What is the RCUS?
The present-day Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) is the continuing remnant of the German immigrant denomination of the same name which was founded in 1725 by the Rev. John Philip Boehm. The old RCUS continued as a separate denomination until 1933-34 when the larger part of it united with the Evangelical Synod of North America to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church. This new church merged with the Congregational Christian Churches in 1957 to form the United Church of Christ.
One classis -- the Eureka Classis -- refused to participate in the 1934 merger. This classis continued as a separate entity for the next five decades. During this time, several congregations of like mind have become part of it. The North Dakota Classis dissolved in 1936 and its ministers and churches joined the Eureka Classis. During the 1950s, congregations at Menno, SD; Manitowoc, WI; Garner, IA; Sutton, NE; and Shafter and Bakersfield, CA, which had either left the Evangelical and Reformed Church or had been independent, joined the Eureka Classis. The 1970s welcomed the arrival of several churches from the General Association of Regular Baptists that had become Reformed. In subsequent years, several groups (some as whole congregations) have left the UCC to join the RCUS. Today, the RCUS numbers about forty congregations.
At its annual meeting in 1986, the Eureka Classis dissolved to form the Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States. Today, instead of one classis, the RCUS consists of four classes: Covenant East, Northern Plains, South Central and Western.
What is the Reformed Church in the United States?
The fact that you are reading this text shows that you have some curiosity regarding the Reformed Church. Perhaps you are looking for a new church and want to see what we have to offer. Maybe you are just curious about the meaning of the word reformed in our name. Or, possibly, you thought the Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) ceased to exist in the 1930s, and are somewhat surprised to find otherwise. In any case, we hope to answer your questions.
BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY
The most important thing you should know about the RCUS is that we base our teaching and practice solely upon the Bible, which we believe to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God. In fact, the word Reformed in our name means exactly that; it refers to the sixteenth century Reformation, when God raised up many great men within the church to restore it to Biblical Christianity. Among the reformers were Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and many others. Without any intention of boasting, we say that we follow in their footsteps.
For us it is a simple matter of fact that the Bible is God's Word, for this is what the Bible says about itself. Every 'Thus saith the Lord' shouts divine inspiration, but the following verses are unmistakable:
Isa. 40:8. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
John 17:17. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
2 Tim. 3:16, 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
And 2 Pet. 1:20, 21. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private origin, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Because the The Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession of Faith and the The Canons of Dort accurately summarizes the teachings of Scripture, we have adopted them as our confessional standards.
THE GLORY OF GOD
In our day, many churches claim to preach the Bible. The sad fact is that few really do. Man-centered theology (Humanism) has too often replaced God's glory. But instead of asking, How can God best serve me? our church asks, How can I best serve my God?
Prior to the 1930s and 40s, the RCUS was one of the largest denominations in the United States. Today we are one of the smallest. At that time, most RCUS congregations merged with the Evangelical Synod of North America and, by doing so, compromised our Reformed heritage. Though the world holds large, unbelieving churches in high regard, we do not believe that such churches honor God or his Word. This is why a handful of churches, mostly from the Dakotas, refused to participate in the merger; these, plus others that have since joined, constitute the RCUS of today.
Although it has been more than half a century since the mergers began, our commitment to the truth of the Scriptures is just as firm as ever. But our commitment to inspired truth is not the only way that we glorify God. We also glorify him by living lives of thankful obedience, by worshiping him as he has taught us in Scripture, by fellowshiping with each other in Christ's love, by properly celebrating Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and by exercising loving discipline toward any of our members who may stray.
Being the sinners that we are, our attempts to glorify the Lord are always imperfect; yet, this is our goal in life. The apostle Paul wrote, Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).
THE LORD -- AUTHOR OF SALVATION
Because twentieth century thinking stresses the value and dignity of man, it is often assumed that man is the author of his own salvation. God sent his Son to make salvation possible for anyone who wants it, but it is man's prerogative to choose or not to choose.
Such theology appeals to the pride of man, but it is not Biblical. To the contrary, the Bible teaches that man is dead in sin [1] (Eph. 2:1-3 ), that he has done and can do nothing that merits God's favor [2] (Isa. 64:6), and that man's depravity is the result of Adam's fall [3] (Rom. 5:12-19). Thus, there can be no truth in the idea that man saves himself. To the contrary, the Lord said through Isaiah the prophet, I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior [4] (Isa. 43:11). Likewise, Jesus said, No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him [5] (John 6:44); and later in the same chapter, Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father (v. 65). Even the ability to believe that God sent his Son, not to make salvation possible for all men, but to procure complete salvation for those whom God chose to eternal life [6] (Mark 10:45) must come from God himself [7] (Eph. 2:8). The Triune God works together for the salvation of the lost [8] (1 Pet. 1:2).
May the great name of God be forever praised!
CHRIST IS HEAD OF HIS CHURCH
Since the church belongs to Christ and he is its Head, it must be governed according to his will, that is, by the precepts of the Bible. Christ never commissioned a Pope to rule as vicar in his place. In fact, Peter, whom many claim to have been the first Pope, wrote that this kind of church polity is bad [9](1 Pet. 5:1-4). Neither is the government of independent churches much better; lacking mutual accountability, pastors of these congregations tend to usurp the headship of the church just as much as the Pope.
The type of church government that pleases Christ, which Christ himself commands, is rule by elders who are mutually responsible to each other. In Acts 15, when the church was confronted with a serious question of practice, the elders of the local congregations met as a synod and passed resolutions based on Scriptural precepts which were binding on all congregations. Today we call this type of government Presbyterianism, or Reformed polity.
Not all Presbyterian denominations are pure; not all of them believe the Bible. The unbelief of many has excluded them from the true church. But, even among those Presbyterian denominations that teach and preach sound doctrine, once in a while poor decisions are made. But this cannot be used as a reason for discarding Reformed church polity. For one thing, we must keep in mind that Presbyterianism is the polity Christ commanded; we are not free to change it. Secondly, can we reasonably suppose that independent or episcopal churches are free from such errors?
If you are looking for a church that caters to man's ego, you won't be satisfied with the RCUS. If you want a church that doesn't take the Bible seriously, you ought to look elsewhere. In everything from doctrine to practice, beliefs to worship, we submit to the Bible alone -- not because the Bible appeals to our sinful nature, but because the Bible is the Word of God to man -- our only hope of eternal life.
Author: Rev. Frank Walker - Taken from the RCUS home page an introduction.
Scripture Proofs
[1] Eph. 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (AV)
[2] Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.(AV)
[3] Romans
5:12-19 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in
the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over
them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if
through the offence of one many be dead, much more the
grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man,
Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was
by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was
by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences
unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death
reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance
of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in
life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even
so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon
all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience
of one shall many be made righteous. (AV)
[4] Isaiah
43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no
saviour. (AV)
[5] John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (AV)
[6] Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (AV)
[7] Ephesians
2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (AV)
[8] 1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (AV)
[9] 1 Peter 5:1-4 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over [God’s] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (AV)