The more gift and the more influence anyone has, the more useful he will be to his brethren when, while walking in lowliness and meekness, he has guidance from the Lord in his path. On the other hand, the more gift and the more influence such a one has, the more of a stumbling block he will be to his brethren when, not understanding the mind of the Lord, he follows the leadings, imaginations or workings of his own mind.
We find a notable instance of this in regard to Peter to whom the Lord had given the keys of the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 16:1919And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19) JND), to whom He had committed His lambs and His sheep (John 21), and to whom also was committed the gospel of the circumcision (Gal. 2). His preaching had been used for the conversion of 3,000 persons at one time (Acts 2). Then again, when going through the streets of Jerusalem, he would find the sick laid there on beds and couches, in order that his shadow in passing over them might heal some of them (Acts 5). These favors from above would give him a large place in the consciences and love of the saints, and much influence and authority in the church.
A happy exercise of this influence and authority is found in Acts 15. There, after there had been much disputing in the assembly, Peter rose up and spoke. His words were used to produce order where before there had been disorder, for instead of the much previous disputing (or discussion), the multitude then kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul. Such is the blessed fruit of gift and influence when exercised according to the mind of the Lord. But this is not so when the fear or praise of man, or trust in or occupation with oneself, has influence over the mind. We find this same blessed Apostle, not only himself signally failing in respect to a most important truth for the church of God (Gal. 2), but that the same influence and authority, so happily exercised at Jerusalem, was afterwards at Antioch leading others in dissimulation and in a walk that was neither upright nor according to the truth of the gospel. It was even sufficient for the carrying away of Barnabas, hitherto the companion of Paul.
The Dangerous Influence of Good Men
It may seem strange to some saints to be told that a good man is often more dangerous in an attack of the enemy than a bad man. However, it does not need any great measure of discernment in order to discover the character of a bad man, and so avoid being led by him. But the failure of the good man, when deceived himself, is often not discovered until those who have trusted in him have reaped the bitter fruits of their confidence. We understand this in the things of the world, but in the things of the Lord each individual saint, if not walking habitually in the fear of the Lord, is liable to put his trust too much in those whom he reckons to be more spiritually minded than himself.
What is needed by saints, in order to walk in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, is the knowledge of the will of God. Some may think that the knowledge of the will of God is only to be attained by those who are specially gifted and who have been Christians for many years. Although a saint should undoubtedly advance in the knowledge of the will of God, yet many mistakes have been made in regard to younger and older Christians on this very point. A little child will not know his father’s will in many things which will be told to the son who has grown up to manhood. But the little child, if attentive, will know enough of the father’s will to do those things which are pleasing to the father.
The Babe in Christ
So with the youngest Christian, there is no excuse for the least failure; the word addressed to the babes is, “Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (1 John 2:2020But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)). If looking to the Lord, the babe will find the Word of God sufficient for him, and sufficient to prevent his being beguiled by others. “The entrance of Thy words giveth light” (Psa. 119:130130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. (Psalm 119:130)). “All things having their true character exposed by the light are made manifest; for that which makes everything manifest is light” (Eph. 5:11Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (Ephesians 5:1)3 JnD). The babe may not be furnished with the whole Word to the same extent as the young man (1 John 2:1414I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. (1 John 2:14)), but the babe in Christ has guidance enough from the Word to save it from any misunderstanding of the Father’s will or any disobedience to Him.
John is used in a special manner to warn the babes in Christ, for it is to them that he writes: “I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:2020But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)). A great principle is contained in this verse: The knowledge of what is true enables us to discern that which is false. (This will be found to be true in the everyday things of this life.) It is well always to bear in mind that it is the being occupied with the truth itself that is the security for the believer, whether babe, young man, or father. Being occupied with what is false is not the way to learn the character of what is false, but rather the way to be seduced and beguiled by it.
The Anointing
Many a saint (whether young or old), through reasoning with or listening to those holding or teaching false doctrine, has been taken in the snare of the enemy who would have escaped the snare had he been obedient to the Word of God, which commands him to turn away from such (Rom. 16:1717Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (Romans 16:17); 1 Tim. 6:55Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. (1 Timothy 6:5); 2 Tim. 3:55Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:5)). The Apostle John also writes to the babes, “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you,” and also, “The anointing [or unction] which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him” (1 John 2:26-2726These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:26‑27)).
We need hardly remind the youngest believer that this anointing does not in any way make him independent of being taught by others. Ephesians 4 shows that teachers are among the gifts given for the perfecting of the saints, and where the teaching is in accordance with what is taught in Scripture, then the babe and all others should value it. The warning through the blessed apostle, when attended to, will help the believer to judge whether the teaching is in accordance with what he has already learned (Gal. 1:99As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:9)), or whether it savors of those things against which the believer is so constantly warned by the Scriptures.
I therefore again remind the reader that the greater the gift, and the more influence anyone has among the saints, the more of a stumbling block he will be in any matter that may arise among the saints, if speaking or acting without the knowledge of the mind of God.
A. B. Pollock