Christian liberty and the Civil Magistrate

Another area in which there is disagreement is the definition of Christian liberty, liberty of conscience and the role and responsibility of the civil magistrate in enforcing the law of God.

The BCF CH 21 (Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience) says:

21.1 The liberty which Christ has purchased for believers under the Gospel consists of their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, and the severity and curse of the [moral] law. [1] It also includes their deliverance from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, the dominion of sin, [2]the distress of afflictions, the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation. [3] Furthermore, it includes their free access to God, and their ability to yield obedience to him, not out of slavish fear, but with childlike love, and willing minds. [4]

All these blessings were also shared in essence by believers under the [Old Testament] law; [5] but, under the New Testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law to which the Jews were subjected. We also have greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and fuller provision of the free Spirit of God than believers under the law normally experienced. [6]

1. John 3:36 Romans 8:33 Galatians 3:13
2. Galatians 1:4 Ephesians 2:1-3 Colossians 1:13 Acts 26:18 Romans 6:14-18 Romans 8:3
3. Romans 8:28 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 1 Thessalonians 1:10 Hebrews 2:14-15
4. Ephesians 2:18 Ephesians 3:12 Romans 8:15 1 John 4:18
5. John 8:32 Psalms 19:7-9 Psalms 119:14,24,45,47,48,72,97 Romans 4:5-11 Galatians 3:9 Hebrews 11:27,33-34
6. John 1:17 Hebrews 1:1-2a Hebrews 7:19,22 Hebrews 8:6 Hebrews 9:23 Hebrews 11:40 Galatians 2:11-12 Galatians 4:1-3 Colossians 2:16-17 Hebrews 10:19-21 John 7:38-39

21.2 God alone is Lord of the conscience, [1] and he has left it free from [obligations to] human doctrines and commandments which are in any way contrary to his Word or not contained in it. [2] So to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commandments out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience. [3] To require an implicit faith, or absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason. [4]

1. James 4:12 Romans 14:4 Galatians 5:1
2. Acts 4:19 Acts 5:29 1 Corinthians 7:23 Matthew 15:9
3. Colossians 2:20,22-23 Galatians 1:10 Galatians 2:3-5 Galatians 5:1
4. Romans 10:17 Romans 14:23 Acts 17:11 John 4:22 1 Corinthians 3:5 2 Corinthians 1:24

21.3 Those who practise any sin or harbour any sinful desires on pretence of Christian liberty, pervert the main purpose of the grace of the Gospel to their own destruction. [1]They completely destroy the purpose of Christian liberty, which is that we (having been delivered from all our [spiritual] enemies) might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. [2]

1. Romans 6:1-2
2. Luke 1:74-75 Romans 14:9 Galatians 5:13 2 Peter 2:18,21

The WCF CH 20 (Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience) says:

. The liberty which Christ has purchased for believers under the Gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, and condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law;[1] and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin;[2] from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grace, and everlasting damnation;[3] as also, in their free access to God,[4] and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind.[5] All which were common also to believers under the law.[6] But, under the New Testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish Church was subjected;[7] and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace,[8] and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.[9]

II. God alone is Lord of the conscience,[10] and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in any thing, contrary to His Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship.[11] So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience:[12] and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.[13]

III. They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.[14]

IV. And because the powers which God has ordained, and the liberty which Christ has purchased are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another, they who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God.[15] And, for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity (whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation), or to the power of godliness; or, such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ has established in the Church, they may lawfully be called to account,[16] and proceeded against, by the censures of the Church. and by the power of the civil magistrate.[17] [emphasis mine]

The first area of disagreement occurs in the original WCF CH 20 Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Consience. Paragraph 4 was contained in the original WCF, but was deleted by the American ammendments to the WCF adopted in 1783.

Disagreement also occurs in the chapters dealing with the Civil Magistrate, BCF (CH 24) and the WCF (CH23) :

The BCF states the following about Civil Magistrates in (CH 24) :

24.1 God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained civil authorities [1] to be under him and over the people, [2] for his own glory and the public good. [3] For this purpose he has armed them with the authority to use force, [4]to defend and encourage those who do good, and to punish evil doers. [5]

1. Original, magistrates
2. Psalms 82:1 Luke 12:48 Romans 13:1-6 1 Peter 2:13-14
3. Genesis 6:11-13 with Genesis 9:5-6 Psalms 58:1-2 Psalms 72:14 Psalms 82:1-4 Proverbs 21:15 Proverbs 24:11-12 Proverbs 29:14,26 Proverbs 31:5 Ezekiel 7:23 Ezekiel 45:9 Daniel 4:27 Matthew 22:21 Romans 13:3-4 1 Timothy 2:2 1 Peter 2:14
4. Original, the power of the sword
5. Genesis 9:6 Proverbs 16:14 Proverbs 19:12 Proverbs 20:2 Proverbs 21:15 Proverbs 28:17 Acts 25:1 Romans 13:4 1 Peter 2:13-14

24.2 It is lawful for Christians to accept and carry out the duties of public office [1] when called upon to so. [2] In the performance of such office they are particularly responsible for maintaining justice and peace in accordance with the wholesome laws of the nation. For that purpose they may (in terms of the New Testament) lawfully engage in war if it is just and necessary. [3]

1. Original, of a magistrate
2. Exodus 22:8-9,28-29 Daniel Nehemiah Proverbs 14:35 Proverbs 16:10,12 Proverbs 20:26,28 Proverbs 25:2 Proverbs 28:15-16 Proverbs 29:4,14 Proverbs 31:4-5 Romans 13:2,4,6
3. Luke 3:14 Romans 13:4

24.3 As civil authorities [1] are established by God for the purposes given, we ought to be subject to [2] all their lawful commands [3] for the Lord's sake, not merely to avoid punishment, but for conscience' sake. We ought also to make supplications and prayers for rulers and all who are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty. [4]

1. Original, magistrates
2. Proverbs 16:14-15 Proverbs 19:12 Proverbs 20:2 Proverbs 24:21-22 Proverbs 25:15 Proverbs 28:2 Romans 13:1-7 Titus 3:1 1 Peter 2:13-14
3. Daniel 1:8 Daniel 3:4-6,16-18 Daniel 6:5-10,22 Matthew 22:21 Acts 4:19-20 Acts 5:29
4. Jeremiah 29:7 1 Timothy 2:1-4

The original WCF stated the following about Civil magistrates in section III of CH 23 of the WCF:

III. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven;[5] yet he has authority, and it is his duty, to take order that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordainances of God duly settled, administrated, and observed.[6] For the better effecting whereof, he has power to call synods, to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God.[7] [emphasis mine]

[Note that the section covered by footnote 6 does not have any New Testament Scripture to support it. The section covered by footnote 7 only has one New Testament Scripture to support it and that is Matthew 2:4 (see Matthew 2:3-4) , which does not refer to the Christian church, but to the Jewish chief priests and scribes who were called by Herod to tell him where Jesus the Christ should be born-my comments]

This paragraph was drastically revised by the American ammendments of CH 23, adopted in 1789. Here is that reading:

3. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in the matter so faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the Church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger. And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline in his Church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief. It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon pretence of religion or of infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.

For a compilation of all the 1788 American revisions to the original WCF see this article:

"The 1788 American Revision of the Westminster Standards" by Lee Irons

The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) currently uses this version of the Westminster Confession of Faith.

For a comparison of the current Orthodox Presbyterian Church version of the Westminster Confession of Faith with the original, see American Revisions to the Westminster Confession of Faith

The original section III of CH 23 is stating that the civil magistrate has the duty to enforce not only the second table of the moral law of God (the last 6 commandments), but also the first table of the moral law (the first 4 commandments).


For articles that are critical of the views of Christian Liberty and of the Civil Magistrate expressed in the original WCF see:

"Of the Respective Duties of Magistrates and Subjects" from "A Body of Practical Divinity" Book 4 Chapter 4 by John Gill

"The Civil Magistrate" by Robert Lewis Dabney

"Religious Liberty and Church and State" by Robert Lewis Dabney

"Preachers and Politics" by Robert Lewis Dabney (audio)

"Practical Christianity Part 3: Authority in Christian Practice Chapter 11 Private Judgment" by A.W. Pink

"Church and State" by Thomas E. Peck

"An Appeal to the Public for Religious Liberty Against the Oppressions of the Present Day" by Isaac Backus (1773)

"Baptistic Confessional Superiority: Church & State Part 2" by David Dykstra of Reformed Baptist Church of Lafayette (New Jersey) [an audio sermon that compares the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith and the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith]