Introduction

1. God has plainly spoken saying, " Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is," Ephesians 5:17. In order for us to understand the will of God, it is helpful to know the difference in the Old and New Testaments, the place of commands, examples and inferences, which we have studied in previous lessons.

2. Further, it is very important for us to know the place of expediency.  Let us see what the Word of God says concerning expediency.

I. DEFINITIONS

A. Expedite, "to free one caught by the feet...ex=out + pedis=foot.  To speed up or make easy the progress or action of; hasten; facilitate, Webster's New  World Dictionary, College Edition, 1966.

B. Expedient, "Apt and suitable to the end in view; as, an expedient solution; hence, advantageous," Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1949.

C. Expedient (sumphero), "to help, be profitable, be expedient," Thayer, p.597.

D.Impediment, a hindrance, is the opposite of expedient.

 II. THE WORD "EXPEDIENT" IS USED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS FOLLOWS:

A. John 11:50, Caiaphas thought it advantageous to kill Jesus.

B. John 16:7, It was expedient for Christ to go away.

C.Acts 20:20, Paul's teaching was profitable.

D. 1 Cor.7:35, Under certain circumstances marriage is not expedient or suitable.

E. Hebrews 12:10, God's chastening is advantageous to us.

III.ONLY LAWFUL ACTS CAN BE SCRIPTURALLY EXPEDITED.

A. 1 Cor.6:12,13. It is lawful to eat food and the stomach is designed to receive it. Since it is lawful to eat food, we may eat what we believe to be  expedient or helpful.  However, it is unlawful to commit fornication and therefore, one cannot scripturally speak of expediting such an act.

B. 1 Cor.10:23-33. Doing a lawful or permissible act is expedient only if it edifies or builds up.  It should not be done if it becomes an occasion of stumbling.

1. It is right to eat meat, v.25.

2. Whatever I eat or drink, I must be able to do it to the glory of God, v.31.

3. If eating causes one to stumble, I must not eat the the offensive item, v.32. It would be inexpedient to so do because it would impede or hinder rather than expedite one's salvation.

 IV.ILLUSTRATIONS OF EXPEDITING LAWFUL (SCRIPTURAL) ACTS:

Note: Someone wrote brother Irven Lee saying, "Where is the Scripture for building a church house, a baptistry, a drinking fountain in the building, rest rooms..." (Preaching in a Changing World, p.69).  All we do is to be done by the authority of Christ, Col.3:17.  If there is no authority for a church building, baptistry, etc., we should not have them.  Some, even among our brethren, say we do many things for which we have no authority but it seems that they confuse expediency and specific authority.  Authority to do something does not always specific in nature.

V. THERE ARE UNLAWFUL ACTS WHICH WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO SEEK TO EXPEDITE.

Illustration: It is wrong, unlawful or unscriptural, to rob a bank. Therefore, we have no business discussing expedient ways of robbing a bank.

Likewise, it is unscriptural for the church, from its treasury, to support colleges, benevolent corporations, and recreational activities.  Mechanical instruments of music in worship are unscriptural so we cannot speak of ways of expediting the use of mechanical instruments.  The church has no right seek to expedite an Easter sunrise service, Christmas program, etc. because these are unlawful activities for the church.

VI. WHAT CAN I DO TO EXPEDITE THE LAWFUL ACTIVITIES OF THE CHURCH WITH WHICH I AM IDENTIFIED?