THE PURITANS’ NETWORK

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GUIDELINES TOWARDS REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION IN THE CIVIL REALM by J. Parnell McCarter

 

God has endowed the visible church in its church officers to speak with a certain authority on Biblical doctrinal matters that are lacking in other bodies and private individuals, which is why He calls the church “the pillar and ground of truth”(I Timothy 3:15).  This includes on doctrine relating to civil government, which is why the reformed confessional standards (Belgic, Westminster, Helvetic, etc.) have chapters relating to the civil magistracy.  Political leaders, candidates and voters need to know God’s will regarding civil government in order to make proper decisions.  This need is especially true in America, where a majority still in some sense profess Christianity, but where there is widespread declension since the founding of New England, New Netherlands, etc. here in North America.

In addition, the church needs to protect itself against false allegations.  Although it is believed sodomy and so called “gay marriage” are wrong, that does not mean it is believed that individual Christians should take the law into their own hands and try to stop it in that way.

The Belgic Confession and the Westminster Confession, as received and subscribed by the reformed churches in the Netherlands and Scotland respectively in the 17th century, accurately describe the Biblical doctrine on civil government.  These standards especially address such doctrine in Article 36 of the Belgic Confession and Chapter 23 of the Westminster Confession.  They provide the guidelines towards repentance and reformation in the civil realm.  We ought to study them, and then seek to implement them in practice, that Christ's kingdom might come.