Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

On the Proper Administrator and Setting for Baptism

The Proper Administrator for Baptism[1]

There is no explicit instruction or prescription as to who may administer the ordinance of baptism.[2] Some argue that it should only be the pastor. Some argue that it can be any pastor on staff. Some argue that it should be any church leader. Some would argue that it should be those who led them to Christ. Some would argue that any Christian can baptize someone. From the outset there seems to be nothing wrong with these arguments scripturally since we hold to a belief in the priesthood of all believers.[3] But one the other hand, none of these beliefs are required by the biblical testimony. Beyond that, “neither by explicit instruction nor by example[4] does the bible teach that a particular administrator is essential for a true, valid baptism.”[5] Baptist theologian John Hammett contends that “there is no theological reason why someone must be ordained[6] to administer the ordinances, but it does seem prudent and orderly. At the same time we view the ordinances as entrusted to the church, not to its leaders.”[7] It does seem prudent, for the sake of order[8], to have someone perform the baptism that well represents[9] the congregation as a whole.[10]

The Proper Setting for Baptism[11]

The administration of the ordinances belongs to the local churches. Baptism serves as the initiatory right of a new believer since it is connected “with ones initiation into the universal, invisible church as well as the local, visible church.”[12] Baptism is an act that is to be celebrated by the assembled church[13] rather than a solitary observance on the part of individuals.[14] Baptisms are normally to be conducted in the assembly which the person will be joining seeing that the congregation is responsible[15] for affirming initially that the individual to be baptized understands the gospel of Jesus Christ. If the responsibility for a new believer rests in with the congregation its seems appropriate that the baptism itself would take place in the presence of the gathered congregation for celebration and mutual encouragement.[16] For this reason Dr. Hammett writes that the ordinances are not appropriate exercises for “an individual family, a home bible study, or a youth group. They may be celebrated outside of church buildings, but their [the ordinances] meaning can be fully expressed only when there are celebrated by the body of believers in the church.”[17]

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

An Introduction to Jeremiah

With Zach Hawkins. Click here to download the PDF.

The Place of Jeremiah in Salvation History

Jeremiah was called by God (627 BCE) to speak to the people of Jerusalem during a revival under King Josiah (628 BCE[1]). The revival died along with King Josiah in a battle against the Egyptians. After his death, Josiah’s sons ruled as the collapse of the kingdom occurred. Because of Judah’s constant rebellion against being a vassal for Babylon, many Israelites were deported, including contemporary prophet Ezekiel, which  many thought was the sum total of Jeremiah’s prophecies of doom. Unfortunately, they were incorrect. In 589, Jeremiah continued as a prophet through Jerusalem’s fall to the Babylonians.  It’s important to note that while the Babylonians believed that deportation was a well-executed way of quelling further rebellion, God was using that deportation to preserve a remnant for Himself. Also important is the notion of remnant in Jeremiah. Most may interpret this as God protecting the faithful, not allowing them to be subject to suffering and pain. This is not true. Just because God is preserving a remnant does not mean that they will not experience a great deal of suffering and pain as they literally go to live in a foreign land under foreign rule.

The message of hope here is not that as faithful followers, “remnants,” or “good Christians” won’t experience suffering. Rather, the message of hope here is that God’s promises can never be broken. The hope is that no matter what happens to either the remnant or the remaining people in Judah, God’s promise to Abraham, Moses, and David will be delivered upon. As for Jeremiah, during his career his task was to hammer home the message that Jerusalem’s eminent fall was not due to any lack on God’s part but was due entirely to their unfaithfulness to God, specifically turning from him by listening to false prophets rather than true ones.[2] Yet, even in the midst of prophesying judgment there was also hope. Jeremiah foretold a return from exile and an everlasting covenant in which God’s people would at last embrace the covenant in their hearts, finally fulfilling their calling to bring light to the world. To put it simply: “Jeremiah tells the story that promises renewed salvation after judgment and names this as the new covenant…which leads to fulfillment in God’s act of salvation through Christ.”[3]

The Background to Jeremiah

The book of Jeremiah is set during the politically tumultuous times following the fall of the Assyrians and the rise of the Babylonians. Judah passed quickly through rapid cycles of independence, and subjection, first in Egypt and now in Babylon. The nation’s independence was at an end.[4] Jeremiah personally witnessed “the Babylonian invasion which culminated in the capture of Jerusalem, the destruction of Solomon’s temple and the forced exile of many Judeans into Babylon.”[5]

“Because Jeremiah is unlike any other Old Testament prophet, and because his writings are so inextricably bound up with his life and thought[6], the student of this prophecy must consider in depth the inner life and characteristics of this man of God.”[7] Jeremiah was born into a family of priestly lineage in Anathoth, about 2 or 3 miles from Jerusalem. He was called to be a prophet and served for over 40 years[8]. At the time of his call he was a youth[9] and still dependent on his parents. He became a priest and lived in an area allotted to the tribe of Benjamin, so he was possibly a descendant of Abiathar, high priest during David’s reign. Although he had a priestly lineage, his family would eventually oppose him[10] for reasons not identified in the text. Perhaps it was because he was not afraid to criticize what he saw happening in Jerusalem[11]. Many authors have called Jeremiah the “weeping prophet.”[12] In some sense Jeremiah had to identify with God in order to fully comprehend his ministry. In his own suffering Jeremiah reflected the suffering of God. However, the emphasis on his weeping may be misleading if that is the only picture given – considering his determination, dedication, ad longsuffering, Jeremiah would also be noted as a visionary follower of God. Consider what he endured:

“Jeremiah often withstood the political and religious establishment of the day…he would suffer for it. He was persecuted for his message; whipped and put in stocks by a temple overseer[13]; accused of treason, sedition, and desertion[14]; plotted against[15]; imprisoned in a cistern[16]; and held under arrest in the courtyard of the guard.[17]…The prophet gives the expression of feeling abandoned by God or prays that God will take vengeance on his enemies, or he questions the goodness and constancy of God in the face of his suffering.”[18]

Jeremiah is single and barren and cannot get married. This is not because of his convictions or preferences, but because his life is a Sign-Act that functions as a parallel to the way of Israel. Judah, like Jeremiah, will face the barrenness of the land.[19] The emotional burden of this dual role on Jeremiah is extreme and leads to a lament in which he curses his birth.[20] The death he thus seeks corresponds to the “death” that Judah itself must endure; and the continuation of prophet and message into the second half of the book is a token of life beyond that death for the people.[21]

As one interprets this book, realize that the life of the prophet only becomes an aspect of the theology of the book. The word of the Lord is the primary focus, not a profile of the prophet. The aim is to hear the message of the book and how the life of the prophet fuels that message. It would be unwise to make parallels between Jeremiah and modern day Christians as the sole purpose of the book of Jeremiah. These prophets are not to be regarded as models for living, as if that is the purpose of chronicling their lives. No, instead, their lives and ministries should be viewed with an eye toward the plans of a Holy God, working amongst his chosen people, to enact His unshakable will. The claim of Jeremiah is not, “Be like Jeremiah!” Rather it’s, “Listen to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah!”

The Composition of Jeremiah

Determining the authorship of the book of Jeremiah is complicated. However, these complications do not make it impossible for the actual content of the book to be Jeremiah’s words.[22] “It seems quite likely that in the generations after the prophets’ death his materials were collected and edited into their final form.”[23] The book reports that Baruch wrote down some of Jeremiah’s messages[24]. Therefore, it is quite possible that he wrote down the various types of “words of Jeremiah”[25] at Jeremiah’s dictation. One thing is certain; the book of Jeremiah contains more information on the prophet than any other Old Testament prophetic book.

There are a variety of literary types in Jeremiah. “It includes autobiography[26], long poetic discourses[27], reports of oral sermons[28], reports of sermons delivered in written form[29], historical narratives[30], messages to individuals[31], and messages denouncing foreign nations[32].”[33] The material in Jeremiah is not in chronological sequence and the inner logic of its arrangement not easily discernable. However, there are smaller collections of books within the book that reflect somewhat of a thematic arrangement which can be identified by introductory statements. Concerning a literary structure of the book, it can be outlined as followed[34].

1. Introduction (1:1–19)
2. Israel’s Covenantal Adultery (2:1–6:30)
3. False Religion and an Idolatrous People (7:1–10:25)
4. Jeremiah’s Struggles with God and Judah (11:1–20:18)
a. Concerning the drought (14:1-15:4)
5. Jeremiah’s Confrontations (21:1–29:32)
b. Concerning the royal house of Judah (21:11-22:30)
6. Restoration for Judah and Israel (30:1–33:26)
7. God Judges Judah (34:1–45:5)
8. God’s Judgment on the Nations (46:1–51:64)
c. Concerning Babylon and the Babylonians (50:1-51:64)
9. Conclusion: The Fall of Jerusalem (52:1–34)

Again, the book of Jeremiah is an anthology of writings drawn from an entire lifetime of prophetic ministry. The narrative sections scattered throughout the book are loosely structured around the main events of Jeremiah’s life in ministry, which themselves were shaped by Judah’s decline, fall, and exile in Babylon. I think Paul House is correct when he argues:

“It may be helpful to think of the book of Jeremiah as a notebook or scrapbook of things written by the prophet about his ministry. Jeremiah includes enough “news clippings” to piece together the story of his life, but just as important are the prophetic poems he wrote to address the spiritual needs of his generation and to express the emotions of his own suffering soul. Viewed as a story, the book of Jeremiah has a unifying plot conflict: will God’s people listen to God’s warnings and repent of their sin, or will they reject the message of God’s prophet and be destroyed? The city of Jerusalem also has a strong unifying presence in the book.”[35]

The Key Theological Themes in Jeremiah

“Jeremiah exhibits many great themes that stress God’s judgment on covenant infidelity and worldwide sin, as well as God’s determination to restore an international people for himself through the establishing of a new covenant.”[36] Most likely Jeremiah was read by persons awaiting the end of Judah’s exile and the return of God’s people to the land. Understanding this helps us read the book better. It is very clear in the text that the author desired to leave behind a record of the chaotic times in which they lived, God’s message for those times, and God’s message for the future of Israel and the nations.

The Righteous Living God

Jeremiah presents God alone as the living God and that he alone made the world. All other so-called gods are merely worthless, powerless idols.[37] This Creator God called his chosen people to a special relationship[38], gave them his holy word, and promised to bless their temple with his name and presence.[39] Jeremiah makes it clear that God rules the present and the future[40], protects his chosen ones[41], and saves those who turn to him[42]. Jeremiah proclaims that God is absolutely trustworthy; he keeps his promises. Therefore, Jeremiah assures readers that when people repent and turn to God, his grace triumphs over sin and judgment. It is important to note that the tremendous emphasis on the sins and wickedness of Israel serves to draw attention to the holiness of God.

The Problem of Humanity

Jeremiah’s view of human beings is severely realistic. All throughout this book Jerusalem and Judah are shown to be spiritually enslaved to the stupidity of their sin. Jeremiah proclaims that the human heart is sick and beyond curing by anyone but God[43]. The human heart is described as a rock hard object, permanently engraved with sin.[44] “In stead of worshiping their God “they have turned to broken cisterns, sold themselves to be abused slaves, committed adultery, and entrusted themselves to idols that cannot deliver.”[45] [46]. Israel went after other gods[47], defiled the temple by their unwillingness to repent[48], and oppressed one another[49].

The Call to Repentance

Israel and the nations have sinned against God[50] [51], and God will not allow human sin to continue without justice. Jeremiah warns that punishment is coming. In fact, he calls the people over 100 times to “turn around” or “repent.” This involves turning from one’s own way back to the paths of God’s moral and conventional norms.[52] Jeremiah promises that when people turn from their sins and return to God they will receive forgiveness and healing. Jeremiah proclaims that God will renew a humble and repenting people, and he mourns their lack of repentance and thankfulness for God’s mercy[53]. God comforts him with the knowledge that repentance and renewal would eventually come.[54] With this hope Jeremiah continues to call the community to be constantly renewed through repentance.[55] However, “in his sermons Jeremiah warns against false confidence in God’s covenant with Israel. The Lord’s choice of Zion did not mean that the city was inviolable if the nation did not heed his commands.”[56]

The Sinai Covenant

God had made a covenant with Israel which was a binding relational agreement between the two parties, “based on deeds done by God and promises made by God, which Israel accepted by faith in God, for the purpose of living for God as his unique people in the world.”[57] This covenant was rooted in God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob[58] and was based on God’s redemption of Israel from slavery in Egypt.[59] Again, “the two most important factors influencing Jeremiah’s thinking are the Exodus from Egypt[60] and the covenant given to Moses at Sinai.[61] In this respect Jeremiah was a typical Hebrew prophet who calls the people back to obedience to the Sinai covenant.[62][63]” It included standards of living[64] that the people who were called to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”[65] should uphold as they trusted God and lived for him. It included faith-based sacrifices[66] and prayers[67] to deal with the people’s sins. It included clear accountability to God in the form of blessing and cursing.[68]

The Messiah and the New Covenant[69]

As one reads through Jeremiah it becomes evident that God’s judgment is not the final word.[70] Jeremiah foretells of a time when God will “gather the remnant” of Israel and raise up “for David a righteous Branch” who will reign over the faithful ones.[71] When he comes, this King will be “our righteousness”.[72] The good news in those future days is that God would “make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah”.[73] Thus, all the new covenant partners will be believers who are forgiven and empowered by God; he will “remember their sin no more”.[74] Hebrews 8:8–12 quotes Jeremiah 31:31–34 as evidence that the new covenant has come through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The coming of Jesus the Messiah fulfills God’s promises to Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets of a new faithful people of God in continuity with the old people of God. This is God’s remedy for the sick heart[75], putting his law directly on the heart of the new community[76] so they would intrinsically know and be obedient to the law.[77] Again, this is different from the old covenant for a few reasons:

  1. The new covenant will be unbreakable[78]
  2. The members of the new covenant community will be regenerate, have the law written on their hearts.[79]
  3. The new covenant will not operate according to natural line of birth and descent, but through spiritual birth.[80]

God is going to ensure that his people be a people after his own heart. He will ensure through Jesus Christ[81] that the Law will be written internally, not just adhered to externally. The New Covenant was inaugurated by Jesus, but will be consummated in the end times.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Life, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Two Excellent Books – D.A. Carson’s “The God Who Is There” and Tim Keller’s “King’s Cross”

During the summer many people make a concerted effort to read a few books. If you are like me you might have a stack of books to be read beside the nightstand, desk, or various tables throughout the house. No matter how busy I find myself to be, good books are always waiting. Al Mohler once said that “summer is supposed to be a season of rest and relaxation — at least in theory. As one wit remarked, “A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” During these “perfect summer days” we can read some of those volumes that we have been waiting to read. But perhaps you would like some direction on a good book or two?

The other night I was asked by someone what books I would recommend for summer reading. Now, as a pastor I want our congregation to continue growing in their faith and understanding, so this very minimal list provides two books that I think are helpful in stimulating spiritual growth. There is one common characteristic about these books that make them uniquely valuable. Each one, in my opinion, represents the outcrop of decades of study and practice by these authors in their respected fields.

“The God Who Is There” by D.A. Carson

It is quite obvious that the level of biblical illiteracy in our Western Culture continues to grow. Even in our churches there seems to be a waning understanding of the biblical narrative. Quite frankly, very few Christians have a grasp of the storyline of the Bible and its unifying message. As Ed Clowney once said, many Christians know bible stories but they do not know the bible story. Therefore we must ask the question, how do Christian’s explain the message of the bible to someone when they don’t even understand how it all fits together?

In the theological academy there has been somewhat of resurgence in the discipline of Biblical Theology in recent years. Biblical Theology as a discipline seeks to provide a synthesis, or unity, of all biblical texts taken together. But what many people have come to realize is that most of the work in this field has been done on a scholarly level and is not readily accessible to everyone.

This is where The God Who Is There comes into play. In this book we experience the fruit of decades of biblical scholarship, Christian ministry, and campus evangelism converging to explain the storyline of the bible. One of the strengths of this work is that even when Dr. Carson labors to clearly and plainly explain difficult biblical concepts he never loses the larger storyline in the theological detail.

Dr. Carson covers fourteen biblical-theological themes in near canonical order. While The God Who Is There is written to serve as an introduction to the Bible’s narrative, it is not too remedial to benefit mature Christians or even pastors. I think one reviewer put it well when he said that The God Who Is There is well suited for pastors to pass along or study with:

  1. Believers who perhaps miss the forest for the trees in their Bible reading.
  2. Those who do not know the Bible’s content at all.
  3. Mature and young believers.
  4. Unbelievers and skeptics.

See, “Carson avoids all technical jargon and provides thorough definitions and descriptions for new ideas. Further, he shows how all biblical themes converge on the person and work of Christ.”[1] What Dr. Carson does is make the case for the reliability and truthfulness of scripture based on the fact that it has one coherent message. I highly recommend this book, you will benefit greatly from reading, reflecting, and studying it.

“King’s Cross” by Tim Keller

I read a review of King’s Cross the day before I received in the mail. In this review the author proclaimed that “this is the book where Tim Keller hits his stride as an author.”[2] Within just a few years Tim Keller has established himself as one of the most sucessful living Christian authors, a “C.S. Lewis for the twenty-first century.”

One of the reasons King’s Cross is so good is that Keller has studied, written on, and preached from the gospel of Mark more than any of the other gospel accounts in the course of his ministry. As you read through this book you get a very well thought-out sermonic teaching of Mark’s gospel. It is very apparent that this book has been marinating in Keller’s heart for years. One reviewer noted that in King’s Cross we get the crystallized presentation of what so many of us love about Dr. Keller’s teaching:

  1. Religion is advice, but advice cannot save. That’s why we need to hear the good news that the King calls us to follow him.
  2. People who seek ultimate happiness in anything but God learn when they finally get what they want that nothing but God can truly satisfy.
  3. Those who condemn the self-righteous for the sake of self-discovery do so with ironic self-righteousness.
  4. God is powerful enough to prevent our suffering but sometimes chooses not to. Such situations call for faith in the God whose ways transcend our understanding. His timing does not usually match our expectations.
  5. Go to Jesus, because he can help you. But know that you’ll give more than you think you can, and you’ll get far more than you imagined.[4]

King’s Cross is “an extended meditation on the historical Christian premise that Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection form the central event of cosmic and human history as well as the central organizing principle of our own lives….[Its purpose is] to try to show, through his words and actions, how beautifully his life makes sense of ours.”[3] It is neatly organized into two parts, corresponding to the Gospel of Mark’s two halves: Mark 1-8, which reveal Jesus’ identity as king, and Mark 9-16, which reveal his purpose to die on the cross. Keller writes; “if [Jesus] were only a king on a throne, you’d submit to him just because you have to. But he’s a king who went to the cross for you. Therefore you can submit to him out of love and trust.”[5]

I would argue that King’s Cross will leave all readers, from atheist to Christian, wrestling with the beauty and implications of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether you read it devotionally or intensely study it, I believe that King’s Cross will prove beneficial to you.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Dr. Heath Thomas at Calvary Baptist Church

Click Here to Register!

It’s time for another Saturday Seminar at Calvary West! If you are a Bible Fellowship teacher, part of a Bible Fellowship teaching team, or even thinking about teaching, you will not want to miss this training opportunity to learn from one of our Southeastern Baptist Theological  Seminary professors! Dr. Heath Thomas will be at Calvary West on Saturday, May 21st from 9am-12noon. Dr. Thomas will be walking us through the book of Lamentations.

 Dr. Heath Thomas is Assistant Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He earned a Ph.D. in Old Testament from the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham (United Kingdom) and has also done studies at Oxford University. Dr. Heath Thomas has recently published a commentary on The Message and Meaning of the Book of Lamentations.

Here are some links to help you get acquainted with Dr. Thomas and his work:

Click Here to Register!

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Life, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

What’s Wrong with Your Marriage?

There are a plethora of Christian books that present strategies for a healthy marriage. Implicit in the arguments of “how to have a better marriage” is that particular authors’ diagnosis of what is potentially wrong with your marriage. Usually the marriage books diagnose the problem by looking at patterns in behavior and offer solutions to help overcome those difficulties. These are usually good strategies for behavior changes, which in some way help to shape our hearts. I don’t claim to be an expert on marriage. But if I may, let me propose that the problem with your marriage is simple and the solution is simple. Now, I know that I just made a huge categorical statement. So let me explain. Let’s begin with the root problem that gives expression in wrong behavior, we find this in Genesis 3.

In Genesis 3 we read that the first husband and wife reject God’s dominion over their lives in an attempt to establish themselves “as God.” Essentially they pronounce independence from God’s established order in an attempt to become “self-existent.” Couched in this rebellion is the desire of dominion over declaring what is good and what is evil. Essentially humans declare independence of God’s rule and establish ourselves as the implementers of rule over our own lives and others; this is the heart of sin. Genesis 3:16 is where we see God declaring the manifestation of sin as it will be expressed in the marriage relationship. God declares;

“Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”

Now, I acknowledge that the meaning of this passage is often debated by scholars. Just by reading Genesis 3:16 it’s easy to imagine different ways it has been interpreted. Let me offer a suggestion made by D.A. Carson which seems to make logical sense. Carson argues that it is significant that the two verbs used in Genesis 3:16, “desire” (teshuqah) and “rule” (mashal) are used again together not long after 3:16 in chapter 4. This repeated use should be a sign that the latter passage helps us interpret the former. In Genesis 4 we read the narrative of Cain killing Abel, this is the first murder in human history. When God confronts Cain after the homicide he explains to him why He is angry. The 4:7 passage reads:

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its [sin] desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

This usage of parallel wording reveals the true meaning of 3:16, namely that the overall problem in marriage is sin, which is generally expressed by the woman’s desire to dominate her husband and the husband’s desire to brutally lord over his wife. Again, the problem is the same – the desire for dominion which is expressed against your marriage partner. The result, as Gordon Wenham put it, is that “to love and cherish” becomes “to desire and dominate.” Therefore, marriage becomes a power struggle rather than an intimate, unified, and beautiful collaboration of life as God had designed it. See, the husband and wife were to enjoy the harmonious relationship of marriage (2:18, 21-25). This was how marriage worked before the fall. But this perfect harmony is now broken by the curse of sin and is further perpetuated by inordinate desires and is reinforced by a fallen world.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Luther on Sanctification in the Christian Life

This life is not righteousness,
but growth in righteousness,
Not health but healing,
not being but becoming,
not rest but exercise.
We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it;
the process is not yet finished but it is going on;
this is not the end but it is the road.
All does not yet gleam in glory but all is being purified.

Martin Luther

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

The Message of Philippians

Click here to download a printable PDF of  The Message of Philippians

Introduction

A few years ago several Newspapers across nation ran the headline, “Is Public Shaming by the Church Legal?” after the Dallas Morning News broke a story that involved an unrepentant church leader, who had been caught in an affair, and his Texas church family who actively entered the church discipline process with the intentions of restoring him back to his wife. So, what made this story ‘worthy’ of headlines in our culture?

Well, the unrepentant man filed a law suit against his own church so that they would “stop the discipline process.” Even further, when this unrepentant man filed the lawsuit he also got a temporary restraining order blocking the church from acting further. But soon after a state Judge lifted that order, agreeing with local churches assertion that it violated the church’s constitutional right to freely exercise its religion. Also on the “churches side” was the fact that when people join the church family they sign a church covenant agreeing to “submit themselves to the care and correction of the Board of Elders”, which the unrepentant man had signed the year before. I believe that there is am important theological truth to be gleamed here, namely, that sin is social. As D.A. Carson argues, “you cannot merely commit any sin, no matter how private, without it having repercussions not only in your own life but in the life of the community where you life.”[1]

In this court case we see how one’s sin not only affects the church body, but also has implications that stretch beyond the church family. Now, hopefully looking at some of the key court decisions regarding church discipline in our country over the past few years does not give us a general indicator of the overall spiritual condition of our churches and the faithfulness of their members. But what cases like these do reveal is the importance of gospel fidelity and how that impacts not only the church family but how those outside the church perceive it.

And Paul’s letter to the Christian community in Philippi is a small gem that speaks directly to this issue. In fact, I would argue that one of the chief values of this letter for us today “is the way in which it hammers out what it means to live [faithfully] in a pagan society.”[2] We need to consider the importance of knowing how to, as 1:27 literally reads, “conduct ourselves as citizens worthy of the gospel”.

This is increasingly important as Western culture becomes more polarized and the divide between faithful Christians and others becomes more acute. We acknowledge that the relationship between “Christians and Culture”[3] is a very complicated issue because individuals, communities, society, and cultural forces are so multifaceted and complex. Every circumstance presents its own unique problems and solutions. Furthermore, we understand as Christians that “as long as we remain in the inaugurated-but-not-yet-consummated kingdom, there will be no utopia”[4] – this makes navigating these waters of being “faithful gospel citizens” even more complex. Things are not yet as they will be when Christ makes all things new, and N.T. Wright notes that:

“It is much easier to decide either to go along with everything in the world, or to reject everything in the world than to work out a mature, wise, and [discerning] path of loyalty to Jesus as Lord amid the pressures and problems of life and society.”[5]

But this is exactly the challenge of “working out our salvation” (2:12) – that is to “figure out, calculate, recon up” what our salvation means and how it impacts every area of our lives – to “work out a mature, wise, and [discerning] path of loyalty to Jesus as Lord amid the pressures and problems of life and society.” In doing this the church can not only maintain unity but also resist the powerful temptation to begin walking in a way that would not be a worthy response to the grace of God shown in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

These are important reminders not only to them, but also to us. To use the reformation formula, we need to remember that ‘here and now’ we are “simultaneously justified and sinful.”[6] In other words, though we are saints in Jesus Christ, (in the same way that the Philippians were as Paul called them 1:1) we need to watch closely how we walk as to not end up in situations where we find ourselves walking in manner that is not worthy of the gospel – which not only has effect on the whole body, but also communicates something to those outside the body.

Like a newspaper headline, we want to proclaim the gospel, “with our lips but also with our lives”[7] in unity and in humility. As we move “fly over” Philippians we need to understand at least two things about the “landscape”, or the context of Paul and the church’s situation.

The Context of their Roman Citizenship

As a Roman colony Philippi was often hailed as ‘Rome in miniature.’[8] Roman citizens enjoyed certain perks over others in their communities like freedom from arrest and the right to appeal directly to Caesar, which is partly why we read in Acts 16:38-39 that after Paul and Silas were freed from prison, the city officials “were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them.” These rights and privileges fed the ancient Philippian residents sense of great pride in Roman citizenship. This was the great Rome! And Paul is writing to their great citizens!

It’s not hard to imagine the shock waves that rippled through this famous city full of loyal citizens when the good news of a new King Jesus was being proclaimed. The very verb translated “proclaiming the gospel” in the New Testament was a media term, an announcement or “headline” of a something like a military victory. Obviously, this would have been heard as a direct threat to the Roman Empire.[9] Rightly so, the gospel is essentially a message of a new King who offers a new status, a status of citizenship conferred not by man but by God. To bow to this King meant allegiance to his kingdom first and foremost.[10] One of the reasons Paul and Silas were arrested in this area a few years before, because “they were disturbing the city” and “advocating customs that were not lawful for…Romans to accept or practice.” (Acts 16)

The Context of their Gospel Partnership

The whole story of Acts 16 gives us the context for why this letter to the Philippians is full of warmth and affection.[11] In Acts 16 we read that Paul founded the Philippian church himself.[12] The nucleus of this church body was formed by a group of “God-fearing” women whom Paul had shared the gospel with before he was placed in jail, and later asked to leave the city.[13] Since that time Paul had experienced a beautiful “partnership in the gospel” (1:5), as they work together for the cause of Christ. This deep devotion evident in Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5;

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

It is “edifying [to read] the thanksgiving that Paul sends to the church in Philippi as he recalls their support of him and his ministry.”[14] There is obviously a deep relationship[15] between Paul and this body of believers. This church was one of the most giving churches in the New Testament. But underneath their great reputation, there was trouble brewing. It becomes apparent in the letter that there is potential for disaster. This is introduces in chapter 2 of Philippians when Paul pleads with them to “be like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (2:2) and to warn against “selfish ambition or vain conceit.” (2:3)

Paul is very worried about the health of this local body, so much that he writes in 1:21-25 that while death will bring him “gain”, after hearing of their situation he concludes that remaining “in the flesh is more necessary on their account… for their progress and joy in the faith.” These tearful and longing words reveal the deep love that the aging convict Paul[16] had for this church beloved family. But what was it? What was the one thing he wanted to see in them so badly that he was convinced that it was necessary for him to remain in the flesh on their account?

The Heart of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

As I have already alluded to in the introduction, I think we see it in the main point[17], “the heart”, of Philippians in Paul’s first imperative, which sets the tone and direction of this entire letter.[18] In Philippians 1:27-28[19] we read:

Only [the only thing that matters] let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

Considering their context in a Roman colony Paul uses a very strong word picture here. The imperative translated “let your manner of life” literally means “live as good citizens.”[20] Most English translations do not pick up on this contextual plea of the main verb. Paul alludes to their great Roman pride and understanding of citizenship, and calls them to live as citizens of a greater commonwealth! Paul continues this language in chapter 3, where he affirms that Jesus, not Caesar, is “Lord” and “Savior”, for the sake of arguing that their conduct as citizens[21] is to be worthy of the gospel.

But what does this look like? What are the expectations of King Jesus when one lives in his Kingdom community? To put it another way, when the world looks in on the church what should they notice? What should the headlines about our lives and our church family read? To answer these types of questions we need to see how Paul fleshes these things out. In Philippians he does so by exposing them to their internal need of unity and humility, and warning them of the external influence of legalism and hedonism.

The Internal Need: Strive for Unity and Humility

Paul urges the church to strive for unity and humility. In a very real sense these two things are so closely related that it is not possible to have one without the other in the church.

A. Unity

Throughout the letter Paul has been lovingly addressing the main problem in the Philippians church – the sin of disunity. Paul’s direct address, calling out the names, of the two “quarrelling women”[22] indicate that they were significant leaders in the church (4:2). “If their dispute was only a private matter between themselves, Paul’s public appeal would have been unnecessarily embarrassing…Paul appealed to them by name because as influential leaders their personal dispute was causing a division within the church.”[23] Paul pleads with them to “be of the same mind in the Lord” (4:2-3). What was the cause of the disunity? It seems that “selfish-ambition and self-interest” (posturing) had become the main problem causing disunity (2:3-4), and this deep rooted sin had been exposed in their “grumbling and arguing” against each other (2:14).

  1. Grumbling means “talking secretly against someone.” This is the silent killer of the church that eats away at true unity – dealing with issues indirectly so that you can avoid hard discussions. In other words you talk around issues and people, without directly ever talking about issues, or talking directly to people.
  2. Arguing is simply debating for the “purpose of proving yourself.” The antithesis of humility is pride, which rears its ugly head in arguments that are not aimed at strengthening the unity of the church, but proving oneself as superior. Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with a debate or hard discussion, Paul is focusing here on sinful motivations as the problem.

There are some common misconceptions of unity in the modern church. Some believe that the best way to maintain unity is to “never raise a concern” or “to always hide conflicts.” The idea is that we can maintain the appearance of unity by maneuvering around conflicts as to avoid them. That is one of the slickest lies of the evil one. The church is full of imperfect people and we need to hold each other accountable and encourage each other in the faith. I am not saying that we bring every sin issue in the body to a church vote. What I am saying is that we don’t maintain unity be upholding a certain perfect image to everyone around us. No one in the church is perfect, we are all under grace. Even the pastors – behind the pastoral garb is a man just like you, a sinner, who is saved by grace, and still growing in grace.

It is often a scary thing to let our guard down and enter into true gospel community with others. This means that we cannot control what others think about us. But it’s only in transparent gospel centered community that we will be able to go to each other in love and call for repentance when it is needed. And by being open to correction we will see a true unity to gospel fidelity and a more faithful witness to the world. This requires us to trust that in the gospel that we are accepted in Christ, no matter what our faults are, this will allows us to be open and honest and accept correction.

This is the type of deep relationship that Paul has with the Philippians. It is obvious in this letter that Paul does not brush these issues under the rug, but shakes them out in order protect the unity of the church. When people in the church are grumbling secretly about issues or arguing out of self-interest the church is in a very dangerous place. As Motyer puts it:

“Paul…sees in disunity a sin threatening the heart of the church, a weapon destroying the church’s effectiveness, and a weakness rendering it impotent against a hostile world.”[24]

This is why Paul urges them over and over (1:27; 2:1-5; 2:14; 3:17; 3:20; 4:2) to be united in spirit and of one mind. “Paul condemns disunity and calls for unity in the church so that it will give a clear witness to the gospel in the public square.”[25] In other words, one of the key ingredients to having an effective witness to a broken world is a unified church. Now, what is necessary for this type of gospel unity? I believe Paul shows us all throughout the letter that it is humility.

B. Humility

Consider how Paul opens the letter (1:1) by identifying Timothy and himself as servants of Christ. This is their primary means of identifying themselves – as servants. In the world that Paul wrote this, servant hood would not have been considered a virtue; at best it was viewed as ‘compliance’ and at worst as ‘weakness’. Today, many people, even in the church, would agree with the attitude of the pagans in Philippi. Look around us, self-esteem, self-assertiveness, and certainty of ego are virtues in our culture that provide assurance of ones own greatness, in fact, they are traits we even cultivate.[26] Simply put, the church has adopted some false ideas of humility. In our culture of ‘relativism’ humility has this idea of “not having strong convictions” and “pretending as if we think we don’t know anything for sure.”

Our culture’s definition of humility has crept into the church and redefined humility as some sort of “gentleness that never confronts sin boldly” or “that no one can have any strong theological conviction.” But this idea of humility has nothing to do with what Paul says here in Philippians. Paul argues that our primary identity should be that of humility which is displayed in servitude.[27] To argue this Paul points to Jesus as the paradigm of true humility in the hymn of 2:5-11, where he reminds us that Christ did not regard his equality with God as a position to be used for his own advantage[28];

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

In my opinion, the primary point of this passage (2:5-11) “is to impress on the Philippians a pattern to which they must be conformed.”[29] Paul also uses similar language in 2 Corinthians 8:9.[30]

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

See, Jesus did not take advantage of or exploit his power apart from God’s plan. In humility Jesus wielded his power in the service of others, even to the point of death on the cross. That Jesus “emptied himself” implies a self conscious decision on his part to do so.[31] Christ humbled himself for our sake. In other words, Jesus is the supreme example of 2:3-4:

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Rivalry, conceit, and self-centeredness were destroying the unity of the Philippian church[32] (2:3). Paul is urging the Philippians to conform to the image of, to follow the pattern of Christ You might be thinking, well that’s Jesus and there is not a direct parallel from him to us. See, Jesus is not only the paradigm but he also provides us with the power to live this way. What do I mean? If I were to tell you to just go out and be humble I would be filling you with pride in actually thinking you could do it. Just so you know, I recognize the irony of calling you to “strive for humility”, because as Tim Keller put it;

“Humility is so shy. If you begin talking about it [or striving for it], it [disappears]. To even ask the question, “Am I humble?” is to not be so. Examining your own heart, even for pride, often leads to being proud about your diligence and circumspection. Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Or as C. S. Lewis so memorably said in Mere Christianity, humility is to be no longer always noticing yourself and how you are doing and how you are being treated. It is “blessed self-forgetfulness.”[33]

Humility only reveals itself when someone is captivated by the beauty of the gospel, because humility is a byproduct of the gospel. In the gospel we have confidence that our citizenship is based not on our performance, but on Christ’s perfect obedience. This frees us from always having to always look to ourselves. See, if I tell you to strive for humility you will end up with pride, but if I tell you, strive to believe that the gospel really is true, than you will end up truly humble. It is only when we rely on Jesus that will be motivated and enabled to do what only God can do – give us confidence in our humility.

This is where Paul’s confidence is for the Philippian church, in the power of the gospel, as he says in 1:6, I am sure…that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Paul’s prayer in 1:10-11 is that they would be “pure and blameless for the day of Christ” which comes by being “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” What does such confident humility look like? Well, after the ‘Christ-Hymn’, Paul points us to Timothy and Epaphroditus who were living a life “worthy of the gospel.”

  1. Of Timothy, Paul writes in 2:19-24; for I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare…[while others] seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
  2. Or consider Epaphroditus in 2:25-29; fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need… he was ill…[in fact he] nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

The Philippians would do well to imitate their lifestyle. So would we. In Timothy and Epaphroditus we see the results of gospel humility. Gospel humility is seen in lovingly using ones life in the interests of others – and when this happens we will hear a beautiful symphony of unity in the body of Christ. When everyone looks out for their own interests we will get nothing but the ugly racket of grumbling and arguing. This is the equivalent of each and every musician in a symphony playing their own solo and begging for the audience to listen to them and only them.

The External Influence: Guard against Legalism and Hedonism

Paul urges the church to strive for unity in humility. But he also warns them of external influences that will work against their humility and weaken their unity. What things should the church watch out for to maintain a faithful gospel-centered witness?

A. Legalism

It is apparent in the letter that there are false teachers, the Judaizers, in the congregation that are ‘preaching a false gospel” outward adherence to religious and social taboos as the primary confidence that one is a citizen of God’s Kingdom. But notice that Paul did not say “live your lives in such a way that your will be worthy of citizenship.” If personal merit could have earned righteousness citizenship from God, Paul would have been the mayor of religious town. He was way “above reproach”. Paul was morally and religiously above any charge or correction. Paul states in 3:4-6:

I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,  blameless.

What Paul is saying is that there were ‘dogs’ preaching the ‘trash’ of earning your rights to citizenship before God by adhering to certain regulations. But Paul, one who used to bow to the Caesar of legalism, now argues that all this prideful religious effort was filth, waste, rubbish, and “worthless”[34] before God almighty. See he met King Jesus who showed him that there was no way to the Father but through Him, and Him alone. So Paul stopped putting confidence in the flesh and counted it all worthless compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ! In contrast to flesh-crazed dogs, Paul is urging the Philippians to put no confidence in flesh. We need to continually remind ourselves that progress in the Christian life is not measured by “righteousness based on the law”; instead it begins and grows in the gift of “righteousness that comes from God through faith in Christ” (3:6-9). Paul is arguing that it is those who trust in Christ for their righteousness that are the “real circumcision” (3:3), and one of the external marks is humility and unity, which is incompatible with legalism.

B. Hedonism

But Paul also warned them against troublemakers around their city who lived to indulge in gluttony and personal pleasure. In 3:18-19 Paul tells the Philippians that their “destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame.” See, hedonism sells you the lie that you will only be happy if you are your own Caesar. You will only be happy if you are completely free of all obligations and responsibilities of citizenship under someone else. If we are honest, this is the motivation of all sin – all sin is self worship. Self worship is often revealed in “looking solely to ones own interests” or “doing all things out of rivalry and conceit.” (2:3-4) How can you count other more significant than yourself when everything you do is for your own pleasure?

As you see, pride is the antithesis f humility. And pride seeks to exalt the self over others, which works against unity. In the end this leads to destruction, which is why Paul warns the Philippian church not to follow the patterns of the world or set their minds on earthly things, like pride and power – but to live as responsible citizens of God’s kingdom in humility and sacrifice for others. (3:20-21)

Closing Thoughts

In a sense, both legalism and hedonism are one in the same; they come from the same root, “self worship.” And in Philippians Paul argues that those who proclaim legalism and hedonism with their lips and their lives are “enemies of the cross.” Those are strong words, and they require careful reflection on our own lives, and in our own churches. Legalism and hedonism deify and sacrifice for self-righteousness or pleasure. Legalism and hedonism find satisfaction in their superior morality or in their rebellion. As “enemies of the cross” they deny the very saving power of the gospel – and proclaim a gospel other than the gospel that the church exists to proclaim and promote.

Paul is arguing that in the same way that you receive salvation through humility, you also work out you salvation in humility. Growing in the gospel requires that we are humble enough to truly look at ourselves and deal with our deepest sins and identity issues. This can only happen when we realize that citizens of God’s kingdom are people bound together by grace alone. We do not find our fellowship in “common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, or anything else of the sort.”[35] We have unity under the banner of the gospel of grace – this kills any pride or self-righteousness.

  1. The gospel pulls the mask off of self-righteousness and reveals our need to humble themselves before God and trust in the righteousness of Christ for our salvation.
  2. The gospel also reveals the broken promises of self-centered hedonism, and shows us that deeper fulfillment is found in serving others in the power of the Spirit for the glory of God.

Citizenship in God’s kingdom is completely unmerited and undeserved, so we should humble ourselves before others and remember the mercy that God has shown us. This is our, as Paul says in 2:1; “encouragement in Christ, our comfort in love, and our participation in the Spirit.” That we are all saved by grace, because of this our primary concern should be that;

[Our] manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…[so that we can standing firm] in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

I propose to you that ‘unity and humility’ are the only worthy response to the gospel of grace. And in order to walk in this way we must always focus on the gospel and guard against ourselves and the church of any hints of legalism and hedonism. Remember how you first approached God? It was in humility. This is the same way you grow in the gospel and grow towards unity in the body of Christ.

Closing Prayer

Father, you have called us, your church, to live as a culturally distinct community, to live faithfully in a pagan society.

  1. First, that we pray that we would love one another more and more. (1:9)
  2. Second, we pray that we would grow in knowledge and discernment, to that we will be able to make right judgments about things that differ in order that we will be pure and blameless. (1:9-10)
  3. Third, we pray that you would continue to teach us what it means to work out our salvation in every area of lives, and in our church family.
  4. Lastly, we pray that you would supply us with the power of your Spirit and wisdom to “conduct ourselves as citizens worthy of the gospel.”

Father, we acknowledge that this is a hard thing. If we were honest with ourselves and others, we would echo the words of Paul in 3:12-15 where he acknowledges that he himself “has not obtained this” nor is he “perfect”, but strives for a worthy response to the gospel. This requires us to relinquish control over our lives and control over how others perceive us. But may we truly believe that we “can do all things through him who strengthens me” (4:13), even when we don’t know the outcome. And may we truly believe that “God will supply every need…according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (4:19) – Amen.

Continue reading “The Message of Philippians” →

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

David Alan Black on Philippians

This past Saturday we had the honor of spending time with Professor David Black from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in the book of Philippians. Dr. David Black is Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern where he has been teaching for 13 years. He holds the D.Theol. in New Testament from the University of Basel (Switzerland) and has done additional studies in Germany and Israel. Dr. Black is considered a leading authority on linguistics and New Testament Interpretation. He has written over 100 articles and authored or edited over 20 books.

I have tried to pull together some articles and blogs on the book of Philippians that Dave has written over the years for supplement to the seminar and the articles we handed out.

  1. Introducing Philippians
  2. Philippians 1:1
  3. Philippians 1:8
  4. Philippians 1:27-30
  5. Philippians 2:1-11
  6. The Poem in Philippians 2:6-11
  7. Philippians 2:12-18

Several people asked me where to find Dave’s Introductory Greek Textbook. Here is a link to Learn to Read New Testament Greek and the Workbook.

While Dave’s academic credentials are impressive, they are not where he finds his identity and security. It was quite clear this past Saturday that he finds his joy, identity, and security in Christ and in Christ alone. This is much more impressive, in the appropriate sense, than his intelligence. Dave’s love for God’s word and God’s people is contagious. It was an honor to host him here at Calvary! Here are a few more links:

  1. Dr. Black’s Web-Site
  2. Dr. Black’s Books
  3. Dr. Black’s Blog
  4. Dr. Black’s Ministry in Ethiopia
  5. Dave and Becky’s Cancer Journey
  6. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

 

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Interview Series with Dr. John Hammett on ‘The Importance Membership in a Local Church’

I recently posted a five part interview with Dr. John S. Hammett on the importance of local church membership. I am thankful for Dr. Hammett’s service to the church for many reasons. While working on my master’s degree I had the privilege of sitting under Professor Hammett for several lecture courses and worked with him in one independent study course. His love for the local church was contagious and propelled me to see the importance of ecclesiology in a very deep way. John Hammett is a seasoned, humble, and respectable scholar who loves Christ’s church dearly.

Dr. Hammett earned degrees at Duke University (B.A), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.Div.), Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (D. Min.), and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ph.D.). Dr. Hammett is currently serving as Professor of Systematic Theology and the Associate Dean of Theological Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.

Hammett’s book Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches has been instrumental in the formation of my own ecclesiology, and naturally I highly recommend it. Hammett also wrote an excellent chapter on “The Doctrine of Humanity” in A Theology for the Church. Dr. Hammett has contributed too many other books, magazines, scholarly journals, and online resources on Theology, Ecclesiology, and Missiology. (Here are a few from 9Marks Ministries) Simply put, he has given much thought to the importance of the local church.

The interview series was organized under these five questions – which are links to the posts:

1. Is local church membership really that important, is it even biblical?
2. In your opinion, what are the requirements one must meet for local church membership?
3. What are the privileges of being a member of a local church?
4. What are the responsibilities of being a member of a local church?
5. What, if any, are valid reasons for parting ways with a local church?

Hammett notes that:

“Church membership is something that can be misunderstood. It’s not the same thing as the gospel, and certainly doesn’t guarantee someone’s place in heaven. But consider this – On a typical Sunday morning, of the more than 16 million members of Southern Baptist churches across the country, more than 10 million will not be present in a local church, that’s less than 40%. Where are they? Some are sick or on vacation, but many simply choose not to come, and have made that choice consistently for years. Somewhere along the line they joined a church, but their life shows no evidence that they know Christ. My fear is that they think somehow their church membership guarantees them access into heaven, but being a church member doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a genuine follower of Jesus. It should, but in many churches it doesn’t.

Not only can church membership be misunderstood, it can also become meaningless. Churches where more than 60% of the members never even come and whose lives shows no sign of Christ’s presence make membership a meaningless mockery and expose such churches to the charge that they are full of hypocrites. All you can say is, “you’re right.” Church membership doesn’t guarantee that someone will live a Christ-honoring life. So some churches have deemphasized church membership. It doesn’t save you, and doesn’t make someone a better person, so what’s the value? While I want to keep the main thing the main thing, there can also be secondary things that have significant value. I think church membership is one of those secondary things.”

Again, I strongly encourage you to check out Hammett’s book Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Part 5: Interview with Dr. John Hammett on ‘The Importance Membership in a Local Church’

This is question five in a interview series with Dr. John Hammett on the Importance of Church Membership. Dr. Hammett (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) currently serves as Professor of Systematic Theology and the Associate Dean of Theological Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.

Previous posts in this series: Introduction , Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4

Dr. Hammett, what, if any, are valid reasons for parting ways with a local church?

1. When a geographical move makes immersion in the church body impossible. This is the most common reason people part ways with a local church.

2. When the church becomes spiritually toxic. Spiritual toxicity can make immersion unhealthy. While I regard the covenant commitment to a church as only slightly less binding than the covenant commitment of marriage, there will sadly arise occasions when doctrinal deviancy, unchecked sin, or spiritual apathy will make a church an unhealthy place. The key questions to ask are: Can I bring a non-believing friend here? Can I bring a new Christian here? If the answers are no, it is difficult to see how immersion can be healthy anymore.

3. Matters of personal conscience (I am not talking about personal desires or preference). Sometimes a church may engage in a new ministry, or change its approach in a significant way that is not necessarily sinful, but is something you cannot in good conscience support. I believe church members are called to unity. I believe church members are called to follow their leaders, but that following is never blind. If there is a matter of conscience (not personal preference), a peaceful separation may be the wise option to avoid animosity on either side.

Again, parting ways with a local church should never be easy. If you can leave a church family without feeling a sense of being severed you never truly joined that church.