Basic HTML Version
580
which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses commit thou to faithful men, who shall
be able to teach others also.” II Tim. 2:2.
2. THE POTESTAS GUBERNANS.
This is divided into the potestas ordinans and the potestas
iudicans.
a. The potestas ordinans.
“God is not a God of confusion, but of peace,” I Cor. 14:33. Hence He
desires that in His Church “all things be done decently and in order,” vs. 40. This is evident from
the fact that He has made provision for the proper regulation of the affairs of the Church. The
regulative authority which He has given to the Church includes the power:
(1) To enforce the laws of Christ.
This means that the Church has the right to carry into effect
the laws which Christ has promulgated for the Church. There is an important difference on this
point between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches. The former virtually
claims authority to enact laws that are binding on the conscience, and the trangression of which
carries with it the same penalty that is annexed to any breach of the divine law. The latter,
however, disclaim any such authority, but maintain the right to enforce the law of Christ, the
King of the Church. And even so they claim no other than a ministerial or declarative power,
regard the law as binding only because it is backed by the authority of Christ, and apply no
other censures than those which He has sanctioned. Moreover, they feel that compulsion
would conflict with the nature of their power and could never result in real spiritual benefit. All
the members of the Church possess this power in a measure, Rom. 15:14; Cor. 3:16; I Thess.
5:11, but it is vested in a special measure in the officers, John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28; I Pet. 5:2.
The ministerial character of this power is brought out in II Cor. 1:24; I Pet. 5:2,3.
(2) To draw up canons or church orders.
Numberless occasions arise on which the Church is
prompted to make enactments or regulations, often called canons or church orders. Such
enactments are not to be regarded as new laws, but merely as regulations for the proper
application of the law. They are necessary to give the outward polity of the Church a definite
form, to stipulate on what terms persons are permitted to bear office in the Church, to regulate
public worship, to determine the proper form of discipline, and so on. General principles for the
worship of God are laid down in Scripture, John 4:23; I Cor. 11:17-33; 14:40; 16:2; Col. 3:16(?); I
Tim. 3:1-13; but in the regulation of the details of divine worship the churches are allowed
great latitude. They may adapt themselves to circumstances, always bearing in mind, however,
that they should worship God publicly in the manner best adapted to the purpose of
edification. In no case may the regulations of the Church go contrary to the laws of Christ.
b. The potestas iudicans.
The potestas iudicans is the power that is exercised to guard the
holiness of the Church, by admitting those who are approved after examination, and by