Shepherding in the Bible Study

“The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care” (1689 Baptist Confession, 3.7).

We started meditating together on Paul’s letter to Titus during last night’s Wednesday night Bible study at our church. The first words, “Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God” (1:1), led us fairly quickly into a discussion which dominated most of the 50 minutes we spent in active discussion.

“The chosen of God.”

This was a group of believers of varying degrees of maturity, age, and relatively small variation on the topic of predestination. As we considered the biblical data from various N.T. sources, I tried to be careful to keep the “cage fighter” in me subdued. This wasn’t a YouTube debate (I’ve actually never watched one and have no interest in doing so). This was a Bible study made up of people I love and respect. People I long to see firmly “established in the faith” (Romans 1:11; 16:25; 2 Corinthians 1:21; Colossians 1:23; 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 3:2,13).

This wasn’t a Sunday morning or evening service, where I speak from a text and don’t take questions during the service. This is Bible study, and there are often questions and discussion points suggested by members of the group. It always reminds me of Paul’s description of the gathering of the Church: “What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:26-33). I used to not like meetings like this. I’ve come to delight in them and see them as a powerful place for the Spirit to work through His Word in and among His people.

As you have a discussion on a topic like election/predestination, it’s easy to ignore souls for the sake of establishing just how right you are. But this is the business of souls. And there is careful shepherding to be done in the gathering of souls, even in Bible study.

“The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him” (1689 Baptist Confession, 26.10). I assume “watching for their souls” is a reference to Hebrews 13:17, where congregants are commanded, “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.” I don’t understand the “work of pastors” described as “the ministry of the word and prayer” and “watching for their souls” to be separate items. The Holy Spirit regularly brings congregants to mind, prompting me, I believe, to pray for them (sometimes at 4 a.m. on Monday mornings). But “watching for their souls” can happen during “the ministry of the word,” even during a Wednesday night Bible study.

“Watching during their souls” during “the ministry of the word” requires that challenging and historically divisive doctrines not be avoided (they’re attested to throughout the Bible, after all), but “handled with special prudence and care.”

We speak the truth, but we do so in love: “…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him Who is the head, even Christ, from Whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15,16). Notice the inter-connectedness: “…speaking the truth in love” leads to growth in Christ, which leads to a properly-functioning church (“the whole body”), which leads back to more “growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” It’s a circular growth to loving speech to growth to loving speech, etc., all in Christ and from Christ. How? Read 4:11-13. Christ-given “apostles, and…prophets, and…evangelists, and…pastors and teachers.”

Shepherding souls in the Bible study. It’s my fleshly pride that wants to conquer all intellects and show them the unparalleled superiority of my Reformed Baptist doctrine. It’s my calling from above, though, to lead them to the Scriptures, encourage their Spirit-given insights into the text, gently correct errors, prayerfully seek words of explanation of difficult ideas witnessed to in the Bible, and to guide the group meditation through a time of Christ-empowered growth and love. The latter is far more to be preferred. I want them to go away longing for more of the Word and having caught a glimpse of its power and beauty.

Shepherding souls in the Bible study. It drives me personally deeper into the Scripture and convicts me anew of the indispensability of prayer in this act of leading the Bible study.

Lord, help me handle the text and all the glorious doctrine that pours out of it “with special prudence and care,” mindful of the beautiful souls you have created and redeemed.

Long Suffering of Evil

I was reading 2 Timothy last night and noticed an idea that was repeated several times.

“But the servant of the Lord must not strive, but must be gentle toward all men, apt to teach, suffering the evil, instructing them with meekness that are contrary minded, proving if God at any time will give them repentance, that they may acknowledge the truth, and come to amendment out of that snare of the devil, of whom they are taken prisoners, to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26, Geneva Bible).

“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of living, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, persecutions, and afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, which persecutions I suffered: but from them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. But the evil men and deceivers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and which are committed unto thee, knowing of whom thou hast learned them: And that thou hast known the holy Scriptures of a child, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teach, to convince, to correct, and to instruct in righteousness, that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfect unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:10-17).

“Preach the word: be instant, in season, and out of season: improve, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Suffering the evil. Long suffering. As Paul prepares to leave this world, entrusting the ministry to the next generation of the Church, this is his wisdom. May all of us hear these words and take our stand on scriptural doctrine in the face of the pressure, persecution, and even the evil that true doctrine will stir up.

Sensational Misnomerism

“The Pope of Rome cannot in any sense be head of the Church, but he is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, who exalts himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God, who the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming” (1689 Baptist Confession, 26.4).

I am a Reformed Baptist, and the 1689 Baptist Confession is my confession of faith. I cannot abide by this one statement, but not for the reasons you think.

Antichrist is not to be confused with the Beast of Revelation. “Antichrist” is not mentioned in the Revelation at all, and the biblical attributes of both are not similar.

I think what you mean when you call the Pope or the Roman Catholic Church “antichrist” is actually “Babylon the whore.” I don’t make this connection – I believe Revelation’s whore to be A.D. 1^st century Jerusalem up to the point of its destruction: “...the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified [this can only be said about one "great city," and it's not Rome]...the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath...the waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. The woman whom you saw is the great city...woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come...then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, ‘So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer’” (Revelation 11:8; 16:19; 17:15-18; 18:10,21).

Antichrist is a heretical doctrine found in the A.D. 1^st century, arising within the church and then leaving it. It is a lie about the nature of Christ (seemingly denying His humanity). READ 1 John 2:18-23; 4:1-6; 2 John 7-11.

I am continually baffled and saddened by the use of the term “antichrist” in any discussion of "contemporary eschatology" (consider what the Apostle said almost 2,000 years ago in 1 John 2:18!!). I don’t understand confusing “antichrist” with Revelation’s “beast,” since the term “antichrist” does not occur in Revelation and does not refer to a civil governmental individual, but a heretical doctrine inside the church.

So much muddiness!

I am disappointed with all the Protestants who are happily making much of the election of this new Pope and getting worked up by the few Reformed brethren who are yelling “antichrist.” The Reformed are reminding us that we are Protestant because we don’t believe the Roman Catholic Church to be the true (much less “universal,” the meaning of “Catholic”) church. If your sense of denominationalism or theology has degenerated to the point that you can’t tell or articulate the difference between Protestants and Catholics, please join the Catholic Church. You’ll be far less of an embarrassment to the rest of us and won’t dishonor the memory of those who died to make it possible for you to not be Roman Catholic. Honestly confused over the issue? Give something like R.C. Sproul’s “Are We Together?” a read.

I am disappointed with my fellow Reformed brethren as Francis I begins his...reign (?). My brothers who today are yelling “antichrist” were actively campaigning for Romney the Mormon last year. This inconsistency is disappointing. Who the Pope is has far less impact or importance to us as Protestants than who sits in the White House. Fail, my dear brothers. Even apart from the biblical malpractice concerning "antichrist," fail.

So as not to end this post on this grievous note (having offended RCC friends, fellow Protestants, my Reformed brothers and sisters, and even Republican Christians), let me say this: the election of Francis I and all the reactions to it has been a sobering and always needful reminder that the work of studying, teaching, and preaching the Word of God is never done and will never become superfluous in the life of the Church.

Further up and further in. READ Ephesians 4:1-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-4.