But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. Revelation 2:25
Our text brings before us a picture of a magnificent warrior in the army of King David, and an account recorded in 2 Samuel 23. Shammah the son of Agee was a Hararite and a mighty warrior whose devotion to David led him and his two companions to accomplish almost unbelievable exploits. The incident that applies to our text occurred when the Philistines had taken over a field full of lentils, chasing its defenders away. But Shammah was not intimidated, and he destroyed the enemy’s troop. To Shammah, it was not just a field of lowly lentils, it was part of Israel, that which God had given to His people, and it was not to be lost to the enemy. That is exactly the same message that the Lord Jesus was sending to Thyatira, an assembly that had already lost much of its testimony.
Those of us who are getting older can remember many of the differences that existed in the early days of our Assembly experience. We can remember when the Lord’s Day was accorded much more respect than it is now, when we would never have thought about participating in activities such as shopping or sports on that day. We can remember when attendance at meetings was so much more important than Christians would never take a job that would interfere with their ability to be at every meeting of the Assembly. We can remember when Christian women were much more careful about how much of their body showed in public, and especially at meetings. We can remember many other things that have changed over the years, too, but we can also remember how many of the things that were precious back in those days are still precious and preserved among us today.
As long as our Assemblies follow the pattern of Scripture, the doctrines of Scripture will be preserved. Places that call themselves Assemblies, or who at one time used to function as Assemblies, or who pattern themselves after some of the practices of our Assemblies often find themselves slipping into unscriptural positions on even the most fundamental doctrines. This is because such places are unprotected from the wiles of men who seek to bring in their own ideas and agendas. A properly functioning Assembly is preserved from this because of the multitude of elders and the priesthood of all believers. As a result, the principles of New Testament Assemblies continue to be taught and observed. The fundamental doctrines of the faith, the clear preaching of the Gospel, and support for the faithful full-time workers continue to be upheld.
May God help us to hold fast those things that remain until the Lord Jesus comes for us. -Jim MacIntosh