The Truth In Print Vol. 18 Issue 6, July 2012
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Aids & Additions (Expediencies
Reviewed)
In June’s
article (“How Can One Understand the Bible?”) the point was never let anyone,
regardless of their human credentials, replace the written authority of God’s
Word with an accepted human argument, or practiced tradition,
that contradicts or adds to God’s Word: http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com/articles/scripturalauthority2.htm.
It is important to know the difference between “aids” used to carry out what is
authorized versus “additions” which are things not authorized. This lesson
should help with that distinction.
The Definition of “Expediency”
n-pl.
expediencies
1. Appropriateness to the purpose at hand; fitness.
2.
Adherence to self-serving means: an ambitious politician, guided by expediency
rather than principle.
3. A means… (American Heritage
Dictionary, 4thEd.)
In view of the
necessity of Scriptural authority for what we do as Christians in the
collective work and worship of the local church (see the prior lesson above),
who in their right mind would pick “2. Adherence to self-serving means: an
ambitions politician, guided by expediency rather than principle”? And yet,
that is just about as a good a description as you can find of self-serving
politicians and false teachers who “want” to incorporate items into the work
and worship of the church that are not authorized. We must always make it our
aim to be pleasing to God (Cf. Eph. 5:8-10).
Look at the
first definition: “1. Appropriateness to the purpose at hand; fitness.” The
very definition implies a purpose at hand – accomplishing that purpose –
fitness to that purpose. The older edition: --n.1. Something that is a means to
an end (Second College Edition).
To illustrate
that the term implies fitness to a purpose at hand consider the elements of the
Lord’s Supper. There are only two elements: one partakes of the unleavened
bread and the fruit of the vine (I Cor. 11:27). There is “something” going to
be used as an “aid” to set the emblems on, to keep the liquid together so each
can drink of it, and in some way the bread is going to be taken and served so
we can eat of it.
Brethren in some
places want two different tables up front – one to set the emblems on and
another for the collection trays. For us locally one table works fine as an “expedient”
for both! Nothing is “tainted” by having the emblems setting on the same table
with the collection plate. One table just meets our need (fitness!).
Expediencies
accomplish a scripturally authorized need or work. I was taught that
expediencies must be authorized (lawful). This is the basic rule for them —
they must be lawful. By lawful it is meant that in the church an expediency is
something that only allows us to expedite that which God commanded. Two tables
are fine; for us one table fits the need.
What Always Comes First?
Before brethren
justify something based upon expediency they must first state the authorized
work, need or thing commanded to be done. Sadly, some brethren will reason on the
basis of what they “like” or “enjoy” and seek to incorporate it into the work
and worship of the local church. This
sometimes happens when brethren seek to justify a practice by saying it makes
them feel better. Some just flat reject what is authorized, get mad, and leave.
The truth never causes anyone to stumble, but rejecting it will! (I Jo. 2:10).
At times you will find members who will accept what is authorized in the work
and worship of the church while admitting that in their own mind they’d be willing
to do that which is not authorized — this usually comes with the promise that
they’d never cause trouble or go against the majority. Error in the mind is
still error!
What Is An Addition?
An “addition”
is what is not authorized by God’s Word (cf. 2 Jo. 9; Jo. 4:24). What is the
difference between an aid and expediency? The aid is an expedient. Our “one
table” is an Aid. I love our one table because it is authorized by the
instruction for the church to assemble and partake of the two emblems for the
Lord’s Supper. Remember — “expedient” — a means to an end. If someone wanted to
change the elements – coke for the fruit of the vine – anyone could see that
would be an addition.
The Instruction to Assemble: Hebrews
10:24-25.
The church has
the responsibility of collective worship for edification of its members. In a
chapter describing the assemblies of the church at Corinth Paul said “let all
things be done for edification” (I Cor. 14:26). Take your bible and read the
“things” stated in that chapter! Also, instruction for the Lord’s Supper when
the church assembled, as a church, is given in I Cor. 11:17-34. Providing an
assembly for the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week is the work of the
church. Elements had to be provided each Lord’s Day. All these “things” are the
church’s responsibility.
The Example of a Treasury
You find
members of the Jerusalem church giving into a treasury in Acts 4:34-5:1-5. The
Apostles received funds for the church. This involved the church’s treasury from
which its work collectively was done (Acts 4:34-35, 6:1-6).
Why is a Church Building Authorized?
The command to
assemble for edification (I Cor. 14:26), the duty to provide for the assembly
and its partaking of the Supper (I Cor. 11) — these necessitate a “place” to do
so. It can be gratis (the church was permitted use of the Temple for a
while, Acts 2:46, 5:12). If a local church rents a place it simply
does so as an “aid.” The same is true if it owns its own building. When the
church at Troas assembled to partake of the Lord’s Supper as recorded in Acts
20:7-10 there were many lights used in the third floor chamber where they met.
Pews, lights, water fountain and rest rooms, etc. are nothing more than “aids.”
Objections to churches owning their own buildings are futile when the objection
is that there is no scriptural authority!
Kitchens, Fellowship Halls & Game Rooms
On Church Grounds
Remember where
you should always begin in order to understand what is authorized? If you want
to know the work and worship of the church you start with the scripturally
authorized need or work. Expediency implies a scripturally authorized “end.”
Just because a church building usually has more than one room in it doesn’t
authorize any kind of activity one can dream up being separated to its own
room. I was told one time about a church that put band instruments in the
basement for the kids to come and play. You don’t find the scriptures
authorizing “entertainment” as a work of the church! There is no “fitness” to a
scripturally authorized purpose even should the building just be one big room.
Only because of
one’s own ambition and self-serving desire would a water fountain and rest
rooms in a building as “aids” to assembling ever seem to authorize entertainment
and social functions as a work of the church! As one brother aptly put it: “A
non-existent scripturally authorized purpose or work can’t have an authorized
expediency.”
The Assemblies of the church in I Cor. 11,
14.
I Cor. 14 tells us
about the assemblies of the church at Corinth other than for the Lord’s Supper.
Paul’s instruction when assembling is that “all things be done for
edification.” Read that chapter and note the “things” done — there is no eating
of a common meal as edification. There is no eating assembly!
In I Cor. 11
Paul corrects error in the church at Corinth that relates to the Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s Supper is the stated “purpose” or “end” in view. He gave them
exactly what the Lord gave him (I Cor. 11:23-26). Their coming together as a
church should have been to eat the Lord’s Supper (I Cor. 11:20). Turning the Lord’s Supper into a feast was a
reason for their error. To correct them he says “What! Do you not have houses
to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who
have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not
praise you” (11:22). In further correction he states: “But if anyone is hungry,
let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will
set in order when I come” (11:34). The matter of where to eat common meals is
stated as to be done elsewhere. Nothing makes “eating” common meals a work of
the church here. He didn’t say that when he got there he’d allow it if they’d
quit getting drunk or excluding some from their cliques. He said eat at home!
If a function
isn’t authorized by scripture it has no place as a work of the church.
“Assembling” authorizes a building where you do things scripturally authorized.
Not accepting that leads to buildings with gymnasiums, swimming pools,
instrument rooms, game rooms, bride rooms, etc. — the full so called family
life center. Where is the stated work of having a church baseball or various
sports’ teams? Liars take things like sports and treat them like functions of
the local church! They are not expedients to works that are authorized!
The Compromising “Gray Area” Argument
Sometimes
brethren will argue for right of personal conscience and suggest that social
functions as a work of the church be left up to the members. Whether members
think entertainment is a work of church when it isn’t, or think it doesn’t make
any difference --- those don’t change disrespect for the way the treasury of
the local church is used.
Acts 2:42-46
In Acts 2:42
their “fellowship” together with the Apostles is expressed — they continued
stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and in fellowship, the breaking of bread
(Lord’s Supper) and in prayers. In verse 46 it says they were continuing daily
with one mind in the Temple, and then it says they ate their food (common
meals) in various private homes. Distributions from the treasury were being
made to meet specific needs (Acts 4:34-35).
The Serving of the Widows, Acts 6:1-6.
In Acts 6:1-6
you find two main works of the local church mentioned. One is benevolence to
needy saints. The other is ministry in the Word. There was no “eating assembly”
for the whole church — if “fellowship” in Acts 2:42 means an eating assembly
for the whole church then no widows would have been neglected for they
continued stedfastly there!
Should a local
church decide it needed a kitchen expedient to feed its own indigent, rather
than distribute funds (See Acts 4:34-35, what was distributed was funds) to the
needy for them to buy the food, you still don’t have the authority for the Pot
Luck for the whole church as a work of the church. My family upon one occasion
when on vacation mistakenly went to the wrong church in small town. We thought
we were with our brethren, but just after entering the building a local member
arrived with a carton of ice cream in his hands. As the sweet aroma of the pot
luck wafted through the auditorium — speaking loudly of self-serving interests
while headed for the refrigerator he said, “Boy that sure does smell good. I
can’t wait for church to be over so we can get to the food!” We turned and left
with our children — this was not what we had come for.
Both Acts 6:1-7
and I Tim. 5:3, 16 show respect for the way the treasury is to be used. In
neither place do you find the idea that the church’s work (collectively)
involved feeding all the members because all might enjoy a meal. What did Paul
say in Cor. 11:34?
It is often the
case that brethren will convince themselves that what they do serves a purpose,
though unauthorized, that is beneficial to them or others involved. This day
and age it is not uncommon to find communities struggling with a lack of
industry and work. If a city where a church is has high unemployment, factories
closing, brethren who are out of work , etc. — then some reason that these
“hard” circumstances justify an “eating assembly” or church Pot Luck as a work
of the church, initiated by the church’s treasury as to facility, etc. When you
add to what God scripturally authorized as a work of the local church you have
no authority for doing so!
What is not
authorized for the church collectively can be done by individuals in many
instances (cf. Ja. 1:27, Gal. 6:10, I Tim. 5:3, 16; Jude 12). Not even in times with the above mentioned
hardships have we ever as a church thought of changing God’s authorized work.
We are careful to help our brethren here who have need — Acts 2:45 “need” (cp.
“lacked” vs. 44, meaning “deficient in”). There was daily relief provided from the
treasury for those who needed it. Those in the church who “have” do not need
relief. The serving (ministration) in Acts 6 as a work of the church (men were
appointed over this “business”) was not to those who did not need the relief.
From the very beginning common meals were eaten in private homes and not where
and when the church assembled.
By Bob Lovelace
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NOTE: For a basic understanding
of Scriptural Authority see an associated article: “How
Can One Understand the Bible?”
To learn more call, visit or visit our website at:
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com