Paras | |
1-4 | I. The universal church |
1-2 | A. Its Identity |
1 | 1. As invisible |
2 | 2. As visible |
3 | B. Its perpetuity |
1. Its seeming improbability | |
2. Its actual certainty | |
4 | C. Its authority |
1. The true head of the church, the Christ | |
2. The false head of the church, the Antichrist | |
5-15 | II. The local church |
5 | A. Its originating mandate |
1. The foundation of the mandate | |
2. The substance of the mandate | |
6 | B. Its defined membership |
1. Evangelical | |
2. Volitional | |
3. Covenantal | |
7 | C. Its authoritative power |
1. Its defined recipients | |
2. Its complete sufficiency | |
3. Its reiterated origin | |
4. Its specified purpose | |
5. Its regulated execution | |
8-13 | D. Its appointed government |
8 | 1. The identity of its government |
9 | 2. The appointment of its government |
10-11 | 3. The cornerstone of its government: the ministry of the Word |
10 | The official ministry of the Word by pastors |
Its heavy responsibilities | |
Its proper honouring | |
11 | The auxiliary ministry of the Word by others |
12-13 | 4. The extent of its government |
12 | It extends to all its members |
13 | It extends to all its problems |
The situation envisaged | |
The prohibition issued | |
The direction required | |
14-15 | E. Its fraternal relations: the communion of local churches |
14(a) | 1. Its divine warrant |
14(b) | 2. Its providential limitations |
14(c) | 3. Its spiritual benefits |
15 | 4. Its special advantage: advisory meetings |
Their possible reasons | |
Their biblical basis | |
Their strict limitations | |
From: Samuel E. Waldron, A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, (Evangelical Press, 1989), p309-311. Used by permission.