"The Christ is the only One truly called. . . . The flesh has always struggled against Him, as we see when we survey the history of God's people. The struggle was especially acute at Golgotha." -- S.G. De GraafIn the final analysis, all modern ills, spiritual and temporal, are traceable to our continuing departure from the principles of the Second Reformation. . . . In particular, I am convinced that the Lord will not bless a church at peace with his enemies. Our departure from truth has led to our undernourished condition as a church; truth, as Thornwell argued, is the only food that the soul can digest.
It does no good to blame society or the church for our deficiencies before the Lord because Christ holds men, not churches and states, accountable. In the words of Hugh Miller, "Churches, however false and detestable, are never to be summoned to the bar of judgment. . . . To Christ, as his head and king, must every man render an account."
The great heresy of our times is that all men are children of God. Those within the church have lost their identity as a people of God, united in spirit and purpose. We have adopted the half-truths of our fathers for which Judah faced punishment: "Because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after which their fathers have walked" (Amos 2:4b). Nevertheless, Christ loves his church, and he will see to it that his bride is prepared (Ephesians 5:27) for the great banquet. Base on the history of God's people, the needed corrections will result from either prayer or persecution, leading the people to renew their covenant promises. Let us pray that God's kingdom come, and let us covenant to fulfill our obligations to be his people. When persecution comes, let us pray that we would stand as firm as did the Scottish Covenanters. When covenanting comes, let us praise the Lord, for only in him will we stand firm. Let us ever strive to make it possible for our children to utter one of James Nisbet's praises, "O my soul! Bless and praise the Lord that I was born in a land where the glad tidings of the everlasting gospel are published and pressed with so much purity and plainness." This should be our prayer, "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psalm 80:3). -- Edwin Nesbit Moore, from the conclusion to Our Covenant HeritageThe lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David, to name a few, were far from ideal. But God is in absolute control, and uses everything, even the actions of the faithless, the sinful, and the weak to accomplish his purposes.
Pride setteth up the wisdom of a foolish man against the infinite wisdom of God; it makes men presume to judge their Judge, and judge his laws, before they understand them; and to quarrel with all that they find unsuitable to their own conceits; and say, How improbable is this or that! and how can these things be? . . . Proud men think they could mend God's word, and they could better have ordered matters in the world, and for the church, and for themselves, and for their friends, than the providence of God hath done. -- Richard Baxter
Take heed of pride, which will make you dote upon your own conceits, and cause you to slight the weightiest reasons that are brought by others, for your conviction. And if once you have espoused an error, it will engage all your wit, and zeal, and diligence to maintain it; it will make you uncharitable ;and furious against all that cross you in your way; and so make you either persecutors, (if you stand on the higher ground,) or sect leaders, or church dividers, and turbulent and censorious, if you are on the lower ground. There is very great reason in Paul's advice for the choice of a bishop, 1 Tim. iii. 6, "Not a novice; lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. . . ." -- Richard Baxter
"At its General Assembly last week [August 2003], the Orthodox Presbyterian Church reversed the conviction of an elder who had been convicted of teaching justification by faith and works contrary to the Scriptures and the Confession. There was no change in the elder's views; the OPC GA simply overturned his conviction.
"Two prominent men, whose names you would immediately recognize, had this to say about the OPC decision:
" `The OPC is done for! When a Reformed denomination formally approves an elder's theology that maintains that I must appear before God someday with my tattered covenant faithfulness in tow in addition to the perfect righteousness of Christ in order to be justified before God, that denomination has apostatized. How long will it be before the PCA does the same thing'?"
"and
" `Thanks for forwarding the e-mail concerning the Kinnaird issue. I had known of Kinnaird's heretical teachings.
`If the report of the OPC decision is correct, the OPC has now fallen away from the gospel fundamentally and manifests itself as a false church. Where can I find the decision of the OPC in full? Grievous. Almost unbelievable, even though by this time in my ministry I have braced myself to expect anything.
`And this damnable subterfuge that it is defending the Reformed position against the Lutheran, Calvin against Luther! Is there anyone in the OPC who not only will speak out boldly but say, "Here I stand"?"
`The answer to that last question is, of course, that to say ``Here I stand'' would be ``Lutheran,'' and therefore unwelcome in the OPC.'
"The church that Machen started in 1936 is no more. The irrational, dialectical theology that has plagued the OPC for decades has finally ended in apostasy. The trail of error that leads from Cornelius Van Til and John Murray through Norman Shepherd (whom Van Til defended in the OPC 20-some years ago), is not difficult to trace, yet there are many dreamers who still deny it.
"God is judging America. Denominations that once spoke the Gospel are now preaching another gospel, which is not another.
"May God strengthen his remnant that remains. May he keep them safe and give them courage as witnesses to the truth that men, especially churchmen, despise: Salvation by a righteousness wholly outside the believing sinner." -- John Robbins, The Trinity Foundation, July 5, 2003, http://www.trinityfoundation.org/True, the state as the policeman can be corrupt; in fact, if the society as a whole is corrupt, the state will also be corrupt. In a healthy and godly society, the state will function successfully to restrain the minority of evil-doers. The key to the situation is not the state but the religious health of the society. -- Rousas John Rushdoony, in Institutes of Biblical Law, p. 470
A religious doctrine involves practical consequences so important, and its effects upon individual and social life are so infallible and so profound, that it can never be contemplated with indifference by the mass of society, and much less by their rulers. We pray you to observe, amongst other things, that the stronger the feeling of dependence to which religion reduces the individual, the more she invests him, on the other hand, with a lofty independence. All religion is freedom. By introducing us into the service of one master, she emancipates us from the dominion of all others. If she does not altogether do away with dependencies of another order, she transforms them from absolute into relative ones. We still belong to society, we are perhaps linked to it by closer ties than before; but it is in a mediate manner, for man cannot serve two masters. It is this independence which exasperates the rulers of this world, and indeed, for the most part, all those who do not share in it. It is this sacred retreat of liberty which they would invade -- this freedom, of which they would deprive us; as if the numerous sacrifices which from time to time liberty has made for the common weal were insufficient, as if it were not enough, or rather as if it were nothing, for us to have devoted all our bodily powers and all our worldly goods to the service of society, so long as this offering is not completed by the sacrifice of the soul. It is spiritual domination, dominion over the soul, of which despotism, whether of princes or of the people, is especially desirous. Thus, when a tyrant has bereft a nation of all its liberties, until throughout the realm his will has become law, his ambition having nothing else wherewith to satiate its appetite, directs itself against religion. Thencefowward, having subjugated the bodies of men, he directs his attacks against their souls. It is because he cannot but be sensible that dominion over souls -- what do you say? -- over one single soul, is as much superior to that over bodies, as the soul itself is superior to its envelope of clay. He cannot endure the humiliation of knowing that there is a sphere in which the most obscure man, by the force of sympathy alone, wields a greater power than his own. A deep-rooted and bitter feeling of envy takes possession of him; he can enjoy no more repose, until moral force shall have yielded to the pressure of physical force -- until the second Mordecai shall have bowed down to this second Haman -- until the soul, by dethroning itself, shall have delivered him from this odious rivalry. And should he encounter in this enterprise an unlooked-for resistance, his impatience becomes fury, and he destroys those whom he cannot subdue. This has been the origin of many religious persecutions, and it discloses the secret motives of those atrocities by which some have been distinguished.
It does not follow, however, that all the evils with which the world has been inundated in the name of religion, are to be referred to this cause alone. They have originated in that pre-eminently just idea, that religion gives the true signification of every man, and of the whole of society; that there is nothing more deeply seated in us, nothing which more decisively determines what we are; and that to declare what we believe, is at the same time, and as a matter of necessity, to declare what we wish to be. The influence of a lordly spirit apart, it is not astonishing that the social power has everywhere, more or less, attempted to regulate the faith of the citizens and the instructions of the priesthood. Nor is it surprising that the priesthood, in aid of the state, have themselves attempted to dictate in a matter of this importance. For the suppression of this evil, the assistance of ages has been necessary, and this has not proved sufficient; the veto of public opinion has been also needed. Perhaps in certain countries something further has been required -- the progress of religious indifference. But nowhere is the fire extinguished, because nowhere is man changed; he will never witness unmoved, the energetic manifestation of religious principle; he may be indulgent to philosophical religions, or to religious philosophy, which penetrates not to the very sources of will and of action; but he will be, with his own full knowledge and consent, severe upon genuine faith. And why? because man possessing genuine faith, rises to his highest elevation; an elevation to which it is necessary that others should rise also, not indeed to rule over him (for this is impossible), but to treat with him, and to be at peace together. This is the true position and individuality of each renewed man, and everything is put in requisition to annul, subdue, and modify it.
We dwell no longer upon these different attempts, but return to the principle. We find that in the judgment of the community, the religious conviction of a man moulds his character, estimates his worth, and fortels his life. It is the invisible source of many efforts, and often of much violence. Well, then, we infer unhesitatingly, that the faith of a member of society cannot remain either a mystery or a matter of doubt to those who surround him. If, as we have sought to establish a former part of this work, the spiritual unity of society, its reality in the elevated sense of that word, depends on the mutual interchange of sentiments; and if that individual only can be said to belong to the community, with whose character she is acquainted, it must be especially in the sphere of religious convictions that this truth is apparent; we may even go further, and say, that although we might keep our sentiments on other subjects to ourselves, those that we entertain respecting religion could not be concealed. For our religious convictions embue us so thoroughly and practically, that society knows not what she possesses in us, except as she knows what we are with respect to God.
This fact is more conspicuous, we admit, with reference to the Christian religion than to any other. In comparison with it, all other systems of faith are superficial; and we may remark in passing, that this is the reason why Christianity has drawn upon itself, and even excited among its followers, more intolerance than any other religion. The experimental character of its doctrines, coming in contact with the diverse passions of the human heart, has enkindled in the midst of society an active and devouring flame; and its profession has occasioned a host of outrages and calamities. Christianity is radical in the highest degree; radical in morals. It uproots one life, it implants another. Of all religions, it alone is in direct hostility with human nature in its fallen condition, as it is also the only religion which coincides with that same nature in all that sin has not polluted; at once the most human, and the least human of all systems; appearing to grant us everything, and to refuse us everything, but, in reality, granting everything to humanity, and refusing everything to sin. No religion consequently so effectually reforms the moral being; in such a manner, that the complexion of our life and conduct depends on whether we are or are not Christians, and upon what sort of Christians we are.
We should find it impracticable to attempt to distinguish between the doctrines of Christianity and its morals; between what is called its natural and universal morality, and its peculiar and arbitrary doctrines. Christian doctrine is morality -- Christian morality; to wish to distinguish between the two is to desire to divide a stream from its source. Christian doctrine is no sooner received than it regulates the conduct; the character of God becomes a model for man; what God is, man ought to be; and inasmuch as God in the Scriptures is invested with attributes which belong not to human nature, so also man, by means of the Gospel, is invested with a character which nature had not impressed upon him; it makes him a new man in every sense of the term: a man peculiar and extraordinary in the eyes of nature, but in every case a man, who, by the judgment of that very nature, is approved and esteemed. To declare our opinion upon Christian doctrine avails much; it is in fact to profess certain principle of conduct, and to attach ourselves to one or another system of morality; it is to reveal our inward man, to publish the operations of conscience; it is to give the standard of our judgments, and the rule of our actions.
We do well to avow it: whenever we revert to the considerations which most forcibly recommend a duty, we revert to the greatest difficulties in the way of its accomplishment; indeed, in most cases, to point out the motive, is to recognize the difficulty. In the present case, for example, nothing can render candour more difficult than that which enforces its obligation. It is just because such a religious doctrine, of necessity involves such a principle of morality, and such a rule of conduct; it is precisely because it is a disclosure of inward man, that so many persons are averse to declare to what doctrine they adhere. And it is sometimes because their opinion condemns them, sometimes because it elevates them, not so much in itself as in the characteristics and practical consequences with which public opinion has invested it. It is painful to excite repugnance or aversion, and it is sometimes still more painful to excite expectations which we feel but too conscious we cannot fulfil. If it were not so, why should we make a secret of our religious opinions, when we are at no pains to conceal any other? Why, when we are open and unreserved upon all the rest, should we not allow free expression to our thoughts upon this, the noblest of subjects? Why should communications of this nature be so generally regarded as the acme of candour and the pledge of intimacy? Why is there no real union, no true communion of soul, until both parties have expressed what they think, and above all, what they feel upon invisible and infinite subjects? Why do beings long united by the closest ties of affection, as soon as spiritual communion is formed between them, discover with surprise, that up to that period they had really never known, understood, or loved each other? -- that, as Montaigne expresses it, there was wanting to their friendship `a certain inexplicable, yet essential power, the mediatrix of that union;' or that (as is really the fact) `God is the true medium of true friendship?' All such instance go to confirm the truth of what we have said. A great effect supposes a powerful force -- a powerful force is employed only against a formidable resistance, and a formidable resistance has no place but in opposition to an urgent necessity. Here the necessity is a moral one -- it is a duty; an evident, and urgent, but a painful duty; for the consequences, even limiting them to their narrowest range, and considering none but those which are developed in the bosom of private relations, these consequences are, it must be confessed, of a startling character.
Nevertheless, if regarded only in the light of morality and natural reason, this candour, which appears so difficult and dangerous, would be found to possess real advantages, whilst reserve would have none but what are false and deceptive. Candour would break the ice which dissimulation thickens and consolidates from day to day; it would procure a more lasting peace; it would put the seal to confidence and friendship. You dread a storm: any storm would be preferable to the dead calm in which you live, -- a calm without peace and without security; for since no one can suppose that you are altogether destitute of religious prepossessions, that you have not some inward conviction to disclose, it will become a matter either of dread or of desire that you should disclose it. This very feeling of anxiety will be an evil in your social relations; if your connexions are desirous of it, when you are averse to making it, their importunity will disturb your peace; on the contrary, if they are averse to its manifestation, when you yourself desire it, they will avoid your company; there will of necessity be in your social relations something painful, constrained, and, in the end, insupportable. If they neither desire nor fear it, it must be because they are not acquainted with your character, and have no desire to become so, because they are not solicitous about your most important interests -- in other words, because they do not love you. And as between a mind occupied with spiritual things and one that is not, there is a wide gulf fixed, as true intimacy between two persons so different is altogether impossible, it is the duty of the more serious of the two, to sound the mind of his friend by disclosing his own, to provide a declaration by declaring himself. Every connexion founded upon a voluntary and designedly prolonged misunderstanding, every factitious union between minds pursuing directly opposite courses, is contrary to human dignity. . . . -- Alexander Vinet (1797-1847), and Charles Theodore Jones (translator), An Essay on the Profession of Personal Religious Conviction, pp. 73-81"I see this tendency to lean on man everywhere. I know no branch of the Protestant Church of Christ which does not require to be cautioned upon the point. It is a snare, for example, to the English Episcopalian to make idols of Bishop Pearson and `the Judicious Hooker.' It is a snare to the Scotch Presbyterian to pin his faith on John Knox, the Covenanters, and Dr. Chalmers. It is a snare to the Methodists in our day to worship the memory of John Wesley. It is a snare to the Independent to see no fault in any opinion of Owen and Dodderidge. It is a snare to the Baptist to exaggerate the wisdom of Gill and Fuller and Robert Hall. All these are snares, and into these snares how many fall!
"Infallibility is not to be found in the early fathers, but in the Bible.
"What are the best of ministers but men -- dust, ashes, and clay -- men of like passions with ourselves, men exposed to temptations, men liable to weaknesses and infirmities?
"It is amazing to observe how vast a man's intellectual attainments may be, and yet how little he may know of the grace of God.
"We have no right to expect anything but the pure Gospel of Christ, unmixed and unadulterated -- the same Gospel that was taught by the Apostles -- to do good to the souls of men.
"Peace without truth is a false peace; it is the very peace of the devil. Unity without the Gospel is a worthless unity; it is the very unity of Hell.
"False doctrine and heresy are even worse than schism.
"It was controversy that won the battle of Protestant Reformation.
"Three things there are which men never ought to trifle with -- a little poison, a little false doctrine, and a little sin.
"A church may have good forms and regularly ordained ministers, and the sacraments properly administered, but a church will not see conversion of souls going on under its pulpits when this doctrine [Justification by Faith]is not plainly preached.
"Once let a man get wrong about justification, and he will bid a long farewell to comfort, to peace, to lively hope, to anything like assurance in his Christianity. An error here is a worm at the root.
"An ignorant laity will always be the bane of a church.
"True Gospel in the pulpit, true Gospel in every Religious Society we support, true Gospel in the books we read, true Gospel in the friends we keep company with -- let this be our aim, and never let us be ashamed to let men see that it is so.
"Let the meekness of St. Peter in taking a reproof be as much our example as the boldness of St. Paul in reproving." -- J.C. Ryle, "The Fallibility of Ministers" in Warning to the Churches, pp. 93-121."The church that Machen started in 1936 is no more [The Orthodox Presbyterian Church]. The irrational, dialectical theology that has plagued the OPC for decades has finally ended in apostasy. The trail of error that leads from Cornelius Van Til and John Murray through Norman Shepherd (whom Van Til defended in the OPC 20-some years ago), is not difficult to trace, yet there are many dreamers who still deny it.
"God is judging America. Denominations that once spoke the Gospel are now preaching another gospel, which is not another.
"May God strengthen his remnant that remains. May he keep them safe and give them courage as witnesses to the truth that men, especially churchmen, despise: Salvation by a righteousness wholly outside the believing sinner." -- John W. Robbins, writing July 5, 2003, after the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church reversed the conviction of an elder [Kinnaird] who had been convicted of teaching justification by faith and works contrary to the Scriptures and the Confession. There was no change in the elder's views; the OPC GA simply overturned his conviction."In too many churchmen we find the exemption of the state from the law, and from judgment in terms of the law. The roots of this position go back to pagan divinization of the state. [See Rushdoony, Christianity and the State] Practically, where men exempt the state from the law of God, they make it an instrument of Satan.
"The law is the law for everyone. If the citizen has no moral right to steal, neither does the state. If the citizen cannot expropriate his neighbor's property, neither can the state. `Thou shalt not steal' applies to corporations, governments, and men equally. It forbids socialism, communism, [fascism,] inflation, bad checks, and every other form of theft. It forbids false advertising, and dishonest processing and adulteration of foods. It forbids featherbedding by workers' associations, and it forbids the cheating of workers. All men, their institutions, corporations, and forms of government, are equally under the law of God. The reduction of the Ten Commandments to the status of a moral code only [from that of a Biblical criminal code] is the destruction of the law.
"If all authority is not under God, then, instead of a universe, we have a multiverse; instead of one Creator and Law-giver, we have many gods acting as creators and law-givers in their realms. If all authority comes from God, then all authority is plainly under God's law-word, and entirely subject to it. `Thou shalt not steal' cannot then be restricted to the individual man, but must be applied to every area of life. . . .
"In the 20th century, educators have spoken of the university at times as a multiversity, having room for a variety of ideas and faiths. The teaching of witchcraft, astrology [Astrology is being considered as a college major in California state colleges. (September 2003)], and related concepts by some schools is related to this concept of the multiversity. High schools in a major city have introduced yoga and palmistry. If the world is a multiverse, then all things are permissible except a sovereign God and a universal law-order. Hence our polytheistic world is tolerant of almost every kind of belief except orthodox Christianity. A universal law-order and a sovereign God rule out the possibility of a polytheistic multiverse. But, because the sovereign and triune God of Scripture rules, there is no multiverse, but rather a universe and a unified law-order.
"The law, ~`Thou shalt not steal,' applies therefore not only to the state but to the church as well. Where the church does not faithfully teach the whole counsel of God, His entire law-word, it is then plainly guilty of theft. It is robbing the people and the social order of its vital nerve; it is undercutting all authority when it limits the law on which all authority rests.
"As Nymeyer has observed `What gold is to money, the law of God is to liberty.' (Frederick Nymeyer, Progressive Calvinism (South Holland, IL: Libertarian Press, 1957), III, 209.) Without the law of God, men, unions, corporations, and states feel free to be a law unto themselves, to play god. Failure to teach the law of God is thus to pave the way for tyranny.
"James Madison said of God's law:We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." -- James Madison, "The father of our Constitution"The above quote is from Rousas John Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law, pp. 539-541.A Christian acting out his Christianity, could reasonably expect to be otherwise, to be better treated than his Lord, only on one or other of the two following suppositions, neither of which can be admitted for a moment. If you could avoid, more than he did, unnecessary collision with the world -- if you could be more harmless and blameless than he was -- or if you were wiser than he was, and could find out a better way of reconciling faithfulness to God with living on good terms with the world -- then might you, doing your duty as a Christian, expect to escape the hatred and persecution which was his portion. Professing Christians take but too frequently another way of it. They endeavour to purchase peace with the world at the expense of concealing truth and neglecting duty. In that way the servant may not share in his Lord's fortunes, but it is by becoming an unfaithful servant. But a consistent Christian counts it as a most reasonable thing that he should be as his Master in the estimation of the world; and doing his duty, his expectation is not likely to fail of being realized." -- John Brown (of Edinburgh, 1784-1858), Discourses and Sayings of Our Lord Jesus Christ, III:375
It is this author's contention that the modern churches have let go of this important piece of the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Thereby they have delivered the church, not to kings as nursing fathers, but to the cruel civil domination of the enemies of the true religion, their sheep being taught that they must submit passively to every pretended civil authority as the ordinance of God. By this defection, these leaders of the flock have also undermined the magistracy, allowing and even encouraging wicked men to remove this blessed ordinance from its foundation in God its creator, and from its subjection to Christ His King, thereby directly opposing God's benevolent ends in instituting civil government: "Thus have [they] made the commandment of God of none effect by [their] tradition. . . . teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:6, 9). Furthermore, by their false teaching regarding civil government, they have made themselves guilty of the very sin of which we are often accused: opposing the ordinance of God. If this wasn't enough, however, consider that their sin is worse than that of the garden variety rebel, inasmuch as their opposition to God's institution is not so much practical as it is principal; and because of their position as teachers and guides of the flock of God. "Be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. . . . For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth" (James 3:1; II Corinthians 13:8). -- Greg Price (Biblical Civil Government Verses the Beast, p. 64)
It is amazing to observe how vast a man's intellectual attainments may be, and yet how little he may know of the grace of God. -- J.C. Ryle, "The Fallibility of Ministers" in Warning to the Churches, pp. 93-121.
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)
No greater mischief can happen to a Christian people than to have God's Word taken from them, or falsified, so that they no longer have it pure and clear. God grant we and our descendants be not witnesses to such a calamity. -- Martin Luther in Table Talk
With regard to the Christian Ministry as an order in Christ's church, they are represented under the figure of a set of servants, constituted by the master, stewards, and rulers over his household, during his absence.
They are "servants," not lords. "We preach," says the apostle, "not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus's sake." (2 Corinthians 4:5) `We do not announce ourselves to you as your masters. We proclaim Christ Jesus to be the Master, and mindful of his words, "One is your Master, even Christ," (Matthew 23:8) we announce ourselves to you not your masters, but your servants for his sake. We seek not to make you our property that we may rule over you, but dictating to your faith, and controlling your conduct; but considering you as his unalienable property, which he "purchased with his won blood," (Acts 20:28) and which having so dearly bought he highly values, we wish to serve Him by ministering to your improvements.' This is a view of the sacred office with which they who fill it cannot be too deeply impressed. They are Christ's servants. They have no authority, separate from his authority. To promulgate and administer his laws, not to make and execute laws of their own, is their legitimate province. . . .
It is of importance, however, to remark, that though called to office by the instrumentality of their brethren, their authority is derived, not from them, but from their Master: by him, not by them, are they to be directed in the performance of their duties, and to him, not to them, are they accountable for the manner in which they discharge them. It is his doctrine they are to teach -- his laws they are to administer. The steward or overseer, though chosen, if such be the appointment of the Master, by his fellow-servants, is to be guided in managing the household, not by their will, but by the will of their common Lord. The minister of Christ who forgets this, and seeks in his official proceedings primarily to please those who have been committed to his charge, has lost sight of his high character as a servant of Christ. A fitter object of mingled blame, contempt, and pity, does not exist, than a man, bearing the name of a christian minister, who, instead of fearlessly proclaiming and impartially administering the laws of Christ, is the slave and the executioner of the prejudices of his people.
But though the Christian minister is not to be ruled by those whom he is appointed to rule -- is not to take laws from those to whom he is appointed to declare the law, he is never to forget -- what the very names of his office are all intended and fitted to keep constantly before his mind -- that he holds office in the church, not for his own aggrandizement and selfish interests, but for the benefit of his brethren -- not to gratify his own ambition or love of ease, but to promote their spiritual improvement, to secure their ultimate salvation; and under the influence of this conviction, like the steward who finds that in promoting his mater's interest, and the happiness of his fellow-servants, in the good order of the household, it is of great importance to be on good terms with those under his care, he will endeavour to "please his brethren to edification;" nay, he will seek to "please all men in all things, not seeking his own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." (1 Corinthians 10:33) Such is the view there given us of the general nature and design of the christian ministry. -- John Brown (of Edinburgh, 1784-1858), Discourses and Sayings of Our Lord Jesus Christ, I:389-391Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. -- Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:19, 20)There is an eerie similarity between the traits of authentic Christian discipleship and the traits of cultic discipleship. Of course, the difference between authentic Christianity fellowship and a cult is who is in control. If Christ is not in control, then the church becomes nothing more than an attempt to control men which equates to enslavement and a stealing of the soul. In pseudo-Christian movements leadership deifies itself and commands worship, control, and influence in the lives of subjects. Fallen man has deified his kings since the beginning of recorded history. Unfortunately the tendency continues in the church today. (See R.J. Rushdoony, Christianity and the State) Lamentably, it appears that the majority would prefer to have it that way.
But the urge to dominion does not disappear simply because the church does not speak of it. Instead, it reappears as an ugly and sinful struggle for power in the church; rightful dominion being neglected or denied, sinful dominion begins then to emerge. The life of the church becomes then an ugly struggle over meaningless trifles in which the sole purpose is sinful power and dominion. All too often this sinful urge to dominion is masked with hypocritical meekness.
It is very necessary therefore to recognize that the urge to dominion is God-given and is basic to the nature of man. -- Rousas John Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law, p. 450The criticism and rejection of the work of others by Christian leaders seems to often have its root cause in one's desire for preeminence. Pride and lust for power would tempt one to heretical departures from sound doctrine. Witness John Wesley's split with George Whitefield as presented by Arnold Dallimore in GEORGE WHITEFIELD.
G.K. Chesterton summed up well this sorry state of affairs by declaring, "The modern world is full of old Christian virtues gone mad." This statement reveals how man, duped by this enemy, misapplies and misappropriates the virtues of God and Christianity to mask his evil. The bottom line, according to Proverbs 12:10b, "But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." -- Rusty Lee Thomas
To be singular is no proof of being right. He is a fool who is proud of singularity for its own sake. The man who, from mere humour or some worse principle, will not accord with his fellow-men, but must have a way of his own, if he suffer for his pertinacity, may well be ashamed. But if a minority is treated with contumely or cruelty by a majority, because the minority maintain truth and do justice, while the majority support error and act iniquitously, were does the disgrace light? The dissimilarity, the opposition, of the opinions and conduct of Christians to those of the world, is not the result of caprice or a fondness for singularity. If they are "not of the world," it is "even as their Master was not of the world." The singularity of their character and manners is of the same general description as his. He was in the world, not following its course, but doing the will of his Father in heaven. They are in the world, not following its course, but doing the will of their Master in heaven. The world being what it is, is naturally dissatisfied with them, and manifests its dissatisfaction according to its nature. It cannot love the, it must hate them. -- John Brown (of Edinburgh, 1784-1858), Discourses and Sayings of Our Lord Jesus Christ, III:390
An ignorant laity will always be the bane of a church. -- J.C. Ryle, "The Fallibility of Ministers" in Warning to the Churches, pp. 93-121.
A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? (Jeremiah 5:30,31) See the annotation in The Reformation Study Bible.
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Romans 2:24. See Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:21-23)
The Church has never been perfect. Far from it. But the total record should be examined. In doing so, the good far, far outweighs the bad. Besides, Christian belief is in Christ, not in Christians. . . .
Genuine Christianity must be distinguished from nominal Christianity. Some people have called themselves "Christians" who have lived in total opposition to the principles and teachings of the Master from Nazareth. But when we distinguish between name and reality, we see that genuine Christianity has been an unmixed blessing on the world. . . .
Christianity is comprised of those who have repented of their sins and truly believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and their Lord. In times past Christendom was comprised of those people living in "Christian" territories. Today, Christendom is comprised of true Christians and those professing Christians who have never experienced the saving grace of Christ. Many members of Christendom have lived lives that were totally unworthy of the name Christian. When people are unregenerate -- that is, if their hearts are not changed by Christ -- they are prone to do all sorts of ungodly and inhuman things. It doesn't matter whether they're atheistic Communists or clerics in the Church. And in the case of unregenerate Church Leaders, their evil actions have brought the blame of history upon Christianity.
There is a Church visible (Christendom) and there is a Church invisible (true Christianity). . . . The Bible points out that the visible Church is not the real Church of Christ. The real Church of Christ is invisible, and it consists of all who truly belong to God as His elect -- all those who will ever be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Judas Iscariot was a member of the visible Church of Christ, but not the invisible. . . .
The devil has been able to infiltrate the Church [Matthew 13:24-30, 37-39]. Thus, as Jesus forewarned, the Church contains believers and nonbelievers alike. . . .
While Jesus told us to love our neighbor and even our enemies, He did predict that Christianity would prove divisive per se [Luke 12:51-53]. . . .
Now, the Scripture teaches we are to be at peace will all, inasmuch as it is up to us (Romans 12:18). But we are to put Christ first in our lives . . . True faith can elicit a hostile reaction, even when practiced with a gentle and humble spirit. The division that Christ talked about here is the natural outworking of unbelief reacting against godliness, or belief reacting against ungodliness. . . . -- D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe, What if Jesus Had Never Been Born, pp. 205, 206, 209, 210, 206Selfishness and pride will blind even the gifted and learned to the truth. Lust for power and the will to play God will blind us to the truth. Intense nationalistic pride, political bent, alienation during secular schooling, or personal ambitions blind us to the "evident connection between Absolute Truth, sovereign authority, holiness, life, loving obedience, moral behavior, sanctification, justice, freedom (political, economic, and individual), social stability, and real progress. . . ." -- Preface, The Web Edition of Biblical Counsel: Resources for Renewal.
When people are unregenerate -- that is, if their hearts are not changed by Christ -- they are prone to do all sorts of ungodly and inhuman things. It doesn't matter whether they're atheistic Communists or clerics in the Church. And in the case of unregenerate Church Leaders, their evil actions have brought the blame of history upon Christianity.
There is a Church visible (Christendom) and there is a Church invisible (true Christianity). . . . The Bible points out that the visible Church is not the real Church of Christ. The real Church of Christ is invisible, and it consists of all who truly belong to God as His elect -- all those who will ever be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Judas Iscariot was a member of the visible Church of Christ, but not the invisible. . . .
The devil has been able to infiltrate the Church [Matthew 13:24-30, 37-39]. Thus, as Jesus forewarned, the Church contains believers and nonbelievers alike. . . . -- D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe, What if Jesus Had Never Been Born, pp. 205, 206, 209, 210, 206There is some danger of falling into a soft and effeminate Christianity, under the plea of a lofty and ethereal theology. Christianity was born for endurance; not an exotic, but hardy plant, braced by the keen wind; not languid, nor childish, nor cowardly. It walks with strong step and erect frame; it is kindly, but firm; it is gentle, but honest; it is calm, but not facile; obliging, but not imbecile; decided, but not churlish. It does not fear to speak the firm word of condemnation against error, nor to raise it's voice against surrounding evils, under the pretext it is not of this world; it does not shrink from giving honest reproof, lest it come under the charge of displaying an unchristian spirit. It calls sin sin, in whomsoever it is found, and would rather risk the accusation of being actuated by a bad spirit than not to discharge an explicit duty. Let us not misjudge strong words used in honest controversy. Out of the heat a viper may come forth; but we shake it off and feel no harm. The religion of both the Old and New Testaments is marked by fervent testimonies against evil. To speak smooth things in such a case may be sentimentalism, but it is not Christianity.... It is a betrayal of truth and righteousness. I know that charity covers a multitude of sins; but it does not call evil good, because a good man has done it; it does not excuse inconsistencies, because the inconsistent brother has a high name and a fervent spirit; crookedness and worldliness are still crookedness, though exhibited in one who seems to have reached no common height of attainment. -- Horatius Bonar (1818-1889
"Thus, the hierarchy of privilege descends from the large gainers from despotism, to the middling and small gainers, and finally down to the mass of the people who falsely think they gain from the receipt of petty favors. In this way the subjects are divided, and a great portion of them induced to cleave to the ruler, 'just as, in order to split wood, one has to use a wedge of the wood itself.' Of course, the train of the tyrant's retinue and soldiers suffer at their leader's hands, but they 'can be led to endure evil if permitted to commit it, not against him who exploits them, but against those who like themselves submit, but are helpless.' In short, in return for its own subjection, this order of subordinates is permitted to oppress the rest of the public.[47] (La Boétie, pp. 79-80)"
Now what? [July 2002, in face of the fraudulent accounting practices of Arthur Anderson, Enron, Adelphia, ImClone, WorldCom, Global Communications, Tyco, Xerox, and Merck, and others, costing shareholders and employees multiplied billions of dollars in losses] Do we look to our churches for moral guidance or, heaven forbid, help in addressing the greatest financial and moral rip-off in American history? I don't think so. They are out "saving souls" these days, advocating home schooling, and encouraging "tithing " from nouveau riche middle managers that support and carry-out the corrupt corporate culture of today. Where have they been on this issue that is certainly the "family values" issue of all family values issue! Family savings are being destroyed! -- An AOL member
A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? (Jeremiah 5:30, 31) (Jeremiah 5:30,31) See the annotation in The Reformation Study Bible.
*Singer, C. Gregg (1910-1999), Theological Interpretation of American History, revised edition (Philadelphia, PA: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1981, 1975, 1974, 1964).
This book portrays "the influence of theology and the changing doctrines in the life of the church on the pattern of American political, constitutional, social and economic development.
"The author shows that the decline of constitutional government in this country is the result of the departure from historical Christian faith and the resulting rise of alien political philosophies. Particularly does he emphasize the intimate relationship between theological liberalism on the one hand and political, social, and economic liberalism on the other. This theological liberalism has been a major agent in the decline of the Constitution in the political life of the people and in the appearance of a highly centralized government." -- Publisher's Annotation
"There is between the democratic philosophy and theological liberalism a basic affinity which has placed them in the same camp in many major political struggles.
"This condition exists because theological liberalism shares the basic postulates of the democratic philosophy. . . .
"Theological liberalism at heart has been a continuing protest against Calvinism, particularly against its insistence on the Sovereignty of God and the Total Depravity of the race. These two Biblical doctrines have often proved to be a stumbling block to theologians within the church as well as to the unbelieving world." -- C. Gregg Singer, A Theological Interpretation of American History, p. 290
The result of theological liberalism has been the movement away from constitutionalism and away from liberty, and a movement toward collectivistic society and totalitarian regime.
The scope of this early work of the author does not cover the Covenanted Reformation of the Church of Scotland between 1638 and 1650, or the Erastian Revolution, anno 1689, which was "utterly inconsistent with the covenanted constitution of the reformed church of Scotland, anno 1648."
"The Erastian Revolution, anno 1689, was "utterly inconsistent with the covenanted constitution of the Reformed Church of Scotland, anno 1648."
In fact, the relationship between Church and State has been in decline since 1661. "In early 1661 . . . the Scottish Parliament passed the Act Rescissory, which established the king as supreme judge in all matters civil and ecclesiastical, and which made owning the covenants [National and Solemn League] unlawful. These acts undid all the works of Reformation from 1638 to 1650 and made it high treason to acknowledge Jesus Christ as head of the church. . . ." See Act, Declaration, And Testimony, 1876, Part II.
Another turning point occurred in 1758 with the reunion of the Old Side and the New Side of American Presbyterian Church. "This signaled the end of the influence of Calvinism in American Politics." For a detailed discussion see:
"From Old School to New School" in Crossed Fingers: How the Liberals Captured the Presbyterian Church, by Gary North
http://entrewave.com/freebooks/docs/html/gncf/Chapter02.htm
An example of the positive influence of theological doctrine on American political development is the Presbyterian General Assembly meeting in 1774, in which the Assembly instructed local congregations to press for the dissolution of ties with Great Britain. The result was a flood of resolutions, the most important of which was the
Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence which became a pattern for our national Declaration of Independence. See, James Geddes Craighead (1832-1895), Scotch and Irish Seeds in American Soil the Early History of the Scotch and Irish Churches, and Their Relations to the Presbyterian Church of America ATLA 1988-0622
In 1787 there were two conventions in Philadelphia: the Constitution Convention and a convention of the Presbyterian Church. "In 1787-88, American Presbyterians revised the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) in order to make it conform to the political pluralism that also lay behind the U.S. Constitution,(26) which was being ratified at the same time that the presbyteries were voting for the revision of the Confession. The Presbyterians removed that clause in Chapter XXIII:3 which had authorized the civil magistrate to call a synod for advice.(27) This was one of the last traces of the theocratic Calvinism of the Scottish Covenanters -- or Calvin's theocratic Calvinism, for that matter. (The final trace was the Confession's assertion that the failure to take an oath to a lawful authority is a sin [XXII:3]. That provision was abandoned in the 1903 revision, and Machen's Orthodox Presbyterian Church did not restore it in 1936.) From that time on, Presbyterians became defenders of a secularized republican order. They believed that God's civil covenant could be made on a common-ground confessional basis, without a mandatory covenantal civil oath, operating under a providential natural law order that did not mandate Trinitarian confession. Obedience to this natural order, they believed, would bring national prosperity.(28) This was the liberal worldview of English Whig politics, and no group in America was more dedicated to defending it than the Presbyterians.(29)" -- Gary North, Crossed Fingers, p. 106
In 1788 the U.S. Constitution and the revised Westminster Confession were ratified. For a detailed discussion see:
"Authority: Biblical, Confessional, Ecclesiastical" in Crossed Fingers: How the Liberals Captured the Presbyterian Church, by Gary North
http://entrewave.com/freebooks/docs/html/gncf/Chapter03.htm
See, A THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF AMERICAN HISTORY, Chapter 6, "Theological Liberalism After 1920 and its Political Consequence." See, the
Time-line of decline in American society after World War I.
After 1920 "Forces of liberalism were able to gain a commanding position in the liberal arts colleges and seminaries run by most of the major denominations. . . .
"The denial of the inspiration and infallibility of the Scripture proved to be tantamount to a rejection of their doctrinal authority; one by one, the great evangelical doctrines of the past were rewritten in such a way as to be scarcely recognizable. . ." -- C. Gregg Singer, A Theological Interpretation of American History, p. 187
"The basic issue is the reduction of the total scope of government, on both the federal and state level, to those spheres which are clearly conferred upon it by the Scriptures, and the surrender of those extra-Biblical powers which liberal political philosophies and practice have given to it during the last one hundred years or so. . . .
"When Jesus Christ returns, this span of history will cease. Perhaps at this point the cleavage between the biblical position and the views of Hegel, Marx, Spengler, Toynbee, and other contemporaries, becomes most obvious. The modern mind simply cannot accept the idea that humanity does not control its own destiny. It refuses to believe that the ultimate manifestation of the glory of Jesus Christ is beyond all human manipulation, whether they be statesmen or educators. It denies that the sovereign Ruler of the universe will bring all sinful humanity to judgment in a final accounting for its long history of willful rebellion against His righteousness, goodness, and mercy." -- Gregg C. Singer
The roots of liberty and limited government are in the Protestant Reformation. We believe the key to the maintenance of liberty and limited government are to be found in the Scottish covenanting struggle.
See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership
Act, Declaration, & Testimony, For The Whole Of The Covenanted Reformation, As Attained To & Established In Britain #1
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=81907517162
Act, Declaration, & Testimony, For The Whole Of The Covenanted Reformation, As Attained To & Established In Britain #2
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=926071233170
Act, Declaration, & Testimony, For The Whole Of The Covenanted Reformation, As Attained To & Established In Britain #3
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=92707111830
Act, Declaration, & Testimony, For The Whole Of The Covenanted Reformation, As Attained To & Established In Britain #4
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=927071140420
Steele, David, 1803-1887, and the Reformed Presbytery (America), Act, Declaration, And Testimony (1876)
http://www.covenanter.org/RefPres/actdeclarationandtestimony/acttitle.htm
The thing to be done? Apparently, pickup where David Steele (1803-1887) left off with the Reformed Presbytery (America).
"The Current Justification Controversy" O. Palmer Robertson
"These two issues are excerpts from Dr. O. Palmer Robertson's book, The Current Justification Controversy, which is a detailed history of the controversy surrounding Norman Shepherd in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Westminster Theological Seminary from 1975 to 1982.
"Dr. Robertson's book is essential background for understanding what is happening today with the case of John O. Kinnaird in the OPC, the Monroe 4 (Barack, Schlissel, Wilkins, and Wilson) in the PCA (and micro-denominations), and the widespread departure from Christ and his Gospel in professedly Reformed churches.
"In fact, some of the actors in Act 1 have reappeared in Act 2, despite the elapse of 20 years. More importantly, one can see arguments used 20 years ago to defend Norman Shepherd's views now being used to defend the views of men who are echoing his heretical opinions.
"The Trinity Foundation hopes to have Dr. Robertson's book available in September."
http://www.trinityfoundation.org/reviews/journal.asp?ID=203a.html
In a corruption of sound doctrine so extreme, in a pollution of the sacraments so nefarious, in a condition of the church so deplorable, those who maintain that we ought not to have felt so strongly, would have been satisfied with nothing less than a perfidious tolerance, by which we should have betrayed the worship of God, the glory of Christ, the salvation of men, the entire administration of the sacraments, and the government of the church. There is something specious in the name of moderation, and tolerance is a quality which has a fair appearance, and seems worthy of praise; but the rule which we must observe at all hazards is, never to endure patiently that the sacred name of God should be assailed with impious blasphemy; that his eternal truth should be suppressed by the devil's lies; that Christ should be insulted, his holy mysteries polluted, unhappy souls cruelly murdered, and the church left to writhe in extremity under the effect of a deadly wound. This would be not meekness, but indifference about things to which all others ought to be postponed."The perceptive reader will see many parallels between the spiritual climate of Calvin's day and the religious chaos in our own society. If religious corruptions required reformationthen, similar corruptions demand serious reform today. We witness the sad spectacle of Protestant churches fascinated with liturgical rites and innovations in worship. Prominent 'evangelical' leaders have endorsed a peace pact with Rome.[3] Many 'reformed' denominations tolerate evangelistic methods and gimmicks built upon Pelagian presuppositions. If anything, Calvin's tract demonstrates how far modern Protestants have declined from the doctrines and practices of the Reformation. The Necessity of Reforming the Church is more than just an historic monument to the Reformation. It is a spiritual manifesto, calling us to repentance in an era of gross religious corruption." -- Publisher's Annotation
Books Considered to be Among the ten Greatest in the English Language
http://www.lettermen2.com/tengreat.html
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