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Christ Governs His Church
Christ is the only head of his church. He hasn't left her to invent her own government.
Jesus gave his church officers to preach the Word, administer the sacraments, shepherd the flock, and exercise discipline (Ephesians 4:11-12 (opens in a new tab) and Acts 20:28 (opens in a new tab)). The original Westminster Confession teaches that Christ has appointed government in the hands of church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate (WCF 30.1 (opens in a new tab)).
The visible church includes all who profess the true religion, together with their children (WCF 25.2 (opens in a new tab)). Those people need more than religious content. They need a congregation where the Word is preached, the sacraments are rightly administered, and officers know them well enough to care for their souls.
What Are the Keys of the Kingdom?
Matthew 16:19 (opens in a new tab) and Matthew 18:15-20 (opens in a new tab) speak of the keys, binding, and loosing. Westminster Confession 30.2 explains that church officers exercise these keys by the Word and church censures, opening the kingdom to penitent sinners and shutting it against the impenitent.
An elder doesn't forgive sins by his own power. Christ alone saves, and his church must declare his Word faithfully. When an offender repents, the church must be ready to receive him. When someone stubbornly refuses correction and persists in scandalous sin, the church cannot pretend nothing is wrong.
The Confession names admonition, suspension from the Lord's Supper for a season, and excommunication as forms of discipline suited to the offense (WCF 30.4 (opens in a new tab)). These are solemn matters. They're meant to reclaim the sinner, protect the congregation, vindicate Christ's honor, and keep his ordinances from being profaned (WCF 30.3 (opens in a new tab)). They are not tools for personal grudges.
Why Do Presbyterians Have Church Courts?
Acts 15 (opens in a new tab) shows elders and apostles meeting to decide a controversy that affected congregations beyond one city. The Westminster Confession teaches that assemblies of church officers, commonly called synods or councils, ought to exist for better government and edification (WCF 31.1 (opens in a new tab)).
These assemblies serve the church ministerially. They are bound to Scripture, which remains the supreme judge of every controversy (WCF 1.10 (opens in a new tab) and 31.3). The original text gives synods authority to determine matters of doctrine, worship, and church government according to the Word, and to receive complaints about maladministration.
The original Confession also says the magistrate may call synods and attend them, and that when the magistrate is an open enemy of the church, ministers may meet by virtue of their office (WCF 23.3 (opens in a new tab) and 31.2). This historical teaching mustn't be replaced silently with the American revisions. It still doesn't make the magistrate a minister or give him the keys.
What Does This Mean for a Church Member?
Join a faithful congregation and become known there. Come under the preached Word with a teachable spirit. Receive the ordinances with reverence. If you sin, don't wait for a public scandal before asking for help. If someone wrongs you, follow the order Scripture gives, rather than using gossip or a public argument to settle a private matter (Matthew 18:15-17 (opens in a new tab)).
When an elder makes a mistake, he is still accountable to the Word. Presbyterian government isn't meant to leave a member at the mercy of one man. Lawful appeals and oversight are part of the church's care.
If you're looking for a congregation, read How to Find a Church. For the original teaching on rulers and religion, see The Civil Magistrate. The full text of the Confession is available through the Westminster references in this article.