Come Down, Lord!

  In a recent letter sent to church leaders across the province (and possibly nation) a minister of the gospel wrote urging essentially more of the same.   He wasn’t calling so much for submission to the government as for churchmen to settle down and get along.  After all, as he put it, “This is a matter about which faithful Christians can differ in some respects” and therefore there is no need - nor is it appropriate - to call one another to repentance.  I disagree.  Actually I couldn’t disagree more!    I was talking with someone the other day about Sabbath keeping .  I have godly brethren who do not observe the Christian Sabbath.  On that point they are wrong, and the way forward is repentance.  It won’t do for us to simply say that on such things Christians disagree.  They certainly do, but the one side is in error and brings dishonour to Jesus Christ.  Actually, I am personally convinced that our persistent desecration of ...

From a sermon to the Westminster Assembly Doctrine : All princes are obliged to govern and rule for the Lord and his honor. 1. So Scripture speaks, it shall be in the last days (Isa. 49:23; Ps. 72:10). 2. Princes are God's standard bearers; they bear his sword by office (Rom. 13:4), and they hold crown and scepter of him , as great Landlord of all powers. 3. In a special manner they are second gods (Ps. 82:6; 2 Chron. 19:12).  All rulers in the act of judging are God's deputies, even though their second calling is to be sent by a King, and t herefore see what judgement God himself would pronounce , if he were on the bench, that same must they decree, except they would make the deputed mouth to belie the mind of the great Lord who sent them.   4. The Lord has entrusted Christian rulers with the most precious thing he has on earth; he has given his bride and spouse to their tutorage and faith. A. Use One.  You are entrusted by God, with an honorable virgin, a King's ...

Today I heard a reformed church elder argue from John Calvin for submission to the magistrate's current restrictions on worship.  Though he was not quoted, we were exhorted to read from Book IV.     Ironically, the following is taken from Book IV of the Institutes: Bold emphases are mine. "But in that obedience which we hold to be due to the commands of rulers, we must always make the exception , nay, must be particularly careful that it is not incompatible with obedience to Him to whose will the wishes of all kings should be subject, to whose majesty their sceptres must bow. And, indeed,  how preposterous were it, in pleasing men, to incur the offence of Him for whose sake you obey men !    The Lord, therefore, is King of kings. When he opens his sacred mouth, he alone is to be heard, instead of all and above all. We are subject to the men who rule over us, but subject only in the Lord .  If they command anything against Him let us not pay the...