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Ecclesiastical self-examination
In love for our denomination, therefore, this editorial begins to have us consider: “Are we asking all the right questions as we examine ourselves? What other questions could consistories and church visitors consider? As we ask these questions, are we doing so in keen consciousness of our calling in the Reformation principle Semper Reformanda? Being Reformed, are we in need of any further re-form? Are there other ways that our churches can examine themselves in the light of the Word of God, willing to be re-formed by that Word of God if necessary? And, is there any way to examine ourselves denomination-wide?”
The difficulties of such a careful and thorough ecclesiastical self-examination must not deter us from seeing the importance of the exercise.
A church must do more than pay lip-service to the motto, Reformed and always being reformed. Lip-service to the motto is praising it in special issues of the church magazine, but not acting upon it, improving ourselves year by year. Lip-service is explaining the motto over against other churches who do not embrace its principle or others who misuse it by always seeking change—for change’s sake—but then misuse the motto ourselves by not asking where we need reform.
