The Contemporary Church is R – Reductionistic
- 17 December 2023
The Churches, we have seen, are full of pigmy Christians who refuse to grow up! Nowhere is this more apparent than in the (few) Christian bookshops that still exist in the highstreets. [God has most likely removed them for their compromise to significant/meaningful truth!]. The reductionism that characterises contemporary ‘churchianity’ is exemplified by the way the Bible is routinely expounded in weekly sermons. I became frankly tired of how almost every passage was ‘applied’ and given this interpretation: you’re a sinner; trust in Jesus to be Your Saviour!
I want to illustrate what I mean by referencing principled French Huguenots – a despised but intellectually astute group of Protestant believers seeking to enlighten French society with Scripture four hundred and fifty years ago. Great swathes (approx. 20,000) of them were cruelly obliterated in the ‘St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre’ of 1572. Let us briefly unpack one of their great literary achievements: Vindicae Contra Tyrannos (VCT – 1579) a popular tract attributed to Junius Brutus. It’s hard to comprehend the political turmoil of that era. As elsewhere throughout Europe, God’s truth was marching on, and Popish tyranny was being slowly overturned. The prevalent worldview was ‘medieval (humanistic) Christendom’. Few subscribed to post-Enlightenment secular humanism which today underpins western civilisation. VCT addressed the Biblical warrant of standing up to political/religious tyranny.
VCT comprises four questions and furnishes them with Biblically grounded answers.
- Q1. Are subjects required or even obligated to obey Prices, if they command that which is against the Law of God?
- Q2. Is it lawful to resist a Prince who actively (or only passively) resists God’s Word and His Church? By whom, and how far, is it lawful?
- Q3. Is it lawful to resist a Prince who actively (or passively) works to destroy the civil order? To what extent, by whom and how is resistance permitted?
- Q4. Are princes to give aid to the subjects of another Prince, if those people are afflicted because of their Christian faith or oppressed by obvious tyranny?
I want to summarise TWO of the arguments employed in Vindicae and contrast the exposition of referenced passages with how they are dealt with by typical evangelicals today. I hope my reader appreciates my use of sarcasm/satire here!
| Question | Scripture Passage(s) | 16th century Exposition/application by Brutus in Vindicae… | Modern Evangelical exposition |
| 1a | Acts 4:18-20; Hos 5:10,11; Matt 22:17-21 | Ultimate authority resides with God; | Trust in Jesus |
| 1b | Pr 8:15; Dan 2:21; 1Ki 10:9; Is 42:8 | Civil rulers must rule ‘Biblically’ as God’s servants (prefects) | Turn to Jesus |
| 1c | 2Ki 11:17; 1Sam 12:13-15; 1Ki 3:14; 1Sam 15:23 | Covenantal obedience to God is required by both king and subjects | Jesus loves you |
| 1d | Rom 13:1; Is 45:1; Dan 2:37-38 | God in His sovereignty appoints kings and rulers | Jesus died for your sins |
| Question | Scripture Passage(s) | 16th century Exposition/application by Brutus in Vindicae… | Modern Evangelical exposition |
| 1e | 1Ki 18:3-4; Acts 5:29; Rom 13:5; Eph 6:5-8 | In all obligations the divine majesty must always be preferred | Trust in Jesus |
| 2a | Judges 20; Josh 22:10-34; 1Ki 18:19-40; | Faithful covenantal practice in the community should be collaborative, the people heeding Godly ministers | Jesus died for your sins so you can go to heaven |
| 2b | Ez 18:4; Josh 9; 2Sam 21:1-9; 1Chron 21:1 | Princes and subjects are separately accountable to God for their actions | Jesus has forgiven us |
| 2c | Josh 24:15 | Townships should decide separately whether to comply with princes who abolish true religion | Choose Jesus |
| 2d | David’s sojourn in the wilderness escaping Saul; Jonathan’s special alliance with David | May a godly servant withdraw himself from his master’s fury until his heat/anger be past? | Jesus saves |
| 2e | Jn18:11; 1Cor 3:17; Lu 5:37,38 | Private persons have no power nor public command to unsheathe the sword of authority | Heaven will be wonderful |
| 2f | Rom 13:4; Lu 3:14; Acts 10:22; Neh 4 | May Christians legitimately take up arms in for just cause? | Love one another |
So we see that the difference between authentic biblical Christianity and what passes for it in weekly ‘church meetings’ is like chalk and cheese. This REDUCTION is symptomatic of a more general spiritual reductionism we have suffered incrementally over recent decades (centuries?). Let’s try to summarise this:
| Authentic Christianity | REDUCED Contemporary Evangelicalism |
| God & therefore His Word (Scripture) to inform everything we (i) believe and (ii) do | Bible informs ‘my spiritual life’; primary focus is getting me/others prepared for heaven. |
| Since Jesus is King, now reigning & ruling on Mt Zion (Ps 2; Ps 110) the creation mandate (Gen 1:28) may (shall!) now be fulfilled (Matt 28:18) | The Creation is cursed; we must wait for Jesus’ return (which could happen any time!) before God’s enemies are defeated |
| Every human enterprise is to be made subject to God’s Law; all activity is ethical | Knowing God existentially is what really matters; true spirituality is being, not doing |
| God’s covenant is the key to comprehending providence and history; God blesses covenant keepers & curses covenant breakers | Being ‘saved’ is the key to understanding what redemption in Christ is all about. Grace trumps obedience to rules/commandments; personal commitment is the primary focus |
| Self-conscious maturity and sanctification evidenced by greater and greater awareness of the possession of a biblical worldview | Personal ‘spiritual growth’ manifested by ones fidelity and participation in local ‘church’ activities; the (local) church is where the kingdom of God is experienced |
Try this ‘acid test’ of your own local church: do the young people in it spend their time between ‘worship services’ reckoning with how Scripture is to inform ALL human enterprise (Heb 5:12-14)? Or are they busy comparing high scores on social media, etc, etc!
