This article, prepared by the Outreach Committee of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, is an answer to those who ask about the Church and also to commend the Church to those who may be interested in joining her fellowship. Free copies are available from The Free Presbyterian Bookroom, 133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6LE (Tel. No. 0141 332 1760), as are free sample copies of the Church’s magazines, The Free Presbyterian Magazine and The Young People’s Magazine. A booklist of new and secondhand books is available on request from the Bookroom, which stocks a large selection of Reformed literature.
IT has become common nowadays to hear people say, “What does it matter which Church one belongs to? They all worship the same God anyway. They just do it in different ways.” The assertion falls easily from the lips, but what has the Bible to say on the question?
Let it be said, at the outset, that the most important thing is that one is a member of that Church which is made up of true believers – those who are born again, and whose sins have been forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Matthew 16: 16-18).
No particular Church on earth dare arrogate the claim to itself that it alone comprises the true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. To say, however, that it does not matter which particular Church one belongs to is not true. Scripture requires us to “prove all things”, to “hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). The choice of one’s Church does matter. Plainly, a Church that does not, for instance, proclaim a pure Gospel, or that practises what is inconsistent with the Word of God, does not deserve our support, for Christ requires the Church to teach “all things whatsoever I have commanded you”.
Our concern, therefore, should be to support a Church that comes nearest to the New Testament pattern, which is the divine blueprint for the Church of Christ in this world. If we turn to the Bible, we shall find that certain fundamental principles are laid down for the conduct and government of the Church on earth. These principles are not optional – for us to take or leave as we please. They are stamped with the divine imperative. Therefore, we are bound to adopt them. The Church that most faithfully does this, comes nearest to the New Testament model; it is the Church most worthy of our allegiance and most likely to promote our spiritual welfare. If we do not take the Holy Scriptures as our standard, in this and other religious questions, we will go very far astray in our choice. Let it be remembered that God is not the author of confusion; He is the God of order, and His Word cannot sanction contradictory doctrines and systems.
The Word of God tells us that no flesh is to glory in God’s presence; if any glory, he is to glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:29,31). What is enjoined here with respect to the individual Christian may with equal propriety be expected of a body of Christians. There is no room for boasting. No Church on earth is so sound as to be free from imperfection.
With the above preface in mind, we would submit that the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland shows by her doctrine and practice that she is a rightful and respectable member of the universal Church of Christ. But such a generalisation may be made of other Churches. Therefore, we must be more definitive; we must enquire more particularly into the characteristics which constitute a faithful Christian Church. What are her attributes?
First, she acknowledges none but the Lord Jesus Christ as her Head and King. Then, she takes the Word of God as her doctrinal foundation, and shows a determination never to permit any human writings or traditions of men to encroach upon the unique place of Scripture, as the standard of her faith and practice. She preaches the Word and administers the sacraments; her government and discipline are according to the mind of Christ. What is of the world, or of man’s invention, is not permitted to adulterate her worship. Of course, the more faithful she is to the voice of Christ, the purer she will be.
These are the basic principles for which our great Protestant Reformers, Calvin and Knox, contended, and it is in line with these principles that the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland stands.
Our creed
There have always been those who have objected to the use of creeds. Such objectors are loud and clamorous today. Under the pretence of piety and greater devotion to the Bible, there is widespread defection from the historic creeds of the Protestant Reformation. They are disowned because, as some allege, they are an infringement of the truth of God.
The proper object of a creed or confession, however, is simply to exhibit the truth of the Bible in a system, and to define and to defend the doctrines of Christianity in clear and precise language. So far from usurping the supreme place of Scripture, Bible-based confessions support and defend it; so far from obscuring the glory of Christ and His Cross, they define and reflect it. Those who call for their abandonment, it will be found, either are ignorant of their worth and usefulness, or wish to be free to hold loose views of Scripture, and nebulous opinions of the Christian Faith. A creedless Church is an absurdity.
The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland maintains a wholehearted allegiance to the Westminster Confession of Faith – a confession which, for scripturalness, comprehensiveness, and precise definition, has not been bettered. This document, the outcome of several years’ labour, was formulated by some of the ablest and most learned Scottish and English divines of the 17th Century. It was approved by Act of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1647. After “mature deliberation” it was judged to be “most orthodox and grounded on the Word of God”. Thankful acknowledgement was made to God for His great mercy “in that so excellent a Confession of Faith” was agreed to in both Kingdoms, and it was looked upon as a “great strengthening of the Reformed religion against the enemies thereof”. It was ratified by the Scottish Parliament in 1649, and again after the Revolution in 1690. The Westminster Confession of Faith has, therefore, the force of state law.
It is this Confession that forms the subordinate standard of our Church – subordinate, of course, to the Word of God. There was a time when every major Presbyterian Church worldwide subscribed this Confession. We believe that the Church in Scotland cannot prosper until she returns to the doctrine it presents and the practice it requires.
Distinctive features
While the testimony of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland precisely coincides with the whole doctrine of the Westminster Confession, there is a certain distinctiveness that colours her particular testimony. This distinctiveness does not lie in any addition to, or subtraction from the Westminster standards. It resides rather in the Church’s adherence to certain doctrines which other Churches have either entirely abandoned, or else in respect to which they hold defective views. These are:
1. The Headship of Christ.
He is the sole Head of the Church and has appointed Church officers to administer its affairs, distinct from the civil magistrate. These officers possess spiritual jurisdiction, coordinate with, and not subordinate to, the civil jurisdiction of the civil magistrate. But, further, we hold that Christ is not only King of saints, but also King of nations, “Lord of lords and King of kings” (see Jeremiah 10:7, Psalm 2, Revelation 17:14, etc.) and that the State, as such, is under obligation to acknowledge and support His cause and truth. This is what is called the Establishment Principle.
2. The Biblical doctrine of the atonement as presented in the Westminster Confession of Faith.
We believe that Christ died for the elect only, and we are opposed to the doctrine of universal redemption, as also salvation by man’s good deeds. We stress the sovereignty of God in salvation, but we also emphasise man’s responsibility. Hence, in line with Scripture, we proclaim Christ crucified for sinners, “that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
3. The doctrine of the verbal inspiration of Scripture.
We disown all theories of partial inspiration. We maintain that the Bible is the Word of God, inspired and infallible, from beginning to end.
4. Purity of worship.
We oppose the use of instrumental music in the public services of God’s house, and at the same time maintain that the Book of Psalms is the divinely appointed manual of praise in the worship of God. Consequently, we do not employ uninspired hymns or paraphrases of Scripture in our public devotions.
5. The exercise of firm discipline, in the spirit of the Gospel.
This discipline is not lordly but ministerial; it is delegated by Christ to those who rule in the Church (Hebrews 13:7,17). To dispense with discipline is to dispense ultimately with the Gospel. Without it the purity of the Church is jeopardised.
All the above points have their basis in Scripture, and are enunciated in the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Church government
It need hardly be said that our form of Church government is Presbyterian. While this aspect of the Church, we admit, is not essential to salvation, still, it is a point of divine revelation, and therefore cannot be overlooked. How can the whole counsel of God be conserved if a scriptural government is not established and maintained? While we agree that the rigid detail of organisation which marked the Old Testament Church is not to be looked for in the New, which enjoys greater liberty, yet we do assert that the principal features of the new mode of government may be clearly discerned in the history of the early Christian Church. We are, therefore, to follow the pattern shown us in the New Testament.
An examination of the main principles which entered into the policy of the early Church of the apostles shows that the form of Church government was Presbyterian. The central feature of this system of ecclesiastical government is that it entrusts the rule of the Church under Christ to presbyters or elders in their corporate capacity.
The following six principles characterised the government of the early Christian Church (see Witherow’s Apostolic Church):
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The office-bearers were chosen by the people.
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The office of bishop and elder was identical.
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There was a plurality of elders in each Church.
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Ordination was the act of a presbytery – that is, of a plurality of elders.
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There was the privilege of appeal to the assembly of elders; and the power of government was exercised by them in their associate capacity.
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The only Head of the Church was the Lord Jesus Christ.
A fair comparison of the three principal forms of Church government into which the Christian world falls – Prelacy, Independency, and Presbytery – shows that Prelacy conforms to none of the above principles; Independency to only three of them; while Presbytery conforms to all six. We conclude, therefore, that Presbytery, since it has the approbation of Scripture, is of divine right, and by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ.
The Church’s message
Immediately before His ascension to Glory, our Lord gave His apostles the Great Commission; to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all men everywhere. Ever since, this has been the Church’s obligation. The Gospel which Christ would have us preach must be determined by the Word of God.
1. It is a message, first, that deals with man’s sin.
The teaching that man is a sinner, that he is guilty before God, and that his sin, if not repented of, will bring him to everlasting ruin, is peculiarly unpalatable to the natural man. The Bible itself recognises this. But whatever we may think about it, it is a doctrine which is inscribed in the Word of God as with a pen of iron. Our Lord said: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17). If man is not a sinner; if he is not in danger of God’s punishment, there is no point to the Gospel. It is a Gospel of salvation through Christ Jesus. But salvation from what? Man’s guilt and condemnation lie at the back of preaching. So, first, man’s sin much be emphasised.
2. It is a message which stresses man’s inability to save himself.
The currently popular gospel teaches that man can by his supposed good deeds win his way to the favour of God. This teaching is just the essence of Pharisaism – something against which Jesus thundered. No! Man cannot save himself. He is, as far as human power and ingenuity is concerned, beyond redemption. “If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law” (Galatians 3:21). “If righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21). The Bible teaches that man is spiritually dead, and that only by the power of God’s Spirit can he be given life and brought to trust in Jesus. Unless man is convinced of his utter hopelessness, Christ Jesus is of no relevance to him. “They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick” (Mark 2:17).
3. The Gospel message, however, does not abandon man to his lostness.
It comes to him where he is. It proclaims the remedy; it points out the way of deliverance. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). What does this mean? It means that God has provided for man’s lostness. Christ Jesus, by His holy, sinless life, has met the claims of God’s law and justice; by His death on the cross, He has endured the sinner’s punishment. He died the innocent for the guilty. Hence, the way of acceptance with God is through Christ and Him crucified. The requirement of the Gospel, in order to our being saved, is “repentance toward God, and faith toward Jesus Christ.” “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
4. The Gospel calls for a life of holiness.
Those who, by the grace of God, respond to the Gospel call and who believe in Jesus, will manifest their trust in Him and their love to Him by a life of obedience to His Word. This is the proper order because it is the divine order. The sinner rests in Christ alone for salvation and acceptance with God: but this being done, the new life is expressed in holy, fruitful conduct, and effective witness-bearing. The motive is love to Christ. This response to Him, we call evangelical obedience. Multitudes who profess to believe in Jesus as their Saviour contradict their profession by living unchristian lives. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
This adherence to the whole Word of God represents what the Free Presbyterian Church stands for. We do not believe in accommodating the Bible to appease the prejudices of men. We let Scripture speak for itself, and when it has spoken, we say: “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
We invite you to join in our worship. We hope you will be blessed among us, because we trust you will find what you cannot get everywhere: “The whole counsel of God.”