The Keys of the Kingdom
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/15/2011 AM |
Text: | Ezekiel 33; Lord's Day 31 |
Psalters: | 264, 337, 253, 134 |
- The idea of the keys portrays the church as a kingdom or fortress with walls and gates.
- The “keys” are the authority and power to determine what shall have a place within the walls of the Church.
- Ezekiel 33:1-11 pictures the Church as a city with watchmen.
- A danger: the Church exists in the midst of a sinful world which hates the Church (John 17:14).
- Another danger is the citizens.
- Forms of church government or polity.
- State rules the church (Erastian).
- Hierarchical.
- Congregational or Independent.
- Presbyterian or Reformed,is that Christ rules His church through elders (Acts 20:17,28; I Cor. 12:28; Heb. 13:17).
- Who exercises the keys? Who are the guardians of the Church?
- Centrally and essentially this authority and ability belongs only to Christ.
- Christ is pleased to exercise the keys through the instrumentality of the Apostles and the elders (Matt. 16; Heb. 13:17).
- The keys exercise a spiritual , not physical, power by pronouncing what the Bible teaches.
- Elders have Christ's promise that He will work through them.
- God alone forgives and condemns, but the church has the right to make declaration of who is and is not forgiven.
- There are three purposes for the exercise of the keys of the kingdom of heaven?
- The glory of the ever-blessed God.
- The well-being of the church.
- The salvation and spiritual well-being of the believer.
- Conclusion.