A Study of Authority

Lesson 6

“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:47-48).

            Lawful or Unlawful
 

Practically Applying the Concept of Expediency

•Things Lawful

•These are things authorized in God’s word.

•In the realm of things lawful, some are specified, and some are expedients

•Things Unlawful

•These are things which are not authorized in God’s Word

•They are sinful, no matter that some may think them to facilitate the Lord’s Work

Matthew 7:21-23

Assemble
   Lawful                                                                                  Unlawful

•Place

•Rent/Own

•Build/Buy

•Sit/Stand

•Heat/Cool

•Light

•Time of Day

Baptize (Who? What for?)

   Lawful                                                                                 Unlawful

•Where?

•Baptistry

•Natural Source

•Cold Water or Warm Water

•Still Water or Running Water

•Fresh Water or Salt Water

•Sprinkling or Pouring

•Baptizing babies or unbelievers

•“Because of” remission of sins

Sing (Psalms, Hymns, S.S.)
 

 Lawful                                                             Unlawful

•Books or memory

•Number of Songs

•Sit or Stand

•Pitch Pipe

•Unison or Harmony

•Instruments of music

•Choirs

Lay By In Store (Who? When? How?)

 

   Lawful                                                                      Unlawful

•Cash or check

•In basket or hat

•Beginning or end of service

•Raffles

•Chicken Dinners

•Business enterprise

    Investments

Preaching (What? Who? Organization?)
             

   Lawful                                                                      Unlawful

•When?

•Anytime

•How?

•Pulpit

•Radio

•Internet

•Tracts

•Where?

•Private

•Public

•Another Doctrine

•Missionary Society

Drink This Cup (What? When? Where? Who?)
 

                Lawful                                                                      Unlawful

•Morning or evening

•One container or many

                                           Come to front or stay in seats

•At what time in assembly

•    Coffee, Tea, Coke

•Thursday night

•      Once a year

•Outside of the Kingdom

                                                     For “priest” only

Relieve the Needy (Who? Needy Saints!)

 

      Lawful                                                                   Unlawful

•Money

•Food

•Clothing

•Provide the facilities needed to care for them

•Benevolent Society

•    Orphan Home

•   Old Folks Home

•Hospital

Teach (Edify) (Who? What?)

          Lawful                                                                      Unlawful

•Arrangements

•Classes

•Time

•Place

•Size of Group

•Age of Group

•Another gospel

•Another Organization (college, etc.)

Support of Preacher (What? Whom?)
  

              Lawful                         How it is given                       Unlawful

Money

•House

•Food

•Utilities

•How often

•Weekly

•Bi-weekly

•Monthly

•Yearly

•To refuse to support

•Beg public donations

Jurisdiction of Elders (Where?)

Lawful                                                             Unlawful

•How they oversee

•Number and frequency of their meetings

•How they interact with one another in those meetings

•One Elder

•Assuming oversight of another congregation or congregations

•Head Elder

Conclusion

•Before a matter can be expedient it must first be lawful.

•What might be expedient under certain circumstances, may not be under different circumstances.

•If something is specified, then another choice is not an expedient.  Rather it is going beyond what is written.

•Man’s wisdom is not safe to follow in these matters.