Saturday, April 28, 2007

Sanctified as Christ's Bride -- Sesson #3

I don't really have time to clean-up and expand my point form notes on the various sessions of the 10th Annual Cambridge Reformed Bible Conference, but I will post my note none the less. If there are any mistakes, bad theology, or typos. Or, if you cannot make head nor tails of what is here, again fault my typing and transcription failings, not necessarily the speaker. With that said, here are my notes, such as they are, for the third session.

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Ephes. 5:25-33 (ESV) Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, [26] that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [28] In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29] For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, [30] because we are members of his body. [31] "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." [32] This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. [33] However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.


-mentioned book “It Takes a Village”

-wished someone would write a book called “It takes a Church”

-it is imperitive that we have a view of Biblical High churchmanship

-the church is the place of the finger prints of God

-there is God and he will be I guide

-the church bears the fingerprints of the living God

-our standard rule of faith

-is the Bible as the word of God

-Biblical High churchmanship is vital to our sanctification

-against the individualism of America (Canada)

-but also because of the challenge of post-modernism

-atoms of information

-used by people/structures/institution to impose on others

-if our churches impose our views, structures, etc on others

-it should be distrusted !


1)Over arching principle

Our sanctification at best will be severely retarded/held back/warped if we do not see our holiness as both developed by and contributing to the holiness of Christ's body, the church.


2)Biblical proof

General statements

Ephes. 3:14-19 (ESV) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, [16] that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

-to comprehend the love of Christ

-by which we are sanctified

-through which we are filled with the fullness of God

-we must be in the communion of the saints

-to the extent that we do not have this

-with many saints

-there will be a truncation of our sanctification

Ephes. 4:7-16 (ESV) But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. [8] Therefore it says,

"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men."

[9] ( In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? [10] He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) [11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

-it takes a church

-not just pastors

-it takes every part serving

-if not it will only work to the retarding of the growth of the church


Ephes. 5:25-33 (ESV) Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, [26] that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [28] In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29] For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, [30] because we are members of his body. [31] "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." [32] This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. [33] However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.


-specific texts

-the one another texts

-can't one another if you are only one

-show our sanctification is vitally connected to meaningful, active communion in the church


Romans 15:14 (ESV) I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.


1 Cor. 12:25-27 (ESV) that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. [26] If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. [27] Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.


Ephes. 5:18-21 (ESV) And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, [19] addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, [20] giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, [21] submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

-filled with Spirit through these things


1 Thes. 3:12-13 (ESV) and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, [13] so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.


Hebrews 3:12-14 (ESV) Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. [13] But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. [14] For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.


-those who want to be holy apart from the church

-are walking on the thin ice of unbelief

-and having a hardened heart


Hebrews 10:23 (ESV) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.


Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, [25] not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.


1 John 1:7-9 (ESV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


1 John 4:7-12 (ESV) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. [8] Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. [9] In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. [10] In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

-our giving ourselves to one another

-is one of the main conduits by which Christ gives his sanctifying grace and love to us


3)Practical out workings

-in week to week church life

-being sanctified in community

-means having a high view of the sabbath

-the new heavens and new earth are portrayed as a sabbath

-remember the sabbath day to keep it holy

-one day a week our minds, hearts, wills rooted in keeping this time separate to the Lord

-cannot but help us be holy other days of the week

Exodus 31:13-17 (ESV) "You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you.

-what an amazing statement

-sabbath a sign that the Lord is the one who makes us holy

-we need that every week as the bride of Christ

-second outworking our worship and the means of grace

-Acts 2:42 (ESV) And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

-especially on the Lord's day

-fellowship with Christ when fellowship with his people

-all this assumes corporate life

Titus 2:1-15 (ESV) But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. [2] Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. [3] Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, [4] and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, [5] to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. [6] Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. [7] Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, [8] and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. [9] Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, [10] not pilfering, f but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. [11] For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, [12] training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, [13] waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. [15] Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.


-sound churches have a culture of grace

-modeling it to a world falling apart

-church to be an enclave of what is right

-in a barbaric world


4)Dangers

a)Danger of becoming ingrown!

-a church culture

-rather than being a people of genuine, radical, committed Christianity

-solution:

-real evangelism

-by our lives adorning the gospel

-having new people brought to living faith by new birth

-story of young woman who came as an unbeliever to the congregation he serves

-and wept through series on Ruth

-and was used by God to break that church out of its ingrown culture

-new believers will stretch church

-just as child will stretch parents :)

-opening whole new areas of sanctification

-so pray God will bring new people into church

-from outside of our community

Rev. 2:1-7 (ESV) "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. [2] " 'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. [3] I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. [4] But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. [5] Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. [6] Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [7] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'


-being ingrown is to have forgotten our first love—Jesus Christ

-if we lose our first love not only in great danger of retarding our sanctification

-but we are in great danger of losing our churches

b)?


1 comments:

DJP said...

You don't post an email address, so I don't know how to reach you.

Thanks for your comment at Pyro today; I may have misread that article totally. So I've pulled mine to reconsider.

Thanks!

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