WHO IS “GOING BEYOND”?

WHO IS “GOING BEYOND”?

1 Kings 18:17 — “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, ART THOU HE THAT TROUBLETH ISRAEL? AND HE ANSWERED I HAVE NOT TROUBLED ISRAEL; BUT THOU AND THY HOUSE IN THAT YE HAVE FORSAKEN THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.”

The situation from the Old Testament story, has occurred again and again. Every aspect of life in the nation of Israel was affected and finger pointing was prevalent in placing the blame.  Since the physical nation of Israel foreshadowed the spiritual nation of Israel, (the church); we find our lesson as it relates to religious division among brethren. What is it that can occur again and again, affecting and potentially destroying the unity and peace among brethren (Eph. 4:3)? GOD’S COMMANDMENTS CAN BE FORSAKEN, BEING REPLACED BY IDOLATROUS PRACTICES. GOD'S COMMANDS ARE FORSAKEN WHEN GOD'S AUTHORITY IS NO LONGER RESPECTED.

This article will focus upon the effects in a local church, when God’s commands/authority are forsaken concerning the work of the church. A congregation can be outwardly at peace, “speaking the same things” (1 Cor. 1:10) with regard to the spiritual nature of work of the church. Then, for whatever reason, a brother seeks to introduce a practice or to seek justification without an appeal to bible authority to “stimulate” his brethren to growth/work in the local church. Certainly, brethren need to be together, and passages such as Heb. 10:24 bear this out, “…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds…”.  But God has laid down principles (i.e., given commands;exercised His authority) as to HOW this stimulation is to be carried out.  Sadly, when these principles are disregarded, and a brother decides that such “stimulation” can be better served by building a “fellowship facility” (eating and recreation complex), he then urges his brethren to implement his idea (i.e., try it out). However, another brother, is moved to “prove all things” (1 Thess. 5:21). He understands that we can do nothing that is not in “the name of the Lord” (Col. 3:17). In other words, he recognizes the importance of having AUTHORITY for all that is done in religious practices. Discovering that the proposed “complex” is not authorized (2 Tim. 3:16-17), and compelled by Paul’s instruction to “not go beyond what has been written” (1 Cor. 4:7), he raises an objection to the proposal, based upon a lack of authority. As a consequence, the peace and unity of the church is shattered, and brethren who were formerly in “one accord” become adversaries. WHO GETS BLAMED? WHO WAS THE “TROUBLER” IN ISRAEL? Not the one who INTRODUCED the unauthorized practice; but the one who demanded a “thus saith the Lord” for proposed practice. We find that Elijah was accused and blamed falsely, as the “troubler of Israel” by Ahab.  Yet it was Ahab that had forsaken God’s commands and practiced idolatry. So likewise, the manner in which the brother sought to “stimulate” his brethren, with disregard for bible authority, caused the division, and he was the actual “troubler in Israel”.

THE REMEDY

Whenever the peace and unity has been disrupted by unauthorized practices, it must be dealt with in the manner in which the apostles dealt with the “Antioch question” in Acts 15. That is the only way that peace and harmony can be restored and kept within the church and the sin be “put away” (Deut. 13:5; 19:19). When certain brethren sought to bind (add) circumcision as a requirement for salvation, the apostles opposed the teaching as UNAUTHORIZED, saying “TO WHOM WE GAVE NO SUCH COMMANDMENT” (v. 24).  They acted without apostolic authority.

Therein we find the problem AND the solution.  The problem occurs when we act without regard for God’s approval (i.e., authority), and the solution to the problem is to apply the principles of authority, to correct the error. We 
must have authority; that is the thing to ALWAYS remember.  Prove your authority from the Bible before anything else is done.   While you may be labeled as the “troubler in Israel”, you will have God’s approval, and that will be rewarded with eternal life in the world to come.  As the apostle Peter stated, “We must please God, rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

copyright 2017

rdb