker-sensitive approach to reach out to the unreached. The New-Calvinists like Tim Keller and John Piper are among the chief advocates.
3. What of the Fundamentalist and Reformed camps on missions and social action?
– We have noted that, after the confrontation between the Conservatives and the Liberals, there were some readjustment and realignment of individuals in the four camps – the Fundamentalist, Reformed, Neo-Evangelical, and Charismatic camps. There have been Charismatics who adopted Reformed theology (often, only the Five Points of Calvinism) and vice versa. The same may be said of the other groups.
– Among the Fundamentalists who have adopted Reformed theology, there have been those who advocated Theonomy, which is basically the attempt to christianise politics, economics, and the other institutions in society. The impact of Theonomy (or Reconstructionism) has been minimal – confined largely to the realm of the theoretical.
– Traditionally, Evangelical churches – including the Fundamentalist and Reformed – have actively engaged in missions and social concerns. It remains to work out a biblical basis for the relationship between the two areas of concern. Newer Reformed churches struggle over the relationship of good works to missions and evangelism.
II. The character and relevance of Christ’s ministry.
1. Good works are the fruit, not the cause, of saving faith.
– Justification is by faith alone, but the faith that saves will result in works of piety and mercy (Rom. 3:30; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; James 2:20). Such “good works” are acts of devotion to God or compassion for man, arising from faith in Christ. (See Matt. 23:23.) Our focus here is on works of compassion.
– Good works are commanded by God (Mic. 6:8; Matt. 25:38-40; Luke 10:25-37) and expected from all true believers (Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 3:8, 14; James 2:20).
– Just as the church should organise outreach, so also it should organise good works (Matt. 4:23; 9:35). Since good works are to accompany teaching and preaching the gospel, there is ample scope for such works, e.g. outreach to prisoners, old folks’ homes, hospitals, free tuition to the poor, etc. While the word is to be taught regularly, good works may be done as and when needed (cf Acts 18:4; Mark 6:5; Matt. 11:1).
: Natural disasters, which often occur, provide opportunities for good works. The danger is to be diverted away from the primary work of teaching and preaching the gospel.
2. Primacy of the word must be maintained in the life of the church.
– The GC is about planting churches, not doing good works. Good works, however, not excluded.
: A church should not be known solely for its social work (cf Phil 2:14-16).
: On the other hand, a church without good works has failed to understand GC (Matt 5:13, 14, 16).
– Good works should accompany, not overshadow or replace, the word (Matt 5:16; 6:3.)
: Knowing our limitations is important (Gal 6:10; Matt 26:11).
: We want to minimise the possibility of producing “rice Christians”, i.e. those who profess faith to gain material things from the church. We look for genuine conversion, wrought by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:14), by the hearing of the gospel (Rom. 10:17),
3. Did Paul engage in good works?
– He personally engaged in good works (Gal. 2:10; Acts 11:27-30; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:1, 5).
: Corporately, the church to give (Gal 6:10; Acts 6:1-4; 11:27-30. Also Rom 15:26; 1 Cor 16:1-2; 2 Cor 9:1, 5).
: Individually, to give. More blessed to give than to receive. “If God touches the heart, he touches the wallet as well.”
– Indispensability of good works taught, not just giving financially.
: True faith shows good works (James 2:17-18; Tit 3:8, 14).
: Good works adorns the gospel (Matt 5:16).
= The church should be known more as a centre of truth rather than social work, although plentiful good works are to be done quietly, in conjunction with the preached word.
Review Questions
1. What was recovered after the Great Awakening, and what was de-emphasised?
2. What else was recovered following the Great Awakening?
3. After the confrontation with Theological Liberalism, who were at the forefront of missions and social action?
4. Describe the “missional church movement”.
5. Who were the people advocating Theonomy?
6. What is the relationship between good works and saving faith?
7. How should good works be done by the church?
8. What must be maintained in the life of the church?
9. What is the relationship between good works and the word of God?
10. State the conclusion of this study.
Assignment/Discussion
CH Spurgeon wrote, “A man who is perfect before the Lord lays out his substance for God’s cause, depend on that.” Giving of our substance is doing good works. It may not be good works in some situations (cf. Mark 12:41-44). Comment.
Memory passage (Micah 6:8)
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
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Study 8: Radical Reformation! (Rev. 1:4-20)
o The churches of Jesus Christ must continue to be reformed (“semper reformanda”) according to the word of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Intelligent effort is needed, faithfulness to the word of God must be aimed at, and there must be dependence on the Holy Spirit to work in, and through, us (cf. Col 1:29).
I. Review.
1. Overview of the advance of truth.
– God’s revelation was known to Adam and passed down to his children. With time, the truth became diluted, when God called Abraham and the truth was passed down to his descendants.
– Again, truth was diluted, this time within the nation of Israel. The coming of the promised Saviour brought truth to a focus in the world. As the gospel spread, the truth became diluted till the Reformation took place.
– As Reformation truth spread, it became diluted until the Evangelical-Liberal Clash took place in the early 20th century. The process of sharpening the focus of truth is not yet complete for it to be diffused widely into the world through a new Reformation.
– There was ebb and flow in the advance of truth. Are we poised for a new Reformation?
2. Overview of movements beginning from just before the Reformation, with sample personalities.
– Pre-Reformation (14th & 15th centuries): The Lollards, the Hussites, and the Anabaptists were preaching the gospel despite widespread superstition and persecution from the Roman Catholic Church.
– Reformation (16th century): Martin Luther (1483-1546), John Calvin (1509-64), John Knox (c 1514-72).
– Separatist Movement (mid-16th to mid-17th centuries): John Robinson (1575-1625) who migrated to the Netherlands, William Bradford (1590-1657) who sailed to Massachussettes.
– Puritans (mid-17th to mid-18th centuries): Richard Sibbes (1577-1635), John Owen (1616-83), Hanserd Knollys (c 1599-1691), and John Bunyan (1628-88) in England; Samuel Rutherford (c 1600-61) in Scotland; and John Cotton (1584-1652) in America. This period corresponds to the “Dutch Second Reformation” or Nadere Reformatie (“Another Reformation”) in the Netherlands.
– Revival & Missions (mid-18th to end of 19th centuries): Revival preachers included George Whitefield (1714-70) and John Wesley (1703-91) in Britain; Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) in America. Missionaries included William Carey (1761-1834) in India, Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) in Burma, Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) in China.
– Evangelical Re-alignment (from early 20th century): Liberalism which arose in the late 19th century came to a head. After the Evangelical-Liberal Clash of 1910-1930, the Evangelicals broke into three camps, viz. (i) the Fundamentalist, e.g. Carl McIntyre (1906-2002), Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968), and Bob Jones Jr. (1911-1997); (ii) the Reformed, e.g. J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937), B.B. Warfield (1851-1921), James Orr (1844-1913), Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981); (iii) the Neo-Evangelical, e.g. e.g. Harold J. Ockenga (1905-1985), Carl F. Henry (1913-2003), Billy Graham (1918- ). (iv) The Charismatic movement arose in the guise of Pentecostalism to form the fourth camp.
– Reformed Interest (mid-20th century to the present): From 1960’s there was a revival of interest in Reformed theology, at the same time that there was a Charismatic renewal.
– A Radical Reformation (21st century)?: This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Should we allow the gains of the past 50 years to go to waste? Or should we be bold to advocate a Radical Reformation to all who are Reformed?
3. Characteristics of the various movements today:
: (i) Liberal – Modernist in outlook, rejecting accepted ideas, the miracles and supernatural events of the Bible. The Bible is not infallible (incapable of error) and inerrant (without errors).
: (ii) Evangelical – Conservative in outlook. Belief in the sole authority of Scripture, the gospel of “justification by faith”, and the imperative of evangelism.
: (iii) Fundamentalist – Tendency to be over-literal in Bible interpretation, practises aggressive separation, holds tenaciously to dispensational premillennialism, cessationaist, and lacks patience with those who do not hold to KJV.
: (iv) Reformed – Adheres to the Five Sola’s of the Reformation, Five Points of Calvinism, covenant theology, cessationism. Confessional, upholds the primacy of preaching, and the Regulative Principle of worship.
: (v) Neo-Evangelical – Tendency to be ecumenical-minded, emphasis on social concerns, non-cessationist. Open to contemporary worship, church-growth approach to missions, and Post-modernist in outlook (seeker-sensitive, progressing with the times, etc.).
: (vi) Charismatic – Historically, not Evangelical. In spirit and doctrine, not Conservative. Instead, Post-modernist in outlook. Emphasis on subjective experience at expense of propositional truth. Non-cessationist, practises contemporary worship.
II. The way ahead.
1. The need of reformation in church and ministry.
– Those who hold to the Five Points of Calvinism are Calvinistic in soteriology, and do not deserve to be considered Reformed.
– Those who hold to the Five Points of Calvinism and the Five Sola’s of the Reformation are Reformed in theology, but not necessarily in practice.
– Those who are Reformed, i.e. possessing all the Reformed characteristics mentioned above, should have the spirit of the Reformation, “semper reformanda”. That means desiring to reform the church from within and in relation to the world, i.e. submitting to the three offices of Christ, and practising the all-round ministry of Christ.
– It is not good enough to define our church by negative statements such as “We are not Charismatic”, “We do not believe in the continuation of the sign gifts”, “We are not ecumenical”, etc. Are we able to state positively that “We uphold the Reformed faith in theory and practice”, “We practise organised outreach”, “We believe that local church growth should go hand-in-hand with wider church-planting”, “We are a confessional church”, etc.?
2. The need to train gospel workers.
– The pattern set by Christ, the apostle Paul, and the normative practice of the NT (2 Tim. 2:2) must be noted and followed. The formal training of preachers, missionaries, and gospel workers need to be undertaken by groupings of churches.
– The sharing of resources between seminaries/colleges and the wider use of modern technology may be undertaken without undermining of biblical principles of church-based training involving personal interaction, hands-on practice, and spiritual growth.
– We do not want gospel work to suffer the Plateau Effect (the Law of Diminishing Returns, “the gain is not worth the pain”), just as we do not want the church to be affected by the Pareto Principle (where 80% of the work is done by 20% of the members). We walk by faith, at the same time believing that God honours the use of means. It is imperative to train up preachers of the gospel to avoid these two tendencies.
3. The need to encourage regulated church-planting.
– The right people burdened with desire to start faithful churches will be providentially reached by information disseminated through print and digital media.
– Resources should be made available for studies in Reformed doctrine and practice. Procedures to plant and establish Reformed churches should be made available.
– Reformed churches should be prepared mentally and practically to supervise the planting of new churches and the reformation of existing ones, until such time as the new churches are able to stand on their own.
= We are Reformed Baptist in doctrine, practice, and spirit. We consider ourselves the spiritual descendants of the Particular Baptists of the 17th century. However, our love for Zion is such that we desire to see other Reformed churches prosper, and other Evangelical churches drawn to closer conformity with the truth of Scripture.
Review Questions
1. What three ingredients, stated in the introduction, are needed for churches to continue being reformed?
2. What may be observed in the advance of truth through the ages?
3. Name the groups of people who were preaching the gospel just before the Reformation.
4. List down the movements that arose following the Evangelical-Liberal Clash of 1910-1930.
5. What two movements experienced a renewal in the 1960s?
6. State the first need for the way ahead, for Reformed churches.
7. State the second need for the way ahead, for Reformed churches.
8. What two tendencies do we want to avoid in gospel work?
9. State the third need for the way ahead, for Reformed churches.
10. In what sense are we Reformed Baptist?
Assignment/Discussion
How would you respond to the following: (i) What right have you to define “Reformed” in your way? (ii) Have we no right to use the name “Reformed” in the way we mean? (iii) Do we all have to become Reformed Baptist before you regard us as truly “Reformed”? (iv) You cannot be Baptist if you are truly Reformed because all the Reformers of the 16th century were paedobaptists.
Memory passage (Rev. 1:8)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
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