A Vision of the Church

The fourth in A Biblical Vision series is the Vision of the Church.

 

What is the church?  The covenant of grace that started with the nation of Israel extends now to all the nations of the earth through faith in Christ.  The church is the people of God, the family of faith, it is the body of Christ.

 

Ge.15:5, "And (God) brought (Abram) outside and said, Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.  Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be."  

- Before there was an Israelite nation there was the family of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel.  This is the beginning of the family of faith, which will become like the stars of the sky, the people of God.

 

Ge.17:4-5, "Behold my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.  No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations."

- Abraham would become the father of many nations, a family of faith in the Messiah, the Christ.

 

De.6:4-6, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart."

- Moses is giving the Israelites the Shema prayer, the prayer of the household of faith, which Jesus will also affirm as being the prayer for the people of God in the NT.

 

Je.31:34, "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord; I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.  And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

- Jeremiah delivers the prophecy of a new covenant of grace, where the Law will be in their hearts, and they shall be His people through faith.

 

Mt. 23:25, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."

- Jesus pronounces “Woe” upon any who would make a religious system of their own.  This is a most serious pronouncement, as it perverts the grace of God in Christ.

 

Mk.12:29-30, "Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

- Jesus confirms the Shema prayer of the Israelites, for the family of faith, is still the calling of faith today.  We are called to love God above all things.  And Jesus added to love our neighbors.

 

Lk.22:20, "And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."

- Jesus institutes the new covenant of grace, to all people of faith in all nations, the church of Christ.

 

Mt.28:18-20, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  God therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

- Jesus commissions his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations.  These disciples are the church, the followers, and the Spiritual body of Christ.

 

Ac.2:4-6, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues a the Spirit gave them utterance.  Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.  And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language."

- The Holy Spirit was been poured out to men of different nations.  The covenant of grace has begun to unfold to all nations.

 

Ac.20:27-28, "for I (Paul) did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood."

- Paul addresses the Ephesian elders to be faithful to their calling, and to oversee the church of God by declaring the whole counsel of God.

 

Ep.3:6, "This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel."

- It was unthinkable to the Jewish leaders that Gentiles would become part of the people of God.  But in the new covenant, faith in Christ is extended to all nations.

 

Ep.4:4-6, "There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."  

- Paul teaches us that the church is the body of Christ, in one Spirit.  There is one Lord, one faith, and one God and Father of all.  There are not many faiths or Spirits, because God is One.  The unity of the church can only be developed in one faith and truth.

 

Ep.4:11-13, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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."

- Paul describes the different gifts of the ministry for the body of Christ, to bring the followers of Christ to maturity, and to grow up into the image and character of Christ.

 

1Ti.4:6, "If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed."

- Paul is teaching all preachers the essentials of being a pastor and teacher in God's church.  They must be trained in the Word of God and the good doctrine.  

 

1Pe.2:9-10, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

- Peter is speaking to the Gentiles in faith that they were part of the chosen race, a holy nation.  They were part of the body of Christ.  They are part of the Christian church.

 

What started with Abraham being given a promise to have many descendants has continued through to the NT, so that those who once were not a people are now the people of God, by grace through faith.  The promise to Abraham came through his family, which became a nation, and has indeed extended to many nations.  The Christian faith has come through Christ to all who call upon His name.

 

A Vision of Preaching

The third in A Biblical Vision series is the vision of Preaching.

 

Expository preaching is essential for the teaching of Biblical doctrines and thus to know the Lord.  The call to sound and Biblical preaching and teaching are abundant in Scripture.  But the first question of preaching is to ask - whose Word is it?  And then, will it be preached in truth faithfully?

 

Ge.15:1, "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."

- The first time God gives his Word to Abram He also gives him a promise.  The promise is that God is his shield, his Defender, and that his reward would be great.

 

Ex.19:5-6, 18-19, "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation ... Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire.  The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kin, and the whole mountain trembled greatly."

- Just before God gave the people the Law, He calls them into a covenant relationship, to be a holy nation to Him.  Mt. Sinai trembled greatly when God gave the people His Word.

 

Ne.8:4,5-6, "And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose ... And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.  And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands.  And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground."

- Ezra and the people of God were extremely grateful to be back from exile and in Jerusalem.  They were grateful to be reading the Law of God, the Word of God that could preserve them and keep them close to God.

 

Ps.119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules."

- The Psalmist describes the Word of God as a lamp and a light.  The light is a metaphor for truth, and teachers and preachers must declare God's truth for the church to know the Light of Christ in the darkness of this world.

 

Is.1:1-2, "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me."

- God's people have historically broken God’s Word.  But we must receive it as a gift from our heavenly Father who cares for us like children.

 

Je.2:4-5, "Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel.  Thus says the LORD: What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?"

- The Word of God came with authority, which is often spoken as, "Thus says the Lord".  Even more, it came with strict warnings and admonishing, for disregarding the Word of God has serious consequences.

 

Mt.4:16-17, "(T)he people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death on them a light has dawned.  From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

- The preaching that Jesus gave in His ministry was the Word of Light!  He came to bring light to those dwelling in darkness, to all of us.  He commands us to repent, to turn from the darkness to God, Who is the Light.  

 

Mt.16:6, 11-12, "Jesus said to them, Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees ... How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?  Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

- Jesus teaches His disciples to see with Spiritual understanding, and not in a mundane or secularistic way.  Beware the leaven that infiltrates the Word of God and corrupts it with man's traditions.

 

Mk.1:38-39, "And he said to them, Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.  And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons."

- Jesus came to preach the Word of God and He preached in the Jewish synagogues, to His own people first, to free them from the bonds of sin.

 

Lk.4:43-44, "(B)ut he said to them, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.  And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

- Jesus came to preach the good news of the kingdom of God.  This is a Spiritual kingdom with a theocentric focus and purpose of preaching.

 

Ac.20:26-27, "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God."

- Paul bids farewell to the elders of Ephesus and charges them to preach the whole counsel of God.  It is imperative for Spiritual life to preach all of the Word, and to not teach contemporary trends or agendas.

 

2Co.4:5-6, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

- One of the imperatives of Biblical preaching is to center it upon Christ and not man.

 

1Ti.1:3, "As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith."

- Paul expressly warns Timothy and all pastors to not teach or preach any other doctrine but that which was given by the Lord.  This is still true today, as the Word of God does not change.

 

2Pe.1:19-20, "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation."

- Peter warns his audience that we do well to pay attention to the prophetic Word that is fully confirmed.  This Word is a lamp shining in a dark place, it gives us light for eternal life.

 

2Pe.2:1-2, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring destructive heresies, even denying the Master who brought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed."

- Peter warns against false teachers who blaspheme the way of truth and follow their own sensuality.

 

Ja.3:1, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

- James warns of the judgment that comes upon those who teach as they have great influence upon the family of faith in the church.

 

The office of pastor and preacher must be taken very seriously so as to always remain true to the Word of God because it is the Word from God.  It is God's Word and not our own and we must preach it theocentrically, with a God-centered perspective, and not with personal agendas.  This is essential for the true faith to grow in godliness to become Christ-like.

 

A Vision of the Gospel

The second in A Biblical Vision series is the vision of the Gospel.

The gospel is – ‘the gift of salvation by the grace of God through faith in Christ and the transformation of the Holy Spirit’.  It is good news for all mankind because we all have a sin problem.  We all need salvation from our sin.

Ge.3:4-6, "Then the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate."

- Sin and death entered the world by disobedience to God's Word, and by seeking to be like God.

Ge.3:15, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."

- God declares the enmity between the Seed of the woman, who is Christ, and the devil.  This is the foreshadowing of the gospel of Christ who will defeat the devil and provide a way of salvation.

Ge.15:6, "And he (Abram) believed the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness."

- God counted Abraham's faith for righteousness, because he believed in God's promises.  We are justified by faith prior to any works.

Ps.51:3-5, 7, "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.  Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight—that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me ... Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

- We all are conceived in sin, and against God all our sins are accounted.  It is only from God that we can be forgiven, it is only from God that we can become clean.  In Christ we can become new.

Ha.2:4, "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him; but the righteous shall live by his faith."

- Our sin nature leads us to pride.  But those who seek God's righteousness shall live by faith.

Ac.2:21, "And it shall come to pass that whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved."

- Peter declares that whoever calls shall be saved.  It is salvation from sin that we need.

Mt. 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go by it.  But narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

- The narrow gate is the gateway of faith and salvation, to believe God and to put our trust in Christ alone.

Lk.15:17-19, “ But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."

- The younger son repented from his sin, and confessed his sin to his father.  The younger son was converted.

Jn3:3, "Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

- Jesus teaches us that we must be born again, this is a Spiritual birth in which we submit and trust in Him.

Jn.14:6, "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."

- Here we see that Jesus declared that He is the only way that anyone can go to heaven.  This is good news because otherwise there would be no way for salvation.

Ac.4:12, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

- Peter declares that Jesus is the only Savior, the only name that anyone can turn to find salvation.

Ro.1:17, "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith."

- Paul references Habakkuk 2:4 to demonstrate that righteousness is by the gift of faith and through a life of faith.  From the moment we believe throughout all our life of faith, we live by faith in a state of grace.

Ro.3:22, "even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe."

- Paul elaborates that salvation is a gift from God, by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ.

Ro.4:3, "For what does the Scripture say?  Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

- Paul references Genesis 15 for his proclamation of salvation by faith alone, and this is a gift of grace.

2Co.5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

- We are new in our souls, we have new Spiritual life when we are born again.

Ga.3:5, "Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

- The Holy Spirit brings us to new birth and faith.al  Salvation is not through works, but by faith.

Ep.2:4-5, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you were saved)."

- Paul elaborates here that we are dead in sin, and salvation is being made alive in Christ by grace.

Ep.2:8-10, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

- Paul shows that faith is a gift, it is something that is from outside of us, and it changes us for good works.

Ja.2:21-22, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the alter?  Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?"

- James describes the true faith that is verified by works, even as faith precedes works.

The gospel of Christ comes through faith that is a gift from God, this is our justification.  We must walk in the faith that we have received from God, and this is our sanctification.  Those who are born again will live in faith and grow to become Christ like.

A Vision of Scripture

The first five studies in A Biblical Vision proclaim five primary areas in the vertical aspect of faith found in Scripture.  The first in the series is the vision of Scripture.

The Bible declares itself to be the Word of God and there is extra-Biblical revelation and evidence to support this.  The Scriptures are also the authority of truth in all matters of faith and practice for all Christians.

Ps.19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork."

- God first reveals Himself in the creation, and that He exists and He communicates with mankind.  God first speaks to us through general revelation.  

Ex.3:2, 5-6, 14, "And the angel of the Lord appeared to (Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.  He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed ... Then (God) said, Do not come near; take the sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.  And he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God ... God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM.  And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."

- The burning bush revealed the Word of God’s power.  It also revealed that He speaks directly to His people.

Is.40:6, "The voice says, Cry out!  And he said, What shall I cry?  All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of God stands forever."

- The Bible declares that man is mortal and that God is immortal, and His Word stands forever.

Is.66:1-2, "Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?  All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord.  But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my Word."

- The character and superior majesty of God is the basis for our humble submission to Him.  And we should tremble at the revelation of God’s Word.

Mt.4:4, "But He (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

- Jesus is being tempted by the devil and answers with the power of Scripture.

Mt.5:17-18, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."

- Jesus affirms the Law and the Prophets, which will be preserved for God's purposes.

Mt.15:3, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"

- Jesus describes at length in this passage that the traditions of men were blocking the Word of God.  And this is an egregious sin.

Jn.1:1-2, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God."

- The Word of God is described here as being God, being with God from the beginning.  The Word of God becomes incarnate, in the baby Jesus born in Bethlehem.

2Ti.3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

- The Bible is given by the special inspiration of God, and it is infallible, inerrant, just as God is.

He.4:12, "For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

- The Word of God is supernatural just as God is supernatural.  The Bible has the power to change our lives from the inside out, at our core and in our soul.  This is the divine power of God to transform us to become Christ like.

Re. 22:4-5, "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

- John testifies that the Word of God is sufficient for all areas Spiritual, it is complete and capable for salvation and sanctification.  No one is to add to it or to subtract from it.

The Bible is the specific Word from God and it has been the source of knowing God for over three millennia.  The Scriptures affirm God's existence in the cosmos and his work in our conscience.  He speaks to us specifically through His Word, and this is the special revelation for all Christians.

A Biblical Vision - Introduction

The PCA was conceived out of a commitment to historical and conservative Biblical theology, often referred to as Reformed Theology.  This is the theology of the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century and also the theology of Jesus as we see in the Bible.  Biblical theology is inherently theocentric with a high emphasis on knowing and worshiping God.  It is also applicable to all people as God is building his kingdom in all the world.

Throughout the history of the Bible, the teachers and prophets of God called God's people back to God's Word.  It is the same today as the church needs to be renewed and reformed to the theology of the Bible.  Many Christians describe their faith through a doctrinal perspective, and others describe their faith primarily with a pragmatic emphasis.  God has created both the head and the heart, yet there is a priority on doctrine first, and application second, which is the pattern we see throughout Scripture.  To reverse or confuse the two is detrimental to the faith and we must not let either perspective become extreme.

The doctrines of Scripture are also essential in understanding God's will and inspiring and preserving the church in every generation.  But it is essential to have a theocentric perspective of the Bible as God is the One from whom we have our life and in whom we can have eternal life.  He is the One we must worship, and He is the One we must declare to all people in every walk of life.  We see some key verses that guide us in this theocentric perspective.

Ps.24:7-10, "Lift up your heads, O you gates!  And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!  And the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory?  The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.  Lift up your heads, O you gates!  Lift up, you everlasting doors!  And the King of glory shall come in.  Who is the King of glory?  The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory."

Mt.15:3, 6, "He answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ... Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition."

Mk.12:29-31, "Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandment is: Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no other commandment greater than these."

Jn.1:14, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Jn.17:1-3, "Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: Father, the hour has come.  Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify Your, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.  And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

Ro.11:33-36, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!  For who has known the mind of the LORD?  Or who has become His counselor?  Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.  Amen."

Ep.4:4-6, 11-15, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" ...

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints of the saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ."

And from the Reformed heritage, we see the Scripture is to be the focus for all faith and practice.

WCF, Ch.1, Par. VI, "The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequences may be deduced in Scripture: unto which nothing at any time may be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men."

The contemporary culture in our time however is progressively secularistic and this has affected the evangelical church dramatically.  In addition, our culture has degenerated drastically since the middle of the twentieth century, particularly in 1973 with the landmark decision of the Supreme Court as it legalized abortion on demand.  Again this year in 2015, we've experienced another landmark decision as the Supreme Court legalized homosexual marriage in our country.

Our courts have become more and more pragmatic to the culture as they have no regard for the Bible and the morality of God's law.  But the church must not adapt in the same way to the changing winds of culture over and against the Bible even if it becomes unpopular to do so.  We must not become pragmatic and conform to contemporary culture.

Good theology leads to good faith and Biblical theology brings vitality, purity, and peace to the church, and it brings reformation to our lives.  We must not just subscribe to these truths.  We must proclaim this theology that has preserved the church in ages past and is able to strengthen us to stand for Christ in our contemporary culture.  It is only this theology that can truly bring forgiveness and healing to the sin in our world, with redemption and restoration to God.

In the vertical spheres of faith, we must proclaim the truth in - Scripture, the Gospel, Preaching, the Church, and Worship.

In the horizontal spheres of faith, we need to promote - Discipleship, Family, Vocation, Missions, and Reformation.

In all doctrines we must proclaim the truth in grace with a genuine love for people because of the grace we have received.  But we must always put the priority upon Biblical theology over and above the pragmatism of contemporary culture.

The Old School

As we look around our culture we see many advancements in technology, science and engineering.  And these in themselves are all good as we enjoy efficient air conditioning, low emission combustion engines, or the latest software update on our computers and mobile devices.  We seek to be up to date and trendy with gadgets, software and knowledge of what works and what is worth buying.  We keep up to date with the latest fashions and styles in clothing to look our best with those around us.

Even the marketing we receive in all forms of media has to be up to date, novel and appealing.  Not only do we see the latest style sports cars but we see them being driven by a young, good looking model.  The evening news went obsolete years ago as a 24/7 news coverage from articulate and attractive men and women became mainstream.  What a culture of change, developments and modifications that controls our thinking and perceptions.  Have you kept up with all the new ideas and stuff?  Is it even possible?

It is in this culture of breaking news and changing fashions, customs and beliefs that the Christian message of a Savior and Redeemer in a Jewish carpenter from two thousand years ago gets evaluated.  How up to date is Jesus?  How appealing is a man scorned by his own religious leaders and crucified for his teachings?  What is trendy about sacrificial faith in this man?  Do we feel the tension between the old and the new?  Do we see the conflict between the cool and the Spiritual?  Do we seek the truth of both salvation by grace as well as the call to discipleship to pick up our cross daily?

Possibly the greatest appeal of this great salvation in Jesus is that it is, "(B)y grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast," Ephesians 2:8-9.  We celebrate in this faith because the Bible clearly teaches that someone else, Jesus, has lived in complete righteousness before God and we can receive salvation only through him.  It is in Christ alone that we can find salvation.  In my humble opinion, that's cool, that's WAY COOL.  If you want to be in with God, this is how it's done.

The Christian faith however can never keep up with the world simply because they are going in opposite directions.  The world is seeking the 'kingdom of man' and the Christian church is seeking the "the kingdom of God."  We must remember that the gospel, this good news of a substitutionary atonement from Christ to all those who put their faith in him, will never mix with the world, because it is completely from God.  By definition this gift of righteousness by grace cannot accept our input, help, works or self righteousness.  We must relinquish complete control to Christ.

Once we accept this faith however, there is much work to be done, "in Christ".  The work of sanctification is becoming like Christ through the teachings of scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit, and this comes after the gift of faith and salvation.  And this is not cool, it is flat out difficult, it is uncool to deny ourselves and pick up our 'spiritual' cross to live for Christ.  But it yields the greatest Spiritual fruit that anyone can imagine.  To grow in Christ is the best change, or update, or modification, or fashion, style and trend we can experience.

We must be careful as our constantly changing culture influences us to be trendy, fashionable, comfortable and conformable with the kingdom of man.  We must seek the truth of Christ and Scripture as it was originally described and as it is eternally preserved.  The old school theology of the Bible does not change because God does not change, Christ does not change, nor does the Holy Spirit change.  Nor does the Word of God change where we learn of all these great truths, and that also means the gospel of grace is eternally true.

Therefore we must not change the content of the gospel of "Christ alone" even as we seek to reach a constantly changing culture, and as we seek to make new applications to the truth of the gospel.  We also need to accept the old school theology of sanctification in Christ to come to love the kingdom of God over anything this world can offer.  And we will be Spiritually blessed if we do.