6/7/14- Marks of the True Church

Because that Satan from the beginning has laboured to deck his pestilent synagogue with the title of the kirk of God, and has inflamed the hearts of cruel murderers to persecute, trouble, and molest the true kirk and members thereof ­ as Cain did Abel;[1] Ishmael, Isaac;[2] Esau, Jacob;[3] and the whole priesthood of the Jews, Christ Jesus himself, and his apostles after him;[4] it is a thing most requisite that the true kirk be discerned from the filthy synagogue, by clear and perfect notes, lest we, being deceived, receive and embrace to our own condemnation the one for the other. The notes, signs, and assured tokens whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Jesus is known from that horrible harlot, the kirk malignant; we affirm are neither antiquity, title usurped, lineal descent, place appointed, nor multitude of men approving an error ­ for Cain in age and title was preferred to Abel and Seth;[5] Jerusalem had prerogative above all places of the earth,[6] where also were the priests lineally descended from Aaron; and greater multitude followed the scribes, Pharisees, and priests, than unfeignedly believed and approved Christ Jesus and his doctrine;[7] and yet, as we suppose, no man (of whole judgment) will grant that any of the forenamed were the kirk of God. (Scots 18a)

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; (John 12:42)

Thoughts: Just because a church is religious, does not mean it is true.  Knox was trying to point out that the traditional church, the church of Rome, was making false claims to its surety.  God gives notes or marks like points on a map to make clear where we can find true worship of God.  Some claimed the Roman church was true because it was old. But oldness is not a reason anymore than the Pharisees could claim antiquity over the apostles.  Title and lineal descent are all things the High Priest could claim against Jesus- but that did not make it true.  Neither do numbers of people qualify a church as true.  The Pharisees had more numbers than the disciples.  It could also say that in our day, simply because a denomination has history, antiquity, endowment, or numbers of people does not mean that it is true and cannot go astray.  On Pentecost we might be reminded to "test the spirits to see if they are from God."  

Prayer: test me, O Lord, and try my ancient heart.