III. The civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven [e]; yet he has authority, and it is his duty, to take order that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administrated, and observed [f]. For the better effecting whereof, he has power to call synods, to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God [g]
The civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven [e];
[e] 2 Chronicles 26:18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.
With Matthew 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
And Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Ver.29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; Ver.12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Ver.2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Hebrews 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
[f] Isaiah 49:23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Psalm 122:9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.
Ezra 7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Ver.25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. Ver.26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. Ver.27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem: Ver.28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellers, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
Leviticus 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.
Deuteronomy 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. Ver.6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers. Ver.12 If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, etc.
2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
[1 Chronicles 13:1 to the 9th verse;
2 Kings 24:1 to the 26th verse]
2 Chronicles 34:33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 15:12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; Ver.13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
[g] 2 Chronicles 19:8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem. Ver.9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. Ver.10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass. Ver.11 And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.
[2 Chronicles 29-30)
Matthew 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. Ver.5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet.
End of Lesson, Day 113
For Further Study:
CHAP. XXIII. - Of the Civil Magistrate - Commentary by Gordon H. Clark
Chapter XXIII. Of the Civil Magistrate - Exposition by Robert Shaw
Chapter 23: Of the Civil Magistrate - Exposition by A.A. Hodge
A Sermon on Civil Government. JAMES R. WILLSON A.M., Feb. 11, 1821.
Civil Government: An Exposition of Romans 13:1-7. J.R.Wilson
Posts
So, Herod's question to the priests ( to lead Herod to the Christ child, and, then, kill Him ) supports the magistrate's authority to call a synod ( to approve a new hymnal, or whatever )? Can we leave this unchallenged? According to the mind of God? Yes, but does this follow to establish a "Two Kingdoms" defense in the Westminster Confession?
ReplyDeleteOn it's face, there's nothing wrong with what Herod did. It was his secret intentions that were wrong. If the State really wanted to worship Jesus, it would be appropriate to call a "synod" or council to get the needed info.
ReplyDeleteHerod does not publicly promote a "Two Kingdoms" view -- far from it. He admits his duty to obey Jesus. "2K" advocates say the State only has to obey "natural law," not Jesus and the Bible.