45. The Christian Disciple and the Apostolic Church

John 17v18: “Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.”

There are two main reasons regarding the church being apostolic: apostolic mission and apostolic teaching. There is also a theory regarding the apostle Peter and papal succession.

Firstly, the two New Testament words translated as ‘Apostle’ are apostolos and apostolē, both of which signify mission and being sent out. Mission is at the heart of the apostolic church in that it is sent into the world with a Gospel that is for all. Therefore the two assured reasons that the church is apostolic, is due to its being founded on the authority of Apostle-based teaching as found in the New Testament, and apostolic mission as in the Great commission (Matthew 28v18-20).

Secondly the church is apostolic because the Church, according to Paul, is founded upon the teachings of the Apostles (Ephesians 2v20). The Apostles as witnesses to the very life and teachings of Jesus, and their teachings, were the identification mark that was considered normative practice for the early church. The Apostles still play a role in church life today, in that the church’s teaching, authority, life and preaching is based upon the apostolic teachings found in the New Testament.

Thirdly, there is a theory that the church was founded on the Apostle Peter, and that the church today has an apostolic link to him via papal succession. This is based on the thinking that the Apostle Peter was distinct from the other apostles in that Jesus always chose him first and that he spoke freely and independently from and for the other apostles. It is also based on the tradition of cathedra Petri that states that Peter alone had Episcopal authority, and that this is passed down through the Roman Catholic Church and its pope. This view is based on Peter’s confession of Jesus being the Christ, and Jesus stating that the keys to paradise are for Peter alone (Matthew 16v18-19). However this interpretation is erroneous and there are a multitude of objections to this theory. The principle objection being that all of Scripture, warrants that the church is founded on all of the apostles and all of their teaching, and not just on Peter alone. This is the correct view and to read anything else into the pretext and context of Matthew 16v18-19 is erroneous.

The means by which this hallmark can be tested in any church can be monitored in the function of Bible interaction. If the church is a community engaging in bible teaching, then the church can be seen to truly be ‘apostolic’.

Bible Interaction

The apostolic church devoted itself to teaching from the Apostles (Acts 2v42). One of the tests given to manuscripts in order for it to be considered part of the New Testament canon was its link to the apostles. Other tests included:

What is the Bible? The Bible is the Word of God, and is the instrument of the Holy Spirit to bring people to faith (Ephesians 1v13) and ongoing sanctification (Ephesians 5v26). Paul writes that all of it is “God Breathed” (2 Timothy 3v16), in that it is inspired by God and has its origins in God. It is not just the ideas, but also the words that are inspired by God (1 Corinthians 2v13).

Why interact with the Bible? The Bible is capable of being understood by all God's people. God the Holy Spirit enlightens the minds of Christians Disciples, so that they can understand spiritual truths (1 Corinthians 2vv10-16). Through interacting with the Bible, the church teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains people for the purpose of righteousness (2 Timothy 3v16). By interacting with the Bible, Christians keep from sinning (Psalm 119v11), are comforted (Psalm 119v52), have their minds focused on God (Psalm 43v3) and are sustained in a daily spiritual life (Deuteronomy 8v3). The church also interacts with Bible, as the Bible is a link to the apostles (New Testament) and prophets (Old Testament), who are the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2v20).

What is the interaction?

There are five main ways in which Christian Disciples can interact with the Bible. Public reading of Scripture was regular in Israel and in the early church (Nehemiah 8v3). Presently due to high literacy particularly in the Western world, Scripture can easily be read in private as well as corporately. Memorization of the Bible was commended to “lay up His words in your heart” (Job 22v22). By reading and memorizing the Bible, meditating on it helps understand the implications of life’s occurrences and God’s blessings (Joshua 1v8). These three interactions lead to a fourth: that of obedience. By obeying the Bible the Christian Disciple learns to obey God, as it is His word (Deuteronomy 31v12).

Fifthly, preaching/teaching of the Bible receives the main emphasis in the New Testament, such as at the Church’s birth and Peter’s address to the crowd (Acts 2). After they were dispersed due to persecution, the Apostles continued preaching and teaching (Acts 8v4). Luke gives thirteen different words for preaching, and over thirty are used in the entire New Testament. Preaching is defined as God communicating Himself to man through other humans empowered by the Holy Spirit. For John Stott, preaching is the centrepiece of worship to God in the Spirit’s power.

These four marks of the church can be summarized like this. The church is one because Jesus is one; the church is holy because Jesus is holy; the church is catholic because Jesus is saviour of all; the church is apostolic because , as the Father sent Jesus who taught the Apostles, Jesus sends us to teach the Apostles teachings. It is these four hallmarks and their functions that are the test of whether a church is a biblical church.

For more to think about please do read 2 Timothy 4v1-5. Ask yourself the following questions, writing them down if you can, and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.

Q1. As a Christian Disciple, do I need to change how I interact with the Bible?

Q2. As a Christian Disciple, why and how can I be watchful and endure?

Q3. Do I as a Christian work at telling others about Jesus?

As ever, if you have any comments to make on this, please do contact me at partake(at)hotmail.co.uk. Thank you.

44. The Christian Disciple and the Church as Catholic

Jesus speaking in The Gospel of John 17v21 says “And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”

The word catholic derives from the Greek word katholios, and its first written appearance is in Ignatius’ Epistle to the Smyrnaeans. Second century Christians used it to describe themselves signifying that God’s salvific truth was to be communicated across the world, transcending all barriers of nationality, cultures and language. The word was also used to symbolize their distinction from the heretics and their false teachings. In the mandate of Matthew 28v19, Jesus commands that the Gospel is spread throughout the world, and the church was to be His witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit. Whilst the other first century religions were exclusivist by race, intellect or other means, Christianity was unique in that it was open for all, regardless of gender, race, culture or class. Paul had this in mind when he wrote “Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman.” (Galatians 3v28) The Gospel message proclaimed was for all people everywhere, including those with immoral pasts, just as Jesus commanded in the Great Commission (Matthew 28vv18-20).

While ‘catholic’ may be defined as universal, it can also be understood as referring to the whole. This is because a ‘catholic church’ is a whole church, in so much as that the Gospel impacts every aspect of a human and the ‘catholic’ church addresses the heart, mind and will of all people everywhere. The church possesses in itself every kind of virtue, which can be named related to words, deeds or spiritual gifts of every kind.

It is also whole or universal in relationship to time and history; in so much as there has always been a people of God and will remain so after the end of time on earth. It is participation within the church of the past, the present church and church of the future, which reflects catholicity.

It is through the function of mission, that this hallmark can be tested in any church can be discerned in the church. If the community engages in gospel outreach, then the church can be seen to be ‘catholic’.

2.2.3 Mission

The Church’s mission is evangelism. This is sourced from the church being marked as catholic. Evangelism is the virtue of bringing God’s reconciling message of salvation to all people of all time in all places without barrier or hindrance. Throughout the Book of Acts, we see the commitment to mission in practice as God’s reconciling message spread through His church to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and into the Gentile lands. This was in response to Jesus words in Acts 1v8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

What is evangelism? Evangelism is purely telling others of God’s message of reconciliation to all people of all time. It is not forcing people to adopt Church standards (1 Corinthians 5v12) and nor is it simply a message of join the church as a symbol of good works (Ephesians 2vv8-10). This catholic gospel says that everybody has sinned against God (Isaiah 53v6; Romans 3vv10-11); nobody can earn their reconciliation with God (Ephesians 2v9); that God sent His Son Jesus to be born, crucified and resurrected so that salvation can be had for all people of all time (John 3v16; 1 Timothy 1v15); and that it is by acquiescing to God by faith in Jesus alone that people are saved (John 5v24; Acts 16v31).

Why evangelize? The prime motivation for evangelism is out of gratitude for what God has done for the church, in that the church loves because He loved first (1 John 4vv10-12, 14,19). It was this sentiment Paul refers to when he writes, “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” (2 Corinthians 5v14). The New Testament church told of God’s reconciling message out of an “overwhelming experience of God’s love” which they had received. Also God is a missionary God. Jesus was sent to save the lost and redeem mankind! The Holy Spirit was sent from the Father and the Son!

While some are explicitly called to be evangelists (Ephesians 4v11), it also falls on all members of the church to do the work of an evangelist, following the example of Timothy (2 Timothy 4v5). Scripture dictates several reasons for members of His church to share their faith. Jesus commands us to tell others of God’s reconciling message. In the last words of Jesus’ earthly ministry, His church was commanded to be witnesses for Him (Acts 1v8). Evangelism is also an expression of the Christian Disciple’ love for God, through obeying His commands (John 14v15). It is also the church’s imperative mission because the church is the vessel God has chosen to spread the message of reconciliation to all people (Acts 4v12; 2 Peter 3v9). Remember Paul’s words from Romans 10vv14-15: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"”

For more to think about please do read 2 Corinthians 5v11-21. Ask yourself the following questions, writing them down if you can, and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.

Q1. What is the message I proclaim as a Christian disciple, both in words and lifestyle?

Q2. How and why do I tell others this message, despite opposition?

Q3. What is my motivation for telling others the Christian message?

As ever, if you have any comments to make on this, please do contact me at partake(at)hotmail.co.uk. Thank you.

43. The Christian Disciple and the Holy Church

Jesus speaking in The Gospel of John 17v17 & 19 says “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. … And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.”

1. The Church is Holy!

From this verse of Scripture, we see that Jesus prayed to the Father that his body the church would be holy! How is the church made holy? Through Jesus’ holy sacrifice on the cross and the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work within individual believers (1 Corinthians 6v11). The church is holy, in that it is God’s separated people living in the community, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and through a perfecting faith in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 7v1). The church is not to be an exclusive and holy society secluded from the world, but rather God’s salvation bearing movement going out to the world. The church is also holy, in that every Christian is holy and declared righteous through a living relationship with Jesus (Romans 3v22). This means that the church has imputed holiness and is seen as the spotless and sinless bride. Despite being deemed holy, the New Testament church was also subject to doctrinal error (1 Timothy 6v3), immorality (Revelation 2v14) and division (1 Corinthians 11v18). Dare I say, that churches today, are the same!

Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and therefore a church’s relationship with Him, is identified through biblical morality and faithfulness to His teaching. When in the book of Revelation, Jesus did not find holiness in the churches he was condemnatory of them (Revelation 2v20), but continued to call them His bride. Augustine cites Christ’s holiness as the reason for the church being holy, and the church will be made perfect on the last day.

However, being holy does not just mean being sinless. Holiness also means to be separated out and set apart for God’s special purpose and work. This work is that the Gospel may be spread to all parts of the earth, by his chosen people, the Church - people who are and were being sanctified by the Holy Spirit and rooted in Gospel truth (2 Thessalonians 2v13-14).

For Luther, the church is holy because “God’s word cannot be without God’s holy people and conversely, God’s people cannot be without God’s word.” By this, he means that wherever the Bible is preached faithfully, the church consisting of God’s holy people also resides.

The method by which this hallmark can be tested in any church can be observed in the function of worship. If the community is a worshipping community, then the church can be seen to be ‘holy’.

Worship as a church function derives from the hallmark of the church being holy. Worship is an intimate, dynamic and holy encounter with God, because Jesus is in the midst (Matthew 18v20) and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Philippians 3v3).

What is worship? Worship is giving God alone (Psalm 19v2), glory due His name in the beauty of His holiness (1 Chronicles 16v29). The prime element of worshipping God in the context of a church is reverence. This is where through the willing use of the mind and the senses, honour and respect are directed towards God. This is to be done “in spirit and in truth” (John 4v24). Spirit denotes the personal status of worship involving the entire person – mind, body and will. Truth speaks of worship’s content, in that all true worship reflects God’s character. Worship therefore is multiform in practice, with richness in the breadth of its distinctive styles, to the one God deserving of our all. The Christian Church has 2000 years of worship resources, all of which can be used in modern Church services, and not just the songs from the last 2 years

Why worship? There are various reasons as to why the church worships God, although primarily because God commands it, as 1 Chronicles 16v29 reminds us “Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendour”. The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue, also clearly commands people to worship God alone (Exodus 20v3-10). Not only is it a command, but God deserves worshipping by His church for He alone personifies goodness (Psalm 100vv4-5), mercy (Exodus 4v31), holiness (Psalm 99v5,9) and power (Revelation 4v11). Thirdly, God is to be worshipped by His church in obedience to Him as creator (Revelation 4v11) but also as its Saviour and Lord (Habakkuk 3v18). Worship also brings exuberant satisfaction (Romans 12v2; Colossians 3v24).

Expressions of worship: Scripture speaks of various means by which the church worships God, including joyful singing (Psalm 100v2; Ephesians 5v19) and public declarations of praise, as Hebrews 13v15 states “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.”

Perhaps the greatest manifestation of public Church worship is seen in the two ordinances (or sacraments) of the Eucharist and Baptism. Celebrating Holy Communion is in direct obedience of Jesus’ command that all Christian Disciples are to celebrate the remembrance of Him (Matthew 26vv26-28; Luke 22v19). Partaking in Holy Communion not only symbolizes His death for our sin (Luke 22v19), but also symbolizes the Christian Disciple’s acceptance of Christ’s death for them and their dependence on Him for spiritual life.

Baptism, which is commanded for all Christian Disciples (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38), naturally follows after conversion (Acts 2:37). To be baptized means to be baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3), which symbolizes a total identification with Jesus as a result of being baptized into His body (1 Corinthians. 12v13) and into His death (Romans 6vv1-6). Through baptism, the Christian Disciples’ sinful natures are seen as dead with Christ (Romans 6v6), and we are raised to live a new life with a new nature (Romans 6v4)!

For more to think about please do read 1 Chronicles 16v23-36. Ask yourself the following questions, writing them down if you can, and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.

Q1. Why do I as a Christian Disciple, worship God in a church?

Q2. How does worshipping God, help me in my relationship with Him?

Q3. How is the inherent link between holiness and worship, help me grow in Holiness?

As ever, if you have any comments to make on this, please do contact me at partake(at)hotmail.co.uk. Thank you.

31. Partake – The Christian disciple and the Cross

Jesus said in Mark 10v45 – “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Not only without Jesus’ death on the cross would there no Christianity, but also there would be no hope for the world! The interpretation that we place on Jesus’ death is paramount! That He died is without doubt, but why did He have to die and what gain do we have as His disciples?

The Situation!

God's Character

By His very nature, God is loving and compassionate, forgiving, faithful and slow to anger - Exodus 34v6-7. That is the part if we are honest we are most comfortable with!! Yet God is holy, righteous and just and must punish sin because of this very same nature. That is the part we as 21st century people are uncomfortable with! We love to think of God as being all love and gentleness, but don’t like to think of Him as a Judge who must punish sin!

But remember that God loves righteousness and hates wickedness (Psalm 45v7). Therefore sin must be dealt with and it cannot simply be ignored. God is set apart from humanity and holy, and if He wasn’t, He could not be worshipped. So, how can God be both just and the Justifier of sinners? He does this by declaring sinners righteous! But why does He do this and where do humans fit into the picture?

Humanity's sin

Sin is what separates humans from God and as a consequence leads to both a spiritual and physical death (Romans 6v23, Isaiah 59v2). Nobody escapes as all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3v23). In the Old Testament, sins were dealt with by blood sacrifices of atonement as coverings for sin (Leviticus 17v11), for without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sin (Hebrews 9v22).

A blood sacrifice is God's way of dealing with sin. These blood sacrifices of the Old Testament signified several things:

· It provided a covering for sin.

· It showed the great cost of sin.

· It was an exchange or substitution.

· It was only always going to be a temporary measure as it points forward to Jesus' death

The Solution!

The solution lies not in continual animal sacrifice of the Old Testament because Hebrews 10v4 reminds us that the blood of animals cannot take away sin but was only a veneer or covering. That was why it was necessary to repeat time and time again! It is only through the death of Jesus, that sin is taken away (Hebrews 9:v11-15, 26-28), and that was only needed once! Therefore Jesus is our permanent sacrificial substitute!

Substitution

Jesus died for our sin, the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3v18). That is how God is both just and the Justifier of sinners. That is why Jesus needed to be both fully God and fully human! If he lacked either, it would not be the full substitutionary sacrifice that was necessary to bear the permanent consequences of sin! For while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, (Romans 5v6-8), willing giving His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10v45) and when He died in our place on the cross, he bore the consequences of all sin – past, present and future. This substitution was the sacrifice, or sin offering, required in order that Jesus as the Lamb of God could take away the sins of the world (John 1v29). He therefore became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5v21) and it was His precious blood as a lamb without spot or blemish (1Peter 1:18-19) that fulfils God’s requirements permanently. He was the propitiation for all sin!

Propitiation

Now we must remember that with sin, God is angry (Psalm 7v11). Towards sin and sinful behaviour He has great fury, anger and wrath (Jeremiah 21v5). Hebrews 10v30-31 reminds us, “It is dreadful to fall into the hands of the living God.” Yet as Micah 7v18 “He is slow to anger and quick to forgive”. Propitiation basically means the turning aside of God's anger by the offering of the sacrifice of Christ. God's anger and judgment of sin falls on Christ, instead of us. We need to approach God to appease His anger, in order to accept it (Romans 3:25; Isaiah 53:5; John 2:2, 5:6).

Romans 3v25-26: God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, as the one who would turn aside his wrath, taking away sin, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

1 John 2v2: He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 4v10: This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice (or propitiation) to take away our sins.

To some people, even some in the church, this is abhorrent! The very thought that God could willing send His son to be a blood sacrifice for sin is tantamount to abuse, some say! However God’s requirements are very clear! John 3v16 says it all in response to this “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. If there was any other way, would not God have done it that way?

Redemption

Not only was it propitiation, but also an act of redemption! In the time of the New Testament, this word was used to refer to the buying back of a slave - the price paid to buy the slave’s freedom. God paid redemption so that humans can be freed from the slavery to sin (John 8:35 Romans 7:14). The price was paid (1 Peter 1:18-19) and so we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). As Christian disciples, we are bought at a price, and we have a new position before God! We are bought out of slavery to sin, into glorious freedom where we are now slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:19); slaves to Christ (Romans 6:22). We are also Jesus Christ’s personal possession (1 Corinthians 16:19). But it is our responsibility to choose that way! God does not coerce forcefully – He leaves it as a choice for humans to make as individuals.

What is our response to this to be? Sacrifice, substitution, propitiation and redemption can be summed up in one word: love. For 1 John 3v16 states: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” Jesus told us to take up our cross if we are to follow Him as His disciple (Luke 9v23). Are you as a Christian disciple willing to take up your cross and do all you can do to love others?

For more to think about, please do read John 10:1-18. Ask yourself the following questions, writing them down if you can, and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.

Q1. What parts of my life am I still holding onto, that should be handed over to Jesus?

Q2. What is the best thing I can do, in order to be thankful to Jesus, for His death?

Q3. How can I, as His disciple, learn to listen to Jesus’ voice speaking to me?

As ever, if you have any comments to make on this, please do contact me at partake(at)hotmail.co.uk. I would love to hear from you and if these are making any difference at all to your continual Christian discipleship! Thank you.