When Should the Church Defy the State?

MoralityPolitics

When Should the Church Defy the State?

25 min

MoralityPolitics

When Should the Church Defy the State?

25 min

Episode 449 Show Notes

From the Show

Worship is worship because of the word and the sacraments or the ordinances that Jesus gave to us, not because of the circumstances. Wherever the people of God gather together—it can be a parking lot; it can be in the forest or in the desert or in a cathedral. Where we’re gathered together to hear the preached word, the ministry that Jesus gives to us, we’re gathered for church. That’s worship.

—Adriel Sanchez

Questions in this Episode

1. If I have repented from a sin, does that mean I should never do it again, or if I do, does it mean I didn’t really repent? I ask the Lord for forgiveness and try to not do those sins again, but I do. What am I doing wrong?

2. What does it mean to put my trust in Christ instead of just believing or even admiring the facts about him?

3. I’m in CA and as of today churches are not allowed to have in-person gatherings. My pastor and elder board have decided that we are resuming in church services on May 31 with or without the governor’s approval. I think the church has a responsibility to witness to the community by being law-abiding, even though I live in a community that has been very lightly touched by the coronavirus. My husband thinks that the church has a duty to minister to the spiritual needs of the church body and that supersedes the governer’s edict about in-person gatherings. Could you shed some light on when it is appropriate for the church to defy government edicts? Will my church water down its witness by defying the governor’s rules? Is this a slippery slope?

4. I am wondering about how streaming has affected the church in these times. I haven’t seen a lot of grieving on my part from people. Rather, they try to make streaming something we should be happy about. And I mean I’m not happy about it. When churches are allowed to gather again, however that looks, do you think churches should still make streaming an option or should leaders call for physical gatherings and make that a priority for people who are able to gather and not hindered with physical ailments?

Resources

True vs False Repentance: Whats the Difference? by Adriel Sanchez

Core Christianity: Finding Yourself in God’s Story by Michael Horton

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Michael Horton (Ph.D., Wycliffe Hall, Oxford and Coventry University) is the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California and Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Sola Media.

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