We cannot come to Christ unless we have been ‘drawn’ by God and “have heard from the Father, and have learned” (John 6:45). Then Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me” (Matt. 11:29). But only as we cooperate with God can His teaching be effective. This thought is expressed by the Psalmist, “I will run the way of Thy commandments when Thou shalt enlarge my heart” (Psa, 119:32). Dr. Moffatt translates — “I will obey Thee eagerly as Thou dost open up my life”.
True Brethren of Christ, living in the glorious liberty of the children of God, delight to think on the things of God and to come to their own understanding, guided by the Word of God, as “God is at work in them both to will and to work for His good pleasure”. (Phil. 2:13 RSV). Like the Psalmist, they are confident that as they live in accordance with the commandments of God, their lives will expand. “They shall all be taught of God.” (John 6:45).
To follow any teaching which is contrary to the commandments of Christ, the teaching of the Apostles, or the practice of the New Testament ecclesias, is to challenge the very authority and accuracy of Holy Scripture itself.
The apostles did not establish an earthly organisation of ecclesias, centralised in ecclesiastical headquarters; neither did they teach any such system. The emphasis is rather on the ecclesia’s spiritual character and destiny. Peter speaks of believers in these terms:
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices” (1 Pet. 2:5).
Paul refers to believers being”builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2.22). The only bond binding ecclesias together was spiritual, that of a common life in Christ. and the indwelling of the same Holy Spirit. There was no external unity by way of affiliation or federation.
In centuries subsequent to apostolic times, the apostasy which developed began with a departure from Christ’s design for His ecclesias. Groupings of ecclesias began, leading to ecclesiastical rivalry and the resulting domination of the strongest men in the ecclesias “who loveth to have the preeminence” (3 John 9). This soon led to the growth of the `clergy’ with control being exercised from one religious centre. Then men presumptuously began to usurp the authority of Christ as the one Head of the Ecclesia, which is His body, and for centuries ‘Liberty in Christ’ was lost.
There are ominous signs of developments within the Brotherhood today which are reminiscent of the developments which led to apostasy in post-apostolic times. How easy it is for a man to be deceived into thinking that he is serving God while in reality he is establishing the glory and power of his own ecclesiastical position!
Men, institutions, creeds and traditions can become idols in the minds of men. It is possible to impose on people a rigid acceptance and slavish adherence to a set of beliefs, and by discouraging independent thought, to so indoctrinate them that they become incapable of creative thought, are unable to see any point of view but that which has been instilled into their minds, and therefore are intolerant of opposing convictions.
By this method people are quickly given a ‘head’ knowledge of Scripture, of which they have little or no real understanding or ‘heart’ knowledge. Paul knew the danger of people thinking that religion was chiefly a matter of knowing things with the mind, and spoke of those who were `puffed up’ with knowledge (Col. 2:18, 23; 1 Tim. 6:3, 4).
Unfortunately, there are many people who like to have their thinking done for them and who will accept ready-made beliefs as their own. History shows us the result of this method of religious indoctrination. It produces religious dogmatists, people who are arrogant, presumptuous, self-willed, intolerant. Such were the Pharisees of Christ’s day, those self-righteous and zealous Jews who held to the letter of their interpretation of the Law and to their own traditions, regardless of whether they nullified the Word of God or not.
These were the people to whom Christ said,
“Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, this people honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men” (Matt. 15:7-9).
These were the people who “took counsel how they might ensnare Him in His talk” (Matt. 22:15); “and they watched Him, and sent forth spies, which feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech…” (Luke 20:20).
These were people who had a legalistic approach to life. They appealed to the Law — to what was written. The Pharisees aimed at keeping the Law to the letter, but they failed to understand the spirit of the Law. That is the trouble with a written document. It can be misinterpreted; it can become a rigid formula, a burden instead of a blessing. So Jesus told His followers, “. . . except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20).
The things of the Spirit are not learned quickly, The Truth of God comes gradually —
“For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little” (Isa. 28:10 R.S.V.).
The method of education in the Truth is important. Is it designed to produce people with a tremendous knowledge of Scripture, a knowledge about Christ — a knowledge such as the Priest and the Levite had, which resulted in a completely inadequate righteousness? Or is it designed to bring people to the Lord Jesus Christ that they might “know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed unto His death?” (Phil. 3:10). Education is a development of God-given talents for fuller life and service. Our faculties of judgment and reasoning and imagination are developed by education; they are stultified by indoctrination.
Jesus’ method of teaching was not to write a book; not to compile a code of laws; but to live a life:
“And He appointed twelve that they might be with Him” (Mark 3:14).
That they might see the life lived and then live it themselves. As the disciples lived and worked with Jesus they learnt the great principles of this new way of life. They learnt that the Truth is not a book, or a creed, or a set of beliefs, but a MAN, the Man Christ Jesus. “I am the Truth” (John 14:6).
Dr. Thomas in Elpis Israel — 14th edition, p.198 — writes:
“O that men could be induced now to devote themselves to the study of the Scriptures without regard to articles, creeds, confessions, and traditions! These things are mere rubbish; monuments of the presumption and folly of former generations indoctrinated with the wisdom from beneath. If a Berean spirit could be infused into them; if they could be persuaded to ‘search the Scriptures daily’ for the truth as for hid treasure; they would soon leave their spiritual guides alone in all their glory of mysticism and patristic lore, and rejoice in the liberty of that truth which can alone make them ‘free indeed’. The gospel invites men to enter into the Kingdom of God. The way of entering is made exceedingly plain in the Bible. There is now no hidden mystery concerning it as there was before the sufferings of Christ were manifested. The mystery of the Kingdom has been unlocked. The key of knowledge has been given; but unfortunately it has been stolen again by Peter’s pretended successors; and, upon a smaller scale, by every other ecclesiastic who would discourage or throw hindrances in the way of a free, unbiased, and independent examination and avowal of Bible truth in their churches;” (Dark print mine – WMGH)
Those words were written to apply to the ecclesiastics of Christendom. I wonder if Dr. Thomas ever thought that the day would come when they might equally apply to some sections of the community he founded!
We cannot admit any claim to authority on the part of any man, or company of men, in matters of faith. Our faith does not rest upon the authority of men.
There is a twofold subjection to man taught in Scripture:
- Paul and Peter teach us that we may be subject to man’s authority in regard to worldly things which are lawful.
“Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God”. (Rom. 13:1).
“Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well”. (1 Pet. 2:13, 14 R.V.).
This is a subordinate subjection, in subordination to God, and so ‘for the Lord’s sake’. In this subjection we may be subject to men while preserving our liberty in Christ. In submitting ourselves to the authority of men we must not at the same time deny our liberty in Christ; and we must maintain our liberty in Christ in such a way that we do not neglect our duty. “Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matt. 22:21).
- Jesus and Paul teach us that we may NOT be subject to man’s authority in regard to spiritual things. As regards the inner man, the spirit and the conscience, we have no lords on earth, but only the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.
“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are Brethren. . . Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ”. (Matt. 23:8, 10 R.V.).
“Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men”. (1 Cor. 7:23).
This is an absolute subjection, a subjection of our spirit and conscience for man’s sake. In this subjection we cannot be subject to men without denying our liberty in Christ. Both these positions are clearly seen by comparing Matt. 23:10 and Eph. 6:5 —
“Neither be ye called masters; for one is your Master, even the Christ”. “Servants be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ”.
A distinction is made between masters according to the flesh, and masters according to the Spirit. On earth we have no masters according to the Spirit, none to whom we are to subject our spirits and consciences, but only Christ.
On the one hand we must not usurp a mastership which is not ours, “not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand”. (2 Cor. 1:24).
On the other hand we must not bring ourselves into bondage by making men masters of our faith. In his letter to the Galatians Paul refers to “false brethren secretly brought in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage” (Gal. 2:4). Of these brethren Paul says “to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you”. (Gal. 2:5).
In the things of the Spirit we must neither submit ourselves to be ruled by the will of men, nor submit our faith and consciences to any power below Christ.
Let us “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”. (Gal. 5: 1).
Let us continue in the Word of our God, that we may be taught of God, and patiently keep the commandments of God and the faith of the Lord Jesus.
Let the time that remains before the return of our Lord find us going in the way of God’s commandments, that we may enjoy enlargement of life, to His Glory.
Is Pentecost Happening Today? (Part 7) – Tongues Shall Cease