“You Have No Enemies, You Say?”
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesMore than one hundred years ago, English author and poet Charles MacKay (l814-l889) observed the way evil seems to come against good. He wrote his thoughts in the following poem called “No Enemies?“
“You have no enemies, you say?
Alas, my friend, the boast is poor;
He who has mingled in the fray
Of duty, that the brave endure,
Must have made foes! If you have none,
Small is the work that you have done.
You’ve hit no traitor on the hip,
You’ve dashed no cup from perjured lip,
You’ve never turned the wrong to right,
You’ve been a coward in the fight.”
Our Lord and His apostles often confronted sin and false doctrine. They were well aware that there could be no penitence without personal inward pain. This is exactly why they lovingly taught God’s truth and condemned error.
In today’s society, it seems that no one wants to criticize anyone, no matter how sinful they might be. Our society has become so “tolerant,” that we’ve become permissive, so patient, that we’ve become indulgent, and so forbearing, that we’ve become indifferent.
The following biblical terms recur again and again throughout the pages of the New Testament: rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2; cf. 1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 1:13; Titus 2:15; Revelation 3:19), exhort (1 Thessalonians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Timothy 2:1; 1 Timothy 6:2; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9; Titus 2:6; Titus 2:9; Titus 2:15), correction (2 Timothy 3:16), convict (Titus 1:9; Jude 1:15).
The actions brought about by these words, are designed to motivate the sinner to repent and be obedient to God’s will (Acts 17:30; Romans 1:3-5; Romans 16:25-26; Hebrews 5:8-9).
Brethren and friends, it is never our aim to hurt anyone’s feelings. However, God’s truth is still God’s truth, and it still must be taught in its entirety (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 2:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:2; Acts 20:17-27).
Many faithful Christians have died defending “the faith” (Ephesians 4:5; Jude 1:3; cf. Hebrews 11). The problem was not in their message, but in the prejudice of their hearers (cf. Acts 7:51-60).
We ask, “How shall we deal with prejudice?”
Answer: “Preach the Word” and allow its transforming power to persuade men (2 Timothy 4:1-4; Romans 1:16; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11; cf. Acts 19:8; Acts 28:23).