56. “Τ.,” Teignmouth. You may not be aware that the subject of your letter is one of no little controversy; and we increasingly feel that the pages of our little serial cannot be open for the discussion of controversial subjects. This must particularly apply to subjects which are neither of vital nor fundamental importance. In your own case, all we suggest is, that you wait on God, and seek alone His guidance through the written word, in dependence on the Holy Ghost; you may then expect to be led into the true path.
57. Kent. With regard to servants having their time employed by those over them on the Lord’s day, we judge it to be a point of no little importance at the present time. We have sometimes been astonished at finding Christians justifying their absence from the Lord’s table, time after time, by reason of their employers requiring their services; and apparently with no exercise of conscience about it, though their principles show that they give, in these instances, priority to the claims of their employers over the claims of our precious Lord Jesus. This is very sad, and can scarcely be too severely censured. It is diametrically opposed to scripture, which says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” But worse than the class of cases we have alluded to, there are some, who we hope are the Lord’s people, who take situations which they know at the time must greatly, if not completely, debar them from the privileges of the Lord’s day. This is to be deeply deplored, for it is something like profane Esau, who, for one morsel of meat, sold his birthright. On the other hand, there are times when, from peculiar circumstances, such as sickness in a family, accidents, and peculiar trials in business, feeding and tending cattle, and other matters connected with their responsible employments, they may occasionally be deprived of the privileges of christian fellowship and public ministrations on the Lord’s day. In this, both masters and servants alike sometimes suffer. Of course, we are now thinking of exceptional cases.
With regard to the precise character of the occupation to which you refer, we have not sufficient facts before us to warrant our expressing a judgment. We are comforted, however, at finding there are some who are exercised before the Lord in these last days about these things. It is one of the many cases about which the individual must deal with God in secret. He only can give the seeking soul true wisdom and guidance. We consider there are few things which would detain a happy and faithful child of God from attendance at the Lord’s table, and other spiritual occupations, on the Lord’s day. A Christian must certainly be in a low condition of soul who could contentedly go on in such a course. We commend you to God, and to the word of His grace. He will assuredly guide you in waiting upon Him. We have long been persuaded that if those so occupied were in a healthy state of soul, walking in communion with the Lord, and, after prayer, that they kindly and respectfully expressed their difficulties of con science to their employers, they would often find a door of deliverance opened to them. In these days of growing willfulness, unrighteousness, and in subjection, christian servants have to watch against the sad habit—alas, so common!—of getting all they can from their employers, without being conscientious in doing their work well, and with order and regularity. How can a servant be taking up his work heartily to the Lord when these points are manifestly absent?
58. “A. B.,” Dublin. We should no more think it consistent for a Christian, professing to be dead with Christ and risen with Him, “to be a subscriber and regular attendant at a fashionable club-house,” than to be a subscriber and regular attendant at a theater. How deaf many have become to that word, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers,” (2 Cor. 6:14.)
59. “H. C. B.,” Milton. You will find the apostle Paul received the gospel which he preached by the revelation of Jesus Christ. He did not receive it from man. Now what was received from the Lord must be infallible truth. (Gal. 1:11, 12.) This infallible truth he preached by the power of the Holy Ghost (1 Thess. 1:5): and believers received it as the infallible truth of God. (1 Thess. 2:13.) Peter also speaks of “them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.” (1 Pet. 1:12.) All this was according to the promise of the Lord— “He shall teach you all things.” “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 14:26; 16:13.) Now that which God giveth by the Holy Ghost, whether spoken or written, must be infallible truth.
Thus God was pleased to use the apostles, by the Spirit, as the foundation of the assembly. The assembly then had the infallible teaching of the Spirit, both in the preaching and inspired writings of the apostles. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (2 Tim. 3:16.)
The possible scarcity of copies does not affect this at all. The church, or assembly, is neither the teacher, nor spoken of in scripture as the source of infallibility. Never do we read, Let him that hath an ear, hear what the church saith.
You ask, “Was it committed to the church?” Evidently the inspired scriptures, or writings, were sent to the whole assembly. (See 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:2.) Indeed, we only need to read the introduction to each Epistle, and it is plain these inspired writings were not sent to any select class in the assembly, but to and for all believers.
The Spirit of God, foreseeing the fearful declension of Christendom, gave also inspired instructions to the servants of the Lord during these last days, in 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Jude, and especially Revelation. Infinite is the wisdom of God, and perfect is His word. To it we are commended, and not to vain traditions of men. (Acts 20:28-32.)
As to your last question, “Where was the church?” if we use the proper word, “assembly,” the question would be very simple. In each place, Thessalonica, Corinth, &c, wherever there were believers, saints, brethren, children of God, there was the assembly; and with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. All believers then formed, and all believers now form, the one only church, or assembly, of God. All churches of man’s making, whether national or dissenting, are utterly unknown in scripture.
60. “J. Η. B.,” Southall. Your question is an important one. It is indeed most sad that so many go on with what is contrary to the word of God, and do not even care to know what is the mind of the Lord. This is most marked as it regards the clear, distinct teaching of the word as to church, or rather assembly matters. We heard a professor say, the other day, “I have something else to do than to search the scriptures.” We fear thousands would have to say the same dreadful thing, if they spoke the truth. What! so occupied with Satan’s world as to have no time to obey the Lord in the blessed employment of searching His holy word: Is it so?
Surely it would be no excuse before an earthly judge to plead ignorance of right and wrong in the things of this world; of what avail, then, can it possibly be before the judgment-seat of Christ to say, I never searched the scriptures; I really never knew what was right or wrong in the walk of a Christian? How many such will (though even saved so as by fire) lose reward! (See 1 Cor. 3:1-15.) May any such who may read these pages hear the Lord speak those words, “ Wherefore.... Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” God hath been pleased to restore much truth as to the assembly of God, and every Christian is, doubtless, responsible to search the scriptures to see whether these things be so.
61. Y., Cunnock. Scripture says those who believe are born of God. No doubt it is by the grace of God that they have believed on the Son. (See John 1:12, 13; Eph. 2:8, 9.) We must beware of reasoning in a carnal way on the truth. It is given to us to believe. Scripture plainly declares that “He that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.”