MLJ Trust Logo Image
Search
Sermon #8302

The Marks and Government of the Church

A Sermon on the Government of the Church

Originally preached Nov. 12, 1954

Share Share on Twitter Share on Facebook
Play Sermon
btn-play
Download Sermon Add to Queue Add to Playlist

Scripture

Various

Sermon Description

Jesus Christ is the leader of the church. In this sermon on the government of the church, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones delves into the practical aspects of why and how Christ created and leads His church. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that a church exists to preach the word, for the upbuilding of the saints and the strengthening of faith, for evangelism, for administration of the sacraments, and for the exercise of discipline. This last characteristic is key and most often overlooked by Christians. The global church suffers due to not exercising discipline. Church discipline is commanded for those who call themselves Christians and yet live or teach contrary to Scripture. The apostle Paul repeated this command, warning that a church entangled in the ways and thoughts of the world will not be a channel through which the Holy Spirit works. Dr. Lloyd-Jones surveys various views on church governance, including the Presbyterian and Catholic views. Choosing a biblical church is an incredibly important part of being a Christian, and this sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps educate believers on certain traits to look for in biblical churches.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The importance of understanding the doctrine of the church in light of the ecumenical movement. It is the duty of every Christian to develop an informed perspective on this issue.
  2. Definitions and pictures/comparisons of the church were previously discussed, including body, building, empire, and bride.
  3. The relationship between the kingdom of God and the church was discussed. The kingdom is bigger than the church.
  4. The marks or characteristics of the church will now be discussed. Historically, the common Protestant view is that there are three marks: preaching the word, administering the sacraments, and exercising discipline.
  5. Preaching the word is the primary purpose of the church. It is for the edification of believers and the evangelization of unbelievers.
  6. Administering the sacraments is the second mark of the church. This will be discussed in more detail in the future.
  7. Exercising discipline is the third mark of the church. This is the most neglected mark. Discipline should be exercised in terms of doctrine and practice.
  8. Matthew 18:15-18 and other passages show the importance of discipline. Some wrongly argue against discipline by misapplying the parable of the tares. That parable refers to the kingdom, not the church.
  9. Discipline was exercised by leaders like John Wesley. A lack of discipline has contributed to the weak state of the modern church.
  10. Discipline in doctrine means confronting false teaching. Discipline in practice means confronting sinful living which contradicts the faith.
  11. If a brother does not repent after confrontation, he is to be removed from membership in the church. This may involve handing him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.
  12. The government or ordering of the church will now be discussed. There are varying views on church government.
  13. Some believe there should be no church government, as any government will quench the Spirit. This view emerges as a reaction against ecclesiasticism and Christendom. There is some validity to this view, but it is not fully scriptural. Some leadership is inevitable.
  14. The Erastian view believes the state should govern the church. This is the view of the Lutheran and Anglican churches.
  15. The episcopal view believes bishops should govern the church. They claim bishops are the successors of the apostles. However, the terms bishop and elder are interchangeable in Scripture. There is no evidence for a separate order of bishops.
  16. The Roman Catholic view takes episcopacy to an extreme, with one bishop (the pope) governing all others. They claim the pope is the successor of Peter and the vicar of Christ. There is no historical evidence for this view.
  17. The Presbyterian view believes local churches should be governed by representative bodies (presbyteries and general assemblies) to which they submit. This is the system of government used in Scotland.
  18. The congregational or independent view believes each local church governs itself, with no higher authority. Originally held by Congregationalists and Baptists, though most have now adopted a Presbyterian system. This view seems closest to the New Testament pattern.
  19. No system is perfect, but the independent view avoids the problems of evangelicals being subject to unbiblical teaching and practice in larger denominational structures. Local churches should fellowship together voluntarily, not by compulsion.
  20. This has been a spiritual discussion, as the government of the church is of vital importance. We must ensure the visible church does not contradict Scripture.

Sermon Q&A

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Doctrine of the Church: Common Questions

What are the three marks of a true church according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the three essential marks of a true church are:

  1. The preaching of the Word - This is the primary business of the Christian church. The Word is preached both for "the upbuilding and the establishing of the saints" and for evangelization to those who are not believers.

  2. The administration of the sacraments - A church is a place where sacraments are "rightly administered and truly administered in connection with the preaching of the word."

  3. The exercise of discipline - This involves maintaining doctrinal purity and holiness of life among church members. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asserts this third mark has been "grievously and sadly neglected" in modern times.

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones consider church discipline so important?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones considers discipline critically important because:

  1. It's clearly commanded in Scripture (Matthew 18:15-18, Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 5, Titus 3:10, etc.)

  2. He believes the lack of discipline is "the ultimate cause" of the church's current "powerless condition"

  3. It maintains doctrinal purity - "We really must be concerned about doctrine in the church"

  4. It preserves the church's testimony - "An inconsistent or a sinful life on the part of a believer does incalculable harm to the cause of Christ"

  5. It's a historical characteristic during times of revival - "Read the history of the church at any time of revival and of reawakening... and you will find that invariably the outstanding mark of the church at such a time is the exercise of discipline"

What different views of church government does Dr. Lloyd-Jones outline?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines several views of church government:

  1. No church government at all - Those who reject any formal structure, believing it quenches the Spirit

  2. Erastian - The church is a function of the state, with the state appointing church officers

  3. Episcopal - Government by bishops who are seen as successors to the apostles

  4. Roman Catholic - Episcopacy taken to its "logical conclusion" with the Pope as supreme authority

  5. Presbyterian - Local churches delegate authority to presbyteries and general assemblies

  6. Congregational/Independent - Each local church is autonomous, governing itself without higher authority

Which form of church government does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe is most biblical?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggests that the congregational/independent model of church government appears most biblical. He states: "As you think of these things in the light of the New Testament teaching and forget what has happened in history, you surely must come to the conclusion that the local independent conception is the one that is most scriptural."

His reasons include: - The New Testament shows local churches as autonomous - Even the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) had no binding authority but sent recommendations - Other systems eventually lead to evangelical members being forced to support teachings they disagree with - The ideal is "the local church, the people who are agreed and in fellowship with all others who are similarly agreed, but nothing binding, no coercive power"

What is the common misinterpretation of the parable of the tares that Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses the misinterpretation where people use the parable of the tares (Matthew 13) to argue against church discipline. He explains:

  1. Some argue that since Jesus said "let them grow together until the harvest," we shouldn't exercise church discipline or separate from apostate churches

  2. This is a "grievous and serious misinterpretation" because the parable refers to the kingdom, not the church

  3. Jesus explicitly says in his interpretation that "the field in which the wheat and the tares are sown is not the church but the world"

  4. The parable describes the world at large, not the composition of the church

  5. This misinterpretation leads to the same error as found in the Roman Catholic Church, where there is minimal discipline of individual members

Great Biblical Doctrines

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.