Paul’s handling of the Corinthian church I think is key to understanding how to determine what a valid church is. in (1 Corinthians 5:1–2), he mentions that the church was tolerating incest or a man in a sexual relationship with his step-mother—a practice even pagans reject. Yet Paul did not declare the church to be apostate or invalid. Instead, he rebuked them, demanded repentance, commanded them to remove the sexually-immoral persons, and treated them as wayward but still within the covenant community. He opens the letter with a standard Pauline greeting, calling the church in Corinth “the church of God that is in Corinth” and identifies the people within it as “saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Clearly, Paul recognized the Corinthian church as valid even though sexual immorality was present and being celebrated (1 Corinthians 1:1–3). Here are some other examples:
– Despite their immaturity and divisions, Paul thanks God for the grace given to them (1 Corinthians 1:4-9).
– Even in rebuking them, Paul calls them “brothers” (1 Corinthains 3:1).
– In rebuking their disobedience in the sacrament, he recognizes that they are still attempting to celebrate the sacrament under Christ’s charge to do so (1 Corinthians 11:20-22).
– Paul says “you *are* the body of Christ”, not “you *were* the body of Christ” or “you *claim to be* the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Another example is the church in Thyatira, one of the 7 churches addressed by Christ in Revelation. Jesus recognizes this church as valid even though they “tolerate that woman Jezebel,” who “is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality.” He acknowledges their works, love, and faith, but promises judgment against the unrepentant. He will throw “those who commit adultery with her” into “great tribulation” and “strike her children dead” (Revelation 2:18–24). This is the same kind of practice Paul demands to the church in Corinth: recognize the church as valid but demand that the sexually-immoral be thrown out until they repent or are destroyed. (Revelation 2:18–24)
Therefore, I do not automatically say that any church who affirms and celebrates sodomy is an invalid church because I do not believe this is how the Lord recognizes valid and invalid churches. Instead, I believe the New Testament affirms that the marks of a true/valid church are:
– The preaching of the Gospel.
– The right administration of the sacraments.
– The exercise of church discipline.
These are listed in Article 29 of the Belgic Confession and have been the standard list of criteriea since the Reformation on identifying valid churches. I do not believe having a perfect definition of sin is what makes or breaks a church, and I don’t find anything in the New Testament to support such a claim. Yet it seems that all valid churches in the New Testament are participating in these three marks.
For example, in the church of Corinth, we see all three marks present, though severely abused. Paul preached the gospel to them and they received it (1 Corinthians 15:1–2). They celebrated the sacraments—albeit poorly—yet Paul never told them to stop taking communion, but rather to take it rightly (1 Corinthians 11:17–34). And even in their failures, Paul calls them to enact discipline on the immoral brother (1 Corinthians 5:5)).
In Revelation, churches are praised or rebuked based on their faithfulness in upholding Christ’s name, resisting false teaching, enduring trials, and maintaining purity. Even churches in sin are addressed as lampstands. Only when they refuse to repent does Christ threaten to remove them (Revelation 2:5).
So yes, I will say that a church affirming sodomy is in rebellion. But I will not rush to say it is not a valid church unless it has abandoned the gospel, cast off the sacraments, and refused to discipline sin altogether.
