Our duty
"Our duty today?"
said Brother Roberts,
"To live the life,
maintain sound doctrine,
avoid unprofitable questions,
and preach the Word as workmen that
needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
This is the business of our lives.
Let us not be turned away from it by 'Sanballats'."
Brother Robert Roberts
~
Dear brethren and sisters,
let us be brave and consistent in the case.
Deciding that Paul's testimony is a true one,
let us recognize that it is worthy of
all the enthusiastic appreciation and service
which is in our power to yield.
If it is true,
it calls for nothing less than all the consecrated and energetic
endeavor which Paul himself threw into its service
during a lifetime of nearly forty years,
in which he hath left us an example
which Christ himself has set us to copy.
Brother Robert Roberts
~
Our duty and privilege...
"In the apostles' doctrine,
by diligent investigation of the Scriptures,
that ALL its members may qualify themselves
to speak unto men to conviction;
also to the edification, and exhortation, and comfort of believers."
(1 Cor. 14: 3, 24, 31; Acts 13: 4)
Brother John Thomas
Herald of the Kingdom Age
1851
~
The Lord asks us not for our surplus strength,
nor the balance of our means,
nor for the half of our soul:
but asks from us the first place in our affections;
the first fruit of our increase;
the very best and richest portion of our possessions;
and most the most perfect, unblemished and savory offering
in kind we can command -
the very marrow and fatness of our estate.
Lev. 3: 1-6; Mark 12:30.
Brother F.R. Shuttleworth
~
Numerous are the figures which the Scriptures employ
to describe a Christadelphian's duty in relation to the Truth-
a soldier, an athlete, a slave,
a watchman.
How suggestive are these similes of
obedience, exertion, alertness, courage,
endurance;
and how they condemn
sleepiness, supineness,
indolence.
What an example does Paul set
in the matter of faithfulness as to
what is pleasing to God!
Brother Robert Roberts
~
Woe to the brother who presents himself
at the tribunal of Christ,
with nothing else to offer than a hidden Truth.
Ill-starred will be he who can only say,
"I received the Truth, and was immersed,
and henceforth enjoyed myself in silence!"
Quietude and silence are not
the prerogatives of the Saints in this present evil world.
Their duty is to "cry aloud and spare not:
to lift up their voice like a trumpet and show the people their transgression,
and the house of Jacob their sins."
Brother John Thomas
in a letter to brother Roberts
My Days and my Ways
~
True love will not stand supinely by
when the Truth is in danger, but will boldly stand for its defense,
opposing those who challenges its supremacy and authority
whether in doctrine or in standards.
Love will do this irrespective as to whether
its motives are distorted
and reputations suffer as a result-
Brother H.P. Mansfield
~
Dare
to be singular in the openly keeping of the commandments of God.
How otherwise can you expect Him to honor you before the multitude
by entrusting you with His behests in the day of His power?
The Christadelphian 1888
~
There should be no want of courtesy and patience on anyone professing the Truth.
His courtesy and patience should stand the strain of rudeness.
The Truth is not responsible for all called 'Christadelphian'.
Brother Robert Roberts
1888
~
When we have done all, we have only obtained access to a favor.
Men who talk of “claiming” eternal life as a right,
have not learnt the way of God.
“By grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves,
it is the gift of God.”
By grace we rejoice in hope of the glory of God,
to be manifested upon the earth when
“the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with him.”
Brother Robert Roberts
1893
~
REST is for the weak;
EASE for the self-lover;
LABOR for the wise, who recognize the conditional nature of life in all its ramifications.
The Christadelphian
1894
~
I used to think Dr. Thomas was too severe.
It is the mistake of all children till bitter experience makes them finally aware
of the sort of world they are living in.
Brother Robert Roberts
My Days and My Ways
pg. 145
~
Only a few men have a passionate desire to be on the side of truth,
though all men desire truth to be on their side.
~
“A word fitly spoken,”
says the wise man,
“is like apples of gold in pictures of silver;”
i.e. , they are beautiful and precious-a high qualification,
therefore, do they possess who are able to speak right words;
and there is abundant evidence that it is incumbent upon all who are labouring
to win souls “from vanity to serve the living and true God,”
not only to contend earnestly for the things which form the
| “faith once delivered unto the saints,” but also “to give attendance to reading,”
in order, thereby that they may obtain the knowledge requisite to
“convince the gainsayers.”
“The servant of the Lord,” says our brother Paul, must be “apt to teach,”
so that, “by sound doctrine” he may be able to sustain the cause of the faith successfully,
and with this in view, the further injunction has been written for our guidance,
“give attention to reading,”
as the means whereby the ability “to rightly divide the word of truth” may be obtained.
The Christadelphian
1878
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Our duty to love
must never interfere with our duty to declare the truth.
Brother Robert Roberts
1870
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I hope our brethren in these parts will appreciate the high honor they have attained to in the providence of God; that, namely, of being a pillar and support of the truth in the wilderness. Let them shine as a pillar in the night,
holding forth the word of life and showing their good behavior in Christ
- its transforming influence over their minds.
Brother John Thomas
1854
~
Let us do our part in all humility and God will do His.
He can spoil or prosper our work,
but our work is the basis of His action toward us.
"Draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto you."
A presumptuous attitude will be our destruction.
Brother Robert Roberts
The Ways of Providence
1881
~
An enlightened man
will not wait till he can do a great thing.
If a man waits till he can do a great thing, he will never do anything.
Do little things faithfully and these may grow into great.
Things that are considered great are made up of many littles,
and a man who scorns the little will never reach the great.
Brother Robert Roberts
The Ways of Providence
1881
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The divinely allotted work of Christadelphians
lies not in the realm of our politics,
nor in joining the world in its thousand and one enterprises
for the amelioration and removal of many evils with which mankind is cursed.
Their work is Christ's work- a work which he left for them to finish (Lk. 19:13).
It consists in preaching the Gospel,
and in upbuilding the brotherhood on the lines of the Truth-
in cooperating with God in the preparation of a people for His name. (Lk. 4:43)
And what a work!
-What an honor and privilege to be able to carry it on!
And who is there that cannot cooperate it?
All can- the little serving maid, and "the lady of the house"
-the laboring man and the well to do employer.
It is a business second to none.
Logos 1960
~
The Lord will judge all presently. Meanwhile, some "men's sins are open beforehand to judgment." As one remarked the other day, "There are helpers and yelpers," and as to which is which, it is not what people claim to be, but what they are in fact as experienced by others, that settles the question. A tree is known by its fruits. The disaffected try to paint us black. We wipe off the pitch. They cannot object to this. If we tried to put it on others, they might complain: but this we have never done, and will not. We leave them in the Lord's hands.
Brother Robert Roberts
~
The characteristics of a true Christadelphian are
"The obedience of faith" and a walk "worthy of God"; in other words,
He first understands the things of the Kingdom of God and Name of Jesus Christ;
Secondly, he believes what he understands,
and loves what he believes above every other thing;
Thirdly, his "faith working by love" causes him to be immersed into the Divine Name;
Fourthly, he walks in the Truth, and is careful to do nothing to it's injury;
And fifthly, he will not fellowship those who do not believe and do.
Brother John Thomas
Logos November 1965
pg 100
~
Brethren and sisters who are alive to their duties,
privileges and responsibilities, will not neglect (where possible)
the assembling of themselves together;
but their presence at the table will be the first thing in their heart;
and their dutiful attendance on the public ministration of the Gospel
will not only outweigh all other preferences,
but will be performed with an exemplary zeal,
such as becomes the
"Good soldiers of Jesus Christ."
Brother F.R. Shuttleworth
The Christadelphian 1875
~
Our actions tend to scare away people from the truth,
if they see them mixed up with unrighteousness.
We ought to be scrupulously honorable-men and women of good faith,
whose word is sacred;
who consider a promise binding, even if fulfillment is detrimental.
That is what David says a man of God is
-one who swears to his own hurt and changeth not.
In all our dealings let us remember this.
Brother Robert Roberts
The Christadelphian
1869
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Cry after knowledge; lift up thy voice for understanding; seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasure.
Exertion is never so energetic, perseverance never so tenacious, skill never so thorough, as when money is to be got.
This is the divine measure of the industry we are called upon to exercise
in the quest for the precious mental attainment variously expressed as knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
Such earnestness and activity with such an object is repugnant to modern maxims.
“Take it easy” is the world's prescription concerning
“the one thing needful.” As to making money, there is no bound to the diligence it will allow and advise you to put forth. We have to choose between what the world advises and what God advises. We are naturally more inclined to take the world's advice, because it is more pleasant. But we do not require to go far to see that what is the most pleasant is not necessarily the best, but in all probability the worst.
The time will come when it will be manifest to all men that he only has acted the wise part who has made wisdom his friend at whatever labor and cost:
for wisdom will crown her children for ever when sinners rot in dishonored dust.
Brother Robert Roberts
1884
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One remarked that we seem fond of strife.
Not so.
We love peace and retirement from the heartless turmoil of religious partyism and the world.
But, believing the truth, hating iniquity, and loving righteousness,
we cannot witness injustice, and perversion of the faith,
and not contend against it.
Brother John Thomas
~
The shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep
This primarily refers to Christ himself, who offered himself a sacrifice of “?sweet smelling savor?” to Him who required
this declaration of His righteousness,
“?that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus?” (?Rom. iii?.).
But it is true of all shepherd-men who have received the truth
in the love of it,
and estimate the work of Christ as their sweetest occupation and their highest honor.
There is “?a chief shepherd?” (?1 Pet. v. 4?), viz., “?that great shepherd of the sheep,?” our Lord Jesus,
who was “?brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant?” (?Heb. xiii. 20?).
This implies under-shepherds, namely, the apostles and all who enter into their work in the line of things indicated to Timothy
in the words of Paul:
“?The things that thou hast heard of me, among |many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men,
who shall be able to teach others also?”
(?2 Tim. ii. 2?).
Men of this qualification are the true “?successors of the apostles,?”
and they have been found wherever faithful men of ability have received and espoused the faith of Christ
with the ardent appreciation and disinterested aims of the apostles.
They require no hiring to look after the sheep, and when the wolf of danger in any shape presents itself,
they sally forth with clubs to beat off the beast
at the peril of their lives.
Bro. Robert Roberts
Nazareth Revisited
1 Peter 5:2,4
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
John 10:11-16
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Zechariah 11:17 - 12:1
Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock!
the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
Ezekiel 34:8
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field,
because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
~
To discern the truth, and be able to define it, is one thing;
but to set about the service of it and those connected with it, in the spirit of self sacrifice,
is another and a scarcer thing, and yet the only thing that will stand in the day of trial;
for the Great President at that trial has said:
“He that taketh not his cross and followeth after me,
is not worthy of me.
He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”
-( Matt. 10:38 , 39 .)
Brother Robert Roberts
~
“Woe be to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves.
Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat and clothe you with the wool; ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not the flock . . .
Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock.”
Ezekiel 34:2
Paul, himself a true shepherd,
exhorted the leading brethren in Ephesus to feed the flock with true kindness and care.
Peter does the same thing, adding that
“when the chief shepherd shall appear,”
all such faithful shepherds
shall receive a royal trust of larger dimensions.
We are not all in the formal position of shepherds, but all of us have an appointed care of one another.
The shepherd spirit applies to the whole, because of Christ; and though wolves sometimes array themselves in fleece,
for the sake of the attention that belongs to the sheep,
we must take care not to be betrayed into a neglect of the precept and examples given for our development,
in preparation for the unspeakable exaltation that awaits us,
if Christ approve.
Brother Robert Roberts
1878