The Church in Crisis.

Churches tend to see themselves as possessing an authority that is higher than the Word of God. Indeed, most major churches see themselves firstly as religious denominations or systems, and only secondly as Christian churches. They admire and relish their power and authority, their position and prestige. They enjoying disobeying the clear command of Christ, and ‘lord it over the flock,’ including Gospel ministers, holding them in a kind of servile fear. This is disguised in very spiritual language as “submission in the Lord to the courts of the Church.” They demand submission to their authority, regardless of whether or not it has Scriptural warrant. They expect ministers to submit conscience, not to the Word of God, but to their dictates, and when the minister refuses to submit conscience to any authority but the Word of God – as his ordination vows require – he is sacked.

The Christian faith is defined in their terms, and at their will and pleasure, and not by the Word of God. So to submit to such “scurrilous authority,” as Calvin describes it, can only be done if “we are prepared willingly and knowingly to deny Christ.” Hence, there is no reason for any thinking person to object that some are prepared to distrust these ecclesiastical authorities.

But why is it that so many ministers will give their agreement either willingly or gladly according to their inclinations, or from ambition, or out of fear, to the ecclesiastical dictators? Because keeping in with the church authorities is more important to them than keeping in with Christ. As Calvin said of the church authorities in his day, “they are so enamoured with their own depraved state, that they cannot bear any reformation,” (Comm. 1st Peter, 1551:222).

Let me give two or three examples of where this is seen. First, when a minister is convinced that there is no place in the public worship of God revealed in Scripture for the modern innovation of the giving of children’s addresses, or indeed in the reformed liturgy of Geneva – where traditional Presbyterianism finds its roots; and when he submits his conscience to no other authority but the Word of God, but is required by Presbytery to violate his conscience, and to break the most solemn holy vow not to do this, he is then introduced to an ecclesiastical process that will lead inevitably to his dismissal.

From a personal perspective, and from painful personal experience which still burns sorely, when I found myself in this situation, not one ministerial colleague was prepared to stand with me or defend me and go against the Presbytery and only one spoke in my favour against the decision of the powerful Judicial Commission of the General Assembly, why? Because those who hung me out to dry had already willingly and knowingly denied Christ. As a result, I have had “to drink the cup of perpetual silence,” (Calvin).

Second, where unregenerate lawyers within the local congregation bring such pressure upon a Gospel minister and upon their Presbytery, to remove Gospel preaching from their congregation, the Presbytery caves in, surrenders to legal blackmail, and accommodates these godless lawyers. Why was this done by Presbytery? Because the elders there – both teaching and ruling – had already denied Christ in their hearts!

Third, examples could be given of the difficulties of ministers who oppose the ordination of women to the eldership being pressurised to say nothing, or to withdraw from services where such unbiblical ordinations take place. Opposition to unbiblical ecumenism by reformed ministers – which is non-existent in today’s decadent church – is met with secret plans to effect their removal from the ministry, and facilitated by evangelical, ‘reformed’ colleagues.

This is where the church in Ireland is at today. There is not one minister known to me who is working for reformation within the churches; they are all content with how things are. Admittedly there are few good ministers in these churches, but none who desire the reformation of the church according to the Word of God. Reformation is a most costly business, too costly for cosy ministers. A blind eye is turned to what they know to be wrong, but they still tolerate it – to save their own bacon, no doubt. No one is prepared to make themselves “slightly obnoxious” for the sake of the truth, or the cause of Christ and the Gospel. And these men still take to themselves the honoured titles of reformed ministers, and evangelical preachers.

A former Presbyterian minister told me today, that in his prayers, he is pleading for God to raise up ‘true men of God’ who will stand in the gap, lift high the standard of truth and righteousness. If and when they come is in God’s sovereign gift; but that they are urgently needed within organised Christendom is undeniable.