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 I
wonder who led the invitation song in that memorable “service”
at Jerusalem, the first Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection?
It must have been truly “inspiring” to see 3,000 people walk
down the aisle. I wonder who “took their confession,” and
what he said. Imagine the time required to fill out the
membership cards — and the baptismal certificates. Pity the
one who had to cut stencils for the next Sunday’s bulletin —
every name must be just right you know.
In
recent years we have spawned a litter of tradition iconoclasts
who delight in ridiculing and destroying such. This is not my
purpose. With some reservations concerning baptismal
certificates, I do not object to the above; but I would like to
remind you that many church practices are dictated by tradition
and custom rather than by scriptural authority. The iconoclast
would tear down all that stands, on tradition alone (only to
begin new traditions), while the traditional “Church of
Christer” would hold on to “the way we do it” as if church
practice was authoritative. I believe neither scripture nor
common sense dictate these extremes.
Invitation
songs and “walking down the aisle” are not essentials in the
obedience of the gospel. It is good to acknowledge this and to
check tendencies to be bound by such traditions. I first
observed a shift from
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the old “walk the aisle” practice in
announcements concerning brethren who had moved into a new
community, and who “desire to work and worship with us.” Of
course baptisms performed during the week, following home Bible
studies, were so announced; and now and then the preacher
announces that someone has confessed public sins and desires the
prayers of the church — no “walking down the aisle.” Well,
there could be justification for this. We should rejoice, as the
angels rejoice, over a sinner that repents. We also rejoice that
walking down the aisle is not considered a divine mandate for
repentance, and baptism, etc.
But
— a little bell is ringing, or maybe it is a little light
flashing. In the case of sin that should be confessed
before all (because of its nature), or in the spirit of
confessing our faults one to another (Jas. 5:l6), walking down
the aisle may be the most direct method of getting before the
brethren. The timid person who would go forward to claim a
material award would surely not hesitate to so claim his Saviour.
And it seems to me that confessing Christ before men is intended
to encourage others to confess Him. We may be short-circuiting
the power of example. What think you?
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