Who or What Controls You?

By Tommy Thornhill

Questions are not always asked for information, sometimes they are asked to stimulate thought, to cause one to reevaluate self, or something done, or about to be done. Such is the question above. Do you let the things around you control your life, or do you take control of the things around you. In other words, what causes you to do the things you do.

In service to God, does the environment in which you live control your faithfulness to God? Some have suggested that they would be faithful if they lived under a better environment. But, is this so?

Does a good environment control one’s behavior? Most people agree that the prodigal son of Lk.15 had what many might consider a good environment. He was living in a good home under the best of circumstances. He had a loving father, money and servants. Yet, this “good home” did not keep him faithful and away from sin (Lk.15:11-13).

What about riches? If you had more of this world’s good, would you be more faithful? One of the most materially blessed men in the OT was King Solomon. He had great wisdom, immense power and enormous riches. He took in 666 talents of gold in tribute each year (today’s monetary standards over 3 billion dollars) (1.Kgs.10:14). But all of the things he possessed did not make him faithful to God (1 Kings 11:4-10).

Some long for the Garden of Eden? What better situation could one hope to live under? Surely, such a perfect place with the presence of God, the tree of life and every necessity provided for would keep one faithful. Yet, this beautiful Garden did not prevent man from becoming unfaithful to God.

Maybe the environment of heaven and the presence of God might be the place that would keep one faithful. Yet in spite of such an environment, we learn there were angels who sinned and were cast out of heaven as a result (2 Pet.2:4; Jude 6).

From these examples, we learn that a “good environment” is not the solution to keeping one faithful to God. Under the best of circumstances, both men and angels sinned. The best of surroundings is no guarantee of faithfulness. When one becomes dissatisfied one allows temptation and sin to control the situations of life and they become unfaithful.

Does a bad environment cause one to be unfaithful? Just as we have seen that a good environment does not guarantee faithfulness, we can also learn that bad circumstances does not make one be unfaithful and sin against God. Adverse conditions can influence a person, but they cannot control a person’s behavior. The Bible gives examples of some who under the worst of situations remained faithful to God.

Would slavery cause one to be unfaithful? Joseph, living as his father’s favorite son had his life suddenly turned upside down at the age of 17 when his jealous brothers sold him into slavery (Gen.37:18-28). In the years that followed, he faced tremendous burdens and temptations. He was falsely accused of rape and thrown into prison for 7 years (Gen.39:11-20). Yet under all circumstances, he remained faithful to God. He controlled the environment under which he lived. He was in control of his actions during the various situations that came to him, rather than letting them control him.

Maybe the loss of everything would cause unfaithfulness. But a study of Job shows this doesn’t have to be the case. He had everything one might desire, a big family, wealth, fame, wisdom and good health. But he suddenly lost everything including his health (Job 1 and 2). Yet Job did not sin in this, lose faith or blame God (Job 1:22; 2:10).

Suppose you are persecuted? Would that not excuse you from being faithful? No! One can still be faithful in spite of such suffering. The apostle Paul is a monument to us that beatings, stonings and imprisonment are not enough to cause one to lost faith (Acts 14:19; 2.Cor.11:23-33). Living with such circumstances did not cause Paul to sin and lose faith 2.Tim.2:12; 3:12. Paul could not control his circumstances but he could control himself and how he acted during such trying times (Phil.4:11-13; 2.Tim.1:12).

No, bad circumstances do not cause one to sin. Neither do good circumstances keep one from sinning. Don’t use a good or bad environment as an excuse to sin against God and be unfaithful to Him. The above examples show us that something else is involved.

What makes the difference? It is not the situation in which one lives that produces faithfulness of unfaithfulness. Rather, it is the attitude of heart. The controlling factor in both types of situations is not outward circumstances but the inward state of heart.

Unfaithfulness is caused by rebellion. Those who are defiant and rebellious against God will sin, regardless of the environment. The Jews are good examples. They were God’s chosen people, yet they refused to be faithful to God. Jeremiah wrote “But this people have a defiant and rebellious heart. They have revolted and departed” (Jer.5:32).

On the other hand those who trust in God will rise above any situation in which they find themselves and be obedient to Him in spite of circumstances (Rom.6:17; Dan.3:17-18). They will be steadfast in resolve and not let circumstances control their behavior. They put their trust in God completely, fully confident He will stand with His people and do just as He promises. They then are able to say “What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom.8:31, 37). (Read also Prov. 3:5, 6; Heb. 13:5-6.) &

The Role of the Local Church

By Tim Haile

Many people fail to appreciate the importance of the local church assembly. Some don't associate with churches or attend church services because they simply have no interest in religion. Some are religious, but have had bad experiences with certain churches. Others have adopted an anti-organized-religion policy and believe that salvation can be acquired apart from any church.

The Bible student knows however, that "church" must be important, for the church was established by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18,19). Christ shed His blood for that church (Acts 20:28). We are told that the church was God's eternal purpose and that God is glorified in the church (Ephesians 3:11,21). To say that the church is unimportant is to say that Christ is unimportant, for the church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23). These passages refer to the church in its universal sense, but what about local churches? Are they any less important? Can we be saved apart from a local church? Some say yes, but what does the Bible say?

Some wish to believe that they can be saved in the universal church without affiliating with any local church. They reduce salvation to a mere personal feeling and believe there is no necessary connection with other saints in any capacity. While such folks may rightly understand the difference between the universal church and the local church, they obviously fail to understand the connection between the two. To be added to the universal church one must receive God's word and obey its instructions (Acts 2:38,41,47; 5:14). But these instructions do not end with faith, repentance and baptism -- we are required to do other things, some of which involve interaction with fellow saints. The Bible teaches that it is sinful to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together" (Hebrews 10:25,26). Christians are commanded to commemorate Christ's death by the observance of the Lord's Supper. This is to be done upon the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), and it is to be done together (1 Cor. 11:20,33). Giving is also to be done upon the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1,2). The members of the early Jerusalem church studied, shared, ate the Lord's Supper and prayed together (Acts 2:42). Paul instructed saints to sing together (Ephesians 5:19). The New Testament shows us that local churches were established throughout the known world, and they were the organizations through which God worked. It was upon his seeing the local church at Antioch that Barnabas "saw the grace of God" (Acts 11:22,23). Let us not underestimate the role of the local church. &