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Some Christians quote Matthew 18:20 to try to justify their practice of going out on Sunday to fish, golf, attend travel ball or perform some other recreational activity, missing the first-day-of-the-week assembly and simply holding their "own services" since two or three are gathered. Many verses like this are abused in like manner (such as, Matthew 7:1 where people claim that you cannot judge (see our Question in the Q & A- Is It A Sin To Judge?).
For something to be authorized means that it must be Divinely sanctioned (Colossians 3:17). For something to be mandatory means that it is something that must be done. Does giving financial means to the Lord's work fall under both categories? Is it authorized and mandatory?
It is certainly authorized to give of one's financial resources to the Lord's work as we see throughout the Scriptures some examples of the church of Christ giving on various occasions (Acts 4:34-36; 6:1-7; 20:35) to help those who were in need. But is it also mandatory to give of one's financial resources?
This question cannot be answered with a "yes" or "no" as will be explained. Transporting the Lord's Supper to sick Christians who are unable to attend worship is an issue that will have to be reserved for every congregation of the Lord's church to decide.
1 Corinthians 11:26-34 states: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come."
Does Romans 15:11 teach that the New Testament church is authorized to clap as a form of acceptable worship to God? Does the word "laud" in this verse mean "to applaud or clap"? Merriam-Webster's English dictionary defines "laud" as "praise or acclaim", but gives a possible synonym as "applaud." Just as is the case for defining the action of "baptism", so also is the case for defining the action of "laud": we must first consult the context of the Scriptures (not uninspired, English dictionaries) for God's meaning of a word and secondly the original languages of the Bible, especially the Koine ("common") Greek - realizing we will be judged only by the New Testament in the last day (Matthew 28:18; John 12:48; Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 4:11).
The answer is no. They apply to both Christians and non-Christians. For example, one of the reasons Paul gives for a female not to teach or have authority over the man is because "Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression" (1 Timothy 2:12-14). The roles of male and female have been a universal law applying to believers as well as non-believers ever since the Garden of Eden (as have murder, deceiving, disobeying God, etc.). This is true also under the New Testament as is indicated by these passages: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16; 14:34,35; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 1 Peter 3:1-7.
"Transubstantiation" is a doctrine which claims that the Lord's Supper actually changes into the literal body and blood of Jesus. Such a view is based on an erroneous understanding of the following statements of Jesus: "This is My body" and "This is My blood" and "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life" (Mark 14:22-25; John 6:51-58).
One of the longest held arguments that advocates who are in favor of justifying the practice of worshipping with mechanical instruments of music in the worship of the New Testament church is known as the "expedient (or aid) argument ". The "expedient argument " states that mechanical instruments of music in church worship are an aid to the congregational singing in the same way that songbooks, pitchforks, projectors, projector screens, and many other items are considered an aid.
A chain prayer is where adult males and females are gathered together for the purpose of prayer and each member of that group will lead a prayer in turn while the other members listen. Is such a practice acceptable and authorized by God?
The Bible presents a number of different postures in which people prayed to God , for example:
One argument used to try to justify the use of mechanical instruments in worship to God is stated as follows: “Ephesians 5:19 is not related to or found within the context of the worship assembly; it only applies to the activities of daily life.”
We must define the terms “hear” and “alien sinners”.
First, we will define alien sinners from the Scriptures. An alien sinner is a person who is amenable to the law of Christ (this would not include the unaccountable, such as, infants and the mentally retarded).
1) The Bible draws a clear distinction between secular songs/music and spiritual songs/music, Ephesians 5:18-21; Colossians 3:16-17 (these passages emphasize the spiritual aspect of these songs)
Major Premise: All authorized and specified acts of New Testament church worship are actions which may have subordinate expedients (aids) authorized by God.
Minor Premise: "Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" is an authorized and specified act of New Testament church worship (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)
John 1:17 states: "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
It is important to understand what this verse does not teach. Some have taught erroneously from this verse that the Old Testament never had an ounce of grace in it and that the New Testament does not have an ounce of law in it. This is not true at all!
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There are people throughout history who have always had a desire to be free from the laws of a higher authority. They want to be free to do whatever they want to do. Those who are promoting self-indulgence and freedom from restrictions are guilty of destroying the moral fabric of the United States and other nations. Faithful Christians who are attempting to follow what the Bible teaches are called "legalistic." Are they really? What is legalism exactly?
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