The Biblical Basis for the Spirituality of the Church
Last week I posted a piece suggesting three principles by
which the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) may respond to the call to
confess racist tendencies in the years leading up to its founding. One of these principles was to carefully
observe the doctrine of the spirituality of the church. I have noticed recent objections to this
principle, including from fellow ministers in the PCA. This surprises me, since the doctrine is plainly
expressed in the Westminster Standards.
It has also surprised me to learn that in recent presbytery meetings of
the PCA motions have been made to form permanent social justice
committees. At least one presbytery also
received a motion for the PCA to publicly call for financial reparations from
white people to African Americans in compensation for the institution of
slavery that existed in America prior to 1865.
These actions would seem to oppose the spirituality of the church.
The Westminster Confession defines the spirituality of the
church in this language:
Synods and councils are to handle, or concern nothing, but
that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs
which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in cases
extraordinary; or, by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be
thereunto required by the civil magistrate.” WCF 31:4
Every officer in the PCA has taken a vow to this
confession and thus to this language.
Therefore, unless an exception has been sought and granted, one might expect
church officers to support this doctrine.
Even more significant is the strong biblical basis for the spirituality
of the church. It turns out that this
doctrine was not invented by racially-insensitive white Christians but by Jesus Christ and his
apostles. One way to see the biblical
teaching is through the proof texts of the Confession.
The first proof text offered is Luke 12:13-14, where a
man came to Jesus asking him to become involved in an inheritance dispute: “Master,
speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus’ answer revealed his priorities: “Man,
who made me a judge or a divider over you?”
Here was a civil justice matter involving important principles, not to
mention the impact on the people involved.
We may presume that Jesus was fully away of the correct solution. But Jesus declined to speak publicly on the matter
because his office was not concerned with civil justice. The logic is that if Jesus declined to “intermeddle
with civil affairs,” this same principle would extend to the officers of his
church.
The second proof text is more familiar. In Jesus’ public trial, Pontius Pilate
demanded to know if Jesus claimed kingship.
Our Lord answered, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were
of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to
the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (Jn. 18:36). Here we have a plain statement from Jesus
about the spirituality of his kingdom: it is not pertaining to the matters of
this world.
A third proof text is Matthew 22:21, Jesus’ famous
declaration, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and
unto God the things that are God’s.”
Here, Jesus acknowledges a secular realm and a spiritual realm, refusing
to intermingle them in the matter of taxation.
Jesus would have known full well that Caesar used taxes unjustly. But he told his hearers to pay them because
that was Caesar’s responsibility and not his.
To these clear proof texts, we may add the fact that in
Philemon, Paul appeals to his reader not on the basis of civil justice but on
the principle of love. Paul did not
issue statements about the institution of slavery but suggested a personal
course of action befitting a Christian.
To be sure, Philemon does not endorse or defend the institution of
slavery (as many 19th century Christians falsely taught). But it does show how the apostle restricted
himself to the spiritual realm pertaining to the kingdom of Christ. This principle is seen in all of the apostle’s
ministry, in which he did not address himself to the profound social injustices
around him but instead preached the gospel and planted churches.
Perhaps most important of all is Jesus’ Great Commission,
where the church receives its mission directly from the Lord: “Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20). Here, the mission of the church – which its
organization and activities should reflect – is evangelism, discipleship, and
church building. This is the great work
of all history to which we are privileged to be called. There is no evident biblical basis for the
church to add other missions, such as social justice, to the commission given
by our Lord himself.
Some might read these materials and conclude that
Christians have no civil duties at all.
But this is mistaken, as Jesus emphasized in Matthew 22:21. Christians have civil duties as citizens. As Christian citizens, our involvement –
including political activity – should reflect the ethics and values of God’s
Word. But the church as the church does not have civil
authority and does not have a warrant, as the Confession says, “to intermeddle
with civil affairs.” When there are
extraordinary cases to which the church will speak, it should restrict itself
to “humble petition,” whereby it declares the express teaching of Scripture,
with its good and necessary consequences, and avoids comment on political
strategies and endeavors. The PCA has
carefully observed this distinction in the past with respect to such vital
matters as abortion and sexual/gender perversion, often refusing at its general
assembly to issue political statements.
We will be blessed to follow this biblical approach in other important civil
matters, including racial strife and purported matters of social injustice.
Jesus commanded the church to “teach [disciples] to
observe all that I have commanded” (Mt. 28:20).
This ought to make Christians model citizens whose public and private
conduct reflects the teaching of God’s Word and the presence of God’s gracious
Spirit. With this in mind, Christians should
be urged to oppose racism and its institutions and exert their influence in the
direction of racial reconciliation. But
the church has a vital spiritual mission, the eternal importance of which
mandates its entire attention and resources.
Our mission, which ought to be reflected in the church’s public
statements and permanent structures, is well stated by the apostle Paul: “We
implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).
