A thread on the UK Lockdown and the theology of church and state, in which I argue that we do not need the permission of the state before we hold church services.
The church and the state hold separate commissions from Christ, to proclaim and apply the gospel and the law respectively.
I wrote about this a couple of years ago, not imagining that we would be in a situation where the state has banned churches from meeting.
wp.me/p7cGbU-2E
wp.me/p7cGbU-2E
Key point: '...the Church does not preach the gospel by permission of the State. We preach it in obedience to the charge of the Lord Jesus ... in no sense whatsoever is the preaching of the gospel subject to the approval of the government.'
This is not to say that we should not have suspended services during the Covid pandemic. I'm not aware of any churches in Britain that have not done so. Nor is it to say that we should resume services right now. The issue is rather, who has the authority to make this decision?
No government has authority to regulate, far less to forbid, the preaching of the gospel and the worship of the Triune God. They may request that the church suspends these things, and the church may willingly agree, out of support for the government and love for the vulnerable.
And this is what the church has done. In considering when to reopen, we must then ask the right question. Not, 'when will the government give us permission?', for the church does not need, and should not ask, for that permission.
It is the commission of Christ, not the permission of the state, which gives the authority to preach the gospel and assemble the church to worship. And we have that already.
So the question is, when should Christ's ministers decide that it is wise and expedient once again to gather the church for worship and the proclamation of Christ, as we are commanded to do?
The important factors are: a) the safety of our congregations and the rest of the world; we must act in love, and rashly to facilitate the spread of a serious disease would be sinful and wrong.
b) respect for the government: we want to seek to support and be of help to those the Lord has placed over us, in their efforts to contain this disease.
c) the honour of Christ: we do not want to bring unnecessary disgrace to the name of Christ, by acting in irresponsible ways.
But these are decisions for the elders of the church to take; not ones which the state is to take for us. Again: We do not preach or worship by permission of the state, but by commission of Christ.
We have no desire to break the law unless it is absolutely necessary. But we must be ready to do so if it is made necessary by the state commanding disobedience to Christ or presuming to arrogate his authority over his church.
Yet we should do all we can to avoid this being necessary. Therefore We should be actively lobbying the government for a change in the current regulations, well before deciding that it is time for civil disobedience.
And the form this should take is: "We are not asking for your permission to meet; we do not need it, and if necessary we will meet without it.
"But we are asking for your support, advice and blessing as we seek to obey God and fulfil our commission from Christ, in deciding how to proclaim and worship the Triune God."
(Thanks to Simon Arscott of All Nations Church Ilford for conversations on this)
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