Unscriptural

*You may not like this one, it may be a little painful for you, I’m not even sure I like it, but I think it needs to be said.
This is as much a warning as anything but hopefully a well timed one. We all like our opinions, at least most of us do most of the time (I have a few I wish I could change - like the opinion that the greatest food in the world is Circus Peanuts, yeah, I know). I have an opinion on most everything and as one friend says “I’m an expert on one thing, my own opinion.” The problem comes when we elevate our opinions to doctrine, to canon! Or worse we begin to search the scriptures to find support for a strong opinion that we want to bind on others and then elevate our opinions to doctrine. That always, ALWAYS mind you, leads to the devil’s work and to division.
For you to not like something is fine. And you have your right to not like something and to not practice those things in the realm of opinion that you don’t like but brothers, sisters, let’s stop making things we don’t like matter of doctrine and damnation. Stay with me here.
I had a talk recently with an individual who is saying that a rather influential individual in our brotherhood has taken the position that both small group Bible studies as well as Children’s Bible Hour are unscriptural. Before I say anything about the position let me make sure we understand what is being said. To say something is unscriptural means that you believe the practice to be wrong, sinful and to participate in that which is sinful in an unrepentant way will cause a brother to be lost. So if it is wrong to have small groups or a Children’s BIble Hour program that means that those who are practicing such are in sin and lost unless they repent. Before you take such a position you need to consider where it is leading. Are you willing to “lop off” a whole segment of our brotherhood over the matter? You also need to consider if you can support that position or if it is just that you don’t like those practices and have searched the scriptures and so wrested them as to “find support” for your position.
I fear that in some places we have created a culture of suspicion and one that keeps people from studying the scriptures for themselves. That, my friend, would be very dangerous.
To illustrate, think about one of these with me for a moment: There may be many reasons why it might be unwise or why an individual might not want to be a part of a small group Bible study, but to say it is unscriptural takes it to a whole other level. Aren’t we a people who have always encouraged people to study the Bible together? Weren’t our best days the days of “cottage meetings”, Open Bible Studies, Jule Miller Visualized Bible Series and Fishers of Men (all basically home Bible study tools)? Don’t many call those who oppose small groups (Bible classes) anti’s? Haven’t we always promoted and preached congregational autonomy? Where are Sunday evening services, “two-a-days”, required by scripture? If an eldership determines it can best encourage the spiritual growth of the members of the congregation they oversee in a manner that does not include a service at the building at 5 or 6 in the evening does that make it unscriptural? How could it be, when neither the building nor the service are demanded by scripture? If they decided more growth would be facilitated by encouraging their members to study the Bible together as a family in the evening and demanded that - Or that Sunday evenings would be better as a class time than a cooperate worship time - Or that people might grow more and attract more through meeting in each others homes, would not that be within their “realm of responsibility and right” (After all, elders “rule in the realm of gray”). Where is the sin in any of this?
Again, an eldership has the right to determine that they will not promote such, but just because we determine to not take on a practice does not make that practice wrong. I run on a treadmill and not outside - it doesn’t mean I believe it wrong to run outside. It’s just not what I believe is best for me. Brethren, I plead with us as a fellowship to not make matters of opinion matter of doctrine. Not to consider brethren suspect or questionable just because they have determined to practice something that we have determined not too but don’t consider a matter of doctrine. And not to try to become “little god’s” by trying to legislate where God has not. It’s like a sore, leave it alone, if you don’t it will become infected and cause greater problems.
Once more, consider how costly it is when you pronounce, “what they are doing is unscriptural”, you’d better be on sure and solid ground. It scares me to think that a good brother would do such and so harm the sweet unity of the Lord’s Body. I, know how dangerous this is, for I have been guilty of it and I am ashamed of when I have.
And, “in all things charity”.
If I am wrong, please correct me.