Comments on: Sermons on the Epistle of Jude http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/ living the gospel Tue, 22 May 2012 17:47:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: nathan http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138848 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:56:38 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138848 well put, Charlie. Members of our congregation have the security of officers who are committed to the system of doctrine contained in the Westminster Standards These officers are charged to guard the flock accordingly. This does not mean binding their consciences but appealing to them to live according to the Bible. Jude is concerned in his epistle to guard the gospel from antinomian thought and practice. As officers we often guard the flock from legalism which is another extreme perversion of the gospel. Jude reminds us that we can also fail to understand and thus falsely apply the free grace of God as a license to sin, to excuse our sensuality (his example). The Westminster Confession of Faith supplies us with an excellent and balanced summary of the gospel protecting us from both legalism and from antinomian practice. Were I to always hammer against legalism in my preaching but never call people to obedience unto Christ, then I would be doing violence, not only to the system of doctrine I have vowed to hold and to preach, but I would also be leading people astray. well put, Charlie. Members of our congregation have the security of officers who are committed to the system of doctrine contained in the Westminster Standards These officers are charged to guard the flock accordingly. This does not mean binding their consciences but appealing to them to live according to the Bible. Jude is concerned in his epistle to guard the gospel from antinomian thought and practice. As officers we often guard the flock from legalism which is another extreme perversion of the gospel. Jude reminds us that we can also fail to understand and thus falsely apply the free grace of God as a license to sin, to excuse our sensuality (his example). The Westminster Confession of Faith supplies us with an excellent and balanced summary of the gospel protecting us from both legalism and from antinomian practice. Were I to always hammer against legalism in my preaching but never call people to obedience unto Christ, then I would be doing violence, not only to the system of doctrine I have vowed to hold and to preach, but I would also be leading people astray.

]]> by: Charlie http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138822 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:15:43 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138822 Nathan, you said “We allow ministers and members to take exception with certain points while subscribing to the system of doctrine contained.” Your main point – that we allow diversity of theological views within the Confessional limits – is quite true ... but readers not well versed in our polity may misunderstand your statement and conclude that we require more of members that we actually do. True enough, ministers (and other officers) are required to subscribe to a specific system of doctrine (BCO 21-5) and formally state any exceptions they have to the secondary standards, so that the appropriate body (presbytery for ministers and session for local church officers) can determine whether a particular exception is within the bounds of the “system of doctrine”. However, the situation is quite different for members who are not officers. The five questions asked of a prospective church member (BCO 57-5) are basically a profession of faith with an agreement to support the church, submit to its government, and study its peace and purity. Nowhere is the prospective member asked to subscribe to our secondary standards. For the member, the secondary standards serve a very different function. Many churches (including some apostate ones!) say they believe in the Bible. But what do they believe the Bible says? This is the important question! That question can be easily answered in a confessional church like ours. If you attend a PCA church, what sort of doctrine should you expect to hear preached? Read through our secondary standards – the Westminster Confession of Faith, Westminster Shorter Catechism and Westminster Larger Catechism – and you will find the general parameters. Hence, for the member, the secondary standards serve more as ‘truth in advertising’. Nathan, you said “We allow ministers and members to take exception with certain points while subscribing to the system of doctrine contained.”

Your main point – that we allow diversity of theological views within the Confessional limits – is quite true … but readers not well versed in our polity may misunderstand your statement and conclude that we require more of members that we actually do.

True enough, ministers (and other officers) are required to subscribe to a specific system of doctrine (BCO 21-5) and formally state any exceptions they have to the secondary standards, so that the appropriate body (presbytery for ministers and session for local church officers) can determine whether a particular exception is within the bounds of the “system of doctrine”.

However, the situation is quite different for members who are not officers. The five questions asked of a prospective church member (BCO 57-5) are basically a profession of faith with an agreement to support the church, submit to its government, and study its peace and purity. Nowhere is the prospective member asked to subscribe to our secondary standards.

For the member, the secondary standards serve a very different function. Many churches (including some apostate ones!) say they believe in the Bible. But what do they believe the Bible says? This is the important question! That question can be easily answered in a confessional church like ours. If you attend a PCA church, what sort of doctrine should you expect to hear preached? Read through our secondary standards – the Westminster Confession of Faith, Westminster Shorter Catechism and Westminster Larger Catechism – and you will find the general parameters. Hence, for the member, the secondary standards serve more as ‘truth in advertising’.

]]> by: nathan http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138740 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:46:21 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138740 Thanks, Ward, for your encouragement and insight. I must say, that in light of the apostle James writing: "This is pure and undefiled religion, to care for the orphan and the widow," that your point that doing so is not multi-tasking but contending for the faith is well-taken! Beautiful. For the apostle Paul: Gospel proclamation, apologetics and culturing of fellowship in the church go together. They are not mutually exclusive activities. Thanks, Ward, for your encouragement and insight. I must say, that in light of the apostle James writing: “This is pure and undefiled religion, to care for the orphan and the widow,” that your point that doing so is not multi-tasking but contending for the faith is well-taken! Beautiful. For the apostle Paul: Gospel proclamation, apologetics and culturing of fellowship in the church go together. They are not mutually exclusive activities.

]]> by: Ward Shope http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138725 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:23:36 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138725 I really enjoyed this sermon, and found it thought provoking. One of that thoughts that struck me is that feeding the widow and orphan is a part of contending for the faith - that acts of mercy speak in tandem with the Word as the outworking of the true gospel. To bring an apologetic without acts of mercy does not really contend for the faith. So I would probably think of it less as multitasking than the full work of contending. I really enjoyed this sermon, and found it thought provoking. One of that thoughts that struck me is that feeding the widow and orphan is a part of contending for the faith - that acts of mercy speak in tandem with the Word as the outworking of the true gospel. To bring an apologetic without acts of mercy does not really contend for the faith. So I would probably think of it less as multitasking than the full work of contending.

]]> by: Roy Eugene http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138706 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:47:18 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2010/02/07/sermons-on-the-epistle-of-jude/#comment-138706 I found this sermon to be very convicting. I have often been guilty of "mental excommunication" because someone expressed ideas that were new to me or "seemed" wrong. I was an officer in a church which forms short lists of people who are perceived as being "not on board." Most of those on "the list" were treated poorly and antagonized to the point of leaving or being found in disagreement with the leadership of that church and in many cases wound up being excommunicated. Sadly, this behavior continues there to this day. May it be that we remind each other often to carefully contend for the one true faith. I found this sermon to be very convicting. I have often been guilty of “mental excommunication” because someone expressed ideas that were new to me or “seemed” wrong. I was an officer in a church which forms short lists of people who are perceived as being “not on board.” Most of those on “the list” were treated poorly and antagonized to the point of leaving or being found in disagreement with the leadership of that church and in many cases wound up being excommunicated. Sadly, this behavior continues there to this day. May it be that we remind each other often to carefully contend for the one true faith.

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