FALSE STANDARDS OF AUTHORITY
The only standard of authority for
the church of Christ is the words of Christ and the apostles as revealed in
the New Testament. However, from time to time, we hear various "false standards"
advanced as authority for certain acts. Sectarians have been using these "standards"
all along. It is not difficult to find brethren aping them. Acting on the basis
of anyone of these "standards" would be unlawful. Notice now a brief
discussion of some false standards:
Does Good--Must Be Right
We often hear people say of some religious practice: "It does good, or
it is good, therefore it must be right (lawful, scriptural). This is the theory
that the end justifies the means. We cannot do "evil" (unscriptural
things) that good may result. (Rom. 3:3-8.) To be scriptural or lawful a thing
must be good, but not all morally good
things are right for the church to do. Mechanical music is right in the home;
but not in the church. Ham is good at the breakfast table, but not on the Lord's
Table. Too, some things may be right for an individual or a
secular institution to do and not lawful for the church to perform. The P.T.A.
or some civic club might have an auction or a box supper, but it would not be
right (scriptural) for the church to engage in such practices. One man argued
with me that the Nazarene church must be right (lawful), because of the good
it was doing and the growth it was making. He was using this false "standard."
Because some human institution does a
"good work" does not mean that it is right for the church to do this
thing. Schools, P.T.A.'s, and other human institutions have human authority
for their practices. We must have Divine authority for our practices in the
church.
Great, Wise Men Favor This
Denominational people often quote some "great" religious leader to
prove their point. When, for example, shown from the Bible that baptism is immersion,
they quote Barnes, and Clarke, or some other scholar to
"prove" that these great men taught differently and then they will
say, "Do you think you are smarter than these men?" They are using
a false "standard." Our faith must not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God. (1 Cor. 2:5.) There has been only one Who didn't make
mistakes--Jesus Christ. Even Peter, an apostle, practiced error at one time.
(Gal. 2:1lff.) We should never have so much confidence in one man or group of
men, but that we can remain faithful to God even though they go astray.
Brethren are often found using this
"standard" by saying: The Practice of Brethren
"Faithful brethren" have practiced this for many years. The statements
of the "pioneers," of even some more recent persons, or the activities
of some congregation are often cited as authority. One can "prove"
the Missionary Society "right" by such pioneers as Campbell, Lard,
and McGarvey. Practices of churches today can be "proved" right and
wrong by the writings of preachers now alive. Some practices can be "proved"
right and wrong in the writings of the same man.
Men change:
Our faith should not stand
in them. Some things may be wrong, but if practiced consistently for a long
period of time become traditions. The Book of God warns against this. (Matt.
15:1-14; Col. 2:8.) Suppose a man
or a congregation has practiced something for as many years as they can remember.
Does that make the practice right? No-- emphatically! The authority of God is
the only thing that makes a religious practice right.
Have you noticed that when brethren use this false "standard" they
are begging the question? When one says that "faithful" brethren have
practiced a certain thing, that is assuming the thing to be proved. Were the
brethren "faithful" in practicing the particular thing? Again: Our
faith must not stand in the wisdom of men--not even our brethren.
Rather Do Wrong Than Nothing
When those of us who are content to do God's work in God's way speak out against
some practice of our brethren we often hear this false "standard":
"I had rather do wrong than do nothing at all." Inactivity is not
right, to be sure. One who makes this statement is guilty of fallacious reasoning.
He is assuming that the only choices are wrong or nothing. This is not true.
We have the choice of (1) doing nothing and being wrong, (2) doing wrong, or
(3) doing right. Of course we should do the latter.
Denominations Are Doing It
Sometimes when contemplating the doing of something, brethren will say: "The
denominations are doing this and we need to do it," or "We must make
a good impression on the people of our community." God's people have always
been warned about pride, and trying to please men rather than God. If in pleasing
God, it pleases men--good, but we are not to please men at the expense of displeasing
God. (1 Thess. 2:4; Gal. 1:10.) The Old Testament was written for our learning.
We can learn from Israel the danger of wanting to be like the "nations
about us." To have a building, radio program, orphanage, hospital, or an
advertising program because the denominations have something similar (and usually
much better, so far as the mechanics of the thing is concerned) is to act by
false authority.
Conclusion
Let those of us who have named the name of Christ be content to do God's will
not on the authority of any of these "standards." They, in and of
themselves, are not sufficient reason or us to do anything. Let us do God's
will because GOD WANTS IT THAT WAY.
By Ferrell Jenkins in Truth Magazine; May, 1962; Vol. VI, No. 8, pp. 17-18
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