I have recently published a few blogposts on Presbyterianism.

I am familiar with other branches of Christ’s visible church and I critique many unbiblical doctrines promoted by these, but zugological balance necessitates the critique of those that are nearer home. I have already done so with evangelical errors but Presbyterianism itself needs not only a critique from within, but also it needs a Reformation.

Although I critique systems of doctrine and different ecclesiologies, I no longer have much time to read the writings of such groups and I prefer to study Scripture and to see how it impacts upon the current civil and ecclesiastical scene for this blog.

Inevitably, I continue to read Presbyterian writers and listen to their sermons and lectures.

I critique current Presbyterianism because I am regularly surrounded by unbiblical behaviour and this needs Reformation.

There is much to critique and Presbyterian witings and opinions are those with which I am most familiar.

Not alone

Presbyterianism is not alone in this need. I interact with many Christians of different persuasions and they also see the need for reformation of their own fellowships. Indeed, I am now acquainted with a growing group of men who have abandoned their former fellowships or been disfellowshipped by them so that it feels like David in the cave of Adullam where “every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him” 1Sam 22:1-2.

Which prejudices am I thinking about?

The greatest prejudice is that there is no need to reform Presbyterianism.  Although people may acknowledge Semper Reformanda, “always reforming”, in practice it oftens happens in a worldly direction and rarely in a biblical direction.  There is a need for biblical Reformation.

There is a list of things that need to be reformed in Presbyterianism, but this blogpost highlights only Presbyterian prejudices. All Christians have prejudices but this blogpost is about prejudices among presbyterians.

Most Presbyterian churches do not promote the spirit of Presbyterianism, yet this is the manner through which any congregation or group of congregations will manifest the Spirit of Christ. Brotherly love is the mark of the godly and where it is missing there is desperate need for the application of a presbyterian corrective. What is that? Precisely. What is it? How rarely is it seen!

Prejudices of preachers

One may expect trained Presbyterian preachers to understand the prejudices of their own heart, and they will readily acknowledge this difficulty and danger, but the practical solution to coping with prejudice is proper biblical exegesis of Scripture, which in my experience is lamentably lacking.

… and the people

Zealous and earnest prayer does not prevent praying Christians from being full of prejudice Act 12:5,15. We need careful exegesis of Scripture to inform our opinions, not peer-group pressure, beating people into conformity to the prevailing view.

Prejudice in discipline

Church discipline, or rather its frequent abuse, is a significant cause of disunity among Presbyterians. People leave ecclesiastical fellowships and churches split because of the abuse of church discipline, frequently derived from prejudice.  This makes the topic very relevant and important.  Until it is rectified, churches will continue to split and diminish their Christian witness in the community. It does not occur to many disciplinarians that their prejudicial discipline brings the largest reproach upon Christ’s cause, often greater than that of any individual.

When preachers excommunicate various biblical characters long since dead, it is no wonder that church discipline excommunicates living saints. Demas continues to be declared an apostate quite regularly Ps 64:4. King Saul is included in such prejudicial opinions because of his malicious and murderous attitude toward David and his consulting the witch of Endor at the end of his life, an opinion almost succumbing to Roman catholic theology with its “last rites” to ensure a person dies well. I prefer to follow king David’s own assessment of Saul. He knew him better than any of us do, and better than those who manifest prejudicial opinions so easily. David would do no harm to Saul, calling him “the Lord’s anointed” to his dying day, and even beyond, when he wept over his death 2Sam 1:12. He asked his slayer: “How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?” 2Sam 1:14. However, our modern Presbyterians are not afraid to give their thumbs-down verdict upon king Saul. So it goes on.  Rather, the ambiguity about Saul’s final state is a warning to all of us who read about his life to beware of presumption, to see the effects of disobedience, and not to leave a Question Mark over our final state but to “give diligence to make your heavenly calling and eternal election sure” 2Pe 1:10, for some fail to do so 2Pe 1:9. I mention these examples to highlight current and demonstrable prejudice among preachers.

David prayed for his dying son born to Bathsheba, and he expected to meet him in heaven 2Sam 12:15,23 but he articulates no such hope for dead Absalom 2Sam 18:33, nor does he comment on king Saul’s final state, but many a modern Presbyterian has no such difficulty. The real difficulty with Saul’s case is in proper biblical exegesis, to be preferred to the snatch exegesis so beloved among prejudicial exegetes.

Within the past month of beginning to compose this blogpost in July 2026, I have read or heard these prejudicial assessments of Demas and Saul,  and even John Bunyan’s call to the ministery has been questioned. Nor are these sentiments new. I recall a godly man saying to me 30 years ago that he doubted that David could be a member in the presbyterian church he attended, referring to David’s adultery and his conspiring to murder Uriah the Hittite. There is room for improved study of Christian experiential behaviour from Scripture before prejudicial opinions are applied to living saints.

“There are two extremes relative to the administration of church discipline which members of church courts would do well always to guard against. There is the danger of loose and lax sentimentalism overcoming one’s better judgment on the one hand, and a stern unrelenting rigidity impervious to evidence of repentance, on the other.” Church discipline can be too lax or too strict. Each arises from different prejudices: the one arising from favouritism or sentimentality, the other arising from prejudicial animosity; neither are biblical.

As most presbyterians are Calvinistic in doctrine, in theory at least, one might expect them to address more fully in their sermons topics such as backsliding, analysing king Saul’s and king David’s murderous behaviours, biblical restoration Ps 23:3, Hos 14:1-4, Gal 5:1, Gal 6:1-3, self-examination 2Cor 13:5, and “by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” 2Cor 4:2.

Prejudicial opinions are often based upon just one or two facts, the mote in a brother’s eye.  With regard to Demas, it arises from the misinterpretation of one verse in the Bible, perpetuated by significant preachers and adopted by others.  There are others in Scripture who suffer at the hands of prejudicial exegesis, such as the prodigal son’s elder brother, who is maligned like king Saul. Wrong exegesis is damaging, especially when  prejudice emerges in Christian affairs, sometimes manifesting ungodly passions. “Come, see my zeal for the Lord!” 2K 10:16.

The prejudice among godly people needs to be noted and corrected.

Progress

The Christian church should make progress from generation to generation, not repeating the mistakes of earlier ones, but correcting them.

I have recently written an article on the spirit of Presbyterianism, which I hope will help to promote biblical fellowship instead of prejudice. Those who will not learn, may one day fall victim themselves to the prejudicial and condemnatory attitudes they too readily tolerate and accommodate at present.

Let them learn to distinguish biblical judgment arising from the Spirit of God’s teaching in Scripture from a worldly attitude arising from gut feelings.

Clear blue water

This will involve reforming congregational life; reviving catechising in one form or more; using the talents and developing the skills Christ has given to His Church; office-bearers reassessing their role in the congregation and wider church … unless prejudices will inhibit this for another generation or two.

Why have I written this blogpost at this time?  I was provoked into highlighting these prejudices by reading Presbyterian articles about Roman catholicism, Roman catholic baptism, the continued demonizing of Demas, along with King Saul.

One can come nearer to home with an illustration.  Have you recently experienced a conversation that amounts to “Are you for or against such-and-such a person?” – or as UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is reputed to ask – “Is he one of us?”  Particular persons become a touchstone by which one’s own position is measured. Political parties like to put “clear blue water” between each other to help voters vote for them. Christian churches are not in such a situation.

Denominationalism

Denominationally, there are those who wish to emphasize how unlike or how far distant they are from other branches of Christ’s visible church. Such a spirit will not progress the Christian unity that biblical presbyterianism teaches and promotes.  They ought not to say, “I have no need of thee” 1Cor 12:21.  How are they going to discover how they need each other without biblical interaction?

I am not speaking about church unity, but Christian behaviour.

Besides, church unity may be discussed in terms of Presbyterian unity, as if there is no unity of spirit among baptist, presbyterian, charismatic and Dispensational Christians. How is each group of misguided, godly Christians going to learn and correct each other if they do not speak to one another? and that in a godly manner, not with Shiboleths that merely repeat and emphasize the tradition in which one lives, which acts as peer-group pressure, which the apostle Paul tells us to lay aside Heb 12:1.

Others have addressed the issues in the past. Christian Unity and Church Union: Some Primary Principles by Benjamin B. Warfield in The Presbyterian Banner defended the Right and Duty of ‘Denominations’ but he attributed Church Union to the ‘Dangers of Sentimentalism’, the danger of resiling from “what is best in worship, what is soundest in organisation, what is truest in faith”.

What progress has been made since then?  What biblical exposition and application has been seen or attained in the past century? We need to be Working towards the Millennium, the title of one of my draft publications, which identifies the biblical teaching on the subject.  We need to see the biblical destination and work towards it.

It is not enough for Presbyterians to criticise Baptists, Charistmatics and Dispensationalists. Rather let the biblical principles of Presbyterianism operate and they will commend themselves to each branch of Christ’s visible church. 1. “the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee” 1Cor 12:21; 2. “in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” Pro 11:14, Pro 15:22 and Pro 24:6; 3. “But we have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” 2Cor 4:2. 4. “all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas” 1Cor 3:21-22.

Prejudice is a thief, stealing the benefits one could receive from other Christians. There is no need to try to join reluctant churches together, jealous of their own prejudices, but let congregations rather begin behaving as Christians and learn to recognize God’s grace wherever it manifests itself.

What will it look like?

Biblical Presbyterianism is not a Shiboleth but Christianity in action, living and demonstrating a spiritual godly profitable intelligent and useful life and conversation in its members.  “Wisdom has been justified from all the children she has produced” Lk 7:35.

Links:

1 Nov 2017: Scotland needs a Reformer.

21 Nov 2023: Reforming the Reformed Church.

6 May 2025: Church courts or helpers?

24 Jul 2026: The spirit and form of Presbyterianism.

20 Aug 2026: The Reformation of Presbyterianism

7 Oct 2026: Presbyterian prejudices.