The Early Church - Chapter 5 - Let Us Make Us a Name

Chapter 5 - Let Us Make Us a Name

In
the days shortly after the flood, some thousands of years before Christ
was born, the interesting events of Genesis 11:1-9 took place. It is
the familiar story of the tower of Babel. These were the thoughts of
the natural heart in that day:

And they said, Go to,
let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven;and
let us make us a name, lest we be scattered upon the face of the whole
earth. (Gen. 11:4)

Their aspirations are most
interesting and instructive because they have characterized the human
heart in every generation. First, they desired the security and unity
which the external organization of a city would give them. Secondly,
they desired a magnificent, tall monument, possibly to be used for
religious purposes, erected to their honor and glory. Security and
glory for self- this is the longing of the natural heart.

It is well put by Keil and Delitzsch in their commentary (p. 173):

The
real motive therefore was the desire for renown, and the object was to
establish a noted central point, which might serve to maintain their
unity. The one was just as ungodly as the other.

Pride
is a fearful evil, but their centralizing desire was wicked too. It
revealed a disobedient heart — they were commanded to fill the earth —
and a heart that wanted security and unity based on man's efforts. True
security is to trust the Living God; true unity is maintained by an
inward, spiritual kinship, which only God can produce.

God
determined to confound man's grandiose ideas then, and He has
repeatedly done so since. Witness the rise and fall of great empires
and nations.

Unfortunately, this same natural heart is still in
the bosom of the believer and makes its voice heard. It is tragic that
so often this seducing voice is heeded.

It had been God's will
that His people Israel should live together in a loose tribal
organization with their real unity resulting from their common worship
of Jehovah. He would role over them, instructing and exhorting the
people through His servants, the judges and prophets. Their ministry
would be more or less an itinerant ministry, recognized because of the
gift of God (I Sam. 7:15-17).

Yet to the natural mind this all
seemed very weak and ineffective. They had no closely-knit, highly
organized government; they had no king to look to as head. True,
Jehovah was their King (Zeph. 3:15), yet they longed for a visible
head. The unseen, spiritual realities never satisfy the natural heart.
"Make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (I Sam. 8:5). Their
pattern was the world and not the Word.

This longing for external
unity and security, along with a desire to belong to something big has
always plagued God's people. The history of Christendom repeatedly
reveals these tendencies. The Spirit of God does a real work; souls are
saved and gathered together in simple, earnest companies. There is a
lack of external organization, no denominational machinery, no mission
boards, no training schools for preachers, no loaning agencies — all is
done in simple faith upon the Living God. Instead of belonging to
something they belong to Someone. Instead of making a name for
themselves, they magnify His Matchless Name. There is apparent
weakness, but actually virile, spiritual strength. There is apparent
disunity outwardly, yet true, inward unity based on a common life.

However,
time and again this delightful New Testament simplicity has been
broken. Churches are organized into associations and denominations.
Mission boards are set up to pass on candidates, to organize their
support and to gain government recognition. Churches become large and
elaborate. Common laymen dare not address such. Clergy are elevated who
do all the preaching and take the leadership. Training schools are
established for such and, in time, only graduates of accredited schools
can serve as "Missionaries" and "Pastors." All of these tend to give
external unity, security, and to make a name for the group. Who wants
to belong to something small?

Church history flashes the above
picture on the screen of time repeatedly. It is a warning for us. The
simple, autonomous assembly of the New Testament looks weak, but it has
the security of Jehovah God. Assemblies meeting in such simplicity seem
disorganized outwardly, but running deep below the surface is the
living unity of the Spirit, which unites all true believers into one
new man. Through it all Man's name is nothing and His Great Name
extolled. God's ways are best.

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us?
But unto thy name give glory,
For thy mercy and for try truth's sake
(Ps. 115:1).