Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1993

148 1993 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THEbecause the Church, through orderly processes, had not changed itsposition. No presbytery, unless it is convinced that the Synod and body ofoverturing elders stands willingly, stubbornly, and maliciously againstGod's will, has a rightto permit such resistance. Of course, appeals can bemade. But they were made and the Synods issued their decisions andcounsel. Those decisions are always finaluntil they are reconsidered at thenext Synod meeting. The two presbyteries were wrong in not yielding tothem.3. The committee believes that the denomination was in enor in itsovertured decision. Your committee, to a man, is committed to the practiceand the wisdom of total abstinence. We have taken no polls, but areconvinced that the leadership of this denomination in a vast majority isconvinced that the stance of total abstinence is the "wise and proper" standfor them. The question in most cases is not whether men will totallyabstain, but whether the Church should require a query that so manybelieve (your committee also) is beyond the clear requirement of theScripture. We, in this report, are not going to argue the Biblical case again.Synod reports have been presented in the past that we believe adequatelydemonstrate the lack of a clear and overwhelming prohibition of the use ofbeverage alcohol at all times and places. Your committee has been stronglyinfluenced by those passages in the pastoral epistles where the Spirit, byPaul, deals direcdy with the question of drinking by ordained officers. Theelder is to be "not given (addicted) to wine" (meparoinon, Titus 1:7 and1 Tim. 3:3). The deacon is not to be "given up to (addicted) to much wine"(me oino polio prosexontas, 1 Tim. 3:8). The Holy Spirit is clear as to therequirement for ordained officers. In a passage where God has madeordination requirements explicit, we find no justification whatever inrequiring more than He requires. We are therefore recommending that thisBiblical requirement and statement be brought directly to our ordinationqueries in the context of other commitments. This will be reflected in ourrecommendation s.THE PURPOSE OF OVERTURESIn the Directory For Church Government, Pages D-35,36, Chap. 7 on"The Synod," it is stated, "It (Synod) is responsible for the continuingreformation of the church in maintaining the subordinate standards of thechurch in harmony with the Scriptural tmth and order. Its decisions arefinal, but its authority is limited by its subordinate standards." Theproposed alteration in Query #8, in the committee's recommendations, isan attempt to continue this reforming process, and to bring the church into"harmony with Scriptural tmth." This proposed change should not beconsidered in isolation from other already-overtured and adopted state-