The Strong Should Bear With The Weak
Zion's Advocate, Vol. 39, No. 3, March 1900.We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Rom. xv. 1
We should be careful to distinguish between those who are not in the faith, who are enemies to it, and those who are "weak in the faith." We should beware of the former and withdraw from them, while the latter we should receive with warm affection and nourish with tender care.
The true doctrine has always had its enemies, and sometimes they creep into the fold as grievous wolves not sparing the flock. Acts xx. 29. We should refuse to receive any that bring not this doctrine of Christ. II John 10. We should reject the heretic after two admonitions. Titus iii. 10. One who denies and opposes the fundamental doctrine of the gospel as taught by the apostles is a heretic, and his example and teaching would be poisonous to the church. Such are not in the faith at all, and they must be rejected if we would keep the seeds of discord from being sown in our midst.
Some seek to advance their secular interests by putting on the garb of a pretended religion. They attach themselves to popular churches for the sake of popularity. The Old Baptist church is seldom troubled with such for she is not popular. We do not need them, and should give them no encouragement to seek membership with us. Gold, silver and precious stones should be built upon the foundation, and not hay, wood and stubble.
But some are in the faith and yet weak in it. They are born of the Spirit and are, therefore, heirs of God. They are as much entitled to the blessings of the gospel of Christ as are the strongest of the family. There are many things they can not understand, which appear easy to those who are stronger, yet they should be fed with the milk of the word for they belong to the precious fold of Jesus. The family circle would be incomplete without them. The Lord loves them as much as he does the great and strong, and has made provision for them in the gospel, and there is always room for them in his church, and a glorious home is waiting to receive them in heaven. Jesus died for them, and now he is pleading their cause in the supreme court above. His eyes are ever upon them, and his ears are open to their cries. So closely is he allied to the very least and feeblest of his flock, that in receiving and feeding and clothing one of them we do the same unto him, and in offending one of them we subject ourselves to his hot displeasure. Matt. xviii. 5, 9.
There have always been weak ones in the church. We might think that all the true children of God who were instructed directly by the inspired apostles, were fully established in the faith, but such was not the case. Differences of opinion prevailed, even then, among the true children of God, at least on matters of minor importance, thought they were blessed with infallible teachers. Thus Paul addressed the Corinthians as "carnal," even as "babes in Christ." They were not able to bear meat, but had to be fed with milk. There was envying, and strife, and divisions among them, which showed they were carnal and walked as men. He did not advise them to separate from each other, and act in a manner unbecoming to their profession. He fed them with milk, and labored to unite them by teaching them that they were the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelt in them.
Under such circumstances the gospel needs to be preached in tenderness, meekness and love. Preachers act very unwisely in taking babes by the throat, and striving to force them to receive strong meat which they are wholly unable to assimilate. A much wiser course is to take up their experience, and show the wholesome doctrinal truths contained in it, thus simplifying the scriptural teaching relative to their salvation. By this means the weakest will be fed, and the strongest will likewise feast, while the cords of love will draw them nearer together and joy will flow from heart to heart. Oh! for more meekness and patience and kindness in preaching the blessed gospel! How we do crave to be divested of pride and selfishness and bigotry as we stand in the Lord's presence to speak to his people!
There are little lambs, young and tender and inexperienced, who need to be fed and tenderly cared for. They should not be hurried and whipped and kicked along, but they should be protected, and, if necessary, carried where it is too rough for them to get along. We have been too harsh, at times, in our manner of address, and have sometimes soared too high in our efforts to expound the deep mysteries of the doctrine. We have too often been flattered by expressions of praise for ability in this direction, sincere and well meant no doubt, while many little ones have gone away unfed. With deep regrets for our unfaithfulness in this respect we now glance back over our ministerial work, while our affections reach out toward the little weak children that are struggling by the way. The bleating lambs that stagger and fall upon the rocky way need our special attention. Let us run to them, not to strike with the lash or goad with the spear, but to gently and lovingly aid them on their way. If we but give them food and shelter and rest, we will see them skipping with joy in the sunlight by and by. There is no sight in nature more pleasing than to see the lambs, once so very weak and tender, running over the green meadows in the warm sunshine. Then, as under-shepherds, if we will patiently nurse the Lord's little ones through the trying wintry blasts, while they are "weak in the faith," we may be rewarded by seeing them grow strong in grace and rejoice in the light of the truth as it is in Jesus.
Then let us gather the little ones in, feed them, shelter them, and patiently care for them. Are we guilty of associating almost entirely with those of our brethren and sisters who are strong in the faith and well established in the doctrine, to the neglect of those who are weak and need instruction? How agreeable it is to visit brethren who are well informed and well established in the grand old doctrine of Christ and his apostles! But while we are thus pleasing ourselves, and having a joyful time with those who don't really need our counsel, perhaps some poor little one, troubled about some perplexing question and wondering if he is really a child of God, is at home alone, saying, "Why doesn't the preacher ever visit me? He always visits brother A------- and brother B-------, when he comes to our church. Is it because I am so poor and ignorant that he doesn't care to visit me?" Oh! my brethren, when we act thus we shun our duty and grossly neglect a very essential part of our work. To be sure brother A-------- and brother B-------- and their families are very kind to us, and are always so anxious to have our company, and are so entertaining at their homes, while others are reserved and timid. But to act from that principle is to please ourselves, whereas "we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."
O Lord, give us, under-shepherds, more grace, to make us more humble, more patient and more diligent in thy precious cause. Strip us of jealousy, and may we labor together in thy vineyard where there are "tender grapes." Give us power to preach thy sweet word to the comfort of all thy children, till they "all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man unto the measure of the fulness of the stature of Christ." May we ever hold up thy dear name though our own would sink into the dust. Let thy love glow in our hearts as we stand in thy presence before the people, and may our words be as "apples of gold in pictures of silver." May the very manner of our address be more after the example of thy meek and lowly self. Order our every day walk that confidence in the sincerity of our labors may be maintained. For thy name's sake, O Lord, direct our course in righteousness, that the lame may be healed and not turned out of the way.
J. R. D.
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