Continue Thou: A Letter of J.N.D. With Remarks on Receiving
John Nelson Darby
Table of Contents
"Continue Thou"
2 Timothy 3:14
My Dear Brother:
The question you put as to receiving is to me always a delicate one. The point is to conciliate sound discipline, and being wholly outside the camp, which is of increasing importance, and avoiding being a sect, which I should as anxiously do. Receiving all members of Christ’s body is not a sect clearly, and that is the principle on which I unite, but they must walk orderly and be under discipline, and not pretend to impose conditions on the church of God.
If therefore they came claiming as a condition liberty to go elsewhere, I could not allow it, because I know it is wrong, and the Church cannot allow what is wrong. If it was ignorance, and they came bona-fide in the spirit of unity, to that which is the symbol of unity, I should not reject them, because they had not in fact broken [with it], but I could not accept what made us part of the camp, nor any sort of claim to go to both, to be inside and outside. This is equally pretentious and dishonest...
But I receive a person who comes in simplicity, with a good conscience, for the sake of spiritual communion, though they may not yet see clearly ecclesiastically; but the assembly is bound to exercise discipline as to them, and know their walk and purity of heart in coming whenever they do. They cannot come in and out just as they please, because the conscience of the assembly is engaged in the matter, and its duty to God, and to Him at whose Table we are. Looseness in this is more fatal than ever now. If a person practically says I will come to take a place in the body of Christ when I like, and go into sects and evil when I like for convenience or pleasure, that is not a pure heart. It is making their own will the rule of God’s assembly, and subjecting the assembly to it, and that cannot be-is clearly wrong. May the Lord’s grace and gracious keeping be with you all.
Your affectionate brother in Christ.
1873
Letters of J. N. D. Vol. 2
Page 250
It is with the desire to strengthen and to exercise our souls in the truth of gathering to the Lord’s name as members of the body of Christ and in the unity of the Spirit, that this letter and these remarks are printed.
J. N. D’s name has been used to advocate looseness in receiving: this letter shows how careful he was. It is now printed for the truth it contains. We feel it is much needed at the present moment of the Church’s history, when the truth of being gathered to the Lord’s name is often slighted.
At the beginning “all that believed were together.” Acts 2:44. They had only one center; they were one body. Paul writing to Corinth could say, “Unto the church (assembly) of God which is at Corinth” (1 Cor. 1:2); and again, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” 1 Cor. 12:27.
However, this outward manifestation did not continue; it has long since passed away. But the truth still remains, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” Eph. 4:4.
The assembly, the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15), the responsible light on earth, has, in man’s hands, been ruined, and now it is compared in 2 Tim. 2:20 to “a great house” where are all kinds of vessels, but in confusion. We are not told to leave the great house; that we cannot do: but we are told to “depart from iniquity.” That is, a separate path is pointed out for obedience of faith, where we can obey the word and seek to carry out His mind.
This we find illustrated in Israel’s history. In Rehoboam’s day division came in. (1 Kings 12:19.) Matters grew worse till Israel was carried away into Babylon (2 Chron. 36), with none left at Jerusalem. But God had pity on them and a remnant in Ezra’s day came back and set the altar again in its place. See Ezra 3. Another company came back later with Nehemiah and were one with the first at Jerusalem, not two companies, but one.
Deuteronomy 12:5-14 could be again observed. They gathered back to Israel’s center chosen at the first. That is the only thing left for us to do. It is not constructing or organizing some ecclesiastical position of our own. If the Holy Spirit gathers any, He will do so only in accordance with the principles laid down by Him in the Word of God. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” This is recognized and acted on in endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. Eph. 4:3-4.
Another thing we get in the returned remnant, which was not needed before, was that the priests had to prove their title, and if they could not, they were set aside till they could. Ezra 2:62-63. So the worshiper must prove his title. Has he peace with God? If he is sealed with the Holy Ghost, he is a worshiper. John 4:23, 24; Phil. 3:3. He can enjoy “the communion of the blood of Christ;” he is a member of His body. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17.)
In 2 Tim. our path in this day of ruin is pointed out. It is only a feeble remnant at the best, but as a remnant it is getting back to Matt. 18:18-20. But this can only be claimed in the path of obedience to the word, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ [the Lord] depart from iniquity.” 2 Tim. 2:19. It is separation from every invention of man in divine things and a getting back to God’s word. The 20th verse tells of the confusion; the 21st verse tells us the remedy. “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the masters use, and prepared unto every good work.” I need to leave much that is good because it is associated with evil.
Then comes, “Flee also youthful lusts.” God wants truth in the inward parts, and this should exercise our hearts to live “soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” To boast of a right scriptural position when worldliness and other lusts are allowed in our walk would be sorrowful indeed.
Then we are to follow, not people but “righteousness, faith, [love], peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Here we get the path and the company with whom to walk, practical righteousness, obedience to the Word, love to all the saints, ways characterized by peace, hearts sincerely exercised before the Lord to walk with Him.
The question, Who is to be received to the breaking of bread? is a serious one, and all who are gathered to the Lord’s name are responsible to find the answer. What a comfort it is to know the truth of the Lord’s presence with us. We can turn to Him for wisdom and grace and all we need. If we do so, He will meet our every difficulty. It is His presence that makes the action of the two or three binding on the whole assembly of God.
It is plain that all the gathered saints share the responsibility according to the word, “do not ye judge them that are within?” 1 Cor. 5:12. Opportunity must therefore be given to know the state of those who desire to break bread. Let us weigh this before the Lord. Does not the word “Lay hands suddenly on no man” (1 Tim. 5:22), forbid haste in receiving? We must remember it is not our table but the Lord’s; we are only guests there. We cannot make rules and His Word and the sense of His presence can alone keep order and the cleanness that becomes His house.
Those to be received, therefore, must have their title clear, that is, they should have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” and consequently be sealed with the Spirit. (Eph. 1;13.) A person received to the Lord’s table is received because the place belongs to him as one of the Lord’s people, a member of the body of Christ; and when received, he is subject to the discipline of the assembly of God.
Where souls are newly converted and have not been associated with systems of men, there is no difficulty. We receive them because they are the Lord’s. There may be little intelligence about their position, but they ought to have hearts exercised to please the Lord.
Some think it right to break bread with any company of saints that will allow them to do so, not considering the word “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” 1 Cor. 5:6. If we have fellowship with evil, we are leavened by it. We are one with all with whom we break bread. If we allow such persons to break bread with us we are consequently made one with and are defiled by allowing them. (Numbers 19:15.)
We find in scripture three forms of evil that must be refused.
Immorality or unrighteous living. 1 Cor. 5:13.
Evil doctrine. 2 John 9, 10.
Divisions. 1 Cor. 1:10. Rom. 16:17, 18.
It is our duty to the Lord in the midst to refuse any who are associated with these things. They should “Cease to do evil” before being received.
God has provided that strangers from a distance should bring letters of commendation from the gathered saints where they were located. Rom. 16:1. 2 Cor. 3:1.
It is unscriptural to receive any on their own testimony.
We must not allow fear of hurting souls to lead us out of the path of obedience. It is better to obey God than man. Some may feel hurt at not being received at once. This is because of the usage in men’s systems. Godly souls will learn the lesson better and sooner by seeing care exercised for the Lord’s glory.
We need willing, obedient, devoted hearts to Christ, and to the blessed Word of God. It is a day of difficulty. (2 Tim. 3:1.) We must ever acknowledge how we have contributed to the confusion and humble ourselves about it. How much we grieve the Holy Spirit! Even yet nothing but His grace can keep us from turning away from the truth. It is always the tendency when iniquity abounds for the love of many to wax cold.
Beloved brethren, we need to remember God has not changed. His word is the same; His Spirit dwells in us and with us. The presence of Christ is promised. (Matt. 18:20.) Suppose all turn away from these blessings, what are you going to do? Satan’s great endeavor is to scatter the flock that Christ may be dishonored.
“Where two or three are gathered together unto My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (New Trans.)
Is it not better than crowds of saints without Him? Nothing can make up for the loss of His presence. We cannot have His presence without holiness and truth, for His name is holy and true. Rev. 3:7. And God’s Spirit who gathers, is the “Holy Spirit” and the “Spirit of truth.”
May we seek companionship with the Lord, so that grace may be given us, and that we may be kept fresh in His love, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to claim all His own to Himself where He can have His full joy in us. May He be able to say to us, “Thou hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.” Rev. 3:8.