Many modern day religious bodies come together in their “General Assemblies” and vote on matters of faith.  They decide, by way of popular vote, what positions a specific denomination is going to take on various matters of doctrine.  In recent months we have seen the Presbyterian Church have many disputes over their voting (i.e. on Homosexual Bishops).  These denominations are the works of men, so it should be no surprise that they would form doctrinal stands from a popular vote opposed to the word of God.  Those denominations exist not to please God, but to conform to the demands of man.  In this, they shall never please the Lord (Galatians 1:10).

     It is sad to see that this idea of “let’s take a vote” also affects the church that Christ died to establish (Acts 20:28; cf. Matthew 16:18, Romans 16:16, and Ephesians 4:4).  Some brethren have adopted the denominational idea that we can vote on matters of faith.  For example, prior to congregations fulfilling the command to practice congregational discipline (Matthew 18:15-17 and II Thessalonians 3:6), some brethren will take a vote on it.  In doing so, they leave a command of God up to the personal judgment of brethren.  In one case I am aware of, the brethren were voting on practicing discipline of a popular member of that specific congregation.  The vote was divided and the men of that congregation fought hard about whether or not they would practice discipline in this specific case.  If left up to God there would have never been a debate.  If one walks disorderly they are disciplined.  The problems within the church today exist because some have walked away from God being the standard, then turning to man to make the decisions.

     Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18).  God the Father said: “…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5).  Jesus is the head of His body, the church (Ephesians 1:22-23 and Colossians 1:18).  The church is to be in subjection to Christ (Ephesians 5:24).  This alone should keep men from thinking they can make decisions about matters of faith for the body of Christ.

     It is extremely unwise for man to become the standard by which we measure spiritual well-being.  Paul affirmed this by what he wrote to the brethren in Corinth: “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise…  For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth” (II Corinthians 10:12; 18).  Jeremiah said: “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).  The wisdom of men is not greater than the wisdom of God (Isaiah 55:8-9).  It is dangerous for man to start thinking of their wisdom above that which is written in the inspired text we know as the Bible.  In fact, Paul wrote the following saying essentially the same thing: “And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another” (I Corinthians 4:6).

     When men begin to make their judgment the standard by which spiritual matters are decided they have in fact usurped the authority of the Lord.  Man at this point begins to think of himself as wiser than the Lord.  It is dangerous when people become wise in their own eyes (Proverbs 3:5-7).  What seems right to us is not always the right choice (Proverbs 14:12).  When we begin to trust in things like our feelings, we begin to act as fools (Proverbs 28:26).  We need to reconcile our actions with the word of God instead of our own thinking.

     When men decide to vote on matters of faith they take the word of God and discard it as useless.  We should be walking according to the word of God.  We should obey, as Moses, wrote: “Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32).  Joshua also wrote exhorting God’s people of old not to depart from the word of the Lord either to the right or the left (Joshua 1:7).  The word of God is not the word of men: “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12).  We must be subject to the word of God as it expresses the will of the Lord (Matthew 7:21).  We must therefore, do all things according to what Jesus Christ has authorized (Colossians 3:17).

     Why would brethren make choices that eliminate the word of God from what they are practicing?  They do so because they cannot find authority for what they want to do.  Sadly, we see many of our brethren today making choices based upon what is popular instead of what is right.  In the Old Testament God’s people wanted to do what was popular.  They decided that they wanted a king to be like the other nations.  In doing so, they chose the choices of men over the Lord.  The account is as follows: “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.  And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them” (I Samuel 8:4-7).  We should learn not to choose man’s thoughts over God’s law!

     Brethren, we must not seek to be like the denominations.  We must understand that the word of God is sufficient in guiding us even unto this day (II Timothy 3:16-17 and I Peter 1:23).  The word of God is able to save (James 1:21).  If we choose the doctrines of men over the word of God that brings salvation, we can know for sure that we will not please the Lord (Galatians 1:10).  Jesus said: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).  We need to build our faith upon the Lord and not upon the sandy soil made from the ideas of men.

     When it comes to deciding where to stand, what to practice, and what to believe; do not look for a vote to determine what is popular.  When decisions need to be made we need to look to the Lord.  Many claim to know and love the Lord.  Can that claim be made if one does not look to the word of the Lord and obey it?  That question can be answered by looking at what John penned by inspiration: “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (I John 2:3-5).

     There was a time in which some of the disciples of the Lord began to depart from Him.  The words which Jesus spoke just simply did not sit well with them any longer.  Jesus then asked the twelve if they would leave also.  Notice the answer: “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).  We cannot allow what is popular to have us depart from the Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us.  When decisions need to be made and the numbers are opposed to the Lord, we should remember the words of Peter.  The Lord truly does have the words of eternal life.  Those who desire to be faithful to the Lord look to him for the okay instead of taking a vote!  As the song we sing proclaims, dare to stand like Joshua. “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15).