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
and numerous families of Jacob, down
through their descendants. When Israel
reafftrmed the Covenant of God . under
Moses' leadership prior to entering
Canaan, Moses proclaims: "You stand
here today, all of you, before the Lord
youi' God: your chiefs, your tribes, your
elders and your officers, even all the
men of Israel, your little ones, your
wives, and the alien who is within you:r
camps ... that you may enter into the
covenant with the Lord your God ... in
order that he may estabUsh you today as
his people and he may be your
God .... ," Deut. 29:10f. And in Ezra's
day, when the people of God assembled
at the House of God, "men, women and
children" gathered, Ezra 10:1.
their . childi:en throughout . the world,
Acts 2:39. 'Iln'oughout ACts the early
chuich is_ said to be made up of "house-
holds," Acts 16:31f; 10:2; 18:8; I cor.
1:11; Rotn. 16:10,11; I Cor .. 1:16; IT
Tim. 4:19. Paul cannot be any clearer
when he says: "Believe on the Lord
Jesus and you shall be saved, and your
house," Acts 16:31.
This visible catholic church (not
Roman catholic), no longer confined to
one nation as in the OT, consists of all
those throughout the world that profess
the true Chris.tian religion, together
with 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. (West-
It is biblical to speak of the Divine Right of
Presbyterianism, because it is the form of
government Christ, the Head of
the qhurch,commands ofhis.church
in his Word.
1
We find the saine thing to be true in
the New Testament, the church of
Christ is comprised of families. We
would expect this to be the case since
the church of NT is the church of
the OT renewed : at Pentecost . by the
Baptism of the SP,irit of Christ, Acts 2.
Just before his dmactyrdom, Stephen
preached of "the congregatiOn (ekkle-
sia) in the wilderness," which Was
given "living oracles" to pass on to the
NT church, and which was comprised of
the covenantal "fathers." of the NT
Christians, Acts 7:38. In Hebrews 3
we are taught that Moses and Jesus are
builders of God's Hou$e, which is the
church, 3:6. They are not building tWo
houses, one in the OT and a different
one in the NT. Both worked on "His
house," the difference being that Moses
was a mere carpenter, and Jesus is the
Son of the Owner of the House and the
Inhabitant of the House. Thus Hebrews
3 brings out the and continuity of
the church in the OT and the NT.
So, in the New Testament the contin-
u.i,ng congregation of Jeh0vah-Jesus, re-
newed by the Holy Spirit, is still com-
prised of families. On the Day of Pente-
cost, Peter said that the covenant pro-
mise of God belongs to believers and
minster Confession of Faith, XXV,
ill.)
The church, in this sense, as . the
visibe catholic church, is identified and
by the members' credible profession of
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, thefr
separation from the world by Baptism,
tHeir dependence upon God in the Lord's
Supper, their holiness of life evidenced
in their obedience to the Word of God
and their. submission to church dis-
cipline, and their faithfulness to the
Great Commission. We must constant
ly.search for ways to illustrate, enhance
and declare the unitY of the visible
catholic .church in the world by cooperat-
ing and worshipping together, where it
is possible, without compromising bib-
lical truth, in the evangelization of the
world, (on a biblical base and with bib-
lical methodologies), in the Christian re-
, construction of our society, and in ex-
. posing and opposing the advance of evil
in Ourselves and in our society.
Third, "chun:h" signijks a
body of those who profess the
Lord Jesus Christ and their
children in any particular place,
associllUd together under elders,
in the worship and service of
The Counsel of Chalcedon 1990:. page 10
a.e triu.tu God acconlilig to His
Word andfor His glory. This is
the local congregation or "church on the
corner." The church of God is one; but
it is also many. "And when they had
appointed elders fot them in every
church, having prayed and fasted, they
commended them to the Lord," Acts
14:23. In I Corinthians 16:19, Paul
can "The churches of Asia greet
you. Aquila and Prisca greet you hearti-
ly in the Lord, with . the church that is
in their house.'' See also Rom,16:3-5;
Col. 4:15.
The Bible does not speak oflocal con-
gregations as "parts of the Body," or as
"branches of the church," but as ""the
church," or "the Body," emphasizing
the fact that each assembly has a kind
of completion in itself, I Cor. 1:4-9, al-
though it is not autonomous and totally
-complete outside the entire visible
catholic church of God. It is an un-
healthy ahd abnormal situation for a
Christian not to be an active member of
a local church. It is also a very rare
thing. Without such membership, his
faith will be deficient and anentic, at
best. Outside the visible, catholic
church, ordinarily, there is no possibili-
ty of salvation; and the only way to be
a member of the viSible catholic church
is to be a member of a local congrega-
tion.
Fourth, "church" signifies a
iiilmber of lOCal congregations
associlited together under a com-
mon confession of fiiith and a
common church government.
This connectional, structural and con-
fessional relationship of local churches
is implied in the fact that there is one,
visible, catholic church on eiuth, of
which all believers are a part, Heb.
12:22f. In Acts 8:3, "Saul made havoc
of the chUrch," Acts 9:31. The
"church" in the whole of Judea, Sa-
maria, and Galilee, refers to the "church-
es" in those provinces. Gal. 1:22; Acts
9:31. See also Gal. 1:13; Phil. 3:6; I
Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11, 12.
In Acts 8:1, we see the Christians in
Jerusalem described as "the church in
Jerusalem," which was constituted sure-
ly by more than one congregation in
that city, since the number of converts
in Jerusalem, mentioned in Acts, makes
it . impossible to think that they could
have all met together at one local con-
Reedy River Presbyterian Church,
Greenville, South Carolina .
gregation meeting in a believer's home.
3000 adults were baptized on the Day of
Pentecost in Acts 2. The Lord added to
the if niuriber daily. Acts 2:4, 47. Thou-
sands of Jews believed in Jesus there,
Acts 21:20. All these numbers
us, not that there was one monstrous,
solitary mega-congregation, meeting in
one location in the city; but that there
was a plurality of congregations in Jeru-
salem connected together as one body
under a common faith and government
of the apostles and elders, Acts 14:23;
15:2,4,6; 20:17; and called, "the church
in Jerusalem."
The biblical truth presented here is
church connectionalism. No local con-
gregation is !lUtonomous, detached from
all other congregations. To show forth
our unity in Christ, our Head, and to
follow the pattern of the church in the
Bible, our fmal authority for faith and
practice, congregations should be solid-
ly connected together, without betray-
ing the integrity of each congregation,
under a common confession of biblical
faith and a conunon form of church gov-
ernment by shepherding elders, Acts
20:28f. Particularly in cities, local
churches should not act or feel like inde-
pendent units, but, in order to take their
cities for Christ, they should work to-
ward some kind of coordination and
unity of organization or church council
with each other in that city, upon a
thoroughly biblical base and with
thoroughly biblical methodologies.
Fifth, "church" signifies a body
of Christilms in any localiJy re-
presented in their elders. In the
Old Testament, when the elders of Israel
met in official "session," (the Latin
word for "seating," Psa. 29:10; Rev.
4:4), they represented the entire congre-
gation before Jehovah, just as they re-
presented Jehovah and His covenant to
Israel. To address the elders was to ad-
dress the entire congregation. In fact,
when these elders met in official
sion, they could be said to be the con-
gregation of the Lord, or the children of
Israel, representatively, Exod.
3:14,16,18; 4:29,30,31; 19:7,8, etc.
In Revelation 4 and 5, the entire
church of Christ is gathered around
Christ's Throne in her
the twenty-four elders, i.e., the twelve
OT patriarchs plus the twelve NT apos-
tles. Matthew 18:17 uses "church" in
this sense, where we are taught that as a
final resort in "the church," i.e., to the
eldeHepresentatives of the church for
their counsel, ministry, adjudication,
and, if necessary, for the excommunica-
tion of the offender.
When the apostolic Writers of the
New Testament sent their letters to the
church, they sometimes addressed them
to the elders of the church, as repre-
sentatives of the entire membership,
Phil. 1:1. Biblical church government,
in other words, is representative govern-
ment. The church is governed by
Christ through elders called by him, and
elected by the congregation. It is not to
. be ruled by one man, as a pope or
bishop, as in episcopal church govern-
ment; nor is it to be ruled by 50% plus
1 of the membership, as in congrega-
tional church government. Christ's
church is to be governed and served by
representatives elected by the members
to represent and to administer the rule
of Jesus Christ in his Word, Heb.
12:7,17. Christ's church is not a demo-
cracy, it is a Christocracy, governed by
the living Christ through his faithful
representatives (elders), elected by the
church ..
Each c.hurch in the New Testament
had a plurality of elder-representatives,
Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17; Phil. 1:1; and
these elders, whether teaching elders or
ruling elders, I Tim. 5:17, had a parity,
i.e., an equality of status and authority,
among them, Acts 16:4,5. These elders
are not only to represent the congre-
gation(s) committed to their charge,
they are to oversee that congregation as
a body of elders jointly exercising pow-
er, as a Session, Rev. 4:4, or a Presby-
tery, I Tim. 4: 14. When this body of
elders, acting officially, make decisions,
these "decrees and determination, if con-
sonant to the word of God, are to be re-
ceived with reverence and submission,
not only for their agreement with the
word, but also for the power whereby
they aremade, as being an ordinance of
God, appointed thereunto in his word,"
Acts 15:19,24,27f; 16:4; Mat. 18:17f.--
. Westminster Confession of Faith,
XXXI, III.
John Murray has written in his Col-
l(!cted Writings, Vol. 1: "Plurality is
written in the boldest letters in the
pages of the New Testament....Plurality
is a safeguard against the arrogance and
tyranny to which man has the most
characteristic proclivity. -- The prin-
ciple of parity is coordinate with that of
plurality. Strictly speaking, there can
be no plurality if there is no parity.
For if one is the least degree above the
others, then, in respect of that hege-
mony, there is no longer plurality.
Plurality applies to all government of
the church, and there must therefore be
parity in the plurality. There is not the
slightest evidence in the New Testa-
ment that among the elders there was
any hierarchy; the elders exercise govern-
ment in . unison, and on a parity with
each other."
Conclusion: The
num (Divine Right)
terianism
Jus Divi-
of Presby-
Itis biblical to speak of the Divine
Right of Presbyterianism, because it is
the form of church government Christ,
the Head of the church, conunands of
his church in his Word. He does not
merely suggest it, until we come up
with a better alternative. The form and
arrangements of the government of the
church, which Christ bought with his
own blood, have not been left to be
, ftxed by the wisdom of man, nor re-
(Continued on page 47)
The Counl of,Chalcedol"! Jan.Fab., 1990 page 11
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