King at God's Right Hand

“The LORD said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet” Psalm 110:1

Psalm 110 begins with the most extraordinary invitation. It is an invitation made by the LORD, the Triune God, to a human king, a son of David, to sit at His right hand. This language may or may not be familiar to us, but to those who first heard this Psalm read it would have come as an immense shock and surprise. In the Old Testament, references to the LORD’s right hand served as a symbol for His mighty power and glorious authority and thus as a symbol for His rule over His world. The invitation for a king to sit at the LORD’s right hand, was thus an invitation to that king to share in the LORD’s powerful and glorious rule, an invitation that no ordinary king could receive, never mind accept!  And yet there the invitation was for all to read in David’s own words and with David’s clear recognition that this invitation was beyond even him, despite the fact that he was God’s chosen king, the anointed one, the king after the LORD’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). For it is David who speaks in the Psalm and who refers to this king as ‘my Lord’. How then could a son of David also be David’s Lord?

It was precisely this important and searching question that Jesus asked the Pharisees while He was in Jerusalem in the period leading up to His betrayal and death. Matthew tells us that Jesus had faced a series of questions, all designed to “trap Him in his words” (Matthew 22:15). Each time Jesus had given a clear and challenging response until the time came for Him to ask a question of them – “What do you think of the Christ? Whose Son is He?” (Matthew 22:42). They of course answered in traditional fashion: “the son of David”, at which point Jesus takes them to David’s own words in Psalm 110:1 that this Messiah would not only be David’s son, but also David’s Lord! (Matthew 22:43-46). What the Pharisees failed to see was that Jesus’ question and its answer were designed to point to the fact that He is the one to whom Psalm 110 is referring; that He, Jesus, is indeed not only the son of David, but the Lord before whom even the great king David would one day bow. In Jesus they were thus face to face with the King who would one day rule at God’s right hand!

What Jesus’ disciples made of His words at that time we do not know. But we do know that after Jesus was raised to life and had ascended to heaven, they fully understood that Jesus was indeed God’s great King, the Lord who would indeed rule at God’s right hand. This is what Peter taught, quoting and explaining Psalm 110:1, in his famous sermon preached on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:29-36). This is what lies behind Paul’s words in Romans 1:1-4 where he refers to Jesus both as the son of David and the Son of God and therefore as Jesus Christ our Lord! And this is precisely what generations of Christians have affirmed whenever they say the words of the Apostles’ Creed, affirming that they believe in Jesus Christ who not only “was crucified, died and was buried” but who also “rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” Strikingly the Creed then goes on to declare that this Jesus will return from His place at God’s right hand in the heavens to “judge both the living and the dead”. This is the early church’s recognition that the time will come when, in fulfilment of Psalm 110:1, Jesus’ enemies will indeed be made a footstool for His feet and thus be brought into submission under His everlasting rule.

Until that time Jesus, the King at God’s right hand continues to rule in the heavens with all the authority of God Himself. And, as the rest of Psalm 110 makes clear, that rule and authority is seen in a most remarkable way, namely through the fellowship of willing volunteers who are made holy and who serve within His army for the extension of His rule (Psalm 110:2-3). How these volunteers can indeed be holy is not discussed in full but it is surely related to the fact that the One who is their King is also a priest appointed by God’s oath and according to the “order of Melchizedek”. It is thus through both His priestly work and His kingly authority that this King rules the world. And it is this very fact that lies behind Jesus’ final words in the gospel of Matthew. Having gone to the cross and risen as victorious over sin and death, Jesus about to ascend to God ‘s right hand, tells His disciples, the first of the willing volunteers, that “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him” and that they are thus to extend His kingdom by “making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-19). Here then is the final application of Psalm 110 to the person of Jesus, and the marching orders for every Christian who by the grace of this King Priest has become a willing volunteer in service of His kingdom.

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by Joe Lyons

The Horror of Hell and Planting Churches

We are familiar with the idea of separation. We’ve all experienced it at one time or another.

Jesus taught that at the end of this age there is going to be a separation.  According to Jesus, this world is not going to continue forever.  There will be a supernatural end, a cataclysmic event, a universal conclusion to this present age.  Jesus called this “the Son of Man coming in his glory”.  Jesus, who first came into our world as a baby born in humble circumstances, will return again as the all-powerful King, who sits in judgment over the nations of the world.  Then there will be a separation between what Jesus refers to as goats and the sheep.  Those that belong to Christ, the sheep, the King welcomes them into his kingdom.  To the goats, those who have rejected Christ, the King says the exact opposite: to depart from him “into the eternal fire” of “eternal punishment”. (cf. Matthew 25:31-32, 41, 46)

Eternity is at stake. Either eternal life or eternal punishment, because our sin is against an infinitely perfect, eternal God.

The book of Lamentations helps us to understand this difficult doctrine of the judgment and wrath of God.  Lamentations 4 describes the horrific experience of living in Jerusalem during the siege and slaughter of the Babylonian army in 587 BC.

God’s hot anger

The precious things were treated as worthless.  The gold of the temple of the Lord was stripped and the temple stones were scattered like discarded rubble (v1).  The sons of nobles were treated as broken pottery, to be thrown out as worthless and despised (v2).  The mothers of Jerusalem, out of desperation, had become like ostriches who were thought to forsake their young (v3).  No one gave the children food, either because there was no food, or because people were too desperate in their own extreme hunger to share (v3).   The rich, those who wore designer clothes, were scavenging on rubbish dumps (v5).

Mark Zuckerberg is the creator of Facebook and is the world’s youngest billionaire.  He was raised in New York in a Jewish family, even having a Bar mitzvah. However, since age 13 he has described himself as an atheist and has never wavered from that position.  He lists Atheism on his very own Facebook page as his religion.

In Jerusalem the billionaires were feeding off the rubbish dump because they rejected God.

The author of Lamentations says the punishment of Jerusalem was even greater than Sodom (v6).  Why?  At least the judgment on Sodom was quick, it was “overthrown in a moment”, it came to a speedy end.  The siege, destruction and captivity of Jerusalem lasted for days and weeks and months and years.

Hunger had ravaged the sons of the nobles and drained their colour.  They were starved, dehydrated and sunburnt (v7-8).  Neither wealth nor health protected one from the judgment of God.

The author says it’s better to die fast: it’s a sorry state when death by a sword is considered mercy (v9).

Mothers had not just boiled and eaten their afterbirth (as the book of Jeremiah tells us), but extreme hunger had led them to boil and eat their dead children (v10).  Who has done this inconceivable deed? The cruel women? No, it’s the compassionate women. The child of the mother’s womb was the object of the mother’s care and the mother’s cooking. Does the horror not end?

The people of the world never thought God would act in judgment (v12) – and then one day God did.

Even the king (v20), their last hope, was captured.

Yet, this horrific scene was not Satan’s doing, but God’s doing: God was pouring out his hot anger against sin (v11).  God’s holy fire was even burning the foundations of Jerusalem.

The precious was treated as worthless, the children starved, the rich ate on rubbish dumps, caring turned to cannibalism, and the king was captured.

Lamentations 4 shows us that God gets really angry at sin and it’s just a small foretaste of the ultimate judgment of God: the extreme horror of hell and the eternal punishment to come.

God’s steadfast love

The momentous news is that the Bible tells us that Jesus bore the wrath and judgment of God for sin in our place, so that we can be right with God.

One of the most profound truths of the Bible is (and if you don’t get this you won’t understand anything properly): God poured out his hot anger on Jesus so that you, if you trust in Jesus, don’t have to experience it.

Jesus, the Precious One, was treated as worthless, his body was beaten and disfigured, the king was captured and crucified.  The hammer of God was on Jesus.  He bore the wrath and punishment you and I deserve.

On the cross of Christ, the steadfast love of God is demonstrated and the wrath of God is satisfied.

The sufferings of Jerusalem, as horrific as they were, are not even comparable to the sufferings of God the Son as he bore the wrath of God the Father – for you.

In a very real sense, Jesus experienced hell on the cross, so you don’t have to – if you trust him.

But here’s the thing: if you do not put your faith in Jesus to save you and to deliver you from the coming wrath, you still have to bear it.

The sufferings of Jerusalem, as horrific as they were, are also not even comparable to the suffering of those who will be in an eternal hell.  They will wish they could die.

If Jesus does not bear the rod of God’s wrath for you, you must still bear it

Church planting

If you visit Kigali in Rwanda (like most big cities in Africa), you will find a church, even two churches, on every corner.  The churches have names like: Power Encounters, Anointed Healing Ministries and Tabernacle of Glory. The ministries of these churches are all about healing, power, blessing, prosperity, health, wealth, personal victory and triumph.  But there is mention of sin, the judgment of God or an eternal hell.  There is no mention of Jesus dying as our substitute to bear the rod of his wrath.  At our church on Sunday we were introduced to Innocent Manirafasha, a third year student at George Whitefield College.  He is, with his team, planning to plant a church in Kigali next year.

Some might ask why another church?  Because people need to hear the gospel.  He and the team aim to teach the Bible, including the difficult doctrine of hell, and point people to God’s great love in Jesus.  In a country and continent full of “churches” we need many moreevangelical churches.  Many so-called churches are glorified self-help centres and motivational seminars focussed on get-rich-quick schemes for the “anointed men of God”.  In the words of the prophet Jeremiah, they are preaching , “‘Peace, peace’ when there is no peace.”

The reality of an eternal hell is another (besides the many others) motivation for planting more evangelical churches.

 

Written by Andre Visagie. Original article can be found here.

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by Joe Lyons

Strangers in the World

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world” 1 Peter 1:1

In the opening verse of his first letter, the apostle Peter uses a very striking word to describe Christians in their relationship with the world. The word Peter uses (translated in the NIV with the phrase ‘strangers in the world’) is the Greek word paredeimos, literally ‘resident alien’. This description may seem strange to us but it had great significance for first century readers and thus it is important that we understand it correctly.

First the word paredeimos included the idea of being a foreigner or a stranger, a person who belonged to another country but who at present was living in a foreign land. It was a word used to describe those who had been exiled from their own homeland, either by force or by choice in the face of certain circumstances. One might think of the terms ‘foreign national’ or even ‘refugee’ to capture this idea today.  Peter thus reminds Christians that though they live in the world, their true citizenship is in heaven and that they have this great privilege purely on the basis of God’s electing grace (see e.g. 1 Peter 1:1-5). This great truth was to be a great encouragement to them (and us!) even in the midst of the trials that inevitably come within this fallen world (see 1 Peter 1:6-9).

Second, the word paredeimos reminded the believers that they were nevertheless residents of the land where they were currently dwelling. As such they were inevitably caught up within the daily events of that temporary homeland and were thus responsible to behave in ways which made a positive contribution to that temporary homeland. It is in the light of this real responsibility that Peter urged his readers to “live such good lives among the pagans that they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of His visitation” (1 Peter 2:11,12). Rather than cutting themselves off from the society within which they lived, Christians were called to be those who continued to do good, according to the opportunities that they had. It is with this in mind that Peter reminds his readers that Christians have an obligation to honour even a pagan government, always of course putting God first in their actions and thus never acting in ways which went against God’s holy standards (1 Peter 2:13-15). Although Peter does not refer to specific examples from Israel’s history, one thinks of people like Joseph or Daniel who were willing to serve pagan nations at the highest political level but who nevertheless were absolutely faithful to the Lord, even at personal cost.

As we turn our thinking to application in our own day, it is clear that this description of the Christian life as the life of a ‘resident alien’ is a very helpful one. It reminds us that this world is not our final home and that the standards of this world are not the rule by which we live. We belong to God and are called to live distinctive lives for Him as a witness to others. At the same time, we cannot and indeed must not avoid our responsibility to participate in and to serve the society within which we live. Thus, for example, when it comes to political process within a democratic society, Christians ought to fulfil their democratic obligations but to do so in ways that are carefully thought through and evaluated in the light of God’s truth. Whether it is in the matter of paying taxes or voting in local or national elections Christians have a very important role to play and we really should take that responsibility seriously. Of course when it comes to the matter of voting, democracy gives us the freedom of choice in who we vote for, and wisdom dictates that we should take the trouble to find out what the various parties actually stand for rather than to vote simply on sentimental grounds. Often the choice will be for the ‘lesser of two evils’ and then it is vital that we are well informed about the issues and that we learn to discern which issues on a political manifesto are the most important and should thus carry the greatest weight in shaping our democratic choices. None of this is easy and thus for some it is easier to just opt out. But that surely is not the path for the thinking Christian to take. Let us remember that those who shape the policies within our country will determine the environment within which we live and serve the Lord. Let us make choices that even though they may not result in Christian legislation within a secular state at least preserve those great freedoms within which the gospel can flourish – freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion and freedom from corrupt, tyrannical and oppressive rule.

Written by Mervyn Eloff. Original article can be found here.

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by Joe Lyons

Are you parenting like a Christian?

How we choose to parent our children is much like how we choose to spend our money. We don’t talk much about it.

“Whatever works for you” is the mantra I so often hear. This approach may be fine when deciding whether to swaddle or not to swaddle, whether to bottle-feed or breast feed but on important matters of the heart, thankfully, we are not left to our own devices.

Here are six principles, from the Bible (God’s instruction manual for all of life) on how to parent our children like Christians.

1. Be a fitness coach not a Maître D’.

We are not in the hospitality business as parents. Tedd Tripp, in his book Shepherding a Child’s Heart, explains how parenting has been “watered down to the task of providing food, clothes, a warm bed and some quality time” (Page 32).

Much more than this, parents have the responsibility to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Being qualified to train means ensuring you are keeping yourself “fit” as a Christian; that you are reading God’s words; attending a Bible-teaching church regularly; spending time with other Christians; modeling grace and forgiveness in your relationships; and praying with and for your children.

2. Clear your schedule

Fitness training takes up a great deal of time. So does Christian parenting.
It doesn’t fit neatly into the box of reading Bible stories at bedtime or, if you have older children, dropping them at Youth Group – or worse still, hoping their teacher at school will cover it. No!

While I agree there is a danger of idolising our children, it is my opinion that so often the opposite danger is true. We neglect to make the necessary time for what is really important for our children – training in righteousness. Are we too busy to read the Bible with our children? Do we take the time needed to research answers to difficult questions from our children – especially when the answer actually has eternal consequences? Or do we move swiftly along?

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 says “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

3. Be a warrior not an ostrich

Anyone who thinks the Bible is an old book without relevance in the 21st century, has obviously not read it properly. The Bible is alive, it is “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking and correcting in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16).

We should not cower away from talking about difficult issues with our children. We should use principles from the Bible to answer relevant questions: What do Usher’s lyrics teach your teenage son about how he treats girls? What desire does the latest electronic dance-scene craze promise to fill in young hearts – only to disappoint? And what of Taylor Swifts’ choice of vocabulary?

Christian parenting should be right on the front-line. It should be relevant and exciting as we explore the very different world our children find themselves in compared to the world in which we grew up.

4. Guard the heart

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Ps. 4:23)

Since our attitudes and actions flow out of our hearts, the heart seems a very good place to start. Forcing our children to behave a certain way with threats (to stick them in a corner or to take away privileges) does not necessarily teach them to engage with and “understand their motivations, goals, wants, wishes, and desires” (Shepherding a Child’s Heart, page 90). This is our task.

My four-year-old son was quite put-out this week when I told him that no-one is good – not even him and that he needed God’s help. An explanation of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross followed but my son believed he was capable of being good all on his own – much like brushing his own teeth or getting dressed.

The understanding that we all desperately need forgiveness and are incapable of being “good” does not come naturally to children (or adults). Even well-educated adults delight in how good they are; how they’re not as bad as the next person.

Children (with their parents’ guidance) must understand that faith in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross is the only way for us to enter eternal life with God. Our society will lure us into believing our hearts “need” all sorts of things, but we must keep ourselves and our children from being “polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

5. Discipline in love

Sounds like an oxymoron? The Bible teaches that “God disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in”. (Proverbs 3:12) and “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them”. (Proverbs 13:24).

The emphasis for me in both verses is on loving our children. The idea of spanking our children is certainly not politically-correct and has, in so many tragic circumstances, been abused. The image of a shepherd leading his sheep with a rod for steering the sheep away from grave danger and also, the root word to “disciple”, are helpful in a gaining better understanding of what it means to discipline our children in a Christian way.

I recommend that you read Tedd Tripp’s book Shepherding a Child’s Heart for a thorough exploration of what the rod is and what it is not, and once you have read the book for yourself, go on to my final point.

6. Treat every morning as an opportunity to start again.

Don’t be discouraged by past failures. As a mom of two, I have been challenged by the above principles. I regret things I have or haven’t said to my children but God’s mercies are new every morning to parents actively seeking Him. Apologise, learn from past failures, work to put them right but rejoice that with every sunrise comes an opportunity for a new start.

Lamentations 3:22–23
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness.”

Written by Bronwen Anderson. Original article can be found here. 

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by Joe Lyons

Choosing music that is edifying for your family

The idea behind this blog is not to discourage listening to secular music. I love all kinds of music, but find it is often the coolest tunes on radio which have the most dodgy lyrics and those are the ones that get stuck in my head. It’s a problem when a mother of two can’t stop singing “We stay up all night to get lucky!” – Thanks to Pentatonix for that catchy rendition.

I mentioned in a previous blog, How to sing better with the church, that people remember the words of the songs they sing [in church] long after the words of the sermon – melody and rhythm make lyrics more memorable.

If this is the case, having music on-hand, to play in the car or at home that not only sounds great but is also edifying, is a worthwhile pursuit.

1. Start with songs that are sung in church

If you and your family know the songs sung in your church well, you’ll be able to enjoy the times of sung worship that much more.
Also, if your church chooses songs carefully (and there are so many helpful websites for choosing great songs now), the songs you’ll be listening to in the car and at home will be rich in theology.

2. Search helpful websites

Praise Charts is a great web resource for church musicians looking for new songs to introduce to the congregations they serve. The list of artists it houses is extensive and each artist’s name is accompanied by some of the albums they have released. See this link as an example:https://www.praisecharts.com/artists/

Apple Music will open up a world of new artists and songs to you but this can be both exciting and intimidating – knowing how to filter.

3. Choose artists who have stood the test of time

Some artists are promoted under the “Gospel” or “Christian” label but it can be difficult to find the gospel message amongst their lines. Opt for some of the stalwarts of Christian music, who are usually tried and tested and found to have lives that are consistent with their lyrics.

4. Start young

If you have young children, try some of the Hillsong Kids albums, Colin Buchanan and Johnny Burns (all Australian). The Kids Praise albums are older but are also super fun and can all be purchased online. Getting into a family culture of listening to good music that your children appreciate may present opportunities for discussions about their music choices in teenage years.

While listening to children’s music is to be encouraged, there is also a great deal to be said for exposing children to grown-up church songs. Some of the children in our church can sing loads of lyrics from songs that are not particularly child-focused. Children have an amazing ability to absorb lyrics. Helping them understand what they are singing about is a wonderful opportunity for gospel conversations.

5. Here is a far-from-comprehensive list of some Contemporary Christian artists and songs to get you started:

Pop:

Brooke Fraser
Not only a prolific writer for Hillsong but a solo artist with deep, thought-provoking lyrics.

See

Francesca Battistelli
I love the words of this song

Brandon Heath

Nicole Nordeman

Christian Rock:

Casting Crowns
Led by Mark Hall, they write singable songs but also teach on contemporary issues through their songs.

 

 

Gospel/Christian Contemporary

Israel Houghton (and New Breed)
Their “Live in Asia” album in great but he is prolific and there is lots more where that came from.

 

For South African Gospel, some of the Joyous Celebration albums have great songs. Also try Benjamin Dube.

For some more options, try: Matt Redman, Kari Jobe, Lauren Daigle, Matthew West, Lou Fellingham, Lincoln Brewster, Chris Tomlin, Laura Storey, Christy Nockels, All Sons and Daughters, Kim Walker-Smith, Toby Mac, Paul Baloche, Hillsong and Hillsong United and South African Blaque Nubon and Lilly Million.

Happy Listening!

 

Written by Bronwen Anderson. Original article can be found here. 

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by Joe Lyons

News from the Presiding Bishop August 2016

"….But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 3:13,14)

As my years of ministry increase, I find myself again and again taking comfort from Paul’s analogy of our task to that of an athlete competing in the (marathon) race. (1Tim.6:12; 2Tim.4:7,8).  One important difference is that for believers, victory comes not with winning but with finishing the race, (and certainly finishing well, not in disgrace - 1Cor.9:24-27). This month’s Rio Olympics gave us a memorable demonstration of that truth. During the women’s 5000m race, two runners took a bad tumble. From their faces you could see that they knew their medal hopes were over.  One runner, Abbey D’Agostino got up and encouraged the other, Nikki Hamblin, to get back up and finish the race. Later in the race Nikki would find herself urging the injured Abbey to do the same. The two finished way behind the rest but received a standing ovation from the crowd. Abbey, a follower of Christ, understood that God had a plan for her in all of this (see article). She would glorify God by finishing last and so demonstrate that there was something greater than a gold medal that drives God’s people to keep going. God has called us heavenward in Christ. How glorious is the news that sinners like us qualify by His grace to run the race of ministry for Christ. So let us not give up, but run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Heb.12:1).

August Highlights

Visit to Bhekithemba Community Church

With Rev. Elias (and Benzile) Majozi and Rev. Thulani (and Fezeka) Ngcizela

Opening of Children's Center - Christ Church Sobantu

With Rev. Bernard Shelembe, minister of Christ Church Sobantu. 

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more updates and pictures.

    

Post of the Month

The Rio Olympics and Calvin's Mission

- by Tim Challies

Prayer

• Give thanks to God for relatively peaceful Municipal elections. Pray for Gods hand on our land as new political realities begin to take shape. Pray that His people will show wisdom and witness for Christ in their conduct and community involvement.
• Pray for our September Synod, that the lord would be at work urging usonward in the task He has called us to. May God empower us by His Spirit to press on with the work of the Gospel in SA and beyond.

• Pray for our REACH-SA gospel workers, ministers and their families, that God would sustain and refresh them regularly by His word. May God give our workers wisdom to labour effectively in their various fields of ministry. Pray for fruit to come from new plans for gospel works in the various regions of our country.

 

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by Joe Lyons

The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation

“Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.”

 

The following Article has two important heads: Firstly, the sufficiency of Scripture, “Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation”. Secondly, canonicity, “In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the church”

 

1. Sufficiency of Scripture

 

In order to appreciate the Article 6’s insistence on the sufficiency of Scripture, we need to grasp…

 

• Its original intention: Countering Roman Catholicism and the Anabaptists “New Revelation”

 

With the Council of Trent in 1545, the Roman Catholic Church officially placed tradition on an equal authoritative level as Scripture as a source of doctrine or building a basis for belief. Moreover, during the 16^th Century, some Anabaptist groups affirmed the continuation of revelation or inspiration, considering the Scriptures being “only to the weak” (Kidd 1899:95; Baker 1883:49-50). Conversely, the Anglican Church sought to affirm what Jude 3 claims that “the faith… was once for all delivered unto the saints”.  As the 17^th Century Anglican Bishop, Gilbert Burnet put it, “We, on the contrary, affirm that the Scriptures are a complete rule of faith and that the whole Christian religion is contained in them” (1842:92; Baker 1883:49-50)

 

19^th century Anglican, William Baker, for example, points out that Jesus strongly condemned the extra-biblical traditions of the Jewish Rabbis/elders which were put on par with the Old Testament Scriptures in Matt. 15:3-9 and Mk. 7:7-13, “Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your traditions?... They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men” (1883:49-50).

 

Question: Why did the Anglican Church strongly condemn any notion of extra-revelation or the authority of human tradition? Why should we be bothered by this?

 

I would like to propose two reasons… Firstly,

 

• To protect the church from a common pattern…

 

It is quite interesting, when you study various sects and heretical movements during the course of the history of the church, you will notice that they all have a common pattern. And the pattern is threefold…

 

Firstly, there is the claim of “New Revelation” or knowledge of an equal authoritative source. Early church heretical groups (like Gnosticism and Montanism) all claimed extra-biblical revelation or knowledge from the Divine (Kelly 2007:26; Turner 2006:9; Hill 2003:23; Pearson 1984:67-68). Similarly, 7^th Century Islam’s leader Mohammed claimed extra-biblical revelation. Roman Catholicism, especially during the 10-13^th Century claimed that the papal interpretation and church tradition is an equally authoritative source as the Scriptures (for example, Pope Gregory VII’s “Dictatus Pape”). Modern (18^th-20^th Century) sects like Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons and the New Apostolic Church all claimed extra-biblical revelation. When Liberal Theology gained momentum in the 19^th Century, it viewed itself as a New Theology. All of them claim “new knowledge” that supersedes former revelation.

 

Secondly, all of them depreciate the centrality of Christ. For all the above heretical groups, Jesus is not the only means to knowing God and receiving salvation. Even though Jesus enjoys a high estimation (whether being a supreme being, the Son of God, an incredible prophet or good teacher), to all of them Jesus is just a step in the process. Christ is merely the catalyst. Which leads to the third point…

 

Thirdly, all of them revert to a type of legalistic system in order to know God and reach salvation. In Gnosticism it was through practicing various rituals and rites. For Montanism it was rigorous asceticism. For Islam it is the 5 pillars of Islam. For Roman Catholicism it is the sacraments and various other rites and rituals through which grace is applied to the person.  Even liberal theology (in its beginning stages) motivated a type of societal moralism. In the end Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees holds true for all these movements, “They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men”.

 

Yet, there is also a second reason why Article 6 stresses the sufficiency of Scripture…

 

• Sufficiency underscores Christology, Certainty, Salvation and Maturity (Matt. 5:17-18; Lk. 24:27; Jn. 1:1-3; 5:39; 14:6-7; Heb. 1:1-3; Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 3:15-16)

 

Maybe something a bit lost today is the Early Church and the Reformation’s strong link between Christology and our Doctrine of Scripture. For both periods, Christology and Scripture are inseparable. In fact, the debate about the sufficiency of the Scriptures was actually a debate about Christology. Sola Scriptura and Solus Christus went together.

 

Let me explain… In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus makes the striking claim, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matt. 5:17). Luke tells us in Lk. 24:27 that Jesus, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” John starts his Gospel by affirming that Jesus is indeed “The Word of God” (Jn. 1:1-3) through whom we will come to know God the Father (Jn. 1:18). And like Matthew and Luke Jesus tells the religious leaders in Jn. 5:39, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me”. Matthew, Luke and John’s Gospel affirm that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, being the full revelation of God the Father’s character and purposes. Hence, Jesus’ powerful claim in Jn. 14:6, “I am the way, and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”.  The Apostle Paul puts it this way in Col. 2:2-3, “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ: in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. As Hebrews 1:1-3 puts in, “In these last days he (God the Father) has spoken to us by his Son… He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature”.

 

Christ is the fullness of God the Father’s revelation and that historical revelation is recorded for us in the Old and New Testament Scriptures. God the Father can only be known through the revelation of His Son, which is embodied in the Scriptures. To deny the Scriptures’ sufficiency is to deny the centrality of Christ as the ultimate revelation of the Father. Everything outside the Scriptures, that is separate from Christ, is speculation. Luther put it this way in the Heidelberg Desputation, “Now it is not sufficient for anyone, and it does him no good to recognize God in his glory and majesty, unless he recognizes him in the humility and shame of the cross… For this reason true theology and recognition of God are in the crucified Christ… God can be found only in suffering and the cross”…  Or as 20^th Century Dutch Theologian Herman Bavinck puts it, “Religion and the Knowledge of God can have their origin only in revelation… John calls Christ the ‘Word’, because in Him and through Him God reveals Himself both in creation and in redemption”.

 

In addition, Christian assurance and maturity is built on the idea of imitating or following Christ; as Jesus called us, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mk. 8:34). The mission of God the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:29 is to ensure that we are, “being conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). Hence the Apostolic emphasis on Christ-likeness… Paul put it this way, “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 1:13) or Peter in 1 Pet. 2:21, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Consequently, if Christian assurance and maturity is built, “in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God” in whom we “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13)… the denial of the sufficiency of Scripture undermines Christian discipleship, since it denies the sufficiency of the revelation of Jesus Christ (the basis of our Christian maturity). Christian discipleship is dependent on the sufficiency of Scripture (pause).

 

Question: Why did the Article on the sufficiency of Scripture include Canonicity?

 

The Anglican Church also understood that there is a direct relationship between the sufficiency of Scripture and Canonicity. The one is dependent on the other…

 

2. Canonicity

 

The only way we will know whether the Scriptures (Old and New) are sufficient is whether they always have been accepted or regarded as thus. And the Article makes the claim that that is the case, “In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.” William Baker, commenting on this Article, wrote, “The Christian church has never been without Holy Scripture, that is, without written documents which it has held and reverenced as the word of God” (1883:46)

 

Yet, the issue of Canonicity is not based on individual preference or the doctrinal affinity of the books and letters of the Bible, but rather whether the historical church always accepted the current Canonical books of the Bible. As Kidd put it, it is a “matter… of historic inquiry” (1899:100). Did God’s people always accept the Old and New Testament? Or more importantly, did the church always accept the Scriptures as they are now prior to them being officially declared to be canonical in the 4^th Century?

 

Question: Why is it important that we know the answer to this?

 

For both the Old and New Testament, the Church has always called on the Witness of the Apostles and the Witness of the Early Church. So, looking at…

 

1. a) The Acceptance of the OT

 

Looking at the…

 

• The Apostolic Witness

 

It does not take too much investigation of the New Testament Scriptures to know that Jesus and the Apostles regarded the Old Testament as the inspired or Spirit-breathed Word of God. Jesus considered the authority of the Old Testament to be absolute, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matt. 5:18). Moreover, as we have already noted, He only used the Old Testament in reference to Himself and His teaching. The Old Testament witnesses to Him and Him to them (Lk. 24:27; Jn. 5:38-39). Moreover, Paul calls the Old Testament Scriptures as being inspired by God, “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Tim. 3:15-16; cf. Rom. 15:4). Similarly, the Apostle Peter writes, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

 

Consequently, it should not surprise us, when we look at…

 

• The Early Church Witness

 

That the Early Church wholeheartedly accepted the Old Testament as God’s Word. In fact, as J.N.D. Kelly (2007:52) observes, during the first 100 years all the churches used the Old Testament as their Scriptures. Consequently, when we read the earliest documents of the church and they wrote, “th/j grafh/j” (the Scriptures) or “ge,graptai ga,r” (for it is written) or “le,gei ga.r h` grafh,” (for the Scripture says), it primarily referred to the Old Testament (1 Clement 23:5; 34:6; 35:7; 46:2ff; Barnabas 4:7, 11; 5:4; 6:12) (Kelly 2007:52).

 

Keeping with the Apostolic Fathers, the 2^nd Century Apologists (like Justin and Athenagoras) all agreed that the Old Testament is written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Athenagoras, in his “A Plea for Christians” explains in Chapters 7 and 9 that the prophets were used by the Holy Spirit as instruments to proclaim or utter God’s Words. Consequently, they enjoyed a higher authority than philosophy in formulating doctrine.

 

Yet, what about the New Testament? Did the Early Church view the New Testament writings as a) being Apostolic and b) having equal authority to the Old Testament as God’s Word? So, looking at…

 

1. b) The Acceptance of the NT

 

We first observe the internal witness of the New Testament, namely…

 

• The Apostolic witness

 

What should strike us is that the Apostles did not view their words as being human opinions. For example, Paul tells the Galatian church, “I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” Declaring anyone accursed who teaches a different Gospel (Gal. 1:11-12). Similarly, Paul explains his apostolic teaching to the Corinthian church as being from the Holy Spirit, “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit,” (1 Cor. 2:13). In fact, Paul describes his ministry as merely delivering what he received from Christ, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you” (1 Cor. 11:23) and being direct from the Lord Jesus, “the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37). Furthermore, what Paul has received from Jesus Christ is in “accordance with the (Old Testament) Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). Paul makes similar claim in 1 Thessalonians 4:15.

 

In addition, the Apostle Peter puts Paul’s letters in 2 Pet. 3:15-16 on equal footing with the Old Testament Scriptures, “Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.” Furthermore, the Apostle John consider his work “Revelation” to be, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants” and pronounces a blessing (similar to Jesus’ beatitudes and the Old Testament blessings to all who read and apply these words (Rev. 1:1-3).

 

Consequently, just by looking at these internal examples, the Apostles did not view their own works as being human inventions, but revealed to them by the Lord Jesus Himself. Their works should be included as being part of Jesus’ revelation. They are the one to whom the Spirit of Truth gave all Truth (Jn. 14-16).

 

Yet, did the Early Church accept the Apostolic Witness?

 

• The Early Church Witness

 

• Apostolic fathers (approx. 70 A.D. to 110 A.D.)

 

In Ignatius’ (a disciple of the Apostle John) letter to Smyrneans 5:1, Ignatius refers to the Gospels as having authority to the Old Testament when he says, “They have been convinced neither by the words of the prophets nor the Law of Moses, nor, until now, by the Gospel…” Similarly in 7:2, Ignatius writes, “… but instead to pay attention to the prophets, and especially to the Gospel, in which the passion is clearly shown to us and the resurrection perfected”.

 

In 1 Clement 42:1-2 (one of the earliest church documents. It is even older than some New Testament books and letters), Clement highlights that the Apostles’ teaching was not their own opinion, but was given to them by Jesus Christ who was sent by God the Father, forming a chain of authority, “The Apostles were given the Gospel for us by the Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ was sent forth from God. Thus Christ came from God and the Apostles from Christ”. In 2 Clement 2:4, Clement quotes the Gospel of Matthew, referring to it as Scripture (the term used in reference to the Old Testament), “And also another Scripture says…” and regarding it as the words of Cristo.j (Christ) (2 Clement 2:7). Furthermore, in 2 Clement 14:2, Clement puts the Old Testament and the Apostolic witness together as equal authorities when he writes, “And, as you know, the Bible and the Apostles indicate that the church has not come into being just now, but has existed from the beginning”.

 

Similarly, The Epistle of Barnabas 4:14 quotes Matthew’s Gospel, using the Old Testament formula of “it is written”. In addition, Polycarp (disciple of Ignatius), in his letter to the Philippians 3:2-3 speaks in elevated terms of the Apostle Paul, “When he was with you he accurately and reliably taught the word of truth to those who were there at the time. And when he was absent he wrote you letters. If you carefully peer into them, you will be able to be built up in the faith that was given you. This faith is the mother of us all”.

 

What would seem clear is that from the earliest church witness, the Apostles and in particular the Gospels were revered with an authority that is equal to the Old Testament. The Apostles received their words from Christ and Christ from God and the Apostle Paul’s words embodied the faith that builds up the body of Christ. Polycarp’s reference to Paul does indicate that the apostolic teaching was formerly delivered orally, but later on through the written form of epistles (Kelly 2007:58; Richardson 2006:21-22).

 

• Irenaeus (2^nd Century)

 

Irenaeus, third generation after the Apostles, was the first writer to classify the Apostles’ Writings as being a New Testament in relation to the Old Testament (Irenaeus, Adversus Heareses, 4:9:1).

Regarding the New Testament books, Irenaeus viewed the four Gospels as being the pillars of the church (Adversus Haereses 3:11:8-9). Quite interestingly, Irenaeus admitted that there was a difference between the four Gospels’ accounts of the life of Christ, yet considered this as a confirmation of its authenticity as well as reliability (Pagels 2002:347). Nevertheless, from our earliest records it is only Tatian and Irenaeus who make mention of the Gospel of John as completing a fourfold Gospel account. Yet, Irenaeus did say that his acceptance of the Gospel of John is based on the tradition he received from Asia Minor (Adversus Haereses 3.3.4; 3.11.9) (Pagels 2002:361). Irenaeus referred to almost all the New Testament books except for two or three shorter epistles, which illustrates that Irenaeus was one of the first to use the entire scriptural corpus as subsequent generations would (Hardy 2006:352).

 

• Tertullian (2^nd-3^rd Century)

 

Tertullian mentions in De Praescriptione Haereticorum 36:5 that, “(The church) combine the law and the prophets with the Gospels and the letters of the apostles”. In Adversus Praxean 20 Tertullian refers to both testaments as, “the whole store of both testaments”. What is even more striking is Tertullian’s comprehensive list of New Testament books he mentions in Adversus Marcionem. In Adversus Marcionem 4:5:3 Tertullian mentions the four Gospels in relation to their apostolic origin. In Adversus Marcionem 5:1-21, Tertullian mentions Galatians, 1&2 Corinthians, Romans, 1&2 Thessalonians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, 1&2 Timothy and Titus. In De Pudicitia 19-20, Tertullian refers to the Apocalypse of John; 1 John; and the Epistle to the Hebrews, attributing its authorship to Barnabas (Kelly 2007:59).

 

• Muratorian Fragment (170-190 A.D).

 

Finally, one of the first lists of New Testament writings, or at least a compilation of texts, is the Muratorian fragment, which was discovered in 1740 and dates back to about 170-190 A.D. The following books are found in it: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, 1&2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians, 1&2 Thessalonians, Romans, Philemon, Titus, 1&2 Timothy, Jude, 1&2 John, the Apocalypse of John, the Apocalypse of Peter and the Wisdom of Solomon. The last two, however, was not incorporated by the universal church. The fragment itself mentions that not all were willing to accept or publicly read the Apocalypse of Peter (Shelley 2008:66).

 

• In Conclusion

 

In conclusion, it would seem that at a very early stage the apostles’ teaching enjoyed equal authority with the Old Testament. Yet, during the 1-2^nd Century, their writings were not evenly distributed, which implied that most churches did not have a complete collection of all the apostolic writings. Even so, whatever works the church possessed of the apostles were considered as being from Christ and therefore of equal authority to the Old Testament. It was only by the time of Irenaeus and Tertullian that churches in general had a more complete collection of the apostolic writings. Given the current evidence, it is overwhelmingly plausible to conclude that by 200 A.D. most churches had the complete collection of Apostolic writings which is known today as the New Testament. Subsequent councils in the 4^th Century merely formalized it (Brown 2003:74; Baker 1883:53).

 

Consequently, we know the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are sufficient for knowing God, receiving salvation and becoming Christ-like, being the full revelation of Jesus Christ, since the Apostolic and Early Church Witness viewed it as complete; both, we believe, as Calvin put it, due to the inspiration of Apostles by the Holy Spirit and the internal witness/illumination of the Church by God the Holy Spirit (Institutes 1:7:1, 5).

 

Article written by Carel Pienaar.

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by Joe Lyons