Acts 21:21
“And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.”
We often fall prey to the critics who say that those who stand firmly on the old paths are so divisive. They often say that if we would stop being so divisive that we could all get along. Sadly, their cry for unity is simply a ploy to destroy us.
Throughout history there has always been those who were called divisive for their strong stand for the old paths. When J. Frank Norris died, the famous independent Baptist pastor who pastored two large churches at one time, his haters said that because the divider had died that maybe they could all get along. When Jack Hyles died, the famed pastor who built the largest Sunday school, many of those who hated his strong stand said that we could finally get along because the instigator of division died. These who hate the strong stand for the old paths will always call those who perpetuate that stand as a divider.
However, this call for unity has been debunked in the Scripture. When Paul arrived at the church in Jerusalem, the Christians gladly received him. After their greetings, James addressed Paul’s strong stand against the error of the modern religious leaders. They told Paul that if he would just take the Jewish vow, he could prove that their criticisms were false. They said in verse 24, if he took the Jewish oath that all “those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.” Paul’s critics said that the “multitude must needs come together…” Paul listened to their call for compromise but quickly found out that compromise still didn’t unify him with the critics.
Friend, moving never wins. The critics of the old paths can cry that we need to stop being divisive, but you will never win by moving. You must always understand that the first person who moves is the one who loses. You may try to get along by backing off on your strong stand, but you will soon find out that they will move further away even if you move.
Moreover, the critic’s goal is your destruction. When Paul moved, they were not happy that he kept the Jewish vow as they did; instead, their whole goal was to see him killed. You have to understand that, to the enemy, who you are represents the personal stand you have taken. You can reach out in an attempt to get along, but you will find that they will never reach back. Their goal is your destruction. Their mentality is that if you are destroyed, they can then prove that you were not right.
What is the answer? The answer is to continue to stand for truth. Stop listening to the critics voices who demand you tone down the rhetoric and keep standing for truth. There must always be a voice in the wilderness that cries aloud for the old paths. My friend, I truly understand that the critic’s voice is never palatable. I understand the desire that they would accept you, but you must understand that it will never happen. If you changed, you would prove their point that what you believe is wrong. If the old paths are right, and they are, you must continue to stand in spite of the critics call for unity. If your stand for right causes division, so be it. Your continued stand is the only thing that will keep the old paths alive in this present generation.