The Truth in Print Vol. 24 Issue 8, Sept. 2018
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
The “No Bible Classes” Belief
There are things young people need to be
warned about, and especially before leaving home. This belief is one of them.
Last month’s article on the “No Located Preacher” belief is another, for their
doctrine is error rather than as I have heard said, “You know they are very
conservative.”
Here is a description from one brother that
fits the present topic: “I visited a church in Junction, TX many years back
that said on the phone that they did not believe in dividing into classes. …Arriving early for Sunday night services I
joked with the other family travelling with us asking what the wing on the
building was since this was supposed to be a "no class" church. It
turned out to be their eating place.” What Paul commanded in I Cor. 11:34 does
not allow what’s ordinarily referred to as a “fellowship hall” i.e. their
eating place.
I’ve yet to meet all of these personally but
warnings have rang out through the years concerning such beliefs as No Located
Preacher, A Local Church Cannot Own Their Own Building, No Bible Classes
Because They Divide The Assembly, One Cup Only For The Lord’s Supper, Women’s Head Covering A Necessity etc. There
may be a combination of these in a single church. I’ve been asked if we believe
in One Cup and No Bible Classes at the same time by those seeking a church.
Surely there are none of our brethren who believe like the Baptist preacher who
visited us and insisted the only translation a church can use is the King James
Version. He couldn’t read the original if you handed him one! If you appease
there are often just more demands.
Three Key Points Of The Bible Classes Are Not
Authorized Belief:
1.
Classes for various ages divide the assembly.
2.
There is no scripture showing your Bible classes.
3.
Paul forbid Women speaking out in your Bible classes (I Cor. 14:34).
There are other points that could be added,
but these are sufficient to show the import of this belief.
A Failure To
Understand “Expediencies”
Just about any discussion of having
scriptural authority will included “aids” lawfully used to carry out what God
commanded or authorized. Which means that we start with the command first. Then
you determine what expediencies you are at liberty to use to carry out that
command. You may use any you wish so long as you don’t add to or take from what
God commanded.
The authorized “work” of edifying through
Singing can be used to illustrate that song books with notes are just “aids”
(Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16). The “books”
are not an addition to singing. They only expedite i.e. aid in carrying out
what is authorized (singing) and thus are acceptable. However instruments of
music in worship “add to” — are something different (another kind of music)
than singing and are not expediencies or aids. Just because I grew up seeing
song books used is not
the scriptural authority; they are authorized “aids” for edifying
through singing which is commanded.
The church building itself that some of
these brethren might own collectively as a church is authorized by the commands
to assemble and edify one another (Eph. 4:11-12, 16; I Th. 5:11; Heb. 10:24-25;
I Cor. 14:5, 26). A local church doesn’t have to “own” a building but it may as
an expedient. Some without understanding expediences
hold the belief a church cannot own a building.
Key Points Often Used To Refute With
1.
Pentecost. Consider the layout in Acts 2:6-11 on the day of Pentecost as the
gospel was preached. The multitude came together, and were confused, because
everyone heard them speak in his own language (Act 2:6, 11). There are many dialogues listed therefore it
is probable that there was grouping according to languages.
2.
Jerry McDonald Offers This Comment On Acts 5:25.
Act 5:20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak
to the people all the words of this life." Act 5:25 So
one came and told them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are
standing in the temple and teaching the people!"
He says: “The Lanier-Whitten Debate on the
Bible Class issue is one of the best I have ever read. Brother Lanier changed
brother Whitten's mind on that issue with that debate. One of the main
arguments that brother Lanier used to do this was on
the present tense verb "are standing" in Acts 5:25 to show that all
the apostles were standing, at the same time, in the temple teaching the
people. When I met George Hogland on this issue I
asked him what that meant, and he admitted that it meant that one apostle had a
group of people teaching them while another had another group teaching
them. His justification was that the
temple was a big building and thus it could be scripturally done. My
observation to him was that all we needed to be scriptural then, was to tear
down our smaller buildings and every congregation build one the size of the
temple.”
3.
Prayer Offered For Peter By The Church (Acts 12).
Act
12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God
for him by the church. …
Act
12:11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain
that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod
and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."
Act
12:12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the
house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were
gathered together praying.
Act
12:17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep
silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And
he said, "Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren." And he
departed and went to another place.
Some of the church, but not all, were in the
house of Mary praying.
James
and others were elsewhere. Prayer was made “by the church,” and a church can
schedule an activity whereby the participants are not all together in one place
at one time for its occurrence.
4.
Antioch’s Sending Paul And Others To Jerusalem (Acts
15).
Here is “one” meeting of the whole church:
Act 15:4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they
were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported
all things that God had done with them.
Here is “another” meeting of the whole church:
Act 15:6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. …
Act 15:22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church…”
In Gal. 2:1 Paul records another meeting
with “those who were of reputation”:
Gal
2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to
Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.
Gal
2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I
preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest
by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.
This (Gal. 2:2) was “less than the whole”
church and authorized. It was for edification.
5.
Paul’s Instructing The Ephesian Elders (Acts 20).
Act
20:17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the
church.
Act
20:18 And when
they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that
I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you,
Act
20:19 serving
the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by
the plotting of the Jews;
Act
20:20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and
taught you publicly and from house to house,
Act
20:21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Acts 20:17-36 Paul instructed the elders
as elders. Did the elders fail in allowing Paul to have class with them? They
didn’t sin nor was this in “the assembly” of the church at Ephesus. Thus not
all teaching was done concerning members of the church at Ephesus when the
whole church came together in “the assembly.” A church’s work can include
classes during the week in a member’s home with only some of the members
present.
Some churches have all assemble in the
auditorium and then after a very brief period dismiss for classes. If they had
classes before “the assembly” has an assembly been divided? Why would it be
considered dividing the assembly if they dismiss to classes? Each class is
authorized by the command to edify the church. Those who stay put do so to have
a class.
Heb.
10:25 Says “Assembling”
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another in
order to stir up love and good works,
Heb 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the
more as you see the Day approaching.
The word “assembling together” [G1997 episunagōgē] Strong’s definition: a complete collection; specifically a
Christian meeting (for worship): - assembling (gathering) together. From G1996 episunagō “to collect upon the same place: - gather
(together).”
If you can understand “assembling of
ourselves together” as being broader than just “the assembly” then you know why
no one ever suggests that we meet in our classes to partake of the Lord’s
Supper. The specifics for eating the Supper necessitate an arrangement within
“the assembly” that is "together" (I Cor. 11:17), in "one
place" (I Cor. 11:20), both in one place and at one time by those
assembled ("wait for one another" I Cor. 11:33). If there are other
things such are to be done decently and “in order” (I Cor. 14:40).
We first have “classes” (expedients) when
the church meets at a specified time on Sunday mornings. It is the “church”
upon the same place but not “the assembly” (general) that takes place later.
Bible classes are scheduled with the designated time to get there for worship
(assemble). There is a distinction or difference in the church “assembling
together” in the sense of a complete collection at a designated time (to
collect upon the same place) and the whole church assembled in the auditorium.
For us we also utilize “the assembly” on every Sunday evening with instruction
by a male teacher for all, and on the 4th Wednesday of every month with men
leading singing, praying, reading scriptures and speaking.
Things Often Seen In A
Church’s Own Collective Work Which Aid Teaching The Word
“Collective” simply means these are
authorized and it is not another
organization than the local church doing
these. Each of these are
expedients that further the church’s duty to teach the Word:
Newspaper
lessons (articles).
Monthly
publication sent out and posted on the web.
Bible
classes that help fulfill “consider one another in order to stir up
love and good works” (Heb. 10:24).
Radio
lessons.
TV
lessons.
Bible
classes to teach unbelievers.
When Women May “Speak”
Some say Paul forbid women speaking at all
in Bible class. I’ve met personally brethren who hold the belief that a sister
in Christ can’t answer a question asked her by a male teacher. We all know that
women are not to teach nor usurp authority over men in the church (I Tim.
2:11-12). They use I Cor. 14:34. The context in I Cor. 14 is when the whole
church is together in “the assembly” (one place at one time). “Keep silent” (I Cor. 14:34) is specific as
to the woman’s role but it does not mean they cannot sing (Col. 3:16). In
singing we are “speaking to one another” (Eph. 5:19). The correct understanding
is that they are not to “speak as men” over the assembly, and they must respect
“decency and order” (I Cor. 14:35, 40). Again they are not being permitted to
teach or usurp authority over the men (I Tim. 2:11-12).
“To Quietly Receive Instruction” Would Allow A
Woman To Answer A Question She Might Be Asked
(NASB)
1Ti 2:11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.
(NASB)
1Ti 2:12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man,
but to remain quiet.
The word “quietly” [G2271 hēsuchia]
carries the idea of “stillness” and comes from a word meaning “keeping one’s
seat.” Strong’s definition: (as noun) stillness, that is, desistance from
bustle or language: - quietness, silence. It comes from G2272 hēsuchios: - properly keeping one’s seat (sedentary),
that is, (by implication) still (undisturbed, undisturbing):
- peaceable, quiet.
Compare the same word in 1Th. 4:11 “and to
make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and
work with your hands, just as we commanded you.” DO YOU LEAD YOUR LIFE WITHOUT
SAYING A WORD?
Compare again in 2Th. 3:12 “Now such persons
we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat
their own bread.” DO YOU REFUSE TO SAY ANYTHING AT WORK!
A sister in Christ might be asked about the
well being of another, or she might have information
on any number of specific questions that one might ask about when making
announcements. She may answer while keeping her place. Must she only be asked
and answer before the announcements are being made?
Here’s a brother’s description that
illustrates well, I believe, what this does not mean: “What my wife and I found
a bit different was that the women would not speak before, during, or after
services as long as they were inside the building. The men would talk with
visitors inside but the women stayed silent until out on the porch.”
Those Teaching And
Binding Error Must Be Recognized
Sometimes the “error” is in denying that
something may be done as a particular choice. Of course I’m speaking of things
being done with scriptural authority and that includes authorized aids or
expediencies. For example a church doesn’t have to “own” their building. God
wants scriptural authority and not just sincerity. We must worship Him in
spirit and in truth (Jo. 4:23-24). To say that another’s choice of an
authorized “aid” is wrong when they chose not to use it is much of this
problem. And those who do have classes and others things as authorized
expediencies must not compromise with error. There is a difference in one’s
liking the King James Version above the New American Standard and binding the
King James Version upon all. The road built upon “sincerity” alone is paved
with ignorance and leads to an abundance of errors.
Valley Church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 782-5058 ~
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00;
Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.
Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm
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