Articles
Too Strict?
Too Strict?
By Greg King
It probably wouldn’t surprise you if I told you that someone of a denominational persuasion said the church is too strict. When I say “church”, I am speaking of the same church that the Bible speaks of, the Lord’s church. The Bible only speaks of one and that is the church belonging to Christ (Eph. 4:4). However, would it surprise you if I told you that those same words have also been uttered by those who claim to be a member of the church? In the two instances where this claim was made, it was made to justify something that they knew to be wrong. In one case it was a lady in her 40’s who after her husband had left her for another woman said she wanted to experience life and could not do it as a member of the church so she began to attend a denomination. The other was from someone who wanted to justify their irregular attendance and lack of service. She had conveniently found a congregation that was more laid back and had no expectations of her and offered a playground area for the kids. Who are they seeking to please? Galatians 1:10, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” Matthew 28:18. “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” 2 John 9. Man does not set the standard, the Lord does. We simply must follow His will and live according to His instructions. The church belongs to Christ. He is its head (Eph. 1:22-23). To say that the church is too strict is to say that God is too strict. Do we think that God is kidding or somehow doesn’t mean what He says? Let’s notice a few examples:
- Adam & Eve (Gen. 2:16-17)
- Nadab & Abihu (Lev. 10:1-2)
- Moses (Num. 20:7-12)
- Uzzah (2Sam. 6:6-7)
God said what He meant and meant what He said! “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9).
If we wish to remain Christians then we must follow the words of Christ as they are spoken and not as we see fit. If a congregation wishes to remain of Christ then it must follow the direction of its head in everything.
