Presbyterian Practice

These believe in the sovereignty of God, the authority of the scriptures, justification by grace through faith, and the priesthood of all believers.

What they mean is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God’s purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone’s job, ministers and laypeople alike, to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.

About the priesthood of all believers:

Jesus has come as a servant, not as a priest, nor as an authority above his disciples.   The priesthood is dead and he terminated it with his coming, he is the end of the priesthood and the end of the prophets: after him there is none. Note that if one is prophesying it does not make that one a ‘prophet’ in the very sense of the word. Doing some painting about the house does not make you a painter.

So, if all Christians are equal, as Jesus taught us, not placing one above the other, then, if there are Christians claiming to be  ‘Priests’ in de context of the churches, then all Christians are Priests.

If their man-made priests would not claim special powers above Christians, like the power to mediate between sinners and God, while God tells us to pray to him alone, then there would not be a problem: the term ‘Priest’ would just distinguish a clerical position   – but currently that is not so; it’s an overt farce.

Presbyterianism seems sound practice that does not contradict the doctrine of Christ.  The church we read about in the book of Acts  – the church of the Apostles, is Presbyterian. One must also understand the difference between a ‘Believer’ and a ‘Christian’.  A mere believer cannot have acquired membership of the Holy Christian Church mentioned in the Gospel, but only a follower of Christ:  a repented and truly baptized person, a ‘Christian’.  A believer believes but does not necessarily follow Christ. So we must understand that ‘Believer’ does not denote  ‘one Baptised’ what, indeed, is the definition of ‘Christian’.

They are an Evangelical Church; organisational doctrine mainly Calvinism (from John Calvin); their churches are governed by elders and they include:   – Church of Scotland, Free Church, Free Presbyterian Church and other churches scattered over the earth.

And like all the others, this church will only baptize people into their church!  And remember, God does not like this one bit!  A true Christian will baptize people into the Church of Christ and let them go their way.