by Pastor Jim Henkel

[Note: In June, 2008, the General Assembly will be considering a replacement of the entire second part of the Constitution, the Book of Order (except for certain provisions relating to ordination and to property), as proposed by a task force. The assembly could pass the recommendations, which would then go to the presbyteries for a vote. If a simple majority approved within 12 months, the replacement would become effective.]

New Wineskins and other confessing/evangelical congregations that are dedicated to remaining in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) should be made aware that a critical concept is missing from the proposed Revised Form of Government.

1.0102 The Fellowship of the Congregation
The polity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) presupposes the fellowship of women and men with their children in covenanted relationship with one another and with God through Jesus Christ. The organization rests upon the fellowship and is not designed to work without trust and love (proposed Revised Form of Government, Report of the Form of Government Task Force to the 218th General Assembly (2008)).

The missing concept is voluntary. The current Form of Government reads: “The law and government of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) presuppose the fellowship of women and men with their children in voluntary covenanted relationship with one another and with God through Jesus Christ. The organization rests upon the fellowship and is not designed to work without trust and love” (G-7.0103, emphasis added).
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Other than substituting the term “polity” for the phrase “law and government,” the omission of “voluntary” is the only change to this text.

Now, I could argue that “law and government” is superior to “polity” because this phrase points to the truth that we are subject to the lawful authority of Scripture and to the government of Christ Jesus as revealed therein; to which the term “polity” provides not a clue. However, the omission of the concept of “voluntary covenanted relationship” is, to my mind, much more glaring than losing the subtleties of sub-text alluded to by the idiom “law and government.”

There are covenanted relationships where, once I become a party to them, I relinquish the right of voluntary affiliation. The bank that holds my auto loan does not expect my compliance with the terms of that loan to be voluntary. Indeed, at the slightest hint of an indication that I have volunteered to be non-compliant (such as missing a payment due date) a representative of the bank is on the phone asking me about the situation. The bank fully understands my participation in the conditions of our covenanted relationship to be compulsory.

When a young man or young woman enters into a covenanted relationship with the Army, he or she is then at the beck and call of the military. This individual may have volunteered for duty; but, having agreed to the covenant, he or she is mandated to serve when and where the Army dictates. This person is party to a compulsory covenanted relationship. Anything that may have been voluntary about entering into the relationship is set aside upon taking the oath of allegiance.

Enlisting in the service of Christ Jesus, bears a correlation to signing on for military duty. I take my oath of allegiance as his disciple and, having done so, I am charged to be obedient to his commands. My Lord and Savior has every expectation that I will do my duty; so much so, that he sends his Holy Spirit to guard my obedience and to gift me for following him. My yielding loyalty flows from and to Jesus Christ and to him alone. Even so, it is never forced. There is no compulsory edge to my relationship with Jesus. It remains voluntary. He will never leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5), but I can walk out on Christ at any point in time. The freedom I have in him leaves me at liberty to go my own way (John 6:66-69).

Following Jesus Christ, walking in the way of him who is The Way (John 14:6), is always my voluntary choice; yet, I cannot choose him for he has chosen me from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). This is the glorious mystery of the Gospel. I am a voluntary follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, his chosen disciple (John 15:16). Having chosen me, he chose to take my sin in his body to the cross where he suffered to death for my salvation (1 Peter 2:24). Knowing this, I choose to serve no other.

By the urging of the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus Christ may lead me into a covenanted relationship with brothers and sisters who share faith in him within the context of a local church and the denomination to which it belongs; but, like my relationship to him, uniting with a local church and its denomination needs always to remain voluntary. The individual freedom to practice obedience to the command of Jesus Christ should never be usurped, either by a local expression of his church or by a denominational polity.

The concept of “voluntary covenanted relationship” distinguishes the church of Jesus Christ from a cult. Unless the voluntary nature of the covenanted relationship of a disciple of Christ Jesus to a local church and to its denomination abides, voluntary compliance to him is in grave danger of being held captive by the congregation and denomination of membership. Trading voluntary obedience to the authority of God’s Word living in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture for mandated compliance with the culturally accepted practice of a denomination and its local affiliates is not an option (The Scotts Confession, Chapter XVIII, Book of Confessions, 3.18).

The members of the body and bride of Christ Jesus are always to remain at liberty to be obedient to him alone (The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter XXII (PCUS)/XX (UPCUSA), paragraph 2, Book of Confessions, 6.109). They are first and foremost volunteers in his service. A primary purpose of the church local and universal is to equip his disciples for this voluntary work of ministry and mission (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Omitting voluntary as a foundational presupposition of the “covenanted relationship” upon which rests the trust and love of fellowship together in the name and for the sake of Christ Jesus is a perilous course. This critical concept should not be lost from the Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 at 12:25 pm and is filed under New Wineskins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.