"Expediency" Defined

According to Webster's Dictionary, Third College Edition (1986), an "expedient" is that which is "useful for effecting a desired result; suited to the circumstances or the occasion; advantageous; convenient." In English, there is also a negative sense of the word (i.e., the idea of getting gain for oneself regardless of what is right or just), but the basic meaning of the word is that which gives advantage. The English word "expedient" is found seven times in the KJV (Jn. 11:50; 16:7; 18:14; 1 Cor. 6:12; 10:23; 2 Cor. 8:10; 12:1).

The Greek word (sumphero, FL:NXDT) from which "expedient" is translated occurs in nine other places, where the KJV translates "profit" (1 Cor. 7:35; 10:33; 12:7; Heb. 12:10), "profitable" (Mt. 5:29-30; Acts 20:20), "better" (Mt. 18:6), "is [not] good" (Mt. 19:10), and "brought…together" (Acts 19:19). According to Arndt and Gingrich's Greek-English Lexicon, the Greek word means "to help, confer a benefit, be advantageous or profitable or useful…something that is useful or helpful."

Two truths stand clear when speaking of Biblical expediency. First, all expedient actions must be actions that are not sinful in and of themselves. That is, no sinful action can be done in the name of "expediency," even if supposed good will result (Rom. 3:8). Second, because an action may be lawful does not necessarily mean that it is always expedient-all lawful actions do not edify (1 Cor. 10:23 cf. 8:1-13). What works in one location, may not work in another. We cannot force expediency. This is why an eldership's authority is limited only to the local church. The unlawful pursuit of a lawful thing constitutes bondage and thus results in sin (1 Cor. 6:12 cf. Rom. 6:16).

"Expediency" Applied

All actions must have Bible authority (Col. 3:17 cf. 2 Jn. 9-11). As we learned in last week's article, Bible authority is ascertained through explicit statements, revealed examples, and implication. These avenues of authority must be ascertained by "handling aright the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15, ASV).

In authorized actions there are areas of expediency. For example, the Bible authorizes Christians to partake of the Lord's Supper every first day of the week, and that they are to use unleavened bread and "fruit of the vine" (Mt. 26:26-28; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-25). However, the Bible gives no exclusive pattern as to what time on the first day of the week the Lord's Supper must be partaken. Thus, the time of day at which the congregation partakes of the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week is a matter of expediency. There is just as much authority for taking it at 9:30 a.m. as there is for 2:30 p.m. Expediency is also involved in other God-authorized actions such as in what body of water one should be baptized (in a baptistery or a natural body of water), singing (with song books or by memory), preaching the gospel (from the pulpit or on TV or radio), etc.

"Expediency" Abused

Expediency is abused by two extremes. First, some mistakenly think that expediencies are equivalent to actions that have no authority. This writer has heard brethren say, "You don't truly believe that you need authority for everything you do. You use a songbook, and no one in the Bible ever used one." The main error here is that this view really says we do not need authority for everything we do. These people still use songbooks. It also reflects the mistaken notion that only explicit statements and/or examples give authority, which error was addressed in the previous article. Singing is still singing whether or not one uses a songbook. Second, some mistakenly think that expedient actions are so unchangeable that to change them is equivalent to changing the doctrine of Christ. Thus, when others do not use the same expedients, they are looked upon as "forsaking the old paths." There is authority to help the needy (Jas. 1:27), and whether a local church decides to help the needy as individual Christians or as the church collectively is a matter of expediency, left to the discretion of the local eldership, and should not be a reason for division (Eph. 4:1-6).

Brian Kenyon