Scriptural
Reference:
"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which
the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which
he
obtained with his own blood."
Acts 20:28
"As for you, always
be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an
evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
2 Timothy 4:5
"Not many of you
should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that
we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."
James 3:1
"Beloved, do not
believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of
God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this
you
know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ
has come
in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that
Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist,
which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."
1 John 4:1-3
"Beware of false
prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly
they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men
gather
grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree
bears
good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear
bad fruit, nor
can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut
down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know
them.
"Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom
of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."
Matthew 7:15-23
"For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into
apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself
into
an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also
transform
themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according
to their works."
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Reflection:
Latin Lesson: Ex opere operato is a Latin term that translates
to "from the work worked." When it comes to sacraments, it means that
their effectiveness doesn't come from the person administering them
(which would be ex opere operantis or "from the work of the worker")
or the person receiving them. Instead, the power of the sacrament stands
on its own, regardless of the merits of either the minister or the recipient.
So, according to this view, any good that comes from the sacrament isn't
based on human worthiness or faith, but rather from the sacrament itself
as a tool of God.
Interpretaion:
Even though there's a mix of good and bad in the visible Church, and
sometimes the bad even hold key positions in delivering the Word and
Sacraments, we can still benefit from their Ministry. They act not on
their own authority but in Christ's name, so we can listen to the Word
of God and receive the Sacraments through them. The wrongdoings of these
individuals don't nullify Christ's teachings, and those who receive
the Sacraments with faith still experience God's grace. The effectiveness
of these Sacraments comes from Christ's promise and institution, regardless
of who is administering them.
So when we talk
about the effectiveness of the sacraments, we're really acknowledging
that God steps in and acts freely through them. Take confirmation, for
instance: the Holy Spirit is given not because of the bishop's mindset
or the person being confirmed, but purely as a gift from God through
the sacrament itself. That said, to truly benefit from the sacraments,
it's thought that the person receiving them should have faith.
Today's Application:
The Church, and this includes all active Christians within it, has a
responsibility to look into the actions of bad Ministers. People who
know about their wrongdoings should come forward to report them, and
if they're found guilty, they should be removed from their position
through a fair process.
It's pretty rare
to see liberal Anglicans referencing the 39 Articles, but Article 26
seems to be a go-to for some folks. They argue that evangelical ministers
and their congregations should just roll with whatever bishop they get,
without questioning their teachings. Their reasoning is that since this
Article claims unworthy ministers don't mess up the Sacraments they
performs, evangelicals should just accept their bishops. But if you
take that logic further, it suggests that even a Buddhist could perform
Christian sacraments without any issues, which sounds pretty strange.
This highlights why it's crucial to grasp the true meaning of this Article.
The article dives
into the Donatist
error, which some people have labelled as a heresy. This was a significant
issue in the early church in North Africa. It often pops up in situations
where there's an overzealous focus on keeping the church "pure." Essentially,
it's about prioritizing minor issues and cutting ties with fellow believers.
This kind of thinking leads to divisions among Christians. Augustine
of Hippo understood that the solution lay in acknowledging that the
church is made up of a mix of people, including those who openly sin.
The opening section
of the article tackles this topic and connects it to our 39 Articles
through Luther and Cranmer. It highlights an important principle that
true Christians should acknowledge. In Mark 9:38-41, Jesus scolded his
disciples for showing a Donatist-like attitude. Meanwhile, the apostle
John emphasizes that genuine love for other Christians is a key indicator
of true faith in 1 John 3-4. Additionally, the apostle Paul cautions
us about the importance of embracing someone who has repented in 2 Corinthians
1:7.
It's worth mentioning
that while the first part of Article 26 lays down a principle, the last
paragraph was intentionally included by Cranmer. In this addition, Cranmer
acknowledges that the Donatist mistake can happen if the Church fails
to take its duty of disciplining what he calls 'Evil Ministers' seriously.
When is Someone
Not a Donatist: Article 26 is basically a heads-up for us not to
repeat the mistake the Donatists made when reacting to the unholy actions
within the church. It also emphasizes that church leaders have a duty
to address the issues with ungodly ministers. Though if you're choosing
not to hang out with unfaithful church members or leaders who claim
to be Christians, you're actually taking a stand that those in charge
haven't been able to uphold. Then you're definitely not a Donatist.
It's interesting
how quick some people are to call biblical Christians Donatists, yet
they might want to take a look in the mirror regarding how they treat
those who see things differently on biblical issues. If their stance
leads to pushing away faithful Christians from the Church community,
then maybe they're the ones who should be labelled as Donatists. Article
20 cautions against the Church endorsing anything that goes against
God's written word. When a conscience genuinely trying to align with
Scripture feels unwelcome in the Church, the fallout can be pretty serious.
When we find ourselves
in a situation where we need to figure out how to deal with a church
leader whose actions or teachings are causing confusion and scandal
for those genuinely trying to follow Christ, the first thing to keep
in mind is what the beginning of Article 26 says. We need to be cautious
about misguided efforts to maintain the church's purity. Nowadays, some
ministers get requests for rebaptism, which often stem from the belief
that someone's initial baptism wasn't valid. We shouldn't be in the
business of rebaptising. The ordination of women bishops has also prompted
evangelical Christians to think carefully about how to respond to accusations
that they only want bishops who align with their views. It's important
to steer clear of the Donatist mindset.
When dealing with
a church leader who's not being faithful, it's crucial to reach out
to the right authorities to enforce the discipline mentioned in the
last part of the Article. If the Ordinal's expectations aren't met,
we might have to show our disapproval in suitable ways ourselves. Seeking
wise and godly discipline for those who stray into heresy doesn't make
you guilty of the Donatist mistake.
Essentially
Speaking: I'm reminded of Matthew 7:3-4 " "Why do you look
at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to
the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, `Let me
take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank
in your own eye?". Before we think about confronting someone in
charge of ministering we need to reflect on our own actions and faith.