Calvin Synod Herald, 2005 (106. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-01-01 / 1-2. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 7 would recognize and honor such if sent from God.) That leaves to us preachers and teachers for the church as we know it today. God has chosen the foolishness of the preaching of the Gospel for the salvation of man. God has used certain called out men for this task from the beginning. Nowhere in scripture do we see the task assigned to all of the church. Even Paul says that faith comes from hearing and asks how they can hear if none send a preacher. Notice Paul did not say a witness nor a spokesperson, but a preacher, the gift of God to the church. Note well the purpose of this call and how it is in the assembling together as the church of God that the perfection of the saints is ordained by God. Ministers of the New Testament. Furthermore, the ministers of the new people are called by various names. For they are called apostles, prophets, evangelists, bishops, elders, pastors, and teachers (I Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11). The apostles did not stay in any particular place, but throughout the world gathered together different churches. When they were once established, there ceased to be apostles, and pastors took their place, each in his church. In former times the prophets were seers, knowing the future; but they also interpreted the Scriptures. Such men are also found still today. The writers of the history of the Gospel were called Evangelists; but they also were heralds of the Gospel of Christ; as Paul also commended Timothy: Do the work of an evangelist (II Tim. 4:5). Bishops are the overseers and watchmen of the Church, who administer the food and needs of the life of the Church. The presbyters are the elders and, as it were, senators and fathers of the Church, governing it with wholesome counsel. The pastors both keep the Lord’s sheepfold, and also provide for its needs. The teachers instruct and teach the true faith and godliness. Therefore, the ministers of the churches may now be called bishops, elders, pastors, and teachers. While I differ as noted in the above paragraph concerning the time and place of the various offices, I am not in opposition to this paragraph at all, but rather praise it as being most well worded and thought out and worthy of all attention. One note however is that the Bible sent preachers as evangelists where there was no church. We use that title today and send preachers to establish a church on the comer next to an existing church. A misuse of the title at best. Papal Orders. Then in subsequent times many more names of ministers in the Church were introduced into the Church of God. For some were appointed patriarchs, others archbishops, others suffragans; also, metropolitans, archdeacons, deacons, subdeacons, acolytes, exorcists, cantors, porters, and I know not what others, as cardinals, provosts, and priors; greater and lesser fathers, greater and lesser orders. But we are not troubled about all these about how they once were and are now. For us the apostolic doctrine concerning ministers is sufficient. If called of God the minister will administer the Word and sacraments of God, despite the failings of man to understand the clearness and sureness of the line of authority from Christ to earth as laid before us in scripture, and the assignment of ungodly titles in an attempt to create their own hierarchy. Concerning Monks. Since we assuredly know that monks, and the orders or sects of monks, are instituted neither by Christ nor by the apostles, we teach that they are of no use to the Church of God, nay rather, are pernicious. For, although in former times they were tolerable (when they were hermits, earning their living with their own hands, and were not a burden to anyone, but like the laity were everywhere obedient to the pastors of the churches), yet now the whole world sees and knows what they are like. They formulate I know not what vows; but they lead a life quite contrary to their vows, so that the best of them deserves to be numbered among those of whom the apostle said: We hear that some of you are living an irregular life, mere busybodies, not doing any work etc. (II Thess. 3:11). Therefore, we neither have such in our churches, nor do we teach that they should be in the churches of Christ. Forbid not the assembling of yourselves together says the Bible, end debate. The creation of such sects alone speaks to their yet being carnal as opposed to the pureness of life before God such various vows are supposed to accomplish. Rightly the author so notes we have no such persons or sects within the true church of Christ, Ministers Are To Be Called and Elected. Furthermore, no man ought to usurp the honor of the ecclesiastical ministry; that is, to seize it for himself by bribery or any deceits, or by his own free choice. But let the ministers of the Church be called and chosen by lawful and ecclesiastical election; that is to say, let them be carefully chosen by the Church or by those delegated from the Church for that purpose in a proper order without any uproar, dissension and rivalry. Not any one may be elected, but capable men distinguished by sufficient consecrated learning, pious eloquence, simple wisdom, lastly, by moderation and an honorable reputation, according to that apostolic rule which is compiled by the apostle in I Tim., ch. 3, and Titus, ch. 1. We could enter into much comment and debate here. However the reformed church has always held to a three point calling to help her assure that only those of God were ordained into the office of minister, these being identified prior to and prepared to minister to God’s people. This calling process begins with the inward sense of calling in the individual. The next step is the recognition of God’s calling by the brothers and sisters in Christ of the person called. Such persons with an inner calling and the recognition of his peers in Christ is recognized and accepted by the courts of the church as being called of God enters into a time of preparation for service. Last, such a person having received a call to a particular place, church, or ministry is recognized by the ordaining body and before God with the laying on of hands by the elders set aside and so assigned the title and duties of Minister of Word and sacrament. The Reformed church has never ordained to service without a specific call to serve in a particular place/area by an assembly of God’s people. In other words she has never ordained and turned lose in the world ministers without proper fellowship and support, these being seen as provided by God and the final fleece before bestowing the highest title among men upon a mere mortal and setting them to labor in the Lord’s vineyard. Ordination. And those who are elected are to be ordained by the elders with public prayer and laying on of hands. Here we condemn all those who go off of their own accord, being neither chose, sent, nor ordained (Jen, ch. 23). We condemn unfit ministers and those not furnished with the necessary gifts of a pastor. In the meantime we acknowledge that the harmless simplicity of some
