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VOL. LXXXVII. RICH MO]
What A Pres
In tliis declaration, which I have meDared for (
X X '
the Young People's Society of my church, I have i
tried to answer that oft-repeated question, "Well,
what do you Presbyterians believe, anyway?" 1
PREAMBLE. *
Presbyterian belief is based on the sovereignty
of God. This sovereignty and the equality of man, .
preached by John Calvin, broke the despotic bonds
of medieval monarchy and gave to the world
political and religious liberty. The historic Calvinist,
bowing only to God, feared not man or devil.
The Presbyterian Church has always stood for
religious liberty.
Presbyterian Church government is the same in i
form as the Apostolic Church, which was ruled
by elders. The Greek word Presbuteros means ,
"aged," '"elder"; a man fitted to rule by reason
of experience. The official rulers of the Church, ,
Frcsbuteroi, "elders," are mentioned about sev- ,
enty times in the New Testament. Therefore, the
name of our Church is Presbyterian; because each {
congregation elects men of experience, wisdom and
piety as a bench of Presbuteroi, "elders," to govern ^
the church.
?
The fundamental principle, therefore, of Presbyterian
Church government is "representative/'
The Presbuieroi, "elders," represent the congre- j
gation; one ruling elder and one teaching
elder (the pastor) represent the church in the
Presbytery and Synod; an equal number of ruling ^
and teaching elders represent the Presbytery in
the General Assembly, our highest court.
The function of the office of Prcsbuteros, "elder,"
is threefold: First?Legislative. They enact j
laws for the Church. The government of our
count rv iq Vvo 1 '
j ?acm uu una representative principle
of Presbyterianisni. State Legislatures and Congress
are composed of representatives elected by (
the people. j
Second?Judicial. The bench of elders is the (
court of the congregation. Presbytery, Synod and t
General Assembly are the courts of the Church.
The Presbyterian Church stands for justice and ,
equity, and enables its poorest member to appeal t
to the highest court without cost. This principle
of appeal so characteristic of Presbyterianism has ?
?ccu incorporated into the judicial system of the j
United States.
Third?Executive. The elders enforce the legis- ^
lative acts and judicial decrees of the Church. (
Presbyterian Church government escapes the T
tyranny of the one-man rule of Episcopacy; and is ^
free from the influence of the immature and ^
worldly-minded in pure Congregationalism.
The Scriptures, 1 Tim. 4:14, sanctions our i
ordination of ministers, elders and deacons "with j
the laving on of the hands of the Presbytery." c
The only condition of membership in the Presbyterian
Church i9 a profession of faith in the g
Lord Jesus Christ as a personal Saviour. ]
WHAT I BELIEVE. t
1. I believe that the Presbyterian Church gov.
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byte* i- Beli
srnment, safeguarding libei *y oi conscience, is
scriptural.
2. 1 believe that the Holy {Scriptures is the
kvord oi God, infallible, the only rule of faith
ind obedience.
3. 1 believe that the Westminster Confession
if Faith is a summary of all the teachings of the
Holy {Scriptures, and shows the loyalty oi the
Presbyterian Church to the whole word of God.
4. I believe in the Trinity; in God the Father
Ylnnghty, maker of heaven and earth.
5. 1 believe in the Deitv of .Iprhr nhricf ilia
Son, our Lord; in His incarnation and that He
vas conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the
Virgin Alary.
6. 1 believe in God, the Holy Spirit, who conrinceth
the world of sin, of righteousness, and of
ludgment to come; and is the author of regenera;ion,
and worketli sanctitication in the hearts of
lie elect.
*
7. 1 believe that the eternial purpose of God,
iccording to His iniinite will, includes all events;
ind does not deprive man of freedom, nor do
liolence to his will, nor make God the author of
iin.
8. 1 believe that man was created after "the
mage of God in knowledge, righteousness and
joliness; that of his own free will he broke the
ovenant of works by an act of disobedience, and
is the .Representative Head of the human race
wrought upon all mankind the curse and death
>f sin, from which he has been unable to deliver
rimself
9. I believe that "God is love," and that His
ove is shown in His holiness, justice, goodness,
nercy and truth; and is revealed in the wonderful
rift of His Son for the sin of the world.
10. I believe that Jesus Christ, in the Covenant
)f Grace, redeemed me from sin; and that salva
ion, which is freely offered to all men, is received
>nly by those who believe in Jesus Christ unto
sternal life. I
11. I believe that the death of Christ was a
vicarious sacrifice; for He "bore our sins in His
>wn body on the tree."
12. I believe that Christ died as our penal
mbstitute; "that the Lord laid on Him the inquity
of us all."
13. I believe that Christ suffered under Prm.
rus Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; that
m the third day He arose from the dead, ascended
jnto heaven, where He is now our advocate;
vhence He shall come at the last day to judge
he quick and the dead.
14. I believe that the Holy Spirit applies the
edemption purchased by Christ by working faith
n us. and therebv unitincr no ~?
j ?w vii110o in uur
iffectual calling.
15. I believe that faith in Jesus Christ is a
aving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon
Iim alone for salvation as He is offered to us in
he Gospel.
16. I believe that predestination is the act of
'WESTERNPfPESBYTEPJAfih
9al Presbyter/an /
'TLJC OA t Dracc o\yr?
Mwiutuv r ! C
C1UST 27, 1913. NO. 3+^
? ? ?y
eves Rev. J. K. Roberts
the love of God in the Gospel that chose us for
redemption from the power of sin and death to
become the sons of God in His glorious kingdom;
and that the Holy Scriptures never speak of the
unsaved as being predestinated, because they are
already dead in trespasses and in sins, already
under condemnation, already lost by reason of
their transgressions.
17. 1 believe that God's /electing grace has
peopled heaven with a multitude no man can
number, and has never sent one soul to hell.
18. 1 believe that man, being a free moral
agent, is responsible for his spiritual condition.
19. I believe that, being justified by faith, we
are pardoned and accepted as righteous in the
sight of God through the imputation of the right
uuuBiiuss or unrist unto us by faith, and that we
are thus adopted into God's family, and become
heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
20. I believe that sanctification is the work of
God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the
whole man after the image of God, and are enabled
more and more to die unto sin and live
unto righteousness.
21.' I believe that repentance unto life is a
saving grace whereby a sinner, out of a true sense
of sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in
Christ, doth with gTief and hatred of his sin,
turn from it unto God, with full purpose of and
endeavor after new obedience.
22. T believe that good works, done in obedience
to God's commandments, are the fruits and
evidences of a true and lively faith.
23. I believe in the perseverence of the saints;
that being born from above we are the children
of God, so that God, enabling us to render a
cheerful and loving obedience to His commandments,
continues His sanctifvinsr work in nnr
hearts, until at last we shall stand perfect in the
presence of Christ in glory.
24. I believe in the communion of saints; and
that the unity of the Church militant is not destroyed
by its division into different denominations
of professing Christians.
25. I believe in the resurrection of the dead;
that the souls of believers are at their death made
perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into
glory; and their bodies, being still united to
Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.
26. I believe in the life to come; that at the
resurrection believers, being raised up in glory,
shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the
day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in
the full enjoying of God to all eternitv
27. I believe that all who are incapable of
receiving the outward call by the ministry of the
word, such as the simple, and infants dying in
infancy, are saved by Christ through the regeneration
of the Holy Spirit.
28. I believe there is a hell; and that the finally
impenitent, having rejected all offers of mercy
in Christ on earth, shall be judged by the life they
lived in this world and sentenced to eternal death.