Chapell Meeks 4 B Bco The Church And Its Members

Front 1

What is the visible Church and who are its members?

Back 1

The visible church consists of all who make profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their children with them (BCO 2-1).

The visible unity of the Church is obscured, yet not destroyed by different denominations; all that maintain the Word and Sacrament in their fundamental integrity are recognized as true branches of the Church (BCO 2-2).

Front 2

What is the power of the Church?

Back 2

The power of the church is exclusively spiritual. The power which Christ has committed to his
church is vested in the whole body, the rulers and those ruled consisting in a spiritual
commonwealth. This power is to proclaim, to administer, and to enforce the law of Christ revealed
in the Scriptures.

BCO 3-2. Ecclesiastical power, which is wholly spiritual, is twofold.
1. The officers exercise it sometimes severally, as in preaching the Gospel, administering the Sacraments, reproving the erring, visiting the sick, and comforting the afflicted, which is the power of order
2. The officers exercise it sometimes jointly in Church courts, after the form of judgment, which is the power of jurisdiction.

Front 3

Regarding FUNCTION... How does the power of the Church Differ from that of the state ?

Back 3

BCO 3-3.
The sole functions of the Church, as a kingdom and government distinct from the civil commonwealth, are to proclaim, to administer, and to enforce the law of Christ revealed
in the Scriptures.

Front 4

Regarding type of power and constitution... How does the Church Differ from that of the state

Back 4

BCO 3.4
The power of the Church is exclusively spiritual; that of the State includes the
exercise of force.

The constitution of the Church derives from divine revelation; the constitution of the State must be determined by human reason and the course of
providential events.

The Church has no right to construct or modify a government for the State, and the State has no right to frame a creed or polity for the Church. They are as
planets moving in concentric orbits: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21).

Front 5

What is the purpose of the power of the Church?

Back 5

BCO 3-5. The Church, with its ordinances, officers and courts, is the agency which Christ has ordained for the edification and government of His people, for the propagation of the faith and for the evangelization of the world.

Front 6

What is a particular church?

Back 6

BCO 4-1
consists of a number of professing Xians with their children associated together for he divine worship and godly living, agreeable to Scripture and submitting to the lawful government of X's kingdom. It can only be organized by the presbytery.

Front 7

what is a mission church?

Back 7

BCO 5-1
described similarly to particular church except that it has no permanent governing body and is therefore governed or supervised by others. The goal is to be particularized.

Front 8

The organization of a Particular church follows:

Back 8

BCO 5-8

1. The presbytery may organize directly
2. An appointed commission
3. through the work of an evangelist

Front 9

What two kinds of members does the church have?

Back 9

Communing & Non Communing

Front 10

What is a Communing member (and their rights and priviledges)?

Back 10

all rights & privileges of the church - voting, office holding, admission to Lord's table.

BCO 6.2 & 4 defines them as professing X, baptized, admitted to Lord's table.
See also BCO 57-4 (regarding sealing ordinances) & 58-4 (regarding administration of the Lord's table)

Front 11

What is a non communing member (and their rights and privileges)?

Back 11

BCO 6-1
(think children of believers) entitled to baptism, pastoral oversight, instruction, and government of the church with a view to their embracing X and thus professing personally all the benefits of the covenant