We are told in 1 Chronicles 12;38 about the men of war who came to make David king, that they were men who could keep rank. This too must be true of the members of a church if they are to work together to make Jesus King. They must be able to keep rank. One of the things we should be learing in a church, as soldiers learnt in the army, is to keep rank and keep in step with others.
This means, of course that we cannot always do just what we like, or what we should have done if we had been on our own. It means that our own opinions, and ideas, and preferences must sometimes be given up in order that we may keep in step with others. Some people want to be individualists all the time, and if their ideas or opinions or preferences are not agreed to, they step out of the ranks. They may not intend to step out permanently, but their defection often becomes permanent. People who can only be relied upon when everything is going according to their liking will soon find that they are not being taken seriously in the regiment, and their place will be filled by someone else.
Keeping rank like this does not come easily to some of us, but if we are to be real use in God's army, we must stay in the ranks and learn it. We cannot always be stepping out when our individual tastes are not consulted. This means something that can bring us very great blessings if we will endure the hardness of learing it. It means that our fellowship in the church will gradually correct any exaggerated ideas we may have of the importance of our own opinions and preferences. And these will never be corrected unless we submit to the discipline of the church.
You may find, for instance, that you are not entirely in agreement with some line of action which the church has decided to take. Now it maybe that the whole church is wrong and you are right. But you are greatly lacking in humility if you assume that this is the case without very careful consideration. Is it not more likely that this is God's way of teaching you that, since so many of your fellow Christians do not hold to your opinion, it is not as important as you have been thinking it is? Are you sure that any desire you may have to show your disapproval by stepping out of ranks is not due to an exaggerated opinion of your own importance? In the circumstances, is the Jesus more likely to be glorified by your showing your disapproval, or by keeping rank so that the work of God shall not be hinderd?
The Christians who have most influence in the church of God are those who are learing the difference between vital truth and mere personal truth and mere personal opinion. As a result, they may often give in to others where matters of opion are concerned, in order to keep rank with the rest. then when some matter of vital truth is under consideration, their voices will be heard with respect, because they are known as people whose first concern is that Jesus shall be put on the Throne.
On the other hand, there are those on the fringe of many churche's, who are not submitting to the discipline of fellowship and learning to keep rank. As a result their conscience being unenlightened by the Spirit's teaching in the church, continually leads them to oppose and criticise on comparatively trival issues. Of course they would not admit they were trival, just because God's Spirit in the churchis not been given the opportunity to show them taht they are! So they drop out of anything on which their own opinion and preference is not regarded. Ulitmately, since no one can be sure when to expect them in yhe ranks, and when they will be blank caused by disapproval, they are no longer considered seriously as a part of the church's fighting force, and their voice has little weight in the church deliberations.
This means, of course that we cannot always do just what we like, or what we should have done if we had been on our own. It means that our own opinions, and ideas, and preferences must sometimes be given up in order that we may keep in step with others. Some people want to be individualists all the time, and if their ideas or opinions or preferences are not agreed to, they step out of the ranks. They may not intend to step out permanently, but their defection often becomes permanent. People who can only be relied upon when everything is going according to their liking will soon find that they are not being taken seriously in the regiment, and their place will be filled by someone else.
Keeping rank like this does not come easily to some of us, but if we are to be real use in God's army, we must stay in the ranks and learn it. We cannot always be stepping out when our individual tastes are not consulted. This means something that can bring us very great blessings if we will endure the hardness of learing it. It means that our fellowship in the church will gradually correct any exaggerated ideas we may have of the importance of our own opinions and preferences. And these will never be corrected unless we submit to the discipline of the church.
You may find, for instance, that you are not entirely in agreement with some line of action which the church has decided to take. Now it maybe that the whole church is wrong and you are right. But you are greatly lacking in humility if you assume that this is the case without very careful consideration. Is it not more likely that this is God's way of teaching you that, since so many of your fellow Christians do not hold to your opinion, it is not as important as you have been thinking it is? Are you sure that any desire you may have to show your disapproval by stepping out of ranks is not due to an exaggerated opinion of your own importance? In the circumstances, is the Jesus more likely to be glorified by your showing your disapproval, or by keeping rank so that the work of God shall not be hinderd?
The Christians who have most influence in the church of God are those who are learing the difference between vital truth and mere personal truth and mere personal opinion. As a result, they may often give in to others where matters of opion are concerned, in order to keep rank with the rest. then when some matter of vital truth is under consideration, their voices will be heard with respect, because they are known as people whose first concern is that Jesus shall be put on the Throne.
On the other hand, there are those on the fringe of many churche's, who are not submitting to the discipline of fellowship and learning to keep rank. As a result their conscience being unenlightened by the Spirit's teaching in the church, continually leads them to oppose and criticise on comparatively trival issues. Of course they would not admit they were trival, just because God's Spirit in the churchis not been given the opportunity to show them taht they are! So they drop out of anything on which their own opinion and preference is not regarded. Ulitmately, since no one can be sure when to expect them in yhe ranks, and when they will be blank caused by disapproval, they are no longer considered seriously as a part of the church's fighting force, and their voice has little weight in the church deliberations.
Let each one of us ask themself this question before God,
"Am I a member who is learning to keep rank with others because I only want one thing, that Jesus shall be put upon the Throne?"
"Am I a member who is learning to keep rank with others because I only want one thing, that Jesus shall be put upon the Throne?"
