Christ Our Advocate: Joy Dudley

Christ Our Advocate: Joy Dudley

(Heidelberg Q&A 49) How does Christ's Ascension into heaven benefit us?

First he is our Advocate in heaven before the Father. Second we have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that he, our Head will also take us, his members up to himself. Third he sends us his Spirit as a counter pledge by whose power we seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and not the things that are on earth

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1st John 2: 1-2)

Advocate: a person who pleads for or in behalf of another, intercessor.

Have you ever felt exhausted and weighed down by the condemnation that can come from your own heart? Is your mind an endless list of evaluations of motives and sins? Weary one, are you close to despairing in your wavering? Some of us have been duped into thinking that we can achieve a false victory by looking to our own ability to obey God. The more we look to the law to sanctify us, the more the law does what it was meant to do: to show that we are utterly hopeless and in desperate need of a perfect law keeper. I've been there. I've felt like I was running on a treadmill that got me nowhere but exhausted. I've wanted to give up and walk away completely, with no hope of perseverance.

Oh weary, restless, wanderer there is a perfect rest purchased for you in Christ. The Holy God has called you to reconciliation through His righteousness. You can freely say that you are weak, but your Savior is sufficient. You may fail frequently, but His love is sure and unwavering. As Spurgeon says, "You are safe in the wounds that constantly plead for you!" When you are overwhelmed with the fear of falling away, see Christ seated at the right hand of God praying that your faith would not fail.

He is faithful to preserve you and present you blameless before the Father's presence with great joy! (Jude 1:24)Come and rest! Cease the meaningless striving for what has already been freely given to you and come and exult in Christ your great treasure. Behold the Christ, whose striving and perfect obedience is now freely imputed to you as righteousness. Look to the Lamb of God, slain to satisfy divine justice for the sins of His people. Fix your eyes upward to Him who advocates for you constantly before the throne. Exhale deeply, knowing that the Spirit also prays for you in your weakness. The greatest consolation for your despair is to know that God is the just and justifier of the ungodly. (Romans 3:26) No longer despair in your wavering, but rejoice in His faithfulness.

"Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly at heart and you will find rest for your souls" 

Matthew 11:28-29

Joy Dudley is co-host of Church Chats with Gospel Gal podcast, a contributor to Gospel Gal blog, and a member of a URCNA church in Southern California. She loves pointing people to the kindness, love, and sufficiency of Christ in their day to day lives.

Absolution

Many years ago, I was struggling with a real and besetting sin. At the time, our family was church-homeless (Church Homelessness is discussed on my podcast, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiYi-4OmPNs). And I am sure that this homelessness only lent to and exacerbated the problems. Nonetheless, the Lord was faithful and was with me even when "I made my bed in hell" (Psalm 139:8). And He provided a couple of close friends for me to confide in, to pray for me, and to encourage me even in that very dark time. Much like absolution, one of those friends was not only loyal, walking with me through the valley, but was persistent in reminding me that the bed I'd made for myself did not define me. It was the Lord Who bought me Who did.

Within the last several months I have found my spiritual home in the Anglican Church and absolution has become a treasured discovery. Priests, His ministers, have been given the power to assure us of Christ's pardoning favor (absolution) and to restore sinners to His church.

Listen to the words of the Book of Common Prayer that disclose to us the forgiveness of sin  found in our Triune God, and the comfort provided to us by His servants: 

The Reconciliation of  Penitents

The Penitent begins: Bless me, for I have sinned.

The Priest says: The Lord be in your heart and upon your lips that you may truly and humbly confess your sins: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Penitent: I confess to Almighty God, to his Church, and to you, that I have sinned by my own fault in thought, word, and deed, in things done and left undone; especially [the sins of my past]. For these and all other sins which I cannot now remember, I am truly sorry. I pray God to have mercy on me. I firmly intend amendment of life, and I humbly beg forgiveness of God and his Church, and ask you for counsel, direction, and absolution.

(Here the Priest may offer counsel, direction, and comfort.)

The Priest then declares: Almighty God have mercy upon you, pardon, free, and forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, keep you in eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. 

The Lord has put away all your sins.

Penitent: Thanks be to God.

Priest: O most loving Father, by your mercy you put away the sins of those who truly repent, and remember their sins no more. Restore and renew in your servant whatever has been corrupted by the fraud and malice of the devil, or by her own selfish will and weakness. Preserve and protect her within the fellowship of the Church; hear her prayers and relieve her pain; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Priest concludes: Go in peace, and pray for me, a sinner.

If your soul is sore and your sin has left gaping wounds on your heart and mind, look to Jesus. He lived for us. He died for these very sins of yours and mine. He was buried and rose again for us. He ever lives to make intercession for us. And He provides faithful ministers to care for our souls. Go and seek one out. We have a real accuser who delights in dredging up the past, so it is good to hear the word of promise from someone outside of ourselves. Absolution has been a salve for my sin-sick spirit.

Our One Comfort: Joy Dudley

The Heidelberg Catechism opens with one question whose answer has become a much beloved and cherished rehearsal that plays over and over again in my head and my heart:

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Recently through listening to this fantastic sermon by John Fonville (I will provide the link at the end of the post), I have come to the understanding that this comfort is what is needed as we travail through the storms and valleys of this life. This comfort is what is needed to live unto righteousness and die onto sin. This comfort counteracts and destroys our lack of confidence in the benevolence of God's favor towards us in Christ. This comfort brings the assurance that God will not forsake us in our trials, that He does not turn away from us when we sin, and that He is kind and merciful to us.

This one comfort lays waste to our distrust in God's provision, lays waste to our trust in our own righteousness, lifts our eyes to Christ who is seated at the right hand of God, and cocoons us in the care of the triune God. This comfort shows us that God's kindness leads us to repentance. This comfort means the difference between exhaustion and rest, despair and rejoicing. This comfort hushes the voices of condemnation and guarantees us the declaration "Well done thou good and faithful servant", for the sake of Christ. Gospel comfort preserves, protects, and presents us before God with confidence.

Please listen as Pastor John Fonville eloquently lays out a paradigm that enables us to live and die in this comfort. I pray that if you are discouraged by your lack of obedience, if you are weary from frustration, and if you are unsure of God's disposition towards you in Christ, the words of this sermon would be streams of living water for your soul.

https://www.paramountchurch.com/sermons/sermon/2019-07-28/guilt-grace-gratitude:-a-paradigm-for-comfort

"May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ" - 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Joy Dudley is co-host of Church Chats with Gospel Gal podcast, a contributor to Gospel Gal blog, and member of a URCNA church in Southern California. She loves pointing people to the kindness, love, and sufficiency of Christ in their day to day lives

Beholding Christ

While the directives to pray, read Scripture, 

to "be holy as God is holy" are biblical, they 

have no power to effect change. It is beholding 

Christ in the Gospel by the power of the Holy 

Spirit that we become holy. 

~Gospel Gal

The Sacraments

On the last episode of Church Chats we discussed church homelessness, the state of being without or apart from a local church, and I blogged on the topic prior to that. (Episode here: Episode #6 : "Church Homelessness": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiYi-4OmPNs. Blog post here: Church Homlessness: https://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2020/07/church-homelessness.html.)

On both the episode and blog post I made use of the Belgic Confession, Articles 28 and 29, to aid the understanding of the functions and marks of the true church. The Confession states,

"...The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks:

engages in the pure preaching of the gospel;

it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them;

it practices church discipline for correcting faults."

As the pure administration of the Sacraments is one of the marks, I wanted to provide some additional information and resources to define and clarify the nature, function, and administration of the sacraments, as well as the context, recipients, and attitude of those who receive them.

What are sacraments?
They are the means of grace.
"Historically in Reformed scholastic theology, media gratia (means of grace) was a

technical term. The classification of the Word and sacraments as media gratiae does not intend to exclude the general operation of grace, but rather to indicate the function of both the Word and sacraments in the effectual call and sanctification of man as objective channels of special grace (gratia specialis). The Word and sacraments are thus essential both in the inception of salvation and in the believer’s sanctification. The Word and sacraments are the sole officially ordained objective means of grace. God has promised His grace to faithful hearers of the Word and faithful participants in the sacraments, when the Word is rightly preached and the sacraments rightly administered." ~J.V. Fesko: Word, Water and Spirit: A Reformed Perspective on Baptism

They are signs and seals declaring God's promises to us in Christ.

In the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 17:10-14) all males in his household circumcised. Circumcision is a sign and seal of the covenant to remind the people of the Lord’s covenant with Abraham and his offspring.

Wherever there was a covenant, there was a sign. Gen 9: God’s covenant with Noah was the sacrament, sign of covenant the rainbow. "When I see the sign, I will remember."

"The word sacrament is widely used by a variety of Christian traditions but for some evangelicals it is a word that is associated with Romanism and a false view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Our English word sacrament is derived from the Latin military term, sacramentum, which was a military oath of loyalty. In the Latin translations of Scripture where the New Testament uses the term mystery the Latin text often uses the word sacramentum...In the Heidelberg Catechism we define sacrament this way:

66. What are the Sacraments?
The Sacraments are visible holy signs and seals appointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof He may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the Gospel: namely, that of free grace, He grants us the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life for the sake of the one sacrifice of Christ accomplished on the cross." ~R. Scott Clark: https://heidelblog.net/2018/07/what-do-we-mean-by-sacrament-sign-and-seal/

"The sacraments are the gospel made visible. We need these visible promises and guarantees because we are sinners and our faith is sometimes weak. We waver. So, we say to the believer (this qualification is essential), that just as surely as you were washed with water, that is how certain it is that you were cleansed by Christ and by his Spirit. Baptism does not do this. Christ does it by his Spirit but baptism testifies to the believer that it is really true. "~R Scott Clark: https://www.theaquilareport.com/what-do-we-mean-by-sacrament-sign-and-seal/

XXV. Of the Sacraments.
"Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him..." ~39 Articles of Religion (Anglican)

"Sacraments... are exercises which confirm our faith in the word of God; and because we are carnal, they are exhibited under carnal objects, that thus they may train us in accommodation to our sluggish capacity, just as nurses lead children by the hand. And hence Augustine calls a sacrament a visible word (August. in Joann. Hom. 89), because it represents the promises of God as in a picture, and places them in our view in a graphic bodily form..." ~Calvin's Institutes

How many sacraments are there?

XXV. Of the Sacraments.
"...There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord." ~39 Articles of Religion (Anglican)

"How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant?Two: holy baptism and the holy supper. 1

1.Mt 28:19, 20; 1 Cor 11:23-26. " ~Heidelberg Catechism 68

What is Baptism? 

Baptism is the new covenant sign and seal of the Gospel for believers and their households.

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" ~Matthew 28

Paul, against the Judaizers, showed that the same spiritual realities connected to circumcision, are now in Baptism. They are identical. Each signifies the forgiveness of sins according to the promises ratified in His own blood. Genesis 17 gives us the model (Abraham) of the New Testament believer: believing in the promise, then receiving the administration of that promise. The pattern of receiving the Gospel never changed. Abraham received *believers circumcision and his male offspring received *infant circumcision. Circumcision was *not something done to show God that a convert meant business. It was something that God did, to show that He meant business with His people.

"Christ instituted this outward washing with water and joined therewith this promise: that I am washed with His blood and Spirit from the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as certainly as I am washed outwardly with water, whereby commonly the filthiness of the body is taken away." ~Heidelberg Catechism 60

"The ground for the administration of baptism is the command and covenant promise of God, for adults and children. The signs of the covenant: circumcision and baptism are *His signs of *His covenant. They signify His promise to save us. They are not only tokens of our commitment to God, but His sign and seal of grace and good will toward us." ~John Fonville: https://www.paramountchurch.com/sermons/sermon/2018-07-01/the-recipients-of-baptism-part-4

What is Communion?

Communion is the New Covenant sign and seal of the Gospel for discerning believers.

"Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.... I am among you as the One who serves." ~Luke 22

"For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself." ~I Corinthians 11

Communion is also called "The Eucharist," "The Lord's Supper," or "The Lord's Table".
Heidelberg 75. How is it signified and sealed to you in the Holy Supper, that you do partake of the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross and all His benefits?

Thus: that Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat of this broken bread and to drink of this cup in remembrance of Him, and has joined therewith these promises: First, that His body was offered and broken on the cross for me and His blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup communicated to me; and further, that with His crucified body and shed blood He Himself feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, as certainly as I receive from the hand of the minister and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, which are given me as certain tokens of the body and blood of Christ.

"Let us recollect, then, that the Supper is given us as a mirror in which we may contemplate Jesus Christ crucified in order to deliver us from condemnation, and raised again in, order to procure for us righteousness and eternal life. It is indeed true that this same grace is offered us by the gospel, yet as in the Supper we have more ample certainty, and fuller enjoyment of it, with good cause do we recognise this fruit as coming from it." ~JohnCalvin: Short Treatise on the Lord's Supper

How should believers approach the sacraments? 

For sure, as those coming to the table of the Lord in the Lord's house, we should come in honesty and humility, but also boldly as the Sons and Daughters of the Living God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ by faith.

XXV. Of the Sacraments.
...The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith. ~39 Articles of Religion (Anglican)

"Because the sacraments are given to the church and are to be visible signs and seals to all who believe, they are to be administered by the church and taken (when possible) in the company of other believers. In Christ, we are not only connected to him but to all others who believe. The sacraments are not just for the individual to be taken in secret but are to be visible to everyone and taken together as the body of Christ. The sacraments are precious ceremonies of the covenant of grace that God uses to bind us to himself and nourish us until we can enjoy fellowship and communion with him in heaven." ~Leah Baugh: https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/what-is-a-sacrament/

Too often people think that they have made peace with God, because they have examined themselves before they received the Lord's supper. They rightly find themselves lacking before God, but do not depend on Christ to make them worthy. They're depending on their own deceitful purposes and resolutions to make themselves worthy. ~ John Fonville

Application:

How does the proper administration and understanding of the sacraments benefit us?

The answer to moralistic, "radical discipleship," legalistic, Christ-less preaching is not to ignore/deny the third use of the Law & apostolic imperatives. The answer is to preach them according to the apostolic pattern - because (Gospel indicative) therefore (imperative). The pattern of the Heidelberg Catechism likewise follows the pattern of apostolic preaching and the structure of Romans - sin/salvation/service or guilt/grace/gratitude or repent/believe/live accordingly. The Gospel must be the focus. Faith is created/confirmed by the means of grace in Word & Sacrament. That Gospel-fed faith then works through love - and that love is guided/shaped by the third use of the Law/ apostolic imperatives. ~Tony Phelps

Because we often find the Gospel hard to believe, and we are prone to unbelief, we struggle with doubt and uncertainty at times. This confirmation of the Lord's good will and favor is necessary to persevere us in our struggle with sin and challenges in life... In these times of doubt, and struggle, and uncertainty, we must receive constant confirmation for our faith. This is why the Lord has given to us baptism and the Lord's supper. Because of His great love, He gives to us these outward signs and seals to assure our faith that every promise of the Gospel is yes and amen. ~John Fonville: http://www.paramountchurch.com/mediaPlayer/#/sermonaudio/406

Resources:
"Let a Person Examine Himself": John Fonville: https://www.paramountchurch.com/sermons/sermon/2017-06-04/let-a-person-examine-himself

"What About Communion": John Fonville: Him We Proclaim Radio:
https://subsplash.com/proclaimradiowithjohnfonville/lb/mi/+7l8zeqr

Baptism Series: John Fonville; Paramount Church: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=baptism%20series%3B%20fonville&epa=SEARCH_BOX

Rest in the Righteousness of Christ~Joy Dudley

Like lighting one small candle to supplement the sun, is adding man's weak merit to what our Lord has done; For He the books of heaven has cleared by His blood, Our righteousness is in Him, His name the Son of God. - William Williams

A few months ago, I was in a bad state. Suffering under the weight of condemnation, I questioned everything that was “spiritual” about me. I listened to messages and testimonies to determine if I was really saved. I suffered silently and was consistently living in fear due to the state of my soul. The drive to work every morning was particularly painful, and it was there that I decided there was no hope for me. My joy in Christ melted into the fear of judgment from a Holy God, because every time I looked at the state of my own obedience in the sanctification process, I was sorely lacking. Every time I sinned, I thought that God was disappointed in me. I thought He merely tolerated me and was disgusted with everything I did.

Everything came to a boiling point one night at a bible study, where I mentioned disdain for my own lack of prayer. A woman preached to me the good news afresh, not as though I was hearing it for the first time, but to bring absolution and consolation to my weary soul. You see, the gospel is for Christians too. So much so, that we must be consistently reminded of it, lest we fall into the pit of guilt, condemnation, and despair. 

The one thing that this woman mentioned to me that freed me from my bondage of condemnation was the righteousness that was freely given to me by faith. This righteousness met the legal demands of God’s law and is imputed to all believers by faith.  Christ’s very life of perfect obedience is credited to all believers as righteousness. My hope in writing this, is not just to remind you of what you already know about the gospel, but to show that the very doctrines that we so often assume, are what fuels the fire of rest, of faith, and of obedience motivated by gratitude rather than fear.  As Paul famously wrote in Romans 10:17, “so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”, may the declaration of Christ produce new faith afresh.

I hear constantly the need for believers to fix our eyes on Christ. These are very wise instructions because there is no way that we can find any assurance or rest from our weariness in constant naval gazing.  Out of your own weakness fix your eyes on the obedient and faithful Son with whom the Father is well pleased.  Out of your despair and heaviness from meriting favor before God by attempting to keep the law, look to Christ who obeyed this very law perfectly in your place.  Out of fear of punishment from sin, look to Christ “who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Look upon that cross and behold the Lamb, slain to satisfy divine justice in the place of the sinner. Out of the trial of temptation, look to the second Adam who was also tempted in every way and triumphed over satan in your place. My sisters, all that is needed for life in godliness is found in the Risen Son of glory. We need not look to anything within ourselves to justify us, but to Christ’s perfect righteousness. The greatest consolation that a Christian can have while battling trials, depression, temptation, weakness, grief, and despair is to know that God is both the just and the justifier of the ungodly (Romans 3:26).

The cure for a weak, droopy, and doubting faith is to fix our eyes on the one who is “able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25) That last line brings me to my knees. He makes intercession for us!  Our flesh and Satan’s accusations cause us to believe that the Father’s underlying disposition towards us is merely tolerance, mixed with disgust. Yet the truth tells us that out of love, the Father willingly gives His Son to fulfill all the requirements of the law in our place. The Father is satisfied and well pleased with Christ, and we are hidden in Him.

When the Father sees you, He sees the perfect obedience of the His faithful Son. You are clothed in His righteousness, united to Him by faith. Enter the rest of God.  For Christ says, “Come to Me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30).

I pray the truth of His words would fill your heart with confidence and joy. Know the safety and security of Christ as you continue to wrestle over sin. No spiritual harm can come to those united to Christ by faith. His favor over you never wanes, for He has perfectly made provision for you in every way. His life is your cloak, His death is your freedom. He took your sins as His own and granted His life to you as though you never sinned. This was the Father’s will from the very beginning, and by this may you stand.
Joy Dudley is co-host of Church Chats with Gospel Gal podcast, a contributor to Gospel Gal blog, and a member of a URCNA church in Southern California. She loves pointing people to the kindness, love, and sufficiency of Christ in their day to day lives.

Ecumenical Creeds & Reformed Confessions

"There are plenty of Christians who, out of devotion and sincerity, think we need to get past all this “ritual stuff,” back to the Bible and Jesus. But that’s actually what the creeds do, what they were meant to do! They are the best summaries of the high points of Scripture; they are about the revelation of God in Christ and in Scripture. And most of the creeds, because they were responding to heresies that were about Jesus, are all about Jesus. They’re focused on who he is and what he’s done: the person and work of Christ. Most of the creeds rely on Scripture and many contain summaries of Scripture...

Creeds are the boundary markers between what is Christian thought and non-Christian thought. So if you’re beyond this boundary, then you are outside the scope of the Christian faith on dangerous ground. Confessions color within those lines of denominational distinctives using important but not necessarily first order issues."
~Justin Holcomb (Core Christianity:CREEDS AND CONFESSIONS: Q&A WITH JUSTIN HOLCOMB)

To learn the essentials of the Christian faith, turn to the Ecumenical Creeds:
*Nicene Creed;
*Apostles' Creed;
*Athanasian Creed.
To learn of the particulars of specific Reformed doctrine, study the Reformed Confessions:
*The 39 Articles (Anglican);
*Belgic Confession (Reformed);
*Westminster Confession (Presbyterian).

*Nicene Creed (325AD):

We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.

*Apostles' Creed (390 AD):

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

*that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places

*Athanasian Creed (415 AD):
Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the *catholic faith.

Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.

Now this is the catholic faith:

That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,
neither blending their persons
nor dividing their essence.
For the person of the Father is a distinct person,
the person of the Son is another,
and that of the Holy Spirit still another.
But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one,
their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.

What quality the Father has, the Son has, and the Holy Spirit has.
The Father is uncreated,
the Son is uncreated,
the Holy Spirit is uncreated.

The Father is immeasurable,
the Son is immeasurable,
the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.

The Father is eternal,
the Son is eternal,
the Holy Spirit is eternal.

And yet there are not three eternal beings;
there is but one eternal being.
So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings;
there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being.

Similarly, the Father is almighty,
the Son is almighty,
the Holy Spirit is almighty.
Yet there are not three almighty beings;
there is but one almighty being.

Thus the Father is God,
the Son is God,
the Holy Spirit is God.
Yet there are not three gods;
there is but one God.

Thus the Father is Lord,
the Son is Lord,
the Holy Spirit is Lord.
Yet there are not three lords;
there is but one Lord.

Just as Christian truth compels us
to confess each person individually
as both God and Lord,
so catholic religion forbids us
to say that there are three gods or lords.

The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.
The Son was neither made nor created;
he was begotten from the Father alone.
The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten;
he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Accordingly there is one Father, not three fathers;
there is one Son, not three sons;
there is one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits.

Nothing in this trinity is before or after,
nothing is greater or smaller;
in their entirety the three persons
are coeternal and coequal with each other.

So in everything, as was said earlier,
we must worship their trinity in their unity
and their unity in their trinity.

Anyone then who desires to be saved
should think thus about the trinity.

But it is necessary for eternal salvation
that one also believe in the incarnation
of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.

Now this is the true faith:

That we believe and confess
that our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son,
is both God and human, equally.

He is God from the essence of the Father,
begotten before time;
and he is human from the essence of his mother,
born in time;
completely God, completely human,
with a rational soul and human flesh;
equal to the Father as regards divinity,
less than the Father as regards humanity.

Although he is God and human,
yet Christ is not two, but one.
He is one, however,
not by his divinity being turned into flesh,
but by God's taking humanity to himself.
He is one,
certainly not by the blending of his essence,
but by the unity of his person.
For just as one human is both rational soul and flesh,
so too the one Christ is both God and human.

He suffered for our salvation;
he descended to hell;
he arose from the dead;
he ascended to heaven;
he is seated at the Father's right hand;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
At his coming all people will arise bodily
and give an accounting of their own deeds.
Those who have done good will enter eternal life,
and those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith:
one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.
*that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places

*The 39 Articles (Anglican): http://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html

*Belgic Confession (Reformed): https://threeforms.org/the-belgic-confession/

*Westminster Confession (Presbyterian): https://opc.org/wcf.html

Resources:

Know the Creeds and Councils (KNOW Series) Paperback – April 29, 2014
by Justin S. Holcomb: https://www.amazon.com/Know-Creeds-Councils-Justin-Holcomb/dp/0310515092/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZQCR363FTX5A&dchild=1&keywords=know+the+creeds+and+councils&qid=1594220687&sprefix=know+the+cr%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1

Recovering the Reformed Confession Paperback – October 15, 2008
by R Scott Clark: https://www.amazon.com/Recovering-Reformed-Confession-Scott-Clark/dp/1596381108/ref=sr_1_1?crid=K49CG2MTRU7C&dchild=1&keywords=recovering+the+reformed+confession&qid=1594220829&sprefix=Recovering+the+Re%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-1

Church Chats Episode #6: "Church Homelessness"

🌷
Fresh Episode: "Church Homelessness"
on Church Chats with Gospel Gal and friends: Joy Dudley, Matthew Rosenblum, Vanessa Cabassa, Russ McCary, Sergio Gonzalez, and Steph.
Listen here: "Church Homelessness": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiYi-4OmPNs

I'm chatting with Joy, Matt, Vanessa, Russ and Sergio about the church and church homelessness. Episode Notes ( and Resources mentioned):

"The Gospel For Those Broken By The Church": Rod Rosenbladt: https://www.1517.org/videos/the-gospel-for-those-broken-by-the-church

Graeme Goldsworthy: Gospel and Kingdom: https://www.amazon.com/Goldsworthy-Graeme-Gospel-Kingdom-Paperback/dp/B00J5TJ7CO/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3J42YUUPFQ2Y4&dchild=1&keywords=gospel+and+kingdom+graeme+goldsworthy&qid=1594135069&sprefix=Gospel+and+Kingdom%3B%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-7

"Church Discipline vs. Spiritual Abuse": Church Chats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3BPu7E3za0

"Abuse and the Church": Theology Gals: http://theologygals.com/2017/06/abuse-and-the-church-theology-gals-episode-20/

The Church: God's Gift for His People~Joy Dudley

What believest thou when thou sayest, I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth?

That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who out of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them; who likewise upholds and governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father, on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt that He would provide all things necessary for soul and body; and further that He will make whatever evils He sends upon me, in this valley of tears, turn out to my advantage; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing being a faithful Father."

One of the many blessings that the Lord has afforded me with lately is the privilege of learning about the Heidelberg Catechism during our second service. Last Sunday we looked at this particular question and answer. It is a favorite for many - and I can understand why! We talked about the Lord's providence and intention behind our suffering and how it directly relates to the Gospel. I wanted to take some time to share two things that were particularly meaningful and comforting to me - and I hope is for you too!

1. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is also my Father and my God.

I have been guilty of relating to God as my judge rather than a loving and faithful Father. I have harbored the secret suspicion that He was going to ultimately judge me and cast me away forever. It all depended on whether I had a "good day" or a "bad day". Did I spend sufficient time in the word and prayer today? Did I make an effort to share the Gospel today? Did I have a good attitude today towards my coworkers and my family members? The list goes on. If my answers to those questions were not sufficient, then I started to question the validity of my faith. If they were sufficient in my own estimation, I became puffed up and self righteous. In both situations, God seemed distant. The constant questioning was exhausting and it seemed that no matter how much I did, I never truly felt that the Lord was pleased with me. It is lonely and terrifying to constantly think and relate to God as Judge, and fear that on judgement day, He would say "Depart from me". I imagine I'm not the only one who has harbored these secret thoughts, too ashamed to share with others for fear that their suspicions are confirmed.

However, the wonderful news of the Gospel declares to us that for Christ's sake- God is also my Father and no longer my Judge. Christ "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2), has exhausted all of the anger and wrath that we deserved. The Gospel declares to us that in His living, He earned our righteousness, so that I am not only forgiven and seen as though I had never sinned, I am also seen as though I have perpetually kept the law. "When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:4). The Gospel declares to us that we have nothing to fear on Judgment day - because our Judgment day already occurred 2,000 years ago.

The Gospel gives us the promised Spirit "that bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16) Because of the Gospel, we can confidently proclaim with Paul that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans: 8:38-39. These precious promises purchased for us by Christ, takes us out of the endless navel gazing and turns them to the objective grounds for our assurance. He has done these things for us and therefore, we can confidently declare that God is our Father!

2. He will make whatever evils He sends upon me, in this valley of tears, turn out to my advantage; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing being a faithful Father.

We live in a broken and evil world that has been destroyed by sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, not only was the human race cursed, but all of creation. We live in the tension of the already and not yet. We already possess eternal life, but we have not yet experienced the fullness of its reality. And we won't until Jesus comes back. So what are we to make of our suffering? What are we to make of the loss and pain that we experience? What are we to make of this "valley of tears" that we call life? The answer is found in the Incarnation: Jesus born in human flesh who became the suffering Savior. Why is our Father able to use adversity and destruction for our good and benefit? Because Christ suffered as we have. He suffered betrayal and loss. He has even tasted the sting of death - so that by His resurrection, we may rise to newness of life.

The worse thing that can possibly happen to us is to be forsaken by God. Yet Jesus was, for our sake, forsaken by His Father. Whatever befalls us this side of redemption cannot be compared to the horrors that He endured, and the glory that is to be revealed. We have been born again to a living hope. As we mourn and despair over sin's destructive attributes, we remember that we can also rejoice with hope and confidence, because He lives and intercedes for us constantly. And if that is not enough to illicit tears of gratitude, the Father is willing! Whatever trials we endure, our faithful Father, is ready and eager to use them for our ultimate good. We truly are safe.

What a beautiful hope and salvation that we have in Christ. So often we can become distracted by the sins that accuse us daily, and unfortunately even what we hear taught to us, that we lose sight of the objective assurance that Christ has indeed accomplished all on our behalf. The Father is willing! let that sink in! Let it move and shape you! He is benevolent and kind towards you in Christ and you are hidden in Him. Beloved may you move forward in this grace always.

Joy Dudley is co-host of Church Chats with Gospel Gal podcast, a contributor to Gospel Gal blog, and member of a URCNA church in Southern California. She loves pointing people to the kindness, love, and sufficiency of Christ in their day to day lives.

In Christ...

In Christ, there is nothing left to do to ensure that God is completely and forever pleased with me. It is not on account of my good deeds, fruit, anything that proceeds from me, or is worked in me, but for the sake of Christ only, the Father is pleased. The thought amazes me every time I hear it or think of it. Thanks be to God!

Gospel Gal
Marissa Namirr

Love descends... ~Thomas Goodwin (1651)

Love descends better than ascends, and so does the love of Christ, who indeed is love itself, and therefore comes down to us himself; "I will come again and receive you unto myself" (says Christ), "that so where I am, you may be also." That last part of his speech gives the reason of it, and also divulges his entire affection. It is as if he had said, 'The truth is, I cannot live without you, I shall never be quiet until I have you where I am, that so we may never part again; that is the reason of it. Heaven shall not hold me, nor my Father's company, if I have not you with me, my heart is so set upon you; and if I have any glory, you shall have part of it.'

~Thomas Goodwin (1651)

The Heart of Christ in Heaven Towards Sinners on Earth

Resources:

*The Heart of Christ in Heaven Towards Sinners on Earth: Thomas Goodwin: https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/goodwin/The_Heart_of_Christ_-_Thomas_Goodwin.pdf

*The English Reformation and the Puritans: A Teaching Series by Michael Reeves: Thomas Goodwin: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/the-english-reformation-and-the-puritans/thomas-goodwin/

Church Homelessness

Backstory: There was a seven-year period when, aside from the care I received from my beloved family and friends, who are in Christ,  I was wandering through life without consistent spiritual support or protection. In a word, I was lost. I was a sheep without an undershepherd. This was due in part to poor leadership in the churches I had attended, but also due to a faulty, incomplete understanding of the doctrine and function of the church. The effects of church homelessness were devastating for me and for our family. I literally descended into a pit of spiritual depression from which I thought I might never escape. Sheep are not meant to be without an overseeing shepherd. 

I am blogging and podcasting on this topic because I understand both the angst of wanting a church and simultaneously fearing a dysfunctional one. My hope is that my discoveries will encourage and support Christians in my circle who are struggling with the same fears. To be apart from Christ's body and without the protection of God's ministers is a precarious place for a sheep. Wandering sheep are prone to every type of wolf, but Christ the Good Shepherd established folds and undershepherds to tend His lambs.
Episode #6 : "Church Homelessness" is posted here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiYi-4OmPNs

Disclosure: Some of this may be hard to hear, especially if you're, like I was, trying to locate a sound church and are failing to find one that meets your family's needs or expectations. But please bear with me and read on. I have learned and discovered some things about the church over the last decade, and I hope you will find them helpful and healing.

"Church Homelessness": I coined the term and define Church Homelessness as the state of being without a church home. It could be by choice, by simply being without choices, or due to apostasy.

By Choice:
This kind of church homelessness occurs when you've left the church for valid reasons and are currently without one. Maybe you've been spiritually abused or awakened to the Gospel and realize that where you've been is longer a place you can attend in good conscience. After much thought, prayer, and concerted efforts to rectify the problems, you've left a church and now have no church to call home.

Being Without Choices:
Maybe you've relocated and haven't been able to locate a sound church yet, or perhaps you're not satisfied with any of the available options. Keep looking. There is one for you somewhere. I pray you will not lose heart in this journey.

Apostasy:
You are not a believer and have left the church because you have found it inconsistent with your worldview. This is the most precarious of all three kinds of church homelessness because it means that you've actually turned your back on what you've been taught and know. If you have ever known and believed the Gospel, run home. God is that Father who is waiting to run out to greet you with open arms and a celebration is in store.

In the process of seeking a church, I noticed that the church is *not...
a therapy group,
a children's club,
a support group,
a political platform, or
a marriage and family-fixer.

I discovered what a sound church is...
To gain an understanding of Biblical ecclesiology (the study of the church/doctrine of the church) I turned to Scripture, then to the ecumenical creeds and Reformed confessions and to historic and contemporary Reformed theologians.

It is of great importance to understand that the Church is not a human invention. The Reformed community would argue that it was established in the Garden of Eden and extends into eternity. But for the intent of the blog and podcast, I'll address New Testament teaching.

Jesus established the New Testament church:
Matt 28: 18 Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and *make disciples of all nations, *baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 *teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

I learned the teachings and practices of the church.

The church preaches the Gospel:
I Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

I Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once

The church administers the sacraments:
The Lord's Supper: Matthew 26:26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.” 27 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Baptism: Acts 2:37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?” 38 “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

The church corrects faults (discipline):
Matt 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. 17 If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you. 18 I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. 19 Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.”

The church elects qualified officers:
Eph 4:10 The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ

Titus 1:5 I directed you, to appoint elders in every town: 6 one who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of wildness or rebellion. 7 For an overseer, as God’s administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.

The church practiced a pattern:
Acts 2:41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.

Hebrews 10:24 And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, 25 not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other

According to the Ecumenical Creeds and Confessions:
The Church is expansive, apostolic, and unifying.

Nicene Creed: "...We believe in one holy *catholic and *apostolic church..."

Apostles Creed: "...I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy *catholic* church, the *communion of saints..."

*catholic: The church at all times and in all places throughout history.
*apostolic: Teaching in accordance with the doctrine of the Apostles, namely the Law and the Gospel.

Belgic Confession: Articles 28-29 –
Article 28:
"We believe, since this holy assembly and congregation is the assembly of the redeemed and there is no salvation outside of it,  that no one ought to withdraw from it, content to be by himself, no matter what his status or standing may be. But all and everyone are obliged to join it and unite with it,  maintaining the unity of the church. They must submit themselves to its instruction and discipline,  bend their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ,  and serve the edification of the brothers and sisters,  according to the talents which God has given them as members of the same body.  To observe this more effectively, it is the duty of all believers, according to the Word of God, to separate from those who do not belong to the church and to join this assembly wherever God has established it. They should do so even though the rulers and edicts of princes were against it, and death or physical punishment might follow. All therefore who draw away from the church or fail to join it act contrary to the ordinance of God.

Article 29:
"We believe that we ought to discern diligently and very carefully, by the Word of God, what is the true church—for all sects in the world today claim for themselves the name of "the church."
...The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks:
*engages in the pure preaching of the gospel;
*it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them;
*it practices church discipline for correcting faults."

As the pure preaching of the Gospel is the first mark of the true church, I want to briefly define it. It is not to be confused with God's Law, which commands, condemns and penalizes. 

The Gospel is a joyful proclamation. 

It's the good news that is heralded by one who is sent to declare that a great war is ended (Isaiah 40). The news was that Jesus Christ,
the Eternal Word,
the Second Person of the Trinity,
The Promised One,
The Son of Eve, Abraham, David, and Mary
the Only Begotten of the Father,
Whose mission it was to
"save His people from their sins,"
lived in personal, perpetual perfect obedience to the Father in our place,
died the death that we deserved for our disobedience,
was buried in a tomb to show He was really dead,
and rose again to verify the satisfaction of the Father with His sacrifice,
He ever lives to make intercession for us,
and He is coming again in glory to complete our promised salvation and redemption,
 vindicating us before all of His and our enemies.

But back to the topic at hand, here is some food for thought, from some valuable and more contemporary theologians regarding Christ's Church:

"...the Kingdom of God involves God’s people, in God’s place, under God’s rule.” ~Graeme Goldsworthy: Gospel and Kingdom.

"The Church is the people of God assembled together under the authority of the Word of God for worship, instruction, and mutual edification. By his Word through the Apostles, God has ordained that we unite together to accomplish these purposes. The organized Church is not a mistake, but instead, the Biblical and Apostolic institution for the advancement of the Kingdom of God." ~R. Scott Clark: Heidelblog: "The Church: The Christ-Confessing Covenant Community"

"It is the Church visible and invisible. This is to say that upon the earth there are two distinctions. She is invisible because she is spiritual in nature. That is, she cannot be seen with the naked eye; neither can anyone but God really perceive who is a true member of it. She is also visible In the sense of the believers’ profession and activities in the world. Mankind can see the Church visible because it witnesses the life and lip of its members as Christ’s Church pursues its natural course of action in the faithful ministry of the Word and sacraments, and in her outworking of her organization and church government. How do we define the Church? With this information in hand, we now define the church as “the company of the elect who are called by the Spirit of God, the communion of believers” (the invisible Church), which is the “community of those who profess the true religion together with their children” (the visible Church)." ~Louis Berkhof: Manual of Christian Doctrine.

Now that I've established the definition, functions, and validity of the Church, I'll move on to some very real questions and concerns for the Church Homeless. These are concerns I've had, personally, and the concerns of Christians in my circle.

Concerns & Questions of the Church Homeless:Is church Necessary?
Hopefully, the affirmative has been established above, however, I don't want to undermine any valid concerns, and there are many. Remember my empathy and concern communicated earlier. While empathizing with your pain, anxiety, and uncertainty, I also know that wandering sheep are prone to every type of wolf, but Christ the Good Shepherd established folds and undershepherds to tend His lambs.

*What if I've been abused?
The grief and anxiety caused by a bad church is a valid concern, and if you find yourself without a church for this reason, allow yourself to process and grieve what you've been through. You have a tender, compassionate Shepherd Who sees and knows what you've endured. He can direct you to safety, but it is understood that all forms of abuse include a pervasive pattern of manipulation and control, which can produce enduring traumatic effects. For further clarification of spiritual abuse listen to this episode of Theology Gals I cohosted with Coleen Sharp and Jeff Crippen: "Abuse and the Church": http://theologygals.com/2017/06/abuse-and-the-church-theology-gals-episode-20/

Abuse is a valid concern and is alarmingly prevalent in the visible church. Please remember that a church that abuses fails to be a true church. A pastor and leadership of the church are fallible and imperfect, but abuse goes beyond any ordinary shortcoming. It is a failure of the Biblical requirements for church officers. Refer back to Titus 1:5-9: blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered ...not a bully, ...hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled..." None of these qualities are consistent with abuse. Those who do not operate and live accordingly should come under the discipline of the church, themselves, having disqualified themselves regardless of their current ordination status. If the church fails to press charges against an abuser, flee from such. Mark and avoid. And take your time when considering a new congregation. I will discuss moving forward later in the blog.

*What if you're married to someone who differs on doctrine?
Must you attend the same church? Opinions on this will vary. My personal belief is that when you differ from a church on doctrine, that church is not a good fit for you. Confessing churches ask you to take membership vows to affirm and uphold the essentials of the faith. If you're unable to agree with the church's Confession, you are in a position where you must remain silent on those issues, or seek a body that is in agreement with your beliefs. If husbands and wives differ on the Confession, they can work through those issues, seek unity, and hopefully come to a resolution that is peaceable. But where church membership is concerned, your conscience is not to be bound by your spouse. Go where you are being nurtured and fed on Christ. If you're moving on, let the new church you're considering for membership know your situation. Seek their guidance.

*But the church is full of hypocrites.
Again, a fair point, but who else did Jesus come to save, but sinners? We all fail. And the local church the very place that building up and correction are to take place. Remember Matthew 18. Seek unity. Confront in love. Work toward reconciliation and restoration when possible. Don't forget that you, also, are a sinner in need of God's grace in Christ. Go where you can receive and rest. Feed on Christ, and you will soon find yourself loving those hypocrites.

*How can I trust a church again?
I honestly don't know the answer to that, but what I do know is that Christ is faithful and trustable. He has established His church and provided it to His lambs for their nurture and protection. So, go, not with blinders on, but looking for glaring, red flags waving in your direction. Know that it is reasonable to heed them, to push back, to question, and to leave a church that is unsafe for you and your family. Here are a few ideas that may help along the way:

What to do/ask when searching:
Do:
1. Watch, observe, and ask questions.
2. Take your time. Don't rush to join. Joining a church is a commitment. Be sure you can take this important step with joy and confidence, and without compulsion.
3. Ask probing questions. If they're dismissed or greeted with disdain or concern, be concerned yourself.
4. Relocate: If you've exhausted all your options and cannot join any church within a reasonable distance from your home, relocate. Churchlessness is not an option for Christ's sheep for all the reasons noted above. You need protection, nurture, and support that is only afforded by the local church as they feed you on Christ through Word and Sacrament.

Questions to ask:
Here are some questions I have formulated to determine if a church is a good fit:
1. What is the church's Confession. If they don't have one, that is a red flag. You won't know what the church actually believes and is committed to practicing without a written Confession like the Thirty-nine Articles, The Belgic Confession, Westminster Confession, or The London Baptist Confession.
2. What is the position of the leadership on the role of women in the church?
3. What are some cases of church discipline that have been addressed by the church and what was the outcome?
4. What are the favorite historic and contemporary theologians of the pastor? This can serve as a relief or a warning. Investigate what wells they're drinking from.
5. Does the church have any written policy concerning child/sexual abuse and domestic violence?
6. And of foremost importance, ask the pastor to define Law and Gospel. If he confuses Law and Gospel, move on and keep looking.

During any season of Church Homelessness, please do not give in to Church Hopelessness. The Lord has established His church and "the gates of Hell will not prevail against it." Keep your eye fixed on the Good Shepherd, Who created the Church, lives among His church, and will return for Her. Until then He may He continue to gently lead us beside the still waters and restore our souls in His house, where we dwell forever.

Be sure to listen to the Gospel Gal episode on Youtube on this topic. 

Additional Resources:

"Why Do We Go to Church?" Dr. John Fonville, Rector of Paramount Church: https://www.paramountchurch.com/sermons/sermon/2020-02-09/why-do-we-go-to-church.

"The Gospel For Those Broken By The Church": Rod Rosenbladt: https://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-gospel-for-those-broken-by-church.html

"Church Discipline vs. Spiritual Abuse": Church Chats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3BPu7E3za0&t=48s

"Abuse and the Church": Theology Gals: http://theologygals.com/2017/06/abuse-and-the-church-theology-gals-episode-20/

"Spiritual Abuse": Gospel Gal: https://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/spiritual-abuse.html

"Safe Chruch: True Church": Gospel Gal: https://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2020/03/safe-church-true-church.html

"Hebrews 10:25 Not Forsaking the Assembling": Gospel Galhttps://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2017/07/last-night-as-i-was-anticipating-lords.html

Baptism: Gospel Gal: https://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-curriculum-for-covenant.html

"The Church: The Christ-Confessing Covenant Community": R. Scott Clark: https://heidelblog.net/2018/06/the-church-the-christ-confessing-covenant-community/

Marissa, "Gospel Gal" is a blogger and host of the new podcast, Church Chats with Gospel Gal (find on Youtube). She is wife of Mark, mother of three adult girls, counselor, educator, and mama bear to many. She lives in NW Georgia and attends an ACNA church in the area.