Imagined Characteristics of Reactionaries (Bereans)
6. Belief of Superior Intelligence
Next our author writes:
"Reactionary Conservatives are driven by a feeling of superiority, an innate sense of superior intelligence, and the chutzpa of a fake superior morality -- whited sepulchers (Matt 23:27).
"Ostracism is met with self-justifying scorn."
Any idea that Bereans consider themselves to be of superior intellect, or superior in any way, would certainly be met with amusement among Bereans. We openly acknowledge that we are not among the wise of the world. We know how we pail in comparison to the polished speakers, and the brilliant minds of the Central group. We have always taken great comfort in the words of the Apostle Paul:
1 Cor. 1:26-29 "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Our obvious weakness is one of the things that I always felt made it so hard for sincere brethren to leave the splendid trappings of the Central group, for us. To leave the entertaining speakers, and the polished presentations of Central, and the comfort of Central for our humble, nearly bankrupt settings, will be as large a contrast as Paul leaving the Pharisees for the pitiful brethren who were despised and chased throughout the empire.
Our author has made several references to asceticism, and wealth. He says that the reactionary would reject wealth due to an ascetic requirement in belief. Personally, I believe the author's conclusion may appear to justified, in that we do lack wealth. But I believe the reason is not a desire for asceticism, but a simple divine principle that the world will bestow its wealth on those that love her. And Berean Christadelphians have as a core belief, a hatred of the world.
When bro. H.P. Mansfield visited the Hye Fraternal Gathering on one of his trips to America, he made the observation that our talks were "shallow." And it is hard to argue with him. We do not gather at Bible Schools, like our Central brethren, to have the depth of things in the Scriptures speculated upon. Our gatherings are intended to be uplifting, not controversial, consumed with exhortation and first principle lectures, not itching ears fodder. Our classes tend to be discussion groups, opened by a brief outline, generally reinforcing the obvious, and again having a focus of exhortation.
One year, a grandson of H. A. Whitaker visited our Hye Fraternal Gathering. He asked me about our study classes. I explained how they work. Each day, a different brother delivers a 10 -15 minute opening remark about a chapter, and then it is opened for comments from the brethren. He told me, Central could never do that. I told him I agreed with him that they couldn't. Because before the second brother got into his opening remarks, he would have to explain why the first brother was wrong, and likewise all the rest of the brethren all week. I told him that when you have three very different methods of interpretations (continuous historical, futurist, and preterits--the latter of which his grandfather was instrumental in teaching to Central) you can have no continuity, and in fact no study. Surprisingly, he completely agreed.
We have only one method of interpretation. That of the continuous historical. So we don't spend a lot of time worrying about the depths of Satan, as they speak. The simplicity that is in Christ Jesus serves us just fine. But the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes. What has been the end result of our two differing approaches to fellowship?
Forty years after bro. Mansfield's visit, we see the Bereans holding to identically the same position of those brethren bro. Mansfield visited, in every aspect of the truth. Forty years later, we see bro. Mansfield's Logos ecclesia coming apart at the seams, unable to survive his death. One of his closest allies, John Martin, has led a rebellion against his sound teaching on the Sacrifice of Christ, and corrupted bro. Mansfield's followers from within. The Logos Magazine is in a great decline, being replaced by a magazine (The Lampstand) arguing against the very things bro. Mansfield stood for.
The testimony of the Scriptures, and what we should learn from our own history, is that the truth is preserved, not by great human minds, and great human thinkers, and great human leaders; but by the simple obedience to God and Christ. God is not in the great strong wind, nor in the Earthquake, nor in the Fire, but rather in the still small voice that said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Ostracism
Bereans do not regard ostracism with scorn. We are like everyone else. Ostracism hurts our feelings. But we also understand that ostracism is the natural outgrowth of life in the Truth. Therefore, ostracism is most commonly accepted with quiet resignation.
Most of us have been through this long enough to accept that those who cannot make their case against us, will find some excuse to disobey Christ's commands. And they will stand afar and cast stones at us. We know that. There is nothing we can do about that. But we do not scorn them. If we seem to be in any way aggressive in our resignation, it is due to our great desire that those who know and understand the truth should walk with us. But we do not scorn those who will not walk with us. We know that often they want to, but for reasons they often feel out of their own control (the most obvious and frequent being family concerns) they don't. We pray God will be merciful to them (and us.)
What I think the author views as scorn, is how we can so patiently accept his ostracism, and his name calling, and his ridicule, as exhibited in this article's branding our life's motive and work as immoral. It is simple. We are not interested in joining a club. We don't wish to be accepted in Central's popularity contest. We try hard not to be influenced by peer pressure. We try to obey the teachings of the Scriptures, which warned us we would have to accept ostracism.
Matt. 10:25 "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?"
In Southern California, our little ecclesia was called by some of our Central brethren the "Berean Basket" as in the common vernacular "basket cases." We just smile, and patiently endure these things, knowing it is but for a short time.
Matthew 23:27
It takes great boldness to make this proclamation towards any brother. This verse, of course, when applied to the Bereans proclaims that while outwardly we walk righteously, inwardly we are corrupt. Certainly, Berean brethren absolutely refuse to make such a proclamation against any of Christ's servants.
I suppose we can take joy in the fact that outwardly, we appear to some at least, to walk righteously. And we can also take joy that it will be Jesus, and not our Central 'conservative" brethren, will make the final decisions as to whether inwardly, we are but dead man's bones.
