I. Church Ordinances.
A. Those given in Scripture.
1. These involve many spiritual relationships.
a. Concerning the means of grace: preaching and sacranents.
b. Concerning officebearers: who they can be; requirements for then.
c. Concerning discipline: Matt. 16:19; 18:18.
d. Concerning proper conversation and walk.
2. But Scripture does not present all the details of order for the church.
a. There is no requirement concerning the form of our worship.
b. No stipulations concerning the number of worship services, etc.
B. Those given through decision of the church itself in the Church Order.
1. We have as a guide the Church Order of Dort. This is divided as follows:
a. Articles 2-28: on the offices.
b. Articles 29-52: on ecclesiastical assemblies.
c. Articles 53-70: on doctrines, sacraments, and ceremonies.
a. Articles 71-84: on censure and admonition.
2. Our church order has remained basically unchanged in 400 years.
a. We have added decisions which are appended as footnotes.
b. In recent years Reformed churches have drastically revised the Church Order.
c. But we believe there is something beautiful in it as it now exists:
1) It is very brief–hardly all-comprehensive.
2) But touches upon the essentials in which the church must be guided.
II. The limitations upon church ordinances:
A. As such.
1. The church must continue to maintain that which Christ has instituted.
a. This is being challenged today when the infallibility of Scripture itself is denied.
b. Yet the Word itself is the infallible rule for the Church of Christ.
2. But the church rejects all human inventions which bind the conscience.
B. Significance:
1. Opposed to Roman Catholicism.
a. These, over the years, had built up a vast catalog of rules and regulations.
b. And the Church in the Netherlands had recently been freed of these at the time of the reformation.
2. The church rather must be guided by Scripture itself.
III. The place of church discipline:
A. There is special emphasis upon this.
1. Already then there was the danger that this be forgotten.
a. Man prefers to be his own guide–he will not have Christ to rule over him.
b. The church then insisted that the Christian must walk in all holiness–and the church must see to this.
2. And this necessity of discipline is obvious especially today.
B. The method of discipline:
1. Centrally, this is done through the preaching of the Word of God.
2. Then, if necessary, this is done by the elders of the church.
a. There is first “minor excommunication” or “silent censure.”
b. Then follows “major excommunication”.
1) There are the “steps” of admonition.
a) The announcement of the sin without identifying the sinner.
b) The announcement of both the sin and the sinner (after approval is given by classis).
c) The announcement that after a specified date the sinner will be cut off from the church unless there is repentance.
2) Then follows final excommunication:
a) This does not declare that one to be reprobate.
b) But a means yet to lead to repentance–and to declare that except there be such repentance, there is no place in the kingdom of heaven for such an one.
Worksheet
A. Supplementary reading:
1. Matthew 18; Eph. 4.
2. Heidelberg Catechism, L.D. 39.
3. Review the contents of the Church Order.
B. Questions for further consideration:
1. What is the difference between “private” and “public” sins?
2. Why is our Church Order so very brief?
3. Is the church order out of date–since it is over 400 years old?
4. Do we observe every article of the church order completely?
5. What would rules of “human invention” be?
6. Why ought we to worship God twice each Sunday? Why not four tines?