Join us as we discuss: Covenant Religion
Topics considered include:
Modern Christian Sentiments about Religion
"Christianity is not a religion, its a relationship."
"Religion is man's attempt to reach God. Gospel is about God's coming to rescue man."
Religion is manmade. The Gospel is revealed from heaven.
Religion is about rules that are like rungs on a ladder to climb to heaven. The Gospel is about God coming down the ladder in grace to rescue and relate to man.
Defining Religion
Cicero's etymology relegere= read again
Popular etymology religare = "to bind fast" (Lactantius, Augustine)
James 1:26-27 "If any man among you seem to be religious (thrēskos/religiosum), and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion (thrēskeia/religio) is vain. Pure religion (thrēskeia/religio) and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
Godward–"Before God and the Father"--life Coram Deo
Practical/Outward–visiting orphans and widows in affliction
Personal/Inward–keep himself unspotted from the world
Religion 18X in Westminster Standards (not including prefaces)
I,8. Of the Holy Scriptures "...so as in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them."
I,10. "The supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined"
X,4. Of Effectual Calling "much less can men not professing the Christian religion be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they ever so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess"
XXIII, 4 Of the Civil Magistrate "Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrates just and legal authority"
XXIV, 3 Of Marriage and Divorce "And therefore such as confess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, Papists, or other idolaters"
XXV, 2 Of the Church "all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children"
XXXI, 2 Of Synods and Councils "matters of religion"
Title of Larger Catechism "The Covenanted Uniformity in Religion betwixt the Churches of Christ in the Kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland
LC 60 "that religion which they profess"
LC 62 "profess the true religion"
LC 109 "tolerating a false religion"
LC 113 "making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends"
LC 121 "a short abridgment of religion"
True Religion
The Christian Profession of Faith
Without Hypocrisy
The Christian Way of Life
False Religions
Distortions of the Christian Profession of Faith as in Rome
Hypocritical Profession of the Christian Faith
Way of Life Contrary to Christian Practice
True Religion Is Not Merely a Relationship
"Not Merely"--the true religion is a relationship, but it is not just any relationship
Relationship is undefined–there are many types of relationships (employee/employer; parent/child; husband/wife; friendship; partnership; acquaintance; legal, contractual, familial, formal, informal, high expectation, low expectation, consequential, inconsequential)
Relationship is unregulated–tendency for people to set their own terms with God; best illustrated in the words "My god would never…" or endless variety of adjectives SSA Christian, Feminist Christian, Liberal Christian; Christians whose way of life contradicts the commands of Christ
True Religion Is Covenant
Covenant Theology is an understanding of the unity and structure of the Bible
Covenant Religion = speaks of our bond with God in terms of His covenant
His Person = "I will be your God"--this is your first and best relationship
His People = "You will be My people"--you belong to God as Father and the church as mother
His Premises = By grace through faith in Christ
His Promises = eternal communion of life with God
His Precepts = the moral law of God (Ten Commandments; Law of Christ)
His Penalties = 2 Peter 2:20-22 "For if after they have escaped the pollutants of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."
Recommended Resources:
John Murray, Principles of Conduct
Your hosts:
TE Josh Owen
TE Aaron Garriott
RE Gabe Williams
Produced by: RE Gabe Williams
Music by: RE James Powers
Logo design: Beth Cragg
The Three Presbyteers is a ministry of Spruce Creek PCA in Port Orange FL.
If you're in the area, please join us for worship every Lord's Day morning at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM and in the evening at 6:00 PM. Education Hour is at 10:00 AM.
www.Sprucecreekpca.org
