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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1974. Third reading meeting.
165.
Head of the Church triumphant, we joyfully adore Thee to love. Here my members here would sing like those in glory. We lift our hearts and voices in blessed anticipation and cry aloud, and give to God the praise of our salvation. 165.
God.
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I would think about the 11Th verse.
Professional to the Ephesians, Chapter 4.
Verse 11.
And he gave some apostles and some prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers.
For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, under the measure of the statue of the fullness of Christ.
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, or the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive.
For speaking the truth and love may grow up into Him and all things which is ahead, And even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, and to the edifying of itself in love.
This I say therefore in testify in the Lord, that he henceforth walk not his other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darken the alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness and with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ. If so be, that you have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning the former conversation, the old man.
Which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which after God has created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor where we are members one of another.
Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil.
Let Ms. Dole steal no more, but rather let him labor working with his hands, a thing that is good, that it may have to give to him that needeth.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace into the hearers, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
That all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking they put away from you with all malice, and be a kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even if God were Christ sake hath forgiven you.
President, that there are prophets that.
Foretell.
Prophets that foretell. But in the New Testament, same testament, there are prophets that foretell. Now we notice this in our translation work.
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And this is a very important matter, brethren, because the most humble brother.
Can pronounce upon the word.
Now I've been a missionary away from the the homeland so long I do notice a difference between.
The activity of the Saints in these countries and in Latin America.
We know that we have liberty but not license.
But let us be very careful not to form a hierarchy. A hierarchy.
There are dear brethren who never open their mouths.
And one feels sad because we know that they have the ability to do so, whether to give out a hymn or to pray and even take part in the ministry.
Of the world, and so a poor.
Humble Christian walking in communion with the Lord can foretell, and this is the New Testament.
Setting here in the New Testament.
They fought pale, so that it gives brethren liberty to those who will not take too many liberties, but who can with the blessing and the unction of the Spirit of God.
Give a good word concerning the truth. Will I just mention that, by the way?
We sought to teach the native Christians that while there is liberty, there's no license, but they are able.
To pronounce upon the word, and I suppose the most delightful ministry that I know of in South America is the ministry of our old chief.
Mercy, who's been at the table since he was 15 years of age. He's an old Gray haired man.
He has three daughters in fellowship and their husbands are in fellowship. It's a good testimony.
To hear that poor old Indian stand up and give a talk from the word of God is an inspiration.
Because he'll he'll speak Spanish too, but he'll speak in the Indian tongue. And the last word I heard, he stood up. It was on the coming of Christ and he said, brethren, may I just say a word?
And he gave a talk on the coming of the Lord and the coming with the Saints in that day of judgment. And I'll never forget. Well, he was able Brandon to foretell.
And this is something that does really concern me as an old man.
There are so many very able brethren among us who whose voice we don't hear.
And I think, brethren, we are exercised about it. Those of us who are accustomed to speak, I do hope that I'm not offending anybody.
But I believe it's something we ought to think of. This is the question of forth telling here, am I right?
You are distinguished. Would you not, Brother Smith The prophets here in this chapter and the prophets of the 14th chapter of First Corinthians, but you're calling attention to is more the 14th chapter of First Corinthians.
That is, let your prophet speak two or three, and let the other judge, and he that prophecy I speaketh on the men the edification, exhortation, and comfort, whereas in this chapter.
He says he gave some apostles and some prophets.
They are also mentioned, as Brother Hale showed us in the in the end of the second chapter of Ephesians, as the foundation built upon the foundation of apostles and prophecies, and what you said about it not being the Old Testament.
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Important to notice and why are we so confidently say it's not the Old Testament prophets that are in view here in connection with the laying of the foundation is because the apostles perceived the prophets. It says it doesn't say prophets and apostles, but apostles and prophets so that the apostles and prophets belong entirely.
To the church dispensation and they have laid the foundation, and now they we get the gifts that will continue on through the dispensation, that is the evangelist, the pastors, and the teachers. They continue on until we come onto a perfect man, onto the major, the stature, the fullness of Christ.
And that enables us to seek also that the gifts given in the 12Th chapter First Corinthians.
Are the gifts of the Spirit, and there are among those gifts you get the gift of healing, the gift of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, and so on. You can see that those gifts were specially for the introduction of the Christian testimony.
And we're not intended to continue on through the dispensation, whereas the gifts mentioned in this chapter are definitely.
To continue or it would not say, until we come onto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. For that could only be when we're like Christ and glory, and he has come and the church is caught up to heaven.
So it's precious to see that these three gifts.
Are to continue on to the end. Thank you, brother. That's good. Yes, thank you.
I'd like a little light on.
The fact is that the gifts given by the Holy Spirit in the 12Th of First Corinthians.
Are limited. We hear so much these days saying that these gifts are not limited and would it be out of place if someone could just show us from the scriptures how that these gifts had their place in that early time?
But that now they have been.
Superseded by these ones that we have here from an ascended Christ.
Well, I believe if you turn to 1St Corinthians 14.
1St Corinthians 14 and verse 21.
In the law it is written with men of other tongues, and other lips will I speak unto this people, and yet for all that they will not hear me say of the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. But prophesying serveth not for them that believe not.
But for them which believe could return also to acts.
Acts Chapter 5.
And the 12Th verse, and by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch, and of the rest Durst no man join himself to them, but the people magnified them, and believers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women.
In so much that they brought forth the second of the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing.
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Passing by might over shadow some of them, there came also a multitude out of the cities roundabout under Jerusalem, bringing sick folks and then that were which were vexed with unclean spirits, and they were healed everyone.
And perhaps one more passage in Hebrews chapter 6.
Hebrews Chapter 6.
Verse 4.
For it is impossible for those which were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world are of the age to come.
The reason I've read these scriptures is to show, as we have in Corinthians, the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom. The Lord Jesus had been rejected by that very nation, and now it was necessary that a testimony should be given in his resurrection of who it was whom they had crucified. And so the gift of tongues was a very special sign to them.
In the Old Testament, for anyone to be blessed from the nations, he had to be identified with Israel, and just like the Queen of Sheba or Naman, they came up to God's land, and God was only known in Israel. The Lord, in sending out his disciples, said that He only sent them not into the cities of the Samaritans or into any of the ways of the Gentiles.
But to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. So it wasn't necessary that there should be the gift of tongues then, because the message was not to every nation.
Virtually one had to become a Jew or a Jewish proselyte, or an Israelite, perhaps, in order that he might be blessed. But now there was something new in Christianity, and the message was to go out, as the Lord said, going into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
So what a testimony it was to that nation, as we have in First Corinthians 14, that the Lord was now going to reach out beyond the limits of Israel. And those at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost are introduced to this marvelous fact by the by. It says they heard every man in their own tongue wherein they were born the wonderful works of God. So they saw that God was about to do something new.
And it ought to have been, as Corinthians tells us, a testimony to them.
Of what God was introducing, and, as our brother remarked, a sign for the introduction.
Now the other thing in connection with healing. In the millennial age, when the Lord Jesus takes his place as the rightful king, why it tells us the inhabitant shall not say in that day I am sick and there will be healing that will brought to the earth. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And what blessing will come? Well it was introduced to show them that the one whom they had.
Crucified was their real Messiah.
The one who would have brought in that Kingdom blessing if they had only received him.
And indeed, Peter gave them that opportunity. If they would repent, that he would, God would send Jesus and bring in the times of restitution of all things. And So what a testimony was given to them of what God was able to do in the blessing of the nation, in removing sickness and in bringing in the blessing of the Gentile. But now this testimony was rejected.
And as it has been remarked, there was number no promise that these gifts would continue, and indeed they were particularly assigned to Israel. And Israel as a nation has now been set aside. And the reason I read the passage in Hebrews chapter 6 is to show.
That those signs were powers of the age to come, and the reason I read the passage in Acts is to show that.
When they came to be healed, there was #1 went away disappointed. It says they were healed. Everyone now, those who profess to have these things today do not have them in the way that they're brought before us in the book of the Acts at all.
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In their healing campaigns, many, many go away disappointed, are not healed at all, and bring dishonor on the name of the Lord because they expected to be healed and were not. And then too, all these people who professed the gift of tongues, first of all, it's not assigned to those that believe not. They accept it as a sign to themselves that they have the Holy Spirit and they don't have it in the way that we find in the Scripture.
For they're not able to send out missionaries without sending them to learn the languages. They certainly didn't have to go and learn the languages here in the in the second chapter of Acts. But all these people who profess to have these gifts today fall short as to the healing, and also fall short as to the use of tongues as it's brought before us in the scripture. And then the last and saddest thing of it all to me is.
That all this sort of thing is associated with so much false doctrine. Now God gave the word and gave the signs to confirm his word, but if these signs confirm anything, they confirm false doctrine because what I have found most of these groups.
Are not clear as to the work of Christ. They teach 1 can be saved and lost. Many of them are not clear as to the person of Christ to his sinless humanity. They don't understand the true liberty of the Spirit in the assembly, nor being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Their women form a very active part in connection with the testimony, instead of taking the place of silence, so the signs that they profess to have.
Are not according to Scripture, nor are they associated with obedience to the Word of God.
And I think all this ought to be a voice to us. And as I say, there was number promise that these would continue.
In fact, it's losing sight of the real purpose for which they were given to expect them to still exist today.
There's another scripture in connection with this that's been helped to me too, and it's in Hebrews as well, the second chapter.
Verses 3:00 and 4:00.
And.
The testimony process has been said, so went out first to Israel, to the Jews. And it seems that this is what the writer of Hebrews has before him. He says, How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord? Will I take that when he was here on earth? And then it says, and was confirmed unto us.
By them that heard him. For those that heard the Lord, they passed the word on, and they passed it on to these. And I suppose we read some of that in the book of the Acts, how it was passed on to these others.
And then it says God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his old will. Now notice it says in verse 3. And I point this out in connection what has been stated already, that the signs were connected with the introduction, and it says here, and was confirmed unto us.
That is, the word spoken was confirmed, not is being confirmed, but was or it really should read, has been confirmed unto us, which indicates that even when the book of Hebrews was written.
These signs were not in use anymore. They weren't needed anymore. Because when the word of God, the truth of God has been confirmed. Do you need it confirmed over and over again? No. God gave these signs in the beginning for that, and then it was confirmed.
We're off this question, if you wouldn't mind me making an observation.
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I have had a great deal to do with this particular section of Christendom in Bolivia.
They've appeared among six of the assemblies of Saints gathered to the Lord's name on the border between Chile and Bolivia.
Well, on this occasion.
There was a gentleman in one of those meetings. I never go near those meetings. Neither do our brethren. But he went.
And it was. Suddenly a man sprang to his feet and began to speak a kind of gibberish.
So there was a long pause.
At last this gentleman got up and said he would interpret, but he was very sorry that he couldn't give it in their language because this man was talking filth.
Now he actually spoke a dialect where this man had been a missionary in China for 25 years.
But this man was speaking filth.
Now, brethren, we have to be very careful to discern between these spirits.
Is this the work of the Holy Spirit? Indeed, it's not.
And now there was a lady in there, and she happened to be an English lady.
And she was mixed up in this tongues business.
And she fled from it.
Quizzed absolutely, and later was asked for a place at the table, and was gathered. So the Lord's name. Oh brethren, let us be very careful.
My brother Hale was singing, saying this morning about the apostles and prophets having laid the foundation when they built this.
School. They didn't run the foundation up to the ceiling, did they? When the foundation is laid, its slave. While we have no more apostles and prophets as they had at the beginning of the church period, yet we do have their writings, and that's what we're holding in our hands and how important and valuable and how necessary it is if we're going to go along.
According to the mind of God, to be acquainted with what the apostles and prophets have revealed to us in the written word. But now we do have the three gifts that follow.
The evangelist and the pastor and the teacher. The evangelist goes out into the world and brings the material.
Into the assembly and then the pastor and teacher.
They are very closely connected.
If pastors and teachers.
Or their work is within the assembly.
To build up and to instruct and to establish those that have accepted the Savior.
I think we have something of an illustration of that in the certain Samaritan. Where did he take the man that he found half dead on the roadside? Put him on his own base? That's very precious, the very strength that carried the one who is a type of Christ, who has a strength that carries a man that is now taken up.
The wounds bound up, but he takes him to the end.
And leave them in the care of the host.
Is a figure of the Holy Spirit.
So that when one is saved, if one is seeking to follow the mind of the Lord, he wants to see that.
That newborn soul brought into the place where he will receive the right instruction to establish.
And to lead him on in the things of the Lord.
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So just to go out where the gospel without any thought of leading souls to the place where the Lord has put His name. I doubt if that is according to the truth that we have here in this portion.
I suppose we could look at it under the figure of of a building as we have brought before us here in the Scripture, the building of God.
If a man wants to build a house.
Well, he knows that there must be a woodsman.
Or a lumberjack. Some of them are called way back in the woods, cutting down the trees, and they're brought to the sawmill.
Logs are brought to the sawmill to be sought into boards and the boards are prepared.
For the building, well, that perhaps answers to the evangelist. He goes out with the gospel and preaches the gospel in the power of the Spirit of God. And souls in a sense are cut down, made to see their sinful lost condition, and they accept the Lord, Jesus Christ, the Savior, and then they're ready to be used in the building. Well, when these boards are brought together, then.
To the site where the building is to be built, there is the Carpenter and he takes these these boards and he works there on that building and inside of the building and he is putting the building together.
Well, perhaps that's sort of a figure of the thing that we see here. The evangelist is the woodsman, the pastor and the teachers, they're the ones that work inside. The Woodsman works outside. But he, he's careful to see to it that it's all brought to to the place where the building is to be built and to be made part of the building, to be brought inside, as it were, and then the pastor and the teacher.
Takes care of them there. Well, it's so important in this day to see that what our brother Barry has been Speaking of is the thing that we ought to make important in our exercises As to doing gospel work and getting sold together, there's so much of what is going on today under the heading of of evangelistic work, gospel work, just going out to preach the gospel.
And the souls do get saved. We thank God for that, because the word is preached. But still we think of those dear souls that are saved. They're just left there. They're left to flounder. And there's nobody. It seems, to lead them on, to show them where the end is, where the building of God is, where God is gathering by his spirit souls together around the Lord Jesus Christ.
They are not there. Oh, how important it is for us to have her feel a responsibility in this connection. And I suppose every one of us, in a more or less measure, can do the work of an of an evangelist or we can do the work of a pastor or teacher. I don't see that they have to have some special great gift for that.
I'm sure that there there are numbers in here that have have some exercise.
About the salvation of souls. That's why our young men go out on the street corners to preach the gospel. That's why they go out with tracks. It's God by his spirit exercising their souls in this direction. And then there are those that know the truth even amongst the the young ones. They will seek to lead them to the assembly, bring them to the meetings where they can be built up in their faith, and maybe after a while take their place at the Lord's table.
We all are workers together, as we brought out this morning.
Remember hearing Brother H rules say that we couldn't say that we're one of these gifts, but we can do a little of the work of these gifts. And when we think of the many meetings that are represented here, how important that is isn't just to sit down and say, well we'll wait till some gifted brother comes along to instruct us that they should search the word and and in every little assembly there can be the exercise of what we read of here.
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Seeking to win souls for Christ and in the little meetings.
To to.
Search the word, and to learn the meetings of the truth that are contained in the word, and then to be watching over as a shepherd the and caring for the little flock in every little assembly that can be carried on.
But of course, when we consider the gifts that are brought before us here, it isn't the subject of exercising of gifts, so to speak. It's the men who are called evangelists are or the pastor or the teacher are the gifts, and as such are the are gifts for the whole body of Christ.
We see a little example of that in in connection with Phillip. Phillip was doing a humble service in Jerusalem of looking after the money for the widows. And after the persecution that arose over Steven when they were scattered abroad, Philip went down to a city of Samaria and preached grace under them. Well, he did the little work there.
In Jerusalem, well.
And then here he gained to himself a good degree and great boldness in the things of Christ. Are not quoting the passage from first sympathy exactly, but that is the thought. And if one is to be called out, to definitely spend his time and go out and serve the Lord while the Lord.
Calls out such in a special way.
For that purpose.
Pastor is not singularly hears plural and it reminds me of a missionary who came to one of the Indian centers that's been established for years. There are not many in fellowship about poverty.
And he said, Who's your pastor here?
That's where the chief lives there.
He said we are five brothers, we are five. Well, he said this must be a pretty rich assembly to maintain 5 pastors. Yes, he says. He says there's one there, and one there and one over there and another another there, he said. And we look after the sheep, we look out to the sheep.
But as you see, the pastor didn't. He didn't combine all the gifts. There were three. In Christendom, where the word pastor is used in connection with a man, he is expected to be the evangelist, pastor and teacher all in one person, or as in the scriptural order of things, they were distinct and separate gifts, weren't they? I don't say that a person might not have more than one.
But I believe it's important for us to see that the man himself being a gift. We think of Charles Stanley. Well, there we think of a man who was an evangelist. We think of Mr. J and Darby, and we think of a man that was a teacher. And I believe that the Ascended Christ has given those gifts to the church and that those are distinctive gifts, so that whenever a person has been.
Raised up of God to fill that particular place as our brother, Barry said.
He is responsible under the Lordship of Christ to use that gift not only in one locality but for the whole church. And it's a particular gift, and we have seen ones that were very, very lovely and telling out the gospel.
But we didn't recognize, perhaps had the gift of a teacher. The assembled Christ has fitted each for his place in the body of Christ. I wonder if we could turn to Acts 11. And I think we see the whole 3 brought before us there. Acts Chapter 11.
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And verse 20.
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake under the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus, And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord.
Them tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church, which was a Jerusalem.
And they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, who, when he came and had seen the grace of God, was glad and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.
And much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul. And when he had brought him, found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. I think this is very lovely, because we have here the forming of.
The assembly at Antioch and how it took place.
Here were those who went out, and they were gospel preachers, and they went and they preached the gospel, and their desire was that these who had preached the gospel I might be led on. Now we find the happy unity of the Spirit that we were talking about in the earlier part of our chapter. And those at Jerusalem saw what was going on in Antioch, and they didn't leave that little company who had been saved without any care.
Instead they sat down, one who was fitted. He wasn't particularly a teacher, but he was a pastor, and we find that his work, as we're told here, it says he was glad and exhorted them all. With purpose of heart. They would cleave unto the Lord, and for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and much people was added under the Lord.
Now we don't read about Barnabas teaching, but he certainly encouraged these young believers to continue on to go on for the Lord.
And I believe that he fulfilled the position of a pastor, but he didn't feel capable as to teaching them. And so he sought out Saul, and Saul was brought down there. And he has spoken of in the scripture as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and Verity. So now the teacher comes down and many meetings are held for a whole year. And these young believers who had first been saved.
And had been encouraged to go on for the Lord and now established in the truth. And this assembly at Antioch now becomes a very happy assembly. As we read on in the book of the Acts, we find how God blessed the work. And in the 13th chapter there were many prophets and teachers in that assembly. But here we have how it began. And brethren, this is God's plan in Christianity.
Brought before us in doctrine in our chapter, but in its practical working, I believe it's set before us in the Acts, and I think it's very beautiful and anyone who goes out with the gospel and souls are saved, then it becomes the responsibility of the assembly that is near to follow up that work in order that the unity of the Spirit might be maintained, and then in happy fellowship with the Saints of God gathered elsewhere.
There is an assembly in fellowship gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
I'm sure Brother Smith won't mind my telling a little incident in the early years of the gospel tent work we were pretty well limiting ourselves to to preaching the gospel, and there were quite a number that got saved.
So one time I invited Brother Smith to come with me on one of our visits to.
The Nova Scotia and we went from a little different little towns and we gathered together folks in the in the cottage meetings, so.
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At one of these meetings, I invited Brother Smith to take the meeting.
So he went right ahead and launched into a talk to believers on the ground of gathering. Well, I, in my inexperience, I thought, oh, my, this brother is just going to ruin the work here. These people are going to be all upset and they're going to be turned aside and it's just going to spoil it all. And so when it was finished, I said to Brother Smith, why did you speak along those lines?
So Brother Smith said, well, they need food. Aren't these babes in Christ that have been saved? And he said we need to go out right on and present the truth. Well, it was the beginning of a of a real change in the in the gospel work and it was the beginning of the establishing of the Saints of these ones that had been saved. And so that now in Nova Scotia, half all those are at the Lord's table have been.
Saved or gathered through the the work of the tent and that was really the beginning of the change.
It did bring about a great deal of reproach. The numbers dropped right down, but it was the beginning of the establishing of those who were the Lords.
Don't you think, brethren, that in these last days when the things are so weak that?
It's something similar to the state of things when Paul wrote the 2nd Epistle to Timothy and must tell him to do the work of an evangelist, and he was to preach the Word the instant in season and out of season.
We don't find the wide open.
Doors to the gospel that once existed, we find assemblies here and there, and so those who go about must seek to fill in whatever character of need there may be among the little gatherings, whether it be the preach the gospel, give a word of exhortation, or give teaching to seek to establish.
'Cause that are gathered to the Lord's name.
In the early days, why, of course evangelists went out and and maybe entirely new fields and many were brought in just like they were at Antioch. And then the pastor and Barnabas and then the teacher and Paul came along and established them that we live in days of great declension and.
Maybe it's something like Paul telling Timothy, who might have been more of a teacher than an evangelist, to do the work of an evangelist.
You don't misunderstand me. I was talking to brother.
To a brother Dex, Brother Jackson, about this and he told me how a sister came to him and said, Brother Jackson, you were a pastor of a large congregation, weren't you in Atlanta, 1000 knots.
He said. Yes, dear sister, but the Lord forgave me.
This is the point I'm trying to make, brethren. I understand perfectly what we're getting at, but let some of the Saints get LED away with this idea that.
That so and so can be a an official pastor.
And gradually go over again into sectarian practice and principle. We're trying to get the younger Christians here to beware.
Of this matter, that's all but Jackson, he said. He said, Yes, dear sister, that is true, but the Lord forgave me.
The portion of scripture here is the answer to why those who are called the Lord servants go about from place to place. They don't stay in one place and become.
Pastor of a church, but they are pastors or teachers or evangelists or whatever they might be.
Of the Church, the body of Christ, therefore the whole body, not just for one local situation.
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Even among those who do devote their time to the Lords work. We should always bear this in mind, though, that a brother, even though he has devoted his time to the Lord's work, may not be able to fulfill these three functions. He may be only fitted to be an evangelist. We thank God if he goes about our brother Willie Martin, whom some of us recall.
And he limited himself to the gospel, and the Lord blessed him as he sought to give out the gospel, and many souls were saved. But we know that he didn't attempt to be a teacher. He didn't feel fitted for that. And we mustn't think that because a person has devoted himself to the service of the Lord, now that he is able to fulfill 3 things here, he may only be able to fulfill one. But we thank God if he has recognized his call.
And the Brethren have fellowship with him in the call and recognize what has been given.
Well, when we go on with our subject here, it says in the 12Th verse, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
We see first the work that individual the perfecting of the Saints, and then we have the edifying of the body of Christ.
So that there are two ways that.
The the gifts are used in connection with the blessings.
Among God's people, the first thought is for the perfecting of the Saints. That is, each St. individually needs to be taught to establish.
Get hold of a grasp of the truth and to understand the meaning of the various parts of the word and and then he can be a help to his brother. But then there is definitely the the.
The.
Edifying of the body of Christ there is collective.
And perhaps someone would give us just why it comes in between there the two, the work of the ministry.
I notice in the new translation that there is a semi colon after the first statement for the perfecting of the Saints. Seems to me that that is separated from the other two.
That it goes farther, wouldn't you say?
Looking on into eternity.
I have wondered if it was a work of the spirit to prepare.
Though there are certain ones to carry on the work of the Lord, and so that there is that preparing others to.
Help their brother. Is that thought there?
Nice thought. We have that in second Timothy 2, don't we?
Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse 2.
And the things which thou hast heard of Maine, among many witnesses the same commit thou a faithful man, who shall be able to teach others also. That is, there is not the establishment of a Bible college, or something of that nature.
But any who have been raised up of God, then they're to pass on the truth. And here we have 4 generations, don't we?
That is, Paul committed it to Timothy. Timothy was to commit it to faithful man, and these faithful men were to teach others also. Now that's God's way, that the truth is to be handed on, as it were, now that which has become dear and precious to us.
And which we have sought to walk him. Now we pass it on to others, seek to establish them not only for the perfecting of their own souls and the things of God, but so, as you said, that they might carry on this work after the others are gone.
01:00:12
And then it says for the edifying of the body of Christ, and it's still we all come. That is, this would continue in under the headship of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith. And that is really the object of ministry. If ministry is to build up a certain church group or something like them, it is wrong as we had in the beginnings of our meetings.
We seek to do is to bring out what the body of Christ really is.
And that those who are members of the body of Christ might endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And any effort that is made to build up a party or a group is contrary to the real truth of God. We are to give out that which is for the whole Church, and those who follow the leading of the Spirit will be led together to give expression to it. And it's very blessed the way it's brought before us here.
Under the perfect man and under the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. For in learning truth it's always learning more about Christ. In fact, one is sometimes made the comment that we can make a simple test of any doctrine that is presented by asking does this exalt man, or does it exalt Christ? The truth of God always exalts Christ, for the work of the Spirit is.
He shall glorify me, he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
I remember when I was translating.
The Epistles to Timothy I came across this verse that our brothers referred to in Second Timothy 2.
And I saw from that that I had a responsibility.
To pass on truth to those native Christians.
It was not the thought.
Came to me this way. It's not God's thought.
That the missionary should stay on and on and on and on.
And be the teacher all the time? No, the truth should be passed on to the native Christians, and then perhaps after a while, the missionary can leave and go elsewhere, and they continue on in dependence upon the Lord. Well, these were, I suppose, as I look back, upsetting things. For me it was changing the pattern altogether in connection with doing the Lord's work.
But there was in all simplicity in the scripture, and what could I do but bow before?
Journey Brother Dan was 450 miles on foot.
Among Indians.
And we went from place to place, four of us, the first converts.
And we came over and over the place in those places. Every year we would spend 8 weeks visiting them. And that is why the work has prospered in Bolivia. There are weaknesses, of course, but that's why the work has prospered.
Sometimes we were stoned out, but we would go back again, you know, and they'd say here he comes again.
Here it comes again. Well, by the repeating of those visits round and round today there are a number of assemblies fall. The first visit was very fruitless and very difficult. The second was justice, fruitless and difficult, but the third visit round.
For God saved and a little nucleus was formed. Then they they began to spread the news too. And so year by year, there were little groups formed here and there, right round and all around the state. It's a good thing. It's a good thing. What is the thought of the unity of faith?
Is that mean that all see alike as to the truth of the word?
01:05:01
There's a great deal of differences there, brother, between you and me And then Unity.
I was thinking that you tie the cat 2 cats tails together. You'll have union, but you wouldn't have very much unity there.
So there is a great deal of difference between union and unity. Now in Bolivia we have the problem of the ecumenical movement.
And it's quite a trial for the Saints. I would ask prayer well.
They're always talking about the unity of their spirits.
How dangerous that is. And you'll see that everywhere, even in the street cars and in the buses.
They would even quote portion of the of John 17 though it's it's the unity of these spirit, isn't it?
Your faith is often used as the truth, of course, not merely truth that can be learned intellectually.
So is spoken of as the faith that was once delivered to the Saints. That is, if it is the faith as the truth of God is.
At what is held?
In communion with God in the soul.
Has has brought in the soul and brought the Sinner into the position of divine life.
And the Spirit of God, if he has his way among the Saints, is always seeking to bring the Saints to see alike in the in the things of God.
Is there a thought here?
That the glory is set before us.
As as the standard, the final standard. But while we're on the way, there should be exercise about these things that we have in this verse in verse 13.
Yes, that's the object of all ministry. You know, the way some Christians speak. It is as though the Spirit of God condoned the idea that some should have one thought and some should have another, and the things of God. Well, now it's true. We have all much to learn, and we're all, shall I say, failing things. And I trust growing in the things of God. But the object of ministry is the unity of the faith.
And so Paul spoke about I have kept the faith, and as our brother remarked in Jude, earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the Saints, so that if there is submission in our minds to the truth of God, he will lead us together, just like the spokes of a wheel. The closer they get to the center, the closer they are together. And so this is very precious to us, and it's nice to connect it with the verse in Isaiah that speaks of the time.
When they'll see eye to eye, well, that's the way it's going to be. We're not going to have different thoughts about the truth of God when we get home to glory. And why? Well, because the Spirit of God will be unhindered there and taking of the things of Christ and showing them to us.
But down here in this world there are two hindrances, the infirmity of the flesh.
Now that is our natural infirmities and weaknesses. And then to the opposition of the flesh, that nature within us, that even in us as Christians might oppose the truth of God when we're not willing to walk in it.
And then you get the knowledge of the Son of God, and that's what.
True ministry is ever occupying us with giving us.
Acquaintance with the one that God himself is finding his delight in the knowledge of the Son of God, and then on to a perfect man, of full grown man, under the measure of the fullness of Christ.
Will never be at Maine until we're like Christ and glory, will it? But?
God is instructing us, never gives us a thought that isn't in keeping with the fullness of His blessing.
01:10:06
Yeah, it's really what we will possess in glory that he's tried seeking to bring us into the blessing and enjoyment of in our souls down here.
We see something of that in Colossians chapter one and Paul's desire for the Saints at Colossi. Colossians Chapter One and verse 27.
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. For unto I also labor striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
So his desire was that the Gentile believers might solely hold of the truth, and that the truth would solely hold of them.
That he could, as a Workman, present them perfect in Christ Jesus.
Next verse of the following chapter he said. For I would let you know what great conflict is really combat. I have for you and for them that Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my fate in the place. Sure there was much prayer in the apostles life in connection with what you were just bringing before us. He was much in prayer in fact.
Fact he was combating the enemy who was seeking to.
To work there at cards by bringing in philosophy and vain deceit.
I.
Now that's why we have the warnings and what follows here. Isn't it in this 14th verse?
The new translation is quite striking in this verse. I just read it the way it is and they new translation of the 14th verse.
In order that we may be no longer babes tossed and carried about by every wind of that teaching which is in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning, with a view to systematize error.
But holding the truth in love so we can see that the work of the enemy is to build up schools of thought and systems which would rob us of the truth of God. And we find that all about us. There are great systems which are founded upon such things as denying the security of the believer, teaching that Christ could sin, and all such things as this build up and.
Very often many true Christians entangled with them, working even among them.
And what are the gifts given? What is the purpose for which the gifts are given? Well, just like the ones who came back from the victory that was won over Cicero, what were they telling the people as they returned while they were telling of the great victory that had been won?
A person who had held them in captivity was dead, and Israel were now set free. And isn't it lovely that in proclaiming the truth we're actually announcing the fullness of the victory that Christ has won and the enemy doesn't want us to know that? Just as if he might hinder some of the people there in Israel from knowing that sister was really dead, perhaps he might rise up against them again.
But what a privilege it was to tell him that he was dead and the victory was there, and they could enjoy the fruits of that victory. And isn't a privilege, brethren, that we can announce in Christendom the whole truth of God, all the blessed fullness of that work? All How many dear Christians we meet who don't understand the truth of the security of the believer? The two natures are wandering around looking for a a group of Christians that they think are pretty nice with whom they can be associated.
And instead of learning the simple and blessed truth of God's word, and resting in it, and enjoying it as the liberty that has been won for us, well, the gifts have been given to announce all these blessed things, so that souls would be in the full enjoyment of that which is ours because of this victory.
01:15:12
I just wonder if we think of how many young people are present here if they appreciate the fact that their.
Place where they hear the whole truth of God.
Not mixed in any way where this systematized error, that as you were reading it from the new translation, what a wonderful thing it is, dear young friends, to thank the Lord in His grace has brought you into a place where you can hear the whole truth of God.
For I believe that in the assembly is the only place where all the truth of God can be taught, and that has to do with the unity of faith, doesn't it? I knew a dear man. He was really a bright Christian. His grandfather has been gathered years ago and he wanted to see all Christians together. So he bought a place and fixed it up for a meeting and.
Invited everybody to come in and they're going to all go on together. Well, some, you know, held the eternal security. The believers, others denied eternal security. And there was all kinds of different beliefs. Well, it wasn't long before they got to quarreling among themselves and the whole thing came to naughty. But how does the spirit of God gather? He gathers to the person of Christ.
Where the truth of God is maintained in health, and so that there is found there that unity of faith and this instruction that we speak of.
We've opened so often, rejoiced Brother Barry that the Holy Spirit himself never leads country to this blessed book. This is a wonderful fact.
Glorious effect. The Holy Spirit never leads, brethren, contrary to the word of God.
Never. And this is a beginner wonderful beginning, that expression the sleight of men brings before us that there are those.
That will bring out doctrines and teachings that are air, but bring them out in such a way as to deceive the children of God. And this is a solemn thing, that there are those that will do that today, and they're on every hand.
And I believe it's a warning to us that we should beware of them, be in touch with the Lord, in communion with Him, so that we might have discernment that we might see when these things are put out and we shouldn't be listening to them. Now, it's possible to listen to the radio and and even pick up literature that has error in it, and it's put forth in such a way that perhaps we can't ordinarily see that it's error.
Or evil teaching. Well, I I believe the best thing to do is to leave all of this kind of thing alone because it can't be trusted, because it may have been put out by someone like it speaks of here that is characterized by the slight of men that he sees.
He is actively engaged in fooling people and deceiving them if this is sad and if the work of the enemy.
Not what we have in the second Epistle to Timothy in the third chapter, in connection with Janice and Cambrie.
Satanic power.
And dressed up in limitation of counterfeit may look very real.
Letters of Satan.
Because of an attack, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is there yet time, dear brethren, to speak a little bit of the 15th verse of especially thinking of the first phrase of the 15th verse?
Speaking the truth in love.
01:20:02
Nice to notice in the new translation it says, but holding the truth in love.
So if if we are holding it in love, we'll speak it in love, that is.
If we see someone that we truly love, that's being entangled in something that's going to rob their soul, why We don't take a superior position. But we seek their deliverance, don't we? We seek their good. And we have to remember that the only effective way in which we can help souls.
Is that we love them. If we take a position of being superior or better, why will only arouse the flesh in them, and perhaps the flesh will be acting in us too.
But if we seek to exalt Christ and think of His love to the Church.
How much he loves his people, how much it grieves his heart like Paul and Colossians, where we notice there he was an actual.
Conflict or agony? Because the Saints were not enjoying the blessed liberty that was, that might be theirs to enjoy. And so I'm sure that we need this.
We see in Israel that they did have the place where the Lord had chosen to put his name there.
But the Lord was grieved because some were haughty, because of his holy mountain. And as we speak of these things, it's a blessed, precious thing that God has made the truth known to us. But when we think of how we fail to respond to us, respond to what it surely should humble us.
And we should speak it with a desire for the blessing of others, but also in great humility, but in love for their souls, that they might be brought into the full blessedness of that which God would have them to enjoy in Christ.
I believe the burden of the epistles of John can be summed up in this way. Truth in love and love in truth. Would you not think that would be the burden of the epistles of John? Truth and love ministered and love in truth.
Family growth is brought before us.
Growing up into him or unto him in all things, which is the head? Even Christ. That is, the more one is going on in communion with Christ, the more the spiritual growth will be manifest. They are getting nearer and nearer all the time towards.
The glorified head and glory.
Could we just say in connection with this 15 verse, which I think is so important because he's been Speaking of those gifts that an ascended Christ has given and how the truth should be ministered. But now in the 16th verse, it seems that he returns to what has been said in the seventh verse unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
So now the 16th verse we have that which every joint supplier and how we could sit in these meetings and enjoy some of the precious things which God would reveal to us through His word. But how often a little unkind thought or a little unkind action can spoil the blessing that could come. And it may be that just like in our human body, we partake of a good meal.
The food is good, we really enjoy it, but our body is not functioning as it should and the result is it doesn't do us the good that it should. And afterwards, even though the food was so good, we still haven't profited by it, We may be sick.
Well, how this speaks to each one of our hearts and the part that as individuals we can contribute in God's assembly for the edifying of itself in love. And it surely speaks to each one of our hearts. Because how often we know that with all the precious truth that has been revealed to us, little things come in, and the joints and bands are not carrying the nourishment to the members of the body as it should be.
And the result is there is a loss to all concerned. There's something here that I believe we can gather from the last two verses we're considering that life and truth go together. That is, I have heard.
01:25:15
In in system that living the Christian life is what's important, but how can you live the Christian life? How can you grow up?
Into him and all things apart from the truth, there must be a feeding upon the truth of God.
In communion with the Lord himself, there must be meditation upon the word of God. I suppose that's what's implied in holding it, not just having a head knowledge of it, but having it lay hold upon us in an inward way so that it forms our lives Now. Truth, the truth of God, is not simply so much information, but it should be for the formation of a spiritual life.
It should be for Christian growth. I don't believe we can separate truth from life. And so it's so important that we should be reading the word of God privately and collectively, meditating upon it that it might become part of us, so that the growth will be real Christian growth.
There is a tendency in crystal today sleep much about love, and there's the ecumenical spirit which pervades everything. But this first exhorts us to speak the truth in law. It isn't just that we gloss over error, that we pass over that which is wrong and not according to the will of God, but it's being truthful in love. The second verse was ignored to.
Prepare one, another involved.
But here it is to be truthful, involved, and how important that is in a day when the truth means within us.
172.