Rev. Angus Stewart
Previously we considered “Murmuring, Strife and Contention Against Church Office-Bearers.” Now we turn from the negative to the positive: “Be at Peace With Church Office-Bearers as Much as Possible!” The phrasing of both titles comes from the last paragraph of Belgic Confession 31, which is headed, “The Ministers, Elders, and Deacons”:
Moreover, that this holy ordinance of God may not be violated or slighted, we say that every one ought to esteem the ministers of God’s Word and the elders of the church very highly for their work’s sake, and be at peace with them without murmuring, strife, or contention, as much as possible.
Church Office-Bearers Themselves
Let us suppose that you are “not impressed” by your minister or elder or deacon. In fact, you are tempted to despise him and criticise him to others. What should you do? How should you react?
First, we should heed our Saviour’s sharp word of warning: take the mote out of your own eye before judging others (Matt. 7:1-5)! Similarly, the apostle Paul exhorts us frequently to that humility of mind which honours the brother (e.g., Rom. 12:10; Phil. 2:3).
Second, we need carefully and calmly to evaluate the relative seriousness of the problem. Are the office-bearer’s faults real or imaginary? Are they being viewed accurately or are they being exaggerated? How bad are they? Serious enough for suspension or deposition, or do they not reach that level? Church Order 79-80 gives the principal gross sins justifying the former and outlines the main steps to be taken. However, most concerns regarding church office-bearers in a solid creedal and Reformed church fall (a long way) short of suspension or deposition, and so this part of the article will cover the church member’s proper attitude and behaviour towards an office-bearer whom he or she perceives (rightly or wrongly, fairly or unfairly) as weak.
We must remind ourselves of the basic principles of biblical and Reformed church government, which Belgic Confession 31 calls a “holy ordinance of God.” Jesus Christ, our crucified and exalted Saviour, is the sole head of His church. As the only universal bishop, He calls ministers, elders and deacons as His representatives. He does this through the nomination of qualified men by the council, the election of some by the congregation and their installation into ecclesiastical office (Acts 6; I Tim. 3; Belgic Confession 30-31; Church Order 4, 22, 24). As such, these men “are lawfully called of God’s church, and consequently of God himself,” as the “Form for Ordination of Elders and Deacons” states.
Having established the truth of the lawful call, we must call to mind and obey the Scriptures that concern the believer’s duty towards his church’s office-bearers. Here are some such exhortations:
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves (I Thess. 5:12-13).
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine (I Tim. 5:17).
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you (Heb. 13:17).
The Heidelberg Catechism’s explanation of the fifth commandment is pertinent:
I [must] show all honor, love, and fidelity to my father and mother and all in authority over me [including my church office-bearers], and submit myself to their good instruction and correction with due obedience; and also patiently bear with their weaknesses and infirmities, since it pleases God to govern us by their hand (A. 104).
Notice the key elements from Lord’s Day 39:
- The church office-bearer is “in authority over me” for “it pleases God to govern us by [his] hand.”
- I am called to “show all honor, love, and fidelity to” him and “submit myself to [his] good instruction and correction with due obedience.”
- This includes that I “patiently bear with [his] weaknesses and infirmities.”
It is, therefore, my solemn duty before God, as the Belgic Confession puts it, to “be at peace with [all the church’s office-bearers] without murmuring, strife, or contention, as much as possible.”
Church Office-Bearers’ Decisions
Let us suppose that you do not like a decision of the consistory or session (consisting of the pastor and the elders of an instituted congregation) or the council (a larger body, which also includes the deacons). What should you do?
Often our first impulse is, sadly, to grumble about it to friends and family or anyone who will (foolishly) give us an ear. However, this is not behaving according to Scripture or godliness but acting according to the flesh. Obviously, this is not the calling of a Reformed Christian.
The “Form for Ordination of Elders and Deacons” exhorts us, “receive these men as the servants of God: count the elders that rule well worthy of double honor, give yourselves willingly to their inspection and government.” Its concluding prayer includes this significant request:
Grant also especially thy divine grace to this people, over whom they are placed, that they may willingly submit themselves to the good exhortations of the elders, counting them worthy of honor for their work’s sake; give also unto the rich, liberal hearts towards the poor, and to the poor grateful hearts towards those who help and serve them; to the end that every one acquitting himself of his duty, thy holy name may thereby be magnified, and the kingdom of thy Son Jesus Christ, enlarged …
This should give us pause. Are we really concerned about God’s holy name and the welfare of His church? Or is our opposition to a decision by the church’s leaders merely our sinful flesh masquerading as piety? Or is it a godly concern for truth and righteousness, but with sinful motives also involved?
We need to examine ourselves honestly before God and pray for the renewal of our hearts. Then we should ask the office-bearers respectfully about the issue of concern.
What if we still do not like the decision or are not fully satisfied by their response? Perhaps the issue is not a matter of religious principle, for example, details regarding the church car park or the layout of the congregational bulletin. Such like are properly referred to as adiaphora, things “indifferent,” because they are neither commanded nor forbidden in the God’s Word.
Things become more difficult if the issue is (in perception or in reality) scriptural, doctrinal and creedal. After all, no church is infallible and apostasy is a real possibility for every congregation and denomination (II Tim. 4:3-4).
Then the concerned member should bring the matter to the consistory or council officially and follow Reformed church polity. He must pray earnestly, operate according to holy motives (seeking the glory of God according to His Word) and remain patient, by trusting in the Lord with all his heart.
In his concern for the apostolicity and holiness of the church, the believer must also seek to maintain the church’s unity. Paul writes,
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3).
Why? Upon what is this based? The great missionary theologian continues, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:4-6).
If no resolution to the problem is reached, the matter should be taken to the denomination’s broader assemblies (Acts 15), as the Church Order explains, or help should be sought from sister churches. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (I Cor. 14:40)—this is crucial! When this injunction is not obeyed, the problem becomes much bigger and the protestant and/or the church will suffer.
Even in the high-stakes procedure of ecclesiastical protests or appeals, the “as much as possible” principle still obtains:
Moreover, that this holy ordinance of God may not be violated or slighted, we say that every one ought to esteem the ministers of God’s Word and the elders of the church very highly for their work’s sake, and be at peace with them without murmuring, strife, or contention, as much as possible (Belgic Confession 31).
