Choose this day whom you will serve
Commentary by Forrest A. Norman III, The Layman, June 13, 2011
Life is full of choices. We make hundreds of them every day. From the moment we awake until the moment we choose to lie down again, we choose what to think about, what to focus on, what to say, what to do and how to respond to the choices made by others. By our choices we reveal our worldview. We reveal by our choices where our allegiances lie, our priorities, our commitments and our convictions.
The shared convictions of a group are described as its “doctrine.”
For the church, doctrine defines the parameters of right belief, which in turn, reveal the parameters of right behavior. As one’s personal theological construct moves away from adherence to the doctrine and one’s behavior follows, one can be described as having “departed from doctrine.” The Presbyterian Book of Order is based on these concepts and the goal of discipline in the church is to identify error and then seek to restore a person or judicatory to right doctrine in both belief and practice.
As a legal rule, “departure from doctrine” was applied by courts in Scotland and England to decide disputes between competing factions for church property. When a benefactor made a donation to a church, such as funds for a building, the court understood that the donor’s intent was to perpetuate a particular set of beliefs. Denominational identification or ruling political factions had little or nothing to do with who could be said to be the true church at issue – the court awarded property to the group which adhered more closely with the faith practiced by the founders of the church. Thus, doctrine defined the church.
In the current context of the PC(USA), ask yourself: if an impartial court were to decide a case today based on the “departure from doctrine” rule, would the liberal ruling majority prevail, or would a group which upholds to the Bible as the inerrant Word of God and the confessions of the Reformers (which are part of our constitution) as an accurate exposition of the faith prevail? By definition, the party which stands for the principles upon which the denomination was founded would prevail.
In rejecting the concept that the Bible means what it says, the current ruling majority in the PC(USA) has departed from the founding principles of both the PC(USA) and historic Presbyterianism. The passage of Amendment 10A permitting self-avowed unrepentant sinners to be ordained is not the point of departure, but is symptomatic of a departure which already occurred in the minds of the voters. Collectively, the majority of presbyteries are convinced that it is better to evolve with culture than stand on the faith delivered to them by the apostles and passed down through the ages. This is the sincerely held belief system of the majority of ministers and elders who voted for Amendment 10A.
Fresh off a political triumph which redefined the mores of a denomination, advocates of this liberal trend are not going to adopt what they view as an archaic worldview nor are they going to stop seeking further revisions. They will seek to redefine marriage. They will seek to redefine the trinity, demoting the divinity and undermining the historicity of Christ’s bodily resurrection. They will seek to progress from “may” to “must” in terms of gay ordination, same-sex marriage rights and per capita support. They will seek to “retranslate” (i.e. change) and replace the wording of the confessions to bring them into conformity with their preferred proclivities. They will seek to further dilute the existing confessions by adding additional ones.
Sin will remain in the Presbyterian lexicon but only in reference to those who disagree with the fully-inclusive worldview (or, in the words of nFOG, “failure to do so constitutes a rejection of Christ Himself and causes a scandal to the Gospel.”). Do not be deceived, the changes sought will not end with the passage of 10A.
There is little question about what those who advocate a redefinition of the faith will do. The question is what will you do? There are only three available responses: accept, alter or avoid.
Acceptance means that you go along with the changes. An “alter” response indicates that you will fight to reclaim lost ground, restore the standards and renew the denomination. To avoid means one of two things, you stick your proverbial head in the sand or you leave the denomination altogether. Avoidance by ignorance is the “do nothing” response which is in fact silent consent.
How you respond to 10A will communicate a lot about where you stand in terms of the nature of God, sin, the authority of the Scriptures, the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the nature of Christian doctrine. Those who are theologically liberal have clearly articulated their position and shown where they stand. Do you likewise have the courage of your convictions? Are you willing to risk speaking up for the truth?
I urge you to communicate with the elders of your session that you object to the denomination’s departure from doctrine. Then take the additional step of encouraging them to take action as a session. Challenge them to discern together God’s faithful leading for the congregation God has placed under their care. Challenge them to lead in ways that are worthy of the calling of the Gospel.
The Presbyterian Lay Committee has just embarked upon a nationwide campaign to draw Presbyterians in the pews into active decision-making and full
participation in the life of their faith. The Choose This Day moniker is borrowed from the book of Joshua, where the prophet sets out a simple challenge: “Choose this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”[1]
We genuinely believe that the majority of individual Presbyterians still hold fast to the traditional tenets of the faith. But even so, it is not about majority, but about the integrity of the faith itself. Contending for that faith has always been risky. Is it worth the risk to you?
Consider it a blessing to be a believer in these times and in this place. We have the opportunity to stand up for Jesus Christ, to stand up for the faith once delivered, to articulate that we are not ashamed of the gospel and that we are willing to lose everything for the sake of the truth. This is your opportunity to declare where you stand and declare whom alone you will serve. Remember: faith without works is useless.[2]
Show your faith by your works.
The PLC will work to support those who contend for the faith: by laboring alongside those who fight for a renewal of integrity within the PC(USA), and laboring alongside those who are called to separate from a body that has departed from our founding doctrines.
Choose this day whom you will serve. As for the PLC, we will serve the Lord.
[1] “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15).
[2] See James 2: 17 and 2:20.
Forrest A. Norman III is a member of Hudson Presbyterian Church (EPC) in Hudson, Ohio.
He is chairman of the Board of Directors and chief executive officer of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.