The Reformed Faith in Action

Reformation in the Church

Dynamic Christianity is a Biblical concept. In writing to believers at Ephesus Paul prays that God would give to them the spirit of wisdom and revelation. He continues: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. (Ephesians 1.18-19) Taking the literal meaning of the words Paul employs we may say that Christianity results from the energetic working of the might of God's inherent strength and we need to know the surpassing mega dynamism that is for us. The example that Paul gives of this power is the resurrection of Christ. God showed it in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places ... (Ephesians 1.20) The effect of this is seen in sanctification. It results in newness of life: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.(Romans 6.4) This involves an ongoing transformation: be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.(Romans 12.2) This transformation is to influence the whole of our lives: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ... (2 Corinthians 10.4-5)

The Reformed Faith is defined in terms of comprehensive Biblical transformation. It is not semper idem, always the same, static and fixed but semper reformanda, always reforming. The Reformed Faith involves searching out the mind of Christ in Scripture and living out the will of Christ in the world. This is your life if you belong to Christ. This reformation has a threefold relevance which we may state as: (1) Reformation in the Church (2) Reformation of Culture (3) Reformation of Character We consider Reformation in the Church below.

REFORMATION IN THE CHURCH: PRINCIPLES

What governs change determines outcomes. Different outcomes result depending upon whether our principle is modernisation, popularity, pluralism or some other. What should the Christian's principle of reform of the Church be?

I. THE RULING HEAD

The Church has a Head and we speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. ( Ephesians 4.15)

1. The Sole Headship of Christ.

The Sole Headship of Christ is stated absolutely in the Westminster Confession. "There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ." (25.6) Neither Pope nor monarch rules the Church. The King of kings must have his dues.

2. No Ecclesiastical Hierarchy

There is no place for archbishops, hierarchical bishops, or self-exalted presbyters. The Apostle Peter is emphatic about this: The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5.1-5) The situation is perfectly plain. There is one chief Shepherd over all, which is Christ. All others are under Him as under-shepherds and all occupy the same level of authority. Even Peter, as to the permanent order of the Church describes himself as an elder. So far is he from arrogating to himself some exalted position in the Church. An elder or presbyter is an overseer or bishop and these are different descriptions of the same under-shepherds from different perspectives. There is no hierarchy in Scripture.

3. The Elders' Rule is Christ's Rule

Christ the chief Shepherd is in Heaven and no longer upon earth. Here in this world elders must watch over his heritage. Believers are thus commanded to submission to the eldership. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13.17)

II. THE REGULATIVE WORD

1. Submission is to Christ's Authority.

Submission to the elders of the Church should not be viewed as submission to human authority. This is not what the apostle's argued for. No man or clique is to hijack the courts of the Church. This is always a temptation. There will be those who will seek to get their own way and impose their own will. They may be a minority or they may be the majority. The issue is not the proportion of those involved but the fact that they want to impose their human will on the situation and not be bound by the will of Christ. Paul makes clear that it is not an issue of numbers but of faithfulness to Christ. Pastors and elders are to uphold the will of Christ. Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4.1-2) Faithfulness is not guaranteed or secured by majority vote. It necessitates obedience to the Word of Christ.

2. Scripture Comprehensively Regulates Church Practice by Positive Institution

That Scripture comprehensively regulates Church practice by positive institution can be seen by reference to the subject of worship. A comparison of the Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England with the Westminster Confession of Faith illustrates the point. Article XX of the Thirty Nine Articles states that "The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies ... And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything that is contrary to God's Word written ..." This is generally taken to mean that as long as a practice is not forbidden by the Word of God it may be included in worship. The Westminster Shorter Catechism by contrast understands the Second Commandment to exclude all those practices in worship which are not expressly required by God. In answer to the question "What is forbidden in the second commandment?" it states: "The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his word."

3. The Example of Exclusive Psalmody

The Apostle Paul exhorts us to Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3.16) It is often thought that the reference here is to inspired psalms and uninspired hymns and songs but it cannot be proved that Paul is doing other than referring to the 150 inspired Psalms of Scripture which bear titles in the original Hebrew equivalent to the Greek terms used by Paul. These titles can be seen in Authorized Version translation of the Book of Psalms. Psalms 3, 4 and 5 are, for example, called "Psalms". There are 64 others. There are six psalms with the title "Hymn" in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament. Thirty six psalms are called "Songs" and this title is familiar from the "Songs of Degrees" which commence at Psalm 120. Meyer thought the description spiritual applicable to songs as the genus of which psalms and hymns are the species. As Professor John Murray points out with respect to this word spiritual: "If anything should be obvious from the use of the word pneumatikos in the New Testament it is that it has reference to the Holy Spirit and means, in such contexts as the present, 'given by the Spirit'." Meaning "as Meyer points out, 'proceeding from the Holy Spirit, as theopneustos'. In this context the word would mean 'indited by the Spirit' just as in 1 Corinthians 2.13 logois ... pneumatikois are 'words inspired by the Spirit' and 'Taught by the Spirit' (didaktois pneumatos)." In view of this it is obvious that no one can prove that any uninspired materials for singing are referred to here by the apostle. Everything he says points to a reference to the inspired psalter.

III. REFORMING ZEAL

1. The Master's Example

There is no better example of reforming zeal than Christ himself. We read in the Gospel of John that he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said to them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. (John 2.14-17) In his earnest desire for the purity of the worship of God's House the Lord Jesus Christ is a pattern for us. No opposition or persecution should deter us from seeking that all should be done according to God's commandments. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. (1 Peter 2.21)

2. Spiritual Zeal

Spiritual zeal is neither about adaption to the times nor popularity with the people. Christ sought neither and such motivations are unworthy of Christian people. Christ was concerned about doing God's will even though he should be unpopular in consequence. Spiritual zeal is about love for God and what is pleasing to him.

CONCLUSION

It is easy in times of spiritual decline to assume that what we need to do is to adapt our witness and worship to the changing times. We might ask: What do people expect of us? Or what is it that will bring people in to a meeting? These are the wrong set of questions.

The central questions are always: