An Exchange Regarding God's Commandments
The following discussion took place on a large Internet discussion list, primarily made up of members of the progressive Church of Christ, many of whom are preachers. The discussion pertained to the importance of God's commandments in the matter of unity and fellowship with God and with fellow Christians. I have changed the names of the actual participates to John, Jack, Jim. The below is only a small sample of the a few of the posts that were made. I am making it available to you so that you can examine the lawless spirit that is prevailing in some camps.
In this first post by "John," I have asked John regarding his stance as pertains to God's commands and unity and fellowship. Here was his reply: (Please be sure to read, "God's Commandments - Some Accomplishments.")
John replied thus:
Don Martin to Jack and the list (John pressed me for one command that I think can be disobeyed by man. I never understood John's point, since John believes God's commands are not essential, I should have been asking him for one example of a dispensable command. At any rate, Jack has sought to help in the discussion):
Hello, Jack, I hope all is well with you. You wrote:
I will gladly give you an example of ONE area that I believe is to be practiced by Christians but because of a lack of understanding by some Christians is not practiced. The area I am speaking of is the Lord's Supper. I take it weekly but it is not a salvation issue in my opinion. Furthermore, I have no problem with people taking it during the week.
This is just my opinion. Now I have given you one example.
Don answers:
Thanks for the help, Jack. I do believe that because of some root differences between
John, you, and me, we do have different applications. As I have affirmed from day one, I
only teach and attempt to motivate people to obey every command. We all painfully know
that from time to time Christians fail. This is where God's grace enters, fortunately
(Eph. 2: 8-10). However, I could not use your illustration. I believe the matter of the
Lord's Supper is one that is indeed basic and must be obeyed in order to enjoy unity and
fellowship with God and other Christians. I believe the Christian is to weekly and on the
Lord's Day partake of the Supper (Acts 2: 42, 20: 7). I, therefore, could never endorse
those who practiced something to the contrary.
Jack, where do you draw the line? How about those who use coke and crackers for the
elements? Would this be a fellowship issue with you? How about the doctrines of
transubstantiation and consubstanciation, would this pose a problem? I suppose it all
comes down to where we draw the line.
Jack, I want you and the list to know that I am perfectly aware that I sin and depend on
God's grace. However, I must humbly strive to keep all of God's laws and teach others to
do the same (cp. Matt. 5: 19). My mind is on, I trust, how I can better serve God, not
which laws I can omit. Keeping God's commandments and laws is a pleasure for those who
truly love him (I Jn. 5: 3).
I do thank you again for your help and I do not mean to be rude in not using your example.
Have a good weekend.
Jim wrote:
I never ceased to be amazed that people argue that commands must be obeyed to be saved,
when it is as clear as day that the Corinthian church had all sorts of problems, and yet
Paul still called them "my beloved brethren" (I Cor. 15: 58).
Don replies:
Don Martin to John and the list (in this post, I attempt to encourage John to agree to an exchange in Bible Truths where there will be rules to follow):
When I published the debate rules for Bible Truths and offered
propositions, John responded as follows:
Yes, Don, we on ..... are a rowdy rabble of reformers and revolutionists (for the most
part). So were the freedom fighters in the Colonies. While the British lined themselves up
in orderly fashion in their fancy red coats, like gentlemen, we hid behind trees and
gunned them down. We lacked structure and discipline, and we weren't "gentlemen"
.... and we won our freedom!!
I have little use for structured, regulated debates. I place great value, however, on
open, free and frank discussion among brethren. On this list I offer you the latter,
brother!! If you're willing to take off the fancy red coat and hang it on a tree, and come
on down into the dirt with us common folk, we'll open our Bible together and discuss the
issues which divide us until the cows come home!!!
Don answers:
The rules for formal exchange on Bible Truths are not open for change.
I came to John's list and attempted to abide by his rules (lack of rules). In view of the
chaos of John not directly answering me but answering me to some one else and expecting me
to hunt down his posts and try to apply them to the context of our exchange, I finally
stated that I did not see the need to continue in such an unstructured climate. However, I
did answer all of John's questions and I did so in the exchange format. For the offer to
come to Bible Truths and for attempting to be structured, John calls me a
legalist. John, I am sorry this is your attitude.
John further stated:
Don, I am not the least bit interested in moving our discussion over to your forum, and
then turning it into a structured, regulated debate. I prefer discussion over debate. Even
the published debates which I have had on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, I made sure
were simply two brethren DISCUSSING the matters about which they differed. No rules, just
two brethren with open Bibles, and hopefully open hearts and minds, examining the Word
together "to see if these things be so." Forget the rules and regulations.
Don replies:
John, as far as the exchange propositions are concerned, I was willing to work with you,
had you simply responded by saying "I do not like the propositions." Perhaps we
could have mutually agreed on propositions and had a good, orderly exchange for thousands
to have read, compared, and studied. As it is, you have declined such an exchange. "I
have little use for structured, regulated debates," you stated. You also wrote:
Just look at some of this nonsense, Don:
A. Each installment will be ideally four pages long, not to exceed five pages.
B. Formatting: Format/paragraph/line spacing, multiple 1. 5, 14 point font, Times New
Roman.
C. Page set up: Top 1", bottom 1", left 1", right 1".
D. Each installment will ideally be prepared in Microsoft Word (Processor) meeting the
foregoing requirements, and sent by regular e-mail in plain text.
This whole thing smacks of legalism!
Don answers: