We Do Many Things For Which We Have No Authority
This title was a statement I heard coming from a brother in Christ a few years ago. Since that time I have heard it again and again. It makes cold chills run up my back to think about it. This statement is in direct opposition to what we have always claimed: "speak where the Bible speaks," "back to the Bible for it all." It is also a positive contradiction of the teaching of Christ.
I do not believe that the Southwest church is doing anything for which we have no authority. However, if we were, then we would be no different from the denominations. Acting only on the authority of Christ is what makes us the true church of Christ. If this is not the case then we have no purpose in existing. If you know of a work or practice being done for which there is no authority, then it should be removed immediately.
The first time I heard this statement, it made me think. Is there something being done by the church without authority? We have authority for our name. (Rom. 16:16) We have authority for our organization. (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1) We have authority for our worship. (Jno. 4:24) We have authority for the meeting house and song books. (Jno. 4:24; Eph. 5:19) We have authority for the plan of salvation. (Mk. 16:16; Lk. 13:3,5; Rom. 10:9, 10; Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21)
In years gone by there seemed to be little said about the church doing things without authority. Why has it come up now? It has come up now because it is becoming more and more obvious all the time that there are some things being done by some churches for which they have no authority! Since they have no authority for their practices they accuse all churches of Christ of making the same mistake. The implication seems to be that two wrongs make us both right. The consequences of this reasoning would be that we could not condemn the denominations for doing things without authority.
Doing things without authority is a real problem for churches of Christ today. That there is a tendancy on the part of some to act without authority seems to be quite obvious. One church of Christ invites the people present to a "social hour in the fellowship room following Sunday evening services." Where is the authority for a "fellow ship room"? You might just pass this off by saying, Who cares! The Christian Church can do the same with the question, Where is the authority for instruments of music in worship? Then again, I received a letter recently signed by the "chairman of the Public Relations Committee." Now, you might be thinking that the letter was from some business firm, but it wasn't! It was from a church of Christ! I've read in the Bible about elders, deacons, members, evangelist but never a "chairman." And I certainly have never heard of a "Public Relations Committee" in the New Testament church. Where is the authority? Don't you sort of get the feeling that you know how this saying, "We do many things for which we have no authority," got started?
Now-a-days it isn't unusual to hear of churches of Christ having special Thanksgiving services. One such add read: "Thanksgiving service is fast approaching." In reading the Bible we read a warning by Paul in Gal. 4:10, "Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years." Yes, I know God hath created meats to be received with thanksgiving. (1 Tim. 4:3) But this is done every day. The only special day that God has set aside in the church is the first day of the week. To observe a holiday as a religious day is to do so without the authority of Christ. Religious holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, observed by the denominational world, were not observed by the Lord's church in the first century and must not be observed by the Lord's church today!
Always be aware of man's inability to direct his own steps. Remember, let him that "thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (I Cor. 10:12) Be constant, be watchful, examine yourself to see whether ye be in the faith.
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