Surely this address to Philadelphia is completely in opposition—in designed opposition—to all such thoughts. Why should it be that here we have not the Lord presenting Himself as One who “has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars” —plenitude of spiritual power, and His people in His keeping—but as “the Holy and True"? Strange indeed it may seem that dead Sardis should be thus reminded, and not Philadelphia! But to Philadelphia such an utterance would seem as if it meant no less than the recovery of the church by their means. To Sardis it is manifestly exhortation instead of assurance. Philadelphia, even as Philadelphia, needs rather the warning that they must not mistake, in any sanguine interpretation of present blessing, what the days are in which they live, and that they must guard against such a conception of practical unity as would set aside all the value of unity. How perfect in its place is every word of God!
Let us notice then, again, what the Lord commends. “Thou hast a little power—hast kept my word and not denied my name—hast kept the word of my patience.” Every one must remark these “My” 's, which continue to the end of the address. They show that the true Philadelphian clings to Christ Himself, to His word, His person, His strangership in the present, His certainty of the future. His work is to obey Christ, hold fast the truth as to Him, be waiting for Him. The work of gathering may, so to speak, look after itself, if this be done. We are to be united by the Center, and not merely or mainly by the circumference. And thus alone can there be anything that shall have fruit for God or commendation from Him who here speaks to His people.
It is easy to be seen then how the Philadelphian character may be lost by a false conception of it. “Brotherly love” is a precious thing when it is really what it purports to be; but see where the apostle, in his exhortation, puts it. “Add to your faith,” he says, “virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly love.” If this be the order (and as order he gives it), how many things are needed to precede its proper development! No doubt all these things are in the Christian in some sense at the beginning, just as petals, stamens, and other parts of the flower, are wrapped up in the bud before it opens. But there is a relation of these to one another shown in the order of appearance; and that is what is important here. No “love of brethren” —no Philadelphia—is true, save as these things are found in it. For it all, Christ must be both sap and sun; and this is what the word in Revelation emphasizes.
Philadelphian gathering is to Christ, then; and it is Christ who gathers. A common faith, a common joy, a common occupation, find their issue in that which is the outward sign of the spiritual bond that unites us. Who that knows what gathering at the Lord's table means would suppose that communion there could be other than hindered by the presence of what was not communion, any more than harmony could be increased by discord? Of want of intelligence I am not speaking: there is no discord in the presence of a babe; but an unexercised conscience, a heart unreceptive of divine things—which means receptive of how much else!—how must the power of the Spirit be hindered by them! The Scripture rule for times of declension is— “with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:2222Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)); and the way to find these is not to advertise for them, but to “follow righteousness, faith, love, peace “; walking on the road in which they are walking.
It results, I am confident, that if we really seek the blessing of souls, we shall guard with more carefulness, not with less, the entrance into fellowship. We shall see that it be “holy and true,” as He is with whom all fellowship is first of all to be. Careless reception is the cause of abundant trouble and may be of general decline. “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” When trial comes, those that have never been firm of purpose, never, perhaps, convinced of the divine warrant for the position they have taken, scatter and flee from it with reckless haste, carrying with them, wherever they go, an evil report of what they have turned their backs upon. Such persons are, generally speaking, outside of any hope of recovery, and often develop into the bitter enemies of the truth.
We are incurring a great responsibility if we press or encourage people to take a position for which they are not ready; in which, therefore, they act without faith. It is just in principle what the apostle warns us of, the danger of leading others without an exercised conscience, to imitate a faith that is not their own. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” No wonder there are wrecks all along the track of a movement for which this is so constantly required, and in which so many are endeavoring to walk without it. Ought we not to remember that it is the Holy and the True that is seeking fellowship with us? and that nothing but what answers to this character, can abide the test that will surely come?
F. W. G.
(Concluded from page 208)