Contending for the Faith with The Right Motive
he immediate church members, nor by any sister church, to desensitize or lessen the effect of the discipline invoked by the membership church.
The censoring of dialogue and the circumscribing of social intercourse with the disciplined person, may, in some instances, be deemed wise, but there is no scriptural mandate which prohibits all social or family communion with the excluded person. The church is never to placate the deposed offender, and if he remains or becomes recalcitrant, the position of the church in his regard should remain intact. However, it is not a compromise on the part of the church to recognize and encourage any conciliatory gesture made by the subject of discipline. Otherwise, no fallen brother would ever be lifted up and restored to fellowship in the disciplining church.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; AND AVOID THEM (emphasis OBM) (Romans 16:17).
This Divine injunction is all too often distorted or twisted and made to comprehend each and every variance that may surface, but this is not the force or meaning of it; otherwise, it would spell oblivion for all of the Lord’s churches. In the next verse (18), Paul identifies for us the persons whom the church is to “avoid”. “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple”.
These deceivers are in the church, but they were not “added” to it by the Lord Jesus Christ, and their every motive is self-interest and pride. They are to be undeviatingly withstood, and one way to withstand them is to avoid all spiritual fellowship with them. If this avoidance is tenaciously adhered to, their evil designs will be defeated, and in due season it will be manifested that they were never of the Lord (I John 2:19).
The least contravention of the word of God is to be taken seriously, but we know that good men, men who steadfastly hold to the gospel of grace and biblical ecclesiology, err in other points of doctrine. The above cited injunction of avoidance (Romans 16:17), does not apply to these men, for they love the Lord’s churches, and their general motivation comes from a strong desire to be obedient to the will of God in everything.
It is not the aim of these “good men” to create division in the Lord’s church(es), and they are just as sure their convictions on these lesser points of doctrine are Holy Spirit wrought, as are those who take variance with them. Thus, there is no scriptural basis for breaking fellowship with them, for if it was so, every New Testament church would be in utter disarray, and fellowship between churches would be out of the question.
All Bible doctrine is essential for spiritual growth and maturity, and doctrinal affinity enhances fellowship. So, there is some room for fellowship among all of the Lord’s churches, for they all believe every Christian and church is prone to err, and that we all must wait until we get to heaven to find the perfect Christian and the perfect church.
However, it seems in this evil day, that anything less than perfect agreement between brethren, makes one of them a heretic of the rankest sort. While fellowship between brethren and churches is based on doctrinal accord, it does not mean that every detail of every doctrine must be in place before there can be fellowship. This is a vital truth and needs to be addressed and emphasized, for in so doing, the prospect is that some of the unnecessary divisions which prevail in and among the Lord’s churches would be eliminated; there can be condemnation of error without castigation of the errant brother.
Conclusion
“And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (II Peter 1:7).
The graces which Peter refers to in this text, are not in every case easy to add, but we should not be quick to give up in our effort to add them. In the spiritual sense, the terms “brother” and “sister” denote a relationship that is eternal, and to enhance that relationship on earth, the perpetual forgiveness of offenses is necessary (Matthew 18:21, 22). To preserve and promote peace in the church, Paul said: “... Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).
The spiritual and discerning church will, upon self-examination, discover that all of its theological jots and tittles are not in place, and that some of its doctrinal walls do not perfectly hew or conform to the sacred plumb-line. Baptist churches are the most glorious institutions on earth; they are the pillar and ground of all divine truth, but there is not one among us who has fully apprehended that for which it has been apprehended, or that needs no further maturity or growth in grace and truth. Let us esteem our membership church most highly, but let us not look down our critical noses and deny an equal greatness to any of the Lord’s precious churches. It has not seemed good in the sight of the Lord to bless all of His churches in the same way, but this does not mean He loves one less and another more. In purchasing His churches, the omniscient Christ paid the same price for each of them (Acts 20:28), and there is not one among them all which is loved and preferred by Him above another (Ephesians 5:25).
The spiritual Christian will readily admit there is much wrong in his discipleship (I Corinthians 10:12), and that he comes miserably short in his service to God and his church brothers and sisters. Being aware of these unsavory facts should make us reluctant to adversely criticize those who are walking with us in the troubled path of faith. The least scrutiny of our fellow church members will reveal much in them which we consider to run counter to the honor of God and the best interest of His church. Conversely, the censorship being honest, we will in almost every case, discover that the supposed weak brother is strong in some areas where we are weak, and we could be profited by emulating his strong points.
We are not saying withhold all criticism; on the contrary, a word of rebuke in due season is good (Proverbs 15:23), but destructive criticism has no place in social relationships, much less in the Lord’s churches. The flesh takes a certain satisfaction from “telling him off”, but it often follows that we look back on our temper venting with regret and shame, and conclude: “I wish I had not said that. I surely could have handled that situation in a far better way.” “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly” (Proverbs 14:29).
The egotism of the old nature is not eradicated by regeneration, but it hangs on with an unrelenting tenacity, and all too often trips up the saint and causes him to unduly assert himself. Thus it was with Peter when he said to his cross-bound Saviour, “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee ...” (Matthew 26:35). Knowing the oft deficiency of my faith, I find it difficult to criticize Peter for his haughtiness, or to ask Elijah why he ran from Jezebel, or say to Moses: “Why did you not speak unto the rock instead of smiting it?” (I Kings 19:1-3; Numbers 20:8-11).
The devil hates church harmony, peace, and unity. It is his aim to bring discord and confusion in the Lord’s churches, and he delights in bitterness and rivalry among church members. However, the devil cannot create this ill condition in the church, apart from help within the church. Sadly, it seems there is always a Sister Eve or a Brother Diotrephes to ally themselves with the devil in his church wrecking scheme. Christ said, “... Offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come” (Luke 17:1).
The devil is the arch rival of the saint and he infinitely hates the blood bought church of Jesus Christ. He knows that God is glorified in His churches, but he also knows that sin diminishes fellowship with God, and he knows the greater the church is permeated with and persists in sin, the less is God glorified in the ill affected church.
Therefore, it behooves every member to pray fervently for one another, to respect one another, and to spiritually promote one another. A kind word of appreciation goes a long way in quieting the spirit that is caught in the gall of bitterness. After all, it is the meek who inherit the earth, and our Supreme Example said, “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). Beloved, God has already given His best to us and it surely becomes us to give our best to His church (Ephesians 5:2).
“Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1).
