More on Lloyd-Jones and 'Secondary Separation'

Further to my earlier post on this subject, here, Peter Masters weighs in to the debate, here, pinching one of my quotes by the looks. But for a more considered view, see Stephen Clark's piece, Serving God in his Church in our Generation. As his masterly analysis shows, 'The Doctor's' position on separation was more nuanced and sophisticated than both some of his supporters and detractors have claimed. I don't much like just posting a bunch of links rather than writing something myself, as it's a bit lazy and not 'proper blogging'. But I've not got much more to say on the matter other than to commend Stephen Clark's excellent piece of work. So, a brace of links it is. 

Together for the Gospel? (1)

Last Saturday I headed to the Land of My Fathers with one of our deacons for the Evangelical Movement of Wales' Church Leaders’ Day. The conference was entitled Together for the Gospel? The programme included two keynote addresses and a wide variety of seminars. To kick of my report on proceedings here is  a flavour of Stephen Clark's address on United Churches for the Gospel? 

The speaker bemoaned our tendency to define ourselves by our distinctives not the gospel. He shared something of what has been happening in Bridgend, where he is Minister of Freeschool Court Evangelical Church. The woman who anointed the head of our Lord was commended by Jesus because she did what she could. Similarly, the situation with regard to evangelical church unity in Bridgend may not be perfect, but the churches have done what they could to unite together for the gospel. The town of 150,000 people has seven gospel churches, all affiliated to Affinity. Together they have held missions and organised special events such as a Bible ministry weekend, pastors meetings, pulpit exchanges, school assembly coordination, resource sharing etc. The churches are FIEC, Apostolic, Gospel Hall, Charismatic, Independent, Independent Baptist, and Freeschool Court, which is Reformed in its basis of faith. All these churches hold to an agreed statement on ecumenism.

Clark spelt out the biblical teaching that justifies inter-church fellowship between evangelical congregations that may not agree on certain distinctive beliefs and practices. If we were around in the 1^st century, would our churches have remained in fellowship with the church at Corinth? That church was far from perfect, but still a true church, 1 Corinthians 1:2. In  Matthew 25 Christ’s sheep are separated from the goats because of what the sheep did for the least of his disciples. We must love all of God’s the elect people, even Arminians. If we believe God only blesses Calvinists we are in effect Arminians ourselves.  

We are not same situation as the New Testament. Now there are various churches in an area. A distinction must be made between primary and secondary truths, 1 Corinthians 3:11, 15:1-4, John 3 - the new birth, Matthew 28 – the Trinity, 2 Timothy 3:16 - the authority of Scripture, Galatians 1 – justification by faith alone. We cannot have fellowship with those who deny the gospel, 2 John 10. The exclusivism of the gospel maintained so that the inclusivism may be maintained. All may be saved, but only through Christ. The evangelical fellowship of churches in Bridgend are not part of Churches Together. Cultural preferences cannot affect fellowship. We must not add to the gospel.  

Some theological principles also need to be taken into consideration. We must proclaim whole counsel of God and maintain unity with the people of God. The Bible reveals a hierarchy of principles 2 Chronicles 30 and Leviticus 10 are cases in point. It would be ideal if all evangelical churches were also Reformed, but that is not the case. The principle of gospel unity must override differences on doctrinal distinctives that are not essential to the faith.

Historical examples of evangelical unity were given. George Whitefield had a high regard for John and Charles Wesley. Note also C. H. Spurgeon on John Wesley:

You know, brethren, that there is no soul living who holds more firmly to the doctrines of grace than I do, and if any man asks me whether I am ashamed to be called a Calvinist, I answer, I wish to be called nothing but a Christian; but if you ask me, do I hold the doctrinal views which were held by John Calvin, I reply, I do in the main hold them, and rejoice to avow it. But, my dear friends, far be it from me even to imagine that Zion contains none within her walls but Calvinistic Christians, or that there are none saved who do not hold our views. Most atrocious things have been spoken about the character and spiritual condition of John Wesley, the modern prince of Arminians. I can only say concerning him, that while I detest many of the doctrines which he preached, yet for the man himself, I have a reverence second to no Wesleyan; and if there were wanted two apostles to be added to the number of the twelve, I do not believe that there could be found two men more fit to be so added than George Whitfield and John Wesley. The character of John Wesley stands beyond all imputation for self-sacrifice, zeal, holiness, and communion with God; he lived far above the ordinary level of common Christians, and was one of whom the world was not worthy. I believe there are multitudes of men who cannot see these truths, or, at least, cannot see them in the way in which we put them, who nevertheless have received Christ into their hearts, and are as dear to the heart of the God of grace as the soundest Calvinist out of heaven.

Is the Evangelical Movement of Wales really a “movement” that is going somewhere, or is it stuck? Separation from error is still important, but Ruth Palgrave’s booklet on Affinity, They Have Forgotten is a case of “monstrous special pleading” to which Clark plans to respond with a booklet of his own.

Evangelical churches should work together for conversions, mutual  challenge and fellowship, Psalm 133. 

I pretty much agree with the principles, but I'm not sure how exactly Clark's model would work in a small town like Westbury, where we are the only church not in Churches Together. We are members of the FIEC. That involves us in a wider evangelical grouping. We also meet with the local Grace Baptist fellowship of churches, where there would be more agreement on theological distinctives. Under the FIEC banner seven local churches meet in a 'cluster group' in order to deepen fellowship and encourage each other in mission. There is some variety of theological emphasis and differing approaches to Sunday worship in the churches, but we don't allow such matters to get in the way of our partnership in the gospel. Several local Grace and FIEC churches have been doing open air preaching work together. Maybe that's the way ahead for an area like our own with several small towns and villages rather than in a large-ish town situation like Bridgend. We can be 'United Churches for the Gospel' on an inter-town and village basis. 

By schisms rent assunder

It seems to me that Reformed evangelicalism is becoming increasingly fragmented. We have rightly emphasised the importance of separating from gospel-denying error. But have we attached the same value to church unity? Many in our constituency would probably agree with Martyn Lloyd-Jones' call for separation from error in the 1960's. But we seem to have forgotten that his main concern was not separation, but unity. Indeed, he began his famous 1966 address [see here & here] by saying, "My subject is church unity". In his message he dealt with the sin of schism, which he defined like this, "It is division among people who are agreed about the essentials and the centralities, but who separate over secondary and less important matters." (Both quotes from Knowing the Times, Banner of Truth Trust, 1989, p. 246 & 253).

We are living in the wake of the recovery of Reformed doctrine in the 1960's and 70's. We should thank God that many churches now hold to the doctrines of sovereign grace. Those in the Reformed movement have a great common heritage, but cracks are appearing in the edifice of evangelical Calvinism in the UK. Partly lines are being defined more sharply. For example, some traditionalists with their love for the AV and older hymns have virtually equated their traditions with faithfulness to the gospel. Meanwhile progressives may have been too ready to embrace change for change's sake, needlessly alienating their more conservative brethren. Local fellowships are dividing over such matters, with break-off groups weakening the witness of the churches.

What are we to do about this?

1. We need to distinguish between essential gospel truth and secondary issues

Many of the points of dispute outlined above divide believers who are as one on gospel basics. Such friends may even be agreed on Reformed theology. Does it specify in any of the great Reformed Confessions which Bible translation or hymn book we should use? Is it right to divide churches on matters are not even covered by Reformed confessional theology? Where there are honest disagreements over matters like church government and Baptism, such issues should not be allowed to drive a wedge between churches. Our unity is based on the gospel not on uniformity in secondary matters. Brian Edwards makes a helpful distinction between "essential truth" that is vital for salvation, "significant truth" covering matters like church government and baptism and "phantom truth". He defines "phantom truth" like this,

"Those many things that are so very important to me and for which I can so easily make a big issue, but in reality they are simply part of my culture, tradition or personal preference and have little or nothing to do with the Bible. Evangelical churches normally argue and divide over phantom truths (which are not really truths at all) and rarely over vital or even significant truths. In other words, we make a big issue about issues in reverse order to their true significance." (See this interview with Brian Edwards).

I think that there is a lot of sense in those words.

2. We need to cherish Christian liberty

As children of the Reformation, we admire our forefathers who stood for the liberty of the gospel in the face of the spiritual tyranny of Roman Catholicism. We cheer the Puritans for refusing to submit to the Anglican Act of Uniformity. Should not we of all people recognise that other believers are free to come to different conclusions to ourselves about adiaphora or things indifferent? Take the increasingly contentious issue of education. As far as I'm concerned it is up to Christian parents to decide how best to educate their children. Ours attend State schools. But if other parents decide to send their children to a fee paying Christian school or to home school, that's up to them. It is wrong to suggest that there is only one principled option for Christian families. What right to we have to judge our fellow Christian "worldly" for singing contemporary hymns, drinking alcohol in moderation and such like? No one seems to know who said it first, but there is wisdom in the old dictum, "In things essential, unity; in doubtful, liberty; in all things, charity."

3. We need to cultivate spiritual maturity

Paul pinpointed spiritual immaturity as a factor in the fractious Corinthian church,

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?" (1 Corinthians 3:1).

The fractiousness of the Reformed scene does not say a lot for our spiritual maturity. We need to work on cultivating the mind of Christ so that we esteem others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2). Yet we are often immature and censorious. Some are sadly too quick to leave churches when they don't get their way rather than staying to work things through. But does not love cover a multitude of sins? One of the Proverbs tells us, "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression." (19:11). No church is perfect and it takes grace, wisdom, patience and faithfulness to be involved in any fellowship for the long haul. The same principles apply when it comes to expressing unity between gospel churches.

I rejoice that Evangelical and Reformed unity, although fragile, still does exist in the UK. It finds expression in various Minister's conferences and at the grassroots level. It is great that many churches are working harmoniously together for the spread of the gospel. But we dare not ignore the cracks.