Episode 24 - Sphere Sovereignty and Conflicting Duties

PCA Pastors Josh Owen, Aaron Garriott, and Robert Rothwell discuss Sphere Sovereignty and Conflicting Duties.

Topics considered include:

·        What is sphere sovereignty?

o   Must know authority in each sphere

o   Must know duty in each sphere: “The moment duty calls, desire and inclination must be silenced” (Bavinck, Ethics, 2:77).

o   “Every violation of duty tries to cover itself with another duty” (Ibid).

·        The Family Sphere—Father; Honor, obedience, submission, in the Lord

·        The Civil Sphere—Magistrate (King, President, Governor, etc.); taxes (Matt. 22:17-22)

·        The Church Sphere—Elders; honor, obedience, submission

·        Christ’s Dominion over All Spheres—The Conscience, Natural Law, and Biblical Law

·        Respect of Boundaries—Undermining the authority in one sphere undermines authority in all spheres.

·        Spheres Overlap—Authorities in overlapping spheres must cooperate for the good of those under authority.

·        Every Square Inch—No Human Authority Should Usurp God’s Authority over Individuals (Violation of Conscience)

·        Bavinck discusses conflict of duties (Ethics 2:80ff.)

o   Duties toward God that can come into conflict with those toward people

§  Duties of the first table take precedence over second table (see Matt. 10:37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.”)

§  Duties of the second table of the law

·        Duties to self can conflict: preservation of life vs. martyrdom; preservation of honor vs. preservation of life

·        Duties to self and to civil authority can conflict: conscientious objection to unjust war

·        Duties to self and to family: personal health vs. health of family

·        Duties to family and to country: Should a son report on a father who is committing treason? Should a parent report a child who has stolen or murdered?

·        Duties to family and to church: “In the case of a minister who no longer agrees with the church’s confession, should the minister injure his name, family, and so on or neglect duties toward the church and dishonestly remain in the church?”

§  Duties to soul above all material concerns: I may not commit an immoral act for the advancement of my bodily prosperity, my family, my country.

§  Broader duties over narrower

·        Family duties over duties to self: father dies for wife/children

·        National duties over family duties: report of treason

Resources and comments:

Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism

Abraham Kuyper, “Sphere Sovereignty” https://media.thegospelcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/24130543/SphereSovereignty_English.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Produced by: RE Gabe Williams

Music by: RE James Powers

Logo design: Beth Cragg

The Three Presbyteers is a ministry of Spruce Creek PCA in Port Orange FL. If you're in the area, please join us for worship every Lord's Day morning at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM and in the evening at 6:00 PM. Sunday School is at 10:00 AM and we have a church planting prayer meeting every Lord's Day at 4:30 PM.

www.Sprucecreekpca.org