The Reading Room - History

The Bible Presbyterian Church:
Striving For Purity and Adequately Serving the Lord

Introduction • Churches Impure & Inadequate • Churches Striving for Purity & Adequacy
• The BPC in the 21st Century • Conclusion

By: Albert W. Cook (Former Pastor (Retired) of Grace Bible Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, OH)

A Church Maintaining Its Purity And Improving Its Adequacy:
The Bible Presbyterian Church in the 21^st Century

I praise God for continuing to use the Bible Presbyterian Church. Some of the signs of His blessing are our young people who are training and considering serving in the Bible Presbyterian Church, and younger ministers who are having good and faithful ministries in our churches. Another may be those of us who are retired or near retirement being of help to these gifted younger leaders.

As we enter into the 21^st century, we must adequately deal with the issues that come our way without splitting the Church. “That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another” (1 Cor 12:25). We must be careful not to destroy our own denomination. Here are some areas that come to mind to enable us to improve the Bible Presbyterian Church.

1. We must humble ourselves before God and one another. Many problems are caused by pride and failure to forgive and be reconciled (1 Pet 5:1-11).
2. We must solve problems in our independent agencies and not allow them to overwhelm the local churches and the denomination. Our first priority is to build the local church.
3. We need to make a real effort to enlarge our local congregations through evangelism and discipleship. We must not be hesitant in our pulpits to encourage people to repent of their sins and trust in Christ as their Savior (1 Cor 1:20-25).
4. It is important that we all keep ourselves in the love of God (Jude 20-21). When we remove the log in our own eye we will be of more help to others (Matt 7:1-5).
5. We should seek fellowship with other Bible believing Presbyterian Churches (1 John 3:14).
6. Beware of having a high view of the Bible but preaching politics instead. God’s people must be taught God’s Word (2 Tim 4:1-5).
7. Christ is the head of the Church (Col 1:16-18). May we always seek to please Him rather than men (Gal 1:10).
8. Beware of legalism in all of its forms. I understand legalism to be taking a strong stand on issues not clear in Scripture and making them a rule of faith and practice. The Bible does teach liberty in some matters, and we should avoid judging one another in these areas (Rom 14:1-23).
9. We used to use the Harvey Cedars Resolution (1945) as our position on separation. It stated that we separate from those who deny God’s Word in doctrine or practice. It also warned that there were risks in fellowshipping with those who are true to Scripture themselves but remain in apostate churches. I believe this to be a biblical position, and one we can practice with consistency.



(The Harvey Cedars Resolution - 1945)

(1)

We hold that it is a Christian’s duty to separate himself from all cooperation in religious activities with those who deny the full authority and dependability of the Word of God, and that no consideration of expediency could ever warrant such cooperation.

(2)

As concerns cooperation with those who, while themselves believing in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, continue in membership in denominations which include known unbelievers, and fail to see clearly and to observe fully the scriptural injunction to separate themselves from such organizations, we hold that this is a sphere of expediency, that is, one in which no man’s conscience may be bound by other men; however, we as a Synod feel that great harm is done in many cases by such cooperation, and hence that it is unwise to enter upon or continue in them without careful consideration.

(3)

Regarding such individuals as are described in paragraph (1), we should seek by every possible means to win them to Christ; regarding such individuals as are described in paragraph (2), we urge that they be dealt with in a spirit of brotherly love, seeking by every proper means to win them to the scriptural position of separation rather than to drive them from us, and yet not violating our conscience.



10. As our Church becomes more reformed, we must be careful not to become hyper-Calvinists. May we be the means God uses to win the lost and build His Church.
11. We need to strive for the purity, peace and unity of the Church. All three of these are important. We must not be content with one or two of the three (Ordination Vow).
12. Our agencies, whether synod controlled or independent, must give accurate and understandable reports to their supporters.
13. Financial matters must be kept in such a way as to be acceptable to God and men (2 Cor 8:21)
14. We need to hold firm to the biblical account of creation. God created all things out of nothing by the Word of His power in six days, and it was very good. There is no reason to interpret “days” other than twenty-four hour days.
15. We must reach out to Bible believing colleges and seminaries and encourage their graduates to become ministers and missionaries in our denomination.
16. Our book of discipline should be revised so that the steps of discipline are clear. It is always the purpose to restore the offender to good standing in the Church as God changes the heart.
17. We should keep a balanced ministry by preaching the whole counsel of God to our congregations (Acts 20:26-28).

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