Practising Presbyterians

“When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.” (Acts 15:2
 

When we examined the duty of the church to be separate from those bodies which tolerate and practise liberalism and ecumenism, we explained the word “Free” in the title of our denomination. We are “Free” in the sense that our ministers can preach the Gospel without opposition and contradiction from within the body of the church. This chapter considers the second aspect of our title, “Presbyterian”. For many “Presbyterian” is a label which identifies the denomination with which their family has been identified for generations. It may be regarded as a cultural association with those who fled persecution in Scotland to farm and worship in the northern counties of Ireland during the plantation of Ulster. This term, however, is much more than a label or an historic name worn with pride by our Scottish ancestors. Presbyterianism as a principle denotes the Scriptural governance of the church, instituted by Christ and His Apostles in the interests of order, peace and harmony among the people of God.

The importance of this chapter is to demonstrate that the structure of our Church Government; Minister, Elders, Committee, Membership is founded upon the plain teaching of Scripture.

The Greek Connection

While the word Presbyterian does not appear in its English form in the New Testament it exists in every place where we read of “elders”. The word itself itself stems from the Greek, “presbuteros” meaning elder. Interestingly the collection of elders who ordained Timothy were known as “the presbytery”. The word Presbyterian basically means that the church is governed by elders.

The Sufficient Scripture

If God’s Word is an all sufficient fount of wisdom then we must accept that He has given us adequate guidance for the oversight of Christ’s Kingdom on earth. While godly people have practised various forms of Church government, we must believe that principles by which we administer our church must be agreeable to God’s truth.

An Elder who Teaches

The office of minister is held by a man who is ordained as elder with particular duties relating to study and preaching of the Word. The Reformed Church of Scotland outlined the duties of the teaching elder or pastor; “..to pray with and for the flock, …to pray for the sick,…to feed the flock by preaching of the word,…to administer the sacraments,…he hath also a ruling power over the flock…”.

Elders who Rule

Where Paul established churches he ordained a plurality of elders with responsibility for overseeing the spiritual needs of the flock. The health of God’s work depended upon the godly character of these men. The Reformed Church of Scotland expressed the duties of the Kirk Session in a three fold manner, “…to call before them any member of the congregation…to enquire into the knowledge and spiritual state… of the congregation, to admonish and rebuke,…suspension from the Lord’s table”. This document draws proof texts from Hebrews 13:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, Ezekiel 34:4. Elders have a solemn duty not to lord over God’s heritage but to govern with a loving concern for all, tempered by desire to maintain the testimony of Christ.
Deacons who Administer

The first deacons were appointed for the purpose of serving the widows within the church, their duty was practical whereas the apostles wished to concentrate upon the spiritual. Studies show that the deacon should have the spiritual and godly credentials as the elder. The duty of the deacons or committee is to work alongside the elders in looking after the practical concerns of the congregation.

A Membership which Delegates

In Acts 6 the body of the church elected the deacons who would serve. Therefore, Presbyterianism believes that it is the Scriptural right of the congregation to elect those from among themselves to fill the offices of ruling elder and deacon and to issue a call to a man, whom they prayerfully to believe to be the one whom God has set aside to be their pastor or teaching elder. From this we learn that it is scriptural for a church to be constituted with a formal membership. Saul of Tarsus had a desire as a young Christian to join himself to (or to glue himself) onto the disciples. Church membership is a public confession of our union within the body of Christ and it is also a sign of our commitment to serve God within the
congregation to which he has led us.

Interdependency not Independence

Some Protestant churches believe every congregation should function independently. Presbyterianism believes that as Christ’s body is a unity so we should be bound through structures that reflect our unity in Christ. In Acts 15 the apostles and elders gathered to deal with issues that affect all the Christian Churches. Therefore, we have Presbytery which deals with matters relating the denomination as a whole.

Presbytery not Prelacy

Within the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church structures a great deal of power is invested in the hands of individuals; Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops. This form of Government is known as episcopacy or prelacy. In the scripture, however, the word bishop is used interchangeably with elder. Bishop, meaning overseer, rather than identifying a distinct office defines the work of the elder. It is not the bishop who ordains but the elders acting together as a presbytery which fulfils this work. Authority in the church rests collectively with the elders rather than with the bishop.

Citizenship and Church Autonomy

Our Confession of Faith teaches that Christians ought to be subject to the civil power in the land . Indeed the confession also teaches that it is lawful for Christians to accept civil power within the temporal power of the land. Yet the Church must be preserved as a separate Kingdom within the temporal nation and the civil power therefore is not to meddle with the spiritual duties and freedoms of the Church of Christ.

Christ The Only Head

Presbyterianism in line with the teaching of Scriptures admits that Christ alone is the Head of the Church. Andrew Melville, John Knox’s successor in Scotland suffered greatly for daring to challenge the monarch’s interference with the Church of Christ, but he was correct in so doing:

“But your majesty there are two Kings and two Kingdoms in Scotland. There is King James, the head of this commonwealth, and there is Christ Jesus, the King of the Church, whose subject James 6th is, and of whose Kingdom he is not a King, nor a lord nor a head but a member. We will yield you your place and give you all due obedience. But again I say you are not the Head of the Church”.