The believer who learns from the Scriptures that the body of Christ is to express itself in a visible unity on earth may well ask, “How could we ever practice that truth today when most Christians probably don’t even know of such a thing, and if they did, are probably not interested in practicing it?” It is sad that such an incredible breakdown in the Christian testimony exists. There is disunity among the members of the body, with believers being divided into various denominational groups, and quite happy to be there.
The Ruin of the Christian Testimony
It is a sad day indeed when we see every man doing “that which was right in his own eyes” (Jud. 21:25). The body is surely “not holding the Head” (Col. 2:19). Dr. W. T. P. Wolston likens the present condition of things among the members of the body of Christ to a disease called “Chorea” (Huntington’s disease) that can afflict the human body causing the muscles to all go in motion, but not under control – though the head desires them to be controlled. He said, “I think the church of God has got that kind of disease today. The members are all doing their own will.”
There are three women in the New Testament that illustrate the progress of ecclesiastical corruption in the professing church. The first is the woman in Matthew 13, who took leaven and hid it in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened. This marks the introduction into the unleavened mass of Christians certain corrupting principles and practices in the days of the early church. The second woman, in Revelation 2:20, “that woman Jezebel,” is symbolic of the development of evil under the system of Catholicism in the middle ages. Thirdly, we have “the great whore” in Revelation 17, which portrays the false church in its last stage after the Lord has taken the true believers out of this scene at the rapture. The papal influence is still there, but she will have drawn every other so-called Christian denomination under her organized power of corruption. We also see in that chapter the end of the Christian profession coming under the judgment of God by the hand of the ten kings that she has controlled in the first half of the seven-year Tribulation period.
We are told that in the latter times of the church’s sojourn on earth, there would be a great departure from “the faith that was once delivered to the saints” (1 Tim. 4:1, Acts 20:29-30, Jude 3-4). All of the “second” epistles attest to this departure in the Christian profession.
The 2nd epistle to the Ephesian assembly describes the letting go of first love (Rev. 2:1-7).
The 2nd epistle to the Thessalonians treats the letting go of the hope of the Lord’s coming.
The 2nd epistle of John deals with the seriousness of letting go of the doctrine of Christ.
The 2nd epistle of Peter considers the letting go of practical godliness.
The 2nd epistle to the Corinthians treats the letting go of apostolic authority as found in Scripture.
And lastly, the 2nd epistle to Timothy deals with the letting go of order in the house of God.
Therefore, it is certain that we cannot practice this great truth of the one body with all the members. Most have no concern for this truth. However, God has anticipated these difficult last days and has made ample provision for us. If we have an exercised heart, God will guide us in that path (Ps. 112:4).
A Remnant
As we search the Scriptures to find God’s mind as to what we are to do in these days of ruin and failure in the Christian testimony, we learn a great principle upon which God acts when that which He has committed into the hands of men in testimony has failed. He reduces its size, strength, glory, and numbers; and carries it on in a remnant. The word “remnant,” signifies “the residue,” or “that which remains,” of anything of what the original was set up for. (Compare Isaiah 1:2-9.) A principle that we would do well to learn is that God's ways change when that which He has set up and committed into the hands of man in responsibility fails. While His ways change, His principles do not. When failure comes in, God falls back on His sovereignty to maintain what He has set up in testimony, and He carries it on thereafter in a remnant character. The reason the Lord does this is that a point is reached in the history of the thing whereby He can no longer associate Himself with it in the power and glory as He once did when He set it up. Since those identified with that testimony have so thoroughly corrupted it, if He were to continue to associate Himself with it, the world would receive a false testimony of God’s true character. The world would conclude that the Lord condoned such practices. Therefore, since God must act consistently with His holiness, He lets go of the thing as a whole, as He originally set it up, and then works with a remnant testimony. God has acted on this principle in the history of Israel, and now with the church, and will do it again in a coming day with the Jews in the Tribulation.
God’s Ways With Israel
In the case of Israel, the Lord very clearly established a place in the land of Canaan where all the children of Israel were to come with their sacrifices, offerings, and worship. He placed "His Name" and "His habitation" at that place, and said, "Thither shalt thou come" (Deut. 12:1-16, Deut. 16:16). The place, we know, was Jerusalem (1 Ki. 8:1, 29, 9:3, 11:32, 14:21, 2 Ki. 21:4, 7, Ps. 50:5, Ps. 122:3-4, Ps. 132:13-14). This was the Lord's desire for all of the children of Israel whom He had redeemed out of Egypt. At certain appointed times He wanted all the tribes of Israel to assemble there in happy fellowship to express their unity as a nation, and to worship Him.
As their history in the land unfolds, we find that the children of Israel forsook the Lord and went worshipping the gods of the heathen nations. This was true of the king as well as the people (1 Ki. 11:9-11, 33). And thus, the nation corrupted itself and failed to maintain a true testimony before the world of the one true God. As a consequence, we find that the Lord removed many of His people from His divinely appointed center at Jerusalem. He caused ten of the twelve tribes of Israel to be taken away from the privileges of His gathering center (1 Ki. 11:29-36). When king Rehoboam attempted to recover the ten tribes, the Lord intervened through a prophet and told him to desist, because it was "from the Lord" that the ten tribes should be carried away (1 Ki. 12:15, 24). It was a governmental action in the ways of God.
Now, we may ask, how is it that the Lord said in one Scripture that He wants His people to gather together at His divinely appointed center in Jerusalem, and in other Scriptures He drove many of them away from it? How are we to understand this paradox? The infidel mind would say that it’s because the Bible contradicts itself. However, the answer to this question, we believe, lies in understanding the difference between God's purposes and desires, and God's ways. Everything that God purposes will come to pass: there are no obstacles too great to hinder Him from accomplishing His purposes (Isa. 46:11, Job 42:2, Jer. 51:29). His desires run in the same direction as His purposes: but while all that God purposes will definitely come to pass, all His desires may not. For instance, the Scriptures say, “Our Saviour God, Who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4). It is His desire, but we know that all men will not be saved because “all men have not faith” (2 Thess. 3:2). This is because His ways with men are such that because of their stubbornness and sin, He may take away privileges that His goodness has desired for them (Isa. 6:9-10, Jn. 12:40, Lk. 8:18, 2 Thess. 2:11-12, Ps. 69:23). This shows that God's ways change when that which He has set up and has committed into the hands of men in responsibility fails.
Since Israel had given themselves over to the worship of the gods of the heathen, the Lord could no longer associate Himself with them in power and glory as He had done during the reigns of David and Solomon. The nations around Israel would have received a false testimony of Jehovah. The ways of God were such that He would carry on His testimony in Israel in a remnant. He, therefore, allowed but "one tribe" to remain at the divine center that there might be "a light" before Him in Jerusalem (1 Ki. 11:13, 29-36).
The people under a rebellious leader, Jeroboam, had their part in the sad cleavage among the tribes of Israel. Jeroboam took the ten tribes and led them away from the divine center. There was a low state among the people that were willing to follow that divisive man. Since going up to Jerusalem, God’s center for sacrifice and worship, had the effect of uniting the tribes of Israel (1 Ki. 12:27), Jeroboam established other places of worship of his own devising, so that the people would be gathered after him in division (1 Ki. 12:25-33). Thus, the division among the tribes of Israel was solidified, and it remained throughout their history. It was “a great sin” (2 Ki. 17:21), and will not be healed until after the Lord comes – at the appearing of Christ (Ezek. 37:15-28, Isa. 11:13).
From that time forward, God chose to have only a remnant testimony to the truth of the one place of worship in Israel. At that time “Ammi” (meaning “My people”), implying the relationship of Jehovah with His people Israel, was broken as to the ten tribes by their separation under Jeroboam. Thereafter, “Lo-ammi” (meaning “not My people”) was written over them (Hos. 1:9). Thus, He outwardly disassociated himself from the ten tribes in their departure from His divine center at Jerusalem. Throughout the history of the ten tribes we find that God would not identify Himself publicly with their position. On more than one occasion we are reminded of the solemn fact that “the Lord is not with Israel [the ten tribes]” (2 Chron. 25:7). The Lord would not identify Himself with them, because in doing so, He would be condoning their position in separation from His divine center (2 Chron. 13:12, 2 Ki. 17:20-21). While the Lord did not identify Himself outwardly with their divided position, He still worked among them with prophets in some manifestations of His power in grace. Prophets, such as Elijah, sought to call them to return to the Lord at Jerusalem. We know that a few did return (2 Chron. 11:13-17, 30:11). This shows that the Lord would never hinder anyone who had an exercise to be at His divine center.
From the time of the great cleavage in the tribes of Israel, it could not be said that the Lord was gathering all the children of Israel to His divine center at Jerusalem. Something had come in that caused the Lord to act in another way with His people. He was clearly removing the mass of the tribes away from the happy unity at the one center for worship. His desires were still such that they should all be there, but His ways moved Him to act on another line with most. And it was not because the "one tribe" was any better than the tribes the Lord caused to be led away. We know that king Rehoboam’s bad state actually perpetrated the cleavage among the tribes (1 Ki. 12:1-19). Nor does it mean that every single person in the ten tribes was evil and was worshipping the gods of the heathen. We learn later that the Lord had reserved seven thousand among them that had not bowed to Baal (1 Ki. 19:18). In fact, a few of those from the "one tribe" that God had allowed to remain in Jerusalem were guilty of that very thing – worshipping Baal! Nevertheless, to maintain a “light” in Jerusalem did not require that all the tribes of Israel to be there. A remnant, consisting of one tribe, was sufficient. It would be humbling, because those at the divine center could no longer boast of the nation’s original glory with a unity of twelve tribes that once existed in the days of David and Solomon.
God’s Ways With the Church
When we come to the church, we see the Lord acting on this very same principle. Following its history as depicted in the seven churches of the Book of Revelation, we see a downward course in the Christian testimony. The condition of things gets to a point where the Lord no longer owns the mass of the Christian profession, and thereafter, takes up with a remnant testimony (Rev. 2:24-29). The state of the church had come to the point of "no remedy." (Compare 2 Chron. 36:16) Consequently, from that point forward, a marked change takes place in the Lord's ways with the church. This is indicated by the call to "hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" following the promise to the overcomer instead of preceding it, as the pattern had been up to that point. In the first three churches (Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos), the reward to the overcomer was set before the whole church because the Lord was still dealing with it at large. All in the church who heard and obeyed would receive the overcomer's reward. Thereafter, it is given up. Remarking on this, J. N. Darby said, "The body at large is dropped." The public mass of the Christian profession is treated as being incapable of hearing and repenting. The Lord then separates a remnant, saying, “But to you I say, the rest [remnant]....” From that time forward, the Lord began to deal with a remnant, and to let the mass of the people go. The call to "hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," in the last four churches, is given to a remnant because only they will hear and overcome. W. Kelly said, "The Lord thenceforth puts the promise [to the overcomer] first, and this is because it is vain to expect the church as a whole to receive it ...a remnant only, overcome, and the promise is for them; as for the others, it is all over." As a result, the Lord no longer expects the mass of the Christian profession to hear and return to the point from which it departed. All thought of recovering the church at large is abandoned because it has reached a point of "no remedy," and cannot be set right.
If we were to go back and see what caused the public state of the church to reach the point of "no remedy," we would find that it was the same thing that caused the Lord's testimony in Israel to reach that point. With the church, and with Israel, there was a course that led up to it. In Ephesus, we learn that "the angel of the church" (the responsible leadership) rightly judged all that was inconsistent with the Lord. It says that they would not "bear them which are evil." But sadly, their heart was not in it (Rev. 2:2-4). In Smyrna, any further slide downward was stayed by the great persecutions that came on the church. The severity of the trial cast them back on the Lord. But in Pergamos, when the times of great persecution were ended, "the angel of the church" began tolerating some who held "the doctrine of Balaam," which is worldliness and idolatry. The “angel” was not charged with holding these doctrines, but the Lord found fault with them because they did not denounce the evil as did the “angel” at Ephesus.
In Thyatira, a worse condition prevailed. "The angel of the church" allowed the same evil doctrine and practice that was held by some in Pergamos to be taught! (Compare Rev. 2:14 with 2:20) What started out as some holding evil doctrine resulted in many teaching the evil doctrine. This shows that if the holding of evil is not judged, it will lead to the propounding of it. In Thyatira, the teaching of this evil had developed into a system of things called "Jezebel," which surely answers to Catholicism. In the Middle Ages it had such a tyrannical grip on the church at large, with its strength and organization, that it controlled "the angel!" Those who were in the place of responsibility had failed to deal with it when they could have, and now it had grown into a monster that controlled them! (Compare Acts 27:14-15. The Euroclydon – a great wind – swept over the sailing ship, and the sailors could do nothing, but "let her drive"). The figure of "Jezebel" is aptly used here, because that woman not only brought idolatry into Israel formally, but she also controlled and manipulated her husband, king Ahab.
Such being the case of the public state of the church, where there remained no power to deal with evil, the Lord separated a remnant, and let go of the mass at large. He did not put upon the remnant "the burden" of setting the confusion right in an attempt to get the church back to where it once was. Instead, He turned their focus forward to His coming, saying, "Hold fast till I come" (Rev. 2:25).
Working with a remnant testimony since that time, it has pleased the Lord to recover the truth that was lost through the church’s carelessness in the centuries before. However, He has not seen fit to recover all of the truth at once. The remnant referred to in Revelation 2:24-29, are the Waldeneses, the Albigenses, and others like them who separated from the evil of "Jezebel" in Medieval times. They were told to "hold fast" to what little truth they did have. Sometime later, leading up to the Reformation, the Lord gave a little more truth, such as the supremacy of the Bible and faith in Christ alone for salvation. But even that movement of the Spirit was impeded by their turning to certain national governments for help against the church of Rome. This was tantamount to turning to man in the flesh for help instead of relying on the Lord (Jer. 17:5, Ps. 118:8-9, Isa. 31:1). The result was deadness in spirit as depicted in the church at Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6 “Thou livest, and art dead”). It was not until the early 1800's that the Lord gave a full recovery of “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). At this time, God established a corporate testimony to the truth of the one body. Prior to this, the remnant was comprised of individuals who sought to go on faithfully in separation from the corruption of the Roman church. Paul's doctrine (2 Tim. 3:10), dispensational truth, and the truth of gathering (Matt. 18:20) were revived in practice, so that those whom the Lord gathered to His Name could act on the truth of the "one body." It is not that the gathered saints are a remnant exactly (for all true believers amidst the mass of lifeless profession in Christendom would constitute that), but that they occupy, in testimony, a remnant position ecclesiastically amidst the confusion in the church. This revival is depicted in the Lord's address to the church at Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13). We are now in days when every man is doing that which is right in his own eyes, and most are complacent in their low state. This is depicted in the church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22).
Nor should we think that the Lord has written "Lo-Ammi" over the Christian testimony today – He will do that someday, so to speak, when He spews the whole thing out of His mouth at His coming (Rev. 3:16). But the Christian testimony has reached a point of irremediable ruin, and therefore, it has called for a change in the Lord's ways with it. Since He has let go of seeking to restore the public state of the church and is dealing with a remnant testimony, He is not going to lend His power to the Christian testimony today as He did in its early days. It would not be in keeping with the character of the broken state of things. Nor is He necessarily going to gather great numbers to His Name (which is the divine center of gathering for Christians – Matt. 18:20) in order to carry on that remnant testimony.
Just as it was with Israel, to maintain a remnant testimony today to the truth of the one body, the Lord does not need to have every Christian in the world gathered to His Name, even though it is His desire for them. The very meaning of the word, remnant, implies that not all are there. In divine prerogative and grace He is taking one here and one there, and gathering them to His Name so that this remnant testimony may be carried on. The maintaining of this testimony is a sovereign work. This is seen in the Lord’s address to Philadelphia where He said, "He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth" (Rev. 3:7). No man, or devil, can hinder its continuance, though it might appear to carry on in much feebleness and weakness on account of the state of those associated with it. Humbling as it may be, He does not need any one of those whom He has gathered. They hear "what the Spirit saith unto the churches" because He has opened their ears (Prov. 20:12). If we have been gathered as such, we have nothing to boast in, for it has been His grace alone that has granted such a privilege. Praise be to His Name! If those whom He has gathered to His Name are a testimony, they are a testimony to the fact that there is an irremediable ruin in the Christian testimony. It certainly is nothing to be proud about.
So then, when it comes to the practice of the truth of the one body today, we must understand that it can only be practiced in a remnant character. An often-used illustration is helpful. Suppose the parents of a large family had to travel into a far country and remain there for some time before returning home. Before leaving, the father gave instructions to the children that while there may be many things they would have to do during the day, they should all sit down to supper together as when the parents were with them, so as to keep the family together as a unit during their absence. But after some time, a few are too busy, and others could no longer be bothered with it, etc. After awhile none of the children were keeping their parent’s request. Then sometime later, two or three of them remember their parent’s request and seek to carry it out at dinnertime. Though the rest of the members of the family did not join them, they still sought to keep their parent’s request. While doing this they did not assume that they were the family in its entirety, recognizing that they were but a part of the family. Similarly, in these last days, there is a remnant testimony to the truth of the one body. Those identified with that testimony do not assume that they are the one body, but merely seek to meet on that ground. They do not set themselves up to be anything, but simply seek to practice the truth of God in regards to the assembly.
God’s Ways With the Jews in the Tribulation
When we look into the prophetic Scriptures we find that the Lord will deal with the Jews once again on this very same principle. In the Tribulation period, the mass of the nation will enter into a covenant with the Beast, and will accept the idolatry that he and the Antichrist will introduce. As a result, the nation will be thoroughly corrupted (Jn. 5:43, Matt. 12:43-45). When the mass of the Jews plunge themselves into idolatry, the Lord will not openly identify Himself with the nation in their wicked alliance (Isa. 18:4). The reason He will deal with the nation in this way is just the same as it was in their earlier history and with the church – it would give a wrong idea to the world of the true character of Jehovah. Instead, He will separate a remnant and give the mass over to the idolatry that they desire (Ps. 106:15). During that whole time God will maintain a remnant testimony amidst the great apostasy. “Many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples” (Isa 8:11-18, Isa. 10:21-22, 11:11, Joel 2:32, 3:1-2, Mic. 4:7, Zeph. 3:13).
This is depicted symbolically in Revelation 11:1-2, where it speaks of “the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein” being measured. The measuring of these three things signifies God’s presence and the privilege of approaching thereunto by certain ones – the Jewish remnant. Just as in the Mosaic order of things, where only a certain class among the people were allowed access into God’s presence in the temple, so also in a coming day only a remnant will be granted access to God. This does not mean that the remnant will enter the literal temple that the Jews will have in the Great Tribulation. It will be desecrated by the presence of the image of the Beast, and the worship of Jehovah will be forbidden. The remnant, however, will be granted a spiritual access into His presence by prayer wherever they are found in hiding. It is a provisional thing granted to the remnant in that difficult time (1 Ki. 8:37-40). This is depicted in the second book of the Psalms (Ps. 42-72), where their prayers and exercises in that day are portrayed; when they are not able to enter the temple to pray. But then notice that a fourth thing – “the court,” which signifies the outward profession of the nation (the mass of the Jews), is not measured. “For it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” This means that “the court” – the unbelieving mass of the Jews – will not come under divine care as will the remnant. Instead, they are given over to the control of the Gentiles – the Beast, for 42 months, which is the period of the Great Tribulation. In spite of the appearance of the Lord giving up His professing people, He will deal with a remnant and will bring to pass His purposes for the nation with regard to the Kingdom in it.
The Path for the Faithful in the Day of Ruin
One may well ask, “If God has a remnant testimony today, where all the truth to do with the assembly is practiced, how am I to find it?” Firstly, let us not think that God has left us to find our own way through the confusion. It is a great relief to learn that we are not left to our own resources for this seemingly impossible task. He has made ample provision for us. “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness” (Ps. 112:4). It is imperative that we recognize that however keen our natural intelligence, however great our knowledge of Scripture, however sincere our desires, we cannot, if trusting our own minds, find God’s path amidst the confusion. These things can actually be a hindrance to us if they are not held in communion with the Lord. We must own that we are simply not competent to find our way through the confusion, and then look to Him to guide us.
When we look out at all the divisions in disordered Christendom, it is a formidable challenge indeed to find the path in which God would have our feet. But without hesitation we would direct every exercised soul “to God, and to the Word of His grace” (Acts 20:32). These are two great resources that we can draw upon – communion with our God and the principles of His Word. If all agree that the guide for the Christian is the Word of God, then we must search the Scriptures in dependence upon Him for light on this subject. “In Thy light shall we see light” (Ps. 36:9). “The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way” (Ps. 25:9). “Thy word is a lamp unto My feet, and a light unto My path” (Ps. 119:105).
Second Timothy 2:19-22
Turning to 2 Timothy, we find that Paul laid out the path for the faithful when the great departure would come upon the Christian profession. The exercises, if followed, would lead to a remnant of exercised believers who are seeking (in much felt weakness) to practice all the truth of God in regards to the church. This instruction could not be more appropriate for our day when the ruin in the Christian testimony is full-blown. He said, “Let every one who names the Name of the Lord withdraw from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthen; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If therefore one shall have purified himself from these, in separating himself from them, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, serviceable to the Master, prepared for every good work. But youthful lusts flee, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:19-22).
It has often been said that this passage is the charter for the believer in a day of ruin and failure. The ruined condition of things in the Christian profession is likened to “a great house.” The house is seen in disorder and characterized by being filled with a mixture of things – some honorable and some dishonorable. The vessels of “gold and silver” might answer to true believers, and the “wooden and earthen” vessels to false professors. They are seen as all mixed together. Since association with evil defiles (1 Cor. 15:33, 1 Tim. 5:22, Haggai 2:10-14, Deut. 7:1-4, Josh. 23:11-13, 1 Ki. 11:1-8, etc.), the vessels of gold and silver are seen as defiled by their association with the wood and earthen vessels. The defilement may emanate from association with either the persons themselves or their erroneous principles and practices – whether doctrinal, moral, or ecclesiastical.
When the apostle refers to the vessels “to honour” and “to dishonour,” it appears that he is indicating the state of the vessels. While all who are mere professors in the house are surely vessels to dishonor, not all true believers may be in honor either. If believers are not going on well with the Lord they could also be classified as vessels to dishonor. Even fewer still are the vessels to honor that are sanctified. We find, therefore, in this passage three classes of vessels:
1. Vessels to honor – those going on well in the mixture.
2. Vessels to dishonor – those going on poorly in the mixture.
3. Sanctified vessels to honor – those going on well who have separated themselves from the mixture.
Purging Ourselves
The exercise is not to merely be a vessel “to honour,” but to be a “sanctified” vessel “to honour.” This involves the purging of oneself from the mixture by separation. These verses clearly teach that it is impossible to be a sanctified vessel when one remains in fellowship with the corruption in the house. The mere association with the evil doctrine and practice is enough to taint us, even if we personally do not hold or practice the evil. Therefore, the great exercise for the believer desiring to be faithful is to “withdraw” himself from the unrighteousness and iniquity in the house by separating from the mixture of things. Thus, he becomes a “sanctified” vessel to honour. It is a separation that is to be practiced in the house of God. The believer is not called to leave the house, for this would require him to abandon the Christian profession altogether, but he is to separate from the disorder there. (Compare Proverbs 25:24.) Nor is he called to “purge” the house of all that dishonours the Lord, but rather, to “purge” himself from the mixture in the house.
“From These” and “with Them”
The exercise here is two-fold: first to dissociate, and then to associate. This is indicated in the words, “from these” (vs. 21), and “with them” (vs. 22). The believer is to separate from the vessels that are all mixed together in the house, and follow “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” This order is consistent throughout Scripture (Isa. 1:16-17, Rom. 12:9, 13:12, Ps. 34:14, 3 Jn. 11). Scholars tell us that, “from these,” is in the genitive plural in the Greek, which means that it is broad in application and could include persons, principles, and things – i.e. the whole mixed state of things in the house – all the vessels in the mixture, good and bad, real and false. It means that the faithful believer is to dissociate himself from all that is contrary to the truth of God; all that denies what the true church is under Christ the Head; and from all that denies the Holy Spirit His true place as Guide. By doing this, the believer becomes a “sanctified” vessel “to honour.”
What this passage is teaching is that the faithful believer must not be satisfied to walk personally upright before God, but that he should also separate himself from any association with the mixed state of things (the corrupt persons, doctrines, and practices) in the house. This means that he will have to separate from some true believers who are unconcerned about their association with the error and confusion. We are called to separate from the disorder in the house; if true believers are content to go on in fellowship with the confusion, we have no choice but to separate from them too. This is a painful thing, and a real test of our willingness to act on the principles of Scripture. Since it is true believers that we are separating from, we should feel it deeply. Because we are brethren, there is a bond of love between the members in the body. Nevertheless, the Lord’s call has precedence over love for brethren. In fact, the proof of our love for our brethren is seen in our obedience to God. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments” (1 Jn. 5:2). Notwithstanding, let us be on guard against an attitude of thinking that we are better or more spiritual than those from whom we separate. The right spirit in purging oneself from the mixture of vessels in the house involves self-judgment, not self-righteousness.
When the believer has done this, then the Lord will guide him into fellowship “with them,” where he can practice all the truth of God (such as the truth of the one body)—albeit, this will be in a remnant. Notice also that the exercise of dissociating oneself is pressed upon the believer first. The path of associating “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” will not be found until we have acted on the light that we have in separating from what we know is wrong and inconsistent with the Scriptures. It is only then that the Lord will give us further light and lead us in the path.
Associating “with them,” would tell us that going off into isolation is not the answer to the ruin in the house of God. Some people throw up their hands in frustration when they see the hopeless ruin of the church and resign themselves to going on just as individuals. But separation should not lead to isolation. Let us ever remember the exhortation of “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” (Heb. 10:25). Notice also, it does not say, “Follow ... them,” for that would be merely following men. It says, “Follow ... with them,” which implies that they are also following themselves, and that we are to join “with them” in following the Lord and the principles of His Word. If a person is truly exercised, we believe that the Lord will direct him in the path. This verse (22) shows that the Lord will provide some others with whom we can walk and practice the truth. It will not be with all the members of the body, but with some in a remnant testimony.
Pursuing Righteousness, Faith, Love, and Peace
In this path, self-judgment is not to be neglected. Paul adds, “Flee also youthful lusts.” This is not an exhortation to the young only, because old men can have youthful lusts too. In separating from the mixture of vessels we are to “pursue righteousness,” which is seeking to do right in all of our relationships in life. This is important, because if we become careless as to our personal dealings with people, whether it is in business or life in general, we could easily falsify the stand that we have taken by withdrawing from iniquity, and thus, mock the position that we have taken.
Then we must also follow “faith,” which is the inward energy of the soul’s confidence in God. This is much needed in these difficult days in which we can easily become discouraged with how few there are that want to practice the truth. If our faith breaks down and we get overcome with discouragement, we are likely to give up in the path that we have taken.
Then also, we are to follow “love.” This would be “love unto all the saints” (Eph. 1:15, Col. 1:4). While we have had to separate from many of them, we still love them. There is a danger of our love getting narrowed, by focusing on only those with whom we walk in separation. Moreover, our love could even grow cold toward those with whom we walk. Those who choose to walk at a distance from their brethren often grow cold and slip away from the remnant position. It is important, therefore, that we keep ourselves in the love of God (Jude 21), and in the warmth of the fellowship of our brethren who “call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Then lastly, we are to follow “peace” by seeking to keep in step with those whom we walk (1 Chron. 12:33), so that there might be a happy unity among all who are identified with the remnant testimony.
From this position of walking with those that “call on the Lord out of a pure heart,” there is much service to be engaged in. Having disentangled ourselves, we are now “serviceable to the Master” and “prepared for every good work.” This does not mean that those who remain associated with the confusion in the house cannot be used of the Lord in service; the point here is that the servant can now be used for “every good work.” In service to the Master we are to reach out from the fellowship of that remnant testimony and seek to be a blessing to all. One great work is to seek, “in meekness,” to instruct those of our brethren who are still mixed up in the confusion within the house that “opposes” the truth of God. Peradventure, God will open their eyes and “give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” This is something that those who seek to serve the Lord – yet remain in fellowship with the confusion of the house – cannot do, nor would they want to. To seek to disentangle fellow believers from the confusion will require gentleness and patience. We must watch our spirits so that we do not engage in strife, for “the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient” (2 Tim. 2:23-24).