The Government of the Church
difference between the militant and the triumphant Church? To what Church does the distinction between the visible and invisible Church apply? In what respects is the Church called invisible? How do the Church as an organism and the Church as an institution differ? How can we define the invisible Church? How the visible Church? What form did the Church assume in the patriarchal period? In what respect did it change in the Mosiac period? What is the characteristic of the New Testament Church? Which are the attributes of the Church? Do they belong to the visible or to the invisible Church?
How do we, in distinction from the Catholics, conceive of the unity, the holiness, and the catholicity of the Church? Which are the notes of the Church? Do they belong to the visible or to the invisible
Church? How must we conceive of the true preaching of the Word?
What belongs to the right administration of the sacraments? Why is discipline necessary?
References for Further Study:
Berkhof, Reformed Dogmatics, II, pp. 157–179; McPherson, Christian Dogmatics, pp. 414–419; Binnie, The Church, pp. 1–18;
Morris, Ecclesiology, pp. 13–33; Bannerman, The Church of Christ, I, pp. 5–67.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH
A. Different Theories Respecting the Government of the Church.
1. QUAKERS AND DARBYITES. Quakers and Darbyites reject all Church government as a matter of principle. They believe that every external church organization necessarily degenerates and leads to results that are contrary to the spirit of Christianity. For the Word of God they substitute special revelations, for what they call the
humanly instituted offices, the divinely given charisms, and for public preaching, words of exhortation prompted by the Spirit.
2. THE ERASTIAN SYSTEM. Erastians regard the Church as a society which owes its existence and form to regulations enacted by the State. The officers in the Church are merely instructors or preachers of the Word, without any right or power to rule, except that which they derive from the civil magistrate. The State governs the Church, exercises discipline, and excommunicates, if necessary.
This system ignores the independence of the Church and the headship of Jesus Christ.
3. THE EPISCOPALIAN SYSTEM. The Episcopalians hold that Christ, as the Head of the Church, has entrusted the government of the Church directly and exclusively to an independent order of bishops, as the successors of the apostles. The community of believers has absolutely no share in the government of the Church.
This was at one time the system of the Roman Catholic Church, and is now the system in vogue in the Church of England.
4. THE PRESENT ROMAN CATHOLIC SYSTEM. This is the Episcopal system carried to its logical conclusion. It recognizes not only successors of the apostles in the bishops, but also a successor of Peter, who had the primacy among the apostles. The Pope is honored as the infallible head of the Church. As the representative of Christ he has the right to determine and regulate the doctrine, the worship, and the government of the Church.
5. THE CONGREGATIONAL SYSTEM. This is also called the system of independency. In this system each local church or congregation is regarded as a complete church, independent of every other. The governing power rests exclusively with the members of the Church.
The officers are simple functionaries of the local church, having no
other power than that which is delegated to them by the members of the church. This is the theory of popular government in the Church.
6. THE NATIONAL CHURCH SYSTEM. This proceeds on the assumption that the Church is a voluntary association just as the State. The separate churches or congregations are merely subdivisions of the one national Church. The State has the right to reform public worship, to decide disputes respecting doctrine and practice, and to convene synods. The rights of the local church are disregarded altogether.
B. The Fundamental Principles of the Reformed or Presbyterian System. The general principles of the Reformed system are derived from Scripture, while many of its details are determined by human wisdom or expediency. Its fundamental principles are as follows:
1. CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND THE SOURCE OF
ALL ITS AUTHORITY. Christ is the Head of the Church in a twofold sense. He is the Head of the Church in an organic sense. The Church is the body to which He stands in vital and organic relationship, which He fills with His life and controls by His Spirit, John 15:1–8;
Eph. 1:10, 22, 23; 2:20–22; 4:15; 5:30; Col. 1:18; 2:19; 3–11. He is also the Head of the Church in the sense that He is its King who has authority and rule over it, Matt. 16:18, 19; 23:8, 10; John 13:13; 1
Cor. 12:5; Eph. 1:20–23; 4:4, 5, 11, 12; 5:23, 24. This is the Headship which comes into consideration here. In this capacity Christ established the Church, made provision for its ordinances, instituted its offices and clothed its officers with authority, and is ever present in the Church, speaking and acting through its officers.
2. CHRIST EXERCISES HIS AUTHORTY BY MEANS OF THE
WORD. Christ does not rule the Church by force, but by His Spirit and by the Word of God as its standard of authority. All believers are
unconditionally bound to obey the word of the King. As Christ is the only King of the Church, so His word is the only word that is law in the absolute sense, and that must be obeyed by all. It is the word of the King and is therefore binding on the conscience. All those who have rule in the Church are clothed with the authority of Christ and must submit to the control of His Word.
3. CHRIST AS KING ENDOWED HIS CHURCH WITH POWER.
Christ endowed the Church with the power that is necessary for carrying on the work which He entrusted to it. He invests all the members of the Church with a certain measure of power, but bestows a special measure of it upon the officers of the Church. Their authority is not delegated to them by the people, though the people choose them for office. While they share in the original power, they receive directly from Christ that additional measure of power which is required for their work as officers in the Church of Christ.
4. THE RULING POWER RESIDES PRIMARILY IN THE LOCAL
CHURCH. The ruling power of the Church resides primarily in the local consistories and is by these passed on to classes and synods.
Every local church has a certain measure of autonomy or independence, but this is naturally restricted in various ways as soon as it is affiliated with other local churches. The interests of the Church in general may not be sacrificed to those of any local church.
C. The Officers of the Church. Different kinds of officers may be distinguished in the Church. A very common distinction is that between extraordinary and ordinary officers.
1. EXTRAORDINARY OFFICERS. Of these the New Testament mentions three classes:
a. Apostles. Strictly speaking, the name apostle applies only to the Twelve chosen by Jesus and Paul; but it is also given to some apostolic men, Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:5, 6; 2 Cor. 8:23; Gal. 1:19. The apostles had certain special qualifications. They: (1) received their commission directly from God or from Jesus Christ, Mark 3:14; Gal.
1:1; (2) were witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, 1 Cor. 9:1; (3) were conscious of being inspired, 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Thess. 4:8 (4) confirmed their message by miracles, 2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:4; and (5) were richly blessed as a sign of the divine approval of their labors, 1
Cor. 9:1; 2 Cor. 3:2, 3; Gal. 2:8. b. Prophets. The New Testament also speaks of prophets, Acts 11:28;
13:1, 2; 15:32; 1 Cor. 12:10; 13:2; 14:3; Eph. 2:20; 4:11. These were men who were specially gifted to speak for the edification of the Church, and were occasionally instrumental in revealing mysteries and predicting future events. c. Evangelists. Some New Testament passages make mention of evangelists, Acts 21:8; Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5. Philip, Mark, Titus, and Timothy belonged to this class. They frequently accompanied and assisted the apostles in their work, preaching, appointing officers, and also exercising discipline, Tit. 1:5; 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:22.
2. ORDINARY OFFICERS. The following classes of ordinary officers should be mentioned. a. Elders. The term "elders" is sometimes used to denote the older men of the community, and sometimes to designate a class of officers somewhat similar to those who functioned in the synagogue.
Frequent mention is made of them in the book of Acts, 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 6, 22; 16:5; 20:17; 21:18. As a designation of office the name was gradually eclipsed and even superseded by the name "bishop."
The terms are used interchangeably in several passages, Acts 20:17,
28; 1 Tim. 3:1; 5:17, 19; Tit. 1:5, 7; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2. While both were applied to the same class of officers, the name "elder" stressed their age, and the name "bishop" their work as overseers. b. Teachers. It is clear that the elders were not originally teachers.
There was no need of separate teachers at first, since there were apostles, prophets, and evangelists. Gradually, however, the teaching function was connected with the office of elder or bishop, Eph. 4:11; 1
Tim. 5:17; 2 Tim. 2:2. Finally, ever increasing heresies made the task of those whose duty it was to teach more exacting, so that it required special preparation, 2 Tim. 2:2; Tit. 1:9. Those who prepared for this work were set free from other labours and were supported by the churches. In all probability the "angels" of the seven churches of Asia
Minor were such teachers, Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14. c. Deacons. The New Testament repeatedly speaks of deacons, Phil.
1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 10, 12. According to the prevailing opinion Acts 6:1–6 records the institution of the diaconate. Some are of the opinion, however, that the seven men mentioned there were appointed to be elders; and others that they were simply appointed temporarily for a special function. In all probability, however, they were the first deacons, though their work assumed a special form which was demanded by the occasion of their appointment.
3. THE OFFICERS' CALLING AND INDUCTION INTO OFFICE. In
the discussion of these points we limit ourselves to the ordinary officers. a. Their Calling. The calling of the officers is twofold:
(1) Internal calling. This internal calling should not be regarded as a supernatural call by means of special revelation. It consists in certain providential indications, such as a strong desire, prompted by love to
God, the special work in the kingdom of God, the conviction that the necessary gifts are in some measure present, and the experience that God is paving the way.
(2) External calling. The internal calling finds its necessary complement in the external calling by the Church. This external call serves to confirm the internal, and thus gives the recipient the assurance that he is called of God. The officers of the church have a guiding hand in the extension of this call, but do not ignore the voice of the people, Acts 1:15–26; 6:2–6; 14:23. b. Their Induction Into Office. There are two rites connected with this:
1) Ordination. This presupposes the calling and examination of the candidate for office. It is an act of the classes or presbytery, and may be called a public acknowledgement and confirmation of the candidate's calling to the ministerial office.
2) Laying on of hands. Ordination is accompanied with the laying on of hands. The two went hand in hand in apostolic times, Acts 6:6;
13:3; 1 Tim. 4:14; 5:22. It signified that a person was set aside for a certain office, and that some special spiritual gift was conferred upon him. Today it is regarded merely as a symbolical indication of the fact that one is set aside for the ministerial office.
D. The Ecclesiastical Assemblies.
1. THE VARIOUS ECCLESIASTICAL ASSEMBLIES. The Reformed Churches have a number of governing bodies. Their relation to each other is marked by a careful judicial gradation. These are known as consistory (session), classis (presbytery), and synod. Some Churches have an intervening link, known as particular synods, between
classes and what is called the general synod or the general assembly.
The consistory consists of the minister (ministers) and the elders of the local church. The classis is composed of one minister and one elder of each local church within a certain district. And the synod consists of an equal number of ministers and elders from each one of the classes.
2. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE LOCAL CHURCH. In Reformed Churches the government of the local church is of a representative character. The people choose ruling elders as their representatives, and these together with the minister (s) form a council or consistory for the government of the church. In doing this they follow the example of the early apostolic church, Acts 11:30; 14:23; 20:17; Phil.
1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1; Tit. 1:5, 7. While the elders are chosen by the people, they do not receive their authority from the people, but directly from Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Church. They exercise their rule in name of the King and are responsible only to Him. Every local church is a complete church, fully equipped with all that is required for the government of the church, and is therefore relatively independent. It cannot and may not submit to any kind of government which is imposed upon it from without. At the same time such a local church can and should affiliate with other churches on the basis of a common agreement, and every affiliation of that kind naturally involves certain limitations of the original rights of the local church. In such cases a Church Order is usually drawn up, which on the one hand guards the rights and interests of the local church, but on the other hand also the collective rights and interests of the affiliated churches. Matters of mutual agreement may not be ignored. The local church may occasionally be called upon to deny itself for the greater good of the Church in general.
3. THE MAJOR ASSEMBLIES. The major assemblies are classes and synods, and these call for a few remarks. a. Scripture Warrant for Major Assemblies. Scripture contains no explicit command to the effect that local churches must affiiliate and form an organic union. The duty of such affiliation would seem to follow, however, from the spiritual unity of the Church, which certainly ought to find some sort of external expression. Moreover, there are reasons to think that the church of Jerusalem and that of Antioch consisted of several local congregations. And, finally, Acts 15 acquaints us with the council of Jerusalem, which certainly partook of the nature of a major assembly. b. The Representative Character of Major Assemblies. The immediate representatives of the people, who form the consistory, are themselves represented by a limited number in classes, and these, in turn, are represented in synods or general as semblies. The more general the assembly is, the more remote it is from the people; yet none of them is too remote for the expression of the unity of the Church, for the maintenance of good order, and for the general effectiveness of its work. c. The Matters Falling Under Their Jurisdiction. Ecclesiastical assemblies should naturally deal only with church matters, matters of doctrine and morals, of church government and discipline, and whatever pertains to the preservation of unity and good order in the Church of Jesus Christ. More particularly, they deal with matters which (a) as to their nature belong to the province of a minor assembly, but for some reason cannot be settled there; and (b) as to their nature belong to the province of a major assembly, because they pertain to the churches in general.
d. The Power and Authority of These Assemblies. The major assemblies do not represent a higher kind of power than is vested in the consistories. It is the same kind of power, but represented in a greater measure. Since several churches are represented, there is naturally an accumulation of power. Moreover, the decisions of these assemblies are not merely advisory but authoritative, except in cases in which they are explicitly declared to be only advisory. They are binding on the churches, unless they can be shown to be contrary to the Word of God.
Questions for Review:
What is the view of Quakers and Darbyites respecting church government? What is the Erastian system? The Episcopal system?
The present Roman Catholic system? The congregational system?
The national church system? In what sense is Christ the Head of the Church? What is the standard by which He rules? Whom does He endow with power in the Church? Does original church power reside in the consistories or in the major assemblies? What extraordinary officers were there in the early Church? What were the characteristics of the apostles? What characterizes the New
Testament prophets? What were the evangelists mentioned in the Bible? Which were the ordinary officers? What other name was used for the elders? How did the office of teachers gradually arise? Does
Acts 6 record the institution of the office of deacon? What constitutes internal calling? How is the external call related to the internal?
What is the significance of ordination? Of the laying on of hands?
What ecclesiastical assemblies do we distinguish? What is representative church government? How are the elders chosen? In how far is the local church independent? What Scripture warrant is there for major assemblies? How are they constituted? What matters fall under their jurisdiction? Are their decisions merely advisory or binding?