Likewise the Bible does not designate the number of cups that shall be used, leaving us free to use our own judgment upon that point as well. It is true that the Bible refers to “the cup,” but every careful student knows that that refers to the contents and not to the vessel. As a matter of fact, there must be some distribution made between the original container and the lips of those who partake. The Bible does not specify at what stage this distribution shall be made. God has endowed us with intelligence, and expects us to use it in applying these commandments which are left in generic form.
3. Other examples of generic commands of a slightly different form are these: “Therefore, all things ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12). “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13). “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this; to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (Jas. 1:27). All of these are general commandments governing Christian conduct. They announce certain general principles that should guide us in our behavior. We must use our own best judgment in applying these principles to the various questions that arise, and we should pray for wisdom to make the proper application. (Jas. 1:5).
IV
Important Conclusions
1. There are certain important conclusions which should be drawn from what has already been said. First, in a sphere where God has made specifications we must heed them. We must not ignore them. We must not change them. What he specifies must be done. In executing a command we must heed these specifications. To do otherwise would be an act of disobedience to God Almighty.
2. Second, where God has made no specifications we should not make any and try to bind them on others. To do so would be to add to the word of God, and to violate the principle taught in Revelations 22:18-19 and at many other places in the Bible. God had a good reason for leaving certain commandments in a general form. For me to work out specifications concerning how those general commandments should be obeyed and undertake to bind my inventions on others would be a very grievous sin.
In the execution of a general commandment, each individual and each congregation is left to make its own choices. It’s just as much harm to make specifications where God has made none, as it is to ignore those specifications that he has made. It would be just as wrong to specify that the Lord’s supper must be eaten at 7:30 P.M. as it would be to ignore the specification that music used to worship God must be vocal.
3. Third, in the execution of these general commandments, we should use wisdom. Someone has said that there are three kinds of sense: revealed sense, common sense, and nonsense. Where there is revealed sense we must follow it; but where there is no revealed sense, where God has given a general commandment and left us free to execute it according to our best judgment, we should use common sense and not nonsense. In all matters, wisdom should be exercised.
There are many Scriptures that verify this conclusion. For instance, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord” (James 1:5-7).
Wisdom has been defined as the ability to properly apply knowledge. In this connection it would be ability to properly apply the knowledge that we have received from God’s word. Such wisdom comes as a result of experience and age and study and prayer. Hebrews 5:14 says, “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
Evidently that is the reason God has ordained that the older or experienced men shall be the overseers of the local congregation. Evidently that’s also the reason he ordained that children should obey their parents rather than parents obey the children. Oftentimes those who are older can discern good or evil where the younger and less experienced are unable to do so.