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Let Us Make a Name for Ourselves

By David Hartsell

Remember after the flood that God told Noah and his sons, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” (Gen.9:1) This directive was actually a repeat of what God had told Adam earlier. The Lord wanted mankind to spread throughout the earth. By Genesis 11 we read of men planning to do the opposite. They began building an impressive structure designed to keep them all together. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Gen.11:4) The Lord was displeased with man’s disobedience. He confused their languages which caused the dispersion that He originally had intended.

Why were men building such an elaborate complex? They wanted “to make a name for themselves.” Men had forgotten their purpose in life. Fearing God and keeping His commandments was, and is, the “whole” of man. (Ecc.12:13) To respect our Lord and to obey Him we must know Him through His word, the Bible. Often this is where a problem exists. Men either don’t know His Word or don’t respect it. Even some Christians fail here. Too often God’s people are improperly motivated. Let us examine one way that men have tried to make a name for themselves.

God has designed individual churches to accomplish His work. These congregations are led by elders and served by deacons. (Phil.1:1-2) Elders have only the authority to oversee the church of which they are members. (I Pet.5:2) Each church is to spread the gospel, encourage its members, and help in benevolence. No church or human organization has a right to solicit funds from churches so that they can oversee the work God has given each church to do. This was done in the Missionary Society in the mid 1800s. Many brethren objected because it was a human institution. So some brethren shifted to the Herald of Truth which was associated with a large Texas congregation. They gathered funds from churches across the country to manage missionary work through the use of radio programs, purchasing advertisements, supporting preachers, etc. – all the duties of every local church. What could be the problem with this? Simply put, no church has any authority to receive funds from other churches, except to relieve physical needs. And the sending of these funds is to cease when the needs are satisfied. (2 Cor.8:1-5, 13-15)

Why do men devise such things that conflict with God’s way? They want to make a name for themselves. The important thing is not to become great in men’s eyes but in God’s. Our Lord sees differently from us. We see the “rich man;” He sees Lazarus. (Lk.16:19-31) Let us make a name for ourselves before God.

  Other Articles by David Hartsell
The Culture of no Consequences
The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart
Jesus, the Way Our of Religious Confusion