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What is church power? Where does it come from? How is it exercised? What is its structure?
There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ....
He is the Source of its authority - Eph 1.22-23, 2.20-22, Col 1.18, 2.19
He created it & instituted the means of grace, its constitution and officers He is present when we worship
Scripture is the ONLY absolute authority As a whole Especially vested in its officers chosen by the people, but given power by Christ
Church power resides primarily here Higher courts are delegated power by the local churches Local assemblies have a duty to unite with others for doctrinal, judicial, and administrative functions
Church power resides primarily here Higher courts are delegated power by the local churches Local assemblies have a duty to unite with others for doctrinal, judicial, and administrative functions
Acts 16.4 - Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees (Gk. dogmata) which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe.
Kinds of Power
Dogmatic (Teaching)
Governing
Regulating Judicial
PRESBYTERIAN
Nature of Presbyterian
Representative
Officers Elder/Overseer
Presbyter (Elder) and Bishop (Overseer) are two names for the same office - Acts 20:17, 28; I
Tim. 3:1; 5:17, 19; Titus 1:5, 7; I Pet. 5:1, 2
Officers Elder/Overseer
Duties: Oversee, Provide For, Protect the House of God Teaching Elders
Pastors (shepherds) and teachers are two functions of one class of officer (Eph. 4.11) All elders rule, some teach & preach (I Tim 5.17) Teaching Elders rule with Ruling Elders, and also administer the Word and Sacrament
Officers - Deacons
Diakonos = Servant
Instituted in Acts 6 to support the apostles/elders so they could rule and teach
Ecclesiastical Assemblies
Presbytery (Regional) All TE's in the region, at least 1 RE from each congregation (more depending on size of congregation) General Assembly (National) All TE's in the denomination, at least 1 RE from each congregation (more depending on size of congregation)
People choose elders (Acts 11:30; 14:23; 20:17; Phil. 1:1; I Tim. 3:1; Tit. 1:5, 7), but elders gain their authority from Christ Elders rule in Christ's name and are responsible to Him Is the basis for Scriptural church government; delegates its authority to higher bodies; Church Order guards rights and interests of both levels
Major Assemblies
Are of Representative character (i.e., not all church members are part of the major assemblies)
Major Assemblies
Doctrines & Order of the Church, and Exercise of Discipline Belong to minor assemblies but for whatever reason cannot be settled there OR those issues which affect the entire region or denomination
Same powers as the local session, but in greater measure; their judgments are binding UNLESS they contradict God's Word
Major Assemblies
Members of the church have the right to appeal disputed matters in the congregation to their elders for resolution, and if the dispute is with those local elders, to appeal to the regional governing body (the presbytery) or, beyond that, to the whole general assembly (Acts 15). The decisions of the wider governing bodies are authoritative in all the local congregations (Acts 15:22-23, 28, 30; 16:1-5).
Greg Bahnsen
EPISCOPALIAN
Deacon assistant to the presbyter who can preach, lead worship, but NOT officiate at communion
Importance of Episcopacy
Apostolic Succession Bishops should be able to trace their ordination in an unbroken chain back to the apostles themselves "Historic Episcopate" seen as essential for the existence of the church itself
Importance of Episcopacy
Amongst those various offices which have been exercised in the Church from the earliest times the chief place, according to the witness of tradition, is held by the function of those who, through their appointment to the dignity and responsibility of bishop, and in virtue consequently of the unbroken succession going back to the beginning, are regarded as transmitters of the apostolic line.
Peter & John list themselves as Elders New Testament, Didache, I Clement
Overseers (Bishops) and Elders (Presbyters) differentiated Bishop = president of local congregation
Letters of Ignatius
Bishops now rule over group of congregations Bishops seen as successors of the Apostles
Irenaeus, Tertullian
Cyprian Primacy of Honor "First Among Equals" & Court of Last Appeal Rome NOT considered ruler over all the churches
Bishops of metropolitan areas (Archbishops or Metropolitans) seen as more important than "Country Bishops" Bishop of Alexandria called "Pope, second honor behind Rome
Patriarchs - Bishops of Four Largest Cities (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch) plus Jerusalem given special honor over all other bishops
Mid Fifth Century Pope Leo claimed first honor and control by Rome of the entire church
Bishop of Rome (Pope, Vicar of Christ) is the prince of the bishops, as they claim Peter was prince of the apostles
Apostles=Bishops, Peter=Popes
As the Western Empire fell, people in Rome looked to the Pope for leadership No other Patriarchs or Emperors in the West to challenge Rome
Final break seen in 1054 East and West Split Eastern Church set up patriarchs over every national church; Constantinople seen as First Among Equals Patriarchs general dominated by Emperors, Kings, Tsars, Sultans
Pope Gregory VII deposes Emperor Henry IV over church controversy, restores him after repentance at Canossa
All things on earth and in heaven and in hell are subject to the Vicar of Christ.
The pope can never in any way depart from the Catholic faith.
Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff.
Pope Pius IX
1854 Proclaimed the Immaculate Conception as dogma without resorting to a council 1870 First Vatican Council Papal Infallibility declared an unalterable dogma of the church
Papal Infallibility
"The Roman Pontiff, when he speaks... in discharge of the office of pastor and teacher of all Christians, by virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal Church... is possessed of that infallibility... in defining doctrine regarding faith or morals; and therefore such definitions are irreformable of themselves, and not in virtue of consent of the Church"
Though "things can get done", "power tends to corrupt" - one bad TE/RE can be opposed & disciplined; a bad bishop/patriarch/pope can ruin a church Presbyters and Deacons become second-class officers
Many Roman/Eastern theologians admit that in the NT bishop=presbyter "Bishop: represents a Greek word meaning 'overseer,' and 'presbyter' another Greek word meaning 'elder.' In St. Paul 'bishop' and 'presbyter' seem to be used convertibly, and probably priests are here included under the term 'bishops.'
Presbyter = Bishop!
CONGREGATIONAL/ INDEPENDENT
Congregationalism
Single-Elder Congregationalism
Multi-Elder Congregationalism
Form 1 - All Elders preach and teach may have a "presiding" elder, but all are supposed to be equals (Reformed Baptists) Form 2 - May hire a pastor under local ruling elders (Churches of Christ) Form 3 - Independent Presbyterians - TE's, RE's, Deacons, no presbytery (Congregationalists, some Reformed Baptists)
Multi-Elder Congregationalism
Power in too many hands leads to mob rule, then often to rule by one strong man in each individual church No court of appeal or discipline if local church leadership is acting in an unbiblical manner
No accountability - Preachers with no church associations can get away with anything they wish. If caught in sin, there is no discipline
The Lord told me it's flat none of your business!
Jimmy Swaggart after being caught with a prostitute the second time
If Congregationalism were the norm throughout history, Arian churches could have rejected the divinity of Christ after the Council of Nicea and no one would have been able to question it. (There would have been no council.) Independent churches could have rejected the Jerusalem council in Acts 15, since one church is not bound to another