Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (2)

This Part 2 is the continuation and conclusion to “Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (1)”.  Part 1 should be read first.

There are presently more than 2.2 billion Christians worldwide.  But they are divided into more than 40,000 denominations, sects, or groups!  Disunity within Christendom not only divides the body of Christ, but the perception of Christian disunity also hinders evangelism both here and abroad.

Answers.com How Many Christian Denominations Are There? “Different people have different beliefs in Christianity. Unfortunately, those differences lead to divisions. God requires unity. Jesus’ last prayer was for His disciples to remain united (John 17). The Lord never intended for His church to be divided into competing groups teaching different doctrines. The Lord is not the Lord of confusion. Much of Christianity has been polluted by other false pagan religions, which has led to differing beliefs and unscriptural practices which has caused them to break apart.”  Unscriptural practices cause division!

The apostle Paul exhorted Titus in Ti.2:7, “Be an example of good works, with soundness in doctrine”.

The question was posed: What if all Christian beliefs and practices were based on scriptural doctrine, with no pagan or contradicting unscriptural practices based on man’s traditions that cause disunity?

Most Christian churches make the claim that their beliefs, teachings and practices are based on the Holy Bible.  The late Dr. Myles Munroe wrote in 2008, “The Bible is the Constitution of the Kingdom of God”.  Pastor Benny Hinn says, “The Holy Spirit authored the Bible”.  That’s the written scriptures.

The inspired word of God, the holy scriptures of the Bible, is the true standard for our faith!  1Ti.4:13 Paul told Timothy to do public reading of Old Testament (OT) scriptures in church.  The written word of God is the basis, the foundation, of true knowledge…unlike various dogmatic traditions of men.

Our topic is addressing four points of Bible doctrine which impact Christian unity and evangelism.  Part 1 addressed two causes of disunity…controversy concerning #1) Clean vs Unclean and #2) Blood.  (also see the topics “Unclean versus Clean Food” and “Acts 15 – Four Prohibitions”.)  Now in Part 2, we’ll address two other causes of disunity, #3) and #4), also pertaining to doctrine.

#3) 7^th DAY SABBATH rest:  There’s been much controversy in the church over whether Christians should keep the 7^th day sabbath of scripture, or the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and Protestant Sunday of tradition, or neither.  Let’s see what the scriptures reveal.

The 7^th day sabbath has its beginnings at Creation.  The Holy Spirit and Christ, the Spirit and the Word, are the Creators (ref Ge.1:1-2, 26; Jb.33:4; Jn.1:1-3; Col.1:16), being the divine agents of Father God.   

When Creation was finished, Christ ceased (shabáth Strongs h7673, Hebrew verb) or rested.  Ge.2:1-3 “By the 7^th day God finished His work which He had done, and He ceased on the 7^th day. Then God blessed the 7^th day and sanctified it, because in it He ceased from all His work which He had created and made.”  Although the first six days were all good, only the 7^th Day did Christ bless and sanctify or make holy!  This is the great prototype of the weekly 7^th day sabbath, an intermission dedicated to God.

The 7^th day sabbath is a sign which identifies God as the Creator of all.  No other day of the week so reflects God as Creator.  By resting on the 7^th day, the believer shows that his God is the Creator.  We may choose to rest or worship God on other days too.  But as Lord of the 7^th day sabbath, Christ ordained at creation (when there were no Jews!) the 7^th day as holy or sanctified…and no other day of the week.  And throughout the Bible, Christ nowhere rescinded His 7^th day as holy time!

“Sabbath” is a holy day/period of cessation from certain activities.  JFB Commentary Ge.2:3 “The institution of the Sabbath is as old as creation.”  Benson Commentary Ge.2:3 “God blessed the seventh day’. He…separated it from common use…that it should be spent in His worship. It appears evidently by this, that the observation of the sabbath was not first enjoined when the law [Mosaic] was given, but it was an ordinance of God from the creation of the world.”

Theóphilus, bishop of Antioch (175 AD) To Autolýcus 2:12 “The 7^th day, which all men acknowledge.”  The 7^th day rest time is universal, from Ge.2:3.  Not Sunday, not any other day of the week is holy.

RCC Archbishop James Gibbons wrote in The Faith of Our Fathers, 1876, p.89 “You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”

Irish RCC Father Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, 1851, p.174 “She [RCC] substituted the observance of Sunday the 1^st day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the 7^th day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.”  The RCC admits the RCC made the change!  Christ didn’t.

Jesuit Father Martin J. Scott, Things Catholics Are Asked About, 1927, p.136 “Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday. The Church…instituted, by God’s authority, Sunday as the day of worship.”  These RCC admissions are surprising!?  Also non-RCC:

Evangelist Dwight L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting, p.47 “The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This 4^th commandment begins with the word ‘remember’, showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away when they will admit the other nine are still binding?”

Methodist theologian Harris F. Rall Christian Advocate, 1942, p.26 “The matter of Sunday…There are indications in the New Testament [NT] how the church came to keep the first day of the week as its day, but there is no passage telling Christians to keep that day, or transfer the Jewish Sabbath to that day.”

Pulpit Commentary 1Co.16:2 “This verse can hardly be said to imply any religious observance of the Sunday.”  Cambridge Bible Ga.4:10 “There is clearly no exemption here from the obligation of the observance of ‘the 7^th day’. The law of the Sabbath…is as old as the Creation.”

Adam Clark Commentary Co.2:16 “There is no intimation here that the Sabbath was done away, or that its moral use was superseded, by the introduction of Christianity. ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy’, is a command of perpetual obligation.”  JFB Commentary Col.2:16 “The weekly sabbath rests on a more permanent foundation, having been instituted in Paradise to commemorate the completion of Creation in six days.”  And Jesus Himself, the Creator in the flesh, observed the sabbath day (Lk.4:16).

Lutheran August Neander, The History of the Christian Religion and Church, p.186 “The festival of Sunday, was always only a human ordinance, and it was far from the intentions of the apostles to establish a Divine command in this respect…to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday.”  Jesus’ apostles didn’t try to change the 7^th day sabbath.  The NT never says Sunday is the church or gentiles’ sabbath, in the manner that Saturday is sabbath holy time.  It shouldn’t be about gentiles vs Jews racism!

Anglican priest and scholar Joseph Bingham, Antiquities of the Christian Church “The ancient Christians were very careful in the observation of Saturday, or the 7^th day. It is plain that all the Oriental churches, and the greatest part of the world, observed the Sabbath as a festival. Epíphanius says the same.” (v.2, b.20, ch.3, sec 1, 66)  “Athanásius says: They met on the Sabbath, not because they were infected with Judaism, but to worship Jesus, the Lord of the sabbath.” (b.13, ch.9, sec 3.)  The 7^th day sabbath and its observance long predates Judaism.

Many other reputable theologians say the 7^th day sabbath is holy time, unchanged by God since Creation.  (see “Sabbath 7^th Day” series, and “Sabbath Day Became Sunday in Rome” for man’s steps of change.)

Christ said in Ex.20:8, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”.  Since it was holy at Creation.

The customary practice of setting aside Sunday as the day of Christian worship is man’s tradition.  But some Christians have rightly viewed God’s word, not the traditions of men, as the true authority!  Church traditions have divided Christ’s body.  Jesus accused the Pharisees in Mk.7:8-9, “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men”.  The Pharisees were popular.  Yet Jesus was against their wrong traditional dogmatic views (and their burdensome minutiae of sabbath observance).

The RCC Sunday tradition is a form of Phariseeism.  And most Christians ignore Christ’s holy time that has come & gone every 7^th day since Creation…to keep the RCC (and ensuing Protestant) tradition.  Dr. Dave Miller Unbelief and a Divided Christendom “When people introduce personal creeds, human interpretations, and religious additions to God’s doctrine, disunity inevitably results.”

Sabbath is cessation, rest.  Even most of those who customarily attend church on Sunday don’t really rest on that day.  We want Jews to be converted to Christ.  But mainstream Christianity appears false to them.  Christians eat the unclean (unlike Jews and many Muslims), and don’t fully rest (on Sunday) as religious Jews rest on Saturday.  Christian efforts at evangelism are thereby hindered.

There’s a health benefit too in sabbath rest.  The need for rest every 7 days is built into our human bodies, as Christ created us.  Wikipedia: Circaseptan “A circaseptan rhythm is a cycle consisting of 7 days in which many biological processes of life evolve.”  Several of our bodily processes and defenses reset approximately every 7 days.  For example: Immune response to infections, blood & urine chemicals, blood pressure, heartbeat, coping hormones.  (ref Erhard Haus Chronobiology in the Endocrine System.)

Mankind’s body clock is ticking to the ‘beat of 7’…we can’t annul it!  But we can violate it by not resting every 7 days.  Jesus said in Mk.2:27-28, “The sabbath was made for man”.  He’s the Creator of it; and He knows our physical and spiritual needs.  (I’m not Seventh Day Adventist.)

#4) FEASTS observance:  Some minority groups today think Christians should observe the OT pilgrim feasts which the Lord gave to ancient Israel…Passover, Péntecost/Shavúot, Booths/Tabernacles/Sukkót.

Scriptural guidelines regarding #1) Clean vs unclean, #2) Blood, #3) 7^th Day Sabbath rest…are seen in Genesis before there was ever a nation of Israel or Jews or the Mosaic Law.  But not so with the Feasts.  Unlike the weekly sabbath rest day of Ge.2:1-3, there were no pilgrim feasts prior to Moses.

The three pilgrim feasts of Israel were to be kept only at the location where God placed His Name, the site of the physical tabernacle/temple sanctuary.  De.16:5-6 “You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of the towns which the Lord your God is giving you, but at the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name.”  ref also De.12:5, 14, 17-18, 26, 14:23-25, 16:1-2, 10-11, 15-16, concerning keeping pilgrim feasts in that one place only.  God’s one place was in the Holy Land, not elsewhere in other nations!  The timing of the feasts was based on the agricultural cycle in Israel.

God’s people were to keep the feasts solely at the city where the sanctuary was, never at two or more locations simultaneously!  (see the topics “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews” and “Ark of the Testimony – Journeys”.)

Neither in the OT nor in the NT do we read of people, with or without the Holy Spirit, keeping pilgrim feasts in a town away from the environs of the central sanctuary in Israel where God had put His Name!  All NT passages about pilgrim feasts show them being kept only at Jerusalem, where the temple was.

Another of God’s requirements for keeping the ceremonial feasts was physical circumcision.  ref Ex.12:48, Ezk.44:9, Lam.1:10, Ac.21:28-29.  Uncircumcised gentiles weren’t allowed in the temple where the Passover and other pilgrim feasts were kept by circumcised Israelites/Jews & Jewish proselytes!  Outsiders could come no closer than the Court of the Gentiles.  (Note: Physical circumcision isn’t necessary for salvation.  see “Circumcision in the Bible” and “Passover and Peace Offerings”.)

G.J. Goldberg wrote, “With the destruction of the Temple, the pilgrimage festivals could no longer be observed in their prescribed forms.”  It’s impossible to really keep a scriptural pilgrim feast today!  For nearly 2,000 years, the required singular earthly sanctuary where God’s Name was…hasn’t existed!

Jews today do a ritual seder (‘order’) for a traditional retelling of ancient Israel’s exodus from Egypt.  But the seder isn’t an actual Passover feast (and isn’t meant to be), as the scriptures define Passover.  And 90% of Jews normally work during the pilgrim feast days of Sukkot/Booths and Shavuot/Pentecost.  Also, Muslims don’t keep these feasts.  (I’m not Jewish or Muslim.)

And in scripture, pilgrim feasts weren’t authorized to be kept just anywhere by people whose bodies are the temple of God via the Holy Spirit (1Co.3:16).  Without that one place available (Jerusalem temple), there was no lawful pilgrim feast!  Other simultaneous sites would be counterfeit pseudo-feasts.

In Ro.10:2, Paul wrote of those who “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge”.  Although there are well-meaning ‘Hebrew roots’ groups and Christians who think they’re observing pilgrim feasts in other cities simultaneously…scripturally, such practice isn’t to be done (cf. 1Ki.12:32–13:5).

Christian groups who traditionally promote pilgrim feast-keeping today may pharisaically cause other Christians, who don’t claim to be observing pilgrim feasts, to feel less righteous or perhaps lacking in Bible understanding.  This harms the body of Christ and causes division.  And disunity is further caused by calendar differences even among the groups trying to promote and pinpoint the exact when for their pseudo-feast observances.  It is confusion.  (also see “Days Israel Observed – God-Ordained”.)

Concluding: The four scriptural points of doctrine addressed in Part 1 and Part 2…most (mainstream) churches rarely examine in-depth.  Yet these points contribute to our living a harmonious healthy life in Christ (Jn.10:10).  Perks of His Kingdom!  Jn.17:17 “Thy word is truth.”  That’s all the written scripture of the OT too.  Again, ref “Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (1)”.  (for more on early evangelism, see the topic “Evangelism in the Apostolic Church”.)

I like to believe that, as time goes on, more of the church at large will honor these four points.  This will increase unity in Christendom.  A fractured Christianity has hindered evangelism.  Dr. Dave Miller op. cit. “Disunity confuses and discourages honest searchers of truth.”  Jn.17:11 Jesus prayed that His disciples would be unified, as one.  And this unity should contribute to furthering our evangelistic success…making Christians, Jews and Muslims more like-minded in these truths of God’s word.

As we and mankind learns the Lord’s principles of life (De.30:14-16), the church as a whole will benefit from less disunity and better (table) fellowship.  And when our days are fulfilled, we’ll live with Jesus in eternity!  Praise the Lord!

Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (1)

Disunity within Christendom has had far-reaching negative effects.  Dr. Joel R. Beeke wrote in The Church’s Unity, “Disunity affects the whole church, including the work of evangelism”.

The success of evangelism, here in the USA and worldwide, has been hindered by a perceived disunity existent in Christendom.  Also, disunity inhibits fellowship among already believing Christians.

The factors which cause disunity in the church are many.  Doctrinal controversy is a significant factor.  The apostle Paul exhorted Titus in Ti.2:1, “Speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine”.

From Does Our Focus On Sound Doctrine Detract From Biblical Evangelism? “Doctrinal purity is extremely important. Biblical love never minimizes the importance of God’s truth…from Genesis to Revelation. A healthy focus upon truth and sound doctrine is essential for God’s honoring evangelism.”

This topic deals with unity in doctrine, and table fellowship which contributes to unity.  There’s the old adage, ‘Those who eat together stay together’, and ‘The family that eats together stays together’.

Jesus said there is one “way” (Jn.14:6).  Jesus is the way.  Some of His earliest followers were known as “the Way” (ref Ac.9:2, 24:14).  Yet in the 50s AD, Paul asked the rhetorical question in 1Co.1:11-13, “Each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Peter,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided?”  Disunity and division was happening even then in Corinth.

There are presently more than 2.2 billion people in the worldwide Christian family.  But they are divided into more than 40,000 denominations, sects, or groups!  Why is that?

Answers.com How Many Christian Denominations Are There? “Different people have different beliefs in Christianity. Unfortunately, those differences lead to divisions. God requires unity. Jesus’ last prayer was for His disciples to remain united (John 17). The Lord never intended for His church to be divided into competing groups teaching different doctrines. The Lord is not the Lord of confusion. Much of Christianity has been polluted by other false pagan religions, which has led to differing beliefs and unscriptural practices which has caused them to break apart.”  Unscriptural practices cause division!

But what if all Christian beliefs and practices were based on scripture…with no pagan or contradictory unscriptural dogma based on traditions that cause disunity, dividing brothers & sisters in the faith!?

Most Christian churches make the claim that their beliefs, teachings and practices are based on the Holy Bible.  The late Dr. Myles Munroe wrote in 2008, “The Bible is the Constitution of the Kingdom of God”.  Pastor Benny Hinn says, “The Holy Spirit authored the Bible”.  That’s the written scriptures.

The inspired word of God is the true standard for our faith!  We learn the word/Bible over the years by various means…reading, study, sermons, etc.  We learn of our salvation, available via Jesus’ sacrifice!

1Ti.4:13 Paul told Timothy to do public reading of Old Testament (OT) scriptures in the church.  Barnes Notes 1Ti.4:13 “The then written portions of the sacred volume, the Old Testament, are doubtless specially intended here.”  The written word of God is the basis, the foundation, of true knowledge…unlike the traditions of men.

In addressing various Bible topics on this site, some verses I’ve quoted or referenced are verses which, unfortunately, are ignored by much of mainstream Christianity.

Wikipedia: Mainstream “Mainstream Christianity’ is a term used to collectively refer to the common views of major denominations of Christianity (such as Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Protestantism) as opposed to the particular tenets of other Christian denominations. The context is dependent on the particular issues addressed, but usually contrasts an orthodox majority view against a heterodox minority view.”

Heterodox minority groups may be disregarded as lacking overall credibility.  But, the orthodox majority may emphasize its traditions; also the orthodox churches themselves disagree among themselves.

There are principles found in scripture, valid for all humankind (Christians too)…that mainstream omits.  Sadly, these points of scripture limit or divide fellowship between various Christian sects/groups.

Missiologist Dr. Ed Stetzer Tribalism Outside the Church. And In “Of the many negative impacts that spring from church disunity, perhaps most troubling is the damage it does to our gospel witness.”

Gavin Reid OBE Doctrine Matters “Doctrine in evangelism is not so much what converts, but what establishes the new believer. Evangelism and doctrine are inseparable.”

In this two-part topic, I’ll focus on four significant points of doctrine that impact Christian unity and (table) fellowship, but which much of mainstream ignores.  Yet these points are scriptural, and can help us improve our rapport with other peoples we hope to evangelize.  They’ll also benefit our own lives.

There is a cause for every effect in our life!  These doctrinal points teach us how to better live blessed and healthy lives!  They are practices found in scripture…for Christ’s people OT Israel, and even for gentiles prior to when Christ spoke His Decalogue to Israel on Mt. Sinai (Ex.20)!

#1) CLEAN/UNCLEAN creatures:  If I were to list only one important practice that mainstream ignores, I might well choose this one!  The neglect of this principle hinders unity and table fellowship among Christian brethren; and it limits the success of our evangelistic efforts in Middle East nations.

The pre-incarnate Christ was the Creator and executive God of the OT (Jn.1:1-3, 14).  He was the God of ancient Israel…according to Peter, John, Paul.  see the topic “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.

Christ wasn’t like a harsh heathen god who may subject his people to bondage.  Christ freed Israel from Egyptian bondage.  Then He gave commands and principles to Moses/Israel for their benefit.  Christ wasn’t overly restrictive or selfish, and didn’t Lord it over them to flaunt His authority.  He loved them.

As Creator, Christ knows which creatures are compatible with the human digestive system, and which aren’t.  And which creatures will typically carry parasites or can even be carcinogenic.  Christ instructed ancient Israel in His guidelines of clean and unclean…out of love!  Moses told them in De.7:6-15, “You are a holy people; the Lord your God has chosen you. The Lord loved you.”  Christ the Lord gave Israel His dietary laws for their well-being…to bless, not burden, them!  see “Unclean versus Clean Food”.

But even centuries before Christ conveyed His dietary standards to ancient Israel, the gentile Noah knew the difference between clean and unclean animals.  Ge.7:1-2 “The Lord said to Noah, ‘Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, male and female; and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, male and female.”  Had they eaten of an unclean pair, that genus could have there ceased!

Noah wasn’t Jewish.  There was no Jews or Old Covenant (OC) in Noah’s day; his right understanding predated the OC!  Clean vs unclean creatures (ref Le.11 & De.14:1-21 for detail) were known by that gentile prior to Christ’s OC law for Israelites/Jews!  Perhaps such knowledge had been passed down from Christ’s instructions in Eden, or from Adam & Eve’s experience, or righteous Enoch had taught it, or by revelation from God to Noah.  (also see “Added in the Old Covenant”.)

The Lord spelled out in Le.11:2-ff, “These are the creatures which you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth”.  Benson Commentary Le.11:2 “For the preservation of their health.”

Unclean creatures carry micro-organisms which cause disease.  Eating them harms all races of mankind.  Not just Jews.  (Whereas properly fed clean animals don’t normally carry those disease-causing organisms.)  Feeding or serving unclean flesh to our neighbor…isn’t loving our neighbor!

Humanity (Christians too) consumes numerous unclean scavengers, created by God to clean up earth’s refuse and thereby limit disease.  Wikipedia: Scavenger “Scavengers play a fundamental role in the environment through the removal of decaying organisms, serving as a natural sanitation service.”

Reducing the populations of these ‘creature janitors’ can increase global disease due to excess decaying matter extant.  Eating scavengers is self-indulgence, perhaps done under the guise of dietary freedom.  But removing scavengers from their created purpose of sanitation/clean-up…isn’t loving our neighbor.

The makeup of animals, such as unclean swine (a scavenger), didn’t change at the cross!  Scientists say the AIDS virus was transmitted to humans by slaughtering and eating monkeys.  Monkeys are unclean.  How tragic!  The scourge of AIDS has nearly wiped out entire peoples!  It’s a result of disobeying or ignoring Christ’s food laws!  False teaching or lack of teaching has led to this great calamity.

The internet is full of medical articles which explain the dangers of eating pathogenic unclean creatures.  Literate affluent societies can easily learn their dangerous effects, and stop eating the unclean.

This table fellowship issue of clean vs unclean divides church groups.  More than that…Christian evangelism to Jews and Muslims is impeded by Christians eating prohibited creatures.  It can offend those Abrahamic peoples!  Yet the scriptures about this are on their side.  It is a shame for Christ’s church that these other two religions are showing more love for their neighbor (Le.19:18b) in this regard!

Count Zinzendorf (1700-1760), leader of the Moravian church (Czechoslovakia/America) in 1738 wrote of himself. “I have during my lifetime not eaten the foods which were formerly forbidden them….that I have done without design, in simplicity of heart.” (Budingsche Sammlung, 1742, sec.8, p.224.)

#2) BLOOD abstention:  Abstaining from blood is a health issue, related to clean vs unclean.  Two of the four restrictions of Acts 15 for the New Testament (NT) church…are dietary.  God wants us to be in good health (3Jn.1:2), and He gave us guidelines in scripture which contribute to good health.

Ac.15:28-29 “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things dying of itself [strangled], and from sexual immorality.”  However, this directive wasn’t something new in the book of Acts.

Christ previously had decreed these same four restrictions in the OT!  Abstention from blood and from eating things dying of itself or strangled are dietary laws involving clean animals only…for Israelites and aliens.  Le.17:13-16 “When any man from Israel or aliens among them catches a beast or bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood.”  Unclean creatures may not be eaten (Le.11).  The carcass of an unbled or unslaughtered clean animal is defiled as food and was forbidden, for aliens too.  Neither will gentile Muslims eat it.  It is very risky health-wise.  Pulpit Commentary Le.11:2 “There is something loathsome in the idea of eating such flesh.”  (see the topic “Acts 15 – Four Prohibitions”.)

God forbad the consumption of blood.  He commanded the non-Jew Noah in Ge.9:4, “You shall not eat flesh with its life, its blood”.  This principle applies to everyone…gentiles, Israelites, aliens.

Christ said in Le.17:10-12, “If any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens among them, eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off”.  That’s serious!  v.11 “The life of the flesh is in the blood.”  Blood is the principle carrier of life…and of disease.

Sickness and even death can result from consuming blood…and also from contacting blood.

Ge.31:33-35 shows that incidental contact with blood was avoided.  If bleeding is detected on a player during today’s NBA games, e.g., the officials immediately stop play, and he must have it attended to.

Le.18 identifies acts of sexual immorality/porneia.  (Sexual immorality is prohibited also in Ac.15:29.)  Le.18:19 “Do not have sexual intercourse with a woman during her monthly period.”  also ref Le.20:18; Ezk.18:5-6, 22:10.  Having sexual relations with a menstruating woman can put her at risk for vaginal infection, cervical cancer, and possible tubal pregnancy.  Doing so isn’t loving our neighbor/wife!

Dr. (Ms) De Souza Dangers of Sex During Menstruation “Irritation and an introduction to infection are major risks. Any wound or bleeding is a gateway to infection. The cervix is slightly opened during menstruation to let out blood. This heightens the risk of infection, not being limited only to the vagina, but additionally to the uterus. ‘Engaging in sex during menses is associated with the development of STDs such as chlamýdia, gonorrhéa and HIV infection, which in turn are associated with cervical cancer’ (Ben-Noun, 2003:101).”  Ac.15:29 commands the church to abstain from blood.

Cycle Harmony: Potential Side Effects of Having Sex During Period “It can cause blood stasis and lead to amenorrhéa (no period or scanty period), dysmenorrhéa (painful period), menorrhágia (heavy and prolonged period), or irregular periods.”  Dr. Elaine Loh Sex During Menstruation “Studies have shown that immunity is decreased during menstruation. Momentary pleasure versus risky health – you be the judge.”  Christ had warned in the OT that menstrual sex must be avoided.

To this day, religious Jews avoid menstrual sex.  Judaism 101: Kosher Sex “According to the Torah, a man is forbidden from having sexual intercourse with a niddáh, that is, a menstruating woman. The law of niddah is the only law of ritual purity that continues to be observed today; all the other laws applied to when the Temple was in existence, but aren’t applicable today.”  That one is relevant today.

Woman’s anatomy and her monthly cycle didn’t change at the cross or when the Temple fell in 70 AD!  Menstrual intercourse is still risky.  Abstention from sex during her period is mostly for her sake.

Neither do (most) Muslims engage in menstrual intercourse.  Quranic Path “The only prohibition in the Quran during menstruation is sexual intercourse.”  Yahoo Answers: Why is Sex While the Wife is Menstruating Not Allowed in Islam? “To protect women from infection and disease.”

I’m not Jewish or Muslim.  But this issue regarding blood has had a negative effect on evangelizing Jews and Muslims, two Abrahamic peoples.  Yet scripture about this too is on their side.  Also, menstrual sex causes conflict in the American home between some Christian husbands and their wives.

Christian neglect to practice doctrinal points #1) and #2) limits the credibility of our evangelism in the eyes of Jews and Muslims.  Yet the war-torn Middle East so desperately needs the Spirit of the Prince of Peace!  Benson Commentary Le.11:2 “When men cannot eat together, they have little inclination to enter into any close intercourse with one another.”  If we could all eat together in like-minded table fellowship…the opportunity and believability of our gospel witness would be enhanced!

Jesus’ principles and His morality is “The same yesterday, today and forever” (He.13:8).  No man could compel Him to reiterate His many beneficial principles over & over again, or in the NT too.  Christ said, “It is written”.  He didn’t err in commanding these two good-sense principles.  Love was His motive.

This topic is continued and concluded in “Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (2)”.

Church Meetings of the Apostolic Age

In Christianity today, there are many church denominations.  Also there are non-denominational believers.  Churchgoers engage in different activities or proceedings in their church meetings.  Modern group practices vary.

What did the Holy Spirit inspire early Christians of the Apostolic Age to do in their services, according to the New Testament (NT)?  The Apostolic Age was the period of time from when Jesus called His original 12 disciples/apostles until the death of the apostle John near the end of the 1^st century AD.  What Was the Apostolic Age? “The foundations of the Christian church were established then.”

In the decades (and early centuries) after Jesus’ death, diverse Christian groups developed.  The seven churches of Revelation 2-3 definitely had their differences!

{Sidelight: One branch of (marginal) Christian Gnostics reportedly had a very unorthodox approach to their meetings.  Members would draw lots at every service, and let those lots determine which persons that day would perform the various functions within the meeting.  For example, whoever drew the lot for the sermon would give the sermon that day.  Next meeting when they drew lots again, the mix of functions among those present would change.  This approach seems unorganized or haphazard, compared to more usual and orthodox church formats.}

The church at large belongs to Jesus.  He’s building it.  Jesus said in Mt.16:18, “I will build My church”.  Ep.4:11-13 Jesus provides diverse giftings & abilities for His church, His figurative “body”.  These are distributed in each congregation and area (there is some overlap within a group).  1Co.12:1, 18, 27-31 it is thought that every Christian has received at least one spiritual gift.  Some Christians, like the apostle Paul, are given several such gifts.  (also see the topic “Spiritual Gifts and ‘Tongues”.)

Here we’ll look at NT examples that reflect what was done during Christian worship services of the Apostolic Age.  (also see “Synagogue Influence on the Church”.)  Some functions are more visible at meetings than others are.  God’s Presence in the meeting is a priority!  The primary purpose of church meetings is to meet with God!  From scripture, following are four main components of services:

1) Praise/hymns and songs.  This is very important.  Many Old Testament (OT) Psalms were probably songs.  Ps.100:4 enter in to God’s Presence with thanksgiving & praise.  Paul exhorted in Ep.5:19, “Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord”.  Ps.144:9 “I will sing a new song to Thee, O God, upon an instrument.”  Also ref Col.3:16.  If we meet in services, but don’t enter into the Lord’s Presence, the meeting could possibly proceed according to personal agendas.

2) Prayers.  1Ti.2:8-9a reflects men and women unitedly lifting up holy hands in prayer (and praise).  David wrote in Ps.63:4, “I will bless Thee, I will lift up my hands in Thy Name”.  The Levitical priests in the synagogue or temple lifted up hands to their shoulders or head for benedictions.  Lk.24:50 Jesus too lifted up hands in blessing.  Ac.12:12 reflects an early house church prayer meeting, “Where many were gathered together praying”.  In Ac.16:13-14 while Paul was traveling in Europe, he and Luke found a group to pray & worship with on the sabbath day.  (see “Evangelism in the Apostolic Church”.)

But it seems too many Christian groups ignore fervent prayer in their meetings.  For that matter, Paul said we should try to remain in a continual attitude of “pray without ceasing” (1Th.5:17), whether in church or out.  The NT church did much prayer!

3) Teaching/Preaching from scripture.  Perhaps this component is second in importance.  In 1Ti.4:13, Paul exhorted Timothy to “give attention to the public reading of Scripture”.  The scriptures Timothy had in those days were almost entirely from the Old Testament.  2Ti.3:16-17 “All scripture is inspired by God”, according to Paul.  Yet in many churches today, little is read other than the gospels and Paul’s own writings, or one springboard text.  2Ti.4:2 “Preach the word…rebuke, exhort with patience and instruction.”  In the Apostolic Era church, the scriptures were read as teaching and exhortation!  (That’s not to say the speaker shouldn’t devote time to relating personal anecdotes or storytelling from the pulpit to make a point.)

The above three components could take a while to complete.  In Ac.20:6-8, Paul gave a long discourse until past midnight.  The Hebrew term for a scriptural discourse or sermon was derásha.  Ac.15:32 Judas and Silas encouraged the brethren with a lengthy message.  Ac.13:15-41 is Luke’s synopsis of the discourse Paul gave in the synagogue at the Roman military colony of Pisidían Antioch.

The classic example for the long church service is found in Ne.8:2-6, when Ezra read the book of the law “from early morning until midday”!  (As an aside, when hearers learn and do the word in their daily lives, less pastoring is needed.)  My personal preference is for a speaker to say his sermon in a maximum of 60 or perhaps 75 minutes.  On occasion, the Holy Spirit (HS) may inspire a longer talk (such as Paul’s Troás discourse in Ac.20:7).

1 Corinthians 14 may be viewed as a type of model for church meetings.  1Co.14.1-3 prophecy wasn’t restricted to only predictions or words of knowledge (like the OT seer/see-er).  Prophecy includes edification, exhortation, consolation, besides encouragement & spiritual strengthening (Ac.15:32).  It is speaking the inspired words of God through the HS, via scripture reading and otherwise.  1Co.14:26-30 let 2 or 3 speak (this glimpses the 2 or 3 witnesses pattern, e.g. Mt.18:16).  It seems Paul didn’t view Christian services as a discussion forum or chat format to just share opinions or speculations.

Teachers, preachers, Bible expositors may welcome others’ revelations, insights, comments, or questions from the group (this will lengthen the meeting).  Some object to services that are too formal or inflexible or too long.  The HS should be allowed to guide the meeting.  But if preaching or teaching isn’t inspired by the Spirit, merely speaking our own words is of less value.

1Co.14:31-32 over the months, all so moved by the HS can share their testimony, sermonettes, or sermons…whether topical, expository, extemporaneous, doctrinal, historical Bible incidents, etc.  All sermon types can be spiritually uplifting, pertinent, informative, when prepared through prayer in the Lord’s will.  We want to experience the HS in the meeting…and learn God’s word and God’s character.

1Co.14:33 there should be no confusion or disorder at church services.  It’s not the place for the person who doesn’t come in peace, or who has a personal agenda which may be disruptive.  There should be a sense of holiness present.  v.37 these instructions written by Paul were “the Lord’s commandment”, not Paul’s own words!  Paul concludes the passage in v.39-40. “Let all things be done decently and in order.”  Orderly structure is important.  (also see “Female Roles in the Early Church”.)

4) Food (with the Lord’s Supper).  Ac.2:46 these Jewish Christians were “taking their meals together”.  Spiritual ties can be made stronger by sharing meals.  Jude 1:12a regular lovefeasts were common.  Historically those meals included bread & wine communion.  (see the topics “Bread and Wine in the Church” and “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup?”.)

The financially more well-to-do Christians brought food to share (perhaps potluck style) with the poorer saints.  But there were problems at the lovefeasts in Corinth.  1Co.11:20-34 Paul admonished them to be considerate of one another at their lovefeasts & eucharist.  The intent is to commune with God’s Presence!  This communion is part of meeting with God…at the Lord’s table (1Co.10:21).

Also at church meetings there’s a place for: praise reports, prayer requests, anointing for healing and laying on hands (Ja.5:14-16), inspirational special music/poetry/dance (David danced, 2Sm.6:14), spiritually meaningful personal experiences, giving to others, etc…all done in an orderly manner.

We probably have our favorite portions of the services, and also components we like less (for example, speculative ‘prophecies’ so-called and conspiracy theories may engender skepticism).  Some fellowships seem to ignore various parts of the above NT meeting guidelines, preferring to do more their own thing.  Although I don’t think form/order is greater than substance, it is nevertheless beneficial to do the components which the Spirit led them to do as recorded in the Bible.

The NT is not just about our “life in Christ” of Romans, Ephesians, Colossians…it is also the structure of Acts, Corinthians, Timothy.  (see “Church Structure and Member Functions”.)  Generally, group practices engaged in during meetings should be modeled upon NT examples & doctrine.  Yet….

God can do what He wants through the Holy Spirit!  2Ch.5:12-14 “The house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so the priests couldn’t stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”  Even at the OT Temple dedication, the praise was magnificent!  The Shekínah glory/kavód (Hebrew) cloud was so heavy, the priests were unable to stand up to minister!

Also people have testified of their miraculous healings at church meetings!  Although the Spirit doesn’t contradict the Spirit or violate God’s word…God is in charge.  God’s will be done.

To recap, the essential components at church meetings from the Bible are: 1) Singing praise/hymns; 2) Prayers; 3) Scriptural teaching/exhortation; 4) Fellowship meal/Lord’s Supper.

Ro.12:4-8 this passage reflects prophecy/inspired preaching, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, acts of mercy.  These gifts enable the local church to function harmoniously in love and peace/shalóm.

He.10:24-25 “Let us consider how to motivate one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together.”  Believers with the Holy Spirit are to assemble together.  Assembling can include online Christian chatrooms and livestreaming services, especially for the elderly or infirm.  Let’s all take this verse to heart and regularly gather together somewhere, whether in-person or not.

Commonly, the NT meeting place was house churches.  ref Ac.2:46, 8:3, 20:20; Ro.16:5; Col.4:15; 1Co.16:19; Phm.1:2; 2Jn.1:10.

Lastly…in many nations today, Christian worship services take place with little or no persecution.  But that’s not the case in all nations.  Reportedly, there are 150 million Christians in China, many or most of them meeting ‘underground’ in house churches.  We pray for Christians who are persecuted, that they will be granted favor and positively impact their society with the gospel.

The Lord has given us guidelines in the NT for church meetings.  Thanks be to God for the opportunity and privilege to meet together in fellowship with the saints!