(4) Conclusion
Principles are eternal: practices based on these vary from age to
age according to the needs and culture in which believers in Christ attempt to
put these principles into practice. Brother Islip Collyer in his book Principles and Proverbs said:
Principles
are like stars, constant and comprehensive, but not local or particular. The pilot with only local knowledge may guide
the ship through the well-known channel and into the old port, but a knowledge
of the stars is necessary when sailing in unknown seas. If a pilot should mistake a foreign port for
the one he knows and attempt to guide the vessel according to the old rules he
will bring it to disaster. Ships of
various kinds have been wrecked through such mistaken confidence. Oftentimes
men have ignored principles and have applied the lessons learned in former
years to circumstances that are totally different.
In
the New Testament we observe divine principles being put into practice in
concrete situations in ecclesial life in the first century. Our responsibility is to apply these same
principles in our age. We need to guard
against two dangers. One is the danger
of ignoring the principles by becoming submerged in twentieth century
materialism. The other danger is that we
try to apply in a literal or half-literal fashion first century practices
regardless of whether the principles require such a literal application.
The issue of meat offered to idols is instructive on how we should
uphold principles today. In Acts 15 such
meat is forbidden to followers of Christ, a compromise for the sake of the
sensitivity of Jewish believers. That
this ban was temporary is indicated in Romans 14, where Paul considers the kind
of food eaten is irrelevant provided the believer eats with a thankful attitude
to God. “Let everyone be fully convinced
in his own mind” is Paul’s advice on both Sabbath keeping and on the eating of
meat offered to idols. Yet, if the
exercise of one’s conscientiously held beliefs “offends” (drives away from
Christ) anyone who cannot accept this, discretion is necessary.
Let us then pursue
what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong
for anyone to make others fall by what he eats;
it is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your
brother stumble. (Romans
14:19-21)
Such
discretion is for the benefit of those who are weak in the faith. In writing as
he did Paul’s aim was to teach the proper Christian position. Presumably he expected that those weak in the
faith would in time come to a mature understanding. When, however, this did not happen and
instead of accepting the spiritual worship some began to reassert the ritual
side, Paul did not hesitate to denounce this approach:
See to it that no
one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not
according to Christ. ... Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in
questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a
sabbath. These are only a shadow of what
is to come; but the substance belongs to
Christ. (Colossians
2:8, 16-17)
In 1 Timothy 4 Paul expresses himself even more strongly in
defence of the spiritual nature of Christian conduct:
Now the Spirit expressly says that in
later times some will depart from the faith .... [They] forbid marriage and
enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving
by those who believe and know the truth.
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if
it is received with thanksgiving; for
then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:1-5)
In reviewing therefore how the New Testament deals with the
question of meat offered to idols, we can observe the need to take account of
those who are weak in faith and to compromise temporarily. The argument that people are “offended”
should not, however, be used to prevent the application of the basic principles
of Christian teaching. In the long term
it is necessary to uphold the basic truth that Christianity is not a matter of
observing ritual distinctions (special food, special days, special clothes,
special ceremonies) but is a spiritual response to God acted out in daily
life. This is one of the features which
particularly marks Christianity as different from most other religions. True
Christianity is spiritual:
“God is spirit,
and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John
4:24)
I appeal to you
therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual
worship. (Romans
12:1, NRSV)
Service to God can be in and through customary practices, but
these practices themselves are part of the things that pass away; we must not confuse the form through which
God is served with that service itself.
A considerable number of brothers and sisters
have helped us with this booklet by commenting on our original draft
version. We have done our best to
incorporate their suggestions and thank them for their contributions.
We will be pleased to receive any further
comments, corrections or criticisms of our material, will study them with
interest, and will attempt to take account of them in any future versions.
First published 1991, expanded and updated 1994 & 2007. This
material is available in Microsoft Word, or as PDF.
Ian & Averil McHaffie,
176 Granton Road,
Edinburgh. EH5 1AH
mchaffie@tesco.net
16th February 2009
Available
by email or on the internet
1
Corinthians 11:2-16
An Examination of the section on
headcovering, a review of the historical and cultural background, a critical
analysis of various interpretations, and some suggestions as to how this
section should be understood and applied today.
All One in
Christ Jesus
What does the Bible say about the
work of brothers and sisters in the ecclesia?
This book begins with Jewish and New Testament background, the
teaching and actions of Jesus, and then the rest of the New Testament. The book
proceeds to examine the Old Testament, historical understandings,
Christadelphian attitudes to women, and the variety of current practice. After
considering the various positions presented on the subject, it suggests what
the position should be today. After a detailed examination of all the relevant
Biblical passages, it is concluded that both brothers and sisters should
participate in all aspects of ecclesial work if we are to be loyal to the
spirit and teaching of the Bible. The criterion is reliability and
faithfulness, not whether male or female.
Principles
and
Practice
Bible Practices
and their Application Today
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