A ship was carefully crafted by The Captain’s grace and for His glory through faithful men committed to obeying their Captain’s orders. They christened the ship GARBC. The doctrines of the Word of God were the materials used to fashion the sails of this ship. What a glorious and majestic sight it was. These sails kept the ship on course no matter where the winds blew. One sail distinguished this ship from most of the others. That sail was the sail of separation. That particular sail, although equally unfurled, received the majority of attention by other passing ships because it was unlike any of their sails.
Many shots were fired at the GARBC ship through the years, and some among the crew began to realize that they were attracting an unusual amount of cannon shots because of that particular sail. This group also realized that they weren’t invited or couldn’t participate in very many of the dockside parties thrown by the other ships and their crews because of that same sail. Some of the crew decided that it would be best for everyone if they lowered that sail just a bit. Maybe the ship wouldn’t attract so much hostility and “this action [would] enable the GARBC to focus its efforts” in serving the Captain instead of defending the ship.
Other crewmembers, because of distractions or chores, didn’t notice the sail being lowered. Still other crewmembers realized that the sail was being lowered, but they didn’t think it was all that significant. As time went by, the crew lowered the sail even more and the ship began to enter waters that it had never been in before. Some insisted that the ship pull up to the docks that were beginning to appear in these new waters so that they could participate for a time in the dockside parties. When they returned to the ship, they brought a pocketful of trinkets with them from their newfound friends.
As time went on, the sail of separation wasn’t the only sail lowered. Some of the crew realized that once the sail of separation was lowered, the other ships began to concentrate their attentions on other sails that they themselves did not have. And some of these other sails continued to keep them from seeing some of the sights and participating in some of the dockside parties. It only follows that those sails began their decent. And so, the GARBC ship continued to sail deeper into uncharted waters full of all sorts of dangers.
When some of the crewmembers addressed these changes, they were told that they were being contentious and divisive, besides nothing had really changed. The sails were all present and accounted for. What did it really matter if some flew a little lower and others may have found their way into a trunk? These were times of changing winds and if we weren’t careful, we would find ourselves all alone, unable to influence anyone in this world.
And so, we currently have crewmembers involved in mutiny. Other crewmembers are asleep below deck. Still other crewmembers have awakened from their slumber or paused in their chores long enough to realize that they have sailed off course and into strange waters.
The mutineers would push the “divisive” off the boat and claim the whole ship. The slumberous are just along for the ride. What will the faithful crewmembers do? I believe that it is time to take back the ship, unfurl each and every sail, and sail a course straight and true in obedience to our Captain’s orders.
As we take back the ship, we must encourage the mutineers to repent, and if they refuse, they must leave on their own accord or be forced to walk the plank. The slumberous need to be awakened, encouraged to repent of their sin and to get back to faithful service. This is no easy task. Is it even worth it? Remember that the ship belongs to the Captain. The ship’s purpose and tasks remain the same. And as indentured servants, do we really have a choice?
