07/01/06
The book Jus
Divinum cogently lays out the case for Presbyterianism versus other models for
church organization, such as Independency and Prelacy. Here is a link of an extract from the book
comparing Presbyterianism and Independency :
Having been a
member in the past of various Independent Reformed (Baptist) churches, I think Jus
Divinum rather accurately reflects what I observed in the Independent churches. I found that Independent church officers tended
more than Presbyterian church officers to make subjective judgments lacking
objective evidence, which would have come under more scrutiny if Independents
had to report to higher church courts.
But, of course, Independents lack higher church courts, so there can be
a tendency to get away with decisions based upon unsatisfactory evidence. There can be an over-estimation by
Independent church officers of their power to discern inward grace in
prospective communicants, and a lack of sufficient carefulness in addressing
observed sins of word and deed. A lack
of accountability can tend to this result, in my opinion.
The Manual of
Practice of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland ( see http://www.puritans.net/news/fpcs062804.htm
) is more sound, and it is consistent with the principles laid out in Jus
Divinum. In chapter one the Manual
emphasizes the need for the session to base decisions of who can participate in
communion upon objective observable evidence, yet it commends the session to
exhort the individual to probe his own heart, which only God and he can
do. The individual is not left to
imagine that the church’s permission to participate in communion may equate
with divine permission. So the
possibility of inappropriate assurance of salvation for the hypocrite can be
reduced.