Expediency

Robert Meredith

What is meant by expediency?  Expediency means to expedite, or speed up the process of something (Webster).  It is the means by which something is accomplished.

  In religious matters one needs to keep in mind the difference between doctrine, expediency and opinion.  The word doctrine means teaching.  Doctrine is what the Bible teaches.  Expediency is how one chooses to fulfill a doctrinal command, and opinions are what someone thinks concerning non-specific details.  For instance, the Apostle John, in the book of Revelation, warns about the “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:16-18), but he does not specifically express what it is.  We can differ in opinion as to what John had reference (as long as our opinion does not contradict another passage of scripture).

  There are many doctrinal areas where God has left to man the freedom of choosing the best way to fulfill the command.  Jesus declared, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:18-19).  The doctrine in this passage is to go into all the world with the gospel.  How one chooses to best fulfill this command would be how he expedites the teaching.  A congregation could choose to support one missionary a large sum, or several missionaries with small sums.  They would still be expediting the command to go.  We might differ on the best way to go, but we must go somehow.  The leadership of the congregation has the responsibility of choosing what they believe is best for their situation (Acts 20:28, Hebrews 13:17).  They could go by radio, television, the printed page, or by supporting a man to go directly.  They could choose one or several ways of going.

  God has commanded His church to assemble (Hebrews 10:25).  In order to assemble, the congregation would need a place to do so.  It could meet in a member’s house (Philemon 2), could rent a building, could meet under an oak tree, or it could build a meeting house.  Because God commands us to come together, and does not specify how, we are at liberty to choose how best to fulfill that command.  Therefore, there is authority for a church building because it helps to expedite the command to come together.  Also, God has instructed His children to “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).  Since God has commanded Christians to study, it is expedient to have classrooms to help fulfill this command.  Too, it is expedient in a gathering place to have restroom facilities.  Furthermore, God has commanded us to sing (Colossians 3:16 & Ephesians 5:19); songbooks help us to expedite this command.

  There must, however, be an underlying command for there to be an expediency.  Expediencies help to fulfill what God has authorized.  If God has not authorized a certain activity, then one can not claim that a certain thing falls into the area of expediency.  Let us desire to fulfill God’s commands.  Let us pray that the Leadership of the church has the wisdom to best fulfill (expedite) God’s commands and let us strive to faithfully labor in God’s glory (Ephesians 3:21).