A Brief Defense of the ARP WCF 23
Ben Glaser
I’ve written on the broad subject of Seceder views on civil government in the past and have in this illustrious organ testified to the content differences between the so-called American revisions of the Westminster Confession as held by the OPC/PCA/EPC and their parent denomination and what we confess as Associate Reformed Presbyterians. To come from a slightly different vantage point for my 1782 article this month I want to positively defend our position and witness as to why it is important for all ARP ministers and elders to not only recognize our differences, but confess and teach them as their own.
We have lamented at length at Synod and through individual blog posts that one of the things that troubles us about the current state of the ARP is a lack of identity, a lack of purpose. When we go to plant an ARP church what does that mean and how do we differentiate ourselves from all the other flavors of generic evangelical and reformed denominations out there? Most of our older congregations were gathered because Seceder people wanted a local Seceder church to attend. They moved to the newly opened lands of Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi in groups of Seceders and then established A.R. Presbyterian bodies in those new towns and cities. Part of our interest in developing that identity is recognizing that it’s still good for us to be different. That we have a heritage worth not just saving in a glass case in the library, but making alive through our contemporary preaching and bible teaching. I hope that as we think through this one subject it will provide a chance for us to reconsider other things which have been at the heartbeat of what it means to be ARP.
To reconnect us with the matter at hand here is what our WCF 23 says and what you took a vow to when you were ordained:
Ch. 23, Sect. 3
The civil magistrate may not assume to himself administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; yet, as the gospel revelation lays indispensable obligations upon all classes of peoples who are favored with it, magistrates as such, are bound to execute their respective offices in a subserviency thereunto, administering government on Christan principles, and ruling in the fear of God, according to the directions of his word; as those who shall give an account to the Lord Jesus, whom God has appointed to be judge of the world. Hence magistrates, as such in a Christian country, are bound to promote the Christian religion, as the most valuable interest of their subjects, by all such means as are not inconsistent with civil rights; and do not imply an interference in the policy of the church, which is the free and independent kingdom of the Redeemer, nor an assumption of dominion over conscience.
One of the first things you should note is that neither the original 1646 WCF nor the 1799 ARP WCF are Erastian. That term simply means the State over the Church, like we see in England with the King. Advocating for the civil government to be a nursing mother and foster father is to think of it more like a mutual benefit society. We believe as ARP’s in the doctrine of separation of church and state. The way our WCF testifies to that is that the Church is a spiritual actor preaching the good news of salvation to the lost who alone has at its disposal the keys of the kingdom. No Federal or State action can bring someone into heaven, and no Seceder who taught these things, like Ebenezer Erskine or Alexander Moncrieff, believed that. Even the Erastians didn’t think the civil authorities could make someone a Christian by the sword. To believe as Ch.23.3 does that, “. . . the civil magistrate may not assume to himself administration of the Word and sacraments.” is to reconfirm our understanding of what you may read elsewhere as “Two-Kingdom theology”. Yet what follows after that semi-colon is the heart of the matter.
“. . . yet, as the gospel revelation lays indispensable obligations upon all classes of peoples”
This is an argument from the Fifth Commandment. Honoring your father and mother is explained in our shorter catechism as referencing not just family relations. For refreshing:
Q. 64. What is required in the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.
It is here we see the understanding by which we apply the Bible to the questions surrounding Church and State. Romans 13:3 says that the chief executive is to be a terror to evil and a praise to those who are good. 1 Timothy 1:8 says, “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully” and Francis Turretin in describing the positive benefits of the law of God written on the hearts of men, as described in Romans 2:14-15 says, “. . . is rightly described by common practical notions, or the light and dictation of conscience (which God has engraven by nature upon every individual, to distinguish between virtue and vice, and to know the things to be avoided and the things to be done.” It is just common sense to think that the State should model its laws after what has been revealed by the law-giver, or what our Confession means when it says, “. . . administering government on Christian principles, and ruling in the fear of God, according to the directions of his word.”.
The State is not an amoral being. It will use some standard for truth in order to determine what the right thing is to do in a particular situation. We would never be willing to say that the civil government is free to do whatever it wants. It must draw from some source. Our Founding Fathers in the USA believed to a man that our rights come not from government, nor can they be granted by government. Uniquely our constitution is a document which instead of establishing rule, is meant to restrict it for the protection of the individual citizen. But when they spoke about “inalienable rights” and “natural freedoms” where did those arise? Well, for the most part they thought they were, coming from men like John Locke, just there, natural as to what it means to be a human being. What we say in our ARP Confession of Faith is that these rights and privileges are in fact natural. In that sense we agree with our Founders, however, they are natural only because they come from the one who created all things in accordance with His perfect will.
Our desire to see Christian Magistrates rule according to Christian Principles means that we do confess as a denomination that just as the kings of Israel were to look to the laws written in the books of Moses, and to the body of interpretation provided by the prophets, for wisdom in figuring out what is right and good for a Christian Nation so to should the President of the United States and the Mayor of Rock Hill. Ebenezer Erskine in describing the mediatorial reign of Jesus Christ says, “All the powers of the earth depend on him; ‘By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.’(Prov. 8:5).”. Hence why our confession then states, “. . . as those who shall give an account to the Lord Jesus, whom God has appointed to be judge of the world.”. By what other standard can Jehovah demand obedience than what He has revealed in the two revelations of His blessed truth? (Psalm 19). Even if you have a pagan king the word of God still demands he follow what is right and good. (Rev. 19:19) It is not a confusion of kingdoms or a denial of justification by faith alone or misunderstanding the three types of law or “theonomy” to see that the civil rulers obey the general equity of God’s wisdom in overseeing a nation.
There is a sense in which a Christian Nation is not speaking about the people gathered in that nation. While loads of people on the internet have their own idea about what that means merely their use of it does not stain its use by our Confession of Faith, primarily because we came first. When we read in the above 23.3 that, “Hence magistrates, as such in a Christian country, are bound to promote the Christian religion, as the most valuable interest of their subjects, by all such means as are not inconsistent with civil rights”. We are to understand that what makes a country Christian is not its citizens or their patrilineal heritage, but its willingness to openly recognize the reality that every country is Christian because it belongs to Jesus already. (Ps. 2).
One of our prayers for President Trump and all in authority over us is formulated by the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:2. We should hope that he fulfills the requirements of his office and it would be wise of us as the church to openly seek his obedience, both personally in resting in Christ in his personal salvation, but more so for our purposes that he would rule as the leader of a Christian nation seeking all to rest in the beauty of Christian principles. Why should we do this?
It just depends on how great we want to be. If America wants to be great again then its goal should be to promote the Christian religion above all others for the primary reason that it alone is true and thereby a gallant goal for a people who claim to love the good. (John 14:6). A nation which covenants itself against Christ will be destroyed. A nation which covenants itself for Christ will be blessed. See the shorter catechism question #66 for more:
Q. 66. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is, a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God’s glory, and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment.
The question certainly arises from certain libertarian and Spirituality of the Church circles, “What About the European State Churches? Aren’t they all apostates?”. Well yes, that is actually an argument in favor of the ARP position and against the American revisions. Consider again the heights reached by our forebears and their nations. How did that happen? The Protestant Reformation renewed the covenantal vows and oaths of Christian Kings and Queens and as long as those nations obeyed the social covenants there was joy in Mudville. Yet, when the nations turned against God and to their own power and strength and declared there was no King in Israel, they received, and are receiving, the just reward of their error. It is quite arrogant for us in the United States to look askance at our European brethren and think the same judgment has not come down upon us for our disobedience. We may not have publicly covenanted in the same way, but our Christian nation flounders because our leaders have thumbed their nose at God.
In closing, the words of the prophet Jeremiah are apropos at this point. He says:
“Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.”
What is the solution to what ails us?
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Our Confession of Faith and its understanding of the duties and responsibilities of a civil ruler are a blessing unto us and should be readily embraced by all those who call themselves ARP. It is not only our heritage, but our current identity as those who rest in the shade of Christ the King.
By His Grace,
Rev. Benjamin Glaser
Pastor, Bethany ARP Church