Chapter 26 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession states:
Section 8: A local church, gathered and fully organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members. By Christ’s appointment the officers to be chosen and set apart by the church as called and gathered, are Bishops (otherwise called Elders) and Deacons. It is their special responsibility to arrange for the carrying out of what the lord has ordained, and to use the powers entrusted to them for the execution of their duties; and such arrangements are to continue in the church until the world ends. (Acts 20:17,28; Phil. 1:1) * Note that in none of the above Scripture reference is there a command related to the way officers of the church should be appointed. Additionally, we see these referenced scriptures (particularly, those in Acts) as descriptive and not prescriptive by the natural reading of the text. Section 9: By Christ’s appointment, any person who has been qualified and given the necessary gifts by the Holy Spirit for the work of Bishop or Elder in a church, must be chosen and called to that office by the common suffrage of the church itself. He must be solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with the laying on of the hands of the existing eldership, if there be such. Similarly, deacons are to be chosen by the common suffrage of the church, and set apart by prayer and the laying on of hands. (Acts 6:3,5,6; 14:23; 1 Tim. 4:14) * Again we note that in none of the above Scripture reference is there a command related to the way officers of the church should be appointed. Also, once again we see these referenced scriptures (particularly, those in Acts) as descriptive and not prescriptive by the natural reading of the text. The 1689 seems to conflate the two methods for the appointment of elders and deacons. What we receive from the Biblical example is two distinct described methods of appointment for each office. According to Acts 6, deacons were chosen by the congregation and then appointed to the office by the elders. According to Titus 1:5, Acts 14:23, 1 Timothy 5:22 as well as other passages, the Biblical pattern for the appointment of an Elder consists of the current eldership both choosing and appointing new elders. With this understanding and my desire to respect the Regulative Principal of Worship, I believe the above two paragraphs, should be amended to read: A local ekklesia, gathered and completely organized according to the Scriptures, consists of officers and members; and the officers appointed by Christ are to be chosen and set apart. The elders are to be chosen by existing elders, and the deacons are to be selected by the members of the church (so called and gathered) who are then appointed by the elders. The offices of elder and deacon exist for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and execution of power or duty, which Christ entrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world. Though I may differentiate slightly from the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) in this area, I consider those brothers and sisters who hold to its understanding of "Elder and Deacon Appointment".
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