The Wesleyan Discipline (2004)

 

Chapter 5

SPECIAL DIRECTIONS

400. The special directions are expressions by which The Wesleyan

Church seeks to bear witness to contemporary society concerning the

Christian life and character required by its Articles of Religion and Covenant

Membership Commitments. While they are not covenant membership

commitments, they are official admonitions to the members, ministers and

officials of The Wesleyan Church, and provide guidelines for bearing public

testimony on the issues discussed.

 

A. Christian Social Concern

410. The Wesleyan Church seeks recognition by the society which

surrounds it of the authority of Almighty God, and the authority of the Lord

Jesus Christ, in civil, political and temporal as well as spiritual matters, and

the transformation of that society into the image of Christ insofar as is

possible in this present age. It believes that such a transformation of society

shall primarily be accomplished by the divine transformation through faith in

Christ of the individuals who compose society, but that Christians ought also

to manifest social concern in every manner that is in keeping with their

Christian testimony. To this end:

(1) Equal Rights. The Wesleyan Church upholds the right of all

individuals to equal opportunity politically, economically and religiously, and

pledges itself to an active effort to bring about the possession of dignity and

happiness by all people everywhere (cf. 220; 265:10, 11; 360:3d).

(2) Peace. The Wesleyan Church, knowing that war results in great

suffering for the bodies, minds and souls of men and women, staggering

economic loss with its legacy of debt for future generations, and the

unleashing of the baser passions of life, urges that persons and nations seek by

every legitimate means to avoid armed conflict among the peoples and nations

of the world. The Wesleyan Church also urges that holy people everywhere

pray earnestly for those in authority, so that peace may prevail (1 Tim. 2:2),

and for the quick return of the Prince of Peace.

(3) Military Service. The Wesleyan Church teaches respect for

properly constituted civil authority and the proper loyalty to one’s country. It

recognizes the responsibility of the individual to answer the call of government

and to enter into military service. However, there are those within the

fellowship of The Wesleyan Church who believe that military service is

contrary to the teaching of the New Testament and that their consciences are

violated by being compelled to take part in such. The Wesleyan Church will

therefore lend moral support to any member who asks and claims exemption

by legal processes from military service as a sincere conscientious objector and

who asks to serve one’s country as a noncombatant.

(4) Substance Abuse. The Wesleyan Church is opposed to the

production, sale, purchase and use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, narcotics

and other harmful drugs, unless for mechanical, chemical or medicinal

purposes (cf. 265:4). The unprescribed use of hallucinogens, stimulants and

depressants, and the misuse and abuse of regularly prescribed medicines

should be prohibited; only on competent medical advice and under medical

supervision should such drugs be used.

(5) Human Sexuality. The Wesleyan Church abhors the trend to

ignore God’s laws of chastity and purity, and vigorously opposes public

acceptance of sexual promiscuity and all factors and practices which promote

it. The Wesleyan Church maintains a biblical view of human sexuality which

makes the sexual experience, within the framework of marriage, a gift of God

to be enjoyed as communion of a man and woman, as well as for the purpose

of procreation. Sexual relationships outside of marriage and sexual

relationships between persons of the same sex are immoral and sinful. The

depth of the sinfulness of homosexual practice is recognized, and yet we

believe the grace of God sufficient to overcome both the practice of such

activity and the perversion leading to its practice.

(6) Divorce and Remarriage. On the basis of a careful study of the

Scriptures, and in keeping with its Covenant Membership Commitments

(265:5), The Wesleyan Church teaches the following with reference to divorce

and remarriage after divorce:

(a) To obtain a divorce on other than scriptural grounds is a sin

against God and humanity. Such putting asunder of what God has

joined is a direct and deliberate act of disobedience against both the Law

and the Gospel. It separates one from God and subjects a member to

Church discipline (5115; 5120).

(b) However, recognizing the fallen state of humanity, divorce has

been recognized in the Scriptures as a valid and permanent dissolution

of marriage with all its rights and responsibilities. Divorce is not

reversible. There is no way to “restore” a dissolved marriage. The

divorced (unmarried) status can be changed only by a new marriage to

the same person or another person. No divorced and remarried person

has two spouses, only a former spouse and a present spouse, as in

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 7.

(c) Divorce, however sinful the act and however serious the

consequences, is not “unpardonable.” A redeemed sinner or reclaimed

backslider is “free” to marry “in the Lord” or to remain unmarried, a

eunuch for the kingdom of God’s sake. The one exception to this

freedom of choice is mentioned by the Apostle Paul. It is a believer who

disobeys the commandment of God and puts away a believing spouse.

That person must remain unmarried to leave room for reconciliation to

the spouse (1 Cor. 7).

(d) The right to remarry in no way excuses the sin of divorce. It

only implies that the Church must forgive and restore those whom the

Lord forgives and restores. Neither penance nor penalty remain to the

truly penitent and restored sinner, or backslider, whatever the traumatic

consequences of the sin may be.

(7) Merchandising on the Lord’s Day. The Wesleyan Church

opposes the legalization of merchandising on the Lord’s Day (cf. 265:1).

(8) Religion in Public Life. The Wesleyan Church, believing that it

is possible to allow recognition of God and the invoking of His aid in public

functions without violating the Constitution of the United States, advocates

the enactment of suitable legislation by the Congress which will strengthen

the present provision for the free exercise of religion in national life and allow

reference to, or the invoking of the aid of God, in any governmental or public

document, proceeding, activity, ceremony or institution. The Wesleyan

Church further affirms its belief in the public school’s duty to do full justice

to the large place of the Judeo-Christian tradition in our American heritage,

and its conviction that the Bible is an appropriate book for reading in the

public schools and that the right of students to pray should not be abridged.

(9) Public School Activities. The Wesleyan Church protests the

inclusion of such questionable items as social dancing in the public school

curriculum and maintains the right of its members to seek exemption from

participation by their children in all matters that are contrary to scriptural

doctrines and principles as expressed in the Articles of Religion, Covenant

Membership Commitments or Elementary Principles of The Wesleyan

Church, without prejudice to academic standing.

(10) Judicial Oaths. The Wesleyan Church reserves for its members the

right to affirm the truth in testimony before the civil and criminal courts

rather than to engage in a judicial oath.

 (11) Abortion. The Wesleyan Church seeks to recognize and preserve

the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death and, thus, is

opposed to the use of induced abortion. However, it recognizes that there

may be rare pregnancies where there are grave medical conditions threatening

the life of the mother, which could raise a serious question about taking the

life of the unborn child. In such a case, a decision should be made only after

very prayerful consideration following medical and spiritual counseling. The

Wesleyan Church encourages its members to become informed about the

abortion issue and to become actively involved locally and nationally in the

preparation and passage of appropriate legislation guaranteeing protection of

life under law to unborn children.

(12) Use of Leisure Time. The Wesleyan Church believes that its

members should exercise responsible stewardship of their leisure time.

This will include careful regulation of the use in the home of mass media,

such as current literature, radio and television, guarding the home against

the encroachment of evil (cf. 265:6). It will also involve witnessing against

social evils by appropriate forms of influence, the refusal to participate in

social dancing, the refusal to patronize the motion picture theater

(cinema), together with other commercial ventures as they feature the

cheap, the violent or the sensual and pornographic, and the refusal to

engage in playing games which tend to be addictive or conducive to

gambling (cf. 265:4).

(13) Modesty in Attire. The Wesleyan Church believes that our people

should provide clear testimony to Christian purity and modesty by properly

clothing the body and by dressing with Christian simplicity.

 

B. Christian Worship and Fellowship

420. Rites and Ceremonies of Churches. True religion does not

consist in any ritual observances such as forms or ceremonies, even of the

most excellent kind, be they ever so decent and significant, ever so expressive

of inward things. The religion of Christ rises infinitely higher and lies

infinitely deeper than all these. Let no one conceive that rites and ceremonies

have any intrinsic worth, or that true worship cannot subsist without them.

Therefore, it is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be

the same or exactly alike, for they have always been different and may be

changed according to the diversities of countries, times and customs, provided

that nothing be ordained against God’s Word.

Acts 15:10, 28-29; Rom. 14:2-6, 15, 17, 21; 1 Cor. 1:10; 12:25;

14:26; 2 Cor. 13:11; Gal. 5:1, 13; Col. 2:16-17; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14;

1 Tim. 1:4, 6; 1 Peter 2:16.

430. Healing. The truth that Jesus is both able and willing to heal the

body as well as the human soul, whenever such healing is for His glory, is

clearly set forth in God’s Word and attested by the experience of many of His

people at the present day. Prayer for healing according to the pattern set forth

in the Scriptures shall be encouraged.

Matt. 10:8; Luke 9:2; 10:9; Acts 4:10, 14; 1 Cor. 12:9, 28; James

5:14-16.

440. Christian Liberty. Christ, through His death on the cross, has

freed His followers from sin and from bondage to the law. Christians are

“called unto liberty” (Gal. 5:13 KJV), and are not under the law as a means

of salvation. They are rather exhorted, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty

wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke

of bondage” (Gal. 5:1 KJV).

This liberty, however, is not to be construed as license (Gal. 5:13).

Rather, love for Christ constrains the Christian to live righteously and holily

as God demands. By the Spirit of God, His laws are written on the heart

(Heb. 8:10). So Christians resist evil and cleave to the good, not in order to

be saved, but because they have been saved.

Within the bounds of Christian liberty, there will be differences of

opinion. In such cases, the believer seeks to avoid offending other believers.

The stronger one is mindful of the opinions of the one with the weaker

conscience (1 Cor. 8 and 10), and is careful not to put a stumbling block in

another’s way (1 Cor. 10:24; Gal 5:13). On the other hand, the weak does

not criticize the strong (1 Cor. 10:29-30), for the conscience of the weak may

need instruction.

The recognition and exercise of that liberty which Christ affords will

glorify God and promote the unity of the Church.

450. Christian Unity. The Wesleyan Church, having originated

through merger between those of like precious faith, is fully committed to

that true Christian unity which is based on scriptural truth and the fellowship

of the Spirit, and deplores the separation or division of Christians over

peripheral and nonessential matters. While The Wesleyan Church opposes

the building of one all-inclusive ecclesiastical organization which regards

450 BASIC PRINCIPLES

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neither scriptural doctrine nor practice, it welcomes fellowship with those

who are committed to the same doctrines and standards of holy living, and

cooperation across denominational lines with those who hold the cardinal

doctrines of the Christian religion revealed in the Bible.

 

C. Christian Stewardship

460. Meaning of Stewardship. The Scriptures teach that God is the

owner of all persons and all things, that people are His stewards of both life

and possessions, that God’s ownership and one’s stewardship ought to be

acknowledged, and that every person shall be held personally accountable to

God for the exercise of their stewardship (cf. 265:3). God, as a God of system

and order in all of His ways, has established a system of giving which

acknowledges His ownership and humankind’s stewardship. To this end all

His children should faithfully tithe and present offerings for the support of

the gospel.

465. Storehouse Tithing. Storehouse tithing is a scriptural and

practical performance of faithfully and regularly placing the tithe into that

church to which the member belongs. Therefore, the financing of the church

shall be based on the plan of storehouse tithing, and The Wesleyan Church

shall be regarded by all its people as the storehouse. All who are a part of The

Wesleyan Church are urged to contribute faithfully one-tenth of all their

increase as a minimum financial obligation to the Lord and freewill offerings

in addition as God has prospered them.

Gen. 14:20; 28:22; Lev. 27:30-32; Deut. 14:22; Prov. 3:9-10;

11:24-25; Mal. 3:10-11; Matt. 23:23; Acts 4:34-35; 6:1-3; 1 Cor.

16:2; 2 Cor. 8:13-14; Heb. 7:1-2, 6, 9.

470. Methods of Fund Raising. In the light of the scriptural teaching

concerning the giving of tithes and offerings (cf. 465) for the support of the

gospel, and for the erection of church buildings, no Wesleyan church should

engage in any method of fund raising which would detract from these

principles, hinder the gospel message, sully the name of the Church,

discriminate against the poor, or misdirect the people’s energies from

promoting the gospel.

475. Wills, Bequests and Annuities. It is essential in the exercise of

Christian stewardship that careful thought be given as to what shall be done

with one’s estate after death. Civil laws often do not provide for the

distribution of an estate in such a way as to glorify God. Each Christian

should give careful attention to the preparation of a last will and testament in

a careful and legal manner, and The Wesleyan Church and its various

ministries through the local church, the district, world missions, extension

and evangelism, education and benevolences are recommended for

consideration. The General Director of Stewardship Ministries is prepared to

assist in these matters (2070-2075; 4240; 4940).

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