Correspondence

 •  9 min. read  •  grade level: 6
47. “Μ. D.,” Devonshire. 1 Thess. 5:1919Quench not the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) refers mainly to the public assembly, where there should be full liberty, not for men to do what they think proper, but for God the Spirit to act and speak by whom He will. Anything to hinder this would be quenching the Spirit. This interpretation is confirmed by verse 20, “Despise not prophesyings.” We thank you, beloved friend, most heartily, for your loving letter and your prayers. May the best blessings of a gracious God ever rest abundantly upon you!
48. “R. P.,” Boyle. Eph. 4:3030And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30) refers to believers, in their individual walk, as well as in the public assembly. We are to shun everything that might grieve that blessed Spirit who dwells in us, and whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption. 1 Thess. 5:1919Quench not the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) would, we judge, apply specially to the public assembly. We are not to quench the Spirit either in ourselves or in others. May these weighty words tell upon our hearts and consciences!
49. “A. M. R.,” Leinster. Heb. 9:27, 2827And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:27‑28) may help you as to your first question. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Sin brought death into the world; and death introduces the sinner to judgment. But mark the force of the two little words “As” and “So.” “As it is appointed.........so Christ was once offered.” He has met the appointment; He has died the death, and borne the judgment. As it is appointed, so Christ was offered. All is done. And now all those who believe in Jesus are as free from death and judgment as He is. Glorious fact! There is no death, no judgment, for the Christian. He may fall asleep before the Lord comes; but this is not death. The wages of sin can never be received by one for whom Christ died. The whole question of sin is definitively settled for the believer, and therefore nothing remains but to look for the glorious advent of our Lord. “To them that look for him, shall he appear the second time, apart from sin (χωρίς αμαρτίας), unto salvation.” At His first appearing, the Lord Jesus had to say to sin, inasmuch as He had to bear it upon the cross. He appeared once, at the end of the ages or dispensations, to put away sin. He will appear again unto salvation, or the full and final deliverance of both the bodies and souls of His people. The soul of the believer is already delivered, the body is not yet. But, on the other hand, those who reject Christ and die in their sins shall have to meet the judgment, and the issue of that judgment will be the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone forever and forever. Awful words! May they ring in the ears and sound in the hearts of careless men, women, and children! As to the expression, “in the Spirit” (Rev. 1), we take it exactly as it stands. The apostle was in the full power, and under the direct guidance of the Holy Ghost, on the Lord’s day—the first day of the week. God bless you!
50. “E. S. KM” North Brixton. We recommend you to procure a copy of “Six Lectures on the Church of God,” by W. Kelly. You can get it either from Υ. H. Broom, Paternoster Row, or George Morrish, 24, Warwick Lane. It will help you.
51. “W. Χ. Υ. Z.,” Bristol. In Rom. 14 the Lordship of Christ, and the fact of the judgment seat, are presented as the grand reason why we are not to judge one another in matters indifferent. Jesus Christ is Lord of all; and all must come out before His judgment seat. The believer shall never come into judgment, because Christ has borne the judgment instead. But our work and service must all be tried. There is a question as to whether our faults and failures will be seen only by ourselves or by others. What possible difference can it make? We have already gone into this subject. See our papers, in volume 10 on “The Ministry of Reconciliation.” As to the two nets, Luke 5 and John 21: in the former we see failure in connection with man’s responsibility: in the latter, we have the figure of the millennial kingdom. There will be no sinking of ships, or breaking of nets, or beckoning to partners, by and by. (See Ezekiel 67:9, 10.) In reference to the apparent discrepancy to which you call our attention, in Acts 9 compared with Acts 22:9,9And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. (Acts 22:9) we can only say it seems to us full of instruction. In the former passage, we are told that the men heard a voice; but, in the latter, Paul says, “They heard not the voice of him that spake to me” This is simple enough. There was a voice which all could hear, and did hear; but there was the voice of the Son of God speaking, in living quickening power, to the heart of Saul. How often may we see something, in measure, like this at gospel preachings? All hear a voice, but how few, comparatively, hear the voice of Jesus. We have not the least thought, dear friend, of your writing in a skeptical spirit; if we had, we should treat your communication very differently. May the Lord lead you, more and more, to search the scriptures diligently, and to seek to know His mind therein. To Him and to His word we commend you.
52. “B.,” Exeter. You will see, by a reference to our March number, that we have attended to your deeply interesting letter. Indeed your request was mentioned, two or three days after the receipt of your letter, in a public prayer meeting, and earnest prayer was made for your charge. We can only say, with a full heart, May God answer the prayers that went up on that occasion, and thus fulfill the desire of your soul, and glorify the name of Jesus.
53. “Theta,” London. If you will kindly refer again to our reply to “X. N.,” and also to 2 Cor. 5:20,20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20) you will see there has been no mistake whatever. The word “you” is actually given in italics twice. Now, you know, as well as we do, that all such words are supplied by our pious and excellent translators, and are not in the original. Our reply does not in any wise refer to the last clause of 2 Cor. 5:2020Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20) which is a faithful rendering of the original, and simply sets forth the terms in which the ambassador is to deliver his message. But we must again repeat, and that with emphasis, our statement that the apostle does not, in the above passage, call upon the Corinthians to be reconciled, nor should the saints of God be ever so addressed. It is calculated to weaken in their souls the sense of their position and relationship; and not only so, but it tends to jumble together the people of God and the unconverted, in such a manner as to hinder the action of truth upon the latter, and to throw the former into confusion and perplexity. We must endeavor rightly to divide the word of truth, if we would be workmen needing not to be ashamed.
54. “A Constant Header,” S. E. of London. Your question is entirely one for the conscience of the person to whom you refer.
55. “M. A. W.,” Tottenham. 1 Cor. 15:2929Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:29) has been, as you are, no doubt, aware, the subject of much discussion. It would, therefore, ill become us to speak dogmatically about it. We believe the force of the passage to be this. If there be no resurrection, of what use is it to take the place of the dead, as Christians do in baptism? In the early days of the Church, as we know, those who took their places in the ranks of christian profession, did so in full view of others who had been put to death for Christ’s sake. But we merely venture an opinion on a passage about which the best taught saints have differed in judgment.
56. “R. M. C.,” Edinburgh. We have long been in the habit of explaining Luke 16:99And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. (Luke 16:9) by 1 Tim. 6:17-1917Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:17‑19). We consider it a very fine commentary on the passage. Worldly riches are not what properly belongs to us as Christians. Our riches are heavenly—our blessings spiritual, in the heavenlies, in and with Christ. Worldly riches belong properly to the Jew; but to the Christian they are the mammon of unrighteousness, or the riches which do not rightly appertain to us. But if at our conversion, we happen to possess such riches, we are taught by Luke 16:99And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. (Luke 16:9) to make friends of them by spending them in the Lord’s service, and for the poor, and thus lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come. The expression, “that they may receive you” is idiomatic, and may be rendered as follows, “that they may be the means of receiving you,” &c. This is the true way to use riches—the very best mode of investing capital. It will yield a hundredfold, and where is the bank or limited liability that can come up to this? Many of God’s people have, of late, been called to taste the bitter fruit of seeking after what they considered profitable investments. It is a question if the tremendous crashing of banks and limited companies has not been the result of God’s dealing with His children who were connected with them. The very best thing we can do with our money is to spend it for the Lord; and then, instead of being rust on our souls, it will be treasure in heaven. But we must remember that Luke 16:99And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. (Luke 16:9) and 1 Tim. 6:17-1917Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:17‑19) are addressed to disciples, not to the unconverted. If this be lost sight of, we shall only cast dust in the eyes of men by leading them to suppose that the gift of God can be purchased with money. To one who thought this of old, Peter said, “Thy money perish with thee.”
Communications have come to hand from “A Young Christian,” Liverpool; “A Reader of ‘Things New and Old’” Wiltshire; “A. B. C,” Woolwich; “A Sister,” Ramsgate; “M. A. O.”; “G. S.” Ashford; “W. H. W.” Meer End; “P. L.,” Birmingham; some Poetry from Cheltenham; “H. S.,” “Η M.S.”, Royal Adelaide.