It is quite amazing that many 'evangelical' ministers within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland do not seem to have the theological 'bottle' to work for the reform of the church as is required in all reformed churches. In the 1980s, there were numerous controversies over sacramental discipline, and minsters were condemned and criticised and demonised because they stood for what the church into which they had been ordained to the Christian Ministry required of them.
It is difficult to ascertain why this should be the case. Are they being conditioned and adversely influenced by their teachers away from seeking to reform the church and bring her into line more closely with the teaching of the Scriptures; or have they simply come to see the ministry as a 'nice' career in which they will be well looked after provided they keep their noses clean so far as the members are concerned and especially so far as the church authorities are concerned? Do they really believe that their church is now so reformed and evangelical that she no longer needs to be reformed according to the Scriptures? Has the lure of the world gotten hold of them to such an extent that there is now nothing worth fighting over? Has everything become relative?
If anyone has any answers to these questions, then please enter them in the "comments" box at the bottom of this post.
5 comments:
You mention the word "reform" several times in the article, but it is largely undefined.
What sort of reform do you have in mind?
Graham, I think it is well understood what 'reformed' means. Indeed, this blog site is called The reformed faith, and you did not take issue with that. So what's your point?
Hazlett Thanks for your reply.
From your last two blog comments I'm trying to undestand what you mean by "reform", and that is my point
You refer twice "to reform the church and bring her into line more closely with the teaching of the Scriptures"
Do you mean reform of the pastoral ministry? Of church meetings,
Of the current clergy/laity division, or something else?
I'm sure we all agree that the church (irrespective of denomination) needs to come more into line with the teaching of Scripture" constantly.
What I am asking is your view of what needs to be "reformed".
What particular scriptures need to be brought to bear on current practice if any? More detail would be helpful.
Thanks
Graham
To 'reform' is to do what the great Protestant Reformers did when they set about forming the church all over again in line with the teaching and practice of Scripture. It is removing from the church all that disgraces our Lord Jesus Christ, and replacing that with everything that glorifies Him. The clear pattern of how this has been accomplished is seen in the NT, and in the subsequent history of the church as understood within the parameters set down in the Scriptures. It is about not being conformed to that which God despises, and being formed in accordance with what He delights in.
The great Protestant Reformation is the greatest demonstration of what a reformed and reforming ministry can accomplish - under God. To depart from what God has signally blessed may be to depart from God Himself.
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