In my last two articles The House to House Church and Why the Local Church Should Not Meet in Home Groups, the discussion of the Bible class model was introduced. This model for teaching and fellowship is nothing new; it is over 100 years old. But it takes many new faces as time goes on. The name “Bible class” is a bit outdated for most churches that employ them, but there are still those church signs on roadsides that use this classic designation. In this study we would like to undertake an examination of the New Testament scriptures and identify exactly why it is that people such as myself find the Bible class model to go against the wishes of Christ and His plan for the church.
1. Individual V. Corporate
I choose to start with the important distinction between individual action and corporate action (aka: church action). This is perhaps the most misunderstood part of the Bible class discussion. When reading the New Testament instructions and examples of inspired apostles and preachers, the Bible reader should take note when calls for action are given to the church collectively and when they are given to members individually. For example, when Paul told Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach’s sake (1 Tim. 5:23), this was not instruction to the whole church at Ephesus to start drinking alcoholic wine in the communion. This was instruction to Timothy individually to take a measured dose of fermented wine for the medicinal cure of his stomach issues, whatever those were. Consider another practical example. I, as an individual, can have a turkey club sandwich whenever I want. However, whenever I am with the church come together to function as one body in worship to God, I cannot have a turkey club sandwich (1 Cor. 11:17-22). The Corinthians were having individual common meals during what was supposed to be the Lord’s supper, so Paul admonished them with the rhetorical question: “Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?” (1 Cor. 11:22). And so, you can see how as an individual I might be able to do a slew of things that would not be proper for me to do with the church or as the church. Women are instructed not to teach or to have the authority of a man (1 Tim. 2:11-12) and to remain silent in the assembly of the church, but this is later qualified by the example of Priscilla in Acts 18:24-26 to show there is some setting where it is proper and necessary for a woman to teach. This is not to open a can of worms about when a where a woman can teach the scriptures; this is simply introduced to show that not all works permitted to the individual Christian can be cross applied to the work of the church collectively. In case you didn’t make the connection, I am insinuating that an individual Christian can organize and lead a group of people in Bible study whenever he wants; however, this does not necessarily mean that the church can follow suit and organize small groups for coming together. This proposition still needs proving, and so we will proceed to Consideration #2.
2. Commands
There are only four ways the Bible teaches: direct or indirect command, example, necessary inference (conclusion), and purposeful silence. There are no other logical possibilities. Whenever the Christian searches for authority to do anything, whether it be the organization of Bible classes or a Priscilla taking an Apollos aside for instruction, that Christian must ask himself where and how the Bible has taught on the issue at hand. Does the New Testament command me to worship every first day of the week? Does the New Testament leave an example on how to organize a Bible study, an example intended to be followed? Perhaps I am divorced, and after long nights of searching the scriptures, I can’t find anything, yay or nay, speaking to whether or not I have the right to get remarried (purposeful silence). These questions must be asked if indeed the scriptures do give us everything we need to know for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3 & 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Pertaining to the question of Bible classes, the Bible commands assembling on the first day of every week (1 Cor. 16:2 & Heb. 10:25). However, it doesn’t command that this assembly be undivided. Don’t misunderstand me. The Bible teaches in four different ways. Just because scripture doesn’t command an undivided assembly of the church doesn’t mean this matter is up to my better judgment. Here is what we do find after further searching the scriptures. Paul commands a weekly collection on the first day of every week (1 Cor. 16:2). That means the early church was supposed to come together at least once a week. This is strengthened by passages indicating the church came together often (1 Cor. 11:18, 26), Christians were not to forsake this assembly (Heb. 10:25), and the frequent occurrences where Paul references the church coming together (1 Cor. 11:18, 20, 33; 14:23, 26). Also note how Paul says, “Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place…” (1 Cor. 14:23). This is not a command to come together in one undivided assembly, but the way Paul speaks indicates this was the commonplace practice. So far we have noted the command to assemble weekly, but how that assembly was organized is unanswered by any commands. Let’s go to Consideration #3.
3. Example
There are many examples in scripture of this and that. It would be silly to think that God intended Christians to only travel by foot, donkey, or ship, those being the only modes of transportation used in the New Testament. When it is determined that an example in scripture is meant for a pattern to be followed, this is called a binding example. Now, how do we determine this? When Jesus was instituting what we call the Lord’s supper, He said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves,” according to Luke (22:17). Mark reveals exactly how the disciples divided it among themselves: “Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it,” (14:23). When there is a command, followed by an example of how to carry out the command, followed by silence on any other method for fulfilling the command, this makes for a binding example.
Paul commanded a weekly assembly as seen in the last consideration. Upon further investigating how the church organized those assemblies in the New Testament, the observant reader will come up empty handed to find an example where the church divided into different groups for any reason. On the other hand, Paul does mention repeatedly that when the church at Corinth came together, they did just that, they came together (1 Cor. 11:18, 20, 33; 14:23, 26). So, there is a command to assemble and an example on how the church should assemble. Let’s look at Consideration #4 to see if the Bible has anything else to say on the matter.
4. Silence
The silence of scripture is a highly controversial subject matter. It is my firm belief that when the Bible is silent about something, that thing is not permitted; it is forbidden. This is the inevitable conclusion that must be drawn from these verses: Deut. 4:2; 1 Sam. 15:1-25; 1 Chron. 15:13; 17:6; Psalm 19:13; Lev. 10:1-2; Acts 15:24; Heb. 7:14. For a more in-depth look at Bible silence, click Here. The Bible is silent about the church coming together and then splitting up into different groups to perform corporate responsibilities (i.e.- teaching, communion, collection, prayer, etc.). Those who claim the Bible is not silent on this practice either confuse individual action with church action (see Consideration #1), or mishandle Bible examples to fit their practice such as Acts 15:4-6 (click Here for a response to the Acts 15 example and other Bible class arguments). There is now only one more item to consider.
5. Necessary Conclusion
This hermeneutic is traditionally called necessary inference. Here is a semi-critical definition of necessary conclusion: a conclusion that is dictated by a fact or premise. If the underlying fact or premise is true, then the necessary inference is an unavoidable conclusion that must be drawn. An example of a necessary conclusion can be seen when considering church eldership. Paul told Titus to establish elders in every church (Titus 1:5). This is after Paul and Barnabas had gone about establishing elders in every church on their first missionary journey (Acts 14:23). The unavoidable conclusion of these passages is that a church is not mature until it has qualified elders in place. In fact, a church that is not pursuing the establishment of elders at all is an unscriptural church. This is the necessary conclusion impressed by the evidence of the New Testament.
Once all the scriptural evidence has been examined for the Bible class model, there is no command for such a practice, there is no example of any kind, the New Testament is perpetually silent about such a method for assembling, leading to the necessary conclusion that Christ does not approve of such a practice in His churches.
Conclusion
Someone might read this discussion about Bible classes and think, “What a silly waste of time. Surely God doesn’t care about something so insignificant.” The same could be said for a truckload of Old Testament commands. Why did God care that David transported the ark of the covenant on a cart led by oxen as opposed to four Levites (1 Chronicles 15)? There is not an obvious answer to this besides: God wanted to know if David trusted Him. This can be seen in the radical request God made to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise (Genesis 22). God wanted to know if Abraham really trusted Him. Whether or not the church uses Bible classes may seem like a trite quibble to many people, but perhaps God wants to know if we truly believe the New Testament to be His inspired word. Perhaps God wants to know if we trust Him. Don’t be like Cain, Balaam, Saul, or Jonah. Trust God at His word and at His silence.
For Part 1 in this series click here > Why the Local Church Should Not Meet in Home Groups
For Par 2 in this series click here > The House to House Church
