Episode 244: The Church's Spiritual Power—Jason Ruis

“Because of [Christ] there radiates from everyone who believes in him a renewing and sanctifying influence upon the family, society, state, occupation, business, art, science, and so forth. The spiritual life is meant to refashion the natural and moral life in its full depth and scope according to the laws of God. Along this organic path Christian truth and the Christian life are introduced into all the circles of the natural life, so that life in the household and the extended family is restored to honor, the wife (woman) is again viewed as the equal of the husband (man), the sciences and arts are Christianized, the level of the moral life is elevated, society and state are reformed, laws and institutions, morals and customs are made Christian.” —Herman Bavinck

Manuscript of This Episode

Who has authority and power in the church? Does the pastor have authority and power in the church? Do the elders have power and authority in the church? Does the full council have authority and power in the church? Or, how about, what some have called the “coffee shop council”—those who unofficially make decisions in the church—do they have authority and power in the church? Does Synod have authority and power in the church? The answer to all of them, ultimately, is “No.” Bavinck reminds us that, “Christ alone has authority in the churches and its various assemblies.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.434). Christ is the one who has power and authority in the church.

That’s a significant reminder for all of us. I think it puts us in our proper place as we seek to be leaders in the church. We don’t have power and authority. Christ does. Don’t every forget that.

Bavinck works out the details of that a little further by saying, “Since Christ is the only head of the church, only the Word of God can and may rule in the church…” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.408). Christ rules and reigns over the church through his authoritative Word. That’s why this is so significant for us to remember. The only power and authority in the church comes through the Word of God. You have no power apart from the Word of God. So, the moment you step away from the Word of God and begin to rely simply on your own opinions and preferences, is the very moment you have stepped away from the only power and authority that has been given to the church.

We don’t believe that Christ passed down delegated authority to the church. We don’t believe that Christ delegated his authority to Peter, which as delegated to another, which has been passed down to other authorities and powers in the church. Christ has not delegated his power and authority to you. That’s a catholic doctrine and teaching. Rather, Christ has given you his word. That’s the authority and power you have. Bavinck says, “To the extent that Christ, in the exercise of this power, employs instruments, these are not autonomous, independent, sovereign, but bound to him, that is, to his Word.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.408). So, Christ does use instruments to exercise his power—you as a pastor or officebearer in the church are one of those intruments—however, you are bound to him, which means you are bound to his Word. That means that everything you say and do is bound to his Word. The closer you are to his Word, the more power and authority there is. The further you move away from his Word, the less power and authority there is.

This means that the power and authority in the church—that comes only through the Word of God—is very different from power and authority in the world. The power and authority in the church is not a coercive and dominating power. Bavinck says, “Every office in the church of Christ is a ministry (διακονια, diakonia), without legislative, judiciary, and executive power of its own but able only to administer the things contained and implied in the word of Christ.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.408). We don’t have power in and of ourselves, we simply administer the things that come from the word of Christ. We are stewards/servants of the Word of Christ. Bavinck continues to point out that since we are given a ministry, that also means we do not have any authoritarian or sovereign rule. He reminds us that “Ecclesiastical power differs in kind from all political power.” (Reformed Dogmatics 4.415).

I’ll also add to this that all of this also flies in the face of one common understanding of the pastor today—the pastor as CEO. In the business world, the CEO has a lot of power over the organization. They set to tone for the organization. They hire and fire people. They decide what to do and what not to do. In many ways, the CEO has authoritarian and sovereign rule over the organization. That is not the role of the pastor. You are not a CEO—you are a minister. You are a steward of the Word of Christ given to his people. You don’t get to decide what the church does and doesn’t do—the Word of Christ does. You don’t get to hire and fire who is a member of your church—the Word of Christ does. You don’t even get to set the tone of your church—the Word of Christ does. You are not a CEO. You are a minister—and that applies to all officebearers in the church.

Bavinck reminds us that “The power of the church is spiritual…works and can only work in a spiritual and moral manner, not with coercion and penalties in money, goods, or life, but by conviction, faith, good will, freedom, and love, and hence only with spiritual weapons.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.415). This is the important reminder that the church has been given a different sword than the govevernment. We do not have the power of the physical sword—to use physical force and coercion to get our way. Rather, we’ve been given “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” (Ephesians 6:17, ESV). This sword is to be used differently.

Bavinck gives us three kinds of spiritual power that are identified in the church. He talks about the power to teach (which connects with the prophetic office), the power to govern (which connects with the kingly office),and the power or ministry of mercy (which connects with the priestly office). For each of these kinds of spiritual power, Bavinck reminds us that Christ is directly overseeing each aspect right now. He is currently teaching the church as our True Prophet through his Word and Spirit. He is currently ruling and reigning over the church as a king from heaven. He is also currently our great high priest in heaven on our behalf. Yet, Bavinck also points out how Christ “regularly employs people as his organs, not only office-bearers in the strict sense, but all believers, every one of them according to the grace given to them.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.418).

I find that to be a helpful reminder across the board. First, it’s a reminder that all Christians share in Christ and his annointing, which means all Christians are called to be prophets, priests, and kings in the world. All Christians are to use the spiritual teaching power, the spiritual governing power, and the spiritual power of mercy in the world as we live our our faith and callings. The church was never designed to simply sit back and look to the officebearers to carry out this calling in the world. Christ is at work in the Body of Christ. I appreciate the way he describes the spiritual teaching power: “Christ is active in teaching through parents in the home, through the teacher at school, through the presbyter at the time of home visitation, and through all believers in their mutual contacts and association with others.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.418).

Yet, Bavinck also points out that Christ does this work in the church particularly through the officebearers of the church. Christ specifically teaches and governs his church through the office of elder and Christ specifically carries out the ministry of mercy through the deacons of the church. It’s important to hold the tension that, on the one hand, Christ carries out this spiritual power in the church through all believers, but also, on the other hand, carries out this spiritual power through specific offices in the church. We must hold this in tension. By reminding people that Christ carries this ministry out through all believers, we must make sure we don’t downplay the offices that Christ has instituted. And by reminding people that Christ carries out this ministry through specific offices, we must not downplay the role of all bbelieves. This is a both/and situation.

In saying all of this, I think it’s also important to remember that the power and authority that comes through the Word of God is not coercive or domineering, but it’s power that comes from persuasion, witness, and beauty. That means that we must not use coercive means to force belief or doctrines on people. Rather, the power of the Word of God is a persuasive power. We preach God’s Word with authority and conviction, persuading people that this is truly the Word of God. We point to the reality of God’s Word throughout witness—showing people the way it’s changed and impacted our lives, showing people who Christ truly is and how He’s at work in the world. I don’t remember Bavinck saying this, but I’m going to say it. I also think the power of the Word comes through beauty. There’s a beauty to seeing the world through the lens of God’s Word, or seeing our lives through God’s Word. There’s an attractive element to it that draws people in and compells them to believe. A helpful summary in the Reformed Dogmatics states, ”The power of the early church came through its testimony, proclamation, and the quiet, peaceable, godly, and respectful lives of believers.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.389).

I also think this flows into a beautiful section of Bavinck on the spiritual power of the church. At the core he talks about the power of the church that comes through the process of sanctification. He says, “The spiritual life is meant to refashion the natural and moral life in its full depth and scope according to the laws of God.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.437). Christ uses his authority in the church to re-fashion people into the image of God. That’s what sanctification is and it’s comprehensive. It’s about shaping and molding every aspect of our lives—all that we say and do—so that we look more and more like Jesus Christ. And that’s powerful. It’s powerful not only in our lives BUT it’s powerful in the world. Bavinck says, “Because of him there radiates from everyone who believes in him a renewing and sanctifying influence upon the family, society, state, occupation, business, art, science, and so forth.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.437). Something we often overlook in the church is the power of sanctification on the world around us.

Here’s why this is important. I want to make sure I’m not misunderstood, but I also want to say this sharply. Our primary power in the world is not political. Our primary power in the world comes through being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

With that said pointedly, let me clarify what I mean by that. I do NOT mean that we should not be involved in politics. Bavinck reminds us that, “The same people who are Christians are and remain in the same calling with which they were called; they remain members of a family, members of a society, subjects of the government, practitioners of the arts and sciences, men or women, parents or children, masters or servants, and so forth.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.436–437). We are not to be separate from the world—in that way. We are to remain in our callings and serve in the world and exercise the authority of Christ in the world. And that means, as Bavinck says, “the church cannot resist stating the demand that all creatures, arts, sciences, family, society, state, and so forth must submit to the Word of the Lord.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.439). So, while we have not been given the power of coercion in the world, that does not mean that we do not use our powers of persuasion in the world. Christ preaches his word to the State, and the Sciences, and the Arts through the church and he speaks with authority and power. Christ tells them to submit to him in everything they do, and he does that through the church. So, don’t hear me saying that we should not be involved in politics or that we should not play a prophetic role in the world.

However, what I’m trying to point out is that too many Christians—and too many pastors and churches—have overestimated the importance of this task and have underestimated the power and importance of sanctification. Too many churches and pastors have invested too much time and effort into being “prophetic voices” in the culture wars and not enough time in discipling their people and calling them to set their eyes on Jesus and slowly be transformed into his image in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yet, when we’re honest with ourselves, we know that the longest lasting, most impactful change comes through the power of the Gospel—through hearts that have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Long lasting change cannot be forced. Unless the heart is changed, people will always find a way to continue to sin and continue to break the law—both a nation’s laws and God’s law. They will always find a way. If we truly want to see transformation in our country—hearts have to be tranformed by the power of the gospel. That happens when the church lives in line with the power Christ has given them—the power of the Word of God. When we preach the Word of God faithfully, and administer the sacraments faithfully, and exercise church discipline faithfully—hearts are transformed, sanctification happens, and lives are changed forever. Don’t underestimate that power. Don’t underestimate the lasting impact that will have on families, churches, communities, and nations. Bavinck says, “[The gospel] preaches principles that, by moral and spiritual but not by revolutionary channels, have their pervasive impact everywhere and reform and renew everything.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.395–396).

This has become my favorite saying as a way of reminding Christians of the power of the Gospel and the power of Sanctification. The gospel changes hearts, and changed hearts change lives, and changed lives change families, and changed families change churches and communities and states and nations. That’s the power of the gospel on the world. That’s why Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:33, ESV). The Gospel never stays put, it always overflows—always leavens—the thigns around it. This is how the kingdom comes. This is why Bavinck says, “Because of [Christ] there radiates from everyone who believes in him a renewing and sanctifying influence upon the family, society, state, occupation, business, art, science, and so forth. The spiritual life is meant to refashion the natural and moral life in its full depth and scope according to the laws of God. Along this organic path Christian truth and the Christian life are introduced into all the circles of the natural life, so that life in the household and the extended family is restored to honor, the wife (woman) is again viewed as the equal of the husband (man), the sciences and arts are Christianized, the level of the moral life is elevated, society and state are reformed, laws and institutions, morals and customs are made Christian.” (Reformed Dogmatics, 4.437). That is the true spiritual power of the Church.