The making of rules and laws is necessary for convenience, comfort and orderliness. We should only create church laws by constituting it from the Bible to keep order and proper functions of the different departments of the church. Sufficient arbitration and careful conception should be performed thoroughly before any implementation and approval of any new church laws not found in the scripture. Creation of new moral church laws can always be done but I strongly discourage it. We should avoid making more and new church laws when it concerns our morality and religion (in regards to committing a sin). It becomes a very sensitive and a delicately serious matter. If you can save others, then you can also equally harm others as well with whatever they may hear from you.

1 Timothy 4:16 -Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Standard rules and regulations on how to keep peace and order in the church organization is substantial and essential on daily activities. It can be revised and provisions can be added anytime without difficulty. But new church laws not specifically found in the Bible that will directly  impact our morality and godliness are the ones Im referring to. They may actually cause more harm than good.

Stop making more church laws since we have inner laws written in our hearts

Conscience should be enough in many instances. The general knowledge of what is right and wrong should help us in our decision making. There are almost 200 countries that make up the United Nations. Each country has their own cultures, traditions and festivities. There is no way we can technically understand and assess them correctly. But the people who belong to their community should know the nature of every occasion or tradition. They will generally know what is good and evil for their own families.

Stop making more church laws because the Bible should be enough. The laws in the Bible are enough to judge us righteously.

There are so many things and activities at present day that is not literally written in the scripture like celebrating Halloween, Valentine’s Day, watching movies, going to carnivals, entering politics and voting, and there are so much more all around us. Many conservative Christian churches are forbidding in part or as a whole their members from watching tv, surfing the net or joining social media networks. What then is necessary and going overboard? How can we determine their weight and significance in the society? What will be our grounds of reason based on the scripture? Are we supposed to have ruling on each and everything of them? Are we going to research, study and be a watchdog of every single activity not found in the Bible? We can make rules no questions about that. But who will be the judge of each and everyone of us? No one among us can be qualified to make a “just” rule since every person is unique, perspectively speaking. And absolutely, no man should compare himself to be more righteous than anybody. The Almighty God is the only perfect and righteous judge.

The rule of thumb should be what is generally right and wrong. Let us also include the motive, perception and understanding of an individual, a family and or a society. What is right to you is not necessarily right to other families. And what is wrong to them is not necessarily wrong to you. The generally accepted knowledge of what is good and evil should be our primary basis of our decisions. We can not make rules based on a single person’s perception and understanding. It will not be applicable to all. If we forbid thousands or millions of situations and day to day activities, it would just be a source of confusion and complications to each and everyone’s system of beliefs. It would also cater a lot of disbelief, disagreements and arguments.

These are some of the reasons why we should not make more laws of the church. If it is unavoidable, church laws should be done carefully and only upon necessity or urgency.

1.We are called in liberty. Do not use liberty for the occasion of the flesh. Galatians 5:1 (this law should be enough in so many ways).

2. We have inner laws. Romans 2:15, 2 Corinthians 3:3 & Hebrews 10:16

3. Making more rules does not mean anything to someone unless he understands and accepts it by heart. It all goes down to the belief system of every person.

4. Making more rules or laws does not directly prohibit someone from doing it. Every person decides on his own not the laws or rules. A punishment is not necessarily or always created in such ethical functions. Violator’s actions on most cases may not directly be punishable.

5. More rules means more difficulty and hardships towards being an obedient follower.

6. Creating a standard policy for a single situation by creating a rule or law will just complicate things further. Forbidding in part or as a whole  of a single festivity like the Valentine’s day is just the beginning. It will be a cycle of never ending policymaking and revisions. How about birthdays, Independence day or Black Friday, so on and so forth? Think about the hundreds or thousands of holidays and festivities around the globe.

7. More laws means more prejudgment, hatred and hypocrisy. We can not deny people are generally or mostly judgmental. Please analyze this thoroughly. John 8:3-4

8. Introducing and creating more laws, means more restrictions and more violations, Romans 4:15. Productivity and efficiency should be maintained and improved all the time if not – most of the time. This requires more resources, time and effort.

9. Why create more laws when we ourselves should not/cannot judge offenders and violators?We have no right to judge, discriminate and blame even the convicted felons since we don’t know what really happened and their honest thoughts. It is a sensitive and fragile situation that we shouldn’t always dig in. Let us leave the judgment to the involved proper authorities like company management, government agencies or to the judicial body of the land.

10. Whatever we bind in earth will be bound in heaven… God will honor anything that we have decided on. If there are more “no-nos” – more violations, more sins and at the end more sinners. Therefore, heaven will be restricted even more.

Example #1: Removal/Reversal of a law in the scripture (we should never do this)

Law: Adultery will now be permissible.

It means that adultery will not be a sin anymore. Adulterers will also go to heaven. A complete reverse of the scriptural laws.

Example #2: Addition of a law. (We can do this individually, as a family and by company managements but should be avoided by a congregation if possible)

Law: Christians should absolutely never take part in anyway on Halloween celebrations and practices. (This is a real “scary” law to implement.)

Since Halloween is everywhere.

 

If these are all forbidden: wearing a mask/costumes, eating candies from Halloween, giving candies, laughing and getting scared with people who are in Halloween costumes, going trick or treating, going to Halloween parties, watching horror movies and shows, going to stores or buying items during Halloween sale and so much more…. If you violate one of these situations it only means you are a sinner and failed to obey God’s will.

I admit many Halloween practices may not be acceptable considering its ugly origin and history. On the other hand, I can not judge everyone that takes part on it as evil or not a faithful servant of God. I will never say that and should never do that. That is plain judgmental. Most kids nowadays only think of it as a way to see their neighbors and ask for candies. There is nothing wrong with that unless you think you are holier than others. The need for you to condemn and getting annoyed is now over the top. Imagine who will be the disobedient in the sight of God, the kids who just wanted some candies or the Christians who think better of themselves because of the existing law?

Where and how should we draw a line which will apply to everybody

It is really hard to draw a line to distinguish what is right or wrong based only on general information. You have to reconsider your own point of view and understanding as well. In reality you will be the sole responsible to decide and act for your family on what is admissible or not. You will always decide on your own based on your outlook and not solely because of the rules or laws. In short, we could never draw a line that would be perfect for everybody. The Bible cannot even draw a clear line. The real substance of our actions can only be found in the deepest part of our personality and individuality. If the supreme court can make mistakes how much easier a regular Christian or even a mega-church can commit one mistake. There is no exception. Lost time and embarrassments from wrongful judgments and punishments are always irreversible. All judgments should never have the luxury of making mistakes and excuses. Unfortunately in this life, that is sordid and murky.

 

This is how the Bible draws a line – the mark of truthfulness, genuineness and purity of motives. It will never be clear to us, but to God it is crystal clear.

1 Timothy 1:5 – Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Recommendation for church laws: Grow a righteous conscience and knowledge in the word of God

On anything common sense is needed. No one knows your family the best but you. You and your family should decide on what is acceptable and not. Do not let anyone decide for you and your family unless you are incapacitated and mentally disabled.  But the written laws in the scripture and common sense should be enough. There are so many reasons, policies, provisions and laws that are found in the Bible. They should be more than sufficient like Philippians 4:8.

Conscience can learn and grow the right way. Let us guide believers and Christians alike to improve and teach their conscience according to the scriptures, not against it and never more than what is written. Sins and laws that are written in the Holy Bible should be enough as our foundation and shelter of our personalities and faith. Let us follow the scriptures as it was written clearly. The church should be the best guide of righteousness and should not be the source of confusions and difficulties in obedience.

There are so many laws and commandments in the old testament. There is a reason why Jesus just made it into two main commandments. Let us not make more. Let us not push for more. Let us not put pressure unto making the world full of restrictions.  Let us not be blinded by pride and hypocrisy. Whatever rules and laws we may create, at the end it is not us who will judge but Him. Why create more laws when we will be the guilty ones?

May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

NOTE: If I have the right, authority and power to create new laws, I will make as many laws as I could to prevent Christians from being tempted to the works of evil and lust of the flesh. But I fear that the soul of many will be in my hands and that is the worst feeling and position ever. I couldn’t live with that no matter what. I will let God do His job for He is the best in it.

This article is my opinion and suggestion only but should never be taken lightly. I never say that we are free to do anything that we want without any consequences. I never say that we cannot make new laws for the church… I simply say we have to be really careful in doing so. Since the Bible in itself has enough laws to keep us holy and make us receive the promised everlasting life. Laws will never save us but it is the pure goodness of heart and righteousness of faith. You can disobey the law but can still be saved. It is because of His loving kindness and grace. It was never the laws. Romans 5:16