Episode Details

Chapter 30: Of Church Censures (Part 1)

Speaker: Reverend Joseph Poon

Website: http://www.bpcwa.org.au/

DOWNLOAD WCF Chapter 30: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XmSssHG97bdBPRhCQ7aA-NIBn3529ZJl/view

Introduction - (00:00)

QUESTIONS

WCF 30.1

Q1. What are church censures?

Q2. Why is it important to understand church government in the study of church censure?

Q3. Is church government a system appointed by God for His church or did man invent it? Show from Scriptures.

Q4. Why do we need church government when God has ordained civil magistrates (WCF chapter 23)?

Q5. Who is the church’s ultimate governor? What does this imply?

Q6. But if Elders are elected by the people, then is it not appointed by the members rather than Christ?

Q7. What are the criteria of selecting and appointing the church-officers? Why is it important that the church use these criteria without deviation?

Q8. What is the form of church government God set in place in the New Testament churches?

Q9. Who are the “church-officers” that rule and oversee the church in the government of the church? How do we know that?

Q10. How does the Elders or Presbyterian system function in the New Testament in relation to the church-officers in responsibilities and church decisions on matters of faith and practice versus the deacons' roles?

Q11. What are the expectations of God:

Q11. a) Upon the Elders?

Q11. b) Upon members towards the Elders?

Q12. What does a worshipper vow regarding church authority when one choses to take up church membership? Is it biblical to take such a vow?

Q13. What does such a vow bind the member to regarding all church decisions and directions as long as they are not unbiblical? What if they are unbiblical?

Q14. How many kinds of Elder offices are there in the church? How do we know? What are their key differences?

Q15. Who are the only ones appointed by God in the church to exercise church censures? Why?

Q16. What is a key trait and teaching of Progressive Christians regarding church authority? Why is it so?

Q17. Does it mean that theologically trained people and ordained church authorities are always right in their interpretation of doctrines, exercising judgments and rule? Why? Since they are not perfect, why should we accept their authority and discipline?

====

CHAPTER XXX OF CHURCH CENSURES

1. THE Lord Jesus, as king and head of his church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of church-officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.1

1. Isa. 9:6-7; I Tim. 5:17; I Thess. 5:12; Acts 20:17-18; Heb. 13:7,17,24; I Cor. 12:28; Matt. 28:18-20

2. To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by virtue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins, to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.2

2. Matt. 16:19; Matt. 18:17-18; John 20:21-23; II Cor. 2:6-8

3. Church censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren; for deterring of others from the like offenses; for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump; for vindicating the honor of Christ, and the holy profession of the gospel; and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the church, if they should suffer his covenant, and the seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.3

3. I Cor. 5:1-13; I Tim. 5:20; Matt. 7:6; I Tim. 1:20; I Cor. 11:27-34; with Jude 23

====

Westminster Confession of Faith Series

Bible Presbyterian Church of WA

Friday 27th September 2019

To watch this video on YouTube, use this link: https://youtu.be/G4m5r5skDIQ