Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine

by Wayne Grudem

the New Testament apostles had a unique kind of authority in the early church: authority to speak and write words which were “words of God”

disbelieve or disobey them was to disbelieve or disobey God. The apostles, therefore, had the authority to write words which became words of Scripture.

no one today can add words to the Bible and have them be counted as God’s very words or as part of Scripture.

the New Testament the word refers to a special office, “apostle of Jesus Christ.”

The two qualifications for being an apostle were (1) having seen Jesus after his resurrection with one’s own eyes (thus, being an “eyewitness of the resurrection”) and (2) having been specifically commissioned by Christ as his apostle.

Qualifications for Elders.

It is not optional that their lives be examples for others to follow; it is a requirement.

In the episcopalian system, an archbishop has authority over many bishops. They in turn have authority over a “diocese,” which simply means the churches under the jurisdiction of a bishop. The officer in charge of a local parish is a rector (or sometimes a vicar,

for even among the apostles Jesus did not leave one with superior authority over the others, but he left a group of twelve who were equal in governing authority

the apostles always appointed a plurality of elders in every church, never leaving only one person with governing authority.

Presbyterian In this system, each local church elects elders to a session

members of the session (the elders) are also members of a presbytery, which has authority over several churches in a region.

Congregational

five varieties of congregational government for the church. The first one, which is common among Baptist churches in the United States, is the “single elder” form of government.

Plural Local Elders.

preserves the pattern of plural elders found in the New Testament and that avoids the expansion of elders’ authority beyond the local congregation?

c. Corporate Board.

sometimes found in evangelical churches.

SHOULD WOMEN BE CHURCH OFFICERS?

Genesis 1:27 views men and women as equally created in the image of God.

My conclusion on this issue is that the Bible does not permit women to function in the role of pastor or elder within a church. This has also been the conclusion of the vast majority of churches in various societies throughout history.

1 Timothy 2:11–15

Here Paul is speaking about the church when it is assembled (see vv. 8–9).

The first interpretation says that verse 14 refers to a role reversal in the fall. The idea is that Eve took the initiative and decided to eat the forbidden fruit on her own, but in doing this she took a leadership role that belonged to Adam.

The second major interpretation, and the one that I think best fits the wording of the verse, is that Paul is saying something about the nature of men and women as God created them.

this interpretation says that while God made men and women (in general) with equal intellectual abilities, there are still differences in preferences and inclinations, and those differences are consistent or “congruent” with God’s purposes in entrusting leadership in the church to men.

(1) God gave Adam a leadership role when he created him first and Eve second (v. 13), and (2) God gave men, in general, a disposition that is better suited to teaching and governing in the church, a disposition that inclines more to rational, logical analysis of doctrine and a desire to protect the doctrinal purity of the church, and God gave women, in general, a disposition that inclines more toward a relational, nurturing emphasis that places a higher value on unity and community in the church

The most likely meaning of a woman wearing a head covering in first-century Corinth was to indicate that she was married.

Means of Grace within the Church

1. Teaching of the Word 2. Baptism 3. The Lord’s Supper 4. Prayer for one another 5. Worship 6. Church discipline 7. Giving 8. Spiritual gifts 9. Fellowship 10. Evangelism 11. Personal ministry to individuals

the means of grace are simply means of additional blessing within the Christian life, and do not add to our fitness to receive justification from God.

“Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jer. 23:29).

the actual words of the Bible are far more powerful and far more effective in changing people’s minds and hearts than any merely human words spoken by a pastor or Bible teacher in the (admittedly important) tasks of explaining and applying and summarizing what the Bible says.

we list the teaching of the Word as the first and most important means of grace within the church.

there is certainly a connection between baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit,

one more means of exercising personal ministry to individuals in the New Testament is the use of physical touch, particularly the laying on of hands in connection with prayer for someone in need.

And as many as touched it were made well” (Matt. 14:35–36).

the power of the Holy Spirit was conveyed through Jesus’ physical touch and that the power of the Holy Spirit came forth and healed people.

Timothy Dwight, was President of Yale University from 1795 to 1817,

He also was professor of divinity, and under his preaching a revival broke out in 1802, in which a third of the students were converted.

Baptism Who should be baptized? How should it be done? What does it mean?

The practice of baptism in the New Testament was carried out in one way: the person being baptized was immersed or put completely under the water and then brought back up again.

The symbolism of union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection seems to require baptism by immersion.

Paul tells the Colossians that they have “been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12).

the waters of baptism have an even richer symbolism than simply the symbolism of the grave. The waters also remind us of the waters of God’s judgment that came upon unbelievers at the time of the flood (Gen. 7:6–24) or the drowning of the Egyptians in the exodus (Ex. 14:26–29). Similarly, when Jonah was thrown into the deep (Jonah 1:7–16), he was thrown down to the place of death because of God’s judgment on his disobedience—

Passing through the waters of judgment safely, dying and rising with Christ, and having our sins washed away—

only those who give a believable profession of faith should be baptized.

if baptism and participating in the other sacraments are necessary for salvation because they are necessary for receiving saving grace, then salvation really is based on faith plus works.

“By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). Moreover, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

Old covenant believers offered physical sacrifices of animals and crops upon an altar, but New Testament believers offer “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5; cf. Heb. 13:15–16).