Binding of Office-Bearers and Professors/Lecturers
The binding to the confessions is of utmost importance for the church and its members. This binding, which becomes valid after the “yes-word” (affirmation), holds the same value and significance as an oath, since it is spoken “before God and His holy church”, as the forms indicate. Office-bearers and professors/lecturers of theology, in addition to their vow, have the duty to sign a special subscription form in which they bind themselves to the confessions under penalty of suspension.
The reason for this additional binding is that they carry a special responsibility: to uphold the truth, to teach and defend it, and to oppose, refute, and help prevent errors. They are also called to govern the congregation and serve as examples to it. In subscribing to the (Canadian) form, they declare that the “whole doctrine” of the Three Forms of Unity “fully” agrees with the Word of God. In the Netherlands, the form states that this agreement is “in all parts.”
The Canadian Subscription Form (see appendix) requires the subscriber to:
- diligently teach this doctrine,
- faithfully defend this doctrine,
- not contradict this doctrine publicly or privately in teaching or writing,
- reject all errors contrary to this doctrine as expressed in the confessions,
- and promise to oppose, refute, and help prevent such errors.
Failure to fulfill these requirements means that an office-bearer or professor should be suspended from office.
Objection?
Is it possible to raise an objection against a passage from the confessions?
An objection to a word of Scripture is only valid in cases of translation issues. However, because the confessions are human writings, it is in principle possible to object to a text or issue within them. Such an objection requires a profound appeal, called a gravamen, which must be carefully studied and assessed by a synod. A notable example is the removal of a sentence from Article 36 of the Belgic Confession in 1905. This sentence, dealing with the task of the civil government, is still printed in small letters in the Book of Praise.
This example illustrates the presence of theologoumena—doctrines or statements within the confessions that are not explicitly stated in Scripture, but are drawn from it by necessary consequence. These can be subject to differing opinions.
Dr. R.C. Janssen, in his thesis By This Our Subscription (Theologische Universiteit Kampen, 2009), mentions two other examples of theologoumena. The first concerns the phrase “He descended into hell” from the Apostles’ Creed. The explanation in Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 44 interprets this line in a way that not everyone agrees with—though in substance, it is considered Scriptural. The second example is the statement that the union of Christ’s divine and human natures is comparable to the union of body and soul (Athanasian Creed, Article 37). Both examples involve details that do not affect the Scriptural message about Christ’s suffering or the union of His two natures.
Presbyterian Churches*
The issue of active confessional membership is especially relevant in relation to Presbyterian churches such as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia (PCEA), the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Kosin), the Free Church of Scotland, and the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). These churches all adhere to the Westminster Standards as their confessions. However, their office-bearers are not bound to the actual text of these confessions but to a so-called “system of doctrine”—a vague and undefined concept.
Furthermore, none of the members of these churches are bound to their own confession or the mentioned “system.” In other words, these churches do not have a confessional membership: they are not bound to any confession.
At the same time, the Westminster Standards themselves contain doctrines that are questionable or deviate from Scripture. Examples include:
- The idea of two types of covenant: one with the elect and another with believers.
- The distinction between an invisible and a visible church.
If these are not understood as different aspects of the one true church, such teachings can easily lead to pluriformity. This is evident in the church books of the aforementioned churches, which describe various “evangelical churches” as branches of one tree— “more or less pure” churches of Christ.
Another consequence of this pluriformity and the lack of confessional membership is the open (non-closed) celebration of the Lord’s Supper in Presbyterian churches. The Lord’s Supper is not properly fenced and allows non-Reformed individuals who adhere to heresies to participate. Examples include Baptists, Arminians, and Pentecostals—people from churches that have no confession at all, but are nevertheless welcome at their Lord’s table.
An Active, Living Binding
A Reformed church should live in unity with God, and for Reformed members, doctrine and life must be united. Binding to the confessions is not a past event simply required to obtain membership or office. It must be active—through ongoing study of Scripture and the confessions. This includes continuous refreshing and deepening of knowledge and testing, in order to maintain a living, active faith with and for God.
As members, we should remain constantly aware of the oath we have taken before God and His holy church, and the responsibility that comes with it. The continued preaching from the Heidelberg Catechism is valuable, but study of the other confessions should not be neglected. This study can take place within Bible study societies, but it also requires personal engagement.
We must not forget that we continually face temptations and false doctrines in the struggle of faith. Again and again, deformation arises within the church, requiring renewed reformation. We must keep testing the spirits to see whether they are from God. That is why we say: The true church of Christ, which has returned to Scripture, must return again and again: Ecclesia Reformata, Semper Reformanda.
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* See for my comments on the practice of OPC as to confessional membership, doctrine of the church and admission to the Lord’s Supper: https://www.bouwen-en-bewaren.nl/en/?s=truth+justice+foundation+unity
[Appendix]
Form of Subscription to be used in the Local Congregation (Canadian Reformed Churches)
We, the undersigned, ministers of God’s Word, elders, and deacons of the Canadian Reformed Church at _____, do, by our subscription, declare sincerely and in good conscience before the Lord that we heartily believe that the whole doctrine contained in the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort fully agrees with the Word of God.
We promise, therefore, that we will diligently teach this doctrine and faithfully defend it
without contradicting it publicly or privately in teaching or writing.
We also declare that we reject all errors conflicting with the doctrine expressed in these confessions and promise to oppose, refute, and help prevent such errors.
If at any time in the future it should happen that we would disagree with this doctrine or any part of it, we promise that we will not propose, teach, preach, or publish our opinion, either publicly or privately; rather, we will first make this known to the consistory, and, if necessary, to the broader assemblies for judgment.[1] We are willing to submit to their decision; if we refuse, we will by that very fact be suspended from our office.
If at any time the consistory, classis, or regional synod—upon sufficient grounds of suspicion and in order to maintain the unity and purity of the teaching—should decide to require of us a further explanation of our views, we do hereby promise that we are always willing and ready to comply, under the penalty of suspension. However, we reserve the right of appeal if we believe ourselves wronged. During time of the appeal, we will acquiesce in the decision of the consistory, classis, or regional synod.