Other Practices Taught or Endorsed in The New Testament

Apart from those already mentioned above in the direct teaching of Jesus, a considerable number of practices are enjoined on believers elsewhere in the New Testament. Others were done in the early ecclesias and apparently endorsed. We show an interest in some of these today; others we completely ignore. Amongst these practices are: choosing by lot, laying on of hands, circumcision, eating kosher meat, length of hair, excluding immoral people, marriage and celibacy, relationships between parents, children and slaves, headcoverings, greeting one another with a holy kiss, holding up hands in prayer, the avoidance of expensive clothes, anointing the sick with oil, payment to leaders of the ecclesia, sharing goods with teachers, and the enrolment of widows. It is again important to examine why we do not practice many of these today. Can we reasonably pick and choose, and if so, on what basis?

Underlying any assessment of practices like the laying on of hands, anointing with oil, or headcovering in prayer, is the question: Is this simply part of the practice of the ancient world (through which principles are expressed) or are these practices fundamental in themselves? We shall examine each in an effort to arrive at overall conclusions and their implication for today.

Choosing by Lot

Choosing by lot is an ancient practice. Pagan Romans used it to decide who should get Jesus’ clothes (Matthew 27:35). In the Old Testament the will of God was revealed by lot when Saul was chosen as king (1 Samuel 10:20-24). When the disciples in Jerusalem sought a replacement for Judas, God answered by lot:

And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.                                                                       (Acts 1:24-26)

No further mention of this occurs in the New Testament. It was, however, a way of trusting in God entirely for the outcome. Why do we not do it today? Is it a lack of faith in God?  Is it a belief that using lots would be relying on chance?  Or is it because we feel that God acted directly in Bible times but does not do so now?  Offices in the ecclesia are usually chosen by ballot or by accepting volunteers. There is no general recommendation in the Bible that decisions should be made by lot. No method is described when Stephen and others were chosen in Acts 6:5, but spiritual suitability seemed a prime concern.

... and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, ....

In Acts 1 the matter was decided in the context of prayer, and this certainly should accompany our methods of decision-making.