https://www.rpcscotland.org/2020/03/24/a-call-to-a-solemn-fast/
So, it is presumptive to believe that COVID-19 is meant to be a judgment, it is even more presumptuous to put words in God's mouth and claim to speak for him!
How would a good RP then pray? As with the RPCNA, the call to public confession tends to be one of sanctimony. The RPCNA called a day of fasting in June 2015:
It shouldn't be surprising that by 2010, the time of the approval of the new RPCNA Directory of Public Worship, the idea of fasting being an authoritarian top-down decision is permanently cemented and the idea of personal fasting for personal reasons is a mere footnote.
The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland calls its members to observe Saturday 28th March as a day of solemn fasting so that we might humble ourselves before the Lord and plead for Him to lift this recent judgement from our land. It is evident that Covid-19 is a pestilence sent from God and we must heed His voice.Not surprisingly, the RP view of God is one of an omnipotent and omniscient abusive father. Why is it when good things happen in the world, it's a result of God's patience and grace (not his blessing, mind you), but when bad things happen God must be personally displeased? We should not ascribe to God what belongs to the enemy!
The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” (Job 2:3)We only know the reason for some plagues in the Bible when the Biblical authors pulled the veil and let us see into the mind of God. When Joseph saved Egypt from seven years of famine, there is no mention of the source of the famine. We know that Satan caused the evil to happen in Job's life, despite Job's righteousness. We don't know why Naomi's husband and sons died - nothing is mentioned.
So, it is presumptive to believe that COVID-19 is meant to be a judgment, it is even more presumptuous to put words in God's mouth and claim to speak for him!
We call on our nation to repent of breaking its historical covenants (National Covenant 1638 and Solemn League and Covenant 1643) which began our apostasy from God and from the achievements of the Reformation; to repent of its disregard for the Law of God to pass heinous laws; to repent of the desecration of the Sabbath Day; of its lack of compassion for the weak and vulnerable, particularly in slaughtering the unborn in the womb; for its abuse of the Biblical institution of marriage; and numerous other grievous sins. Our nation has become a hater of God and an inventor of evil things (Romans 1:30).So, now we know! COVID-19 is God's punishment on the world because Scotland forsook the National Covenant, and thus the rightful state Church of Scotland, the RP church!
How would a good RP then pray? As with the RPCNA, the call to public confession tends to be one of sanctimony. The RPCNA called a day of fasting in June 2015:
The Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC), member of NAPARC and with whom we are developing a relationship, have invited the other member churches of NAPARC to consider joining them in a day of solemn fasting and prayer before the Lord. The reasons motivating this desire are the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming decision regarding marriage, and the Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision allowing euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide. (Minutes of Synod, 2015)At least RPC Scotland calls its members to confess personal sins. The RPCNA is all about fasting and prayer as a show of public condemnation, which is a divergence from their own doctrine, which I think is pretty good.
Religious fasting is an ordinance of God in which the believer voluntarily abstains from food for a season for the purpose of seeking the will of God, strength for service or deeper spirituality. It should be accompanied by meditation, self-examination, humiliation before God, confession of sin, repentance and renewed dedication to a life of obedience. (RP Testimony 21:7)So, fasting is something I, personally, do to strengthen my personal relationship with God, or to seek his will, or to ask for strength to overcome sin. I don't read anywhere in scripture that fasting is some sort of public hunger strike to try and cajole or manipulate God into action. It is not a bunch of Pharisees organizing a rally and abstaining from food so that the obviously unrighteous tax-collectors can get their acts together. Read carefully! It's not a bunch of leaders telling their subordinates to fast. That's why it is so noteworthy when, for example in Nehemiah, so many get together fasting and mourning their own personal sin after the law is read.
It shouldn't be surprising that by 2010, the time of the approval of the new RPCNA Directory of Public Worship, the idea of fasting being an authoritarian top-down decision is permanently cemented and the idea of personal fasting for personal reasons is a mere footnote.
Special days of fasting, humiliation and prayer are particularly appropriate when God’s judgments are evident in the land, or when corporate sin in church or nation provokes the Lord and invites His judgments. It is appropriate that such days be observed in connection with services preparatory to the Lord’s Supper or on days designated by Sessions, Presbyteries, and Synods for this purpose (DPW 4:2)How sanctimonious of the RPCNA/RPC to declare a public fast so that OTHERS can repent. Seriously.
6 comments:
——“””I don't read anywhere in scripture that fasting is some sort of public hunger strike to try and cajole or manipulate God into action. It is not a bunch of Pharisees organizing a rally and abstaining from food so that the obviously unrighteous tax-collectors can get their acts together. Read carefully! It's not a bunch of leaders telling their subordinates to fast. That's why it is so noteworthy when, for example in Nehemiah, so many get together fasting and mourning their own personal sin after the law is read.”””—-
Exactly. Everything, absolutely everything for them is corporate and under their institutional office (elder) control!!
Sanctimonious absolutely hits the nail on the head!
They (meaning NAPARC and RPCNA leaders) merely give pure BS lip service to “The Priesthood of All Believers”. Their functional defacto theology really has no practical out working of “The Priesthood of All Believers.”
I think NAPARC / RPC Scotland have much to repent without having to confess on behalf of their nations. They could repent of their tribalism, their pride, their lack of love and grace. Those things that RP children are steeped in from birth.
If you read their call, you should pick up that RPC Scotland declares no corporate sins. Each member is asked to confess: "In particular we confess our lack of steadfastness and zeal, our lukewarm devotion to God, our worldliness, our omissions, and transgressions." All really subjective and ambiguous sins, and all specifically private sins - between them and God. When it comes to the nation, all particular and unambiguous.
I am reminded of CS Lewis’s essay The Weight of Glory.
“” There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit or do right by. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously—no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.””
You see, these arrogant power tripping control freaks in the RPCNA don’t get a grip on is that the visible institutional church is also in that category of things that will pass away like the gnat. Now as soon as they hear that they will flip their lid declaring...”No, the church is the bride of Christ and will never pass away”
Yes, but that only applies to the spiritual church!! NOT their offices , traditions and power systems! They also are found wanting in the areas mentioned of superiority and presumption. Indeed they may be the most Sanctimonious denomination in existence.
Why? It all stems from their arrogant over realized ecclesiology viewing their power position as more important than scripture upholds. This leads to authoritarianism and Sacerdotalism , which in turn all manner of other heinous and abusive nonsense.
Some of the most dangerous counselors that a person could put themselves under are NAPARC or RPCNA elders.
Makes me think... "They have their reward in full."
Yes! It is so sad that these churches are the last place to turn to for help with real struggles. Yet, we get these elders telling us to let them know if we need anything. Their talk is so cheap. Ärrogant power tripping control freaks"is exactly what they are. It makes their efforts to "help"people simply self-serving.
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