When Moses as the representative of the Lord went to Egypt to call Israel into the wilderness
to worship God, Pharaoh called a "unity conference." He did not want the Israelites to go, so
he proposed a compromise with Moses. He offered four different boards, but Moses did not move
to the middle of any of them. He stretched out four wires, but Moses would not walk them. The
devil and his servants propose the same four-point program today that Pharaoh advanced in the
long ago:
- Pharaoh said, "Let the Israelites worship in Egypt. Folks are just as good here as
over in the wilderness where the Lord said go" (See Ex. 8:25). Moses said, "God has
commanded us to go, and we must go."
Today, Christ calls for people to obey the gospel, to be born again, to come into His
kingdom. The devil replies by saying, "There are folks outside the church just as good as any
inside. The church cannot save anybody. You can be saved outside the church." But Christians
know that all who "should be saved" are in the church; that if a man is saved outside
the church, he is saved when the Lord said he should not be (Acts 2:47). God wants
people in the church, and not outside.
God's children are in God's family. He has no children outside His family. We must be
adopted into God's family (Rom. 8:15). An orphan child might grow up in a home without
being adopted. He would have no promise of receiving any inheritance. If adopted into the
family, such a child might expect to receive as much inheritance as any of the other children.
When we are in the family — the church — we may expect the heavenly inheritance. Those outside
the church have no promise of a reward in heaven.
We want unity, but not on the devil's basis.
- When Moses failed to meet Pharaoh on the first plan, Pharaoh offered another. He
said, "If you just must go, do not go very far." (See Ex. 8:28). With Pharaoh, anything
was good except what Jehovah had commanded. Moses told him that the people must go a three
days journey into the wilderness to worship God.
Pharaoh's attitude represents that of people today who say that a man ought to go into
the church, only, "go ye not very far." Do not be too interested in the Lord's work. The devil
knows that if a man comes into the church and then sits down on the chair of "do nothing" and
whittles on the stick of "do less," he may as well have stayed out of the church.
Many have been baptized who did not continue faithful. I suppose they were "nominal
Christians." The devil would like for us to unite on this plan. We cannot.
- Pharaoh then proposed another plan for unity: "Let the men go, but leave the
little ones at home." (See Ex. 10:9-11). This Moses would not do.
This is typical of folks today who do not train up their children "in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord." There should be much preaching and teaching along the line
of bringing up children. I am told that only a young man would venture to do it. Others say
they have learned better. I think the Holy Spirit caused Paul to write so much along that line,
and not the fact that he had no children. People who suggest such are more interested in being
humorous than in being Scriptural. They seek, with a touch of humor, to evade the force of
truth.
Children should be taught God's Word. It is the duty of parents to see that this is
done. They should take their children with them to Bible classes, prayer meetings, and other
assemblies of the church. Some have said, "I do not want to make my children attend, as
they might grow up and be turned against the church. This childish suggestion finds a place
only in religion. No mother ever refused to make children bathe because she feared they
would grow up and never bathe again. No mother ever refused to make her children attend
school for fear they would grow up and be turned against the things they learned.
If children are properly brought up, they will not have to be forced to attend worship.
They will want to go. Nevertheless, if needs must be that parents make their children
go, they must see to it. God will not hold them guiltless if they fail to do this. When your
children are grown, they will do as they please, and they will be responsible. But when they
are growing up, parents are, in a large measure, responsible.
Yes, the devil would like to see the young people turned over to him. But, considering
the folks who have reared them, we have a fine group of young people in the church, and we
will not compromise on that point.
- Finally, Pharaoh suggested that the people go, but leave their property at home —
leave their flocks and herds behind. (See Ex. 10:24-26). Moses said, "There shall
not a hoof be left behind."
The devil today suggests to members of the church that they be Christians, but leave
their pocketbooks behind. Many members of the church never let being a Christian come near
touching their business of "their flocks and herds." There must be much teaching along the
line of Christian stewardship and Christian giving. No man can buy his way into heaven, but
the member of the church who does not give as he is prospered cannot get into heaven. He has
compromised with the devil.
Yes, when Moses "preached the word," Pharaoh yelled for unity. So shall it ever be.
When faithful Christians preach the truth as did faithful pioneers in days gone by, as did the
apostles of our Lord in the first century, the devil and his servants will yell for unity.
They will offer the same suggestions that Pharaoh offered to Moses. Moses refused these
suggestions and had unity on the basis of God's original statement to him.
We can have unity today — we do have unity today — on the terms of God's Word.
"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
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