Note the formatting is uneven in the WCF quotes. This is not intended to emphasize anything...
1. God, the Supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory and the public good, and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil-doers.
My read:
There is a realm of civil government that is
somehow distinct from churchly or familial authority. It has a legitimate power of force over
church and family in certain situations.
2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and
execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto; in the
managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and
peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth, so,
for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon
just and necessary occasion.
My read:
Christians can be part of this civil government,
biblically, even to waging war when it is just.
3. The civil magistrate may not assume to
himself the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys
of the kingdom of heaven: yet he hath authority, and it is his
duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the
truth of God be kept pure and entire; that all blasphemies and heresies be
suppressed; all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or
reformed; and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administered, and
observed. For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call
synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in
them be according to the mind of God.
My read: But civil government cannot usurp the
realm of the church. It can and should promote
Christianity in various ways, but not tell church rulers what to do in their
sphere of authority.
American Revision of 1788:
3. (Completely rewritten) Civil magistrates may
not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the
power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in
matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates
to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any
denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all
ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty
of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or
danger. And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline
in his church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or
hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any
denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief. It is
the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their
people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon
pretense of religion or of infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse,
or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious
and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.
My read: Note the civil government is still
called upon to be a nursing father to the church of Christ, just not
establishing any certain denomination as the national church. It adds the duty to protect the civil rights
of all people, regardless of religion – a definite innovation and improvement
of civil government in the modern world, I believe.
4. a. It is the duty of people to pray for
magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them
tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be
subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake.
b. Infidelity or difference in religion doth
not make void the magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor free the people
from their due obedience to him: from which ecclesiastical persons
are not exempted; much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction
over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and least of all to
deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be
heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever.
My read:
a. Christians must honor the persons in civil
office. (Not just the documents chartering
a nation, to the exclusion of the office-holders, as has been recently
asserted.)
b. Just because a culture/people becomes
atheistic, secular, or equally divided among differing religions doesn’t mean
they don’t have a duty to submit to the civil government’s orders. Church leaders must obey civil rulers,
too. [TO WHAT EXTENT?] The pope surely doesn’t have authority over
foreign civil rulers.
Conclusion
There must be some middle ground between these two positions:
1. We must submit to the existing authorities in
all things, because God put them there.
Whatever they say, we do, because they are God’s servants and delegates.
2. We only submit to the civil government when we
agree that their policies are in accord with God’s Word. If we don’t think they are, we disregard
them.
Is there a proper time for the civil government
to order the closure of religious services in its area? YES. A
tornado or hurricane is imminent, e.g.
But when it asserts this authority unreasonably (Covid is
still an emergency, 24-36 months on, e.g.), the church can disregard and defy it.
Regarding covid-like situations, church leaders
are free to set their own health parameters regarding meeting and Communion,
following or disregarding guidance or orders from the civil government. Their default should be to learn from and obey the state, but exceptions must be made if the state is asking people to sin, and MAY be made if the state is calling for unwise things, out of alignment with scriptural patterns of behavior. Church members should do all they can to
submit to church leaders’ policies in such a situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment