Embedded Files
Our statement of Faith. 4 of 4. 10/05/26
Readings: Luke 21-5-11, 20-36
Last week we were treated to have Andy talk to us about an extremist Jew called Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul, the man who arguably did more for Christianity than anyone else ever has, apart from Jesus himself.
Did he have a statement of faith, I wonder? Did Jesus even have a statement of faith?
Well, clearly, they both did, although certainly not squeezed down to one side of A4 like ours. Jesus’ one is laid out in the gospels, and Paul’s in the epistles.
This is the last of four talks about OUR statement of faith, and perhaps you’ve been asking yourselves “Do we really need a statement of faith? Does any church really need a statement of faith, for that matter? Aren’t we being a bit pedantic? Can’t a church operate perfectly well without one?”
Well, yes it can, of course, but can I suggest that it will operate more effectively with one. Why? For at least 2 good reasons. Firstly, in this age of AI, stretched truths, waring nations and climate threat, it’s good to have some things that we can hold onto with certainty.
And secondly, because it puts everyone on the same page, so that they don’t need to waste time and energy arguing about the basic tenets of the faith. There is less likelihood of division.
We have recently seen, ourselves, what happens to a church when people start to disagree, as we did about women in the roles of pastors and elders. It’s sad, it’s unnecessary, and it endangers the very life of the church, but it’s all too easy, and we need to do all we can to guard against it, even when there’s a personal cost.
The Bible is very clear about the need for unity in the church, and about the evil if divisive talk and behaviour.
So no, we’re not being pedantic at all. If you look at the internet site of any of the most effective churches and Christian organisations you will find that they spell out their mission, their vision, and what they believe.
On Thursday afternoon I watched a very interesting talk about the rise and fall of what’s called “new atheism”. Of course, I don’t have the time this morning to recount all that it said, but it posed one interesting question.
Is it possible to enjoy the fruits of Christianity – things like love, peace, joy, honesty, integrity, and so on – without believing its roots? It’s something called “Cultural Christianity”, as opposed to Religious Christianity, I suppose.
Atheists like to think that it is possible, but they eventually find out that it isn’t. It’s a bit like wanting your bread buttered on both sides. But the gospel message is clearly EITHER - OR.
So, having said that, let’s attack the four remaining articles of OUR statement of faith, and here’s the first and perhaps one of the hardest ones, it’s n° 8. The redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ includes the healing of our bodies, which will only be complete at the resurrection. The prayer for the sick and the anointing with oil, prescribed in Scripture, remain privileges for the Church today.
Immediately there are two questions we need to answer.
1. Why is it that when we pray for healing, some people get better, and others don’t?
2. Why is it, if our statement of faith talks about ”the anointing with oil prescribed in Scripture”, we don’t do it?
The answer to the first question is that we don’t know, we can’t know. Is it because God loves some of us more than others? No. Is it because some are more sinful, and therefore less deserving than others? No.
God loves us all equally – regardless, in the same way that any normal parent loves their children equally, regardless of how they turn out.
The answer I fear is that God is sovereign. He knows best, and the one cast iron promise we do have is that our healing WILL be complete at the resurrection, which I am about to come on to.
And the answer to the second question about anointing with oil is historic. As far as I know this church never has, but for no good reason. Perhaps we should. In fact, certainly we should. Perhaps this is something we can learn from our sister churches of the Alliance.
The next one, is very much linked to some of those that we’ve already covered, but what it does is it pulls them together, and the statement it makes is hugely important.
The Church, it says, includes all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed by His blood and are born of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the head of the body, the church, to whom the Lord has given the command to go into all the world, preaching the gospel to all nations. The local church is a group of believers in Christ who meet to worship God through prayer, fellowship, proclamation of the Gospel and observance of the Lord's ordinances, namely baptism and Holy Communion.
We have been redeemed, restored into a right relation with the God of the universe, it says, and that for a purpose, preaching the gospel to the nations. And so that we can achieve that purpose, he has given us the church. It’s the tool if you like.
The article says that it’s the believers who make up that church. Those who aren’t believers are visitors, and VERY welcome ones. We have a succinct job description, it says, given to us by Jesus himself, and we have “ordinances” to keep us on track.
And the subjects of the last two articles are ones that are seldom preached about, certainly here, but they are nevertheless very important. They are both about life after death.
There will be a bodily resurrection for the righteous and the unrighteous: for the former, a resurrection to eternal life, for the latter, a resurrection to judgment.
This is quite topical because we’ve just celebrated Easter, which is all about the resurrection of Jesus. What we have to understand is that Jesus was leading the way for us. We too will be resurrected, perhaps not in quite such a dramatic visible was as he was, but nevertheless just as real.
Paul explained it to the Corinthians like this - But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
And then finally, and perhaps most gloriously, the last article boldly states that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is near and will be personal, visible and glorious. It will precede the Millennium. It is a vital truth that constitutes a stimulus for a holy life and faithful service, as well as the blessed hope of the believer.
I have to admit to you that this is a subject that I have never really studied, and therefore I wouldn’t dream of trying to teach it. It’s extremely complicated because interpreting the different Old and New Testament passages is far from straightforward. The passage that we just heard in our two readings, Luke’s account of what Jesus said to the disciples is just one of many.
It’s made more complicated because there are two distinct schools of thought about the order in which things are going to happen.
My attitude about that, wrongly perhaps, is that, in the words of Doris Day seventy years ago, “que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be”. I shouldn’t be so complacent, I suppose, but the important thing for us, here, today, is Jesus’ warning. “Be always on the watch, and pray …”. He told lots of parables about being aware, and ready, the one about the virgin bridesmaids, the one about the house on a rock ready for the storms, and many others
But we’re not to worry. As the writer to the Hebrews reminds us, God has promised “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
At the risk of going over-time, let me conclude by reading to you something that was posted recently by the CNEF, the National Council that represents Protestant Churches at government level.
“The Bible is quite clear about the troubled times our godless world is destined to experience. (2 Timothy 3:1) Nevertheless, God's children must "see that they are not troubled, for these things must happen." (Matthew 24:6) A world that has rejected its Creator cannot reap lasting peace, security, and prosperity. So, in this climate of anxiety, how will our contemporaries hear a message of hope if no one speaks of it? (Romans 10:14) Is this not an opportunity to "shine like stars" in a world where spiritual darkness is increasing (Philippians 2:15)?
We have a message of hope to share with our contemporaries. We have a personal and shared history to pass on to them. We are called to live and embody the Good News of the Gospel so that, in these difficult times, many opportunities may arise to bear witness to Jesus Christ, our hope.
He is the Prince of Peace; He alone will put an end to wars, to the ends of the earth (Psalm 46:10).
It is in Him that we believe.
It is Him we call upon.
It is Him we proclaim.
Page updated
Report abuse