The Doctrine of the Church
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Introduction
When one says the word “church,” there are many thoughts. Some think of a stone building on the corner of W. King Street and Cherry Street. Some think of a Sunday morning worship service. Some think of an organizational structure or an entire denomination. What exactly is the church? Is it an organization or is it an organism? The Church in some form or fashion has been around now for almost two thousand years. In its first 300 years, it was an illegal organization. The persecution of Christians was alway possible and often quite intense. Churches became institutions that evolved into a loosely hierarchical structure. A hierarchy is that structure in which authority is entrusted to a few individuals for the good of the whole. By the second century, the church had overseers or bishops in larger cities that began exercise authority over the churches in outlying areas. These bishops were asked to establish true apostolic doctrine and practices. In theory, they were seen as successors to the apostles and therefore seen as guardians of the true teachings of Christ. Roman government and church hierarchy began to merge and the government began to shrink away while the church took on many of the obligations and privileges of the government. As the line between what was the church and what was the government diminished, more power was utilized the church became more about doing works through the law and sacraments. During the Protestant Reformation, outspoken preachers like Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and others preached that salvation came through God’s grace rather than by works of these laws and sacraments. Eventually, these preachers expounded on the Word of God and held that only believers could be members of the church. This return to this Biblical model led to the separation of church and state as well as the rise of denominations as we have today. Of course, extreme forms of denominationalism have some folks think that you have to be a certain denomination in order to be the true church. I assure you that when we all get to heaven there will not be categories that divide us. There will be no denominations, no race, nor gender or any other type of divisions mankind has mustered up in these last days. So if Heaven is going to be like that, shouldn’t we start now by recognizing the church in a better sense? The Bible teaches us that the church is the body of those who have been called out of the world by God’s grace, and who have been called together to glorify Him by serving Him in His world. Despite all the headlines of late, the church is ultimately called to be a radiant church, “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:27)
If this is definition of what the church should be, I want to invite you to look how we get there. Specifically, I want to invite you to look at Titus 2:11-15
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
Invited By Grace (vs. 11)
Invited By Grace (vs. 11)
First, I want you to see that the church exists today because of God’s grace. We have studied GRACE many times and often have used the acronym God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense.
God’s
Redemption
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Expense
The Grace of God calls us. Ephesians 1:4-6
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
We have talked multiple times over that last few weeks with the Doctrines we have studied that we fall short of the Glory of God because of our sinfulness. Yet, God still calls us to be His.
30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
God’s grace comes from His great power. His great power has appeared and fixed our problem. Look at this way, have you ever been broken down beside a busy road? I have had that problem a time or two and it is not a fun place to be. You are stranded and often alone. Imagine someone stops to help you. They are not able to help you fix the problem, but they are present with you for the time being. That’s nice isn’t? However, your broken down vehicle is still broken down. What is that person that stops can not only be with you, but can fix your problem and then continue the journey with you? That is much better isn’t it? God’s power has appeared and fixed our problem! The Grace of God calls us then leads us to salvation. God’s grace and His salvation is for all mankind. The word in our text for “men” is anthropos, which means human beings, both male and female. This is an important concept for the church. God’s grace is given freely to all and therefore, the church should be open to all. It is not not an exclusive club. Everyone belongs and should have a chance to belong.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Just like God has done for us, we should be a church that invites others to experience God’s Grace. It calls us, it leads us to salvation, and it is for all people. We are invited by grace and we are illuminated with grace.
Illuminated With Grace (vs. 11)
Illuminated With Grace (vs. 11)
In Titus 2:11, don’t miss the word “appeared.” The Greek word is epiphaino. It means to bring light, to be like a star, and to be clearly known. We all know how incredible light is! The salvation we have received through Christ lights our way as the Star of Bethlehem! What does light do? It dispels the darkness!
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
Church, when we are illuminated with grace, we are indeed dispelling the darkness. That’s why l love to drive by our church at night. It’s a wonder there have not been more wrecks in front of our church. I am captivated by this stain glass window as the light shines through it at nighttime. I would say there is not another building in town that displays such an exhibit of beauty. That is exactly when happens when Christ comes into our lives and when we allow His light to penetrate throughout our church body. When we are illuminated with grace, it drives out the dirt.
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness
and brings deep shadows into the light.
In other words, as grace is illuminated in our lives, we get rid of the nasty and develop the disciple within us God desires for us to have! There’s a concept for us! As the church, we should illuminate grace as we develop disciples. Grace develops our character of Christlikeness. We give up things that the light reveals that are not helpful for us.
33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
The church is lit up with grace and it is also instructed through grace.
Instructed Through Grace (vs.12-13)
Instructed Through Grace (vs.12-13)
Our text today tells us to say no to that which conflicts us. We are to say no to ungodliness. Titus 2:12
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
The word that translates to ungodliness means impiety or a lack of reverence for God in both thought and action. It is paired with the another phrase “worldly passions.” This means having desires that are forbidden and belonging to the world while having the character of the present corrupt age. Unfortunately, our headlines today show that many churches and denominations are not saying no to ungodliness and worldly passions. As a result, we there is no line of separation between church and state. In fact, we see more ungodliness and worldly passions in our pews. Church, it is time for us to say no to the confliction! It is time for us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and start saying yes to a life of self-control as we live upright and godly lives! Psalm 24:3-4
3 Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
Our churches have been given much grace and we need to instruct in and through that grace. We need to have Bible studies, Sunday School classes, and gathering times where grace is shown and learned more about. Are you seeing how grace plays a key role in the church? Christ should be the absolute foundation of our church and grace should be walls and doorways!
Every time we gather together, we should be instructed through grace and shown how to stay true to the course.
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
I learned something very interesting studying the word wait. The Greek word is prosdechomai. It means to receive to one’s self, to admit, to give access to one’s self. It actually is a word of intimacy in receiving one into one’s inmost being. It is a process of becoming one and expecting the fulfilment of promise. This was quite a lesson to learn for one that hates to wait. What are we waiting for? We are waiting for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The glorious appearing is that happy, joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. The church must stay true the course and continue to instruct in grace the truths about this blessed hope in which we have! As Christians, we have a vantage point while we wait.
23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel
We need to develop waiting habits! We are equipped. 1 Corinthians 1:7
7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
We learn this in the church!
We are to be earnest. Jude 21
21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
We learn this in the church!
We are enabled!
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
We learn this in church!
The church is instituted for grace.
Instituted For Grace (vs. 14-15)
Instituted For Grace (vs. 14-15)
We are changed to remember. Verse 14 reminds us that Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us and purify us. Deuteronomy 7:6
6 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
We are challenged to reassure. Christ wants us to be His very own and that should make us eager to do what is good. This means that we are literally to be zealots for good deeds.
We are challenged to reassure through teaching and encouraging each other. We are charged to rebuke when necessary.
This means that when someone goes against what God has instructed, we need to admonish it, to expose and correct it. But we are to do so with grace.
Church, we have to remember the totality and the truth of the Gospel. Sometimes we reduce the Gospel to He came, He lived, He died, and He got up. But the total gospel is that He came, He lived, He died, He got up, He ascended, the Holy Spirit came down, the church was born and He is coming back again! We have to remember that until He comes back again, we need to be looking up because what goes up has to come back down. And while we are waiting, we are called to be the church that is invited by grace, illuminated with grace, instructed through grace, and instituted for grace! This means there is no room for selfishness. There is no room for dis-gruntledness. There is no room for personal preferences. There is only room to love each other in the love of our Lord. Amen?