Who is the Church?
The Glorious Church
May 3, 2026
Rev. Dr. Gabe Sylvia
The church is defined by covenant membership—grounded in God's sovereign grace—which includes the invisible elect and the visible mixed multitude (believers and their children), so children are covenant members by promise and must be raised and called to personal faith, with the Lord's Supper reserved for those who belong to Christ.
Summary
This sermon argues that understanding Mark 10:13 and who constitutes the church requires a covenantal framework: God's people are those in covenant with Him. Covenant membership is founded in God's sovereign grace (grace leads, faith follows), so the visible church includes both professing believers and their children while the invisible church is the full number of the elect. The New Testament (e.g., Hebrews 8 citing Jeremiah 31, Peter at Pentecost) shows continuity of the covenant promises, and though Scripture does not explicitly label children as covenant members, the historic Reformed position treats believers' children as included by promise and calls them to faith. Practical implications include how we raise children, call them to full covenant membership by faith, discern who may partake of the Lord's Supper, and live as a covenant people.
Key Points
- 'Jesus Loves Me' anecdote: hymn by Anna Warner (1860), memorable cultural link to covenant teaching
- Key text: Mark 10:13—receive the kingdom like a child, understood through covenant theology
- Central claim: the Church = those in covenant with God; covenantal considerations are essential
- Covenant membership is based on God's sovereign grace (grace precedes faith); some in covenant receive earthly blessings even if not ultimately saved
- Biblical continuity: New Covenant promises (Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8) and Peter at Pentecost include children in the covenant community historically
- Distinction: invisible church = the elect; visible church = all who profess Christ and their children (a mixed multitude)
- Reformed position: believers and their children are covenant members by promise; nothing in Scripture shows a change excluding children
- Pastoral implications: treat children as covenant members, nurture and call them to personal faith, and prepare them for full membership
- Sacramental application: the Lord's Supper is a covenant sign to be taken by those who belong to Jesus—use covenant discernment in admitting participants
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