CHRISTIAN LIFE: Together – with Him

The importance of standing with the people of God…..

 

 

It was a fine afternoon for the funeral service. About sixty people had gathered around the grave of a dear man of God to pay their last respects and to commit the mortal remains to the Lord until that glorious resurrection day. Christians from different church traditions and denominations stood together. On an occasion like this, differences seemed to have little significance. Together, those present at the grave-side wanted to support a grieving widow and provide comfort for a family in a time of deep distress.

 

Away from the grave (all by themselves) five people stood watching the proceedings. They had not attended the earlier service indoors. Their manner of dress was distinctive – and their beliefs must have been distinctive as well. Although they professed to be Christians, they had no wish to be identified with other believers that day and had little interest in talking to anyone else. What set these people apart?

 

A study of the New Testament will make it very plain that God’s great purpose for His blood-bought people is that they should be together. The Lord Jesus, in His beautiful high-priestly prayer recorded in John 17 prayed “that they all may be one” (v.21). He uttered these words shortly before He faced the agony of the cross. That prayer will, assuredly, be answered. When the Lord Himself descends from heaven to claim His Church, “the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” (1)  Notice that “the dead in Christ” and those who are alive upon earth at His coming will be caught up together.  No true believer will be left behind. The redeemed family will be complete.

 

We understand this, but things are not like that just now. The Church seems fragmented. Although we should be able to sing whole-heartedly, “We are not divided, all one body we…” (which is how God sees us), often it would be more appropriate to confess, “We are all divided, many bodies we…” What can we do? With whom can we walk along the Christian pathway?   

 

 

 

 

JOHN’S LESSON

There is an interesting little incident recorded in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 9. Peter, James, and John had had an unforgettable experience. Together with the Lord Jesus, they had climbed a mountain and had seen their Master transfigured before their very eyes. A voice from the heavens had spoken, telling them: “Hear Him!” (v.35). Descending from that holy place they had watched their Master heal a demon-possessed child and had heard Him tell of His coming death at Jerusalem. But how quickly they forgot to really “hear Him”! Within moments they were arguing among themselves as to which of them would be the greatest. Lovingly and patiently the Saviour showed them the need for humility. True greatness meant being the least and receiving a little child in His Name. Now notice the next incident in Luke’s account.

 

John had been indignant. A man had been casting out demons in the Name of the Lord Jesus. What audacity! It did not seem right to John. The man was not even one of “the twelve”! Surely he had to be stopped – and so John forbade him “because he followeth not with us” (v.49). Perhaps the incident had taken place some time earlier. The Saviour had mentioned “My Name” (v.48), and this possibly had caused John to recall the man who had invoked that lovely Name. Whenever it had happened, John now brought the matter to the attention of the Lord Jesus. John, it would appear, was pleased with what he had done. By his actions he had defended his Master and the little group of disciples.

 

This incident should speak volumes to us today. Sectarianism is a dreadful ill. To John and his fellow-disciples, what mattered most was being “with us”.  The man did not follow “with us” and must therefore be wrong. Times have not really changed. It is all too easy to adopt the same spirit today and judge others according to whether or not they are “with us”. Such distinctions can be motivated by pride. But there also seems to be a trace of jealousy here as well. While “the twelve” had been unable to cast out a demon (v.40), an unknown disciple (who was not in “their” group) had, apparently, been more successful. John did not report that the man was trying to cast out demons in Jesus’ Name but that he was “casting out” demons. Could it be that the “success” of this man provoked a spirit of jealousy in John and his fellow-disciples?

 

The Lord Jesus had only one answer for John. “Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us” (v.50). The man was not an enemy: he was a friend! He was doing the Master’s work. It did not matter in the slightest that he did not follow “with us”. The important thing was that he was following – and God was using him.

 

Some are quick to point out that Jesus did not tell His disciples to go and work with this man in order to enjoy more success. This is true. However, John had certainly acted wrongly. The man should not have been rebuked but received. Had not the Saviour just said, “Whosoever shall receive this child in My Name receiveth Me” (v.48)? Let us not forget these words.

 

 

 

“WITH WHOM CAN I WALK?”

We must return to the question, “With whom can we walk along the Christian pathway?” It is possible to approach this matter negatively and to look for problems. As believers we should be more ready to include than to exclude. “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God” (Rom.15:7). John should have received the unnamed disciple whom, sadly, he rebuked. We should receive those who desire to have fellowship with us “to the glory of God” God Himself has graciously received us through the work of His dear Son. As a consequence it is our responsibility to receive others of His children whom we may never have met before. We do this to His glory.

 

However, there are things that must not be misunderstood. Exclusivism is wrong – but so is ecumenism. Because we are to receive one another, it does not follow that we cast doctrine aside, wipe away all differences, and join in with every ecumenical project around. All too often the “ecumenical movement” has no doctrinal foundation and is simply concerned with “Christians” (so-called) working “together”. How can truly evangelical Bible-believing Christians work with those who deny the fundamental truths of the Gospel? It simply cannot be done – unless we are prepared to betray the very gospel we profess to believe. This is the weakness of the current “Churches Together” movement which can be found in many of Britain’s towns and cities.

 

Doctrine is important. “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 Jn.10). We might add, with the support of other Scriptures, do not receive him into your local church. (Early believers met in people’s homes.) John draws our attention to keeping “His commandments” and to abiding in “the doctrine of Christ” (2 Jn.6,9) – which has special reference to the Incarnation of our Lord (2 Jn.7).

 

We must be careful not to go beyond the bounds of Scripture. We are not to expect every believer to agree with every tradition of ours. The Pharisees, in particular, were condemned for their adherence to “the traditions of men”. The Word of God had been displaced by their traditions which became the “commandments” they taught (2). We must not have the Pharisaical spirit. On some matters Christians have always seen things differently. Perhaps, without realizing it, tradition has affected the minds of us all. We must seek out the truth of God’s Word and be glad to walk in true fellowship with those who hold “the doctrine of Christ”.

 

 

 

BELIEF AND BEHAVIOUR

In the church at Corinth a case of gross immorality had arisen. A professing believer was guilty of immoral behaviour. The occasion was used by Paul to teach them (and us) some vital Scriptural principles of fellowship.

 

We are told quite plainly that we must not “keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat” (1 Cor.5:11). Here is one who may have the doctrine of Christ in his head – but he certainly does not hold it in his heart! If Christians fall into any of these gross sins we are ordered to have nothing to do with them. Their lives are a disgrace, bringing the gospel of Christ into disrepute. We have been called to be holy (3).

 

The sins listed are all characteristics of the unrighteous who will not inherit the kingdom of God. They are absolutely inappropriate therefore in the lives of those who have been washed, sanctified, and justified (4). According to Scripture, the one guilty of such sin (and continuing in it) must be excluded from fellowship in order to make him see the seriousness of his sin. Thankfully, the man at Corinth who had fallen so badly did repent. He was therefore to be forgiven, comforted, and received back into fellowship (5). Church discipline must always have in view the longed-for repentance and ultimate restoration of the erring one.

 

 

 

PRINCIPLES FOR FELLOWSHIP

With whom can we walk along the Christian pathway? The Word of God tells us to avoid those who are unsound in doctrine or whose lives are a denial of the Gospel. Apart from these two exceptions we should gladly recognize and receive all God’s true people.

 

Tensions and differences of opinion do arise, of course. John warned the self-opinionated Diotrephes that he would deal with him for his bombastic and authoritarian ways (6). One cannot imagine John being able to walk happily in fellowship with that man!

 

At Philippi a difficulty had arisen between two sisters. Paul pleaded with them to “be of the same mind in the Lord” (7). Thinking of that church with so much to commend it, Paul exhorted believers to lead lives that were worthy of the gospel of Christ. His greatest concern was that he might hear that they were standing fast in one spirit, “with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,” (Phil.1:27).

 

We must not be guilty of taking from Scripture or of adding to it. Truth and tradition are not always identical. The “us” mentality displayed long ago by John must be abandoned! True believers are “all one in Christ Jesus” (8). At the same time we have to recognize that not everything described as “Christian” truly glorifies Christ. The Word of God must be studied carefully to discover whether or not it is right to take part, for instance, in a particular inter-church venture. A God-fearing believer will only want to be involved if he is absolutely assured that the activity is built upon a proper foundation. Without a clear doctrinal basis that spells out plainly the fundamental truths relating to Christ and salvation, there will eventually be compromise. If liberal churches (that do not proclaim the Gospel clearly and have both believers and unbelievers in membership) are involved in the activity, as far as the individual believer is concerned there are no real grounds for fellowship or involvement. Christ is the Head of the Church, and the aim of the believer must always be to glorify Him.

 

One day all who are genuinely saved will be together – with Him. Until then, by God’s grace, let us value the family into which we have been brought and seek to encourage those who are walking in the fear of God.   

 

 

 

END NOTES:-  (1)1 Thess.4:16-17.  (2)Mk.7:7-8.  (3)1 Pet.1:15.  (4)1 Cor.6:9-11.  (5)2 Cor.2:7.  (6)3 Jn.9-10.  (7)Phil.4:2.  (8)Gal.3:28.