“The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back”

by Micky Galloway

“The idiom, ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back,’ is from an Arabic proverb about how a camel is loaded beyond its capacity to move or stand. This is a reference to any process by which cataclysmic failure (a broken back) is achieved by a seemingly inconsequential addition (a single straw). This also gives rise to the phrase ‘the last/final straw,’ used when something is deemed to be the last in a line of unacceptable occurrences” (Wikipedia). If you keep loading straw, piece by piece, onto a camel’s back even though one piece of straw is very light sooner or later one more piece is more than the camel’s back can bear. You see, it was the cumulative effect that caused the camel’s back to break, but it appeared to be a tiny change that caused it.

There are certain “straws” that we should be alarmed about because they are breaking the back of the church. These straws are not all loaded on the church’s back at the same time. Little by little, we weigh the church down until it no longer resembles the church we read about in the Scriptures. What are some of these “straws”?

Sin is ignored and worldliness is not rebuked. In I Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthians because fornication was among them and they were not alarmed. He then tells them, “And ye are puffed up and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might he taken away from among you” (I Corinthians 5:2). In verse 5, he commands them, “to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” In verses 9-11, Paul commands them to “have no company” with brethren who are fornicators, or “covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.” In verse 13, he wrote, “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” Sin is not to be tolerated. God certainly will not tolerate it. We are not doing the fornicator any good to pretend everything is fine and we are lading the church with sin that will break its back.

Lack of conviction. Men either act from conviction, because they believe a thing with all their heart, or from convenience. Why do you attend the assemblies? Is it because you want to worship God? David said, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the house of Jehovah” (Psalms 122:1). Worship was something David looked forward to. The Hebrews were commanded to, “consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Then, why do we choose not to attend? Is it a lack of conviction. Perhaps other things are more appealing. Why did you obey the gospel? Did you “obey from the heart” (Romans 6:17), convicted in your desire to live a new life “in Christ.” Conviction is illustrated in the decision of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they spoke to king Nebuchadnezzar. When asked if “it is of purpose … that ye serve not my god nor worship the golden image which I have set up,” these brave young men, threatened with being thrown into the midst of the “burning fiery furnace” responded, “… Be it known unto thee, O king that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:16-18). These were determined to do what was right regardless of the consequences. May the Lord increase their kind.

Changes in preaching. Efforts are being made to change our preaching, remodel the gospel, and modernize the church. I was in the audience when a young man spoke disparagingly of those who would preach on such things as “adultery, instrumental music, and institutionalism.” This young man stated that “these things are not relevant to salvation anyway.” Others have stated that, “God does not expect us to be completely, doctrinally correct.” Such bold statements as these belittle the importance of preaching on moral living, proper worship, and work of the church. These emphatically illustrate the current need for preachers who will, “Preach the word, be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching …” (II Timothy 4:2-4) and elders who are “able both to exhort in the sound doctrine and to convict the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9).

Perversion of the mission of the church. Some attempt to slip recreation and entertainment activities into the mission of the church. Certainly, this opens the floodgates of apostasy. While some enjoy suppers and parties, others enjoy gyms, golfing, fishing, hunting, etc. Where does it end, brethren? One of the more recent advertisements I received, advertised a “Men’s Fishing Retreat” at a particular camp, near Big Bear. I especially noted on the ad that the camp “is a Christian Camp, owned and operated by the churches of Christ in Southern, CA.” A fishing tournament offered by the church, in the “name of the Lord”? The apostle Paul declared, “And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, (do) all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17), i.e. by His authority. Beloved, how many straws does it take to break the camel’s back? No man has the right to prostitute the energy, strength, zeal, or resources of the church of our Lord to serve human aims or purposes. We must let the church be distinct as the church, so adorned as to glorify the head, even Christ. God gave His Son for it. The Lord of glory died for it. We must not bring its lofty mission down to serve as recreation and entertainment for the outward man, but rather we must keep it pure to serve the interest of heaven for which we must strive.

What is the cause of such dangerous “straws”? Possibly it is success which makes it easy to outgrow our plea to appeal simply to the Scriptures as our sole source of authority. Maybe it is that we have less opposition. At one time it was hard to be a Christian because of great hardships and persecutions which apparently strengthened the early church (Romans 5:3-5). Today, there is little indoctrination. The church is filled with people who know little about the doctrine of Christ and thus fail to abide in His doctrine (II John 9). Maybe compromise with our religious neighbors in attitudes toward doctrine and morality has shared in causing these modern trends within the church.

What is the solution? The solution is greater respect for the authority of the Scriptures and more determination to stand for the truth. Consider: Jude 3; Ephesians 4:14-15; Titus 1:13-14; Galatians 1:6-9. From these it is evident that truth is fixed, unaltered and unchangeable. Paul told Timothy to “preach the word” (II Timothy 4:2). He commanded the Ephesians to “stand” (Ephesians 6:13-14). One cannot stand for something and not stand against something, for truth stands against error.

It has been said, “We are only one generation away from apostasy.” Apostasy soon came in the first century church as was prophesied (I Timothy 4:1-3; II Thessalonians 2:3-4). What has happened can happen again if we allow too many worldly straws to collect on the back of the church.