According to Clowney, what is the structure of Christ’s church (be specific)?

Edmund Clowney provides the marks of the Christ’s church as the orderly worship of God, the proper administration of the sacraments and the faithful observance of church discipline. The marks of the church are realized through the preaching of God’s word, through the discipleship of God’s people and through the mission of God’s people to the world.

First off, our God is a God of order as seen through creation and through the giving of his law and word to his people. God does not call us to worship in any way other than one that is pleasing to him. Clowney quotes Calvin on this subject as focusing our worship on only what the Bible says is appropriate and not adding anything more to it than that.

The second mark of the church is the proper administration of the sacraments. Because our worship is meant to be orderly and because God has given the honor and responsibility of the means of grace to his officers of the church, they must exercise that responsibility properly. The means of grace while a blessing for God’s covenant people, are also a curse for those that would not know the Lord. God has established within his new covenant assembly the responsibility to administer the sacrament of baptism or the sign and seal of faith in Christ, and the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper as an ongoing participation in the covenant promises.

The third and final mark of the Christ’s church according to Clowney is the faith observance of church discipline. All church discipline should be carried out in such way to lead a sinner back to the life saving grace that is only found in Jesus Christ. This observance can be carried out through the proper withholding of the sacraments, but is only done so to lead one to repentance and humility. Again, this a great responsibility that Christ has given to his church to mark it has his.

We will see these marks of Christ’s church as the faithful, biblical teaching of God’s word is heard, as God’s people are nurtured and disciplined in their sanctification process of becoming more and more like Christ and as those that call on the name of Christ as their savior share this message in word and deed with the world to bring about healing, love, hope and ultimately saving faith in Jesus Christ’s name alone.