Have you noticed any DECREASE in your physical strength within the past five years? If you’re past sixty, undoubtedly, you’ve noticed there are some things you can’t accomplish now that at age thirty, you felt you could do for the rest of your life! Dare we speak about mental strength? Honesty demands that we admit to some minimal decrease in that acuity as well. We like to “blame” it on “getting older” and to some extent that is the way with the physical (Ecclesiastes 12). Even mentally, there are challenges to memory and even cognition. Yes, as someone wisely observed, “growing older isn’t for sissies!”
But let’s focus on SPIRITUAL strength, shall we? Faithful Christians simply have no desire to see local congregations weaken, and they work diligently with those individual souls whose faith seems to wane with the trials and tribulations they face. They realize the spiritual strength of any local work demands a strengthening of those things that remain (cf. Revelation 3:2). We cite passages like Galatians 6:1 and 1 John 5:16 to prove our need to exhort all and restore the fallen. But dear reader, have we taken the time to examine our own strength?
The apostle Paul’s inspired direction to Titus speaks to this process. He shows that older men are to be examples (thus teach) to the younger men, and the older women are to teach the younger women. (Titus 2: 1 – 6). But note carefully verse 7: “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” It would be quite hypocritical to endeavor to strengthen others while not strengthening yourself.
To illustrate, a sergeant in charge of an induction testing room pointed to a large sign on the front wall that emphatically said, “No smoking!” Yet, as he emphatically told the inductees he was there to enforce that order, he smoked a rather large cigar. One of those inductees proceeded to light a cigarette. The sergeant ordered the young man to crush out his smoke, to which the inductee replied, “But you’re smoking!” The sergeant spoke in unignored volume, “You do as I say, not as I do!” While the sergeant was obeyed, how much respect do you think he retained from those military inductees? Can the same be said of Christians who instruct others in the truth of God’s word, only to think themselves exempted from the same commandments?
Paul also informed us to “maintain good works.” (Titus 3:8; 14). Sometimes, we find “training classes” helpful in strengthening the various public actions of worship (singing, praying, serving at the Lord’s table, preaching or teaching lessons, making announcements). Sometimes we find gospel meetings as a viable means of strengthening the brethren in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus (2 Peter 3:18). There are times when specific strengthening is offered in the areas of preaching or leading singing. But none of these “group” sessions is as vital to the overall strengthening of the Lord’s church as the individual strengthening of every Christian! The adage “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” is true for the strength of the local church of Christ as well! No local work is truly strengthened by weak members who remain uninterested in truly strengthening themselves. This is why novices are not qualified for the eldership (1 Timothy 3: 6). Instead, every local church of Christ is truly strengthened when each member concerns him/herself with strengthening their own souls in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus!
Inspired Peter assures us we are strengthened by God the Father (1 Peter 5:10). This is not done via osmosis, but by individual diligence to obtain the greatest amount of maturity possible within us! (Hebrews 6:1). While it is the individual’s responsibility to strengthen one another (Jude 20) we cannot do this without strengthening the individual soul! (Yes, that’s redundant, but I pray you’re seeing the point desired!) Reread 1 Peter 5:10 and notice from Whom our strength comes! While we all must depend on each other, we must all depend more on the God of heaven! Since He will not give us additional revelation, nor will He inspire us miraculously as He did the apostles, He has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ Jesus (2 Peter 1:3). All we need to do is read, study, learn, and obey it (2 Timothy 2:15); doing so until this earth life is ended for us!
When I began preaching some fifty-six years ago, my dad told me he would teach me how to study, but not how to preach. For that, he insisted I spend hours after hours with faithful men who had done nothing else throughout their adult lives. These mentors taught me the reality of “iron sharpeneth iron” (Proverbs 27:17). They truly strengthened me, and shaped me from a dull piece of iron, into something better. Now, as I’ve reached my senior years, I endeavor to sharpen the iron of young minds desirous of becoming sharp tools for the kingdom’s sake. But I can’t do that without strengthening what remains of myself for His service. Admittedly, I know the sharp sickle grows thinner as it is used and resharpened; but its strength remains if used properly and cared for lovingly. Such is the strength of one's soul: while housed in an aging body, the abilities may become thinner, but its strength increases day by day as we journey toward our eternity!