Seven Good Reasons to be Presbyterian

1. We interpret Scripture Carefully

One often hears the statement: "I don't care about theology or doctrine; I have the Bible - that's all I need."   This sounds simple and easy enough to follow.  But when we begin to see how many different groups through the years have taken the same text of Scriptures and interpreted them differently, we realize the naivete involved in such a statement.  The truth is that unless you are cooking a goat separate from its mother's milk, worshiping with harp and lyre, and making women wear bonnets inside the sanctuary, you – or whoever taught you the Bible - are already interpreting Scripture, that is, drawing conclusions about what the Bible says and what it means for us today. 

 Presbyterians take the Bible seriously enough to be careful about how we interpret it.  In fact, we have strict guidelines to show us how to do so correctly: 1) recognize that Jesus Christ, the redeemer, is the center of Scripture; 2) Let the focus be on the plain text of Scripture; 3) Depend upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit in interpreting and applying God's message; 4) Be guided by the doctrinal consensus of the church, which is the'rule of faith'; 5) Let all interpretations be in accord with the'rule of love'; 6) Remember that interpretation of the Bible requires earnest study; 7) Seek to interpret a particular passage of the Bible in light of all the Bible.

 Presbyterians have a history of solid, well thought-out interpretation of Scripture stemming from the first truly evangelical theologian, John Calvin, and his Institutes of the Christian Religion, published in 1536, to scholars today who spend their entire lives studying different parts of Scripture to help us accurately understand its meaning.  We go to great lengths to make sure that every member has some basic understanding of how to take a passage of Scripture and properly apply it to their lives.

 2. We take sin seriously

Traditionally, sin in our culture has been associated with drinking, gambling, carousing, and using foul language.  In more modern days, activities such as substance abuse and pornography may be added to the list.

 Presbyterians understand sin to be much more pervasive, fundamentally distorting the way we think, the way we feel, our relationships, our community systems, governmental structures, and every other aspect of our life.  As the Psalmist says, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." (Ps. 51: 5)  Hence, unlike certain strains of the Holiness tradition, sin is not something we can ever be completely free from in this lifetime, not even for a day; it is like a dye which, once introduced into a cup of water, turns the whole contents of the cup to its color.

 We don't wallow in our sin nor give up claiming Christ's victory over it.  We do, however, regularly confess sin, maintain a humble and realistic assessment of our humanity, regularly identify as much of it as we can that it might be surrendered to the Lord, and depend utterly on God's grace to sustain us.

 3. We depend on grace completely

Some traditions believe that God begins to work in us only when we surrender our lives to him.  Presbyterians are too wary of self-righteousness ever to claim that anything we do on our own can contribute to God's plan of salvation for us.  Our adoption into God's kingdom, our salvation from sin, our repentance, and our eternal life – all of these were effected in us by the Holy Spirit and credit goes to His power and initiative, not ours.

According to Ephesians 2: 8-9, it is God's grace alone, a free gift from above, that brings about our healing and wholeness from our sin-sick selves.  Any claim to achieving it ourselves is un-Biblical and idolatrous. 

As fellow-sinners and recipients of God's gracious mercy, we receive into our ranks anyone who is humbly seeking God, regardless of how they might understand Him, with neither condemnation nor ignorance of the effects of evil in our lives; rather, with compassion and understanding, we seek to help guide people toward truth and reconciliation – with God, with themselves, and with all of humankind.

 4. We worship God Biblically

Different traditions will emphasize certain elements of worship.  A Catholic mass, for example, centers around the celebration of the Lord's Supper (Eucharist).  A Pentecostal service may focus on the speaking of tongues or the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit.  The climactic moment or pinnacle of a Baptist service, on the other hand, will likely be the altar call or baptism, that point at which a person becomes converted into the faith.

A Presbyterian service of worship has as its central focus the reading and proclamation of the Word of God, the central means by which the Holy Spirit teaches and admonishes us regarding the grace, mercy, and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  As we prepare to hear the Word, we confess our sins and receive God's forgiveness.  After we hear the Word, a 'teaching elder', usually the pastor, interprets it.  We then, through intercessory prayer, the offering of our tithes, and other calls to discipleship, respond to that Word.  This emphasis helps keep the focus off of all that we do for God and rather on who God is and what His agenda might be for us.

5. We recognize sacraments for what they are

There are only two sacraments recognized by the Presbyterian Church, namely, those which Jesus Christ ordained: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.  These are considered outward signs or'seals' of an inward reality, namely, God's grace bestowed upon those He has called who have turned to Him in their hearts and received His free gift of salvation. 

In accordance with Scripture (Acts 16: 31 - 33), we baptize infants when their parents are believers which helps us remember that God's grace and providence begin to work in our lives long before we are ever aware of it.  In this case, the parents act as'custodians' or caretakers of the faith of their offspring until that time when they are able to make a decision for themselves.

Since sacraments are'signs' of God's grace rather than the grace itself, Presbyterians do not consider it significant what form the baptism takes (immersion, sprinkling, etc.).  Likewise, the type of elements (wine, grape juice, etc.) is secondary to its meaning for the participants.  For purposes of order and church government, an ordained minister of the Word and Sacraments must under normal circumstances preside over the administration of these sacraments.

6. We govern our church realistically

Our denomination takes its name from the word 'presbyter' meaning 'elder' and was originally known as a church 'ruled by elders' or lay people, not by clergy.  Some churches, such as the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions, are governed by the authority of church professionals, such as a Pope or Archbishop, who pass their authority down to regional leaders (cardinals or bishops).  On the other hand, in some churches, such as Baptist or Pentecostal traditions, each congregation decides for themselves how they will govern their affairs.

 Presbyterians feel that both of these forms of government give too much leeway for the corruption of power that seems to creep into every human structure and has been evident in so many churches today in the form of scandal, schism, and cultish teaching.  In the Presbyterian structure, every church, every pastor, and every higher governing body - regional and national - are held accountable for their actions and decisions to the denomination as a whole; no one board or pastor has ultimate authority.  This prevents, for example, an individual church from, on a whim, firing a pastor without due process and accountability; likewise, a pastor cannot launch into his or her own doctrinal teaching that is contrary to the Word of God and the interpretation of the Reformed tradition.

 7. We serve our world wholeheartedly

Presbyterians take Jesus at His word when he prays, "Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven."  Our ministry in this world is not just about decreasing the population of hell, but of bringing people, communities, and all of God's creation in line with God's will and His principles.