And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
Jesus corrected the disciples for forbidding a man who was casting out demons in His name simply because he did not follow with their group. Their attempt to decide who could work revealed prejudice and faultfinding, judging who should be allowed to work with them, self-sufficiency, and assuming leadership for themselves. His rule means that one who is not opposing Christ and His workers is on their side as an ally. Therefore His followers must not forbid, hinder, or discourage those doing good work in His name merely because they do not belong to their group, follow its methods, are new to the work, or labor out of the usual order. Those whose lives and character are exemplary should be free to serve according to their capacity, since God works through people of differing abilities and experience to reach different souls. This calls for cooperation rather than narrow control, while still preserving gospel simplicity and true godliness. Mistakes by such workers call for correction and instruction, not rejection or discouragement.
God gives different workers different gifts, different lines of work, and a message and light to bear, so varied gifts must be brought into exercise and workers helped in their own work rather than getting in each other's way, even when laboring in the same great wicked city, since one can reach a class the other cannot reach. No one is to discard another's work because of a family drawback, place stumbling blocks in the way of the Lord's messengers, or forbid those who hear Christ's message. All means are not to be handled by one organization or one party, because the Lord works through various agencies. Those who desire to step into new fields and take up new lines of labor, including those trying to do missionary work in a quiet way, should be encouraged rather than stopped.
The verse requires allowing appointed startling warnings that come in an unusual order, such as Brother Franke's message in New York to people spiritually dead. While established missions must still reach a certain class according to the light given, a decided message that startles hearers must also be borne because the judgments of God are in the land. Resistance to such a message does not show that the work should be stopped; it shows that the warning is testing the people. Its appointed work is to give the last message of mercy with startling fervency, to break the terrible spell upon the people, to cry aloud and spare not, to warn the church and the world and the city, and to arouse and convert souls dead in trespasses and sins who otherwise would never be reached, using every kind of talent God appoints in warning New York City and the world. Those who hear Christ's message and heed His cautions and warnings will come into harmony and avoid Satan's snare.
Jesus corrected the disciples for forbidding a man who was casting out demons in His name simply because he did not follow with their group. Their attempt to decide who could work revealed prejudice and faultfinding, judging who should be allowed to work with them, self-sufficiency, and assuming leadership for themselves. His rule means that one who is not opposing Christ and His workers is on their side as an ally. Therefore His followers must not forbid, hinder, or discourage those doing good work in His name merely because they do not belong to their group, follow its methods, are new to the work, or labor out of the usual order. Those whose lives and character are exemplary should be free to serve according to their capacity, since God works through people of differing abilities and experience to reach different souls. This calls for cooperation rather than narrow control, while still preserving gospel simplicity and true godliness. Mistakes by such workers call for correction and instruction, not rejection or discouragement.
God gives different workers different gifts, different lines of work, and a message and light to bear, so varied gifts must be brought into exercise and workers helped in their own work rather than getting in each other's way, even when laboring in the same great wicked city, since one can reach a class the other cannot reach. No one is to discard another's work because of a family drawback, place stumbling blocks in the way of the Lord's messengers, or forbid those who hear Christ's message. All means are not to be handled by one organization or one party, because the Lord works through various agencies. Those who desire to step into new fields and take up new lines of labor, including those trying to do missionary work in a quiet way, should be encouraged rather than stopped.
The verse requires allowing appointed startling warnings that come in an unusual order, such as Brother Franke's message in New York to people spiritually dead. While established missions must still reach a certain class according to the light given, a decided message that startles hearers must also be borne because the judgments of God are in the land. Resistance to such a message does not show that the work should be stopped; it shows that the warning is testing the people. Its appointed work is to give the last message of mercy with startling fervency, to break the terrible spell upon the people, to cry aloud and spare not, to warn the church and the world and the city, and to arouse and convert souls dead in trespasses and sins who otherwise would never be reached, using every kind of talent God appoints in warning New York City and the world. Those who hear Christ's message and heed His cautions and warnings will come into harmony and avoid Satan's snare.