Apostolic Tradition: Pragmatically Speaking

Up to now I have been primarily been arguing that we ought to follow the apostolic pattern for church practice because it is only right to do so. I believe, however, from a more practical perspective, that there are also certain advantages to be gained from so doing.

I have already argued that these traditions represent the unchangeable will of Christ for His churches. Therefore, the first benefit from pursuing this pattern is the kind which generally results anytime we seek to fulfill God’s will for our lives. But I think there are also some specifically identifiable blessings that would follow if we began subjecting our practices to the kind of analysis I described above.

First, I think it would give us clearer guidance as we try to be the churches God has called us to be. Every church, from its beginning and throughout its entire life, must make certain decisions about its mission and how it is going to carry out that mission. Without some standard to which to appeal, we are more or less groping in the dark. But God has not left us to do so much guess-work. In the scriptures He has given us His gracious explanation of how we can fulfill His will. Why not take advantage of the light He has provided us?

Second, I think that conforming to the apostolic pattern would give us a firmer foundation, providing the churches with some desperately needed stability. The scriptures warn us not to be blown about by every wind of teaching, and this would include teaching about the practices of the church. In light of the constant influx of new ideas into the church, it would be much easier to keep our proper bearing if we were basing our practices, not on the fleeting opinions of fallible men, but upon the unchanging standard of the word of Christ.

Finally, I think that attempting to adhere to this inspired tradition would lead to greater unity within and among churches. When the foundations for our practices are the whims of particular men or the fads of the times, there is a much greater chance for conflict and disunity between the saints. I'm not saying that churches need to be identical to one another in their practices. It’s true that two musicians can play in harmony even when playing different notes at different times. But any kind of harmony is much less likely when the two are playing two different songs off two different sheets of music. In the apostolic tradition, we have one beautifully crafted piece of music, and if we're all striving to play the notes we find there, a magnficent symphony will result, even if what we're playing is not precisely the same. In short, I truly believe that if churches were to strive to follow the apostles’ teachings, which are the true words of Christ to His to His people, they would begin to experience greater blessing.