August 1999 Issue

Did You Know Series...

Mass Confusion in Assemblies???
By Dick Ward

Did you know God has rules governing the CONDUCT of Christians in public worship? Yes, religious people are not free to roll and run and shout and jump and clap and dance and distract and speak in bizarre utterances while gathered together for public worship. The uncontrolled emotionalism that many religious groups “glory” in is actually condemned in God’s Book. We must respect God and His rules governing worship!

NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION

   “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”(1 Cor 14:33 KJV).    God does not support instability nor does He approve of a state of disorder and disturbance.   God has not designed worship to be unruly. When religious services digress to the state where various individuals throughout an assembly are “competing” for the audience to “see” and “hear” their “demonstration”such is the exact opposite of God’s instructions and pleasure.   For one to claim such acts of disorder are edifying and in harmony with scripture is to show spiritual ignorance. If teachers of secular subjects allowed their classes to follow such a pattern, where would be the learning? If a town meeting developed to such a low and degrading level, where would be the order of business?   God has not authorized nor does He cause such confusing religious services. Actually, God has told us in His Word that He disapproves of it!

DECENTLY AND IN ORDER

“Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Cor 14:40 KJV)    to follow these prescribed dictates from the Lord, people must master their impulses so as to prevent confusion in the public assemblies. Worship is to be carried out in a seemly and decent manner. Assemblies of worship must not be offensive to God, to faithful brethren or to unbelievers who might be present.

The old argument, “we cannot hold back nor restrain the Holy Spirit working in us”, is not founded on a Biblical basis. The first Century Christians who had spiritual gifts bestowed upon them (I Corinthians 12:1-12) were explicitly told to CONTROL these endowments. For example, if there was no interpreter of tongues there was to be no tongue speaking (I Corinthians 14:28). Also, the Prophet who was addressing the assembly was, under certain circumstances, to hold his peace so another could teach (Corinthians 14:30,31). So, if religious people today claim they cannot control the “outpouring of the Spirit” but must all speak  and act simultaneously, they prove they do not have what saints in the first century had!

Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com