The Second Helvetic Confession Chapter 29
Of Celibacy, Marriage and the Management of Domestic
Affairs
Single People. Those who
have the gift of celibacy from heaven, so that from the heart or with their
whole soul are pure and continent and are not aflame with passion, let them
serve the Lord in that calling, as long as they feel endued with that divine
gift; and let them not lift up themselves above others, but let them serve the
Lord continuously in simplicity and humility (I Cor. 7:7 ff.). For such are more
apt to attend to divine things than those who are distracted with the private
affairs of a family. But if, again, the gift be taken away, and they feel a
continual burning, let them call to mind the words of the apostle: It is better
to marry than to be aflame (I Cor. 7:9).
<The only thing of note here to me is the phrase “if
the gift be taken away” this is not possible since the gifts of God are
without shadow or turning. However
it is more likely that on first approach one might take the words of the apostle
more seriously and foolishly attempt to live as a single person which later
proves not to be the will of God. Of
greater import however is that we see that celibacy is not the biblical
standard, but is the exception to God’s creation mandate for man to fill and
manage the world God has given man. Some
have wrongly decided this meant that clergy should be celibate. They are simply wrong and there is no such command in the
Bible. Such policies of clergy celibacy have caused much abuse and shame to the
church through the ages as men who sincerely entered into such arrangements
without the true gift from God have found themselves more easily tempted into
gross sin against God. >
Marriage. For marriage
(which is the medicine of incontinency, and continency itself) was instituted by
the Lord God himself, who blessed it most bountifully, and willed man and woman
to cleave one to the other inseparably, and to live together in complete love
and concord (Matt. 19:4 ff). Whereupon we know that the apostle said: Let
marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled (Heb.
13:4). And again: If a girl marries, she does not sin (I Cor. 7:28). We
therefore condemn polygamy, and those who condemn second marriages.
<The condemnation of second marriages is important to
us. In a generation where this is
the norm so to speak it must be approached most cautiously.
The standard of God is one woman and one man for life.
Because of the sinful nature of mankind this standard is all but
nonexistent among the nations. While
most people will have no problem with the reference to widows, whom the apostle
specifically treats, many, if not most commentators falter about remarriage
after divorce. Some even go, as far
to say that all divorce means the couple involved will continue life as singles.
Christ gave one exception, and some even deny this for remarriage saying
Christ only permitted the divorce not the remarriage.
I believe they err and it is permissible after repentance for the moral
failure of rashly entering into a marriage, and proper counseling for all
divorced to be remarried, placing the failure (sin) under the blood of Christ.
It is said such a policy will encourage divorce.
I deny this is truth, for the elect of God will be most concerned with
obeying God and make all attempts to live with one woman in marriage overcoming
all difficulties that appear later in the marriage. >
How Marriages Are To Be
Contracted. We teach that marriages are to be lawfully contracted in the
fear of the Lord, and not against the laws which forbid certain degrees of
consanguinity, lest the marriages should be incestuous. Let marriages be made
with consent of the parents, or of those who take the place of parents, and
above all for that purpose for which the Lord instituted marriages. Moreover,
let them be kept holy with the utmost faithfulness, piety, love and purity of
those joined together. Therefore let them guard against quarrels, dissensions,
lust and adultery.
<Marriage is not a sacrament of the church.
It is not even a ceremony of the church as such.
It is however a most solemn event in the life of humankind and because
God has personally created marriage for the good of mankind, and used the same
as an illustration of His relationship to man and Christ to the church, it is
proper for the marriage to only be finalized by the church and that after prayer
and mature counseling with some passage of time in courtship to determine
God’s will in such a union for life.>
Matrimonial Forum. Let lawful courts be
established in the Church, and holy judges who may care for marriages, and may
repress all unchastity and shamefulness, and before whom matrimonial disputes
may be settled.
<Our cultures have changed and the courts of the church
given into the hands of civil government in this area, this does not lessen the
place of the church in marriage. We
can point to the fact that the civil government has overstepped its authority
and entered into the realm of God and His church in taking control of who may
legally marry whom, but ultimately the church is not relieved of her
responsibility to teach and practice marriage in all its singleness of purpose
and holiness as instructed by God. The
church in one sense has no authority to refuse to recognize the state since it
is commanded that the Christian obey the laws of the land (civil magistrate),
which are by God’s providence and of God for the good of the covenant family.
Nonetheless it is sin for a Christian couple to enter lightly into
marriage and that outside the church without proper oversight of both family and
the overseers of the church appointed by God for just this purpose. >
The Rearing of Children.
Children are to be brought up by the parents in the fear of the Lord; and
parents are to provide for their children, remembering the saying of the
apostle: If anyone does not provide for his relatives, he has disowned the faith
and is worse than an unbeliever (I Tim. 5:8). But especially they should teach
their children honest trades or professions by which they may support
themselves. They should keep them from idleness and in all these things instill
in them true faith in God, lest through a lack of confidence or too much
security or filthy greed they become dissolute and achieve no success.
<This is a strong and definite statement that has not
changed throughout the history of God’s people. It needs attention, not comment nor change. >
And it is most certain that works which are done
by parents in true faith by way of domestic duties and the management of their
households are in God's sight holy and truly good works. They are no less
pleasing to God than prayers, fasting and almsgiving. For thus the apostle has
taught in his epistles, especially in those to Timothy and Titus. And with the
same apostle we account the doctrine of those who forbid marriage or openly
castigate or indirectly discredit it, as if it were not holy and pure, among the
doctrine of demons (I Tim. 4:1).
<It is written that God prepared the good works before
hand for the believer to walk in. Thus
it is a biblical truth that proper rearing of children will always be in the
will of God and considered good works. It
is also a great truth that such works or doing of the Gospel so to speak are
greater than any other act of giving on the part of the believer.
This is completely in line with Paul’s comment concerning the giving of
self as a living sacrifice, and that the believer’s only reasonable service.>
We also detest an impure single life, the secret
and open lusts and fornications of hypocrites pretending to be continent when
they are the most incontinent of all. All these God will judge. We do not
disapprove of riches or rich men, if they be godly and use their riches well.
But we reject the sect of the Apostolicals, etc..
<Again, here is another place where current heresies are
addressed by name in the Helvetic.
It is also an area that needs much attention today.
Not only does this confession say the Swiss churches detest co-habitation
or other sexual sins, it points to the source of all truth the Bible where we
see sexual immorality on the hate list of God personally.
These things must be given no place or tolerance in the church. Yet in
the modern churches we find egalitarianism, homosexuality, co-habitation and
other heresies not only tolerated, but also encouraged. Surely if it were
possible our forefathers would be turning over in their graves at such impure
actions being not only condoned but propagated in a church called by the name of
the Savior of the world. >
