James said: 5. I expect both can happen, for example if a man starts teaching error but his congregation adores him and takes no action, then presbytery could act.
I hope this helps.
Yes, it does. If a faithful Presbytery can remove a corrupt teaching elder without the consent of the congregation, I suppose a corrupt Presbytery could remove a faithful teaching elder. And the congregation could nothing about it except abandon its property and form a new church (assuming the faithful teaching elder was willing to leave his corrupt Presbytery). Correct?
I believe a lifetime or indefinite appointment is correct for elders. The Holy Ghost calls men to be overseers (Acts 20:28) using means of the Presbytery and the congregational vote. Just as the Holy Ghost calls, the Holy Ghost removes when the elder's unfitness is manifest. Setting an office term changes the nature of the office into a job with human limitations.
Similarly, when a teaching elder can be removed by either the Presbytery or the congregation and not both, the teaching elder is being treated like an employee who can be hired and fired, not a man holding a divine office by the call of God.
