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General meetings, Montreal, October 1971 Second reading meeting.
Pretty proud of the authentic.
I'm ready to send you.
My identity to the best of your age and we're going to get this Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
First Corinthians chapter 3.
First Corinthians chapter 3, verse 8.
Now he the planteth, and he that water are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
For we are laborers together with God.
Your golf husbandry, your golf building, according to the grace of God, which has given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another bill that they're on. But let every man take heed how he buildeth their apostles for other foundations. And no man lay than that it laid, which is?
Jesus Christ. Now, if any man build upon this foundation.
Gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, Every man work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, And the fire shall cry every man's work Of what sort of did?
Many men work to buy which he had built thereof, 'cause he shall receive reward.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
Knowing enough that he are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let it become a fool.
But he may be wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craft. And again the Lord know of the thoughts of the wise that they are faith. Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours, whether a fall or a fall, or Sepas or the world.
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Or life or death or things present.
Or things come, all are yours and hear Christ, and Christ is God.
The thought is I am where Paul says I have planets and a college water. They were trying to make rivals, rivals of the different laborers and those who labored among them.
He shows that that is absolutely a wrong thought. After all, they're just one from doing 1 little service and another doing another service.
Ever went through assembly line where they're building cars? One man isn't falling with another man has to his part in the job. Each one is doing some little part and they all work together.
And they all produce the cars snow rivalries to just apart each one is taking and then you get in the 9th.
Verse.
Of the.
For the yes. For we are laborers together that shouldn't read. We are gods, fellow laborers.
Of the thought that they were laboring with God, as though God was partner with the laborers. But all who labored in the work of the Lord were fellow laborers working together. And at least it should be that way.
And happy harmony with one object before them. And that was to accomplish the work of God and to glorify Christ.
In their past thinking that as we know in the Greeks there were gods many and Lords many, and they had different philosophies and ideas and so they brought these ideas into Christianity. And so they followed leaders just as they had followed different philosophers and different gods. But now they were to learn as we have in First Corinthians 12.
First Corinthians chapter 12.
And verse 4.
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit.
And there are diverse differences of administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations. But it is the same God which worketh All in all. So it shows here that the whole Trinity together are working and working in perfect harmony. And as we seek to work under His authority and under His guidance, it's all for one purpose and not one against another.
But I suppose the background of their thinking affected their Christian life, and it's very often so with us too. And that's why we need to have the renewing of the mind through the Word as we read the Word of God. Wrong thoughts are corrected.
And we're brought to see that God and His Word has given us the perfect pattern. But I do believe that it is most important that we should realize that just as this was God's building, as we're told here, and the work all to be carried on under His direction.
It's not one working against another or exalting himself, but rather for this purpose that God is seeking to accomplish. As we often sing and Him it is ordained to raise the temple to Jehovah's praise, composed of all the Saints who own no Savior but the living stone. And this should exercise each one of us that any part that we take in connection with the Lord's word should be for this purpose.
For the glory of Christ.
And for the blessing in common of his people.
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Every man shall receive his his own reward according to his own labor.
Now he's about to enter into the subject of rewards.
And I think if you take the passage itself and follow the instructions that are here, it has to do with the large work and the large service were engaged in that work that is bringing in material.
Sinners saved by grace and the Assembly of God.
And then the care for those who are saved and brought into the place of blessing. Now that is properly speaking, the subject that we have before us, but I'm sure that the principle of.
Labor here.
Can be considered as covering every line of.
Work with any of God's people, do for the Lord, and covering the whole subject of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ, although as well to get clearly before us that the primary thought here is the work of the laborer that is bringing souls into the place where they get fed and.
Where there's nothing in the assembly, and there is always the danger, as he calls tension here, to bringing in mere professors among those who are truly born again and saved, and they would be likened to the wood, hay and stubble. Whereas the ones that are born again, truly saved are like the gold, silver and precious stones.
That is, if one gets a lot of mere professors.
Among God's children, his work is going to be tested out some days.
That what he has thought was a work of God was after all just furious that there were those that were not really saved, and it might be well just to consider that subject before going on.
More especially to the subject of reward for all God's children.
That there is often danger with those who preach the gospel.
To see sinners saved or confessed the Lord, I'll never forget the answer a brother close gave to brother down in Kentucky years ago. He had been raised among a group of Christians where the main object in meetings was to get converts, to get people to make a confession and make more or less a show of.
Gospel effort.
Well, he said to Brother close. I believe if you talk to some of these people that you'd get some to confess the Lord. Yes, Brother close said I could go to that tree and shake down a lot of apples, but he said they'd all be green.
Well, there there is always that danger. And I think the apostle primarily is giving a warning in connection with that danger of bringing into the assembly what he called here, wood and stubble. And then the test comes as to whether it's real.
Or as to whether it's just like Simon Migus who who accepted the gospel and was baptized and went on the Philip that he wasn't saved at all.
We have a warning here too, of introducing things that are not in keeping with the foundation truth. And so the apostle brings before us, first of all the foundation itself.
Now in Romans, Paul gives us the foundation.
As a wise master builder, Romans gives us the foundations, I believe, of Christianity. And he says in the second chapter that there is a day when God will judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ according to his gospel, and so before he speaks of introducing bad materials into the building.
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It gives us that which is solid and that's the foundation which is Jesus Christ.
But it's the person of Christ, but also his work, is it not? And in Romans we have redemption, the full work of redemption, not only buying the soul back, but forgiveness of sin, setting the soul free. We also have justification. That's the 4th chapter. But it's connected with resurrection. And we have.
Reconciliation in the 5th chapter.
And then we have the salvation brought out very clearly in the 10th chapter.
So Paul even goes on in the 8th chapter to the full truth.
That he brings before the Saints.
Giving us a little outline in the 8th chapter of all the Truth that he was about to set forth in the other epistles, so that he gives a full foundation that there's there should be no question for the one who serves the Lord if he reads the word as to what the truth is. And one who serves the Lord is responsible as he not.
To the truth that has been revealed because it has all been revealed to us.
I think we have that what Paul is referring to in this verse 10 about the foundation. As you say brother. Historically in the 18th chapter of Acts doing not when Paul was in the city of Corinth and the Lord appeared to him and told him to fear not to preach the word where he had much people in that city.
So he remained there considerable time preaching the Lord Jesus Christ. He He literally laid the foundation there in bringing the gospel to them, and as we had before us this morning when he came among them, he says in chapter two of our epistle. For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified, that is, he presented the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not only in His work for our blessing, his sufferings on the cross for our blessing and putting away our sins, but He presented the Lord Jesus Christ as one rejected Him crucified. And this is the foundation of the the assembly and it's the foundation of a local assembly. And I I think it's important, as our brother said, that here we see that Paul is concerned as to how those who come in after he had laid the foundation.
How they work in connection with that, what they bring into the assembly, whether it comports with the foundation or not. And we find in the second epistle in Chapter 11 That there were those in Corinth. They came in after the foundation was laid, the gospel had been preached, and assembly formed, but they were bringing in a different Jesus from what?
The apostle had preached. They came in a different spirit. And so the the apostle was fearful. I think that's what he has reference to. Here is what is brought in on this foundation, what is contributed into the assembly? Is it in accordance with the foundation? Is it in keeping with the truth of the Lord Jesus and him crucified, rejected man, set aside?
If we bring in human principles, in human ways and thoughts and the ways of the world.
That's the word hay and stubble. It's not in keeping with the foundation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, which Paul had brought to.
Yeah, the foundation has been laid and we have that in the scriptures, just as we have in Ephesians 4, the gifts that an offended Christ has given were.
Apostles and prophets, Evangelists, pastors and teachers. And in the second chapter of Ephesians, we're told that we are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. That is, the foundation has been laid. It's been faithfully laid. Where will we get the truth of God as to the person of Christ, as to the work of Christ, as to the assembly and all those things that are so blessed?
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Well, we'll get it in that which has been laid by the apostles and prophets of the New Testament. The truth has been given to us. But what has Christendom done? Well, they have accepted the Christian foundation, bought into that. They have brought all kinds of things, things that really belittle and undo, as it were, the foundation and those who are not saved or introduced and on top of the Christian foundation so well laid by the apostles.
We find that which is under the name of Christ by the last, much of it is not even real. And so it may be anticipating a little here to say that there are three classes of workmen that are brought before us. In what follows here there is a saved Workman with good work. He's the one who it says if any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. Then there's a saved Workman.
But in his field to get numbers.
In his zeal to make the building look large and fair, and it has become a great house, he has introduced that which is not real, and the day is going to declare that. And so it tells us that the man himself might be saved, but his work would not be acceptable, and would be set aside at the judgment seat of Christ. If any man's work be burned, he shall suffer loss, yet he himself shall be saved. But then there is last the third kind.
The workmen who defrauds the temple of God. And so we know that under the name of Christianity, on all kinds of wicked doctrines, have been introduced, not into Mohammedanism, not into paganism, but right on the very foundation of Christianity. There have come in and those things that are called Christian, and yet they belittle and set aside the very foundation upon which Christianity rests.
The person and the work of Christ. And so this I believe is what he's bringing before us here. The importance first of all the blessed privilege of having part in the Lords work, but the solemn aspect as to how we do the work, because it's all going to be manifested in that day.
Well, in my early experience listening to men like Brother Hart and Brother close, we were rather surprised that they would preach the most powerful, searching gospel to a crowd of unsaved people. They would walk out of the tent where they were preaching and leave people sitting there in their seats. They never pressed anybody to make a confession.
Well, the rotors that came later and were more anxious to get confessions.
And they got in confessions that weren't real. So I feel that those brothers that were so definitely used of God were right in leaving the result of the gospel that they had presented.
With simplicity, and with power too, with the Lord to work in the hearts of those prayers, and I know in one case.
Well, the sister that years afterwards, I asked her, I said, Sudie, when were you saved? She said I was saved in those meetings when Brother close was preaching on the Clinton Rd. on our descendants of that sister are still in a meeting down there.
That was a real work, although it looks so little when just one after Brother close was with the Lord.
Told how she was saved in those meetings. And yet that testimony has been a testimony that has remained a real testimony. And I believe that that is far more to the Lords glory than getting many to make a confusion may make quite a display of the effort. And yet when?
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There are many that are not really saved at all.
I believe when anyone is giving up the gospel, and that doesn't mean just getting up to preach to a company of people. It can be done privately. But when we give out the gospel, certainly we must have faith to believe that the word we're giving out is going to do its work.
We must believe God. We must believe in the word of God. And then after the word has been given, we must believe that the Spirit of God will use it because he's been sent to convict the world of sin and of judgment and of righteousness. And there's a verse in Zechariah Chapter 4 that was a great help to me, and it was the Lord that brought us before me when we were working in the Congo years ago.
I could see that there was something going on.
In missionary circles that did not seem to be according to the Lord, and there were many being brought in making professions, but it just seemed that there was no reality, and the Lord brought this scripture before me in Zechariah 4.
Verse 6.
Then he answered, and speak unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto derubable, saying not by might.
Nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
After we've given out the word, perhaps we state that by might or power we can stir up these souls and get them to make a profession. Well, perhaps we can.
But what's the result?
Getting professions that are not real and so they make a profession and perhaps they can go on for a little while and then they give up.
And that brings a reproach upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, how much better to have faith that God has sent His Holy Spirit to do that work of convicting to lead souls to accept Christ the Savior and make a profession? Because if they make a profession that's not in the power of the Spirit, well, what good is it or how we need to walk by faith in the work of the Lord?
That's the whole line of things I think that is being brought before us here as we find in the verses that.
We read this morning so that neither is heat and watereth anything, planteth anything, neither heated water us. But God did give us the increase, that is the servant is to do his work and remember that God gives the increase. We were speaking a little bit of this in Ottawa just on the Bible reading this week, and that we don't get any example in the book of the acts whatever of anyone being brought to force to a decision for Christ.
The gospel was faithfully and warmly presented. It was presented in the power of the Spirit of God. But we never find anyone being asked to make a profession. And I believe we have the pattern for God's work brought before us in the book of the act, and that if we were to follow this, we would find that God has the pattern. He hasn't just left us to our own ideas, He has a pattern for His work as well as the truth that we're to preach in His Word.
And it's departing from the truth of his word and departing from the pattern that he has laid down that has brought in so much confusion and Christendom. And because we like to get credit to ourselves, and we're all the same, we all like to get credit to ourselves. If we're not watchful, we look over the fence and see the apparent results, and we're not content to go on and leave the results with God. Let us remember these words again.
So that neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that water us but God that give us the increase. When are we going to find out whether God was pleased with the work that we did well brought before us here the judgment see of Christ, there will be the manifestation.
And in the mean time, let us go on in faith and count upon him. As you said, brother, I do believe it's very important. And this thought of the exaltation of man comes in, in a very subtle way, into the service of the Lord, not only into other things, but we have to watch it. God wants to exalt his buttons. He would take all the glory for him and the work of the Spirit of God.
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No man can come unto me except the Father which has sent me. Draw him.
It is possible to cause an untimely birth of a soul. That is, one is maybe disturbed, awakened as to their sins and their need, and one gets.
To hear that one and and set the gospel before them and gets them to make a confession. And it may be true, it may be real, they may be really safe.
But that exercise they were going through was very important, and it's something like a butterfly trying to get out of this cocoon. Well, he struggles and struggles and struggles trying to get free.
And someone sees the poor little creature in his and his distress, and he takes a pair of scissors, or he takes some instruments, tries to help him out.
Where we succeed, the butterfly comes out and his wings are injured.
And he never can fly very well. All that struggle that he was making in getting free from his cocoon was necessary for his development and for the use of his wings so he could fly properly. And I believe where a soul goes through real deep conviction of sin. And this trouble awakened us to his lost condition, the more his disturbed and distressed about it.
Until he finds peace through believing is a very necessary part of the work of God in his soul, and we have to be careful that we don't interfere with the work of the Spirit of God.
It wasn't until Lazarus was undergoing corruption that the Lord raised him from the dead.
And it wasn't until the stone was rolled away and all of that stench was allowed to come out.
And surely we have a picture there of a soul that lost. And the Lord is not in a hurry. He didn't raise him the first day, he waited until the 4th day.
Well, when it comes to saving souls.
Certainly the Lord is not in a hurry to get them to make a profession. Ah, they have to see their lost corrupt condition. And then the Lord will come in and work, and our brothers can bring before us the examples we have in the Acts. Think of the man in the 16th chapter of Acts, the Philippian jailer. When was it that the Apostle Paul said to him believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?
It's when he got really exercised. What must I do to be saved? Well then it was time to tell him Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometimes at the end of a gospel meeting, I have, and I've heard others say that if there is one in the 10th or in the meeting room tonight who was burned after the question of their sins, and is not clear if they would like to speak to the speaker or to any other here, they would be very glad to sit down and read God's word with them.
Would you be happy about that, Mother Mary?
Bladder has. I think that would be a very suitable way to, but still one I'm dealing with. That soul would have to be careful and she said not to just get to make a confession before they see that the work with pens or the exercise has led to that point of confession.
The account of the wise man and of the foolish man is repeated in Scripture, the wise man building his house and laying the foundation upon a rock. And then we're told that when the elements combined to fall upon this house, it fell not.
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With any account is repeated again, and it says of this wise man that he did deep and laid the foundation upon a rock. And this time when the elements combined to fall upon that house, it said it didn't even shake, it didn't even shake, for it was founded upon the rock. And I wonder if that perhaps is a distinction between a soul who has passed through this kind of exercise.
And has been brought to see the foundation laid upon the rock Christ Jesus. Neither house fell, but it was said of one they could not be shaken. And that was the house where there was a deep digging preceded the laying the foundation. Not what we've been saying.
Has been related to accepting Christ as Savior.
But we know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of the assembly.
And how about souls coming to take their place as a member of the body of Christ, taking their place at the Lord's table in fellowship with those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who profess to be on the ground?
Of the one body who professed beyond this foundation, the Lord Jesus Christ, who professed to be members of the body of Christ and only members of the body of Christ. How about them?
What can we do? What can we say? But again, give the word and trust God by his Spirit to work in their hearts and to make them see these things, because I'm afraid very often they're those.
Who take their place at the large table. Professors leave as members of the Body of Christ, and yet perhaps they don't really see it. And then perhaps testings and trials come, and they fall by the wayside.
That is, as far as the assembly is concerned. They don't seem to go on how. We need to see that the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation. He's the rock. He's the center of gathering. He's everything. I don't.
Late brother Anderson, that one who has neglected the Gospels and is not acquainted with the general principles found in the Gospel of repentance and things of that nature, are really prepared to take their place at the Lord's statement. They may have a little bit of truth in their hands as to.
The ground of gathering.
But unless there is true a true sense of repentance before God and what it means, a complete moral revolution in the soul, there will never be happy at the Lord's faith.
OK, so Jerusalem were not to be open until the sun was hot, and so discernment and the full length testimony of God's word is needed in the assembly as the question of reception, is it not?
If the gates were open before the sun was hot, it might there might be miss, or it might be still not quite daylight and some light slip in. That would be the very cause of sorrow that we've been talking about. Is that what the apostle Paul held? Timothy lay hands suddenly on no man gone.
Rush to be identified with them, or have them identified with you. Wait on the Lord.
To make all clear, what you speak of is the responsibility of those who are receiving. But what I was referring to also was those who are applying for fellowship. The state of soul is necessary, and the exercise that should be with each one of us for that matter.
As to what the Gospels present, how full the Gospels are.
Of foundation truth. It's like someone has said that in reading the gospel we have the person of Christ before us and.
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We are.
Our hearts are warm, our hearts are drawn to him. But when we come to the epistles, we have the added thing of being instructed as to the doctrine itself.
In regard to being drawn to him as the center.
Don't you think by one being there?
The warp and conduct, the one who desires for expressive desire to remember the Lord is a very important consideration. Just just saying, why aren't you breaking bread? Well, there should be another inquiry. What has your walk been? What are you connected with? Is your walk careless? Are you going on with things that dishonor the Lord? Are you walking in company with the world?
Well, I believe that that things like that.
As to their walk is perhaps more important than even how well they understand the step that they're taking and taking their place at the Lord's table. A young believer might come in with a deep loss of the Lord and very little intelligence.
But if there is a godly walk, if there is a separation from the world and its ways, well, I believe a soul like that will be led on.
To a deeper understanding of what it really means to be gathered to the Lord's name alone. But this just encouraging anyone to come in, begging them to come in, and rather condemning them because they're not.
Remembering the Lord, I believe is a, is a is a wrong thing and can do harm.
In the book of Ruth we find that Thor has said of Ruth who stands with this. He wants to know something about it before he receives it. And it's very important too, isn't it, that we know something about those who applied the fellowship to be as Lord Stable go under their history?
We have an experience in the West Indies with a man who came one morning.
The Brighton village and he wanted to be received the Lord's table and dear brother Brown and he alone brother faithful from the two said. You know brother I need some help. I'm gonna receive your next Lords day, I said. Well, I'd like to have a little talk with him if I may.
So he and I went the back of the room, and I said, would you mind telling me with whom you've been associated before you came here and asked him to fellowship?
Well, he said. I've been with the Open Brethren. I said. Would you mind telling me why you're leaving them? He said. Well, I'm right around with some of the brothers and I've had a rail with my wife. She's there, too, he said. I cannot get along with them. I think I can get along with Brother Brown.
I said, Well, let me tell you this, dear friend, this is not a city of refuge for those who cannot come on the brethren, or cannot come on with the wife. Your first responsibility is to be reconciled to your brethren as your wife. Then if you exercise by taking a place before the Lord, then come and speak to Brother Brown.
I'm talking about with him. I said you couldn't be received on those grounds. I said I can see through it quite well. You're trying to avoid further conflict with your president and your wife, that's all. So he said, well, if you do not receive me here, I shall still come because I love them all. But that's the mask we saw over next week using the police station. Come here. So in Montreal, a young person asked to be received at the Lord's Table.
Their parents were spoken to and they said that they saw a real desire in their child's heart to please the Lord. The Sunday School teacher also was encouraged and as this was discussed in the brothers meeting, a brother said what does this young person know of the ground of gathering and the truth of the one party?
An older brother there said being received at the Lord's table is not a test of spiritual intelligence, but rather their law and a heart of affection for Christ.
I read a verse in God's Gospel, the 12Th chapter, in keeping with what you have just said.
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John's Gospel, chapter 12.
And.
Verse 25 and 26.
He that loveth his life.
Shall lose it.
And he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it a delight eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me. And where I am, there shall also my servant be, if any man serve me him.
Will my father honor now? I believe that it's important that we see this in one who wishes to remember the Lord that he has.
The Lord before him, seeking to follow the Lord. It isn't a question of intelligence in Scripture, but I believe the principle that we have here is very important, as we said before in the gospel, that which brings the Lord before us and.
So the soul can have Christ as the object.
In that way, to follow Christ.
I like what we see in the parable of the Samaritan. It has been pointed out before.
That it was not the innkeeper who went out looking for additional guests. The Samaritan brought this wounded man to the inn, which I believe is a picture of the assembly. He brought the wounded man to the inn, and the condition of the wounded man was certainly not normal to that which the innkeeper had probably experienced before.
This man would be one who would require special, watchful, perhaps nursing care, and yet he was brought to the door of the inn by the Samaritan with these words. Take care of him. And whatsoever thou spend us more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Well, I just dropped this to death, and because I believe perhaps they're ought to be more of a sense of shepherding.
With all of us who are gathered than there is. I agree thoroughly with everything that has been said concerning the prayerful, spiritual, priestly discernment needed in connection with every individual case. But I wonder sometimes, when perhaps the disappointment follows, do we always say, well, there must have been a mistake in receiving? Or perhaps might we say?
Has there been thoughtlessness and carelessness in shepherding if a wounded individual is brought by the Lord to the assembly?
So what a responsibility rests with those who might hear the Lord saying.
Take care of him.
Our Lord's enduring this thought of the fact that.
God knew all about horror before 4 News.
And they didn't decide the assembly.
He president Nearly.
Provided the means of the restoration.
So it is always with God. He he's the head of the assembly and he will never protect the assembly because.
Because of course we do. We do need the word of God.
In this exercise to keep us from sin and sinning.
Though I was thinking how blessedly it is that God was pleased to God with this threat that presses the presses, the work hard restoration.
And he loves to do it too, The sorrow, responded The first chapter First Corinthians of the ministry.
That they needed before poor new energy, The thing that was there, the special thing that was the corals.
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And he never left it. So he went on to restore the assembly and.
The person that and that we find, I suppose we find that the proof of it in the second edition.
We could say, too, that the assembly of scripturally gathered, we are gathered as members of the body of Christ, and as such there is a place for each one there, unless excluded by discipline or by a careless walk. And then to the assembly is to be the pillar and ground of the truth. It's the place where the truth of God is maintained and those who come as it's been brought before us, are shepherded or should be, and the truth brought before them saw that they would grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
So that I believe there is not only the fact that there might not be knowledge, but even in some cases, like our brother just mentioned, there might be someone who needs special care who is brought. And we don't look that a person has thoroughly had given up everything that is out of the world, because perhaps when they're seeking to go on for the Lord, we see definite progress.
That is, I believe that when we see a person really desiring to please the Lord, there are certain things that will drop off as they go on and make progress in the things of God and if there is spiritual power in the assembly.
The person who has the right desire will learn, and I suppose most of us who are now gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus could say that there are things that have dropped off since we have been there, things that we have seen, and as we start to go on for the Lord.
These things we learned and desire to please the Lord more, and so they were given up. So I believe it's important that it's not only knowledge, nor is it only that there should be everything that's outward. The Pharisees had everything that was outward, but they didn't have a heart for Christ. We desire that the heart should be right, and if the heart is right and we see a desire by, surely the Lord can lead them on.
And in the assembly they learn not only the true.
But they learned to that which is becoming to His presence and growing grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.
In our 12Th verse, we are called attention to the fact that the building is individual.
The Saints are workers together, and they're one, but still they're responsible individually for the work. And so it says, if any man build upon this foundation.
And then we have enumerated the kind of material.
Suggesting what's permanent and what will not stand the fire, because eventually the fire will test everything and so this puts it down. Individual responsibility does it not, in connection with what is built into the building.
Don't you think that pretty good? Consider this.
I was taking up any work of Christian is seeking to do for the Lord.
That's going to be tested out someday, not only dreaming souls into the assembly and capturing them. And that's the primary.
But I'm sure the principle would apply to every believer. We're all builders in a certain sense.
Building in view of Eternity and the day is coming when our works will all be tested out.
At the judgment seat of Christ.
And this is a very solemn thing to consider, that it's going to be revealed by fire. It says forest fire is a symbol of the judgment of God, and what is for the glory of Christ will stand the test. And of course the obedience to His word is also.
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Another consideration.
If it's not in obedience to His Word, for then it is something the Lord cannot grant a reward for. For surely the Lord could never reward disobedience to His Word. And so that brings in a very special exercise, and would turn a continually to the word of God, to search it and to get His mind, and to see what is according to His will and to His mind.
So that we might not be following a path of disobedience. So at the judgment seat of Christ, everything will be tested out there, and it shows in this passage as clearly as any passage in the world.
That salvation is not dependent on good works. It says if any man's work abide, well now if salvation.
You turn it on. Good works. Are there only Apostle which says, such as one will go to heaven? But no, he doesn't say that at all. He says, if any man's work of five which he had built thereupon, he shall receive our reward.
Another question that should search the hearts of all young and old who are here, that the subject of reward is definitely taught in the word, and to have rewards in that coming day is worth all that's surrendered in this life. Then on the other hand, if any man work shall be burned.
Why does it say you'll go to hell?
He supposed the man here whose works are all burned up. Well, you think, well, such a man, certainly to never get to heaven. But no, that isn't what he says. He says that he shall be saved, yet so is my fire.
I believe that the parcel here is just giving us the doctrine.
Supposing in one case where all works are good, in another case where all works are bad.
Well, I am sure you'll never find anyone among the Lord's children who hasn't failed. No one will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and all His works be accepted. Nor will there be anyone that the judgment seat of Christ, no matter how He may have failed in his life. But what the Lord will find something in his life for which He can reward, He sets the example clearly before here.
But the the subject is of the fire consuming.
What is merely a work of the place or something that may have made a great display in this world, and yet when it's tested, it's just so much material for the bonfire, whereas the little gold, silver, precious stones is far more important.
And having a mountain of wood, hay and stuff. So it's been often said that quantity will never make up for quality. That is a little that is really for the Lord's glory down here.
Is far better than a great display of what isn't, according to the Lord's will and mind, and is not done in obedience to His word.
Quality Brother Barry, I think of those scriptures that refer to the Lord Jesus in this way.
Not only did he restore that which he took not away from serving the Father, but he added the 5th part to it.
Now in the sacrifices.
They were not to allow the salt to be missing.
Salt has many meanings, but in that connection I believe it means devotedness.
Now, if there isn't devotedness in serving the Lord, there is liable to be would pay and double. If it's just a question of carrying out a command, then there isn't too much in it. But if it's a question of the heart in it, if any man has served me, let him follow me. Now that's devotedness to Christ, and I believe that's the kind of service that's seen as gold.
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And silver.
And precious stones. It's a result of appreciation, brethren.
For what took place at Calvary's Cross Forest? It's a result of what?
We find as we meditate on the work of Christ for us, and the heart goes out in answer to it, and the service really then becomes an overflow of praise. Is that not right in service?
It's certainly something we have to guard against, a matter of getting so occupied with service for the Lord that we forget the Lord. And I believe every one of us is faced with this temptation of getting so occupied with service, we forget the Lord. And instead of the service flowing out from devotedness to the Lord, we're occupied with the servant itself and think that that's devotedness.
We need to be in the presence of the Lord. We need to spend time with Him, but we can get so busy that we don't have time.
To spend in His presence. We're we're confronted with these trials, these testings, these temptations continually, and it's because of the weakness of ourselves and we're apartment to be LED astray, unwittingly. We make a God out of our service instead of being occupied with the Lord Himself.
We know that.
Perhaps noticed in connection with Martha and Mary, We remember that Martha was covered about much service and came to the Lord and said, speak to my sister that she helped me.
Well, Mary was the one who sat at the feet of Jesus and heard his word.
Will you truly think that Marla would have been the sole winner?
Two sisters. But if you look at the 11Th chapter of.
John's Gospel.
Have the Raising of Lazarus look at the 45th verse.
Then many of the Jews which came not the Martha, but to Mary.
And had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. Many the one that sat at the feet of Jesus and heard his word was instrumental in turning many to Jesus that came to her.
So the autumn here the statement that chameleon received ServiceNow true that is. And just as we had in that scripture, brother London, that you were reading there in the 12Th of John.
If any mind surgery doesn't say let him go to a Bible school or let him learn how to preach, but it says let him fall on me.
That's the true secret of service, isn't it? And that's the one the Lord can use in his left way.
Why do we have terror? Why do we have terror connected with the judgment seat of Christ in the 5th chapter of Second Corinthians?
In the 11Th verse, after we are told that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Then the 11Th verse says knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, why is terror connected with the judgment seat of Christ?
The fact that the Apostle had had been considering the fallen subject of the judgment seat of Christ, where the searching light of God glory was the place on his life and the life of all God's people. He thinks of the poor Sinner without any refuge, and brought under that searching light that's going to expose.
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All his life history down here, he thinks of a terror, he thinks of the awfulness of it and and it just stirred him up to persuade men to escape that terrible judgment that will take place when the Sinner stands before the Grapevine thrown and has his whole life brought into review.
And there's no shelter for him, no blood to cover his fins. He has to meet.
The Oracle solemn judgment of God.
Sometimes the judgment seat of Christ is looked at in its broader aspect, not only for believers, but also for unbelievers. Or it's the same person who will sit upon the great white throne who will sit upon what is for us the judgment seat of Christ. And so we find in Romans. It enlarges there, as I live, saith the Lord, Speaking of the judgment seat of Christ. And it says, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So if you thought of your life passing into review, what a blessed comfort to your heart to know that all has not been according to the mind of God will be burned up. The blood is forever. Put it away from God's holy sight, and it will not be charged against you.
But a lot of serious thing to think of all that passing into review and nothing to put the sin away and all being charged to us as sin. How terrible. So I believe there is that wider thought in connection with it. But there is no terror at the judgment seat of Christ for the believer. Because when we stand there, we'll be like Christ. We'll be clothed in the best world of heaven. However, I think we should not lose sight of the fact.
That there will be such a thing as feeling there, And if any man's work be burned, he shall suffer loss. And John spoke of it in his epistle, where he said that we may not be ashamed before him, it is coming. There is such a thing as feeling that our lives could have been more for him, but were for self instead, and that they will be lost at that time, not that there will be any.
Charge made to us, but it will be a loss that can never be regained. If any man's work be burned, he shall suffer loss. For how long? Never regain, Never regain what? An encouragement there to think that when it all comes up, the Lord's not going to charge one thing to us. But what a reason why we should live more for him when we think that he's taking note of every little thing that is done for him.
And will reward it. Remember that the Lord bat over against the treasury, and watch how they cast into the treasury. Not what, but how they cast into the treasury. And a poor widow came in with only two mice. She cast them both in. She didn't say, Well, I'll keep one for myself and give the other to the Lord. She gave it all.
The Lord says there is the one who has given the most. She gave all that she had. So the Lord looks not only at what is given but what is held back. He looks at the how the motive that prompted the act.
I believe that the subject of works and their judgment is not a new subject to the New Testament. We have it in the book of Ecclesiastes, the Last Word verse, for God shall bring every work into judgment.
With every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil, and possibly in in Isaiah.
24 Also with the judgment of the earth is spoken of, I believe it goes on until that great white throne day, That is, it refers to the judgment that will.
Take in everything in the coming days.
So I believe the subject of judgment and the works is not a new thing with the New Testament, although the Lord when He was here, he brought out the subject of eternal judgment which was not really known in the detail before.
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Here are the one who they suffered a lot, nor that they gave you very difficult time in his life in connection with the Blessed Lord. Jesus can't believe he was following the Lord as far off then he was warning himself at the fires of the enemy He had an opportunity to confess.
The Lord Jesus.
He had an opportunity to speak well, right? Well, I mean all the restoration.
That in power has reached it off later on. But that opportunity was not restored to him. Wasn't so in a sense you can see what would be to suffer off when he stands and the judgment seat of Christ. You will realize that here was an opportunity that he had and yet gone couldn't be restored.
We might remember that when it's the time for the judgment seat of Christ, and when we appear that is, believers appear before the judgment seat of Christ, we will be in our glorified body and we will be able to judge of things then in a way that we can't judge now.
And I I like to think of it this way, that the Lord then gives us the opportunity to.
Fully judge the thing as he judged it. He gives us the opportunity to have his mind about that thing which has not been According to him, and that is the thing that finishes it all. I'm sure that brother has been saying that we'll have feelings there. We'll go through a feeling of suffering, loss, but the judgment of the thing that was not according to the Lord will be feral.
And that will finish it. The reason we don't get through with things down here that we need to judge is because we don't seem to be able to judge them so early, and they keep haunting us and following us and troubling us. And we need to ask the Lord for grace to judge a thing even down here that we might be finished with.
Because we read if we confess our sins.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So often we fail in self judgment and in judging the thing that was wrong, and so we're never really free from it and we never come into the joy of knowing that we've been cleansed from the defilement of.
How thankful we will be, surely in that day for the judgment seat of Christ.
When we will be completely finished with all of this that we could not thoroughly judge here there will be thoroughly judged and we'll be finished with it. But we should be exercised here and not wait until the judgment seat of Christ. No doubt that's why the terror part is brought before us, to make us realize that there will, there is not connected with it. It seems that here in our passage of Scripture in.
That we've been looking at 2nd Corinthians 5. The terror is connected with men. Knowing, therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.
Well, why do we go out and preach the gospel to persuade men to accept Christ.
We know the terror of the Lord. We know the terrible judgment that awaits them. If they die in their sins, they die without Christ. They must meet the Lord on the great white throne. There is terror connected with it, and no doubt the apostle brings it in here that we might be exercised too about this.
Fact that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, not as to our salvation, it's not a question of that, but as to our works. And we should fear the law. We should have a reverence and respect for the Lord, not a fear like the the one who's still in his sins would have but a reverential fear that we that we fear that we do anything.
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To displease the law. It's not afraid of coming judgment but a fear lest we should dishonor the Lord or bring any shame on his name. To help young believers here with some brother, please explain what self judgment means.
You can explain it. Brother Snyder has well, could we say this self judgment?
Is not just holding.
Myself, and acknowledging that what I've done is wrong and disobedient to the word, but it's getting into the presence of the Lord, into the sanctuary, and owning before him.
Whatever the hindrance is, and whatever has been concrete to his mind and to his word, and asking him for grace to judge the matter third.
Self judgment. It's the judgment of self. It's true as a brother saying that sometimes we just judge the sin that's committed the truth. But we have to remember there's a root there that produces that, and we must judge that too, and remember that it's been judged at Calvary.
Christ was hanging there in the cross, and he suffered in the flesh.
He was condemned there on Calvary's cross, and we are seen by God as condemned in him in that death their calories shelf has been condemned. And we need to realize this not only judge the fruit, but the root of sin as well, which has already been condemned by God. And we need to take that attitude toward the truth that we hold it in that place of condemnation.
Let's sing our little camp all that we were.
Our sins.
Well, that we were our sins, our guilt, our guest was all our own. All that we are, we all to be of God, of grace alone.