Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Should You Attend Church?
Many, perhaps even you, have become disillusioned with churches and religious leaders. They wonder what they should do and where they should turn. What does God say?
by Wilbur Berg
Under normal circumstances, most people who believe in God and the Bible want to attend church services because they wish to worship God together. But we live in a distrustful age that has created suspicion about religion and religious bodies-sadly, much of it well earned.
Scandals revealing the bad moral examples of church leaders have made many wary. If that weren't enough, many people are confused about which doctrines and practices are truly biblical.
They are also uncertain about which, if any, church organizations are truly of God. Many are turned off by the lack of spiritual nourishment—or even outright disbelief in the Bible—they encounter in some denominations.
Consequently, a growing number of people are becoming disillusioned with their church but don't know where to turn. Others simply try to worship God by themselves, apart from any group affiliation or fellowship.
What would God have us do? Should we stay where we know things are not right, or take the path of spiritual isolation, or have confidence that there is a better alternative? Could there be dangers—possibly even unrecognized—in some of the courses of action we might choose? How does the Bible answer these important questions?
God established and preserves His Church
The first question we need answered is, what does the word church actually mean? Throughout the Scriptures church and congregation refer to people, never to a building. God's Church is made up of people called to follow Jesus Christ. It is composed of disciples or students of Jesus Christ who convene to receive God's instruction.
Both Jesus Christ and His apostles, however, repeatedly warned us not to be deceived by a false Christianity-a religious deception that was well under way even in the first century (Matthew 24:5, 11, 24; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15; Galatians 1:6-9). God's true Church is composed of those who have been called out of this satanically influenced world (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 2:9) to become a spiritually converted group dedicated to following God's ways as taught in the Bible. The Bible is the standard by which all religious bodies are to be measured.
Jesus Himself stated that He would build His Church and that it would never die out (Matthew 16:18). Several decades later the apostle Paul referred to this spiritual body of people as "the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground [foundation] of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).
God's Church has never been a large, popular body. While many traditional Christian denominations today are large and powerful, the Bible reveals that God's true Church always would be small in numbers, somewhat scattered and often persecuted. Due to their small numbers, many of the early congregations met in private homes rather than in large halls or buildings (Luke 12:32; Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15).
Nevertheless, though scattered and few in number, God has always cared for and spiritually nourished those He has called (2 Timothy 2:19; Hebrews 13:5).
A safe refuge
The Bible also describes God's Church as a source of strength, safety and refuge for its members. The Bible refers to it as Christ's spiritual body (Colossians 1:18, 24). Further, Jesus promised that the onslaughts of Satan would not be able to overwhelm God's protection and defenses of it.
However, this does not mean that God's people are immune to satanic attacks. Anytime a Christian lowers his spiritual defenses, he places himself in grave danger of being subverted and even "devoured" by mankind's spiritual enemy, the devil (1 Peter 5:8). But if he utilizes the protection God offers, he is able to discern truth from error and can successfully withstand the spiritual trials and tests Satan instigates (Ephesians 6:10-18).
In contrast, a person who does not seek the fellowship of God's Church denies himself the sheltering bulwark and safety that God intends. If he chooses to be alone, such an individual may miss out on the protective instruction and reminders that are part of God's reason for establishing His Church.
God knows how spiritually weak and vulnerable we human beings can sometimes become, which is why He established a loving membership and ordained ministry for the encouragement and instruction of His Church. Such assistance is not available if a person chooses to worship alone or attends with a group that does not attempt to draw its teachings from the Bible.
Notice how important these aids and supports are, and how God placed them in His Church. Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-13 outline the biblical qualifications for elders and deacons. They are given so appropriate leaders can be chosen to take care of the Church. The rest of the membership will then benefit from their talents and abilities, further strengthening the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11-16). Within the Church, each member is encouraged to contribute and do his share in showing godly love for the growth and spiritual development of all (Ephesians 4:16).
In a stable spiritual environment new and inexperienced people, as well as longtime members, can find a safe haven for fellowship and spiritual growth. God knows that all His called-out ones need the protection, care and instruction that only a loving group of dedicated people can provide, which is a major reason for His giving us guidelines for an organized Church body. Many spiritual benefits are inaccessible to those who choose to seek God alone.
A classroom for spiritual development
The Church of God serves many important needs. In addition to supplying uplifting, encouraging and educational sermons, there also can be instructive Bible classes for children, teens and adults, news about the work of the Church, focused instruction and training and a host of other benefits-all to create an atmosphere where spiritual concerns are addressed and the big questions answered. And while all these things are enormously beneficial, there is yet another extremely important reason for assembling that is often overlooked.
Notice Hebrews 10:24-25: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day [of Christ's coming and intervention] approaching" (emphasis added). This principle finds its roots in the Old Testament. God instructed that "the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest," but it is also a time for "a holy convocation"—a commanded assembly—a time for believers to gather with others of like mind (Leviticus 23:3).
In addition to participating in worship services at the times God commands-and receiving edifying spiritual nourishment from attending services as part of His Church-God also asks us to give of ourselves to others (Acts 20:35).
Life is often difficult. And Christians, like everyone else, have trials and burdens (John 16:33). At such times it is easy to become discouraged and get derailed to the point of losing one's spiritual focus. Clearly Christians need to strengthen and give support to each other, and have an outgoing sense of responsibility toward other members. As Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 10:24, "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being." This outgoing, unselfish concern for one another is what godly love is all about.
This does not mean that we should be meddling in others' private business (Proverbs 26:17; 1 Peter 4:15). But it does mean that we should have a discreet, wise and watchful concern for each other's welfare, and help in whatever way we can whether by encouragement, friendliness or other needed assistance.
The fellowshipping and sharing of ourselves with other people is how God develops His love in us. It is a power that needs to be exercised to grow. The person who chooses to not interact with others, perhaps without realizing it, cuts himself off from this vital and necessary spiritual development.
Each of us needs to realize that forsaking God's specific instruction to assemble for worship and fellowship with God's people courts serious spiritual dangers.
Remember that even in the physical human body, muscles deteriorate if they are not used. In much the same way, without exercising contact with other members of God's Church, one runs the risk of slow spiritual deterioration, perhaps even of endangering his or her salvation.
Consider this vital instruction from the apostle Paul: "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many" (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).
Paul's emphasis is on the importance of the group-not on the individual (although each member is certainly important to God). Paul goes on to liken the members of the Church to the various parts of the human physical body (which in both instances must work together so we can function properly for the accomplishment of our responsibilities).
The implications are obvious. How can individual members of God's Church work together to fulfill the goals of the Church unless they assemble regularly to worship God together?
Without the help and general guidance of and interaction with others, we can easily become unbalanced and self-centered. We need each other!
A sanctuary for truth and justice
Deceit, misrepresentation and falsification permeate religion as much as any other area of our societies. Perhaps most important of all, God's Church is where we receive biblical truth, godly instruction and discernment. As noted earlier, God's Word reveals the Church to be "the pillar and ground [foundation or mainstay] of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).
Paul tells us that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Through His Church God provides to His true servants that needed reproof, correction, instruction and, not least, encouragement. It is the responsibility of the Church to defend God's Word—"rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15)—by using the Bible as the foundation of true knowledge.
It is easy to delude ourselves into thinking that we can stand alone—either by ourselves or in a church that teaches doctrines we know are not found in the Bible—and through our own abilities rightly interpret and understand Scripture. But because of the many complexities in the Bible and the many erroneous interpretations that can snare and mislead, we all must beware lest we be misled into accepting and believing false doctrines. Satan, as Paul warns us, appears as "an angel [messenger] of light" and he has his own ministers, many themselves deceived, who may appear to be "ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
In terms of sheer numbers Satan has been remarkably successful. The apostle John tells us that he "deceives the whole world" and that the entire world has come under his corrupting influence (Revelation 12:9; 1 John 5:19).
God's true Church is one of the few safe bulwarks against Satan's deception. While the Church doesn't have perfect knowledge and is not always free of mistakes, it continues to seek truth and understanding. Its members are encouraged to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Each individual needs to follow the examples of the Bereans (Acts 17:11) and Ephesians (Revelation 2:2) to test and determine where and through whom God is working today.
If a religious organization is not upholding God's laws and the Bible He inspired, and if there is no spiritual light in it, then it cannot truthfully claim to be God's Church (compare Isaiah 8:20). Such a body cannot effectively carry out the work of spreading the true gospel of Jesus Christ, one of the hallmarks of God's true Church (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20).
How much are you missing?
Christians attending such a religious body, or striving on their own without active church affiliation, miss many benefits resident in the spiritual body where God is working. Consider all the important knowledge available and the marvelous opportunities to grow in godly love and character. The personal interaction, service, offerings and prayers of God's true people demonstrate a level of godly concern that we all need, especially in times of difficulty and personal trials.
Finally, God is still instructing and adding to His spiritual body, following the example of the early New Testament Church (Acts 2:47; 11:24-26). God still works through a dedicated and properly organized group of people, just as He did even in Old Testament times (Acts 7:38).
For those who are wondering what to do, please consider carefully the matters presented in this article and set your heart to seek out God's Church and His people. Such affiliation and fellowship is commanded by God, who blesses and rewards those who respond to His instructions.
Remember too the passage, "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6). How can you do this? Seek Him the way He intended—in fellowship with His Church. GN
by Wilbur Berg
Under normal circumstances, most people who believe in God and the Bible want to attend church services because they wish to worship God together. But we live in a distrustful age that has created suspicion about religion and religious bodies-sadly, much of it well earned.
Scandals revealing the bad moral examples of church leaders have made many wary. If that weren't enough, many people are confused about which doctrines and practices are truly biblical.
They are also uncertain about which, if any, church organizations are truly of God. Many are turned off by the lack of spiritual nourishment—or even outright disbelief in the Bible—they encounter in some denominations.
Consequently, a growing number of people are becoming disillusioned with their church but don't know where to turn. Others simply try to worship God by themselves, apart from any group affiliation or fellowship.
What would God have us do? Should we stay where we know things are not right, or take the path of spiritual isolation, or have confidence that there is a better alternative? Could there be dangers—possibly even unrecognized—in some of the courses of action we might choose? How does the Bible answer these important questions?
God established and preserves His Church
The first question we need answered is, what does the word church actually mean? Throughout the Scriptures church and congregation refer to people, never to a building. God's Church is made up of people called to follow Jesus Christ. It is composed of disciples or students of Jesus Christ who convene to receive God's instruction.
Both Jesus Christ and His apostles, however, repeatedly warned us not to be deceived by a false Christianity-a religious deception that was well under way even in the first century (Matthew 24:5, 11, 24; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15; Galatians 1:6-9). God's true Church is composed of those who have been called out of this satanically influenced world (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 2:9) to become a spiritually converted group dedicated to following God's ways as taught in the Bible. The Bible is the standard by which all religious bodies are to be measured.
Jesus Himself stated that He would build His Church and that it would never die out (Matthew 16:18). Several decades later the apostle Paul referred to this spiritual body of people as "the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground [foundation] of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).
God's Church has never been a large, popular body. While many traditional Christian denominations today are large and powerful, the Bible reveals that God's true Church always would be small in numbers, somewhat scattered and often persecuted. Due to their small numbers, many of the early congregations met in private homes rather than in large halls or buildings (Luke 12:32; Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15).
Nevertheless, though scattered and few in number, God has always cared for and spiritually nourished those He has called (2 Timothy 2:19; Hebrews 13:5).
A safe refuge
The Bible also describes God's Church as a source of strength, safety and refuge for its members. The Bible refers to it as Christ's spiritual body (Colossians 1:18, 24). Further, Jesus promised that the onslaughts of Satan would not be able to overwhelm God's protection and defenses of it.
However, this does not mean that God's people are immune to satanic attacks. Anytime a Christian lowers his spiritual defenses, he places himself in grave danger of being subverted and even "devoured" by mankind's spiritual enemy, the devil (1 Peter 5:8). But if he utilizes the protection God offers, he is able to discern truth from error and can successfully withstand the spiritual trials and tests Satan instigates (Ephesians 6:10-18).
In contrast, a person who does not seek the fellowship of God's Church denies himself the sheltering bulwark and safety that God intends. If he chooses to be alone, such an individual may miss out on the protective instruction and reminders that are part of God's reason for establishing His Church.
God knows how spiritually weak and vulnerable we human beings can sometimes become, which is why He established a loving membership and ordained ministry for the encouragement and instruction of His Church. Such assistance is not available if a person chooses to worship alone or attends with a group that does not attempt to draw its teachings from the Bible.
Notice how important these aids and supports are, and how God placed them in His Church. Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-13 outline the biblical qualifications for elders and deacons. They are given so appropriate leaders can be chosen to take care of the Church. The rest of the membership will then benefit from their talents and abilities, further strengthening the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11-16). Within the Church, each member is encouraged to contribute and do his share in showing godly love for the growth and spiritual development of all (Ephesians 4:16).
In a stable spiritual environment new and inexperienced people, as well as longtime members, can find a safe haven for fellowship and spiritual growth. God knows that all His called-out ones need the protection, care and instruction that only a loving group of dedicated people can provide, which is a major reason for His giving us guidelines for an organized Church body. Many spiritual benefits are inaccessible to those who choose to seek God alone.
A classroom for spiritual development
The Church of God serves many important needs. In addition to supplying uplifting, encouraging and educational sermons, there also can be instructive Bible classes for children, teens and adults, news about the work of the Church, focused instruction and training and a host of other benefits-all to create an atmosphere where spiritual concerns are addressed and the big questions answered. And while all these things are enormously beneficial, there is yet another extremely important reason for assembling that is often overlooked.
Notice Hebrews 10:24-25: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day [of Christ's coming and intervention] approaching" (emphasis added). This principle finds its roots in the Old Testament. God instructed that "the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest," but it is also a time for "a holy convocation"—a commanded assembly—a time for believers to gather with others of like mind (Leviticus 23:3).
In addition to participating in worship services at the times God commands-and receiving edifying spiritual nourishment from attending services as part of His Church-God also asks us to give of ourselves to others (Acts 20:35).
Life is often difficult. And Christians, like everyone else, have trials and burdens (John 16:33). At such times it is easy to become discouraged and get derailed to the point of losing one's spiritual focus. Clearly Christians need to strengthen and give support to each other, and have an outgoing sense of responsibility toward other members. As Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 10:24, "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being." This outgoing, unselfish concern for one another is what godly love is all about.
This does not mean that we should be meddling in others' private business (Proverbs 26:17; 1 Peter 4:15). But it does mean that we should have a discreet, wise and watchful concern for each other's welfare, and help in whatever way we can whether by encouragement, friendliness or other needed assistance.
The fellowshipping and sharing of ourselves with other people is how God develops His love in us. It is a power that needs to be exercised to grow. The person who chooses to not interact with others, perhaps without realizing it, cuts himself off from this vital and necessary spiritual development.
Each of us needs to realize that forsaking God's specific instruction to assemble for worship and fellowship with God's people courts serious spiritual dangers.
Remember that even in the physical human body, muscles deteriorate if they are not used. In much the same way, without exercising contact with other members of God's Church, one runs the risk of slow spiritual deterioration, perhaps even of endangering his or her salvation.
Consider this vital instruction from the apostle Paul: "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many" (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).
Paul's emphasis is on the importance of the group-not on the individual (although each member is certainly important to God). Paul goes on to liken the members of the Church to the various parts of the human physical body (which in both instances must work together so we can function properly for the accomplishment of our responsibilities).
The implications are obvious. How can individual members of God's Church work together to fulfill the goals of the Church unless they assemble regularly to worship God together?
Without the help and general guidance of and interaction with others, we can easily become unbalanced and self-centered. We need each other!
A sanctuary for truth and justice
Deceit, misrepresentation and falsification permeate religion as much as any other area of our societies. Perhaps most important of all, God's Church is where we receive biblical truth, godly instruction and discernment. As noted earlier, God's Word reveals the Church to be "the pillar and ground [foundation or mainstay] of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).
Paul tells us that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Through His Church God provides to His true servants that needed reproof, correction, instruction and, not least, encouragement. It is the responsibility of the Church to defend God's Word—"rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15)—by using the Bible as the foundation of true knowledge.
It is easy to delude ourselves into thinking that we can stand alone—either by ourselves or in a church that teaches doctrines we know are not found in the Bible—and through our own abilities rightly interpret and understand Scripture. But because of the many complexities in the Bible and the many erroneous interpretations that can snare and mislead, we all must beware lest we be misled into accepting and believing false doctrines. Satan, as Paul warns us, appears as "an angel [messenger] of light" and he has his own ministers, many themselves deceived, who may appear to be "ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
In terms of sheer numbers Satan has been remarkably successful. The apostle John tells us that he "deceives the whole world" and that the entire world has come under his corrupting influence (Revelation 12:9; 1 John 5:19).
God's true Church is one of the few safe bulwarks against Satan's deception. While the Church doesn't have perfect knowledge and is not always free of mistakes, it continues to seek truth and understanding. Its members are encouraged to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Each individual needs to follow the examples of the Bereans (Acts 17:11) and Ephesians (Revelation 2:2) to test and determine where and through whom God is working today.
If a religious organization is not upholding God's laws and the Bible He inspired, and if there is no spiritual light in it, then it cannot truthfully claim to be God's Church (compare Isaiah 8:20). Such a body cannot effectively carry out the work of spreading the true gospel of Jesus Christ, one of the hallmarks of God's true Church (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20).
How much are you missing?
Christians attending such a religious body, or striving on their own without active church affiliation, miss many benefits resident in the spiritual body where God is working. Consider all the important knowledge available and the marvelous opportunities to grow in godly love and character. The personal interaction, service, offerings and prayers of God's true people demonstrate a level of godly concern that we all need, especially in times of difficulty and personal trials.
Finally, God is still instructing and adding to His spiritual body, following the example of the early New Testament Church (Acts 2:47; 11:24-26). God still works through a dedicated and properly organized group of people, just as He did even in Old Testament times (Acts 7:38).
For those who are wondering what to do, please consider carefully the matters presented in this article and set your heart to seek out God's Church and His people. Such affiliation and fellowship is commanded by God, who blesses and rewards those who respond to His instructions.
Remember too the passage, "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6). How can you do this? Seek Him the way He intended—in fellowship with His Church. GN
How Can You Find the Right Church?
Whether to attend church, and which one, are among the most important decisions we can make. What are key factors we should consider?
by John Ross Schroeder
The choice of churches and denominations of churches has never been greater. A dizzying supermarket of brands awaits the potential churchgoer, particularly in the United States.
To put the puzzling choices in secular terminology, supply and demand drives the religious marketplace. According to The Southern California Christian Times, "more than one out of seven adults change[s] their church each year, and another one out of six attends a carefully chosen handful of selected churches on a rotating basis rather than sticking with the same church week after week" (December 1998). Brand loyalty doesn't carry much weight.
If you were looking for a church, what would you look for? In America, where churchgoers are more fickle about their affiliation than in any other country, what do people look for in a place of worship?
Last year the George Barna research company surveyed American churchgoers about their preferences in a church. In the resulting report the top three factors were:
• Beliefs and doctrines.
• Mutual comfort and care among the members.
• The quality of the sermons.
Mentioned first were beliefs and doctrines. That is a good place to begin. From a biblical standpoint, certainly few if any other points could be as important. But we are getting a little ahead of ourselves. The first question to ask is, Should we attend church at all?
What the Bible Says
Most of our readers presumably have a great deal of respect for the Scriptures or they wouldn't be reading this magazine. But, if you are not yet quite sure about the authority of the Bible over our individual and collective lives, we invite you to request our two free booklets Is the Bible True? and How to Understand the Bible.
The New Testament admonishes Christians to assemble together regularly. One epistle specifically tells us: "... Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).
The Old Testament expresses the same thought in the form of a command: "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation [or 'commanded assembly,' New International Version]. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings" (Leviticus 23:3; emphasis added throughout).
In terms of choosing a church based on fundamental beliefs, observing God's Sabbath is one of the most basic—so basic that it is enshrined as one of the Ten Commandments. (If you do not understand which day is the Christian Sabbath or are unclear on its purpose and intent, please call or write for our free booklet Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest.)
To sum up the importance of beliefs and doctrines, the Bible makes it clear that God's Church keeps His law. It is described prophetically as a group of people "who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12:17).
Its members do not try to get around or do away with the requirements of the biblical way of life. They follow the difficult, narrow and often unpopular way mentioned by Jesus Christ, not the broad, easy path that eventually leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). Those who really want eternal life are pictured as living God's way (verse 14).
What is the Church?
Early in our study we should understand what the Church is and is not. We must first understand that the church is not a building. The glossary of the Translator's New Testament plainly tells us: " 'Church' in NT never means 'building.' It always represents either a group of committed Christians in any given locality [who] met to practice their religion, or the totality of these groups scattered throughout the world" (pp. 557-558).
The apostle Paul defines the Church as simply "the body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:12, 27). It is a spiritual organism, not a physical edifice or organization. Members of the Church go to the building where they meet, or a congregation meets in someone's house if the numbers are small (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 1:19), but the Church is still the spiritual Body of Christ.
By way of an analogy, Paul likens the Church to the parts of the human body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). He shows how each part is dependent on the others. Yet "by one Spirit [the Holy Spirit] we were all baptized into one body ... and have been made to drink into one Spirit" (verse 13). It doesn't make much sense for some of the membership to be separated from the rest of the Body, sitting alone at home while the rest of the Body worships together with other members of the Body.
The Same Care One for Another
The apostle Paul urged the Corinthian members to "have the same care one for another" (1 Corinthians 12:25). This is the second point mentioned by the Barna survey: mutual comfort and care.
This mutual care for one another is biblical. But it should always be remembered that our relationships with other members of the Church begin and end in our fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3, 7).
We have fellowship with each other only in and through our spiritual relationship with the Father and Jesus Christ. The first four of the Ten Commandments express our love for God, the last six our love for humankind. The apostle John points out the folly of trying to have one without the other (1 John 4:20).
The Ten Commandments embody a basic spiritual law. If you break one, spiritually speaking you have broken them all (James 2:10). We express the love of God by keeping every one of the Ten Commandments (1 John 5:3).
Expressing proper love for the membership of the Church is an awesome responsibility on the shoulders of each member. After all, Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian Church (Matthew 16:18), did say, "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you have love one for another" (John 13:35). It is of utmost importance that we extend warmth and friendliness to other members of the spiritual Body that is the Church, especially to visitors and new members.
Quality of the Sermons
The quality of the sermons is mentioned as the third most-looked-for quality in the George Barna survey.
In the broadest sense this is also a supremely important point. The membership of the Church has a right to expect certain fundamental qualities from the elders' leadership. First and foremost is loyalty to the Bible and to the teachings and practices of Jesus that He taught the apostles—"the apostles' doctrine and fellowship" (Acts 2:42).
In his preaching each elder must be "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Most other versions say "rightly handling" or "rightly explaining," which is a better rendering, but perhaps the Revised English Bible has best grasped the basic sense of this passage when it expresses the need to "keep strictly to the true gospel."
The world's teachers expound many false gospels (Galatians 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Matthew 24:4-5). A British novelist made this comment about many 20th-century clerics: "The modern clergyman has acquired in his study of the science which I believe is called exegesis an astonishing facility for explaining things away."
Explaining things away is not a part of the preaching of a true servant of God. The ministry of the Word and prayer are his true priorities (Acts 6:4).
The apostle Paul urged Timothy: "Preach the Word; ... correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." Why? "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (2 Timothy 4:2-3, New International Version).
A faithful pastor will preach the truth of God's Word, not his own ideas. A true servant of God and His people "has a boundary set for him," explained one long-time teacher. "When he enters the pulpit, he is not an entirely free man ... He is not at liberty to invent or choose his message: it has been committed to him, and it is for him to declare, expound and commend it to his hearers."
The importance of faithfulness to the Word of God cannot be overemphasized. Much less important is the preacher's particular style of speaking or even his basic ability as an orator or teacher. Most who have received a genuine call to the ministry strive to improve their effectiveness as the years go by.
Yet Another Important Factor
One more factor is simply the ability of one's church to make a difference. Said George Barna: "They want substance from their church; they want to make a difference in the world through their church."
Broadly speaking, this is another way of saying the Church is commissioned to take the good news of the Kingdom of God to the world and faithfully teach others God's way of life as Jesus commanded (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20). Any church that is not dedicated to performing this task is seriously falling down on the job. Jesus Christ said, "You shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:20).
According to Mr. Barna, the sad truth is that "the Christian Church has stagnated, largely due to its comfort with routines and rituals that are neither challenging nor relevant for millions of people."
Many prospective churchgoers do desire to do a work in the world. They would like to find a church actively fulfilling Christ's command to spread the gospel in our age. But they may need some vital background knowledge to rightly evaluate which groups and organizations are obediently following Christ's command.
Of course, there is a great deal more to the overall story. The Church is a big subject well worth studying in much greater detail than can be done in any single Good News article. That is why the United Church of God has published an extensively researched booklet simply titled The Church Jesus Built. This is one of the most important booklets we have ever published.
Also, to understand the message Jesus taught, and which He commanded His Church to proclaim, please request your free copy of The Gospel of the Kingdom. Both booklets are available free of charge by contacting our office nearest you or through the literature library of our Web site at http://www.ucg.org/.
How to find the right church will entail some serious Bible study on your part. It is not a decision you should make quickly or lightly. You should search out a church that fits the true biblical model. GN
by John Ross Schroeder
The choice of churches and denominations of churches has never been greater. A dizzying supermarket of brands awaits the potential churchgoer, particularly in the United States.
To put the puzzling choices in secular terminology, supply and demand drives the religious marketplace. According to The Southern California Christian Times, "more than one out of seven adults change[s] their church each year, and another one out of six attends a carefully chosen handful of selected churches on a rotating basis rather than sticking with the same church week after week" (December 1998). Brand loyalty doesn't carry much weight.
If you were looking for a church, what would you look for? In America, where churchgoers are more fickle about their affiliation than in any other country, what do people look for in a place of worship?
Last year the George Barna research company surveyed American churchgoers about their preferences in a church. In the resulting report the top three factors were:
• Beliefs and doctrines.
• Mutual comfort and care among the members.
• The quality of the sermons.
Mentioned first were beliefs and doctrines. That is a good place to begin. From a biblical standpoint, certainly few if any other points could be as important. But we are getting a little ahead of ourselves. The first question to ask is, Should we attend church at all?
What the Bible Says
Most of our readers presumably have a great deal of respect for the Scriptures or they wouldn't be reading this magazine. But, if you are not yet quite sure about the authority of the Bible over our individual and collective lives, we invite you to request our two free booklets Is the Bible True? and How to Understand the Bible.
The New Testament admonishes Christians to assemble together regularly. One epistle specifically tells us: "... Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).
The Old Testament expresses the same thought in the form of a command: "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation [or 'commanded assembly,' New International Version]. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings" (Leviticus 23:3; emphasis added throughout).
In terms of choosing a church based on fundamental beliefs, observing God's Sabbath is one of the most basic—so basic that it is enshrined as one of the Ten Commandments. (If you do not understand which day is the Christian Sabbath or are unclear on its purpose and intent, please call or write for our free booklet Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest.)
To sum up the importance of beliefs and doctrines, the Bible makes it clear that God's Church keeps His law. It is described prophetically as a group of people "who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12:17).
Its members do not try to get around or do away with the requirements of the biblical way of life. They follow the difficult, narrow and often unpopular way mentioned by Jesus Christ, not the broad, easy path that eventually leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). Those who really want eternal life are pictured as living God's way (verse 14).
What is the Church?
Early in our study we should understand what the Church is and is not. We must first understand that the church is not a building. The glossary of the Translator's New Testament plainly tells us: " 'Church' in NT never means 'building.' It always represents either a group of committed Christians in any given locality [who] met to practice their religion, or the totality of these groups scattered throughout the world" (pp. 557-558).
The apostle Paul defines the Church as simply "the body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:12, 27). It is a spiritual organism, not a physical edifice or organization. Members of the Church go to the building where they meet, or a congregation meets in someone's house if the numbers are small (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 1:19), but the Church is still the spiritual Body of Christ.
By way of an analogy, Paul likens the Church to the parts of the human body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). He shows how each part is dependent on the others. Yet "by one Spirit [the Holy Spirit] we were all baptized into one body ... and have been made to drink into one Spirit" (verse 13). It doesn't make much sense for some of the membership to be separated from the rest of the Body, sitting alone at home while the rest of the Body worships together with other members of the Body.
The Same Care One for Another
The apostle Paul urged the Corinthian members to "have the same care one for another" (1 Corinthians 12:25). This is the second point mentioned by the Barna survey: mutual comfort and care.
This mutual care for one another is biblical. But it should always be remembered that our relationships with other members of the Church begin and end in our fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3, 7).
We have fellowship with each other only in and through our spiritual relationship with the Father and Jesus Christ. The first four of the Ten Commandments express our love for God, the last six our love for humankind. The apostle John points out the folly of trying to have one without the other (1 John 4:20).
The Ten Commandments embody a basic spiritual law. If you break one, spiritually speaking you have broken them all (James 2:10). We express the love of God by keeping every one of the Ten Commandments (1 John 5:3).
Expressing proper love for the membership of the Church is an awesome responsibility on the shoulders of each member. After all, Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian Church (Matthew 16:18), did say, "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you have love one for another" (John 13:35). It is of utmost importance that we extend warmth and friendliness to other members of the spiritual Body that is the Church, especially to visitors and new members.
Quality of the Sermons
The quality of the sermons is mentioned as the third most-looked-for quality in the George Barna survey.
In the broadest sense this is also a supremely important point. The membership of the Church has a right to expect certain fundamental qualities from the elders' leadership. First and foremost is loyalty to the Bible and to the teachings and practices of Jesus that He taught the apostles—"the apostles' doctrine and fellowship" (Acts 2:42).
In his preaching each elder must be "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Most other versions say "rightly handling" or "rightly explaining," which is a better rendering, but perhaps the Revised English Bible has best grasped the basic sense of this passage when it expresses the need to "keep strictly to the true gospel."
The world's teachers expound many false gospels (Galatians 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Matthew 24:4-5). A British novelist made this comment about many 20th-century clerics: "The modern clergyman has acquired in his study of the science which I believe is called exegesis an astonishing facility for explaining things away."
Explaining things away is not a part of the preaching of a true servant of God. The ministry of the Word and prayer are his true priorities (Acts 6:4).
The apostle Paul urged Timothy: "Preach the Word; ... correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." Why? "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (2 Timothy 4:2-3, New International Version).
A faithful pastor will preach the truth of God's Word, not his own ideas. A true servant of God and His people "has a boundary set for him," explained one long-time teacher. "When he enters the pulpit, he is not an entirely free man ... He is not at liberty to invent or choose his message: it has been committed to him, and it is for him to declare, expound and commend it to his hearers."
The importance of faithfulness to the Word of God cannot be overemphasized. Much less important is the preacher's particular style of speaking or even his basic ability as an orator or teacher. Most who have received a genuine call to the ministry strive to improve their effectiveness as the years go by.
Yet Another Important Factor
One more factor is simply the ability of one's church to make a difference. Said George Barna: "They want substance from their church; they want to make a difference in the world through their church."
Broadly speaking, this is another way of saying the Church is commissioned to take the good news of the Kingdom of God to the world and faithfully teach others God's way of life as Jesus commanded (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20). Any church that is not dedicated to performing this task is seriously falling down on the job. Jesus Christ said, "You shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:20).
According to Mr. Barna, the sad truth is that "the Christian Church has stagnated, largely due to its comfort with routines and rituals that are neither challenging nor relevant for millions of people."
Many prospective churchgoers do desire to do a work in the world. They would like to find a church actively fulfilling Christ's command to spread the gospel in our age. But they may need some vital background knowledge to rightly evaluate which groups and organizations are obediently following Christ's command.
Of course, there is a great deal more to the overall story. The Church is a big subject well worth studying in much greater detail than can be done in any single Good News article. That is why the United Church of God has published an extensively researched booklet simply titled The Church Jesus Built. This is one of the most important booklets we have ever published.
Also, to understand the message Jesus taught, and which He commanded His Church to proclaim, please request your free copy of The Gospel of the Kingdom. Both booklets are available free of charge by contacting our office nearest you or through the literature library of our Web site at http://www.ucg.org/.
How to find the right church will entail some serious Bible study on your part. It is not a decision you should make quickly or lightly. You should search out a church that fits the true biblical model. GN
Thursday, May 7, 2009
How The World Perceives Us?
In 2007, David Kinnaman published his groundbreaking book, UnChristian: What A New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity. This book is the result of three years of extensive interviews with young adults today. Through his research, Kinnaman discovered the negative perceptions the unchurched (he called them "outsiders") had toward Christianity, which altered their willingness to commit their lives to Jesus. One person he interviewed put it this way: "Most people I meet assume that Christian means very conservative, entrenched in their thinking, antigay, antichoice, angry, violent, illogical, empire builders; they want to convert everyone, and they generally cannot live peaceably with anyone who doesn't believe what they believe."
While we may not agree with the views of the unchurched, Kinnaman challenges us not to ignore them. We have to deal with the young adults of the 21st century as they are—candid, irrelevant, and brazen.
Kinnaman’s research explores the six perceptions these outsiders have of Christians:
(1) Hypocritical. Outsiders consider us hypocritical—saying one thing and doing another—and they are skeptical of our morally superior attitudes. Christians present the church as a place only for the virtuous and morally pure people.
(2) Too focused on getting converts. Outsiders wonder if we genuinely care about them. They feel like targets rather than people. They question our motives when we try to help them "get saved," despite the fact that many of them have already "tried" Jesus and experienced church before.
(3) Antihomosexual. Outsiders say that Christians are bigoted and show disdain for gays and lesbians. They say that Christians are fixed on curing homosexuals and on leveraging political solutions against them.
(4) Sheltered. Christians are thought of as old-fashioned, boring, and out of touch with reality. Outsiders say we do not respond to reality in appropriately complex ways, preferring simplistic solutions and answers. We are not willing to deal with the grit and grime of people’s lives.
(5) Too political. Another common perception of Christians is that we are overly motivated by a political agenda, and that we promote and represent politically conservative interests and issues. Conservative Christians are often thought of as right-wingers.
(6) Judgmental. Outsiders think of Christians as quick to judge others. They say we are not honest about our attitudes and perspectives about other people. They doubt that we really love people as we say we do.
While we may not agree with the views of the unchurched, Kinnaman challenges us not to ignore them. We have to deal with the young adults of the 21st century as they are—candid, irrelevant, and brazen.
Leadership is about perception. What people think about Christians influences how they respond to us. In fact, what they think should help us to become more objective. We need to make continual, honest evaluations of ourselves so that we reflect what we profess. What people think about Christians also reflect their own personal stories of the disappointing interactions they have had with churchgoers. But we can change all that. We need to represent Christ in a completely new context. Like Jesus, we must start engaging culture and its people with respect and love.
What About Tattoos?
Tattoos have become a mark of the 21st century. According to the August 4, 2008, issue of U.S. News & World Report, more than one quarter of those under the age of 30 adorn their skin with at least one. No longer is tattoo something reserved only for gang members, convicts, delinquents or social outcasts. In fact, many of the preachers’ kids of the largest churches in Australia, America and Europe have them on their bodies. And these PKs are by no means rebellious or unspiritual. Most of them are doing excellent jobs leading youth, music and creative ministries. Some are even deliberately using their tattoos as a bridge to connect with the unchurched in outreach efforts. However, for most people, a tattoo is simply a means of stylistic expression. Many middle-aged women may not tattoo patterns and designs, but they go to their aestheticians to tattoo their eyebrows, eyeliners and lip colors.
So, is tattooing a sin? Are Christians allowed to have them?
Those who argue against it often quote Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.” The word for “tattoo” in its original Hebrew is qa-aqa, which appears only this one time in the entire Scripture. Proper hermeneutic requires us to read any Bible passage with the actual context in mind. Practically all Bible commentaries agree that the context of Leviticus 19 is God prohibiting the Israelites from adopting the religious practices of the pagan nations surrounding them. Adam Clarke’s Commentary of the Old Testament says that the pagans were carrying “marks on the body in honor of the object of their worship ... for superstitious purposes ... in honor of different idols.” Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible says that the practice “had religious significance among Israel’s pagan neighbors.” But what if there is no religious, superstitious or idolatrous implication? Is a believer allowed to tattoo then?
Technically, if one takes the view that Leviticus 19 prohibits tattooing for all people in all circumstances, then for consistency’s sake, one must also abide by all the letters of the law here. That includes no shaving around the sides of the head, and the mandatory keeping of beards for all men (v27), which is a near impossibility for any serving in the military today. That also includes not wearing clothes made of different fabrics (v19). Should we then also continue with slavery and the keeping of mistresses, both accepted practices during the ancient days of Leviticus (v20)? Should we continue the Old Testament dietary restrictions like no eating of pork, shrimp, crab or shellfish? What about headscarves for women? Do we need to enforce that on all Christian women today? Most of us will agree that the answers to all the above are an emphatic no.
Next, is God Himself abhorrent to tattoos? God says in Isaiah 49:16, “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me.” The word “inscribe” in Hebrew means “to engrave.” The scholars of The Living Bible simply translate that as “I have tattooed your name upon my palm.” When John saw a vision of God’s chosen 144,000, they were “sealed” and “written” with the Father’s name on their foreheads (Rev. 7:3; 14:1). Those words in the original Greek mean to “mark,” “stamp” and “engrave.” The book of Revelation also talks about false worshipers receiving the mark of the beast, which were called stigmata among the Greeks. To this Paul refers when he says, “I bear in my body the marks (stigmata) of the Lord Jesus” (Gal. 6:17). Whether the prophet Isaiah and the apostles John and Paul are speaking metaphorically or otherwise, one thing is for sure, body markings are not always repugnant to God. As such, we must be careful not to paint them as evil or sinful in a broad, general stroke.
Theologians, like Tom Beaudoin, have done studies on youths who pierce or tattoo their bodies. They discovered that youths do that when they have had profound experiential encounters. Things that impact them deeply, like when they fall in love, get their hearts broken, graduate, start a new job, achieve something they are proud of, or lose a loved one through death. To the youths and young adults of the 21st century, tattooing (and body piercing) are often not something vain or rebellious, but more like a rite of passage. It is their way of expressing the spiritual in the physical, even at the expense of experiencing some bodily pain.
For most people, tattooing today is simply a means of personal and stylistic expression, much like clothing, makeup, hairstyle, body-toning and fashion accessorizing. There is nothing religious, superstitious and rebellious to the wearer; it is simply for aesthetic value.
Because tattooing is designed to last forever, and removal is painful and expensive, you should enter into it only after much consideration. Ask yourself the following:
• Am I at a legally acceptable age to get a tattoo?
• If I live with my parents, would they support my decision?
• Would I still want this tattoo when I get older?
• Am I really comfortable having it even if people may “unfairly judge” me?
• If my tattoo is visible to others, is it appropriate for my line of work?
Ultimately, tattooing is a personal choice that, more often than not, reflects neither a rebellious nature nor a religious inclination. It is clearly written in the Bible that God looks beyond the surface and sees the heart of a person. We must be careful not to judge a believer with tattoos as loving God less than the one without.
Can Christians Drink?
At its 36th Bi-Annual National Conference held on April 23-24, 2007, the Assemblies of God in Australia introduced a new code allowing AG pastors to consume alcohol. However it also urged extreme caution when drinking, and highlighted that drunkenness is prohibited.According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, throughout the first 1,800 years of church history, Christians consumed alcoholic beverages as a common part of everyday life and nearly always used wine (fermented grape juice) in the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper. Many of the early church fathers allowed wine drinking in moderation. The Catholic Church requires properly fermented wine in their Eucharist. The Reformers from Luther and Calvin to Zwingli and Knox strongly supported the enjoyment of wine as a biblical blessing. It was said that Calvin's annual salary in Geneva included seven barrels of wine. Even the conservative and strict English Puritans were temperate partakers of wine and ale, which they considered as "God's good gifts." It was in the mid-1800s when some Protestant Christians moved from this historic position of allowing moderate use of alcohol to the total prohibiting of all drinking.
Are Christians allowed to drink wine and beverages that contain alcohol? Let us look at some standard objections against drinking of alcoholic beverages:
1. Word Study: Those who argue against drinking seek to use "word study" as a pretext to prove that scripturally-approved wine is non-alcoholic in nature. However, their contention is tenuous and doesn't stand up to close rigorous examination. There are 12 Hebrew words used to denote "wine." The three most common ones are:
Are Christians allowed to drink wine and beverages that contain alcohol? Let us look at some standard objections against drinking of alcoholic beverages:
1. Word Study: Those who argue against drinking seek to use "word study" as a pretext to prove that scripturally-approved wine is non-alcoholic in nature. However, their contention is tenuous and doesn't stand up to close rigorous examination. There are 12 Hebrew words used to denote "wine." The three most common ones are:
- Yayin (H3196), used 113 times in the Old Testament. Opponents of drinking often claim that, depending on the context, this could mean non-fermented alcohol. Not true. According to the authoritative Strong's Hebrew & Greek Dictionary, yayin is definitely fermented, alcoholic wine.
- Tirosh (H8492), used 40 times in the Old Testament and translated as "new wine" (Prov. 3:10) or "sweet wine" (Micah 6:15). Opponents of drinking claim this is fresh grape juice with no alcohol content. Again, not true. The Strong's Hebrew & Greek Dictionary says that although it is freshly squeezed grapes, it is nonetheless fermented. Easton's Bible Dictionary says that tirosh has the root meaning "to take possession of," implying that it can intoxicate the brain (Hosea 4:11).
- Shekar (H7941), used 20 times in the Old Testament. It means strong drink, intense alcoholic liquor. No dispute here.
- Oinos (G3631), used 25 times. Since it is the counterpart to the Old Testament word yayin, opponents of drinking again claim that it was often unfermented and non-alcoholic; and even if it was alcoholic, oinos was so diluted with water that it had become virtually non-alcoholic. Not true. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, the fact that Jesus mentions that oinos was capable of bursting wine skins (Matt. 9:17) implies strong fermentation.
- Gleukos (G1098), used once in Acts 2:13, and is the counterpart to the Old Testament tirosh. Opponents of drinking claim this is totally non-alcoholic, just like the English glucose, which is dextrose or grape-sugar. Others claim this is nothing more than freshly squeezed grape juice. Not true again. The Strong's Hebrew & Greek Dictionary says it is a highly intoxicating, fermented drink. The New Unger's Bible Dictionary says that when "Peter replies (Acts 2:15), 'These men are not drunk, as you suppose.' If the wine was not intoxicating, the accusation could only have been ironical. From the explanations of the ancient lexicographers we may infer that the luscious qualities of this wine were due not to its being recently made but to its being produced from the purest juice of the grape."
A thorough word study of wine will bring us to the same conclusion as the Dictionary of Jesus & the Gospel: "All wine mentioned in the Bible is fermented grape juice with an alcohol content. No non-fermented drink was called wine."
2. Holy Communion: When the Lord's Supper was instituted, the wine and the unleavened bread on the table were set apart as the body and blood of Christ. Jesus says, "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom" (Matt. 26:29). Opponents of drinking take the fruit of the vine to mean grape juice. But when Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their abuse of the Lord's Supper, he blasted them for abusing the wine to get drunk (1 Cor. 11:20-21). Obviously, one must conclude that the beverage used for the Lord's Supper could not be grape juice but real alcoholic wine.
3. Qualification of a Bishop: Opponents of drinking often quote 1 Timothy 3:2-3 when Paul says that a bishop must be a man "not given to wine." The word "given" (Gr. paroinos) means "drunken." The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament says, "The word does not include the responsible and temperate usage of alcohol, rather, it has in view the abuse or incessant use of it. The word-picture is that of an individual who always has a bottle (or wineskin) on the table and so signifies addiction."
4. Drunkenness. Without a doubt, drunkenness is a sin. Scripturally, it is portrayed negatively with characteristics such as staggering, reeling, vomiting, loss of mental control, and possible addiction. Poverty, immorality and sexual perversion are commonly mentioned in the Bible as results of drunkenness. Priests and prophets are judged for drunkenness, which prevents them from performing their duties (Is. 28:7). No bishop or church leader can be a drunkard (Titus 1:7; 2:2-5). Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:21). Opponents of drinking posit that since drinking potentially causes drunkenness, we should never pick up the first drink. If that argument is true, then the same must be said of food, money, work and sex since they could also lead to gluttony, greed, workaholism and sex addiction. Should one abstain from them all because of potential danger? Of course, not.
5. Health: Opponents of drinking claim that alcohol impairs and destroys our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Not all true. Studies have found that moderate alcohol consumption has health benefits like lowering the risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. In some cases, it actually increases longevity. Paul instructed Timothy, "No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities" (1 Tim. 5:23). But drunkenness or alcoholic intoxication affects the brain, causes slurred speech, clumsiness, and delayed reflexes. Long-term excessive consumption can permanently damage the liver and brain, and cause some forms of cancer. As such, moderation is the key.
What then is the Bible's general attitude toward wine and drinking? One cannot deny that both the Old and New Testament view wine drinking favorably:
- Sign of God's blessing: Abundant wine was considered a sign of blessing and prosperity from God, not something to be shunned (Gen. 49:11-12; Deut. 7:13; Prov. 31:6; Joel 2:24; 3:18; Amos 9:13-14; Is. 55:1; Zech. 10:7). Isaac blessed Jacob by saying, "Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine" (Gen. 27:28). Conversely, the lack of wine was a symbol of judgment and calamity (Deut. 28:30; Is. 16:10; 24:11; 65:21; Jer. 48:33; Joel 1:5; Amos 5:11; Micah 6:15; Zeph. 1:13).
- Righteous offering to God: Starting back in Genesis, Melchizedek the priest of God Most High used wine in religious ceremonial offering (Gen. 14:18). Wine was used as offerings to God ever since.
- Enjoyment: Psalms 104:15 says that God gives His people "wine that makes glad the heart of man." Ecclesiastes 9:7 says, "Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works." Wine was always considered a source of joy, one of the good things created for people (Judges 9:13; 2 Sam. 13:28; Esther 1:10; Eccl. 2:3; 10:19; Is. 24:11; Zech. 10:7). Until today, Jews use wine on Sabbath for Kiddush as well as in the Passover ceremony and in other religious ceremonies, and allow the use of alcohol, such as kosher wine. Many ancient Jewish texts such as the Talmud even encourage moderate amounts of drinking on holidays such as Purim, in order to make the occasion more joyous.
- Normal: Like fasting, abstinence from wine was the exception and not the norm for God's people. We see that in Daniel (Dan. 1:8-16), the Rechabites (Jer. 35:1-19), and the Nazirites (Num. 6:1-4).
- Jesus Himself drank wine: "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'" (Matt. 11:18-19). To be accused of being a winebibber, Jesus obviously drank alcoholic wine. And He permitted the use of wine in festivities like the wedding of Cana (John 2:1-11). In fact, His first miracle was to turn water into wine. Jesus even used the imagery of fermented wine to describe His teaching as "new wine" (Matt. 9:17).
With alcoholism an increasing problem in society, it is understandable why some may want to caution against drinking. But to twist Scriptures in order to prove wine as unfermented grape juice is certainly not an honest way to go.
Abstinence was never an issue in the Old Testament, New Testament, early church or the Reformation. There is never any direct prohibition of the use of wine in the Bible. But anything done in excess is wrong. Moderation is the watchword (Phil. 4:5 KJV). In this case, the Bible permits drinking but at the same time, discourages drunkenness. Besides, the use of wine is dependent upon the conscience and the sensitivities of others. It is not to be indulged in if it will lead others to drink against their conscience (Rom. 14:19-21).
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
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