Bind Up The Work
Today’s study is called “Bind Up The Work.” The phrase is taken from a few places in the writings of early Adventism. A few here follow:
“We are all laborers under God; and we must all work with intelligence, frugality, and humility. There are those who embrace too much in their labors, and by so doing accomplish little. Our efforts now must be more concentrated. Every stroke must tell. At present, the labors of our ministers cannot be so uncertain and extended as to cast the seeds of truth upon all waters. This is being done quite extensively by our publications; but God directs us, and reason tells us, that at this stage of this work, and with the present condition of our finances, our ministers must be more personal and concise in their labors, binding up the work as they go along. The work in Europe, as in America, has had to commence small; but even here it can be managed so as to become self-sustaining. One great means by which this can be accomplished will be by the well-directed efforts of those already in the truth to bring in others who will be a strength and support to the work. This was the way the Christian Church was established. Christ first selected a few persons, and bade them follow him. They then went in search of their relatives and acquaintances, and brought them to Christ. This is the way we are to labor. A few souls brought out and fully established on the truth, will, like the first disciples, be laborers for others.” [The Review and Herald, December 8, 1885]
Another place:
“A solemn responsibility rests upon the ministers of Christ to do their work with thoroughness. Many have left some portion of the work undone because it was not agreeable, expecting the next coming minister to finish it up for them. They would better not engage in the work unless they can bind it off thoroughly, so that it may not ravel out. They should lead the young disciples along wisely and judiciously, step by step, onward and upward, until every essential point has been brought before them.” [Gospel Workers, page 98]
One more, similar to the one I just read:
“I hope you will look at things candidly and not move impulsively or from feeling. Our ministers must be educated and trained to do their work more thoroughly. They should bind off the work and not leave it to ravel out. And they should look especially after the interests they have created, and not go away and never have any special interest after leaving a church. A great deal of this has been done.” [Evangelism, page 324]
Clearly, in these places and others, to “bind up” the work does not mean to restrict it, as may be implied from these words, but to complete it. The imagery is taken directly from the parables of Christ, when He spoke of the last days: Mat 13:24-30
Also, in that third quote, we have wisdom being shared when the ministers of this message are told, after leaving a church that they have worked with, not to move away and disregard it thereafter. We have the example of Paul, several times revisiting the congregations he established, and also writing letters to them.
He writes to Corinth:
2Cor 1:14-16
He writes to Thessalonica:
2Th 2:3-5
The first couple verses of that chapter, actually, are very useful ones for pointing out the importance of congregational worship, and the unity of the faith:
2Th 2:1, 2
We find Paul expressing great care for the congregations of the early Christian Church, particularly those he had a hand in establishing:
Acts 20:16-18
After giving a long talk, one he believed would be the last he would have an opportunity to share with the Ephesians, we find that they also held great respect and admiration for the apostle:
Acts 20:36-38
Clearly, to “bind up” the work, as Christ described it, as Paul did it, and as Ellen White’s writings encouraged us to do it, involves “ending” the work in such a way that a congregation or individual is established, and that permanent, spiritual and emotional ties develop between the minister and those whom he has educated in righteousness.
But how do we do this? We read:
Mat 24:11-13
Binding up the work is more than just telling someone everything we know about the Gospel. It is more than just giving a testimony. These things are just the entrance to the unity that Heaven provides, and that it requires us to understand.
We read from the prophets:
Isa 8:13-16
We read of Jeremiah buying a field from a relative, even though he was in captivity, and saying:
Jer 32:9-14
While we do not specifically see the term “binding” used there, the idea is exactly the same. There are evidences of a transaction, as we cover in some detail in the book A Sure Covenant, and they are placed in a safe spot that they may continue and be preserved.
In Isaiah’s case above, the testimony that Yahweh had given, including the law and testimony, was to be bound up and continued, taught to the generations that would follow the prophet.
Now what Yahshua was speaking of doing for all men at the end of the world, and what Paul did for congregations, we must begin by learning how to do with individuals. We must speak to them of the truth, make sure they understand the truth as it is in the Son of Yahweh, but that is often not enough.
This is an area in which my own understanding has grown, even while reading and thinking about the topic for presentation this morning. When I first became a CSDA, I – like many of the newer converts – believed that the very beauty and power of this message would be all it took to convince those around me of its truth. In this, I turned out to be largely mistaken. It is not that the message is not beautiful and powerful; the problem is in the change of Satan’s tactics.
Seventh-day Adventists wait for a time of trouble during which the forces of the demons on earth will remove the Bibles from as many humans as they can. Indeed, this had been the tactic of the Accuser for a long time, such as the Roman Catholic Church’s resistance to having translations of the Scriptures in common language. But what Satan has done is far worse than that… he has let as many people as desire Bibles have them, and in as many different versions as they are comfortable with… but he has taken away the meaning of the words.
The Bible is one of the few books that people can read, understand, say they believe, and then do absolutely nothing about it. People may go to church, attend Bible studies, even pray, but if the work has not been “bound up” in them, it is either just going through the motions, or an emotional state as opposed to a spiritual one. This is not true religion.
The word for “religion” means, “the thing you are tied to;” it comes from the word ligare, or “to bind.” We have to be careful to explain to certain ones that being tied to something is not to be seen as a restriction, but it is more like a life raft. If we are in the ocean, it is necessary to be tightly bound to something that floats.
But as I say, my understanding of what is necessary to bind up the work in those who hear us has developed over time.
Two camp meetings ago, we had a visitor. He was new to our camp meeting, but he came with one who had visited us a few times in the past. He was a younger man, probably a little older than myself, and brother Luke and I were able to share quite a lot about our faith with him.
We thought that we were getting somewhere. He had no objections to our explanation of the victory message. Was already, if I recall correctly, a non-Trinitarian, and seemed to be convinced about our stand on the SDA Trademark law. That is really a good cross-section of the Three Angels’ message as expressed in CSDA doctrine, so when he said that he would read the websites and contact us, Luke and I both thought that we had done a good work.
As soon as we had made the agreement, however, pastor Chick, who as nearby, came around and, having heard the incident, hit him with more information about the seriousness of the times, about the need to be dedicated to the truth, and that we are, in fact, in the very last moments of human history.
At the time, I thought that this might have been a bit of overkill… since he had already agreed to maintain contact. Of course, even with that help, we never heard from him again. And I am convinced that it would have been even less likely if he hadn’t been further pushed.
But I have noticed that this is a definite pattern. We have received phone calls, emails, actual visits to our homes and our camp meetings – sometimes from as far away as Australia. But Yahshua spoke truly when He said, “Few there be that find” the way to life. And what was few, even in His day, has become that much more limited.
We know the parable of the sower, and the various ways in which the seed can fail to bring forth fruit, we read:
Mat 13:3-8
This is a familiar parable to us, but what I want to point out is that what were problems two thousand years ago are crises now.
The fowls that attack the seeds, which represent demons, are much more practiced now, and they therefore have much more success in preventing people from being established in the way.
The stony places and the sun, which represent trials, are more intense, because people are not trained from their youth, from their families, in the ways of righteousness. For all the flaws of the worldly churches, even the attendance in these is vastly lower than it was a couple generations ago; they at least speak of spiritual things, and talk of some good principles. But the people of this last, wicked generation are completely unprepared for the narrow way of sanctification.
The thorns, or the cares of this world, are sharper now than ever before. There are more diversions, distractions, than in time past, and a constant barrage of these.
And what this all amounts to is this, we need to know how to bind up the work. We need to understand how to reach people with more than just information, but with heart-work. This is not necessarily something that can be “taught,” but it is something that needs to be learned.
By that I mean, studies alone will not do it, we must experience the love of Christ for others, and reach them in that way. So what are some practical steps we can take to develop this ability?
1) Care about people. We spoke of the importance of this in our studies on evangelism, and it is certainly important here, when trying to cinch the interest in the message to the degree that it actually brings about a change in the life – this is what binding the work really is.
2) Establish a relationship. Yahshua used this method, speaking to people providing for their needs, such as hunger. When they had been taken care of, they were more eager to listen. It works that way on various levels; people may not be starving for bread necessarily, but certainly for a true and trustworthy friend.
3) Obtain a commitment. Get an agreement that contact will continue. This is as far as I used to go, but I realize that there is a step beyond it.
4) Follow up. The Scriptures tell us that some are going to be saved by fear. Some are going to be snatched out of the fire, mere moments before it would have been too late for them to recover spiritually. Try to get information from the, email, phone numbers and so on, and check in if you do not hear them for a while. This accomplishes all of the three preceding ideas, and beyond.
Following up demonstrates to the individual that you care. We read in James:
James 2:15, 16
Now, this caring is not always necessarily going to be welcome, for many love darkness rather than light. Yet it can serve to establish a relationship (the second point above), since you take the time to find out how he or she is doing. It is essentially this visible effort that the evangelist makes that reveals how seriously the commitment was taken.
Without following up the work, the binding can almost never be successfully accomplished. When Paul returned to those Churches, he found therein problems that, if left unchecked, could have ruined the entire congregation. Our Father in Heaven, after sending His Son to die for us, does not spend the rest of His time looking down and hoping we will accept.
The Son of Yahweh, after making the greatest sacrifice a Being has ever made, did not return to Heaven to rest and recover. No, he went back to the Heavenly Sanctuary… to work! We read:
Heb 7:22-25
Let us, like our High Priest, “ever live” to make intercession for our people, our brothers and sisters on this planet with us. And most importantly, let us do it for the same reason, for pure, selfless love. As we do this, we establish the work in others, and seal it eternally in our own hearts.