How We Ought to Conduct Ourselves in the House of God

The first believers who were taught directly by the apostles continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42.

The apostles’ doctrine. How many people these days continue steadfastly in that? Among so-called free assemblies, people have become so free that it would more or less be considered compulsion and bondage if they were to begin meditating on the law of the Lord day and night. All of their preaching is based on being free from the curse of the law. To this end they have accumulated many humorous anecdotes over time, which bring a smile to the face of the congregants and envelop them all in a glow of self-satisfaction.

Those who have received this “liberation” are left to listen to the same amusing stories again and again, year after year, about the futile strivings of those who are “slaves of the law.” There are now a number of people who have become adept at ferrying people out of the wilderness and across the river Jordan, but then they abandon them on the heights of Gilgal without giving it a second thought.

As we know, Paul was an expert in leading people further into the land. He exhorted Timothy with the greatest earnestness to take heed to himself and to the doctrine. “Continue in them,” he says, “for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” 1 Tim. 4:16.

Nowadays, it has become fashionable not to continue steadfastly in the doctrine. Instead people race each other to the podium in order to speak. This horrible conduct is even more inappropriate than it is with people in the world, because in the world they have a certain degree of restraint. When it comes to appropriate conduct in the house of God, I believe that people in these “free assemblies,” where they boast about being baptized in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit, should begin by taking Prov. 12:23 to heart: “A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.”

Once a person has learned the great art of keeping silent, there can be some hope that they might later learn how to listen.

There are a lot of so-called “preaching brothers,” and you need to be quite adept if you are to get a word in ahead of any of them. Pity the poor people who make up the audience for these preaching brothers. They are relegated to little more than keeping quiet, listening, and putting money in the collection—that’s a strange sort of freedom.

I believe things would be much more spiritual if these preaching brothers were to stay home now and then, so the lowly ones in the assembly could get time to think and speak.

If people would take a little more heed to the apostles’ doctrine, they would understand that a fool’s voice is known by his many words. Eccl. 5:3.

When the truth is unable to find a place among those who call themselves “leading brothers,” how then can a flock reach the goal when they allow such people to lead them?

Isaiah says rightly, “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.”

In many places, the leader acts as the shepherd, evangelist, and teacher—he is everything for the flock. Instead of nurturing the church so that from its midst apostles, prophets, and teachers can grow up (1 Cor. 12:28), he is zealously on the lookout to make sure that no one challenges his position. Even if he is confronted by the weapons of truth themselves, he will maneuver around them so that he can continue to perform on the podium as the one who is the all-encompassing representative of everything having to do with church life.

It is about time that lowly men within these leaders’ assemblies have their eyes anointed with eye salve. Then they can begin to see, think, and take action, and not just sit there like pew-fillers who do nothing more than occasionally shout “Hallelujah” when the leader says something witty, or now and then give a testimony that meets with the leader’s approval.

Therefore, if we are interested in learning how to conduct ourselves in the house of God, then we ourselves must search God’s word and incline our ear to the Spirit of truth.