Family of God: [Church_of_Christ] Re: Can you guess?

Gerry wrote: Norman,

Thanks for the thoughts and question.

I was not raised in the CoC. Therefore I do not have the baggage that some of
you have on this. I will gladly admit that thru the years I have picked up some
baggage.

Hi Gerry,

Don't we need to discuss your baggage here? You seem to believe your interpretation is the only truth. I see no room for baggage in your arguments.

Gerry wrote: I find it interesting that some on here wish to argue that the early Christians
met/assembled everyday. But when one says they assembled on Sundays it is then
denied. Com'on!

Norman: Com'on! You do not really believe what you said is true, do you? No one here is saying the disciples did not meet every Sunday. What we are saying is that if they met every Sunday, the scripture does not tell that they did. There is a difference.

Most of those participation in this discussion, go to church every Sunday, observe the LS every Sunday, contribute to church treasury every Sunday; however, they do not do these things because Acts 20:7 says that the church had a command to meet every Sunday. There is a difference.

You said you did not have the baggage of the CoC and that is good; however, as you say, you do have some baggage and you have some of the same baggage that they have.

The reason most of us have a problem (with your interpretation of Acts 20:7) is because the majority of the CoC still teaches that we have a command to do all these things and they isolate themselves from others who do not teach those as commands. Anyone who does not follow these *commandments* cannot be of Christ. Teaching that these are commands caused division where there should be unity. We are trying to teach tolerance between Christians; however, we cannot do that when they are continually bombarded by people who insist that we have a command to keep Sunday and no other day. I have a very good friend who worships on Saturday and I consider him a Christian. Because of the constant bombardment of your interpretation of Acts 20:7 as a command of all Christians, most of my brothers and sisters will not accept him as a Christian.

I do not know what group you are associated with or whether you are associated any group, but that is not important. What is important; if you do not meet for worship on Sunday, take the LS every Sunday and only on Sunday and put you contribution in the collection every Sunday and only on Sunday, your insistence that we have these command isolates you from those who believe they have the perfect interpretation, the perfect translation, the perfect practice, the perfect worship and etc.

Gerry wrote: Question: If there was no assembly, why put aside anything on the first day of
the week? Why not any other day?

Norman: I do not know what their work week was. They may have been paid on Saturday and Sunday would be the first day they would start spending they paycheck. The idea was to make sure it came off the top (I think). Again, we are not saying they did not meet every Sunday, we are only saying the thus saith the Lord does not confirm that and we do not need to make it say something that may or may not be true.

Gerry wrote: Why not any other day?

Norman: That is where the command comes from that says you cannot lay by in store on any day other than Sunday. The goal was to have a collection ready for Paul when he came a year later to collect the complete offering. Paul did not command them to contribute; therefore, if they met every Sunday and some wanted to store it in the cookie jar every Friday, I do not believe Paul would have refused their contribution. It was not about how and when, it was about encouraging everyone to contribute to the poor saints.

Apparently, their prosperity was counted on a weekly basis. We meet on Wednesday, then, why would it not be appropriate to store by what we prospered in, on Wednesday?

I am assuming they did not know what their income would be until payday; therefore, they would not know what they prospered in on Wednesday.

I get a monthly social security check the third day of every month. I live 300 yards from the church building and there is a bookkeeper there every day and I can walk to the church and make a contribution on the third day for the month; however, according to some, because they interpret Acts 20 as you do, tell me I would be violating Paul's command to lay by and store on the first day of the week. It is a legalistic command.

Gerry wrote: The NLT says,"On every Lord's Day, each of you put aside some amount of money..." There would be no need for this if there was no assembly.

Norman: I like the NLT; however, we both know that it is translation and it is not true to Greek. The Greek says the first day of the week.

Gerry wrote: The wording here is similar to Acts 2:38. "Let each of you..." Of course no one
is going to say there is no assembly here in Acts 2. Why do we have trouble
seeing one in 1 Cor. 16.

Acts 2:1-6 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

Norman: I see no similarity in the two scriptures. We are told they were assembled in Acts 2.

There is another unique interpretation that is enforced from Acts 2:42, 46.

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:45-46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.

Norman: They met every day to devote themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship and prayer and when they met on Sunday they added the breaking of bread (which they insist is the LS). Strange? Those who want to break bread on any other day are not fellowshipped. That is the problem with creating a Sunday only command.

Gerry wrote: Next question: Just how important is this?

Norman: Gerry, it must very important to you and ED, because you are vehemently opposed to allow it to be an example and accepting it without demanding a command. Most on the group are only saying it may be possible that they met every Sunday; however, we do not make it a command for fellowship with others. You have been trying to convince the group, for about two week, that the ONLY interpretation to these verses is a plain and simple command of God that all must follow. Just how important is this to you? Would it shake your faith to learn that this is a one time example? Is your faith in Christ sufficient or is your faith in your ability to combine scripture and history to give a perfect understanding of the Bible that all must accept to be in fellowship with God and those who want to follow God?

Thanks,

Norman

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