Presbyterian Church Government, Pt. 3

When teachers came down from Judea to Antioch and started teaching that Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to be saved, it set off a a firestorm of controversy. The presbytery of Antioch met to analyze this new teaching, but the heated debate did not lead to a resolution. In order to resolve this difficult theological problem, the presbytery appealed to synod which met in Jerusalem. Acts 15 records the important details of this synodical meeting along with its results. Presbyterians hold that the principles of synodical government are contained in this passage and that the church is bound to structure its government according to the model set forth here.