Introduction:
A.
“Against the Law”?
▪
Marrying a
non-Christian ▪
Eating
inside church building
▪
Holding
political office ▪
Serving
Communion 2x
▪
Serve as
police/military ▪
2nd
serving of L.S.
▪
Wearing
jeans to service ▪
Wearing
jeans to church
▪
Wearing
short
B.
We don’t need to be biblical scholars to know the
difference between “law” and “opinion.”
▪
Law: creed
or regulation with binding authority.
▪
Opinion:
an interpretation regarding a fact or statement … or law.
C.
Still, numerous opinions are presented as “laws” of
God. cp. Mk.
7:1-13
Discussion:
I.
Difficulty: Our Application
A.
You can take Christians brought up with the same
hermeneutical methodology yet still have different / opposing
conclusions.
B.
Why?
C.
Who loves the Lord … His Word … His commandments, more?
D.
Example:
Modesty
1.
Scripture (law): “I want the women to adorn themselves
with proper clothing, modestly …” 1
Timothy 2:9
II.
Affirming or Establishing Laws?
A.
Affirming “laws.” Gal.
5:19-23; 6:2
B.
Creating “laws?”:
1.
Use all biblical passages on subject matter.
2.
Note statements or principles from passages.
3.
Establish
law?
Based upon passages.
C.
Example:
Modesty
1.
Passages speaking on “nakedness”
a.
Gen.
3:7-8, 21
b.
Exo.
28:41-42
2.
From texts like these we conclude that it is immodest to
expose clothing exposing the thigh (skin above the knee).
III.
Inconsistency
A.
We just used the O.T. to find out what constituted
“nakedness” and applied it to a N.T. passage (1
Timothy 2:9).
B.
Just as others use the O.T. to find out what constituted
“worship” that used instrumental music and applied it to N.T.
singing. Cp. 1
Chron. 25:1-2ff
C.
How About These? Should
we (in the name of consistency) accept the charge to “greet
one another with a holy kiss” (Rom.
16:16) the way we accept “put aside” money “every
first day of the week” (1
Cor. 16:2)?
Conclusion:
Let’s be careful in how we distinguish between laws and
what might be opinions mistaken for “laws.”
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
Franklin
Church of Christ
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