The Declaration of Faith concerning Church and Nation - Section 11

A Brief Commentary on
The Declaration of Faith concerning Church and Nation
A Theological Statement of The Presbyterian Church in Canada

Section 11: Reformation by the Word of God
During the present age, while the Reign of Christ is not yet openly disclosed nor perfectly acknowledged, human beings are beset by sin in every private and public relation. Our existence in this world is continually threatened by anxiety, covetousness, imperfect justice, and proneness to corruption. The Civil State and the Church are constantly in need of reformation by the Word of God. Wherefore it behooves all civil and ecclesiastical persons to seek the grace of Christ without which they cannot rightly know or do Christ’s will.

Commentary:
The section paints the human predicament in stark terms. The Reign of Christ is already here but not yet fully revealed. That Christ is Head over all things, including all human powers is certain, that is the truth that governs all things. But Christ’s Reign is neither fully seen nor is it acknowledged by many in the world. This latter point is significant for it points to the willingness of human beings to believe they themselves are the “captains of their lives” and “no one is the boss of me.” As human beings, both inside and outside the church, are unwilling to both acknowledge and be ruled by the Reign of Christ, sin impacts every relationship, every connection, both private and public. As Paul cries out, “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15)

In the present moment, as is true of every moment in human history, the examples the Declaration provides of sin’s impact are evident. Anxiety rules the present day in many ways, being particularly evident in the lives of young adults, but wearingly toxic in the lives of people from every generation. Covetousness leads to privileging self over others and prioritizing money over people. The cries that justice is unjust and that fairness and equity are words spoken but never realized is all too common. Corruption is present at all levels of society, being so common that those engaged it often fail to see what they are doing as corrupt.

Thus, it is no surprise that both State and Church are imperfect, for they are made up of human beings who are sinners, and all interactions between them are fraught. Both Church and State are in constant need of reform by the Word of God. The Word of God is the Bible which bears witness to Jesus Christ, the Bible as the written witness to Jesus Christ is the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct for Christians and for all human beings. Through the action of the Holy Spirit the preached word resting on the Bible is the Word of God to a particular people in a particular place. The preached word is only the Word of God in that moment as it is consistent with Christ the Living Word and the Bible the written Word. The constant reformation of Church and State is to bring each to know and live out the will of Jesus Christ as witnessed to in the Bible.

Both Church and State are called to humility as they seek to understand what they are called to be and to do. In seeking to understand, they need to stand under the guidance and grace of Jesus Christ. Not above Christ’s guidance and grace as to evaluate Christ’s call, but under the guidance and grace of Christ, being in humility before Christ. Only when in a posture of humility is it possible to “rightly know or do Christ’s will.”