The Church (WCF 25-26, 30-31; WLC 61-66, 69, 82-83, 86) Flashcards
What is the universal or catholic church?
-“The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of Christ’s elect, that
have been, are , or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof.” (WCF 25.1)
- The same answer is given is slightly abbreviated form in WLC #64.
What is the visible church?
- “The visible church consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion and of their
children. ” (WCF 25.2) - See also WLC #62
What are the attributes of the church? Prove from Scripture.
-Holy: set apart from unbelief and sin; dedicated to the service of God
1 Peter 2:9-10 “You are . . . a holy nation”
Ephesians 5: 25-27 “Christ loved the church . . . to make her holy”
-Catholic: not limited ethnically nor spatially (as in the case of Israel) but rather unifies “all those
throughout the world who profess the true religion”.
Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body . . .”
-Apostolic: founded upon the authority and teachings of the apostles
Ephesians 2:19-20 “built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus as
the chief cornerstone”.
What are the marks of the church?
- Preaching of the Word
- Proper administration of the sacraments
- Exercise of church discipline
- Acts 2:42-44
Who is the head of the church?
-Jesus Christ
- Ephesians 2:19-20 “Christ Jesus is the chief cornerstone”
- “There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome, in any sense,
be the head thereof.”
- Ephesians 1:22 “appointed him to be head over everything”
- Colossians 1:18 “he is the head of the body, the church”
Define three basic forms of church government.
Episcopal (Prelacy, Monarchial) asserts that Christ has given administration of his church, directly and
exclusively to an order of bishops, who form the line of succession from the apostles themselves. These bishops are
separate, independent, and self-perpetuating. The actual people of the church have no share in the governance of the
church.
- Congregational (Independent, Democratic) maintains that each individual church is a complete church.
There is no dependency upon other churches. The balance of power does not rest in a bishop but rather it lies with
the members of the church and their officers elected as functionaries. These churches may choose to join together in
fellowship; however, the decisions rendered are only advisory and not authoritative for any individual church unless
the congregation so desires.
-Presbyterian (Republican) government affirms both Christ as the head of the church and the importance
of individual churches to govern their own affairs. It is accomplished through representative bodies. The local
church session is the most basic. The regional presbytery is a assembly of the elders from the local congregations in
a specified area. The next level extends to the national level with synods and general assemblies. The larger
assemblies do have the power to impose certain limitations on the autonomy of local churches at the same time as
they seek to promote the growth and welfare of churches, to guarantee the rights of its members, and to give fuller
expression to the overall unity of the Church universal.
What are the principles of Presbyterian church government?
Support your answer from Scripture.
-Christ is the King and Head of the church (Ephesians 1:22)
-The office bearers were chosen by the people (Acts 1:21-26)
-The office of bishop and elder are identical (Titus 1:5-7)
-In each church there was a plurality of elders (Philippians 1:1, Acts 14:23, 20:17, I Timothy 5:17)
-Ordination was an act of the presbytery, that plurality of elders (I Timothy 4:14 Acts 6:6 and 13:1-3)
-The privilege of appeal was to the assembly of elders, and they exercised the right of government in their
corporate character. (Acts 15)
What is the role of women in the church? Support from the Scriptures.
-Women should be welcomed to fulfill any duty a non-ordained member of the church is permitted to
perform. Women are a crucial and significant part of the church, just as any other member of the church, in
possession of the full rights of the children of God. Women should seek to use their gifts in a manner that
edifies and encourages the body of Christ. The one role that the Scriptures forbid that a woman should
have is that of authority over a man, which the PCA interprets to mean, not holding an ordained office in
the church. (I Timothy 2:12)
-Women should be encouraged to make their own contribution to the life and well-being of the church
within the parameters outlined in the Bible. Certainly evangelism, discipleship and teaching of other
women, compassionate service, leaders in children ministries, and many other roles are excellent avenues
through which women may exercise their gifts for the building of the church and the kingdom of God.
May women serve as officers in the church? Support your answer from Scripture.
- Women may not hold an ordained office in the church.
- I Timothy 2:12-13
- Ephesians 5:22
What is “subscription”?
-Subscription refers to the vow of a church officer to submit himself to the system of doctrine and the
confessional standards of the PCA, as outlined in the Westminster Confession of Faith. There are four
possible views surrounding the issue: The substance of doctrine view, the vital to the system view, the very
doctrine of the Word view, and the very word of doctrine view.
-The disagreement over this issue stems from the candidate’s need to determine what his oath to the second
ordination vow entails for him and the session/presbytery’s need to be satisfied that the candidate’s answer
does not allow him to hold a view that destroys the unity of the system of doctrine established as the
standard for the PCA.
-The “vital to the system view” maintains that a session must determine if a scruple expressed by a
candidate as an exception affects any of the articles essential tot he system. -The “very doctrines of the Word” position asserts that the WCF and its catechisms are the expression of
the very doctrines of the Word. Therefore, scruples are limited to the exceptions taken over the exact
wording of a proposition. They cannot question the substance of any part of the documents.
-The “substance of doctrine” and the “very word of doctrine” views have fatal flaws. The substance of
doctrine removes the distinctiveness of the Westminster standards, and the very word of doctrine elevates
the standards to the level of scripture itself, ignoring that it is subordinate to the Bible.
What privileges do Christians share?
-We enjoy “Fellowship with Christ” and “Union with one another in love” (WCF 26.1)
- I John 1:2-3 “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship
with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”
What duties do Christians owe one another?
- Holy Fellowship
- Communion in worship
- Mutual edification
- Relieving of our outward needs
- WCF 26.2
Does the “communion of the saints” deny the right of private property? Explain.
-“Nor does their communion one with another, as saints, take away or infringe upon the title or propriety
which each man has in his goods and possessions.” WCF 26.3
-Scripture teaches that Christians can own property and exercise control over it.
-Ephesians 4:28 “doing something useful with his hands that he may have something to share with those in
need.”
-Acts 5:4 “Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your
disposal?”
What authority does the church possess?
- They possess the “keys to the kingdom”
- They possess the power “to retain and remit sins”
- They have the power “to shut the kingdom to the impenitent” and “open the kingdom to penitent sinners.”
- WCF 30.2
What is the purpose of church censures?
- For the purpose of “reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren” . . .
- for deterring others from like offenses . . .
- for vindicating the honor of Christ and the holy profession of the gospel . . .
- for preventing the wrath of God from falling on the church for notorious and obstinate offender
- WCF 30.3
