Thoughts on Christian Living Book #2 by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

HEY, PLANTER! WHAT-CHA PLANTING?

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then

neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” I Corinthians 3:6-7.

The unalterable law of harvest is “you reap what you sow.” What that does not say specifically is one always reaps more than he sows. Thus is the nature of what is sown underscored. Think about it!

Much is made in Holy Writ regarding the exercise of planting. It is used as a figure of speech of Christian work. The parable of the tares among the wheat, and the sower whose seed fell on various soils are two that come readily to mind. These beckon to us to consider the Christian mission in modern times.

The centralized calling of God may be thought of variously, but cardinal to it is the process of planting. That which is to be planted is the seed of the Holy Word of God. From this God-given seed, God honoring crops abound. It is His holy will that men should be saved AND come to the knowledge of the truth; hence, the ultimate fruit of correct planting is an indigenous, scriptural church. In biblical terminology, one may plant, another water, but it is always God who gives the increase.

However, in modern times, it has become a common expression (borrowed from the “sheek” religious world): “I planted a church.” WHAT??? Consider that Satan planted churches; Ellen White planted a church; Aimee McPherson planted a church; Alexander Campbell planted a church, etc. God’s churches are planted by the Lord, and not by men who merely fulfilled the responsibility of their calling by planting the seed. May we all respond to the God-given grace to be planters of the seed (the Word), and leave the increase as well as the honor of it to God.

Is the problem one of simple semantics? What difference does it make? Well, just this: one is right, the other wrong! The semantics need to be correct for no man has the ability or opportunity to “plant” a scriptural church. Wrong terminology leads to wrong understanding then to wrong actions. It is better to be right than it is to be wrong! If one must meet in judgment a church which he has planted, it can only be about as good as meeting souls he has saved. So, “Hey, planter, what’cha planting? Let it always be the seed (Word), and let the glory and honor of it belong to God Who alone gives the increase.

FOR THOUGHT: Does this article seem to major on minor things?

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