Chapter 5
The Church: The Context of Our Profession
A Christian is never on his own. He is always part of the body of Christ. This body is referred to in Scripture as the church. The church is not only a body but also an institution with an organized structure. Every Christian must be an active member of the local church. This is not an option but a Biblical necessity. It is assumed throughout the Bible.
The Definition of the Church
Westminster Confession of Faith - Chapter XXV 1. The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. 2. The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the Gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation. 3. Unto this catholic visible Church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life to the end of the world: and doth, by His own presence and Spirit, according to His promise, make them effectual thereunto. 4. This catholic Church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular Churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them. 5. The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no Churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a Church on earth, to worship God according to His will. 6. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ.
Scriptural Names The church is essentially the same in both the Old and the New Covenants. The church was confined to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. Now under the New Covenant the church is a nation among the nations. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” (1 Pet. 2:9); the Lamb “redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). Beginning at Pentecost the risen Lord began to gather His elect from among all nations (Acts 2:5). Thus at the coming of the Spirit of the enthroned Messiah His command to disciple the nations began to be fulfilled (Matt. 28:18-20). The church today continues to be part of this grand final movement of the Lord in redemptive history. The word “congregation” is first used in connection with the Passover during the exodus from Egypt (Exod. 12:3). This was the gathered people of God considered as an “assembly” assembled by the LORD and called to live before Him in worship and service (Ps. 149:1; 82:1). The Old Testament “synagogues,” formed as the people of God were dispersed among the nations, were referred to as congregations (Acts 13:43). Stephen refers to the entire congregation in the wilderness as a “synagogue” (Acts 7:38). The word “church” in the New Covenant has essentially the same meaning of “gathered people.” It is used over 100 times in the New Testament. The word in the New Testament for “church,” ekklesia, is the same word that the Greek Old Testament (LXX - Septuagint) used in many places to translate the Hebrew word for “congregation”. The writer of Hebrews quotes the Septuagint (Greek) version of Psalm 22:22 using the word ekklesia to refer to the Old Testament “assembly” or “congregation” (Heb. 2:12). Many preachers and commentators define ekklesia as “the called out ones.” Actually it refers to the citizenry of a city assembled or gathered as a body. “Called out ones” emphasizes the individual, whereas the word actually refers to an assembly as a unified entity. The Biblical descriptions of the church are rich and varied. The church is called the “Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16); the “Commonwealth of Israel” (Eph. 2:12). These names define the church as a citizenship or nation. The church is the “City of God” (Ps. 87:3); and the “People of God” (1 Pet. 2:10). The church is also the “dwelling place of God” (Eph. 2:22). This refers to the church as a home or family. The church is in fact a building, but not one made of wood and stone. It is rather the people of God themselves. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). “The whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. 2:21). The church is also the “Body or Christ” (Eph. 4:12); and the “Bride of Christ” (Rev. 21:2, 9). This summary of Scripture names for the church clearly teaches us that we are never to think of ourselves as Christians apart from the church. As soon as we become the children of God through repentance and faith we immediately become part of the church, the body of Christ. In fact, in the New Testament the only evangelistic organization is the church. So at Pentecost when Peter preached, he did so in obedience to Christ’s command to the church to disciple the nations. Consequently when a number of Peter’s hearers repented and believed the gospel they immediately became a vital part of the church of which Peter was one of the pastors. The 3,000 were “added” (Acts 2:41) to the 120 disciples who had prayed for the coming of the Spirit since the resurrection of Christ. “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). As the church continued to grow we are told that “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
Scriptural Attributes These attributes describe what the essential characteristics or qualities of the church. Apostolicity - The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11) as He has revealed Himself in His infallible Word the Bible. The church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). The church is therefore apostolic. It is built on the written revelation which was given to the apostles by the risen Lord through His Holy Spirit as He had promised in the upper room before His crucifixion (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13). To continue the building analogy we might think of the Old Testament as the footings and the New Testament as the finished foundation, all of which form the basis for the building of the church in the New Covenant era. Paul built his teaching on the Old Testament (cf. Rom. 1:1-4; 4:1ff.; 15:4). At the end of his ministry as the New Testament canon was nearing completion he instructed Timothy: “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). This is what Paul meant when he referred to the church as “the pillar and ground of truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The church is the institution entrusted with the “oracles of God”. Catholicity - The word catholic does not mean Roman Catholic. It means universal. The church is made up of people from every nation and place in all ages of history. John’s vision of the church in Revelation pictures “a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes” (Rev. 7:9). The church in the New Covenant has no racial or geographic boundaries. The Old Testament hinted of this universality when God saved the Ninevites, Naaman the Syrian and several others. The church is the only true United Nations on earth. Unity - This attribute refers to the oneness of the church. All true Christians are united to their glorious Head, Jesus Christ, no matter what denomination they belong to. While different cultures and varying interpretations of Scripture may distinguish Christians denominationally, they are truly one in Christ. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:4-6). Because our Lord Jesus prayed for the unity of the church (John 17:22, 23), we must seek to maintain that unity and exemplify it to the watching world (Eph. 4:3). The unity of the three persons of the Trinity is to be reflected in the church. Holiness - This attribute distinguishes the church from the world. Holiness means “separateness”. In worship and service we are to exhibit the uniqueness of God’s children as we imitate Jesus Christ as the new humanity. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:9-12; cf. Eph. 5:25-27). Holiness in maintained by seeking both doctrinal and moral purity, and love. Furthermore this separateness is not to be confused with separatism. Separatism seeks to be culturally and even geographically separate. But Biblically we are called to be in the world but not of it. Jesus said “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:15, 16). Our allegiance is to the enthroned Lord, as opposed to Satan and self as with the world (1 John 2:15, 16). The Lord’s desire is “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). Visible and Invisible There are not two churches, the visible church and the invisible church. The distinction between visible and invisible refers to two different perspectives on the church, ours and God’s. The invisible church “consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof” (WCF XXV.1). This is God’s perspective. He and He alone knows who are truly His people (Eph. 1:10). He alone sees and knows the hearts of men. Normally all who God’s elect, and members therefore of the invisible church, are also members of the visible church. The thief on the cross and Robinson Crusoe are rare exceptions. Thus nobody should say, “Well, I’m a member of the invisible church, I don’t need to be part of the visible church.” This is an unbiblical excuse. The visible church is the church as we see it on earth. The visible church “consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children” (WCF XXV.2). Note the word profess. The visible church is made up of those who name the name of Christ and claim Him as their Lord and Savior. The fact that their are people who claim to be Christians but are not committed to a local church is a testimony to the fact that radical individualism is the rule in much of western culture. The Bible never explicitly commands us to become part of the visible church because it is assumed. When three thousand repented and believed the gospel on the Day of Pentecost they were baptized and “added” to the visible church (Acts 2:41, 47). All of these converts were already part of the Old Testament church. They had come to celebrate an Old Covenant feast. Note also that the word “church” in the text refers to the visible church. We know this because baptism was administered by officers (the apostles) of the church as an organized body. Baptism is a visible sign and seal of inclusion in the professing body. The command to be baptized implies becoming a member of the visible church. Furthermore these converts participated in the regular life of the church. They “continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). The visible church is primarily manifested in the local church. The broader or higher expressions of the visible church are manifested in the church at a regional or national level, which is a presbytery, synod or general assembly, as seen in the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. All of the members of these assemblies are first and foremost members of local churches. As noted above we must never think of the church as a body without at the same time thinking of the organization of that body. Both are essential to a Biblical understanding of the church. When Paul wrote his letters to Christians as a group it was always to a local, visible church. “To the church of God which is at Corinth” (1 Cor. 1:2). The Westminster Confession also makes this startling statement, when referring to the visible church: “out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation” (WCF XXV.2). In other words the local church is the evangelistic organization of the Bible. Parachurch ministry is a uniquely Western idea, which finds no Biblical support. Ordinarily no one becomes a Christian independent of the local church. The Confession says “ordinary” so as to account for rare exceptions like the thief on the cross. Although even there the thief made his public profession before the Head of the visible church Himself. Since the visible church is made up of all professing Christians and their children not everyone who professes to be a Christian is one. The Bible gives many examples of hypocrites. A hypocrite is someone who is not what they appear to be. As fallible and limited people we can only make decisions based on what is visible. Therefore we must exercise the “judgment of charity” with regard to that profession. We are to accept that profession until someone gives us evidence in doctrine or life to think otherwise. Some in the visible church of the apostle John left the church because they were not truly part of the church (1 John 2:19). They appeared to be members for a time, but eventually proved that their professions were not genuine. Jesus warns us that not everyone who claims to be His are truly so. They claim to have done great things in His name, but on the Day of Judgment He will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:22, 23). One may be to all appearances a zealous member of the church, even an elder or pastor, and yet be lawless at heart. May no one reading this booklet find themselves in such a state on the last day.
Confessional The visible church confesses of the truth of the Risen Lord. “No book but the Bible, no creed but Christ” sounds good on the surface, until one asks the question “What does the Bible teach?” Actually every Christian has a creed, written or not. The question is it based on the wisdom of only a few individuals or upon the wisdom God has given the church through the ages? The historical creeds respect the corporate work of the Holy Spirit working in the body of Christ. In response to Our Lord’s question “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” at Caesarea Philippi Peter answers with the crisp confession “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16: 13-16). This is really a summary of hundreds of verses of Scripture in both Old and New Testaments. In a sense it is a summary of the whole Bible. Paul uses expanded summaries in several places to describe the essential apostolic message. “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3, 4). “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory” (1 Tim. 3:16). Such summaries define the body of truth revealed in Scripture and mark the boundaries of the truth which the church is called to guard and propagate. The confession quoted by Paul in 1 Timothy comes immediately after his description of the church as the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). Confessions are not meant to replace Scripture. In fact, they must be based entirely upon Scripture for them to be valuable to the church and pleasing to the Lord. The Westminster Confession of Faith has been called the “crowning creed” because it comes at the end of the most prolific creed writing period in the church’s history. Over one hundred and twenty theologians and pastors took five years (1643-1648) to debate and formulate this great statement of faith. It is built on the church’s entire creedal history going all the way back to the councils of Nicea and Chalcedon in the ancient church. A church without an historical creed is a church in danger of going adrift in the sea of human opinion. Three Aspects of the Church Militant - The church in this “present evil age” is the church at war with the world, the flesh, and the devil. From the beginning to the end of the Covenant of Grace the church, represented by the seed of the woman which is Christ, is at war with the seed of the Serpent (Gen. 3:15). Throughout this period in both Testaments the church is engaged in spiritual warfare. The image of the spiritual soldier comes to its fullest expression in Ephesians 6:10-20. The Christian soldier is to don the whole armor of God, which is the person and work of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ, and wage war against the threefold enemy (the world, the flesh, and the devil) of God. The armor is put on in direct communication with and dependence upon the Captain of the Lord’s host in prayer to the One into whose hands all authority in heaven and on earth has been given (Matt. 28:18-20). Triumphant - The church which goes immediately to be with the risen Lord in paradise at death is the church triumphant. This is known as the “intermediate state” (pp. 31, 32; 2 Cor. 5:2-8). The perfected souls of the church await the final resurrection in the presence of the Lord. Glorious - The church in its consummate and final glory, raised from the dead at the second coming of the Lord is the church glorious. This is the church perfected in body and soul in “the new heavens and the new earth.” In this state all the purposes of God in redemption in Jesus Christ are fully realized (Rom. 8:23). The Marks of the Church
True and False Churches While many groups claim to be the church, not all are truly so. The Bible gives us clear guidelines to help us distinguish the true from the false. These “marks” help give us essential characteristics of a true church. Since no church is perfect we must look for the marks to be substantially present. . “The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error” (WCF XXV.5). We do not want to be perfectionists. Even though the church in Corinth was full of problems the apostle Paul calls them “the church of God” (1 Cor. 1:2). In the parable of the good seed the Lord teaches that there will always be imperfection in the church while it is in this world (Matt. 13:24-30). On the other hand some churches gradually depart from the faith to such a degree that they become false churches. “Some (churches) have so degenerated, as to become no Churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan” (WCF XXV.5). Jesus warned some of the churches in John’s day that if they did not repent their candles would be removed. In other words they would no longer be the light of the world because they would no longer truly represent Him (Rev. 2:9; 3:9; Rom. 11:18-22). Those who fail to recognize this are guilty of Latitudinarianism. There will always be a true church on earth until our Lord returns, because the Lord Himself has promised: “I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
The Three Marks The “marks” (notae) are characteristics which must all be present for a church to be a true church. The Word - A true church preaches the whole counsel of God, confessing the apostolic truth, summarized in The Apostles’ Creed. Such a church takes the whole Bible and nothing but the Bible to be God’s infallible Word (Isa. 8:20; Acts 20:27; John 8:31). The Sacraments - A true church administers the two sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper faithfully according to their institution in Scripture (Matt. 26:26-30; 28:18-20; Acts 2:38, 42). Discipline - A true church faithfully exercises the key of church discipline by which its members are held accountable to Scripture in doctrine and life (Matt. 16:18, 19; 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; Gal. 6:1).
Separation If one is a member of a church which does not substantially display these marks it is the duty of the Christian to separate from such a body (2 Cor. 6:14-18). No one should leave a church, however, when it is possible to pursue discipline in order to call that church back to faithfulness. However if this is not possible then separation is the only option. This is true for individual members of local congregations as well as for congregations within a denomination. To remain a member of a false church is to bring dishonor to the glorious Head of the church.
The Government of the Church
Christ is the Only Head Christ alone is the head of His church (1 Cor. 3:11; 11:3; Eph. 1:20-23; 5:23; Col. 1:18). The center and throne of the government of the church is in heaven not on earth. The pope of Rome has no Biblical warrant for claiming to be Christ’s vicar on earth. Each Christian, and therefore every church member and officer, is directly responsible first and foremost to the enthroned Lord Jesus Christ.
Presbyterian Government As we have said above the church is an organized institution as well as a vital body with. As an institution it has a structure; and that structure is revealed in the Bible. Following the basic principles of this structure is as important as being faithful to any other doctrine given to us by our Lord. This is not optional for the Christian who takes discipleship seriously. The Old Testament church was organized first as an extended family, then as tribes and finally as a nation. The nation dispersed during the captivity laid the foundation for the organization of the New Testament church. The organization of the Jerusalem church spread through the synagogue to all the nations of the earth. The government of the New Testament church is rooted in the old (Exod. 18:13-27; 1 Cor. 9:13, 14). The apostles and prophets were temporary officers who mediated the formation of the canon of New Testament Scripture. They left a pattern for the continuing government of the church. Near the end of his ministry Paul left specific directives for the church planters Timothy and Titus. These letters are known to us as The Pastoral Epistles. They teach us about “how to conduct yourself in the house of God” (1Tim. 3:15); give qualifications for church officers; and generally reveal the basics of church government. The Bible is the constitutional foundation of the church. The so-called “subordinate standards” of the church are the doctrinal summaries (The Westminster Standards) and governmental documents (The Book of Church Order of The Orthodox Presbyterian Church Containing the Standards of Government, Discipline and Worship), which explain and apply the principles of Scripture to a particular church denomination. Christ delegated ministerial authority to His church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:8-11). He gave the keys of doctrine and discipline to the apostles (Matt. 16:18, 19). Notice that the authority given to the church is ministerial not legislative. Christ has given all the legislation we need through His apostles in His Word, which is complete. The authority He delegates to the church is to be exercised on the basis of His written Word and that alone. Subordinate standards help give order to this exercise. The word Presbyterian comes from the Biblical Greek word presbuteros (1 Tim. 5:19), which means “elder”. It refers to those who are experienced (thus the reference to age) and gifted with wisdom to lead God’s people. The word Episcopalian comes from the Biblical Greek word episkopos (1 Tim. 3:1), which means “overseer” or “governor”, and is often translated as “bishop”. Contrary to the distinction in offices made by Episcopalians bishops and elders are different names for the same office (Acts 20:17-28). Presbyterian church government is based on the Biblical principle of rule by elders. We see this in the local churches established by Paul (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1) and in the gathering of the regional church at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). We refer to the larger gatherings of the regional church as presbyteries. Presbyteries deal with issues that effect all of the churches within a given region, issues such as such as ordination (1 Tim. 4:14) and discipline (Acts 15). In each congregation there is to be a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Philippians 1:1). Historically there have been three basic types of church government: Prelatical (hierarchical) - Spiritual power resides in individual prelates in a hierarchy (archbishops, bishops, etc.). This would include: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Church of England, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist. Congregational (independent) - Spiritual power resides in each individual congregation and its members. This would include: Congregational, Baptist, Pentecostal and Charismatic. Presbyterian - Spiritual power resides in the office bearers as they function in different jurisdictions: local sessions (elders in the local church, also known as a consistory in continental Reformed churches), presbyteries, synods and general assemblies. This would include: Presbyterian, and continental Reformed.
The Offices: General and Special Every Christian holds the general office of believer. We are all prophets, priests and kings by virtue of our union with the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:6). This great doctrine of the Reformation, known as “the priesthood of all believers,” does not mean that everyone rules in the household of God. In fact, priesthood points to service in God’s house. Pure democracy would lead to chaos. Rather the Lord has given the church spiritual overseers or undershepherds of Christ to guide and lead the flock of God (1 Pet. 5:1-4). Elders and deacons lead the congregation in word and deed ministry, respectively. These are the special offices of the church. All participate in the ministry of the church, but all do not lead (Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12). The beauty of rule by a plurality of elders is that it prevents both tyranny and chaos at once. It prevents tyranny by protecting the church from one man dominating; and because the Biblical model for leadership calls leaders to be servants of God and His people (1 Pet. 5:3; 2 Tim. 2:24, 25; Matt. 20:25-28). It prevents chaos because Scripture clearly gives church officers authority to rule (Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:7, 17). And those who rule must be called and qualified by the Great Shepherd of the sheep, and recognized as such by the congregation (Eph. 4:7-11: Acts 14:23). Part of shepherding the flock involves church discipline. The session exercises positive discipline by promoting the ministry of the word and the means of grace. Through visiting the people they encourage self-discipline. Negatively they need to correct those who stray in doctrine or life (2 Tim. 2:24, 25; Gal. 6:1). They must lead the congregation in exercising discipline with the proper motives and methods (Matt. 5:23-26; 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5:1-5). They must also promote the proper goals of church discipline: restoration of the erring brother; preservation of the purity of the church; maintenance of the honor of Christ. Respect for the God-given authority of the session is essential to the health of the church and each of her members. The spiritual authority of the session is clearly revealed in Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Titus 1:5, 7; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5. Ministers and Elders have spiritual authority in their congregations as a session (1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13; 1 Timothy 3:5; 5:17). Ministers and Elders have spiritual authority in the presbytery, synod and general assembly with respect to the jurisdiction of those bodies (1 Timothy 4:14; Acts 15:1-29). They deal with conflicts in or among the churches, in or among the sessions or presbyteries. They oversee the training and ordination of Ministers. They plan and execute mission work. The fourth membership vow is a crucial part of true discipleship (cf. Appendix A). There are three regular and continuing offices in the church: Ministers (teachers 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 5:17; pastor-teachers Eph. 4:11), Elders (helps, rulers, governors - Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28) and Deacons (Acts 6:1-7; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8-13). The minister and elders shepherd the flock together as a session. The minister of the word shepherds especially through teaching and preaching the word. Deacons lead in caring for the temporal needs of the church. The qualifications for these offices are summarized in 1 Timothy 3. Officers are to be ordained by the laying on of hands because authority is conferred upon those who are called to bear office by those who already bear it. Ministers are ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Elders and Deacons are ordained by the laying on of hands of the session (1 Timothy 4:14). The inner call of God must also be recognized by the church (the outer call). Therefore, Officers are chosen by the people with the recommendation of existing officers (Acts 14:23).
The History of Presbyterianism In Europe during the Reformation in the sixteenth century Calvin and the Genevan churches began to look to Scripture for the structure of church government. Calvin's ecclesiology spread to Germany, Holland, France, England, Scotland, etc. The term "Presbyterian" was first used in England by the Puritans: Preston and Cartwright. Presbyterianism took root in Scotland under John Knox, who had ministered and studied in Calvin’s Geneva. The first presbytery was formed in Scotland under Knox in 1572. Presbyterianism was articulated systematically in The Westminster Standards 1648. In first American Presbyterian, Francis Makemie, came to the middle colonies from Scotch-Irish Donegal in 1683. He helped organize the first presbytery in Philadelphia in 1706. The "Adopting Act" of 1729 adopted The Westminster Confession as the doctrinal standard of the new church. The first General Assembly, representing many presbyteries, was held in 1788. The church was divided during Civil War into Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA, Northern) and Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS, Southern). The Orthodox Presbyterian Church came out of the PCUSA in 1936 because of the departure of the PCUSA from historic Christianity.
The History of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church While the proliferation of denominations, especially in the United States, is not in itself desirable, there are good reasons why many denominations exist. The idea of a non-denominational church may sound good initially. In fact this is misleading. A denomination is simply a name designating a particular body of Christians who hold to a particular body of teaching. Every so-called non-denominational church has a name and a set of beliefs. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church was founded in 1936 under the leadership of Princeton scholar and professor Dr. J. Gresham Machen in order to continue the witness of historic Presbyterianism as expressed in The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. The church believes that the message of the Bible is as relevant today as it was in the days of the apostles. The church upholds the historic doctrines of Christian orthodoxy, focusing on God's sovereign grace revealed in the crucified and risen Christ, the Savior who changes people's hearts, forgives their sins and gives them the hope of eternal life. The church has been known for its intellectual defense of the truths of the Bible and its missionary efforts throughout the world. For more on this history see, Churchill, Lest We Forget, and Rian, The Presbyterian Conflict.
Membership in the Church
As we have said above membership in the local, visible assembly of Jesus Christ is absolutely essential to Biblical discipleship.
The Necessity of Membership Along with the fact that the visible, organized church is the God-ordained institution in which the Lord has deposited the truth of the gospel, the visible church is the only Biblical context in which public profession of faith is made. “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12). There was no such thing as going up front at an evangelistic crusade in response to an alter call and then going home uncommitted to the local church. The day of Pentecost is ample testimony to this fact. “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10; Matt. 10:32). This is done in the presence of the congregation of God’s people.
The Benefits of Membership The church nurtures the believer in perseverance. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:22-25). Note that continuing to maintain a good confession of Jesus Christ without wavering is closely connected with mutual encouragement and exhortation in the local assembly of saints. The Bible presents the church as a place of blessing and delight, a foretaste of eternity. “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Ps. 92:13-15). “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Ps. 84:10). Paul presents the church as the place where we grow and mature into the likeness of Christ. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ -- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love”(Eph. 4:11-16).
The Responsibilities of Membership Along with benefits come responsibilities and duties. In the atmosphere of extreme self-orientation fostered by consumerism the church is often approached and presented as another product designed to meet our needs. In fact God has designed the church to teach us to deny ourselves and bring glory to God and blessing to our neighbor. The Lord calls us to meet His and our neighbor’s needs. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13). Each part of the body of Christ needs every other part (Eph. 4:16; 1 Cor. 12). “What is my part?” That is an important question to ask. If you ask, “Am I being loved?” you will probably always be disappointed. If you ask, “How am I loving my brothers and sisters in Christ?” then you will bear fruit.
Procedure At this point in the course you may be wondering what comes next in terms of membership in this local church. If you desire membership the pastor will meet with you and go over the four Questions for Public Profession of Faith in Christ in Appendix A. If you can affirm all four questions without reservation then you will come before the session of the elders of the church. They will want to hear how you came to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Then they will ask questions based on the four Public Profession Questions. Remember you are not being asked to be a theologian, but a sincere Christian. After making a good profession before the session you will take the membership vows during public worship in the near future on a date agreed upon by you and the elders.
The Means of Grace
Shorter Catechism Q.#88 What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption? A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.
Definition The means of grace are outward channels of God’s undeserved covenant favor. A water pipe is a means of getting water into our houses. So the Word, Prayer and the Sacraments are means by which God gives His grace to the church. Just as the family meal is our ordinary means of nourishment, the means of grace are the ordinary means of our spiritual nourishment. Many problems in the Christian life can be traced back to a neglect of the means of grace. In the early church at Pentecost the means of grace were central. Notice that the “charismatic” sign gifts were used to authenticate the apostolic message, not as a means of edification. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Remember too that these means are not, by definition, ends in themselves, but means to the end of maturing in the image of Christ (Eph. 4:13).
The Word
Shorter Catechism Q.#89 How is the word made effectual to salvation? A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation. Q.#90 How is the word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation? A. That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.
The Word of God is the primary means of grace. Notice that it is “especially the preaching of the word” that God uses to save sinners and sanctify the saints. This does not exclude private reading of the word. It does correct the individualistic idea that all one needs is the private reading of word. The Head of the church has ordained that preaching in the church should be the context in which private reading of the word grows. “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27). In Troas Paul preached on the evening of the Lord’s Day. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7). A student at a local college once told the group leader that she had a difficult time understanding the Bible. The leader wisely answered that she needed to learn the Scriptures under the regular pastoral exposition of God’s word by a Minister of the Word in the local church. In the context of the church every Christian should be reading the “whole counsel of God” on a regular daily basis. David wrote of the godly person: “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:3). McCheyne’s daily reading schedule is a very helpful guide. The heads of households should have regular family devotions (Deut. 6:4-6; Eph. 6:4). This is an essential means of family nurture. Every Christian should have the following tools to assist them in learning God’s word: 1. Bible - The New King James Version (NKJV) is the best modern translation available. The Authorized or King James Version (KJV) is the classic English translation. The Geneva Study Bible is available in The New King James Version. A study Bible has many reference aids. It has notes to explain the text, an abridged concordance, along with maps and other study helps. The Geneva Study Bible has doctrinally accurate notes. 2. Concordance - This gives each word in the Bible in alphabetical order, with each verse in which the word appears in the order of the books of the Bible. Strong’s is the best for the KJV. Nelson publishes a complete concordance for the NKJV. 3. Commentaries - These are the comments of experienced pastors and theologians whose work has stood the test of time. Start with a complete commentary. Matthew Henry is excellent. Do not get an abridgment. Calvin’s commentaries are unsurpassed. Collect individual commentaries like Hendricksen (20th century). Ask your pastor for advice on particular Bible books. 4. Bible Dictionary - A Bible Dictionary contains articles on different Biblical people, places and doctrines. Eerdmans New Bible Dictionary is sound. 5. Bible Survey - A Bible Survey gives summaries of Bible books, along with outlines. This is a helpful way to get the big picture. Hendricksen’s Bible Survey is very dependable. 6. Geography - Broadman’s Atlas of Bible Lands will help you locate Biblical places. 7. Theology - A good dictionary of theology like Baker’s Dictionary of Theology is helpful. Systematic theology gives the doctrines of the Bible by topic. Louis Berkhof’s Summary of Christian Doctrine is good for beginners. This is a simplified version of his Systematic Theology. A. A Hodge’s Outlines of Theology is a more popular treatment of theology. 8. Confessions - The Westminster Confession and Catechisms is an essential guide to the Biblical system of doctrine. The Free Presbyterian Publications edition gives you everything in hardback. The only problem with this is that it is not the American revision. Schaff’s Creeds of Christendom gives all the creeds of church history. Collect good commentaries on the confessions such as Williamson’s The Westminster Confession of Faith for Study Classes and The Shorter Catechism for Study Classes. 9. Church History - Church history is very important. It helps us learn from the past. An excellent short history is S. M. Houghton’s Sketches of Church History. A more in-depth reference is B. K. Kuiper’s The Church in History. These belong in every Christian’s library. Along with this essential library each Christian should build a sound library in every area of truth, if possible. Good Christian biography is an interesting and entertaining way to learn from the example of others. A very helpful way to get warmed up for Bible reading and prayer is to read C. H. Spurgeon’s classic devotional Morning and Evening or Faith’s Checkbook. This may seem like a lot, but is there any more serious business in life than studying God’s Word? Calvin in commenting on Daniel 12:10 said that we should “earnestly apply ourselves to the pursuit of heavenly doctrine ... [and] heartily desire to taught by God.” Calvin Knox Cummings, in Confessing Christ (in the chapter, “God’s Provision for Growth”) enjoins us to diligence, preparation, prayer, faith, love, memory and practice in the study of Holy Scripture.
The Sacraments
Shorter Catechism Q.# 91 How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation? A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his spirit in them that by faith receive them. Q.# 92 What is a sacrament? A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. Q.# 93 Which are the sacraments of the New Testament? A. The sacraments of the New Testament are, Baptism, and the Lord's supper. A sacrament is “a sign and seal of the covenant of grace.” Romans 4:11 teaches us: “And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised.” A sign is a visible symbol or representation of a spiritual reality. Thus the wine in the Lord’s Supper signifies the shed blood of our Savior. A seal is a guarantee or authentication of a promise. Thus our drinking of the wine, by faith in what it represents (Christ’s finished work), is a seal of God’s promise to save us by the sacrifice of our Mediator. Sacraments are instituted by Christ in His Word. Thus we have only two “signs and seals of the Covenant of Grace” in the New Testament: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The five sacraments added by the Roman Church are not sacraments instituted by our Savior. Marriage, for example, is a creation ordinance, enjoyed by all people inside and outside of the covenant community. Furthermore sacraments are to be administered after the preaching of the Word and with an explanation from the Word. Otherwise they become superstitious rites. This is also the reason why an ordained Minister of the Word is the only one who may administer the sacraments. In the Old Testament the priests who administered the sacrifices and other rites of the temple were Ministers of the Word. The efficacy of the sacraments is not magical. There is nothing in the elements themselves that saves or sanctifies us. They are not automatic as taught in the Roman Church (ex opere operatum). Nor does their efficacy depend on the faith of the one who administers them. We reject the Roman doctrine of Transubstantiation, because it teaches that the priest administers a change in the elements so that they become the actual body and blood of Christ in the form of bread and wine. This is based on Aristotle, not the Bible. On the other hand, the sacraments are not mere memorials of the past redemptive acts of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is present by His Word and Spirit in the administration of the sacraments. He strengthens us we receive the sacraments by faith.
The Sacrament of Baptism
Shorter Catechism Q.# 94 What is baptism ? A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's. Q.# 95 To whom is baptism to be administered? A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him;(1) but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.
The Meaning of Baptism Baptism is the sacrament of initiation into the visible church (Acts 2:38). It fulfills and therefore replaces circumcision because Christ has accomplished redemption (Matt. 28:19; Col. 2:11, 12; Rom. 4:11). Thus the rite of initiation changes from a bloody rite to a non-bloody rite. Christ’s atoning work as the Second Adam eradicates the original sin of the First Adam. Just as circumcision baptism symbolizes the work of God’s sovereign grace in the fallen heart. True circumcision is that of the heart (Rom. 2:28, 29). This was also true in the Old Testament (Deut. 10:16). Circumcision was never merely a “national badge” as Baptists insist. Baptism symbolizes the cleansing work of God’s Spirit as He applies the finished work of Christ to the hearts of His elect people. The baptismal formula, “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”, teaches us that through the application of the atoning work of Christ we are brought into union and communion with the triune God (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 1:13, 15; 10:2; John 14:16, 17). The goal of God’s redeeming work is covenantal union: “I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people” (Lev 26:12). The sprinkling of water symbolizes the Spirit’s cleansing of the sinful heart in order to bring us into fellowship with God. Christ’s work is the foundation; the Spirit is the agent who applies it. Thus we are ingrafted into Christ (Gal. 3:27; see Larger Catechism #165); receive remission of sins (Mark 1:4); purification and cleansing from the guilt and penalty of sin (Eph. 5:26); regeneration of the Spirit (Tit. 3:5); and resurrection unto everlasting life (1 Cor. 15:29; Rom. 6:5). The Old Testament people were familiar with baptisms among the Levitical rites (Lev. 4:6; 8:11); and expected a forerunner of the Messiah to baptize (Eze. 36:25-28; Isa. 52:13-15). The cleansing theme comes into its own with the accomplishment of Christ in the New Testament (Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:12, 37, 38, 10:47, 48, 16:30-33, 19:4-6, 22:16; Tit. 3:5). Contrary to Baptist thinking baptism is not a symbol of faith. Such is the thinking of Arminianism which emphasizes the efficacy of the fallen human will. Baptism symbolizes the sovereign grace of God applied in Christ and by His Spirit from heaven (Rom. 4:11). Faith is merely an instrument (Rom. 4:16). Baptism is also not a symbol of the death and resurrection of Christ. The passage from which Baptists get this idea is Romans 6:1-14. Baptism unites us with the saving benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection. But baptism does not symbolize it. Rather it symbolizes the application of the death and resurrection of Christ. Verse 3 teaches that we are baptized into Christ’s death (Matt. 20:20-23). “Burial” in Romans 6:4 emphasizes the definitive nature death, not the mode of burial. We are united with Christ in His death for and to sin. Paul’s point is that our union with Christ in His death and resurrection forms the basis for living a righteous life. This does not mean that Christ’s accomplishment is pictured in baptism. It is the Spirit’s application of Christ’s work that is pictured.
The Mode of Baptism The mode of baptism is not mentioned in Romans 6. Verses 1-4 should not be separated from verses 5-14. Paul’s point has nothing to do with the mode. The Baptist idea that we go “down into” the water to symbolize death to sin; and we “rise out of” the water to symbolize resurrection unto newness of life has no basis in the theology or practice of the New Testament. Christ died on a cross, not in the water. He was buried in a tomb above ground, entered by a door on the side; he was not buried. We have no record of how He rose from the dead (Luke 24:12). He may have simply stood up and walked through the stone door. The account of Christ’s own baptism by John says nothing about the mode (Matt. 3:13-17). “Coming up” from the water is naturally understood as going up from the river to the river bank. It describes a sequence of actions (indicated by the word “when”), not the mode of baptism. Furthermore, Jesus’ baptism was not the same kind of baptism as ours. He was fulfilling all righteousness not as a sinner needing cleansing, but as a priest needing to be baptized into His priestly office as our Great High Priest (Ps. 2:7; 110:1; Heb. 5:5, 7:11-14). John the Baptizer was a Levite. Numbers 8:6, 7 teaches the initiatory baptism of Levitical priests into their office (Heb. 3:1, 4:14, 9:11). The baptisms of the Old Testament were all some form of sprinkling. The Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint) is instructive in this regard. The essence of the meaning of the Greek word bapto or baptizo is cleanse. The mode of cleansing may be immersion, pouring, sprinkling or washing. In Daniel 5:21 it is used to described the action of dew falling on Nebuchadnezzar. Various rites of purification by washing are described by the same word (Numb. 19:16-19; Lev. 8). All of these rites are referred to in Hebrews 9:10 as “various baptisms”. Sacrificial blood was “sprinkled” (Heb. 9:13). We are the elect through the “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:2). In Acts 1:5 the disciples, waiting for Pentecost, were told: “John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” When the Spirit came He was “poured out” (Acts 2:17) from heaven. No one was immersed in Him. The evangelist Philip baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch in a desert place where water was scarce (Acts 8:26, 36). Both Philip and the Ethiopian went “down into” and came “up out of” the water. To be consistent the Baptist minister should imitate Philip. Common sense tells us that the mode of baptism is not in view. Again the prepositions are naturally understood as referring to going up from the river to the river bank. Most notable is the passage of Scripture which moved the Eunuch to desire baptism. Isaiah 53:7, 8 is from the last Servant Song of Isaiah (52:13-53:12). At the beginning of the Song Isaiah promised that the Servant would “sprinkle many nations” (52:15). Finally Paul was baptized in the house of Ananais in Damascus (Acts 9:17-19). There is no mention of a tub or pool. Not having eaten in three days Paul was in a weak condition. We are told that “he arose and was baptized”. In other words he stood to be baptized, presumably sprinkled. We may also imagine the improbability of baptizing three thousand people on the day of Pentecost in an Ancient Near Eastern city in which water would have been a precious commodity. The Westminster Confession sums it up nicely: (XXVIII.3) Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person (Heb. 9:10,19,20,21,22; Acts 2:41; Acts 16:33; Mark 7:4).
The Application of Baptism Baptists demand a command to baptize infants. This reminds us of the simplistic thinking of cults demanding the use of the word “Trinity” to prove that God is triune. The application of the sacrament of initiation to the children of believers is, in fact, commanded explicitly in Genesis 17 and implicitly in Acts 2:38. But one needs to understand the unity of the Covenant of Grace in order to see the full force of these commands with respect to the baptism of infants. God’s covenant blessing was promised to Abraham and to his “seed” for an “everlasting covenant” to “all nations” (Gen. 17:1-14). This Old Testament promise, restated by the prophet Joel, is referred to by Peter as the reason God had poured out the Spirit of the Risen Lord on His people at Pentecost: “for the promise is to you and to your children” (Acts 2:39). For over two millennia the expectation of God’s people for Messianic blessing on the nations was rooted in the pattern of God’s dealing with families and including the offspring of believers in His promise of salvation. Now at the historical moment of fulfillment a radical change in God’s mode of dealing with His people would be required in order to implement the Baptist exclusion of children from the blessings of the visible church. Such a change would have been an abrupt removal of blessing for the Old Covenant person. It is not conceivable that, were such a change in view, the New Covenant would not deal explicitly and extensively with the subject, while in fact it is entirely silent. The so called “argument from silence” is then, in fact, an argument from the loud and clear revelation of the Old Testament Scriptures including the infants of believers in the visible church. Such would have been assumed by Peter as he called the families gathered for the feast of Pentecost to believe and be baptized. The burden of proof is on the Baptist who would withdraw a millennia old practice which was based on the clear command of God. Where in the New Testament is such a withdrawal warranted? The newness of the New Covenant church is not undermined by appreciating the essential unity of God’s purposes and institutions (cf. Acts 7:35-38; Eph. 2:11-22; Gal. 3:7, 29; Rom. 11). As we have seen above the church is essentially the same from the Garden of Eden to Pentecost. Despite the evident deepening of the spirituality of the New Covenant community, its visible nature remains the same. The accomplishment of the crucified and risen Christ stands at the center to the newness. Thus the bloody rites of initiation and communion are replaced with two sacraments of fulfillment. The need for visible signs and seals remains. The distinction between the visible and invisible aspects of the church must of necessity remain until sin is no longer present in the church. At the center of the Baptist concern is the place of faith in New Covenant salvation. Peter can only be addressing adults when he commands, “Repent and be baptized.” Only adults can repent therefore only adults can be baptized. The problem with this line of reasoning is that it fails when tested by a central Pauline text on the subject of faith: Romans 4. In stressing the centrality of faith in connection with the sacrament of circumcision, Paul demonstrates that Abraham first believed and only then was the sacrament of initiation into the Covenant of Grace administered to him. The problem is that when it was administered God also commanded Abraham to circumcise all of his children. Thus to say that we cannot administer a sign and seal of God’s grace to someone who has not appropriated that grace by faith is to say that God did not command what is proper. This is to set human reasoning above God’s ways. Furthermore, Paul uses Abraham as a model for the New Testament believer. The Pharisaic misuse of circumcision for legalistic, self-justifying purposes does not negate the integrity of the sign and seal in God’s gracious purposes. It should also be noted that the command to repent and be baptized is always addressed to adults outside of the covenant. In the New Testament there are two categories of those outside. There are Old Covenant people who are called to embrace the New Covenant in Christ; and there are those who come from the lost world into the New Covenant. Both are to include their children in the visible church through the sign and seal of baptism. Even those who are baptized as infants must affirm God’s grace by confessing Christ in the Covenant community before they may include their children. We would expect, then, to see evidence of such inclusion in the documents and life of the New Testament church, remembering that such evidence will not be by way of explicit command, but rather by way of practices which assume the command already given in the Old Covenant economy. What then is God’s attitude toward the children of believers as reflected in the New Testament writers? In Mark 10:13-16 Jesus blesses the children of the covenant. It was far more than mere sentiment that moved these Covenant mothers to desire the blessings of the Messiah upon their children. In recording the same incident Luke uses the Greek word brephos to refer to the children. Brephos means “infant” or “babe in arms”. He reminds the offended disciples that “of such is the kingdom of God.” At this point he is not saying that their childlike trust should be imitated. That this application is secondary is proved by its absence in Matthew’s account (Matt. 19:13-15). He simply asserts that they are part of God’s kingdom and that the offense taken by the disciples is not God’s way of v |