When weaknesses occur?

"Weaknesses occur, as always, when men fail to work out the full implications of what they believe, and also when they fail to understand what it is that they are actually doing."

F.R. Coad, A History of the Brethren Movement,
Exeter : Paternoster Press (1968) ISBN 0853640858.
Second edition (1976) ISBN 0853641641.
Modern reprint: Vancouver : Regent College (2001) ISBN 1573831832.

I first read this book by Frederick Roy Coad over 33 years ago, and coming to this quotation towards the end of his work, I was so impressed by the wisdom of these words that I copied them into my journal. The sub-title of the book about the Christian Brethren was "its origins, its worldwide development and its significance for the present day".

Although this summing up remark had a particular relevance to the subject he was writing about 38 years ago, I thought then, and continue to think today, that it has a much wider application to all manner of circumstances in the sphere of religious faith and practice. Ponder these words deeply, and see what it might mean for you to avoid the same kinds of failure he was writing of.

Isn't it the duty of every thinking Christian to "work out his salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" ? (Phil. 2:12b,13).