Bulletin Articles
Restoring New Testament Christianity: Part 5
Note: this is part 5 of a series of articles on “Restoring New Testament Christianity”
As noted in our prior article, God emphasized relationships and character first and foremost. To be made in the image of God and be children of God means we embody the character of God (treating others right) and love God above all else. There are certainly other commands, and they are not to be overlooked. However, if we miss these weightier principles, then we’ve missed the whole point of being a Christian. Since Jesus placed greater weight on certain principles (see Matthew 22:34-40), it should cause us to examine what we emphasize most- in our teaching, conversations, and most importantly our daily living.
Let’s consider our spiritual priorities- both as individual Christians and as churches of Christ? How many of us have had the experience where we’re discussing the Lord with someone and the discussion enters into where we go to church. When we tell them, the Church of Christ, the first comment is, “oh yeah, you are the one’s who don’t use instruments.” If it’s anything like my own experience, then I would guess frequently. Why is the first response not, “oh yeah, your churches are the most loving, compassionate, faithful, righteous groups of people I’ve ever encountered?” What is the ‘brand’ of the Lord’s church?
We, like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day (Matthew 9:10-13), need to ensure we emphasize the things the Lord emphasized in their appropriate proportion. At times, we have placed such a priority on the organization of the church and on acts of worship; on the church treasury; on the use of instruments- that we are now known in most of our communities for how we use our money and that we don’t use instruments. These matters are not inconsequential- every one of God’s commands matters and we should discuss such because God does. However, when it comes to the order and emphasis that we put on these items compared to the weightier matters of loving God, loving people, caring for the weak and vulnerable, practicing righteousness and justice (Matthew 12, 22, 23), do we sometimes lose track of what God really cares about and distort His priorities?
In contrast to the Old Law (specifically the Torah), the NT places limited focus on the nuances of worship. Noting two topics that have become the calling card for the church of Christ- use of the church treasury and singing in worship, there is no section of NT Scripture devoted SPECIFICALLY to either of these topics. Sure, singing is mentioned on a couple of occasions IN OTHER CONTEXTS, and given there is no discussion of using instruments to worship God in the NT, it’s appropriate to conclude that God desires for us to sing and engage in non-instrumental worship. Same with how we use the Lord’s money. Certainly money is referenced plenty in the NT, but the appropriate and inappropriate use of the church treasury is never specifically addressed IN THAT CONTEXT alone.
The point is not to rehash these issues (which we have all studied and understood to the best of our ability), but to call us to re-examine the focus and emphasis we might put on these matters. While important, are those the defining measures of Christ’s church? Let’s restore NT Christianity by putting the emphasis where God does. Certainly, how we worship and use the Lord’s money matters, but how much more does love, grace, justice, and righteousness. May we emphasize what the Lord emphasizes, define ourselves and our churches in the ways Jesus wanted us to be defined, and in so doing, truly be the church that is known by what we do versus what we don’t do.
