THE
EAST COAST COVENANTER A TRIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE EAST COAST CONFERENCE OF THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
FALL 2019
HOWARD K. BURGOYNE
SUPERINTENDENT EAST COAST CONFERENCE
LOOK, TESTIFY, AND REJOICE! The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
special revelation from God the Baptist has
Secondly, this was the sign given to John
been led to declare the identity of Jesus: “A
– this one, the Lamb of God, nestling the
man who comes after me has surpassed me
Spirit of God, is the one who baptizes with
because he was before me.” In this cryptic
the Holy Spirit. This is the continuous
line, John bears witness to the incarnate
action of the Lamb of God. Sin is removed
Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
mystery: Jesus, an actual man, the chosen
and the Spirit is infused. One does not
servant messiah of Israel, and the pre-
happen without the other. Here is the
existent Son of God. John the Baptist, the
eviction from each of us of “the strong
forerunner, lays the foundation for the
man.” Our oppressive occupancy by sin and
Church’s orthodox confession of Jesus as
its welcome replacement with the nesting of
“Lord”.
God’s Holy Spirit is what salvation involves.
- John 1:29ff
In reflecting on the preparatory witness of John the Baptist as recorded in John the Apostles’ Gospel, I find his prophetic witness and endorsement of Jesus’ identity to be compelling. John confesses twice that “I myself did not know him” – that is, this knowledge did not come by his family relations (as Jesus’ cousin), or reading of Scripture, or spiritual discipline (as an ascetic). By a
This is what Peter would later preach at But added to his identity, John also
Pentecost (Acts 2). This is what Paul would
confesses Jesus’ mission, in two interlocking
repeatedly write about: union with Christ
perspectives. John confesses, “Look, the
(Col.1:27). This too is the core of our
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of
message and of our experience.
the world!” The vicarious and atoning work of Jesus is based in his eternal election to
No biblical understanding of salvation
incarnate the fullness of grace and truth.
is adequate if it is not rooted in a
Jesus, in his life, ministry and death “takes
comprehensive understanding of
away” the sin of the world. This is why he
our emancipation from sin AND our
rose from the dead victorious. This is the
participation in the life and love of God
core of our message and the core of our
in fellowship together one with another.
experience.
Union and participation are covenantal understandings. While the New Testament cont'd
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