Holding Our Own by Charles Thompson

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 19, 1916

FromSigns of the Times, December 19, 1916

Holding Our Own

By Charles Thompson

BY CHARLES THOMPSON

IN reply to the inquiry concerning the growth of a church, the answer is frequently given, "We are holding our own." And, strange to say, oftentimes this is accompanied by an air of satisfaction.

But no church should be satisfied without seeing growth. There is no such thing in nature as a standstill. The day a tree stops growing, it begins to decay. The moment the stream ceases to flow, it begins to stagnate. So with the church; it cannot stand still. It was sent forth upon its mission "conquering and to conquer"; and when it ceases to "conquer," it has been conquered.

In the parable of the talents, recorded in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, we read concerning the man who received five talents, that he gained five more. The one receiving two, gained two. Here we find growth. The man receiving one, "held his own," for he returned one. To the first two was given the commendation, "Well done." The last one was addressed as "thou wicked and slothful servant."

From these statements, we can understand how the Lord regards a standstill. To the men returning an increase, He says, "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Of the one "holding his own," He says, "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Battles of the Remnant Army

"The church is God's organized means for the salvation of souls," and it is therefore called to wage a warfare against sin. The entire membership is to enlist "as good soldiers for Jesus Christ." The warfare is never to cease; for we read, "The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17. The remnant of her seed is the last of the church militant, and she is to be thrown into the fiercest of the warfare. God has never sent His church forth to meet defeat, but to conquer; hence He expects growth until the end.

The commission given by the great Head of the church to the "remnant army" is, to warn the last generation of people against the worship of the beast and his image, and against receiving his mark; and those called into this conflict, who will eventually stand upon the sea of glass, are those who have "gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image."

Victory grows out of a conflict, and not a compromise. Therefore we are persuaded that growth is, and will be until the end, obtained only by vigorously, enthusiastically, and aggressively pushing the battle against the foe. As a result of constant agitation of and contending for right principles and high moral standards, souls will be enlightened, and saved from the impending doom of the ungodly.

We would urge every church to "anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see," and thus get a clearer vision than ever before of the message we are called to bear, and with swords newly edged, go forth fearlessly and uncompromisingly in the work to which we have been called. Then, as surely as there is a God, and as truly as there are souls to be saved, there will be growth in the church; for it is written, "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children."