Do I Think About How My Actions Affect My Brethren?
A guest post by Victor M. Eskew.
When this writer first entered into childcare, my supervisor asked me: “Do you understand systems?” I had a business degree and a certificate from the Memphis School of Preaching, but I had never done any study in systems. I felt a little ignorant at the time. However, I soon found out that “systems” is not a complicated subject.
Most of us understand systems, we just do not talk about them from an academic standpoint.
An Example of a System.
Most of us know that our car has several systems within it in order to make it run properly. One of those systems is the ignition system. The system, that is, all of the component parts that enable the car to start, contains at least eleven key components: the key, the ignition switch, the starter, the resister, the coil, the distributor cap, the rotor, the battery, the spark plugs, the condenser, and the vacuum advance.
All of these elements must be in working order in order for the car to start. If there is a failure in just one aspect of the system, the car will not start.
We have all been victims to a lost key, a bad starter, or a bad battery. Ugh!
Christians Are Part of a System.
Understanding systems is important because Christians are part of a system. That system is commonly called “the church.” When we obeyed the gospel and were saved, we were added by the Lord to the church (Acts 2:47).
Paul elaborates on the church as a system in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. He compares the church to a body. “But now are they many members, but one body” (1 Cor. 12:20). Each element of the body depends on the other members.
“And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary” (1 Cor. 12:21-22).
If something happens to one member of the body, then all the members are impacted.
“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:26).
How Do Your Actions Affect the System?
Here is the point for this article. Whatever we do or don’t do for the body of Christ affects the other members of the body. This leads to the question that entitles this article. “Do I think about how my actions affect my brothers and sisters in Christ?”
What I do can bring them great joy. Or, what I do can bring them much sorrow.
What I do can add to their burdens. Or, what I do can lessen the weight they are pulling.
What I do can bring them deep concern. Or, what I do can fill their hearts with cherished hope.
What I do can encourage their walk in Christ. Or, what I do can discourage them in their Christian journey.
What I do can make them want to do more. Or, what I do can cause them to do less.
What I do can grow the church. Or, what I do can bring great harm to the church.
Again, all of this is true because we are part of a system, the body of Christ. We do not live our Christian life in a vacuum. This is how Paul put it. “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” (Rom. 14:7).
Positive Impacts on the System.
Paul’s example.
Let’s look at a few Bible examples of this principle. The apostle Paul was incarcerated in Rome for a period of two years. When the Philippians heard of Paul’s imprisonment, they were deeply concerned and set supplies to assist him. When he heard about their concern, he wrote to them to encourage them.
“But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil. 1:12-14).
That last statement is captivating. Paul’s imprisonment caused others to be bold and speak the Word of God without fear. What happened to Paul impacted others. In this case, they were impacted in a positive way.
The Thessalonians example.
Another positive example is found in the church at Thessalonica. Paul preached the Word in that city and established the church there. Their faith made a positive impact throughout several regions round about them. Paul noted this when he wrote his first epistle to them.
“And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost; so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad so that we need not speak any thing” (1 Thess. 1:6-8).
The faithfulness of this church was proclaimed throughout the brotherhood. When other churches heard of their faith, they wanted to follow the example the Thessalonians had set.
Negative Impacts on the System.
We see a negative action impacting a church in I Corinthians 5.
“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife” (1 Cor. 5:1).
Most believe that this man was having an affair with his step-mother, his father’s wife. The actions of this man forced the church to act. At first, their reaction was negative. Paul confronted their error in 1 Corinthians 5:2.
“But ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.”
Instead of dealing with the situation, they chose to ignore it. Paul warned them:
“Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1 Cor. 5:6).
Sin left unchecked only causes more sin to grow. Sinners become emboldened. Too, the precious church of Christ continues to suffer from the ugly stain of iniquity. Paul writes the church to command them to withdraw from this man in an attempt to save his soul.
“”For I verily, as absent in the body, but present in the spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus…Purge out therefore the old leaven…with such a one no not to eat…Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:3-5, 7, 11, 13).
What is Your Impact on the System?
Everything we do in the body of Christ impacts our brothers and sisters. It can be as small as simply skipping a worship service. It can be as great as openly committing a sin like fornication.
Every action affects the rest of the body of Christ. Again we ask: “Do you think about how your actions are affecting your brothers and sisters in Christ?”
Do your attitudes, words, and behaviors make them stronger and more faithful? Or, do your attitudes, words, and actions cause them to be weaker and grow discouraged?
Do I help my brethren to become more like Christ? Or, do I cause my brethren to drift away from their Master?
One of the major faults of the Jews was that they failed to take into account how their actions affected others. Of them, Paul wrote:
“For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written” (Rom. 2:24).
Paul made it clear that they would face God in judgment for their behavior. In like manner, we will also be judged as to how our actions impacted the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
This article was originally published here.
Victor M. Eskew preaches for the Oceanside church of Christ in Atlantic Beach, Florida.
The church offers a variety of free Bible study courses for anyone interested in studying God’s word. They also have a large archive of videos on their YouTube channel. I appreciate Victor’s teaching in this article!
Amen.