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Viewpoint Brief Bible Study #38

JESUS calls US to be
members of His church
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The Christian religion is the worship and service of Jesus Christ. It’s not Mary we worship, but her Son. We worship neither saints, angels, a law code, nor even God’s Spirit. It’s JESUS who is to be honored. The Bible is our guide.
Jim Bill McInteer says Christians have a duty to fulfill,
Charles Phipps suggests a pleasant appointment. One? Both?

pretty line How Are Christians To Use Weekends?
 asks Jim Bill McInteer pretty line

    In the weekly bulletin of Blythe (CA) Church of Christ (481 N Lovekin Ave, P O Box BF, Blythe CA 92226) for June 22, 1997 is a devotional thought said to have been written by McInteer as follows:

THE WEEKEND IS MINE!

    Christians have fallen into this trap of thinking, "the weekend is mine." Well, so be it -- let the weekend, Friday and Saturday, be used for some relaxation and change of pace. No doubt you need it.

    But, don't fudge! Sunday is not the weekend. The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. There is no rhyme nor reason to suggest that sleep, relaxation, recreation, trips, etc., have the right to interfere with the appointment you have with the Lord every "first day of the week."

    Sunday is the week BEGINNING, not the  WEEKEND. The devil is offering a sop to people. He is softening the blow of unfaithfulness. He delights in Christians ignoring the calendar.

    "Have a good weekend. You deserve it!" The so-called "weekend" comes at the expense of your attendance with fellow saints, your worship of the Almighty God, your eating of the Lord's Supper and giving of your means with the regularity of the planned precision that the Lord has in mind.

    Ask two questions of your friends. Let the first question be, "What did you do this weekend?" Then let the second question come immediately, "And how thrilling was your week beginning -- where did you worship?"
---------------------------------------------------------- Ray RESPONDS --

<<Well, that IS a thought. Whoever wrote it has a set of beliefs shared by some who love the Lord. The writer believes that Christians have certain duties which they are obligated to fulfill each Sunday. We are REQUIRED, each Lord's Day, they say, to go to "worship" with our family of saints. We won't properly worship unless in the proper place where it's to be done as directed by appointed worship leaders. We're required to "give of our means" to a particular treasury "with planned precision." Eating the Lord's Supper wouldn't be right unless done with the entire group of Christians together.

<<I question each of these assumptions.

<<We are told to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Not once do inspired writers suggest the purpose for which we're to meet is WORSHIP. We're not told that particular places are the only places where our worship is to be done. Fishermen (or women) who speak of worshipping God on the lake or wherever fish may be found are not necessarily lying.

<<Wherever Christians are, the God who dwells in us is with us and we SHOULD worship. Any implication that worship consists only of particular acts in particular places at the order of particular worship leaders is foreign to the New Testament.

<<Christians form congregations for mutual edification. In U.S. churches, we've chosen to take up an offering every week, forming a treasury from which common expenses are paid. We choose to build a building, to hire people to give full time to the Lord's work, to give TOGETHER to meet particular needs felt to be of importance to our group.

<<Did early Christians do so? If they DID, no inspired writer thinks to say they did. There's no mention of a shared treasury, nor of putting money into any Christian treasury, nor of paying monies out of any common treasury.

<<Why then do some people think they are obligated to do these things? The article quoted above is written by a person who speaks of DUTY, not opportunity. The writer sees a particular time and one special place as being the only RIGHT time and place for worship "acceptable to God." The time is Sunday morning, he thinks. The place is a church-owned building where all the saints of a particular congregation can meet together to share in "acceptable" commanded practices of "worship." Do you sense any doubt in his words?

<<He knows your duty! He's telling you to DO it! He further implies that you should feel a "thrill" from your attendance at this place to which duty drives you.

<<Paul's description in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 of the gatherings of God's people in that ancient Greek-Roman city of that day differs somewhat from a solemn obligation to make themselves spectators in a worship ritual. If this section of the Word of God is not the best guide for OUR meetings, I wonder why it's not. And I read of opportunities to bless others present there, of orderly participation by all taking turns, of some singing to others, some testifying to others, some prophesying to the others, etc.

<<But who was the clergyman in charge? Who collected the money, then spent it in the Lord's name? Who decided the start time and the stop time?

<<Where DID you worship this past Lord's Day? If you went where duty led, and partook for duty's sake, and sought a thrill, did you find fulfillment? Were your feelings stirred by the show that was performed there? Will duty drive you to a repeat performance this next Sunday?

<<Jesus speaks of our need to share, but not one word about being required to put money into a church treasury where others can decide how it is to be dispensed. It's OUR individual obligation to use the Lord's money in the Lord's name to accomplish what WE individually decide most needs to be done for Him. Those who teach that others have the right to decide FOR us have added something to what is in God's Word.

<<Paul makes clear that the purpose for which Christians are to meet is in order that they may EDIFY one another, STRENGTHEN one another, REPORT to one another, share in prayer, study, and whatever is felt will bless the body of the faithful ones. We don't have to be together to worship. Those who don't worship at home are not apt to worship any better during public meetings. Those who don't pray at home are NOT apt to be able to pray at gatherings of ones who join in prayer.

<<Hiring professionals to direct Christian worship is not the way genuine worship happens. It happens sometimes at home, sometimes when the family is together, sometimes when God's saint is entirely alone, but always when some event brings to mind the power and love of God. It may be while a Christian is running in a race, or just jogging -- in a nature trail or in a crowded city, or walking, or working, or listening. The most thrilling encounters with God may happen far from any church house. And surely we best worship when we feel most alone with God.

<<Yet the purpose of our assemblies is not so that each may be alone with God, but so that we may SHARE experiences, thoughts, newly learned lessons about God and about life, etc.

<<I'm not sure I can agree with Jim Bill or anyone who feels DUTY drives us to assemble to worship without fail every Sunday. Is there a Bible verse which states this requirement?

<<The writer of Hebrews urges us to not forsake assembling together. No PARTICULAR time or period or place of meeting is specified. Did he mean each Sunday morning? Did he mean every Sunday morning and Sunday evening and Wednesday evening? He surely didn't say this.

<<Do local elders call a meeting and every brother dutifully cancel other meetings as necessary and attend because duty demands it?

<<If the "church doors" are open, must every Christian be there? Some pride themselves on never missing a meeting. Is attendance at church gatherings a sure sign of real Christian faith in action? Perhaps all would recognize that the best tests are in what the saints do when they're NOT "in church," but rather when the church is interacting with the world outside, in places where each saint must speak up and stand up for God while standing alone.

<<Gathering with other saints is a wonderful opportunity afforded us by living in a nation where such gatherings are safe and secure. In other lands, where presence at a church meeting may lead to imprisonment and even death, we might think somewhat differently about what the DUTY of a Christian is. Does the New Testament demand our presence at a "church service of worship" every Lord's Day morning?

<<The question being asked is NOT whether it's good to get together with other Christians on Sunday morning or any other time. I'm convinced it's usually a fine thing indeed to be "at church." But is it our DUTY to meet once a week, or twice a week, or three times a week? At what point will the Christian have forsaken assembling by choosing to not be present at some meeting (or being prevented by illness or accident or other obligations) when church leaders have called for the congregation to assemble?

<<Why do I think the quoted article on duty is missing the point of what the inspired writer in fact points us to. Does the verse in the Bible speak of a HABIT? Does the article imply any break in regularity means all is lost? Is the article in accord with N.T. teaching about Christian worship and attendance together? DO think about it awhile! It would be helpful to your thinking to also look up IN THE BIBLE what is said about whether Christian living is done in bunches or individually.>>

    And where does Charles Phipps come in?
He sent me a note today --

Date sent: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 04:48:15 -0500
From: cphipps@clandjop.com (Charles Phipps)
Subject: Sunday

    Good morning, Ray - <<NOTE -- Since he wrote this in the morning, this was correct no matter what time you're reading it!>>

     I heard the following line as part of a TV commercial: "Sunday is the day we get in touch with the people we love." <<Would we suppose they were advertising telephoning?>>

     It made me think of Hebrews 10:22, Acts 2:42, Romans chapter 14, Revelation 19 and you. You obviously made it into this elite company because of your gift for writing. I think it would look - and do - good on your netpage. Whatchathink? <<NOTE -- Slang has no place in business correspondence like this about what you should do on Sundays!>>

<<So Charles thinks it's our duty to THINK on Sundays! Is that what you get from his note?>>

          Brief Bible Study #38 from Ray Downen. To go back to Viewpoint's first page, click < here.   Or here to go on to Viewpoint Study 39.  For Ray's concluding remarks, click HERE.