Correspondence: Position a Believer Should Take

From: Young Christian: Volume 8, 1918

• 4 min. read • grade level: 6

Question: What stand or position should a believer take? P. R. J.

Answer: The believer should take the Word of God as his guide, and be under the teaching of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:12¹²Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12).) He is to find them sufficient for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, to furnish him unto all good works. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17)).

The Scripture showed him that he was lost, (Luke 19:10¹⁰For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)), guilty, (Rom. 3:19¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19)), dead in trespasses and sins. (Eph. 2:1¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)). In believing on Christ as his Savior, he was saved, (Eph. 2:8⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)), justified, (Acts 13:39³⁹And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39), Rom. 5:1¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)), and no condemnation can touch him. (John 5:24²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24), Rom. 8:1¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)). He now has everlasting life and eternal security. (John 10:28²⁸And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)). He is a child of God. (Rom. 8:16, 17¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:16‑17); Gal. 3:26²⁶For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26); 1 John 3:1¹Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)). The Holy Spirit now dwells in him. (John 7:39; 14:17³⁹(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39)
¹⁷Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17); 1 Cor. 6:19¹⁹What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19); Gal. 4:6⁶And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6); Eph. 4:30³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)).

By the Spirit he is united to Christ, the glorified Head of the church, which is His body, and he is a member of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:12, 13¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑13); Rom. 12:4, 5⁴For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: ⁵So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:4‑5)).

So then he is a child of God the Father; a member of the body of Christ the Son of God; and his body is a temple of God the Holy Spirit. His behavior is to be regulated according to these. And the Lord is his High Priest to give him the strength and grace to live for Him, (Heb. 4:14-16¹⁴Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14‑16)), and his advocate with the Father to restore his soul to communion if he should sin. (1 John 2:1¹My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (1 John 2:1)).

In reading the Word with prayer, he finds directions and help to live for Christ. (such as: Rom. 12:1, 2¹I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1‑2); Phil. 2:12-16¹²Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. ¹⁴Do all things without murmurings and disputings: ¹⁵That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; ¹⁶Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. (Philippians 2:12‑16)). He is not to grieve the Spirit, (Eph. 4:30³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)), but if he does, confession restores him. (1 John 1:9⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)). He is not to be “unequally yoked with unbelievers,” (2 Cor. 6:14-18¹⁴Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? ¹⁵And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? ¹⁶And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ¹⁷Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14‑18)), so he should not join societies with unconverted people; he should see that he does not take up with one who is not saved to be his future life partner.

He should also see that his associations in religious things are according to the Word. His membership was made by the Spirit when he was saved. Unconverted people cannot worship God aright. (John 4:23²³But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23)). There is no joining of churches in Scripture. Matthew 18:20²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) tells us “Where two or three are gathered together in (or unto) My Name, there am I in the midst of them.” This is the center where the members of His body can gather, and where they can therefore be and enjoy the presence of the Lord. See how happy they were in John 20:19, 20¹⁹Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. ²⁰And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19‑20), the first meeting after Christ rose from the dead.

In Acts 2:42⁴²And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42). “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine,” (or teaching,) that would answer to meetings for ministry or reading the Scriptures together. “And fellowship,” this is given us increasingly as we feed on the Word. “And in breaking of bread,” that is the sweet remembrance of Christ in death in the Lord’s supper. Acts 20:7⁷And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7) lets him know that it was the custom of the early disciples to gather on the first day of each week for this purpose. (never once a month). “And in prayers,” this takes in meetings for prayer, as well as in private.

We find the professing church has departed from the Word in this and in many things, but the believer is exhorted to get back to the World, and thus to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.” And he is to be waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus to take His people home. This is his blessed hope. (Titus 2:13¹³Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13); 1 Thess. 4:15-18¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)).

To C. D.

Daniel 3:25²⁵He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:25). In the Old Testament the Lord appeared at times in different forms. In Genesis 18. He is a way faring man communing with Abraham the pilgrim. In Joshua 5. He appears as Captain of the Lord’s host, giving instructions how to take Jericho. In this chapter He is a companion in tribulation, and a deliverer, while in it, from its power. The fire killed the men that put these three men into it, but over them it had no power. It took the cords off their limbs, and put them in the company of one like to the Son of God. Nebuchadnezzar did not know the Son of God. (It is literally “a son of the gods.”) But how happy a place it was to be in. Was it not? They might be afraid before they were thrown in, but it was delightful to be in the presence of the Lord Himself. (Nah. 1:7⁷The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. (Nahum 1:7)).

1 John. The features of God’s children are seen in this epistle, as light, love, obedience; righteousness, and faith; and are contrasted with the children of the devil, as darkness, hatred, disobedience, unrighteousness and unbelief.

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