Keep these facts in mind. (1) Israel had a centuries old "love affair" with idolatry and idolatry's concept of god. (2) God was the "God of the tent" placing His presence in the tabernacle. One reason for the existence and use of the tabernacle: it stressed a basic difference between the living God of Israel and idolatry's concepts of a god. (3) David wanted to build God a temple to express his appreciation for God's blessings. His son, Solomon, built that temple. (4) God never asked for a temple, but He accepted the temple Solomon built. (5) Israel placed their faith in the temple's existence. They believed that God was obligated to protect and preserve them because they had the temple. (6) Their misplaced faith produced disaster.

It is much too easy to place our faith in the church. Our faith should be in the God who gave us our Savior and made us His church. When we place our faith in the church instead of in God, we invite spiritual disaster to come upon us.

A "faithful member of the church" will:

1. Attend Sunday night and Wednesday night assemblies. No commandment.

2. Take communion every Sunday. No commandment.

3. Assume "correct postures" when praying. No commandment.

4. Wear appropriate worship attire especially on Sunday morning. No commandment.

5. Attend a congregation that gives attention to the "correct order of worship." No commandment.

6. Sing songs that are of the appropriate style. No commandment.

7. Regards an invitation song as essential in a Christian worship or study assembly. No commandment.

8. Close worship with a dismissal prayer. No commandment.

If a group of Christians fail to do the above things, their faithfulness will be questioned. Some Christians declare that such Christians are not truly a part of the church. What is considered to be inappropriate action or conduct in any of the above commonly generates strong emotional reactions that can create problems among baptized believers who love God and are devoted to the inspiration of the Bible.

Many Christians regard each one of those matters as an essential factor in being faithful. The point is not that any of those things are bad. When they proceed from faith and love, they are good.

The point is that we can and do determine faithfulness on a basis that is not emphasized in the New Testament. We can create confidence in our "faithfulness" and our loyalty to scripture by forming strong, emotional attachments to matters not stressed in the New Testament.

The New Testament stresses that people who are converted to Christ will do the following:

1. Repent as they become Christians and continue to repent as Christians. Much emphasis. Acts 2:38; Luke 15; 1 John 2:15-17.

2. Be kind, patient, compassionate, and gentle. Much emphasis. 2 Timothy 2:24; Ephesians 4:31,32; Galatians 5:22,23; 2 Peter l:4-7

3. Forgive when they receive unjust treatment. Much emphasis. Matthew 5:43-48; Romans 12:17-21; Acts 7:58-60

4. Refuse to pass the judgment of eternal condemnation on others. Much emphasis. Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 14:10-12; Jude 9

5. Respect Christians who differ with them and are different. Much emphasis. Romans 14; Ephesians 2:11-22

6. Accept the edification of Christians as an essential Christian responsibility. Much emphasis. I Corinthians 14:1-12, 26; Ephesians 4:11-16

7. Provide special care and support to those who are struggling spiritually. Much emphasis. Romans 15:1-3; Galatians 6:1,2; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15; Hebrews 12:12,13

8. Accept and express God and Jesus' love for those who do evil. Much emphasis. Matthew 11:28-30; Matthew 20:28; Mark 2:17;John 3:16,17; 1 Timothy 2:3,4; 2 Peter 3:9

Many Christians regard each of these matters as "nonessentials" in being faithful. Any of these may be weak or absent in a Christian's life, but have no bearing on his or her faithfulness. When such occurs, our confidence rests on our claim to be the church.

It places more importance on our concepts than on the Bible's emphasis.

David Chadwell

Faith: In Our Gifts or Our God? (lesson 11)
Wednesday evening adult Bible class, Winter Quarter 2000
West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR

Copyright © 2000
Permission is granted to freely copy and distribute with text unchanged, including author's name.

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