Malfeasance

Numbers 22:1 to24:14 & Jude 3-21

The Reformer's Fire
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Exposition by Max A Forsythe

Question 55:
What is forbidden in the third commandment?
Answer 55:
The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh himself known.

The focus of our Old Testament lesson is on Balak, the onetime king of Moab at the time the people of Israel came into the promised land. In the selected verses we see clearly the obstinate malfeasance of the ruler in Moab. Now by malfeasance we should understand the meaning as wrongdoing by a leader who, like all leaders, has been given the sword of justice to use in service to the higher authority of God in heaven. Of course, we well understand that there have been few leaders in history who have taken their high stewardship seriously. So, by natural contempt, the great majority are guilty of malfeasance in regards to their proper godly role! Even in our time, those who are symbolized by the donkey are beginning to bray about malfeasance in high places. Certainly the nineties of both this and the last century are eras where malfeasance are more commonly understood.

Now that you have the proper gist of where we are going this morning, let us shift our attention to the book of Jude where we see almost a catechetical listing of spiritual malfeasance. In this regard, let us consider the commentary of the Larger Catechism upon the simplicity of our confessional focus on the third commandment today.

"The sins forbidden in the third commandment are: ... all sinful cursing, oaths, vows, and lots; violating our oaths and vows, if lawful; and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; murmuring and quarreling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God's decrees and providence; misinterpreting misapplying, or any way perverting the word, or any part of it".

Here we can see the common prohibition against using gutter language in our family, work and public lives. We can also remember when foul language was much less common and how we might yearn for public entertainers to return to the higher level of comedy practiced by the Three Stooges, The Marx Brothers, Red Skelton and all the rest of the those who refused to assault the public with crude and lewd phrases to make their living. But this common understanding, which was once more widely applied, is only the tip of the iceberg as we focus upon the essential meaning of the third commandment.

Immediately after passing on from cursing, we see a fourfold assessment of the taking of oaths and vows. Promise Keepers should pay special attention to the intricacies of what make for lawful and unlawful promises. Very many secret societies in the past have also violated the essence of the third commandment here! But let us not limit our condemnation to those obviously outside the lawful authority of Christ's Church.

One of the greatest problems limiting the discipline of congregations by the rightful authority of the session is the regular abuse of the means of discipline. I have always been very cautious in opening up cases of discipline where unstable and hateful people might use the procedures of discipline to malign the Church and cause an ongoing wasteful consumption of time better used for more godly purposes. These people, who are well described in Jude's letter, have inhabited every parliamentary organization of which I have been a part. Many times I have seen Robert's Rules of Order more used to obsfucate than to allow the progression of lawful legislative business. If you sense that I am being vague here, it is because I do not want to detail any example which might give an opportunity for some horse's tail to swat at me like I was an annoying fly instead of a minister of the gospel!

Look especially at verses fifteen and sixteen of Jude to see the type of person who may abuse the lawful administration of Christ's Church in this manner. Of course, very many sessions are just as legalistic in the failings as any who might make the application of their decisions difficult.

A minor point to be sure, but we should not overlook it, involves the casting of lots. By the time of the New Testament we know that the Urium and Thurim of the late priests of Israel were long since having any importance. However, we do read in the New Testament that the Apostles cast lots to select a successor to Judas instead of waiting for the Lord to call Paul to that important task! Since then, more judicious means have been used to select the leaders of Christ's Church. And certainly every method and means ever devised by the Church have been abused and turned against the lawful heirs to the office of pastor, elder and teacher.

Another point to be made from our confession is the apt description of all those who disagree with God's decrees and providence. If this portion of our confession were faithfully applied to all of the heretics who claim the teaching ordination in America, the Church would be at least two thirds or more healthier at their absence! In the early part of this century, there were conservative Presbyterians who fashioned five fundamentals of the Christian faith. From them we have the name Fundamentalist. Unfortunately, modern fundamentalists have added unnecessary burdens to the essential teachings and the concept of absolutely essential doctrines is little understood or appreciated.

A final point which must be made this morning is the general failure in "misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the word, or any part of it". It is so sad that so many leaders would rather be described as "winsome, engaging and popular", rather than being known for their steadfast subscription to the essential doctrines and a stubborn refusal to teach or preach anything else. If a Christian congregation is going to survive in this New Age culture, all doctrine must be carefully guarded and any who seek to bring in popular notions, no matter how desirable, should be carefully and firmly disciplined even to the point of excommunication. You see, when it comes to peace and purity within the Church, there is never a cost too high to pay when it comes to honoring the third commandment in this area of malfeasance.

The church would be better off with a third of the clergy serving in America today than to be overstaffed with professional wolves who know not a doctrine they would love enough to sacrifice their life for! This fall, there have been many situations where I have heard of honest pastors who were turned out of their flocks for nebulous reasons. I would hope that each and every one of them has been strengthened by the experience to stand firm for the essential doctrines of the gospel instead of learning to lean with the local breeze that chose to whisk them away. And may we all here better appreciate the trials and temptations that your leaders must deal with as they attempt to maintain fidelity to God's word and work.

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Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Westminster Shorter Catechism Series