One of the most obvious perversions of this ecclesiastical overreach was the “administration of virtual communion” by some sessions! In their rejection of first principles, they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and issued declarations that bordered on idolatry. They tried to convince their flock that “virtual worship” was a viable substitute for corporate worship, and many have drunk the “Kool-Aid.”

Recently, Peter Van Doodewaard wrote COVID-19 Reflection on The Aquila Report, which I highly recommend to everyone before reading this article. It serves as a springboard for my thoughts here. Van Doodewaard concluded his article by saying: “We touched holy things, and this requires humble reflection. Maybe your next leadership meeting ought to include time for prayerful reflection on actions taken, followed by some honest communication with your congregation. May God help us in this work of reflection, give us true repentance where needed, and by this renew our commitment to the public worship of His holy name” (emphasis added).
These words convey a deep conviction that I have about the necessary response of church leaders (as a Presbyterian minister, I will refer to elder(s) and session(s) as the leaders of a congregation) who participated in the actions noted by Van Doodewaard (see his article). I agree with Van Doodewaard that church leaders, especially sessions of Presbyterian congregations, need to evaluate their actions and respond biblically in light of the truth that has been manifested.
Furthermore, I agree with Van Doodewaard that “true repentance” needs to be manifested by the leadership through public confession, “honest communication.”
I am convinced, especially with the truth that has been confirmed by the overwhelming weight of epidemiological research and data, that church leaders acted sinfully by shutting down weekly public corporate worship services. They usurped an authority that did not, does not, and will never come under their or the state’s jurisdiction. The worship of God is governed by the Lord Almighty Himself, and His Word alone has authority over the frequency and orderliness of corporate worship. Any session who prevented willing members from the opportunity to worship corporately on the Lord’s Day ruled and acted on matters that are way “above their pay grade.” They stood on holy ground without removing their sandals. They enforced actions that caused “little ones” to sin by preventing them to come into the house of the Lord to offer worship that is due His name. They abused their God-ordained authority by prohibiting corporate worship rather than promoting it.
One of the most obvious perversions of this ecclesiastical overreach was the “administration of virtual communion” by some sessions! In their rejection of first principles, they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and issued declarations that bordered on idolatry. They tried to convince their flock that “virtual worship” was a viable substitute for corporate worship, and many have drunk the “Kool-Aid.” Consequently, the church is still hemorrhaging from this soul-draining charade. It is no wonder that 20%-30% of former worshippers have not returned to weekly worship gatherings. Israel’s history should have taught us that idolatry will lead worshippers to pursue lesser gods.
Regardless of the uncertainties and fears that surrounded COVID-19, the unequivocal teaching of Scripture (“Remember/observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Ex 20:8; Dt 5:12; cf. Heb 10:25) should never have been overruled by circumstantial reasoning (“love your neighbor” or “submit to the governing authorities”) based on less relevant Scriptures. We must allow the more clear and more applicable passages of Scripture to be our guide over the less clear and less applicable passages of Scripture.
I suspect that most sessions are willing to admit that they would have acted differently in 2020 (for some churches as late as 2022) knowing what they know now about the “pandemic.” But if their retraction is only based on the reality of the undisputable data that has been gathered and reported, then they are still not humbling themselves under the revelation of God’s Word. I believe, as implied by Van Doodewaard, that the repentance of the session should not merely be based on the “science” alone but based fundamentally on the eternal truth of God’s Word.
Scientific research and data analysis will change in the days to come, but the truth of God’s Word endures forever. It is applicable to any and every age of human history. Therefore, elders must not only learn the many valuable lessons on how to respond in the future from this “test” but fundamentally they must repent of the sins that took them down some dark paths. Circumstances may change but our fleshly temptation will be not to trust in the Lord with all our hearts but lean on our own understanding (or the experts) and be wise in our own eyes rather than to be fools for Christ’s sake.
The need for ongoing repentance is vital not only for all believers but especially for elders who are called to shepherd God’s flock. Since the grace of repentance is a work of the Holy Spirit, we must not presume upon it. Rather, in humble reliance upon the Holy Spirit, we must pursue repentance in proportion to the light of truth that has been revealed to us. More light demands clearer and deeper repentance.
In the case of COVID-19, the truth is manifest to anyone who is willing to see and acknowledge it for what it was. Therefore, elders must be humble enough to confess how they have transgressed the law of God. In fact, the unique ecclesiastical authority that Christ has appointed to elders corresponds to a greater responsibility to demonstrate and model their willingness to confess sin, especially public sins that directly impacted the flock. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” (Luke 12:48) The session’s heavy-handed lockdown of corporate worship needs to be the starting point for genuine repentance and confession.
Is public confession really necessary with regard to COVID-19 even when the session’s intentions were noble or for the congregation’s well-being? The Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q. 14) defines sin as “any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.” As the WSC rightly summarizes the teaching of Scripture, sin is not limited to those actions or thoughts that are purely malicious in nature. All sin is judged against the holy nature of God who cannot even look upon evil, regardless of the motives. The Bible categorizes sin as anything that falls short of the glory of God. Preventing willing congregants to gather for corporate worship did not conform to God’s commandments and transgressed what God requires regarding worship. Even if the session’s motives were pure, the action in and of itself was sinful, contrary to the Word of God. By their authoritative actions, the session denied and prevented God’s people from gathering for corporate worship as prescribed in Scripture. Sessions abused their appointed authority from God to restrict what God requires. They took upon themselves a prerogative that does not belong to them. They touched holy things that were forbidden for them to touch.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon those elders and sessions who participated in the COVID-19 overreach “not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man’s duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly” (Westminster Confession of Faith 15.5). Particular sins require particular repentance so that the gravity of each sin is confronted and mortified before God. Denying God His rightful worship entails a litany of sins (see Westminster Larger Catechism concerning the Ten Commandments).
The grace of repentance bears fruit in a believer’s life as the Holy Spirit produces “grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience” (WSC Q. 87). The Holy Spirit graciously works repentance in a sinner’s heart to reveal the reality and heinousness of sin before a holy God and turns him in a way that conforms to God’s righteousness. Such a work of grace is necessary to restore sinners to God and to enjoy Him as they ought. It is also instrumental as a deterrent for faithful followers of Christ so that they will not easily succumb to the same sin. Elders need to examine the Scriptures carefully (additionally for Presbyterians their constitutional documents that they took an oath to uphold) and bear their souls before the Lord so that they might repent of their specific sins.
Moreover, the grace of repentance should manifest itself in the public confession of sin. Public sins require public confessions. For elders who have repented of their sins related to their oversight during COVID-19, these sins should be confessed to their congregation. Moving forward as though nothing deleterious happened during COVID-19 in the church will only normalize the sins that were committed. Such normalization has tragically infected many former churchgoers. The suspension of corporate public worship should be an extremely rare exception and only for a limited period of time. We must be wiser and more biblically discerning in the future and not be swept away by the urgency of the moment.
Confession is not only beneficial for the one who has repented and acknowledged his sins before God (1 Jn 1:9) but in the case of public sins, it facilitates reconciliation and restores trust between the parties affected by the sins. Many church members were negatively affected by the actions of the session as it related to COVID-19. Even though much of life in the world and in the church has returned to “normal,” many in the flock have been wounded, and some have even been driven away from the flock. Unfortunately, sheep were scattered by the shepherds and left to the wolves to fend for themselves. There are lost sheep who still need to be sought and returned to the fold.
Those who have returned to corporate worship would be blessed and encouraged to see their elders exemplify gospel repentance and confession. Elders need to lead the congregation in modeling this grace. Confession glorifies the forgiving grace of the gospel. It magnifies the sanctifying power of the gospel that should be active in the hearts of the elders. If these elders have not publicly confessed to their flock how they mismanaged the household of God, they are denying that their actions were harmful and sinful. They need to demonstrate their willingness to be accountable for their failures in leadership and for promoting foreign worship. Their humble confession would provide the congregation the glorious opportunity to extend forgiveness to them and experience the reconciling grace of the gospel. Displaying such gospel humility will go a long way in engendering trust between the session and the members and nurturing the relationship that the Lord has entrusted to the session.
We have witnessed over the past three years a rapid decline in the spiritual and moral state of our nation. The rejection of biblical truths has increased visibly and forcefully. Biblical realities of right and wrong have been discarded and replaced with demonic lies. Perversion to God’s creation ordinances is promoted by the state and even some “churches.” It is hard to deny that a Romans 1-like judgment of God is being revealed from heaven against our nation. It appears that God has given our nation over to her sins and there does not appear to be any slowing down of our moral and spiritual freefall. Barring a miraculous intervention of God’s mercy, our nation appears to be running headlong into the spiritual darkness that has already consumed much of Europe and Canada.
Is there a spiritual link between the current cultural decline and the response of the church to COVID-19? Is it merely coincidental that the spiritual decay of our nation has dramatically accelerated since 2020? I believe that the church is harboring an Achan in her camp. The decisions that many church leaders made were a direct affront to our covenant Lord. The church publicly bowed to various idols denying the Lord as her sovereign. The Lord’s judgment begins at the household of God and apart from repentance and confession, the American church will go the way of Israel into exile.
The time is now for church leaders to heed Jesus’ warning, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Rev 2:5) As the salt and light of the world, the church has a direct impact on our culture, either for good or for ill. She can be faithful in worshiping and serving God so as to be a blessing to the world or neglect her unique calling and be mocked by the world.
In rejecting her call to prioritize the public worship of God, the church is being thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. By putting the public worship of God under a basket, the church has allowed the darkness to take a foothold in our culture. Rather than glory, dishonor has been given to our Father because of the shame that the church has brought upon His name.
During an unprecedented season in our nation when so many people needed the truth and hope of the gospel lived out, the church vanished. She fell in line with the spirit of the age and forfeited her high privilege to proclaim boldly and unashamedly the power of the gospel.
Are we beyond the point of no return? Are we witnessing the first wave of another exile? That remains to be determined, but what is undeniable is the need for church leaders to repent and confess to their congregations the sins committed against God and God’s people during COVID-19. If the church has any hope of having her lampstand restored to her, she must begin by returning to her First Love.
Thankfully, God’s mercy and grace are greater than our sins, and He delights to magnify the glory of the gospel in His people’s lives. May the shepherds of God’s flock lead the way in humble repentance and confession so that public worship may be the light that our dark world so desperately needs.
Seth Yi is a Minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and is the Pastor of Newberry ARP in Newberry.
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The Christian believer has the explicit presupposition that God and his word is never wrong or in error. That is, there is an element of faith working to supersede what we see so that in any instant, God (and the character of God) is being trusted more than our eyes and minds. If God says that he is true and faithful and that the entirety of His Scripture is truth (John 17:17), then when I find something in his word which seems to not be true, which seems to contradict either something else in his word or something “established” by science, my devotion is still to God. I do not doubt God, I doubt myself.

WE AFFIRM  the unity and internal consistency of Scripture.WE DENY  that alleged errors and discrepancies that have not yet been resolved vitiate the truth claims of the Bible.
We’re told in Proverbs that “every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Pr. 30:5). The simple idea is that since God is truth, every word which utters forth from him is a word of truth; consistently so. From our human perspective, indeed, from our fallen human perspective, having a consistency and harmony and unity to everything we speak is outright difficult, in fact, it’s impossible. This is partly why James warns his readers that not many of us should become teachers: people who use a lot of words are more prone to get themselves into some kind knot. You especially see this in bad liars. It takes more lies to cover up older lies and sooner than later the liar can’t keep all his stories and lies straight and ends up tripping hard over his own sin. 
But when it comes to God there is no such danger. Every word of God proves true. As Jesus testified in John 10:35, the Scripture cannot be broken. That is, there is no inconsistency in it. Anywhere. Ever.
This is why the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy affirms in article 14 that there is a unity and internal consistency of Scripture. All its parts hold together. None of it is inconsistent with any other part or the whole. Which means, any so-called errors or discrepancies are just that: alleged errors and discrepancies. Hence the Chicago Statement makes the claim that these alleged errors or discrepancies have not yet been resolved and therefore do not vitiate or negate the truth claims of the Bible.It is this idea which underlies the church’s convictions on Scripture’s infallibility and inerrancy. Paul Feinberg says that “inerrancy means that when all the facts are known, the Scriptures in their original autographs and properly interpreted will be shown to be wholly true in everything they affirm, whether that has to do with doctrine or morality or with the social, physical, or life sciences.”[1] What is being assumed in both Feinberg’s statement and the Chicago Statement is that if there is any error, it is not to be found with God and his word, but with us, the reader, in either our interpretation or understanding.
Stephen Wellum makes the crucial point that “our affirmation of inerrancy does not imply, and has never implied, that we know how to resolve every apparent inconsistency in Scripture.
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When someone is going through unspeakable suffering they often do not need your arguments. They will not benefit from your theological exercise of sense-making. They need your presence so they do not have to bear the burden alone. They need you to hope for them when their hope is lacking. And they need you to be able to stand under the weight of their pain and doubt when it feels like they can’t stand for themselves.

“Wait, what happened?” my eyes widened as the pastor shared details of the tragic death of a young man in our church. It was senseless, completely preventable, and tragic. His mom had been in the small group I was leading, so I felt like I should do something. But what could I, a 25 year-old seminary student with no kids, possibly say or do to comfort his grieving parents in the middle of an unspeakable tragedy? “Just show up,” an older minister encouraged. Obediently, I did though I didn’t completely understand why.
The scenario above hasn’t exactly repeated itself, but everyone is acquainted with senseless violence, tragedy, or unexpected illness/death. It’s completely natural for those suffering in such circumstances to ask questions like, “Where is God in this?” “If God is so good, then why…”, or “How could a loving God allow…” and countless other versions of the question. It’s also completely natural for committed Christians to feel like their role in these circumstances is to try to help the suffering understand God’s role in or plan through the tragedy. We say well-meaning things like, “God surely has a plan,” or “Trust God’s goodness” that often come across as salt in the wound rather than balm for an aching soul.
Without thinking, well-meaning Christians play the role of  Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite from the story of Job.
When Orthodoxy isn’t the Point
After a brief prologue (Job 1-2), much of the book of Job is structured around a series of speeches. Job makes a speech complaining about his unjust suffering to which one of his friends responds with a defense of God and an insistence that this is all because of Job’s sin, to which Job responds with a refutation, followed by another friend tagging in to pick up the argument, and around and around we go for almost 30 chapters. Then, a younger man named Elihu chimes in for 5 chapters worth of speeches in which he rebukes everyone but takes up the argument of Job’s friends.
We’ll come back to what happens next shortly and try to identify where this all goes so sideways, but for now I want to point out something that is often missed in conversations about Job. If we skipped the prologue which describes events occurring in Heaven and approached the book with only the knowledge of the human actors, we would likely agree with Job’s friends. While we may not go so far as to insist that Job’s suffering is because of his sin, the strategy of many North American evangelical Christians when someone is in the midst of suffering is to attempt to defend and exonerate God.
This is exactly what Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu do for more than half of the book of Job. Their arguments appear orthodox. Their reasoning makes sense and feels more objective than the emotional decrees that Job makes. If we removed the knowledge we gain from the first 2 and final 5 chapters, we might find ourselves nodding along with much of what they say and cringing a bit when Job speaks.
But we shouldn’t remove the knowledge we gain from the first 2 and final 5 chapters. Because what we learn there means everything to how we understand Job’s story.
He Said What, Now?
Imagine you’re Eliphaz. You’ve been going round and round with him for a while now and no one seems to be making progress. Job is entrenched in his position that he’s innocent and insisting on having an audience with God. You’re entrenched in your position that God doesn’t afflict righteous people unjustly. No one is making progress.
Finally, God shows up. It appears that Job is having a conversation with God (Job 38-41:6), but you’re unprepared for when God turns his attention to you.
What are you expecting? Are you scared out of your mind? Maybe you’re expecting a “Well done” from the Lord.
Instead, God says:
7I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. —Job 42:7-8
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