Minorities are sometimes right



All of Grace
The Lord’s people are gathered out of the world and yet remain in the world. They are kept by the Good Shepherd, whose sheep they are. This flock faces many dangers - the storms of doubt and despair, the foxes and eagles of temptation and persecution. It is a wonder that any survive to enter the Father’s glorious kingdom. “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Lk.18:8). Salvation must be all of God and all of grace!

Glorious Future
The cause of Christ has a great future. One day the church shall be so established and exalted that “all nations shall flow unto it” (Is.2:2). The earth shall be “filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab.2:14). The kingdom of Christ shall consume all other kingdoms (Dan.2:44). Assembled in heaven at the last will be “a great multitude, which no man [can] number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” (Rev.7:9). What a wonderful prospect!

The Church in the World
Yet the professing church has usually been a minority in this world. Think of Noah’s day, Elijah’s or Jeremiah’s. In Isaiah’s time the church was left “as a cottage in a vineyard...as a besieged city” (Is.1:8). Israel was the one favoured nation in a world full of heathen nations. At the first coming of Christ pagan Rome dominated the world. Even today true Christianity is not the religion of the world’s majority.

Believers in the Church
God’s elect are often few, not only in the world but also within the visible church. The disciples in our Lord’s day were called a “little flock” (Lk.12:32), a few faithful souls opposed by proud scribes and Pharisees. We think too of brave Waldensians and Reformers, battling against the might of Rome.
Even within the “evangelical” church true believers may be more scarce than we imagine. In His great sermon on the mount Christ illustrated the division the gospel makes among men by speaking of two different gates, ways and destinations (Mt.7:13-14). Few men go through the strait gate of regeneration, walk the narrow way of true holiness and so enter glory. Most prefer instead the wide gate of works and the broad way of worldliness and end in hell. Jesus said that many who called Him “Lord” will be told by Him on the Judgment Day to depart, because for all their hearing, the fruit of obedience was not to be found in them (Mt.7:21-23).

Divisions
Sadly there can be divisions among genuine believers. Paul felt it necessary to withstand Peter to his face, because he was to be blamed (Gal.2:11). Paul and Barnabas contended so sharply that they separated (Acts 15:37-39). Some disputes, it is true, are evidence of a carnal spirit, and such are to be condemned, for “every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Mt.12:25). Others, though, are necessary for the truth's sake.
On occasion a minority is called upon to stand against the majority. It was done in 1843 and even more so in 1900. A minority view is not necessarily a wrong view. In an age of spiritual declension the minority will often be right! It is safer to be on the side of truth than on the side of might, for truth will prevail in the end.

Opposition
To make a stand can be costly. Moses sent twelve worthy men to spy out Canaan but they returned divided. All at first gave a good report: “It floweth with milk and honey”. The evidence was produced in the fruit they had collected (Num.13:27). The majority however began to tremble at the prospect of fighting the inhabitants; some of them, after all, were giants! The fear of man brought a snare into their thinking. They gave way to rebellion and unbelief. At length they went so far as to tell a brazen lie. Now bountiful Canaan was said to be “a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof” (v.32)!
The ten gave a biased report, an untrue report. They stirred up the people so that they would gladly have returned to Egypt. Just two of the spies remained steadfast. Opposed by their comrades and the whole congregation of Israel, Joshua and Caleb said courageously, "The land...is an exceeding good land...the Lord is with us, fear them not" (14:7,9). Even when threatened with stoning, they would not flinch from the path of duty. Canaan would be their inheritance, but to the majority God now said, “Ye shall not come into the land” (v.30).

Reward
A man full of faith and holy boldness is always frowned upon by lukewarm Christians. It is hard constantly to maintain the truth, to stand upright, trusting in God. But the Lord requires nothing less. His reward is only promised to the “good and faithful” servant (Mt.25:31,33). To be unpopular is not a sin, if the cause be right. Oh, that we would follow the Lord fully, whether we be many or few, even to the end of our days!


Any comments or questions please E-Mail me or Rev William Macleod the Editor.

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