Extremes

The tendency of human nature to swing to one extreme or the other has been one of the bancs of the church in all generations. We rightly reject the idea of ‘ one man ministry ‘ but need we therefore accept the idea of any man ministry? Because the doctrine of grace has sometimes been distorted into an excuse for laxity, some seem to wish to go to the opposite extreme: and make our acceptance before God to depend upon some undefined degree of attainment. Certainly we should avoid entanglement with associations contrary to the Word of God, but does this oblige us to isolate ourselves from individuals who are calling on the Lord out of a pure heart? If we have been delivered from ecclesiasticism, does that mean that reverence and order are out of place in the gatherings of believers? And so we could go on!

What a tremendous difference it would make in all phases of Christian life and service if we could maintain a proper balance. Very often inability to see eye to eye with another is due simply to the fact that each prefers to lay unbalanced emphasis on the side of truth which appeals to him. If each would try to see how far the other was right, it is quite likely that both could come to agreement to their mutual advantage and a richer appreciation of the truth involved.

The lesson that stands out from the closing period of the life of Moses is that there is no limit to what God can accomplish in, and with, and through, and for, and by, the man who is wholly yielded to Him.