Gaining Clarity On Church & State

Over the past year-plus, I have made several statements to our church about how our leadership views our relationship to the government.

I have often wondered, "Has my view changed over that time?" In reflecting on that question, I realize that it is not so much that my views have changed, but have clarified. Part of God's grace in 2020 has been forcing me to think about church and state relations. Like looking at a blurry image, over the course of the year, the picture has become clearer.

Historically, I have adopted an apolitical posture in the church. I largely avoid political issues (though will speak about abortion, racism, and sexual ethics from a biblical perspective). But I have always been uncomfortable with this. One of our deepest convictions as a church is that the gospel applies to all of life. There is not one square inch of the creation over which Jesus has not said, "It is mine" (Kuyper). How could we leave such an important area of human life (politics) unaddressed by God's truth?

That is why I believe it has been a grace for the Lord to show us, "You can't compartmentalize this area of life." As a result, he has taught us wisdom about how to biblically address questions, specifically around the relationship between the church and the state.

So what are some of the key features of that picture that have emerged a year into COVId? The following four headings correspond chronologically with the statements we have made to the church over the past year. None have change, but each builds on the one before it.

1. Our default is to be law-abiding citizens.

In the beginning of the pandemic, there were many unanswered questions about COVId-19 and Washington state soon entered into shelter-in-place. Worship services were forbidden starting in March. Our first communications as a church went to Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2. Our default is as Christians is to comply with the governing authorities and to encourage civil order. This is right. We didn't meet in our sanctuary for five months. This was a significant trial, but was our desire to be humble, as we have never faced a situation like this before.

But some Christians have wondered, are there exceptions to Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2? Are there times we can disobey the government?

Well most Christians agree (from Acts 5) that when preaching the gospel is forbidden we must disobey the governing authorities. Even more broadly, Acts says we must obey God and not man. So if biblical instruction and the laws of the state conflict, we must follow the Bible.

Biblical instruction about obeying authorities is similar to the Bible's teaching about divorce. Just reading Mark 10:7-12, you might think Jesus never permits divorce. But then reading Matthew 5:32, you'd think there is an exception for infidelity. But then reading 1 Corinthians 7:12-16 you find out that if you are married to an unbeliever and they abandon you, you are free to divorce. And lastly, the apostle makes a note in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, that some women in the church will need to divorce their husbands (possibly because they are in an unsafe situation).

The biblical teaching on divorce is complicated. The default is: don't get divorced. But there are exceptions that Christians must negotiate together in community and in obedience to the full counsel of God. It is the same with obeying the civil magistrate. Our default is compliance, but the biblical teaching is complex.

So as the year went on, our position became more nuanced.

2. We must not be passive regarding the spiritual care of our community.

Our next communication came as we decided to meet in person in August, and then to make space for a variety of conscience issues surrounding masks.

Both of these decisions were born out of the burden that we must not wait for the government to lead us in the spiritual care of our church. God had entrusted that responsibility to us. We must taken an active posture toward spiritual care and spiritual health.

Our elders felt an urgency in the end of July to resume worship in the sanctuary, even if it meant having four services. After a month or so, we were also faced with the dilemma that some people were not attending worship because of the requirement to wear a mask.

This raised the question: what if points 1 and 2 are in conflict? What if spiritual care and compliance with governing authorities are at odds with each other? Well that is the third insight...

3. Governance of worship, theology, conscience, and spiritual health are entrusted to the councils of the church.

Our church is governed by three courts: the local session of elders, the regional presbytery (made up of pastors and churches), and the national General Assembly. The Apostle Paul said that church practice is determined by both the local church and the practice of the body of churches (1 Cor 11:16).

This principle became clear when our governor mandated no singing in our corporate worship services. In making the decision to continue singing, we not only clarified that we must as a church obey God and not man. But even more, clarified that the state does not have jurisdiction over the corporate worship of God almighty. We may voluntarily heed mandates about social distancing and capacity limits, but this is not because the state has authority over our worship. We receive the influence of the state, and obey lawful governance as individual Christians. But governance of Christian conscience and the ordering of worship belong to the counsels of the Church.

The Westminster Confession of Faith puts it this way:

It belongeth to synods and councils, ministerially to determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience; to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of His Church; to receive complaints in cases of maladministration, and authoritatively to determine the same: which decrees and determinations, if consonant to the Word of God, are to be received with, reverence and submission; not only for their agreement with the Word, but also for the power whereby they are made, as being an ordinance of God appointed thereunto in His Word. (WCF 31.2)

This is a strong statement distinguishing the authority of the church and the state. In the modern world, the emphasis has been keeping the church out of the state (e.g. no prayer in state schools). But separation of church and state finds its roots in John Calvin, whose goal was primarily to keep the state out of church governance. The Roman Church had ruled the state. The Lutheran church had been ruled by the state. The Reformed church called each to stay in their own lane.

But should church and state have any influence over each other?

Christians often complain that our worldview is not welcomed in public and political discourse. If the church is to have influence over the state, we must accept the state's influence (not authority) over the church. Just as we don't want the government to be anti-Christian, the church should not be anti-government. Our voice should be given a hearing in the halls of Congress. The governors voice should be given hearing in the session and presbytery.

This tension leads to a final important insight.

4. The church and the kingdoms of this world have been in conflict throughout history.

Church history is filled with conflict between the City of God and the City of Man. This means the church must embrace a dual relationship to the kingdoms of this world:

(1) Don't be the City of Man. The church has to distinguish between the ethics of God's kingdom and the politics of the City of Man. They are very different. We must avoid the temptation of worldiness that comes with American politics and insist that our supreme allegiance is not to a political party but to King Jesus. Pure Christian ethics are rarely reflected in either the cultural Right or Left. We must be shaped by the Word of God and not conform to the ways of the world around us.

(2) Don't ignore the City of Man either. But Jesus kingdom is coming to earth. It is not staying in heaven. And he has been given authority over all things. We cannot simply be apolitical. We must carefully seek the mind of Christ even in the political realm, and this means we cannot ignore the movements of the City of Man. We must engage and confront them with the grace and truth of Jesus.

At the end of such a year, I can truly give thanks to the Lord for growing and maturing us as a church. As hard as it has been, and as many conflicts and disagreements as we have faced, there are things he wanted to teach us. The Lord is building his kingdom. The Lord is pruning the church. The Lord is forming Christ in his people. And so we trust him as we do his mission with wisdom and grace.