| The CROWN of CHRIST - Understanding the Times in the Light of Scripture |
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| The R. P. C. N. A. is not a COVENANTER CHURCH |
Much could be said about the Reformed Presbyterian
Church of North America. She is plagued by nepotism,
feminism and worldliness. Dispensationalism,
evolutionism and other errors are tolerated within her.
At an International conference in the 1990s, old camp-fire
choruses were touted as awesome new Psalm selections.
One congregation has used uninspired song and musical
instruments - justified by doing this "praise time" before
the minister says the invocation and the regulative
principle becomes operative!
But one defection stands out above all others. The
R.P.C.N.A. promotes herself as the "Covenanter" Chruch,
both on the signs in front of her meeting-places and in her
publications. This is far from the truth of the matter.
Church of North America. She is plagued by nepotism,
feminism and worldliness. Dispensationalism,
evolutionism and other errors are tolerated within her.
At an International conference in the 1990s, old camp-fire
choruses were touted as awesome new Psalm selections.
One congregation has used uninspired song and musical
instruments - justified by doing this "praise time" before
the minister says the invocation and the regulative
principle becomes operative!
But one defection stands out above all others. The
R.P.C.N.A. promotes herself as the "Covenanter" Chruch,
both on the signs in front of her meeting-places and in her
publications. This is far from the truth of the matter.
According to J. G. Vos, whose book The Scottish Covenanters is sold by the RPCNA, "the
perpetual obligation of the covenants [is] the formal principle of the covenanting
movement." In other words, a Covenanter is someone who believes that the Scottish
Covenants are forever binding on the Nations and Church that swore them. Those who do
not allow that the National Covenant and the Solemn League continue to obligate Great
Britain, her rebel children and the Presbyterian churches, are simply not Covenanters.
Now, how does the R.P.C.N.A. measure up? In 1871 they swore an "American Covenant"
that America NEVER swore, and pretended that this bond was "in advance of" the Scottish
Covenants. In short, since 1871 the R.P.C.N.A. has explicitly denied the Covenants. At
that time, one minister said, "Let us bury the body of Moses in Moab, lest it be
worshipped....Much of the old Covenants is incomprehensible." He obviously meant to say
that the Scottish Covenants were dead, meaningless and superseded like Old Testament
ceremonies. Further, he judges those who contend for their binding obligation to be
idolaters. Who will insult us by identifying the R.P.C.N.A. as the Covenanter Church?
By the time I joined the R.P.C.N.A. in the early 1990s, the apostasy of 1871 had born its
fruit. "Covenanters" were voting for Republicans (& Democrats?) since they could now
vote for "Christian" candidates! The elders of the Broomall congregation told me that the
1871 covenant was historically important, but not binding on the church. So now, the
"American covenant" - which never was subscribed by the U.S. Government or the people
of this nation generally - is not even binding on the American church!
In 1871, the excuse was made that it was not the Covenants, but the Confession of Faith
that should bind us to the Second Reformation. The Westminster Assembly, however,
made no such distinction. Nor did the Parliament of England or the General Assembly of
the Church of Scotland. The Westminster Documents are a cloth we ought not tear.
The R.P.C.N.A. now leaves none of the Covenanter creed unmolested. The so-called RP
Testimony uses the words "we reject this portion" in reference to the WCF. The RPs
violate the Directory for Publick Worship with their "holidays" and continuous singing.
They ignore the Form of Government and reduce the three biblical offices (minister, lay
governor & deacon) into two. They cast the Covenants aside. As one candid RP minister
has admitted, "I'm sorry you were misled - this is in no way a covenanter church". Their
own words are sufficient to condemn them.
perpetual obligation of the covenants [is] the formal principle of the covenanting
movement." In other words, a Covenanter is someone who believes that the Scottish
Covenants are forever binding on the Nations and Church that swore them. Those who do
not allow that the National Covenant and the Solemn League continue to obligate Great
Britain, her rebel children and the Presbyterian churches, are simply not Covenanters.
Now, how does the R.P.C.N.A. measure up? In 1871 they swore an "American Covenant"
that America NEVER swore, and pretended that this bond was "in advance of" the Scottish
Covenants. In short, since 1871 the R.P.C.N.A. has explicitly denied the Covenants. At
that time, one minister said, "Let us bury the body of Moses in Moab, lest it be
worshipped....Much of the old Covenants is incomprehensible." He obviously meant to say
that the Scottish Covenants were dead, meaningless and superseded like Old Testament
ceremonies. Further, he judges those who contend for their binding obligation to be
idolaters. Who will insult us by identifying the R.P.C.N.A. as the Covenanter Church?
By the time I joined the R.P.C.N.A. in the early 1990s, the apostasy of 1871 had born its
fruit. "Covenanters" were voting for Republicans (& Democrats?) since they could now
vote for "Christian" candidates! The elders of the Broomall congregation told me that the
1871 covenant was historically important, but not binding on the church. So now, the
"American covenant" - which never was subscribed by the U.S. Government or the people
of this nation generally - is not even binding on the American church!
In 1871, the excuse was made that it was not the Covenants, but the Confession of Faith
that should bind us to the Second Reformation. The Westminster Assembly, however,
made no such distinction. Nor did the Parliament of England or the General Assembly of
the Church of Scotland. The Westminster Documents are a cloth we ought not tear.
The R.P.C.N.A. now leaves none of the Covenanter creed unmolested. The so-called RP
Testimony uses the words "we reject this portion" in reference to the WCF. The RPs
violate the Directory for Publick Worship with their "holidays" and continuous singing.
They ignore the Form of Government and reduce the three biblical offices (minister, lay
governor & deacon) into two. They cast the Covenants aside. As one candid RP minister
has admitted, "I'm sorry you were misled - this is in no way a covenanter church". Their
own words are sufficient to condemn them.
