We Emphasize
By Liston E. Wallace
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At a wedding reception, which was being held in the church fellowship hall, one of the guests asked the preacher if it would be all right to smoke there. The preacher's reply was, "It might not be the proper thing to do. However, you may go outside and smoke. Some of our men often do."
Some men and women smoke outside the church building who would not do so within it, because of respect for "God's house." And there are those who drink intoxicating beverages who would not desecrate the church building by drinking within it. God's house, they reason, is to be respected because it is a place that has been dedicated to God and set apart for worship of Him.
No! Most of those who smoke or drink would not do so in a building where God meets with His people. Yet, unmindful perhaps, they smother Him with smoke and drown Him with alcohol within His temple...the human body. 1 Cor. 6:19 says that our body is His temple and His Spirit dwells there. Some Christians are more considerate of temples made of mortar and stone than of God's real temples...their own bodies.
There are church members who never miss funerals or weddings of friends that are held at the church house. Yet, seldom do they worship God there. They honor the living and the dead of their acquaintances but ignore Christ, the best friend they ever had. For them funerals and weddings within the church building are more important than the worship of God there.
On "the other hand many keep "the letter of the law." Such as: attending worship services; partaking of the Lord's Supper; giving of their tithes and offerings and having that pious attitude on Sunday, but give little thought to things of God during the balance of the week. If we are busy about the worship of the Lord on Sunday we should also be busy about the business of the Lord during the rest of the week; feeding the hungry; clothing the naked; visiting the sick and helping the stranger as the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew teaches.
We all are probably guilty, at one time or other, of placing emphasis on some things while ignoring others. We might be perfectly right in what we do or say. Yet, because we spend so much time and energy on certain phases of Christian living or doctrine, we fail to give attention to other things that are just as important and sometimes even more so. We might
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I knew a dear old lady once who was against sin in almost any form. Especially did she abhor the use of tobacco and alcohol. Yet, she loved to gamble and saw no harm in it. Isn't it peculiar how we can rationalize our unholy deeds and still condemn the mistakes of others?
Many Christians are very much alike, regardless of their church affiliation. One of the most common faults of many today is condemning others whose teachings and actions do not conform 100% with our own. There is too much negative Christianity. We preach and teach against others more than we preach and teach for Christ. It isn't that we shouldn't be against things that are wrong. We should. But, very often our emphasis is on being "against" instead of being "for." As we condemn we become condemned.
Some Christians have done certain things the same way for so long that if the pattern was changed slightly a crisis would arise. For years one church opened their Sunday morning services by singing the doxology. One Sunday the song director opened with a different hymn. The criticism was so great that he never deviated again. The doxology was given first place on the agenda once more and there it stayed.
In another church the Lord's Supper was always held immediately before the sermon. One Sunday the preacher gave his sermon first and the Lord's Supper was held after the invitation was given. This never happened in this order again either. The change was too great for some of them to accept.
For a lot of people, and especially church people, change becomes a disaster. Some are so disrupted that they leave the church. Others never quite get used to a different way of doing things. They believe the old ways were the best ways; the important ways. So the emphasis is placed there.
No. We should never change a "thus saith the Lord." But, where opinions are involved we would do well to try something different once in a while. We might be pleased with the results.
Some church leaders emphasize certain doctrines but only touch lightly on others. There are those who dwell much on the power of the Holy Spirit in one's life, but fail to stress the power of Satan's spirit on that same life. Others preach "hell fire and brimstone" sermons regularly but only occasionally do they preach about the love of God.
One church remedied this situation. They had two preachers. The one who preached on Sunday morning preached on sin and its results. The Sunday night preacher preached on God's love and mercy. Perhaps, if every church had several preachers all doctrines would receive near equal billing.
The Bible says that there is a time for everything. So, there must be a time for placing emphasis on all matters. Likewise there must be a time to refrain. Let us stress a point when needed, but let us not forget that there are other points too.
Editor's Note: Liston E. Wallace may be addressed at 3833 0zark Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70805. He will be pleased to hear from you.