Affidavit on COVID Mandates

It was one year ago today that I was arrested a second time and jailed for 18 days for failing to comply with provincial COVID restrictions. Legal matters are still being sorted, but I wanted to share a summary argument that sets forth the Scriptural justification for how we handled COVID.

I drafted the following document for my appearance in court to answer charges and fines levied against me and our church. It seeks to make clear why we were unable to comply with all COVID mandates while we sought to maintain a respectful and submissive posture toward our governing authorities in the province of Alberta. It has four sections; it sets forth (1) an argument on COVID mandates in general, (2) on masking, (3) on capacity limits, and (4) on physical distancing. May it provide clarity and prepare us for future challenges.

This document summarizes many articles on the subject written by myself and others, along with parts of the court submission of John MacArthur at Grace Community Church in California (which you can find here).

On COVID Mandates and the Church

1. Jesus is King over all the earth, including all kings, powers, and nations (Matt 28:18; Ps 2; Rev 1:5; Col 1:16; 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; 19:16). He is the supreme authority in all matters of life, health, society, law, family, and faith. Our Charter recognizes this in the preamble as this is the heritage of our nation.

2. With Christ as head over all, his law rules over all (also acknowledged in the preamble of our Charter). Everyone will be held accountable to God’s law (Rom 3:19).

3. Our civil government including our mayor, premier, and prime minister all answer to God as his servants (Rom 13:1–4). They are his deacons, appointed to carry out justice in this nation in accordance with the will of God. They are called to protect the innocent and punish the wicked.

4. Christ is Lord over all and head over the church (Eph 1:20–21). There are no earthly (i.e. civic) magistrates between the church and Jesus. The church is a distinct institution, separate from the state in its governance, ordinances, and worship.

5. The church, being free from earthly rule under the lordship of Jesus, elects its own leaders—called elders or pastors—who lead, teach, guide, and care for the church (Acts 6:5, 20:28; Tit 1:5). They are called to protect the worship, teaching, and ordinances of the church to ensure fidelity to the word in submission to Christ.

6. We are called to honor and obey the governing authorities of the state (Rom 13:1–7; 1 Pet 2:13–17), the church (Heb 13:17), and the home (Eph 5:22–33).

7. Defiance to earthly authorities (whether in the state, church, or home) out of greater loyalty and obedience to Christ can only be justified if they (1) forbid what God commands; (2) command what God forbids; or (3) command what is not theirs to command (Daniel 3, 6, Acts 5:29).

8. The church is commanded to gather (and not neglect the assembling of ourselves together) especially as the Day draws nearer (Heb 10:25). We are commanded to practice hospitality (1 Pet 4:9; Rom 12:13); sing to one another (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16), celebrate the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11:17–34), and care for the elderly, widows, and orphans (Jas 1:27). These are direct and divine commands that cannot be defied by the faithful.

9. We maintain that COVID mandates in Alberta forbade what God commanded and the government ruled outside their jurisdiction (reaching in to regulate life in the church and home), and should rightly be resisted in obedience to Christ, the Lord of all.

10. These convictions are in keeping with our church constitution, adopted at our founding in 1960, which states, “We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of society; that the magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed except only in the things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and Prince of the Kings of the earth” (Article 2.14).

On Mandatory Masking

The grounds for a religious exemption preventing enforcement of masks at services at Fairview Baptist Church.

1. Fairview Baptist Church regards the wearing of masks in worship first of all as a matter of conscience—and since we are forbidden by the teaching of Christ not to make extra-biblical religious rules that bind men’s consciences (Matthew 23:1-7; 15:1-9), we neither mandate nor forbid the wearing of masks in worship. See http://www.fairviewbaptistchurch.ca/face-masks-are-not-mandatory-at-fairview/ for an example.

2. Our Statement of Faith is clear when it says that the Lord Jesus Christ “is the only Lord of the conscience.” It is therefore wrong for me, as pastor, to enforce or mandate face coverings as part of worship and allow the commands of men to regulate or restrict the worship of God.

3. Veils and face coverings have profound religious significance in many world religions. In addition, it cannot be denied that COVID masks have become a very political symbol. In devotion to God, many in our church do not wish to associate either with other world religions nor the secular credo of our society.

4. Face coverings hide or veil our identity and therefore our humanity. The Bible states we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and our face, more than anything else, conveys our identity. A quick flip through any photo album or year book is more than sufficient to prove this point. Therefore, our face, unveiled, is a key element in true worship as we gather coram deo—before the face of God.

5. In addition, not just before God but with one another, one of the distinctives of Christian worship is face-to-face fellowship. The Bible uses the term “face to face” 17 times to describe this closeness in sharing life together. The importance of face-to-face intimacy within the church is stressed repeatedly. Paul writes, “We . . . were all the more eager with great desire to see your face” (1 Thessalonians 2:17). “We night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face” (3:10). The apostle John writes, “I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full” (2 John 12). “I hope to see you shortly, and we will  speak face to face” (3 John 14).

6. Koinonia is the Greek word in the Bible to describe fellowship. The word conveys the idea of community, close association, and intimate social contact. In keeping with this, the command “Greet one another with a holy kiss” is repeated four times in the Pauline epistles (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:22). This fellowship is essential to the local church.

7. Worship, in particular, is best seen as an open-face discipline. Covering the face is a symbol of disgrace or shame (Jeremiah 51:51; Job 40:4). Concealing one’s mouth while praising God suppresses the visible expression of worship. The Psalms’ calls to worship are filled with the words “tongue,” “lips,” and “mouth.” “Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise” (Psalm 81:1). Wholehearted worship cannot be sung as intended—unrestrained and unmuted—from behind a state-mandated face covering. We see “the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6), and our faces were designed by him to reflect that glory back to heaven in uninhibited praise as we are being renewed in his image and likeness as we behold him with unveiled face (2 Corinthians 3:18).

8. It is important to note that these convictions are not borne out of political motivations, protest, or scientific skepticism. We are not “anti-maskers.” We do not want to shame any person who chooses to wear a mask to our gatherings. We do not want to bind anyone’s conscience with manmade restrictions. People in the church are free to wear masks if they choose. But people who share the views articulated above are likewise free to worship, sing, pray, and proclaim God’s Word without a face covering—even if that goes against the vacillating, sometimes arbitrary, and frequently heavy-handed dictates of government officials. It is simply not the church’s duty to enforce civic orders that restrict or regulate the worship of the church.

On Capacity Limits

The grounds for religious exemption preventing enforcement of capacity limits at services at Fairview Baptist Church.

1. The Bible is clear that ecclesiastical matters are entrusted not to civic leaders, but to pastors and deacons (Acts 6:5, 20:28; Tit 1:5; Heb 13:17). Under the lordship of Christ, he has delegated authority in different spheres or jurisdictions. He has not given the civil magistrate the jurisdiction over the church to order or regulate its worship (Rom 13:1–5).

2. Our Statement of Faith confirms this belief: “We believe that a church is a company of baptized believers, called out from the world, separated unto the Lord Jesus, voluntarily associated for the ministry of the Word, the mutual edification of its members, the propagation of the faith and the observance of the ordinances.  We believe it is a sovereign, independent body, exercising its own divinely awarded gifts, precepts and privileges under the Lordship of Christ, the Head of the Church.  We believe that its leaders are pastors, elders and deacons.”

3. To limit capacity to 30% or 15% is to fundamentally alter that gathering of the church such that it is impossible to gather as the church. The church is a family of faith, a body of believers, that cannot be separated and rightly be called the church.

4. Of course some have promoted alternative ways to “do church” but these are pastor-centric rather than church-centric. Sunday worship becomes a performance or TED talk where people consume what the pastor says with little to no interaction with the people (i.e., the church). These alternatives contravene the very definition of church (Gr. ekklesia) which is an assembly.

5. The church gathering is more than listening to a message or hearing Christian worship. It involves fellowship, and the communion of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11 mentions “when you come together” five times when instructions concerning the Supper are given to the church). It involves singing songs to one another (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16), and the closer we get to Christ’s return, the more we are encouraged to gather together and spur each other on (Heb 10:24–25). In fact, we are commanded not to neglect the assembling of ourselves together (Heb 10:25).

6. Having just a portion of the congregation assembled or online is akin to having an online marriage or raising children in small, divided groups—it fundamentally alters the very nature of the church. In keeping with this, our church has resisted multi-service or multi-site models as unfaithful to the meaning of the church as a united assembly or family of God.

7. There is a spiritual gift that is shared when we gather together physically. Paul writes in Romans 1:11–12, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” There is something that letter writing could not perform that required a physical presence of the gathered assembly.

8. Our church sought to honor those who were conscience-bound to follow all mandates. However, we will always welcome all, regardless of their convictions (Romans 14:1).We would never close our doors to those who came to worship the one, true God (Romans 15:7). To welcome the stranger in Christian love, is to welcome Christ himself (Matthew 25:35). Our church will welcome all and speak the truth of Christ to all who come to hear.

On Physical Distancing Requirements

The grounds for a religious exemption preventing enforcement of physical distancing at services at Fairview Baptist Church.

1. There are numerous “one another” commands in Scripture that cannot be performed if the body is missing, divided, or restricted from close contact. These include wash one another’s feet (John 13:14); love one another (John 13:34–35; 15:12, 17; Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 3:12); members on of another (Romans 12:5); outdo one another in showing honor (Romans 12:10); live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16; 15:5); welcome one another (Romans 15:7); instruct one another (Romans 15:14); greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Peter 5:14); have the same care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25); comfort one another (2 Corinthians 13:11); agree with one another (2 Corinthians 13:11); serve one another (Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 4:10); bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2); bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2); speak truth with your neighbor for we are members one of another (Ephesians 4:25); be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32); forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32); address one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19); submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21); teach and admonish one another (Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 3:13); encourage one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11); seek to do good to one another (1 Thessalonians 5:15); stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24); do not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another [to gather] (Hebrews 10:25); confess your sins to one another (James 5:16); pray for one another (James 5:16); and show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9).

2. As an elder, there is a biblical qualification for me to practice hospitality (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8). This includes having church members in my home (1 Peter 4:9) and strangers are to be welcomed too (Hebrew 13:2). Forced to be derelict in my duties before God or in non-compliance with health mandates, I will always choose the latter in devotion to God and in faithfulness to my calling.

3. In the installation of elders, we “lay on hands” (1 Timothy 4:14; 5:22). This necessary physical act carries important spiritual meaning in the commissioning of leaders in the church.

4. In the Scriptures, the sick are called to summon the elders of the church to come and lay hands on them and pray over them (James 5:14). We are commanded to care for the sick, the widowed, the orphan, and those in need rather than isolate from them (James 1:27).

5. There are two ordinances commanded by our Lord, baptism and the Lord’s Supper—also known as communion or the Eucharist (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:17–34). These both require close contact in their proper administration.

6. The Lord’s supper is commanded “when you come together” (1 Corinthians 11:17, 18, 20, 33, 34). As such, we celebrate this ordinance each week. It is akin to a covenant renewal like the Passover meal for the Jews where we are reminded of Christ being our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). As such, it is an important practice to celebrate together as a covenant community or family of faith.

7. Greeting one another with a holy kiss is a biblical command (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Peter 5:14) that may find different cultural expression in our day but would still involve close, familial contact, and appropriate displays of affection and union. I could not, in good conscience, undermine or neuter this command among the church to restrict handshakes, hugs, or close contact for brothers and sisters in the Lord.

8. It is wholly inappropriate for me—and beyond the mandate given to me by God—to enforce physical separation between members of the body whom God has joined together to be one. What God has joined together let no man separate (Matthew 19:6).

9. Our church sought to show grace by handling physical distancing as a matter of conscience. We sought to respect one another’s convictions on the issue rather than mandate compliance in conformity with the secular consensus. We offered seating and areas where people could congregate at a greater distance if so desired.

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

The longer you live and the more people you know, the more familiar you will be with suffering and trials. It can be an unexpected diagnosis from the doctor, a long battle with illness or disease, a chronic pain, family caught in a war, or deep anxiety about the unknown. The list goes on and on with each situation bringing its own unique challenges. We’re tempted to respond in anger, resentment, withdrawal, depression, or fear. We’re tempted to give in to sin, turn to food, entertainment, or other substances to numb the pain and seek to remove ourselves from the suffering. We work to change circumstances, take control, fight or flee.

But Christians are called to something different. We realize that our circumstances might not change, we may not have control, we might not be able to fix it. Rather, we have a God who rules over circumstances and guides history to its appointed end (Isa 46:8–10). We have a God who has complete control over all things (Eph 1:11). Our God is even in control of all suffering (Lam 3:37–38), such that Job—the quintessential sufferer—would confess, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). It is also abundantly clear that the suffering of Christ—the most egregious of all suffering as the perfect one bore our sin and suffered the full cup of God’s wrath—was according to God’s divine design (Acts 2:23–24; 4:27–28).

This changes everything.

In our pain, we turn to God in our distress and sorrow and lament. We cry to the Lord. We pour out our souls before him as is oft-seen in the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 11, 12, 13) and from the lips of Job (Job 3). Even our Lord Jesus wept on the eve of his death and he lamented the wrath he was about to endure (Mark 15:33–36). It is not sinful to cry to God in lament.

In our distress we look to him who is sovereign over all things and take comfort. Job was ultimately comforted when he came to see God as the sovereign God of all wisdom, power, and love. He confessed, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). This doctrine is a cause for much consternation among believers and unbelievers alike. We kick against the goads in rebellion to the absolute sovereignty of God. We object on the grounds of free will, on free love, and on human responsibility. Yet the Scriptures carve out no “safe-space” for this objections. Rather, Romans 9:20–23 confesses, “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.” These verses would be terrifying if it were not for the rest of God’s revelation. Not that the rest of God’s revelation refute these words, but the rest of God’s revelation bears witnesses that this Potter is one who is full of love, mercy, grace, faithfulness, wisdom, and power. Our God is a God who is bigger than suffering and uses suffering—even in its ugliest and cruelest forms—to accomplish his purposes and do good to his people. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). This is only possible with a God who is in absolute control. His sovereignty is our comfort in suffering—in everything.

This is where Job was brought in his distress. “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you” (Job 42:5). He knew God was powerful, wise, and loving—at least, he knew that on paper. Through his suffering and God’s revelation of himself in the storm, he saw God in a way that brought comfort to him in his distress. He never did get an answer. And we might not get an answer for our suffering or the suffering of those who care for. But our comfort in this life and in death is God himself. His faithfulness, his power, his love, his wisdom, and his sovereign control over all things to bring his creation to its appointed end—for his glory and our good.

So in your suffering, lament and study the character of God and take comfort knowing that he can do all things and that no purpose of his can be thwarted (Job 42:2). At the end of our suffering, at the end of time, we will look back at God’s actions throughout time and say, “It is good. He does all things right.”

— Tim Stephens

The Lord Is King

God Is Sovereign

The Scriptures are replete with examples of the rising and falling of rulers and nations. What is clear in every case is that it is the Lord God who humbles the proud, judges the nations, sends great calamity, appoints rulers, and does all these things to accomplish his purposes.

 “Remember this and stand firm recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it” (Isaiah 46:8-11).

The “bird of prey from the east” refers to Cyrus, the coming Persian king who will execute judgment upon the idolatry and wickedness of Babylon. In light of this revelation, God’s people are not to trust in the idols and false gods of Babylon for God will humiliate the idols of self-worship and destroy the pride of a people bent against him. God knows the end from the beginning because God “declares the end from the beginning.” There is none like him. He is the only God, sovereign, almighty, all-wise, and rules over all his creation.

Proverbs 21:1 reminds us, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” The powerful Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar learned this when he was humbled by God and made a madman. When his reason returned to him, Nebuchadnezzar “blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:34-35). May we have the sense to remember this in our day!

The prophets also understood than when either blessing or calamity came, it was by the hand of the Lord. “Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” (Lamentations 3:37-38). Jeremiah said these words when he witnessed the defeat of the kingdom of Judah and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. He laments and weeps for his people who are being destroyed. Yet, knowing the one, true, sovereign God, Jeremiah is able to say, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

In the midst of national upheaval, war, and calamity, Jeremiah is able to point his heart and mind to the steadfast love of God and his faithfulness in the accomplishment of his purposes. He laments and he worships. He is sorrowful, yet rejoicing.

Lament and sorrow seem to come more naturally to us in hard times. Yet, worship and joy come in all seasons when we behold God, stable and steadfast on his throne, accomplishing his purposes to bring glory to his name and salvation to his people.

The Lord Is King

We are no longer under the old covenant but the character of God never changes and his mercies remain new each morning. Under the new covenant, the Bible makes clear that Jesus is the king of the nations, and exercises all authority in heaven and on earth.

Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt 28:18). He is described as “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth” (Rev 1:5). He is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1:21). In adoration, the Scriptures say, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!” (Rev 15:3). “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Col 1:16). It is clear that Jesus Christ is “Lord of lords and King of kings” (Rev 17:14).

We must remember that Jesus Christ—the same yesterday, today, and forever—reigns over all. Therefore, even in times of calamity, uncertainty, or chaos, we can rejoice. In fact, we must rejoice!

God is sovereign. He accomplishes all his purposes. He is loving, faithful, gracious, and compassionate. He will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matt 16:18). If there is anything we’ve learned in these past two years, is that when the nations rage against God and plot to usurp him, they do so in vain (Psalm 2). God’s purposes advance, his gospel goes forth, Christ is preached, his people redeemed, and his saints strengthened. So take heart, look to the worthy and reigning Christ and rejoice.

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!” (Psalm 97:1).

The Emergencies Act and our Hopeful Endurance

This week our Prime Minister made an historic decision to invoke the Emergencies Act which is designed to give the government power to quickly handle matters of national security. The Act will give the government and police extended powers and also grant them the ability to direct financial institutions to freeze accounts they believe are a threat to national security.

While it seems that all provinces are quickly moving away from COVID mandates, the federal government clings to its stance and has vowed not to be swayed by protests, medical advice from doctors, new reports about the inefficacy of mandates, nor the many countries who have recently dropped their COVID restrictions.

“He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan” (Proverbs 29:1–2).

Some have responded with excitement and joy, calling this real leadership. Others see this as an ominous development and a portent of the darkness ahead for our nation. Fear and anxiety are common emotions with all the uncertainty present in our divided country. Families and churches have not been immune from these two years of division while government action and media reports continue to enflame tensions as they seek to control the narrative that is increasingly undermined by eye witness testimony, scientific studies, and shifting public opinion.

Let me remind you of a few truths that are important to consider this week so we aren’t tossed by the waves of the times.

1. Judgment and Deliverance Go Together

When God judged Egypt the Hebrews were delivered. That season would have been tumultuous for the righteous in the land. When the people cried, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in an act of judgment bringing about salvation. In other seasons of judgment, whether upon ancient Israel itself, upon Babylon, or when the temple was destroyed after the death of Christ as judgment upon Israel, God delivers a remnant—a people of endurance and faith, tested and purified to do his will. Again and again, God often brings judgment at the same time he saves and brings out something new.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

It is clear that our nation is under judgment. The description in Romans 1 where a people deny God and his creative power, exchange marriage for homosexuality, proclaim foolishness as wisdom, possess a debased mind, and celebrate all forms of wickedness is the revelation of God’s wrath. These things not only deserve God’s future and final wrath but are manifestations of his present wrath and judgment upon our land. However, we should not despair because through judgment, God is also working deliverance.

Consider how he has already purified his church and built her through the storms of the past two years! Christ is faithful, he will build his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).

2. A Call to Endurance and Faithfulness

In the book of Revelation, which describes the battle between our Lord and the forces of evil, we have repeated calls for us to endure and remain faithful. When judgments come upon the earth and the beast roars, claws, and bites, we’re called to patient endurance.

“If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:10).

“Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).

We’re not promised to float along on flowery beds of ease. In fact, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). We should not be surprised at fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12) or that the world hates us (1 John 3:13) as if something strange were happening. This must be the case when God shakes the world so that what cannot be shaken remains (Hebrews 12:27). In this present shake-up, let us remember that our Lord is not shaken, his word remains true, his church yet a pillar of truth, his love still steadfast, his mercies new every morning, and his grace sufficient for every trial.

This is what Jeremiah said when he witnessed his nation being destroyed: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

In the midst of judgment, trust that the Lord remains in control and that no purpose of his can be thwarted (Job 42:2), and that he accomplishes his will among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand (Daniel 4:35). So let us not seek to have confidence in what is being shaken, but on what is unshakable.

3. A Call for Hopeful Gospel Proclamation

So many in our country were longing for hope just a few weeks ago. The truck convoy and protests that spread from our country to the nations of the world have sparked a great fire of hope and the change of much government policy related to COVID mandates. However, in recent days, with the entrenchment of our Prime Minister and federal government, hope may be waning.

We must remember that even if the truckers succeed in every way imaginable, true and lasting change can never come through civil protest, political maneuvering, or a new government.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who spent eleven years in Soviet labor camps came to realize that revolution never brings an end to oppression. He wrote, “In the intoxication of youthful successes I had felt myself to be infallible, and I was therefore cruel. In the surfeit of power I was a murderer and an oppressor…. Even in the best of hearts there remains… an unuprooted small corner of evil. Since then I have come to understand the truth of all the religions of the world: They struggle with the evil inside a human being…. And since that time I have come to understand the falsehood of all the revolutions in history: They destroy only the those carriers of evil contemporary with them.”

In other words, without change that deals with the evil of the heart, revolution will only lead to today’s oppressed being tomorrows oppressor. Here is where the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of his word is so important as our weapon to fight against the strongholds of unbelief today (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). Our hope of lasting change in this age and the one to come is when Jesus conquers the sin within through the power of the cross and implants in us a desire to do his will through his Spirit. When he does this in the lives of many, we see a culture transformed through grace with an eager longing to do his will. So let us then, with renewed vigor, stand fast in the grace of Christ and his word as we continue to speak about his power to save—even in times of judgment.

Good News for Truckers (and other lovers of freedom)

The following is example of sharing the gospel with those who love freedom but do not yet love Jesus. May it encourage you to be faithful in caring for the oppressed and needy, while offering the hope that is found in Jesus Christ.

The Desire For Freedom

You want freedom. You value freedom. You are willing to fight for freedom. We both know this is not a freedom to hate or do wrong, but a responsible-freedom to visit loved ones, celebrate milestones, work and provide for your family, worship God, educate your children, and make informed medical choices best for you and your family. These are freedoms you long for—and now fight for—after two dark years of coercion, empty promises, restrictions, and unanswered cries.

Deep down in every person is a desire to be free. God has not designed us to be slaves to a cruel master nor to a “benevolent” state. God has made mankind to be righteous stewards of his creation. He has not simply left it as a free-for-all where the strongest or wealthiest rule. God knows the sinful heart of man and so distributed rule and responsibility to his creatures through differing governments. There is the government of the state which is given the power of the sword to keep justice and punish evildoers. He has established the family, and given to the family the responsibility of welfare, healthcare, education, production, and livelihood. He has established his church, and to her gives the responsibility to preach and teach the truth of God’s word, to preach the gospel  of the kingdom of God, to celebrate the ordinances, and to be a prophetic witness to the world. Lastly, God has established self-government where every individual must give a personal account to God for every word, deed, and thought.

We recognize that the family can wrongfully extend beyond its God-designed role, i.e., the mafia. In medieval times the Roman Catholic Church also extended beyond its God-given role. Most frequently however, it is the state—wielding the power of the sword—that has exceeded its God-given mandate to seek a totalizing rule over all aspects of life. Totalitarianism and a medical technocracy are rising in our lifetime. While protests and demonstrations may move the dial or delay the progress of those engaged in statecraft, they do not solve the underlying issues threatening our society, families, and individual lives.

Our country’s highest law, designed to protect liberty, begins in this way, “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.” It’s no secret that this opening statement is neither believed by our leaders nor the general public—hence we’ve lost the foundation for the liberties expressed in the Charter leading to two years of violations of these liberties.

The Foundation of True Freedom

When God is recognized as supreme, people have freedom. Evil doers and evil governments are held to account to His ways. Laws are evaluated in light of God’s law. Never would one conclude that coerced vaccinations, or lockdowns of society, or the isolation of healthy people would be consistent with God’s law. Rather, God’s word condemns such injustices. The damage and harm of the past two years would have been avoided if we listened to the steadfast wisdom of God rather than the shifting opinions of men.

An increasing number of people are now joining the stand for freedom. Freedom for themselves and freedom for others. These people come from all walks of life. They are not lifetime activists or complainers. They would rather be home with their family or hard at work. But they stand for freedom, and for that, they should be commended.

When Jesus came to earth, he also came for the cause of freedom. He not only came for freedom, but he died for freedom. Jesus said, “I came not to be served, but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The word “ransom” means to pay the price to set people free. Jesus died, not for himself, but for others. Jesus died so that many could be set free.

Jesus says in John 8:31–32, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The freedom of which Jesus speaks is the freedom from sin and death. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection he won emancipation from the tyranny of the devil, sin, and death. What an amazing act of mercy, grace, and love! And when a community of people understand his identity, authority, and work of rescue on the cross, that community is truly free. Not just in a spiritual sense, but in an all-of-life sense. When Jesus is seen as King of kings and Lord of lords, we experience the freedom that he intends for his creation and his design for the family, state, church, and individual. How we view the family, government, welfare, work, and every aspect of life is transformed by Jesus and his word. We receive tremendous blessing in this life, and in the life to come, eternal life!

The Call For Repentance and Faith

You rightly thirst for freedom. But know that this thirst can only be satisfied in Jesus. The longing for freedom from medical tyranny is only a small foretaste of the freedom we find in Jesus and his law of liberty. Our governing authorities increasingly see themselves as gods. The ruling class see themselves as the benevolent lawgivers and sustainers of the common people, rather than stewards under God. The only way to reverse the tide is repentance and faith in the supremacy, authority, and salvation that is only found in Jesus Christ. To see him as King and Savior. To see him as Lawgiver, Savior, and Sustainer. You need this repentance. You need forgiveness for your sins against God. You need to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and believe that he died and rose again for sinners like you.

I invite you to read the gospel of John if you haven’t before. Ask questions when you have them. Go to a church that preaches the Bible and stands for truth. It’s my prayer that you would understand Jesus’ identity, authority, and how he came to earth to rescue sinners like you through his death and resurrection. I pray that you would find freedom, strength, wisdom, forgiveness, and eternal life in the only place it can truly be found: Jesus. May he be your satisfaction and joy and satisfy your thirst for freedom!

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The People are Crying (and the Way Out)

The People are Crying

The events of the past week have brought international attention to working class Canadians who have been burdened beyond their breaking point by two years of government-imposed restrictions. Blue collar workers, ignited by a convoy of truckers, have cried out for freedom in their distress.

This desire for freedom is part of God’s design and firmly planted in every human soul. This freedom is not an anything-goes-just-don’t-hurt-anybody-libertarian-freedom. This is a freedom to plant crops, reap a harvest, feed the family, raise the children, worship God, visit loved ones, welcome people into the home, and live a “normal” life. The truckers, farmers, and many others, simply want to live a quiet and peaceful life without being oppressed through a medically-imposed technocratic tyranny which is nothing more than the failed attempt of bureaucrats to control what they cannot control.

In Biblical Times

In biblical times we see many examples of when the people cried for freedom. When the Hebrews were in Egypt, their rulers—at one time treating them with respect—oppressed the people with hard labor. The people cried out to the Pharaoh and to God. Pharaoh refused to listen. God heard their cry. In Exodus 3:7 he says , “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings” (cf. Ex 2:23; 3:9).

In the book of Judges there are a number of times when the people are oppressed by cruel leaders. They were prevented from eating their own crops, or suffered under heavy taxation that affected their livelihoods and lives. Again and again the people cried out in their oppression and God would raise up a deliverer (e.g., Judges 3:9; 3:15; 4:3; 6:6).

In these cases, the basis for their cry was not religious freedom. They were not forbidden to worship their God. Rather, it was heavy taxation, hard labor, loss of bodily autonomy and property rights, and a cruel government that caused the people to groan and cry out to God. And God heard their cry.

In COVID Times

Nearly two years of government-enforced restrictions have led to a dramatic increase in suicide, the shuttering of many businesses, the false “choice” of maintaining bodily autonomy or a career, a poverty-inducing increased cost of living, a gigantic government debt, the escalation of cancel culture and censorship, the division of families and society, and a host of collateral damage that will prove beyond doubt that the cure was worse than the disease.

In addition, the narrative has crumbled. The vaccine was not the savior it was hoped to be. After two years of seeking to alter society, relationships, education, worship, the economy, and our immune system, “experts” are now saying that we need to simply live with COVID and move on. The experimental injections were a false hope. The mask was a false hope. So too was physical distancing and hand sanitizer. Our leaders couldn’t protect us. Almighty “science” proved (again) to be impotent, ever-changing, and illusive in the hands of scientists who don’t know male from female. The scientific “consensus” was about as solid as putty and worked just as well in the hands of politicians who navigated their course based on public opinion driven by media-inspired fear rather than common sense and biblical-creational principles. Our leaders, facing the least consequence to their own livelihoods, continued to exchange the livelihoods of others for a false promise of safety.

So the people cried. And cried. And cried. The few who ruled the province with never-ending emergency powers did not listen—even when it was clear their policies were ineffective and damaging. The cries continued, and no lesser magistrate rose to the occasion. Mayors, police chiefs, MLAs, and principles were mostly silent even as people in their constituency cried louder. And now, after two years, the people, at their wits end, have taken matters into their own hand. Should we be surprised? Are our leaders that out of touch with the “common folk” that they didn’t understand their pain and hardship?

The Way Out

How do we recover from this time of deep division, confusion, and pain? One word. Repentance. We’re in this mess because we have forsaken God and his creational norms. The church is unhealthy, our education is thoroughly anti-Christian, our leaders are passing laws that praise what God calls an abomination. Even when all COVID restrictions are lifted—and let us hope this is the case—we are still under the oppression of lies and perversion. God will not be mocked and his judgment will continue.

This is the day for the church to confess her sins, cry out to the Lord, stand upon the grace of the risen Lord Jesus Christ and the surety of his written testimony, then go forth to make disciples who know and obey all that Christ has commanded. To the word and to the testimony! This is a call to be thoroughly Christian in how we see and engage in church life, evangelism, education, business, politics, healthcare, and every other facet of life. Following Jesus encompasses the whole man, body, soul, mind, and strength. Following Jesus recognizes that he has authority over all things. He is Lord all and everything ought to be done under his lordship for his glory and according to his will.

So let us pray to the Lord, asking for his deliverance, and for him to revive his church and grant repentance to the people in our churches and province. Let us go forth, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God and expose the statist utopian vision that leads to ruin. May Christ be with us as we go to make disciples of the nations and teach them to obey what Christ has commanded.

Pastoral Reflections on the Freedom Convoy

The following video offers pastoral reflections on the Freedom Convoy and the protesting of COVID mandates that have affected so many people over the past two years.

Some Christians have too much hope in the result of this protest and others think it sinful. Here are a few points to consider.

1) “Protestant” Christians shouldn’t be immediately repulsed by protest.

2) Supporting freedom, whether for informed consent or the livelihoods (i.e., lives), is loving your neighbor.

3) Standing for truth is always right.

4) Defending the oppressed and needy is righteous. The toll of mandates has far surpassed the effect of the virus.

5) We desire God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We want abortion to end, slavery to cease, and governments to operate within their biblical bounds.

6) This is an opportunity for the gospel of Christ. The longing for freedom is only satisfied in Christ.

A Statement on the Criminalization of Conversion Therapy

The following is a loose transcript of the video above.

This past week, Bill-C4 has become law in Canada. It is now a criminal offense to advertise, promote, or engage in conversion therapy.

What is conversion therapy? The law states, “conversion therapy means a practice, treatment or service designed to

(a) change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual;
(b) change a person’s gender identity to cisgender;
(c) change a person’s gender expression so that it conforms to the sex assigned to the person at birth;
(d) repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour;
(e) repress a person’s non-cisgender gender identity; or
(f) repress or reduce a person’s gender expression that does not conform to the sex assigned to the person at birth.

For greater certainty, this definition does not include a practice, treatment or service that relates to the exploration or development of an integrated personal identity — such as a practice, treatment or service that relates to a person’s gender transition — and that is not based on an assumption that a particular sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is to be preferred over another.”

From the preamble it states, “Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to society because, among other things, it is based on and propagates myths and stereotypes about sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, including the myth that heterosexuality, cisgender gender identity, and gender expression that conforms to the sex assigned to a person at birth are to be preferred over other sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.”

The full text of the law can be found here: https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-4/royal-assent

What should Christians think about this law?

1. It’s unnecessary. The oft-cited practices like coercive treatments, shock therapy, and so forth are already criminal practices.

2. It’s calling good evil and evil good. All societies that live according to the biblical ethic, the creational ethic, have flourished. This is now called evil. However, this law calls God’s ways harmful. The preamble states, “Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to the persons who are subjected to it.” Ironically, this law promotes a type of “conversion” using puberty blocking chemicals, surgeries to remove functioning breasts and other sexual organs, regular hormone treatments, and truly harmful counseling that has led to exorbitant suicide rates.

3. It’s discriminatory. It prevents a consenting person from seeking biblical counsel. It is clearly a one-sided law. It bans repentance for certain people even if they are consenting.

4. It’s defamatory. It defames the name of God, relegates his word to a myth, and calls the obvious testimony of nature a mere stereotype. It relegates the beauty of sexuality, manhood, womanhood, and marriage as social constructs rather than creational norms.

What should Christians, churches, parents, counselors do about this law?

It remains to be seen what the government will do with this, but we should continue to do what we’ve always been doing. Like Joshua said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

If anyone struggling with same-sex attraction, gender dysphoria, or any other sexual sin, they will find truth here. We will hold to the reality that “God made them male and female” (Genesis 1:27). We will hold to the reality that your gender matches your biology at birth. We will only affirm that sex is reserved for one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage and that all other sexual activities are sinful.

Of course these kinds of sexual sins are not the only sins, but they are sins that call for repentance and with it the promise that Jesus forgives through his work on the cross. The power of true conversion is seen when we recognize that not only does the gospel save us from the penalty of sin but also its power.

Jesus promises to change us. The words of 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 contain a warning of judgment and a promise of grace, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

We will promote this gospel of forgiveness and sanctification. We will call sinners—all sinners—to repentance and faith in Christ. We will affirm at all times the norms of creation and the exclusive truth of God’s word in Christ and call people to conform to God’s law. We will help sinners see and live this truth. We will never turn anyone away. We won’t be silent. We’ll give biblical counsel on gender and sexuality to all who will hear. This is your invitation to hear of Christ, know his truth, and be saved.

A Note to the Premier: End the Injustice

Hello Family,

I’ve just sent this email along to our local MLAs, the Premier, and Health Minister. I’ve asked for opportunities to speak on the phone prior to this and such requests have so far been ignored. I would encourage you to write or call your MLA and press upon them the urgency of their harmful policies that are affecting the people of our community and beyond.

At the same time, let us cry to the Lord for help in a time of need. Let us pray that he might provide, do justice, and help the oppressed.

Hello Premier, Health Minister and local MLAs,

I pastor Fairview Baptist Church in Calgary and the situation among our members is growing more dire. What is the problem? People have been put on unpaid leave or fired because they are not vaccinated or refuse to disclose their personal medical information.

First, this is injustice, plain and simple (my past plea went unanswered (http://www.fairviewbaptistchurch.ca/a-plea-for-justice/).
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Second, the data doesn’t justify these policies. This is from Alberta’s own stats as of January 4, 2022 (https://www.alberta.ca/stats/covid-19-alberta-statistics.htm#vaccine-outcomes).

There are more vaccinated people with COVID in every category. Of course some will object that this is because more people are vaccinated. However, looking at the case rates between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, they are identical. This is not a pandemic of the unvaccinated!

Please, this is time to end this discrimination that is preventing people from feeding their families and losing their homes. As a church we are supporting these people but our resources are not limitless. They need to work. They have skills, they have careers. They have been taken away from their livelihoods and deserve justice.

This should never have happened but it is not too late to take steps now to restore these people to their livelihoods.

Our church prays for you that you might lead with justice and more importantly, that you would know the joy of knowing the one true God who made heaven and earth. God is gracious and merciful through the forgiveness he grants through his Son, Jesus Christ. Fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Do not let the fear of man, fear of losing political capital, or fear of a virus we can’t control keep you in a pattern of foolish choices. God’s word has the answers and I would be happy to speak more about his wisdom applied today.

Tim Stephens
Pastor, Fairview Baptist Church
www.fairviewbaptistchurch.ca
230 – 78 Ave SE, Calgary AB T2H 1C4

How Churches Are Responding to Conversion Therapy Criminalization

On Friday, January 7th Bill C-4 which seeks to criminalize conversion therapy will be the official law of the land in Canada. (You can read the details of the law, how it was passed, and my initial reflections here. Also, when conversion therapy was banned in Calgary in 2020, I preached this sermon.) The question that many are wondering: How will churches respond?

There are two initiatives that I’ve been made aware of. The first is a letter put together and promoted by many different evangelical denominations and parachurch ministries. The goal of this initiative is to read the letter to the congregation on Sunday, January 9th. I was also advised not to publish the letter online or on our website, but you can read a copy of it online here.

The second initiative promoted by the Liberty Coalition Canada is to preach on the topic of biblical sexuality on January 16th. This initiative has also been promoted by prominent American pastors like John MacArthur, Doug Wilson, and James White who will also be preaching on that topic on January 16th in an effort to stand for truth and alongside their Canadian brethren.

Our church has partnered with the second initiative and I’ll be preaching on the 16th on The Beauty of Biblical Sexuality. Concerning the first initiative, I appreciate the desire to stand together as churches and even affirm a common statement. I will be joining these churches in making a statement to our church this Sunday, but I will not be reading the statement provided for the following reasons:

1. The core issue is not religious freedom. The passing of this law is not a threat to the church’s ability to speak on issues of sexuality. Any church that doesn’t preach the Bible because portions of it are outlawed or counter-cultural is not worthy of the name “church” (2 Timothy 4:2).

The core issue is truth—especially in the area of marriage, sexuality, and gender. People are being destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Men and women, young and old are being destroyed because of godless ideologies that promote sexual perversion and gender confusion and call God and his truth a myth. The young people of our nation are being harmed because falsehood is promoted. If the church doesn’t speak truth, then who will deliver these people from the grip of lies? Who will speak so that the young girl about to get her breasts surgically removed might hear the truth and in time enjoy the pleasure of nursing her child? Who will speak to the young men who dress as women and do not know the joy and design of true masculinity?

The issue at stake is not our freedom to speak, it is our duty to speak regardless of government permission for the glory of God and the goodness of our fellow man.

2. The audience is the nations of the world, not just the churched. The joint statement is a statement to the church. The instructions I received about not publishing it reveal that it is an “internal” statement. However, if churches today do not know (with clarity) what their pastors believe about biblical sexuality, homosexuality, or transgenderism, alarm bells should have gone off a long time ago. The biblical position on these issues should be well known in the church. It is at this point, that it needs to be clarified to the world, it needs to be preached among the nations.

Our mandate is to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that Jesus has commanded. The nations need to know the holiness of God, his creative power, his coming judgment, his design for marriage and sexuality, and how sin is dealt with through the sacrifice, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The world needs, especially in this moment, clarity and truth from the church as we speak of sin and salvation.

3. The goal is not conflict, nor a “cease fire”, but reconciliation. Some may think that preaching on the subject is only going to stir the pot. Likewise, the statement above could be seen as a way of carving out protections for Christians to have their beliefs in exchange for a promise to play nicely with those who disagree. Neither must be our goal.

My hope is that on the 16th, the beauty of God’s design in marriage, gender, and sexuality is set forth with clarity—not to divide or stir up controversy, but to reconcile sinners to a good, gracious, and merciful God who has so wonderfully created us for love and joy. It is time for a clear call that the only way to be reconciled as a society or to God is on his terms. There is no room for other views of sexuality, gender, or marriage besides God’s view. The church should call every person—every sinner—to see God’s way as the only way and to repent and be reconciled to him and one another.

Please pray for the churches in these coming weeks.

Tim Stephens