[This question is a follow-up to “In A Bond Bind”]

You said it that the weekly collection was the only biblical way for a church to raise funds. Then you said that selling bonds was the same as getting a loan (though it really is not). You then said a church needed to use wisdom whether it should borrow money from a bank. Can you please show how your first point relates to the last? If the collection is the only authorized way, where does wisdom enter the ball game?

Sincerely,
007

Dear 007,

A bond is exactly the same as getting a loan.  In finance, a bond is an instrument of indebtedness of the bond issuer to the holders. It is a debt security, under which the issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay them interest.

There is a difference between a church borrowing money and a church raising money.  When a church borrows money, their income hasn’t changed – they just have an obligation to pay the borrowed money back, typically with interest, at a later date.  It is the same as when someone borrows money to buy a car.  The borrowing requires them to raise money eventually to pay back the loan… the loan doesn’t change their income.

This is where the real issue is.  The church is only given one example of raising money for its work – through a collection of the saints on the first day of the week (1 Cor 16:1-2).  The congregation must then be wise about how they steward that money.  Acquiring, or not acquiring, loans to purchase a church building (or other major expenses) is part of that stewardship.

I often say things that hurt the people I love; for example, I said to my sister today that she should have not planted a tree so close to another, and it hurt her feelings because she worked hard and was proud of her achievement.  She told me I was cynical just like our mother.  This, in turn, hurt me deeply.  I don't want to be cynical; I want to be edifying.  I work on it through Christ, but nothing seems to change.  I see the works of Christ in other areas of my life, but this root seems to be at the core of my being.  How can I have lasting healing from this?

Sincerely,
Glass Half Empty

Dear Glass Half Empty,

There is no miracle pill that will make you become better at interacting with people; kind words and a gentle tongue are skills acquired through practice and time.  Since you say that you’ve seen improvements in other areas of your life, you know that growth takes time – but eventually bears wonderful results.  Here are some things to consider as you try and improve your speech.

1. What we say comes from our hearts (Mk 7:18-23).  How you feel about people matters.  Spend time trying to think of life from the other person’s perspective.  Jesus was the master of compassion.  Even though He had nothing in common with the sinners He preached to, He still had a deep-seated love for them (Mk 2:16-17)… and it came across in how He spoke.
2. Sometimes the kindest thing you can say to someone is nothing at all.  If in doubt, keep your mouth shut.  Even a fool looks wise when he remains silent (Pr 17:28).  Nobody is offended by a kind, generous (and silent) smile.
3. Remember that words have power.  The old saying that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is a lie.  The human tongue has the ability to set the world on fire (Jas 3:5-6).  Think before you speak; what you say makes a difference.
4. Remember that God is watching the words that we use.  He hears everything and is displeased when we use the same mouth to praise Him and to curse our brother (Jas 3:9-10).  Speak like He is listening.

We wish you the very best in your journey to improve your speech.  We all need to fight the good fight of controlling our tongues.

I have been studying with a close friend for the past year.  We started by reading through the gospels, and then we studied Acts and looked at each epistle.  I feel like we have had a very profitable study.  At the end of the day, he asked me, "Where does the church that we read about exist?" He went on to explain that he did not get the impression that the New Testament church as it is claimed to be today is what we read about.  He said, "It's as if the church you attend does things or doesn't do things, and then looks to the Bible to justify them.  Instead, if we looked at the New Testament Christians, and tried to derive their organization, where would we get to what we see today?"  He comes from a very ritualistic background and has a hard time seeing how we haven't adopted the traditions of worship from them.  Where should I point him, and does he have legitimate concerns with where we are as the restored church?

Sincerely,
Study Stuck

Dear Study Stuck,

There are a lot of vague details with your question.  For starters, we don’t know what church he has his traditions from, and we don’t know what the practices of your church are.  If you want more specific help, please e-mail us again and include an e-mail address we can respond to.

We can say this though.  The easiest way to see what the New Testament church looks like is to add up the practices that you see in the New Testament.

1. Their name should be Biblical. Church of Christ (Rom 16:16), the church (Acts 14:27), church of God (1 Cor 1:2), the Way (Acts 24:14) – all of these are Biblical names given to a local congregation. Having the right name on the front of the building doesn’t mean they are the right church, but if they can’t even get their name from the Bible, they probably aren’t worth wasting your time on.

2. Their doctrine should be a copy of the New Testament (Acts 2:42). Any creeds, ‘statements of faith’, articles of belief, manuals, or handbooks are from man and not from God. You want a congregation that uses the Bible to decide their practices.

3. They are autonomous. Every congregation of the New Testament had independence. Only local elders were over them (1 Pet 5:1-2, Acts 14:23). They were bound to follow Christ as their only head (Eph 5:23). No boards or committees, no headquarters in some other state, no popes or potentates – what you are looking for is a local body of believers which is accountable to Christ and His Word.

4. The church’s work should be simple. The church of the first century wasn’t involved in every community and political arena. Their work was focused on three things – caring for needy christians (Acts 4:34), preaching to the lost, and teaching the saved (Acts 15:35). Find a congregation who is committed to being about Christ’s work.

5. They should be open to examination. Any congregation that is serving Christ should be willing to explain why they do what they do. They should be willing to be examined because they are constantly examining themselves (2 Cor 13:5). There is nothing wrong with asking a congregation where their practices can be found in the New Testament. Ask questions and expect Bible answers for them.

These five things are by no means all of the characteristics of Christ’s church, but they are a conversation starter.

    I read the post "When Two Oxen Fall in Love" and had a question.  The verse you used to say that God tells Christians to only marry other Christians was 1 Corinthians 7:39.  1 Cor 7:39 is not directed to all those who would be married but specifically to those who have spouses who have passed and seek to be remarried.  I understand that all of us may be able to ascertain God's will for us as Christians from this verse, but I am unwilling to use it as law except in its given context.  I guess my question is this: does the Word of God explicitly tell Christians that they cannot marry someone who is not yet a Christian?

Sincerely,
Want It In Writing

Dear Want It In Writing,

The Bible never uses the words, “No Christian can marry a non-Christian”, but there are enough clear verses that we feel confident in saying that it is a sin.  1 Cor 7:39 is one of those verse.  If a Christian widow shouldn’t marry a non-Christian, it makes no sense that those marrying for the first time should.

However, the most powerful verse on this subject is 2 Cor 6:14.  When it says, “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers,” we must ask the question, “Is marriage a form of ‘yoking’ yourself to someone?”

To ‘yoke’ means to ‘couple or attach to’ something.  Marriage, by God’s definition, is when a man and a woman become one (Gen 2:24).  Marriage vows are definitely a yoke.  Therefore, 2 Cor 6:14 would include the prohibition against marrying an unbeliever.

Is going after a top-paying career or position in life the ‘love of money’? Many christian college students I've seen have either chosen or have shifted their majors to those that would produce more money.  Are they not being motivated by the love of money?  To me it seems they are no different than how people in the world act.

Sincerely,
Business Degree?

Dear Business Degree,

Making money is not a sin… nor is being wealthy.  It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil (Heb 13:5).  Solomon was an extremely wealthy man, but he was also righteous and wise (2 Chr 1:11-12).  God teaches that we should save and leave an inheritance for our children (Pr 13:22).  Saving, investing, and making money to provide for our families… those are all good things (1 Tim 5:8).

Wealth isn’t a sin unless it leads to covetousness and greed (Lk 12:15).  We must all work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:12), constantly examining ourselves (1 Cor 11:28) that we might make sure that our heart is pure and free from greed.