From the Pen of Paul

The "more excellent way"—The Characteristics of Love
(Part 5)

Note: We are continuing to look at what Paul calls the "more excellent way"—characteristics of love.

13. "believeth all things": It is "always eager to believe the best." (Moffatt) There is "no end to its trust." (Phillips) It seems that some people just cannot believe that there is anything good in those who do not agree with their opinions or judgments, or belong to their little group or support their pet project. Some who followed one leader at Corinth discredited everything another leader did. This was especially true in regard to Paul's work for he had to deal with some of the accusations that had been made against him. (Chapters 4 & 9) However, love looks for the good in others and is even willing to believe that others not only mean well but also actually do some good. Church politics at Corinth were deplorable and ridiculous; and church politics in our day are just as deplorable and ridiculous! Love takes the kindest view of all men and all circumstances as long as it is possible to do so. Love, then, is the opposite of hasty and unjust criticism.

14. "hopeth all things": Love is able to look to the future and see the ultimate victory of God's Word and God's people. Gentiles once lived with "no hope" and were "without God in this world. (Eph. 2:12) But now "we are saved by hope." (Romans 8:24) Hope anchors our souls: "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast . . ." (Hebrews 6:19) Hope is also what leads the Christian to live lives of purity and righteousness. (I John 3:1-3) Could it be that some of the members of the church at Corinth had forgotten these vital lessons? Could it be that, like Israel as they faced the trials of their journey in marching toward the Promised Land, they had lost their hope? After all, some at Corinth were saying, "There is no resurrection." (I Cor. 15:12) But instead of losing hope, those who had this love which "hopeth all things," could say with Peter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (II Peter 1:3-5).

Love hopes on when others, without love) cease to hope. Love regards no man as hopeless; love is not even a relative of gloom; nor is it ever an ally of despair or despondency. Love hopes on believing that a better day is coming. (Rev. 2:10) Let each of us examine ourselves and ask, "Do I have this stedfast hope and am I allowing it to lead me to live a righteous life?

15. "endureth all things": This attribute of love goes right along hand-in-hand with the fact that love "suffereth long." It is "ever patient." (20th Cent. N.T.) It "endures without limit." (Berkley) Even though it may be pursued, persecuted, or willfully neglected, love remains calm and unmoved. It bears a great many burdens on its shoulders; this includes burdens of its own and burdens that it assists others in bearing. (Gal. 6:1-5) Someone has said that love is like a good soldier who stands up under every attack of the enemy.

The love described here will completely defeat division and wrangling in the body of Christ because it leads to obedience to Him and not to some party or project!
—Paul Wilmoth

From the Preacher's Viewpoint. . .

Religious Fights

After 54 years of preaching, teaching, working in the church, observing people, and most of all, refereeing church fights and observing church splits and individual falling-outs, we have reached the conclusion that 98 percent of church of Christ problems are caused by personality differences. Very few issues in the church are over salvation or doctrinal matters.

Webster says about personality, "The totality of an individual's behavioral and emotional tendencies. The individual's distinguishing character traits, attitudes, or habits. Of personal and social traits" (Webster, p. 848). We have been called many times to come and referee church fights and splits. After years of responding to such requests and hoping to do good for the cause of Christ we do not respond to every call any more. We ask the question nowadays—is the trouble over some biblical doctrine of salvation or is it a personality dispute? If it is a personality dispute, we refuse to go. If the one called to help goes into a personality dispute, he is sure to come out with a sore head and he will be the loser.

The various issues flying in all directions these days are mostly personality disputes. Here is what we are saying. Here is a preacher in the church of Christ that believes we may take the Lord's Supper on Saturday and that we may use instrumental music in our worship to God. There are those who do not pay this much attention nor do they write and preach about it, but they get real excited about how the Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian. There are those among us who believe and preach there are saved people in the denominations, and some brethren gently glide over this, but they are ready to turn the world upside down over the way to support those who have suffered disaster and condemn good brethren for trying to do something about those who are suffering. You see, it is not doctrine but personality doings. The personality problem arises when two or more people see things differently. The trouble can arise because of the one who is doing a work and it can arise over the beholder. When personalities clash, trouble is just around the corner.

The church of Christ is currently going through some very trying times. There are so many things being introduced into the church these days. It reminds us of putting out a forest fire. We get one thing taken care of but another breaks out and we rush to deal with it and then another issue and another issue, and still another and another, and on and on it goes. Some brethren have been trying to get women elders, and deacons in the office of elders and deacons. They have tried very hard to get women qualified for these offices but they cannot do so according to the Bible. The congregation where Jeff Walling preaches is Providence Road in Charlotte, North Carolina. They have dropped the deacon office and replaced it with ministry leaders. Notice what they said in an e-mail on April 24, 2007 at 4:16 p.m.: "We do not have men designated as deacons here at PR (Providence Road). We have men and women serving as ministry leaders in various areas." So they have decided if what they wish does not meet Bible specifications then change the name or drop the office no matter what the Bible says. A move like this is just as sinful as putting women in the office of elders and deacons that do not meet the qualifications of I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. A rose is still a rose no matter what one may call it. Personality problems in the church cause brethren to commit sin. It causes folks to bind where God has not bound and to loose where God has not loosed (Matt. 16:19). Many brethren let their taste lead them instead of the Bible. When we fight a religious cause we had better make sure there is sin involved (I John 1:7). One may question the expedience of a work but he must not fight that work unless it is disobeying God's commandments.

One may and some have fought the work of Tennessee Bible College and some still do. What sin have we been practicing at TBC? Look out "personality" because you are going to get into this picture. We would like to meet with a brother and let him point out the sin we are guilty of. If we have sinned in a wilful way, then we are ready to repent and correct the matter when shown. The total criticism we have heard has never been that we teach false doctrine but some do not like the way we do things. This is nothing more than a personality, judgment, opinion call. This caused the anti-orphan-home brethren to split the church. One had to do it their way or no fellowship. There are many in the church today with this mentality. Their fault with us is that we do not do it their way. The Bible never enters the picture. When are we going to grow up and be men in the faith (I Cor. 16:13)? Let all of us put to death personality conflicts and get along as brethren in Christ should.
—Malcolm L. Hill