In Don Stubblefield's sermon on the 1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 26, Paragraph 8, he emphasizes the importance of church leadership being composed of multiple elders, who share equal authority as bishops or presbyters. This prevents issues that arise when only one pastor or shepherd leads a church. The sermon contrasts this with the Catholic Church's papal structure and highlights the distinct roles ordained by God for the church, state, and family. Stubblefield warns against the confusion and disorder brought by Satan, who introduces false doctrine into the church. The sermon references biblical passages to describe the responsibilities of church leaders to maintain order, including administering sacraments and exercising church discipline. The qualifications for church leaders include being blameless and holding fast to sound doctrine. Accountability before God is stressed, with teachers facing stricter judgment for their influence on others.

We will take time if two or three of the men have a word on what we've heard from the London Baptist Confession or sculpture. We will hear those at this time. Steve? So just looking at this briefly, elders, bishops, deacons, also presbyters are all the same office. Pastors, shepherds, bishops, which means overseers, elders, I'm sorry not deacons, Elders are all the same office, not beacons.

Did I say beacons? Sorry. Elders, presbyters are all the same office, so they're equal authority. And all churches should have a multiplicity of elders, where we have only one pastor or one shepherd, issues arise in the church and they can't really be settled. There needs to be a multiplicity of elements.

The Catholic church operates under a pope, the head of the church, and whatever he said that goes, and they make it equal with scripture. And I grew up in churches where you had one pastor and you couldn't, there was no, no appeal, I guess, in any issues that might have come up with a doctorate or an organist at the church. And then second, these are the ones who are given the peculiar administration of ordinances of the Lord's table and the, and baptism. And so we shouldn't confuse those, the things that God has given to various authorities that he's ordained. For instance, Elders, pastors, bishops are not given the power of the rod.

So they don't spank other people's kids. We've seen that in some churches and it's just disastrous. They try to help out with the discipline of the church. That's not their place. The government can't step in and do the ordinance of the church.

They tried to do that in college day and different days of the history of the church. Well, we'll do this. They're trying to take the bishops, take the overseers of the church and the ministers of the church. And that's not peculiar to the state. The state doesn't have the power of the law to discipline our children.

They don't have the power of excommunication. They don't have the power of discipline of the church. And the church doesn't have the power of the sword to execute judgment upon offenders. That's been a disaster to history as well. So, it's just to keep all of those things separated and distinct.

Those powers that God has ordained and the peculiar ordinances and powers and duties with which he entrusted them. They're specific to the three governments that God has ordained. The government of the family, the government of the stake, the government of the church. That's all. Anybody else?

And thinking about this, in order for there to be order in the church, there must be those who are ordained of God to preside over its affairs and maintain discipline so that disorder or confusion does not take over in the church. Those ordained for this purpose, as is mentioned, are bishops which are same as elders and deacons. God is the author of order, harmony, and peace by which the affairs of his church are to be conducted without confusion and disorder. Satan is the arch enemy of God and his people. He is the author of confusion and disorder.

His aim is to destroy the order and harmony of the church and its worship of God. He is a strong enemy of God. He hates people who worship God and he will do anything that he can to try to interrupt that worship, and it's through confusion and disorder. He is the author of this disorder. In order to accomplish his goal, one of the chief means of doing so is to send purveyors of false doctrine into the church, that is, wolves masquerading as lambs stealthily and gradually introducing damnable heresies into the church.

And they do this very often just slowly and gradually so that it's not so obvious. But if they reach a certain point, they will take a certain number of people with them who are taken captive by their error and heresy. And so we're to be on guard against this, constantly on guard against false doctrine. Satan is the archenemy of our soul. He is the father of lies.

In John 8 44, Jesus proclaimed in his words to the scribes, he are of your father the devil and the loss of your father he will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it." Paul warned the elders of the church at Ephesus that after his departure, that grievous wolves would enter in among them not sparing the flock. Let's turn to Acts chapter 20. Verses 28 through 30 and his words to the elders of the church of Ephesus.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them." Then we mentioned a couple of weeks ago the marks of the true church, the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached, the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ, which are baptism and the Lord's Supper, as Steve mentioned earlier, and also church discipline. I mentioned in Matthew 18, 15 through 20. If we don't have church discipline then this disorder will eventually take over and you will have false teachers that will come in and they're not addressed what they're doing.

And so it's very important that these things are addressed through the discipline of the church. In Peter's letter to the persecuted church, he exhorted the elders, 1st Peter 5 and verse 2, feed the flock of which which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre that is for monetary profit or gain but of a ready mind. Then we have the prime chief example of who a true shepherd is, in John 10, one through 16. The chief shepherd of the church. Let's turn to that.

In the words of Christ, barely, barely I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same as a thief and a robber but he that entereth and by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, the porter is the Holy Spirit, and the sheep, that is true believers, hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out and when he put it forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice and the stranger will they not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers. That stranger is the wolf that creeps in among the church, bringing false doctrine. This parable spake Jesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is in hireling and not the shepherd who's on the sheep or not, seeth the wolf coming and labeth the sheep and fleeeth, and the wolf catches them and scattereth the sheep. The harling fleeeth because he is in harling and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine.

As the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep." Paul in his epistle to Titus instructed him as to the qualifications of a bishop or elder. Let's turn to that passage Titus 1 Titus 1, verses 5 through 9. For this cause left I thee and Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting. And our day and elders in every city, as I had appointed thee, if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers, that is those who resist the truth.

Those who rule over the church will give an account to God. In Hebrews 13, 17, obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you." And then in James chapter 3 verse 1, my brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. James gives a footnote from the New Geneva Study Bible. James gives a sober warning concerning the responsibility of teachers. Teachers exert influence over trusting students, a relationship that makes the students vulnerable to serious error.

The teacher is held in strict account for what they teach. The strict judgment should restrain teachers from careless words. The tongue of the teacher can be a devastating peril. The early church gave high esteem to the office of the teacher, Matthew 5 19, 18 6, and Romans 14 10 through 12. In Romans 14 12 it says, so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God and those in authority will be given a greater account than those that are under authority.

And we will all one day stand before God and give an account for the deeds done in the body, the words we speak, and our actions where one day we're going to give an account for them. God knows our every thought, He knows our every word, and I think that we're going to give an account for them. God knows our every thought, He knows our every word, and I think that we're going to give an account for every one of them. So we're warned in numerous places in Scripture to be careful about what we say, we're to consider the impact it's gonna have on its heirs. I believe it's in the book of Ecclesiastes, it says, let your words be few, because we're gonna give an account for them.

And that should be a serious warning to each and every one of us. And with that I will conclude.