Understanding the Sacraments 1. There are two sacraments prescribed by Christ for the New Covenant community (i.e. the church): baptism and the Lord’s Table (Mat 28:19; Luk 22:19-20). 2. Sacraments are covenant signs which carry supernatural significance in that God gives what the sign signifies when observed by His covenant communities (Bap […]
Why You Want the Church to Possess Authority
Why You Want The Church To Possess Authority Many people today balk at the thought of the church possessing any spiritual authority[1]. This is particularly true among Evangelicals. A church that possesses any level of spiritual authority is, in their minds a dangerous idea. This historically though, was not always true. As a matter of […]
Practicum Q&A
Refuting quote by Preston Sprinkle Strangelove by Depeche Mode What is the “fall away” in Hebrews 6:6 from? How would you use Deuteronomy 32:4 with someone who is critical of church discipline? In Captain America – Civil War, is Bucky responsible for his actions when he becomes the Winter Soldier? Is Romans 14 dealing with […]
New Covenant Jurisprudence
“Oh Lord, according to your justice, give me life” (Psa 119:149b) jurisprudence = theory or philosophy of law; a legal system One of the first things Jesus makes clear during His earthly ministry is that the entire content of the Law (the legal system established by God under the OC) remains intact for the New […]
How Churches Fail In Their Response To Revealed Sin
Revealed sin (def.) = Sin that has become known to the elders or congregation by way of confession or other means. 1. By being afraid of the stigma associated with revealed sin (Job 31:33-34). 2. By forgetting this is the sign of a vibrant and valid ministry (Act 19:19-20; Mat 21:32; Joh 15:1-2; Rev 3:19; […]
Evangelical Myths – Part 1
Included in Paul’s instruction to pastors is the obligation to, “Have nothing to do with (i.e. reject) irreverent, silly myths [lit. imaginary beliefs promoted by old women and the world].” In this respect, Paul’s goal for God’s Church is clear. He desires that congregations be equipped to discern and distance themselves from those doctrines which […]
The Sin of Apostasy
Our Distance From Evangelicalism
Church Discipline and Restoration
The Covenant Community of the Church – Part 2
NOTE: This sermon was recorded during the annual church camping trip and as a result the audio quality is not quite as good as our normal quality.
The Covenant Community of the Church – Matthew 18
The context of Matthew 18 is the covenant community of the church. The path for getting into the covenant community is the same as for becoming a leader in the church. Caring for and loving folks in the covenant community is the same as caring for and loving Christ. We are all responsible to help […]
Marriage Covenant Theology – Part 4
The kingdom of God on Earth is the covenant community where God’s presence, power, people, precepts, provision, and salvific promises reside as the typological picture of it’s heavenly counterpart.
Marriage Covenant Theology – Part 3
Since mankind’s fall into sin, the gospel of God’s gracious salvation has both existed and operated based upon the three fundamental categories of a marriage covenant: Procurement, Promises, and Penalty. Old covenant Israel is no longer the wife of God, the people of God, the holy nation or place where His holy city, priests, and […]