Date: 8/19/2008
<br>Author: Devin Pickard
<br>Title: Gray or Silent?
<br><br> I have had the privilege of being in the company of many good religious people my entire life....from my childhood growing up at the Twomey Church of Christ....to 4 years spent at Freed-Hardeman in Henderson.....to the Flatrock Church of Christ in Hohenwald.....and now here at Fairfield (with a bunch of other places in between).  I must say that I have met some very interesting folks in all the years spent at those different locations.  I have spent time with the most Godly people on the face of this earth....you know, those people about whom you would say, “Boy, if they don't make it to heaven, then I have no business even trying.”  I have also rubbed elbows with some who, in my opinion, marched to the beat of a different drummer.  Their perception of things, especially those items of a spiritual nature, didn't quite jive with mine....our thoughts on certain subjects were a bit different....our interpretation of certain passages were not parallel.  But, even in spite of those differences, whether they were few or many, I have tried to learn that those relationships did not have to be like oil and water.  We could certainly still stand on different platforms with some  Biblical subjects and both have the possibility of spending eternity together with God in heaven.  I do believe there are some teachings in the Bible that God is very clear on with no gray area or latitude left to chance whatsoever.  God's plan of salvation for sinful mankind, including baptism by immersion, seems to be as glaring in Scripture as the noon day sun....the essentialness of first day of the week worship is nothing short of a Biblical imperative....the command to commune around the Lord's table on the Lord's Day, left by example by both Jesus himself and first century Christians, should be enough for us to know, not assume, that we too should be participating regularly as well.  There are other Biblical areas that we could tap in to where we could safely say that God intended for no choice to be made.....he made the choices for us by commanding, not suggesting, us to do thus or so. <br><br> In a recent article in “Sound Words” (which by the way, many would consider to be a very conservative publication), Associate Editor, Kevin Rhodes, writes, “Few traditionalists realize that they are clinging to tradition rather than truth, and many critics have trouble distinguishing between the two as well.”  He goes on to say, “A traditionalist is far better at explaining why something is wrong than he is at showing you that what he teaches and practices is right”.  Any dyed in the wool Church of Christ member worth their salt, if they are honest, could pick apart the traditional aspects of our faith.  Some might identify the standard 3 songs and a prayer to open Sunday morning worship, while others might mention Wednesday night Bible study.  Some might own up to the traditions of worship order and start time or maybe even the color of the pew pads and the carpet or the placement of the clock.  Let's call a spade a spade....we do it the way we do it because those who have gone before us did it the way they did it....doesn't sound very Biblical to me....and for good reason.  The Lord did give us some gray area in our religious beliefs and practices.  He gave us some common sense to be able to determine with reason those matters that carry a great deal of weight along with those that carry little or no weight at all and have no bearing on the state of one being a saved individual or not. <br><br>If we determine then, or better yet, the elders determine that it would be more prudent for us to meet at 10 instead of 9, or that for whatever reason it would be better to have blue carpet rather than red carpet, well....I think our Creator would be OK with either choice.  I doubt very seriously that God cares when we meet on Sunday as long as we meet....fact of the matter is, I doubt he cares where we meet, as long we do so.  I think it has proven itself out time after time again in the history of our church fellowship....we have spent far too much time “majoring in minors” rather than being concerned about a lost and dying world....whether that part of the world be in Africa or in Centerville, TN.  We have in the past conveniently skipped, at least in deed, the passages referring to the error (sin) of standing in judgment of others or trying to get the speck out of someone else's eye when we have a 2x4 sticking out of our own.  If the truth be known, most criticism directed at many churches is based solely on their interpretation of those “gray” areas in God's Word....not on any of the “thou shalt” or “thou shalt not” passages which are being properly taught and adhered to.  I know....I know.... some will say that there are no  “gray” areas in scripture....only areas of “silence”.  That “area”, whichever it is, has been the source of much consternation in the Lord's Church as long as I can remember....and may always be. <br><br><br>Go the extra mile - Devin