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Featured Article
IS THE BIBLE A "BLUEPRINT" BOOK?
The following
phrase has become popular among some brethren, “the Bible is not
a blueprint book.” In one sense, the statement is true. The
Bible is generally not laid out technically like a “blueprint
book,” with precise lists of rules and measurements. Rather, it
is contains the history of God’s people, principles,
illustrations and general instructions. Therefore, it is
necessary to “mine” the scriptures and meditate upon them to
extract its truths.
But though it is
not literally a “blueprint book,” the Word of God …
* Is called “the
oracles of God,” (1 Peter 4:11)
* Provides “all
things that pertain to life and godliness,” (2 Peter 1:3)
* “Is a lamp to
our feet and a light to our pathway,” (Psalm 119:105)
* Reveals the
commandments of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:37)
Though the Word
of God it is not technically a “blueprint book” we should…
* Rightly divide
it and can do so. (2 Timothy 3:16,17) (God wouldn’t ask us to do
the impossible.)
* Not go “beyond
what is written” in it. (1 Corinthians 4:6)
* Not “add to it
or take away from it.” (Revelation 22:18,19)
* Not go beyond
the doctrine of Christ revealed in it. (2 John 9)
* Do everything
in the name of the Lord, that is, have His approval as revealed
in the scriptures. (Colossians 3:17)
The basic
teachings of Christ about how to become a Christian and how to
worship Him as first century Christians did are simple and
understandable, even though they aren’t laid out like a
“blueprint book.” (Ephesians 2:3,4, etc.), Though there are
difficult issues that usually deal with matters of individual
application (2 Peter 3:16), such do not have to be divisive if
dealt with on an individual basis and aren’t imposed upon others
(Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8,9). Therefore, though the Bible
isn’t technically a “blueprint book,” it is still presumptuous
to worship in a way that has no authority from the King (1
Corinthians 4:6; Romans 14:23) It is still necessary to give
loving warnings to those who deny the simple and basic truths
about acceptance of God’s salvation (Acts 2:38; 22:16, etc.).
Why has this
phrase become popular? Is
the phrase, “the Bible is not a blueprint
book,” used to imply that
less scrutiny the Word
of God is necessary, or that
we don’t really have
to have Bible precedent to
authorize our worship
and work in God’s kingdom?
If such is the
motivation behind the
phrase, then a loving
warning needs to be given.
Such a spirit has
always accompanied
apostasies such as those
that have resulted in the
development of the
traditional Roman Church in
the second century
and the Disciples of Christ
denomination
in the late 1800’s. This
spirit needs to be challenged
with love because it will
invariably lead to
less importance given to the
Word, a distancing
from Christ, and the
formation of a liberal
denomination like the
“Christian Church, Disciples
of Christ.” We don’t need
more liberal
denominations, but rather
humble, sincere people
who take the Word of God at
face value and
refuse to go beyond what is
authorized in it, whether it is called a “blueprint book” or
not.
Such people will be simple
Christians, just like the first followers of Jesus. That’s still
possible today!
— Gardner Hall
IS ALL OF LIFE WORSHIP?
That's what some are saying. In
his book, Unbroken Bread, Mike Root says: "Worship is a life
given in obedience to God. It's not a when or where proposition,
but a what. It's what we are. You can't go to it or leave it,
dress for it or from it, and you can't start it or stop it... it
doesn't open and close with a prayer, and it doesn't have human
leader or a special day" (115).
Appealing To the Scripture
The New Testament clearly
teaches that a Christian is to present his body as "a living
sacrifice" to God
(Rom 12:1-2)
and do everything in the name of the Lord
(Col 3:17)
and to the glory of God
(1 Cor.
10:31). It is also true
that a Christian can and should worship God apart from those
times when the church assembles together
(Acts 16:25;
Heb. 13:15). Does this
mean, however, that all of life is worship?
Just a few examples in the
Bible clearly illustrate that all of life is not worship.
Abraham told his servants that he and Isaac would "go yonder and
worship, and we will come back to you"
(Gen. 22:5).
God told Moses to "come up to the Lord ... and worship from
afar"
(Ex. 24:1).
After the death of his son, David "went into the house of the
Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house ..."
(2 Sam.
12:20). The wise men
came to Bethlehem to worship Jesus
(Matt. 2:2)
and when they found him, they "fell down and worshiped Him"
(Matt. 2:11). John "fell
at his feet to worship" the angel
(Rev. 19:10;
22:8). The Bible clearly
teaches that worship has a beginning point
(Matt. 8:2;
9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9,17; Mark 5:6; John 9:38; Heb. 11:21)
and an ending point
(Luke 24:52)
and that worship does involve a "when" and a "where"
(Jn 12:20;
Acts 8:27; 24:11).
In light
of this kind of evidence, from where does this
"all-of-life-is-worship" concept come? The proponents of this
concept hang their hat on Paul's statement: "Therefore I urge
you, brethren, by the mercies of God, present your bodies a
living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual service of worship" (Rom. 12:1, NASB; cf. ESV, NIV,
NRSV). Other translations say "which is your reasonable service"
(KJV, NKJV) or "which is your spiritual service” (ASV). Although
the original word translated "spiritual service of worship" (latreia)
can refer to worship
(Rom. 9:4;
Heb. 9:1, 6), it more
generally refers to service
(John 16:2;
Luke 1:74). In fact, the
verb form (latreuo) is contrasted with the usual word for
"worship" (proskuneo)
(Matt. 4:10;
Luke 4:8; Rom. 1:25),
suggesting a difference between the two. This evidence indicates
that while all of life is service, not all of life is worship.
What Is Behind the All-Of-Life-Is-Worship Concept?
1.
Informality. Of the
assembly in Troas
(Acts 20:7),
Mike Root says: "This 'first day of the week assembly was as
unstructured and informal as an unplanned reunion of college
friends"
(Spilt Grape
Juice, pp. 50-51). Who
says so? Luke certainly doesn't say anything like that, and
since Paul taught the same things in all the churches
(1 Cor.
4:17; 7:17), there is
every reason to believe that the assembly in Troas followed the
principles of decorum that Paul taught the church in Corinth
(1
Cor. 4:26-40).
2. Pep-rally
religion. For the
promoters of the all-of-life-is-worship concept, it's all about
me (or to be as charitable as possible, it's primarily about
me); it's not about God. Root says: "Encouragement is the glue
that keeps us close, the rah-rah that keeps us going, and the
hook that keeps us coming back for more. It's a drug we can't
get enough of and a gift that we never tire of giving" (Spilt
Grape Juice, p. 73). The New Testament teaches, however, that
worship is not about me; it's all about God
(Matt. 4:10;
John 4:21-24; Rev. 14:6-7).
3. Eating
together. That sounds
pretty innocent until you learn that this includes, in Root's
theology, the eating of a common meal when Christians assemble.
All of this despite the fact that Paul told the Corinthians,
after they had turned the Lord's Supper into a common meal, to
"eat at home"
(1 Cor. 11:22, 34).
4. An
expanded role for women.
With a touch of sarcasm, Root writes, “...women
can talk all they want before and after those magical opening
and closing prayers, because being silent in the church is
referring to the formal assembly. Five minutes before that
opening prayer, the same women in the same building, sitting in
the same seats, could comment, share, and edify others, simply
because it was called "a Bible class," and everyone knows that's
not the same as the formal worship. There is some sense of
consistency in this; neither Bible classes nor formal worship
are found in the New Testament, so we can make up the rules as
we go (Unbroken Bread, p. 128).
Root suggests that Paul's
restrictions on women
(1 Tim.
2:11-12; 1 Cor. 14:34-35)
were "just dealing with specific first century problems in
Corinth and Ephesus" {Unbroken Bread, p. 180); but in the
context Paul instructs men "everywhere"
(1 Tim. 2:8)
and his instructions for the Corinthians were the same "as in
all the churches of the saints"
(1 Cor.
14:33-34, ASV, ESV, NIV, NRSV).
Others argue that these restrictions were based on first-century
culture, and, therefore, have no application in twenty-
first-century America; but Paul bases his restrictions on women
on Creation
(1 Cor.
11:7-9; 1 Tim. 2:13),
the Fall
(1 Tim.
2:14) and the Law
(1 Cor.
14:34)—three things that
have absolutely nothing to do with culture.
Brethren, some preachers are
trying to affect radical change in the church as we know it
today The all-of-life-is-worship concept is a step in that
direction. This concept, however, lacks divine foundation and
must to be rejected.
-- Kevin Kay
(North Charlottesville bulletin)
THE CHURCH'S PURPOSE
What is the purpose of
the Lord’s church? Is it to eradicate poverty, disease, social
injustice, illiteracy from among men? Is it to bring about a
cessation of war and conflict? Is it to campaign for a
temptation-free society for Christians to live in?
If the church had as one
of its great goals the eradication of disease, the Lord could
have easily equipped it to accomplish that goal. Could not the
same power that enabled one blind man to see have enabled all
blind men to see; that enabled one lame man to walk have enabled
all lame people to walk; that cured many people of varied
diseases have cured all people of all diseases? And could not
this same power have been given to the church in all
generations?
If
the church has as one of its great goals the eradication of
poverty, the Lord could have easily equipped it to accomplish
this purpose. After all, He fed the five thousand with five
loaves and two fishes. He similarly fed four thousand on another
occasion. Could not He who did these marvelous works have
enabled His church in all generations to feed, clothe, and
shelter the impoverished masses of the world through miraculous
powers?
If
the Lord had wanted His church to become a lobbyist group to
apply political pressure toward a temptation and
persecution-free society in which to live, He would have given
instructions in that direction. He did not even lead His church
into a direct effort to destroy slavery, but taught the
Christian slave to be a better slave and the Christian master to
treat his slaves as he would have his heavenly Master treat him
(Colossians 3:22-4:1).
The
church’s purpose is to save souls and prepare people for
eternity––It holds out to the impoverished the hope of some day
walking a street of gold; to the suffering a time when there
will be no pain; to the sorrowing a moment when “God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes.” It tells the tempted and
persecuted that there is value in these afflictions, that the
testing of their faith is “more precious than of gold,” and to
rejoice -- It tells all to live godly lives in whatever
environment they find themselves. It seeks to change people
through the power of the gospel, not society through the
coercion of legislators – Its weapons “are not carnal, but are
mighty through God.”
Its
motivating theme: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” When churches
become involved in hospital and health clinic work, or when they
build schools for the education of their children, or when they
see as one of their great missions to provide for the world’s
poverty, or when they feel obligated to create social upheaval
and campaign for human rights, or when they feel called upon to
express their views on the government’s use of nuclear armaments
or whatever, they have a distorted view of the purpose of the
church.
—
Bill Hall
"FRUITS OF RELIGIOUS ERROR"
In Matthew
7, as Jesus warns of false teachers, he states, “by their fruits
ye shall know them.” Physically, we know what kind of tree bears
an apple or peach. We likewise know the results of eating a
juicy, ripe apple or peach – pleasure for our senses – and the
great discomfort that can come from eating a soured, rotten
piece of fruit. False teachers bear fruit that are unpalatable
and dangerous to our spirtual health.
One type
of fruit would be the unsubstantiated sense of hope that may be
receive through the doctrine of “faith only.” This doctrine has
been described as “full of comfort” and indeed it is, but
deceptively so, since the Bible clearly states that much more is
required for salvation. Many live their lives devouring this
poison fruit. It can lead to complacency and in extreme
instances, even to destruction of the very fiber of morality.
“Once
saved, always saved” is a fruit as deadly. Again, it is contrary
to the inspired word of God which teaches that one who has known
salvation can “fall.” When one believes that he cannot fall, any
despicable way of life could be engaged in and no dire results
would be feared. Some false teachers would even deny the very
authority of the Word of God substituting “traditions of men” as
a “religious” fruit. The most alarming aspect of this fruit is
that it spreads and fosters the growth of “new traditions.” The
plethora of denomination is the world today bear this out.
The sad
end of all of these fruits is the same– a final home without
God. Many are led astray as they fail to study or accept the
Bible as God’s word; they believe they are living lives pleasing
in God’s sight without actually doing so. When Jesus warned of
false teachers, he also stated, “Not every one that saith unto
Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father who is heaven. Many will say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by
thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?
And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you depart from
me, ye that work iniquity.”
--- S.
Scott Richardson ~via Gospel Guide
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