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. 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 hold 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.
The Westminster Association, in session from 1643-1649, framed the Westminster Confession of Faith. This became the doctrinal standard for both English and American Presbyterianism. Francis Makemie 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.
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Presbyterian Tradition
Word of God
• “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 10
• Salvation is for all who believe and obey the gospel. John 3:16; Hebrews 5:9; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:9-17; 6:1-18; Acts 2”38, 39; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1:7-8; 2 Peter 1:10
• God is no respector of persons. Acts 10:34; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 John 4:14
• 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 of Irresistable Grace)
• Man must choose for himself whom he will serve, Jehovah God or false gods. Joshua 24:15.
• 1 Kings 18:21. Elijah called for a decision between the two sides.
• Obedience is from our own mind and heart. Romans 6:17-18
• God’s Atonement was sufficient for all, but efficient only for the elect (See Lingle, p. 41)
• II Corinthians 12:9. Grace is sufficient.
• II Corinthians 9:8. All sufficiency in all things.
• Romans 5:6. Christ died for the ungodly.
• II Corinthians 5:14. “One died for all…”
• One cannot fall from God’s grace; it is an utter impossibility. (Calvin’s doctrine of Perseverance of Saints).
• Judas did fall. Acts 1:25.
• You may fall. Hebrews 12:15; I Corinthians 10:12.
• Some did fall. Galatians 5:4
• Paul feared he might fall I Corinthians 9:27.
• Some will be taken out of the kingdom, the group of saved ones. Acts 2:47; John 3:3-5; Matthew 13:41.
• We labor in hope of eternal life. Titus 1:2
• There are three baptismal modes; immersion is not necessary, but one may be sprinkled or poured. (Presbyterian Confession of Faith, Chapter 30, p. 157)
• Buried. Romans 6:3-4. Colossians 2:12
• Washed. Hebrews 10:22; Titus 3:5
• One baptism. Ephesians 4:5
• Birth. John 3:5
• Going down into, coming up out of. Acts 8:36-39.
• 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.
• Acts 8:12. Men and women
• Mark 16:16. Belief precedes
• Acts 2:38. Repentance precedes
• John 6:45. Must hear and learn before coming to Jesus.
• Faith alone will have a person
• James 2:14, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26
• John 1:12. “Power to become” sons of God if believe.
• John 12:42. Some believed, yet lost.
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Presbyterian Tradition
Word of God
• Confession of the Apostles’ Creed is necessary.
• Matthew 16:16. Christ is our only “Creed”.
• Matthew 16:18. Christ built his church upon the confession of that truth.
• The only confession: Acts 8:38-39; Romans 10:10; Matthew 10:32-33; I John 4:2
• 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 determined.”
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.
• Leviticus 24:5-9. Shewbread weekly, shadow (Hebrews 10:1) of new.
• Acts 2:42. Steadfastly.
• Acts 20:7 Early church Communed weekly
• 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.
• Christ prayed for Holy Spirit to come to apostles. John 14:15-17
• Promised to those who repent and are baptized. Acts 2:38; 5:32
• Holy Spirit assisted preachers directly in New Testament, but never operated directly on sinner in saving him. Acts 8:26-39.
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. 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 hold 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.
The Westminster Association, in session from 1643-1649, framed the Westminster Confession of Faith. This became the doctrinal standard for both English and American Presbyterianism. Francis Makemie 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.
14 | P a g e
Presbyterian Tradition
Word of God
• “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 10
• Salvation is for all who believe and obey the gospel. John 3:16; Hebrews 5:9; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:9-17; 6:1-18; Acts 2”38, 39; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1:7-8; 2 Peter 1:10
• God is no respector of persons. Acts 10:34; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 John 4:14
• 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 of Irresistable Grace)
• Man must choose for himself whom he will serve, Jehovah God or false gods. Joshua 24:15.
• 1 Kings 18:21. Elijah called for a decision between the two sides.
• Obedience is from our own mind and heart. Romans 6:17-18
• God’s Atonement was sufficient for all, but efficient only for the elect (See Lingle, p. 41)
• II Corinthians 12:9. Grace is sufficient.
• II Corinthians 9:8. All sufficiency in all things.
• Romans 5:6. Christ died for the ungodly.
• II Corinthians 5:14. “One died for all…”
• One cannot fall from God’s grace; it is an utter impossibility. (Calvin’s doctrine of Perseverance of Saints).
• Judas did fall. Acts 1:25.
• You may fall. Hebrews 12:15; I Corinthians 10:12.
• Some did fall. Galatians 5:4
• Paul feared he might fall I Corinthians 9:27.
• Some will be taken out of the kingdom, the group of saved ones. Acts 2:47; John 3:3-5; Matthew 13:41.
• We labor in hope of eternal life. Titus 1:2
• There are three baptismal modes; immersion is not necessary, but one may be sprinkled or poured. (Presbyterian Confession of Faith, Chapter 30, p. 157)
• Buried. Romans 6:3-4. Colossians 2:12
• Washed. Hebrews 10:22; Titus 3:5
• One baptism. Ephesians 4:5
• Birth. John 3:5
• Going down into, coming up out of. Acts 8:36-39.
• 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.
• Acts 8:12. Men and women
• Mark 16:16. Belief precedes
• Acts 2:38. Repentance precedes
• John 6:45. Must hear and learn before coming to Jesus.
• Faith alone will have a person
• James 2:14, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26
• John 1:12. “Power to become” sons of God if believe.
• John 12:42. Some believed, yet lost.
15 | P a g e
Presbyterian Tradition
Word of God
• Confession of the Apostles’ Creed is necessary.
• Matthew 16:16. Christ is our only “Creed”.
• Matthew 16:18. Christ built his church upon the confession of that truth.
• The only confession: Acts 8:38-39; Romans 10:10; Matthew 10:32-33; I John 4:2
• 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 determined.”
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.
• Leviticus 24:5-9. Shewbread weekly, shadow (Hebrews 10:1) of new.
• Acts 2:42. Steadfastly.
• Acts 20:7 Early church Communed weekly
• 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.
• Christ prayed for Holy Spirit to come to apostles. John 14:15-17
• Promised to those who repent and are baptized. Acts 2:38; 5:32
• Holy Spirit assisted preachers directly in New Testament, but never operated directly on sinner in saving him. Acts 8:26-39.