The CREC is not PRESBTERIAN - OVERVIEW
All four traditions—Roman Catholicism, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), CREC's Federal Vision and Reformed Baptist—affirm that salvation is ultimately through Jesus Christ. However, they differ significantly in how salvation is understood, applied, and experienced, particularly regarding the roles of faith, works, grace, sacraments, and human cooperation. These differences stem from broader theological frameworks: Catholicism's sacramental and synergistic approach versus the Reformed emphasis on sola fide (faith alone) and sola gratia (grace alone), with CREC introducing a controversial covenantal deviation.
DENOMINATION
Roman Catholicism
CREC
Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
Reformed Baptist
View of Justification
Justification is a process where grace is infused, making the person righteous internally through cooperation with God. It begins at baptism and continues via sacraments and works.
Justification is by faith, but tied to covenant faithfulness & covenant membership; some proponents blur it with sanctification, seeing it as ongoing and conditional on obedience within the covenant with emphasis on obedience as evidence and part of perseverance
Justification is a one-time declaration by God, imputing Christ's righteousness to the believer by faith alone, apart from works. It is forensic (legal) and instantaneous.
Justification is a one-time imputation of Christ's righteousness by faith alone, similar to PCA but with a stronger emphasis on personal regeneration preceding faith.
Role of Faith
Faith is necessary but insufficient alone; it must be "formed by love" (works) and sustained through sacraments.
Faith is living and includes faithfulness (obedience); it's covenantal, not merely intellectual assent.
Faith is the sole instrument of salvation, a gift from God; it receives Christ's merits without human merit.
The gift of Faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their soles, is the work of the Holy Spirit in their heart.
Role of Works
Works (acts of charity, obedience) cooperate with grace and are meritorious for increasing justification and final salvation. Salvation is synergistic (God + human effort).
Integral to the requirement of covenant faithfulness and perseverance; obedience expected in covenant community, though grace enabled.
Works are the fruit and evidence of true faith but play no role in earning or maintaining salvation. Salvation is monergistic (God alone).
Works evidence genuine faith but do not contribute to salvation; emphasis on sanctification as progressive but distinct from justification.
Role of Baptism/ Sacraments
Baptism ( infant) infuses grace, removes original sin, and initiates justification. Other sacraments Eucharist, confession sustain and restore grace.
Baptism (infant) objectively unites the person to Christ and the covenant; it's effectual but conditional on ongoing covenant faithfulness; paedobaptism makes children covenant members; Lord's Supper (including paedocommunion) as a covenant meal renewing fellowship with Christ. Strong sacramental emphasis, akin to Catholicism
Baptism (infant or adult) is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, pointing to God's promises, but does not confer salvation itself. Sacraments strengthen faith.
Baptism (believer's only) is an ordinance symbolizing personal faith and union with Christ; it follows regeneration by the Holy Spirit (the New Birth) salvation and profession of faith. An outward testimony of a inner transformation. Baptism does not confer grace. No infant baptism
Assurance of Salvation
Assurance is possible but not absolute; it depends on ongoing cooperation and can be lost through mortal sin and venial sin requiring confession.
Assurance is covenantal and objective (e.g., via baptism), but can be forfeited through unfaithfulness; emphasizes corporate rather than individual assurance, tied to faithful participation in the covenant community; individual assurance through grace and obedience.
Assurance Strong, comes from the Holy Spirit witness, faith in God's promises, and evidence of perseverance. True believers cannot lose salvation (perseverance of the saints).
Assurance Strong, those whom God regenerates will persevere, grow in sanctification and positionally never fall from the state of grace; like PCA, includes the witness of the holy Spirit and faith in God's promises
Overall Process
Lifelong process: initial grace at baptism, growth through sacraments and works, final judgment based on life lived. Holistic (body and soul). Culminating in judgment by faith and works.
Covenant-based: entry via baptism (often infant, household), renewal through worship and sacraments, perseverance via faithful obedience in community; emphasis on required covenant faithfulness and raising godly generations.
Ordo salutis (order of salvation): election, calling, regeneration, faith, justification, sanctification, glorification—all by God's sovereign grace.
Ordo salutis (order of salvation): election, calling, regeneration, faith, justification, sanctification, glorification—all by God's sovereign grace, but stresses believer's baptism post-conversion; personal repentance and faith are key entry points.
Similarities:
All affirm salvation through Christ's atonement alone, the Trinity, and Scripture's authority. Catholicism ad the authority of church tradition and the Popes decrees. The PCA & Reformed Baptist share Reformed roots, emphasizing grace over human merit. Catholicism and the CREC include human merit (covenant faithfulness) as requirements for salvation.
Contrasts:
Synergism vs. Monergism — PCA and Reformed Baptist are strictly monergistic—God alone saves, with faith as a passive reception. Catholicism is synergistic, requiring human cooperation via works and sacraments. CREC (The King's Congregation) affirms grace alone and "resting on Christ alone" in vows but stresses covenantal faithfulness and obedience as normative for perseverance, reflecting Federal Vision's covenantal framework.
Instantaneous vs. Processual: In PCA and Reformed Baptist, justification is a definitive event, followed by progressive sanctification. Catholicism and Federal Vision see salvation more as an ongoing process, with potential for loss if faithfulness wanes.
Sacraments and Covenant — Catholicism and CREC (The King's Congregation) view sacraments (especially baptism) as objectively conveying covenant benefits—Catholicism regeneratively, CREC (The King's Congregation) covenantally (with paedobaptism and paedocommunion uniting households objectively to Christ). PCA sees baptism as a sign/seal without automatic efficacy (paedobaptism but no paedocommunion). Reformed Baptists practice believer's baptism only, as a post-salvation symbol.
Process and Assurance — Catholicism sees salvation as an ongoing process potentially losable. PCA and Reformed Baptist view justification as definitive, offer strong assurance through perseverance doctrine—true believers endure. CREC (The King's Congregation) emphasizes ongoing covenant renewal (weekly in worship), corporate faithfulness, and household discipleship, with salvation lived out in covenant community—children included objectively but called to personal faithfulness.
Distinctives of The King's Congregation — As a CREC church, it practices covenant renewal liturgy, household membership (head vows for family), and includes children fully in sacraments, aligning with Federal Vision emphases on objective covenant membership and multi-generational faithfulness, while maintaining basic agreement with the Reformed confessions but acknowledging some differences.