The "No Pattern" Theory — Some Sad Results
While visiting the World's Fair during the summer of 1964, I had the opportunity to attend the services of the Exodus Bayshore Church of Christ in West Islip, N, Y. Since then I have been fortunate to receive the weekly bulletin (EXODUS MILESTONES) of that congregation. I say I am fortunate because the usual trend of digressive brethren is to mark those off the mailing list who disagree with their compromising spirit and their unscriptural practices.
This congregation is caught up in campaigns, youth movements, institutionalism, conferences, brotherhood workshops, plays, etc. and it is not unusual to read such items as:
(1) Teenagers have been invited to a Valentine Banquet, Feb.11, at 7:00 PM in the banquet room of the Quality Motel in Riverhead. This is being sponsored by the Riverside church. (Feb. 3, 1966 bulletin. )
(2) Sunday evening, June 19, the acapella chorus of the West Islip church will present a special message in song. This will likely be one of the most inspirational evening's of the year. (June 16, 1966)
(3) CAR FOR SALE: , faith corps candidate in training at Harding College, has a 1965 six-cylinder Mustang for sale. It has a radio and heater, 3-speed transmission, and in like-new condition. She owes $2400, payable at $75 per month and is seeking someone who would take up the payments on the car. (June 16)
And in another issue just a few weeks ago there appeared an announcement that two had placed membership with the church. One was a Baptist who claimed to have been baptized for the remission of sins and the other was a member of the Church of God. No mention was made of confessing error but that they had "placed membership". Nor was there mention of the Church of God member's having been scripturally baptized. As Mark Twain said, "All I know is what I read." BUT the irony came in the June 23, 1966 issue, The elders decided that the congregation had been having too much activity so they cancelled their vacation Bible school.
The bulletin usually consists of three pages about their projects and a general overall bragging on themselves. And one page is usually devoted to teaching (but not always). A typical bulletin is the one dated June 2, 1966. The first page tells of a trip to Madison, Tenn. to visit "the largest church of Christ in the world which has 3300 members." The third page tells of other exodus movements and the last page announces the coming of the Bloodmobile, a nearby campaign, and an article in the Wall Street Journal. The second page was devoted to teaching (?). The article on that page is the primary cause of this writing for it truly shows the sad result of the "no pattern" theory. It was written by their minister and it is entitled THE CASE FOR TOTAL ABSTINENCE. Here is the full article in print:
Christ's disciple does not abstain from alcoholic beverages because of scriptural injunction. Nowhere does the Bible say that it is morally wrong to drink an alcoholic beverage. It does teach that it is a sin to drink to excess or to become intoxicated. The scripture says that those who are guilty of drunkenness shall not inherit the kingdom of God. It is readily apparent that wine was a legitimate beverage for first century disciples. Paul told Timothy to "use a little wine for the sake of your stomach" (I Tim. 5:23), A deacon must not be "addicted to much wine" (I Tim, 3:8), The older women were told not to be "slaves to drink" (Titus 2:3). John's gospel states that Christ turned water to wine.
The Christian's case for total abstinence is based then upon a voluntary restraint of his freedom. In this realm of Christian liberty Paul teaches us that we are not to judge each other (Romans 14). We have an awesome responsibility to use this freedom properly. Now we don't really like this. It would be much easier if Christ had been entirely authoritarian. We practice total abstinence not because it is a legal command but because it is a matter of conscience. The culture of the day of Christ was quite different from ours. There is in the minds of many a moral stigma attached to drinking in any form. Out of consideration for the alcoholic, the weak brother, and those outside Christ, the mature Christian chooses to abstain. While we voluntarily limit our freedom in this respect, we must at the same time concede that the Christian has the liberty to drink an alcoholic beverage in moderation. This means we must be extremely careful how we judge a brother who drinks conservatively. The brother who drinks conservatively must also respect the conscience of that one who chooses not to drink. "Then let us no more pass judgment on one another. "-Dwain Evans
I should be surprised at such an article but I am not. This is the only course that the "no pattern" believer can follow. It is all right to drink moderately because the Bible doesn't say "Thou shalt not". Of course this kind of reasoning opens the door for gambling, instrumental music, counting beads, etc. because the Bible doesn't say "Thou shalt not". It makes one wonder if that author is not trying to justify himself in something, Due to lack of space we will not attempt to answer Brother Evans in this article. A later article will follow on the subject of drinking "moderately". The purpose of publishing these facts was to show those who supported this exodus movement just how much of an "exodus" those brethren made and to further illustrate the sad results of the "no pattern" theory,
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