Bitterness, A Form of Religious Insanity
by Cled Wallace
The
bitterness and malice which is often displayed toward each other by members
of the body of Christ when unpleasant situations arise in the church is
occasion for tears. Worthy men and women in normal situations act very
unworthily under emotional stress. Good men sometimes threaten each other
with physical violence or recourse at law, and have been known to make good
their threats.
They take
advantage of each other, watching hungrily for any statement that may be
used or warped for personal or factional advantage. Men under the domination
of the party spirit, party passion running high, often display evidence of
religious insanity. They are beside themselves, and their best friends
outside the heat of party passion marvel at their excesses in speech and
rancor. Situations can arise in any church which call forth the best efforts
of level-headed men, “sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, in patience.”
We need more men who are anxious to claim the blessings of the Lord.
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.” “Let
all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away
from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted,
forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.”
It is most
difficult for even good men to tell the truth when they come under the
influence of factional passion. It is reason enough why we should all be
watchful of the intents and purposes of our own hearts. “But if ye have
bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the
truth . . . For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every
vile deed.” Every observer of church troubles has noted conflicting reports
of what actually happened by men who were considered reliable in matters
where their personal feelings were not so deeply stirred. A truthful man can
earn a reputation for being a consummate liar in a short time in the middle
of a church fuss. And too often the reputation is deserved. “Who is wise and
understanding among you? Let him show by his good life his works in meekness
of wisdom . . . But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without variance, without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown
in peace for them that make peace.” And it often happens that the individual
who is most aberrant in his handling of facts is also most ready to hurl the
short ugly word at the opposition. It reminded Paul of the manner in which
beasts go at one another. “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed
that ye be not consumed one of another.” Think of brethren in Christ biting
and snarling at one another like hungry wolves or wild dogs! It often
happens.
Does It Favor My Side?
The
factious spirit plays some ugly tricks on its possessor. It victimizes and
deceives him. When he listens to a sermon or reads an article, his eye is
single to only one consideration. Does it favor my side? If it does, then he
is not critical of the facts involved. The rankest inaccuracies or the most
reckless perversions may be passed upon with approval. If it does not, he
may react resentfully toward pointed and helpful truth. A factious spirit
can rob a man of the good he might receive from reading the Bible. It can
change him into a mote-hunting, faultfinding hypocrite. Light becomes
darkness as soon as it reaches his soul.
Preachers and Petitions
It
sometimes happens that a preacher who advocates majority rule will lead off
a minority if he can’t get a majority. There is usually a grievance against
elders and a circulating of petitions. Sometimes the preacher has an
advantage in that he is in a position to do more electioneering among his
admirers than the elders can. And when it comes to voting and circulating
petitions, it may be that some of the most active ones were in a state of
suspended animation before the fuss came up. Children and various
irresponsibles can be herded for a vote who are incapable of judging the
principles involved. It is easier for them to fancy a preacher than an
elder, anyway. Elders are not as good at flattery as preachers are who
circulate petitions and advocate majority rule in churches of Christ. The
friends of one preacher circulated a petition demanding that the elders
“resign” and turn the church over to “the pastor.” Think of a thing like
that happening in a church of Christ! In a case like that, of course the
elders are responsible for any trouble that arises over their refusal to
“resign” and turn the church over to “the pastor.” Circulators of petitions
among churches are ordinarily good logicians also! If they cannot arrive at
a conclusion along the route of sound reasoning, they can jump at it.
No Doctrinal Difference, But No Fellowship
Our brother
mixed a little humor with his philosophy as he watched a preacher lead away
a following to another place of worship. In justice to the preacher, be it
said, he disclaims the idea of leading away anybody. He didn’t follow,
either. Anyway, they went along together. I’m not good at splitting hairs.
The ones who went away, including the preacher, could not worship amidst the
awful conditions in the old church. Our humorous brother thought it a bit
arbitrary for anybody to come along and thus separate the sheep from the
goats, when the only difference he could see between the sheep and the goats
was that the sheep followed and the goats didn’t. No doctrinal difference
now exists between the two groups. And there is no fellowship between them,
either. Former friends are now enemies, and those who once thought well of
each other now have nothing to do with each other all in the name of Christ.
(Reprint
from “Sword Swipes” column, Gospel Advocate LXXV [5 Jan. 1933]: 3, title and
sub-heads supplied by Ron Halbrook for reprint here.)
Other Articles by Cled Wallace
Present Day Church Problems (Part 1)
Present Day Church Problems (Part 2)