“The power of consistency”

Sunday, September 10, 2017

In order to help people see the error of their ways, we need to learn from the master teacher – Christ.  It can be quite challenging to any Christian to help people see the truth, if they themselves are being accused of teaching error. This happened to our Lord on many occasions. We shall examine one incident and glean some valuable truths.

There was an incident where Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath, who had an infirmity for eighteen years (Lk. 13:10-17). As what would often happen, Christ was accused of breaking God’s law in healing on the Sabbath. So what did Jesus do to help them see that not only was He in the right, but managed to prove them to be wrong? In short, He used consistency as a teaching method.

After our Lord was accused of healing on the Sabbath, here is what He said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound – think of it – for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” (vr. 15-16). What a great way to try and open the eyes of people, by getting them to see what they were doing is the same.

This is exactly what we need to do to help erring brethren who have decided to loosen the standard, to be less strict. The key is to get on common ground as to what we all agree is wrong. Since a hierarchy system doesn’t exist in the Lord’s church – Christ being the head (Col. 1:18), then anything that is similar to a hierarchy would be wrong. Let’s think this through so we can use this to help others.

If a religious group had a headquarters, let’s say in Rome, then that means local groups connected with them send their funds to the head church. We now see who decides what is to be done with those funds. There is no church autonomy (self-governing), as you see in the scriptures (I Pet. 5:1-3). Decisions to evangelize, edify, and help needy brethren are to be done by the local congregation. You don’t send funds to any group of people, who will then in turn send the funds they gathered to other groups “they” decide need it.

However, there are churches of Christ that will take their funds and send it to another church or to some governing body, in order to let them decide what to do with the funds. This is no different than what many denominations do. We must see that there is no middleman for a church to do its work. Churches send sent directly to preachers (Phil. 4:16). Churches send directly to a church in need (Acts 11:29-30).

Here is the point we all need to see. Just as Jesus used consistency to help people see their hypocrisy, we can do the same. To hear Christians condemn a hierarchy system within the religious realm, yet engage in something similar is inconsistent. Why would it be right for churches to send money to one church for them to decide who they will send out and support to preach? Why would churches send money to a relief organization who will in turn decide who to send money to in order to help the needy?

Whether it be called a missionary society or a sponsoring church, these are church terms that brethren have used to help people see that these are unauthorized arrangements. Are they similar to a hierarchy system? Yes, they are and hopefully we can help erring brethren see this. Nothing can be more obvious (if mind is not closed) than when someone is being inconsistent.

Unfortunately, when these things are brought up, the discussion turns away from scripture and the focus is on the results. In other words, the ends justify the means. Therefore, you hear things like, “Look at the good we are doing.” And, “How can helping others be wrong?” With this we point out I Timothy 5:16, where Paul stated that doing a good work would be wrong. How something is done is just as important as doing it.  Let’s think long and hard on these things.

Chuck

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