tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276867951288764737.post7892718451734526750..comments2024-02-06T13:46:50.832-06:00Comments on For Christ's Kingdom!: The Communion of Saints in the Reformation Peter Bringehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10901261613782259514noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276867951288764737.post-39127291000576405922020-05-03T19:23:59.352-05:002020-05-03T19:23:59.352-05:00Oh, and the quote from Thomas Lye comes from "...Oh, and the quote from Thomas Lye comes from "Sermons of the Great Ejection" (Banner of Truth, 2012). Peter Bringehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10901261613782259514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276867951288764737.post-87171542546206340912020-05-03T19:22:11.355-05:002020-05-03T19:22:11.355-05:00Hello Lee,
Sure, I'll try to weigh in. I hadn...Hello Lee,<br /><br />Sure, I'll try to weigh in. I hadn't thought of these statements being unemotional, but I think the formal tone you observe in these statements is due to the genre of the documents they come from. I believe affectionate expressions of Christian fellowship by these men can be found in their sermons, letters, and diaries, more than in their confessional statements that are concerned with clearly articulating doctrinal foundations. It is true that that quote from Winthrop's lay sermon which I included is more a call to duty than an outpouring of feelings, but I think his passion is clearer to see in those words if imagined in its historical context (setting off together for the wilds of New England), and he does mention "delight...rejoice...mourn." <br /><br />But more in line with you are are talking about, here is how Thomas Lye described the affection shown by ministers for their people because of their fellowship in Christ:<br /><br />"From the terms of dearest affection, 'dearly beloved and longed for,' observe that it becomes the highest ministers, much more the lowest, to bear a more tender, vehement, ardent, strong, melting affection towards that flock or people that God has committed to their charge. Thus Paul to the Philippians in the text: 'my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for.' You find Paul in all his epistles, in a thawing frame to his people, melting in love unto them. The Corinthians were so in his heart, not only to live with them but, if God called him, to die for them; so abundantly did he love them that he would very gladly spend and be spent for them (2 Cor. 12:15). He carried them in his heart and earnestly longed after them all." <br /><br />I find the confessional statements quite helpful in understanding this doctrine and its basic duties, but certainly the basic doctrine needs to be fleshed out. The epistles of the New Testament, as well as some of the Psalms, give many examples of what the communion looks like in practice, and several metaphors of the communion we share with each other: we are body parts of one body (with Christ as its head) and branches of a single vine or olive tree. We remain united through the bond of the Spirit despite physical distance (even death), but this union causes us to desire fellowship face to face (2 John 12 and 1 Thess. 2:17). <br />Peter Bringehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10901261613782259514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276867951288764737.post-31849833850955587702020-04-30T17:21:27.367-05:002020-04-30T17:21:27.367-05:00Hi Peter. I'm a recently retired pastor in the...Hi Peter. I'm a recently retired pastor in the Evan. Free Church, having served about a mile from Trinity Evan. Div. School. I'm a frequent writer for Preaching Today (from Christianity Today) and a couple of books from Moody. I am working on a short piece for PT where I've been thinking about the communion of the saints (thanks to a tip from Kevin Van Hoozer, a friend, not to drop names or anything). I spelled out to him what I explain here (below) and he said this was in the realm of "the communion of the saints" and suggested I check "the theologians." Having recently divested quite a bit of my library, I found myself on your blog here. <br /><br />What I think I'm seeing here in your summary is that these key confessions the Communion of the saints don't actually speak much of the feelings of affection--what we today most readily think of when we read Jesus' command to "love one another." I've been thinking about this in the context of these how much I miss being with God's people in this distancing season. <br /><br />I'd written to Kevin because of reading John 17. On the one hand, we see there Jesus' amazing teaching about our union with him and the Father and that is linked to our union/unity with one another. “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” Our union with one another does not have the immediacy--the actual presence with someone who we're not with--as we do with the Lord but there is more at hand than typical bonds of affection, as in a family. Furthermore, it seems that there is more involved than the somewhat unemotional descriptions in the confessions you've cited. (Does that make sense?) There seems to be little warmth in them; little affection, little depth of feeling which seems to be so characteristic of Christian love.<br /><br />You happen to be standing here, as it were, as I am trying to sort this out and came upon your summary of the confessions re/ this doctrine. Care to weigh in and help me think this through? <br /><br />Lee Eclov<br />www.leeeclov.com Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01223637387769519997noreply@blogger.com