Use or Lose

Most speakers and writers have certain favorite expressions to which they frequently give utterance and which come to be recognizable characteristics of their style. An analysis of the words of our Lord shows that he, too, was given to the repetition of sentiments one of which was, “Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath” (Matthew 13:12).

This expression, or one similar in form, occurs several times in the books of the gospel, and in a variety of circumstances: (1) In the foregoing instance, it was used to justify parabolic teaching; (2) twice he utilized it in teaching about WHAT and HOW we are to hear; (3) it occurs also in connection with the condemnation of the one-talent man and still farther; (4) in the parable of the pounds. It is paradoxical but, nonetheless, a fundamental law of life, governing every aspect thereof. It is THE LAW OF ATROPHY. That which we use we have, all else we only appear to have (Luke 8:18). The principle is, Use or lose!

The unused manna of the wilderness wanderings bred worms and stank; food, when long stored, spoils; water unstirred becomes stagnant; and, muscles unexercised wither. The principle finds illustration in all the affairs of life. Skillful surgeons, talented artists, acute businessmen remain so only by their constant use of their faculties and neglect leads to loss of abilities formerly possessed. Through mental and moral exercise we keep our sensibilities of right and wrong strong (Hebrews 5:14), the alternative is moral stagnation (Ephesians 4:17-19). The Greeks excelled in mental and intellectual development in the ancient world but because they had not "learned Christ" (Ephians 4:20), they were in a state of moral decay.

To this sentiment the Lord directed attention in his figure of the fruitless tree and barren branches. “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). “I am the vine and ye are the branches. ... If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned”(John 15:5-6). Growth is of the essence of Christianity and its alternative is not only unproductivity, it is to lose the means by which growth is achieved. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby (I Peter 2:1-2). “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

The DIRECTION, the DUTY, and the DETAILS of Christian growth are clearly set out in these passages. There is a pragmatic method by which we may determine the progress and extent of growth. Am I daily adding to my store of biblical knowledge thus growing stronger and more mature in the Christian life? Am I more skillful in the word of righteousness, more adept in resisting false teachers and confuting their teaching? Have I been able to raise myself above the petty jealousies of the day, and do I exhibit a more patient and understanding attitude toward those in need of patience and tolerance rather than criticism and rebuke? Do I engage more actively and successfully in soul winning, and have I been able to bring others to the truth more effectively than I did a year ago?

Am I faithful and regular in attending all of the services of the church and do I manifest a more worshipful and reverent demeanor than before? Has my liberality increased to the point that there is no suspicion of covetousness in my heart and life?

These are reliable tests of growth in grace and in the knowledge of the truth to which all of us are enjoined. May we weigh them carefully.

Guy N. Woods

Gospel Advocate, 12/14/78

“That You May Grow Thereby”

We probably have no dearer statement in Scripture on just how Christian growth comes than I Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” There is set before us (1) The Word of God, (2) The purity of it, (3) The nutrition therein, (4) The appetite that we must have for it, and (5) The growth that thus comes. It could not be plainer, and yet many have expressed our day as being the “time for church growth emphasis.” By that is meant, meet and talk about growth, but doing very little of it! Why is so little accomplished in a time of workshops, seminars, and “encounters” supposedly related to growth? One thing is certain: In such meetings, very little Bible is presented. A second thing is evident: Fun, games, “Gymnastics for Christ: “Jogging for Jesus; “Kung-Fu For the King,” (and for the aged, “Dominoes for Deity”), etc., will entertain, but will not make for church growth. If a religious body drew from all over a metropolitan area, and had 10,000 people for every service, if drawn by the fun, the social, and the entertaining; growth, as God calls growth, is still not there! Application of the Word makes for growth. In what ways should one desire to grow? (1) From being a babe to being full-grown and mature, (2) From being non-spiritual to being spiritual, (3) From having no or very little knowledge to really possessing a fine Bible knowledge, and (4) From being one of little or no discernment to having great discerning skill. There is no way on earth to achieve this apart from a continual study of the Word of God!

A good portion of the problems to come upon the church in all of her history has been from those with little knowledge or discernment, grabbing a point of truth or a half-truth, and then rushing forward to divide the body of Christ; yea, desiring to be teachers, but understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm (I Timothy 1:7). When all is said and done, our need is to grow—to grow in keeping with what the Lord said about growth, and really, that is the one protection we have, if we do not grow, we will always be “fair game” for those out to damage our souls!

Bill Jackson

Backsliding

As surprising as it may seem, many do not think that backsliding is a Biblical term. In Old Testament times, backsliding was a continual problem of God’s people as shown in Jeremiah 8:5, which states, “Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.” To backslide is to turn away from God’s truth and return to one’s former wicked life.

There are many warnings in the Bible concerning the danger of backsliding. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:12: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Even Paul himself was not immune to the danger of backsliding. In I Corinthians 9:27, Paul wrote, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

In guarding against backsliding, it is necessary to determine its cause. A little boy trying to explain why he fell out of bed said, “I just went to sleep too close to where I got in.” This simple illustration helps explain why some fall away from Christ after becoming a Christian. Upon entering the kingdom, it is necessary that one grow spiritually. It is sad that many refuse to grow, but remain close to where they entered the kingdom. We are exhorted in Hebrews 6:6 to “go on unto perfection.” Likewise, we are admonished in II Peter 1:5-7 to add to our faith: virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. By growing in these qualities, we will guarantee that we will not “go to sleep too close to where we got in.” In fact, II Peter 1:10 states, “if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”

Many refuse to grow because they remain closely tied to things in the world. In the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke of some who allow the “care(s) of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, (to) choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). To avoid this, we must sever our ties to the world and turn our full attention to spiritual growth. By pressing on to perfection, we will not “slide back” into the ways of the world which we left when we became Christians.

 Bruce Stulting

Work of the Church

The Lord's church is His spiritual body (Ephesians 1:22–23). It would seem to be unarguable that Jesus wants His spiritual body to engage in the same work He came to do in His physical body. Most would not argue otherwise verbally, but many strongly so argue practically.

Some years ago a few “promoter-type” brethren began spreading a spiritual “virus” in the church that has infected many congregations. Its practical effect is to “provide all things for all men” (not to be confused with our personally “becoming all things to all men” in optional matters [I Corinthians 9:22]). Some call this approach “ministering to the whole man” or “meeting felt needs.” It spawned a troupe of church growth “experts” who began compassing sea and land with their weekend How to Grow a Church “seminars.”

My first preaching work out of college (1959) was as one of the preachers with a large church in Wichita Falls, Texas. A Methodist Church building a few blocks away had a gymnasium in its basement. You could have tortured our elders and they would not have built such a building. They knew there was no authority for such use of the Lord's money. Twenty years later, with a new set of elders, that congregation had its own gymnasium. Oh, they call it their “Family Life Center” (but when I see an expansive room with basketball goals, net poles for volleyball and lines on the floor for boundaries, pardon me for calling it a “gymnasium”).

When one starts down the minister-to-the-whole-man road it is difficult to find a stopping place. Accordingly, another symptom of this viral disease is the pleasure jaunts of senior citizen and teenage groups in the church (pity the “middle-aged” folk—almost always left out). I enjoy travel, fellowship, and pretty scenery as much as the next person. However, I have never figured out why the Lord's church should pay for it or employ someone who spends much of his time planning such activities and excursions, often on a bus or van owned, operated, and fueled out of the church’s bank account.

Can you imagine apostolic consent for a three-day sightseeing trip to Tyre and Sidon for the Jerusalem church’s “39ers” or the “Autumn Leaves” group? Try to picture Timothy's planning a ski retreat on Mt. Olympus for the “keen teens” of Ephesus. I somehow doubt that Paul ever considered taking a contribution from the Gentile churches to build a “Family Life Center” for the church in Jerusalem.

Such suggestions are ludicrous, bordering on blasphemy. But only liberals among us have jumped on this meeting-the-felt-needs bandwagon, right? The September 2013 “Polishing the Pulpit” extravaganza, planned, overseen by, and participated in by brethren who consider themselves (as we once considered them) to be “men of the Book, included classes in conflict management, weight loss, the risk of dating, sibling rivalry, budget shopping for clothes, nutrition, preparing for SAT, and such like. Somehow they overlooked small engine repair and basic auto maintenance.

Such activities and emphases are no more the work of the blood-bought church of Christ in the twenty-first century than they were in the first. The kingdom is a spiritual entity by definition (John 18:36). Its work and mission are tied innately to its nature. Its work, as was that of its Builder/Head, is spiritual—to bring the saving Gospel to lost humanity (Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:15–16; Romans 1:16). All else we do as His church is peripheral to this one grand task.

Faithful saints desire congregational growth as much as any of the “church growth experts” do, but that end will never justify the sacrifice of Scripturally authorized means. “We must work the works of him that sent me…” (John 9:4a).

Dub McClish