Confessional Fidelity (within Our Grasp)
When Anna and I became Presbyterians
in 1993 and joined a PCA church in Omaha, NE, I heard lots of calls for a
return to Confessional Fidelity in our denomination. It seems to me that every
year, just before General Assembly (GA), one group or another has conferences
or Pre-GA seminars that claim the denomination is going off the rails, here, or
here, or there. And that we need to get back to the Westminster Confession of
Faith on this topic or that issue. Normally, the conference originators have
specific concerns, and the seminars almost always give substantial food for
thought and are a good time for reflections and “heart-checks”.
For most of us, though, the idea of
steering our denomination by corralling our 89 presbyteries with almost 2,000
churches and 300,000 members, seems daunting, and nearly insurmountable. But there is a place where “Confessional
Fidelity” is doable, and it is much, much closer to home. In fact, it sits in
the same seat with us. As I noted long ago while preaching a Sunday evening series
on Revival and Reformation, there’s an old prayer reported to have been used by
Chinese Christians for years, and it goes like this: “Revive your Church, O
Lord, beginning with me.” Confessional fidelity really begins with each and every
one of us who are members of a PCA church.
First, all PCA church officers have
actually sworn before God that we hold to the Scriptures as the final rule of
faith and life, and to the Confession and catechisms as the system of doctrine
taught in holy Scripture. Therefore, it is useful, as elders and deacons, to periodically
reflect on our vows we made to God, especially in prayer. I usually do this
once a year where I spend time praying over my vows, confessing where I see I
may have fallen short, and asking our Father to show me other areas I need to
tighten up on. This is one place for deacons and elders to begin.
But then, all members in our
churches have also sworn vows before God in other ways. For example, those who
are married have vowed to God, before witnesses, that they will stick with
their spouse through thick and thin, so long as they both shall live. That they
will love and cherish and serve their mate. Those are not vows of
reciprocation, “Lord, I’ll do this as long as she does that.” No, they’re vows
to God that by the grace of God I will do this and that. Period. Renewing and
reviewing our marriage vows in prayer before God is one area where a return to confessional
fidelity begins.
Further, everyone who has joined a
PCA church has also vowed before God and witnesses that they will study and
apply themselves to seek out ways to foster the peace and purity of the church.
That’s a very action-specific promise, and it’s a promise that includes both
peace and purity. There really is no purity without love-aimed peace, and there
can be no genuine peace without relational, lived-out, doctrinal purity. A
return to confessional fidelity includes becoming intentional in encouraging
holiness in ourselves and others, as well as working out how to love one
another as Jesus loved us.
Also, members have sworn to God
that they will support the church in its worship and work. This includes
tithing and giving financially, but it goes further. We have promised that we
will regularly be with our brothers and sisters to adore and hallow the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But also, that we will engage in our
congregation’s mission. As we have the ability, we will volunteer for VBS
and/or the mission trip to Carnegie. That we will make ourselves available to
help in Sunday School, whether as teachers or as “helpers”. That we will let
the deacons know we are on hand any time they need someone to do that service
or provide this assistance or do those repairs. We have promised we will not
sit back and let everyone else do things and we’ll simply be on the sidelines.
Lastly, when we baptize the
covenant children of our church, we as a congregation promise that we will
responsibly assist the parents in growing these children in the nurture of the
Lord. That we are willing to walk with these parents in the journey of raising
Christian children, encouraging them, and being available when they need us to
be a listening ear. But this promise easily includes our being willing to teach
Sunday School, and also step up for the Nursery.
Brothers and sisters, maintaining and strengthening confessional fidelity is within the grasp of each of us, and especially, each of us together. And as we do these things, we will find we have our hands full of that which is in our grasp. “Revive your Church, O Lord, beginning with me.”
Pastor Mike
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