Episode 220: Renewing Confessional Commitment in the CRCNA — Our Three Forms Conference Speakers
"The benefit of having written creeds is that it shows integrity because you're showing everybody here's what I believe. Where if your creed is in your heart, it changes on the day, and there's no way to hold someone accountable…The creeds and confessions remind us that the Holy Spirit didn't hop, skip, and jump through history. The Holy Spirit's been faithfully working in the church throughout history." —Jason Ruis
Summary of This Episode
This week on the Messy Reformation is a special episode featuring the final panel discussion from the Our Three Forms Conference. Jason led one of the talks that was featured on Episode 218 as well as taking part in this panel alongside Revs. William Boekestein (Immanuel Fellowship Church (URC), Kalamazoo, MI), C.J. den Dulk (Trinity CRC, Sparta, MI), Lloyd Hemstreet (Coopersville CRC (MI)), Cory Nederveld (Hillcrest CRC, Hudsonville, MI), and Tyler Wagenmaker (Beaverdam CRC (MI)). I’ll share some of the highlights from four of the questions they responded to.
Why do we need creeds and confessions when we have the divinely inspired Word of God?
Tyler offers a great start, “If there wasn’t sin…we wouldn’t have to deal with it so much…A lot of times creeds come about because they’re answering [doctrinal problems] in the church.” He highlights how the formation of a creed or confession is that the church comes together to study God’s word, talk it through, and “address some of these sinful problems of mankind, to tell lies to ourselves, even when the truth is right before us.” William and CJ both speak to how people can say they just need the Bible, and yet what do they really mean. There are still differences that come out, so creeds give guidelines. Jason speaks to rooting oneself in the permanency of creeds as giving integrity, whereas just holding personal beliefs “in the heart” can change from day-to-day.
What does it mean to be a confessionally Reformed believer?
Throughout the answers to this question, the listener hears snippets of our Covenant for Officebearers. Jason emphasizes, “It is someone who wholeheartedly believes the doctrines taught in [the confessions], and has promised to promote and defend them.” CJ points out the Protestant Reformation was a Holy-Spirit-led revival and return to the Bible—those are marks of a confessionally, Reformed believer. A thread throughout the panel that Tyler draws upon here is that of humility. Confessionally Reformed believers are willing to submit to an authority bigger than themselves and conform their beliefs to that. Cory captures it is more humble to submit than just wonder open-endedly.
Does the age of our confessions trouble the ability to accept without reservation?
William leads well, “…The argument using the antiquity of the confessions proves way more than the arguer wants to, because the Bible is way older than the confessions…It doesn’t matter how old the Bible is—if it’s biblical truth, it doesn’t matter how old that truth is.” Lloyd captures that God’s Word has not changed; we’re not to add or take away from it. “If the confessions were written and are faithful to God’s Word 400 years ago, nothing has been added to or taken away from God’s Word.” Nederveld prods what about when it speaks to rejecting certain groups—is that too far? Boekestein points out it is the errors of various groups that are rejected or detested; we can and should disagree with errant positions, though, in a charitable manner.
How do we help our congregations, elders, and deacons grow in their understanding or more robustly Reformed?
Jason emphasizes taking one step at a time or the “a little leaven leavens the whole loaf” approach. If you’re in a congregation and/or council that isn’t do anything, start doing something manageable in a faithful and strategic way. Lloyd agrees–we can’t just leave good resources, in print or online, to collect dust. We need to use them, and he and Tyler emphasize utilizing them in family devotions. CJ gives a charge to elders–to remember how important their calling is and praying for and with their pastors. He also encourages members to find churches who are putting these things into practice or be willing to reach out and ask churches that are to show how they could be used in their own church.