Introduction:
My text is Colossians 2:8. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2 We warned repeatedly to beware of false religion, false doctrine, and false prophets. Here Paul urges us to beware of those who would spoil us the deceitful religious philosophies and traditions of men, particularly those who would bring us back under the rudiments of the world, that is to say, those who would make us subservient to carnal ceremonialism, sacramental ism, and legalism. This warning is given and given repeatedly because we are all naturally prone to idolatry and works religion. Did you ever notice how often in the Old Testament the Lord warned those who worshipped him that they must never, at any time or for any reason, put their hands upon those things which typified our Lord Jesus Christ and his great work of redemption?Exodus 20:25-26 "And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, tho shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. (26) Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon."
Numbers 4:15 "And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation." Deuteronomy 27:5 "And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them." Joshua 8:30-31 "Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, (31) As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings." 1 Kinqs 6:7 "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building." I Chronicles 13:9-10 "And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. (10) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God." There is one form of religion that is even more subtle than Arminianism and just as deadly, one form of religion which more subtly promotes the mixture of works with grace than any other. That is what men call Reformed Theology, or the Reformed Faith, or Reformed Doctrine. I am fully aware that those who call themselves Reformed profess to believe the doctrines of grace:I also realize that the Reformed faith has become very popular, especially among smug religious people who think of themselves as academically superior intellectuals. I am fully aware that in preaching this message, I will incur the wrath of many. But the message has been on my heart and mind for months and must be delivered.
My concern is for you for whom I am responsible before God. I am concerned for the welfare of your souls. My concern is for the glory of God. And my concern is for the gospel of the grace of God. Therefore, I cannot be silent when these things are at stake. Everywhere I go, hear people talk about the Reformed Faith. Those who do, usually talk more, much more, about the Reformed Faith, the reformers, the Reformation, and the Puritans than they do about the Bible, the grace of God, or Christ. I am weary of it. I want you and all who hear my voice to understand that...When I speak of Reformed Doctrine, the Reformed Faith, or Reformed Theology, I am basically talking about Presbyterianism as set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith. In recent years a denomination has arisen called Reformed Baptists. In reality, for the most part, they are not Baptists at all, but just ducking Presbyterians. They hold to reformed theology in all areas except baptism.
As you know, we have no confession of faith but the Word of God, no creed but Holy Scripture. I do not say that with any superficial air of superiority, but simply as a matter of fact. Our only rule of faith and practice is the Word of God. However, as I said, this message has been on my mind a good bit lately. So for the past several weeks I have been carefully studying those confessions of faith most commonly accepted as the doctrinal standards of both Presbyterians and Reformed Baptists: The Westminster Confession and the 1689 Baptist Confession. You will be shocked to discover the heresies cleverly packaged in them. I am bringing this message to you because these things are not matters of indifference. They are matters vital to the gospel. Proposition: Any teaching that mixes, to any degree or at any point, the grace of God and the works of man in the affair of salvation totally denies salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Rom. 11:6). Romans 11:6 "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." NOTE: Before I proceed further, let me be clarify one thing. I know that there are some Presbyterians and some Reformed Baptists who may not fit the mold presented in these confessions. If so, l am not talking about them. I am talking about those who believe the heresies I am about to discuss. I want to show you five subtle heresies of reformed doctrine. I will not build a straw man, just to knock him down I leave that deceitful practice to others. I will give you their own words from their own confessions, in the context and order in which they are given. As I said earlier, Reformed Baptists are really just ducking Presbyterians. They would really like to be Presbyterians. They just cannot find a way to justify infant baptism. In fact, the 1689 confession of faith adopted by the Reformed Baptists of our day is almost identical with the Westminster Confession (1646), except on the subject of Baptism. Divisions: Generally, I prefer to deal with things from a positive position. Rather than pointing out what is wrong with this doctrine or that, I prefer simply to declare the truth of the gospel. But, as our Lord warned of the Nicolaitanes, and Paul warned against Judaizers, it is sometimes necessary to identify heresy and heretics with specific clarity, so that you will know exactly what I am talking about. Here are the five heresies of reformed doctrine which I want to warn you about today. When you leave here, I want you to know precisely why we refuse to practice these things, believe them, or participate in any way with those who do. 1.The Heresy of Necessary Consequence
I.THE HERESY OF NECESSARY CONSEQUENCE
I know that most of you are scratching your heads, saying, "What on earth is the heresy of necessary consequence?" It is the doctrine which says that the Bible alone is our only rule of faith and practice, that is to say, that which is written in the Bible and that which is logically and rationally deduced from the Bible. This is the first groat error of Protestant theology. The Reformers retained this little bit of Romanism which let to the retention of much more.
II.THE HERESY OF CONDITIONAL GRACE
I know people will respond to that by saying that I have simply popped my cork. How could anyone dare suggest that those men and churches known everywhere for preaching unconditional election, limited atonement, and irresistible grace are guilty of teaching conditional grace? I will show you, again in their own words.
They tell us that we are justified, not when Christ died for us and satisfied the justice of God, but when we appropriate the work of Christ to ourselves by the instrument of faith.
I have no quarrel with anyone teaching that believers grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. You know that. If you and I are born of God, we grow in faith, hope, love, commitment to him, and zeal for his glory. If there is no growth there is no life. But I do object strenuously to the reformed doctrine of progressive sanctification, as stated in their own confessions of faith.
While humbly acknowledging, "there abideth still some remnants of corruption," The Westminster Confession says, "They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened, in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." The 1689 Baptist Confession states the heresy even more explicitly. "This personal work of sanctification is indeed carried further... Sin's mastery is completely broken... Evil desires are increasingly weakened. .. moving towards a fulness of holiness in the fear of God." I challenge you to find any place in the Word of God which even hints that our sanctification depends upon us, or that we manage through the diligent discipline of personal graces to make ourselves less and less evil and more and more holy, finally attaining that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord! That holiness without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14) is Christ! According to the Word of God, our sanctification is a threefold work of grace - NOT A WORK OF GOD'S GRACE AND OUR EFFORTS, BUT OF PURE, FREE GRACE ALONE! A. We were sanctified by God's sovereign decree in eternal election, when we were set apart for God to be made holy (Jude 1).
Jude 1:1 "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:"
B. God's elect were sanctified by the blood of Christ (declared to be holy), when he died at Calvary and out away our sins with his own precious blood (Heb. 10:10, 14).
Hebrews 10:10 "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
1 Peter 1:2 "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."
Romans 6:14-15 "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."
Romans 7:4 "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 10:4 "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Galatians 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" Galatians 3:24-25 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." 1 Timothy 1:8-10 "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; (9) Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, (10) For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;" Colossians 2:16-17 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." There is absolutely no sense in which believers are under the law. In Christ we have been brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.V. THE HERESY OF SACRAMENTALISM
The reformers and Protestants, again retaining the garments of Rome, teach that baptism and the Lord's Supper are sacraments rather than ordinances of worship. A sacrament is a religious rite or ceremony by which grace is conveyed to the one who receives it. An ordinance is simply a symbolic picture of grace. There is a huge difference between the two. A.Presbyterianism teaches that baptism, as they call it, the sprinkling or pouring of water is a sacrament by which grace is conveyed and sealed to those who receive it."Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace... Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, or his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins... Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized." (Westminster Confession) The confession goes on to assert that baptism is properly administered, not by immersion as the word baptize necessitates, but by sprinkling or pouring and that it is to be administered to both believing adults and their unbelieving infants. Yet, it has the same significance to both.
1. There are several things about this doctrine that are horribly evil.
2. Baptism is an ordinance of divine worship to be administered to believers only, and by immersion only (Acts 8:36-39).
Acts 8:36-39 "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? (37)And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (38) And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. (39) And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."
B. Both Presbyterians and Reformed Baptists make the Lord's Supper a sacrament by which, according to the 1689 Baptist Confession, "Those who, as worthy participants, outwardly eat and drink the visible bread and wine in this ordinance, at the same time receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and receive all the benefits accruing from his death."
I do not need to prove to you that that is not the teaching of the New Testament (1 Cor. 11:23-29).
2.The Lord's Supper does not convey grace, it shows by outward sign how grace is conveyed to sinners.
3.In the Lord's Supper, as in baptism, that which qualifies us and makes us worthy recipients of the ordinance is faith in Christ, discerning the Lord's body.
Application: These are issues of immense importance. Be sure you understand the teaching of Holy Scripture in these areas.
2. Salvation is in its entirety by the free grace of God in Christ, without works, conditions, or qualifications of any kind on our part (1 Cor. 1:30-31).
5.Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of divine worship by which believers yield obedience to, identify with, remember, and show forth the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in him.
AMEN.