Ecclesiology and Sacraments

1. The Church is God’s assembly

The Church is called by God, called from darkness to light, called to be a chosen people, royal priesthood.

Ekklesia  kaleo (called people). Because the Church is called people from the world it is not quite
biblical. But it is called to God, assembly in the front of God.

Qahal  called to God, to serve God. The point is not that it is called from the world. God called his
people for His purpose. The Church is God’s assembly, and possession of God. We can’t say Lutheran
Church, Reformed church or Church in England, Church in Indonesia, because the Church is belong to
God.

If we study the word “church” in the NT, we have several place: Acts 5:11, 8:1, 3, 9:31  the church in
singular use, just like Church in Jerusalem, Judea, Galilee, Samaria. Acts 15:41; 16:5  the church in
plural use. It can be singular and plural in the Acts but it is the same reality that is described. The word
“church” can be used to one individual local church, or even to describe all the church in this world. It
means the same reality in all the church. In Jerusalem, Philippi, Samaria, are all the same reality, the
people are called to Him. And so the Church is one, even though are manifested in various different
places. One church is revealed in different places, and local church is the manifestation of the one
church. There is unity that church is one, but there is diversity. It is one church, but it is revealed in many
place. If we look in the first chapter of Acts is talked about the church in Jerusalem. But in short time the
total congregation was 16,000 people converted. So it is impossible for them to gather in one place, so
that they already have different place.

In the Epistle of Paul that the church is established and it can move from the church singular to the
churches plural. 1 Cor 14:33-34. Matt 18:20  the church is the same everywhere in the New
Testament.

Where Acts, and Paul get this idea? The idea that the Church is one that is from here and there. I think it
comes from the OT. In the OT the word qahal means calling. God assembles his people. We look at what
Stephen says in Acts 7:38  the church at the deserts in Mount Sinai (Deut 4:10). Covenant with
Abraham in Gen 12, 15, 17. What happen in the Sinai is the fulfillment of the covenant that God called
his people. Psalm 22:22; 35:18 = I will worship You in the great assembly. The church is always present
when God’s people meet. All that was illuminated from the Heb 12:22-24.

When we look back at the Mount Sinai (Deut 4:10)  is a terrifying thing and place to come too. Put a
veil on your face, because you are shining (Moses).  Assembly 1 (Material), Old Testament.

Heb 12:22-24 = But in Hebrew it was told that you have come to Mount Zion. There is God, Jesus,
angels, elect  Assembly 2 (Spiritual), New Testament. This is the spiritual church, with the elect people
of God, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When we meet together, we meet spiritually to the entire believer in
the heaven. God called by him and announce of our hope and what is going to be find in heaven.
The church is God’s assembly regarding to his covenant. The writer of NT say that the church before God
in the heavenly realm. The church is both catholic and universal, the church is both invisible and local.
Jesus talking about the spiritual church (when you bound , what is bound in earth). But He also spoke
about the local church in the Corinth. Paul said that women should have their hair covered because of
the angels are present in Corinth. It is not a hat, but it is a hair that is tied up to their head. Because a
prostitute in Corinth is the one who hair is untied. Woman who tied their head is the way that she is a
married and have a good life. In the Corinth, the angels is presence. When the preaching is done in the
church, it is not only edifying the people of God, but edifying the angels. Church is instituted by the
power of God’s presence. The celestial heavenly Jerusalem is presence when the believer was gather
together.

Wherever the local church is meet locally, we were also participating in the Church (Heb 12:22-24).
Terrestrial church is called to the light of the heavenly church. No local church ever perfectly reflects the
spiritual church. In the church of God, social relation are unimportant anymore.

2. The Church is the house/temple of God.

The Church is the place that God’s dwell. The dwelling of God.

We have to have a vision, so that we can work toward the vision. How’s it practical? It is one thing to
preach in big church, or preach in small church. Preaching for 20 people is best when you are talking
with people, it is different when you are preaching to 3000 people than you can preach in like angry
mode. When preaching is to glorify God, it is not concern with the quantity of congregation.

When someone preaching loyally to 20 people is the same important also for Tim Keller and John Piper
who are big stars. And I thought Tim Keller is have the same thinking also. Having the vision of the
church, is helping you see the big picture. What’s visible is only a part of the big picture. When we have
the point of view of the invisible, we will see the visible a lot different. And these encourage and
motivates us in the ministry. You have to prepare the same time if you want to preach to 3000 or 20
people only.

Oikos = the church is the house of God. David made a house, Psalms, Matthew, Bethlehem, Bethel,
Ezekiel  God’s presence like a chariot with wheels, so it is moving.

Meredith Kline – Kingdom Prologue.  The Garden of Eden is God’s temple. The place that God dwells
and walks. Garden of Eden is the holy of holiest. When sin enter, angel guarding the door. Many aspect
of the garden of Eden who are taken to the Temple. Temple is the place of God’s dwelling.

Y Congar – The Mystery of the Temple (Catholic Theologian). He wrote about the temple from the
Genesis until Revelation. The House of God always have these 2 notions: manifest to God’s dwelling and
access to God’s presence. So the church must have these 2 notions too. Drawing near to God in prayer it
means we have access in prayer through Jesus Christ who is God’s presence.
Man build a tower of Babel was man trying to getting back access to God’s presence. Babel is like a
ziggurat, like a stairways of heaven. God’s really came down in Babel, but He came down with judgment.
There is a big contrast between Babel and Gen 28 (Jacob). It is the opposite, because in Gen 28 we have
Jacob who is on the way to meeting with Esau and he has dream. God sending angels to Jacob, to make
His house on earth. God will go with Jacob, this stone that he has set up as a pillar will be a God’s house
(Gen 28:20-22).

Exodus 33 = God is in heaven, but He is also at the Sinai with his people in the tent of meeting. Exodus
said that Israel is the kingdom of priest. Manifesting God’s presence and the access to God. The Lord
Jesus Christ is God’s presence in the man (John 1: ; 2:17-22). The Temple was his body. They believe the
scripture on the Old Testament, the place of sacrifice, where they can get purification of sin.

Jesus was the true temple, the High Priest. Jesus manifest God’s presence and give access. John 14:6, I
am the way, the truth, the life. Jesus in that time talking about the three office of Jesus: The Priest, The
Prophet and The King. The Priest is the way to enter to the temple, The Truth who preach the word, The
King of Life.

1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:14-16. The Church is the temple of God, and we as individual are also the temple of
God. Paul here said that the church can’t be mixed upon the believer and the unbeliever. Between who
believe the Christ and the one who didn’t believe in the resurrection of Christ.

Creation – Bethel – Sinai – God’s leaving the people – Jesus in Jerusalem. The Temple now is not on
earth, but it is in heaven. The resurrection body of Jesus, after three days I will resurrect again. Finally in
Jesus Christ has become a spiritual reality, this means there are no more places in the earth. Because
the holy place is on the heaven. In Christianity there is a big misunderstanding on the holy places,
misunderstanding that the temple is in heaven.

What about the Roman Catholic Church? The holy place is the altar that sacrifice has made. And when
the bread are transubstantiation, and there is a box that is called sanctuary where the bread and wine
was placed. In evangelical we also have a sanctuary. In the mind of people very often that the church is
the building, God is some kind of in there. The Church is the spiritual temple. Jesus is in heaven and Holy
Spirit was dwell in the church. WE are the manifestation of God’s holiness and we are access to God for
other people. Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

What is promise in the shadow of the OT, is fulfilled in the spiritual reality in the NT. There are some
people today that the temple is going to be rebuild. But the Jesus is the temple, and how you are going
to say that you going to rebuild the temple? We can’t see God’s presence directly, because it is a
spiritual reality.

Paul Minnear = The images of the church in the NT:

 Church are Political and National images

o Israel
o Elect race
 o The holy nation
o The circumcision of the heart not the body
o The Son of Abraham, those who are faith in Christ.
o The exodus. The pilgrimage
o The kingdom of priest/house.
o The remainder/remnant
 Church as King/Shepherd image
o Flock
o Sheep
 Church in worship image
o Holy City
o Jerusalem
o Temple (Sinai)
o Priesthood
o Sacrifice
o Incense
o Feasts

All the things that in OT are material, are spiritualized in the NT.

Elements of Systematic Ecclesiology

Biblical Theology is descriptive, Systematic theology is analytic, trying to combine together what’s the
meaning about the church.

So we talk about the attributes of Ecclesiology. There are 4 attributes of the church, this are all indicated
in the NT and the writing of Paul. NT contain a lot, continuing from the OT

The marks/functions of the church is different with the attributes of the church. But with what the
marks of the church we can differentiate whether what is the church and what isn’t the church. There
are 3 things here: discipline, proclamation, sacraments.

The problem of denominationalism: what a member of the church is? The church mark’s is marked also
by the member. Members define the church in some way, that’s why discipline is important in the
church

A. Attributes of the Church

1. Unity/One
2. Holy = the church resemble God in holiness
3. Apostolic = Eph 2:19-20, The church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
Before the ascension their name was the disciples of Jesus Christ, but since Matt 28:20, Jesus
send the disciples to all over the world Jerusalem, Samaria, end of the world. So that it become
 the apostle (the who was send). And the apostolic teaching become the foundation of the
church. If the church don’t have foundation on apostolic doctrine, than it is not the church.
4. Catholic. Catholic word never have any connection with Roman Catholic. It comes from the
Greek word (kat holos = according to all). The word universal is sometimes use for the
translation. Catholic means that what is accepted in all the church and in all time. The church is
Catholic is because the church is presence all the time, in all the place, in all people. The church
was in the world since the time of Adam and Eve,

Jesus Christ as the Head, the chief cornerstone, the foundation of the apostles and prophets  Eph
2:20; Matt 16:18. Philippi is the big center of the worship of the Roman Gods. When Jesus walking along
the Philippi, of course there Jesus and His disciples look at these temples and that’s why Jesus ask to his
disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” In the context of Roman Gods, Peter confess that
Jesus are the only living God! Not the dead God of the Romans. And Jesus reply, “blessed are you
because this was not revealed by flesh and blood”  it means that the revelation is not come from
human reality. Jesus say again, “You are Peter (petros) and on this rock (petra) I will build my church.”

This is the big passage that the Roman Catholic Church used to say that Peter is the pope, and so say
that Peter was the foundation of the church. So that’s why you have to be in communion with the Peter
and the rock is Peter. To be in the church, you have to be on the same rock which means the successor
of Peter which is the rock. Calvin and Luther criticized that the Pope is the Peter.

So it is not on Peter personally but it is on the rock that the church was built on it. So what is the Rock?
Jesus talk in any other place about how to built a house based on the foundation of the rock or the sand.
We continue to Matt 18:22, that Peter want to rebuke Jesus, so that Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get
behind me, Satan!” And so this is the only time that people was called Satan in the NT, so it is extremely
serious. Is not Peter himself that is the foundation of the church, because Peter can be Satan. The
church is founded on the Rock. What is the Rock? The Rock is when the Peter confess Jesus as the Son of
the living God. But when Peter denies that Jesus is the Son of the living God that have to die, then Peter
is now no longer the rock, Peter are Satan. So the foundation of the church is based on Peter confession,
it is not based on the Peter himself. Petros and petra is two different reality. So what makes the church
is the confession that Jesus is the Son of the living God. The confession of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit
that totally different from the blood and flesh (John 1:12), the same contrast between the flesh and
man, to the God. The confession of man is the works of the Holy Spirit. Through that confession is made
the foundation of the church. For Catholic they emphasized it is not just about the confession, but the
important is the Peter that confesses it. This discuss was the idea from the Protestant Theologian, Oscar
Cullman, and it is also at the book of Edmund Clowney.

Matt 18:17. We are talking about the binding and loosing, that the power even though Hell can’t touch
it. What is the church? The church is the people who confess the Jesus as the Christ and Lord just like
Peter who confess Jesus that way.

Catholic theologian respond to our argument? They will say that even though Peter was considered
Satan, it doesn’t nullify that He is the successor. So for them the apostolic succession focused on the
person succession. But we as a Protestant based our apostolic succession (Calvin and Luther) is the
confession and the preaching. So this is the different that till now. Other arguments is on the Galatian,
that Peter was rebuke by the Paul and Paul is the leader of the Gentiles church. The problem is that the
always make an argument to defense their institution. And based on the old Roman Catholic Church we
will see that the Peter and Paul have the same place and authority.

So are we consider Roman Catholic as our brother? The problem arise is that even though the central
was confession on Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. But they gave additional factor; it is not only Jesus
Christ as the foundation. They have Maria, any other saints, priest. Roman still believe on the Trinity, still
believe on the inspiration. But they add something like the apocrypha, even though they still confessed
correctly but they give additional factor.

We mostly think that all Catholic Church are all the same. But in reality it have very many different kinds
of Roman Catholic. You will find that Roman Catholic that is very evangelical.

4 Attributes of the Church = the figure that Prof draw on the white board.

1. Jesus Christ (John 17:3)

2. Unity = oneness on Christ. (John 17:11)
3. Holiness unity = Holiness is connected with the holiness of love. (love) Love will always be the
same from now until then until the end of time. Love is always be there. (John 17:14, 17, 26).
4. Apostolic unity = A church which is unity in the Truth based on Christ (one faith). One day the
faith will become sight. (John 17:6, 8, 20-22)  believe in You and kept the word, so they got
faith.
5. Catholic unity = One in Christ everywhere, in all time and places (hope). One day hope will be
surpassed, and we will see the hope that we are waiting for.  maybe the Catholicity is on the
whole of Jesus’s prayer John 17:1-26.

This all can be seen in the 1 Corinthians. John 17  Jesus pray for us. Verse 1-5, the works of Jesus on
the earth is finished and glorified, Verse 6-19 Jesus prayed for the disciples for the foundation of the
church. Verse 20 is clearly mention that it is not only for the disciples/apostles, from that verse Jesus is
moved to praying for us, for all believers.

What’s important in Roman Catholic is the institution and to the priesthood. Very focus on the holiness
of the Church, Catholicity of the church, Unity of the body of Christ. So there is an imbalance here on
what the Catholics doing. When we looks to the Protestant way on how the attributes of church going
on? We are not acting like the church like on grace. We were not focusing on the act of the church, but
we focused on the word. When we see Catholic Church see that God is working on history horizontally,
protestant view views God is line intervening history vertically. So we are not really bother for the unity
on church. So we also in Protestant have imbalance also.

If we see the evangelical church = based very often on the people who professing their faith. If Catholic
is objective, than in this way Protestant are subjective. Conversion of individual really matters. 19th
century we have holiness movement. Holiness in purity and focus on holiness of individual, but we can’t
find it in Catholic. So in this way Catholistic represent on the objective approach, but evangelical
(Charismatic) as well to represent on the subjective approach.

Eph 4:1-6. The church has to be Trinitarian. One Spirit makes one Body . The church who is not
dependent on God the Father than it is the church that is not authentic/true church. The Church was
also in Christ, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” This represent that the church is one body with the
Christ. Because Christ is the savior of the Church. One faith means one confession, one baptism the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Infant Baptism we receive the mark of the believer. One Lord, one faith,
one baptism is the conclusion of the church. The Church comes from God (like Jesus), the church owe to
something divine (like Jesus), but the church is also human (like Jesus). The church which is divine and
human like Jesus, but the church is also still sinful (simul justus et peccator). Even though Christ is not
sinful, but the church still in the divine and human nature just like us. Until our resurrection when we
are still divine and human, but our humanity is perfect so that we can resemble Christ fully. In spite of
this, still God works in the church. Sometimes we suffer in the church, just like Jesus suffer. The church
strong in Christ, but also weak in humanity. The church relation in Christ. We should have this balance in
power and weakness of the church. If you see the church is divine and human, then you will not believe
to the prosperity gospel. Prosperity gospel you only see the power and denies any weakness on the
church, everything is success, there is no failure. One Baptism  is the same in one name, it is not with
the ritual.

The work of the Spirit  the work of calling which means the work of reconciliation. Gender division
don’t have work in the work of calling. Whether you are man or woman, you are still call. It doesn’t
mean now we don’t have different with man or woman, or Jews and Greeks. But the Spirit transform so
that the Jews and Greeks can have fellowship together. How two different language still reconcile in
Christ, even though these 2 worldview which are contradict are now reconcile in Christ. This is peace in
the Lord Jesus Christ. God is Lord over all in Christ, Jesus is the body, the Spirit is the Spirit of
reconciliation. One Lord, one faith, one baptism  so that the church tell about the Trinitarian God. The
foundation of the church is Trinitarian, Jesus Christ as the cornerstone, as the member of Trinity. All the
Trinity working in the life of the church.

 Unity (Eph 4:1-3) = Unity as God the Father who call and elect. Unity in Christ as the king (1 Cor
1:9-10), Unity in Spirit (1 Cor 12:4-12) variety of gifts but the same Spirit.
 Holiness of the church = Holiness of the church comes from the holiness of Jesus Christ. The
holiness of the church is something that we must seek through obedience and love, express in
the church. Without this holiness we can’t see God, holiness so that other people outside the
church can see the church.
 Catholic nature of the church. Universality of the church is founded on God himself. The
catholicity founded in the church history, in the past on Jesus’s witness. John 1:1-3 = Catholicity
of the history (catholicity of all time). The universality/catholicity of places, John 4:20-24 we can
worship in everywhere in Spirit and truth. The universality/catholicity of the people, Gal 3:26-29,
in Christ Jesus, so neither Peter or Paul, all are in Jesus Christ. Person are transcended in Jesus
Christ (Acts 10:34-35, Cornelius). After these vision, Peter understand that all people accept
(with any kind of animals).
  Apostolicity nature of the church. The unity of Truth (Jesus Prayer, in John 17). But we will see
the in Gal 1:9, 11-12. It is not man’s gospel, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
It is not man’s teaching, there is no other gospel!

Because of many churches so that they are not believe. I think this is not appropriate. But NT know
nothings of denomination and multiplicity of the churches. So how do we handle this? Many differences
in the churches are legitimate. They are arise with linguistic, local, etc. Many we see the differences is
not illegitimate differences. In facts Roman Catholic also experienced a lot of divisions in 16th century
between dominicans, etc.

Let’s just speak about doctrinal differences. This different interpretation give birth to different group of
churches. So there are baptism, Presbyterian, free, church with bishop, national, non-national, non-
conformist. All of this differences is because of the different in interpretation. And of course this are all
secondary problem. All this differences in doctrine can not always justify in Scripture. We can recognize
differences, some are legitimate, some are not, so we have to work beyond them in one unity.

Unity of the church is when we speak in faith not in sight. We believe in the unity of the church as the
same we believe for what will be complete one day, and what appear in our sight. We believe in Jesus
Christ not because of church is one, but we believe in Jesus Christ so that the church is one. So that
something in realm of faith. The problem of ecumenical is that they are trying to make unity and in fact
that God is the One who can make unity. We have to aware false attempt to unity for example by
pluralism.

Pluralism believe that there is no absolute truth. To accept all believe about Jesus Christ within the
church, and so pluralism become the false attempt to unify the church. It sacrifice the truth, because it
put all the truth together. To conclude the true unity of the church is spiritual, in Christ by Spirit. And
one day it become visible, and there can be no result of human action.

What is the denominationalism is the greatest work of Satan? So the answer is that denominatioan is
necessarily since we are human being , there is necessary division but of course there is always reason of
sin. Why did God allowed these to happen? These differences allow us to express love for different
persons. Since we live in a lot of different places there should be difference. For example one what is
good is the evangelical alliance in 1860 that the combination of Baptist, Free, Presbyterian, Gipsy, and
several other churches. Even though there is differences, but they one in spiritual, one in faith to Jesus
Christ.

7 sacraments of Catholic: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance (confession), Final Unction, Mass, Priesthood
celibacy (marriage to Chist), Marriage. And we Protestant only believe only 2 sacraments: Baptism and
Lord’s Supper. Lord’s Supper is the Christ instituting it until He comes again in the second time. Matt
28:20 = Baptizing and teaching.

Teaching of the word and baptism mostly considered that it was done by the same people. Because it
was given to the apostles. Preaching of the word is the true mark of the church. A church is true when it
is preaching the scripture (word). How do you distinguish between a true church and false church?
There are several criteria:

 Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

 Confession of God as the one True God.
 The antichrist someone who denies the Christ and the gospel.  Methodist church who deny
this. Martin Luther thought that he lived on the end of time so that he considered 2 antichrist in
his times which are the Muslim and Roman Church. John Owen = Schism. We are not called to
judgment, but we are called to discern.

Discipline = was added on later as important as preaching and sacraments, but by the Puritans (it is not
added by the reformers), Jonathan Edwards, Whitefield and Wesley the time of revivals it is put on the
same level as the true marks of the church the same as preaching and sacraments. Calvin already
mention about it, but didn’t put it as the true marks of the church. Because at that time the new
churches are formed in the time of revivals, many converters. There are false conversion also. And then
very soon after the second generation, people start to turn away (3rd generation). 1 Corinthians  the
procedure in the discipline of the church. Matt 18:15-20. Discipline is not about punishing children, but
healing problems in their growth. We have a big model in Hebrew 12 where God discipline us as our
Father in based on love.

 Discipline have levels that have to be look (Matt 18:15-20)

 Discipline isn’t about punishment but is about healing and love. (Heb 12: 4-13). It is not on the
OT law an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Here is about restoration, reconciliation and love.

Preaching and sacraments is much on pulpit it is different with discipline. Why? Because preaching and
sacraments are public and discipline conduct in private. We can’t really judge the churches on discipline,
just the same as preaching and sacraments.

What kind of the sin that have to be disciplined? Of course in the doctrine problem for those of teacher
and elders rather than member of the church. Discipline very often in the case of ethics. Because the
problem are greater and greater. So discipline might concern to a man who are beating his wife and
abusing his wife. It might concern to someone who are unfaithful to his marriage, it might concern of
the dishonest in business.

Church Government/Order

Calvin said that the church have to be order not disorder.

On the first Century, the church can be developed from the synagogue, or it can also start from
something new with new community.

In the NT, the church appears not in ex nihilo but it appears in the local context. So that the first
appearance of the church is Jewish in context. When we see the church nowadays, it is a lot different in
the NT way. In terms of order and structure, so this makes us aware of the context that nowhere the
church today is correspond to the church in the NT. It is always when the church appear, it applies the
local/cultural context at that place. At the reformation era, Lutheran church still resemble a lot with the
Catholic church, and also with the Reformed Church. But in Puritan era, John Owen who emphasized on
the Congregationalist, so that it focused on the local church with its cultural context not in the national
church. We will see that there is always attempt to make the church back just like in the NT context, but
it always can’t happen. Because in the church history and in the scripture, even the church in NT start
with local context. It is a fact that in the NT context, there is no church order lay down. In the NT there is
not a single things about an appendix of how to run the church, we don’t have the book of the church
order in NT. We only have historical situation as a model that we could have done.

In Congregationalist/Baptist having a convention with all the churches. So that is the way that the
Presbyterian do Synods also, where is the basic from the Scripture? And also where is the basis to
examine pastors in the NT? When we realize there is no church order, so that we have to be very careful
to critique other people. So every type will say that the way they do is the biblical way.

Why did God didn’t give the church order in NT? There are a lot about our faith, preaching the gospel,
etc. Here we have to see God’s wisdom in not giving the church order. In Matt 28:20, Jesus allowing that
the church can be implanted in different context and culture. God leave his people free to structure
themselves in the local, geographical and historical situation. In fact there is no church order, it
stimulate us to be creative.

There are things that have to be considered fundamental in NT, but there are more than that if we go to
far to critique other. So there is a basic biblical fundamental for Synods in Presbyterian, but you have no
foundation that it can be taken once a year. It only mention that you need Synod when it is necessary.
You can do that, but you can’t claim it biblical.

3 main lines to the church order:

 Episcopal (E) = Episcopal comes from Greek words “bishop”. And it is the synonym for the name
of elder which means “presbyteros”. Who are they? These include Roman Catholic Church,
Eastern Orthodox, Church of England, some Methodist church, and all the church that have
bishop to overrule everything. In the Catholic Church there is 1 bishop to rule over other with
means Pope, and also there are Archbishop. So the idea is took one person to represent all the
bishops. The Pope is elected by the other bishop, not by congregational. These things, they think
that this Pope can be traced back to Peter. Calvin historically say about these where the Popes
came from. When the church getting bigger at the end of second century, there were several
churches in local community and so that the biggest pastor in the locality become one of the
leader. So the idea of Pope that there is one person that is so important in leadership so that he
can bring unity among the pastors in general. So he was considered to be a ruler over the
others, and they were elected by them to solve the problem. The Bishops of the church is the
one responsible for money, because they have money. That’s how the office of bishop develop
that one man standing for others. The Bishops don’t act like pastors, they bureaucratic ministry
rather than preaching. Bishop becomes administrators. It always long debate between who was
the first Pope between bishop of Rome and Constantinople. The church lead by one person who
 stands above others, who is responsible for the order/structure of the church. So that it is the
opposite of Congregationalist.
 Congregationalist (C) = all of Free Church movement, Baptist churches, bible churches, non-
denominational church organization, based on the congregation local church. Even they have
regular meeting, but that meeting don’t have authority on local churches. That’s the opposite of
Episcopalism. In Congregationalist the elder only responsible for their own local churches.
 Presbyterian (P) = in between the two we have Presbyterianism at the middle. Presbyterian
agree with the Congregationalist that the local church is important and central. Local Church is
self-governing. Whoever Presbyterianism agree with Episcopalism in saying that the unity of the
church should be manifested by representing one person in the meeting together. There are
powers in local church, but there is an extension of that local power to do the meeting together.
In a way Presbyterian seek the way the best way between the other two extreme. Of course
there is no perfect way to doing this.

How do these 3 models line on the NT text. Calvin say that there is no other bishop like the elder in the
local church. There is not in any NT text that bishop representing a group of local church. So that’s why
we will see that Episcopal is not a biblical way of church order. In Congregationalist, the local churches
are independent in organization of their life. They exist as local independent, power of the local
churches based on the leaders (pastor and deacons or pastor and elders or church leaders). Both P and C
agree with there is a leader in the local church, and lead by elders this are biblical way and based on the
synagogue. What is the difference between P and C? The difference is in the instance beyond the local
church, for C there is no instance, for P there Synods that can summon all the local church. There is
brethren movement church have the way of doing things, they are doing the brethren (who are not
pastors or elders) have a meeting together and speaking for themselves. They organized that the
meeting should be held of brethren meeting, without a full-time ministers. Brethren movement is the
movement against the hierarchy church of England, it comes from the evangelical side.

If we look how the word “church” is expressing the unity beyond the local churches. Is it only spiritual
matter? Isn’t the spiritual should be manifested in the physical aspect? It would be normal to be
physical. John Frame, Denominationalism, the church should be united not only in spiritual but in
physical. But our denominations of course denial of our one God.

How to understand the doctrine of the church with Trinitarian concept? In God we have total unity and
total diversity. Indeed doctrine of Trinity, we have unity in diversity. But in our creaturely level we are
impossible to achieve the total unity and total diversity. Total unity and total diversity only can be
achieved by God alone. All the attempts on doing that it would be eliminating the others. When man
wants to achieve the total unity, and then they will eliminate the total diversity (such as in the case of
totalitarianism of Communist).

Paul Angela  the community swings from the individual movement to the group movement.
Transgender movement is the movement to unite the gender, to eliminate the diversity. The real unity
of the church is when the Lord Jesus come again.
The word “ekklesia” use in the NT

1. Ekklesia is something that are in the middle of visible and invisible (irisan antara kedua
lingkaran).
2. Acts 2:47, The word ekklesia means militant church, 1 Cor 12:28, Eph 4:11-12. This is different
from the invisible church
3. A group of believer in particular place. Acts 14:23, Romans 16:3-4  Paul mention only a group
of people gathering together. The Church in Asia Minor and the church in the Priscila house. Col
4:15  the church in her house. Nympha is wealthy Roman Lady. The church in Nympha’s house
and also the church in Laodicieans  so the church is define as the group of people. Philippi
4. The church is singular but many local meeting for congregations. One locality and several local
congregation places. Acts 2:41-47  there were thousand in the church and they met on their
local home. Acts 4:4, 5:14. This is not just believer in one particular place, but the meeting in
variety places
5. People responsible for leadership in the Church. Matt 18:17.

There is one church, the body of Christ (one Catholic Church). And the body of Christ was manifested in
the church of Jerusalem. But the church of Jerusalem are thousands of people, so that it spread to many
other churches which make up the whole churches of Jerusalem, so each the local church is the
manifestation of the whole. And also there is Corinth, Ephesian, Laodicea and any other church. And this
all united together are manifestation of human reality. It is plural but it is also singular for the same
time. Because Corinth is very different with Jerusalem, but whether it Corinth or Jerusalem it is the
church of Christ, it is one body of Christ. And so it must act according to unity of the church.

Acts 15:1-22 = church in Ikonium, Listra, and Antioch appointed an elder/representative to represent on
the Jerusalem with Paul and Barnabas. So here we see the delegation of the church which is the elders
to meet at Jerusalem. Here we have the meeting beyond the boundary of Jerusalem. The church sent
them. It was the assembly of the representative of course it is impossible of all the congregations gather
at this council. V.22 there is decision on this Council, and there were representative to bring the letter to
the Asia Minor. So this story give a kinds of model. There is a crisis that arises, representative were
chosen and they were send to the meeting in Jerusalem. There is discussion and liberation on Jerusalem,
the end of discussion, solution was made. And the letter of decision was made, to be sent back to the
church in Asia Minor. We can conclude 4 things from this story without any exaggeration and push it to
far:

1. Power is on the local church. Paul and Barnabas was named and called because of their gifts. So
power was in the locality
2. General/representative meeting represent the whole church. At this meeting decisions was
made and send it back. We have here a kind of presbyterian working. There is something
representing unity beyond the locality. Power is on the local church and the meeting was only
by the delegation, and recommended it back to the local church. That is why the power on the
local church. This passage was mostly called as the Synod of Jerusalem. What is Synod means?
Synod from the Greek word which mean “on the way.” On the way in the agreement together.
 The power is on the local church, because if they didn’t agree with the decision, they can leave
and decline the decision. But we can’t justify that the bible say you have to do Synod meeting
once a year or once two year.

The notion of Church elder

We have 2 words: presbyteroi and episcopoi. It is the same and used interchangeably, it can means
leader. Of course this words are taken from the OT: Genesis 15:25, Deut 19:12, Exodus 3:16, Num 11:16
 the idea of the elders of Israel. The elders were elected in the synagogue locally to lead the
synagogue , Neh 7:1?, Ezr 10:14. The priest don’t have the role in synagogue, they only have role in
Jerusalem temple. The elders were the leader in the synagogue, and responsible for teaching, praying,
public exhortation, reading of the Scriptures, ministry. Elders are nominated because of the discernment
of their gifts Acts 20:, Tit 1:5

1 Pet 5:1  menggembalakan kawan domba  elder. Elder juga mengajar (1 Pet 4:10; Rom 12:6).
Mereka juga harus bekerja sama dalam memimpin sehingga menjadi tubuh Kristus tidak Cuma merintah
tetapi juga mengajar.

In the OT there are 3 leadership position that are anointed:

Old Testament New Testament

Extraordinary Regular
 King  Apostles  Pastors - Teachers Apostolic
 Prophet  Prophets  Eldership -
Diaconal
 Priest  Evangelist Government
Temporary

These 3 offices were proclaim by Jesus Christ (Matt 12 greater then Jonah, greater than temple, greater
than Solomon). Jesus Christ spiritually speaking have these 3 offices. Jesus is in the tribe of Judah, he
wasn’t Levitical tribe and Aaron priest. Who is the Aaronic priest? John the Baptist, so that Jesus receive
the baptism of Priest from John the Baptist. When Jesus come these external offices comes to the end.
Jesus Christ is the Kingship of the office, Prophet and Priest. So that the entire believer in Jesus Christ
have also these 3 offices King, Prophet and Priest.

The priesthood of all believers are not neglected the special ministry.

The diagram from the book of Edmund Clowney:

 Right Side = Means of ministry

o Ministry of order = Royal ministry. Ministry of order to the world means don’t live in the
same way like the world. Exercise to God as well, obedience to God.
o Ministry of mercy = Priestly ministry. Ministry of compassion to the world, to the church
(members of community), ministry of service to God.
o Ministry of the Word = Prophetic ministry.
  Left Side = Goals of ministry
o Ministry of God = worship
o Ministry of the church = nurture
o Ministry of the world = witness
 st
1 level is the General Office of all the believers to the God, to the church and to the world.
 2nd level is the Special Office which is the extension of the General Office. There are ministry
according to the special gift. Everyone can speak a witness of the word, but there is someone
who can explain it very well. Ministry of the Word is someone who capable to minister in the
world. Special Office of the ministry of the word is the pastors and teachers. So that it have to
ministry to the world (evangelist), ministry toward God (leading in worship). So it have to be
someone who have the gift to lead the worship. Ministry of mercy  for the deacons, who do
something different from pastor. Deacon witness to the world by bringing aid to the world and
Christian aid organization.

We build from top to bottom, but in reality we are back by the power from top to bottom which is Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ which is the Perfect Mediator, Prophet, Priest and King. Jesus is the perfect teacher,
he has the best communication to the world, to the church and to the God. Jesus exercise these 3 areas
as the mediator. As Christ administering the order, as when Christ do the ministry of mercy. Everything
done in ministry are depend on Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ with His perfect ministry and the Perfect
Mediator. 2 Cor , Paul is the minister of the new covenant. The accomplishment of salvation was done
by Christ through his incarnation, but the continuation done from the ministry.

Evangelical mostly only do the ministry of the Word, not the ministry of mercy. But in the last 20 years,
they star to realize the importance of the ministry of mercy. They build medical organization, aid
organization. Sometimes there are overreaction and as the liberal church failed in the proclamation
movement. So they start to change to become the social gospel, they act according to ministry of mercy.
In 1970, Karl Barth is the proclamation of the word. The Neo-Orthodox is proclamation. The World
Council of Churches (1970’s) they produce a new way to looking at the church. The traditional way is this
God  Church (word)  World. The church is the mediator to preach to the world. The new way God
 World  Church. The church has to got the work to bring justice, revolution. This is the new model of
the social gospel. Because the 1970’s, the liberal church start to do the aid, and then there is big guilt
complex for the evangelical church. So evangelical start to do the make aid organization like Lausanne
(John Stott, J.I Packer). Evangelical is going too far they are now only doing social works, without doing
the evangelizing. We have to maintain the balance between them, do not exclude other. What the
liberal is they regard the church is the social aspect.

Redemption done in Christ, redemption through the world based on the Christ ministry. Ministry always
depend on Christ, it means there are no self-promoting people in the Church. Authority is for service,
Jesus Christ came to give life for His people. He didn’t come to be serve, but he come to serve.

Are they 2/3 office on the baptist/congregational:

 Teacher/Elder = Pastor-Teacher
  Elder/Governing = elder not pastor
 Deacon = not word

The first 2 can be combine / it is separated into 3 offices. And also how long do the elder was elected for
the church? When you become a pastor you are made pastor for your life. So the questions do the elder
stay as elder for the whole of his life? Elder is staying in one church, is not like a pastor who can move
around the church.

Woman become elder? I’m not convinced if 1st century are patriarchal society. Why God is masculine in
Bible? Because in the pantheism God is feminist in the idea of the world is conceived. And the world is
God himself. It is different with monotheism, Islam, Judaism, and Christian.

In the New Testament when you start a church it has to have elder.

The notion of church member

Criteria of the church:

 Unity
 Truth
 Holiness
 Catholicity

So if you want to be a member of the church, you have to have the same character of the church.

Criteria of the member of the church:

 Unity = church member can’t be sectarian/divisive member, who are always disagreeing with
the pastors and elders. Church members have to accept the authority of the church leaders.
 Truth = the member who does confess the truth (apostolicity).
 Holiness = the church member life have to show holiness, if not then it is hypocrisy.
 Catholicity = Our Boss is Jesus Christ, it is not the pastor and elders. If the person show the
character of the church than you can be the member of the church.

Most of the person will say that to become a mmember of the church, you only need to confess it. But
actually it is beyond the confession.

The distinction between the visible and invisible church:

 Invisible church = the church that we can’t see the body of Christ. The invisible body of Christ.
The people of Christ from all time, all place. Right from the start until the end of the world.
Every time, everywhere, every culture. This great number only be manifest when Christ return.
The invisible church represents all the people that Christ died for so that they entered the
covenant of grace. The invisible church are those adopted in the spirit of adoption. Election by
 the Father, justification by the Son, adoption by the Holy Spirit. Eph 5:23, 27, 2:12, 19; Col 1:18,
Acts 2:39, 8:21

3 knowledge of Luther: Knowledge, Acceptance, Truth.

To admit that someone to be member of the church is that he confess Jesus Christ as the Lord and
Saviour and received baptism.

The means of grace in the Church

A. Word and Sacrament

1. It is very difficult to limit the number of sacraments. When we are looking at the creation, it is
almost everything is sacrament. Even in the creation, sex have criteria of sacrament. Because of
God’s grace be multiply. We can say work is sacrament, cultural mandate is sacrament. In
Garden of Eden we also see sacrament’s sign such as tree of life, and the river, the fruits are
sacramental. Because they indicate God’s goodness to man in creation. This tree of life can be
found again in the book of Revelation, Psalm 1, some would say the tree of life is the symbol of
Jesus Christ. Tree of life is like bread and wine, life given through death.
2. Meredith Kline  sacraments in the bible are always connected with God’s covenant to His
people. In creation we have God’s creation with His creation which we called covenant of
creation/work. Sacraments are sign that there is relationship between God and man. You can’t
have any sacraments without any covenant.
3. God never do any good to humanity without mediator (Calvin). And the mediator of the
covenant of works is Adam. That’s why we have Adam and Christ in Romans 5 and 1 Cor 15.
Sacraments are related to Adam. When Abraham meet with Melchizedek what happen?
Melchizedek gave bread and wine. Sacraments contain a promise as well. When God makes
covenant with Abraham, He makes this sacrifice and He gave promise to Abraham concerning
the future. Sacraments is much bigger than just the symbol. Because it gives promises and sign
of God’s grace. People tend to forget the promises that are given by the sacraments.
4. Sacraments is the signs of God’s grace that complete God’s word (Calvin). Sacraments is given
without preaching, they are a supplements to God’s word (Reform and Luther). Sacraments are
visible words. The church is God’s covenant people, it is called so that God can make covenant
with His people. As we see in Mt. Sinai, at the Calvary (new covenant). The church is founded on
the covenant. To have a church, it means you had to have God’s covenant, mediator, and sign.

In Catholic, the church itself is the sacrament and the sign of God’s grace. In protestant we didn’t say
that the church is the sacrament, but people founded in it so that we call the church as the means of
grace. When you have churches than you have God’s sacrament.

Baptism/circumcision is the entrance to the God’s people (Abraham). Baptism in only signs that we
enter God’s people it means receive God’s grace. So that’s why Baptism is only done once. Because it is
the sign that you enter as God’s people, and than you can’t do it several times. It is different with the
Last Supper, because the Last Supper is our daily bread. Last Supper is continue as you gather together.
We need constantly renewed by Jesus Christ, so that the Lord Supper is the regular sign of God’s grace
given to the God’s people.

B. the Sacrament in general

The distinction between the invisible and visible church. Invisible church is what God sees and knows,
and the church of Christ is invisible. It is composed of all who belong to Christ in its unity, holiness,
catholicity and apostolicity and it belongs perfectly. But the visible church is sanctify by the Words and
Sacraments in order to conform of the invisible church. It shows our desire to conform to God’s invisible
grace to the invisible church. The sacraments belong to the visible church, and that’s why we can say
that Jesus said, “I will be with you at the end of age.” And Baptism will cease at the end of age, and until
I come. When Jesus come there is no celebration of His death, but there will be, “I will not drink of this
wine again, but I will drink the new wine.” So that means this is the wedding banquet at the
eschatological times. So that Sacraments have eschatological point in this.

With regard to the visible church we can see 3 things:

1. Sacrament can be traced back to Abraham. Evangelistic and ecclesiastic.

2. Sacraments are both the same in both part of the covenant of grace. The shedding of blood is
the symbol of the remission of sins. Because the circumcision of the heart, baptism is the change
of heart in the NT. The knife of the circumcision is also the same knife to kill Isaac. The provision
sacrifice of Isaac is complete the circumcision of Abraham. The law given to Moses is not
dispensation, but it is something added to covenant of Abraham to make it complete. Covenant
of Moses is like add a carburator to the engine, it is just additional. Ilustration: Abraham is petrol
engine car and Moses is added like a hybrid car of engine and electricity. But there is difference
in circumcision who only male to do that, but it change in baptism to male and female. The
answer is that the promise Son saviour is come. In Christ all male and female are one through
regeneration. So baptism is for all gender. And we can’t easily to read the Psalms as you had to
have many offspring, it can’t be implemented in the NT. Because in the OT, offspring means that
you are continuing the generation for the Messiah to come, and so in the NT the Messiah has
already come and the meaning also change to the spiritual offspring.
3. Sacraments is more than just signs, but it is also seals of the God’s grace. And the problem in
Zwinglian is that they only emphasize the sign, but the seal they neglected. When we see from
the bible it is so simple just like from 1 Cor, but I theological discussion is so complicated. How’s
the transubstantiation works?

Seal  the sign that you can not break. For example: wedding vow, an oath when you are established as
president. The King also give the seal for the letter so that it is a sign that it truly a letter from the king
authority.

Sacraments is also the means for worshipping God.

Sacrament is comes from Latin: sacramentum, which means mystery.. Baptism represents the death and
resurrection of the Christ. Marriage vow is the sacramental union.
Are the sacraments are signs or something more? Zwinglian says that it is only sign, but not for Calvin
and Luther. Zwingli don’t like the idea of means of grace, but what they emphasized is the Holy Spirit
working is direct working to our hearts. So that’s why sacraments are only symbol. Calvin says that
sacraments is the sign, but is also the seal that bring God’s blessing to them according to the gospel.
Through the sacraments, the Holy Spirit working spiritually. As we received them, we received God’s
grace through the sacraments. There are 3 biblical consideration regarding the sacrament:

 Rom 4:11 = a sign and seal of the righteousness while he was still uncircumcised. Here is an
argument for the Gentiles.

Sign ------------- Thing signified ------------- signification

Water purification remission of sin

How does the Last Supper is work? The only way that we believe that it would happen.

The Power of Sacraments

The sacrament is effective just the same as the word of God effective in our life. The word of God is not
effective without Holy Spirit. How does the word of God become effective through the Holy Spirit? It
replaces in our mind that we have error in our mind. The change of mind, so that we believe that God is
alive. Lord Supper and Baptism are work in the same way like the word of God. Catholic think that
sacrament work as itself work. The efficacy of sacrament is not in the sacrament themselves, but in fact
we are forming this relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit. 3 things about sacraments as means
of grace, and about their efficacy:

 Through the sacrament God really working in invincibly and spiritually way for our salvation. You
can’t really taking the sacraments without the thinking of love of Christ. This is the invisible
works of the Holy Spirit and this makes us confidence in our hope. Christ gives himself for us.
Illustration: I live with my life for many years, but sometimes is good if I say, “I love you to my
wife.” We lived day by day by the grace of God, and if we take the lord supper than it is the
same if Jesus says to us, “I love you so much so that I give my life to you.”
 The efficacy of sacraments is through the Holy Spirit. It is not just taking and remembering Jesus
but it is also believing the Holy Spirit is working in this way. What does the NT tell us to do? Ask
and you will receive, The Father will give the Holy Spirit for those who ask for them. In Scotland
before they have the Lord Supper, they have week preparation. In that week every night Pastor
will preach about God’s grace. But naturally we are not preparing ourselves to receive this Lord
Supper through the Holy Spirit. Maybe we need to seek more the works of Holy Spirit through
the sacraments. The idea of sealing is pressed down more and more, until the seal is fully sealed.
The sealing of the Holy Spirit is pushing down the Holy Spirit more and more. The efficacy of
Holy Spirit is by pushing down the Holy Spirit more and more. Spiritually when we take the
sacraments we really see the Christ spiritually. Without faith this baptism and bread and wine, it
doesn’t have any meaning and perhaps condemning ourselves because I don’t believe.
  Finally we don’t do this alone, we do it with other people. We are not saved alone, but we are
saved together with other people. So it makes us concern for other people and for their well-
being. The sacraments make us one in other people, we are one in Spirit. When we see the
community aspect of the Lord Supper, that is not happen in the Corinthians. Lord Supper made
us concern for other people. Baptism is more individual, but it have collective impact. Because
when someone baptism, it reminds us for our conversion also. Reminds me that I am baptized,
and I have to live in the baptized way of people.

C. The Lord’s Supper

The Position of the Lord Supper

1. Ex opera operato = the work working. When you are baptized it means you are regenerated. The
act is not only symbolize but it really does the work.  Roman Catholic Position,
transubstantiation. The substance is being transformed, the body and wine become really the
body and blood Jesus Christ, and the water in baptism really cleanse our sin.
2. Zwingli, Ernest Kevan, Sacrament. = only remembering of what Christ did for us.
3. Luther = real presence of Christ in the communion. But there is no change in substances.
4. Calvin = Christ is not himself, but He is presence by the Holy Spirit. So it is spiritual presence,
Christ is in heaven, but He presence by the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit only
discerned by faith.

This is what is called Eucharistic Controversy.

1 Cor 11:26; 10:16

In the OT, the notion of sacrifice on the altar is central. Which is in the NT, the shedding of blood and
breaking the body is not sacrificial, because there is no sacrifice and not altar. So that means the Lord
Supper is not sacrifice, because there is no altar but it is the table. The sacrificial is completed through
Jesus Christ. So in a way, Catholic maintain the OT sacrifice and priest.

So the Lord Supper is not a sacrifice, what does it that mean? The Lord Supper instituted on the night
Jesus was betrayed. Jesus break the bread and pour the wine to the disciples (1 Cor 5:7; 11:23-26). But
they aren’t yet the sacrifice because literally the body and the blood of Jesus Christ was still there when
Christ instituted it. So it is symbolized something. First is Christ blessed it in prayer. Then there should be
prayer precedes the breaking of bread and then there is actually breaking the bread. Breaking represent
death and he passed it around the disciples. Wine is living and active as substance, because if you leave
it becomes the vinegar. Wine represent living thing as represent Christ. The new covenant is sealed by
Christ life. There is no change in substance. The only different is former is the normal bread and wine
and change to the sacramental bread and wine.

The Lord Supper is for sinners who confess their sin. What sin that makes us can’t partake the Lord
Supper? 16th Century in Lyon, France a Reformed Pastor Adolphe Monod. The pastors were paid by the
states, that’s why there is a person in the church that are not Christians. The Elder is the governor
someone have an important person. He was kept in adultery, so he instruct the elder to not partake the
Lord Supper. And the man still came at the Lord Supper. After he institute the Lord Supper, he covered it
again with napkins and he walked away without distributing the Lord Supper. So of course he was
expelled from the church. Monod was saying, “this was not a true church when there is sinners here.”

The Reformers are against the personal celebration of the Lord Supper. In the mass of the dead, the
private chapel is not allowed. The Lord Supper means the communion together in Jesus Christ, so that’s
why something we have to do together as communion not in private.

How if the person is still struggling with the sin but he already confessed? I think we can’t set too high
standard for the person, because if we set too high then maybe nobody will take the supper.

Wedding belongs to creation it doesn’t belong to the church. The Lord Supper’s belong to the church.

Corinth Lord Supper was very early in the morning maybe 06:00 am, because part of the congregations
maybe slave. So that slave can join the Supper.

D. Baptism

2 view about baptism among reformers. Reform Baptist today come from Puritan, Congregationalist,
William Carey, Charles Spurgeon and Reformed-Baptist people. Baptism in not essential to salvation, you
aren’t saved because you are baptized.

Reformed Baptized and Reformed Presbyterian together agree that baptism didn’t give salvation,
example thief on the cross didn’t get baptized. Stuart Olyott, Sermons on Galatians, Reformed Baptist.
There is a little book written by Scottish theologian called William Cunningham and I almost became a
pedobaptism. Francis Schaeffer written little book on baptism.

Reformed Baptis have 4 arguments:

 Infant baptism is directly a criticism the importance of regeneration, conversion of faith. H.

Blocher.
 There is one covenant grace that start with Abraham. David Kingdon, Children of Abraham. He
says that the covenant begin with Abraham, even though we have covenant with Abraham but
the Mosaic law is the most important. The promise on Abraham is the national physical promise
which is Israel. But the spiritual promise was fulfilled in Christ. So there is change between the
natural to the spiritual in NT. In the NT we are children of Abraham because we are a believers.
 There is no case that the children being baptized. The NT is silence on the question of baptism.
 Baby can’t repent and believe. So that they can’t be baptized. Believe is the condition of
baptism.

Francis Schaeffer, for Presbyterian the mode of baptism is not important. Whether you practice
immersion and sprinkle or poured the water. All of these things can be valid way in doing baptism. Jay
E. Adams say that the pouring water is the best way of baptism, because it represent the Holy Spirit
pouring out during the Pentecost. I think its possible but it can’t be dogmatic about it. There is no text in
NT that you have to immersion, sprinkle or pouring. How was the Philippian jailer being baptized?
Baptism means immersion and synonym in immersion. In the OT show that baptism is not immersion.
Baptizo doesn’t mean immersion in the Scripture, baptizing is mean rinsing them not immersion.

Historically speaking that some of the paintings show that John the Baptis baptize Jesus Christ with
pouring of his hand.

How was the argument for infant baptism?

 In the NT, God doesn’t take a way spiritual benefit/blessings. He always give greater
benefit/blessings to His people. If in the OT they give the assurance of blessing, and then why in
the NT it was taken out? If you separate the family then it means that you separate the believer
and unbeliever. And then children have to belong to the blessings, belonging to the covenant of
family. If you are saying that the children are unbeliever than you are saying redemption work
against creation. But redemption is saving the creation, redemption is saving the family not
dividing the family. Saying your children is unbeliever is terrible, you are teaching them and
educating them to be unbeliever.
 Acts 2:39 = “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for all whom
the Lord our God will call.” What is the promise? It is the Abrahamic promise that God’s save
and make covenant with parents and children. Jesus wasn’t baptized on the new covenant, but
Jesus was baptized by OT baptism. John the Baptist was the priest. Jesus was baptized adult
 Romans 4:3 = Abraham was justified by faith. Abraham believed and was justified by believing.
Abraham was the first baptized, because he was believe and he was baptized. His faith comes
before baptize/circumcision, Abraham was circumcised after he believing. However, Abraham
also received the order to circumcise his sons who were 7days old. So the infant was circumcise
before he believe like Abraham. So if the circumcision is the seal of faith and righteousness. If
we are children of Abraham, we follow the faith of Abraham.
 There is no case in the NT that children was baptized as adult.

What does baptism means as a child? It means that he is a part of covenant just like his father. This is
the promised of God will bless him and saved him like his parents. As a child baptism as sign of promised
that you believe Jesus you will be saved.

Fire is purification of sins, and giving of life.

Romans 6 = being baptized in Christ which means in death and resurrection of Christ. But there is no
water in Roman 6. It is baptism on the cross, the dead of Christ. All of you are baptized in the death of
Christ and then raised a new life. So the arguments is said that the immersion said that when you are
dead to the ground and you raised up again. But Jesus was buried on the wall, so it would be
exaggerating to tell that we have to do immersion. But the baptism is represent by the pouring of the
Holy Spirit.