Recently, while discussing whether handclapping is an authorized avenue of worship, the question was asked, “Is that a salvation issue?” Of course, the answer is yes! Worship as a “salvation issue” is confirmed beyond doubt by Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-2) and by Jesus’ statement about the scribes and Pharisees: “in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8). If God has regulated worship, then He determines how He is to be worshiped. If God has not regulated worship, then anything goes! This question, however, does force some serious thought about the term “salvation issue.” This term is sometimes brought up by those studying questionable practices.
What Are Salvation Issues?
Basically, everything that God obligates people to do is a matter of salvation. For those who are not yet in Christ, God obligates them to believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of their sin (Acts 17:30), confess their faith in Jesus as the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38). If accountable people outside of Christ do not do these things, they will be lost. God’s plan of redemption is a salvation issue! Those who have been baptized into Christ must “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), which includes worshiping God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24), putting off sin while cultivating the “new man” (Colossians 3:1-10) and continuing to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). This, of course, does not mean those in Christ will be sinless (1 John 1:8-10), but it does mean they will strive to “observe all things that I [Jesus] have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Each of these obligations is a salvation issue (Matthew 7:21-23).
Are There Non-Salvation Issues?
If God’s obligations are salvation issues, then those things that God does not obligate are non-salvation issues [as long as something is neither a modification nor an addition to what God has authorized ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]. These fall into at least two categories: matters of indifference to God and matters of expediency. First, matters of indifference to God are such things as eating meat versus eating only vegetables or personally regarding one day above another (Romans 14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13). As long as we do not sin in the process, God does not care whether we eat meat or vegetables (1 Timothy 4:3-4) or whether, for example, a couple sets apart their wedding anniversary as a special day of thanksgiving and prayer to God. Second, matters of expediency are those things that help carry out what God obligates (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23). For example, one local church may decide to use songbooks to help fulfill God’s obligation for us to sing in worship, while another may use PowerPoint to help fulfil that obligation. Either one of these expedients is fine because neither changes the obligation to sing (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
Can Non-Salvation Issues Become Salvation Issues?
Yes, concerning the categories mentioned above, matters of indifference to God and matters of expediency can be abused in such ways as to become sinful, thus making them salvation issues. Concerning both, when people bind one option as if it were the exclusive pattern from God, they sin (Romans 14:10-17). Concerning matters of indifference to God, if, for example, we eat meat in such a way that causes our brother to violate his conscience, “you thus sin against the brethren, and…you sin against Christ” (1 Corinthians 8:12).
Conclusion
Although there is a sense in which salvation and non-salvation issues exist, basically everything is a salvation issue based on Colossians 3:17. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17)!
