Recently I received an article from G M Boogert, member of the DGK[i] in The Netherlands, titled “Church pluralism and blindness to first sin.[ii] Br Boogert begins by saying: “Ask any Reformed church member if he or she is opposed to unity of reformed churches and the answer will invariably be “no”. Who would oppose unity? It is the prayer of the Head of the Church Himself! And yet, distressingly, divisions between reformed churches have long existed. Why is that? Although much has been written about this by both young and older theologians, true unity just does not take place. That raises the question: Are we overlooking something?”
One of the things Br Boogert sees as contributing to a lack of understanding of what it means to seek true unity is the decreasing interest young people are taking in church history. In fact, he says, they’re not reading. As one newspaper trumpeted, “Reading crisis among teens requires action by educators”. And we know that the decline in reading is not limited to young people of the world, not to just young people.
That’s not to say they’re not reading. Br Boogert refers to the smart phone and its social media programs. “The fast-paced world of social media often feels a lot more accessible to teens than the slow world of the book.”
Indeed, Br Boogert wonders whether the downturn in reading is not also affecting young, reformed ministers. He points to earlier Bible scholars who were well at home in the writings of their predecessors. For example, Prof. J Kamphuis widely quoted K Schilder who often quoted theologians such as Prof H Bavinck, Augustine and others. Br Boogert sees a contrast between reformed writers of the past, who were able to quote widely from other church history figures, and the seeming ignorance of many younger reformed writers today. He finds that disturbing because the young people are the future of the church.
Implications for church unity
What does all this have to do with church unity? Everything. To be sure, God rules. As Boogert says:
“He maintains His church through Christ. But that does not mean we can be passive. Just as the covenant has two parts, a promise and an obligation, and just as we are called to keep God’s commandments in thankfulness, so God requires us to be well at home in His Word. That Word tells us how to read: reject unholy and senseless fabrications and exercise yourselves in godliness (1 Tim. 4:7). We must read God’s Word and good writings based on it and that are in accordance with it.
But we need to be discerning, for there are writings by theologians who claim to be reformed but are either partly or wholly unreformed: they have an appearance of godliness but have denied its power. Turn away from them also” (2 Tim. 3:5).
That last phrase in this text, “Turn away from them also,” occurs a few more times in the New Testament and, according to the Bible annotations, deals specifically with “persistent heresies” related to Judaism. Yet there is also a warning about the false teacher who may seem less “persistent”, but who can be a danger to the church of Christ. As one commentary has it: they proclaim heresies “covertly”, i.e. “above and against sound doctrine”. So we are warned, for Scriptures speak of many false teachers, not just one.
And this brings us back to the desire for church unity. “Turn away from them too.” It is a sentence that could work against unity, wouldn’t you say? Which in turn is a reason for some not to heed this call for this very reason. After all, they reason, should we not take people who seek unity with us at their word? No, says Boogert, for Scripture itself warns us: “There is no-one righteous, not even one, there is no-one who is wise, there is no-one who seeks God… etc (Rom. 3:10-17). We must read with spiritual discernment.
In seeking unity with other churches we must show that we “fear God”, that we want to submit to Christ, bending our necks under His yoke and serving the edification of the brethren (Art. 28 BCF). You don’t show that submission when you say, e.g., “Oh, they have a slightly different view of the Lord’s Supper, but on the whole it is quite similar to ours.” Then you compromise the second mark of the true church!
Boogert asks: Are we seeking unity in division, or unity in truth? He points, as example, to how we continually smother the differences between the Westminster Standards and the Three Forms of Unity. Why? Because, as it still seems today, most are not willing to remove that “flaw”, those divergencies, once and for all.
True unity is a unity in the truth
Boogert calls readers to compare openly and honestly the Westminster Standards and the Three Forms of Unity in light of the infallible Scriptures. He says there are things in the Westminster Standards that are not taught in the Bible. Think of the Westminster Standards’ view on the church and the covenant.
This is not a matter of claiming “We have a better confession than they do” but of complying with God’s call to “test the spirits”, to fight every deviation from God’s Word in order to remain faithful to God and to give Him the glory.
Says Boogert: If a church sees and recognizes that there are doctrinal errors in their confession, yet will not change it according to God’s Word, then we can only conclude that the desire is not there to give God more honour than themselves. They may accuse you of being sectarian, as the early Christians and apostles were accused of being because they deviated from Old Testament Judaism. So be it; better that than to offend God by compromising His Word.
It does not pass muster to say, “The Westminster Standards have been around for so long and surely the LORD has been uniting churches with different confessions for a long time?” That may be true. Indeed, the LORD has even used the Roman church in the past for His continued church-gathering work. But it did not stop the Lord from using men such as Luther and Calvin to expose the errors therein and bring about a reformation of the church.
It is common to hear different church federations recognise one another as “true churches of Christ, standing on the foundation of the apostles and prophets”, says Boogert. They acknowledge that there are ‘differences’ but say, “They are nevertheless believers, aren’t they?” Thus they embrace the “more or less pure church” concept.
Christ’s command that as a church we are to fight every sin (no matter how small) is thereby diminished. Remember, however, Christ’s threat to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 that He would remove some of His lampstands. How dangerous then this short-sighted view of promoting an artificial unity is. Such “blindness” builds on man’s work and views and elevates the growing membership numbers above doctrinal faithfulness.
To be sure, adds Boogert, Christ’s work is dynamic. He is gathering his people, and we do not see everything He does worldwide. Undoubtedly there are true believers elsewhere, even in the Roman Church. But that is not the point. The point is: We need to heed Christ’s words.
Boogert points to how, in the Netherlands, self-proclaimed reformed churches have united even though some tolerate different views on creation (the Genesis account) or the 4th commandment (day of rest). Such differences have been labelled “non-church” matters. However, those who in wilful pride ignore the double-edged sharpness of Holy Scripture (Heb. 4:12) bring judgement upon themselves. Jesus says: Whoever loves me keeps My commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Submitting to God’s Word reflects true love for God!
Are we overlooking something?
Yes, I am convinced that the most important thing we overlook in seeking unity is that we take little or no account of that first sentence of Christ’s adversary: “Is it really true that God said, You must not eat from all the trees in the garden? (Gen. 3:1). We get a similar sort of questioning, says Boogert, in today’s way of seeking unity: “God did say so and so…. But, come on, not so rigid, not so “narrow” minded… the culture in which Paul lived was different …. Our own time demands a different response …” etc.
But speaking of “narrow”, Scripture teaches us that “narrow” is the gate that leads to life. Some seem to conveniently overlook that, even in churches that not so very long ago broke free from the “synodical church” because of wrongly imposed synodical decisions.
Boogert refers to the Dutch GKV pastor Dr K. Deddens who put it this way: “The strength of the holy catholic church rests in holding not just to one part of the truth, but the whole truth. To emphasise the whole truth does not lead to dead orthodoxy or cold indifference! The power of truth as the church confesses it in her common faith, must be both professed and lived.” [iii] Surely if there is one thing Christ’s Bride is to be concerned about, it is obedience to the Word of the King of kings!
“Thus saith the LORD!” is a phrase oft repeated in the Old Testament. But many prefer to hear what pleases their own hearing and sometimes take others along with them. Also, the word “true church”, or the fact that the true church has an address, is rather exchanged these days for “the catholicity of the church”.
Of course, the true church is most certainly catholic (universal), but we must not give the true church a vague “catholic turn” that allows the clearly identifiable church of Pentecost to be snowed under. For then, says Boogert, the unscriptural notion of the “invisible church” is again given credence.
Boogert sees in many so-called Reformed churches an emphasis on God’s love and a de-emphasis of His justice, his anger over our sins. Many would rather not hear that anymore and conveniently cover everything under the mantle of God’s great mercy. Now, we no longer live under the old dispensation and the law has been fulfilled. But Christ also says that He has not abolished the law.
The method of seeking unity today (even more than in the previous century) has taken on a strong interdenominational character. However, it will prove again and again that increasing numbers is achieved at the cost of true Scriptural unity.
“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:14-16).
Note(s):
[i] De Gereformeerde Kerken with whom the FRCA have contact with a view to establishing sister church relations.
[ii] Since the article is rather long, and a translation of it would not do justice to the Dutch idiomatic expressions, I present a summary of it.
[iii] De kracht van de katholieke kerk by Dr K. Deddens.