Legislative Tendencies Among The Conservatives
The liberals have tried to dismiss the arguments of many conservative brethren in late years by branding them as legalists. A legalist, according to the Thorndike-Barnhart dictionary, is one who believes in "strict adherence to law." We do not deny this charge, if by "law" they refer to the New Testament pattern of work and worship. However, this pattern is composed of principles. There is such a thing as going beyond the principle and legislating on incidental matters about which the New Testament is silent. Let us not allow the liberals to drive us to any such extreme.
One point to which we refer is eating and drinking in the church building. The scripture which has been the center of this controversy is I Corinthians 11:22, "What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink ins" The liberals have misused this passage, but so have the conservatives! Paul was here rebuking the church at Corinth for abusing the Lord's Supper — for turning it into a drunken feast. The principle set forth is that when the church comes together, as such, the purpose is not eating and drinking. (for entertainment). Since entertainment is not a work of the church, the church has no business paying for refreshments or for recreational facilities. A church which sponsors parties or builds a youth center is operating in an unauthorized field.
But what about eating in the church building? Here is where some of my brethren go too far! There is nothing sacred about a building. If some members of the congregation (not the church as such) wish to eat a meal in the basement of the church building, why not? If some class wants to have a party (not church sponsored) and use a room of the church building, why not? If they leave the building in the same shape as before and do not cost the church a red cent, why not? We all remember the old-fashioned "singings with dinner on the ground" on Sunday afternoons. Hardly anyone condemned this. Members brought their own food, and no money was taken from the church treasury. If it rained, dinner was served inside the church building. Did they sin when they crossed the threshold? To argue this would be utterly ridiculous.
Some brethren have also tried to legislate where God did not legislate in the field of morals. Brother Holt has recently been making a lot of noise about the use of "spot cards." It is our understanding that he condemns the playing of any game in which such cards are used. He uses some of the pioneer preachers for his authority. We must understand that a change of environment can have a definite effect on some issues. If a thing is inherently wrong, environment does not affect it (for example, getting drunk). However, a thing not wrong in itself can be changed by a changed environment. There was a time when cards were used almost exclusively for gambling. Even the possession of such cards would make one a suspect. This is not true today. There are now many card games for young folks and adults in which no gambling takes place. Society recognizes this fact. There are enough sinful forms of recreation going around to keep us busy without splitting hairs over something that we can not back up with scripture.
Let us always be diligent in following the New Testament pattern. May we cling steadfastly to every Bible principle which the liberals are trying to wrest from our grip. We can not afford, though, to legislate where the Bible is silent, either in the field of doctrine or morals. — Harding College, Searcy, Arkansas