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Standing By On The Other Side
The book of Obadiah is God’s indictment of the nation of Edom. Judgment
is first pronounced on them for their pride. “’Though you exalt
yourself as high as the eagle, From there I will bring you down,’ says
the Lord” (v.4). But even further, Jehovah condemns them for their
spirit of indifference while other nations ransacked Israel, their
“brother” nation. God’s choice of words is eye-opening: “For your
violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you
shall be cut off forever. In the day that you stood on
the other side-- In the day that strangers carried captive his forces,
when foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem--
Even you were as one of them” (vss.10-11).
The lesson is simple: We cannot afford to stand idly by (“on the other
side”) while the enemy wreaks havoc on those to whom we have an
obligation. To do so makes us “as one of “ the enemy.
We cannot stand by “on the other side” when those we have some influence
with are in need of the soul-saving gospel. They are sin-sick people in
need of a remedy, and we have a responsibility to try and bring them to
Christ.
We cannot stand by “on the other side” when we see our brother in Christ
“overtaken in any trespass” (Galatians 6:1). Rather, our
obligation is to “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.”
The one who “turns him back” to the truth should know that he by
so doing “will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins”
(James 5:19-20). But what is to be said of the one who stands by and
says nothing to the erring?
We cannot stand by “on the other side” when we see our brother in need
of life’s necessities. Listen to the Scripture: “But whoever has this
world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from
him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17). As the
next verse implies (“let us not love in word or in tongue, but in
deed and in truth”), we must cross over to the “other side” and help
such a one in need. Remember the story of the good Samaritan? Yes, there
was one who stopped to help the man beaten by robbers, but he was
preceded by two who “passed by on the other
side”
(Luke 10:25-37). Which of those three are we most like?
We cannot stand by “on the other side” and do nothing when a false
teacher comes into our midst. To do so makes us a willing accomplice to
that which is “destructive” to others (2 Peter 2:1). The Bible
says, “If anyone comes to you, and does not bring this doctrine
[of Christ], do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he
who greets him shares in his evil
deeds” (2 John
10-11).
Will the Lord one day judge us as He did Edom for our indifference to
the plight of our brethren and fellow-men? May He help us to see our
responsibilities and to take action when we have the opportunity.
--Mike Noble
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