March Newsletter piece

Hug a Presbyterian!

This coming Sunday, I have the privilege of starting to teach the communicants class. The format for this class is to teach through each of the six membership questions each child will have to satisfactorily answer. I am responsible for teaching through the last three questions – do you now resolve and promise in humble reliance upon the grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes a follower of Christ? Do you promise to support the church in its worship and work, to the best of your ability? Do you submit yourself in the spirit of love to the government and discipline of this church and promise to strive for its purity, peace and prosperity? I am looking forward to this time with our six youth who desire to join the church. I am especially looking forward to teaching on the last question.
I have come to find that I am somewhat unusual in my passion and fervor of being a Presbyterian. Many times, when I tell someone that I make it a habit to thank the living God for calling me to be a Presbyterian, they give me a weird look – as if they are wondering why in the world I would ever pray about something that divisive? In our current Church society and philosophy, denominations have been branded as being outdated and exclusive – and why in the world would we ever want to do something that our forefathers held to & practice something that may offend just one single person?
Well, there are good reasons why we have Presbyterian denominations – and why each one of us is Presbyterian. The main reason – and really the sole reason – is that it is Biblical. The absolute genius and beauty of our theological heritage is that it reminds us that God’s holy writ – the Scriptures – is the sole authority on all matters. This is even true when it comes to something as dry and boring as church government. Isn’t it amazing that God, in his absolute sovereignty, saw fit to instruct his bride in how she should be organized? He did – and, as Presbyterians, we truly understand and believe that we are keeping as close to his word as we can – even in our church government.
Presbyterianism really started with Moses. In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, saw how much work Moses was doing for Israel. Out of concern for Moses’ health, Jethro advised him that he needed to choose some able men to go out and start doing some of this spiritual work that was totally upon Moses’ shoulders. So, Moses chose from the nation some able men to help do the spiritual work that these people needed. Sounds suspiciously like elders, doesn’t it?
Where we start to see the fruition of the foundation of Presbyterianism is in the early church of Acts. In chapter six of the book, we read of widows being neglected, so the twelve disciples gathered together and hatched the plan of electing deacons – men who would spiritually serve the church by taking care of the physical needs. This enabled the 12 disciples to fully focus on being elders. Is this starting to sound familiar to your Presbyterian ears?
Finally, in Acts 15, we read of the first General Synod. The elders from the churches of Jerusalem gathered together to do the work of the church – in this instance, to grapple with a theological issue concerning circumcision. They met and discussed this issue, and issued a ruling that would help the church to deal with these sorts of situations. If you were to go to Bonclarken for General Synod, you would see the same sort of thing happening.
These are just a few of the Biblical references to our Presbyterian church government. I don’t think it is being divisive in being humbly proud of your church and the way that it operates – because we understand that our form of government is seeking to be true to Scripture. I think we should all thank God that he has called us to be Presbyterians! It is in his providence that we are members of a Presbyterian church – and it is in his grace and mercy that we operate in such a way. Let us all endeavor, then, to be the best Presbyterian that God has called us to be, because “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10.31) – even being a Presbyterian, because it is Biblical.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor James