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#51 What we don't do
From
The Fascination of the Race and Other Essays,
by Benjamin L. Sommer
I remember hearing a brother tell of an experience he had in meeting a man who
seemed interested in our religion and who asked him about it. The brother said,
“I told him about our ways. I told him we don't do as the world does nor as the
people of the worldly churches do. We don't go to theatres; we don't dance; we
don't smoke or use tobacco in any form; we don't wear jewelry; we don't play
cards or take part in any of the worldly amusements.” Perhaps he told him more.
I hope he did. But the above is what stands out in my recollection as the things
he stressed most, and he seemed to be completely satisfied that he had given
“reason of the hope that is in you” and had well discharged his duty of giving
testimony unto the world of the life of Jesus Christ.
Undoubtedly the above “don'ts” are of value in clearing the field for Christian
life and activity. But they are wholly negative; that is, they consist of
avoiding things that are unprofitable or harmful but do not represent the doing
of any of the good things which our Lord has taught and explicitly commanded.
Would to God that beside the above, he had been able in truth to tell an
interesting story of what we do do. That he might have said, in truth: “But we
are very busy and active in other things—things which pertain to our Master's
work, which He has bidden us to do. First, we have an unlimited field, in which
we are very active, to carry the message of the Gospel to all men, as far as our
strength goes. Every member is charged with the duty of telling his neighbor
about the way of salvation through Jesus Christ and, like the apostolic church
at Antioch, we send our laborers and ministers out into the harvest fields of
the world to spread the gospel of true conversion, which is really so rare in
the world today.
“And besides our labors in the Gospel, we are very busy carrying out our
Master's command, 'Go thou and do likewise,' namely, as the Good Samaritan did,
of whom the Lord tells in that parable, making it our Christian duty and
privilege so far as our strength goes, to bind the wounds of the world. This
same great field of labor is further pointed out to us when our Master says, 'I
was hungry and ye fed me; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger
and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was
in prison and ye came unto me." (Matthew 25:35, 36)
“Our religion makes it our duty not only to minister to the spiritual needs of
the people but also to the physical and temporal needs of the needy. All this
keeps us very busy in good works which our Master commands, so that we have
neither time nor interest for the follies and frivolities of the world.” Thus I
wish the brother might have spoken.
But could he say all this in truth? Someone may answer, the above would be an
ideal condition to which we can never hope to attain. Even if we were to grant
this, the question would still remain, Do we strive with all our strength for
the above condition? Is the above really the ideal or aim of our religion?
Let us face facts squarely! Let us look squarely into the mirror and honestly
admit what we see. I have tried to do this and have reached the firm conviction
that “Don't” has found by far too large a place in our religion and “Do” by far
too small a place. Not only do these “don'ts” fail to lead us into doing the
Lord's will; there is another very real danger in them; namely, the danger that
we should please ourselves too much and approve ourselves too much because of
them. To the angel of the church of Laodicea the Lord spoke, “Thou sayest, I am
rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that
thou art wretched and miserable, and poor and blind and naked." (Revelation
3:17) Thus we see it is possible to deceive ourselves and to have a feeling of
richness and well-being which is not justified by the facts, when soberly faced.
What a smug self-satisfaction have not some taken out of an array of petty
negative virtues like the above and other similar ones. What a
self-deception—like a drunken man jingling a handful of small coins in his
pocket and feeling like a millionaire.
But what shall our attitude be toward these negative virtues? Shall we say that
because they are purely negative and some of them of minor importance that they
may well be discarded? That is not the right answer. That would be a serious
step backward.
But let us not overvalue them as though they in themselves would make us
acceptable to God.
These negative virtues should be looked upon as comparable to the farmer's
activity in keeping down the weeds. That is a very necessary part of the
farmer's work and most praiseworthy. With what pride and joy does not a farmer
look at his field, and his good wife at her garden when between the rows of corn
or vegetables the clean fallow earth is seen, free from noxious weeds. A clean
field, a clean garden, what a joy to the husbandman!
But what would you say about a farmer who spends the entire summer plowing,
harrowing, cultivating to destroy the weeds in his fields but who never thought
of putting good seed into the fallowed soil. Would you not say he is crazy? And
the conclusion would seem to be justified. When harvest time comes he would have
nothing to show but a nice, clean, but unfruitful field. No harvest! No fruit!
An unprofitable servant!
With him may be compared the Christian who devotes himself solely to the
negative virtues—don't this, don't that—and who neglects the do, neglects to
obey the Lord's commands and to enter whole-heartedly into the many fruitful
labours which our Lord has commanded us to do.
But, let us not abandon our negative virtues, just because they are insufficient
in themselves. That would be like a man who discovers that his investments have
turned out badly, and that instead of being rich as he had thought, he is
penniless, having only a clean record and some degree of credit as his entire
capital. Would he be wise to throw these to the winds? No! He is very careful of
them. These may sustain him until he can go to work and earn something.
And so, a conscience, which is unspotted by wrong doing, even though its virtue
is only negative and by far insufficient to earn the praise, “Well done, thou
good and faithful servant,” may yet be sufficient to sustain us while we sober
up, take stock of our real assets, and go to work.
I understand Brother Froehlich is the author of the following stanza, which I
will quote in German and then paraphrase in English.
Der Gnadenstuhl voll Starke
Ist Armen aufgethan
Der Richterstuhl heisst Werke
Der Reiche nur kommt an!
The gist of the above is: The throne of Grace is open to the poor, that is to
sinners. The judgment throne calls for works (good works) and only he who is
rich in good works can stand before it.
To be rich in good works means more, far more than don't! don't! don't! It means
do! Carry out the Lord's commands! Do His work!
“Go ye forth into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature.”
“Is it such a fast that I have chosen? … Is it not to deal thy bread to the
hungry and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou
seest the naked that thou cover him, etc." (Isaiah 58:5, 7)
Rich in good works! What a treasure laid up in heaven! Works done in the Lord!
“Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them."
(Revelation 14:13)
To close, a word to our elders and ministers. How often would your labors be
easier, more blest and joyful if they were directed more to lead the flock into
the Lord's work, into His harvest fields and vineyards, into works of kindness
and mercy and helpfulness to humanity rather than to be obliged to spend so much
time and energy in the often unpleasant and sometimes seemingly thankless task
of trying to keep the fences fixed here and there, and of correcting and
disciplining the large and small misdeeds that occur among the flock, misdeeds
often the direct result of idleness, for “Satan always has some mischief for
idle hands to do.”
View all episodes
By Timeless FaithFrom
The Fascination of the Race and Other Essays,
by Benjamin L. Sommer
I remember hearing a brother tell of an experience he had in meeting a man who
seemed interested in our religion and who asked him about it. The brother said,
“I told him about our ways. I told him we don't do as the world does nor as the
people of the worldly churches do. We don't go to theatres; we don't dance; we
don't smoke or use tobacco in any form; we don't wear jewelry; we don't play
cards or take part in any of the worldly amusements.” Perhaps he told him more.
I hope he did. But the above is what stands out in my recollection as the things
he stressed most, and he seemed to be completely satisfied that he had given
“reason of the hope that is in you” and had well discharged his duty of giving
testimony unto the world of the life of Jesus Christ.
Undoubtedly the above “don'ts” are of value in clearing the field for Christian
life and activity. But they are wholly negative; that is, they consist of
avoiding things that are unprofitable or harmful but do not represent the doing
of any of the good things which our Lord has taught and explicitly commanded.
Would to God that beside the above, he had been able in truth to tell an
interesting story of what we do do. That he might have said, in truth: “But we
are very busy and active in other things—things which pertain to our Master's
work, which He has bidden us to do. First, we have an unlimited field, in which
we are very active, to carry the message of the Gospel to all men, as far as our
strength goes. Every member is charged with the duty of telling his neighbor
about the way of salvation through Jesus Christ and, like the apostolic church
at Antioch, we send our laborers and ministers out into the harvest fields of
the world to spread the gospel of true conversion, which is really so rare in
the world today.
“And besides our labors in the Gospel, we are very busy carrying out our
Master's command, 'Go thou and do likewise,' namely, as the Good Samaritan did,
of whom the Lord tells in that parable, making it our Christian duty and
privilege so far as our strength goes, to bind the wounds of the world. This
same great field of labor is further pointed out to us when our Master says, 'I
was hungry and ye fed me; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger
and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was
in prison and ye came unto me." (Matthew 25:35, 36)
“Our religion makes it our duty not only to minister to the spiritual needs of
the people but also to the physical and temporal needs of the needy. All this
keeps us very busy in good works which our Master commands, so that we have
neither time nor interest for the follies and frivolities of the world.” Thus I
wish the brother might have spoken.
But could he say all this in truth? Someone may answer, the above would be an
ideal condition to which we can never hope to attain. Even if we were to grant
this, the question would still remain, Do we strive with all our strength for
the above condition? Is the above really the ideal or aim of our religion?
Let us face facts squarely! Let us look squarely into the mirror and honestly
admit what we see. I have tried to do this and have reached the firm conviction
that “Don't” has found by far too large a place in our religion and “Do” by far
too small a place. Not only do these “don'ts” fail to lead us into doing the
Lord's will; there is another very real danger in them; namely, the danger that
we should please ourselves too much and approve ourselves too much because of
them. To the angel of the church of Laodicea the Lord spoke, “Thou sayest, I am
rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that
thou art wretched and miserable, and poor and blind and naked." (Revelation
3:17) Thus we see it is possible to deceive ourselves and to have a feeling of
richness and well-being which is not justified by the facts, when soberly faced.
What a smug self-satisfaction have not some taken out of an array of petty
negative virtues like the above and other similar ones. What a
self-deception—like a drunken man jingling a handful of small coins in his
pocket and feeling like a millionaire.
But what shall our attitude be toward these negative virtues? Shall we say that
because they are purely negative and some of them of minor importance that they
may well be discarded? That is not the right answer. That would be a serious
step backward.
But let us not overvalue them as though they in themselves would make us
acceptable to God.
These negative virtues should be looked upon as comparable to the farmer's
activity in keeping down the weeds. That is a very necessary part of the
farmer's work and most praiseworthy. With what pride and joy does not a farmer
look at his field, and his good wife at her garden when between the rows of corn
or vegetables the clean fallow earth is seen, free from noxious weeds. A clean
field, a clean garden, what a joy to the husbandman!
But what would you say about a farmer who spends the entire summer plowing,
harrowing, cultivating to destroy the weeds in his fields but who never thought
of putting good seed into the fallowed soil. Would you not say he is crazy? And
the conclusion would seem to be justified. When harvest time comes he would have
nothing to show but a nice, clean, but unfruitful field. No harvest! No fruit!
An unprofitable servant!
With him may be compared the Christian who devotes himself solely to the
negative virtues—don't this, don't that—and who neglects the do, neglects to
obey the Lord's commands and to enter whole-heartedly into the many fruitful
labours which our Lord has commanded us to do.
But, let us not abandon our negative virtues, just because they are insufficient
in themselves. That would be like a man who discovers that his investments have
turned out badly, and that instead of being rich as he had thought, he is
penniless, having only a clean record and some degree of credit as his entire
capital. Would he be wise to throw these to the winds? No! He is very careful of
them. These may sustain him until he can go to work and earn something.
And so, a conscience, which is unspotted by wrong doing, even though its virtue
is only negative and by far insufficient to earn the praise, “Well done, thou
good and faithful servant,” may yet be sufficient to sustain us while we sober
up, take stock of our real assets, and go to work.
I understand Brother Froehlich is the author of the following stanza, which I
will quote in German and then paraphrase in English.
Der Gnadenstuhl voll Starke
Ist Armen aufgethan
Der Richterstuhl heisst Werke
Der Reiche nur kommt an!
The gist of the above is: The throne of Grace is open to the poor, that is to
sinners. The judgment throne calls for works (good works) and only he who is
rich in good works can stand before it.
To be rich in good works means more, far more than don't! don't! don't! It means
do! Carry out the Lord's commands! Do His work!
“Go ye forth into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature.”
“Is it such a fast that I have chosen? … Is it not to deal thy bread to the
hungry and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou
seest the naked that thou cover him, etc." (Isaiah 58:5, 7)
Rich in good works! What a treasure laid up in heaven! Works done in the Lord!
“Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them."
(Revelation 14:13)
To close, a word to our elders and ministers. How often would your labors be
easier, more blest and joyful if they were directed more to lead the flock into
the Lord's work, into His harvest fields and vineyards, into works of kindness
and mercy and helpfulness to humanity rather than to be obliged to spend so much
time and energy in the often unpleasant and sometimes seemingly thankless task
of trying to keep the fences fixed here and there, and of correcting and
disciplining the large and small misdeeds that occur among the flock, misdeeds
often the direct result of idleness, for “Satan always has some mischief for
idle hands to do.”