Joe Morecraft continues his

Aspects of Biblical Church Government

with Part ill,
The Foundational Principles of
Presbyterian Church Government
T
his article is a condensation and
paraphrase of Thomas Withe-
row's irrefutable little book,
The Apostolic Church: Which
Is It?, first printed in 1856, and
reprinted several times from 1954 to
1983 by the Free Presbyterian Publica-
tions, 133 Woodlands Rd., Glasgow,
Scotland. I do add some of my own re-
marks along with some quotes from
The Book of church Order of the Re-
fonned Presbyterian Church, but the
genius of the article is that of Withe-
row. Professor Thomas Witherow stud-
ied under the great Thomas Chalmers of
Edinburgh. He became Pastor at
Maghera, Ireland andProfessorofEccle-
siastical History, Magee College, Lon-
donderry, in 1856.
God makes unmistakably clear that
"AIL God-breathed Scripture. . . is
PROFITABLE for teaching, for re-
proof, for correction; for training in
righteousness; that the man of God may
be adequate, equipped for every good
work," ll Tim. 3:16-17. This means
that nothing in the Bible is unim-
portant, unprofitable or without pur-
pose for our lives. "Though every state-
ment in the Scripture cannot be regarded
as absolutely essential to salvation, yet
everything there is essential to some
other wise and important end, else it
would not find a place in the good Word
of God." (Witherow, pg. 12) The
simplest statement in the Bible is of
more importance to us than the most
complex statement made by ~ hu-
man genius. "Any truth merely human
should weigh with us light as a feather
in comparison with the most insigni-
ficant of the truths of God." (pg. 13)
Therefore, we should strive to under-
stand and apply everything God has
placed in his written Word.
This is the basis of our study and
practice of Biblical church government.
Whereas correct views of church govern-
ment are not essential to salvation,
nevertheless, they are essential to the
life, health, glory and effectiveness of
the church. We hope to show that the
"scriptural doctrine of Presbytery is
necessary to the perfection of the order
of the visible church, but is not es-
sential to its existence." (Book: of
Church Order of the Reformed Presby-
terian Church in the United States.)
"Presbytery is that fonn of church gov-
ernment which is dispensed by presby-
ters or elders, met in Session, Presby-
tery, Synod, or General Assembly . . . "
(pg. 14) .
Presbyterian church government is
based on the following six biblical prin-
ciples. ("Presbyterian" comes from the
Greek word, "presbyteros," meaning
"elder.")
First, the officers of the
church were chQsen by the peo-
ple. All legitimate offices in the
church were instituted by the Lord Jesus
Christ, Eph, 4:7f. He is the embodi-
ment of them all: Christ is our Apos-
tle, Heb. 3:1; our Evangelist, Eph.
2: 17; our Pastor and Shepherd, I Pet.
2:24-25; and our Deacon, who carne to
serve, not to be served, Mark 10:45.
Christ personally appointed his twelve
Apostles, Mark 2:14. After Christ's
reslJP"ection and ascension, He placed
apostles, elders, (both teaching elders
and ruling elders, I Tim. 5:17), and dea-
cons into office by the popular vote of
people to whom and with whom they
would be ministering, Acts 1:13-26;
Acts 6:1-6; Acts 14:23, (where the true
meaning of the Greek word translated
"ordaining" in the KJV is "to elect by a
shaw of hands." In the Apostolic
church officers were chosen by the
people).
Second, the office of Bishop
The Counsel of Chalcedon Jan.-Feb., 1990 page 6
and Elder was identical. In the
New Testament church, all elders (pres-
byters) were bishops, and all bishops
were elders. The same verse never
speaks of bishops and elders, as if they
were two offices. When Paul writes to
the church at Philippi, he mentions the
bishops and deacons, 1:1, but he does
not mention elders. When James urges
the sick to call for the elders of the
church, 5:14, he does not mention
bishops. "If the offices of bishop and
elder were quite distinct---if a bishop
were an officer-bearer bearing 111le over
a number of elders, it does seem strange
that no passage of Scripture speaks at
the same time of bishops and elders."
(pg. 38) The reas6n for this is that
these are two designations for the same
office. Titus 1:5-7 shows this to be the
case. Paul left Titus in Crete to ordain
elders in every city. To assist him in
the discharge of this duty, Paul states
the qualifications of an elder. He com-
mences his statement with the words:
"A bishop must be blameless. . ."
Notice that the word "elder," used in the
beginning of the passage is exchanged
for the word "bishop" at the conclusion,
and yet the same church officer is
spoken of. An elder must have these
qualifications, because a bishop must
be blameless. This clearly identifies the
elder and the bishop.
In Acts 20:17-28 Paul sent for the
el(lers of the church at Ephesus. He
addressed them as "bishops," calling
upon them to take heed of "the flock
over which the Holy Spirit had made
them 'overseers,' i.e., 'bishops,' Phil.
1:1. In the Apostolic church the offices
of bishop and elder were identical. The
name elder or presbyter expressed their
maturity and wisdom, and the name
bishop denoted their function of shep-
herding oversight and pastoral care.
Third, there was a pluraliJy of
eltkts in each church. "And when
they had chosen for them by suffrage,
elders in every church, and had prayed
with fasting, they commended them to
the Lord .... ," Acts 14:23. In the early
church of Acts there was more than one
elder in each congregation. There was
always more than one. There was
always a plurality of elders. We see this
also in Acts 20: 17, where Paul calls the
"elders" . of the church of Ephesus to
meet him at Miletus. Paul also ad-
dresses his Philippian Epistle "to all
the saints in Christ Jesus which are at
Philippi, with the bishops and dea-
cons," 1: 1. In the church in Acts there
was no "one man rule" of churches. In
the Apostolic church there was a plurali-
ty of elders in each congregation.
Fourth, ordination was the act
of a presbytery, i.e., of a plur-
ality of elders. "Ordination is the
authoritative admission of one duly
called to. an office in the Church of
God, accompanied with prayer and the
laying on of hands .... " (The Book of
Church Order of the RPCUS). In the
Book of Acts every teaching elder,
ruling elder and deacon "was set apart
solemnly to his office by the act of or-
dination. In its outward form it con-
sisted of three things---fasting, prayer
and imposition of hands." (pg. 45) See
Acts 6:6; 13:1-3; and I Tim. 4:14;
5:22. The question is: whose hands
were laid on the heads of those being
ordained? Were they the hands of a
single elder-bishop or of several elders?
I Timothy 4:14 gives us the answer. In
Timothy's ordination we see that he
was set apart to his office "with the lay-
ing on of the hands of the presbytery,"
i.e., by presbyters-elders in their joint,
official capacity. Also in Acts 13:1-3,
when Barnabas and Saul were ordained
as missionaries, the prophets and teach-
ers fasted, prayed, "and laid their hands
on them," and sent them to the work.
This point is also confirmed in Acts
6:6. lil the Apostolic church, ordination
was the act of the presbytery, and not of
a single individual.
Fifth, there was the prMiege
of appeal to the assembly of el-
ders, and the power of church
government was exercised by
them jouttly. Acts 15 and 16 make
this point, as they describe the first
presbytery meeting in Jerusalem. The
chapters need to be read in their entire-
ty. In those chapters the following facts
stand out
1. Barnabas and Paul had a dispute
about circumcision with certain false
teachers from Judea;
2. This dispute was not settled in the
church of Antioch where it origirlated;
3. The matter was referred to a church
court (presbytery) consisting of apostles
and elders at Jerusalem;
4. This presbytery met publicly to
deliberate the issue;
5. These apostles and elders, acting
jointly as presbytery, rendered a de-
cision on the issue;
6. To this decision the church at
Antioch and the churches of Syria and
Cilicia yielded submission.
When the presbytery at Jerusalem
sent its official decision to the churches
it was signed in the name of the apos-
ties and the elders. This teaches us
that whenever any controversies arise
which cannot be settled within a congre-
gation, it may be referred to the presby-
tery for settlement. Thus, we see two
facts in the life of the early church: (1).
there existed the right of appeal and the
privilege of referring disputed issues to
the decision of assemblies consisting of
the elders of the church, who have the
authority from Christ to meet, deliber-
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The Counsel of Chalcedon Jan.-Feb., 1990 page 7
ate, decide and demand obedience to its.
decisions which are consistent with the
word of the Lord; and (2). this "ecclesi-
astical assembly," or presbytery, there-
fore, had the right and duty to govern
the church in their associated, jointcapa-.
city under the Head of the Church,
whom it represented.
Sixth, the only Head of the
church was the Lord Jesus
Christ. See Ephesians 1:22; 4:15;
5:23. The church is a living organism
with Jesus Christ as its Head, i.e., the
sautee of his life and direction. ;If is
also an organization, a kingdom, with
Christ as its !Gng. "It belongs to His
majesty from His throne of glory to
institutional and functional separation
between them, they have responsibili-
ties toward each other, and they both are
accountable to Jesus Christ their com-
mon Head, and to His written Word,
Eph. 5:25; Rev. 1:5.
Furthermore, just as the state has no
jurisdiction over the church, so no one
office-bearer in the church, however
distinguished his gifts and labors, has
the right to require the officers and mem-
bers of the church to obey him as over
them all. Church officers are to be ser-
vants of the flock and examples to the
flock, 1 Pet. 5:3, not dictators over it.
"Even the apostles did not Claim to
have dominion over the people's faith,
but only to be helpers of their joy, IT
is a thing being Presbr.terian
wtthout betng a Christian, as tt ts posstble to
be a Christian without being a Presbyterian.
Depend upon it, it is best to be both."
-Thomas Witherow, in
The Apostolic Church: Which Is It?
rule and teach the church through his
Word and Spirit by the ministry of
men: thus mediately exercising his own
authority and enforcing his own laws,
unto the edification and establishment
of his kingdom. -- Christ, as King, has
given to His church officers, oracles
(revelation) and ordinances: andespecial-
ly has He ordained therein his system of
doctrine, government, discipline and
worship, all of which are either . ex-
pressly set down in Scripture, 0 by
good and necessary inference may be de-
duced therefrom; and to which things
He commands that nothing be added,
and that from them nothing be taken
away." (The Book of Church Oi"der of
theRPCUS).
Chapter XXX of th.e Westntinster
Confession of Faith states that: "The
Lord Jesus Christ, as King and Head of
his church, hath therein appointed a gov- .
einment in the hands of church officers,
distinct from the civil magistrate."
There is an ecclesiastical government
with its own powers, functions, juris-
diction, and limitations; and there is a
civil government with its own powers,
functions, jurisdiction and limitations.
Both are instituted by God in Christ,
Rom. 13:1f. And, although there is an
Ccir. 1:24." (pg. 56) Even Peter, one of
the more outspoken apostles, saw him-
self in this light He never claimed offi-
cial supremacy for himself. He always
acted with his fellow-apostles as a sim-
ple preacher of the gospel.
Jesus Christ is the only Head of his
Church. He shares that role with no
other person. "What the head is to the
human body Christ is to .the Church;
and as the body cannot have two heads,
so the Church cannot have two heads--
neither Christ and the Pope, nor Christ
and the Monarch. To us there seems no
middle way in this matter. We must
either reject the authority of the Bible,
or believe what it teaches--namely, that
Christ is head over all things to the
Church. Wechoosethelatter. TheHead-
ship. of Christ is the sixth principle of
government that we find in operation in
apostolic days. Let us observe the conse-
quence of this principle; for as Christ is
the Head of the Church, the members of
the Church are to be subject to Him;
and, as we have no way of ascertaining
the mind of Christ except through the
Scriptures, it follows that tlte affairs of
the Church are to be managed by those
officers whom the Lord Jesus has en-
trusted with that power, and are, with-
The Counsel of Chalcedon Jan.-Feb., 1990 page 8
out the interference of any external
authority, to be regulated according to
the mind of God as expressed in His
Word." (pg. 57)
Conclusion
"Here, then, is the result of our in-
vestigations and comparisons. The
Word of God contains six great, well-
defined principles of government, that
were embodied in that church which
was planted and organized by the in-
spired apostles of the Lord. All
niodem churches claim to be apbstolic,
and, with the exception of the Greek
and Roman Churches, profess to adopt
the Scriptures as the sole, rule of faith
and practice. But, on comparing the prel-
acy of the Church of England ( ep!sco-
palianism) with the standard of the Di-
vine Word, it is found that in that
church not one of the apostolic prin-
ciples of government is recognized or
embodied. Among the Independents
(congregationalism), three of the aposto-
lic principles are exemplified in prac-
tice, the remaining three are nowhere to
be found, i.e., no plurality of elders, no
ordination by presbytery, and no privi-
lege of appeal to presbytery. Among
Presbyterians, these six principles are
all acknowledged, and every one of
them is a main feature of the Presby-
terian system.
"We now remind the reader of the
axiom with which we entered on the
investigation: the modern church which
embodies in its government most
apostolic principles, comes nearest in
its government to the apostolic church.
We apply this axiom to the settlement
of the case. Our conclusion is, that,
while the prelacy of Rome and England
is in direct opposition to the form of
ecclesiastical government that was
sanctioned by inipired men; and while
independency approaches much more
nearly, but still falls short of the primi-
tive model, 1HE PRESBYTERIAN IS,
IN POINT OF GOVERNMENT, 1HE
ONLY APOSTOUC CffiJRCH." (pg.
70-73) (This is not to say that the Pres-
byterian Church is in everything a per-
fect model of the biblical pattern, be-
cause all churches need to be reformed
by the word ofGod continually.) . "Of
all the churches now existing in the
world, the Presbyterian Church comes
nearest to the model of apostolic
times." (pg. 76)
"The lukewarm and odious indiffer-
ence to Presbyterian principles that in
this day meets one everywhere, calls
loudly for a remedy of some kind. The
best I know is from the text-book of
the Divine Word to teach the people
publicly and privately what Presby-
terianism really is. Had we entered into
one vast conspiracy to let our principles
die out of the memory of the world, we
could not adopt any course more likely
to accomplish our end than never to
breathe them from the pulpit But if we
wish the people to know and value
them, it is very plain we must show
that we know and value them ourselves.
If we would drive any principles into
the popular mind, and make them as
'nails fastened by the master of as-
semblies,' we must never cease to ham-
mer at them. Sentiments perpetually
falling from the pulpit, the platform,
and the press, cannot, in the course of
nature, forever fall pointless to the
earth; they may at ftrst be disliked by
not a few, but they will modify the
views even of persons whose judgments
have already attained maturity---they
will fasten with the greatest tenacity on
young minds opening to thought---they
will spread abroad in ever-enlarging
circles--they will grow to be public
opinion at the last." (pg. 86-87)
"If we wish to have Presbyterianism
the religion of the Church universal, we
must let the world know that we
cherish a warm and devoted attachment
to its principles. We should not halt
between two opinions, clinging to one
sect and giving our influence to
another. We should cease to be a luke-
warm and hybrid generation--Presby-
terians only in name. This is not a time
for inconsistency and doubt--but for de-
cision, for energy, for action. Presby-
terianism should be on the move. --If,
as a denomination, we would be faithful
to the truth of God; if we would have
the people understand and to love our
system; if we would marshal public
opinion against renegadism .... ; if we
would push our Presbyterianism, and
call the attention of our fellow-Chris-
tians to its Scripturality and its vigor;
if we would have our friends to follow,
and our enemies to fear us---then we
should learn to regard our distinctive
principles as our pride and glory, and
(Continued on page 47)
Joe Morecraft continues his
Aspects of Biblical Church Government
with Part IV,
The Identity and Form of the
Church of Jesus Christ
f f T he church is the assembly
or fellowship of the people
of God, constituted by the
call of God, a people formed for himself
to show forth his praise and to bear wit-
ness to him in the performance of pre-
scribed functions, Matt. 16:18; 18:17,"
wrote John Murray in his Collected
Writings, (Vol. I, page 232f). In criti-
cizing the use of the word, "invisible"
to describe the church, Murray said that
"according to Scripture we should speak
of 'the church' and conceive of it as that
visible entity that exists and functions
in accord with the institution of Christ
as its Head, the church that is the body
of Christ indwelt and directed by the
Holy Spirit, consisting of those sancti-
fied in Christ Jesus and called to be
saints, manifested in the congregations
of the faithful, and fmally the church
glorious, holy and without blemish."
(pg. 236)
The biblical doctrine of the church is
foundational to Christian thinking and
living in this world. This fact becomes
obvious as we study the rich variety of
distinct, but closely related, meanings
the word church has in the Bible. It
can be said that this ftve-fold meaning
of the word church is the theological
basis of Presbyterian church govern-
ment.
First "church" signifies the
whole body of people, whether
in heaven or on earth, who hnve
been or shall be united to Jesus
Christ. This is the community of
the elect of God manifested and visual-
ized in history. In this sense, the
church cannot be confined to one denom-
ination of Christians or limited to one
institution or congregation. It tran-
scends time, race, nationality, etc. Be-
lievers in Jesus are not simply mem-
bers of local assemblies, they are mern-
bers of the universal, catholic Church
of the Abnighty God. Therefore, believ-
ers should always be able to worship
and fellowship with all members of the
one true Chureh, regardless of denomina-
tional affiliation, preserving and exhibit-
ing the truly catholic and biblically ecu-
menical spirit.
Jesus used the word church in this
sense, when he told Peter that He would
build on earth, through the confession
his disciples make to the world of his
Lordship, a church, against which the
gates of hell will not prevail, Mat.
16:18f. Paul used the word in this
sense, when he exhorted husbands to
love their wives, "even as Christ also
loved the Church, and gave himself for
her," Eph. 5:25. This is the commun-
ity of God's people who have been pur-
chased with the blood of the Son of
God, Acts 20:28. .
Second, "church" signifies the
whole body of those who pro-
fess faith in Christ and their
children throughout the entire
world. The congregation of the Lord
in the Old Testament was comprised of
families. In Genesis 48:4 Jacob re-
minds Joseph of God's Covenant Pro-
mise: "And he said to me 'Behold I
will make you fruitful and numerous,
and I will make you a company of
peoples, and will give this land to your
descendants (seed) after you for an ever-
lasting possession."' The Hebrew word
for "company," (NASV), or "multi-
tude," (KJV), is qahnl, the Old Testa-
ment word for assembly or congrega-
tion, Exod. 12:6. The Greek version of
the Old Testament, the Septuagint,
translated qahnl with synagogas,
which is a New Testament word for
church or congregation, James 2:2. No-
tice of whom this great "qahal of peo-
ples" will be comprised---the fruitful
Th$ Counsel of Chalcedon o Jan.-Feb., 1990 o page 9
.I
diately for it. They "offered strange fue
before the Lord, which He had not
manded them. And fire came out from
the Presence of the Lord and consumed
them. . . ., " 10:1 God did this to
teach us that: (1). We are dealing with a
holy and jealous God, who will be
worshiped only as he commands; (2).
Good intentions, sincerity and religious
fervor do not excuse adding to or
tracting from God's word; and (3). " ...
. if we reflect how holy a thing God's
worship is, the enormity of the
ment will by no means offend us."
John Calvin.
Nadab and Abihu probably loved God
and meant well in what they did, but
they offered "fire which the Lord had
not commanded," either in a way not
commanded or at a time or in a place
not commanded. And so God would not
allow them to leave the impression for
coming generations that worship is the
of religious impulses.
Worship is not a matter of conscience
or of Christian liberty, i.e., doing what
appeals to us in one way or another.
The essence of this violation is called
in the Bible, Col.
2:16f. is worship in
which the worshiper disregards the
revealed will of God concerning the
scribed way by which God is to be
shiped and served, and in which he
creates ways and means of worshiping
God out of his own inclinations, dis-
positions and preferences. Man's pride
often leads to impertinence and presump-
tion in worship and in the work of the
church.
Man, because of his sinfulness, is
totally disqualified for suggesting how
God is to be worshiped or served, much
less for making actual additions to the
worship of God, other than those com-
manded in the Bible. Even the church is
not qualified, nor does it have the right
to decree new procedures, offices, holy-
days, or observances in worship, as it
has no right to inculcate new doctrines
or new laws. The wisdom of men must
be allowed no voice in determining the
worship of the church, Deut 29:29;
Isa. 33:22; 8:20.
Christ, the Head of the Church, has
clearly set forth in his word the
rnents he wants in a worship service.
Certain circumstances pertaining to the
service allow a measure of freedom,
i.e., the time, place, announcement of
the time and place of the next service,
etc. But, even these things, which are
in no way vital to the worship of God,
must have reference to God's glory, be
Foundational Principles
Continued from page 9
preach and teach them, till the people
know them like the alphabet, and an
unwilling world be compelled to
ten." (pg. 88)
"There is such a thing as being a
Presbyterian without being a Christian,
as it is possible to be a Christian
out being a Presbyterian. Depend upon
it, it is best to be both. Make the atone-
ment of Christ the refuge of your souls;
hold fast by every truth of God's Word,
Identity and Form
Continued from page 11
duced to the level of Christian expedi-
ency. They have been determined by
the Head of the church and clearly rew
vealed in the Bible. The word of God
gives us the model, in the OT and the
NT, for ecclesiastical polity and organi-
zation, which it is the duty of all Chris-
tians in all items and circumstances to
conform with gladness. If this is not
the case, then Christ has left his church
without sufficient guide and structure,
and its government must be shaped by
expediency and fallen human wisdom.
Because the church of Christ, in all
its aspects--its doctrines, sacraments,
discipline, government, mission, wor-
ship, faith, life and form--is the institu-
tion of Christ, its Head and Savior,
every aspect of the church, including its
consistent with the Bible, and not be a
stumblingblock to others or contrary to
the Christian conscience. n
small and great; lend no encouragement
to opposing errors; take no pains to con-
ceal your attachment to Presbyterian
principles; and strive to do honor to the
system with which you claim connecw
tion, by your love to Christ, by an upw
right and consistent life, and by earnest
endeavors on your part to deserve the
character which distinguished the saints
of God in other and better days -- 'a
peculiar people, zealous of good
works."' (pg. 91)
[Editors note- Amen. brother.
amen!] Q
government " is equally and alike a posi-
tive appointment by God, being, in the
strict sense of the tenns, a Divine insti-
tution, not owing its origin or virtue to
man, and not amenable to his views of
expediency, or determined by his ar-
rangements. Looking at the church of
Christ as an express and positive ordi-
nance of God, it is clear that man is
neither warranted or competent to judge
of its organization," wrote James Ban-
nermen in his book The Church of
Christ. The book of Church Order of
the RPCUS reaffmns this view: "The
scriptural doctrine of presbytery is neces-
sary to the perfection of the order of the
visible church, but is not essential to
its existence." Our responsibility is
not to try to improve upon Christ's
form of church government revealed in
the Bible, but simply to put it into prac-
tice in our own churches. n
Thanks to all of you who have responded to the
fundraising letter sent out in December.
If you have not responded yet, please help us meet our financial needs for the year.
Your contributions of $100.00 or more, and your subscription payments of $25.00
will enable us to go forward with our plans for 1990 and beyond.
We thank God for you and pray His richest blessings on you as you live
and labor for the advancement of His glorious kingdom.
The Counsel of Chalcedon
3032 Hacienda Court
Marietta, GA 30066
The Counsel of Chalcedon Jan.-Feb., 1990 page 47