We as Christadelphians meet together each week to remember the love of God and the love of His son, Jesus Christ our Lord. This is a privilege given to us by God and is one that should not be taken lightly. Not all of the brotherhood have the advantage of an ecclesia to attend. Those in isolation only get this blessing during Bible Schools, occasional visits to Ecclesias or by listening to tapes recorded at ecclesial gatherings. Things we do often and we therefore become accustomed to, can lose their meaning and become a matter of habit rather than a matter of desire. Let’s never forget the meaning of the word ecclesia. We are one of the very few organizations in the world that uses the word. Ecclesia is from the Greek word “ekklesia” which literally means — that which is called out. It is translated church 112 times and assembly 3 times. We have long ago come to realize that the real ecclesia of God is the brethren and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ who make up the various light stands of God throughout the world.
What Is Our Ecclesial Life Like?
With these few thoughts in mind, we would like to pose a question: What should our ecclesial life be like? Any number of answers could be given to this question, but the answer we would like to give and to explore further is: Balanced. Just what do we mean by that? What does the word balance mean? If we take a look in the dictionary, we find a number of meanings for the word balance. The one that we are interested in is as follows: “To bring into harmony or proportion. To compare by estimating the relative force, importance, or value of different things.” When this word is used in Scripture, it is generally a noun. However, the same thoughts come across. Look at Daniel 5:27. Speaking of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, it declares: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
In order to get his thoughts across to his listeners, Christ often used parables. We would like to do the same with a parable taken from the unlikely place of an article on proper care of one’s hair. “When new cells are formed within the follicle, the old ones are pushed away and up through the pore openings. No longer being nourished, these cells die and become part of the hair shaft. Residing near every hair follicle are oil-producing glands known as sebaceous glands. Their oil secretions lubricate and protect the hair. When the glands are too hyped up, hair becomes oily. When they’re lazy or sluggish, hair becomes dry. When they’re nicely balanced, hair is normal.” If we give the following spiritual, meanings to the underlined words in the article, then the lesson becomes quite clear:
- Hair = The mortal man
- Sebaceous: glands= The spiritual man
- Oil = The Word of God
- Lubricate= That which is needed to keep us functioning as servants of God
- Protect = The way Christ used the “Word” to protect himself against sin.
The spiritual man within each of us must be producing the balanced amount of the use of God’s word to keep us actively functioning as His sons and daughters and protecting us from sin. Jesus demonstrated this by his actions in the wilderness when he said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
A Wife can be a Great Asset
There have been both brethren and sisters who have so dedicated their lives that they have neglected their families, their children have not come to know the way of God and finally their sister wives or brother husbands have left them. Such brethren and sisters are not balanced. Brethren and sisters who want to so dedicate themselves are told by the Apostle Paul not to marry. Once they have committed themselves to either marriage or marriage and the raising of children, then this is part of their service to God, and a very important part. For the brethren, a wife in the truth can be a great asset. Solomon, in Proverbs 18:22 recorded, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor with God.” The Septuagint version puts the emphasis where it belongs by rendering this verse, “He who hath found a good wife hath found favor and hath received joy from God.” There is quite a difference between finding a wife and finding a good wife. This is further supported by Solomon in Proverbs 19:14 (RSV), “House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent” (one who understands and acts wisely) “wife is from the Lord.” A great many of those who come to a knowledge of God’s Word, do so by being raised in a home where the truth is taught. Dedication to study or to preaching to the exclusion of a harmonious family relationship is an unbalanced home and will quite often drive a child away from the truth instead of toward it.
Is Drinking Beer Sinful?
We as human beings have a tendency to go overboard on things. We swing way over one way or way over the other way. The best way is to have our lives balanced. It is absolutely essential that we recognize that there are some things that are sin no matter who does them or where they are done and that these activities are fairly well defined in the Scriptures. There are, however, other things that we have to decide for ourselves whether or not they are sinful and that what is sin to one brother or sister may not be to another. I have often used the drinking of a glass of beer as an example. I don’t drink beer. I don’t care for it. However, I do not think it is sinful for a brother or sister to occasionally have a drink of beer. There are other brethren and sisters who feel that it is sinful for brethren and sisters to drink beer. These brethren and sisters should not do it and it would be a sin if they did. The Scriptural guideline is moderation as given by Paul in his letter to the Philippians (4:5), “Let your moderation be known unto all men.” The problem is that some brethren and sisters feel that something that they are unable to handle in their own lives and that they therefore deem to be a sin, is then a sin for all brethren and sisters. On these day-to-day decisions as to how we serve our Lord and Master, the Apostle Paul said, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). Now let’s not confuse this with the unacceptable state that Israel fell into when, “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). It is actually sinful (according to the Scriptures) to judge our brothers and sisters in these matters. “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth” (Romans 14:4). “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days” (Colossians 2:16).
In presenting these thoughts to other brethren and sisters, I have actually been accused of saying that we should have a balance of sin and obedience in our lives. To borrow a phrase from the Apostle Paul, “God forbid.” There is a great difference between a dedicated service to God that is balanced and a life that attempts to serve God and mammon. I am in no way endorsing the latter.
It’s Important to be Consistent
What is important is that we remain consistent. If we find any particular activity abhorrent to us and condemn others who do this activity, yet we participate in the same activity or others of the same type, this is not consistent. We are great rationalizes and we constantly justify our own wayward actions while condemning the actions of our brethren and sisters. When a brother or sister criticizes others for their way of serving God, he or she had better rethink his position. We often listen to an exhortation and think, “Oh I hope that Brother “X” or Sister “Y” is listening to that point.” Don’t worry whether Brother “X” or Sister “Y” is listening. Are you listening? Am I listening?
There is a well known rule in business that you can make a person move by kicking them in the seat of the pants, but this will not motivate them. In order to motivate a person, you have to provide an incentive that will make them want to do something instead of being forced into it. This is the whole principle of our relationship with God. However, we have to motivate ourselves. We cannot depend on others to continually struggle to figure out what will motivate the rest of the ecclesia. We all have a responsibility for this. Many exhortations have been given to encourage the brethren and sisters to improve attendance at our ecclesial Bible classes. It is hard to believe, but the brethren giving these exhortations often receive a fair amount of criticism for their efforts. Instead of trying to correct the situation we try to justify our improper actions. My, how the flesh does rule us.
Our Salvation Depends on What We do with the Book
I would like to quote from an article that appeared in the September issue of the Logos magazine several years ago. “God would have our minds well furnished with reasons for the trust we have in Him. God has provided the material for forming these reasons. It is found within the covers of the Bible—Our eternal salvation, therefore, depends upon what we do with the Book given into our hands, in this our day of opportunity. This is both a personal and a communal responsibility. Let us give ourselves to the personal study of the Word; to verse by verse marking of our Bibles; to daily contact with the mind of Yahweh as revealed therein. And let ecclesias carefully review their study classes. Are they providing for the spiritual needs of the brethren and sisters? Are the young in understanding being helped as well as those of more advanced knowledge? Is attention given to the first principles as well as to the prophecies ? Is the personal, practical application of doctrine as a way of life drawn to the attention of members, as well as the exposition of words, sentences and chapters ? The progress or otherwise of Ecclesial study classes should be under the review of Arranging Brethren constantly to ensure that sound, nourishing food is being provided for all in these difficult times. And individual members should respond by their enthusiastic interest in furthering such study. ‘Talk ye of all His wondrous works,’ ‘Remember His marvelous work’ are among the exhortations of the Psalmist. Faith will grow where these exhortations are heeded, but it will wither where they are disregarded.
Does Christ Like What He Sees In Me?
Let Ecclesias closely consider the study classes associated with the meeting, in order that they may become an oasis in the wilderness of life, helping to strengthen the faith of members in preparation for the return of the Lord, and the consummation of all our hopes.”
If there is any anger toward anything said here, turn that anger inward. We are to examine ourselves, not everyone else. If you like what you see, fine. Ask yourself, “do you think Christ likes what he sees ?” If you don’t like what you see, try to do something about it while there is still time. We are all rough instruments of clay having the edges taken off by our Lord so that we might be useful vessels for our God in His Kingdom.
Let us remember that ecclesial work is urgent and necessary. Duties do not begin and end with our gathering on Sunday morning. Let us not forget that we are still part of the ecclesia of God during the rest of the week and that there is strength and support in companionship and in working together.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One