Majorities Often Wrong -
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
When
Paul instructs Timothy to charge his followers not to “give heed” to
“endless genealogies” (I Tim. 1:4), he refers to the status symbol of
the personality of his day.
Recently
this writer was informed by a correspondent from an eastern state that
it appeared that he might be related to a Revolutionary general named
Stam — and, did we wish him to investigate further! We replied that we
were far too excited about where we were going to care much about where
we had come from!
While
there are some in our day who are very proud of their ancestry and have
coats of arms displayed in their homes, the average Christian probably,
has never had his family tree traced back very far. But in Paul’s day
genealogies were very important, even among believers. One’s family
relationships meant a great deal. If you were a second cousin to Christ
or even a third cousin to Peter you “had it made.” You might be crude,
or stupid, or even wicked, but all this was overlooked: you were closely
related to Christ Himself or to the Apostle Peter and all were ready to
give you audience.
Actually,
the personality cult is still with us in the Church today though it
manifests itself in different ways. We live in a day of mass
communications, when the faces of prominent men and women are seen again
and again in newspapers and magazines and even their personalities come
through to us over radio and television. Thus it is the prominent
“Christian” politician, athlete, actor, beauty queen, or even former
gangster who commands the attention today. Those who arrange
evangelistic campaigns often seek to engage such personalities to
attract crowds. Such prominent figures, though perhaps actually saved,
may be very much “of the world,” dishonoring their Christian calling
every day, but their presence draws crowds and their shallow testimonies
are used to justify their public participation in the work of the Lord.
The
new evangelicalism has borrowed many prominent personalities from the
world to help swell its audiences, while the old prayer that the witness
may be hid behind the cross is to all intents and purposes considered
passe.
Christ Arrest and His Suffering
By Les Feldick
Les Feldick Ministries
30706 W. Lona Valley Rd.
Kinta, OK 74552
Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
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