The New Testament at first glance seems to lack details of
how the Christian life as well as the local church should function
and govern itself. There is no concise list of commandments contained
in God’s Word which addresses issues of the local church
in a point by point way. There is no set of explicit instructions
such as in the Mosaic Law which spells out what we are to do
and how we are to do it. Finely broken-down instructions, about
what we are to wear, eat, drink and how to worship, etc. are
sparse in the New Testament.
Therefore, many believe that what we do in the church makes
no difference as long as people are getting saved. They believe
that this apparent lack of instruction in the New Testament concerning
church practice, government and lifestyle means that we are completely
free to do things as they seem best to us. They believe that
for the gospel’s sake, we need to adapt to the culture to
maximize the message to the lost.
The New Testament Scriptures are not “just like”
the Old Testament Scriptures. In fact, much of it is written
in personal letter form.
Which would you find easier to follow - a company manual that
lists all its policies in detailed, alphabetical order - or -
company letters sent to customers over the course of many years,
each dealing with only specific problems?
Through the manual obviously one can more easily find what
is right and wrong. Letters, on the other hand, require more
dedication and devotion. One must sift through, think,
and rightly divide the material. In the end, letters add a dimension
of understanding that manuals never could. The company’s
true character, personality and customer relationships are communicated
through the letters.
The Christian life
is not a military camp with many ranks of authorities, strict
detailed rules and harsh punishments– but a love relationship
of a family.
The New Testament is often viewed as though it functions just
like the Old, even by those who clearly understand the doctrinal
differences between law and grace. It is often viewed as though
it were a sort of “New Law.” The believer, though,
is not under law – its letter nor its principle of
governing behavior. The law gives exact details for life and
worship, and when broken demands a penalty to maintain fellowship.
We are Sons, not children
In the Old Testament tabernacle (a beautiful illustration
of the New Testament church), Moses recorded a very rigorous
set of instructions in the form of “thou shalt’s”
and “thou shalt not’s.” These laws included everything
from types of materials and colors to how to carry and assemble
the tabernacle (Ex. 25-40; Lv. 1-27).
Concerning the New Testament church, there are very few such
explicit commandments or statements. And there is a good reason.
Under the New Covenant, God views believers, no longer as immature
“children,” but as matured “sons” (Gal. 3:24
- 4:7; Eph. 1:5).
The scriptural concept of “sonship” is somewhat
foreign to modern Western culture. It means more than a simple
biological male relationship. It was when a child came of age
and received the father’s inheritance. When that age was
reached the child was considered a “son.” He now had
the full privilege to use and control his inheritance. (See prodigal
son, Luke 15).
Sonship - when the
prescribed time fully arrived the offspring passed:
- from childhood to manhood
- from being told what he could do, to deciding for himself
what to do
- from the same status as a servant to the status of the
household manager
- from obeying the father because he had to, to fulfilling
the father’s desires because he wants to.
|
Galatians reveals to the NT believer that God’s “fullness
of time” has come in His program with His people. Now we
have received the “adoption of sons,” and have the
“Spirit of His Son” in our hearts. And
as a “son” the church has left the child and servant
stage in God’s dispensational plan and is now an heir of
God through Christ. Therefore, we are not under law and its rules
(holy days, feasts, rituals (liturgy), etc.) as a way of producing
holiness and worship to God (Gal. 4:1-10).
The law was made for the child stage and is called a “paidagogos”
in the Greek and is translated “schoolmaster,” (tutor,
trainer or the one in charge) (Gal. 3:24,25). Brother Scofield
defines a ‘pedagogue’ as follows:
“In the Greek and Roman world the pedagogue was the ...
guardian in the ... life of minor children. ... the pedagogue’s
authority, ... wholly ceased when the ‘child’ became
a son [that is] when the minor became an adult. The adult ‘son’
does voluntarily that which formerly he did in fear of the pedagogue.
But even if he does not, it is no longer an issue between the
son and the pedagogue ... but between the son and ... his father.”
The role of the law as a pedagogue is clear. And the law has
served its purpose well, but its time of authority has now passed.
By faith in Christ Jesus, we are “sons”; as sons we
are no longer under any obligation, eternal or otherwise, to
follow the ‘pedagogue’ which is the law of Moses.
For example, a good father will strictly forbid his young
child from sticking his finger into a pot of boiling water. He
will also strictly legislate with penalty what he can and can’t
touch, eat, wear, etc. But when that child reaches maturity,
the father no longer has to govern in that way. Why? For the
adult now understands the principles of the father’s
former “laws” and a “son” will choose
through understanding not to stick his finger into boiling water.
The same results are obtained but from different principles.
The “child” way involves rote obedience. The “son”
way involves the mind and heart.
We as Christians have been brought to the status of “sons”
through the Gospel of Christ. We have many principles which the
Law of Moses conveyed to us as the pedagogue, but we are no longer
under the guidance of that Law. We are no longer under the authority
of the pedagogue. We are free.
This is true Christian freedom: the freedom to choose with
understanding to do the things which please God. Christian
freedom is not blind obedience to rules, but it is also
not a license for men to do things their own way, even when their
motives might be above reproach.
There is no more pedagogue,
but there is still a Father.
The ordinances of Moses were not the only things abolished
(Eph. 2:15) by the introduction of the New Covenant. The very
idea or principle of law itself has been abolished, for the believer
is not “under law.” (Without the article “the”
before the word “law,” it now means the principle,
Rom. 6:14).
In other words, the New Testament is not simply one law that
has replaced another. Rather, it is one principle for producing
righteous behavior that has replaced another principle for producing
righteous behavior. One drives a person out of fear alone, the
other not only involves reverent fear, but also love and desire.
One expects blind obedience regardless of thought or intellect,
the other expects enlightened obedience through understanding
and wisdom–but obedience nonetheless.
|
King David was in a fierce battle against the enemies of Israel,
the Philistines. The Philistines were occupying his city of Bethlehem.
David was exhausted and thirsty as he was in a cave. In his weariness
he privately sighed his longing for water from the fresh well
of Bethlehem.
This was not an order, charge or command, but a desire revealed.
Three of David’s mighty men, unbeknown to David, hazarded
their lives and slipped through enemy territory to obtain water
for their king from the Bethlehem well. David was so moved that
he would not drink it. Because of the value of lifeblood the
men risked for it, he offered it as an offering unto the Lord
as he poured it out (2Sam. 23: 14-17).
The three mighty men did not perform out of ‘obey a command
or suffer penalty’– law, but out of heart devotion
to satisfy the king’s desires. And it touched the
king’s heart greatly.
|
The Lord desires us to choose to follow His ways with understanding
and devotion, not simply to “check a rule book” and
do a duty. To believe we have freedom to do it our way since
the rule book doesn’t say no is really legalism; it only
considers “rules.” He desires us to diligently know
His precepts and principles to arrive at doing the pleasures
of His heart. Are we close enough to the Lord to hear His desires?
Notice the goal Paul prayed for the Christians. “That
ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom
and spiritual understanding… pleasing ... being fruitful
in every good work” (Col 1:9,10).
Only with this knowledge and understanding of His will can
we as “sons” make the judgments of everyday life that
will be our Lord’s desires. As “sons” now with
the Spirit, it is possible to do this. When our own wisdom is
removed, the end result will inevitably be the Lord Jesus Christ
glorified and God’s people edified.
As sons of God we want to now consider:
a. Sonship expressed in God’s local church
b. How sons practice the will of their Father
Sonship expressed in God's
local church
Not only does the principle of sonship apply to the Christian
in his individual life, but it also applies equally well in finding
the truth concerning the local assembly. There are commandments
for the local assembly (1Cor. 14:37). The old way would say concerning
God’s commandments: “the soul that sinneth, it shall
die” (Ezek. 18:4). The Lord Jesus says in the new way, “If
ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
A common expression to the NT church is, I “beseech”
(Rom. 12:1, 15:30, 16:17, 1Cor. 1:10, 4:16, 2Cor. 2:8, 10:1,
2, Eph. 4:1, etc.). “For love’s sake I rather beseech
thee” (Philemon 1:9). Beseech is more of an entreaty and
expected favor based on love than an impersonal rule.
The practices of the local church
are a direct reflection on the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
(1Cor 11:26). The government of the local church is a direct
reflection on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ over
the Church (Matthew 18:16-20, 1Cor. 5:4, Eph. 1:22).
The New Testament local church gives visible expression to
the “sonship” of the gospel. It knows nothing of one
man doing the majority of the leading and teaching. But it does
know of many believers with minds and gifts being able as sons
to express themselves in public assembly (1Cor. 14:26-32).
It knows nothing of a church meeting where a man governs the
people by telling them what to sing, when to sing, who and when
to pray, or who and on what to speak about. But it does know
of sons under the Lord’s authority who thus have control
of their own spirits and are able to be sensitive to the leading
of His Spirit, having liberty to speak, pray, and sing (1Cor.
14:15, 30, 32).
It knows nothing of addressing men with titles before their
name. But it does know of calling each other brother and sister
for that reflects the equality of brotherhood – which is
the gospel (Mat. 23:8-12, Gal. 3:26-28).
Example of Sonship Principles in the Church
There is no commandment that says, “Thou shalt have the
Lord’s Supper once every week.” He only said, “as
often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the
Lord’s death till He come.” But in seeking the Lord’s
desire, one will find the Lord left hints for the heart along
the way. He records that the first century Christians did meet
once a week–and when they assembled they broke bread in
remembrance of the Lord Jesus (1Cor. 11: 20,21, 16:2, Acts 20:27).
How often does a husband want to be kissed by his wife? Seldom
or often? Would he dare demand and declare, “You must
kiss me 6 times a day”? Though he desires her affection
often, he wants it to come from her heart’s desire. Will
we exercise our “Christian freedom” and break bread
in remembrance of Him every so many months, or seek from
Scriptural insight what our Lord’s heart really desires
of His beloved bride?
How Sons practice the will
of their Father
How then are practices reached that will please the Lord?
There are 4 things to consider, revealed in the Scriptures: precept,
principle, purpose and preference.
1. Precept
2. Principle
3. Purpose
4. Preference
= a practice pleasing to God
1. Precept The word precept
means - “rule or action of conduct that is prescribed by
one over you.” The Psalmist in chapter 119 mentions God’s
precepts no less than 21 times. He realizes this key to life
as he says, “Through thy precepts I get understanding:
therefore I hate every false way.” God has spoken also in
the NT. And as brought out, there are certain moral and spiritual
commandments (precepts). These reveal God’s direct desires.
These should never be ignored or violated in deciding on a practice.
They are to be obeyed.
2. Principle A principle
is a truth that will govern the action of something. For example,
the principle (law) of gravity will determine how you might position
yourself on the roof of a house.
In the Scripture not every truth is given by precept. There
are many principles (spiritual laws). The principle of the Lord
being glorified in all things and not man should
govern how we function in God’s church (1Cor. 1:29-31).
The principle of holiness (separation from wrong)
should govern what is not tolerated or loved in God’s house
and our lives (2Cor. 7:1).
Sometimes principles will be discovered in the actions and
example of God’s people recorded in Scripture. Parents not
only teach children by precept but by example. Often times we
can see what pleases God by observing His record of what His
faithful ones did.
3. Purpose Once a son’s
decision has been filtered first through precept and then principle,
he should ask, “What purpose will this accomplish?”
Will it honor God’s Son and will it promote godly growth
(edification) in the body of Christ? For “all things are
lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1Cor. 10:23).
4. Preference God even
allows for preference if the first 3 are satisfied. What you
eat or drink along with many other things can come under the
umbrella of a sincere conscience. Here God says, “Let every
man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Rom. 14:5).
The above requires mature responsibility and takes time as
you search His Word in prayer, trusting His Spirit to enlighten.
May we abstain from legislating to God’s sons our personal
rules in order to get them to “line up,” but rather
point their hearts first to the Father where they will discover
His will as revealed in His Word. God is able to reveal things
to them, Philp. 3:15, and when resisted will even chastise them
to get their attention – because they are His sons (Heb.
12:7).