Here is a confession I wrote on the Church. I wrote it for my Systematic Theology 3 class. I’ll comment more on one particular section that drew the Heresy Card. Let’s see if you can find it 🙂
Enjoy!
Prolegomena
I believe the community through which God, by the Holy Spirit, is bringing ultimate, cosmic restoration is the Church. (2 Cor. 5:16-20)
Universal Church
I believe Jesus Christ built and is building the Church to accomplish God’s purpose of ultimate, cosmic restoration. The Church belongs to Jesus (Bride of Christ), is the presence of Jesus in the world (Body of Christ), and is the means by which the world encounters God (Temple of God). (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 5:29, 32; Rom. 12:4-8; 2 Cor. 6:16)
I believe the Universal Church is the collective, worldwide gathering of followers of Jesus from the past and present. The Universal Church is expressed in local gatherings within particular contexts.
I believe this gathering of followers is best described by the Nicene Creed: the Church is one, holy, catholic, the collective communion of saints, and apostolic. The Church is one, because She has an inherent unity and oneness. She is holy, because the Body of Christ is inherently unlike any other organization on earth, and must be characterized and measured by holiness. The Church is catholic, because She is bound to the traditions and people of the faith throughout time, and a present worldwide entity, too. The Bride of Jesus is known as a communion of saints, because She is the entire collection of saints, both in this life and the next. Finally, the Body of Christ is apostolic, because She possesses the teachings of the apostles and ability to perform and practice signs and wonders. (Jn. 17:20-23; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Gal. 3:26-29; Rev. 6:9-11; 1 Cor. 3:10-11)
Local Expression of the Universal Church
I believe local Churches are expressions of the Universal Church, rather than distinct and separate. While the Universal Church is the worldwide collection of Jesus-followers from past to present, local assemblies of followers gather to worship and learn from God, be the presence of Jesus Christ in the world, and work toward bringing God’s ultimate, cosmic restoration.
I believe local expressions of the Universal Church should gather regularly to: encounter God in worship (Worship); explore the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and Way of Jesus (Teaching); journey toward personal wholeness in Jesus by learning and living His Way (Discipleship); connect to one another in community (Nurturing); and practically be the presence of Jesus in the world around them (Service). (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35)
I believe there are distinct marks of a healthy local expression of the Universal Church. Healthy churches: teach the entire Holy Scriptures (e.g. Hebrew Scriptures, Teachings and Life of Jesus, and Apostles Teachings), intentionally worship God (e.g. songs and prayer), regularly practice the Sacraments (e.g. Baptism and Lord’s Supper), practically be the presence of Jesus in the surrounding community (e.g. feeding the poor and taking care of the widows), proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven and Way of Christ (e.g. evangelism), and cultivate spiritual formation within the lives of local members (e.g. discipleship and discipline). Teaching, worship, Sacraments, social justice, evangelism, and spiritual formation are vital to healthy churches.
I believe the Sacraments are a vital piece of local expressions of the Universal Church, because they are external signs that seal Her members. The Sacraments are Baptism and the Lords Supper.
I believe Baptism is a public, visible sign of an inward transformation for those who have entrusted and totally committed themselves to Jesus Christ. Baptism physically represents dying to self and raising to new life in Christ. It also publicly confirms belief in Him and marks a person as a member of Christ’s community. The Sacrament of Baptism should be required for any follower of Jesus Christ and initiated according to their desire for public declaration of faith. (Rom. 6:1-11; Col. 2:11-12; Gal. 3:26-29)
I believe the Lord’s Supper is a celebration and remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ. In this Sacrament, Jesus Christ is fundamentally present along side the bread and wine and remains present until the completion of the celebration. While the physical elements do not substantively change, Christ’s presence is spiritually with and in the elements. (Luke 22:14-23; 1 Cor. 11:23-32)
I believe, because this Sacrament is a celebration and remembrance for all people of Christ’s sacrificial death and the original remembrance was evangelistic in the context of a shared meal, everyone can participate in this event. The Sacramental Table of Christ should be open for all to remember the event of the Cross through this mystical encounter with Christ. Through frequently practicing this Sacrament, God provokes, confirms, nourishes and sustains the faith of those who participate in the celebration and remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice. (Mark 14:17-25; Luke 5:27-31; 15:1-2; 22:14-23; Acts 2:42, 46, 47; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-26)
I believe a local expression of the Universal Church should be independent, autonomous, and democratic, while remaining rooted in the broader church community. This local expression should be led by pastors and deacons. Pastors function as overseers and elders of the local church and must be self-controlled, the partner of one person, respectable, hospitable, a capable teacher, gentle, a peacemaker, and not the lover of worldly possessions. Deacons function as servants to the people and organizational aspects of a local church. They must be people worthy of respect, not indulgent in the things of the world, truthful, guardians of the faith, spouses to one partner, manage their household, and serve well. (1 Tim. 3)
I believe both men and women may hold any of these offices, because a division between male and female leadership resulted from human rebellion, rather than from creation; male headship is the result of sin not creation. Therefore, in Christ, the divisions of male and female that once existed is redeemed and put to rights under His rule. Because there is mutuality in the gospel through Christ and God distributes leadership, teaching, and shepherding gifts as He sees fit, men and women should be able to serve in mutual pastoral capacities. (Gen. 2:23-24; 3:16; Gal. 3:26-29; 1 Cor. 12:4-31)
I believe that local expressions of the Universal Church ultimately exist to be a blessing to God for the sake of the world. As Jesus was sent by the Father, so are local expressions sent into the world to bring about God’s ultimate, cosmic restoration. Weekly gatherings prepare and equip followers of Jesus to be His presence in the world around them by testifying to restoration in Christ and pointing toward the values and way of the Kingdom of Heaven. While the Kingdom of Heaven will eventually come in full upon Christ’s return, the Church and its local expressions anticipate this ultimate, cosmic restoration through its actions as individuals and life as a community. (Matt. 28:19-20; Jn 20:21; 2 Cor. 5:18-20)
I’m guessing it was this paragraph that drew the heresy card, even though I’m in 100% agreement with you:
I believe both men and women may hold any of these offices, because a division between male and female leadership resulted from human rebellion, rather than from creation; male headship is the result of sin not creation. Therefore, in Christ, the divisions of male and female that once existed is redeemed and put to rights under His rule. Because there is mutuality in the gospel through Christ and God distributes leadership, teaching, and shepherding gifts as He sees fit, men and women should be able to serve in mutual pastoral capacities. (Gen. 2:23-24; 3:16; Gal. 3:26-29; 1 Cor. 12:4-31)
BEEEP….wrong! Good guess, rob, even though my professor 100% disagreed 🙂 But that means you dont think the REAL section is heresy either, which makes me happy!
thanks for playing…NEXT.
-jeremy
“The Church … is the presence of Jesus in the world”
In Matthew 25 we have Jesus’ own thoughts on His presence in the world. Who is Jesus referring to when He talks about “the least of these”? Does it refer to only those in the church or to anyone? How we answer this question will determine how we are to understand Jesus’ presence in the world.
“and is the means by which the world encounters God.”
Is there really no God activity outside of the church? In 1 John 4:8 it says: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” John says God is encountered in the act of love. Did God confine His love within the church alone or God’s love fills the whole world? Is there love outside the Church?
Florin, interesting questions, but not “heresy” worthy. I’m stumped Jeremy!
Knowing your prof, my guess is the statement of the Lord’s supper being open to all, rather than just to those who belong to the church.
(to Florin) I am more inclined to view the least of these to be the poor and oppressed that happened to be disciples of Jesus, not only because throughout the book of Matthew, the least of my “brothers” refers to those who were disciples of Jesus, but also because the mystical presence in the least of these generates a romantic view of the poor and oppressed. Having served the poor in the ‘hood for almost 20 years, I’ve not only seen the sin nature in rich people oppressing the poor, but I’ve also seen the sin nature within the hearts of the poor. I just can’t accept the mystical presence of Jesus in a homeless person that is beating another homeless person half to death like I saw and had to deal with over a decade ago. I could go on and on with different examples, but I don’t want to dominate Jeremy’s site. By the way, with over 2000 verses in the Scriptures that talk about God’s people responding to the poor (both in the church and outside the church), I don’t think we need to stretch the sheep and the goats passage beyond its context. Throughout the entire narrative, God is pretty clear about justice for the poor, whomever it is.
As for the love of God present outside the church, I think that is where common grace from God comes from. His common grace enables non-Christians to do extraordinary acts of love and service.
Joel…you win the prize!!!
I’ll explain more in the next day or so, my view that is. I think it’s still evolving because he made some good points and challenged me well to think through some thing. So that post will be more about wrestling with what does that look like to celebrate Jesus’ rescue and the event of the cross…biblically, theologically, missionally, and pastorally.
-jeremy
Joel …
“I am more inclined to view the least of these to be the poor and oppressed that happened to be disciples of Jesus”
So would that mean Jesus is saying the acts of service done only toward those from within church are counted as being done unto Him at the Day of Judgment?
“I just can’t accept the mystical presence of Jesus in a homeless person that is beating another homeless person half to death”
Following the argument above, nor would you accept His presence in the members of the church who commit incest (see 1 Cor. 5), injure someone (Mat 26:51), deny Christ (Mark 14:66-72) and on through today, church being made up of people who are less than perfect (to say the least). One would wonder if Jesus could find anyone who is good enough for His presence.
“As for the love of God present outside the church, I think that is where common grace from God comes from. His common grace enables non-Christians to do extraordinary acts of love and service.”
Doesn’t the very idea of “common grace” speak of God’s presence and activity outside the church? Thus church is not the ONLY space/means by which God can be encountered.
Florin,
My point about the least of these being the poor disciples of Jesus is that He is identifying with them, but not in some mystical encountering way where we see a literal Jesus in them. So let me ask this question, about the two homeless people….Was “Jesus” beating “Jesus” half to death? When I had a drug-addicted crack-dealer pointing his gun with the laser aimed at my head, was “Jesus” ready to blow my head off? I am all about the incarnation where Jesus became flesh, but not in a way where he would terrorize others and myself by somehow becoming Jesus in disguise. By the way, here is a blog post that I did about this subject. http://utmsentiments.blogspot.com/2008/03/shane-claiborne-part-3.html
By the way, I don’t know if you understand what I was saying when it comes to common grace. I was actually agreeing with you, but using the common grace concept to describe what you were talking about……
Jeremy,
Are you KIDDING me?! You got the heresy card on an open Lord’s Table? Robert Bank’s historical/cultural studies on “going to church in the 1st century” ably presents that “the love feasts” that marked the early church–breaking bread which included “the Lordian meal” were open to all. The supper was a meal–not a token bite of bread and sip of juice controlled by the clergy. To invite unsaved friends to the house churches and then tell them they can’t eat is ridiculous and goes against the Way of Jesus and his meal-time habits.
Joel,
My initial observation was on the idea that Jesus is present exclusively within the Church body. Following that, the logical conclusion would be that the church is to take Jesus to the rest of the world. The fact, however, that Jesus plainly identifies Himself with the least of these, the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed etc., should at least make us reassess our attempt to colonize His presence within the church.
“My point about the least of these being the poor disciples of Jesus is that He is identifying with them, but not in some mystical encountering way where we see a literal Jesus in them”
Exactly, this makes my point. Jesus presence in one’s life does not mean His complicity in the sin of that person. Conversely, our sinfulness does not rule out His presence in us. If that would be the case, He could not be present in anyone in the church as we are sinful people (1 John 1:8). – Now how can He be present amongst sinful people? … I don’t know … it is a great mystery – That’s why the fact that the homeless person you are referring to is beating another one to death does not rule out Jesus presence in His life. Of course, Jesus would not identify with that act, neither would He when a leader in church, for that matter, commits a grave sin.
“I was actually agreeing with you, but using the common grace concept”
Sorry, I didn’t get that. What matters is that we understand each other eventually. Thank you.
John,
Good point. Good point !!!
I love that you have to write these papers. It’s like God forgot a book so we’ll pinch one off for him. (And YES, I used the phrase “pinch one off” very intentionally. I am very aware of the fact that it is a crude phrase often used to describe taking a shit.)
Josh, can we chat? Contact me at lpaladie@msn.com