Speech held in a public meeting sponsored by the Liberated Reformed Church at Abbotsford, October 12, 2023
1. What makes you a church of Jesus Christ?
Christ and His church
We believe in Christ as our Savior and the Head of His Church. We also believe a holy catholic Christian Church, the communion of saints. However, we do not believe in the church itself but in Christ. This means we do not place our trust in the church but only in Christ. He gathers His church and He desires us to follow His calling to be gathered. He calls and demands that we assemble at the place where He calls.
The church does not belong to us but to Christ. The purpose of the church is not primarily for our salvation but for the glory of God. That is why it is stated in Lord’s Day 21 of the Heidelberg Catechism: ‘Christ gathers a Church for Himself.’ He is the Builder, He is the Head, He is the Shepherd, and He is the Bridegroom.
Characteristics of the true church
We are called to places where He is truly and spiritually served; in other words: where His Word and Spirit reign. To put it in another way, we are called where the true church meets the scriptural criteria, the marks of the church.
Unfortunately, it is necessary and of utmost importance that we distinguish the true church from other churches that cannot be called the true church. This means that in these other churches, Christ does not gather His church together.
In Article 29 of the Belgic Confession (BC), we are first instructed to discern diligently and very carefully from the Word of God what and where the true church is. There the confession points to the marks of the true church, which include the following:
It practices the pure preaching of the gospel. It maintains the pure administration of the sacraments, as Christ instituted them. It exercises church discipline for correcting and punishing sins.
Our confession then adds:
In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it, and regarding Jesus Christ as the only Head.
Every sincere believer is thus called to conduct this very careful and diligent examination, whether they are a member of the church or not.
Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda
Even the members of a church, which in the past may have been joyfully established as meeting the marks and therefore considered to be the true church of Christ, must continuously examine the church. We will always need to determine anew if the church has remained faithful to God’s Word. Errors can creep in, unsound tolerance may arise. In such cases, warnings need to be sounded. This includes raising objections in the church-orderly way.
Church history teaches us that reformation remains necessary, time and again. Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda: The Reformed church must always be reformed. When it comes to fundamental matters, where the marks are at stake, and objections are rejected, ultimately there must be a separation and liberation in order to continue the true church. In the Netherlands, this happened in 1944 and 2003.
Legitimacy and catholicity
There is another aspect to being the true church: we must also consider other churches. The Head of the church desires unity with all those who truly love God and show it in their church attendance. After all, the church is a holy catholic Christian church. Catholic means being united in truth with a unity with heart and soul. A church is not a true church but a schismatic, illegitimate church if it unjustly separates from an existing true church and then establishes a new church alongside it. According to Article 29 BC, it becomes a sect.
It can also happen that after a rightful separation, a new church is established alongside an existing local true church or true church federation. Whether such a church or church federation exists must be assessed immediately after a separation or liberation. If such a true church indeed exists according to the marks of Article 29 BC, we must join or unite with it. Then we are obedient to Christ and participate in His ongoing dynamic work of gathering His church.
If we establish a church alongside an existing true church, we are also acting in opposition to Christ. This is illegitimate and schismatic. In that case, too, according to Article 29 BC, we are a sect. Instead, we should join an existing church or remain connected to it. This is the reason why members of the liberated reformed churches in the Netherlands, after emigration to Canada in the previous century, were first advised to connect with the existing churches in Canada. When it was found that these churches could not be considered true churches due to deviations in doctrine, the CanRCs (Canadian Reformed Churches) were established.
2. Seeking unity
Unity with other existing churches
In addition to continually examining our own church in light of God’s Word, we must, over time, also look around at other churches and assess whether they can be recognized as churches that are built on the same foundation. If this is the case after investigation and discussions, we should strive for mutual recognition and unification. In doing so, we serve Christ’s work of gathering His church. This work is not static in the sense that everything remains the same all the time, but dynamic. Christ can disrupt existing church institutions and create new ones. For example you can look to the situation in the nineteenth century with the Secession and Doleantie in the Netherlands. Christ’s work is only complete at His return at the Last Day.
A church federation for churches within one country, and foreign sister church relationships for churches abroad
If there are nationally more than one true congregation, we must form a church federation as an implementation of God’s command, as articulated in Article 28 BC. The essential aspect is to demonstrate that we are the body of Christ, deeply and spiritually connected to one another through the Spirit. We should collectively bend our necks under the yoke of Christ and serve each other in brotherly unity as members of the same body. This yoke of Christ demands obedience to His teachings, the edification of His church, and the interaction within His body through the communion of saints.This includes keeping watch over one another and, if necessary, correcting one another through objections. This also involves establishing and maintaining a church federation.
Any form of fellowship with other Christians outside the church federation is not in line with the unity God requires. The church federation itself is part of the yoke of Christ. The communion of saints equals the one holy catholic Christian church as we confess in the Apostles’ Creed. This communion cannot be found outside that one church.
Therefore, we must separate from a church that has ceased to be the true church. This is a divine command that we must not oppose but obey, even if the government opposes it with force or if it results in breaking family or friendship ties. The Lord Jesus is very clear about this. We are not allowed to leave the true church either, as this also contradicts God’s command.
As a consequence, we must also not have fellowship with others without the God-ordained unity. This occurs by establishing an ecclesiastical fellowship with another church in the same area where you both do not fully submit to the yoke of Christ. How can this be reconciled with Ephesians 4:1-16, which contains such an important description of the unity of the church?
In addition to establishing and maintaining a church federation within our own country, we must also strive for sister church relationships with true churches abroad, to the extent possible based on accessibility, language, and culture. This also requires a continual attitude of seeking and assessing.
How to interact with other Christians?
Can we as a church not collaborate at all with non-true churches or church federations? On a personal level, we can come into contact with well meaning Christians. We can speak with them and try to invite them to attend the church. What about cooperation? A distinction must always be made between matters related to synusia (society) and koinonia (communion of saints sharing the Holy Supper). We must realize that other Christians are not automatically our brothers, but we should address them and, when possible, encourage them to obediently follow Christ.
Inviting speakers who do not belong to the true church for church meetings such as conferences for office-bearers is generally undesirable. Office bearers should be reliable and not instructed or educated by unreliable speakers. The same applies to teachers from outside the church in Reformed schools.
Collaboration in the areas of evangelism and mission is excluded as long as there is no union as true churches. This also applies to the participation in consultative bodies such as councils of churches. The membership of such councils obscures the borders of the church and leads to confusion about the true church. This could lead to disobedience to the one Head, Christ, and promote an unscriptural pluriformity of the church. The Lord asks for sincerity and transparency instead of cover-up in these crucial matters.
3. What are the dangers of pluriformity and denominationalism?
Definitions
Pluriformity of the church is the idea that different churches may coexist beside each other while worshipping God in different ways and professing their faith in Him in various forms. Although they are different they are all considered to be churches of Christ. Instead of a black-and-white approach where a church is either a true church or a false church or sect, pluriformity is much more nuanced. Instead it is more about degrees of purity, from more pure to less pure.
Articles 28 and 29 BC clearly teach that it is God’s command to join the true church, and this requires a careful and diligent examination. But the pluriform view obscures this. It becomes more a matter of personal preference. At most, one prefers to become a member of the purest possible church.
The concept of denominationalism has the same intention: there are churches that all consider themselves to be churches of Christ. They mutually recognize each other as such without making the distinction we confess in Article 29 BC about the true church and without achieving the unity required in Articles 27 and 28 BC.
Consequences of pluriformity affecting true unity
This leads to various undesirable and condemnable situations. For example, you might accept another church as a true church, without working towards unity in the truth. Or you might consider the collaboration itself as unity in Christ, while ignoring the required ecclesiastical unity under the yoke of Christ (Article 28 BC).
The necessity to achieve a unity within one church federation then disappears. When two or more church federations can mutually accept each other as true churches, they are obliged to demonstrate that unity by becoming one church federation in that country. However the concept of church pluriformity prevents them from doing so.
How does this align with the command to become one in the body of Christ through mutual recognition? We must view this as disobedience to Christ as the Head of the church.
Consequences of pluriformity regarding the truth
The concept of the pluriformity of the church easily leads to a pluriformity of doctrine with the acceptance of errors. The desire to collaborate may lead to tolerance and concealment of false doctrine. In the Netherlands, this is one of the major factors that have contributed to the decline of the Reformed Churches liberated (the GKv).
Pluriformity also affects the mutual responsibility that a church federation has toward foreign sister churches. It becomes easier to omit the required oversight and correction that may be needed, which would violate the accepted rules. These rules formulate the obligation to help and sharpen each other in living as churches of God in this world, and watching over each other to ensure there are no deviations from the Reformed doctrine, church order, discipline, and liturgy.
Pluriformity makes it acceptable to marry a member of another church. It also undermines God’s prohibition to leave the true church as described in Article 28 BC. Someone who comes under discipline can easily withdraw from the church to go to another one that seems more acceptable.
How does this all align with the marks of the church, which claims to be “rejecting all things contrary” to God’s pure Word? Christ desires a church that is focused on Him, honors Him, obeys Him, holds fast to His truth, and is united in Him and therefore in His truth.
4. Can someone who is a member of another church, partake in the celebration of the Holy Supper? If so, what are the conditions?
For whom is the Holy Supper intended?
The celebration of the Holy Supper is a highly precious event in the church of Christ; it means nothing less than having communion with Christ. He Himself is present at this celebration.
The pure administration of it is one of the marks of the true church. Alongside the pure preaching of the Word of God, it is a means of the Holy Spirit to be used for strengthening our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and our hope in our God and Father. Simultaneously, the Holy Spirit uses this sacrament to strengthen the mutual fellowship among the members of the church as members of one body, the body of Christ in which one Spirit dwells.
For all these reasons, the Lord requires a very careful preparation before we partake in it. We must acknowledge and confess our sins, seek Christ for reconciliation with God, and be sound in doctrine and conduct. This means holding fast to the truth of God’s Word and desiring to live in the forgiveness of our sins. Our Lord therefore requires a very careful manner of admission and celebration.
For this the form for the celebration of the Holy Supper helps us to ensure that we discern the body of Christ. The Scriptures warn of a severe judgment from the Lord if we fail to do so, if instead we partake carelessly. This judgment falls not only on the respective members or guests but also on the elders and even on the entire congregation (see1 Cor. 11:29ff)
Therefore discipline and oversight regarding participation in the Holy Supper must be strictly maintained. For each celebration of the Holy Supper the consistory has to determine who of its members are entitled to partake, and who are not.
Are guests allowed to partake?
The consistory of a sister church within the church federation and of a foreign sister church must officially determine whether a member who wishes to participate elsewhere as a guest, is entitled to do so. Guests who are not members of the church or who are members of a church with which there is no ecclesiastical unity, are not allowed to partake. They are not recognized as members of a true church. They cannot be recognized as belonging to the brothers and sisters of the household of God. Therefore, they cannot partake in the body and blood of Christ.
Guests who are members of a sister church within the church federation or of a foreign sister church can participate, provided they are authorized by their own consistory, just like the local members. This is only possible through an attestation (see Article 61 CO).
How should we assess the situation concerning members of churches that do not have binding to the Reformed confession?
In essence, a church that does not bind its members to the Reformed confession is not a Reformed church. Confessing your faith is not just a matter for the consistory but for the entire church. The church is not formed by the consistory but by the church members (see Article 27 BC). In fact, a lack of binding means that such members are not bound by their church to believe and hold fast to the pure Word of God; they are not bound to reject all things that are contrary to it. This allows for the presence of un-Reformed and, therefore, unscriptural teachings and leads to the living of a self-willed life contrary to God’s second commandment.
Members of Presbyterian churches like the OPC are not bound to the confession of their church. Anglicans, Methodists, members of the Pentecostal movement, Arminians, and Baptists may be given church membership and access to the Lord’s Supper in these Presbyterian churches. Nowadays members of the OPC can also participate in the Lord’s Supper in most CanRCs without an attestation.
Can guests be admitted to the Lord’s Supper who only subscribe to the Apostles’ Creed and say they recognize Jesus as their Savior?
This includes the admission of guests who are not members of the Reformed church, do not subscribe to the Reformed doctrine, and do not have an attestation from their own consistory. In some cases discussions are held with them by the consistory of the receiving church, in other cases they are not.
It is very obvious that this is not only disobedient on all fronts but also extremely dangerous.
These are guests whom you cannot call your brothers and sisters; you are not united with them in the same Spirit with heart and will, through the power of faith (Article 27 BC).
The above-mentioned guests are not bound to the Reformed doctrine to which you as reformed members were bound through your profession of faith. Based on that public profession of faith, you were and are admitted to the Holy Supper as long as you maintain that confession.
In this case, the consistory consciously allows guests which could hold errors in doctrine and thus serve God in their own manner, to partake in the Lord’s Supper. They already engage in self-willed religion by not being members of the true Reformed church, and in addition to that could possibly adhere to errors in doctrine. The Lord’s Supper form specifically mentions it as an “offensive sin” against God’s second commandment and the form admonishes those who do so to abstain from the table of the Lord. It is very shocking if a consistory does not take this seriously when admitting guests from outside the church, even though the form makes it so clear.
Yes, even confessing members of the church can commit the sin of self-willed religion, but not openly, for they are under the oversight and discipline of the consistory. Everyone who wishes to partake must examine themselves for self-willed religion. But how can these guests, who are allowed to hold erroneous beliefs in their own church and are not bound to the Reformed confession, apply self-examination on this basis?
Nevertheless, the form states that they should not partake if they engage in self-willed religion, so that their judgment and condemnation do not become even heavier! In addition, it may be that these guests provide a self-testimony regarding their lives upon request. After all, they do not have an attestation about that with them. However, such a self-testimony is not adequate (see John 5:31).
In short, in these cases of admission, the required fencing of the Lord’s Supper is lacking. If the congregation knowingly accepts this practice of the consistory, they are complicit in the desecration of the Lord’s Supper. This is a very serious matter that cannot be dismissed lightly. Each confessing member shares responsibility for it.
5. What responsibility do we have towards other churches and other believers?
The dynamics of Christ’s church-gathering work
We absolutely have a responsibility towards others outside the church! This is not only a calling for the church as a whole but for all church members, because the gathering of the church is a work of Christ. He wants to reach the full number of His elect. To this end, He engages us as His servants. He equips us with His gifts, His power, and His Spirit. Christ wants, on the way to the Last Day, a church that is faithful to Him in all things. He continues to gather that church through time, adding and excluding. This requires us to examine ourselves, while at the same time we must look out for others.
Our co-gathering
The Lord asks of us to actively approach people, not just unbelievers but also believers, those who are not yet members or those who have strayed away. It should be an expression of our love for our neighbors to want to help others come to faith and to help others find the church of Christ as much as possible. A church can never say of itself that it is the only true church and will remain the only true church. We must continually examine ourselves as a church to ensure that we do not go astray and also to see whether we have become schismatic by not seeking unity with other believers.
It should not be our fault if someone does not want to join the church. Therefore, we should always approach others around us, both churches and church members, seeking and engaging with them. As the Lord continues to gather His church, we must follow Him and be of service to Him in this, in whatever paths He takes. It would be terribly arrogant, and a serious disregard of Christ’s church-gathering work, if we only look at ourselves and do not look around and engage in conversations with others.
Is Christ not especially concerned about the lost sheep? And does He not say Himself:
Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matt. 19:30; 20:16)?
Christ’s command and promise from Matt. 28:19 will apply until His return:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Thank you