Ask, and it shall be given to you;
seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. Matt. 7:7
PRESBYTERIANISM
Brief History: Among the
earliest of the ‘Protestant Reformers was John Calvin (1509?1564). He was born in Noyon, France to Roman Catholic parents. Calvin was converted
from Romanism in 1533, and during the following three years he lived in
seclusion under an assumed name (1. Lingle W.A. Piesbyterianism: Their History and Beliefs 1944p. 25?26.) He studied the New Testament in the original
language, and though he did not start a distinct sect in his day, he was
founder of the doctrine that wears his name, Calvinism. It is usually
associated with Presbyterianism, although a number of churches which are
not Presbyterian in government held to Calvin’s
tenets.
The word Presbyterian
comes from the Greek word presbuteros (elder);
hence, a Presbyterian church is governed by elders. The doctrine and church
government system was transferred to Scotland from France, Holland and Geneva. There, under the leadership of John Knox,
Presbyterianism became very strong. The Church of Scotland came into
existence and the first book of discipline was written in 1560; 1592 marked
the acceptance by Parliament of Presbyterianism as the established state
church (2. Schaff?Herzog
Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 1892.)
The Westminster Association, in session from 1643?1649, framed?theWestminster Confession of Faith. This became the doctrinal
standard for both English and American Presbyterianism. Francis Makernie is considered the founder of American Presbyterianism,
for he organized the Rehoboth Presbyterian Church in Maryland in 1684. There have been seventeen distinct
segments of Presbyterians from near the beginning of the movement.
Calvin followed a simple
worship in his churches. There was congregational singing, a departure from
his early experience in the Roman Catholic Church. They used no instruments
of music, for Calvin opposed such as a departure from New Testament
worship, borrowed from Romanism. He broke away from the altar worship pattern,
and placed the reading and preaching in the central place. Strict moral discipline
was exercised (for cursing, adultery, playing cards on Sunday evenings,
spending time in taverns, betrothing a Papist, wife beating, etc.)
The five points of
Calvinism are: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement,
Irresistable Grace, and Preserverence
of the Saints. James Arminius, a professor at the
University of Leyden, opposed the other
professors for their high Calvinism' in a theological battle that lasted
several years.3
PRESBYTERIAN TRADITION. THEWORDOFGOD.
1.
"God has predestined and foreordained some men and angels out of his
free grace and love without any foresight of faith in either Of them, and
others are foreordained to everlasting death and the number of either is so
certain and definite that it cannot be increased or diminished." -Westminster Confession of Faith, Article 3, 4, 5;
Chapter 3; Article 2, Chapter IQ.
1.
Salvation is for all who believe and obey the gospel. John 3:16; Hebrews5:9;
Matthew 28:18-20; Mark l 6: 15-16; Romans 10:9-17; 6: 1-18; Acts 2:38,39; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1:7-8; 2 Peter 1: 10. 2. God is no respector of persons. Acts 10:34; 2 Peter 3:9; 1
Timothy 2:3-4; 1 J oh n 4:14.
2. God's
Grace is so irresistible, that one cannot help yielding to it if he is
among the elect; he has no choice, but must be saved. (Doctrine ofIrresistible Grace) 1. Man must choose for himself whom he will serve, Jehovah God or false
gods. Joshua 24: 1 S. 2. 1 Kings 18:21. Elijah called for a decision between the two
sides. 3. Obedience is from our own mind and heart. Romans 6:17-18.
3. God's
Atonement was sufficient for all, but efficient only for the elect.
(See Lingle, p. 41).
1. 11
Corinthians 12:9. Grace is sufficient. 2. 11 Corinthians 9:8. All sufficiency in all things. 3. Romans 5:6. Christ died for the ungodly. 4. 11 Corinthians 5:14. "One died for all . . ."
4. One cannot fall from God's grace; it is an utter
impossibility. (Calvin's doctrine of Perserverance
of Saints)
1.
Judas did fall. Acts 1:25. 2. You may fall. Hebrews 12:15; 1 Corinthians 10:12. 3. Some did fall.
Galatians 5:4. 4. Paul feared he might fall I Corinthians 9:27. 5. Some will be taken out of the kingdom, the group of saved ones. Acts 2:47; John 3:3-5; Matthew 13:41.
6. We
labor in hope of eternal life. Titus 1:2.
5. There
are three baptismal modes; immersion is not necessary, but one may be
sprinkled or poured. (Presbyterian Confession of Faith, Chapter 30, p.
157). 1. Buried. Romans 6:34. Colossians 2:12. 2. Washed. Hebrews 10:22; Titus 3:5; 3. One baptism. Ephesians 4:5. 4. Birth. John 3:5. 5. Going down into, coming up out of. Acts 8:36-9.
6.
Infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized. (Presbyterian
Confession of Faith, Chapter 30, p. 157). Voted by Westminster Assembly, 1643-9. Carried: 25 to drop dipping
and 24 to retain sprinkling.
1. Acts 8:12. Men and women. 2. Mark 16:16.
Belief precedes. 3. Acts 2:38.
Repentance precedes. 4. John 6:45. Must hear and learn before coming to Jesus .
7. Faith
alone will save a person.
1. James 2:14,
17, 19, 22, 24,26,
2. John 1:12. "Power to become" sons of God if believe.
3. John 12:42. Some believed, yet lost.
32
8.
Confession of the Apostles' Creed is necessary.
1. Matthew
16:16. Christ is our only "Creed". 2. Matthew 16:18. Christ built his church upon the confession of that
truth. 3. The only confession: Acts 8:38-39; Romans 10:10; Matthew 10:32-33; 1
John 4: 2.
9.
Communion is not to be observed weekly.
"And truly this custom, which enjoins communing once a year is most wicked contrivance of the devil, by whose
instrumentality so- ever it may have been deter- mined." Calvin's
Institutes, Book 4, Chapter 17.
"It ought to have been far otherwise. Every week at least the
table of the Lord should have been spread for Christian assemblies."
Calvin's Institutes, Book 6, Chapter 18.
1. Leviticus
24:5-9. Shewbread weekly, shadow (Hebrews 10: 1)
of new.
2. Acts 2:42.
Steadfastly.
3. Acts 20:7. Early church communed weekly.
10. The
Holy Spirit acts directly upon the heart of the elect to persuade him to
obey the call of the Gospel.
"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of
Life, who moves everywhere upon the heart of men to restrain them from evil
and to incite them to good . . . and to persuade them to obey the call of
the Gospel." -General Assembly in Los Angeles, 1903.
1.
Christ prayed for Holy Spirit to come to apostles. John 14:15-17.
2.
Promised to those who re- Pent and are baptized. Acts 2:38; 5:32. 3. Holy Spirit assisted preachers directly in New Testament, but never
operated directly on sinner in saving him. Acts 8:26-39.
