All Scripture is self-attesting, and being Truth requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God—the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments—is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks. On this sure foundation, we affirm these additional essentials of our faith.

The Essentials are set forth in greater detail in the Westminster Confession of Faith.

In Essentials … Unity
In Non-Essentials … Liberty
In All Things … Charity

Explanatory Statement to “Essentials of Our Faith”

The Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) is a confessional statement of orthodox Presbyterianism. The WCF is our standard of doctrine as found in Scripture. It is a positive statement of the Reformed Faith. The WCF constitutes a system of biblical truth that an officer of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church is required to believe, while acknowledging that each individual court has the freedom to allow exceptions that do not infringe upon the system of the doctrine in the WCF.

“Essentials of Our Faith” is an irenic statement of historic evangelicalism. The purpose of “Essentials of Our Faith” is to define core beliefs of the Christian faith. It expresses historic Christian beliefs common to all true believers and churches throughout the world.

“Essentials of Our Faith” is not intended to be the exclusive test of orthodoxy for ordination, nor as an explicit standard for minimal core beliefs for candidates, ordination, or ministerial examinations. It is not to be construed as a substitute for the WCF.

Both the WCF and “Essentials of Our Faith” are important documents in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The WCF and “Essentials of Our Faith” are not alternative statements of truth, nor are they competitive statements of truth. They each serve important and harmonious purposes within the EPC. The WCF preserves our commitment to the historic orthodoxy of the Reformed Faith. “Essentials of Our Faith” preserves our commitment to historic evangelicalism.

Ratified by the 22nd General Assembly, June 2002.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church is convinced that the Bible strongly affirms the dignity and value of every human life based on what the Scriptures clearly teach:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV).

“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth” (Psalm 139:15 NIV).

“Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name” (Isaiah 49:1 NIV).

“for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born” (Luke 1:15 NIV).

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41 NIV).

To further differentiate mankind from any other living creature, we read:

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 NIV).

Unlike any other created being, Scripture also teaches:

“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7 NIV).

The Westminster Shorter Catechism, a confessional statement shared by most Reformed churches, forbids the taking of innocent life while demanding the preservation of life from the moment of conception through to natural death:

“The Sixth Commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.” (Question 68).¹

“The Sixth Commandment forbids the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly…” (Question 69).

Scripture teaches that we are not merely to avoid involvement in injustice. God’s people are called upon to speak for the oppressed and defenseless. The Scripture passages cited above are evidence that God accords human value and dignity to the unborn child.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church affirms that the Bible does not distinguish between prenatal and postnatal life. It attributes human personhood to the unborn child. This extends to the unborn child ex utero as no less a human being than the child in the mother’s womb.

Because we hold these convictions concerning the unborn child, we urge the promotion of legislation that brings our judicial and legal systems into line with the scriptural view on protecting the poor, the weak, and the defenseless.

Christians are called upon to be good citizens by impacting the State in positive ways. All citizens—Christians and non-Christians alike—must have freedom of conscience on all private moral and ethical issues, since God alone is Lord of the conscience. However, the issue of equal protection of life under the laws of the State is not a private but a public matter.

The Bible teaches that all persons and nations are responsible before God for their moral and ethical decisions, including those that relate to the preservation of human life. In addition to prayers and general assistance, the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church urges that the following steps be implemented by the individuals, congregations, and judicatories in a concerted effort to provide substantial support for those impacted by problematic and/or unexpected pregnancies:

¹ Quotations from the Westminster Confession of Faith are from The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms in Modern English, Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 2009.

Adopted by the 6th General Assembly
June 1986

Amended by the 32nd General Assembly
June 2012

Amended by the 33rd General Assembly
June 2013

I. Synopsis

Marriage is a sworn fidelity, a solemn covenant between a man and a woman, entered into before God, whereby He joins them in a life-long companionship of love for and commitment to each other. While God intends the marriage covenant should never be broken, it is broken by the death of either partner, or in the case of adultery or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil magistrates. Such marital unfaithfulness is the grounds for a biblical divorce.

God’s call is to love and to forgive. Divorce is not necessitated in any event, and Sessions should exhort couples considering such a step to actively pursue reconciliation. Divorce under any circumstances should not preclude continued attempts to reconcile.

Those who remarry after an improper divorce commit adultery and are subject to church discipline. As with all other transgressions, the blood of Christ covers these as well, and members may be restored to fellowship when guilt is acknowledged and true repentance for sin is expressed. Church Sessions and Presbyteries must exercise diligent care in considering divorced persons as candidates for church office.

II. Introduction

The confessional statement of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church on the subject of Divorce and Remarriage is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith (24.5, 6, and 7) and in the Book of Worship (5-4):

It is the divine intention that persons entering the marriage covenant become inseparably united, thus allowing for no dissolution save that caused by the death of either husband or wife.

However, the weaknesses of one or both partners may lead to gross and persistent denial of the marriage vows. Yet only in cases of extreme unfaithfulness (physical or spiritual)—unfaithfulness for which there is no repentance and which is beyond remedy—should separation or divorce be considered. Such separation or divorce is accepted as permissible only because of the failure of one or both of the partners, and does not lessen in any way the divine intention for indissoluble union.

The Church—in keeping with the redemptive gospel of Christ—may sanction the remarriage of divorced persons when sufficient penitence for sin and failure is evident, and a firm purpose of and endeavor after Christian marriage is manifested.

Divorced persons should give prayerful thought to discover if God’s vocation for them is to remain unmarried, since one failure in this realm raises serious questions as to the rightness and wisdom of undertaking another union. If the Minister has any questions about the readiness of a divorced person to remarry according to these principles, the Session should be consulted and its concurrence sought.

We affirm at the outset that any discussion of divorce and remarriage should be conducted in a spirit of genuine humility. Few experiences in life are more agonizing than the dissolution of a marriage. We realize that conclusions cannot be reached lightly, but only on the basis of a prayerful and diligent study of the teaching of God’s Word. Difficult ethical problems arise in any divorce, and very few of these problems are so simple that right judgment can be easily made. Parties that are “innocent” are seldom to be found.

III. Marriage

Before considering the breakup of a marriage, let us look at the biblical perspective concerning this relationship. In speaking of a husband and wife, Malachi says:

…the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the Lord made them one? …So guard your- self in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel (Malachi 2:14-16).

The prophet here makes the important point that marriage is not primarily a mutual contract between two people; it is rather a sworn fidelity—a solemn covenant between a man and a woman, entered into before God, whereby He joins them in a life-long companionship of love for and commitment to each other. 3

Scripture tells us that marriage is God-instituted from the beginning of creation (Genesis 2:18-24) and that marriage, from both the wife’s and the husband’s perspectives, reflects the relationship between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). While “this mystery is great” (Ephesians 5:32), at the very least we see that God is intimately involved in the marriage covenant.

IV. Divorce in the Scripture

We believe that, according to the dictates of Scripture, marriage is for life. Clearly, God’s standard is chastity before marriage and fidelity afterwards, and Scripture teaches that divorce is always an abnormality arising out of human sinfulness.

But to say that God intended the marriage covenant should never be broken does not mean that the marriage union is therefore unbreakable. For example, it is broken by the death of either partner. Moreover, divorce was tolerated in Old Testament times—although not divinely approved. We discover from Deuteronomy 24:1-4 that Moses was not instituting or encouraging divorce; he was simply attempting to regulate it in a culture whose practice of it was out of control.

It is important to note that the word “adultery” does not appear in these verses for the very good reason that under the Mosaic Law, the punishment for adultery was death by stoning. Divorce was obviously an established custom that is neither commanded nor condoned in this passage.

However, the Mosaic Law in general assumed the practice of divorce (Leviticus 21:7,14 and 22:13; Numbers 30:9; Deuteronomy 22:19,29). Divorces were even required when the post-exilic people of God who had married foreign women were commanded to “put them away” (Ezra 9-11; Nehemiah 9:2). Nevertheless, the Old Testament makes it very clear that God does not look favorably on divorce. Jesus said, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning” (Matthew 19:8-9).

When Scripture says that a man shall “cleave to his wife” (Genesis 2:24), this is a covenantal term used elsewhere when the Israelites were challenged to “cleave” to the Lord with affection and loyalty (Joshua 22:5). In Malachi 2:14-16, the prophet affirms that it was because of the multiple divorces in Israel that God was withholding His blessing and no longer hearing their prayers.

In the New Testament, Jesus calls His people to be faithful to the clearly defined will of God as expressed primordially in Genesis 2:24, and quoted and enlarged upon by our Lord in Matthew 19:4-6:

“Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that the Creator made them male and female and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

One renowned theologian shows the extreme importance of these words of our Lord when he says,

Now it was of course precisely the order of creation that Christ came to restore; therefore, the restoration of the order of creation should manifestly be taking place in His body the church, which is composed of new creatures, or renewed creations in Christ. The Christian Church, accordingly, has a special responsibility to bear witness in its practice as well as in its doctrine to the sanctity of the marriage bond. Of all the spheres of human society it least of all should show that ungodly hardheartedness which requires the divine standard to be accommodated to the debased level of man’s fallen state.

V. Biblical and Unbiblical Divorce

As noted above, marriage is a sworn fidelity, whereby God joins a man and a woman in life-long companionship. Nevertheless, divorce is permitted only in circumstances of grave repudiation of the marriage covenant, namely adultery and willful, irremediable desertion. The original text of the Westminster Confession, as approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1647, is emphatic when it states, “Nothing but adultery or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil magistrate is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage.” The offended party in such circumstances is free to remarry, as if the offending party were dead.

In Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:3-9, Jesus cites “marital unfaithfulness” as the sole grounds for biblical divorce and remarriage. This word—porneia—is usually understood as sexual sin. However, a better translation would follow the New American Standard Version in rendering it “immorality.” In contrast to moicheia, which is always translated “adultery,” porneia refers to all kinds of sexual immorality that break the one-flesh principle.

Jesus emphasized the sanctity of marriage: “What God has joined together, let man not separate” (Matthew 19:6). While the Pharisees and scribes said that the Law demanded divorce under certain circumstances, Jesus said,

“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for ‘marital unfaithfulness’ causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31-32).

The Law indeed commanded that if there were to be a valid divorce, a certificate of divorce must be written. But that is a very different thing from saying that they must divorce. God’s call to us is to love and to forgive. Therefore, even adultery does not necessitate divorce. There must always be the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation, and this should be seriously pursued. Indeed, married couples who have experienced a break in covenant faithfulness should strive to repair their relationship through forgiveness, reconciliation, and personal transformation before divorce proceedings are initiated.

The story of Hosea illustrates God’s active role in the marriage covenant, and reflects God’s covenant love for His people. In obedience to God’s command, Hosea pursued Gomer and accepted her as God restored the covenant relationship. Likewise, the Session should encourage the offended spouse to offer forgiveness and reconciliation with the hope of drawing the offending spouse back to right relationship in the marriage.

Pastors who become aware of potential divorce situations within the church—either through the parties involved or from outside sources—should encourage both partners to seek Christian marriage counseling, either from the church staff or from other qualified counselors. God’s love, forgiveness, and healing power should be emphasized, especially where the offending spouse (who committed the marital unfaithfulness) is repentant and the offended spouse is reluctant to forgive and unwilling to continue in the marriage.

Christ’s teaching is that if a divorce takes place on any other grounds than that of marital unfaithfulness, it can have no sanction from God, and any new marriage that follows is an adulterous act, since from God’s standpoint the original couple is still married to each other. Matthew 19:9 indicates that a valid divorce (on the grounds of marital unfaithfulness) entails the right to remarry.

In 1 Corinthians 7:12-15, Paul cites the case of a man who becomes a Christian after marriage. His wife, however, remains an unbeliever but is willing to continue living with him. The injunction is that he is not to divorce her. If she were to leave him, however, she is to be allowed to do so. Desertion is the destruction of the marriage that the Christian spouse was unable to prevent. The believer in such a case is not bound (that is, he or she is free to divorce and remarry); for Paul says, “God has called us to live in peace” (1 Corinthians 7:15).

This implies that in the case of a serious breakdown of a marriage—even when both parties are believers and peace has given way to open warfare, as in the case of extreme incompatibility—it may be better for the couple to separate, temporarily at least, rather than to continue in a relationship that has become intolerable. But in such a circumstance, there should be no resort to divorce, let alone any intention of entering into a second marriage. In the case of such a separation, they are either to remain single or earnestly work toward effecting a reconciliation (1 Corinthians 7:10-11).

Some would understand Matthew 19:9 to restrict biblical divorce only to cases of physical adultery. However, we agree with John Murray that the issue addressed there is what constitutes legitimate remarriage.2 In other words, Jesus’ point is if an individual remarries without a biblical divorce, he or she is committing adultery. Further, such a restrictive understanding of Matthew 19:9 cannot account for Paul’s grounds of desertion in 1 Corinthians 7:12-15. To reconcile these passages, we must search out the overriding principle from which they both derive—the one-flesh principle of the marriage mandate (Genesis 2:24; cf. Matthew 19:5; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:28-29). Both adultery and desertion break the one-flesh relationship.

Why is adultery “cause sufficient” for dissolving the bond of marriage? Because it is a radical breach of marital fidelity, violating the commitment of exclusive conjugal love. Why does the departure of an unbeliever in a mixed marriage leave the believer free to remarry? (1 Corinthians 7:15-16). Because it is a radical breach of marital fidelity, violating the commitment of lifelong companionship. The exceptional circumstance common to both instances is willful repudiation of the marriage covenant.

Examples of actions that the Session might determine to have violated the one-flesh principle include ongoing physical abuse and attempted murder. If there is “hardness of heart” and the parties are unable to reconcile and so proceed to divorce, the Session must indicate that it strongly disagrees with that action, while maintaining lines of communication and love to both husband and wife. Even divorce should not preclude continued attempts at reconciliation, until one spouse remarries or refuses reconciliation in such a way as to reveal himself or herself to be, in effect, an unbeliever. Attempts to reconcile are mandatory after an unbiblical divorce—the Session should exhort the spouse(s) under its jurisdiction to continue as long as reconciliation is possible. Reconciliation should be encouraged in the case of biblical divorce as well, that God may be glorified in the healing of relationships among His people.

In light of Scripture’s clear teaching on the sanctity of marriage and God’s strong opposition to and restrictions on divorce, surely Christians cannot condone the easy accessibility to divorce in our contemporary society. We must increasingly emphasize the lifelong commitment implicit in the marriage covenant, and especially in Christian marriage that should be a constant witness to God’s order of creation and to the new order of recreation in Christ.

VI. What About Remarriage?

May those involved in a divorce without biblical grounds ever remarry? Or can the offending spouse in a biblical divorce ever remarry? Jesus explicitly teaches that those who are involved in a remarriage after an improper divorce commit adultery. Although members may come under discipline for remarrying after an unbiblical divorce, there is always the prospect of restoration of that member if he or she demonstrates true repentance. The blood of Christ is sufficient for the sins of all true believers. The Session should actively work towards this end.

However, when one of the spouses in a former union remarries, we may conclude that the other is free to remarry because the former marriage relationship has been permanently broken by the remarriage. The Church must be careful not to sanction unbiblical marriages; but, as noted above, when a former spouse has remarried, or refuses reconciliation in such a way as to reveal himself or herself to be, in effect, an unbeliever, remarriage to another person becomes a valid option for the other party in the light of 1 Corinthians 7. Before anyone remarries, even under these conditions, that person should demonstrate “sufficient penitence for sin and failure,” and manifest “a firm purpose of an endeavor after Christian marriage.”

The Session should encourage anyone considering remarriage to participate in counseling to ascertain his or her penitence and desire for a Christian marriage. In addition, they should be encouraged to prayerfully consider if God may be calling them to remain unmarried, as Paul encourages in 1 Corinthians 7:8, and in view of that fact that “one failure in this realm raises serious questions as to the rightness and wisdom of undertaking another union” (WCF 24.7).

What about those cases in which people have been involved in an unbiblical divorce before becoming believers and have since remarried? Wise and loving pastoral oversight should encourage such individuals to seek God’s gracious forgiveness, in the assurance that He will forgive them and accept their present marriage. Does this mean that in this case God has changed or lowered His standards? Not at all. But it does mean that even divorce and remarriage under such circumstances—serious though they are—are not unforgivable sins, but with all other transgressions are covered by the blood of Christ.

VII. Affirmations and Conclusions

We feel that further affirmations are relevant to this discussion:

Church Sessions and presbyteries must exercise special care in the case of individuals considered for church office who have divorced or remarried on unbiblical grounds. In such situations, guilt must be acknowledged and repentance for sin expressed. The concerned parties must have been rehabilitated sufficiently in the confidence and respect of other Christians as to be able to fulfill in an exemplary way the requirements of church office with regard to marital and family relationships.

Sessions should consider that even when such care is exercised, there may be circumstances in which it would be inadvisable—even though technically permissible—for such divorced or remarried persons to serve as church officers. It should be noted that serving as an officer of the church is a privilege, not a right. Community awareness of the situation might also be considered, so that not even apparent scandal be attached to the church. Above all, Sessions should follow scriptural guidelines carefully in dealing with present or prospective church officers who have been divorced, keeping foremost in mind that the honor of Christ be made manifest in the church and the community.

We believe that congregations within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church can take many helpful steps to minister the redemptive love of Christ to their members who go through the tragedy of divorce, and to reach out to those outside the Church who are suffering the aftermath of divorce. Some effective steps to be considered are:

1. Pastors preaching sermons regularly on topics that will strengthen family life within the church.

2. Churches expanding their educational and fellowship programs to include:

3. Pastors undertaking continuing education in premarital and marital counseling.

4. Congregations requiring effective premarital counseling for all couples.

5. Special counsel being given to those who have been divorced and are contemplating remarriage. In the light of our church’s doctrinal standards:

6. Pastors training mature Christian couples with strong marriages to assist in pre-marital counseling.

7. Congregations having a support group for those who have gone through a divorce and are seeking to redefine and reestablish their life within the fellowship of the church.

Included in the seal of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church is a descending dove, the traditional symbol of the Holy Spirit. It also raises the question, “What does the Evangelical Presbyterian Church believe about the Holy Spirit?”

In our doctrinal statement of faith called “The Essentials of the Faith,” we read, “The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth and seals us for the day of redemption.”

Our beliefs about the Holy Spirit—drawn from Scripture—are summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith, where the following description of the nature of the Holy Spirit is found:

“The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, proceeding from the Father and the Son, of the same substance and equal in power and glory, is together with the Father and the Son, to be believed in, loved, obeyed, and worshiped throughout all ages” (Chapter 34, The Holy Spirit).

Therefore, we believe the Holy Spirit to be God, just as we believe the Father and the Son to be God in the mystery of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit remains, however, the least understood of the three. God the Father has a title that helps us define Him, and the Son took to Himself a body like ours. But the Holy Spirit by name seems less comprehensible to us and is therefore subject to greater misunderstanding than either the Father or the Son. How, then, does the Evangelical Presbyterian Church understand the Holy Spirit?

As previously stated, we understand Him to be fully God. His primary function in this age is to glorify Christ by reconciling lost humanity to God.

“The Holy Spirit, whom the Father is ever willing to give to all who ask Him, is the only efficient agent in the application of redemption. He regenerates men by His grace, convicts them of sin, and moves them to embrace Jesus Christ by faith” (Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 34:3).

The activity of the Holy Spirit accomplishes what Jesus declared to Nicodemus as the only means by which an individual is able to enter the Kingdom of God, through the new birth. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3-5).

In our redemption, the Holy Spirit accomplishes several things. He convicts us of sin and brings repentance. He enables us to believe, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord. He seals the believer unto the day of redemption.

“In Him, you also, after listening to the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14 NASV).

The Holy Spirit functions within the life of the believer, unfolding and expressing the life of Christ in ever deepening, life-changing ways. This is the process of sanctification by which the believer is enabled to grow in grace throughout his lifetime. Sanctification is never complete short of glorification. Some Christians believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace, subsequent to the new birth. What is the position of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in this matter?

As a denomination in the Reformed tradition, we subscribe to the ancient affirmation of orthodox Christian faith and believe in “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). This baptism, while visibly expressed in the covenant sacrament that bears its name, is invisibly the work of the Spirit that takes place at the time of the new birth. Paul expresses this truth in 1 Corinthians 12:13, when he tells the Corinthians “…we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…”

Thus, we hold to the concept of the baptism in or with the Holy Spirit as the act of the Spirit that takes an unregenerate individual and, through the new birth, adopts him into the family of God. All the works of the Spirit that follow, then, are because of this initial baptism rather than separate from it.

Since Christians are called to “…be filled with the Spirit…” (Ephesians 5:18), all believers in Christ having been baptized into His body by the Holy Spirit should seek to experience the fulfillment of this command. We believe that Christians are called upon to proclaim “a grace that reaches out to forgive, to redeem, and to give new spiritual power to life through Jesus Christ and the infilling of the Holy Spirit” (Book of Worship, 1-3).

Regardless of what term is used, we recognize this deepening work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer as being both valid and necessary, producing evidences of His presence in the process. What do we believe to be these evidences of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer?

Some would require that Christians manifest a particular gift, such as speaking in tongues, as evidence of a deeper work of the Spirit within. Others would have us believe such a gift is no longer available or acceptable. As a Reformed denomination, we adhere strongly to our belief in the sovereignty of God, a belief that does not allow us either to require a certain gift or to restrict the Spirit in how He will work. Rather, we call upon all Christians to open their lives unto God’s Spirit to fill, empower, and “gift” as He sees fit.

The Holy Spirit is evidenced, then, in part through the giving of spiritual gifts. Some of these gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. Our position with regard to the gifts is best summarized in the publication “Questions Most Often Asked About the Evangelical Presbyterian Church” where we read:

Q. How does the EPC view the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

A. The EPC affirms the gifts of God’s Spirit as biblically valid for today, and counsels that they be exercised under the guidance of God’s Word and the authority of the local Session. Since the Holy Spirit is the source of Christian unity, we must ever guard against any use of the gifts which would lead to division within the Church. We also affirm the priority of the fruit of the Spirit over the gifts in the Christian life. Because of our affirming of the validity of spiritual gifts in the Church today, we are sometimes asked if we are a “charismatic” denomination. The publication just referred to answers this question well.

Q. Is the EPC charismatic?

A. If you mean are we Pentecostal, the answer is no. If you mean are we open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the answer is yes.

We believe that the word “charismatic” should not be limited to specific manifestations of the work of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues. However, “charismatic” does refer to the fact that every Christian receives a gift, or gifts, from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7,11). In Romans 6:23, Paul states “…the wages of sin is death, but the gift (charism) of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This means that all who are born again, receiving the gift of life in Jesus Christ, are by virtue of the gift “charismatic” in the broadest sense of the word (Ephesians 4:7).

What is the purpose of the work of the Holy Spirit? Obviously, it is to bring individuals to new life in Christ for their own sake, but it does not end there. When Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower His followers individually—and the Church corp-orately, which occurred on the day of Pentecost—He said that the Spirit’s power would have a particular purpose: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you shall be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Because of this primary function of the Holy Spirit to bring men and women to saving faith in Christ, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church sees the evangelization of the world as an urgent priority: “The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations” (The Essentials of the Faith).

Basic to all we have said here is our conviction that all Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16), and that He illumines our minds to understand the truths of God’s Word (John 14:26 and 16:13).

In summary, what does the Evangelical Presbyterian Church believe about the Holy Spirit? We believe that He is God, one with the Father and the Son. We believe that He is the inspirer of Scripture and the enlightener of the believer. We believe that His primary function in this age is to bring lost humanity to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the new birth. We believe that subsequent to the new birth—and because of it—He manifests the life of Christ in the believer in a variety of ways that include both fruit and gifts. We believe that the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to the believer to enable God’s people to do what otherwise they could not do; namely, fulfill the Great Commission through missions and world evangelization, as well as build up the Body of Christ on earth.

To these basic beliefs about the Holy Spirit we commit ourselves. We invite others of like mind and spirit to join us, to the end that on the day of His appearing, “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Amen.

Adopted by the 6th General Assembly June 1986

In a time when views of human sexuality and marriage are rapidly changing, we believe it is necessary and helpful to state clearly and compassionately to the church and the world our beliefs about God’s design for human sexuality. We wish to do so with love toward all as we attempt to imitate God’s love for us. We long for the Church as well as society to conform to biblical standards of sexuality; but our ultimate desire is that, through the gospel, all may come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives and receive His gift of eternal life. We also know that, having come to believe in Him, we enjoy His blessing by walking with Him according to His Word. We believe the Bible to be God’s Word and that to understand and obey His will leads to the greatest human flourishing. What follows is what we believe the Scriptures teach and the Christian Church has held to be true since the time of the apostles, and what therefore holds the greatest prospects for human happiness and well-being, even as we strive and long for a time when God will make all things new.

The Divine Origin and Purpose of Human Sexuality Human sexuality is a gift from God. Being made in the likeness of God as male and female, we reflect the loving complementarity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Scriptures present a grand vision of husband and wife mirroring the intimate fellowship of the Trinity through union with a covenant partner who is both similar (human) and different (opposite gender), leading to fruitful procreation of humanity. In this profound mystery, we discover God’s purposes for our sexuality and His will for how we are to express our sexuality.

At the fall of humankind, recorded in Genesis 3, we began to distort and misuse the gifts of God to our own demise, but through His gracious redemptive work in Jesus Christ, God is leading us from brokenness and rebellion to a full and beautiful restoration of our relationship with Him and of our human dignity and purpose.

Because God made us and redeems us, He alone has sovereign authority to define us and to regulate our sexual practice. We, therefore, must resist every temptation and renounce every attempt to subvert God’s purposes and His commandments concerning our sexuality. At the same time, we, as evangelical Presbyterians, readily and sorrowfully confess our manifold violations of His Word: as a people, we have engaged in premarital sex, adultery, ungodly divorce, and sexual lusts of every sort, not only before coming to faith in Christ, but also afterward. As churches, we have at times sanctioned unbiblical marriages, violating the expressed will of God revealed in the Scriptures; and we sometimes have self-righteously condemned others for their sexual sins while committing our own. We stand in need of God’s forgiveness and of His power to live holy lives. Our churches desperately need revival and a humble return to godly sexual practice. And so, with humble and repentant hearts, we return to the Lord, and we invite those both inside and outside the Church to join us in seeking God’s blessing in our sexual lives.

We believe that the fundamental problems with most contemporary views of sexuality are, first, that the focus is limited to individual pleasure, relational intimacy, and self-fulfillment; and, second, that biblical marriage is rejected as the exclusive context for sexual intimacy. While the Scriptures teach that human sexuality is indeed a gift for our enjoyment, its primary purpose is to glorify God. Whether young or old, male or female, single or married, whether attracted to the same, the opposite, or both sexes, all humans are obligated to glorify our Creator in our sexuality through faithful conformity to God’s design, revealed in the Scriptures.

We desire to adhere fully to biblical sexuality. Out of love we share with others the message of God’s judgment upon all forms of sexual immorality. We also believe that there is no place for any form of cruelty, hate or denigration of those who either disagree with these positions or hold to other positions. We unequivocally condemn all injustices, sinful intimidation, and physical violence perpetrated against anyone because of sexual attraction or practice.

The Single Life
The New Testament commends the single life. As followers of Jesus, we are bound in spiritual union with Him as Bridegroom, in Whom we are to be complete and content. By expressing our maleness or femaleness, even apart from romantic relationships, we enrich human community and contribute to the well-being of society. Single men and women are also given the opportunity to serve the Lord with undivided devotion. They are free, in a particular way, to dedicate their entire lives to the Lord and find their greatest fulfillment in pleasing Him. This was true for our Lord Jesus and for the Apostle Paul, who exemplified and elevated the godly single life. God intends both married and single men and women to live in vibrant community together, rather than isolation and loneliness. In this sacred community of deep and committed friendships, we encourage single persons to live out loving, holy, celibate lives. We, in the EPC, encourage all of our churches to nurture holy and missional community among and with single members.

The Married Life
When God created us male and female, He also instituted the ordinance of marriage in which one man and one woman are bound together for life in a solemn covenant, which beautifully illustrates God’s covenantal relationship with His chosen people. God directs His people who marry to wed only fellow believers—those who trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and have joined His Church. It is within the covenant of marriage alone that God—for His own glory, the mutual encouragement of the spouses, procreation, the strengthening of the family, and the welfare of humankind—has instructed husbands and wives to engage in regular, intimate sexual love. In this uniquely sexual relationship, the married couple seeks to remember, celebrate, and model Christ’s love for His Church and His Church’s devotion to her Lord and to serve one another with godly affection.

A Call to Holiness
We believe God has called us to live holy lives.16 The Christian believer’s body is a temple of God’s Spirit; therefore rather than stealing sexual privileges from one another outside of marriage, we are called to edify one another in multiple ways that we may all become more like Christ. Those who are married must avoid every temptation that would diminish the loving faithfulness they vowed in their marriage covenant. Those who are unmarried, regardless of sexual attraction, must seek to honor God through diligently avoiding temptation, restraining ungodly sexual impulses, focusing their energies on serving Christ and neighbor, and eagerly anticipating the new heavens and the new earth, when all things will be restored and every godly human longing beautifully fulfilled. Those who find themselves desiring to be a person of the opposite gender face painful emotions and weighty consequences. With heartfelt sympathy and a deep desire to love and encourage them in their circumstances, we believe they must find their contentment in Christ alone, accepting His wise and gracious providence, and looking to Him for strength to glorify Him and to serve his or her neighbor through the gender given at conception.

It is encouraging to remember that our Lord Jesus suffered every human temptation without sinning and that God always provides His people a way of escape from every sin. Unrepentant sinful behavior is incompatible with the confession of Jesus as Lord required of all members of the EPC. Additionally, it is required of ordained officers in the EPC that they believe, practice, and teach the moral standards contained in the Scriptures and Constitution of the EPC and reflected in this position paper.

Recovering from Sexual Brokenness
Because of universal human corruption emanating from the fall of Adam and Eve, we are all broken sexually in one or more ways and to varying degrees. We have all sinned. While we call upon fellow sinners everywhere to repent of their sins, as followers of Christ we are also committed not to condemn others for their brokenness—their sexual attractions, sexual dysfunctions, or sexual addictions. Since we all are disoriented by sin in one form or another, it is right and good for us to live in continual personal and corporate repentance, humbly seeking God’s help for ourselves and for our neighbor. Through repentance and faith in the crucified and resurrected Jesus, we are forgiven all our sexual sins, washed from their impurity, and given the power of the Holy Spirit to live lives worthy of the gospel, setting an example for the watching world and inviting them to join us in walking with Jesus.

Those in and out of the Church struggling with various forms of sexual disorientation or gender dysphoria should experience from God’s people a deep desire to identify with them in their struggles, to walk lovingly with them, and to invite them to join us in following the Lord. Together as a people, we must all seek healing for our own lives and for each other’s lives, discovering what it means to be godly men and women in the circumstances decreed by His providence. Glorifying God in our sexual lives will at times entail suffering or persecution of various sorts, but, by God’s empowering grace, we aspire to obey Him with joy.

The Ministry of the Church
The Church belongs to God. He called us out of the dominion of darkness with its sin and degradation into the glorious light of His love. He has called us to reflect His glory by displaying His character and proclaiming His Word to ourselves and the world. As repentant and forgiven sinners, we in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church resolve to teach the biblical truths of godly sexuality to our members and to all who will listen, with compassion and with courage, regardless of the cost to ourselves. To do otherwise would be a failure of love. We will strive by God’s grace to discipline our personal lives and our local churches in accordance with God’s Word. God helping us, we shall continue, within our churches and in the public arena, to teach against and to refuse to condone or participate in any sinful form of sexual practice—including sexual abuse,cpornography, sexual lust, extra-marital sex, adultery, polygamy, unbiblical divorce and remarriage, homosexual conduct, same-sex union and marriage, and gender reassignment. At the same time, we resolve to continue to love those who have committed these sins and/or suffered from them. And we shall wait with eager longing for the day of our Savior’s return, when all shall be made right with us and the world. In the name of Jesus, our compassionate Savior, we tenderly welcome all—regardless of their beliefs or lifestyles—to attend our churches. Further, we invite into the membership of our churches all those who—bruised and broken by the fall—seek now, through sincere faith and genuine repentance, to live in obedience to the Scriptures and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

To God’s Name be glory forever.

Adopted by the 37th General Assembly
June 2017

A Position Paper expresses the mind of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church on a subject of compelling interest. It is a definitive but not an exhaustive statement. A Position Paper is not to be regarded as binding on the conscience of churches or individuals.

 

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church does not believe that the issue of the ordination of women is an essential of the faith. The historic Reformed position on the scriptural doctrine of government by elders is believed to be that form needed for the perfecting of the order of the visible church, but has never been considered essential to its existence.

The Westminster Confession of Faith makes it clear that the church catholic is sometimes more, sometimes less, visible according to the purity of the church at a particular time. Also, the purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error.

Nonetheless, in spite of such failures to be all God wants His church to be, the Westminster Confession of Faith affirms that, “…there shall always be a church on earth to worship God according to His will.”

Thus, while some churches may ordain women and some may decline to do so, neither position is essential to the existence of the church. Since people of good faith who equally love the Lord and hold to the infallibility of Scripture differ on this issue, and since uniformity of view and practice is not essential to the existence of the visible church, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has chosen to leave this decision to the Spirit-guided consciences of particular congregations concerning the ordination of women as elders and deacons, and to the presbyteries concerning the ordination of women as ministers.

It is in this context that the Evangelical Presbyterian Church states in its Book of Government, Chapter 6, titled “Rights Reserved to a Local Church” that “The local church has the

right to elect its own officers” (6-2). This right is guaranteed in perpetuity.

Finally, the motto of our church summarizes our stance: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

Adopted by the 4th General Assembly
June 1984

The fundamental biblical principle that man is made in the image of God establishes the profound value and sanctity of human life. Because of the Fall, all humans are subject to suffering and death. While suffering is an intrusion into life, it is not without divine purpose, for it provides the opportunity for Christian witness, service, and godly character development as we share in the sufferings of Christ.

Advances in medical science have greatly improved healing and relieved suffering, but have also presented many new dilemmas for patients and their families that must be faced in the light of God’s Word.

Because of the value and sanctity of human life, we stand against any effort such as suicide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia—each of which seeks to terminate innocent human life outside natural processes, even though the motive for such efforts may be a misdirected kindness. When faced with medical situations that could call for heroic measures, Christians should make a distinction between treatment that may prolong life in hopes of recovery and that which will only prolong the dying process. As Christians deal with difficult choices surrounding life and death, they should seek the support and counsel of the Church that should reach out with compassion and the truth of God’s Word.

Introduction
We live in a day of profound ethical dilemmas as we consider such issues as suicide, assisted suicide, euthanasia, abortion, reproductive technology, and capital punishment. The view an individual holds regarding the value and dignity of human life will determine where he or she stands on all of these issues. It is imperative that we fully understand the biblical principle that establish an ethical framework that will enable us to have confidence that we are following God’s direction as we encounter these dilemmas.

We bear a tremendous responsibility to make biblically informed choices under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. One day, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Since we must all answer to God for the decisions we make concerning these life and death matters, we dare not act autonomously or base our decisions on what we think is right independently of God. “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ saith the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8 KJV).

Biblical Principles

The Image of God (Imago Dei)
The stamp of the image and likeness of God has set apart human life as unique, distinctive and profoundly valuable. God demands that we preserve human life because it is the only form of life that He created in His own image. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26-27 NIV). Only human life can walk, talk, and fellowship with the Creator, because it is the only life that possesses the image of God. This is the source of man’s great value and dignity, made astonishingly “a little lower than God and crowned with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5 NAS).

The value that we place on human life cannot be determined by an individual’s productiveness to society, nor by any other arbitrary standard set by man. The tendency of a technological culture to assign value to an individual based on his or her function (what he or she can do, rather than who he or she is) is completely unacceptable. We must look to our Creator’s declaration that “God saw all that He had made and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31 NAS).

God reaffirms the value and dignity of all human life through the incarnation of Jesus Christ:

“who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on behalf of His people and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit who now abides within all Christians also attest to the supreme value God has placed on human life. Can anyone doubt the dignity God has bestowed on human life, since He declares that the human body of believers is actually the dwelling place of God the Holy Spirit? “…your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God…you were bought with a price…” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NAS).

The Right of God as Creator to Rule Over Life and Death God, as our Creator, is the giver and sustainer of all life. Since God is the giver of life, He reserves to Himself alone the right to take it:

“It is I who put to death and give life” (Deuteronomy 32:39).

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” (Job 1:21).

In Psalm 139:13 and 16 (NAS), David acknowledged the sovereignty of God in numbering the days of his life:

“For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb…in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

Former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop sums up the problem of a culture that no longer looks to the Bible for its values:

Our society, having lost its understanding of the sanctity of human life, is pushing the medical profession into assuming one of God’s prerogatives, namely, deciding what life shall be born and when life should end.

The eternal Word of God declares that life is a sacred and priceless gift, beyond the purview of mere human beings to decide its beginning or end. God, as our Creator, has given life to us as a gift and a sacred trust. Therefore, it should be received with thanksgiving and protected from those who would seek to usurp God’s control of life and death through abortion, suicide, assisted suicide and active euthanasia.

The Prohibition of God: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13 NAS) Question and answer 136 of the Westminster Larger Catechism points out our obligations in fulfilling the Sixth Commandment:

Q. What are the sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment are: all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense; the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful or necessary means of preservation of life; …and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of any. The Sixth Commandment clearly rules out the lawfulness of suicide, assisted suicide, and active euthanasia. Suicide is the direct and intentional taking of one’s life: murder of self. Assisted suicide is the enabling of one to take his own life and is considered assisted murder. Active euthanasia is the willful and active taking of someone’s life, and is clearly a violation of this commandment.

The Problems of Suffering, Death and Dying
Some argue that the motive of alleviating suffering justifies suicide, assisted suicide or euthanasia. But we can never justify the taking of life on the basis of suffering. The church must oppose any effort to terminate innocent life outside the natural process even though the motive may be a misdirected kindness.

Because we live in a fallen world (Genesis 3), suffering is a harsh reality. But as we examine the healing ministry of our Lord Jesus, we can only conclude that God is on the side of healing. We have a God-given drive to resist suffering and death, and to seek to alleviate physical and emotional pain. It is right to seek to lessen the sting of suffering through painkilling medications that help make those who are suffering as comfortable as possible.

It is permissible in the case of terminal illness to use painkillers that carry the risk of shortening life, so long as the intent is to relieve pain effectively rather than to cause death.

“Give strong drink to him who is perishing” (Proverbs 31:6).

The proper application of medical science, as demonstrated by much of our hospital and hospice care, can in most cases enable patients to live and die without extreme suffering.

Hope and meaning in life are possible even in times of great suffering. As Christians, we must entrust our lives to a wise king and loving heavenly Father who has promised that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). While suffering is an intrusion into our lives, it is not without divine purpose for it provides the opportunity for Christian witness, service, and godly character development as we share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:12-13; Philippians 3:10). Suffering often becomes the means by which Christians demonstrate to others the sufficiency of God’s grace. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

When death is likely to occur within a short period of time, we can look to the example of the patriarchs. When Jacob saw that he was in the dying process, he gathered his sons around him to deliver his final blessings and instructions (Genesis 49:1-33). When Joseph was about to die, he also called for his brothers and reminded them of God’s promises (Genesis 50:24-26).

It is rare in our times to witness this kind of deathbed gathering. Why? Because in the United States today, three out of four people die in a hospital or a nursing home surrounded by strangers. Technological intervention in the process of dying could very easily undermine important ministerial functions of the terminally ill in a misguided zeal to prolong life at all costs. One of the great fears of dying patients is their being left alone or neglected. The environment of noisy machines and blinking lights of intensive care units is often substituted for the intimacy of loved ones.

Since past generations did not have the technology to keep people alive artificially, most deaths occurred at home. Surrounded by family and friends, dying people were invited to repent of their sins, bless their children, ask forgiveness, bid farewell, and make recommendations. Of course, death remained then—as now—the most stressful of human events, but it “occurred as a natural experience, expected and understood.”

Even though we now have the technological means to make dying easier, our society is increasingly seeking to make active euthanasia more palatable. Until recently, euthanasia was commonly understood to refer to the practice of passively allowing the dying process to take place. Today, proponents of the “Right to Die” movement seek to differentiate euthanasia by blurring the distinction between “passive” and “active.” Passive euthanasia has never really been a moral problem, for it is simply allowing the process of dying to take its natural course as the medical team seeks to provide adequate pain management. Active euthanasia, on the other hand, means intervention that would hasten the patient’s death. The church must speak out against active euthanasia as it rapidly gains popular approval.

Advocates of active euthanasia, suicide, and assisted suicide continue to point to man’s need to die with dignity. They argue that the lack of physical or mental abilities precludes death with dignity since they assume that man’s dignity is derived from mental and physical abilities. But the word of God clearly reveals that man possesses dignity and honor by virtue of the fact that he was created in the image of God. Man’s dignity does not depend on his mental or physical condition. Each person, no matter how infirm or socially useless he or she may appear to be, deserves acceptance as a person of dignity created in the image of God.

At one extreme we find the proponents of active euthanasia, and at the other extreme we find vitalists who demand that in each and every case, life must be preserved at all costs. A biblical perspective of death and dying must be established in order to counter these extreme views.

Question 85 of the Larger Catechism asks: “Death, being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ?” The answer gives us a wonderful summary of the theology of the death of believers in Christ:

The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it, so that, although they die, yet it is out of God’s love to free them perfectly from sin and misery, and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which they enter upon (WLC 85, emphasis added).

Revelation 14:13 also tells us of the blessing of Christians when they die: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on! ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deed follow with them.’” The curse of the fall of Adam and Eve has been turned into blessing because of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul tells us that he was willing to be absent from the body in order to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), “for that is very much better” (Philippians 1:23) than continuing to live on this earth. Paul, already experiencing a deep and rich fellowship with Christ, clearly indicates that personal fellowship with Christ will be magnified at the death of the saints. Of course, this does not mean that one is not to seek to live out his life to its full extent as long as God gives the opportunity. Paul’s longing for that “much better” estate does not undercut the value and significance of the present life. Paul’s main concern, as expressed in Philippians 1:19-26, is the exaltation of Christ in his body whether by life or by death. For Paul, to live on in the flesh means fruitful labor for him, and he is convinced that it is “more necessary” for his fellow Christians for him to continue his early ministry. In the same way, we must regard this present life on earth as a great gift from God to be lived to its full extent in fruitful labor in serving others.

Unlike spiritual death—which is an absolute evil—physical death is only a relative evil in a fallen world. Physical death for the Christian is not an enemy, always to be fought at all times. The conviction that physical life must be preserved at all times is fundamentally idolatrous from the standpoint of biblical theology. God tells us in Hebrews 9:27 that “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” In Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, the Preacher says, “There is an appointed time for everything…a time to give birth and a time to die.” Thus, there is no moral or biblical obligation to prolong death when an individual is clearly in the dying process. There is a time to resist death, but there is also a time to cease resisting. As Stewart Alsop said, “A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless, to resist.”

The Bible teaches that we can glorify God by death as well as by life. According to Philippians 1:20, our ultimate purpose in life or in death must be the glory of God. The first question and answer in the Westminster Shorter Catechism demonstrates this beautifully:

Q. What is man’s primary purpose?
A. Man’s primary purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in willingly laying down his life for His people, gives us the greatest demonstration and example of a death which was motivated by love and the glory of God. (John 12:27; 15:13)

Heroic Measures

Definition

“Heroic measures” refers to the use of extreme emergency measures to prolong a patient’s life when vital processes cease to function. Few topics in medicine are more complicated, more controversial, and more emotionally charged than the decision of whether or not to forego life-sustaining treatment for the hopelessly ill.

Problem
Because of our technological advances in the medical field, we now encounter perplexing moral questions that earlier societies never had to face. Heroic measures may extend the life of the patient, but it may also extend the suffering of the patient and family members. Financial debt and a difficult legal climate add to the complexity of this situation. We are faced with profound ethical dilemmas. For example, does God demand, in every situation, that all medical options available be used to extend the life of one who is dying? Or would God have us, at times, to refuse extraordinary medical procedures and allow the patient to die? If a person is taken off a respirator and allowed to die, has the Sixth Commandment been violated? The answers to these dilemmas depend upon a clear distinction being made between prolonging life when there is hope of recovery and postponing the dying process when it is hopeless.

On the one side, heroic measures are indispensable to the practice of modern medicine. Many individuals have been restored to health by their application. On the other side, this technology may be applied thoughtlessly with the tragic consequences of lengthening the dying process and adding unnecessary suffering and expense for the patient and family.

Guiding Principles
1) We cannot provide simple formulas and conclusions that fit every encounter with heroic measures. On the contrary, we find that it is impossible to give a specific direction for every conceivable circumstance, and we realize that decisions will differ. We can be sure that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

God has promised to give us wisdom if we will ask in faith. Ministers should be consulted to pray with and for the patient to help him to determine God’s will in the application of heroic measures. Often God will give us the wisdom we need through the counsel of caring doctors. The patient and family should prayerfully and carefully weigh any decision to go against the counsel of the trusted physician, since he would be expected to have the best advice in these situations. In many situations, a distinction can be made between treatment that will heal, improve, or restore the patient to health and treatment that will only prolong the dying process. The patient and family should ask appropriate questions to obtain this information, since for various reasons a physician may not make this distinction when various options of medical treatment are presented. Pastors or other elders should be consulted as patient and family carefully and prayerfully consider these options.

2) Necessary means of preservation of life must not be withheld from the patient. Negative judgments about the “quality of life” of an unconscious or otherwise disabled patient have led some to propose withholding nourishment in order to end the patient’s life. Medical treatment that is clearly efficacious to heal, improve, or restore must not be refused.

3) The Bible does not teach that people are obligated morally always to accept treatment that would sustain life artificially. For example, there does not seem to be an absolute moral obligation to undergo chemotherapy or to receive kidney dialysis in certain cases. In the case of irreversible diseases (like certain forms of cancer), the patient may in good conscience refuse treatment that may briefly lengthen his life if he believes that his quality of life would be greatly impaired.

A decision to withdraw medical support from a patient is terribly difficult, especially when it seems likely that death will be hastened by that decision. Nevertheless, a decision to withdraw life support is more often based upon better evidence than a decision to initiate life support. These heroic measures are often begun in an emergency situation when physicians must make decisions quickly about patients, but with limited information. Over the next few days or weeks with continued observation and additional information, however, they may discover that utilization of a respirator or feeding tube would be futile treatment which would only prolong the dying process. Initially these procedures were started when there was some reasonable hope of the patient’s recovery.

Although heroic measures have been started, they do not necessarily have to be continued. Since there is “a time to do,” it is morally permissible to discontinue life support when doctors agree that there is no hope of recovery.

4) Physicians should be chosen with these principles in mind. It is possible to have your doctor know your desires for each family member. “Do Not Resuscitate” orders are often an appropriate way to avoid heroic measures, because hospitals are required to resuscitate all patients who die suddenly unless such orders are on the patient’s chart.

5) The advantages and disadvantages of available legal measures should be explored with a trusted lawyer if possible. This action can prevent many of the dilemmas that occur with terminally ill patients.

6) Our Lord Jesus gave us two helpful guidelines. First He enunciated “The Golden Rule:” Do to others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:31), and the great summary commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

Numerous surveys have demonstrated the fact that most people do not want extraordinary treatment for themselves when there is no real hope of recovery. Nevertheless, when faced with a decision on behalf of close relatives or friends, they often want more for others than they would do or want done for themselves. Love for our neighbor demands that “in proxy decision making, we should apply the same biblical standards of justice, mercy and faithfulness to others that we want and expect to be applied to ourselves.”

We encourage spouses and family members to draw upon the biblical and theological principles outlined above as they seek to discern God’s will in regard to heroic measures. After appropriate biblical reflection, we urge that families pray together and openly discuss what they desire concerning the various choices of medical treatment before being confronted with the actual experience of such a decision. We also encourage families to meet with their minister, Christian friends and physician about their concerns regarding care and to become educated about their conditions in order to permit informed decisionmaking. Sooner or later each one of us, either directly or indirectly, will face decisions regarding our own or a loved one’s medical condition(s).

Recommendations to the Church Regarding the Sanctity of Life

1) It is incumbent upon our churches to address the temptations of suicide, assisted suicide and active euthanasia. The greatest deterrent to these evils is to introduce those at risk to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Only then will they experience the abundant and meaningful life that our Lord came to give. “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

2) In recent years, the incidence of suicide—especially among teenagers and young adults—has become alarming. We can blame the media’s glorification of alcohol, drugs, and sexual promiscuity, but we must see to it that our churches are ready to provide practical help. Perhaps the incidences of suicide can be reduced if we seek to help those in our communities to attain a strong sense of belonging in their families and churches. As Peter tells us, “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

Both the Old and New Testaments encourage the building of strong interdependent families, in which each family member is treated with dignity as one who has profound value and worth to God. If adequate support by the covenant community of the church, the family, and competent pastoral care givers is provided, the mental suffering of loneliness, fear, depression, and anguish—which is often more painful than physical suffering—can be alleviated. This support can significantly reduce the number of those at risk for suicide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. Those who have a strong sense of belonging to family and church that provide love, care, and biblical morality are much more secure, and are able to cope with suffering far better than those who lack similar nurturing.

3) We must not deliberately end the life of an individual through medical or any other means. However, when the God-given powers of the body to sustain its own life can no longer function, and physicians conclude that there is no real hope for recovery even with life support instruments, a Christian may in good conscience withhold heroic measures and “let nature take its course.” To try desperately to maintain the vital signs of one for whom death is imminent is not consistent with a Christian ethic that mandates respect for the dying, as well as for the living.

4) Families should discuss the option of bringing the irreversibly terminal patient home to die. This will enable the patient, the family, and loved ones to experience the meaning, blessing, and convenience of being in the place they are most comfortable and familiar. Home care often is superior to that of an institution. Patients will normally get better attention and have more interaction in their own home.

Paul Gilchrist lists other benefits: Serious infections that are a hazard in institutions are avoided. The patient will get more rest away from the frequent intrusion of needles, pills, tests, noisy instruments, and other interruptions that often continue 24 hours a day. Numerous studies indicate that hospital care, and even intensive care units, provide little or no medical benefit for some conditions. Careful discernment is needed to determine when to use these facilities and when not to.

Most communities now have some type of hospice movement. Hospice is an agency designed to help patients and/or their families adjust to the idea of a loved one having a terminal illness. This group of dedicated individuals serves as an aid—physically, emotionally, and psychologically—to help individuals cope with the process of dying. Our local churches are encouraged to participate in this much-needed ministry.

5) As the statesman Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” We urge Christians to make known in the marketplace their convictions to the value of and respect for human life. As Christians, we should make this biblical position known by whatever means possible as we seek to be salt and light to our culture in the present confused state of affairs surrounding euthanasia, suicide and assisted suicide. By God’s grace, we may be able to help shape public opinion and formulate appropriate legislation regarding medical ethics and practices that will be in harmony with the teachings of the Bible.

Adopted at the 15th General Assembly
June 1995

The Bible teaches that human life is sacred because human beings are all created in the image of God:

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26-27; also Genesis 5:1 and James 3:9).

This precept underlies the biblical positions on such issues as abortion and euthanasia (see the EPC’s Position Paper on Abortion and Position Paper on Problems of Suffering, Death, and Dying). To undervalue or take a human life without a clear biblical warrant is expressly prohibited, as it defiles the image of God:

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man” (Genesis 9:6).

“If anyone takes the life of a human being, he must be put to death” (Leviticus 24:17).

God declares this truth in the sixth commandment: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), which is expounded upon in the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession:

Q (68): What does the sixth commandment require?

A: The Sixth commandment requires making every lawful effort to preserve one’s own life and the lives of others.

Q (69): What does the sixth commandment forbid?

A: The Sixth commandment forbids taking one’s own life or the lives of others unjustly or doing anything that leads to suicide or murder. And in the Larger Catechism of the Westminster Confession:

Q (135): What does the sixth commandment require?

A: The sixth commandment requires us to do our best to make every lawful effort to preserve our own life and the lives of others. We do this by not thinking about or planning, by controlling our emotions, and by avoiding all opportunities, temptations, or actions that would promote or lead to the unjust taking of someone’s life. In the pursuit of that goal, we must defend others from violence, patiently endure the afflictions from God’s hand, have a quiet mind and a cheerful spirit, practice temperance in the way we eat, drink, take medications, sleep, work, and play. We should also harbor charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, and kindness. Our speech and behavior should be peaceful, mild and courteous. We should be tolerant of others, be ready to be reconciled, patiently put up with and forgive injuries against us, and return good for evil. Finally, we should provide aid and comfort to those in distress as well as protect and defend the innocent.

Q (136): What particular sins does the sixth commandment forbid?

A: The sixth commandment forbids taking our own or anyone else’s life, except in the pursuit of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense; neglecting or withholding the necessary means for the preservation of life; sinful anger, hatred, envy, or desire for revenge; all excessive emotions and distracting anxieties; intemperate eating, drinking, working, or playing; speaking in a provocative way, oppressing, quarreling with, hitting, or wounding others; and anything else conducive to the destruction of anyone’s life.

Finally, human life is sacred because of the redemptive work of the Son of God, who became a man to save us from our sins.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! (Romans 5:8-9).

Though we deserved rejection and condemnation, his great love for us, demonstrated by his passion, death, and resurrection, confirms that sacred value for all mankind.

For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10).

Adopted by the 7th General Assembly – June 1987
Amended by the 32nd General Assembly – June 2012