Copyright © 2020 Devon Andrew Kauflin All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. ALL WE HAVE IS CHRIST: THE CENTRALITY OF UNION WITH CHRIST IN THE CHURCH’S CORPORATE WORSHIP __________________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________________ by Devon Andrew Kauflin December 2020 APPROVAL SHEET ALL WE HAVE IS CHRIST: THE CENTRALITY OF UNION WITH CHRIST IN THE CHURCH’S CORPORATE WORSHIP Devon Andrew Kauflin Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Gregg R. Allison (Chair) __________________________________________ Matthew D. Westerholm __________________________________________ J. Stephen Yuille Date______________________________ For Kristine, my bride and best friend, and for our four children: Korey, Kyleigh, Knox, and Kaitlyn. May you always grow to delight in the life received in Christ. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE .................................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 Knowing One’s Story ...................................................................................... 1 Thesis ............................................................................................................ 5 Methodology and Delimitations ..................................................................... 6 Structure ........................................................................................................ 8 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................. 10 Assessing the Conversation .......................................................................... 14 James B. Torrance ................................................................................ 15 Michael Horton .................................................................................... 17 Charles Lewis ...................................................................................... 18 J. Todd Billings .................................................................................... 20 Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi: The Need for Establishing an Ontological Framework and Liturgical Practices ................................... 21 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 26 2. THE ONTOLOGY OF CORPORATE WORSHIP: WORSHIPPING THE TRIUNE GOD IN CHRIST ...................................................................... 28 The Triune God: The Fundamental Reality for the Church’s Corporate Worship ........................................................... 31 The Independent God ........................................................................... 34 The Good God ..................................................................................... 36 The Self-Communicative God .............................................................. 37 iv Chapter Page The Church of God: The Identity of the Church in Corporate Worship ............................................................................ 39 Identity and Worship ............................................................................ 41 The Nature of the Church ..................................................................... 44 The Trinity: The Context of the Church’s Identity ................................ 47 Union with Christ: The Source of the Church’s Identity ....................... 49 Union with Christ and the Possibility of Corporate Worship ......................... 57 God’s Presence .................................................................................... 59 God’s Action ........................................................................................ 60 The Church’s Acceptance .................................................................... 60 The Church’s Purpose .......................................................................... 61 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 64 3. THE IMPORTANCE OF UNION WITH CHRIST IN JOHN CALVIN’S UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICE OF CORPORATE WORSHIP .......................................................................... 66 Brief Biography of John Calvin ..................................................................... 68 Union with Christ in Calvin’s Theology ....................................................... 73 Calvin’s Theological Vision ................................................................. 75 Union with Christ through the Holy Spirit by Faith .............................. 80 The Double Grace of Union with Christ ............................................... 82 The Church and Union with Christ ....................................................... 85 Calvin’s Doctrine of the Church’s Worship .................................................. 87 The Necessity of Reforming the Church ............................................... 89 The Components of Corporate Worship ....................................................... 93 The Preaching of the Word of God ....................................................... 94 The Prayers of the Church .................................................................... 98 The Sacraments .................................................................................. 111 v Chapter Page Conclusion ................................................................................................. 122 4. GOD’S GRACIOUS GIFT: UNDERSTANDING CORPORATE WORSHIP IN LIGHT OF UNION WITH CHRIST ....................................... 124 Worship as Dialogue .................................................................................. 126 Strengths of Worship as Dialogue ...................................................... 127 Weaknesses of Worship as Dialogue .................................................. 129 Worship through and in Christ ........................................................... 135 Defining Corporate Worship ...................................................................... 137 Defining Worship in Light of the Nature of the Church ...................... 138 Corporate Worship is God’s Gift ........................................................ 143 A Spirit-Enabled Gift ......................................................................... 145 A Word-Governed Gift ...................................................................... 148 A Gift Initiated by God’s Gracious Revelation in Christ ..................... 152 A Gift to God’s Covenant People ....................................................... 154 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 157 5. THE CHURCH’S GRATEFUL WITNESS: PRACTICING CORPORATE WORSHIP IN LIGHT OF UNION WITH CHRIST ........................................................................... 160 A Grateful Assembly: The What of Corporate Worship .............................. 161 An Assembly of God’s Covenant People ............................................. 162 A Grateful Assembly of God’s Covenant People ................................ 164 In Space and Time: The Where and When of Corporate Worship ................ 165 A Physical Assembly ......................................................................... 166 A Weekly Assembly ........................................................................... 167 To Witness: The Why of Corporate Worship .............................................. 169 Worship as Witness to Glorify God .................................................... 173 Worship as Witness to Edify the Church ............................................ 174 Worship as Witness to Evangelize the World ..................................... 175 vi Chapter Page Receiving from, Acting in, and Longing for Christ: The How of Corporate Worship .......................................................... 176 The Practices of Corporate Worship ................................................... 178 Receiving from Christ ........................................................................ 184 Acting in Christ .................................................................................. 189 Longing for Christ .............................................................................. 197 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 205 6. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................... 207 Summary of Chapters ................................................................................. 207 Implications ............................................................................................... 210 Implications for Church Members ...................................................... 211 Implications for Church Song Leaders ............................................... 212 Suggestions for Further Research ............................................................... 214 Conclusion ................................................................................................