CHURCH MATHEMATICS

Numbers! How many times have you heard or thought about the number of people attending your church, or the size of the offering? We seem to judge the success of a revival by the number of public professions and rededications, when in fact, the true results of a revival's success is seen only in the faithfulness of changed lives over time. Numbers are the basis of statistics, and there is an old saying: "Statistics lie, and liars use statistics."

We read that the Church was multiplied at the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 6:1, 7; 9:31; 12:24; etc.). Scripture tells us that the Lord added to the Church on a daily basis (Acts 2:41, 47; 5:14; 11:24; etc.). But it was not long before the Apostles recognized that not all of those professing Christ were, in fact, His. We find warnings against those causing division among the brethren (Matt. 12:25; Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 1:13; etc.).

In His parables, Jesus illustrates the deceptiveness of numbers. In the Parable of the Sower, three types of soil produce living plants, but only one successfully reproduces (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23). The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, the field is full to capacity, but not all the plants are wheat (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-41). The Parable of the Mustard Seed speaks of a tree so large that the birds (most often recognized as evil in the Word) live there (Matt. 13:31-32). In the Parable of the Leaven, a little leaven (always recognized as sin in the Word) spreads, permeating the entire loaf (Matt. 13:33). In the Parable of the Dragnet, lots of fish are caught, but not all are good (Matt. 13:47-51).

In the Bible, God frequently speaks of a remnant, or those who remain after He divides the people (Isa. 1:9; Jer. 23:3; Rom. 9:27; Rev. 12:17; etc.). The Lord warns believers to leave the dividing up to Him, as in the example of the Parable of the Tares. God does not want us to subtract or remove folks from the fellowship of believers, and even in the case of Church discipline, the intent is to be aimed at producing repentance and reconciliation with the group. Paul wrote, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted (Gal. 6:1). Jesus taught His disciples how to handle an erring brother:

"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican" (Matt. 18:15-17).

There is another kind of subtraction from the Church, as well. John wrote this about folks "subtracting" themselves from the fellowship: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (1 Jn. 2:19).

As the Church, our goal should be to add and multiply; subtraction and division serve to dishonor the Lord (Jn. 17:11, 21-23)!