ONE of the first things which the renewed heart craves for is fellowship with God's people. He finds himself no longer at home in the world, and naturally seeks "his own company." But amidst all the names and divisions of disordered Christendom, a new-born soul may well inquire, "Where shall I turn to be right?" My answer is, "To God, and to the word of His grace" (Acts 20:3232And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)). Whoever is wrong, God and His Word are right. Get that well grounded in your soul, and cease from man, "whose breath is in his nostrils.”
A few years ago two Christians, hitherto strangers to each other, were traveling together in a railway carriage, when, after some conversation about the Lord and His interests, one of them leaned forward and said, "May I ask what denomination you belong to?" "Well, that is a common enough question," replied the other, "but will you first say what you think is to guide me in my path as a Christian?”
He agreed at once that it was the Word of God alone that could with certainty direct him. "Then, if you will allow me," said his fellow-traveler, "I will answer your question by proposing another, viz., WHAT DENOMINATION DOES THE WORD OF GOD PUT ME INTO?" After some silent deliberation he said, "Why, none at all." "Then I can't belong to one at all," replied the other; "for if I did (upon your own showing), I should clearly be in a position where the Word of God had not placed me.”
“Yes, it does. But a Christian need not belong to a denomination to obey that word; for the Lord Jesus said, ' Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I is the midst of them '" (Matt. 28:2020Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20)).
Now, dear reader, if you look at 2 John 66And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. (2 John 6), you will find that he exhorts the elect lady, and those with her, thus: "And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”
Now John had seen the Lord in His wondrous life; had seen Him die upon the cross; was a witness of His resurrection; beheld Him taken up into heaven; and was present when, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost came down from an ascended Christ to baptize believers into one body, and thus form the Church. He had lived long enough to see evil come into the circle of the professing Church; but what is the remedy? Is it, "Begin afresh with a new and purer sect of a more improved constitution"? Listen to his reply by the Holy Ghost: "This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”
So that the Spirit of God makes it plain that He suffers no innovation of man to trespass upon the sacred principles of God's Word for the guidance of His people, whatever their exercises may be, or whatever the date of their history.
Now apply this principle today, and you must find yourself in one of two positions—either on God's ground of gathering the disciples at the beginning, or on some ground that man, in his fancied wisdom or mistaken zeal, has set up since the beginning. The all-embracing question which Jesus asked concerning the ministry and service of His Forerunner is a deeply important one; and its honest application will help us in rightly deciding every religious question today. “Is it from heaven or of men?" GEO. C.