Rev. Don Campbell
Matthew 13:23
“THANK GOD IT IS NOT TRUE!”
I recently read an article that proclaimed the church is only as strong as its weakest member. It went like this: “There is an old saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. How true it is. And how true also is the saying when it is applied to the Lord’s church. The church is just as strong as its weakest members. It’s as well attended as the most unfaithful. Its giving is as great and strong as its most covetous member. Its reputation in the community is just as strong as the reputation of its membership. It is as strong in doing good works as the least working member. It sows the seed of the Kingdom no more abundantly than the neglectful member.”
The author meant well, but will it stand the test of logic and Scripture? Consider the idea that the church is as well attended as the most unfaithful. If that were the case, no one would darken the door more than once a month. If the church’s giving was only as good as that of the most covetous member, contributions that are in the thousands would be in the hundreds and those in the hundreds in the tens. If the seed is sown no more abundantly than that done by the most neglectful member, there would be no harvest.
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus said that some good ground bore a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty (Matthew 13:23). It was all good ground. Consider the following passages, which show how we are to treat the weakest among us:
“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions” (Romans 14:1).
“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1)
“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees” (Hebrews 12:12).
A chain may be only as strong as its weakest link, but the body of Christ is not a chain.
I thank God that it is not true that the church is only as strong as its weakest member.
“Link to YouTube Video –
Seed, Scattered and Sown”
