Saying Nice Things
W. Carl Ketcherside
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This was written to the congregation in Corinth. There are indications that it followed the first epistle by just a few months. It is possible that the first letter was written in the spring of A.D. 57 and the second in autumn of the same year. The first letter reveals the state of the congregation which Paul had planted. We are made aware of the following irregularities, among others.
1. The existence of parties, or denominations, within the congregation.
2. The presence of an aggravated case of immorality.
3. Lawsuits between brethren prosecuted in pagan courts.
4. Difference of attitude toward eating of meats.
5. Defiance of custom by the women with resulting reproach.
6. Disorderly conduct at the Agape or love feast.
7. Rivalry in the use of gifts of the Spirit.
8. A denial of the resurrection by some of the members.
It is such a congregation which the apostle urges to "justify all the nice things we have said about you." Contrast this with the modern attitude of certain preachers and editors toward congregations of brethren which differ with their personal views about such things as cups, classes, colleges, orphan homes, instrumental music, and a host of other things too numerous to mention. The "faithful" are urged to "come out from among them," and those who remain are assailed as heretics and apostates. They are assaulted in the religious press, attacked on radio, and blasted from the pulpit. They are treated as outcasts!
It will not do for those who seek to justify their uncharitable attitude to contend that Corinth had cleaned house thoroughly before Paul wrote the second letter. That is just not true, because he said, "For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as you would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults, and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed" (2 Cor. 12:20,21).
How can we explain the difference between the attitude of the apostle toward Corinth and that of many brethren toward congregations in this day? The answer lies in the following considerations.
1. Paul could distinguish between the gospel by which we are begotten and which establishes our spiritual relationship in Christ Jesus, and the apostolic doctrine in which we must grow and mature (1 Cor. 4:15).
2. He could differentiate between the fellowship into which we are called and endorsement of the opinions and conduct of those within that fellowship (1 Cor. 1:9).
3. He knew the difference between knowledge which can never be made the foundation of unity and love which must always be the basis of it (1 Cor. 8:2, 3).
4. He knew the difference between the faith in Christ Jesus which saves and justifies and the constant growth toward maturity of one within that faith (1 Cor. 1:30; 3:1-3).
If our modern brethren had lived in the days of Paul they would have divided the congregation at Corinth which he sought to unite. They would have urged brethren to separate whom he taught to love one another. The philosophy of maintaining purity of doctrine by separation from brethren would have shivered the Corinthian congregation to bits as it has the restoration movement in our day. The letters to Corinth stand as a stern de
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It is time that we determine whether or not the prophets of past centuries gave their lives to proclaim the ooming of a party to uphold the doctrine of "one cup" or "individual cups." We must decide if the divine purpose from the foundation of the world was to create a faction to defend or decry the use of classes in which to study the will of God. We must determine if the Son of God shed his blood to purchase a party to propagate the use of instrumental music, or one to oppose it. This has nothing to do with one's personal conviction as to the right or wrong of any of these things. It does have much to do with whether or not we create a sect or promote a party to defend or oppose them. It may be a case of mistaken judgment about the right or wrong of these things, but it is a sin to formulate a sect.
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." By the same token, the kingdom of God is not cups, classes, colleges, instrumental music, orphan homes, or a millennial viewpoint. Jesus did not hang on the cross and suffer in order to demonstrate his right to preside over a party which equates human opinions and interpretations with the great and abiding principles of divine relationship. He is not the sachem of a clan, the prince of a party, or the forerunner of a faction.
I do not want to live for something which Jesus did not die to purchase. I do not want to devote my life to the promoting of any religious organization, but I will consecrate it to functioning as best I can as a member of the divine organism, the one body. Parties are created by men to separate brethren. The one body was created by God to unite them. "Righteousness, joy and peace" never divided any group of people. To the extent we are divided we have missed the nature of the kingdom. We have emphasized what "the kingdom of God is not."
When one looks at the body as did Paul it is possible to say "nice things about" a congregation of those who are in Christ, in spite of the disagreeable features which arise to trouble the saints because of immaturity and carnality. It makes a lot of difference when one realizes that people act as they do because they are infantile. One can say some pretty nice things about some pretty messy babies. This is especially true if they are God's babies, and you love the father who begot them. To reflect against their paternity is to reflect against their father!
Our real trouble is that we have too many babies throwing things at other babies. It is plainly said that, "All the time that there is jealousy and squabbling among you you show what you are--you are living just like men of the world" (1 Cor. 3:3). We need to grow up in all things in Christ. It is no sin to have been a baby but it is a sin to remain as one. We have been quarrelling over our spiritual toys long enough. It is time that we quit crawling and start walking. Let the restoration movement outgrow its rompers! The world will not be led to Christ by fretful infants but by faithful servants. Let us cease to be bickering babies, let us be mature men!