Faith Concerning the Communion of Saints
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 3/2/2014 AM |
Text: | I Corinthians 12; Lord's Day 21 |
Psalters: | 228, 333, 168, 371 |
- The beautiful truth.
- God establishes this unity, first a unity of mankind in Adam (Acts 17:26), but sin destroyed it.
- God re-created a positive spiritual unity in Jesus Christ.
- First, in election God united to Christ all the elect.
- Second, in redemption God took away that which divides and separates, making peace.
- Third, God sends the Spirit of Christ to communicate to each member the life of Christ to each of the elect (Eph. 4:3b).
- They are all "saints", i.e., justified in Christ's righteousness and sanctified in Christ.
- There is diversity in this unity: "many members", "Jews or Gentiles", " bond or free" (13).
- The diversity consists of:
- The diversity is manifested in each member of the Body having their own place.
- The purpose of the diversity:
- Our calling is to practice our faith in this blessed truth by serving Christ (the Head) by serving the other members.
- The first duty is to partake of Christ (His riches and gifts) and of the blessed friendship with God (covenant).
- The size of a spring determines the size of the stream, and without the spring there is no stream.
- The more I am in fellowship with God in Christ, the more I am willing to serve Him and my fellow-members in love.
- Second, consciously strive to serve (edify) the other members (4:12b,16).
- Know that Satan is always striving to separate and destroy the unity.
- A reason we are bound to join the true church is "as mutual members of the same body" we serve (Belgic, Art. 28).
- Delight in the assembling of the saints together (Hebrews 10:25).
- No saint will want to exalt himself above others because of lowliness of mind (Eph. 4:2; I Tim. 1:15).
- The more excellent way to exercise the communion of saints is to love.
- What are we to do when there is conflict?
- Great blessing and edification arises from the proper exercise of the communion of saints.
- The first duty is to partake of Christ (His riches and gifts) and of the blessed friendship with God (covenant).