POINTS TO PONDER

  • Sorrow cannot be divorced from sin.
  • Truth cannot be changed by majority vote.
  • Measure your fellowman by his excellencies, not by his shortcomings.
  • Since the days of Adam, men have been busy disclaiming personal responsibility.
  • Men regret their words more often than they regret their silence.
  • A human creed hampers faith and spiritual growth. Let us make the Christ – His life and teaching – our only creed.
  • The man who speaks evil of your brother in his absence would speak evil of you in your absence. To a backbiter, lend no encouragement — Do not lend him your ear!

 

Author Unknown

Free Will

One of the areas often hotly disputed in religion and philosophy is the question of human free will. Are human beings free moral agents? Do they have the inherent ability to choose to do certain things or not do those things? Do they have the power to obey or disobey God on their own volition? Many philosophies are deterministic in nature. By “deterministic” we refer to the idea that human beings have no real free will and that their actions are completely predetermined by forces outside of their control. Even in many religions, determinism is a central part of the belief system.

However, the doctrine of determinism is counter-intuitive, meaning that from the outset it runs contrary to what common sense itself would seem to dictate. If every action by a human being is completely predetermined by outside forces acting independently from one’s own will, then no one could rightly be held accountable for any action. No one would be responsible for what they do. The very concept of justice runs counter to this conclusion. It is clearly false that people are not at all responsible for their actions. They most certainly are responsible and are held so by our own legal systems, which operate on the premise of personal responsibility to abide by the legal norms and statutes of society for the sake of stability, peace, and safety. This is fundamental to any orderly society. To hold people responsible is implicit in any legal system. This presupposes the ability of people to comply of their own free will with the laws of that society.

Also, the idea of determinism is self-defeating in that it implies that one cannot change one’s mind of his own accord. This contradicts the practice of teaching deterministic systems in religion or philosophy. Teaching implies the capacity for the one taught to learn, which implies some measure of control of will on his or her part. It is patently absurd to maintain that people ought to come to believe in the specific deterministic system while maintaining that it is impossible for them to do so of their own accord. When one holds to determinism, he implicitly admits the falsity of his position when he seeks to rationally convince others of its truth. If the system were true, then people would have to believe in it anyway. They would be compelled to do so by the predetermining power outside themselves to do so. So why spend time arguing for its truth? Why try to convince someone that he really cannot be convinced of anything of himself? That would be an exercise in futility, if the system were really true.

The Bible teaches that man is a free moral agent. We have the innate ability to choose to obey God. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve…,” proclaimed Joshua to the Hebrews in his farewell address (Josuha 24:15). Christianity is premised on the ability of “whosoever will” to come and drink of the waters of life (Revelation 22:17). The invitation of Christ is open to all (Matthew 11:28–30).

Daniel Denham

Withdrawing from the Withdrawn

Strange as it may seem, some actually deny the right of the church to withdraw their fellowship from those who refuse to walk in the light. Others agree that such must be done, but that it cannot be done if some have already “withdrawn from the church.” This is strange language indeed, or we read nothing in the Scriptures about the right of people to withdraw from the church.” However, we do read about the responsibility of the church to withdraw from certain ones who become wayward. The Scripture says, “mark them which cause divisions…and avoid them” (Romans 16:17); “when ye are gathered together…To deliver such an one unto Satan….Purge out…the old leaven…not to keep company…not to eat…. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (I Corinthians 5:4-13); “from such withdraw thyself” (I Timothy 6:5); “Now we command you… withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly…note that man, and have no company with him” (II Thessalonians 3:6-14).

These passages show that the church has an active responsibility in the matter of discipline, and must take a stand for truth and fellowship. Our responsibility is not merely passive. Apostates from the faith seldom become such for no reason at all, but are actively engaged in the ways of the world. “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (II Timothy 4:10). Those who forsake the Lord in worship have usually already forsaken Him in living. Does this mean the church can do nothing to discipline wayward members if they have already ceased to worship with the saints? Just where do people get the idea that fellowship is limited to the worship “service”? They must think so, if they think they are to withdraw only from those who attend worship. Actually, we do not forbid anyone to attend worship when they are disciplined, but we encourage them to attend so as to be exhorted to Christian living. A withdrawal of fellowship simply means that Christians are to do nothing with those withdrawn from that would indicate any approval of their wayward conduct, and this would primarily be outside of the worship service. Any effort to reject God’s Will in discipline is an effort to follow the way of least resistance. We need to forget our fears and human reasoning and start obeying God.

Don W. Tarbet

Withdrawing from the Withdrawn

Strange as it may seem, some actually deny the right of the church to withdraw their fellowship from those who refuse to walk in the light. Others agree that such must be done, but that it cannot be done if some have already “withdrawn from the church.” This is strange language indeed, or we read nothing in the Scriptures about the right of people to “withdraw from the church.” However, we do read about the responsibility of the church to withdraw from certain ones who become wayward. The Scripture says, “mark them which cause divisions…and avoid them” (Romans 16:17); “when ye are gathered together…To deliver such an one unto Satan…Purge out…the old leaven…not to keep company…not to eat…. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (I Corinthians 5:4-13); “from such withdraw thyself” (I Timothy 6:5); “Now we command you…withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly…note that man, and have no company with him” (II Thessalonians 3:6-14). 

These passages show that the church has an active responsibility in the matter of discipline, and must take a stand for truth and fellowship. Our responsibility is not merely passive. Apostates from the faith seldom become such for no reason at all, but are actively engaged in the ways of the world. “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (II Timothy 4:10). Those who forsake the Lord in worship have usually already forsaken Him in living. Does this mean the church can do nothing to discipline wayward members if they have already ceased to worship with the saints? Just where do people get the idea that fellowship is limited to the worship “service”? They must think so, if they think they are to withdraw only from those who attend worship. Actually, we do not forbid anyone to attend worship when they are disciplined, but we encourage them to attend so as to be exhorted to Christian living. A withdrawal of fellowship simply means that Christians are to do nothing with those withdrawn from that would indicate any approval of their wayward conduct, and this would primarily be outside of the worship service. Any effort to reject God’s Will in discipline is an effort to follow the way of least resistance. We need to forget our fears and human reasoning and start obeying God.  

Don Tarbet