New Warhorn Media post by Aaron Prelock:
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Although I’ve not yet read the original of this particular post, there seems to be nothing cited that would be any slightest shock, let alone elicit disagreement, among biblical Christians today or yesterday. It’s not that anyone disagrees with the reformers’ calls to civil and church authorities to work together in such ways for such ends. It’s that no one does it. Not the civil authorities and not the.church authorities. Just as all across the Old Testament and at the time of Christ. Love
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I think Bullinger’s practical sensibility regarding the source of good laws differs pretty substantially from some branches of Theonomy.
How much of your concern stems from the fact that most pastors have little to no influence over anyone with power when it comes to politics?
Or am I missing the point of your comment?
Theonomists have never governed, and I think there’s a reason. Theonomy is interested in proclaiming its moral fastidiousness and gathering admirers of the same. Imagine the shambles that would result from, by fiat, placing one of these men in the governor’s office. Or even in the pastor’s office.
Perfectionism is never helpful. It serves itself.
The Reformers loved God’s Law, and they honored and almost always submitted to their civil authorities. They weren’t interested in marketing their personal superiority and gathering sycophants. Their life commitment was to love and protect the sheep of God, and to get into all the muck that necessitated.
Concerning your second question, I’d phrase it a little differently. Pastors have tons of civil authorities in their flocks, but since their highest goal is to please the ewes by being nice (meaning avoiding God’s “no” and the conflict that always brings), they abdicate the authority God has delegated to them over those civil authorities. The lack of influence is their carefully chosen abdication. (And remember, we’re talking about among the people of God within the church.)
They’d agree with Bullinger’s words and turn right around and do the opposite.
The issue with any nation diving into the sea of moral degradation, murder, greed, and pride is the absence of Christian salt and light pervasive across America for many decades now, and this in turn is the fruit of the death of preaching and pastoral care. Entrepreneurial senior pastors and church planters always seek, and then implement, a sinecure. Inevitably then, the church dies, followed by the village, city, state, and nation, also. Love
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So helpful. I’ve spent years learning this lesson the hard way.
Convicting reminder. Thank you.
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