Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena, BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 8th June, 2025
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM – Rev. Josiah Tan
The Loveliness of Thy Tabernacles [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Psalm 84
Text: Psalm 84:1-2
I. The Expression
II. The Explanation
III. The Satisfaction
Psalms: 84:1-6; 30:1-9; 42:1-5; 84:7-12
Evening Service – 6:00 PM – Rev. Josiah Tan
Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving [youtube]
Scripture Reading: I Samuel 1:1-2:10
Text: I Samuel 2:10
I. The Adversaries of the Anointed
II. The Strengthening of the Anointed
III. The Exaltation of the Anointed
Psalms: 122:1-5; 132:10-16; 144:9-12; 128:1-6
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: www.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Announcements (subject to God’s will):
No Tuesday or Wednesday Bible study this week.
Rev. Josiah Tan will be preaching for the CPRC on 1, 8 and 15 June, while Rev. & Mary Stewart are at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the PRCA.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Haak is entitled, “Blessed Are the Merciful” (Matt. 5:5).
The next Saturday night Bible study is scheduled for Saturday, 7 June, 7:30 PM on-line looking at Psalm 73.
Dr Timothy Spence and Huiyi’s wedding service is to begin at 12:30 PM on Friday, 13 June. All are welcome to attend the ceremony.
Sven Kuhs and Megan Higgs’ wedding service is to begin at 10 AM on Thursday, 26 June. All are welcome to attend the ceremony.
Our thanks to all who have been helping clean church and work on the grounds over the last two weeks.
Offerings: £847.41.
Christian Discipline (6) by Rev. Josiah Tan
Over the past several weeks, we have been studying the matter of Christian discipline. We have seen clearly from the Scriptures that discipline is Christ’s own loving voice, calling His erring sheep to return in true repentance. Discipline is neither vengeance nor mere formality; it is Christ Himself shepherding His flock through His ordained elders, preserving the purity of His church, and restoring the wayward.
Because many can say, deceitfully, “I have sinned”, like Pharaoh, Judas, and Saul, we also examined what genuine repentance is, and how it must manifest visibly in concrete fruits (Matt. 3:8). True repentance is a Spirit-wrought turning of the whole person away from sin unto Christ. It is a humble, broken-hearted sorrow—not merely for sin’s consequences, but for the great evil of having offended the holy and righteous God (Ps. 51:4, 17). Such repentance inevitably produces godly fruits: carefulness, clearing of oneself, indignation against sin, reverent fear of God, vehement desire for restoration, spiritual zeal, and earnest efforts to rectify harm done (II Cor. 7:10–11). Christ has charged the elders to judge the sincerity of repentance—not by reading minds, but by the clear, visible fruits of true repentance.
Now we turn to some common objections against Christian discipline. There are many such objections—some based on pragmatism (Many will leave the church if there is Christian discipline), others on emotionalism (Christian discipline is too harsh!). But the objection we will focus on today is theological in nature. How does one attempt to undermine Christian discipline not in a mega-Pentecostal church, but in a Reformed church?
Consider the following theological claims:
- That God’s forgiveness of sins is eternally applied to the elect, apart from repentance and faith;
- That repentance is not the necessary way of receiving forgiveness, but merely a recognition of what was always true;
- That teaching of God’s forgiveness in the way of repentance is promoting a form of “conditional grace” or “works-righteousness”—a novel doctrine and a departure from Reformed theology;
- “God does not require you to confess your sins in order to be forgiven. In fact, you should not even be ‘sin-conscious.'”
- Forgiveness precedes repentance.
The Objection to Christian Discipline: A Theological Deviation
The objection to Christian discipline, when built on the foundation of the theology described above, is then developed in this way: A man under discipline may say, “I need not submit to your discipline. Christ’s death on the cross is one and the same as God’s forgiveness of me. Christ has already died on the cross; therefore, whether I repent or not, it does not matter, I am already forgiven.”
Or, another may argue similarly: “God’s forgiveness of sinners is unconditional. You say that forgiveness and the lifting of church discipline can only be granted when there is repentance. You are teaching conditional theology! Forgiveness does not depend on man! You elders keep demanding repentance before I can be forgiven, that is gross, unreformed works-righteousness!”
To make such lies more deceptive, the devil often mixes them, sometimes in large proportions, with what is true, so that lie differs from the truth by just a single degree. However, if you are on a plane from Singapore to the United States, and your course is off by just one degree, you will end up in a completely different destination.
Spiritually, a single degree off course from the truth leads to shipwreck on the rocks of falsehood.
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt. 7:13–15).
