1689 London Baptist Confession (part 62)

Father in Heaven, Lord we come before you this morning thankful that we have a place to meet,

thankful that we are not suffering governmental persecution

as the saints are in so many nations, even seeing the man from

India beheaded this week, we know of the persecution in China,

Africa, so many places around the world your saints are being hunted down and

treated like animals and Father we would pray for them today that they would remain bold

and Lord that you would just grant them safety that there would be a

relenting of the persecution.

Father keep us mindful of the great blessings that are ours in being able to

gather together and being able to be open about our faith.

Lord bless each one here as we look to what your word says about marriage,

about what it says concerning the church, Lord bless each one here we pray in Jesus

name, Amen.

Well we were talking about marriage last week, some of the things that we commonly talk about, I mean

you'll hear it every Sunday morning from the pulpit, how many times does Pastor Mike talk about for example

polygamy, we hear it all the time.

Okay we don't talk about things like that, some of the finer points of the Bible

and we're going to speak about a few more of those today but

we left off last week, well we talked a little bit about children, about why people don't want children

these days and it really is depressing, I saw even something this morning, this woman

chanting my body my choice, my body my choice and proudly announcing

that she'd had two abortions and I think who does that?

Who does that?

Who thinks that way?

Well sinful people against who are in rebellion against God I guess think that way.

We mentioned also the idea that the Roman Catholic Church believed and still practices

this to some extent today that celibacy is better than being married, I don't

know about you but I think it was Bob Muto a few weeks ago who said it's not good for

man to be alone and I agree with that, celibacy better than marriage, why would they

teach that?

Why would they believe that?

Distorting the word, okay asceticism, so there's this idea that suffering does what?

Brings you closer to God and so if that's true and it can be true like we were you know even when I was

praying I was talking about the persecution that the saints are undergoing around the world which has a tendency you know

which makes you more holy?

A lack of persecution or persecution?

For the most part believe it or not it's persecution because now you're really focused on the fact that you could actually

die you know so bad things are happening to people around you they're getting hauled off to prison and so every day

for example in China you have to ask yourself do I really believe what I believe?

Am I really ready to give up everything for what I believe?

And so I think that does happen and so in an ascetic I

don't know if that's a word or not but in that sort of mindset this self -deprivation the more I

give up the holier I am.

So instead of being persecuted I'm just going to kind of self -persecute if I if I could and it

really is set up a series of extra biblical laws that at least

give me the appearance of godliness so

celibacy would be one of those things I mean we don't talk a lot

positively about the Roman Catholic Church.

Some people from time to time will like to quote Mother Teresa.

One of the reasons I don't like to quote Mother Teresa was she was a big fan of asceticism

self -deprivation to the point where you know everybody talks about her ministry in

Calcutta.

What people don't talk about is that she withheld pain -relieving drugs from people.

Why.

Because suffering is next to godliness.

Suffering brings you closer to God.

Suffering is a good thing.

So why would you give people pain -relieving drugs withhold them.

Because that way they'll be closer to God.

But celibacy is not God's plan.

There's a real practical reason why the Roman Catholic Church preaches or talks about celibacy.

I mean priest single.

Why.

So that I mean that started about 1000 or 1030 or so AD.

Because now without heirs without a family when the priest died everything he had went

back to the church.

A priest a cardinal whatever all of his belongings would go back to the church which made the church quite

wealthy.

And plus if he doesn't have a family in the first place you could pay him less the whole the whole deal.

It was good for them all the way around.

Not so good for men maybe not so good for the church as a whole.

We talked about the fact that they don't even think that sex within a marriage is

good unless the ultimate goal is to have children.

So really a very low view of that.

So overall we're talking about marriage.

We're talking about the reasons for marriage and one of them is to avoid sin.

It's one of the reasons the confession lays out for people to get married.

Let's look at Ephesians 5 verse 3.

Ephesians 5 3 you know just as an aside I was talking to an eyeglass

person about robots.

And you know there's this idea that robots are going to take over all these jobs and nobody's going to have any jobs.

All the truck drivers mcdonald's workers everybody everybody in the service job is going to be out of a

job.

And I looked at him and I said let me see if I get this straight.

So in the future I'll come in to you know my optometrist and a robot will examine my

eyes.

I'm okay with that for the most part.

Here's the problem when the robot says Steve those glasses look great on you.

I don't think I'm going to believe that.

Or this shirt and this tie are awesome on you.

I'm not going for that right.

So I think there's always going to be a place for the human factor.

And and I was just thinking about that because I thought maybe I need a robot reader in here.

So I I could just say who would read Ephesians 5 3.

And then I will read that Steve.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yeah.

That'd be lovely.

Maybe we should have Alexa in here.

We need more spies.

Would somebody read Ephesians 5 3.

Please.

Now that's a high standard right.

Sexual immorality all impurity covetousness not even named among you.

Right.

It should even be known as something that occurs within the church that word sexual immorality.

Somebody like pastor bob can tell us what that is.

What that word is.

It is cornea which is typically

fornication.

But what.

Yeah it can include other things.

Certainly it means any kind of moral uncleanness but it's become kind

of accepted in some circles christian circles.

Quote unquote.

I'm just kind of surprised that there are a lot of roman catholic priests who

even when a couple is living together they'll still do the service.

And I found that very intriguing.

Well they went through the the counseling program.

Okay.

Well what does that mean.

So you guys are living together.

Yes.

Okay next.

So it's not even supposed to be named let alone you know approved of in some manner by the church.

But people will argue well hasn't morality changed since the bible was written.

We don't live anymore like they did.

Well yeah morality has changed.

God's standard hasn't changed.

I think maybe the worst excuse I've heard for living together.

And I mean it's it.

Jen and I were talking about this the other day it's become like uh she was talking about some celebrity who said that

you know they uh this couple they bought a house together and it seemed to them that the next logical step was

to get married.

And I'm like I don't know that's

it call me old -fashioned.

But it doesn't seem like the next logical step.

I mean it'd be the next logical step if you've been planning it for a while and you bought the house and the wedding is already planned and

you know you're living separately and all that.

But um you know next step the worst excuse I think I've heard for

living together is we're saving money for our wedding.

You've already had your wedding.

You just want a celebration to kind of call it that because you're already living like you're married.

So how is the church to view such things.

Let's look at first corinthians 5 verses 9 to 13.

If we're not to even have sexual immorality named in the church we're not to be known as a place that

tolerates sexual immorality.

First corinthians 5 verses 9 to 13.

Now who's had an extraordinary amount of caffeine this morning and could really

read like what is that.

Five verses just charged up ready to go.

I guess it would only be me all right.

The apostle paul writes this I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral

people.

Not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world.

In other words unbelievers.

That's okay.

Go ahead and associate with them.

Or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters.

Since then you would need to go out of the world.

In other words if you're not going to associate with anybody who's involved in any of these sins then you're going to have to be

roman catholic and go to some you know sanctuary where nobody talks and you don't interact with anyone.

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother

a christian a professing believer if he is guilty of sexual

immorality or greed or is an idolater reviler drunkard or swindler.

Not even to eat with such a one.

People say well what do we do if somebody's put out of the church you know.

And and we're to treat them as an unbeliever.

Well not to even eat with such a one.

What do you do.

You just evangelize them.

You don't have fellowship with them.

Verse 12.

For what have i to do with judging outsiders.

Right.

They're all sinners.

All sin is equal.

And we evangelize unbelievers.

That's what we do.

Then he says is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge.

Those who profess christ but don't live lives commensurate with

their profession.

God judges those outside.

And he says purge the evil person from among you.

So how is the view to or how's the church to view these things.

How's the church to deal with sexually immoral people that aren't to be named

in the church.

Well you're to purge the evil person the sinful person the unrepentant

person from the church.

Marriage is given to satisfy the god -given desires men and women experience.

We're designed that way to have those desires.

And we're given marriage so that we can fulfill those desires in a way that is not sinful.

Let's look at first corinthians chapter 7 verses 8 and 9.

First corinthians chapter 7 verses 8 and 9

to the unmarried and the widows i say that it is good for them to remain single as i

am.

Paul was an aesthetic aesthetic.

No he wasn't.

He's just saying i you know i no longer need to do these things.

And if you're unmarried or a widow and you can stay single.

Good.

But look at verse 9.

But if they cannot exercise self -control they should marry.

For it is better to marry than to burn with passion saying listen if you still have these

desires that's okay get married.

We're we're.

I think i was talking with charlie last week you know why is it that we have so many young

men that are not maturing properly.

And in part i think it's because what charlie was saying is it's too it's too easy

in the world for men to fulfill their desires without getting

married.

So they have no need therefore to prove themselves professionally or to mature

personally.

Because who cares.

They don't have to really deal with a wife.

They can go out and do whatever they want.

And so we have this kind of emotionally i'll just say well i don't

want to say that uh this emotionally devolved

generation and really kind of a it's pervasive in our society now.

Because if you can live sort of a peter pan lifestyle and get

away with it then you do it.

And for too many it's too easy to do that.

But the biblical picture is if you have these desires the right way is to

go for a young man to go and win a wife.

And to do that he has to be able to provide for and do all these kind of things and um and

to love her sacrificially.

And he cannot do that if he's you know bent on

living his life.

And i i don't know why it's always mob's basement with the xbox.

But basically that's it thoughts or

comments about that before we move on to the next part

seeing no objections.

The confession says this it is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are with judgment to give

their consent.

Now when you hear that is lawful for all sorts of people to marry.

Keeping in mind what we talked about last week that in order to get married you have to be single.

In order to get married you know at least to another believer you have to be a believer in order to get

married you have to have always been the gender that you currently are.

I don't know how else to say that these days you know gender by the way just in

case was confused is not uh what do you call it a continuum.

It's pretty much male or female kids or any confusion.

It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry.

What do you think that means

station in life.

Yeah i think certainly there were issues especially back then and even now.

You know in terms of class who can marry a royal.

Who can marry you know can you marry somebody above your class.

So to speak i think that's true.

But i think even more importantly especially these days there's no

mention of race here.

Right.

There's no restrictions there.

Why.

Because it's lawful for all sorts of people to marry regardless of race.

Race is no barrier so -called race ethnicity no barrier to marriage.

And the second part there it's kind of interesting because it says who are

able with judgment to give their consent.

People say well what about the age of consent.

You know in some states it's 16.

I think in some states is it as low as 14.

That makes me kind of want to

scratch my hands or something.

14 seems young.

14 seems young.

When you have a life expectancy of about

120 is what i'm going to say.

You know 14 is is

is young.

But the idea here isn't so much to set an age is to say that they have the capacity to understand what they're entering

into.

Why would you want you know for example when we baptize somebody we want to make sure that they understand all the

implications of getting baptized.

The first time i was baptized was at the age of eight in the mormon church.

And there is absolutely no way i understood all the implications of that.

I didn't even understand all the doctrines of the church or even most of them.

And the only reason i was making a profession of faith is because that's where i was all the time was in the church.

But when you give consent to be married that is a vow for life.

So you need to understand what you're getting into.

And so if there's some form of either mental deficiency or

emotional emotional deficiency or something like that those people should not be getting married.

The confession goes on to say yet it is the duty of christians to marry in the lord.

And therefore such as profess the true religion should not marry with infidels or

idolaters.

Neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked by marrying

such as are wicked in their life or maintain.

And you'll want to write this down.

Damnable heresy.

What's the overall idea.

Marry a christian.

Right.

I mean what are the exceptions here.

You know when they say it is the duty of christians to marry in the lord.

In other words you're a christian.

You ought to marry another christian such as profess the true

religion.

Notice what it doesn't say.

It doesn't say somebody who perfectly agrees with you on every bit of

but they should not marry with infidels or idolaters.

And you think who would do that.

Who would marry an idolater or an infidel.

How many times have you heard this one.

Well he or she is open to the gospel.

He or she is interested in the gospel.

Hear that.

I hear that fairly frequently but typically as what.

As kind of a rationale for dating somebody.

Why would you date someone that you don't intend to marry.

You know i would look at this and i would say this is a pretty good reason not to do what is sometimes

referred to as missionary dating.

I think they may be open to the lord.

What does that really mean.

What's the translation of that.

I think he or she may be open to the lord.

What does it really mean.

What's that they're not believers.

And i think i can change that person.

I could be the greatest evangelist in the world.

And if i'm dating an unbeliever for however many years that doesn't mean that person's going to come to

christ.

What does it mean if i tell myself if i convince myself that this unbeliever might

come to faith in christ.

What am i ultimately going to be doing.

Compromising my faith.

I'm going to be lowering the standard.

I'm going to be looking for anything from this person.

And i'm also going to be lowering my own standards.

Why.

Because i want to be comfortable with this person.

Because i've set my affections upon them.

I've decided this is the person that i'm interested in.

And so you know jesus is out here on the periphery.

And i've you know i look at him every once in a while.

But i'm really focused on this person.

We could say not necessarily that i've lost my first love but i've got a

bigger calling another bigger name on another line.

Right.

I've got another priority.

Sorry lord.

You're gonna have to hang on for a little while.

I want to see if this other person is going to become the person i want them to be.

It's kind of i mean when you're removed from it.

And that's why i say to people you know why am i here.

I'm i'm not here to burst people's bubbles.

But when they come to me although i i like to do that uh no

when people come and say you know well i'm dating so -and -so well is that person a christian.

Maybe i hope so could be they're interested.

I don't really you know nobody has ever come to me and said you know i'm interested in this person.

Um they're a wonderful spiritual godly person.

But i don't really find them attractive.

But i'd like to find some way to marry them.

I i've never had that con that that conversation.

Not even one time i'd like that i'd like to hear you know i don't.

I'm not really physically attractive to him.

But they're such a wonderful human being and a godly saint.

And you know i'd like someday to attain to that level of godliness.

So that's the person i would like to pursue in marriage in all my

christian life.

I've never heard that one time i

do hear you know.

Well i think there's room for growth.

I you know all kinds of rationale right.

But not that one

i wrote this i said uh is he or she a christian.

And then i said should you evaluate that.

If you're the single person and you're wanting to date someone else should you be the one to decide that that

person's a christian.

You think yourself.

Well certainly i should be okay.

And i think there's some truth to that.

I mean you have to evaluate it for yourself.

But here's what i like to say.

You know you've heard the story or the saying that love is blind.

Right.

Well love is blind.

It's also deaf and it's also dumb.

And i don't mean unable to speak.

I mean dumb.

And then i say but we're here to help.

Right.

Why.

It's not because i think i know everything.

Or pastor mike knows everything or scott brown knows everything or pradeep tilak knows everything.

But here's what we do know we're a little bit older and but better than anything else we're

detached from the situation.

When you look at somebody else you look with the eyes of all to say the eyes of love.

You know the eyes of hope the eyes of optimism whatever you want to call it i just

call it blinders.

Um you want to believe the absolute best about that person.

But what you need is somebody who's dispassionate about it wants your best but isn't

willing to overlook the other person's weaknesses and faults and everything.

This is what parents are to do.

Right.

I mean when a young man would come after my daughters and i'd chase him off the lawn with a

shotgun.

Why would why would some guys get the the boot and other ones be allowed to pursue.

You know why did jerry and joey get to marry my daughters.

Because as i got to know them and see their faith listen to them

talk about the lord watch them pursue their lives and think this could be somebody that could you know.

Um that could actually not only handle my daughter which you know

could be difficult but but but also but also

love them and lead them in the lord.

Right.

But the person involved doesn't always see the weaknesses of the other person.

So it's good to have that kind of third party involvement.

So with that in mind let's look at second corinthians 6 verses 14 to 18.

Yes.

So so so let me interrupt you for a minute or introduce you one of the other.

Um that's true.

The blinders can be an advantage in that we overlook their faults.

Right.

We're not picking in every little thing along the way.

And it's not probably till i like to think a year and a half two years into the marriage where you just really go.

Okay this person you know what was i thinking.

And that's where you have to learn what you're talking you know to subjugate your own desires and and everything.

And realizing that you're living with a real person.

And i think that's true.

But ultimately that's not what i'm talking about.

I'm talking about people are willing to overlook massive problems

including you know unbelief in in order to justify it.

Yeah i think i think we're going to start using charlie for marital counseling.

I like that.

I like that.

I like that optimism.

You're yeah i mean it's like you know you have to put and and that's kind

of what we're.

What we're getting to right now is we don't want to ever be in a situation where we have to put uh

you know our faith on a shelf.

You know we talk about elf on a shelf at christmas.

Well how about having to put jesus on the shelf.

You know let's not talk about jesus.

So let's look at second corinthians 6 verses 14 to 18.

And this by the way i have to introduce it this way.

This is not primarily to do with marriage even though people use it with regard to marriage all the time.

It's a bigger principle than that.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness.

Or what fellowship has light with darkness.

What accord has christ with belial.

Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever.

And the answer is none.

Right.

These things don't go together.

You might as well say oil and vinegar or whatever.

You know oil and water.

I guess whatever he's trying to say these things contrast.

They don't go together.

What agreement has the temple of god with idols.

Again none.

For we are the temple of the living god.

As god said i will make my dwelling among them and walk among them.

And i will be their god and they shall be my people.

Therefore go out from their midst and be separate from them says the lord

and touch no unclean thing.

Then i will welcome you and i will be a father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to me says

the lord almighty.

So i mean this.

This principle has to do with business.

It has to do with all manner of things any kind of close relationship that

is dependent upon someone else.

And so the principle does apply to marriage.

And here's what i would say if you want to know misery as

as a believer then you should say well i'm going to date an unbeliever and see what happens.

Because then as you get closer to them emotionally and you overlook

all their faults spiritually.

And then you go on and marry them.

Then what do you have.

You have this situation where the thing that is most precious to you the faith

that you have in the lord jesus christ his word his people.

This other person is indifferent to you

love the lord jesus.

You want to go worship with the people of god on sunday all these things that you just love to do.

And this other person is like i don't care about that.

That doesn't mean anything to me.

I don't even understand why you like those people.

That is probably the hardest thing that there is.

And so the the confession says that christians ought not to do that they should not marry infidels

unbelievers idolaters those who worship other gods.

But it also says that they shouldn't marry those who what's the word

there maintain damnable heresy.

Well what could they be talking about there.

What's that bad doctrine.

Really bad doctrine.

We'll get to it in just a minute here.

Yeah horrific doctrine.

But anyway the point is christians.

Uh christians should

pursue a another christian in order to marry that person

a believer a believer a fellow believer.

I got my pages out of order which is why i was like going what is going on with my notes.

Okay

let's look at galatians 1 8 familiar verse.

And would somebody read that.

Please

let him be accursed.

Let him be anathema.

Now let's just imagine for a moment that as a christian i've married a

roman catholic.

That i've married a mormon.

That i've married a seventh day adventist.

That i've married a jehovah witness

a muslim.

Paul says let somebody who has a different gospel be accursed.

And what have i done.

I've married somebody that paul says should go to hell

and in fact is headed for hell.

That's damnable heresy.

It means heresy that can be condemned.

That should be condemned.

And again this is something that the confession tells us not to do.

And the bible tells us not to do.

Now to some of the minutiae of marriage.

The confession says marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity.

There's a word you use all the time or affinity forbidden in the word.

Nor can such incestuous marriages be made lawful by any law of

man or consent of parties so as those persons may live together as man and wife.

We're heading for this.

I mean our civilization is if i could just say it this way is becoming less and less

civilized.

All the rules and laws and norms that have existed for millennia are being undone.

And so we see people marrying themselves.

Marrying.

I think some woman in japan i think it was married a building.

I mean people are doing bizarre things.

Um i'm sure that people somewhere are marrying animals.

You know their dog or or whatever.

Well why.

Because first of all people have lost their minds.

But secondly this idea of marriage has just been so watered down and

defiled by our culture that it can mean anything people want it to mean.

So will we see.

And probably somewhere it's already happening brothers and sisters getting married.

I think so i mean everything

that the bible says ought not to happen people are doing.

And we won't go through leviticus uh 18.

But it gives a long list of all the marriages that should not take place.

Leviticus 18 the beginning of verse 6.

And you can read all about it if you care to.

Later.

Let's look at uh mark 6.

I mean people say well what's what's wrong with this.

I mean there are.

You know.

And i was even talking with somebody recently who said well what about uh.

You know the children of adam and eve.

You get a lot of what about questions.

Uh what about the children of noah.

You know how how were they able to intermarry.

And whatnot.

Well what's the answer to that.

Okay the genome was far more uncorrupted.

And the reason for that is because it wasn't so far from the fall.

Right.

It hadn't had so much time to be corrupted by disease and other things.

And why else was it maybe not so bad.

Okay as of yet there was no prohibition that comes in leviticus that comes later with uh when moses

writes that all down.

Okay so mark chapter six.

We're well into the time where these things are forbidden by the law of god.

Mark chapter six.

And i'm going to read uh beginning in verse 16.

But when herod heard of it he said john whom i beheaded has been raised.

He's heard of this work of jesus.

John whom i beheaded has been raised for it was who had sent and seized john the baptist

and bound him in prison for the sake of herodias his brother philip's wife

because he had married her.

That's forbidden in leviticus 18.

You can read all about it.

For john had been saying to herod it is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.

And herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death.

In other words his sister -in -law.

Now his wife said put john the baptist to death.

But she could not.

For herod feared john knowing that he was righteous that he was a righteous and holy man and

kept him safe.

When he heard him he was greatly perplexed.

And yet he heard him gladly.

This is an unbeliever just hearing a preacher and thinking i don't really like what he says but i like how he says it.

And he's a very clever fellow.

Verse 21.

But an opportunity came when herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military

commanders and the leading men of galilee.

For when herodias's daughter came in and danced she pleased herod and his guests.

And the king said to the girl now this is his niece right.

Ask me for whatever you wish and i will give it to you.

And he vowed to her whatever you ask me i will give you up to half my kingdom name your

price.

And she went out and said to her mother for what should i ask.

And she being her mother said the head of john the baptist

i can't even imagine going in there and asking for that.

But and she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked saying i want you

to give me at once the head of john the baptist on a platter.

And the king was exceedingly sorry but because of his oaths and his guests he did

not want to break his word to her.

So he did it.

But here's the point.

The point is it was sinful.

Then it's sinful now it's always sinful because god said it's

sinful.

The fact that people want to do sinful things doesn't make it okay.

We have a few minutes to just kind of are there any questions.

If not then we'll proceed to yes anthony.

Well i mean there are certainly people.

Um you know healthy is a matter of opinion right.

Um she's in the pink of health.

Uh you know she got a she went and saw the doctor.

She's fine.

Um or it can just mean somebody who's got you know good mindset and all those things.

Um but the truth is we all i mean i'm just thinking about what i call myself

healthy.

I i don't know that's that's hard.

You know i mean because we all have baggage we all have things that we carry around with us in life you know from our

childhood and whatnot.

You know.

And i i think it's just really a matter of how we handle those kind of things.

So i i understand what you're saying and i'm i'm like you know i wouldn't want

let's put it this way i think there are people who profess christ and who exude christ and exude the

exude the kind of the joy of being saved.

And then there are people who profess christ and don't have much joy and i think it's

harder to somehow see christ in them.

And i think it would be harder to recommend somebody like that you know as a potential mate.

But um i i

mean i understand i'm just i don't know how to measure healthy.

You know i i don't i don't know any other thoughts about that.

Yeah i didn't say unlovable i said unattractive so that that that would be bad.

Right.

Well i mean that's not only unhealthy.

I mean it's kind of it's problematic you know.

Um so yeah i mean there is that all.

Right.

We'll we'll just introduce this here.

Uh the church talking about the church the confession says the catholic or universal church

which is to define catholic just means the universal church the church across the

earth which with respect to the internal work of the spirit and grace of truth

truth of grace may be called invisible consists of the whole member of the elect that

have been are or shall be gathered into one under christ the head thereof

and is the spouse the body the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

So again the catholic church we often use catholic as shorthand for the

catholic church of rome.

Right.

The roman catholic church which is a denomination within christendom but not

within christianity meaning it is they name the name of christ.

But we would not consider that a valid or a christian church.

But the catholic small c church just means the universal church the church of all believers

everywhere whether they are presbyterians or baptists.

And that's pretty much it.

Oh sorry.

Uh but those who actually profess christ

and are christians and it separates kind of the invisible

from the visible church.

Well you know if you're a believer and you're here today are you invisible.

No and that's not the point of the invisible church just means that we can't see

the hearts of people.

It means that we can't determine by looking at you whether you are saved or not.

The invisible church exists substantially within the church

but it cannot be identified with it.

Augustine said that every church is a mixed body and by that he wasn't talking about

ethnicity or anything else.

What he meant was that the wheat and the tears exist side

by side and we can't know who is which.

Right.

We just preach the gospel indiscriminately and we trust the lord for the results.

Uh is also possible for a true believer to not be part of the visible church.

Now how could a true believer not be part of a visible church.

Okay they could be under persecution and afraid to go to church.

I think that's a good one.

Other thoughts.

I think that's probably the main one.

Um sickness would be another one where they simply can't

get to a church.

Okay another situation where you know maybe they don't even know of a of a local church.

Maybe they live in a country that is predominantly muslim or something like that and they can't really go to it.

Yeah they could be also.

Uh it's possible for somebody to be a believer and be in a wrong church.

I think there are probably christians in the roman catholic system that have just been blinded.

They you know they've been told their whole lives that the protestants are not right

and they believe what protestants believe.

And they don't even know it because they've never experienced anything outside of it.

So i think that i think that sort of thing is possible.

Other thoughts.

Okay just a little bit more than we'll close.

The church consists of those who have been purchased by him

and the word ecclesia or ecclesia from which we get ecclesiastical.

And that's the word that is most commonly translated church.

And it means those who have been called out from the world and it specifically refers to the elect and

god calls them out.

Right.

When you get saved it is god removing you as it were from the world and saying you belong to me.

That's the picture of the church.

These are the people who gather together on sunday morning and especially in sunday school.

You know if you want to know who the weed are just look around in this room and then you know we'll have uh.

Okay that's all right.

Uh it's you know the the time for we

call it tear time at 10 15.

No that's

uh.

But the idea is that god calls us out and places us in the local body.

Right.

The lord does that.

And then um we gather together as the church.

This is what we do.

Um i'll just read this.

Yeah sure from the confession all persons throughout the world professing the faith of the gospel and

obedience unto god by christ according unto it not destroying their own

profession by any errors.

Everting.

I had actually had to look that up.

Averting the foundation or unholiness of conversation are and may be called visible

saints and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.

Now i'm just going to briefly summarize that this way.

How do you destroy your own profession.

Well to evert something means to turn something inside out.

So when it talks about everting the foundations of your profession

it would mean basically showing what's inside of you and showing a heart of

unbelief.

You make the profession but inside you're an unbeliever.

And eventually your sins reveal that.

Um and i'm gonna i'm gonna leave that there we'll talk about sins in a couple weeks.

Sins that evidence the fact that you're not actually a christian.

So there's a stumper.

Come back ready for that one father in heaven.

We thank you for your word.

We thank you for the confession.

We thank you for the surety of the gospel.

That we can rely not on our own works our own efforts our own holiness

for salvation.

But we can rely upon the perfections of christ.

Lord.

Teach us even with those around us that it is

never about.

Um our best efforts or their best efforts our failures or their failures.

It is the perfection the perfect life of jesus christ.

Keep us focused on him the author and perfecter of our faith.

And we pray for these things in jesus name amen.