Tag: Church Government

Synodal Authority Proven From Scripture | Willem Apollonius

William Apollonius (1602-1657)A Consideration of Certain Controversies (1644)VI. Of Classes, and Synods, and their Authority, pp. 90-130. Question 1. Whether Classes and Synods have an authoritative power, whereby they may authoritatively judge causes ecclesiastical, with ecclesiastical jurisdiction; so as that particular Churches ought to submit them­selves to their decrees, under the penalty of ecclesiastical censure? We judge… Read More Synodal Authority Proven From Scripture | Willem Apollonius

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Private Men May Not Preach | Willem Apollonius

Question: Whether the exercise of preaching is a perpetual institution in the Church of God, whereby private men who bear no church office, may, for the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit, publicly before the whole body of the church preach the Word of God with all authority in the name of God, and ex­plain and apply it, for instruction, confutation, reprehension, and consolation of the hearers?… Read More Private Men May Not Preach | Willem Apollonius

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Of Ecclesiastical Power | Willem Apollonius

Whether the ecclesiastical power, or power of the keys, be given by Christ to the multitude or all the members of a church as the first and immediate subject: so as believers not bearing any church office may by themselves immediately exercise all ecclesiastical jurisdiction, discipline, and causes ecclesiastical, save only the Sacraments. And consequently, whether private Christians being church members have such an ecclesiastical power as that they may authoritatively admit church members to ecclesiastical communion, reprove by ecclesiastical authority such as commit offences, bind by excommunication and church censures, absolve from excommunication, and authoritatively remit sins? Whether to them also belongeth the conferring the power of the keys on the Ministers and Pastors of the Church, and that power which giveth to the Ministers an ecclesiastical office; and consequently, the examination of Pastors, the sending unto and confirming them in that church office by imposition of hands, and again authoritative suspending and removing Pastors from that function?… Read More Of Ecclesiastical Power | Willem Apollonius

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The Church as an Institution | Willem Apollonius

Whether no other external visible church be described in Scripture, and acknowledged by the Word of God, but a parochial or particular church: which is confi­ned to such limits, as that of necessity it must be such as may be contained, and ought to meet, ordinarily in one place, for the celebra­ting of God’s public worship, and all the or­dinances of God with mutual edification: so that the constitution of such a church, which by reason of their multitude, or some other cause, cannot in all their members meet ordi­narily in one place for the celebration of the worship of God and exercise of all God’s ordi­nances, is unlawful and repugnant to the Word of God and the Apostles institutions concerning the constitution of a church de­scribed in the holy Scripture?… Read More The Church as an Institution | Willem Apollonius

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Church: Five Ways Scripture Uses the Term

James Bannerman The Church of Christ Part I, ch. 1. Many, perhaps indeed most, of the controversies which have arisen in connection with ecclesiastical theology, are to be traced back to fundamental differences of opinion regarding the essential nature and character of that society which Christ has instituted. The different or opposite notions which men… Read More Church: Five Ways Scripture Uses the Term

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The Difference Between Elders and Pastors

John Brown of Haddington, Systematic Theology, pp. 568-569. It is plain from Scripture declarations that Christ has appointed rulers in his church that are not appointed to preach the gospel (Rom 12:7-8; Heb 13:7,17). Different gifts qualify men for teaching and for ruling (Eph 4:7). Such rulers are necessary for the assistance of pastors (Gal… Read More The Difference Between Elders and Pastors

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Was the Church of Jerusalem a Single Congregation or a Presbytery?

The church of Jerusalem in Judea contained in it more congregations than one. This may be convincingly evidenced divers ways, particularly from, 1. The multitude of believers in that church. 2. The multitude of church officers there. 3. The variety of languages there. 4. The manner of the Christians’ public meetings in those primitive times,… Read More Was the Church of Jerusalem a Single Congregation or a Presbytery?

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