Belgic Confession, Article 31: The Officers of the Church
This excerpt from Article 31 of the Belgic Confession articulates the Reformed understanding of ecclesiastical office, emphasizing that ministers, elders, and deacons must be elected by the church through proper procedure and divine calling. The article establishes Presbyterian polity principles including the equality of ministerial office, the headship of Christ alone, and the congregation's responsibility to respect church officers, making it a foundational confessional statement on church government and Reformed ecclesiology.
Article 31: The Officers of the Church We believe that ministers of the Word of God, elders, and deacons ought to be chosen to their offices by a legitimate election of the church, with prayer in the name of the Lord, and in good order,as the Word of God teaches.So all must be careful not to push themselves forward improperly, but must wait for God’s call,so that they may be assured of their calling and be certain that they are chosen by the Lord.As for the ministers of the Word, they all have...