Eureka Classis, Part Five Prepared for Trinity Covenant RCUS, Colorado Springs. August 29, 2004
Distinctives
High Calvinism	The RCUS is not interested in any form of mediating theology. If the Bible teaches predestination and God’s sovereignty, then we are bound to believe it and teach it. This does not mean that we believe that only Calvinists are saved, because we do not believe that we are saved by our theology; but it does mean that the inherent unity and coherence of God’s Being requires truth and faithfulness on our part, as images of the Holy Trinity
Creedalism	The truth of God can be expressed in words, and has been expressed in the Holy Scriptures. It is hypocrisy to profess love and respect for the Scriptures but to deny to accept the same truths that are expressed in the creeds. The Reformed Church in the United States requires all of its ministers and officers to believe and preach the truth that is stated in the creeds without reservation. Every church has a creed; the honest ones write them down.
Grace	All things come to us by grace, without merit of our own. It is by grace that we believe, by grace that we grow in the knowledge of Christ, by grace that our children come to faith, by grace that God preserves in the world from trials, persecution, and temptation. From beginning to ending, the people of God are children of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, without the works of the law or human merit. “The flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.”
Liberty	There is liberty in Christ and men are responsible directly to Him. We reject man-made theologies and commandments as binding upon the conscience for any other purpose than for legitimate regulation for the sake of peaceful living.
Presuppositionalism	Most of our ministers, if not all of them, subscribe to Van Tillian apologetics. Again, this is from a desire to avoid a mediating theology that would place the thought of man on a par with the thoughts of God. Although there are many nuances and room for disagreement within the presuppositional camp, yet presuppositionalism is perhaps the best expression in the modern time of the distinction between God’s thought and man’s thought. There is no real “proof” of God’s existence and authority that the natural man will accept because he is in rebellion against the truth of God that is imprinted upon all of creation and in the very being of man.
Six Day Creation	The normal reading of the Bible is that God created the world in six days, each of which had an “evening” and a “morning.” Day and Night appear on first day. We reject any mediating theology that would put the findings of science so called on a par with the revealed scriptures.
Reformed Church Government	We believe that bishop and elder describe the same office: “bishop” with respect to function [overseer]; and elder [presbyter] with respect to the dignity. The officers of the church have real authority for the benefit and nurture of the people of God. Not all elders are called to teach formally, but all are called to oversight and government. Some elders are called to the prophetic ministry [in the New Testament sense of teaching and preaching] and may be the chief pastors of churches [first among equals]. Our constitutions are basically, therefore, in terms of three offices: pastors, lay elders, and deacons, for we see a distinction in the eldership. Lay elders are eyes and ears of the ministry; deacons assist the elders in earthly things. The decisions of higher judicatories are binding on the churches.
Male Headship	Government in the church and home is the duty of males. Women are to be in subjection and are not to usurp authority. This has nothing to do with merit, but with function. The official policy of the RCUS is that men only are to vote in the congregational meeting, although some churches, because of their history, do permit women to vote, and it is not to be a source of strife. The woman is not to lead worship, preach or teach in the church in an authoritative capacity. She may teach children. Therefore the eldership, deaconate, and pastorate is forbidden to her on peril of her soul. For the same reason homosexuals and lesbians are not to be admitted to these offices, for both reject male headship and seek to change the order of nature in rebellion to God.
Women in Combat	Warfare is the man’s job, and women are not to be sent to combat. The woman is the nurturer of life and it is unseemly that in ordinary circumstances she should be called to administer death. Every woman is to be honored and protected as the source of life, as many Scripture testify.