First Things First by Charles L. Taylor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 7, 1916

FromSigns of the Times, November 7, 1916

First Things First

By Charles L. Taylor

By CHARLES L. TAYLOR

“While they strained at the gnats of ceremonial defilement and other insignificant matters, they swallowed the camels of sin and cruel unbelief without hesitation.”

It is without doubt true that when Jesus came into the world, He found among His people a wonderfully perfect and highly embellished system of theology and church ritual. It is also true that when Jesus appeared, He found an entire nation striving with almost superhuman exertion to carry out in their lives the ten thousand details of religious duty which their system of religion prescribed.

Never before had the Jewish people been so absolutely given over to church form and to church life and work as when the Master took His place among them. But nevertheless, there was never a time in the history of that remarkable people when there was found less real godliness than at that same time. As church ritual increased, spiritual power decreased. Hence the searching rebukes given by the Lord Jesus, as He sought to disabuse the minds of the people, and lead them to see that while they strained at the gnats of ceremonial defilement and other insignificant matters, they swallowed the camels of sin and cruel unbelief without hesitation.

Scales on Their Spiritual Eyes

It was not strange, then, that the twelve men chosen to attend our Lord in His work, were so largely after the order of the people from which they were taken. Somehow it seemed impossible for them to change their modes of thinking, and to come to that place where they could rightly differentiate between dead form and real life.

Their inability to see the living realities of the spiritual kingdom of Jesus, led them very frequently into useless discussion, argumentation, and dissension. It often caused them to be childish and unreasonable with one another, and decidedly uncharitable and unkind to the world.

The tendency and spirit to exalt minor details also caused much jealousy and envy. The very last night before the crucifixion, the record tells us, “there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.” Their thoughts were “of the earth, earthy.” Their eyes were fixed on material things. Really they seemed to think only of a kingdom here below, and of the place each might occupy.

Fixing the Everlasting Emphasis

Thus it was that so late as the time of the ascension, they were still living largely in that crude world of lifeless form and gross materialism. Though the very heavens were aglow with manifestations of divine power and glory, they were looking downward, and concerning themselves with human speculations.

While Jesus sought to introduce them to the infallible proofs of His Messiahship, and thus to awaken in their souls divine harmonies, they were largely blind, and capable only of bringing forth a minor strain. Into the midst of His beautiful teaching concerning His glorious spiritual realm, they injected the foolish and ill-starred question, “Wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?”

Then Jesus gave that remarkable answer, in which He showed not only to them, but to His people of all time, where to place and where to fix an everlasting emphasis. “It is not for you,” He said, “to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me.”

A Stumblingblock to Others

The great question, let it be repeated, is not this or that feature of theology, or this or that phase of church effort. Rather, it is, Are we in living connection with the Holy Ghost, so that we are able to tell what we do know “in demonstration of the Spirit and with power”?

So long as we put the discussion of even vital doctrines, and the attempt to settle disputed points of faith, ahead of brotherly love and Christian tenderness, we have not yet really and truly had the “eyes of our understanding” opened to behold the glory of the better world, and consequently are not able to preach that glory to others.

How often has the unbelieving world had cause to doubt and make light of truth as it has beheld the professed believers of truth showing great lack of sympathy and kindness and sweetness among themselves!

Doctrine is important, infinitely so. But the fact remains that the gift of the Holy Ghost, which fills the soul with boundless love for all and with desire to witness for Jesus, must be made first, as by it alone may any one know what doctrine is. Doctrine without love is cruel, even as love without doctrine is empty sentiment.

Which Do We Emphasize?

“Ye shall receive power,” He said, and do not depart from Jerusalem until you have it. “Wait for the promise.” Do not go out, He would have them understand, until all hindering causes have been removed, and you are under control of the Spirit Teacher. No longer must they allow empty argument to take the place of a life-giving message.

How is it with you and with me? What are we emphasizing? What is our burden? Have we the Holy Spirit, or are we still living on the low plane of human ideas, allowing form to occupy the place of power?

God grant that while we prize in proper measure true form of doctrine and ritual, we may with all our hearts seek for the gift of the Holy Ghost.