Does the regulative principle apply to polity?

[Sam Jer]

Hello everyone, may we all have a blessed sabbath.
Does the regulative principle apply to church officers?
Where is the distcnction between teaching and ruling elders from? What ought and ought not each do?
Do offices not warranted in scripture prohibited by it? This question can apply both to regional bishops and Evangelical "worship leaders" and "youth pastors".

(Yes, I will read "the form of Presbetyrian Church Government" in a moment. I wanted to hear what others think too).

Edit: to clarify, this question is particularly addressed to Presbetyrians, please don't make this a debate of indepandancy or paedobaptism

 

[NaphtaliPress]

As of doctrine, and as of worship, the government of Christ's church is ordered by Himself, what Presbyterians called divine right or a jus divinum of church government. See John L. Girardeau's The Discretionary Power of the Church, a sermon on Matthew 28:20. At the time of the Westminster Assembly, when the House of Commons had censured the assembly for rebuking the house for impinging upon Christ's right to order his own church, a subset of members who were also members of the London Provincial Presbytery drafted a reply called Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici, which has been considered the answer to the house of at least the Presbyterian majority of the Westminster Assembly. In the first part they define what a divine right is and how to determine it, and in the second treat of the offices of the church and authority of church courts. I published what proved a pretty rough edition of this in 1995, and a more critical edition of it in 2020, colllated the three early editions. It is available at RHB. The third and final early edition is online at archives.

 

[jwithnell]

It is helpful to pull these questions apart into appropriate categories.

Regulative principle addresses the conduct of worship in Christ's church. About the only time I've seen it applied specifically to church officers is worship when all the presbyters are gathered such as at a presbytery meeting outside of the business portion of the meeting. Such worship is public and follows RPW.

Presbyterians do not distinguish between bishops and elders of which you'll find denominational differences in labels of teaching and ruling. That one of these is supported in his teaching (Gal. 6:6) suggests distinctions in office.

The confession implies the one who leads worship, particularly reading the word, is the worship leader. Not some guy with a guitar.

 

[Sam Jer]

It is helpful to pull these questions apart into appropriate categories.

Regulative principle addresses the conduct of worship in Christ's church. About the only time I've seen it applied specifically to church officers is worship when all the presbyters are gathered such as at a presbytery meeting outside of the business portion of the meeting. Such worship is public and follows RPW.

Perhaps the right term is what @NaphtaliPress referenced, "Jus Divinum". Either way, the question stands even if I used bad terminology.

Presbyterians do not distinguish between bishops and elders

I know Presbetyrians don't and it would seem Paul did not.

of which you'll find denominational differences in labels of teaching and ruling. That one of these is supported in his teaching (Gal. 6:6) suggests distinctions in office.

Is that the right referance? It reads "Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches."

The confession implies the one who leads worship, particularly reading the word, is the worship leader. Not some guy with a guitar.

 

[Northern Crofter]

The confession implies the one who leads worship

The standards state that the one who leads worship (in prayer, in reading the Word, in preaching the Word, in blessing the congregation, in administering baptism, in administering the Lord's Supper) is to be "a minister of Christ. "

I note that:

1. the word "elder" does not appear in the Westminster Directory of Publick Worship
2. The Form of Presbyterian Church Government according to the Westminster Standards states that "The office of the elder (that is, the pastor)..."
3. "officers reformed churches commonly call Elders" "were in the Jewish church elders of the people joined with the priests and Levites in the government of the church; so Christ, who hath instituted government, and governors ecclesiastical in the church, hath furnished some in his church, beside the ministers of the word, with gifts for government, and with commission to execute the same when called thereunto, who are to join with the ministry in the government of the church." (Ibid. emphasis added)
4. The Form of Presbyterian Church Government according to the Westminster Standards does not use the term "elder" as we do - it prefers these terms top refer to the ordinary and perpetual offices of the Church: "pastors, teachers, and other church-governors, and deacons." (My own view, for what it's worth, is that there are essentially only 2 offices: pastors/teachers and church-governors/deacons).