Dale Ridge church of Christ

These past months America, along with much of the world, has closely followed the activities leading up to our recent national elections.  During times of political change one of the most frequently heard sentiments is that of “majority rule”.  By strict definition majority means more than half of a vote.  For example, of 35 voters 18 or more would signify the majority.

While this logic would appear a straightforward, fair and consistent way of making certain choices - mathmatics makes the decision - administering our lives by the dogma of “majority rules” is a certain path to ruin.  One soon learns that the majority can be as easily confused as the individual.  Following the crowd in order to be numbered with the majority can cloud our judgement and lead us astray from God’s divine direction.

God’s Bible is filled with examples of wrongful judgement caused by following the crowd, and specific indictment against holding to Man’s judgements when contrary to God’s own instruction.  The commandment is clear: the Christian is to turn to God for direction first, with Man’s wisdom a very distant second.

When brought before the authorities of the day for preaching that which was contrary to the “majority rule”, the apostles Peter & John were led by the Spirit to reply:

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. Acts 4:19

Many times today we are told that there are no absolutes.  No absolute right, no absolute wrong.  That the right answer to a question, or the correct decision, depends upon the situation.  That truth is changeable, and relative to it’s context.  This worldly device of  “situational ethics” is entirely contrary to the doctrine of Christ as He taught in John 8:32.  As truth shall make us free, freedom can not be dependent upon many flavors of truth.  We can understand that it is indeed the will of God that Man would come to know truth ( 1 Timothy 2:4 ) for which purpose He sent his Son.

In five brief chapters of 1st John, the inspired apostle has much to say about truth.  We notice John uses the word “know” thirty-five times in that short epistle.  We ask “Brother John, is truth absolute?  Is it possible for Man to discern between that which is true, and the false?”

Paul’s first preserved letter to the church at Corinth is filled with teaching regarding the folly of following Man’s teaching.  Many times throughout that work, Paul demonstrates the insurmountable gap between Man’s invented wisdom, and God’s divine omniscience.  We learn that:

• Worldly wisdom is foolish – 1 Corinthians 1:20
• The world will view Gospel preaching as foolishness - 1 Corinthians 1:21
• We are to teach not the ways of Man, but that of God -1 Corinthians 2:1
• Our faith must not lie in Man’s wisdom, but in God’s power - 1 Corinthians 2:5
• Worldly wisdom is foolishness to God – 1 Corinthians 3:19

In reference to developing our habits, the worldly Greek philosopher Aristotle once stated that “We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”    Applied within the context of today’s study, we may understand that following the majority can soon become a habit.  Godly living requires the habit of making Godly decisions.  By contrast, worldy living is the adoption of worldly habits, against the will of God (1 John 2:15).

There will be times when we shall stand alone.  We may feel that everyone else is against us.  We may feel abandoned.  But so long as it is the conviction to follow God that has brought us to that state, we do well to remember that with God, there is always the majority.

What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31

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Filed under: Authors, Gregg Alexander on November 7th, 2008