I John 2:19b - The Church We Cannot See

I John 2:19b - But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 

Message: The Church We Cannot See

Time: The author of this book never was identified but contemporaries have attributed it to John and its dating is estimated to be 90 AD. John focused on three issues: the zeal of the believers, standing firm against false teachers, and reassuring the Christians that they have eternal life. 

What the Lord is Saying:

Once again, the reason for these studies is from the context of celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation in 2017 and to look back at key doctrines from that time period. Justification by faith alone and the final authority of the Scriptures stand out, but the doctrine of the church and basically the reinvention of church and what it really means also stands out. As I looked previously at Joseph Benson's commentary of I John 2:19 I finish it out here:

but they went out — They were permitted to apostatize outwardly; that it (they) might become plain (be made manifest) — See 1 Corinthians 11:19. (This was made manifest by their going out;) that they were not all of us — Sound members of our body, really believing the same truths which we believe, and partaking of the same grace which we partake of.

One of the interesting points that I saw in the previous lesson is the church is really meant to be a place for all people for they can witness the work of the Spirit in people's lives, hopefully see the proper view of authority and hear the preaching of God's word - in hopes that they will be saved. Clearly the preaching of God's words is even recognized today by atheists as sound teaching. Many agree that it is good thinking for living out our lives today. But in this process there are people among us that are not saved or will move away from the truth of the Word. And this last section of I John 2:19b speaks of this. 

The idea of "they went out" explains to me the issue that we are seeing now and how people are being labeled now as deconstructing their faith. For example, Joshua Harris is one that comes to mind recently. A writer and pastor who is now saying it is not true. I think from these verses we can read that they were not really of us. In other words, their apostasy now shows that they were not really Christians. And yet this is expected and even part of God's plan. 

Perhaps we experience this expectation often that everyone within the church walls is saved and all following together. We think this and Benson's commentary states "that they were not all of us" meaning there are people of us practicing the same things and partaking of the same grace and yet not really of us.  Another great text Benson mentions earlier is I Corinthians 11:19 and I went back and looked at verse 18-21. The text speaks of disorders at the Lord's Supper. 

18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. 20 Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.

What a compelling statement -- For there must also be factions among you. - We need differences. Differences show who the true believers are. Very interesting statement. And so God remains sovereign. A tough statement is "God saves" and yet God does not save everyone. He saves people in the church through the preaching of the Word but He does not save everyone. John 3:16 records those famous lasting words "For God so loved the world" but God does not save or call everyone to be His children. Just as he saves within the church walls, he also saves outside of the church walls. But the means in which he saves outside the walls has basically been provided by those inside of it. Tabletalk records:

...consider the businesswoman who finds a Bible in her hotel room while she is traveling, reads it, and comes to faith in Christ. Even in this instance, the visible church has played a role. Prophets and Apostles, members of the visible church, wrote the Scriptures under divine inspiration. Other members of the visible church translated the original text, paid for the printing, and placed the Bible in her hotel room. So, the visible church is involved even when people are saved outside of her walls.

There is a comparison of visible church and invisible church in the reading from Tabletalk. The idea is the visible church are the one's that we can see and those may include true believers and not. But true believers are members of the invisible church where only God can see the hearts of the people in the pews and whether they are really saved. Granted we try to set up systems to hopefully have people serving and doing the work of the church body that are saved, but there is no guarantee this is so. As always we look to God for He is the one that is omniscient and sees all and knows all. Only Him.  

Summary: In the church, we see true believers and those who are practicing but do not have true piety. Only God knows who is part of the invisible church for he only knows the hearts of the people. 

Promise: Those who refuse to join the visible church should have no assurance that they are part of the invisible church. If we love Christ, we will join the visible manifestation of His body in the visible church. 

Prayer: O Lord, what an exciting reading today. How exciting always it is to read your Word and understand that Your word speaks clearly about all that I see going on today. I had questions about those that have stated they have fallen away and deny Christ now, but your word is true in that in your sovereign will this happens and we can even call this your providence. You help me see and understand who are the true believers. You also let me know that those who have been with us are people that we can still learn from. So the music artist that now does not align with you, well his written music still ministers to me and this is fine and good. You are the author of all church whether people align with you ultimately or not. But we still need to be a part of the church body and we still need to belong to the Visible Church. Thank you for confirming these truths to me and helping me see the completeness always of the Word of God. You are to be praised and glorified always. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am now working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of August is about the Body of the Lord - the Church recovered in the Reformation; July was the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation, Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.  

The Body of Christ - The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ loves the church. We are to imitate Christ and see that the Church is how Christ carries out His purposes in the world. The Head of the Church - Christ is Head of the church and he only has final authority and gives life to the church. Life is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. - The Church We Can See - Belonging to a church is not optional, for anyone. We are meant to live in a community with other believers, to hear the Word of God preached, and to grow.