Highlands Reformed Church

How Do Presbyterians Differ from other Christian Churches?

In the history of the church, Christians have understood the Bible differently on how the church of Jesus Christ should be governed. Some Christians are “Episcopal” and think that God wants his church ruled by bishops. Others are “Congregational” and believe that the people themselves should make all the decisions.

Finally, some Christians are “Presbyterians.” The term “Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word for “elder” (presbuteros) and refers to a church governed by elders. The congregation elects elders as their representatives who then oversee church affairs and care for their souls (1 Tim 3:1ff, Hebs 13:17,1 Cor 16:15-161 Thess 5:12ff, etc.). Christ is the federal representative of His people (i.e., He could stand in for the whole of the Elect which is why one could die for the many), so also the elders represent (or stand in) for the congregation. We believe that this was the way that both ancient Israel (e.g., Deut 16:18, Ex 3:16) and the first century church was governed (cf. 1 Tim 3:1ff, Titus 1:5, Acts 15:1ff, 1 Tim 4:14, etc.).

The Presbyterian concept of church government can be clearly seen in action in Acts 15:1ff and 1 Corinthians 6:1ff. In Acts 15, the Apostles and Elders of all the churches met together to discuss and decide serious theological issues. At the conclusion of their study, they issued a general letter that bound all the churches to obedience.

In 1 Corinthians 6:1ff, the Apostle Paul exhorts the church to resolve problems by submitting to the judgments of other Christians. The Bible recognizes that all Christians sin and all Christians have problems. The question is whether we have a biblical means to resolve those problems so that the Lord Jesus is glorified and factions, schisms and divisions do not occur. Thus, often, Presbyterians refer to the “courts of the church” as their mechanism for resolving problems, adjudicating disputes and dealing with heresies.

Presbyterians recognize two kinds of elders- Teaching Elders (commonly referred to as “Pastors”) and Ruling Elders, who are laymen (1 Tim 5:14ff). Both types of elders have the same authority, but distinct functions. Teaching elders preach the Word and administer the Sacraments; Ruling Elders focus on governing the church.

Elders however have to be “ordained” before they can assume responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the congregation. Ordination is the formal recognition by the larger Church that such men have the gifts, character and calling of God to govern His church (1 Tim 3:1ff, Titus 1:5ff). Ruling Elders are examined and ordained by the “Session” of a local church; Teaching Elders are examined and ordained by the “Presbytery.”

The Session is a group of elders responsible for a local congregation. The Presbytery is a meeting of Elders from all the churches in a given geographic area. The Presbytery adjudicates disputes, resolves problems, examines candidates for the ministry, and ensures that the churches and ministers under their care are faithful to the Word.

Presbyterian churches are far from perfect, but when problems arise, they have a Biblical system in place where conflicts and disputes can be resolved fairly and wisely. If a person has a problem, they take it to their Session. If the Session cannot resolve it, they can then appeal to the Presbytery.

Though Teaching Elders are held in very high esteem, a Pastor is inhibited from abusing his position because he is responsible to his brother elders at the local and Presbytery level (and if there is more than one Presbytery, there is usually a Synod or General Assembly). In the same way, unlike some churches where certain “power” people can “call the shots,” anyway they want, the Presbytery offers an objective court of appeals where issues can be discussed without personal animosity or prejudice.

Please remember that Presbyterians accept the Bible’s own assessment of human nature; that every aspect of man is affected by sin (Rms. 3:1ff). Hence, we expect people to sin, are not surprised when they do sin, and one of the church’s most important tasks is to bring about genuine repentance and restitution. Thus, even our courts can sometimes err, and many have erred. But historically, Presbyterians have not suffered the same kinds of splits, divisions, factions and internal strife so common to our brothers in other churches. The average American evangelical church suffers a major split every five years, and pastors usually are forced to resign from the churches every three years all because they do not have a means of resolving problems wisely and Biblically. (For a more critical analysis of the trauma and tragedy of the modern broad evangelical church, please see our essay on “Why I Became a Presbyterian” available on our web site; (www.highlands-reformed.com).

Can Women Be Elders In Presbyterian Churches?

Though the main-line Presbyterian churches routinely ordain woman as elders, we believe them to be in serious error. Hence, in all Presbyterian churches that retain the Bible as the final authority, women are excluded from the offices of Deacon and Elder based on 1 Tim 3:1ff and Titus 1:5ff. There is no compromise on this issue.

While we highly value the ministry and gifts of godly women, we believe that God forbids them to teach or exercise authority over men. Many other important ministries are available to women that do not compromise God’s Word.

But Aren’t Presbyterian Churches Known for Being Theologically Liberal?

True Presbyterian churches believe that the Bible is God’s inspired, inerrant and infallible Word. However, sadly, not all who call themselves “Presbyterian” today still believe in the historic, Christian Faith. All of the major denominations, Episcopal, Congregational, Methodist, Baptists and Presbyterian, compromised with theological liberalism at the end of the 19th century. Theological liberalism denied that the Bible was God’s inspired word, and often rejected cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith.

The original American Presbyterian Church divided along geographical lines during the War Between the States. The Northern church compromised with Liberal theology in the 1930’s. The Southern Church reached a crisis in 1973 when evangelicals departed en mass. The liberal Northern and Southern churches joined together creating the PCUSA; the largest, and one of the most heterodox churches in America. This is the church one commonly reads about in the papers when they advocate feminism, sodomy, or some form of socialism.

But since the advent of theological liberalism, Bible-believing Presbyterians have been leaving compromised churches, creating a number of smaller denominations. Among these are the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), the Bible Presbyterian Church (BPC), the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP), the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States (RPCUS) and others. These various groups would no longer consider the PCUSA to be a true church of Jesus Christ, and therefore no longer entitled to the term “Presbyterian” because she has abandoned the Bible as the rule of faith. All of these smaller Presbyterian denominations retain in some form, allegiance to the authority of the Scriptures and the historic Christian gospel. Highlands Reformed is a member of Covenant Presbytery, in the Reformed Presbyterian Church.

What Do Presbyterians Believe?

Everyone believes the Bible teaches something. The real issue is what people believe the Bible teaches. Does the Bible mean different things to different people, or is there really one message that ALL Christians ought to accept and believe? And if there is one message, what is it?

We believe that though there are many things difficult to understand in Scripture (2 Peter 3:16), diligent study, humble hearts and the enlightening of the Holy Spirit will make the important doctrines of the Bible clear. Over time, Christians can and should come to agreement about these central issues that are then written down, and received by all the faithful. These are called “confessions” -the earliest examples being the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, etc.

Hence, Presbyterians are confessional churches, meaning that we have an agreed upon doctrinal standard that all the churches accept and proclaim (or “confess”). While receiving the earliest doctrinal statements of the early church, we also believe that the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, hammered out during the high-water mark of the Great Reformation at the Westminster Assembly are accurate, reliable and faithful summaries of the Bible’s teachings.

The Westminster Assembly is considered by many as the wisest and most godly gathering of Bible scholars in church history. They labored for years, studying the Scriptures to develop a recognized and acceptable doctrinal standard for the churches in England, Scotland and Ireland. The doctrinal clarity and Biblical support for the Westminster Confession were so well done, that even the Baptists received it, changing only the sections dealing with the Sacraments (called the London Confession).

It is important to remember that Presbyterians accept the Westminster Standards, not because of tradition, or love of history, but because we believe them to be the clearest expression of the Bible’s own message ever developed by men. We do not think the Confession replaces Scripture, or is a higher authority than Scripture (may God forbid such a thought); only that it is an accurate, reliable explanation of Scripture.

What Do Presbyterians Believe About God?

Perhaps the most distinctive emphasis of the Westminster Confession is the doctrine of the sovereignty of God; that He created all things and rules all things for His own glory. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is the self-existent one, depending upon no one, or no thing, for His being. Presbyterians have historically striven to understand all of life from this important perspective.

Presbyterians believe that there is one God, in three persons; each of the persons having all the attributes and glory of God but also a distinct function and personality. This sovereign God is Independent (depending upon no one or no thing for His existence), Immutable (being perfect, He cannot change), Infinite (though separate from His creation, He fills every point of time and space with His entire being) and United (i.e., of one essence, without passions or parts). He created, sustains and redeems the world for His own glory.

What Do Presbyterians Believe About Salvation?

We believe that salvation is a sovereign act of God’s grace wherein He regenerates the heart of a sinner, giving him spiritual life and faith so that he can understand and accept the gospel. We believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh; lived a perfect, sinless life, fulfilling all the righteous requirements of God’s Law on our behalf. Then, He was crucified and died for our sins. We believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and that He is coming again in the fullness of time, to judge the living and the dead.

We believe the Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus as His representative; to be our comforter and teacher and that His ministry enlightens our minds, converts sinners, gives us strength and solace and works God’s promises into our lives. (For a more developed answer, see our position paper on “Presbyterianism and the Doctrine of Individual Salvation”)

What Do Presbyterians Believe About the Sacraments?

The Bible teaches that there are two sacraments- the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. We understand these to be signs and seals of God’s grace. As signs, they are pictures of God’s mercy and grace. Baptism is a picture of regeneration. The Lord’s Supper is a picture of God’s love for us in Christ’s death, and of our salvation being purely by His grace.

Yet, we also believe, that in a very real sense, God communicates His grace to us through these sacraments. They are more than just memorials to what Jesus did, but actual means that God uses to strengthen and encourage His children. Baptism sets aside a person as belonging to the covenant community (Acts 2:38-39), marking him off as being special to God. The Lord’s Supper strengthens our faith and trust in Jesus. We do not always try to define just how God does these things (e.g., the bread remains bread, the wine remains wine; there is no magical transformation of the elements) but we do believe the Bible teaches that God uses the sacraments as “means of grace.” (For the reasons why real wine rather than grape-juice is the more appropriate element to be used in the Lord’s Supper, please see Communion Wine or the Purple Euphemism.)

We believe that all those who receive Jesus as Lord are to be baptized as well as their children as a mark of belonging to God’s covenant people. We do not baptize infants indiscriminately; only the children of church members. This type of baptism is known as Covenant Baptism. Just as children in the Old Testament received circumcision as a sign of membership in the Old Covenant, children of believing parents have a portion in the New Covenant (cf. Acts 2:38-39, Colossians 2:11-12. For a more developed presentation, please see Why I Believe Baptism Replaces Circumcision).

However, we do not believe that a child is saved just because he has been baptized. Rather, baptism is a sign that the child has the privilege of enjoying the external blessings of the Covenant, (i.e., he can hear the preaching of the Word, receive Christian training and nurturing from his parents and church etc.). And we assume that God will remember His promises and in His own good time, will regenerate a covenant child’s heart and give him saving faith.

When a child is able to express his faith in Christ, he is examined by the elders and then admitted to the Lord’s Supper. Only baptized believers who are members in good standing of an evangelical church may receive the Lord’s Supper.

Unlike our Baptist brothers, we believe the proper mode of baptism is by affusion (pouring water over the head), rather than immersion. Since baptism symbolizes the pouring out of the Holy Spirit who cleanses our hearts, the water of baptism is allowed to flow over a person. Some call this “sprinkling” and it can be shown that is the most common understanding of the word “baptize” in Scripture.

Do You Have to Agree with All of the Westminster Confession to Join a Presbyterian Church?

All those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, and confess their trust in Him and Him alone for their salvation, and have been baptized, can be members of a Presbyterian church. However, the individual Christian does not have to understand or agree to all of the Westminster Confession, though he must be willing to abide by them and be taught them. A person becomes a member by sharing a personal testimony of saving faith in Christ with the Elders and agreeing to live under the government of the church; seeking its peace and purity.

However to hold office as an Elder or Deacon, one must accept the Westminster Standards as an accurate and reliable summary of Bible doctrine. Furthermore, Pastors are required by their ordination vows to preach and teach consistently with the Confession.

What Kind of Preaching Is Common?

Presbyterian pastors strive to be careful in studying and then teaching the Word of God as accurately and as powerfully as the Lord gives grace. Our ministers are trained rigorously in Greek and Hebrew, theology and church history, so they can carefully interpret the Scriptures and feed God’s people spiritual meat. (For a more detailed development of historic Presbyterian preaching practices, please see Calvin on Preaching).

Our worship services are simple, dignified and reverent with the focus on glorifying God, not on entertaining men. We believe that God has ordained in His Word how He is to be worshipped and therefore we must seek to please Him.

We believe that Biblical worship has four elements, prayer, singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, reading and expository preaching of scripture, and administering the Sacraments. Our worship services therefore do not offer stirring drum beats, special music, drama, or multimedia; just the people of God meeting together to worship Him in Spirit and Truth according to HIS own standards.

What Do Presbyterians Believe About Alcohol and Tobacco?

God and God alone has the right to bind a man’s conscience. The Moral Law (i.e., the Ten Commandments) is God’s own summary of His ethical requirements. Thus, if God has not commanded or forbidden something, we have “liberty of conscience” where each person is free to make choices that others may not judge (cf. Rms 14:4). Historically, the use of tobacco and alcohol has been regarded in this way.

While drunkenness is clearly forbidden in Scripture, the moderate and temperate use of alcohol is not. Therefore, some Presbyterians drink wine, others do not. The issue of tobacco is not directly addressed, but today most people take for granted that habitual use is probably dangerous (but then so is over-eating, not getting enough of the right kind of exercise, etc.). Since God did not forbid it, neither can we; each man must make his own decision; and face the consequences.

Therefore, the basic principle is that if God Himself has legislated, then we not have the right to judge, condemn or bind their conscience. We can advise, counsel, or encourage one another but in the end, we have liberty of conscience in those areas.

Thus, Presbyterians have historically found a balance between strict adherence to God’s own ethical requirements in Scripture, without the tyranny of imposing, individual values and judgments on others. While we love and respect the Law of God, we reject man-made legalism in all its forms. We believe that people need to be free, under God.

How Can I Learn More About Presbyterianism?

Many fine books are available that describe the history, doctrine and ministry of the Presbyterian Church. You can find some good resources right here with us! We have essays, articles, and links to other Presbyterian sources.

During the Great Reformation in the 16th century, the Protestant Church had two main branches- the Lutherans in Northern Europe, and the Reformed in Switzerland, Holland, parts of Germany and Great Britain. The Reformed Church gave birth to the Calvinist churches in Europe, the Puritans in England and the Presbyterians in Scotland.

Presbyterian and Reformed theology was the single largest influence on the development of early American history. The Puritans settled New England, and the Presbyterians heavily colonized the South. The very first religious revival in America (called the Great Awakening) was started by Presbyterians.

Furthermore, one of the Major reasons for the American War of Independence was the attempt by the British parliament to impose an Episcopal Church on the colonies over the resistance of the Presbyterians. Many British leaders saw our war of Independence as a “Presbyterian” uprising!

After the war, Presbyterians significantly influenced the development of American representative government. Many of the delegates to the constitutional convention were either Presbyterians, or had been educated in Presbyterian schools (at the time, less than 10% of Americans were Baptist or Methodists). During the 19th and 20th centuries, Presbyterians provided the main intellectual defense against the new religions of Darwinism and Humanism.

Presbyterianism thus provides a direct link to the Great Reformation, and through that, to the first century church. Presbyterian’s form of government, doctrinal standards and distinctive beliefs are the Christian ideals the Reformers fought and died for. Presbyterians greatly influenced the development of the American Republic and provided us with our Constitution. In fact, most Baptists today, if they can trace their ancestry back to colonial times, would find that their ancestors were probably Presbyterian! Presbyterianism IS historic, Christian orthodoxy. Maybe it’s time for you to come home?