Some Thoughts on "Organized Religion"

Some Thoughts On “Organized Religion”
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

People often excuse their lack of religious affiliation on the basis that they are not comfortable with “organized” or “formal” religion. Some of these people claim to believe in God and in the Bible. They take comfort in their personal beliefs and individual practices. What does the Bible say about “organized” religion?

It is true that the Scriptures emphasize the importance of individuality in service to God. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). And it is individuals that will stand before the judgment seat of Christ where “each one” will be judged according to “his deeds” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

It is also true that some levels and types of “organization” are unscriptural and wrong. For example, the gospel of Christ does not authorize any organizational connections between local churches. Each local church is to have its own “elders” (Acts 14:23). These elders, also called “pastors” and “bishops” (see Acts 20:17 and 28), are to superintend the flock that is “among them” (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2). No scriptural authority exists for them to rule over the members of other churches where they are not members. Furthermore, no scriptural authority exists to form any organization larger than the local church.

Having said these things, Christ is the Savior of the church (Ephesians 5:23) Baptized believers are added by God to the universal church (Acts 2:38, 47; 5:11, 14). Once saved, these saints join together in their respective communities in a local church for the purpose of collective function (Acts 9:26; Ephesians 4:12-16). As noted above, each local church is to be ruled by qualified elders, and individual saints are to submit to their rule in the local church (Hebrews 13:17). God commands Christians to “assemble” (Hebrews 10:25), and the New Testament gives the reasons for these assemblies (Acts 2:42; 20:7…etc). So, even though it is good to reject some types of “organized” religion, one must be careful not to shirk his God-given responsibility to the local church.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com. Visit www.parkwaychurchofchrist.com.

Christmas Time Religion

Christmas Time Religion
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Religious sentiment tends to increase during Christmas and Easter. And even though we admit that a small amount of attention to Bible topics is better than none at all, we do not want people to be deceived into thinking that this seasonal “religion” is sufficient for their souls. There is more to serving God than just attending a “Christmas” or “Easter” church service.

Interestingly, it is the churches themselves that have actually fostered the notion that special religious services should be associated with Christmas and Easter. Christ’s gospel contains no instructions authorizing or requiring such special services or assemblies. The New Testament makes every Sunday equally significant. New Testament Christians assembled upon the first day of every week to give (1 Cor. 16:2), to remember the Lord’s death through the observance of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-26), and to pray, sing and study (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 14:26-33). No particular Sunday service was any more or less important than others, for every Sunday has been divinely prescribed as our day of worship. The concept that certain religious services are any more or less spiritual than others is a mere human opinion. It is not founded upon Scripture.

This raises an important question: Why do some people encourage the commemoration of events that God has not told us to commemorate, and refuse to commemorate an event that God has told us to commemorate? The Bible does record the birth (Matt. 1:18-2:12; Luke 2:1-21) and the resurrection of Christ (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). And though we must believe these gospel facts, nowhere does the Bible authorize the establishment of certain holy days or procedures for their commemoration. However, the Bible quite plainly instructs us to commemorate the Lord’s death (by the Lord’s Supper, Matt. 26:26-29; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-33), stating the day of the week on which this is to be done, and even implying the frequency of observance. With the approval of an inspired apostle, the disciples at Troas assembled “upon the first day of the week” to observe this memorial. Inasmuch as every week has a “first day,” we are to observe the Lord’s Supper upon the first day of every week. Let us commemorate what God would have us to commemorate. In so doing we will worship weekly, not just annually or biannually.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 - Email: timhaile@mac.com. Visit www.parkwaychurchofchrist.com.