The Sin of Being Neutral

If there was ever a time for men to be taking a stand for Truth and right, it is now. The church is facing troublesome times in its battle against sin in the face of a new liberalism and softness toward doctrinal error. We see efforts of brethren on every side trying to take a neutral stand. They think they can win the struggle for right by failing to take a stand. Evidently, they feel that by being quiet the devil will go away. Not so.

You will recall that the prophet Balaam tried to be neutral, but failed. Balak wanted him to place a curse against God’s people. Balaam knew, and confessed, that he must speak that which the Lord put in his mouth (Num. 23:12). At the same time, he seemingly wanted to please Balak. Balak’s doctrine is stated in Numbers 23:25: “And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

We are either for the Lord or against Him (Matthew 12:30). Let it be understood, we are not talking about personal disputes where there is the possibility of both parties being in the wrong. Instead, we are thinking of doctrinal matters. For instance, one preacher said that he is not a premillennialist, but neither was he “anti- premillennial.” Another has said, he was not advocating instrumental music, but that he was not “anti-instrumental music.” There are many who would disclaim false doctrine in their own preaching, but they will embrace those in fellowship who teach and preach false doctrines. Brethren, let us get off the fence.

In Judges 5:23 we read, “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” God’s people were in a battle for their lives. God was mightily concerned, but where was the house of Meroz? They were still abiding in their sheepfolds. They were content to remain idle and let others do the fighting, but God was displeased. He ordered a curse be placed against them.

What was their sin? The same as many of our brethren today! They wanted to remain neutral. They wanted others to do their fighting. There are those even now who will not join in the battle against error in the church. They look upon themselves as lovers of peace. They even become critical of those who are known as “fighters” or “brotherhood watchdogs.” Some of these are trying to do  a balancing act on the fence of neutrality. If the Truth prevails on some issue and error is exposed to the point that it is unpopular, they will fall off on the side of the majority and proudly claim, “We have won the victory”—yes, and “we killed a bear, but papa shot it.”

B. C. Carr

Children in Worship

One of our main goals in life is to help our children and other young people to become Christians who are faithful to God’s Word and active in His kingdom, the church. We want to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). We want them to know the joy of knowing, serving, and worshiping the Lord. Our children should be taught why we worship, how we worship and how to make our worship most effective. Here are a few ideas that will help us train our children to be good worshipers.

1.  Set a good example. Children need to see your worship and the joy it brings to your life. You need to come to the worship assemblies regularly with an attitude of joy and anticipation — not with a sense of drudgery or obligation. You need to sing, bow in prayer, listen intently to the sermon, give joyfully, and partake of the Lord’s Supper meditatively. Children will follow your example, so set the right kind.
2. Prepare the child. Before Sunday, talk to your child about how to act in the assembly. Tell the child why we pray, sing, give, partake of the Lord’s Supper weekly, and listen to a sermon. As you would in preparing him for school, make sure the child gets enough rest the night before to be awake and alert on Sunday.
3. Involve the Child. When singing, help him locate the page of the song. With your finger on his book, point to the words as we sing. Encourage your child to sing even though he may not always sing the right words. When the sermon is delivered, help the child locate the Scriptures cited and/or encourage him to write them down. This impresses upon the child the importance of paying attention. It also stresses that worship is active and not passive.
4. Avoid disturbances. Make sure that your child has gone to the restroom and for a drink BEFORE the worship service begins. Traffic in and out of the auditorium during worship is both unnecessary (with but few exceptions) and disruptive to the worship of many.
5. Sit up toward the front. Don’t follow the natural tendency to sit in the back so that the child does not disturb others. Think positively. Sit close to the front so that your child can see and hear what is happening. You’ll be amazed at how much better he will behave when you sit toward the front, and how much more meaningful worship will be to you too.
6. Follow through. Reinforce your child’s learning by discussing various aspects of the worship period afterwards.
7. Be patient. Children will not act like adults, but with patience and love, they can be taught to love God and worship Him from the heart.

Lester Kamp

The Crossroads

Lord, I am at the crossroads! O help me choose aright,

For blinded is my vision, and darker grows the night;

Lord, help me in my weakness, I would not go astray;

One road is broad and luring, one is the “narrow way.”

Lord, I am at the crossroads! It is my hour of trial;

One leads to wealth and honor, one leads to self_denial;

The gods of earth are seeking to win me to their side;

But O, thou God of Heaven, I would with Thee abide!    

Lord, I am at the crossroads! One road is very fair,

And they that tread its mosses are decked with jewels rare;

I hear their careless laughter, their songs and revelry;

But ah! this road of pleasure leads far away from Thee.    

Lord, I am at the crossroads! One road is rough and bare;    

I see the crimson blood_drops of One who traveled there;    

He drank the cup of sorrow that flooded o'er the brim;    

But He is crowned the Victor – and I will walk with Him!    

E. Louise Umlauf

(Gospel Digest - December 1958)

Gifts You Can Give the Year Long

The Gift of Praise — Appropriate mention — right in front of the fellow — of superior qualities or of jobs or deeds well done.  
The Gift of Consideration — Putting yourself in the other fellow’s shoes, and thus providing your genuine understanding of his side of the case.
The Gift of Concession — Humbly saying at just the right point, Sorry, you’re right and I’m wrong.”  
The Gift of Gratitude — Never forgetting to say “Thank you”—and never failing to mean it.  
The Gift of Attention — When the other fellow speaks, listen attentively. If his words are directed to you personally, meet his eye squarely.  
The Gift of Inspiration — Plant seeds of courage and action in the other fellow’s heart. Help him to strive for greater accomplishment and lasting satisfaction.  
The Gift of Your Personal Presence — In sickness, in trouble or in a day of great joy, there is nothing quite equal to your personal expression of sympathy or congratulation.  

These are the gifts that all can bestow through the year and be richer for the giving.

Author Unknown