Theology: I - Church Flashcards
What is the universal church?
All believers from all time.
WLC 64 - “The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head”
What is the visible church?
All those professing true faith and their children.
What are the attributes of the church? Prove from Scripture.
- Holy - Separation from unbelief and sin, together with dedication to the service of God in all of life.
**1 Peter 2:9-10 - **“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
- Catholic - It is not limited geographically, as Israel was, and it joins in one fellowship people of every sort.
Eph. 4:4-6 - “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” - Apostolic - founded on the teaching of the apostles.
Eph. 2:19-20 - “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,”
What are the marks of the church? Prove from Scripture.
- Preaching of the Word
- Proper Administration of the Sacraments
- Practice of Church discipline
Acts 2:42-44 - “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”
Who is the head of the church? Prove from Scripture.
Jesus Christ
Eph. 1:22 - “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,”
Define the 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 them from Scripture.
Christ is the King and Head of the church
**Eph. 1:22 - **“And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,”
The office bearers were chosen by the people
Acts 1:22-26 - “beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”
The office of bishop and elder are identical
**Titus 1:5-7 - **“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,”
In each church there was a plurality of elders
Philip. 1:1 - “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:”
Ordination was an act of the presbytery, that plurality of elders
Acts 6:6 - “These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.”
Acts 13:1-3 - “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
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 your answer from Scripture.
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.
1 Tim. 2:12 - “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”
May women serve as officers in the church? Support your answer from Scripture.
Women may not serve in any ordained offices in the church.
1 Tim. 2:12-13 - “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve;”
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?
Fellowship with Christ.
Union with one another in love.
WCF 26.1 -“All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by His Spirit; and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His grace, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other’s gifts and graces, and are obliged to performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.”
What duties do Christians owe one another?
- Holy fellowship
- Communion in worship
- Mutual edification
- Relieving of our outward needs
**WCF 26.2 - **“Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God offers opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Does the “communion of the saints” deny the right of private property? Explain.
Communion of the saints is not communism. Scripture teaches that Christians can own property and have con-trol over the disposition of it.
WCF 26.3 - “This communion which the saints have with Christ, doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of His Godhead; or to be equal with Christ in any respect: either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous. Nor doth their communion one with another, as saints, take away, or infringe the title or propriety, which each man hath in his goods and possessions.”
What authority does the church possess?
- Keys of he Kingdom
- Retain and remit sins.
- Shut the kingdom against the impenitent.
- Open the kingdom to penitent sinners.
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
