Romans 15:5-6

Well, good morning. If you have a copy of God's Word with you, I do hope that you do. Please join me in Romans chapter 15.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

Once again, this morning will be a bit different than usual. We've had a lot of that here at the beginning of the year.

It's starting to feel a little usual, isn't it? If you are a guest with us this morning, I want you to know that we normally preach,

verse-by-verse expositions through a book. I feel some need to prove that to you.

So, I'll just say, last year we completed a study of the Book of Romans, which took about two and a half years to make its way through.

Spent a couple of weeks in the Book of Judges, and then just before Advent season, four weeks in the Book of Ruth.

We went on to consider the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.

We're about to begin a seven-week study of the life of King David, and then, Lord willing, we will begin, once again, a verse-by-verse exposition of a gospel account.

I think, I think, John's, perhaps Matthew's.

This morning, though, in doing a different thing than usual, I want to take a moment to consider confessionalism.

You may be asked, from time to time, is your church confessional? At least, I am, as a pastor, asked that quite regularly.

What is it? What is confessionalism? Why does it matter?

Why is our church a confessional church? The answer to that question is yes.

Our church is, in fact, confessional.

We live in an age that grapples with the truth.

Some people don't know how to define it, or even believe that it's possible to arrive at any truth at all.

This is a serious problem, and it is most likely an age-old one, although we only experience the unraveling of truth in our day.

But praise be to God that he has ordained a solution for a confused age.

In 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15, Paul calls the church a pillar and buttress of the truth.

1 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

We are not originators of the truth.

Those things Paul is talking about in 1 Timothy chapter 3 are those things found in the scriptures.

1 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

We don't originate them, but we are to be its support and its protection.

It is a high calling to hold the truth in our generation and to pass it on to the next.

Sadly, I think the church can and often does err in this charge in one of two ways.

On the one hand, doctrine is jettisoned for pragmatic expediency.

Anything that the Bible teaches that makes anyone uncomfortable is perceived as an obstacle to seeing people make professions of faith in Christ.

I think very often there's good intention that underlies this, but it's an error to be sure.

You may be familiar with the apologetic attempt of a popular preacher in our very backyard to, quote, unhitch our faith from the Old Testament.

So that's one possible error.

On the other hand, doctrinal matters of lesser importance can become a distraction to meaningful fellowship

when they are elevated in importance beyond their station.

When things that aren't unimportant become too important in the life of a Christian fellowship.

We believe that confessionalism can, it should, help us avoid these two potential errors.

A confession is a document in which a church or group of churches, some association of Christians,

states what it believes the Bible teaches on given subjects for the sake of Christian unity.

That's the aim.

That's where it's headed.

That's what we're trying to accomplish with confessions.

We're going to look at a number of texts today,

but I would like for us to begin in Romans chapter 15, verse 5 and 6, which says this.

Romans 15:5

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another,

in accord with Christ Jesus.

That is in relationship to, right?

Consistent with Christ Jesus.

That together, verse 6, you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There's one simple point I want to make from these two verses.

Christian harmony or unity, it exalts Jesus Christ.

The Christian, one whose soul has been saved by the work of Christ on their behalf.

One who has been justified by grace through faith in Christ alone.

The highest aim of their life ought to be the exaltation of Christ.

We, having been saved by him, ought to want all people to see how grand and glorious he is.

Paul hopes here that the Roman Christ followers and that you and I would be given grace for Christian unity

so that the Lord Jesus Christ would receive glory.

So it's a big thing that we're talking about here when we talk about confessionalism.

This is not just some nerdy endeavor to take up,

but it's for this great good of the exaltation of Christ in our Christian unity.

But we don't always agree, do we?

Sometimes we have personal conflict,

and the Bible is replete with commands and instruction

for how we are to set aside our preferences,

bear with one another with compassion and reconcile.

Sometimes we have conventional differences.

Faithful Christians haven't always seen eye to eye on everything.

This has always been true.

It is true amongst us.

We don't all agree on everything,

and this creates some genuine challenges for unity.

Beyond the general challenge of maintaining unity,

our enemy we bring to it,

our sinful inclinations,

and our enemy is pleased to see us working against one another.

In the back of your bulletin today,

there's a quotation from Charles Spurgeon.

He once said this,

quote,

Satan always hates Christian fellowship.

It is his policy to keep Christians apart.

Anything which can divide saints from one another,

he delights in.

He attaches far more importance to godly interaction than we do.

Since union is strength,

he does his best to promote separation.

End quote.

We have a lot working against our unity.

Our disagreements certainly create the need

to ask that God would be gracious to us,

that we might live in the type of harmony

that exalts Jesus Christ.

We could just leave it off there and go,

well, there we go.

We're just going to pray for grace to be unified.

But I would recommend that we take some practical steps

to maintain the unity that is ours in Jesus.

So how do we do this?

Assuming that you are in Christ

and that your greatest desire is to exalt Jesus Christ

in word and deed,

how do we maintain unity amidst disagreement?

We do so by employing the practice

of an idea called theological triage.

And yes, if you remember here,

you've heard me talk about this before.

We're doing it again

because it's that important.

And the way we bring theological triage

to bear in the life of the church

is in the formation of confessions.

It's that practice brought into reality

in a tangible way.

Triage is the process of assigning urgency

or importance to a matter.

If a bus that is full of people

were in an accident

and that number,

those people in that accident,

were brought into an emergency room

those patients would be ranked for treatment

from most severe need

to least severe need.

You've probably experienced this

if you've ever been to an emergency room.

You may not have known it was going on,

but you've waited a long, long time

because your emergency

was not as severe

as somebody else's emergency.

This can, and we argue should,

also be done theologically.

If you believe that the Bible teaches a doctrine

and a well-meaning Christian,

brother or sister,

disagrees with your view,

what are you to do?

How important,

or perhaps in some cases unimportant,

is said disagreement?

Theological triage helps us

to determine this.

Now, at this point,

I want to be clear.

The term theological triage

was coined,

as far as anybody can tell,

by Al Mohler,

who is the current president

of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

So new in this formulation,

this idea,

termed this way,

theological triage.

However,

this concept can be seen historically

in the creation of confessions

and creeds,

Christians carefully pinning

doctrinal standards

for the sake of agreement,

and,

much more importantly,

as I will show you this morning,

we can see this idea

in the Bible.

So,

when we talk about theological triage,

there are

four orders of doctrine.

First,

second,

third,

fourth,

or if you prefer,

primary,

secondary,

tertiary,

and quaternary,

a word I'm always happy

to slip into a conversation,

I'm going to talk about these

out of order

because it makes sense,

as I hope you'll see,

why to talk about them

out of order.

The first is quaternary,

or fourth order doctrine.

We're going to talk about it first

because it's simple,

and we're going to get it

out of the way.

These are things

that are unimportant.

We are welcome

to talk about them.

It could be fun,

perhaps,

to talk about them,

but at the end of the day,

they just really don't matter.

The only example I have

in 17 years

of being a pastor,

the only one,

but it's happened on repeat,

is the question,

is there life

on other planets?

It's interesting,

we can talk about it,

but it just doesn't really matter.

Where you land on the topic,

who cares

at the end

of the day,

right?

We know there's life

on this planet

that's cursed.

We need a savior.

Moving on.

Fourth order.

Third order doctrine,

or tertiary doctrine,

are matters

that are important

for the individual.

So, important.

Hear me say,

not unimportant,

important

for the individual.

Things that we ought

to have some conviction about,

but our conviction

may vary from

someone else's conviction.

temptation.

So,

I'm going to give you

a really

base and simple

example

that has changed

over time,

and I'm giving this one

to you because I just

had a conversation

about it

with a brother.

Over time,

I've decided

to wear a jacket

on Sunday mornings

when I'm preaching.

And that's coming

from a desire

to not offend anybody.

I just want to be sure

anybody coming

and visiting

who might be used

to a pastor

in a suit,

which I'm currently

not convicted to do.

I want to be able

to get down

on my knees

and play with little kids,

but I don't want

to get dry cleaning,

but I'm going to wear

a jacket.

So,

it's a conviction

that I came to,

but I'm not going

to put it on anybody

else who preaches here.

I never once asked

one of the other guys

that preaches

on a Sunday morning

to also wear a jacket.

It's a personal conviction,

right?

I've decided.

I think this is a good thing

for me to do.

Other examples,

right?

You should have

some conviction

about the consumption

of alcohol,

whether or not

that's appropriate

for you

or in your house

or out in public.

There's some things

to consider

when it comes

to the consumption

of alcohol.

The types of television

that you're willing

to watch

or allow your children

to watch.

There's some clear

parameters to that

kind of thing,

but there's some

gray area there

where we might

want to not

include some stuff

in our home

that you might

feel okay with

in your own.

These are the kinds

of things

that we're all

trying to work out

as we're trying

to be faithful

to the scripture.

It's so often

being derived

from the Bible,

but then with the

application of prudence.

Like, what is the

best way for me

to obey this command

or that command

where the application

isn't as clear

as sometimes

we may want it

to be,

but we should

be having

conversations.

We should be

pressing at one

another in these

matters, right?

But the way we

hold this doctrine

is a way that says

it's really important

to me.

It may not be

felt the same

by you.

If you turn back

just a page,

perhaps,

in your scripture,

I'll show you

an example of this

from Romans chapter

Romans 14 · chapter mention

14.

There Paul says,

this is the first

six verses,

as for the one

who is weak

in faith,

welcome him,

but not to quarrel

over opinions.

One person

believes he may

eat anything

while the weak

person eats

only vegetables.

The concern here

was food

sacrificed to idols,

right?

And some conviction

about that.

And Paul's saying,

don't get in arguments

about this kind

of thing.

It's fine

that one person

is a vegetarian

and another

is not.

Let not the one

who eats

despise the one

who abstains

and let not

the one

who abstains

pass judgment

on the one

who eats

for God

has welcomed him.

Who are you

to pass judgment

on the servant

of another?

It is before his

own master

that he stands

or falls

and he will

be upheld

for the Lord

is able

to make him

stand.

One person

esteems

one day

as better

than another

while another

esteems

all days

alike.

Each one

should be

fully convinced

in his own

mind.

The one

who observes

the day

observes it

in honor

of the Lord.

The one

who eats

eats

in honor

of the Lord

since he

gives thanks

to God

while the one

who abstains

abstains

in honor

of the Lord

and gives

thanks

to God.

So the

assumption

in these

matters

is that

there's

good

underpinnings.

These people

belong to

Christ

and they're

trying to

be faithful

to the

Lord.

They're

trying to

do what

is right

and proper.

Let's

not

inquire

over

opinions.

I think

that much

of the

disunity

that we

see

amongst

Christians

lies here.

Third

order doctrine

being elevated

to levels

that it

doesn't

belong

and then

fights

ensue

over these

things.

And it's

tragic

that that's

the case.

So here

comes

this process

and the

pinning of

confessions

to help us

not do

this.

Okay,

now we're

going to

jump up

the order

to

first

order

doctrine

or

primary

doctrine.

I think

this is a

much smaller

category

but of

course

the most

important.

This is

of vital

importance

for

Christian

unity.

These are

those things

that must

be believed

for a

person

to be

Christian.

first

order

doctrines.

I've said

to you

many times

before

these are

the doctrines

that we

stand on

a hill

together

and die

for.

Justification

by grace

through faith

in Christ

alone.

If you

want to

get into

a debate

with me

about the

order of

salvation

exactly the

way all

of these

things pair

out.

Does

regeneration

precede

faith

or

regeneration

I have

an answer

to that.

But if

you want

to get

in a debate

with me

about that

that's

fine.

My

question

will be

for you

do you

believe

were

justified

by grace

through faith

in Christ

alone.

If you

say yes

then I

will

embrace

you.

First

order

doctrine.

The deity

of Jesus

Christ.

What do

we believe

to be

true

of Jesus

person?

Incredibly

important

that we

understand

who

he

is.

These

things

matter

greatly

for

Christian

unity.

Jude

verse

three and

four.

Beloved

although I

was very

eager to

write to

you about

our

common

salvation.

I

found it

necessary

to write

appealing

to you

to contend

for the

faith that

was once

for all

delivered

to the

saints.

I think

Jude is

talking about

these

first order

doctrines.

And here's

why.

Verse

four says

for certain

people have

crept in

unnoticed

who long

ago were

designated

for this

condemnation.

Ungodly

people who

pervert

Christ.

These are

the wolves

in amongst

the sheep.

And we

have to

be able

to recognize

by doing

this process

and by

having

confessions

what things

we need

to contend

for.

What are

the types

of doctrines

that we

would be

willing to

see somebody

out of

our

fellowship

and say

there's

no way

you can

claim to

be a

Christ

follower

if you

don't

believe

these

things.

So tragic

in our

day.

Across

traditions

people who

have largely

agreed on

the stuff

that matters

most

being just

schismed

apart by

those things

that are

third order

that are

being elevated

to first

order.

Over these

past years

not amongst

us!

But I

have experienced

this!

I have been

called

names that

I cannot

say here

by brothers

who claim

to be

Christian

because I

didn't agree

with them

on things.

I have

been called

unfaithful

because I

didn't agree

with their

positions on

things like

COVID policy

for example.

It's shameful.

A shameful

way for

Christians to

act toward

one another.

Beloved,

if we agree

on these

first order

things,

they are so

massive

and the

world

is against

us on

these

things.

There's so

much space

for unity,

for linking

arms if we

agree on

first order

doctrines,

primary

doctrine.

Then it

follows by

implication.

We're not

going to agree

on everything.

You're thinking

about things,

but what about

this and what

about that

and what

about this?

that there

are going

to be

some

second

order

doctrines,

things that

are important

for church

and perhaps

outside of the

church,

ministry

fellowship.

Things that

we ought to

agree upon

together in

order just to

function together

as a church.

These doctrines

are going to

define our

practice,

for example,

the regulative

principle.

We want to

make a clear

Bible argument

for everything

we do

together when

we gather

as a

church.

Or,

who are the

proper

recipients for

baptism?

That's a thing

we should agree

upon as a

church.

If you come

here, we are

a Baptist

church.

We are

credo

Baptists.

So, if you

come here and

you want to

have your

infant child

baptized,

you don't

get to just

decide that

here because

we would

not accept

that as a

baptism.

We wouldn't

do it.

We would

try to show

you a Bible

case for it.

We would

love and

embrace you

on all of

those first

order doctrines.

But as a

church, we

don't feel

comfortable

administering

baptism to

infants.

So, you're

welcome to

stay and

change your

view or

go find a

paedo-baptist

church that

agrees with

you on that

matter.

That's a

very reasonable

option for

you to take.

So, those are

examples of how

it would define

our practice

together.

But also,

possibly these

second-order

doctrines can

help us define

what is sin

or what is

not sin.

A very

complex issue

would be a

view on

divorce and

or remarriage.

Are there

instances in

which people

can be

divorced and

then following

instances in

which they

could be

remarried?

And if the

church is to

practice church

discipline, if

the church is

to call sin

sin, what do

we think about

these matters?

How are we to

deal with them?

Because life is

going to present

these kinds of

things to us in

the life of

our church.

So, second-order

doctrine fits in

that category.

Important for

church

fellowship.

Think long and

deep about

Christian unity.

how is it that

we can be

agreeable even

when we

disagree?

It's going to

vary situation

by situation.

Theological

triage needs to

be a regular

part of our

thinking practice.

I just think as

people are

presenting to us

ideas, talking

about the

scripture, thinking

about applications,

how is it that

they're following

Lord?

I think we

need to be able

to run through

this process and

categorize things

quickly so we

know how

to respond to

people.

What doctrines

are of highest

order?

What truths

would you be

willing to

die for?

I'll tell you

this, I'm not

dying for wearing

a jacket on

Sunday morning.

It's not a

chance.

If the

government

declared I

couldn't wear

jackets on

Sunday morning,

I'd go,

alright, that's

fine.

If the

government

tells me I

can't teach a

biblical ethic

for marriage

and sexuality,

lock me up.

Have you

caused disunity

over beliefs

that should

not have

caused

disunity?

You may have

some repentance

and repair

work to do.

When is it

appropriate to

bear with

another in a

disagreement?

When is it

appropriate to

part ways

peacefully for

the very sake

of unity?

We may need

to go

separate ways

because we

do think

we need to

practice a

bit differently.

When is it

appropriate to

go to war,

I mean not

figuratively,

over a

doctrine?

We think that

the answer to

many of these

questions should

be defined in

confessions and

creeds.

Most traditionally

a creed is

just a short

confession,

just so you

know how

that term is

typically used.

Those matters

of first order,

and those

matters of

second order

should be

maintained in

a document or

documents adopted

by a local

church.

Doctrinal

standards should

be thoughtfully

written,

poured over,

carefully

considered,

kindly debated,

and then taught

and held to.

So, your

elders have

been hard at

work creating

these types

of documents.

We've been

behind the

scenes,

many of you

know this,

we've not been

doing it as a

secret,

but we've been

out ahead trying

to think about

this kind of

thing.

How do we

continue to

maintain

Christian unity,

especially in

such a

confused age?

It's difficult

to say this,

because I could

just be totally

wrong as I say

it, but I

think second

only to

declaring the

gospel of the

Lord Jesus

Christ, this

is the most

important thing

I've been

spending time

on lately.

Second only to

gospel proclamation,

it's been working

on doctrinal

standards for

our church.

We've not been

without across

all these years,

we have had a

confession that

we've functioned

under, but it

was pretty

brief, and we

think it's time

for something much

more robust in

the life of a

church.

church.

So, this

evening, we're

having a

members meeting

in which we're

going to hand

out documents to

you, so if

you're here this

morning and you

wish you had

them in your

hand, you're

going to have

to wait until

next Sunday

when I have

them prepared

for you.

But if you're

a member and

you're coming to

the members

meeting, we'd

love to put

them in your

hand at that

point.

We've created

a creed, which

is a one-page

document, looks

like so, and a

confession, which

is a 46-page

document that

looks like this.

It has within

it 33 articles,

so various

matters that we

feel need

addressing, careful

clarification.

Those are the

first and second

order types of

doctrine.

For example,

the first one is

on the Holy

Scripture.

What is the

Bible?

What do we

believe is God's

inspired word?

word?

The fifth

article is on

divine providence.

How is it that

God functions as

the ruler of

this world?

Article 15 is on

saving faith.

What does it look

like when somebody

places their faith

in Jesus Christ?

Article 20 is on

the law of God.

How is it that

that law works in

the life of a

Christian?

Article 26 is on

marriage, divorce,

marriage, and

remarriage.

These are just

some examples of

the 33 contained

within.

As I mentioned,

we will distribute

this evening at our

members' meeting

with an explanation

for how we propose

they be used in the

life of our church

to preserve

Christian unity

and with an

explanation of the

editorial and

adoption process

for these documents.

If you're unable

to join us this

evening, we'll post

a recording of

that portion of

our meeting.

But in order to

get ahead of any

possible panic, I

want you to know

that we don't

intend to adopt

any of the

proposed changes

until the members'

meeting is scheduled

in July.

So a good six

months to take

the time to get

in, to do this

work, thoughtfully

pour over it,

carefully consider

it, kindly

debate it, make

potential edits

to it, come

back together

and establish

a more robust

doctrinal standard

for our church.

So let's be

good, elder-led

congregationalists

and get to work

for the sake of

Christian unity

to the end

that Christ

will be

exalted.

Beloved,

unapologetically,

as far as I have

any influence

on the life of this

church, we will

be confessional.

We believe the

scripture teaches

things and we

want to be clear

about what we

believe it says

on matters of

most importance

and we also want

to be clear on

what it may not

be so clear on,

things that we

may be able to

see differently

and yet maintain

Christian unity

for the exaltation

of Christ.

In closing,

let me read

one more time

Romans chapter

Romans 15:5

15, verse 5

and 6

and we'll pray

to this end.

May the God of

endurance and

encouragement

grant you to

live in such

harmony with one

another in accord

with Christ Jesus

that together you

may with one

voice glorify the

God and Father

of our Lord,

Jesus Christ.

Let's pray.

God of