How to adhere to the RPW in churches that don't?

[CGS]

(how one answers that is basically the difference between Presbyterianism and a separatist mindset)

And, yet it seems clear that Presbyterians have no problem separating over some issues (although in Durham's argument, the corruptions must be "excessive" to warrant separation). But it seems as if the Reformation itself was one big separation from the RCC, and then further division into all the various Protestant branches. And even looking solely at the Presbyterian family tree makes one dizzy with all the separations. It's almost impossible to even trace the history of it there are so many branches, separations, reunions, etc...and that's just in America since the 1700s...I'm looking at the diagram/family tree of American Presbyterianism on the last page of "Seeking a Better Country" by Hart and Muether. Easy to get lost tracing all the different paths...

 

[Northern Crofter]

Some background/assumptions for context…

Positions I hold regarding the RPW:

• Exclusive Psalmody (EP) completely agree
• No instruments/choirs/solos/special music allowed completely agree
• No observance of a church calendar, Advent/Christmas, Lent, Easter, etc. completely agree
• Wine only (instead of grape juice) for the Lord’s Supper completely agree
• No images of Christ, the Holy Spirit (descending dove), etc. completely agree
• No women serving as deacons (some ARP churches allow this), teachers, etc. completely agree

So…with the above context/assumptions in mind…here are my specific questions:

1. In churches that sing some Psalms, but are not EP…should I sing only the Psalms and refrain from singing the uninspired hymns? And how do I go about this? Do I still stand and hold the hymn book open with my wife, but just remain silent while she sings? Yes Do I remain seated? No What if this causes my wife (who is not EP) to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed when others notice that I am not singing? Discuss it at home and pray about it together If asked why I don’t sing, how do I respond? If I say that due to my EP position it would be a sin for me to sing uninspired hymns, would that not potentially offend (by implying that the church is in sin for not holding an EP position), be considered divisive, etc.? Yours is not the divisive position - no one questions the lawfulness of singing psalms
2. What about churches that do sing some Psalms, but sing them to instrumental accompaniment? Is it OK to sing these despite the instruments being a RPW violation? The few times I've never had to face this (visiting other churches) I sang the Psalm. You are not playing the instrument. You are commanded to sing Psalms.
3. What about churches that don’t sing any Psalms at all (exclusive hymnody?) …this would mean that I would never sing in corporate worship? Yes
4. Is it OK for me to worship in churches that have choirs, instruments, solos/special music if I do not actively participate in the choir or play an instrument myself? In these scenarios, which are outside of my control, would the people actually playing the instruments and singing in the choir be the only ones in sin…or would I also be guilty of violating the RPW merely by being there in worship (implying that I condone it by remaining in the meeting place while it is occurring)? In other words, in a church that has a choir…is it only the actual members of the choir who are violating the RPW (and the session that allows it), or is the church as a whole in violation? The congregation is in error. So is forsaking the assembly of believers. Join as much as your conscience allows. I second reading Rutherford and Durham on the topic of separation - it helped me in struggling through all this.
5. What about churches that observe “pretended holy days” (Advent season, Advent wreath/candle lighting ceremonies, trees, and decorations in the place of worship, Christmas Eve/Day services, etc.? Do I just not attend church for the entire month of December (to avoid the candle lighting rituals every Lord’s Day, trees in the meeting place, Christmas carols/sermons, etc.)? When the entire worship service (decorations, music, sermon, Scripture readings, unbiblical rituals, etc.) is centered around the Advent/Christmas theme every Lord’s Day for an entire month…how does one avoid that? Attend public worship on the Lord's Day. Don't attend the other gatherings. It may be grating to hear "Easter" and "Christmas" sermons, but they are hopefully still sound in doctrine despite the obvious compromise with man-made holy days.
6. Regarding the use of grape juice (no wine as an option) in the Lord’s Supper, should I refrain from drinking the grape juice, but still take the bread? Or should I refrain from the Lord’s Supper altogether in this scenario (even though the bread is not a violation)? I have heard that both John Murray and B.B. Warfield would refuse to administer/partake of the Lord’s Supper in churches that used grape juice, but I have no quote/source to verify this. This is a tough one. You cannot ignore your conscience. The congregation where we worship uses pasteurized/defermented grape juice in shot glasses. My conscience allows me to partake, but I have approached the Session with questions as to why not a common cup with wine (but their denominational standards are not the DPW and do not require wine so they are not bound to use it). I probably should have stated "partially agree" above - I believe a common cup ("the cup") is more important than what's in it though I agree wine is what should be in the cup because it is so stated in the DPW and is what Christ used (I have never witnessed a common cup with anything other than wine). In other words, if there was a common cup with unfermented juice in it, I would not complain - I would see it as unfermented/defermented wine, but still the "fruit of the grapevine" (Matthew 26:29).
7. What about images? If the church has images in the meeting place, should I simply avoid that church altogether? Yes, if there is an alternative (I used to drive over an hour for worship.) No if there is no other alternative. Or since I am not an office holder in the church – and therefore have no authority to cover/remove them – can I worship there with a clean conscience (assuming of course that I am not using the images for worship)? Yes
8. Would any of the above violations be automatic deal breakers/non-starters for churches that we are considering joining? That depends on what you mean by "joining"? If they have a membership oath of some sort which requires you to give assent to their practices, then no (this is my current situation - it would be an unlawful oath and I would be bearing false witness and taking the Lord's name in vain). If they let you join with stated exceptions, I would do so in order to have access to Church courts (our current situation does not allow members to take exceptions - but oddly Church officers can do so...) For example, if there is a large stained-glass image of Christ in the meeting place, or if it is an exclusive hymnody church, should those types of violations automatically exclude those churches from consideration? Not automatically - if it is the only reasonable option in your area, join in with them as much as possible Are some RPW violations worse than others? Yes

I realize that there is no perfect church. And I realize that many who read this post will think that I am being extremely nit picky or over thinking these issues. Yes - but not me! I am right there with you and I hope we are mutually encouraging to one another. But these are issues of conscience for me that I struggle with every Lord’s Day when I visit churches in my area. Me, too - and we are not alone. And it is not easy. It is draining. It grieves me to see how many Reformed churches – even in supposedly conservative/confessional denominations – seem to have totally abandoned the RPW. I don’t see how I can be faithful and obedient to our Lord if I willfully sing uninspired hymns, drink grape juice, etc. when I am convinced that these violate the RPW. And I have yet to find any local churches that don’t have multiple RPW violations. So...what is one to do? Join with the best and as a brother graciously raise the issues. I was not gracious in the past and I regret that. My advice is not to present a laundry list of issues to the session - pick the biggest issues and approach the Session with those first.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide.

In all sincerity, I feel your pain, brother. I have inserted my thoughts above in bold. My background: I attend an RPCNA congregation with my family but we cannot join because of their departures from the Confession and the Covenants. It is a 40 minute drive. We have been examined and welcomed to join at the Lord's Table based on our profession of faith. The RPCNA allows for 'adherents" - I'm not sure that is Biblical, but they allow it, so I cannot neglect it (my conscience compels me to seek the closest union I can with my brothers and sisters in Christ). However, we have no standing to petition the Session (though they are very gracious and willing to listen when we raise an issue). The closest church I could/would join in 6 hours away. We once had a mission work with another church but that has folded. We remain hopeful another will take its place, but if not I will consider moving at some point. No church is perfect, but that does not mean we have to settle and/or compromise without voicing our objections. Search your heart. Flee to the Word: "For from the least of them, even unto the greatest of them, everyone is given unto covetousness, and from the Prophet even unto the Priest, they all deal falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not ashamed, no neither could they have any shame: therefore they shall fall among the slain: when I shall visit them, they shall be cast down." (Jeremiah 6.13-15)

 

[NaphtaliPress]

And, yet it seems clear that Presbyterians have no problem separating over some issues (although in Durham's argument, the corruptions must be "excessive" to warrant separation). But it seems as if the Reformation itself was one big separation from the RCC, and then further division into all the various Protestant branches. And even looking solely at the Presbyterian family tree makes one dizzy with all the separations. It's almost impossible to even trace the history of it there are so many branches, separations, reunions, etc...and that's just in America since the 1700s...I'm looking at the diagram/family tree of American Presbyterianism on the last page of "Seeking a Better Country" by Hart and Muether. Easy to get lost tracing all the different paths...

This is true; and one of the worst splits happened as Durham began his ministry in Glasgow in 1651 and was the thing that sparked the book which he finished on his death bed; hence the interesting title A Dying Man's Testament. Durham is one of those 17th Century Scots that influenced Presbyterianism significantly. He certainly had an impact on me at least; first book in published (1990) and here after 32 years I am starting editing the one remaining work of his that has not been issued in a new edition. So, personal favorite may not be an overstatement.

 

[CGS]

In all sincerity, I feel your pain, brother. I have inserted my thoughts above in bold. My background: I attend an RPCNA congregation with my family but we cannot join because of their departures from the Confession and the Covenants. It is a 40 minute drive. We have been examined and welcomed to join at the Lord's Table based on our profession of faith. The RPCNA allows for 'adherents" - I'm not sure that is Biblical, but they allow it, so I cannot neglect it (my conscience compels me to seek the closest union I can with my brothers and sisters in Christ). However, we have no standing to petition the Session (though they are very gracious and willing to listen when we raise an issue). The closest church I could/would join in 6 hours away. We once had a mission work with another church but that has folded. We remain hopeful another will take its place, but if not I will consider moving at some point. No church is perfect, but that does not mean we have to settle and/or compromise without voicing our objections. Search your heart. Flee to the Word: "For from the least of them, even unto the greatest of them, everyone is given unto covetousness, and from the Prophet even unto the Priest, they all deal falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not ashamed, no neither could they have any shame: therefore they shall fall among the slain: when I shall visit them, they shall be cast down." (Jeremiah 6.13-15)

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your own struggles/experiences, to respond point by point to each of my questions, and for the words of encouragement. Your advice is very helpful.

 

[Eyedoc84]

because of their departures from the Confession and the Covenants.

Not to derail the thread, but can you elaborate?

 

[Northern Crofter]

Not to derail the thread, but can you elaborate?

(1) They constitutionally ( https://2rp.church/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Constitution2017.pdf ) reject (via their "Testimony":

• WCF 23.3: "We reject the portion of paragraph 3 after the colon."
• WCF 24.4: "We reject the last sentence in paragraph 4 of the Confession of Faith."
• WCF 31.2: "We reject paragraph 2 of the Confession of Faith."

(2) They maintain their 1871 Covenant in their Constitution but have departed from it in places. For example, it states "That after careful examination, having embraced the system of faith, order and worship revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and summarized, as to doctrine, in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, and Reformed Presbyterian Testimony, and, as to order and worship, justly set forth in substance and outline in the Westminster Form of Church Government and Directory for Worship, we do publicly profess and own this as the true Christian faith and religion, and the system of order and worship appointed by Christ for His own house..." (2) and yet they have rejected parts (see WCF examples above) or replaced them wholesale (everything else).

 

[Eyedoc84]

(1) They constitutionally ( https://2rp.church/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Constitution2017.pdf ) reject (via their "Testimony":

• WCF 23.3: "We reject the portion of paragraph 3 after the colon."
• WCF 24.4: "We reject the last sentence in paragraph 4 of the Confession of Faith."
• WCF 31.2: "We reject paragraph 2 of the Confession of Faith."

(2) They maintain their 1871 Covenant in their Constitution but have departed from it in places. For example, it states "That after careful examination, having embraced the system of faith, order and worship revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and summarized, as to doctrine, in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, and Reformed Presbyterian Testimony, and, as to order and worship, justly set forth in substance and outline in the Westminster Form of Church Government and Directory for Worship, we do publicly profess and own this as the true Christian faith and religion, and the system of order and worship appointed by Christ for His own house..." (2) and yet they have rejected parts (see WCF examples above) or replaced them wholesale (everything else).

You cannot join because they won't let you or because you feel conscience-bound on those points?

 

[Northern Crofter]

You cannot join because they won't let you or because you feel conscience-bound on those points?

Both...I had previously taken an oath to support and defend the original Westminster Standards as an elder when part of a different church. I asked if I could state exceptions to the RPCNA constitution and join. I was told no (apparently only church officers are allowed to do that - something I have witnessed - though there is no mention of allowing or not allowing exceptions for anyone in their constitution).