Word of Salvation – Vol. 22 No. 42 – July 1976
Lord’s Day 31
Sermon by Rev. P. H. Pellicaan on Lord’s Day 31
Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 33:1-20.
Brothers and sisters,
The message of Lord’s Day 31 and of Ezekiel 20 is a call to be on the alert. The church of Jesus Christ is not a retreat, a rest-home where we can wait in tranquillity for the time when our life will be healed of destruction. It is not a place where everything is peaceful and restful.
The church is a bulwark, a besieged city around which the enemy has laid a ring of fire and steel. There is the terror of the night, and the arrow that flies by day, the pestilence that stalks in darkness and the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand!
Moreover it is a bulwark with many breaches through which the enemy can penetrate. And the gates are opened whenever the King wants us to go in the offensive and attack the enemy in his own camp.
Are you a member, a living member of the church?
Then be on the alert, for your life is in jeopardy. You have many powerful enemies who in fanatical fury seek to destroy you.
There is no greater danger for the church than the danger of complacency, the false feeling that everything is taken care of: peace, peace and no danger….! .A sudden destruction will come over you!
Let us inspect the walls of the church, and the watchmen standing on these walls having their trumpets at hand, ready at any time to blow the alarm.
When our catechism rejects errors, it often uses sharp language. There is no beating around the bush. In the previous Lord’s Days we found a sharp attack on the Roman Catholic concept of the sacraments. Over against this misconception the truth is then proclaimed without mincing words. If the honour of God is at stake, the truth of His Word, the reliability of His Revelation then there is no place for a compromise, for soothing words, for tolerance.
If the authors of our catechism would have had foreknowledge of what was going to happen with the church in this world then we would have found in this Lord’s Day a firm rejection of currents and concepts that are very popular nowadays. This Lord’s Day has been a shibboleth in ecclesiastical struggles for the last hundred years.
Two radically different views concerning the church, its place and its calling in the world, were vigorously defended. In liberal theology the view was propagated that the church should be a sort of a social club for nice, friendly people who would set an example of tolerance toward those who differed in doctrine or practice. The church should never condemn anyone, but should show understanding, sympathy, encouragement – even to those who would reject the basic teachings of Scripture. The church should never sit in judgement but should enter into a dialogue. The church is the mother of all and is not allowed to reject any of her children. As a direct result of this concept the principle of church discipline was discarded as an obstructive element in the church’s set-up.
A different principle was applied: the signal was given, “cease fire” over the whole frontier Instead of defenders, negotiators came forward who made a gentleman’s agreement: the gates of the church would always be open and everyone would have free access. No one would be bothered. On the other hand: church members were allowed to live outside the walls without being regarded as interlopers and deserters.
The underlying strategy was: enemies would be lured to settle in the church and would come under the influence of the church, losing their hostility against the gospel and the church. And further church members dwelling outside the church would influence the world and arouse sympathy and maybe even love for the Royal city.
A beautiful set-up and a clever strategy. But one thing was wrong with it: this plan was drafted without the agreement of the King of the church, it was even against His clear commandment.
We see it all around us in churches which have yielded to modernism that those who deny the resurrection of Christ, who reject the absolute authority of Scripture with all the disastrous consequences of it not only are tolerated, but very often become the leaders of those churches. The church so they say should never be narrow-minded and anybody who wants to join should be warmly received. In other words: there are no watchmen anymore on the walls, the gates are permanently open.
Moreover the church ought to be represented in non-Christian organisations even in communistic organisations. Every form of organized Christian action is to be rejected. No Christian schools, no Christian labour-unions, no Christian politics..!
To say that all this is disobedience to the word of Christ has to be proven from Scripture. Apart from the message in Ezechiel 33 we have the word of Paul in the New Testament in 2Corinthians:
“For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God and they shall be My people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean, and I will welcome you, and I will be a Father to you and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
The church of Christ is separate. It is walled in, and has to be guarded. No one needs a key of a gate that is always open. Yet Christ gave that key to His church with the charge to use that key.
But who is handling that key?
Who is guarding the gate? Who is the watchman on Sion’s walls?
Here we meet another error. Rome teaches: Peter (and his successors, the popes) is the guardian of God’s kingdom. He delegates his authority to the priests who after confession may absolve the sinner and remit his punishment. In actual fact: man received that key and is at liberty to use it as he sees fit.
This view is to be rejected as the Bible makes it clear that in actual fact the Lord Himself is the Guardian of His church. He is the Keeper of Israel who does not sleep or slumber. If the Lord does not guard the city the watchman keeps vigil in vain. The Father appointed His Son to be the great Keeper of His flock. He not only bears the key, but He Himself is the door. He is the One who is holy and true. Who has the key of David, He opens and no one shuts. He shuts and no one opens. There is to be no arbitrariness in the handling of that key. And no hierarchy should ever be found in the flock of the good Shepherd.
To handle this key is not the work of masters, but it is the work of servants. This key never became the property of the church. It was given to the church in loan, with a sharply defined instruction with it. If the church opens or shuts the gate then the church should do that only at Christ’s command.
Christ first of all gave that key to Peter. That is the foundation of Rome’s doctrine concerning this matter. But after the Resurrection Christ gave that key to all of His apostles: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:23). And the apostles passed on this authority to the office bearers of the churches they established.
In Corinth was a case of gross immorality and Paul demanded that the local office bearers should apply Christian discipline to that man. There are several similar admonitions in Scripture: Do this wicked one away from among you. If someone does not love the Lord Jesus, let him be anathema. Reject a heretic man after the first and second admonition. Scripture makes it very clear that the walls of Zion must be watched. Special watchmen were appointed. They are people with a specific office. They have a responsible position. If and when the enemy approaches, they have to blow the trumpet to alert the defenders. If they fail in their duty and accidents happen – their blood, the Lord said to Ezekiel, I will demand from the hand of the watch-men. It is a criminal offence to go to sleep and allow the enemy to penetrate into the church.
The watchmen have to look for danger. They have to be able to recognise danger. That is why Paul urged Timothy: Give yourself to reading! A watchman has to be able to distinguish the spirits whether they are from God. If they are not from God they are from satan!
It is not that these watchmen are better than the other church people, but they have been charged with a specific work. They will have to give an account of what they have done, or have not done when they stand before the heavenly Judge,
How do they perform their duties?
First of all, as faithful watchmen, they have to check people who want to join the church. Paul told us of enemies who “slipped in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus” (Gal.2:4). And so the watchmen have to see to it that no false brethren sneak in. They do that by asking for the watch-word, the parole. That watchword was given by the King Himself. When Peter confessed: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Saviour made this word the watchword for the church of all ages. John referred to it when he wrote: He who confesses that Jesus is Christ, is God. It is the word which the heavenly Father revealed to Peter. Whenever this word is spoken in faith the church may use the key and invite the confessor in, for it is clear that he too was born there.
A church which fails to ask for this watchword is letting down its defences and becomes an easy prey for the enemy.
But then the watchmen do not only guard the entrance, they also have to supervise those who already are admitted. There is treason in the church. There are penetrations by the enemy. There are also helpers who are prepared for a handful of silver pieces to betray the Master. Those unfaithful people will have to be excluded. They obviously did not enter through the gate but crept in from elsewhere. For he who does not enter through the door but climbs up some other way is a thief and murderer, the Lord said.
And here we have the picture of the church as Scripture shows it. On the alert, in great tension, the loins girded with the sword, as was the case in Nehemiah’s day: in the one hand the trowel to build, in the other hand the sword to defend. Paul described that in detail: standing in array, the loins girt with the truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace, above all the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.
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Up till now it was all simple and straightforward. We remain in the tradition of Scripture and the Reformation The church is not an Areopagus where anybody gets a hearing who has something new. The church is not like Parliament where opinions clash and where people may say what they like. The church is an army-camp with guarded gates. But does that mean that there is no room for discussion? Is it so that every objection is automatically ruled out of order? About secondary matters there can be a difference of opinion. Paul said: there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized (1Cor.11:19). By discussing matters truth is further developed. But how far – that is the big question – how far is this disagreement allowed? Where is the limit? When does the time arrive when we have to say: there must be a separation between you and me? There is a moment when Scripture tells us: be ye separate!
May I quote Calvin who was never accused of being too lax in these matters? He wrote: “When we say that the pure ministry of the word and pure celebration of the sacraments is a fit pledge and earnest, so that we may safely recognize a church in every society in which both exist, our meaning is that we are never to discard it so long as these remain though it may otherwise teem with numerous faults. Nay, even in the administration of word and sacraments defects may creep in which ought not to alienate us from its communion.” (Institutes IV.I.12),
The foundation of the church, the rock on which it is build may never be interfered with. That rock is the unshakable confession that Jesus is Christ. We have to be obedient to His Word, depend on His grace. That is not a theological opinion, but it is the core of our confession, the heart of our faith. And if anyone takes away from this, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city,
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We are however not out of the difficulties yet.
Aren’t there people who confess God’s truth with their mouths, but inwardly they are ravening wolves? For not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” is a living member of the church.
Let the watchmen do their work, but they can only see the outside. Only God sees the heart.
Therefore we have dual discipline. There is a discipline for people who give evidence of a sinful heart. It is not necessary to deal with this case in detail. In these cases there is first of all admonition. If that is not heeded, the congregation is informed that a member is living in a sinful way and is unwilling to repent. The congregation has to know this in order to make intercession for that member. This must be done not only in church, but also in the home. If all this is of no avail, then the next step is taken and the name of the sinner is announced from the pulpit and the congregation is urged to go and speak to the sinner. And finally there is excommunication when in Christ’s name it is announced that the gate of heaven is closed for that person, unless he or she repents. This is not only a judgment by men, but it is also a heavenly judgment. The Lord said: What you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.
But what about those sinners where the sin does not come in the open. They do not love the Lord, they do not rest on His grace but they continue in their pride and wickedness, they go through all the motions of Christian life. They say the right things, come to church, say their prayers, read the Bible.
These people are also put under Christian discipline! To them also the gate of God’s kingdom is shut. Not so that you can see it, but in such a way that God will see it. They will receive heavier judgment because they tried to deceive the church and God.
This kind of discipline is exercised in the preaching of the Word. Every Sunday discipline is exercised. You may return home after the service and say to yourself (or to others): I did not get anything out of it…..! Don’t you believe that! The key of God’s kingdom has been handled! A gate was opened, or a gate was shut. God’s Word never returns void.
Right now church discipline is applied to all of us! A dividing line will be drawn through our midst. On the one hand will be the believers, all those who confess their sins and take refuge in Jesus’ sacrifice; the pure of heart. On the other side will be the hypocrites, the unbelievers who only pretend to belong to Christ.
This line will be drawn by asking you a question:
DO YOU IN TRUE FAITH ACCEPT THE PROMISES OF GOD? DO YOU LOVE THE LORD JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOUR AND TRUST IN HIS REDEEMING WORK?
If you do, then your sins have been forgiven. The Spirit, who gave you faith, is living in your heart, and you will hereafter enter into the joys of your Lord.
Or – don’t you really believe in God’s grace? Don’t you really love the Lord Jesus more than anything or anyone else?
Then the wrath of God and eternal damnation is upon you if you do not repent. And here is the dividing line, right across the church. Invisible to us, but visible to God with Whom we have to do. And according to this word the Lord will judge now and in the life to come.
And this is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that across this dividing line there is one way-traffic only. Those who have accepted Him as Saviour will never get lost. No one, the Saviour promised, shall snatch them out of My hand.
But those on the other side, who do not belong to the flock of the good Shepherd, they may still cross the line. On one condition: that they know the watchword: Jesus Christ, the son of the living God. That is all you have to know. If you call upon that name you shall be saved! And the gate will be opened for you.
Something has happened! A decision has been taken, for or against!
And so the watchmen stand on the wall. They are sinful people themselves, but they were called to this duty. They blow the trumpet when they spot the enemy. Watchmen, what about the night? The morning comes but it is still night.
But the day is coming when the light will rise in full power and splendour, and the trumpets will be heard, not of the watchmen but the trumpets of the angels announcing the glorious coming of the Lord. And the signal will be heard: Lift up your heads O ye gates, lift them up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in. Blessed is that servant whom the Lord will find watching. Then the line of division will become visible for he shuts and no one opens! Woe unto you.
He opens and no one shuts! Halleluiah.
Amen.