Living with God's Two Ministers in our Lives: The State & The Church
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
It may seem strange to you that in a Confession of Faith that is so centred on God and how He is toward us in Creation & Providence, How He is toward us in Salvation, and then how He applies, works and grows that salvation in us and in our world by the work of the Holy Spirit through this new Character the Church, the body of Christ on earth. Remember how I introduced the first parts of the Confession: embedded in a story - sheet of paper divided up in four - setting Creation, Characters - 1. God - who and what He is like, and 2. you got Fallen angels and Stan, , and 3. Man in his created state with great purpose and you have humanity in fallen state - The Fall the Problem - and the heart of the confession 2/3rds is our salvation. Then the last little bit That we have a fourth character - the church. And you might ask why now include a fifth character the State, the government - got the Law of God and the Gospel of God - but politics and policing and military - what does that have to do with the price of tee in China. We are so used a strict separation not only of church and state - each different sphere and each not permitted to interfere in the others calling, but we are so used to faith and every other part of life being separated, that we don’t think the state, government the so called “secular” has anything to do with God much less, his church, and certainly not with God applying salvation around the world! We think such a a view of relation government with Christianity - positively Medieval, archaic, reeks of Iatola’s forcing, coercing people to their faith!
But you and I would be wrong to think that government is just a necessary evil and that when it isn’t Christian we can just disobey it. We would be wrong to think that the governments that God in His providence has arranged for us to operate within, have nothing to do with the Church or with salvation being extended across this globe! We would be wrong to think that God’s business is in the Church, while Satan’s business and domain is in government and politics.
KEY TRUTH: Civil government is a God-ordained common-grace gift to be obeyed, except when in direct contradiction to God’s Word.
We see this in the beginning of our confession that though this world - every institution, every person, every aspect, has been touched by sin, but still God upholds this world, doesn’t visit ultimate judgment on sin till the last day, common grace or favour - means holds back and restrains this world from becoming as evil as possible. True of human beings too. And why - so that by His good rule over this broken world, all things will work together for Him bringing salvation, for Him saving His people and restoring what has fallen. Providence serves God plan for the church - the whole universe the early church understood exists so that God had a place where He would would have a meeting place a convocation with His people. This is true even when in this fallen world the Lord uses governments touched by sin. This is our first point:
A. Government is Ordained by God
A. Government is Ordained by God
This means that governments, both those in the past in Christian lands, and before that in Israel that had God’s moral law from Scripture, and those governments who only have it written on their consciences and discerned from nature, those governments are not independent, nor can they in any way be absolute and supreme. In one breathe Paul acknowledges the importance of God-given government to all societies, while also stating their authority, is derived from a higher source, its delegated and limited. This is so clear in our Romans 13:1 text:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
While it may seem we only need government because we became sinful, this makes it clear that God instituted human government before the fall as a positive good for society We can see this in the Genesis account and the role that Adam is given to have dominion. This is also clear in Jesus holding up the coin with Caesar's imprint in one hand, and as it were the whole universe in the other and commanding us - to Render to Caesar what is His, but to God what is God’s. Both are true and important, and our task is to see what the limited but important slice of delegated authority that God gives Caesar’s in our lives. Why this is important for the gospel’s sake and for the lives of God’s people.
A careful reading reveals two reasons that for why God appointed civil authorities. The first is a negative one and in a sinful broken world often appears the more major one. Government there is to
i. Restrain Evil. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. Belgic Confession Art. 36
Bin Romans 13:4b-5 .
for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
Some Christians see only this very limited role for government, just there to protect my individual rights and punish violations of those rights.
But there is another and more fundamental reason God ordained government, and it is prior to the negative role. This reason is found at the end of Romans 13:3-4
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
Civil government positively is there for our good. This is not just in receiving approval from the government, but the idea is that the government is to be God’s deacons, his servant for what? Three positive items are given here As our Confession puts it :
ii. so that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings, and iii. contribute to the advancement of a society, subject to God’s law Belgic Confession Art.36
And the controversial third task is: not to force people to become Christians, or to promote the gospel and worship, but to
iv. “remove every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship.” Belgic Confession Art.36
The first, promoting good order among human beings” - is kind of the un-heroic mundane organizing administering so necessary in any state . Jesus more than once was asked do we your believers have to pay taxes to levels of government to Romans, to the Jewish state in form of temple tax, we have the answer regarding Rome. But for the Jewish state, Jesus says - pull that fish, coin , give to them. Whatever they have decided to provide - you also must not resent taxes, part of society being order at God’s command for the common good.
And our confession also states, they will also contribute to the advancement of society. It is quite surprising that Cornelius - not instructed by Peter to give up his position in Rome army in order to become a Christian. That John the Baptist actually tell tax collectors and soldiers to be honest in their work not to leave it. Luke 3:12-14 Jesus life begins with Luke recording Joseph and mary obeying Caesar’s inconvenient and perhaps unjust decree of the census of an occupied people. In perhaps the most memorable parts of our Saviour’s instruction, one that has been sentimentalized and symbolically used:
Matthew 5:41
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Now of course legitimate symbol of Christian living. But understand Jesus’ meaning back then well understood by original hearers. In the Roman Empire, there was a law that allowed a Roman soldier to force any civilian, at any point, to carry his luggage for a maximum distance of one mile. This law is the background to Matthew 27:32: “As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.” In the original language, that word “compel” is the exact same word used by Jesus in Matthew 5:41, and it’s talking about the same practice. That was a hated law by an occupying government , actually assisting their enemies. Take up your Cross, the Roman instrument of death - overcome for the kingdom of God in different way. But in terms of obedience to the government, Jesus and example is pretty clear, He was not a political revolutionary , he was not a king like those political and military leader of his day, try to set up an alternative political earthly government. He recognized the civil good of the Roman Empire and didn't come to overthrow that civil order. He had not problem disobeying and even flaunting that disobedience of manmade rules by Jewish Authorities when they contradicted God’s law for the Sabbath - to promote life and to heal; but he didn’t advocate not paying taxes, or respecting and obeying the political leaders of Rome!
Both the Jewish highest and the Roman Governor Pilate he recognizes the authority God had given them, and gives them both obedience and respect, for the real but limited authority God expected them to exercise. And indeed Peter later writes that we in following our Lord ought to expect that obedience to this world civil authorities will cost us: 1 Peter 2:19-23
For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
Within Reformed circles today - we have a debate between tranformationalist - on the extreme called social justice warriors, who say both the Christian and the church’s role is to make the kingdom of this world the kingdom of God. And then on the other side there are those who quite rightly emphasize that there are two kingdoms in this world - earthly kingdoms and civil governments, and we are called as citizens, even Christian citizens to be involved there, but that is completely separate from the spiritual Kingdom of Christ - that the church is to be involved in advancing, and while we are called as Christian to be involved and seek the best for both, we are not to confuse them! And listen ing to Jesus before Pilate I think we can say the later is the position we should take. John 18:36
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
As individuals, and as Christian acting together we are to seek the best earthly government we can, and bring the principles for good human flourishing to bear in the public sphere, that is important in our obedience and faithfulness to God as Christian citizens, but it s not the role or focus of the Christian Church.
By way of application, recently a pastor so brave as to take act of civil obedience separate from family and his congregation in jail. Pastor Coates, in a sermon on Romans 13 argues that the function of government is more limited than this, ought only to provide protection of individual rights! I agree with him that protection of individual rights, rather than promoting groups rights and group rights politics - I agree that the governments role is that their equality ounder rule of law, but there is more than that - this positive provision f things like disaster relief, coordination of economy, provision of military defense, roads, clean water, protection of the environment. This is why Coates see emergency pandemic measures, protecting us from a virus, as not the governments business, only individual right to worship and work and hold property. But we should see that Paul expects the civil magistrate to provide more than just protection from infringement on individual rights.
During this pandemic we have refused to say that the government taking on the role of health provider, and protector from the pandemic is a case of religious persecution by our government against Christians. We have followed health protocols and policies for the common good. Yes this curtailed our mobility and ability to live yes. But is this the government assuming a role contrary to their task I don’t think so. We may have better ideas at how the government should address this and that is our role as Christian citizens to introduce promote those ideas. But that is so different than a government specifically targeting Christians and saying we are going to change what you beleive or how you worship and put restrictions on you that aren’t on other groups.
But this brings us to the third area that our Confession and I believe the Scriptures themselves call on civil governments to act. Not just serving for the common good, not just restraining evil, but look at the task our Belgic Confession following Scripture expects governments to uphold:
“And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rules have the task , subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and every aspect of divine worship.”
B. Government, while not promoting one denomination over another, must still promote the freedom of the preaching of the gospel and of divine worship!
B. Government, while not promoting one denomination over another, must still promote the freedom of the preaching of the gospel and of divine worship!
If you are attentive you would have seen the * ‘s at the end of these last two paragraphs, indicating that after centuries of further reflection on what Scripture calls governments Christian or not to do, this isn’t like OT Israel nor Christendom where on pain of death, spiritual convictions were forced by the government - the articles used to read that the government had the task of upholding the sacred ministry of the church and removing and destroying all false worship. And whether you can understand the historical possibilities open to the people of 16th century, when 500 years ago - one religion for every land and the government and that religion completely tied up with each other. Back then these Reformers saying, even though current government repressing us, can’t just say government is evil and to be avoided, Anabaptists. But government must be obeyed and valued and respected, but it must answer to the purpose God set for it.
We live in a cultural situation much like early Christian with religious pluralism. Doesn’t mean each right, and relative, but Christian virtue of tolerance, not politically correct view of relativism, but of tolerance that protects the individuals conscience and in no way prescribes or polices inner thought believe attitude, but only actually outer behaviour. In a religiously pluralistic society, which recognizes state support or promotion of one denomination or institution over another is a violation of the God-given role of government. It’s not Caesar’s sphere or domain, and here King Jesus is quick to reply to Pilate: you would have no power over me, unless it has been granted, and not granted over my spiritual kingdom. Hands off. This too was the case where we see the limits of civil authority in the case of Peter and John preaching and being arrested for their preaching: Acts 4:19-20
But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
V.18 clearly states the reason they disobey is because the authorities were commanding them to stop preaching. A clear violation of God’s will is in view, and this government has gone beyond their mandate to directly defy God’s Law. When that happens we have no choice but to defy our governments. While our society is facing issues about whether doctors and nurses could be disciplined by following their conscience not to take life instead of either seeking healing or ministering through suffering - euthanasia, abortion. With this pandemic if we were told we could no longer worship or preach if that was the activity that our government was targeting we’d have no choice but to follow God. But on another front, our courts have consistently even a recently as this past week - refused to decide on matters of church discipline or doctrine to meddle with the affairs of the church. Aga Case of Ethiopian Orthodox church disciplining members for false teaching for heresy, Ontario Court said - government's court has right to decide in such church matters, Supreme Court of Canada unanimously said - no though in areas of state’s jurisdiction the church is bound by the state, but in areas of the church jurisdiction the governments court have no business! Particularly in the area of the preaching of the gospel and church discipline!
But in fact our government while not promoting one denomination or religion over another, not their role, it is their role - to make sure the church can preach and worship freely. Surprisingly, even though Justin Trudeau government sought to amend the Criminal Code to take away those parts that say - no one can interfere - in minister conducting worship, our government still says in supporting action of the church, religious activity not going to be taxed, nor proprieties, even my part of housing not taxed. Initially this was born out of recognition that government is totally necessary and legitimate but limited. Our Constitution recognizes before all the Supremacy of God. The government from which our government is based, entered into a Solemn League and Covenant which states: This isn’t to say Canada is a a Christian nation, but that the government is a limited bu important apart of society, but so is the church, the family, legal system, the banking system. the education system.
Here is a big big deal. Render to Caesar limited part its to have, and God commands our obedience in that realm - speed limits, taxes, … but listen render to God what is God - in his church spearate sphere, but Christ in his mediatorial reign of the whole creation. - he says to us as individual Christians and in a nation with a government that while not Christian protects Christians to live life according to their faith, Christ says to us, my Word, my Law not just for salvation , just for life in the Church sphere, and mission and evangelism, but also for justice, also for all people how society ought to operate, and government should not be a place where everyone is spiritually neutral, but where we can with principles and idea and worldview of God’s Word - we can say - these are the good ideas, the good order that God has revealed, and in a well ordered society we’ll have the freedom to do that, and as Christian citizens be salt and light. Christ uses wicked nations for his purpose, and he uses good ones. And the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord. And the nation that acknowledges the Lord who brings their justice and laws in line with divine principles of God’s law - will last and be a blessing. We are to labour for this in our land.
And here we have a lot of work to do, because our government like the thought -police - wants to say know we are going to mandate and police peoples inner life, we are going to criminalize some worldviews and the only w.v. that can stand is a secularist, naturalistic, no God, no faith allowed. This is why our revised confession of faith says - in rendering to God what is God’s we will not just stand idly by as to Christian ideas in the sphere of political and common good, nor will we let the government take over all life!
They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them with the means belonging to them. Belgic Confession Article 36
We are at a critical time in the life of this nation, Could self-destruct. DuToqueville, Arnold Toynbe… said, democracy will die without faith. In our tradition Groen vanPrinster, when Christian citizen give up civil conception of .... It is alarmingly true that liberty and freedom, will eat themselves away when divorced from faith and morality based on God’s norms. He argued:
“What I have tried to demonstrate is that the principle of unbelief—the sovereignty of Reason and the sovereignty of the People—while it proclaims Liberty, must end in either radicalism or despotism: in the disintegration of society or in the tyranny of a state in which all things are levelled without any regard to true liberties and true rights. Groen van Prinsterer
Christians are not the only citizens concerned about the increasingly totalitarian grasp of the state and its destruction of true tolerance and liberty. We can show our nation that there is wisdom in regaining the Christian view that birthed our free society, and that this entails turning back to God and His revelation.
Should the government start prescribing what can be preached or how we are to worship, should they require of us actions in direct contradiction to God’s Word. Then we would be in situation where we would not only have to disobey, civil disobedience, but where with other citizens, and especially with lesser governing bodies, those in power - we would have to seek a change of government. Do you understand that - a very serious thing to set yourself against the government God in his providence has instituted because of inconvenience, or personal disagreement. Someone has wisely said, we get the governments we deserve. Pastor Coates feels if government not implementing God’s Word we are free to disobey this government - He suggests that we can be submissive in attitude while being rebellious in action. Such is the only course for us if direct violation of God’s word, And as a fellow Baptist colleague of his has put it , don’t call a government health order that you may disagree with, but doesn’t target Christians, persecution as . And when we are not in that situation. What is commanded by Scripture so that, as a Canadian Reformed professor in Hamilton has taken heart for, so that we as Christian won’t necessarily take on unnecessary bad reputation as being against our neighbour?
C. Christians are to Be Citizens Accepting & Cooperating with the Governments God has Placed them in.
C. Christians are to Be Citizens Accepting & Cooperating with the Governments God has Placed them in.
We see Daniel in Babylon, disobeying when commanded to worship an idol, or to refrain altogether from prayer. But we see him contributing to the good that the Babylonia by Common Grace was engaged in. And so our confession following Romans 13 says we: regardless of who you are status, condition or rank. To subject to the government.
You know what happened this past week - an officer trainer - was court marshalled - to be part of our military but to speak against our government - unless about direct conflict with God’s word, - we aren’t to be seen like that, or act like that.
This means paying our taxes, holding representative in honour and respect, and obeying them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, that means things that God’s Word doesn’t address directly or without principles derived by good and necessary consequence, that we might think should be done differently, but for good order and the common good, we submit to the leaders God’s given us. And as Peter says, we don’t take a principled stand of civil disobedience on those issues, so that we can lead quiet lives on those matters without distraction from our ownership and service to God and neighbour. TO suffer as a meddler in 1 Pt 4 is what he says not to do. But in these areas there is a real being subject to the state that is to be different about Christians:
1 Peter 2:13-14
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
This part of honouring our governing authorities should silence those against Christians and won’t be a cover-up for us doing evil! D
o you hear what our confession - the attitude and action we are to have towards our government leaders: Praying for them that the Lord may be willing to hem in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. That’s not just a tradition or an opinion that is God’s holy word Listen to 1 Timothy 2:1-2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
We will not follow Pastor Coates to say that we can have submissive attitude at the beginning of our text, but not the obedience in this case. Too much is at stake for witness and our participating in the common good as Christian citizens. There are times when the government must be stood up too, there are times when governments can be characterized as evil and in need of - no private disobedience, but public and organized reform and even revolution. But we are not living in those times right now. May it be that each one of us would have the courage both to suffer privately as Peter says for doing good, and to act publically!