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Episode 207: Westminster Chapters 25 and 26

Release date: 2/5/2024

Chapter 25: The Church

  1. Catholic — here — means universal. Not Roman Catholic.
  1. We’ll get to the sacraments in a later chapter. But — right away — we see the issue of children and the church come up. A great question for our listeners to wrestle with is this: What is the relationship of the children — who come to Gateway — and the church family known as Gateway? Do we consider them as guests? Regular attenders? Members? Children in this faith family of ours or something else?
    1. Sproul 541 and 542 (quotes have nothing to do with children, statement above, but connect back to the WCF paragraph)
  1. The Scriptures, and the sacraments — baptism and the Lord’s Supper — have been given to the church to continue the ministry that Christ began when he was here on earth. For the church is who Christ came for. Far too often, we’ve allowed others to do what God has ordained the church to do.
  1. Like Christians, churches come in various degrees of sanctification and faithfulness.
    1. My football field analogy works for churches just like it does for individual followers of Jesus.
  1. What hope: God will always make sure that a remnant remains.
  1. Jesus is at the top of the org chart. That’s why we practice a plurality of elders (as opposed to me — Josh — being the president/CEO of Gateway).

Chapter 26: The Fellowship of the Saints

  1. This statement shows the importance of every believer in a local church.
    1. Sproul 558 (both quotes above #2)
  1. Notice the use of the word “bound” in this paragraph.
    1. By our profession of faith (“I’m a Christian”), we are bound to maintain a holy fellowship in the worship of our God.
    2. By our profession of faith (“I’m a Christian”), we are bound to help meet each other’s needs.
    3. Both of these, without using the word, highlight the importance of church membership. Otherwise, which Christians are you bound to worship with and meet the needs of? 
    4. Sproul 558, 559, and 560
  1. Our communion/fellowship with Christ doesn’t make us divine.
    1. Our communion/fellowship with fellow Christians doesn’t make us socialists.