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It's about finished, yes. I believe we covered it pretty general.
Well, I have been wondering. We have been considering.
Individual responsibility for the Lord and what we've had before us, and whether it might not be profitable to take up something as to collective responsibility.
Like we would have perhaps say in the 15th of the axe.
I have wondered something about that.
Perhaps also connecting that with the Apostle Pauls. Comments on it in Galatians 2, first part of the chapter.
What portion of the chapter did you have in mind reading?
Well, I would read in that 15th chapter.
Well, I'd read down through the 35th verse.
And then in Galatians.
Two to read.
The 1St 10 verses.
Acts 15th chapter let's say to read down those 32 verse Yes please Acts 15 verse 1 to 35.
Uncertain men which came down from Judea, taught the brethren, and said, except to be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.
When, therefore, Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem under the apostles and elders about this question, and being brought on their way by the church, they passed through beneath, and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they.
Cause great joy unto all the President.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
But there arose of certain of the sectors of the Pharisees which believe, saying that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses, And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, Men and brethren, you 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. And God, which knoweth the heart, bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us.
And put no difference between US and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why tempt God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they.
Then all the multitude kept silent.
And gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren hearken unto me.
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Simeon has declared how God is the first to visit the Gentiles, who take out of them a people for his name and to this degree the words of the Prophet.
As it is written, after this I will return and will build again the Tabernacle of David.
We're just fallen down and I will build again the ruin thereof and I will set it up.
That the residue of men might speak after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord to do it all these things.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but that we right under them, that they abstain from pollution of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
For Moses of all time happened every city.
Them that preach him being read in the synagogue every Sabbath day.
Then please get the Apostles and Elders.
With the whole Church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judith are named Barclays and Silas chief men among the Brethren, and they wrote letters by them after this matter.
The apostles and elders and brethren send greetings under the brethren, which are the gentiles of Antioch, and Syria, and Celestia. Or as much as we have heard, that certain which went out from us, have troubled you with words subverting your soul, saying, we must be circumcised and keep the law. To whom we gave no such commandment, It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord.
To send chosen men under you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.
Men that have hazarded their lives in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have met, therefore Judas Insight, who shall also tell you the same things by mom, or it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things that she abstained from me, offered to idol, and from blood, and from things strangled.
From fornication, from which, if you keep yourselves, he shall do well, fare ye well.
Though when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation, and Judas and Silas being prophets also themselves.
Exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them, And after they had carried their space, they were let go in peace from them from the Brethren, unto the apostles. Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide their skill. Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Now the second cast of relation.
On verse one through 10? Yes, please.
Galatians 2 verse one.
Then 14 years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with one of us and took Titus with me also.
And I went up my revelation, and communicated unto them that God always reached among the Gentiles.
Privately were of reputation left by any means I should run, or had run in vain, but neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised, and that's because of false brethren unawares brought in, who gave in privately to spy on our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into ******* to whom we gave place by subjection. No, not for an hour.
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That the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
One of these who seem to be somewhat whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter no matter to me. God accepted no man's person, but they who seem to be somewhat in conference, added nothing to me, but contrary wise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed under me, as the gospel of the circumcision was completed, or he that was actually impeded to the apostleship of the circumcision.
The same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go under the heathen, and they under the circumstances only they would that we should remember the poor, the same which I also was forward to do.
Now I know that this chapter in the 15th of the Acts.
Has a very definite place in the early beginning of the Church.
That is, here was a question coming up of this circumcision and the teaching of the law.
Well, it's centered in Jerusalem with the headquarters for it.
And I believe our brother Potter used to remark that he.
Wondered whether the church in Jerusalem ever were really and got on real Christian ground, that is, they were so associated with the Temple.
They started out, evidently, at first. There's definite need visiting the temple to bring the gospel to the remnant there, but it would seem from other places in the history and the Acts that perhaps they continued that beyond what they should, because it was when the Apostle Paul went there later on.
That some of them enticed him to go to the temple.
Well, the Spirit of God.
Saw fit that this question should not be settled in Antioch, but in Jerusalem.
That is, if it was settled in Antioch.
There might have.
A resume division in the church, a Gentile church, and a Jewish church. And so that was guarded against.
By having this matter settled at Jerusalem.
Well, it was not my thought to.
Go into the details of that I had thought as to whether we do not have principles here in this chapter to guide us in difficulties that arise at any time in the Church's history.
Would you Would you judge then that things should be settled in someone place or not in the local gathering?
Well.
Here, evidently.
The Lord desired that their.
Shouldn't be?
Consultation, at least, with their brethren in Jerusalem.
Now in looking at it in a human way, here was an apostle located in Antioch. He could say to the Corinthians, am I not an apostle? And he could exercise his authority as such.
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But we see from his account there in the Galatians that he says he went up at this time by revelation.
That the Lord told him not to exercise his Apostolic authority, but he should go up to Jerusalem.
And if you look at the assembly at Antioch, it was certainly a very.
An assembly. Very.
Completely.
Gifted Having Prophets and teachers there, as we learned in the 13th chapter.
That, humanly speaking, you would think that they were thoroughly competent to handle this matter.
Well, here was a question coming up that the Lord didn't want the assembly at Antioch to handle that.
He wanted it settled in Jerusalem.
Well, I believe this would guard us from independency of action when we know there are exercises elsewhere. I believe that it shows that they should be considered.
What would you think of that, Brother Brown?
Yes, I.
Pardon me. Got their own brown. I better hear you, brother. No, go ahead.
Well.
Your remarks I thoroughly agree with.
As to.
Consideration.
Of their brethren.
Rather than to put anything over on others.
Without that Christian attitude of fellowship and concern in in others.
I do believe that Acts 15 is a most unusual thing in the word of God, because a very unusual.
Difficulty had arisen.
And God made a special provision for that because the Apostle himself.
Was set for the gospel.
The He was the chosen vessel. He even can call it My gospel.
But God, as it were, was supporting him and making a provision so that it was not to be settled by himself, but by the most unlikely place.
At Jerusalem, where Judaism held, had held their headquarters at Jerusalem.
I see divine wisdom in setting the this whole program.
For maintaining the truth of the grace of God against the enemies intrusion of the legal system. Again, now that's as far as I feel.
Certain of speaking.
We wouldn't say that there is any Jerusalem now would be.
No, it wouldn't. No. But there was the the situation there in the early church, and this was a crucial question.
This thing was desperately important and it had to be resolved.
In a way that would maintain the integrity and the unity of the testimony to Christianity, and if the whole church at Jerusalem apostatized.
Went back to the principal of Judaism and the law.
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Having synagogues all over the world, it would work havoc. But isn't it marvelous the way the spirit of God took over both at Jerusalem and at Antioch? The first thing could be solved in a godly way and everybody be happy about it. Yes, it's very remarkable how he uses.
The very ones in Jerusalem who were perhaps more the proponents of these very questions. He uses them to settle the question, and they settle it might say contrary to their own thoughts and feelings.
With the over ruling hand of the Spirit of God, well now there is you say there's no truth from now that we would look to for the settlement of affairs. But there might arise a question with the consciences of our brethren elsewhere and something to as to whether perhaps another assembly might be involved, why there should be consideration.
I remember a case in another country where I was one time and.
There was a assembly there, and there was a a brother who was causing considerable difficulties among the gathered Saints in that land.
And this one particular assembly, he had harassed them.
And irritated them very much in accusations.
Well.
It so happened that I think, is the second evening that I was in that place. Why I was down to railway station, where they were seeing off a brother, and here was a brother from this assembly had been so tormented in this way by a diatrophies, and they were.
Very much irritated about it and they were considering taking action against this man. Well he was not a local man but still he was causing a great deal of trouble and the this brother was discussing it with some of the other brothers there and he says well haven't we the right to do it?
Well, they didn't question the right to do it, but they didn't think it was the time.
Are the way in which it should be done. They asked them to wait upon the Lord. Well, they did wait upon the Lord, and the Lord didn't settle a matter without their having to take the action.
Well, to have taken the action with a precipitated something which might have been disastrous.
Well, one is thought here the Apostle Paul. Now he was used to write letters.
The bulk of our epistles are the Apostle Paul's letters. Well, he might have written a letter to the assembly in Jerusalem and told him what he thought about these people.
Well.
By revelation he was told not to do it, and here was the assembly of Antioch, it tells us here.
That there had been no small dissension and disputation with them. Why they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain of them should go up to Jerusalem on the apostles and elders with this question.
So we have the Apostle Paul.
Are guided by distinct revelation, and we have the assembly coming to a conclusion that certain ones should go up there. Well, I believe it was remarked in one of the.
Meetings here the other day.
About writing letters.
Well, I believe it's long been a a policy among us.
From some of our brethren of a past generation not to write letters individually, at least where you can speak with one face to face.
I suppose there's nothing that can be written that somebody else can't take something else out of it.
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And there's no opportunity to explain a misunderstanding.
It's nice to see when they came to Jerusalem.
They were received at the church and of the apostles and elders and they declared all that God had done with them, that is a Jerusalem was opened to hear the cause. They didn't just shut the door on their face and say, well we know what you've come here for and we we just don't care to listen. But instead of that they received them and.
Listen to them, and they declared. And isn't it nice the way that's put They declared what God had done with them, Not what they'd done, but what God had done with them.
And then we see the.
The way the Spirit of God works.
Yeah, there's a thorough discussion of the matter with the Pharisees.
So they get the older ones together, the apostles and the elders.
To talk it over. And they do, They do a lot of talking. Much disputing.
And now Peter LED of the Spirit of God.
Gets up and gives a summary.
And it must have been given in the power of the Spirit of God.
And when he comes to the point.
It's beautiful to see it in that ninth verse that he put no difference, no difference between us and them. Purifying their hearts by faith. That's the Gentiles.
10th verse Now therefore, why tempt you God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
And then the marvelous grace in that 11 verse But we believe.
That through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they now ordinarily He would have stated that the other way around.
He would have said we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ they shall be saved, even as we. But he didn't. He put it in reverse. Oh brethren, that's real. That's great operative, isn't it? Yes.
Isn't there something important too in that sixth verse?
You've commented on the discussion in the 4th and 5th verses.
And then here in the sixth verse, it tells us the apostles and elders came together. Consider this matter.
Is there not a principle there here? This thing had been aired publicly. Well, now the fossils and elders come together to consider it.
Well, do we not get there something as to the government in the assembly?
Our brother father used to say.
An assembly is not a democracy where everyone has a equal right and voice. Well, here he speaks about the apostles and elders come together. Consider the matter.
Well, now apparently.
They didn't exclude others from being present. There are others there, but it was apostles and elders that considered the question.
And evidently said there was much disputing there. Well, then Peter gets up and and makes his remark, which you alluded to. Well, I believe that is important.
I remember Brother Aaron at the time that the.
Amalgamation movement was on precipitated on us over here by some over in Europe, especially in England.
And it came right at the time we were having a general meeting in the morning that came to a head.
Well, there were. There were brothers there, there's a large conference and there were leading brothers there from many gatherings.
So there was an opportunity given between the meetings for those who were taking the lead locally in the various gatherings to get together and and weigh this matter that was being put before us in such a a sudden and precipitate way.
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And I believe that that general talking over that we had together.
And did a lot to clarify the atmosphere so that that movement made little or no progress on this side of the ocean.
Yes, I believe that was right and I remember too on occasion in England. I was over there afterwards, years afterwards, and the brother.
I believe you were referring to me that I was in England at the time he corresponded with you and he said he wanted to see an American brother.
So.
I called on him. He was not in fellowship at the time.
He'd gone with the movement and.
What he wanted to know was why didn't you go into that reunion?
Well, I says we made a protest against it.
I said I know what, I was present at that meeting.
Well, he says. We didn't know anything about that.
And then he told me, he says. We hadn't been in that five years before.
We.
Realized we made a mistake, but took another ten though to get out of it.
Then in the 13th verse.
This man James, who evidently held a very predominant position there, This is not the.
This is not Peter, James and John is it? This is James, the son of Alpheus.
He he gives the summary the decision.
And he gives it in a magnificent way.
Coming down to the 19th verse, my sentence is that we trouble, not them.
He speaks in a definite, determined way.
My sentence is he's the spokesman for the spirit of God in that assemblage.
That we trouble not them from among the Gentiles that are turned to God, but we write under them these these orders for Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogue every Sabbath day. They can get that anytime they want it.
Then it pleased the apostles and elders. Now let's not miss this next expression.
With the whole Church, the whole assembly.
It wasn't just the apostles and elders with a whole assembly.
To send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas and Silas, chief men among the brethren. Well, that's godly order, isn't it? Yes, and I think that is very important.
What is mentioned there, as you commented, with the whole church, that is the brothers. As such, the apostles and elders or the brothers could not settle this question. It had to be brought before the whole assembly and we cannot speak of assembly letter going out unless it is brought before the whole assembly.
I might say, well, sisters don't.
Have any voice in the matter?
But.
You can't have the whole church unless they're present.
Now here is another thing to notice.
In that verse you read Brother 19.
James, the spokesman, says. Wherefore?
I judge it is in the other translation, wherefore I judge not to trouble of those who from the Gentiles are turned to God Now the real thought, I think, is.
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That they had cleared the atmosphere from this yoke that.
These crumblers would foist upon.
The Gentiles that were saved.
That is to put the law upon them, and the conclusion is not a new law.
He's not introducing any new or added things.
He's simply judging that The thing is not good that they have proposed, and it's very important to see that we have something to go by. We simply abide in the truth. There's no advance here. It is simply a safe conclusion according to God's mind, and I mentioned that because.
We're living in the last days and we should give no place to man introducing any new law.
Or tradition. There's no importance in any of us matters not who he is. It is a matter of abiding by what the Lord's word teaches us.
And that's in keeping with this whole context, is it not? Yes, I would say Amen to that very strongly, Brother Brown. Then isn't it important here to notice too? It's been commented as to James comments and then in that.
19th verse Here he is.
Summing up what has gone before and he says.
Wherefore my sentence is.
And he gives it. Now he doesn't call for a vote.
He doesn't call for different ones to stand up. All in favor of this, he says. My sentence is He summed it up. There's the power of the Spirit of God there. And so then we read. Then it pleased the apostles and elders with the whole church.
There was that arrived at without resorting to human means. They didn't go back like they were doing in the first chapter. The action cast lots about the matter. The spirit of God guided me.
Well, I believe that there is a power of the Spirit of God when gathered together in the assembly. The Lord is in the meds and.
There is a restraining power. I think we see it here. All these people that were contending, I doubt very much if they change their minds about it.
Because we know that it crept up afterwards.
But the Spirit of God at that time overruled.
And here James.
Gives a sentence the whole assembly accepted.
It was a deliverance that God had provided for them. We can just see God's hand in this whole program. How nicely it was settled.
60 years ago at this time.
A grave, a grave controversy.
Arose.
It might be near 70 years ago.
A very grave controversy arose touching the.
Touching the person of Christ is work among us.
And it was sponsored by some such accredited brethren.
Then it gave deep exercise to the Saints.
All over.
And some of the leading brothers in Canada and United States.
We're in a position of uncertainty.
They hardly knew they were. They wondered if these brothers to whom they'd been looking could be wrong.
00:40:03
They didn't have a settled judgment. Well, there was a conference at Toronto. This is before the day that I was with Brethren. There was a conference at Toronto.
And at this conference, a brother delivered an address, a brother well known to many of us.
Many of us older brothers.
He got up and delivered an address.
And it was so powerful.
In taking up the basic issues that were at stake in the doctrine that this man over in England was.
Trying to force on his brethren.
That address was so clear.
And powerful and of the spirit.
That the atmosphere was clarified and when that movement had spent itself in Canada and United States.
There were very few that have been carried away with Raven ISM.
Very few. And it was that brother's powerful address in the in the power of the Spirit of God that defeated Raven ISM on this side of the ocean.
Now in Speaking of the over ruling.
Power, the Spirit of God, and assembly sometimes where there has been a matter.
In an assembly, then up and it's been decided. You may afterwards hear a certain one say, well.
I I thought of this.
Should have been spoken up.
But the Spirit of God didn't allow it. We brought up I breathe. There is that.
What other errors?
I don't think you made very clear some perhaps regarding that sixth verse I've heard you speak of it. So I think I can speak for you experience that it is like what we call in our local meetings of brothers meeting that the.
Have to look into certain things and.
Bring out the facts that are to be presented to the assembly. Is that right? Well, I believe that responsible brothers should consider a matter before it is brought before the assembly. And again, I don't like to refer by names, but our brother Potter used to say that it took at least two trumpets.
To bring collect the assembly together, bring a matter before them. One trumpet wasn't enough.
One brother couldn't get up and bring a matter before the assembly took two. Well, now.
I I wouldn't call this sixth verse a brothers meeting. It's the apostles and elders, the responsible brothers.
The others perhaps were present, but the responsible brothers were the one who carried the burden of it.
Verse 22, as our brother has already read it, indicates that the church was present.
Do you think they were? They were present at? Yes. I think that was a later session. That was another session, yeah. What would make the difference in our chapter?
Lawyers or anything, the discussion of the apostles and elders seems to have preceded their gathering together in the church when the matter was brought before the whole church.
At least that's been my understanding of yes, Sir. Well, it's often been remarked the assembly is not a deliberative body. That is, it's the responsible brethren who discussed the case and.
Decide as to really what they feel is the crux of the matter.
But they don't decide it though. They bring it before the assembly, and the assembly makes the decision, but the IT isn't brought before the assembly and all its details first. It's the responsible brethren who do that.
I think sometimes that is.
Largely overlooked as to the question of the responsible ones.
00:45:01
That it isn't everyone that really has an equal voice in the matter.
And one of our brothers of a past generation, he used to several letters, I believe of his where he comments on it that it's better not to have all of them present, but more responsible wants to consider these matters.
Is that what you?
Need.
Well, they they came to the same conclusion in their message that had been suggested by James, didn't they?
It seemed good in the 28th verse.
It seemed good to the Holy Ghost.
Now, isn't that nice? The way that's put, it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, that is, they definitely felt they had the leading of the Holy Spirit.
And to us.
To lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things. And then he gives them a list.
Well, what a what a lovely picture it presents. Immunity preserved.
In a godly way and the consciences.
Carried the consciences are carried. So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and they gathered the multitude together and delivered the epistle. And oh, what happiness there was there, what joy there was. Another crisis was averted, and the Saints could go on now in happy liberty, both at Jerusalem and down at Antioch.
And in connection with those things that they mentioned in that 29th course, it's really not taken from the law, but goes back the time of Noah, does it not beyond the law, Yes.
Something that is always true, yes.
Well.
There are some things there in connection with that second chapter of Galatians.
Might look at unless there are some further questions. Unless I just felt as though our brother Browns remarks.
Could stand a little more emphasis.
The conclusion of the whole matter, the end of this program arrived at produced a happy state of fellowship amongst all the Saints, and if our hearts are upright, that will ever be our object. And if we wait on the Lord, he'll help us to attain it.
Well, I believe we see in this, it seems to me, the principle how that we're not to pride ourselves on our rights or our spiritual perception and ignore our brethren as a whole in a matter of this kind that there should be.
The consideration of others in these matters.
And I.
I thought that was that is noticeable in that chapter in Galatians as the Apostle Paul personally.
Someone had said that in the 15th of actually don't read of any prayer.
But I think that's a gross assumption.
I believe there was much prayer. You don't come together in a serious matter like that without waiting on the Lord.
Well, the Apostle Paul was a man of prayer. He writes a great deal about it.
And in general, when there's difficulties God word, isn't that the secret of their getting together in unity because they've all been carrying an individual exercise?
Before we go together.
00:50:03
Yeah, we'll never accomplish these things by pure human learning or logic.
And another.
Thought too, is that we're so shortsighted.
All we see is a little object right before us.
God sees it in its perspective, the whole thing. We don't know what one action today may make tomorrow.
And I trust.
The Lord's will and the Lord's glory that suck.
There must have been tremendous conviction both with what James spoke and what Peter spoke.
Because you don't find any rebuttal.
It's accepted was felt as the mouthpiece of the spirit of God.
Well, I remember reading somewhere where one of our brethren of the past generation remarked that they were thought Peter and James were very wise and they allowed the others blow off their steam first.
And I believe there is something in that, in allowing certain ones to give vent to their feelings, the Spirit of God can come in and make them ashamed of it.
Our brother Eric Smith in Bolivia told me that.
When the tendon brethren get excited about something come to him, he just sits there quietly for an hour or two and until they've blown off all her steam and he says, well brother, let's open up the scriptures and see what the Lord says about it.
Before we leave this particular subject.
I think it might be well to clarify for the sake of many that are here from small assemblies.
And emphasize what was brought out, that the 15th of Acts was a very exceptional and unusual circumstance, and furthermore it was in the very early days of the Church.
And Apostolic power was there.
But in a practical and realistic application today as to responsibility.
We would find, wouldn't we, in the Epistle to the Corinthians, for instance, that responsibility rests with the local gathering as to its own discipline.
And if that gathering feels its own weakness and inability to deal with the matter, then it may call or help from outside from an adjoining assembly. But I just didn't want to leave any impression here that it's the the purpose of scripture to have assemblies conferring back and forth in respect to arriving at a decision about a local matter that wouldn't be correctly.
No, not as to a local matter, but.
What I was seeking to emphasize is where perhaps another assembly might be involved, why one shouldn't go ahead of the other without consultation.
Where there's exercise, among others about this very same thing and a great deal of apprehension, then be wrong to say, well, haven't I got the right to do it? And go ahead and irrespective of the conscience of the brethren, as far as a purely local matter, Why, yes, The local assembly doesn't need to bring in others unless they feel their weakness and unless they may feel they have the power to act.
And sometimes there is that.
It's perfectly proper, is it not, Brother Arizona, where an assembly feels the need of help, that they appeal to another gathering for help. That's perfectly proper, isn't it? Yes, it is. But I I think we have to distinguish between. I think you've already spoken of this.
00:55:00
Certain matters are purely local and the local meeting takes care of it.
Some things that come up in assemblies and of course it has to come up somewhere locally. Everybody has a local identity if he if he hasn't, he should have.
There are some things that come up.
Where that decision is not going to be confined, just the significant significance of it is not going to be confined to that local assembly. It's a decision of such magnitude that other assemblies are going to be tremendously affected by.
So I think we should take in these, these matters into consideration in our local discussions. Well, now, how's this going to involve other gatherings?
I think there's a difference there. Your story about the Des Moines situation some years ago is a case in point.
When the amalgamation was being caught, Oh yes, yes, it wasn't the situation that only involved them on. Indeed it was not.
And wood down to this day, vital principles were at stake.
And we need to recognize and discern that.
Lest we regret they had not done so.
We have a different We have a little situation in Southern California that most places do not have.
Having five gatherings with him.
Radius of 20, radius of 25 miles. Let's say they're bound to be overlappings and people in one assembly and then in another.
And we have to be considered.
We cannot Arbor arbitrarily go up on a tangent and disregard the others.
Here in Southern California look like one large family, although there are five different meetings, different local meetings by the large family. Years ago they used to have a brothers meeting of all the gathers in London.
Weekly, but I don't advocate such a thing in Southern California, but there is that was a different situation.
That was because London was one incorporated city and we never.
We never read in scripture of the churches in a city. It's always the church in the city.
We read of Churches of Christ, but then we're talking about the Churches of Christ in Galatia, which was a province, not a city. But you never hear of churches in a city in scripture. It's just one church in one city. And the Brethren in London felt that. And I think there were 12 local gatherings in London. But when it came to questions of discipline.
Questions of any magnitude or discipline. They acted in concert and sent out the decision.
Of the Assembly in London.
But the London Brothers meeting had no authority, did it? No, it had no authority. But if they did come together.
To council.
Now here we do have this situation that there's scarcely one of the meetings here that doesn't have people living in that city that go to another meeting by reason of the ease with which they can go to the other.
So that the thing isn't as simple as it might be.
How we need to be on our guard about this.
Thanks. So Brother AC Brown, Yes.
May we say just a word that time is getting on about this second chapter.
Paul had to deal with with a situation here.
Where there was some duplicity involved on the part of those that were opposed to him.
Probably the morning being jealousy.
The fourth verse, because of false brethren unaware is brought in that came in privilege to spy out our liberty.
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Which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into *******.
They were.
So to speak, teaming up on the apostle going to bring him into disrepute.
And.
Paul is there and the definite conviction that he has the mind of God.
And he doesn't submit for a moment.
Because the very truth of the gospel was at stake.
Well, when anything comes up worthy, the basic truth of the gospel is involved. Why? We can't expect any yielding us on a point like that, can we? No. Paul stood like adamant on it.
And.
He was able to to put them to silence. Is it not possible though Brother Brown for?
One is an individual to get an warp view of something and get it out of proportion and just think that everything depends on that. Yes, but we're speaking here the Apostle in the in the stand that he took.
This was the very gospel is at stake. There's no yielding there.
If he had given way, the gospel was gone for all of us.
What you were saying?
It was really building up a party spirit, was it not? And again, one of our departed brothers said that as to party spirits, says the party that assumes to be the godly party is the one to be feared.
Well, in connection with this, I've often thought of that second verse.
I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them the gospel which I preached among the Gentiles, but privately to them that were of repetition, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain. I think that's important. We should check with one another that.
We are not missing the path, bringing in something perhaps that shouldn't be brought in there, he said he.
Communicated privately into them, which are reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain. The Lord has provided checks for us. You know there's with Israel why I was established. You know the.
Shekel of the Sanctuary. Well, evidently that was different from what they've been used to in the ordinary life. But here is a standard within the sanctuary, which was the government.
Well.
He said he did this.
Well, sometimes people say, you know, well, if I have the Lord before me, why everything is going to be all right.
And if I have the Lord and you have the Lord, we be of one mind, but the Scripture gives us checks to to so that we might judge ourselves.
Of those things which are not of the Spirit of God, because none of us can say like the Lord said all together, that which I say unto you that I am, none of us can say that there's another important thing to brother Harrington and.
I first saw it in print. I think it's an attract by.
GV Wigram.
You can help me out on this, but he says a very significant thing there. It sounds startling when you first state it, but the more you think about it, the more you see the truth of it.
There are situations that arise among Saints where truth.
Is on one side and the Holy Spirit is on the other side.
Yes.
Well, yes, and I believe.
JND said one letter to 1 Controversy is controversy between the intelligence and the spirit.
You get a situation where.
My brother gets hold of some truth.
And it is the truth.
But he takes it to an immature company of believers.
And he he lays it out before them and they don't see it. They haven't arrived at that point yet.
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And he just is going to thrust it down their throats. They've got to see it. And he presses it beyond their capacity to take it in. And he divides the Saints. Did he have the mind of God in that? The thing he was pressing was true, but he was pressing it beyond the capacity of those things to accept it. He he was unwilling to wait for the Spirit of God to work and bring them to see that truth.
I remember an introduct.
I'm supposed, like to say Brother Brown of the servant of the Lord who brought something to his brethren that they had never heard before, and they wouldn't receive it. So he quietly retired, and when he came over to the United States, he rode out and gave the Scriptures what he had been presenting to them Orally. He didn't sign his wrong initial. He put PM Boston, MA.
The place where I wrote it, it sounds like cross the ocean and back into their hands. They quietly open their bodies and considered the content of the paper. And the Lord opened their eyes.
Standing to receive it. So when he came home, they put their arms around him and told him that now they have 100% what he had been trying to see. Wasn't that wisdom. Indeed it wasn't.
I believe it's what you say is very important, Brother Brown, and I think we have to take in consideration you were speaking about these people.
Immature, and this being pressed upon them, we have to.
Consideration that especially in dealing with different nationalities that although approach the problems alike. I've noticed that say in England, why they don't approach the problem the same way that we would. And then when you get into a different language, why there is entirely a different way of expressing things and we have to be very careful as to what is pressed.
How about that, Brother Ramon? That's correct.
I believe that.
Mr. Darby, and speaking about the image that in Daniel, you know that.
The faith and all their clothes. The toes were composed of iron and clay and didn't mix.
Well, he made a remark. He says that perhaps, maybe the difference between the Latins and the tools, they don't think alike.
Well, there is a different way of approaching things and we have to be very careful as to what we press and what we the taste the time may not be right for.
Can I ask a question? A reference has been made to a party spirit.
Now might be helpful to enlarge a little bit on just what is meant by a party spirit.
Now, we certainly get it in First Corinthians, don't you?
First Corinthians, the first chapter and get.
Party spirit.
And Paul's estimate on it.
First chapter, First Corinthians in the 11Th verse.
Well, the 10th verse. Now I beseech you bread, and by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the House of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that everyone of you, Seth, I'm appalled.
I have a power. I have steepest. I have Christ.
As Christ divided was all crucified for you.
Were you baptized in the name of Paul?
Now in the.
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In the 4th chapter.
And the third verse.
But with me it's a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or man's judgment, or man's day. Yeah, judge not my known self. I know nothing against myself, yet am I not hereby justified. But he that judges me as the Lord, therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsel of the heart. And then shall every man have praise of God.
And these things, Brennan, are having a figure transferred to myself, into Apollo for your sake.
That you might learn in us not to think above that which is written.
That no one of you might be pumped up for one against another.
Well, the the farming of a party.
For the Saints to form a party is a simple thing to do.
And for the individual to allow himself to be the head of that party is a sinful thing to do.
Now I sometimes question, I'm glad for a little help on this, but I sometimes questioned if those names that Paul uses in that 12Th chapter were the real names that were at stake.
But he he used them so as not to expose those local brothers that were guilty. So he uses those names because he says I haven't a figure transferred to myself in the policy. But that's only just a suggestion. Well, I think what you referred to in that 4th chapter.
Seems to bear that out.
And the parties here in Corinth.
Had not actually gotten to the point where they were divided, that is, physically they were. It was clicks among them all. Rally around the certain brothers for a certain truth and say, well, I like this brother's ministry. I want to follow him and I like another person. I like that brother. Way of putting things, we follow him.
Well, that, I believe, is the spirit of what we have here in corn.
And that connection there is a difficulty came up in our local gathering back home over 20 years ago.
Later ended in fact that there was a small division affected a number of gatherings and it was quite an exercise to 1 individually at the time.
I remember.
Reading and the writings of a brother who's already been quoted, one with much value and years gone by among us. If I remember the words correctly, he said this.
Of no party spirit will I have anything to do save to reject it, so we do should seek to.
Avoid being drawn into taking sides that shouldn't We are into our in any way of becoming part of a party or a spirit of division amongst the Saints. Do we have a? Do we have a proper conduct set before us in Romans 1617 as to.
Our behavior regarding.
Party, spirit or division?
Romans 1617 Now beseech you, brethren, mock them.
Which caused divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them.
The next verse two, brother. For they that are sex serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good work and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple.
It's been a long short of assembly discipline, yes.
It's individual responsibility if you see a brother going on forming a party.
Spreading error, or whatever it may be to avoid that might be a later development from what we've been considering in in the fiscal for the Corinthians.
Speaking of them not dividing yet in quarantine, there's one verse that clears that up. When you come together in one place, they all came together in one place to remember the law.
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They were just the spirit that prevailed when they were there.
And there was the clicks. There the rich were to themselves, and the poor to themselves.
Seems to be quite natural.
To have little factions developed amongst the Saints.
Factions and also.
To have, as it were, champions.
The Saints very readily have their favorites.
And they line up as it were.
Relative to their champion, their favorites.
And it makes the faction and the apostle says in First Corinthians 3 verse 3.
For ye are yet carnal.
For whereas there is among you envying and stride and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men, it's the state.
Of not being really spiritual and having a heart for all.
Well, the instructions that Timothy was to do nothing by.
Prejudice or partiality, I believe is the way it's rendered in New Translation, First Timothy 521.
Very important verse, yes, and it's a very difficult thing to steer through between the two.
And our verses six. I think it is their chapter in Galatians. Or maybe it isn't six. Let us look at it.
Yes, verse 6.
But of those who seemed to?
Be somewhat.
Whatever they were, it maketh no matter to me.
Now notice this. God accepted no man's person.
Now I think that is repeated in the word of God quite a few times, and that God is no respecter of persons. There is a tendency.
To be influenced by influential person, and I believe that the soul is going along with the Lord, that they will be freed from any undue influence by influential persons. Now I do not want to try to disparage those that may be properly.
Influential.
That we ought not to drop down to that low level of being swayed by merely influential persons with his true brother Brown. The opposite is true of refusing out of out of sheer prejudice, refusing anything from someone that we don't like. That's serious. I know Brother McMillan was telling me about a case that he knew.
Over in Ireland, I think it was when we had some meetings over there.
This a local matter was coming up, it was very critical and the Saints were divided over and they asked that brother what side he was going to take.
And he says I'm going to wait and see which side brother so and so takes, and I'm going to take the opposite.
Now that is an awful spirit.
And yet that that's what the man said.
Carnality. Carnality.
Another said on another occasion. I'm not taking any sides, but I'm simply waiting on the Lord to see what he's going to do.
But what is the apostle say about those like one brother, one type of ministry of more than another?
Places. They're all yours.
When the Power received us, whatever, they're all here. Then what? Why settle for any less than all?
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188.