Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
This passage of scripture basically teaches us the need to confer with like-minded brethren, when major decisions that can adversely affect the future, need to be made. Nothing is wrong with asking a question, or receiving advice from those who are also led by the Spirit of God, for it is often the case that God's ideal will is made known through the multitude of counselors, but it must be a multitude of godly counselors. It is true that there are instances in the secular world where we need to consult someone who specializes in a particular field, however in such cases we should always ask The Lord to go before us to direct their minds, for secular minds often reason along secular veins of thought.
After the day of Pentecost, many converts to Christianity were being baptized without first being circumcised, and this practice consequently caused a major stir among the disciples and the pharisees who had newly accepted Christ. The disagreement was so great that it threatened the unity and cohesiveness that should always characterize the operations of God's kingdom, and as a result, a general meeting was scheduled to discuss the matter, in which the various sides would confer with each other under the direction of the Holy Ghost, in order to come up with the God-ordained solution. Let's read:
Acts 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
What is worthy of note in this assembly of counselors is that even though there was initial discord about how they should proceed in the matter, they all reasoned along scriptural lines of thought, and so the Holy Spirit was able to guide them through the process, and reveal His solution to the problem, so that they could once again be on the same page. Let's read:
Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. 30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
This method of resolving differences of opinion amongst brethren is of critical importance to the ongoing unity of the church, and even though we may have our differences of thought, yet if we are willing to be led by The Spirit of God and the teachings of His word, there is no difficulty or problem that cannot be resolved in a Christlike and amicable way. The tendency to ostracize ourselves from other believers because of differences of opinion, is not in the order of God, and therefore lends itself to divisiveness and alienation, both of which are foreign to the very fabric of Christianity.
In our day and in our local and world-wide churches, there are often to be found some who may disagree on the methods implemented in the administration of issues connected to the cause of God in the earth, and therefore we should all avoid the temptation to alienate ourselves from the general body of believers, just because we may not see eye to eye on every point. The unity that Christ encourages in His people is not necessarily unity of thought, but rather unity of purpose, which should then guide our thoughts and actions in the ways of righteousness and peace.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages to seek advice firstly from God, but also from the multitude of godly counselors, for this is God's will and ideal, in finding solutions to any problems that may arise. Let's read:
Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
May God grant us His grace so that we may adopt and implement this timely counsel, for the wisdom that is contained therein is born of God and established in His word. God bless!