BC 7.4

7.4. The Government of the Church

We believe that this true church ought to be governed according to the spiritual order that our Lord has taught us in his Word. There should be ministers or pastors to preach the Word of God and administer the sacraments. There should also be elders and deacons, along with the pastors, to make up the council of the church. By this means true religion is preserved; true doctrine is able to take its course; and evil people are corrected spiritually and held in check, so that also the poor and all the afflicted may be helped and comforted according to their need. By this means everything will be done well and in good order in the church, when such persons are elected who are faithful and are chosen according to the rule that Paul gave to Timothy. (1 Tim. 3)

Proof texts

• Acts 20:28 — [28] Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
• Eph. 4:11-12 — [11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
• 1 Tim. 3:15 — [15] if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
• Heb. 13:20-21 — [20] Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, [21] equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
• Luke 1:2 — [2] just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
• Luke 10:16 — [16] “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
• John 20:23 — [23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
• Rom. 10:14 — [14] How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
• 1 Cor. 4:1 — [1] This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
• 2 Cor. 5:19-20 — [19] that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. [20] Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
• 2 Tim. 4:2 — [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
• Acts 14:23 — [23] And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
• Titus 1:5 — [5] This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you —
• 1 Tim. 3:8-10 — [8] Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. [9] They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. [10] And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
• Phil. 1:1 — [1] Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
• 1 Tim. 4:14 — [14] Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
• Acts 6:1-4 — [1] Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. [2] And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. [3] Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. [4] But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
• Titus 1:7-9 — [7] For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, [8] but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. [9] He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
• 1 Cor. 4:2 — [2] Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
• 1 Tim. 3 — [1] The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. [2] Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, [3] not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. [4] He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, [5] for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? [6] He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. [7] Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. [8] Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. [9] They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. [10] And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. [11] Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. [12] Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. [13] For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. [14] I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, [15] if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. [16] Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Acts 20:28 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 20 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. HC Q54 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. HC Q55 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

HC Q54 · HC Q55 · HC Q83 · HC Q84 · HC Q85