A CONFERENCE NOT TO BE HELD
By Uriah Smith
“Immediately I conferred not,” says the apostle Paul, “with flesh and blood.” The occasion referred to in this remark was when it pleased God to call him by his grace, and reveal His Son in him, that he might preach the gospel to the heathen. Gal. 1:15-17. The case is a very clear one, even from our distant point of view; and it was a clear one to him; that is, he knew that there was no occasion for him, under the circumstances, to hold a conference with flesh and blood in reference to the great issue then at stake,—the duty he owed to the call of God,—just as there need not be to any now, under like circumstances. His call from God was direct and plain; and it is a notable instance of the power of the gospel that it can cause its influence to prevail over a man in such a position, of such learning, and such energy of character; but we need not be surprised at this; for the gospel “is the power of God unto salvation.” This instance has been the means of bringing many souls to Christ. But from the standpoint of his position, Paul might have been tempted to stop and reason: “What! should I, who have been persecuting the disciples of Christ, turn around now, and go to preaching the gospel? What will people think of me? How will it affect my standing and prospects as a member of the honorable Sanhedrin? How will it change my prospects in life? I think I will talk a little with my neighbors before I make any such move.” This would have been conferring with flesh and blood. But the apostle knew the call he had received; and he knew who had called him; and he would give no opportunity for side influences to come in and embarrass his convictions of duty. He would not even go to those who were already in the faith, to whom his mind would most naturally turn under such circumstances. But knowing that his commission was a virgin call from the Lord, he would not go to others, whatever their standing or qualifications, lest it might seem that he had received his gospel at secondhand, and had gathered his determinations from the wishes and directions of men. He did not consult his relatives in the flesh, who would have thought him led away by some sudden and blind impulse, and would have advised him to wait and be cautious in the matter. He did not consult his own worldly interests. These would all have led him in the opposite direction. But these he counted all loss for Christ. He did not consult even his own personal safety; and he knew he would expose himself to dangers and perils of every kind and form. He had suddenly become willing to suffer with Christ, that he might reign with him. So, passing these considerations all aside, he says, “Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.” His language involves more than the mere negative idea conveyed by the words used. It means that he immediately took such steps as to show that he was not consulting flesh and blood in the matter. All that a good and conscientious man wishes to know in regard to any course of conduct, is simply whether or not it is the will of God. Being satisfied that it is settles the question. When you take anything else into consideration, what are you doing?—You are putting something else on a par with the will of the Lord. And this is simply to renounce the Lord, whom we profess to take as our commander and guide, and to put man in His place. Take the whole list of worthies mentioned in Hebrews 11; it appears that the only warrant they wanted in what they had to do was faith that it was the Lord’s will. To hesitate to obey the call of duty, from selfish interests, is to put self in the place of the Lord, and openly renounce Him by asserting that our own interests are better and more important than His will. To enter into a conference with flesh and blood, in regard to our duty, and defer its claims to their judgment and promptings, is to turn our backs upon Christ, who expects us, as His disciples, to give ourselves to Him without question or reserve. And when, instead of doing duty promptly, we delay till we can take counsel with what Paul calls flesh and blood, we generally do not perform the duty at all. The principle involved in this question has a wide application to duties that are recognized as general. In forsaking sin, we are not to consult society. In the duty of dealing uprightly, we are not to follow the customs that prevail in trade, in the world’s business. In consecration to Christ, we are not to conform to the low standard common to multitudes of the professors of religion. In our own personal service we are not to consult our individual likes and dislikes, nor personal ease or honor, nor the prospects of advancement or remuneration, nor to let these considerations swerve us a hair’s breadth from duty. We are to consider, moreover, that the path of duty is a path of sacrifice: if we can not hold a situation and remain honest, sacrifice the situation, if that can be called a sacrifice, but keep honor pure; if remaining true to the dictates of religion causes loss in trade, sacrifice the trade, but be true to the principles of religion. When some flattering position of honor and trust opens before us, but we find that we can not reach it without lying, bribery, deception, or departing in some respect from what we had promised by word or action, better sacrifice the position than to indulge in these evil principles. If, through some misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the facts in the case, we give our word and pledge to do some act, or carry out some agreement, which is, at the time, all right in itself, but which we afterward find will involve us in special burden or loss to carry out, we had better bear the loss and keep the pledge. This we understand is what David means when he says that “he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not . . . shall never be moved.” Ps. 15:4. While in the matter of conviction of duty it is not best to defer too largely even to the influence of good men,—for they may be governed by wrong motives, may lack in judgment, faith, or devotion,—what shall be said of conferring with wicked men in regard to our convictions of duty? Would they be likely to give the right counsel or exert the right influence?—Surely not. “But,” says one, “I should not think of conferring with such persons.” Of course not, knowingly and openly. But what about doing it unconsciously, and beneath the surface? How many are doing this very thing, from the naked and unvarnished statement of which they shrink with great aversion. Is not this virtually done by all those who fear to follow the right course of action, or be true to their convictions of duty, for fear that wicked men will ridicule them, or denounce them, or otherwise make their situation unpleasant and embarrassing? Those who are influenced by such considerations are certainly conferring with men in regard to their duty, and letting them decide. What does James say on this point? He says “that the friendship of the world is enmity with God;” and that therefore whosoever “will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4. What must the Lord think of His professed follower who holds a conference with the sworn enemy of God? The principle applies also to the special services which God requires of us to Him. From these we are not to be held back by the consideration of personal weakness, or the lack of visible means; because whatever God calls us to do, He will provide strength and means for its accomplishment. Dr. Payson says: “Whatever God calls a man to do, He will carry it through. I would undertake to govern half a dozen worlds if God called me to do it; but if He did not call me, I would not undertake to govern half a dozen sheep.” The fear of not being able to hold on keeps many from starting in the known duty of leading a Christian life. But this is distrusting the power of Christ; or else it is a confession that we do not intend to trust Him. The more common reason for conferring with flesh and blood is a reluctance to give up the world, and a secret clinging to some of its easy ways and indulgences. This is a most perilous course, against which the Lord particularly warns us: “Remember Lot’s wife.” The example and exhortation of Paul not to confer with flesh and blood in matters of conviction of duty, commends itself to the best judgment of all men. We look with disdain upon the man who has no mind of his own, but acts like the Hindoos, whose course of action, according to a returned missionary, in their own words is: “I do as ten men do;” that is, he has no settled course of duty of his own, but follows custom. But we commend the man who rests his convictions upon an enlightened conscience, and then has courage to carry them out. The judgment of the eternal world will certainly approve such a course. It is the privilege of every one to be in such communion with God that his duty will be to him as clear and plain as Paul’s duty was to him, and he will have no need to confer with any earthly wisdom in regard to a proper course of life, any more than had Paul with reference to his preaching the gospel. To begin parleying with the enemy is to enter upon the path of defeat. “I did not ask your opinion,” said the Duke of Wellington, to an officer of the engineers, who was urging the impossibility of executing an order he had received. “I gave you orders, and I expect them to be obeyed.” Can our Lord be any less rigid in His directions?