Come Down, Lord!

  I don't know Ian Clary personally, nor am I familiar with his ministry.  I have heard his name come up in recent months because of his efforts to defend - and call for - Christian compliance.  By “Christian compliance” I am referring to the attitude and response of the Church toward covid restrictions and related state regulations.      Until the other day I saw no reason to respond.   But that was before he publicly accused Jacob Reaume of Donatism.     First some context .   Ian Clary had shared an article titled, The Anti-Vax Crusaders .  The article was mostly about Henry Hildebrandt and the Church of God in Aylmer.  When he posted the article Clary added these words: “ Sadly, this story isn't surprising. What has surprised me over the past year or so is that a number of Christian leaders in Canada that I know quite well have found common cause with this guy. Politics trumps orthodoxy it seems.”...

  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 ...

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...

  "Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion."   Yes, indeed it does. Praise waits for Him.  The Lord's Day is coming!  And oh how eagerly we anticipate the opportunity to gather with the saints and to lift up your voices in praise, in wonder, in thanksgiving, in love and joyful song.  Is He not worthy? What is the cry of every child of God?  What is our answer? Yes!   With   all   our hearts, with   all   our being,   yes !! He is worthy . Did He bleed for us? Did He suffer for us?  Ah, more than that, was this for   me ??  That I  - worm as I am - might appear with Him in glory??  And shall I not sing? Shall I not join with the angels and saints in their songs to Him who was slain?   What a question! There is no need to deliberate, no need to consult with kings and kingdoms. No , we know what our King deserves.  And we love Him.  Oh, He is our beloved.  He is that Friend ...