I want to challenge your faith!
Section One: "Burn the Book!"
"Heaven's Hermeneutics" Part Two, Application Chapter
Letting God Speak for Himself
In the last chapter, we noticed three of the dangers that come from binding examples as if they are commands. 1. It promotes selective obedience. 2. It opens the door to denominationalism. 3. It usurps the authority of God’s silence. On the other hand, allowing God to speak for Himself (commands) provides the modern church with three great advantages.
1. It places the burden of authority upon God and not upon us.
Have you ever heard someone say, “You have no right to judge me”? In one way they are correct. Since all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, one sinner has no right to judge another. But when the burden of authority is placed upon God’s shoulders, no longer are sinners judging each other. We are simply passing along the judgment of the Judge.
When God’s commands are bound upon others as law, the source of the authority is unquestionable. When we limit ourselves to binding only what God commands, it leaves no room for selective obedience, denominational opinions or violating the authority of God’s silence. If God commands it, that settles it.
2. It fulfills the great commission.
In His very last set of directives before leaving this world, Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)
Do you not find it interesting that, among Christ’s final words and in the final summation of His teachings, Jesus emphasized His commands? Perhaps we should do the same.
3. Letting God speak for Himself (commands) removes all the question marks.
There is little doubt that Christ knew and was concerned about the controversies that would divide His followers after His ascension. See John 17:9-19. By reminding the disciples of His commands (Matthew 28:19-20), He was reminding them of His authority. It was only by Christ’s authority that the disciples were commissioned to teach and record His commands for all future generations.
But one should not conclude that every action taken by every disciple was out of obedience to a direct command of Christ. If that were true, then tent-making, travel by chariot and using lamps for light would all be binding upon us today. Instead, one should conclude that the commands passed on by disciples are binding.
When you and I really get to the heart of the matter, we find that many of the pet doctrines that divide Christiandom today are not based upon the apostles’ doctrine (Christ’s teachings) but upon church tradition or examples. Imagine the number of divisions that could be resolved if Christ-seekers would unite upon the direct commands of Christ and stop picking and choosing the biblical examples they wish to bind upon others. Denominationalism would have no future.
The Value of Examples
Just because an example does not carry the same weight as a command, that does not mean it is without significance or even authority. Consider the following areas:
1. Examples can provide authority for yourself. I take communion every week because I need the accountability. I need a weekly reminder to reprioritize my life. (I Corinthians 11:27-32) I need the encouragement of seeing other Christians honoring the greatest gift ever given to humanity. I bind the communion example upon myself, because God gives me the liberty to do so. (Romans 14:5-12)
2. God has also given me the liberty to use my own personal authority to set certain standards within my home or business. The Bible was not intended to be an exhaustive guide to parenting or small business ownership. Therefore, as a leader, I must give specifics to the general principles that God did provide. To do this, biblical examples are often bound upon those within my care. But the specifics are not bound by the authority of God, they are bound by the authority of Sonny.
3. Paul said, “...whatever things were written before were written for our learning...” (Romans 15:4) Although Old Testament examples should not be bound upon others as if they were commands, they certainly can be used to judge the wisdom of a direction in life. The greatest fool is the person who refuses to learn from those who have gone before him.
Conclusion
Binding examples as if they are commands presents the modern church with many dangers. It encourages Christians to either be selectively obedient to the part of the example they feel should be binding or it causes them to engage in a legalism similar to that “which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.” (Acts 15:10) Binding examples as if they were law promotes denominationalism and it violates the authority of God’s holy silence. If God wanted something to be commanded, all He had to do was command it. To say it is a command, without God giving it as such, is paramount to a lie. Personal application of biblical examples is part of the liberty with which Christ has blessed every Christian. They should be looked to for wisdom and can be bound upon ourselves out of liberty. (Romans 14)
In order for the “Jeremiah Generation” to truly adopt the spirit of this ancient prophet, they must first recommit themselves to the sacred words of God. Just has Jehoiakim refused the message of God and used it to further his own selfish desires, we too can be guilty of abusing His Word. Let God speak for Himself. Command what He has commanded, condemn what He has condemned and do not make a test of fellowship out of anything on which He is silent. By so doing, the people of God can once again present a united front against those who would destroy us from within or conquer us from without.
Much of the material used in this chapter was taken from the book “Growing Old GRACEfully” by Sonny Childs. For more information about this book, please go to sonnychilds.com or call 1-800-973-2646.
Copyright 2006 by Childs Family Publications