If we turn over to the 4th chapter of Ephesians, 2nd verse, we find the Apostle speaking of the responsibility that lies at the door of every child of God. "With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Now, returning to my illustration, I can rejoice that Christ is preached at A- T-, but I cannot cross the threshold with a good conscience. I can show no fellowship to one who said she believed all the Word of God except that little bit written by the Apostle Paul. I cannot show fellowship to an institution founded upon the denial of Paul's doctrine; for in the chapter that she was referring to, the Apostle Paul said, "The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." "If any man think himself to be...spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." Woe be to the Christian servant, man or woman, who stands up and deliberately sets aside any part of the sacred Word of God! I would not wish to stand in their place at the judgment seat of Christ, and I trust by the grace of God that I may be kept free from such departure, for it is a serious one. "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit."
Now God speaks about a unity that He calls "the unity of the Spirit." If God talks about it, it must exist. Where is it? Yesterday a rather unusual thing happened. I found an old schoolmate of mine at the little meeting where I was. He had just dropped in, a converted man, whom I have known for 45 years. At the close of the little meeting where we remembered the Lord in His death, the poor wife was in a restless fever to know who we were and what name we went by. To her it was a strange thing that we did not care to speak of any place or name but that of Jesus. It seemed an odd thing to her; yet, her husband parades a D.D. after his name—a D.D., Doctor of Divinity, whatever that is. And yet it was a strange thing that we met owning no name but the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
O beloved, that is the only name there will be in heaven—the only name worth contending for! When we begin to glory in man, we are doing an injustice to that One who deserves every bit of praise that your lips and mine can speak. Perhaps some of us are attracted by what the world calls the magnificent displays that are going on now in connection with Christian effort. Huge, immense conventions can fill Madison Square Garden—20,000 people, wild with enthusiasm about hearing the gospel, and worked up to a pitch of high excitement by trained bands and choirs and musical instruments of all kinds. Some of our young people are attracted by that kind of thing. Again one would reply, If any soul finds Christ there, we are glad. We are glad when anyone gets saved. Do not forbid them. "Costing thousands of dollars" is another attraction for these much advertised gospel efforts. O brethren, let us ever remember the exhortation, "Let no man glory in man."
Again I say, I rejoice that Christ is preached; but, brethren, you and I have a blessed, precious opportunity, in these last closing days of the Church's history here on earth, to tread the path of rejection, to follow in the footsteps of a man who said, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." That man was one of the greatest saints that ever lived, and to 'him was entrusted the revelation of the mystery of Christ and the Church. That Church is very dear to the heart of Christ. Yes, the gospel is dear to the heart of Christ. That is true. I know that; I hope it is dear to my heart. I know I rejoice whenever I hear it preached. One time my wife and I were stranded in Jacksonville, Florida—we did not know a soul in town—and we saw a father and a son playing a guitar and singing songs about Jesus. It warmed our hearts to hear others speaking the praises of our Savior, though they were strangers to us. I rejoice whenever I hear the name of Jesus spoken well of. But there is something dearer to the heart of Christ than the gospel. `Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it." How much do you and I love the Church? If we love the Church, we will desire to go on consistently with the doctrine of the Church, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace.
Do you think division in the Church means anything to Christ? Do you think it makes any difference when I say I am of Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas? How Paul warned them there in Corinth! How he pleaded with them, how he begged them to put that thing aside. Look at 1 Cor. 3:2121Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; (1 Corinthians 3:21): "Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." The 12th chapter and 12th verse: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." Further down, in the 25th verse: "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." That is the statement of the doctrine. Does it mean anything, or are we just to make our own choice?
Someone was telling me about listening to the biggest fundamentalist broadcast in America the other day, and this dear man was telling them how to choose their church; he said to just canvass around and find where the real gospel was preached; that was the place to go. Canvass around and make your choice! It is your choice! When Israel had no king, every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Is that true here? Has He ceased to have an interest in the path His people tread? Tell me this: Is the Lord a hard master, reaping where He has not sowed? Has He not said that division is sin, and has He not told us to keep the unity of the Spirit? Is there a path for the saints right now in this time, just before He comes? Is there a path where I can avoid the sin of division in the Church of God? If there is not, ah, well, let us scatter and each find that which suits him, his taste, his whim. You know we are all different; we all have our preferences in that kind of thing. Probably you would not choose the same place at all that I would choose. No, brethren, it is not up to us to go where we please. God marks out a path in the midst of the confusion.
2 Tim. 2:2020But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. (2 Timothy 2:20). There was a time in my life when this portion in 2 Timothy had a loud voice for me—I hope it does still—but it was Christ's voice to me. "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." I find there the intimation that in 2 Timothy, which gives us the last days when the outward profession is broken down, the house of God is likened to a great house where all kinds of vessels are found. Every kind of unclean bird has taken shelter in the branches of Christian profession today. I have read statements of most awful blasphemies, the most Christ dishonoring doctrines all connected with some kind of a confession of the name of Christ. What a defiled house it has become! And now hear this word: "'If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work."
Did people ever tell you that if you take the path of separation it will cut you off from opportunities of service and testimony? I have heard it many times. What does God say? God says if you take the path of separation, you will be prepared for every good work. Does that mean you are to be cut off from every great service? Not as He sees it. People say, 'You are ruining your career. You are cutting yourself off from all your opportunities." Did you ever stop to think there is a Lord of this harvest? "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest." Who is going to see to it that all the sheaves are safely gathered in? Who is going to see that all the wheat is in the garner? Why, the Lord of the harvest; and if He gives me some little work to do in fellowship with Him, oh, I esteem it a great honor and a great privilege; but I know He can get along fine without me. Yes, He can accomplish all the purposes of His grace without you, without me. Service is not the great thing; obedience is the great thing. "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1 Sam. 15:2222And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22). Yes, that is the Word of God. Hath the Lord as great delight in sacrifice as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Now, in the next chapter (2 Tim. 3:1616All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)): "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." What fits the man of God for every good work? The Word of God! Will the Word of God warrant my departing from the plain exhortation, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit"? May I transgress that? May I trample upon that and go on my way thinking I am entering a larger sphere of service by ignoring that plain exhortation? Sometimes as I walk my way to the little meeting back home, I pass other dear Christians. I see them with their Bibles under their arms. That makes my heart glad, and I hope they are His; I hope they love God's Word. It looks good to see someone with the Word of God snuggled under his arm; but as I go this way and my brother passes me going that way, I think of that verse: "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit." "The unity of the Spirit." Is the same Spirit who dwells in me and in him sending me one way and him the opposite way? Must we pass, almost rubbing elbows, each headed the other way? Is that the unity of the Spirit? There is only one Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4 tells us that there is one Spirit, just one. And by that one Spirit we have all been baptized into one body. If we follow His leading, His guidance by the Word of God, will we not be brought to see eye to eye?
Let me reply: "If you are a child of God and have the Spirit of God dwelling in you, the Spirit is there to show you the things of Christ; and He would lead you to the right place." In other words, the Spirit of God cannot sanction division in the Church of God. "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit."
In 2 Tim. 4:1010For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. (2 Timothy 4:10) we read about a man by the name of Demas: "For Demas bath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia." It does not make any difference where Demas went, he went away. He may have departed to Thessalonica, to Los Angeles, to Chicago—the point is, he left Paul! "Demas bath forsaken me." It does not say he forsook Christ; it does not say he apostatized, but he forsook Paul. Why? Because he loved this present world. If he were living in our day, perhaps he wanted a D.D., or a bishopric,' or, perhaps, he wanted to launch some Christian campaign. Perhaps he was not satisfied to follow in the footsteps of a man like Paul. "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." That fellowship cut too close; he loved this present world. Perhaps he loved religious applause—not that he loved worldliness—he loved this present world! You can go out in this present world and be an immense religious success. You can get your name in the paper and you can capture the headlines, if you deliberately plan for it. If you are minded enough, you can do it. But, beloved, some day it is all going to pass in solemn review at the judgment seat of Christ. What is going to be the standard by which these things are going to be reviewed? What is the Lord going to use as the standard in that day when your service and mine pass in solemn review? Does He have a standard? The only one that I know of is the "Word of God." And you and I are called upon before God and before angels to keep His Word and not deny His name. Is that a little thing?
This is my parting message at this time, and I want it to go home to your heart—weigh it. I hope I have not said one word tonight that can be interpreted as boasting. If I have, I am sorry; I do not mean it that way at all. Before God, I believe there is a path in the confusion and babel of Christianity today that we can tread to the glory of God and honor the name of Christ. If I am not in it, I want you to lead me there. Before God, I do want to be found there when He returns!