The Puritans, King James, Bloody Mary & The Westminster Confession & Catechism

John 3:1-3 and the Need to Be Born Again

So we're looking at lesson number 11 this is from Reformation to revival. The key passage here is John chapter 3 verses 1 through 3. So I just want to read that. It says there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews.

This man came to Jesus by night and said to him rabbi We know that you are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that you do Unless God is with him. And Jesus answered and said to him most assuredly I say to you unless one is born again.

He cannot see the kingdom of God. So this lesson is titled from Reformation to revival. So it starts out in section number one the English Puritans during the reign of Mary the first known as Bloody Mary.

From.

1553 to 1558 English Protestants were severely persecuted many fled from England to cities like Geneva and Frankfurt when they returned home to England after Queen Elizabeth. The first was crowned in 1558 they wanted to see the Church of England Implement the same reforms they had observed in the Protestant congregations of Europe these English Protestants sought to purify the church of any remaining Roman Catholic corruption for this reason they became known as the Puritans.

So why is John chapter 3 1 through 3 the key text? Basically, they're looking at the established church and I don't want to say everybody in England was part of the church or went to church. But let's let's face it the majority did just like throughout Europe most people just about everybody it was part of life if you're Living in this country or if you're living in the Holy Roman Empire.

You went to the Catholic Church if you grew up in England, you went to the Church of England. So once the government in the church once the two are linked together. Everybody in that nation is considered what a Christian or they're considered Catholic or Anglican.

So the problem you have is that The churches are are full everybody's calling themselves a Christian, but what? Not everybody's actually a Christian. They're what you would call a nominal Christian. So in the Church of England You just had Well, it was filled with false converts and people recognized that even the even even the ministers were false converts and that was a problem here in the United States as well when Back when some of you were young you figure okay back then the churches were full because It was the thing to do to go to like every not everyone went to church.

But most people right it was the thing to do back and whenever the further you go back the more true it was. But not everyone was a believer. It was just like a cultural Christianity. So people were nominal Christians in name only.

Basically is what that means. The good the one good thing about today is that's not the way that's not the way it is. The bad thing is churches aren't full anymore. But you don't have as many false converts in the church as well.

I mean still have a lot like Nationwide, but that isn't as big of a problem because if somebody's going to church today in the year 2023 and they're willing to Say hey, I'm a Christian and I believe what the Bible say, you know, there's a pretty good chance.

They really mean it when it could actually cost you something but back then this was just the way society was okay, so that's why John 3 1 through 3 is quoted because Just like in Jesus's day all the Jew all the Jews believed in God, right?

Well, they would say that but were they all True believers in Jehovah God. No. Okay, so you must be born again Any questions on that?

All right.

The Puritans, the Church of England, and the Westminster Standards

It says here under Elizabeth 1558 to 1603 that's when she lived. Or when she lived or reigned but English Protestantism or Anglicanism retained elements of Roman Catholic Liturgy this proved frustrating to the Puritans.

So it's like the Church of England Reformed, but they didn't reform enough. The the Anglican Church was still very much Catholic as they are today. I've told you this before there is a well, he's an Episcopalian because the Episcopal Church is the American version of the Anglican Church, and there's a guy he said yeah, I'm Episcopal.

You should come to our church. Check it out. We're like We're like Roman Catholics without the guilt. He said that's the way whatever that means but I Guess they don't believe in sin or something. I don't know.

So it says here when James the sixth of Scotland became James the first of England in 1603 the Puritans hoped that he would be more friendly to their intended reforms, but in 1604 at the Hampton Court Conference James made it clear.

He did not intend to support the Puritan cause. However, he did commission a new English translation of the Bible and can you guess which? Translation that is.

Yeah.

The King James Version which would be completed in the year who knows the year.

Good.

1611 it says under James the first Puritans continued to be frustrated. The situation worsened in 1625 when Charles the first came to the throne. Charles had married a Roman Catholic Queen. He also appointed William Laud as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Laud opposed the Puritans persecuted. He persecuted Puritan pastors who deviated from the Anglican liturgy prescribed in the book of common prayer and Prohibited them from teaching on God's sovereignty in salvation.

Who's heard of the book of common prayer? Yeah, have you read it? Yeah, and it's more if you listen to the lecture. The book of common prayer is more than just a book of Common prayer. It basically tells you how to structure the worship service.

Tells you all the ins and outs of what to do and what not to do. Yes. Well, I don't really have much of an opinion. I've never read it. I assume I've heard from others that there's a lot of good things in it.

But, you know based on the fact that it's part of the Anglican system, you know. Yeah, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not really sure to be honest with you.

Yeah.

But clearly I mean the Puritans in the Church of England. They're they're at odds with one another because the Puritans what do they want to do? They wanted to Purify the Church of England and remember the Church of England is yoked together with the state and The king is the head of the Church of England.

So if somebody wants to come in and change things guess what? The government doesn't like that and you're in big trouble and We're gonna persecute you and put you in prison and maybe kill you which of course led to what?

Them coming here and the founding of the founding of the United States eventually, so It says let's see. These conflicts eventually reached a breaking point leading to the English Civil War from 1641 to 1651 during which the Puritan supporters of Parliament fought against the royalist supporters of Charles the first Parliament won the war.

Charles was executed in 1649 and his family was exiled to the Netherlands. A Puritan general named Oliver Cromwell who lived from 1599 to 1658 came to power during the Protectorate so that was 1653 to 1659 during the war Puritan theologians met at Westminster Assembly and drafted the Westminster confession and catechisms.

From 1645 to 1660 the Westminster standards were adopted in the English Church, okay. So let's just stop right here for a moment and talk about the Westminster confession and the catechism. So before we got into this lesson Marcus asked the question, you know, what is Reformed theology so and I said part of what makes someone truly reformed in the eyes of many people as they hold to the Westminster confession of faith.

Our church, I don't think we've ever well if you go back far enough Morris Corner Church when we started back in 1896 this church was a Congregationalist Church. So I would assume that the Westminster confession was probably either held to or The church was pretty much in line with it if it wasn't, you know.

Kind of made a big deal on Sunday morning. But I did print off the Westminster shorter catechism just six questions. Remember when before we started this class I gave you gave you the option do you want to do this book or do you want to go through the Westminster catechism and The people who voted they all voted for this book.

Of course, some of them aren't attending anymore, even though they voted for this book and now they're not here, but that's another story but the Westminster shorter catechism. I printed off the first six points and You know I think this is I'm not gonna say that I agree with everything because like I said There's one thing about infant baptism that I know I don't agree with and there is one other point that I don't.

Much of it though. What's it? What's the point of a catechism? Yeah, just kind of teach you the basics and you get used to hearing the questions and you are given the answer and if somebody Really if it's really ingrained in a person you're gonna know the basics of the faith.

You might not believe it I mean, there's a lot of people who learn a catechism and it don't really take it to heart That's the problem I guess but you are gonna learn a lot about the faith. So I think there is some benefit to at least going through it.

Larry.

Yeah, well, I don't know.

123. I don't know don't quote me on that. There's it's not that short. Yeah, it's called the shorter catechism, but it's not that short Marcus.

Is it.

Well, it's just. It's just the first six and not in number seven. I figured was probably where somebody might start to disagree. So I figured I'll just cover the first six.

Yeah.

I forget. Oh, yeah, I forget. I don't know.

But let me just read the first six and see if you know because some of these answers I'm sure you probably know. The number one question. What is the chief end of man?

Okay.

Man's chief and this is the answer man's chief end is to glorify God. And to enjoy him forever. But I mean that's a good thing to teach a child especially but anybody. What is the chief end of man to glorify God, I mean, I think any Christian should be able to get behind that right.

Second what rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. What's the rule? Well, the short answer would be the Bible. But they say the Word of God which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

It is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. So we're on board so far. Number three. What do the scriptures? Principally teach the answer. The scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and What duty God requires of man?

Number four. What is God? See that this is something that everyone should know but you've probably Rarely does somebody come right up to you and ask you. Hey, what is God? Yeah, you can be a Christian for decades and no one's ever asked you point-blank.

It's like what do you what do you say?

I would say Okay.

Well, here's their answer. God is a spirit infinite eternal and unchangeable In his being wisdom power holiness justice goodness and truth. Okay, so a spirit infinite eternal and unchangeable in those attributes.

So that's a that's a decent answer. Number five. Are there more gods than one? No, there is but one only the living and true God. And then number six. How many persons are there in the Godhead? There are three persons in the Godhead the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost and these three are one.

The same in substance equal in power and glory. Okay, so I only Bring that up just to kind of show you what? What the catechism is like. It asks questions gives the answers you're supposed to go through it memorize it and it would establish a Pretty solid foundation of the basics of the Christian faith.

The probably say well, we don't need any confession. All we need is the Bible. Right exactly, but you know how people are When they teach the Bible, they just twist it and all of a sudden it comes out totally different.

So.

You know, I realize not everyone's a fan of the catechism, but yes dad.

My top catechism. One turn.

Mm-hmm.

And I had two students and The way it was done was that every week this two students had to come to me we had a little session on Sunday and they had to memorize the questions and Memorize the answers.

Yep. So who is God or what is God? Who is Jesus. All the questions that you would expect to find in the Westminster catechism were in there?

Yep.

Right, and I think that's one reason why Baptists and non-denominational churches don't like catechisms because when they hear the word they think well, it sounds like Catholic or something. Well. No, not.

Yes, they do that too, but it's not solely a Catholic thing. Yes.

Yeah.

Sure, yeah, so. Any other comments or questions on that? All right. I think there'd be a lot of churches that would do well to adopt some sort of.

Method of.

Teaching a catechism. Rather than what a lot of churches do especially, you know this past week with all the things that we saw in Christian news remember the the church with the Super Bowl party where their whole service was.

Some sort of hey, let's take the let's take the Bible and put it and then they booted it across the Sanctuary like churches like that. I don't know what they're teaching but if they switched over to the Westminster catechism, of course the place would probably be empty the next Sunday, but They'd be a lot better off doing that than than what they're doing now.

But anyways. Who saw that the kicking the Bible, okay.

Yeah.

What would the Puritan say about that? They'd want to purify. They'd want to be purifying the churches today without Question it says during the war Puritan theologians. Yeah, they they met at Westminster Assembly.

They came up with a confession the catechism. It says the Puritans were finally able to implement their desired changes to the Church of England. After Cromwell's death, however, Charles the second returned from the Netherlands and was crowned king in 1660.

When the monarchy was restored in England the Church of England Returned to its status prior to the English Civil War. As a result roughly 2400 Puritan pastors were forced out of the church in 1662 and what is known as the Great Ejection these Puritans became known as dissenters and.

Nonconformists.

Dissenters, Nonconformists, and Revival in a Declining Church

So that I mean I I've read up on this a little bit and you know I could really identify with these two groups being a dissenter and a nonconformist because when you if you just take this into the here and now and you look at just what's happening in Churches in general like I don't want to conform to this.

I Even look at the way evangelical churches are Generally speaking nationwide and sometimes and I've shared this thought with you like sometimes I don't even know that I want to call myself in evangelical anymore.

Not because I mean I am evangelical because evangelical means you believe the true gospel. But when I look at what is called evangelical today what passes as evangelical like no I don't I don't want anything to do with that.

I don't want to conform to that. I want to be separate from that.

Marcus.

Well, I mean that's true as well, but the word evangelical evangelical it means you believe the true gospel and Naturally if you Truly believe it you would want to share it. So evangelicals tend to be the type of people who want to Share their faith and see people converted as opposed to other forms of Christianity other religions.

They're not trying to convert anybody. But evangelicals typically do want to convert people because if you really believe the gospel, why wouldn't you?

Yeah.

Men that would go around that were called evangelists, right and would hold the evangelical rallies and clearly.

You know.

Speak out the plan of salvation the way to be born again there. Our keynote verses here deep where Jesus said you must be born again. How to be born again?

A moment when you trusted Christ as.

Personal Savior and he entered your life and Became your Savior. That was what I thought on an evangelist was. So that's what I thought evangelical men.

Well, I mean you're not wrong. You're not wrong.

So it says here with the Puritan Sidelined England entered a period of deep spiritual decline at the end of the 17th century. At the dawn of the 18th century the need for revival was.

Great.

And I think you could rightly say we are living in a similar time period. The need for revival is great. So the discussion question says the Puritans were the theologically conservative Bible believing Christians in England in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Their desire was to purify the Church of England by ridding it of unbiblical doctrines and practices. What lessons can contemporary Christians learn from the example of the Puritans? Okay, what lessons can we learn?

Yeah, we need to do the exact same thing. We who are the theologically conservative Bible believing Christians here in the u .s. So our desire should be to purify. There is no Church of the United States, but there are The the churches in the United States and it should be our desire To see these churches purified now.

We don't have any authority over other churches, but how do we how would we see this done? How would that be accomplished?

Revival starts with me, okay. Has to begin with me and then spread my family spread to Congregation family and Spread through our church. Yep, and then the community and so on right in your basement.

Yep, Marcus.

When I think of.

Worship and God. His his attributes of course are when you think about his attributes. This is what inspires worship in us. Holiness is one of his one of the ones that comes to my mind when I'm starting to think about it.

And After holiness is purity and then of course, you know, there are verses. Having therefore these promises. Let us Purify ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh. I like the word. I just really like the word.

I wish I wish I could say that my thought life and my speech was always pure.

Unbiblical Doctrines and Practices That Need to Go

Okay, so their desire was to purify the church by ridding it of unbiblical doctrines and practices. Name a few Unbiblical doctrines that the churches of America are believing that we need to get rid of.

We'll start with one or two Doctrines and then maybe one or two practices. Okay name a doctrine. That's very common within Evangelicalism today that just needs to die. I mean it needs to go away. Name one one or two.

Aaron.

Grace and only grace. So this this is the cheap grace antinomian. Say the sinner's prayer. Hey live however you want. You're you're gonna be saved no matter what anyway, so who cares? Judge not judge not.

You know that. It's there's many names free grace cheap grace antinomian. Ism easy believe is.

Yeah Yeah is.

One saved always saved. Is that a false doctrine?

No, it's not a false doctrine. But a lot of people when they hear once saved always saved they think well, I got saved when I'm five. I Can be I can become An atheist and still be say I can do whatever I want and still be saved.

Well, the Bible teaches a thing called sanctification, so That's what gets left out of the one saved always saved mindset that a person who truly believes in Christ. It's like that plant that that that seed it grows in Supposed to produce fruit if there's never any growth.

Or certainly if a person denies Christ they weren't really we say that they were never really saved. To begin with it's God's call, but This idea that you can just live however you want. It doesn't matter.

Don't judge me that needs to go from the church. Yes, Jordan Salvation by by works. Yeah, that's true. I mean that's still a Very prevalent view even after all these years. One other thing. I would say the prosperity gospel is something that needs to go.

That really has fallen out of favor, but it's still it's still around and the people who preach it are still that You know New York Times bestseller list for Christian authors The the prosperity crowd they're still number one.

So that needs to go as well. Yeah Marcus.

Cessation of some of the spiritual gift.

No, I would say the opposite but No, because that's a whole other opening a can of worms with that.

Yes.

Catering to the entertainment of church and Turning church into a party so that more people will come. But it doesn't make those in the church grow. They're just going for their own entertainment. Right a lot of churches.

Oh, we need to have a more fun atmosphere for the kids. So that more kids will come instead of teaching them sound doctrine, which will bring them right because they want to know.

Right, and I don't know if I'd call that a doctrine or a practice.

Yeah.

But yeah, the see the seeker sensitive approach to worship where. That that church that did kick the football across the state or they kick the Bible. Sorry. They use the Bible like a football. Their whole mantra is we will do anything short of sin to get people through the front door.

So rock concert playing football with the Bible on stay we will do anything Seeker sensitive to get people through the front door anything short of sin. But of course, I think they do cross that that line and use sinful things as well.

Yeah, it's an entertain it's a show it's an entertainment center.

Marcus.

There are doctrines that divide and But the clear teaching in Scripture is let there be no divisions among you. Unity is a common theme in all the epistles. Like all. Right, so I already tried to open one can of worms and maybe I shouldn't open another maybe.

Oh.

What is it. It's Calvinism versus Arminianism, yeah. There are many That hold strongly to one side or the other side and there are others that will accept some parts of both but Not go that part of the left or to the right if one is left and one is right or one is right.

Right, well, I mean these are established differences that People Typically these days are not dividing over some of these older issues. People are dividing today over the ordination of women there. They're dividing over.

Are we gonna? Accept LGBTQ in the church. Are we gonna soften up to those are the issues people are dividing over? Today, these are the big issues like right now the Calvinist Arminian thing that was like a Big issue a few hundred.

Yeah, I'm not saying it's not important, but I'm saying that that fight has already been fought. So we kind of know We know where the lines are. So I I don't think there's that much division today Concerning that but I mean it is it is a point of contention among some but I just end by saying this We want to focus on speaking of unity.

Hey, let's focus on unity in the local church. We're never gonna have unity in all the churches in the United States that that ain't gonna happen until Jesus comes. Okay, so let's focus on unity here in this assembly and we'll be okay.

Amen. All right, you're dismissed.