That Principle Thing -
Somebody Finally Got it Right!
Somebody finally got it right – but I don’t believe they know how right it is. Slim Smith, a sports writer for the East Valley Tribune wrote an article titled “Is church the proper place for Rose?” He begins by saying, “Pete Rose will be at the North Phoenix Baptist Church on August 9. My guess is he doesn’t have confession in mind. For if we’ve learned anything of the man since his banishment from baseball in 1989, it’s that there is not a repentant bone in his body.”
Slim’s complaint is not that Pete Rose is an unrighteous man. His complaint has to do with the church renting their “spacious fellowship hall” to accommodate a baseball card trading show where Rose will be signing autograph’s – for money.
Slim is not opposed to the church renting out its facility (I would be). “This church routinely rents out its space to help fund its many ministries. But in this case, you wonder if the church is wise to associate its name with a player who is a convicted felon, a gambler and, in short, someone who would be considered by many in its congregation a man of low character.” It is in this statement that Slim Smith illustrates that he gets it. He understands the need for the North Phoenix Baptist Church to stand up for principle. If the church is going to be a pillar for what is right, they are missing the mark by hosting one who is such a public symbol of unrighteousness.
Why would they do such a thing? “Much of the money needed to fund its ambitious programs come from renting out its fellowship hall … There is another, perhaps more important, benefit in bringing non-church-related groups onto its grounds. On these occasions, the church has the opportunity to make contact with people who might otherwise never darken a church door … You would be shocked at how many of our members were people who first came because of a non-church-related special event.”
Slim Smith points out that there are some lines the church won’t cross. “We wouldn’t have Mike Tyson or P. Diddy (who in the world is that? dtb) on campus. But we don’t want to just be preaching to the choir, either, because that’s contrary to what Christ taught.”
This is where Smith nails him. “While on the subject, there is another thing that Christ taught. You’ll find it in the 21st chapter of Matthew, verses 12-13: “And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; and he saith unto them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer: but ye make it a den of robbers.”
Some observations beyond Slim’s are needed.
First, we must respect the pattern that God gave for the church and its work. It is not the work of the church to provide a rental facility for business enterprises of any character … good or bad, church-related or non-church-related. The work of the church, according to the blue-print, is to teach the lost (1 Thess. 1:8), edify the saints (Eph. 4:11-16), and tend to the needy who are members of the church (1 Cor. 16:1-2).
The church is not some kind of social club or community center. It’s mission can only be made clear when it tends to its business only. Loaning the building as a polling place, or allowing individuals to use the parking lot for rummage sales is inconsistent with that business, and confuses the membership as to what the legitimate function of the church might be.
Second, God has provided in the blue-print – the Bible – one means by which the church might obtain funds to carry out its “ambitious programs.” If the work of the church is sufficiently important to its members, they will contribute of their means as God has prospered them. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come” (1 Cor. 16:1-2).
Third, God has given us the gospel, and the gospel is sufficient to draw the honest heart. Too many churches of Christ have fallen in with the denominational type of thought that you must first lure prospective believers in before you can safely expose them to the gospel. The “loaves and fishes” method has been tried, and is successful at getting people in the building. But it is of no effect in getting them genuinely into Christ(see John 6). When the inducements are taken away, many “turn back and walk no more with him.” Jesus was aware of the problem of people being converted to the fleshly benefits of church benefits and not genuinely converted to his cause, so he refused to feed the 5,000 that he had just fed the day before. When they demanded another sign, “Jesus answered them and said, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled’” ( John 6:26).
There is nothing scriptural or right about using baseball card shows, ice cream suppers, or bowling teams to get people interested in the gospel. The gospel of Jesus and its wonderful message of redemption is what should attract people.
Finally, principle is important. Principle has to do with right and wrong. There is a right and wrong, and Christians do what they can to identify with what is right and disassociate with what is wrong. The Bible says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). How are the works of an unrepentant Pete Rose reproved if he is allowed to use their facility? Where does anyone come off saying that what Mike Tyson and P. Diddy (what? – dtb) have done makes them too bad to associate with, but an unrepentant Pete Rose is okay. The difference is not in the principle, it is in the perceived public reaction to having Pete Rose, as opposed to Mike Tyson.
The notion of honoring principle has given way to being practical. Biblical principles are to be the framework of our lives. Paul said to put on the whole armor of God. Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore …” (Eph. 6:13-14). He said in another place, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13).
A man who stands for what is right will not compromise what is right (Prov. 23:23). He will not allow his name to be sullied by the forsaking of principle, even if standing causes his righteous purposes to be frustrated or he comes to personal harm. Principle will not allow righteous men to endorse or tolerate in any way that which is unrighteous. The church Smith writes of did not just sell and evening in their fellowship hall, they sold out on principle.
That is Slim Smith’s point. It is found throughout the Bible. We need to be people who honor principle in our lives. What is right is more important that what works or makes us feel good.
