I read an article the other day on brotherhood issues and fellowship. The author’s point was that we should not be concerned with minor issues but should only be concerned with bringing people to Christ. I get so tired of brethren who are willing to overlook what they deem “minor” sin in an effort to forgive what they consider to be “major” sin. If these so-called “minor” sins are not important, then why does God command repentance to be made by an erring brother or before the alien sinner be brought to Christ?
I get so tired of brethren who are willing to dismiss conservatism for the sake of liberalism. They point out the division over the one-cup issue, church cooperation, orphans homes and the fact that we are divided over expedient matters. They fail to point out, however, that it is not the expedients that are causing the divisions but the binding of these expedients as law. If these things were simply viewed as expedients there would be no division. Such is not the case. But then these brethren try to convince others that their liberal practices are also just matters of expediency. Instrumental music in the worship of the church is not an expedient; baptism is not an expedient; conservatism and liberalism are not expedients. God gave us the Truth. Truth is neither conservative nor liberal. It is absolute and we must walk therein to be pleasing to God. While it is true that we have certain liberties in Christ, we dare not loose where God has bound nor bind where God has loosed. To do so is sin.
I get so tired of brethren who want unity (actually mere union) at the sake of doctrine. I get so tired of brethren who constantly think of fellowship as “visiting, eating, and playing together” with the brethren. I get so tired when I hear brethren say, “God is not concerned with our perfection, as much as our direction.” I get so tired of hearing the brethren say, “Well, it may not be exactly what God wants, but I like it.”
Yes, I get so tired of these things and many more such things in our brotherhood. But then I think of my wonderful brethren who stand tall for the truth and endure this same tired feeling. I think of Paul and how tired he must have surely been being beaten and imprisoned as he stood for truth . And I think of Jesus who was certainly tired after being beaten, spat upon, mocked, ridiculed, scourged, slapped about the head, and then falling from the weight of the cross and I don’t feel so tired anymore.
I guess many have been tired through the ages. Truth has always had its foes and its champions surely grew tired. But truth will prevail so I will go on teaching and trying to get others to obey the Lord in every way. I get so tired but I know that someday there will be rest for me.
I get so tired of brethren who are willing to dismiss conservatism for the sake of liberalism. They point out the division over the one-cup issue, church cooperation, orphans homes and the fact that we are divided over expedient matters. They fail to point out, however, that it is not the expedients that are causing the divisions but the binding of these expedients as law. If these things were simply viewed as expedients there would be no division. Such is not the case. But then these brethren try to convince others that their liberal practices are also just matters of expediency. Instrumental music in the worship of the church is not an expedient; baptism is not an expedient; conservatism and liberalism are not expedients. God gave us the Truth. Truth is neither conservative nor liberal. It is absolute and we must walk therein to be pleasing to God. While it is true that we have certain liberties in Christ, we dare not loose where God has bound nor bind where God has loosed. To do so is sin.
I get so tired of brethren who want unity (actually mere union) at the sake of doctrine. I get so tired of brethren who constantly think of fellowship as “visiting, eating, and playing together” with the brethren. I get so tired when I hear brethren say, “God is not concerned with our perfection, as much as our direction.” I get so tired of hearing the brethren say, “Well, it may not be exactly what God wants, but I like it.”
Yes, I get so tired of these things and many more such things in our brotherhood. But then I think of my wonderful brethren who stand tall for the truth and endure this same tired feeling. I think of Paul and how tired he must have surely been being beaten and imprisoned as he stood for truth . And I think of Jesus who was certainly tired after being beaten, spat upon, mocked, ridiculed, scourged, slapped about the head, and then falling from the weight of the cross and I don’t feel so tired anymore.
I guess many have been tired through the ages. Truth has always had its foes and its champions surely grew tired. But truth will prevail so I will go on teaching and trying to get others to obey the Lord in every way. I get so tired but I know that someday there will be rest for me.
- Jimmie B. Hill
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