Paul's Doctrine and Other Papers
Frederick George Patterson
Table of Contents
Foreword
The following pamphlets and booklets herein reprinted are from the pen of Mr. F. G. Patterson. While information as to him personally seems to be limited, we can judge from his writings that he was a well instructed brother and quite active among brethren back in those promising years between 1865 and 1880 before the devastating cleavages among gathered saints had left them bowed and broken. His written ministry extends over a period of about twenty years, 1864-1884.
It is the concerted judgment of those responsible for the papers herein reproduced that this brother F. G. P. had a special line of ministry most valuable and needed for the present day. Practically all his books and pamphlets are out of print, but it is hoped that in due time, if the Lord permits, most, if not all of them may be again available.
F. G. P.'s insistence on the obligation of the church to maintain in practice the scriptural truth, "There is one body", is most timely at present. "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit" is the exhortation in Ephesians four, and for the church of God to deliberately ignore her responsibility to hear and obey this clear call is the most flagrant kind of Laodicean indifference. We feel distinctly that if these articles, so ably written by F. G. P., were according to the mind of the Spirit in the seventies and eighties of the last century, they are equally true today. God's principles of truth and practice do not vary with changing conditions in the great house of Christendom. To be not only in the doctrine of, but in the practice of, the truth of Ephesians four is the great privilege of faith at the present time. If it leads to a narrow path and a rejected testimony, let us not draw back, for "He is faithful that promised; He cannot deny Himself." May God, by the Spirit, abundantly bless the following able ministry to His dear saints today.
C. H. B.
September, 1944.
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BOOKS BY F. G. PATTERSON
Blackrock Lectures on the Church of God.
The Ways of God, a Brief Outline of God's Dealings with Israel, the Nations, and the Church, and His Purposes for the Glory of Christ.
Scripture Notes and Queries.
The Lord's Host. A Few Thoughts on Christian Position, Conflict, and Hope.
Lessons for the Wilderness. Thoughts on Some Typical Incidents of Israel's Deliverance and Pilgrimage.
A Chosen Vessel, being Lessons from the Life of the Apostle Paul.
PAMPHLETS AND BOOKLETS BY F. G. P.
Is there Ever a Time When Paul's Doctrine is of No Practical Value to Those Who Would Walk with God?
Baptism (printed but not published). Paul's Doctrine.
Unity of the Spirit and Endeavoring to Keep It.
The Church, Which Is His Body. With Some Collateral Truths.
Remnant Testimony.
There Is One Body and One Spirit and The Unity of the Spirit.
The New Birth.
Bunch of Hyssop.
Jesus of Nazareth Passes By.
F. G. P. edited a monthly magazine, "Words of Truth," which was published from 1865 to 1875, the bound volumes of which were at one time available.
The Body of Christ
The fact has been current amongst thoughtful Christians, for some years, that of all the Apostles, the only one who speaks of the "Church of God" is the Apostle Paul. John, in his third Epistle, speaks of a local Assembly, or Church, as in the English Bible, (see 3 John 9,) and James (ch. 5:14) writes "Is any sick among you, let him send for the elders of the Assembly," etc. These two exceptions in the New Testament are found in the use of the word "Church," or more correctly, "Assembly," or "Assembly of God" as only being treated of by Paul. We may also except of course the Lord's own announcement of its then future existence during His own lifetime in the words "On this Rock I will build my Assembly." (Matt. 16:18.)
When the great Apostle of the Gentiles was first called of the Lord, on his persecuting journey against the Church of God, from Jerusalem to Damascus; the roots of his future doctrines were expressed in the Lord's words-"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" The saints on earth were Christ Himself! "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." "But rise, (said He) and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of (1) those things which thou has seen, and (2) of those things in the which I will appear unto thee." Here we find an intimation from the very first, that, not only were the things he had seen-this Christ in glory, and all that pertained to Him, to be the subjects of his ministry; but that further revelations were to be made specially to this man by an ascended and glorified Lord, who would appear again and afresh to him to communicate them.
In larger features I mark four distinct revelations afterward thus communicated to Paul, and marked as such in so many words: -these four revelations give us in a short epitome the whole character, occupation, truth of its existence here, and the exit from this scene, of the Church of God.
1.The mystical body of Christ-its Head-formed by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven at Pentecost.
2. The expression of the unity on earth of that body, in and by the Lord's supper.
3. The first resurrection of those who have slept during its formation and earthly sojourn.
4. The rapture of the living and the raised saints who compose it-to be "forever with the Lord" at His coming again.
It will be seen at a glance that these are complete in themselves. But I will now show how He calls attention to the fact that each was revealed specially to him by the Lord.
As to the first; we read "By revelation He made known unto me the mystery * * * * which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets in the power of the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be joint-heirs, and a joint-body, and joint partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus by the Gospel: of which I became a minister," etc. (Eph. 3:3,5,6,7.)
As to the second: An ascended heavenly Lord-Head of the Church, His body, gives a fresh revelation of His supper to Paul, adding certain features and characteristics to it, which it possessed not, as given by an Incarnate Christ on earth to His then followers. He marks this by the words "I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed," etc. Thence follows the supper. (1 Cor. 11:23.) In 1 Cor. 10:16,17, it receives the further character of being the symbol of the unity of the "One body" of Christ on earth, expressed in that "One loaf."
The first resurrection he marks by the words, "Behold, I show you a Mystery," and He unfolds the truths of a resurrection from among the dead of bodies of the saints who had once been members of Christ's body here on earth, and had passed on high to be with Him till the day of His glory. See 1 Cor. 15:51 and the whole chapter.
The rapture of all-dead and living-to that scene, he marks by the words, "For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord;" and thence follows in 1 Thess. 4, the catching up of the saints-the Church of God-to be forever with the Lord.
Now although we know that from the first, Paul taught these things to the Church of God. as his early writings and ministrations abundantly prove, it is striking and remarkable that it was reserved till the close of his ministry, when in prison in Rome, we should have been taught in its fullest character the truth of the unity of the Church of God, as unfolded in the Epistle to the Ephesians.
In the prison at Rome Paul wrote four Epistles-the close, with the exception of 2 Timothy, of all his written ministry, as far as we are told. They are, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
1. Colossians-written to people he had never seen, and to neglect which would be to fall into Laodicea, who is warned-unfolds the positive side of the gospel, which would set the soul in conscious union with Christ in glory holding the Head-this Head of His body-and just leads the saints up to the edge of this body-"unto which ye are called, in one body;" but no farther.
2. Ephesians-would teach them the whole truth of the mystery of Christ and the Church His body; when "all were seeking their own and not the things of Jesus Christ" when "many walked of whom I told you (said he) even weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things." Phil. 3.
3. In Philippians-Individual devotedness, in those that were "perfect,"-i. e., morally answering in spirit and walk and ways to the glory of Christ in heaven; or those who were true, yet otherwise minded, and to whom God would reveal more-Paul himself to be imitated in this.
4. These truths did not hinder, but rather were the basis of uprightness of heart and ways, even in a runaway slave towards his earthly master. Practical righteousness in daily life is thus inculcated in Philemon; and Onesimus—though gifted by Christ as His servant, and converted to Him for His glory-must go back to his mistress and master, and bow his neck to the yoke again, and trust the Lord of all hearts to enable him to serve as bondsman; or "being made free" to "use it rather" for Christ.
Thus we have:-
1.The Positive side of the gospel-Colossians.
2. The Unity of the body of Christ, when all was ruined-Ephesians.
3. Personal Devotedness-Philippians.
4. Practical Righteousness, through grace, in Philemon.
All sent forth through the Apostle by Jesus Christ in glory from the prison walls in Rome when total ruin had supervened.
This Epistle to the Ephesians is not addressed to the "Church of God." It is addressed to the "Saints and Faithful in Christ Jesus." Perhaps the same pen with which Paul wrote Philippians, indited this Epistle. "All were seeking their own." "Grievous wolves" were scented from afar, long before. Had they already begun to scatter the flock? Be that as it may, the address was not to the "Assembly of God at Ephesus," but to "Saints and faithful ones in Jesus Christ." From that moment to the end, therefore, does not this letter afford a divine ground for faith-be the days never so evil. It taught the "Church of God"-a purpose of the ages-brought out in time, to sojourn for a moment on the earth, but not of the world, and to have a place in eternal things when the world has passed away.
It was written then IN VIEW OF a day of complete ruin.
It was provided for faith's comfort and direction FOR a day of ruin: and that "UNTIL WE ALL COME, in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Chapter 4:13.
The body of Christ was outwardly scattered to the winds, and never could the unity of the body be maintained again: but the Spirit of God held it intact, and the ruin never would be such that the saints and faithful might not be with Him, who abides in and with the church forever, in practical power and fellowship. Thus there never can come a moment when this cannot be observed; nor can "One body" be useless, as the divine positive ground of action, by those who feel that the days are perilous, and are using all diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit, in One body, till Christ comes again.
I will now examine what Scripture teaches of the formation of this One Body of Christ on earth. In this paper I do not touch upon the
Body of Christ as a thing of counsel, as spoken of in Eph. 1:23, composed of all who are His from the first formation of it until He comes again. I only treat of the practical side of the fact that
"THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT"
(Eph. 4:3.)
It will be well to seize the distinctive position which the Jew and the Gentile occupied before God in the Old Testament days, before the formation of the Body of a risen and ascended Christ. The quotation of two Scriptures will mark this distinction plainly.
As to Israel, I read, "Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises: whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen." (Rom. 9:4-5.)
As to the Gentile, "Wherefore remember, that ye, being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ. being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." (Eph. 2:11, 12.)
The simple reading of these passages will show that all the blessings, and privileges, and promises, and hopes that God gave, were confined to the elect nation of Israel, and to partake of these blessings, a Gentile should come in and partake of them subordinately to the Jew, in whom they were vested as the vessel of blessing.
We read in 1 Cor. 12:12, 13, "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. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." Now, before the formation of such a Body out of both Jew and Gentile could take place, it was necessary that God Himself, who had surrounded Israel with a "wall of partition," should remove the same. It was not sufficient that the wall of partition which God had placed around the Jew, had been almost obliterated by the unfaithfulness of those who had been thus hemmed in. The partition wall existed as fully in the mind of God, and to faith, as though there had never been an unfaithful Jew on earth. God had placed it there, and God must remove it Himself, ere He would form the body of which we read here.
The prophets had spoken of a day of which it was said, "Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people," etc. But even in such a state of blessing, "Gentiles" remained "Gentiles," and "His people" remained "His people." They never spoke of this "body," in which Jew and Gentile alike have lost their national position-where there is neither Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free. There are three things before God in the world. Paul enumerates them in 1 Cor. 10:32. They are, "The Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God." In the last mentioned, both Jew and Gentile have ceased to be such before God, believers amongst both having been incorporated into this Body of which we speak. The prophets spoke of the time when that which we know familiarly as the Millennium, or more correctly, the "Kingdom," will have been established on the earth; then the Jew will be the central nation, and the Gentile will rejoice with the people of Jehovah: a state of things which will come in after the Church has been gathered, and is with Christ in heaven.
The foreshadowing of the removal of this "wall of partition" was frequently seen in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Himself in the gospels. Instance the woman of Samaria, who could not understand how that the Lord, a Jew himself, should say, "Give me to drink," to her who was a woman of Samaria, as the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. (See John 4, see also the case of the Syrophenician woman in Matt. 15) Before this "wall of partition" was removed, it was "unlawful for a man, that is a Jew, to keep company, or come unto one of another nation." (Acts 10:28.)
The Wall of Partition Removed
This hindrance to the formation of the Body of a risen and ascended Christ was formally removed by God Himself in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, where He wrought redemption for His people. We read "For he is our peace, who bath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition; having abolished in his flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances: for to make (create) in himself of twain, one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." (Eph. 2:14-16.)
The cross, then, besides being the scene where the Lord wrought redemption, was the removal of the difficulty, or wall of partition, which then existed between Jew and Gentile. It was the basis or groundwork for the formation of this Body, and to reconcile a people from both Jew and Gentile to God-giving access to both by one Spirit unto the Father (v. 18) the name by which God has revealed
Himself to each member of the body, in His Son Jesus Christ; as heretofore He had revealed Himself under the name of Jehovah to the one elect nation-the Jew. (Ex. 6:3.)
All this, however, does not constitute a body. It only removes the hindrance, and is the ground or basis of the whole work, as of redemption. The next thing, therefore, which is wanted is to have the Head of the body in heaven, raised up from the dead-a glorified Man.
Head of the Body, in Heaven.
The remarkable quotation of the Eighth Psalm by Paul in Eph. 1:22, will be helpful to us in understanding this-read verses 19-23: "The working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places... and hath put all things under his feet (quotation from Psa. 8), and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all."
The Eighth Psalm speaks of a "Son of Man," to whom dominion over all creation is given. If we consult Gen. 1:26, we find that God gave to Adam and his wife a joint headship over all creation; but this headship was sinned away and lost when man fell. The whole creation, now groaning and travailing, was made subject to vanity through the fall of man. (See Rom. 8:19-23.)
This headship is given, as Psa. 7 tells us, to a "Son of Man." And we discover who this Son of Man is in Heb. 2:6, etc., where the Apostle quoting the Psalm, tells us that we do not yet see the grand result of all things being subject to Him. He says, "For in that he put all under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor: that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for everything." Thus we find who this "Son of Man" is. It is Jesus. This brings us back to Eph. 1, where Paul quotes the Psalm. Christ, then, as Man glorified, has been taken up of God from the dead, and "seated in the heavenlies," "Head over all things, to the Church, which is his body," and is waiting there for the manifest assumption of this Headship, during which time the Body is here.
We have now the Head of the body in heaven, a glorified Man, as well as the wall of partition removed. But this does not yet constitute the Body; and before we look at it we must turn aside for a moment and see what Scripture says of union with Christ.
Union with Christ.
In the Old Testament times the saints were newborn, but they were not united to Christ; they possessed life, although the doctrine of it was not made known. The Abrahams and Davids, etc., all had new life imparted by the power of the Holy Ghost through God's word-they were saved by faith-lived and died in faith in God's promises of a Savior to come. But faith in itself is not union. We could not speak of a patriarch being united to a man at God's right hand by the Holy Ghost sent down; because there was no man to whom to be united-and "the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."- (See John 7:37-39.) Even when Christ was here, a Man amongst men, there was no union between sinful men and the Lord. Hence He says, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24.)
On the cross He enters in grace into the judgment under which man lay-bears the wrath, and all that the righteousness of God required; and in His death lays the ground that God may bring those whom He saves into a new state, through redemption, to Himself. He rises from the dead; having borne the wrath-ascends to heaven, and is glorified-a Man at God's right hand. The Holy Ghost was then sent down, and dwells in the Church.-Acts 2 He makes the body of the believer His temple.-(1 Cor. 4:19.) He seals him-having believed-until the day of redemption.- (Eph. 1:13;4. 30.) He unites him to Christ-"He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit"- (1 Cor. 6:17), anoints him-seals him-baptizes him with all other saints into one body (1 Cor. 12:13, 2 Cor. 1:21). Hence union with Christ is by the Holy Ghost dwelling in the believer's body, and uniting him to Christ in heaven, since the accomplishment of redemption.
This union neither existed, nor was it even contemplated for the Old Testament saints in the counsels of God. If we turn to John 7:37-39, we find the line drawn with great distinctness between what is now, and what was then. The Lord Jesus in the chapter cannot show Himself to the world: because His brethren, the Jews, did not believe in Him; and so He cannot bring in the Feast of Tabernacles, which is always used as a figure of the kingdom. The kingdom is then put off till another day, and instead of that, going up in secret He stood in the last day of the feast and cried, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.-(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified)." The gift of the Holy Ghost to dwell in believers is thus brought in, and the kingdom which had been refused, is put off till another day.
The disciples were told by the Lord after He rose from the dead, to remain at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, which they had heard of Him. (See Acts 1:4-5.) This promise was made at length in John 14:16,17-26, ch. 15:26. The Holy Ghost-the "other Comforter" was to be given, and to this end it was positively expedient that Jesus should go away (ch. 16:7), otherwise He-the Holy Ghost-would not come. The Lord tells them in Acts 1:5, "John truly baptized with water; and ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence." The Lord was seen of them for forty days after He rose from the dead (Acts 1:3), and there was an interval of ten days from His ascension, till the day of Pentecost (or fiftieth day) was fully come. When it came (Acts 2) the promise was fulfilled; and Peter tells the Jews (verses 32, 33), "this Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."
One Body, formed by the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
We have found that the Lord's promise-"Ye shall be baptized by the Holy Ghost not many days hence," was brought to pass on the day of Pentecost. The little band of disciples, at first some 120 (see Acts 1:15), then about 3,000 (Acts 2:41), increased largely afterward (Acts 4), were baptized of the Holy Ghost, according to the Lord's promise; but still this was only the Jewish side of the blessing. In Acts 10 Peter opens the door to the Gentiles, bringing them into the same position and privileges, not merely as individuals, as one with those who had been thus baptized by the Holy Ghost. When they of Judea heard of this (Acts 11), Peter was called to account for what he had done, and he rehearsed the matter from the beginning to them.
Thus we have in the clearest way, the Jew and Gentile formed into one Body by the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
We have already seen that to Paul alone of all the Apostles was the revelation of this "mystery" committed (Eph. 3:6, etc.) which had heretofore been "hid in God." (v. 9) -His eternal purpose. "That the Gentiles should be joint-heirs, and a joint body (with the Jews), and joint-partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel."-Thus should the passage be read. He describes at length this Body in 1 Cor. 12:12-27, where he says, "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is (the) Christ. (This name, "the Christ," is here applied to the members and head, as to Adam and his wife, jointly, in Gen. 5:2). For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit, for the body is not one member, but many, etc., etc. Here both Jew and Gentile lose their places, as such, and are brought into one body, and united by the Holy Ghost to each other and to Christ, the Head, a Man glorified.
Now this body is in the world, as is the Holy Ghost, whose presence constitutes it. It is not in heaven. The Head is in heaven, and the members have a heavenly position in union with Him; in fact, they are in the world. This body has been passing along through the world; its unity maintained as perfectly as the day in which the presence of the Holy Ghost first constituted it. Nothing has ever marred its unity. True, the outward manifestation of this body, by the oneness of those who compose it, is gone; true that the "house of God," as it first appeared in the world, has drifted into what is likened to a "great house" (2 Tim. 2:19-22), true that all that was thus committed to man's responsibility has, as ever, failed. But the body of Christ was in the world then-was here through the dark middle ages-is now in the world; remaining all through the ruin of the professing church; its unity perfectly maintained by the Holy Ghost, who, by His presence and baptism constitutes it; for He as ever maintains the unity of the body of Christ!
Let me put a figure before my reader, which will convey simply the fact that the entire number of saints in the world at any given time (just as you read these words, for instance), indwelt by the Holy Spirit, is that which is recognized of God as the Body of Christ. Let us suppose a regiment of soldiers, a thousand strong, goes to India, and serves there for many years. All those who compose that regiment die off, or are slain in battle, and their places filled up by others-the numerical strength of the regiment is kept up-after years of service, the time comes for it to return home-not a man who went out is in it now, and yet the same regiment returns without change of its number, or facings, or identity. Thus with the Body of Christ. Those who composed it in the days of Paul, are not here, yet the body has passed along, through the last eighteen centuries, the members of it dying off, and the ranks filled up by others, and now at the end of the journey the body is here-the Holy Ghost who constitutes its unity, being here, as perfect in its unity, as it ever was.
Now it is quite true that all the saints between those two great events are of the body of Christ-of it in the mind and counsel of God. But those who have died have lost their present actual connection with the body, having passed away from the sphere where, as to personal place, the Holy Ghost is. They have ceased to be in its unity. The bodies of the saints who have died, once the temples of the Holy Ghost, are now in the dust, and their spirits are with the Lord. Their bodies not being yet raised, they do not now enter into account of the body as now recognized of God. As those on the retired list of an army, they have passed into the reserve, or freedom from service, as it were, out of the scene now occupied by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. We read, "If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it," etc. (1 Cor. 12:26), the dead do not suffer. The passage treats of those who are alive here, in a place where they may do so.
Thus the body of Christ, as now recognized of God, embraces all believers here upon earth, at the moment I write, as at any given moment. 1 Cor. 12 treats of the church of God upon earth; healings, etc., are not set in heaven.
The difficulty with many is not reading Scripture as God's mind at any given moment-speaking of a thing before His eyes. The Apostles spoke of a thing before their eyes; they never looked for a long continuance of the Church; they looked for the Lord's coming. All was viewed as contemplating this, though prophetically ruin was predicted, and felt as it came in.
What an amazing truth! Although the oneness prayed for by the Lord Jesus in John 17 has almost vanished away; and man's unfaithfulness, yea the unfaithfulness of God's people, under the highest blessing ever vouchsafed to them in this world, has been shown in the almost entire obliteration of that oneness which the Son demanded of the Father. Although all that men could do to mar it has been done, still there is that which never changes, never fails, and never is spoiled; because (are we not ashamed to say it) it is not in our power to do so, for it is kept, as it is constituted, by the presence and baptism of God the Holy Ghost-the body of Christ, in the world!
How blessedly do we find Christ's prayer for their oneness answered in Acts 2;4 We read there, they lifted up their voices with one accord. "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul." His prayer was answered for the little moment, "that they all may be one," as in practice they were. But soon, indeed, did this oneness of practice fail. Then we find, in chapter 9, Saul of Tarsus, afterward Paul the Apostle, called out to reveal to us something that could never fail-the unity of the Spirit-the body of Christ.
The difference between oneness and unity is important; because we are exhorted "to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." To endeavor to keep practically that which exists in fact, by the presence of the Spirit of God. Not to make a unity but to keep, by the bond of peace, that unity which exists by the Holy Ghost.
The Lord's Supper.
The Apostle Paul received, as we have also seen, a special revelation with respect to the Lord's Supper. He was the vessel chosen of God to reveal to us the mystery of Christ and the Church. He alone of all the sacred writers speaks of the Body of Christ. We read in 1 Cor. 10:16,17, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? for we, being many, are one bread, one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread" (or rather "loaf"). Here we learn that the Lord's supper is the symbol or expression of the communion of the body of Christ. (Of course we speak of it now as the Lord's table in the truth of the divine revelation concerning it.) There is immense importance in this truth. Because we learn that although the professing church has distorted the Lord's Supper into a means of grace, and a life-giving sacrament, and a fresh sacrifice, in fact almost everything but what it is, still, if the Lord's table is spread according to God's mind, and as such, it expresses the communion of the one body of Christ, which is here in the world.
If only two or three Christians in a place are gathered together in the name of the Lord Jesus as members of the one body of Christ, by one Spirit, to eat the Lord's Supper, they are a true, even though feeble expression of the one body. It is as in the communion of the one body, they break the one loaf, which is the symbol of the fellowship of the whole body on earth.
Many have thought that they could now come together as individuals merely, to break bread. But such a ground is unknown in Scripture, since the revelation of the truth concerning the Church of God, through the Apostle Paul. The ground of the unity of the Spirit of God in the body of Christ is the only one we can take, except in ignorance or in disobedience to the revealed will of God. I must either own what I know to be here-to exist in the world-as a fact, i. e., the one body of Christ, formed by the one Spirit of God; or I must disown it, which is indeed a very solemn matter.
Coming together as disciples has been done in ignorance of these divine principles; and the Lord is very patient with us, in waiting upon us in our slowness to learn His mind. But when I learn the truth, and have my understanding opened to see what I am before God, a member of the body, by one Spirit, it is not taking up new ground in our mode of meeting together; but rather defining in its full sense what we really are, and discovering with this, all the responsibilities attaching to such a wonderful truth. I learn my responsibility to own and recognize all others who are thus owning and acting upon (however weakly it may be) the grand truth of one body, by one Spirit. It gives me a divine resting-place for my feet in the midst of the confusion of Christendom; a reality which will keep my soul steady in the midst of every ruin. It is the only thing which can do this.
Coming together as individual Christians merely to break bread, is simply impossible in obedience to the Lord. If done in ignorance, well-but with the knowledge of this unity, to do so would be the disowning of God's highest truth, next to Christ. How far from reconstructing anything is all this; for the body of
Christ does not want re-construction from my hands. The Spirit of God constitutes it, by His presence and baptism, and its unity has never failed. I therefore merely own in practice what I know to be here in fact, but I cannot do it as an individual where there are other members of the body of Christ. Both must be together, if grace is given for it, as the body, i. e., on the ground and principle of it. Besides all this our being together, and our owning this, does not pretend to manifest anything. This would be towards the world. I seek not to manifest, but to express what I am in common with all the other members-the body of Christ-in the symbol of its unity, the breaking of one loaf.
"Endeavoring to keep the Unity of the Spirit."
"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph. 4:1-6.)
There is an expression which is used often to convey a right thought, but which you do not find in Scripture, i. e., "the unity of the body." "There is one body," the unity of which is constituted by the Holy Ghost Himself; and we are exhorted to endeavor to keep this "unity of the Spirit (not 'unity of the body') in the bond of peace." If we were exhorted to endeavor to keep the unity of the body, we would be obliged to walk with every member of Christ, no matter in what association he might be found, or whatever his practice might be-no evil whatever would give us a warrant to separate from him. The endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit necessarily keeps in the company and association with a divine Person here upon earth.
If the Church of God were in a healthy state, there would be no difference practically in the expressions "unity of the body" and "unity of the Spirit." The Holy Ghost Himself dwelling in the Church constitutes its unity, and practically embraces all the members of Christ. If the Church was walking in the Spirit, the healthy action of the whole would be unimpaired. Still the unity remains, because the Spirit remains, even when the oneness, and healthy practice of the body as a whole, is gone. The unity of a human body remains when a limb is paralyzed-but where is the oneness? The limb has not ceased to be of the body, but it has ceased to be in the healthy articulation of the body. Hence many Christians, while members of the body of Christ, are not endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
How then, is the unity of the Spirit to be observed? What is "endeavoring" to do so? What is faithfulness to the nature of the Church, Christ's body, in an evil day? It is first by Separation from Evil. My first duty must be to "depart from iniquity." It may be moral, or doctrinal evil, evil assuming many shapes; I separate myself from it, to Christ. Thus separated, I find myself in the fellowship of the Spirit of God. Associated with the Holy Ghost here upon earth. He glorifies Christ, and disassociates me from everything contrary to Christ: associating me with that which is according to Christ. Thus it ceases to be a question of Christ's members altogether, and becomes entirely a question of Christ, and of the Spirit of God, whom He glorifies. The notion that I may be wittingly associated with an evil principle, or doctrine, or practice, and undefiled, is any unholy notion. I may be perfectly free from it myself, as not having imbibed it; but by practical association with it, I have left the fellowship of the Holy Ghost.
Thus separated into fellowship of the Holy Ghost-the Spirit of holiness and Spirit of truth, we find others who have done the same, and so we can be together happily in the unity of the Spirit of God.
The primary step then must be, "Let him that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." (2 Tim. 2:19.) Members of Christ are mixed up with much evil on all sides. I must separate myself from such, to walk in the fellowship of, and unity of, the Spirit, who keeps me in company with Christ, the Head.
In an evil day, when the faithful endeavor, through grace, to' keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, the practice of the fellowship and unity of the Spirit is necessarily a narrow pathway, entirely apart from evil, and excluding evil from its midst, while, in the breadth of its principles, it contemplates the whole Church of God. Wide enough in principle to receive every member of Christ, all over the world; narrow enough to exclude evil most carefully from its midst. Anything short of this breadth is a sectarian principle, and ceases to be of the Holy Ghost; while the breadth of the principle contemplates every member of Christ. Those gathered thus in the unity of the Spirit, necessarily are jealous, with godly jealousy, lest anything should be admitted, either of doctrine or practice, or witting association with such, that would put those who admitted it practically out of the fellowship of the Spirit.
Now this "endeavor" does not confine itself to those only who have come together thus in separation from evil, and fellowship of the Holy Ghost. It is not observed merely one towards the other. Its aspect is towards, and has in view, every member of Christ, in whatsoever association he may be-even those not thus gathered in the fellowship of the Spirit. Those who are thus maintaining the truth, are by this showing their truest and most faithful love to those who are not practically with them. Abiding in the light, in uncompromising fidelity to Christ, and fellowship in the Spirit of God, is their truest love to their brethren. They do not compromise the light and truth of their position by leaving it for the darkness; but, if they have grace, they win their brethren into the light, to walk with them in the truth likewise.
Through the Lord's great mercy, this "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" has been accorded to His saints, and many have had faith, in seeing the pathway, to embrace it. When such exists, the effort many have made to take a place outside, and independently of those who have been thus led of the Lord, is merely the self-will of man, and to be treated as such.
If the simplest saints, as has frequently been the case, have been drawn together in the Lord's name-even without any intelligence of what the ground of one body, one Spirit, is-of necessity it binds them to all those elsewhere, who have been before them in the way, because subjects of like action of God's Spirit, and who may have learned the more fully Divine ground of gathering. They may slip away very easily from it, and get linked up with evil, if not watchful; and the enemy works incessantly to this end. But it is utterly untenable to suppose that they can intelligently maintain a divine ground of gathering, and ignore what the same Spirit has wrought amongst others before them.
Scripture admits of no such independency. To maintain an independent position, is to accept one which puts them practically out of the unity of the Spirit. Very probably such had come together at first in the energy of the Holy Ghost, in all simplicity, as a gathering in the name of the Lord. By falling into such a course they slip away from the company and fellowship of God's Spirit. They had begun in the Spirit, and have ended, or are on the way to it, in the flesh.
Walking in the fellowship and unity of the Spirit, involves distinct separation from all who are not in practice doing so likewise. This tries the saints much at times. The enemy uses it to alarm the weaker saints. The cry of want of charity is at once raised. But when it becomes a question of being in the fellowship of the Spirit of God, it ceases to be a question of brethren merely. If those who are otherwise holy in practice will not walk therein; and others have had light and grace to do so, it must involve separation on the part of the latter. To the flesh this is terrible. But human love must not be mistaken for divine love; and fellowship of Christians, for the fellowship in the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost will not bend Himself to our ways, or be in fellowship with us; we must bend our ways into practical fellowship with Him. Therefore Peter bids us to add "to brotherly kindness, love" (2 Peter 1:7). Brotherly kindness will sink into mere love of brethren, because we like their society, if not guarded by the divine tie which preserves it as of God. God is love, and God is light; and, "if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another." To exact brotherly love in such a manner as to shut out the requirements of that which God is (and He dwells in the church by His Spirit), and of his claims upon us, is to shut out God in the most plausible way, in order to gratify our own hearts.
“I beseech my brethren, as they value and love the Blessed One, who gave Himself for His Church, to judge every position in which they may be, which practically puts them outside the unity of God's Spirit. The Lord Jesus gave Himself to redeem you; and not only so, but He died, "that he might gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad" (John 11:52). It ought to be on our hearts all day long, that that is scattered which Christ died to gather. He will surely gather them in heaven; but He died to gather them together in one, now. It can be but in keeping the unity of the Spirit of God; and if not thus, it is not what He died to effect. If it is not gathering with Christ, it is scattering, however plausible and well it may look in the eyes of men. God is working graciously in many places; and the enemy is working, too, to try and mystify souls just emerging out of darkness, and link them up with the principles of neutrality, indifference, and independency; anything but the truth.
The Discipline of the Assembly.
I would for a moment refer to the divine competency of the saints thus gathered in carrying out the discipline of the Assembly; to keep outside everything not of the Spirit of God.
We read, "What have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them also that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." (1 Cor. 5:12-13.) Now this divine competency remains unchanged. Nay, it is binding on the saints. The Lord holds them responsible for this. The thought has occurred to some, "Is not this putting out from the body, if we are gathered together as such, i. e., on such a ground?" I reply, it is not. Scripture makes no difficulty in the matter whatever; it says "from among yourselves," not "from the body" -which could not be done. Otherwise there would be no means left to exclude evil from the midst of the two or three men gathered together in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul could, by the Lord's authority, deliver the evil person to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh; the Assembly's duty is to put out from amongst themselves, and goes no further than this.
The Apostle addresses to the Corinthians this responsibility, binding it upon "all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours (1 Cor. 1:2); recognizing them (1 Cor. 12:27) as gathered together on the ground and principles of the one body of Christ; and unless we can remove that Scripture (1 Cor. 5) from the word of God, the divine competency and authority for this remains unchanged.
The Reception of the Brethren.
The simple and blessed title to be at the Lord's table is, Confession of, and membership of Christ, with holiness of walk. There is no other-no inner circle. The intelligence of those received, while good in its place, has nothing whatever to do with their reception. Those that receive should be intelligent in what they are doing, and that those whom they are receiving are members of Christ. The moment they look for intelligence in those who seek communion, it is they who cease to be intelligent. But there is a distinction to be observed in dealing with those who have had to do with evil associations, in jealous care for the Lord's name; those who are wittingly associated with evil, and those unwittingly linked up with it. We read, "of some have compassion, making a difference, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (Jude 22,23.)
The basis and principle of the unity of the Spirit, thus contemplated, embraces the whole Church of God. The fact of those who have been mixed up with evil, or worldly systems, seeking fellowship, shows that they are separating themselves to the Lord. This should meet with a ready response. The more deeply the saints are conscious of the divine character of the place they have been called into by the Lord's grace, the more ready will be the response of the heart towards all Christ's members. At the same time they will grow in the strength and conviction of the holiness that belongs to God's habitation through the Spirit; and, by His grace, will watch against the wiles of the enemy in the seeking to let in that which would grieve the Spirit of God, and hinder the Lord in manifesting His presence in their midst.
The Lord in His mercy keeps His saints and faithful ones true and devoted to Him in these evil days. They may be but a remnant; but there are two things which ever marked the faithful remnant at any time, 1St, Devotedness to the Lord; 2nd, Strictest attention to fundamental principles. We find, too, that they were ever the objects of His special attention and care. Their very feebleness drew this forth the more strikingly. It was with them He identified Himself most specially. They have but a "little strength"-but through His mercy they have used it; and it has brought them into the spot where He is. The Lord give them to keep His word, and not deny His name-to hold fast that which they have, that no man take their crown. Amen.
Note.-In the Apocalypse, we find certain local Assemblies addressed; but never the "Assembly of God."
The House of the Living God
The testimony in which the faithful are called to walk, in the last days, has a twofold character: -first a witness to the unity of the body of Christ, formed by the Holy Ghost sent down at Pentecost. And secondly, the whole church having failed, the character of a remnant in maintaining this testimony; and this too in the midst of a great Baptized House-the responsible body on earth, commonly named "Christendom." This testimony can never aim to be more than one to the failure of the church of God as set up by Him. The more true to Christ the remnant of His people are, the more shall they be a witness to the present state of the church of God, i. e., what it is; but not to what it was, as first displayed.
Now there is found in the Word of God, for their example and comfort, a faith which counts upon Him, and His divine intervention, when the failure of man is there: a faith that finds itself sutained by God according to the power and blessings of the dispensation, which answers according to the first thoughts of His heart, when He had set all up in primary power.
He connects that power, and the Lord's own presence, with the faith of the few who act on the truth provided for the present moment,
even though the administration of the whole is not in operation according to the order which God set up. For example: the blessing of Asher ends with those lovely words-"As thy days, (so shall thy) strength be." (Deut. 33:25.) and all went to ruin, as the history of Israel unfolds; yea at the first coming of Christ, when the godly, pious remnant of His people were "waiting for the consolation of Israel;" the Simeons and Annas of that day, we find one of that same tribe. "Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served, with fastings and prayers night and day," in the enjoyment and power of that blessing of Moses -as he says, "so shall thy strength be," and the Lord Christ Himself became identified with that obscure remnant, of which she was one; as those whom His Heart could own, and who were ready to receive Him when first He came.
The returned remnant of Judah too, in all the weakness of those who could pretend to nothing but occupation of the divine platform of God's earthly people; to them we find those comforting words addressed, "I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: according to the word that I covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not." Their faith is recalled to that mighty day of power, when the Lord of Hosts "bare them on eagle's wings, and brought them to Himself," and removed their shoulder from the burdens of Egyptian bondage. Undimmed in power, He was with them, just the same, for faith to claim and use. No outward displays were theirs; but His Word and Spirit, which proved His presence to faith, wrought in that feeble few; to them is revealed the shaking of all things (of Heb. 12:27,) and the coming of Him who would make the "latter glory" of His house greater than the "former." They are thus the link between the Temple of the palmy days of Solomon; and that of the day of coming glory, when He shall sit "a Priest upon His throne," and the counsel of peace shall be between Jehovah and Him, and he shall bear the glory. (Zech. 5:12, 13. Hag. 1; 2.)
He would "overthrow the throne of kingdoms," (Hag. 2:21-23,) and shake the heavens and the earth, thus identifying all His power with the least remnant of His people who walked in company with His mind. He would make all come and worship before their feet, and to know that He had loved them.
Thus, too, those who answer to the calling which suits His mind, as presented in Philadelphia (Rev. 3); who are true to that, which though not a perfect state of things, is suited to the state of failure which He contemplates-
He makes them the link, the silver cord, between the church of the past as set up at Pentecost (Acts 2.) and the church of the glory. (Rev. 21:9.) The overcomer would be made a "pillar in the temple of His God," in the "new Jerusalem" on high.
Let me here remark that there never was, and never can be a moment, when that which answers to this calling (Phila.) can cease, till the Lord comes. In the moral picture presented in these two chapters (Rev. 2 and 3), we find all the seven features together, at any moment (as they were when He sent the messages,) and remaining so, as long as the scriptures there abide. In the dark ages, and those of more light in later days; and now at the end, before He comes, all, everywhere, who answer with perfect heart to the measure of truth which He has given them, such are morally Philadelphia. Others may have more light; but the true heart that walks with Christ in what it knows, is known of Him, and is what is contemplated in Philadelphia.
Historically there is an unfolding-as the Lord did delay-in the state of each of the seven churches-each larger feature coming into prominence, and presenting the salient features of the professing church, till the church becomes a remnant in the message to Thyatira; which then develops into those which follow.
But morally Philadelphia represents those who answer Christ's heart at all times and in all circumstances, since the Lord gave those messages, till His threat is finally executed-"I will spue thee out of my mouth." Philadelphia may, in the historical view, come in after Sardis, and be exhorted that He comes quickly, as her resource, and to let no man take her crown; but as long as His voice is heard by faithful souls, such form, now, as ever, and wherever found, the link between the church at Pentecost, and
the church-the Bride the Lamb's wife in the days of the glory. (Rev. 3:12.)
Like the seven prismatic colors of the rainbow-the pure single ray of colorless light being broken up into its component parts; these seven churches are not merely actual addresses to seven existing assemblies at the moment; nor are they merely a historic development of the whole period of the Christian interval, while Christ is hidden in the heavens, and the Holy Ghost is here, but they have a moral signification (no view being of greater importance than this,) in which all the seven features, and moral states are found, at any given moment, from the day of the utterance of the messages, until the day when He who spoke them comes again. Like the rainbow, in which all the seven colors are seen, though one or other may become prominent at any moment. Every moral state in all the seven messages remains from the beginning to the very end. There are at this moment, as at the beginning, those who have left their first love; and those who suffer for Christ; and those who are faithful where Satan's seat is, and so on to the conclusion of the whole.
Besides all this, we should never forget that, John is watching over the decay of that which Paul unfolded; and telling us what Christ will do with that which bears His name. For our own path we get no directions but to "listen"-to "hear what the Spirit saith to the churches," for we do not find church ground unfolded here. It is not John's province to treat of this: John never gives us corporate things, but individual, and never speaks of the church of God. When we are therefore grounded and settled in that which never fails-the unity of the Body of Christ, maintained by the Spirit of God on earth, as taught by Paul, we may turn with deep profit to John and these messages, and learn what Christ will do with all that bears His name on earth. But from Paul alone can I learn what I am to do, in the midst of such a scene; and how I am to be an "overcomer" according to the mind of the Lord, which never can be by abandoning that which His Spirit maintains on earth.
How important therefore to be thoroughly grounded in the truths of the church of God, which remain as long as God's Spirit remains, and His Word abides, "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man; unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph. 4:13.)
I turn now to examine another side of the truth of the church of God, as unfolded in Paul's doctrine-not that of the Body of Christ -united to her Head in heaven, and maintained by the Holy Ghost on earth in unity; but that of the "House of God," the "Habitation of God through the Spirit."
On the day of Pentecost the aggregate number of disciples which were baptized of the Holy Ghost, and thus formed into the Body united to Christ in heaven: were also on earth, a "Habitation of God by the Spirit." Each was coterminous, with the other. Both terms embraced the same people. Those who composed the Body composed the House, and none else.
But to each relationship a different thought pertained. In the Body there is the absolute union between Christ and His members-He the Head, they the Body, of which, when persecuted, He could say, "Why persecutest thou Me?" In the House there is no thought of union at all, and this is most important to apprehend.
One dwells in a House; but the walls are not in union with him; so that he may not speak of them, "Me," and for this reason the Holy Ghost is not said to dwell in the Body, while He does dwell in the House.
During the early part of the Acts of the Apostles, there was a sort of tentative dealing with Israel once more (chaps. 3-7,) to offer that Christ whom, they had slain, would return with the "sure mercies of David." At the same time He who knew the end from the beginning, knew the result of this fresh offer. Nevertheless it was needful in His purposes, to bring out fully the responsibility and guilt of that ruined people, in the final rejection of Christ in the glory. Behind all this, God was working out His "purpose of the ages," in the church of God.
When Israel finally refused their glorified Messiah the martyred Stephen's blood bearing witness that all was over; Saul of Tarsus was "standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him." But Stephen had prayed a prayer at the moment of his death, which was wonderfully answered in this man. "Lord" said he, "lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:60.) Saul of Tarsus was the answer to this prayer! But the divine floodgates of grace once opened in righteousness through the cross, could not now be stayed, and the stream which had flowed into "the city of the great King," up to this moment, having been finally refused; its course was diverted, and it flowed onward to Samaria.
The Lord of the harvest, had said at this place a few short years before-"Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." Samaria is now conquered by the gospel, and the old enmity between "this mountain," and "Jerusalem," is blotted out by its peaceful waters, at least in the souls of ii those who accepted the water of life, thus freely flowing to them. But Philip must leave his prosperous labor, and follow the stream, if needful, to the "ends of the earth."
The sandy desert near Gaza becomes the channel of the grace of Jesus. A child of the cursed race of Ham, the father of Canaan: an Ethiopian Chamberlain of Queen Candace, is sitting in his Chariot reading the Prophet Isaiah. He had come from the heart of Africa to worship at Jerusalem, and with an unsatisfied heart, was returning. The day of Jerusalem's visitation was past. The words of the weeping Jesus might re-echo once more when He exclaimed, "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things (which belong) to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes." (Luke 19:42.) But he who is a "rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" follows this "dry tree," and after a few short words from Philip, evangelizing Jesus to him, he receives the message from the God and Father of Jesus, and the Ethiopian "went on his way rejoicing" -carrying this knowledge of Jesus into the abodes of the race of Cush.
The whole Assembly is broken up at Jerusalem; and "all (were) scattered abroad, except the Apostles." Stephen's prayer ascended as incense before God; and "Saul yet breathing slaughter against the Lord"-is converted in the height of his mad career, by the words from Christ in glory, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" He was a chosen vessel to bear Christ's name, whom he persecuted "to the Gentiles, the kings, and to the children of Israel."
But God had, as Paul the Apostle tells us, made him "a wise master builder"-to unfold in his doctrines, the mystery of Christ and the church. He laid the foundation, and others built thereupon. To man then; to His servants was committed the administration of this House of God-composed of those who were received into the place where the Holy Ghost dwelt. On the one side, the divine work of God in forming and maintaining the Body of Christ progressed. It was constituted by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. On the other we have the administration of the House put into man's hands: and those who entered, came in by the baptism of water.
At the first, as we have seen, God constituted it by taking up His abode in the disciples at Pentecost, as His House, or Habitation. Then, all who accepted the testimony were received into the place where the spirit dwelt. The Apostles and those who were thus constituted the House at the first, were never baptized: they were not thus received into what they were already. But all who came after were thus received; professing by baptism, that they were "buried" to the "death of Christ." (Rom. 6) Peter on that day insists that all that came should come in by the appointed way; "Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38.) The nation was about to fall under judgment-guilty now, with all other guilt, of their Messiah's blood. But there was one hallowed spot left, into which the slayer of Blood could flee: the House of God- (no more the Temple) stood ready to welcome all whose hearts were pricked with their guilt, and who now were welcomed into the House of God, built in His name.
The promise was unto them and to their children, and to all that were "afar off" "even as many as the Lord our God shall call." How blessed for the poor Jew to know that he was thus entering into God's House, that his children were not to be left behind, in a world of which Satan was god and prince. What an echo of the day of Moses, when God brought them out of Egypt long before, that their houses, and all that pertained to those who were delivered, were to pass into the place of privilege and blessing; not one should be left to separate them-not one should be left behind. Pharaoh thought, as Satan ever does, to separate them with the word-"go ye that are men." But Moses refuses to change the demand, "we will go with our young and our old; with our sons and with our daughters... for we must hold a feast unto the Lord." (Ex. 10:9-11.) And we read how they "were all baptized unto Moses, in the cloud and in the sea." (1 Cor. 10:2.) As said to another before this, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark."
Soon after many more were added to this House of God (Acts 4:4,) but all were Jews: God took this mode of saving the remnant of Israel.
Samaria falls under the sound of the Gospel, and the enemy who first began "within," through Ananias and Sapphira, now seeks to introduce evil persons from "without: " "tares amongst the wheat were sown while men slept." "Wood, hay, and stubble," were introduced into the House of God and Simon the Sorcerer is received in the flush of joy which filled many hearts in Samaria, (Acts 8). Thus the house, coterminous at first with the Body, began already to enlarge itself, while committed to man's responsibility, disproportionately to the body, which was maintained of God intact within it. But the Spirit of God did not leave the House, nor has He left it even to this day, though it has enlarged itself into what we see around us, into that which is likened by Paul to "a great house," containing "vessels of gold, and of silver, of wood and of earth; some to honor and some to dishonor." (2 Tim. 2)
As Israel in the desert stood in an ordinancial relationship with Moses in that dispensation; they were all baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink. So all now who profess Christ's name-in like manner stand in ordinancial or sacramental relationship with Him, as in the analogy drawn, in 1 Cor. 10:1-11.
In the midst of this scene, scattered outwardly within it, is found that which should always have been outwardly one, as it is inwardly maintained so by the Holy Spirit-the Body of Christ.
Years ago one said to me, when speaking of ministerial labor, a sentence which I never forgot: "Our business is to bring Christians into the consciousness of their position, in the midst of a great baptized house," i. e., to make them conscious that there is a church of God on earth, a body of Christ, of which they are living members. This sentence was one full of meaning and power to my own soul.
We will turn now to Scripture to examine more fully the unfoldings of this truth of the House of God-an intelligent grasp of which is so needful for our path and service to the Lord.
In the first Epistle to the Corinthians we find two greater divisions. 1St, Chapter 1-10:14; and 2nd, Chapter 10 In the first division he has the House before him; in the second the Body. (Chapter 12 Connecting both though distinguishing them too.) And here it may be of use to say that the word "assembly" applies to both, though having a distinct application to each. If we look on high at Christ in glory, the "Assembly" is His "Body," (Eph. 1:22,23); and if we look below where the Spirit dwells the "Assembly" is His "House."-See 1 Tim. 15.
In Paul's address to the Corinthians we find a most comprehensive breadth of thought. "Unto the Assembly of God which is in Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called Saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours." (1 Cor. 1:2.) In this comprehensive address we find him writing to the professing Church. He assumes of course that all are true and real, unless proved to be otherwise. But all who profess Christ's name are addressed; calling on the name of the Lord having this meaning in Scripture. The simply calling on His name not proving their reality; but reality having to prove itself in those who have called. Now the professing church having thus been addressed; the whole professing church, at that day, being assumed primarily as real, another thing comes in when ruin has set in. The professing church has now enlarged itself to what we term Christendom, nevertheless the professing church is bound by what Paul wrote. This makes all plain.
The wisdom of the Spirit of God foresaw and forecast all this for us: for if we turn to 2 Tim. 3 we find what was prophetically provided for the "last days," which at once began when apostolic gift was removed from the church. The epistle is divided into three parts. First (chap. 1:1-14) a preface. Second (chap. 1:15-2.) takes up what had already supervened in the lifetime of the Apostle, in the words "This thou knowest," etc. And third (chap. 3;4) commencing with "This know also: " in which division he foresees what was about to be. Let us hear his words, "This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." This then is his description of the profession of Christianity: this the sphere in which the faithful would find themselves; this, the platform where the servants of Christ would now have to work. And in such a sphere, with such materials before him was the servant Timothy to "do the work of an evangelist." (2 Tim. 4:5.)
How deeply solemn is this prophetic truth then! To find that instead of the habitation of God on earth, being the answer to the glory of Christ in heaven, as produced by the Spirit of God, it had so dishonored that blessed name, as to be described with words, almost similar to those used to describe the Heathen, out of which the Church had (with the Jew) been called. The only striking difference being this, that when the heathen are described (Rom. 1:28-32), the words "having a form of godliness" were not used: but are added to similar words (2 Tim. 3) to describe a worse state, because existing under the name of Christ!
It needs not that I should examine more. We might recall the words of Paul in Philippians-"All seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ:" and "many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Colossians too, and Galatians, and even Ephesians, refer to those evils which had entered in, and against which the faithful are warned. The tendency too in the saints, to sink down into an abnormal state of soul, below the common level of all, at the first. Those varied states around us now are the speaking witness that in the House of God there are numbers of those who are really Christ's, but who are not in the consciousness of Christian state-in union with Christ in glory.
Yet the Spirit of God abides. He still inhabits God's house on earth. He remains there till all those who are Christ's are called by His grace: till the Lord Himself comes again. And still is that name-the House of God-applicable, in responsibility, to that which is His habitation here below; though it is the abode of evil too; just as Jesus spake of-"My Father's House," of the Temple of old, though it had been made a "den of thieves" by man. So the House of God remains such, as long as God's Spirit remains there. Then it is given up, as a "cage of every unclean and hateful bird."
Now it is evident that the two essentially Christian Sacraments, as we may call Baptism and the Lord's Supper, apply to a very different state of things. The former being the rite observed in the reception of those who came into the House of God on earth. The latter being the symbol of the unity of the Body of Christ. By the first, not only was the person received, but administratively his sins were washed away. Doubtless this was the case actually before God with Paul at his conversion; but still he is told by Ananias to "Arise and be baptized, washing away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord: " as Peter told the Jews at Pentecost to "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38.) But the person once received, it never could be repeated. Now suppose, as in many cases around us now, it was done informally, yet it was done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and in Vain would be the thought of repeating it: such could not be.
How could one unchristianize themselves, or get outside the profession of Christianity, to come in again as they think more correctly, but by blotting out a historic action in their previous life-no matter when performed? It is simply impossible. The thing was done, and there it remains; even though done informally. The responsibility rests on the person who did it; not on the person to whom it is done. For baptism is the act of the baptizer-not of the baptized. "Go and disciple all nations, baptizing them," etc., not, "go and be baptized." This commission was given by the Lord in resurrection only, not in ascension-from whence He sent the Holy Ghost; as the glorified Head of His body. It was given to Peter and the others on earth, and the House was formed, and this work of reception followed, long before Paul was converted. When he was, he was received, as any other into the House of baptism. Yet he distinctly states that "He was not sent to baptize." He finds it there, not set aside by his subsequent and heavenly commission, and he thus uses it at times, to receive some (as-"Crispus and Gaius, and the house of Stephanas,") making no more of it than was necessary, though it was not comprised in his mission.
Now the Lord's supper is "As often as ye eat" -"ye do show the Lord's death, till He come." Unlike Baptism, it was revealed afresh by Christ in glory to Paul, and received through him fresh features unknown before, as first instituted by the Lord. It becomes, when partaken after the divine thought, the symbol of the unity of the Church of God here below. The great ostensible center too, of the gathering together of the church of God on earth. There, in a special way the presence of the Lord Himself "in the midst" is realized. (Matt. 18:20.)
It is that moral center, in view of which each member of Christ judges himself that he may eat thereof worthily, in a manner suited to the holiness and truth of Him to whom he is united by the Holy Ghost given him. It is that with respect to which the partaking, or otherwise, shows that the person is confessing and professing the reality of his portion in Christ. It is with respect to it that, in failing to judge himself and his ways, the assembled saints must deal with the failing one, and put out "from among themselves that wicked person." It is in view of it, that when the individual has failed to judge himself, and it has fallen to the responsibility of the assembled saints to do so; or when the assembled saints have failed (as at Corinth) to deal with what was unsuited to Christ, and to the table of the Lord; the Lord Himself had, as over His own House, acted, removing some by death; and had laid His chastening hand on others, by sickness and weakness of body: for many amongst them were "weak and sickly, and many slept." (1 Cor. 11)
It is, in fact, the great moral symbol and center, outwardly and expressly, of the existence of the Church of God here below.
It is, too, yet more blessedly, when partaken of in the power of an ungrieved Spirit, the most touching of all the "services of faith" of the people of the Lord. Where the presence of the Lord is more sweetly realized at the moment which neither God nor His people will ever forget; when He gave Himself up for His glory, and for our eternal salvation.
The ministry of the gospel from God's heart to the world: is sweet to the soul. Souls are blessed, and the Spirit's power is felt, and God is made known in a world which knows Him not. The ministry of Christ, too, for His saints; feeding them, and building them up, and producing worship in their hearts for all His unspeakable goodness, is touching to the soul, searching to the conscience; and the freshness of His love, is thus shed abroad in the heart. All these and many more, are good and blessed. But at the supper, the soul and God meet, as never otherwise: the heart of the saint, and the sufferings of Christ Himself are together; His love is tasted, His perfections fed upon; in short, the Lord Himself is there in a way, that next to heaven itself, there is nothing like it here. Man is not before us at such an hour. All this is put aside in the presence of a greater, who leads the praises of His own.
Should we not therefore, seek to ascertain God's own mind about this feast? Should we not seek to divest it of every thought and practice, that might mar the true blessedness which He, the Lord, has meant it to be to us. We shall sit down by and by at the marriage supper of the Lamb. We have no description of this scene. The Holy Ghost uses but one word to describe it: "Blessed!" "Blessed are they who are called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb." and He adds, "These are the true sayings of God."
But here at the "Lordly Supper" one sits down with others like himself, still in bodies of humiliation, though saved by grace, and made meet for glory, to feed afresh upon Christ in His death. The night when all the world was against Him, and God forsook Him, as well as His own who loved Him truly. When Satan's power and glamor were over men's souls, and our perfect blessed Savior passed through that night, His last with His disciples; and ate that Paschal Supper of which He speaks in those touching words "With desire ("earnest, yearning longing," as the word means,) have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." (Luke 22:15.)
From that Paschal feast, and the institution of His own Supper, He passes to His agony in the garden, where He receives from His Father's hands His cup of sorrow. Bearing it (as it were,) in His hands, He is betrayed by His "friend": he who had eaten bread with Him had lifted up his heel against Him.
He passes onwards, and He is "denied" with oaths by one who thought no power could make his love for his Master fail. Then after His "good confession," He is mocked and arrayed in the scarlet robe and crown of thorns. From thence He passes into other hands and is scourged and condemned. At last came the cross of a malefactor, where He is numbered with the transgressors, and the things concerning Him had their end.
Forsaken now of God, we find Him in the darkness of that scene, where no ray of light penetrated to relieve His soul; He cries to God at the "hour of prayer"-the "ninth hour" and is "not heard." What soul depths were expressed in that unheard cry! But He, who in view of all this, when instituting the feast could twice "give thanks," knowing the light and love that was behind it all; the depths of that love of God the Father, whose love He shared from past eternity.
These are some of the features which come before us as we remember Him. We could not "remember" one we knew not: we remember One we know. We know Him but in poor small measure: but it is the Lord who loves us we know and remember in the hour of His death and shame; the result of His first coming to this world of sin.
Now although simplicity as to the line in which the Spirit of God would lead the gathered saints, in this "service of faith," is what should characterize them, that is, in the remembrance of the Lord at that night of His betrayal, there is no special character of remembrance to be looked for from the saints.
Still we must remember that "In the midst of the assembly (says the Lord) will I sing praise unto thee." We should therefore look for His presence most specially at such a time. But when Christ leads the praises of His own, we should not find many thoughts about our former state: our sins, our deliverance therefrom. It is Himself we remember in death; and all that this remembrance would embrace. I would dread much therefore to see souls thinking too much of their own blessing, their own side of things. It would seem to me that they have not come together with true thoughts of the Supper in their souls.
We know happily, that the "babes know the Father" it is the Spirit of adoption that characterizes them; they rejoice more in their own blessing, than in Him the Blesser. The fathers in Christ know Him. I am sure too, that in the Lord's Supper we have every chord touched that every heart, blessed through Christ, can feel and rejoice in. No string has ever been tuned in any heart which does not find its answer there, and while every soul who comes together to eat the Lord's supper is doubtless in a different spiritual state, the chords in each are divinely strung, and when Christ is before the soul they must yield harmony.
Just as in the varied aspects of Christ in His perfect life, His death, and sinbearing, and all, are presented in the offerings (see Lev. 1-7) many offerings to make the one blessed Christ. So in the supper, there is found that which meets the song of every heart, even though the note struck may sound more of its own side of things in some who surround Him who leads their praises.
Still I think true worship always has Him as its food and its object: "they worshipped Him." He reveals and displays the Father; and when the Father is worshipped in the Son, the Son reveals Him, and "the Father seeketh such to worship Him." When God is seen in Christ the Son, and the Father known in Him, and the Spirit in us is free to unfold His things to us, then worship has its true and proper level, and He dwells now in the praises of His church; as before, Jehovah dwelt in the praises of Israel!
We find that that which prefigured the communion of the church of God (the Peace offering) came third in the order of the five offerings in Leviticus, to show us that the worship of the saints is grounded upon what Christ was to God as a Burnt offering, and his Meat offering; both of these being offerings of "sweet savor." They pointed to all that Christ was to God in His devotedness to death for God's glory; bringing glory to His nature as to sin, in the place where sin was; and yielding Himself wholly up to God; this the Burnt offering typified. And this was accompanied by a meat-offering called his "meat-offering" ("the burnt offering and his meat-offering"). This was Christ's person in its purity and grace, and was bloodless and not atoning, though it accompanied that which was, and the memorial was offered to God and all its frankincense. Then where the ashes of both were, on the altar of Burnt-offering, there, was the Peace-offering (or its memorial) burnt (see Lev. 3:5). The fourth and fifth offerings were what Christ was made for us-not what He was in Himself personally; and they come after the Peace or communion offering (chap. 3.).
Has this no voice for us? Can we not see that he who best can enter upon what Christ was to God as the Burnt-offering and his Meat-offering, in His sweet savor, can best sustain and lead the worship of the assembled saints, for he is on the true ground of the soul's power of worship to the Father.
It is a cause of deep joy, and never to be forgotten, to know that Christ bore our sins, and brought us into this place of blessing, but it is not the prominent thought in praise. Was the prodigal thinking much of the far country, and his rags and misery, and of the change that had come, when he ate the fatted calf with the Father? His father's heart and house and joy silenced him. It would have no kindred note in his father's merriment, to have reminded him of his rags, and of the debt he owed his father. He must joy in his father's joy, be that what it may. These and such like praises are those which Christ can sing, and lead in the midst of His assembled saints.
Could a soul, uncertain of its salvation, have its place at such a feast? Nay. In conscience and in faith we stand alone. But when sealed with the Spirit, He leads our souls into communion with the Father and the Son and with each other in the light.
But all converted souls are not there. Surely not.-Many souls are quickened but not at peace. The very life they have makes them feel their sins; feel their misery; but when they have believed, God seals them with the Holy Spirit of promise. (Eph. 1:14, etc.).
Until then they are not "members of Christ," not in union with Him-Head of His body in heavenly places. How needful then to see that the person has received the Holy Ghost since he believed." (Acts 19)
The Supper therefore is for such only-members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.
It is celebrated according to Scripture by such, as the expression of the whole body of Christ on earth.
The table must be spread as the Lord's table, and those who partake of it must be gathered to His Name, to express this. Tables of the varied sects and parties in the professing church could not be owned as "the table of the Lord": they are not so. A sect with a system has its own dogmas, and rules and creeds, and ministry-generally framed for the world or the unconverted as well as the saved. Perhaps a human ministry is there, or some one person, who absorbs all the functions of the members of Christ's body, professedly in himself. The free action of the Spirit of God is shut out in the members. These and such like preclude the godly from its communion, and proclaim it as not the Table of the Lord.
But when the Lord's table is spread according to God it must be:-
First, the expression of the whole body of Christ on the earth: in the breadth of all.
Second, there must be nothing knowingly allowed there, amongst those gathered, which would hinder in a doctrinal, or moral way, one single member of Christ on earth being there. To have it so would make it cease to be the "Table of the Lord," and only the table of a sect or party in Christendom. It is not that each there is compelled to see and understand all and every truth and doctrine with others; not in any wise: this would be to make the intelligence of the members of Christ and their unanimity in doctrine, a term of fellowship instead of this-that they are members of that one body, and sound in faith and morals. Nay: the great foundation truths of God's holy Word must be held aright.
These would be such as the pure and holy Person of Christ, the Son of God, His incarnation; His atoning work; His resurrection and ascension; His eternal Sonship; His coming in flesh. The doctrines, too, of Eternal punishment, of the Holy Ghost's presence in the church, of the Trinity of the Persons in the God-head, all such would be clearly defined in the soul. The babes in Christ know all these things, and when the Holy Spirit dwells in a saint, he has received the anointing which teaches him all these things. He is sensitive too as to these things: touch Christ in any way and you touch the apple of his eye. Let him be true in the faith of Christ's person, and you may depend that in the main he is right in all the rest. Let him be false in his thoughts of Jesus, and his whole soul will more or less be filled with error. He is the true test; the touch-stone of true faith. All this assumes that he is at peace with God, and possesses His Spirit dwelling in him.
Third, the "first day of the week" is the day of its celebration; as of all the great gatherings of the members of the church's risen head. When she was first formed at Pentecost, His members continued daily with one accord in the temple and "broke bread at home praising God," etc. But when the Assembly was broken up at Jerusalem (Acts 8) and was no more found connected with the Jewish center of things, the Spirit of God led them together habitually on the first day of the week for this distinct purpose. "And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread." (Acts 20:7.) And this was endorsed by the Apostle abiding there to be with them at this feast.
How sensitive is the spiritually minded saint at this wondrous center of the church's gathering! How spiritual one needs to be, to venture in the Lord's blessed presence to lead in the worship of God. The more he thinks of the presence of his Lord and Master, the more careful he is lest one word, one note he strikes should not be in keeping with the Lord's own heart, in communion with which the present Spirit leads His people's songs. How the heart feels a discordant note at such a moment; when the ear of the soul is watching for the note to strike truly in the hearts of saints with the Lord's. A hymn ill-chosen: the music unsuited to the words of the spiritual song. The haste of one the tardiness of another: the lengthiness of some. What exercise of soul do not these things produce, and how they mar the meeting which should refresh and feed the soul. How frequently too the judgment of self is neglected until the moment when the Lord's presence is felt; and then for the first time the soul feels that it is not in spiritual power, and it must think of self instead of Christ!
O that my brethren might ponder these things, and that poor and feeble though we are, we may grow in the sense of what it is to gather around our blessed Lord; to realize His presence; to forget ourselves; to wait on Him; to renew our strength; to carry clean though empty vessels, into His presence; to find them filled and overflowing by Him whose fullness is inexhaustible: so full that the overflowing cup returns to Him, as living waters refresh the weary soul, and find again their level in His presence, and the presence of the Father.
I feel sure too, that at times there are many there whose hearts would refresh their Lord and their brethren with "five words" of praise, hold back, and "quench the Spirit," forcing some other to speak out of the true order of the Spirit of God, (because forced upon him) and lose much for their own souls as well as for the souls of their brethren.
The heart yearns to see the Assemblies of God's saints filled with the Spirit, and in such freshness of power and worship which sets man aside, and gives place only to Christ, or what is of the Spirit of our God.
What comfort to know that every "first day of the week" brings us another seven days nearer to that glorious day, in view of which we show forth the Lord's death till He come. How sweetly the first coming of the Lord is before the soul in this feast, as well as the second. When that day arrives and when we see Him, He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; and every spiritual desire and longing will in us, as well as in Him, find its answer, and we shall enter that scene of which it is said: "They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." It is His holy being which touches the heart even in that scene, and leads those who surround His throne to forget their own blessings, and their own glory; to leave the one, and divest themselves of the other, in the sweeter occupation of enjoying His; and to say, "Thou art worthy, O Lord." (Rev. 4). "Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house: they shall be praising Thee to the ages of ages." (Psa. 84:4.)
The Last Days
"As Jannes and Jambres, withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth." (2 Tim. 3:8.)
The last words of any servant of God, must carry with them a feeling of deep solemnity; and especially so, when we think of them as written or spoken at the close of their earthly service, the fruit of their varied and lengthened experience, and with the solemn judgment of all, which intercourse with God for years had given. With how much greater power must they come to us, as the words of inspiration given by the Spirit of God, as these last words of Paul to Timothy-his own son in the faith.
The Scriptures of God speaking generally, contain Truth revealed for Eternity: they also contain Truth for Time, which will have no application when Time has passed away; yet the issues of what they teach-though not for Time, will have their bearing on the eternal history of all, to whom addressed, or to whom they were spoken. Such is Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy. Such the last words of this man of God. Eternal in the issues unfolded, they were written for time, and have their special application now, before time has passed away.
How solemn too is the thought that in every case when the last words of the great leaders of God's people have been heard in Scripture, we invariably find the total decay and absolute ruin of all that surrounded them: that which the heart labored for and loved, had fallen-never to rise again; and while a pathway for faith is sure to be found; marked out of God in the midst of it, there never is a hope of recovery. The eye is turned to the Lord-dissatisfied with things here, and it looks for His intervention-His return, as the only joy and resource, and hope left.
See the close of Moses' career, and read the touching narrative at the end of his path-closing with his prophetic song; and learn somewhat of the heart and feelings of this man of God, before he passed away to be no more seen. (Deut. 31;32)
So also David's last words, and his songs when the wreck of hopes lay strewed around him, his heart turns to that morning without clouds-to that Just Ruler over men, whom he saw by the Spirit; the ideal Christ of God, as far as could then be known.
What too must have been the feelings of Paul, in the midst of the corruption of that which was best-the best thing ever seen on earth next to the only Perfect One. Would that one's heart, by God's Spirit taught, might approach these last words of Paul (2 Timothy), with somewhat of those feelings that filled his soul, as he wrote to his beloved son in the faith: the one of whom he could say "I have no man likeminded," with him. When we look around at the carnal, worldly ones, whom we meet day after day in His church; carnal and worldly though His: we little wonder at his anguish of soul, and the growing and deepening preciousness of Christ "whom he had believed." As he turns away from all on earth in which his heart lived, and for which he labored and toiled for so many long years; labored and toiled with sufferings unparalleled in the history of one man; and turns to Him who alone was worthy of all his heart's devotedness, to say "I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them that love His appearing."
Hear too the cry that came forth from the inmost soul of the Lawgiver, when God had said to him "Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered." (Num. 27:12,13.) "Let the Lord," said he, "the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them, and go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord, be not as sheep which have no shepherd." (verses 16, 17).
How the heart re-echoes the spirit of such a cry! How it more distinctly turns to the Lord, that He-the Shepherd of His sheep, may act in keeping with His nature and character, and ways. How Paul's heart turns to the Lord who stood by him, and strengthened him; who delivered him, and would deliver; and the heart of the aged servant goes out to Timothy, at such an hour as is before us in his Second Epistle to his dearly beloved son; before he was "poured forth," (Chapter 4:6), as the time of his "release" was at hand.
There is something striking in the opening words of this Epistle; and that which is not the general testimony of his other writings, in that he speaks of himself as an "Apostle, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus." He refers more largely to this life-"Eternal life, promised before the world began," in his earlier letter to Titus. But here too he is an Apostle according to this "promise of life in Christ Jesus." This has marked significance in the Epistle, the whole way through. The exhortations here become more intently individual too, as things had reached the ruin which is now before us; and as this striking notice of life is so prominently pressed.
Now the tendency of the soul of man-of saints-is ever to go from one extreme to the other, almost in everything; and in hardly anything more than in spiritual things. Many who longed for truths; having found that which had delivered them from systems of men in the professing church, have been pained and disappointed at the failure and weakness of those, who with themselves had sought and found it, and walked in the divine truths of the Church of God, calling on the Lord out of a pure heart; have been disheartened at all further hopes of corporate perfectness being possible, and have leaped to the other extreme, that all being now so broken and ruined, there is nothing left but individual godliness, and a path of units drawn together by their common spiritual need.
Have we not heard it said at times, Well, the corporate testimony is over, but we have the Word, Matt. 18:20, to fall back upon-the misuse of the passage, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." All such thoughts are the cry of unbelief. So that when we get discouraged about things in the church of God, we prove that we are not, or never were, on right ground in our souls.
It is the constant tendency of the soul to get occupied with evil, and to sink down under the thought that it is greater than good. To do so is to suppose that it is greater than God! It is a great thing to count upon Him: to feel that He is over all, and would fill our hearts with the strength of His grace that is in Christ Jesus. In no Epistle do we find such varied power of evil recognized as in Second Timothy, and yet in no Epistle is boldness and courage more pressed upon the servant, in the midst of it all, than in it. "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." "Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of the Lord." "Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel." "Hold fast the form of sound words." "Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions." "Make full proof of thy ministry," etc., etc.
But I would now examine first of all, this thought of "life," which is so much before his mind. He speaks of himself as an Apostle according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. We get back here to what was, before the world was: "eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the ages of time," but brought forth by the Gospel while time was there, and when man had been fully tried and found wanting. God "Hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,"-that is, our responsibility, according to which judgment was earned; "but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus. before the ages of time. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life, and incorruptibility to light through the Gospel."
Here we have the "ages of time," during the first man's history, passed over in silence; given before they began, and brought out when his history was past, though displayed and unfolded in the Person, and path, and appearing in this scene of Jesus Christ. The eternal life that was with the father was manifested in the Son-a Man on earth. A life of which every motion and expression was a life of communion between His Father and Himself.
One will alone-the Father's will, was done, by One alone who was the will-less, yet the One whose will, ever perfect, was surrendered, and never done: "The will of Him that sent Me," was His life. Beauteous path of light and blessing, in a world departed from God, through the will of man, instigated by the enemy. In death and by death, the perfection of obedience, without which, all the rest were imperfect.
He annulled death; He in whom there was no necessity to die, went down to death: capable of it, for in grace He became a Man, He yields that perfect life in obedience to His Father's commandment-taking upon Him in spotless purity of person, His people's sins: the wages of which is death. But more than this; bearing all the claims which God's Holy Being required for vindication against, and because of sin; He changed death from being its wages, into a pathway into life; annulling its office as the precursor of judgment to come.
Body and soul, were under its power; and instead of the death of the soul, and the corruption of the body, He brought the life of the one and incorruptibility of the other to light, by the glad tidings of His victory! This life was promised before the ages; manifested in Him, as Man on earth, and now has shined forth in the Gospel.
"Faithful is the word" to His own-"if we have co-died with Him, we shall also co-live. If we suffer, we shall co-reign. (Chapter 2:11.)
And again "All that desire to Live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution." (Chapter 3:12.) In Paul's life we see a pattern of this in a striking way. And now at the end of such a course he can turn to Timothy and recall it in the words "Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of Life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium; at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me."
I would remark here that these Scriptures (Chaps. iii. and iv. of 2 Timothy), are the fore-castings of the Spirit of God, as to the state of things which would intervene at once when the Apostolic service in the church would end.
"The last days" at once began when Paul was gone. John who outlived him could tell us
"Little children it is the last hour" (1 John 2:18). So James, "Ye have heaped treasure together in the last days." (James 5:3) "The Judge standeth before the door." (Chapter 5:9.) So Peter, "Ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:5) "The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17.) "There shall come in the last days scoffers." (2 Peter 3:3.) "The last days" is not merely the time in which we live, in the close of nineteen centuries. It is an expression technically used by all the Apostles descriptive of the then. moral state that had come or was just coming in.
But now mark what comes next. This life in Christ-possessed by His own: "Christ is our life," would be opposed by the "form of godliness," in the ruined, professing body. We have already cited his words (2 Tim. 3) as to what men would become under His name; the "form of godliness" possessed-the "power" denied: from such the true hearted would "turn away." Distinct positive departure from all that bore not the impress in practical power, of this life, lived and expressed.
This resistance of the truth would be seen in a remarkable way, by an imitation, a counterfeit which would go far to deceive. The aged Apostle reverts to the first moments of Israel's history when they were in Egypt, before deliverance. When they were still captives under Satan's power.
God had sent Moses to deliver them, and Aaron was to be his mouth-piece and prophet. They went in to speak to Pharaoh, as the Lord had commanded, and Aaron cast down his rod, at the demand of Pharaoh to show a proof of their divine mission; and Aaron's rod became a serpent. The rod (the sign of power) had become Satanic, and under this the people were held captive. Just as in the profession of Christianity the form of godliness had all its power from the enemy, and was without the power of life by the truth. Moses fled before it, when first it was shown him by God in the desert; and now the faithful would also flee, or turn away.
Pharaoh calls now the wise men and sorcerers; the Jannes and Jambres of that day, who resisted the truth; and they cast down their rods, which also became serpents. Thus the Testimony of the Lord was frustrated by Satan's power. "And Pharaoh's heart was hardened."
Again the Lord presents further signs of power. Aaron, at His commandment, takes his rod and stretches it out upon the waters of Egypt; and the waters were turned to blood.
What was the sign of refreshment to man, became that of judgment and death. All this points to that terrible second enacting of these things, when the "Second angel pours out his vial of the wrath of God upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man: and the third angel pours his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they become blood." All became deathful, not only the masses of nations and men; but the springs and issues of all human things in that day. How solemnly are all running up at the present moment to the end-the ocean of judgment that comes upon the earth.
Another sign is given in the plague of frogs. "Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt." Again Satan's power is put forth; and we read, "The magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt." Then the respite came; and at the intercession of Moses the plague was removed, and "when Pharaoh saw there was respite he hardened his heart" still more. How striking that the only chance of the removal of the plague rested with Moses before the Lord: those who wielded Satan's power were helpless before it, and under its power.
Now here we have this persistent and terrible resisting of the truth; not with open persecution or power; but in a way which does more to destroy it than any other. It was by imitation-by presenting a counterfeit of the true. God's servants produce a proof of their divine mission; at once this is counteracted by the enemy. Jannes and Jambres imitate the miracle, and the onlooker is confounded. Satan and God were at one, it appeared, and Israel would not be allowed to go apart from Egypt. Thus it is at the present hour. What do we hear on every side? Oh, they say in the world-churches around us, we have quite as good a gospel as that from such an one; there is no need to come apart as separatists to hear that, and so the enemy succeeds. We find that the truth of the presence of the Spirit on earth is spoken of, in such and such a church. No necessity, then, is there, to move from one section of the professing church to hear that: so also the doctrines of the church of God; of the coming of the Lord; each distinctive thing is taken up-first revealed to form His people, by the Lord, then the world-churches take them up, and the hearer-the onlooker is deceived by the counterfeit of the enemy; his conscience lulled to sleep, and the form without the power is the soporific used.
At last came another sign. "Say unto Aaron," saith the Lord, "Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so: for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man and beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not." (Ex. 7:16-17.)
Yes my reader mark well, that last triumph of God; evoking the word from the mouths of Satan's instruments "This is the finger of God!" Their folly is made manifest unto all. The power of Satan's deception; his specious counterfeits, are worthless, in the presence of life-living realities speak for God more than all. They could go no farther than this. Imitation might be inimitable: counterfeit might be so near the truth-so like, that all were deceived. But the life of Christ to be lived on earth-Christ living in his own, producing the deep reality of that which no imitation can ever reach, and the folly of all is made manifest as theirs also was.
This "manner of life" was seen in Paul-a man of like passions as we are. He was the exponent of his own teaching. His "purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me." Such was the course of this man. Such was a course which would put to silence the spurious imitation which was resisting the truth: ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of it.
If ever there was a time when the godly should live to Christ it is now. It is the only way in which they will put to shame the counterfeits of the enemy, in which even His own are ensnared; and force the enemy, and the world around which he leads and governs to say, "This is the finger of God." God alone can produce life, and give the power and grace to live it here below. It alone is fragrant in His sight. "The life of Jesus made manifest in our body." May we be stirred to the depths of our souls with the thought of this victory, which we can indeed give Him over the enemy, even our faith; overcoming the world which He has passed through in His own perfection. "I have overcome the world." It is a beaten foe. Our faith in Him keeps us dependent and "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4.)
Thus "life," which walks with God, and waits for Christ, and serves Him while it waits, is the subject initiative in his teaching here. (2 Tim. 1.) It was promised in Christ Jesus before the world was: exhibited in Him on earth; (2 Tim. 1:10), brought to light by the glad tidings of His work and victory. (2 Tim. 1:10.) Those who have died with Him shall also live with Him, if we look onward to the future. (2 Tim.
11.) It was seen in Paul as a present thing, as he walked and served continually. (2 Tim.
10.) The enemy would frustrate it by his counterfeits but be brought to shame by a lowly, unworldly, devoted and separate walk with God. (2 Tim. 3:8,9.) And all that would thus live godly in Christ Jesus would suffer. (2 Tim. 3:12.)
Still, the servant was to "continue in the things which thou hast learned, and been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them." Never would there come a moment when such were to be abandoned; "Paul's doctrine" was the last revelation ever given; it was God's secret to those that fear Him who had an ear to hear. Until we all come in the unity of the faith, it would abide; because the Holy Ghost on earth remained. It has been the last truth restored to the church of God, as it was the last given; and when it was lost at the first, complete ruin supervened; and now when refused, or abused, by taking it up in the form without the power, it sounds as the tocsin to all further progress in those who are thus beguiled of the enemy.
The Scriptures of God are completed by the doctrine of the church through Paul. "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake, which is the assembly; whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given unto me for you, to complete the Word of God." (Col. 1:24,25.) A segment of the complete circle of revelation was wanted when Paul was called, and by his doctrine all is told; there is no advance beyond it. John may unfold what was already spoken of, but no further truth is revealed. To go beyond it, and the Scriptures completed by it, is the spirit of error; of antichrist. John can tell the elect lady and her children "that many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not Jesus Christ coming in flesh. This is the deceiver, and the antichrist.".... (and) "Whosoever goes forward and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God."
How completely does the Spirit of God pronounce against all advance, all development; and all that would not abide in what was "from the beginning," i. e., from the complete revelation of the truth in Christ, unfolded through His Apostles by the Holy Ghost. John could say again "He that knoweth God heareth us: he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error." (1 John 4:6.)
God has cast His people over on the Scriptures, in the last days. "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), said the Apostle to the elders at Ephesus, where "grievous wolves were entering, not sparing the flock." "Continue," says he to Timothy, as to all of us, "thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing from whom thou hast learned them; and that from an infant thou hast known the Holy Scriptures." "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 every good work." (2 Tim. 3:14,16.)
Is Paul's Doctrine Ever of No Practical Value?
The truths unfolded and warnings given in the Epistles of Paul, invaluable at all times, are of incalculable value at a day like the present. The seeds and first symptoms of all that which is now seen in well-developed character around us had their existence thus early in the history of the Church; and divine wisdom, foreseeing the results of them all, has not only foreseen but provided for the difficulties and exigencies of such an evil day. This is one of the blessed characters of the ever-living Word of God. It proves, as the difficulties arise and complicate themselves, how matchlessly full of divine and unerring wisdom it is. One is not surprised at anything that has arisen. Scripture has prepared us to expect that the evils would arise and the truth would be surrendered, and falsehood glossed over with an appearance of the truth, as we painfully discover around us. Still the unerring and unfailing manner in which it meets, and guides, and directs, the Christian who is subject to it, in every difficulty of his path, in a labyrinth of evil, and unfolds its varied and wondrous beauty and resources for the Church's need, elicits a note of praise, often silent, but deep, to Him who is its author, and whose perfect wisdom shines in that which is so worthy of Him!
One is struck with the wisdom and beauty of the style in which Paul, when writing to the Colossians, unfolds before their eyes the glories and magnificence of Christ, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell. (Chapter 1) The work of the Father for them and in them, in making them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light; translating them into the kingdom of the Son of His love, the center of all His counsels. Their danger lay in "not holding the Head;" and thus they were allowing themselves to be deceived by the craft of Satan, under the pretense of humility and lowliness, and were turning ordinances into a means of gaining a standing before God, instead of using them as a memorial of their having been introduced into a standing, known and enjoyed, and possessed before Him.
Before one word of warning or upbraiding falls from his pen, he discloses the glories of the Son, the center of the Father's counsels; by whom, through sin-bearing, and death, and judgment, the fullness of the Godhead had cleared the ground for the reconciliation of "all things" in the new creation, of which He was the center, and through whom believers had been reconciled to God.
What a rebuke to the state of things which we find touched upon in the second chapter of the Epistle!-"philosophy," "vain deceit," "traditions of men," "elements of the world," "meats," "drinks," "keeping of holy-days," "new moons," "sabbaths" (which were shadows which had vanished into their nothingness, when the substance, Christ, had come), "voluntary humility," and such like. Things with which a natural mind could occupy itself, and which had a "show of wisdom" and worship devised by the human will, so gratifying to the flesh.
The Apostle ranges as it were through the region of creation, providence, redemption, and glory (chap. 1:15-22); as if he said, "There is not a spot in the wide universe of these things that I will not fill with Christ. I will so unfold and expand Him before your eyes, that I will only have to mention the follies of chapter ii. which have occupied your minds, to make you blush about them; and this is the very One in whom all the fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell, and who dwells in you (chap. 1:27) and ye are complete (or "filled full") in Him (chap. 2:10). Foolish people, see what you have been doing. Is not that a more touching rebuke for you, than if I had charged you with the infantile follies of which I have heard?"
I desire to put before my readers a line of truth which has struck me much of late in chapter 1 of this Epistle, coupled with 2 Timothy 3; and to bring before their minds certain truths of great importance which the Apostle presses, when the seeds of the evil had begun to show themselves, and which in this day have grown up and ripened into such a harvest. It seems to me that he has them specially in his mind as the grand preservatives which would guard the faithful against all that was coming. This is the more remarkable when we find that he presses the very same things on the consciences of the faithful in the perilous times of the last days. So that whether in the beginning or the ending of the church's sojourn here, the truths which would preserve and gird the loins of God's people would be the same.
I gather from the general teaching of the Epistle that the Apostle, who had never seen the Colossians (chap. 2:1), had heard of them through Epaphras, whose ministry of the gospel had evidently been blessed to them. He had brought tidings of them to the Apostle (chap. 1:8), of their fruit-bearing reception of the gospel. The Apostle contemplates a double condition of soul: first, that of the knowledge of the glad tidings; and secondly, a condition produced by being filled with the knowledge of God's will, for which he prayed (ver. 9, 10); in order that, through it, they might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, and be fruitful in every good work, and thus grow through the knowledge of God. In a word, it is the knowledge of the mystery of Christ and the Church.
Consequently, he contemplates his own ministry under these two heads: first, that of the Gospel to every creature under heaven (ver. 23); and, secondly, that of the Church, which completed all the counsels of God (ver. 22-26). Revelation, up to the point of Paul's ministry, had embraced creation, the law, redemption, the Person of Christ, the ways of God, His government, etc. There was but one thing now, and that was the revelation of the mystery of the Church, which, when given, completed (or filled up) the Word of God.
Christ-the Son of David and heir of his throne-rejected by the Jews and by the world; crucified and slain; raised up again by the power of God, and by the glory of the Father; seated in the heavens in the righteousness of God, having answered God's righteous judgment against sin, death, judgment, wrath, the curse of a broken law-all borne and passed through to the glory of God; sin put away, sins borne; the "old man" judicially dealt with, and set aside forever; a Man-the Second Man-the last Adam-in heaven in divine righteousness!
The Holy Ghost personally on earth witnesses to the righteousness of God, and to the justification of the believer according to its full display. Eternal life by and in the Spirit, and its conscious possession, communicated to the believer by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost acting as the power of this life in his walk, guiding, directing, controlling, and rebuking him. The believer sealed with the Spirit, uniting him to Christ-a Man in glory, his body a temple for His indwelling; and thus the bond of union between all those who are His, one with another, and with Christ. His presence and baptism constituting "one Body," composed of such, here in this world. God dwelling amongst His saints here, as a habitation, in Spirit, not in flesh.
The Holy Ghost, the power for the exercise of the gifts that Christ, when He arose and ascended up on high, received as man, and bestowed on men-members of His body-thus "dividing to every man severally as He will;" reproducing, too, "Christ," the "life of Jesus," in the mortal bodies of the saints. The power also of worship, and of communion, joy, love, rejoicing, and prayer. Teaching them to await the hope of righteousness by faith, even the glory itself. Leading them to wait for Christ and producing the longing "Come" in the "Bride" (and inviting "him that heareth" to say so, too), while her Lord still continues, the object of her hope, as the "Bright and Morning Star." Meanwhile transforming them into Christ's image of unfolding, in the liberty of grace, the glories of Him in whose face shines all the glory of God!
Such are some of the features of the "doctrine" of Paul.
We find then a condition of soul in the Colossians for which the Apostle can give thanks (ver. 3-6). They had received the gospel, and it was bringing forth fruit in them since the day they knew the grace of God in truth. But he well knew that the mere knowledge of the gospel, blessed even as it is, would not enable them to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing." It needed something more than the mere acceptance of the glad tidings to guide the steps of the Lord's people in a walk worthy of Him; and hence, while he can give thanks for the first condition of soul produced by the glad tidings, he ceased not to pray for them that they might have the second.
How many of the Lord's people there are in the first state in the present day who are rejoicing in the grace of the gospel, and yet who have never attained to the second; nay, who even think that anything beyond the mere knowledge of the gospel is but speculation, or opinions of men, without power or value for the practical walk of the saints! I think I am warranted in saying, that after Epaphras saw Paul, and learned the deep and, paramount importance of that knowledge, for which Paul prayed that they might know, that Epaphras was fully convinced of the value and importance of their learning the second character of the, apostle's ministry, that he, likewise, labored earnestly in prayer for them that they might "stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." (Compare Paul's prayer in chap. 1:9, 10, with Epaphras' prayer in chap. 4:12.)
We see, therefore, three prominent and important matters which the Apostle presses in Chapter 1.
First, the importance that the saints should be instructed in the second character of the ministry, of the Church-the Body of Christ, its Head. So that, understanding the deep responsibility which flowed from membership of such, they might hold fast the Head, and walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.
Secondly. That the Scriptures were now filled up, or completed, by the revelation of this mystery. No room was left consequently for tradition or development of any kind. It was the grand summing up of all the revealed counsels and purposes of God the Father, for the glory of the Son. They had, up to this, embraced and treated of creation, law, government, the kingdom, the Person of Christ-the Son, redemption, etc. There might be, and doubtless was, a further development of the details of these subjects, as by John in the Apocalypse, etc., but still it would only be the unfolding, and the summing up of the details of what had been the subject of inspiration. Paul's ministry it was then, revealing the mystery concerning Christ and the Church, which completed the Word of God (chap. 1:25).
Thirdly. The glory of the Person of the Son, who is the image of the invisible God. No man had seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, had declared Him (John 1:18). He had created all things. By Him all things were upheld. He was the first-begotten from among the dead, and as such the Head of His Body, the Church.
All fullness was pleased to dwell in Him, and to reconcile all things to Himself; and He had reconciled the saints, who before had been aliens, and enemies in their minds by wicked works, in the body of His flesh through death. Thus the regions of creation, providence, redemption, and glory, are ranged through by the Apostle, and Christ unfolded as filling all things. It is the glory of the Person of the Son!
To repeat them, that the mind may recall them simply, they are three, viz.: 1St, The doctrine of Paul; secondly, The Scriptures, which had been now completed by his ministry; and thirdly, The Person of Christ.
These were the truths on which so much hung and flowed from, which would be the safeguards for the faithful in an evil day.
I do not here enter into more detail, but notice them as those truths to which he directs special attention to meet the dangers he foresaw in the beginning of the history of the Church.
I now turn to the instruction which he gives in the Second Epistle to Timothy, which would afford an unerring guide to the faithful at the closing of the history of the Church in the last days. The mournful heart of the Apostle un-bosoms itself to one whom he loved, and to whom he could communicate his thoughts freely; he unfolds to him the irreparable ruin into which the Church was fast drifting in her outward, responsible condition. He does not look for any restoration-not even the ability on the part of the faithful to leave the outward professing mass. He does not in the Epistles to Timothy speak of the inward graces and Christian affections, which are to be the more cultivated than ever in such a state of things, as he does in the Epistle to the Philippians. He does not speak in them of the Church as the Body of Christ or Bride, nor of the relationships of Father and children, as elsewhere. What he treats of is the outward thing before the world, in the character (as in 1 Tim. 3:14-16) of what it had been set in the world to be for God.
It was His house, the Assembly of the living God, the pillar and support of the Truth, the vessel in which the Truth was to be displayed; and the mystery of Godliness-the manifestation of God in Christ, and the surrounding truths-was to be her testimony in the world. She was a light-bearer to reflect Him as His epistle, and respond to God's purpose in this place. In the second Epistle the Apostle sees that all was now hopelessly and irrevocably gone. The house of God had become a great house in which iniquity was rife, and vessels to dishonor had found a lodgment and were at home in it. Paul had been "turned away from" by all in Asia. He is here, I doubt not, a representative man, one through whom the Holy Ghost can say, "Be ye followers together of me" (Phil. 3); and one who walked in the power of his own doctrine.
He marks out in a clear line the pathway of the faithful in such a state of things: they were to depart from iniquity-"Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord (Kuriou) depart from iniquity." (Chap. 2:19.) Everyone who owned Him as Lord. Whatever form it would take, the simple and primary step should be to depart from iniquity. From vessels, which were not honoring Christ in their walk, one was to purge oneself, and thus that one might become a vessel unto honor, fitted and meet for the Master's use. Fleeing from youthful lusts (i.e., having inward personal holiness) was to be the character of one's walk. And then (all before this being negative) the positive following of righteousness. faith, love, and peace with those who were calling on the Lord out of a purged heart. (See Chapter 2:19-22.)
But the question now comes, When the saints had done this, when they had departed from iniquity, purged themselves from the vessels to dishonor, were walking in holiness and following these things together, is there anything provided for them, when corruption surrounds them on all sides, to keep them together after a divine fashion in the midst of it all? Would they not be open to the admission of evil amongst them again, and thus find that separation from it was of no avail? In the Epistle to the Colossians, Paul had shown an Epaphras the necessity of having the saints instructed in the second part of his ministry when they had been established in the first-that is, when they had received the grace of the Gospel, that they might know the full counsels of God in the doctrine of Paul, in order to walk worthily of the Lord. Yea, that he ceased not in all earnestness and in the Holy Ghost, to pray that they might be thus instructed.
Would this now be that to which he would again point them? Here then comes the grand truth, he recalls the very same three things as those which at the beginning he had pressed upon the Colossians as the safeguards for the faithful in the perilous times-times when the profession of Christianity is described in words so nearly like those by which he had described the corruptions of the heathen world, when sunk down into the lowest ebb of degradation and departure from God.
If the closing verses of Rom. 1 are compared with the first four verses of 2nd Timothy 3, this will at once be seen. In describing the various manifestations of evil in these verses, three prominent features will be found in them, viz.: 1St, Self-predominating (Christianity is the denial of self); 2nd, A form of godliness, while the power would be denied; and 3rd, Active opposition to the truth by the most subtle device of the enemy-that of imitation-the device of Satan in Egypt by the magicians, by copying Moses' miracles performed by the power of God, and thus Satan's power practically nullifying that of God. To counterbalance those characteristic features and keep the faithful after a divine fashion, the Apostle names the same things as before we noticed to the Colossians: 1St, "My doctrine;" 2nd, The "Scriptures;" and 3rd, The Person of Christ as an object of faith. These he unfolds in the remaining portion of the chapter. (Ver. 10-17.)
The doctrine of Paul (see also the manner of life which flowed from it) is that which is to keep divinely together those who would call on the Lord out of a pure heart. It embraces all the principles and truths connected with it, as when first revealed. Ruin and failure could not affect it, nor hinder the practice flowing from it. Nor would it ever be impracticable for the faithful few to exercise the godly discipline and exclusion of evil from their midst, inculcated by him. (See, 1St Cor.) Outward unity, seen, to such a beautiful degree at the first (Acts 2;4), might be gone forever. The unity of the Spirit in the Body of Christ would never fail, and this the Christian was exhorted to endeavor to keep. (Eph. 4;3.) Come what would, there never would be a time while the Church would sojourn here, when Paul's doctrine would be a nullity or impracticable to the veriest handful of the faithful who sought to call on the Lord out of a pure heart, and live godly in Christ Jesus.
Such is then the prominent and first-named point in the chapter. "But thou hast fully known my doctrine," etc. The resource-the safeguard -the ground or principle of action of the saints in an evil day. Without Paul's doctrine, they had nothing stable to preserve them and keep them together on divine ground in the midst of corruption; with it, they would find that under their feet which would never fail.
Have we then Paul's doctrine? We may boast, as all do, that we have the Scriptures-surely it is well. We may have confidence that an ever faithful Lord will never leave nor forsake His people, and that He knows them that are His, and will keep them unto the end. But can we say that we have Paul's doctrine of the Church-the Body of Christ on earth formed by the presence and baptism of the Holy Ghost? Having it, can we say that we are as living members, acting upon the truth of it through the never-failing supply of grace He gives? Or, do we come under the character of those who are described as "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth-those whose mind and intellect the truth has reached, but without faith, and hence without practical value in our lives?" Of the truth we can say as of faith: "What profit, my brethren, if a man say he have the truth?" if he have not shown that he has faith in it, and thus has learned to act upon it as something in which he believes?
It is always a sign that a man has faith in the truth which he knows, when it has had its corresponding effect upon his life-when it has been acted upon in practice. No man has ever had the joy and power of a divine truth till he has accepted it, and walked therein. Many are thus ever learning and never able to come to a divinely confirmed knowledge of it, because the practice is wanting. It is learned in the intellect;- the natural mind is touched, perhaps, with the beauty and divine excellence of it; it cannot be denied, but there is no faith in it. It has not been learned in the conscience and in the soul; and when tribulation or persecution arises because of it, he is offended-deems it non-essential perhaps-and surrenders that to which he has never come to a divinely-given knowledge.
If ever there was a day when there was such a thing as "salt which had lost its savor," it is the present. The most touching -the very highest truths of God have become the topic of the world's conversation. They are held by many saints after a fashion in which the edge and power of them are lost. A worldly talk and conversation are coupled with the intellectual knowledge of the highest truths of God; and like salt that has lost its saltiness, one can but ask of it, "Wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but (even) men cast it out." (Luke 14:34,35.)
"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured; but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them." (2 Tim. 3:10-14.)
May the Lord open the understanding of His beloved people, and in the midst of the confusion and corruption of such an evil day-when men are saying, "What is truth?" and yet not caring for the reply, they may find there are such principles in the Word of God as no amount of man's failure can ever touch, and which are ever practicable to those who desire humbly to walk with God, and to keep the word of the patience of Jesus, till He comes. May they learn to walk together in unity, and peace, and love in the truth, for His name's sake.-Amen.
F. G. P.
"We can only be, in truth, a testimony to the complete failure of the Church of God. But, to be such, we must be as true in principle as the thing that has failed. And, as long as we are a testimony to failure, we shall never fail" (Words of Truth, New Series).
The Remnant Testimony
"Who hath despised the day of small things?" Zech. 4:10.
The testimony which the Lord's people are called to maintain in these last days has a twofold character.
First: -the unity of the Church-the body of Christ-constituted by the personal presence of the Holy Ghost, sent down from heaven at Pentecost; and,
Second: -The character of a Remnant who have emerged from the ruin and devastation into which the Church has lapsed, who are maintaining this testimony with uncompromising purpose and devotedness of heart.
To this Remnant character I desire to draw the attention of my readers, and to trace from Scripture some of the characteristics which distinguished the faithful from time to time, in periods of declension from the first calling of God; or marked the paths of individuals who typify or personate a remnant in days of failure and ruin. They afford much instruction and example, as well as warning, to those who now through mercy occupy this grave and yet deeply blessed place.
We shall find another feature, too, of marked and painful interest; i. e., how soon failure came in and energy flagged, after the first fine efforts of faith, which had extricated itself from corruption, and returned to a divine position. Alas, man fails-the saints fail in the things of God in every way. Still there is no failure which can break the link of faith with the power of God; and the brightest exhibitions of faith are ever found where all around is darkest. It is not to serve or love the saints of God, to sink to their level, and be submerged in the confusion. We never can cope with the evil that has flowed in by letting go first principles. In no place do we find such strong injunctions to hold them fast as when all was darkest, and the failure most apparent.
Witness Paul's instructions in 2 Timothy: "Hold fast the form of sound words." "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." "Continue in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hest learned them," etc. He serves the Lord's people best who, while he follows them as long as there is an ear to hear, never himself loses his liberty, or enfeebles the truth by identity with that which is not according to God. A Gideon must first throw down the altar of Baal before "Abi-ezer" is gathered after him. A Lot may preach true things to his circle, but it was truth without the power of God, because he had not first extricated himself from Sodom: "He seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law." (Gen. 19)
It is clear that there must first have been the calling of God announced and accepted; something set up of God from which the general mass had departed, in order that there should be a holding fast of the fundamental calling, by a remnant; or a return to original principles, when all had lost the divine place of testimony.
I think that the first remnant having this character, is Caleb and Joshua.
When God came down to deliver Israel out of Egypt, He announced His purpose to Moses in Ex. 3:8, "I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey." Here was the purpose distinctly enunciated. Not one word about "the great and terrible wilderness" which lay between. I pass over their deliverance and subsequent history till we come to the moment when Israel, about two years after, were to go up to the mount of the Amorites and take possession of the land of Canaan. Their faith was not up to the call of the Lord, and they begged that some should be sent to spy out the land. To this the Lord assented, commanding that twelve men-out of every tribe a man- (see Num. 13; Deut. 1) should go up. Among them were "Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun." The spies returned with a good report of the land; but ten of them caused the unbelief of the heart of Israel to manifest itself by their own fears.
At this critical moment we find Israel slipping away from the call of Jehovah, and the solemn words were then spoken, "Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt." They "despised" the pleasant land! Here one of these two faithful men-men of "another spirit"-who had "wholly followed the Lord God of Israel," stilled the people with his words, "If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk 'and honey." He "held fast" the calling and purpose of Jehovah at this critical moment. Israel had to go back and wander for the rest of the forty years in the desert, till all the men of war died that came out of Egypt. They, too, had to accompany them in their sorrow and toil, yet not in their sin. But there was not one in that great company who with more firm unfaltering tread, and cheerful heart, wandered for that forty years. True to the purpose and call of God, they hoped for what they saw not, and in patience waited for it. They got their portion in the land they looked for when the time came; and the testimony of Moses was that "he wholly followed the Lord." (Josh. 14:8-14.)
In Ruth we get a touching picture of what a remnant should be. Her history lay in the dark day of Israel's ruin in the time when the Judges ruled; Israel had proved totally faithless to their calling; and the Philistines devastated the land of Jehovah; and every man did what seemed right in his own eyes. (Judg. 21:25.) The first associations of the poor Moabitess with Naomi were in the day of her prosperity and gladness of heart. But Naomi's dark day came; the widow of Israel-a widow in heart and fact-Naomi (now become "Mara" -"Bitterness,") set out to return to the land of Israel. Joys and relationships which once she knew had gone by forever. Ruth, a widow in heart, too, as in circumstances, clave to Naomi. She had known her in her prosperous day, and in the day of her sorrow she made the widow of Israel the object of all her care. She could not restore the past to her-it was gone forever. But she devotes herself in the present to this widowed heart, and follows her, thoughtless of self, to the land of Israel.
"Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried!" But the day of reward and recognition came. To her question to Boaz, "Why have I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldst take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?" The answer was, "It hath fully been showed me all that thou host done unto thy mother-in-law." This was the ground of her' reward. If we have glimpsed what the church was in the day of her Pentecostal blessedness, and discovered that the divine principles then enunciated have never changed, shall not our language be in the dark day of her shame and ruin, "Whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge: thy people shall be my people," etc. If the poverty of our services is not worthy of recognition when the day of rewards shall come, we shall have the satisfaction and joy to know that we bestowed all (shall we say?) our attention and, care on that for which Christ gave Himself, that He might sanctify and cleanse her, and present to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. (Eph. 5:25-27.)
I turn to a darker day of Israel's history. The ten tribes had long since gone away captive to Assyria. Judah had filled up the measure of the long-suffering of Jehovah, and had gone captive to Babylon. Jerusalem was solitary, devastated, and in ruins, and the land was wasted and without an inhabitant. Hardly a trace that it was Jehovah's now remained; but that it was keeping the Sabbaths-not from the faith of the people, but because upon the people had been written "Lo-ammi." (Hos. 1) Far away in the land of the Chaldean, a faithful heart might sigh, and open his window and pray -straining his eyes towards the long-loved city; and confess as his own the sins of his people. (Dan. 6;9)
By the rivers of Babylon, too, those who could sigh and cry for the abominations which were wrought in the house of God at Jerusalem, could hang up their harps on the willows, and refuse to sing the songs of Zion in a strange land. How could He be worshipped unless in that spot which He had chosen? There was but one spot where they could strike their harps to His praise! "By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down; yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song: and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us. one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" (Psa. 137)
In the book of Ezra we find a remnant of the people extricating themselves from Babylon, and returning to a divine position before the Lord. Care lest any but those whose title was distinctly of Israel, should be mixed up with the work of the Lord, marked these faithful men. They did not disown them as of Israel, but they could not recognize their claim. God might discern them as His; they could not pretend to divine discernment when they had not the Urim and the Thummim (see Ezra, ii. 59-63). In this we have an instructive lesson for our own day.
When the church was in divine order, each took his place, like the priesthood of Israel, without question as to title to be there. But meanwhile Israel had become mixed up in the corruptions of Babylon, and disorder reigned supreme. When Paul contemplates the total disorder of things in the church which never could be remedied (2 Tim.), he instructs the remnant who had departed from iniquity, and purged themselves from the vessels to dishonor in the Babylon of the professing Church (ch. 2:19-22), to "follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord, out of a pure heart." They did not deny that those who were still in the corruption were children of God, but they had not extricated themselves from the evils there; and, if knowing the corruption, they had not departed from it, the conscience was defiled and the heart impure. The remnant are careful then only to walk with those who call on the Lord "out of a pure heart."
But the seventh month came (Ezra 3), the moment for the gathering of the people (the Feast of Trumpets). The remnant gathered themselves "as one man" in the only divine city in the world-the only platform where they could take down, so to say, those long silent, unstrung harps from the willows, and worship Israel's God! They might pray with the window open toward Jerusalem, and confess their sins in Babylon, but they could not worship Him there. It was impossible to reconstruct the order of things as they had been in Solomon's day-that day had passed away forever! The ark was gone-where, none could tell. The glory had departed from Israel-and the sword was in the Gentile hand. The Urim and Thummim was amongst the things of the past. Yet, outside all these things, which belonged to a day of order, the Lord had not forgotten those faithful men, and His word and Spirit remained. "They built an altar to the God of Israel"-though all Israel was not there. They did not pretend to be "Israel"-yet they could contemplate all Israel, and in Israel's city worship Israel's God, in the way that Israel's God had written.
As a remnant who had escaped they occupied this divine platform, and sang the praise of Jehovah: "O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever." That chorus had been sung in the bright day of David's success: when he brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 16:41). It had again resounded when the house of the Lord at Jerusalem was filled with the cloud and glory of His manifested presence in the days of Solomon. (2 Chron. 5:13.) When the glory and brightness and successes of those days had passed away, and the failure and ruin of Israel was complete, the returned remnant could raise the very same old note of praise, "O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever." (Ezra 3:11.) They had been faithless, but He was faithful. The fathers of Israel who had seen the house of the Lord before the captivity, could weep when they thought of the unfaithfulness of the people. The younger ones could sing with joy when they celebrated the faithfulness of the Lord. The weeping and the rejoicing were both good-to weep was right, when they thought of the failure of the people to Jehovah; but to rejoice was right, when they thought of the faithfulness of God!
Others, too, who called upon the same Lord, as they said, claimed the right of being with them in the work (ch. 4). But this could not be. They who were careful that even a priest of Israel, who could not show his genealogy, should not eat of the holy things in the day of extrication from Babylon, were careful too that those who had mixed up the fear of Jehovah with the service of idols should have nothing to do with them in His work. It was not a question with them of having people together; but, with widowed hearts as to the past, their fixed purpose remained to strengthen the things that remained, but to strengthen them according to God-refusing all co-operation with those who could not have the same end in view in the Lord's testimony. Thus it was pure and unmingled; 1St, To Israel as it had been-God's separated people on the earth; and, 2nd, This testimony maintained by a remnant whose sole trust was in God, and whose guide was His word.
All this has its instructive lesson for us. The unity of the church remains. It is maintained by the Spirit of God. Tongues have gone-apostolic power has gone-signs have passed away; and healings and gifts of adornment to call the attention of the world. Still the word of God abides. To it God has directed us in the last days. Were the tongues, etc., here now, the word would apply, for "the word of the Lord abideth forever." But they have all gone. Still the faithful can take that word and walk in obedience to it, when all those things of the former glory of the church have passed away forever.
The remnant extricated from Babylon, as it were, and gathered together to the name of the Lord (Matt. 18:20), on the divine basis and never-failing principle of the church's existence-"one body and one Spirit" (Eph. 4:4)-do not by this pretend to be "the church of God;" that would be to forget that there are children of God still scattered in the Babylon around. They can set up nothing-reconstruct nothing. But they can remember that "He that is holy, He that is true; He that shutteth and no man openeth, and openeth and no man shutteth," is with them. He is ever to be trusted and counted upon. If He sends a prophet or a help amongst them, they can thank God, and accept it as a token of His favor and grace-they can appoint none. To do so would be to forget the total ruin which never can be restored, and to presume to do that for which they had no warrant in the Word of God.
If a fresh action of the Spirit of God causes a Nehemiah-like company to follow from Babylon, they are glad to welcome them to the divine ground they occupy themselves. If the Nehemiah-like company comes, they find 'before them a remnant who had previously; through grace, occupied the divine position. They must gladly and cheerfully fall in with what God had wrought-there was no neutral ground-no second place. They dare not set up another, it would be but schism. It was the same Spirit who had wrought, and who, if followed, could not but guide them to the same divine position to which He had guided others. How completely this sets aside. the will of man; and independency of the movements of the present day which stop short of that to which God has called His people, to "endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace;" for "there is one body and one Spirit," and only one!
It has been a successful device of the enemy-sad to say-to use the divine and blessed truths of the Church of God to cover what is really schism; and to support a counterfeit and, Jannes and Jambres like, to deceive. For this is not a day of violence-=but of deception and resistance of the truth by counterfeit in divine things.
It is simple and plain, that those who have had grace to separate from the evils of the professing Church, even though members of Christ, cannot use • this fact to the disowning of that which God had wrought in others in this way before them. If led of "one Spirit," they cannot but link themselves practically in the unity of the Spirit, with those who had pre-occupied the divine platform; cheerfully and thankfully owning what God had wrought, and following where "one Spirit" had led their brethren before them, to the name of the Lord, as "one body," to break "one loaf" in remembrance of Him!)
I pass on to another interesting scene when a faithful one is standing fast alone, unsupported by the fellowship of his brethren, where his testimony is rather the refusal to act so as to deny fundamental truth, than actively to engage himself with others in extricating themselves from iniquity. I allude to the case of Mordecai the Jew. (Esther.)
Far away from the land of Israel, the people were subject to the powers of the world: An Amalekite, named Haman, wielded the power next to that of the king. A poor Jew; "an exile in the strange land," refused to bow his head to the Agagite. To be faithful, when all were unfaithful, is a great thing in God's eye. "Thou hast not denied my name," is great commendation when all were doing so. To keep one's Nazariteship in secret with God, when no eye sees but His, is never forgotten. To stand firmly for Him in an evil day of temptation, is to do great things! "Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal," shows that God's eye saw and valued their faith, where even Elijah had not discerned them. They had refused to do that which all others had done, in that dark day.
Mordecai was ready to give a reason of the hope that was in him; and his simple answer was, I am a Jew! God had not forgotten His oath of old (Ex. 17), even if Israel were reaping the fruit of their sins under the Eastern Kings. He had said, "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and he feared not God Thou shalt not forget it." (Deut. 25) Therefore the Lord had sworn that He would have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Mordecai refuses to surrender this fundamental truth in the calling of Israel.
You may say, He is a stiff-necked man, and is imperiling the lives of his nation. I admit it: but his trust is in God! Firmly did this man, trusting in God, and refusing to surrender fundamental truth, stand single-handed against all the malice of the enemy. Post after post was despatched with the orders to smite all the Jews. Still no faltering in his faith-his head bowed not as the son of Amalek passed by! He had counted upon God, whose word never alters; and God had tried his faith, but it stood the test; and, when the day comes for having faithfulness owned, it will be found, through grace, that Mordecai had had an opportunity for faithfulness to the Lord-that he had stood firm, and God has not forgotten it.
What cheer of heart his story must afford to those whose path is isolated; when they have not even one faithful companion, yet are enabled in an evil day to be firm and faithful in their solitary pathway, sustained and owned by God.
In Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, we find another striking example. Faithfulness and standing fast in trial and temptation, shows the power of the Spirit, quite as much as energy in action. They were at this time captives in Babylon; the necessity of faithfulness seemed to have passed away. Where was the profit of standing fast when all their hopes were gone? But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's meat, or his wine. He would drink water, and eat pulse, and nothing more. He kept his Nazariteship in the land of captivity; and he kept it according to the thoughts of God (compare Ezek. 4:9-13), and the time came when God stood by him, and made him the vessel of His mind and will, revealing to him the history of the times, and end of the Gentile in whose grasp he was for his nation's sin.
I might go on with many other examples; such as Jeremiah, the Five Wise Virgins, etc., etc.; but I pass on to notice another solemn lesson. How soon the thing failed, and the energy flagged, which supported the emerging remnant in extricating themselves from the evil, and regaining a divine position. Failure and weakness thus ensued once more. It is a sad but common case. You will often see the lovely efforts of faith struggling to win a divine position through difficulties and dangers and trials without end. Yet when the goal is won, the zeal grows cool, self is remembered, God forgotten, and the blessing is gone. Alas! one trembles, when one sees these first lovely efforts of faith, lest the day should come when they are seen no more. It is much harder to keep what we have won in divine things than to win, because it must be by the winner abiding in the energy by which he won. The fear of man comes. Self-interest, self-sparing, and self-indulgence enter. God in mercy interposes at times, and stirs up the sleeping energy, and is ever ready to bless; still it is painful and humbling to think of it. We see a sad example of this in Israel when gaining the land under Joshua, and then sinking into premature decay.
It comes out strikingly in the after history of this returned remnant in Ezra, etc., to which I have referred. The fear of man stopped the work of the Lord (Ezra 4:4, 5,24). The energy and beauty of their first efforts of faith were gone. God sends the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to stir up the people to the work of the Lord. They had began to settle in their hearts that the time had not come to build the Lord's house (Hag. 1:2); yet they had ceiled their own. Thus stirred up, we find that they obeyed the voice of the Lord, and did the work of the Lord. The fear of man gave place to the fear of the Lord; and God was there to own and bless the renewed efforts of faith.
If we follow their history, we find their faith again grew dim. In Malachi the state of things is painful and depressing. The blind ones of the flock, and the sick, and the lame, were offered in sacrifice to Jehovah. What man refused-what was worthless to him, was good enough for God! (Even Saul, in his worst day, reserved the best of the sheep and oxen to do sacrifice to the Lord.) No one would open the doors of the Lord's house for nothing, nor light a fire on His altar for naught (ch. 1:7-10). They robbed God in tithes and offerings (ch. 3:8); called the proud happy; and said, "It is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?" This, too, sad to tell it, when in a divine position. It was not when far away in the land of the Chaldean, but in the city of the great King! Still we find a remnant within a remnant, if I may so say, faithful to the Lord.
In the Reformation (as the word implies) there was no such a thing as a regaining of the divine position and principles of the Church of God-lost since apostolic days as a practical truth. There was but a reformation of the existing bodies, which the Reformers supposed were the Church, into the National Establishments, and Reformed Churches.
It was a marvelous work, in that day of darkness most surely; a work for which we have ever to bless our God. Still it was far from perfect. The distinct personal presence of the Holy Ghost upon earth, constituting Christ's body, the Church, was never seen. His personality and deity, etc., all Christians own, most surely: but I speak of His distinct personal presence on earth, as dwelling in the Church, and constituting her unity, in contrast to His working in various ways before He came to dwell. I might also mention other great truths which were not then known, but this is sufficient for my present purpose. Consequently, until the last forty years there were no saints gathered together "in assembly," to the name of the Lord, recognizing and acting upon the never-failing principle of the Church's existence-"One body, and one Spirit." And to seek to misapply the principle or type of the returning remnant in Ezra and Nehemiah to the day of the Reformation, is but to mislead and deceive.
These remnants did return to a divine position. This no body of saints ever did at the Reformation. They were then on the platform on which all Israel could be with them, and the only one. This did not make them "Israel:" still none but they were on Israel's ground.
When this remnant is described in Malachi-sad and humbling as is their state, they were still on that divine platform, the City of Jehovah. "The remnant within the remnant," as I have described them, did not withdraw from that divine platform-that were fatal to their own faithfulness. But they were the more encouraged to earnest faithfulness in strengthening the things that remained.
The lessons we gather from these Scriptures teach the very reverse from what some have sought to draw from them. Such is the effect, first of slipping away from, and then resisting the truth of God.)
"They that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name."
The faithfulness of the few was the channel of sustainment to the others from a faithful God. We trace them further, till we find them in Luke 2 represented by old Simeon and Anna, who knew "all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." The same faith that could keep them waiting for the Lord's Christ, could keep them alive till He came. The old prophetess, too, who could fast and pray, and live for, and in that spot which still was owned of God, found her fastings and prayers ended in praise, when the Lord she had looked for came.
The last link in the history of this returned remnant which we find in the Gospels, we have in the solitary widow of Luke 21 A few verses further on in this chapter the Lord pronounces the final judgment on that temple at Jerusalem. It was still, however, in a certain sense, owned of God. This widowed heart had but one object now on earth-she could do but little, for all she possessed was a farthing! "Two mites," as the Spirit of God lets us know. Devotedness, in the estimate of man, would have been great indeed if she had appropriated half of what she possessed to the interests of God which engrossed her. But self was forgotten with this widowed heart, and she cast into the offerings of the Lord her two mites. The Lord's eye saw the motive from which this offering sprang, read the action as He alone could read it: "Of a truth," said He, "I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had." He judged aright-but He did not judge by what she gave, but by what she kept; and that was nothing!
It is humbling to trace this decay of the mass, yet touching to contemplate the increased and increasing devotedness and purpose of those true hearts; but it is useful to face the dangers from which we are never free. Worldliness, self-seeking, and forgetfulness of the things of the Lord, all are among us, and are signs and sources of weakness. The Lord grant us to be warned, and to distrust ourselves the more. The Lord encourage the hearts of those who love His name and testimony to be increasingly faithful. To keep the eye filled with Christ, and thus to be still more the channel of the Lord's sustaining grace to the rest, till that bright and longed-for day arrives when He will come and gladden our hearts forever!
It is easy to remark how in all those times of failure and ruin, the hearts of others were stirred up by some faithful one, in self-sacrificing energy, who would pray and work-and sigh and cry-who could spend and be spent on the Lord's interests at the time. Through such the Lord wrought and delivered, and led and blessed His people. It might be by some lone widow who could agonize in prayers and fastings night and day. The answer came, and the blessing was poured out, and none knew what the occasion was through which the blessing came. But in the day when "every man shall have praise of God" it will be known; for His eye marked it and answered it, and that heart was, perhaps, unwittingly, in communion with His-the vessel for the intercession of the Spirit for the saints according to the will of God!
The Church Which is His Body: Preface
Preface
Much need has been felt for a concise, simple statement of the principles which should guide the Lord's people who have had grace and faithfulness given them to "depart from iniquity," in the professing church (which Paul likens to "a great house,") in late years. So many wiles and artifices of the enemy have been set to work to prevent them from walking in the truth, that many have found extreme difficulty in finding God's pathway in such a labyrinth of evil and corruption as is around. It is to be feared that the difficulties have almost deterred many from seeking it further, if not giving up in despair the endeavors to discover God's way.
This being the case, the few following remarks (which contain but an outline of the immense principles treated of) are put forth with the earnest humble hope, that the Lord may use them for His own glory, and make them helpful to the children of God in seeking to discern their pathway amidst the corruptions of Christendom in these last days. A pathway which is so simple and clear to the believer, where there is a single eye; and the truth of which has more deeply convinced, as they have followed it, the souls of those whom a God of truth has in grace guided therein.
These remarks are committed, in all humility, to Him who alone can make them of any value, by using them in the power of His gracious Spirit-to Him whose right it is, with the weak things of the world, to confound the things that are mighty, so that no flesh may glory in His presence.
With the hope that He may use and bless them, they are sent forth to His Church.
The Church Which Is His Body
In Eph. 1:22, 23, the Church of God is termed the "body of Christ." When Christ was exalted to Heaven as Man, we learn that God, "gave him to be head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. 1:22, 23.) See also 1 Cor. 12:12, etc. "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. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit: for the body is not one member, but many," etc. Again in Col. 1:18, Christ risen from the dead "is the head of the body, the Church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead." Christ has been exalted as Man to heaven, after accomplishing the work of redemption on His cross.
He was "with God," and "was God," the eternal Son, before anything we could conceive had a beginning. He was glorified as Man when he ascended to the right hand of God. God was glorified as to sin by Him in the work of His cross. Every moral character of God-justice, truth, majesty, love, righteousness-all glorified and established in that work of Jesus. "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway (i. e., without waiting for the days of the kingdom, but straightway) glorify him." (John 13:31,32.) And so God "raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places And gave him to be head over all things to the Church, which is his body." (Eph. 1:20, 21.)
When Jesus was glorified, the Holy Ghost descended from heaven on the day of Pentecost, according to the word of the Lord, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name." (John 14:16-26.) "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send him unto you. And when he is come," etc. (John 16:7,8.) Again, "When He was risen from the dead, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:4, 5.)
Again, "When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." Again, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him,.... being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands, have crucified and slain; whom God hath raised up Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." (Acts 2:1, 2, 4, 22, 23, 24,33.)
The Holy Ghost descended from heaven, then, when the Lord Jesus was glorified; abides forever with the Church-"He shall abide with you forever," (John 14:16); and "By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body,.... and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Cor. 12:13.) He unites all believers, since his descent, as one body, to their Head exalted to heaven. "He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17.) All those, no matter where, who are united to Christ by the Holy Ghost, compose the "Church, which is His body," the complement or fullness of Him that fills all in all. They are said to be quickened together with Him, raised up together and seated together in Christ in heavenly places. (Eph. 1:19; 2. 6.) They are not in actual bodily presence there as yet, but they wait for Him to come and take them to Himself -"I will come again and receive you unto myself."
Hence the formation and calling of the Church of God, or body of Christ, begins at the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, and ends when the Lord Jesus comes to take it up to meet him in the air. The Corinthians came behind in no gift "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 1:7.) In Philippians, "For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Phil. 3:20.) "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:4.)
The Thessalonians "turned to God from idols.... to wait for his Son from heaven." (1 Thess. 1:9,10.) In writing to them the Apostle gives the details, "We which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent (anticipate) them which are asleep,... (for) the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thess. 4:15-17.) "Behold I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Cor. 15:51, 52.) This chapter treats of the resurrection of the saints-"Christ the first-fruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming" (verse 22) -and none else.
These two events, then, are the beginning and ending of the calling out of the Church of God, or body of Christ, viz., the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, and the coming of the Lord to take the saints to heaven. The Holy Ghost unites believers into one body, and to Christ as head of his body. There was not, nor could there have been any union of this kind in the Old Testament times. Salvation belonged to all saints, in virtue of the work of Christ, who had been, or will be, either before the Church began to be formed, or after it shall have been taken up; but no union with Christ, or position in the body. Union with Christ is by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Search in vain in Scripture for the common thought, "united to Christ by faith: " in Scripture there is no such thought. "He that is joined unto the
Lord is one Spirit;" and "your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which ye have of God." (1 Cor. 6:17-19.)
In Old Testament times, the Head was not in heaven, as Man; and the Holy Ghost was not given. Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-39.) Every good thing of old, from the Creation, was done by the power of the Holy Ghost; but He was not then given to dwell in the body of believers, and to unite them thus one to the other, and to Christ as in one body.
As we read in Ex. 29:46, -I am the Lord their God that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them." So, after Christ died and rose, and went on high, having accomplished redemption, the Holy Ghost came down to dwell, and abides with the Church forever. His presence is a witness to our acceptance and the perfection of the work of Christ in which we stand. It is not only that a man is born again, and all his sins put away-God declaring that He will never remember them any more (Heb. 10:17); but the Holy Ghost has come down and dwells in the believer as a seal of redemption through Christ's work in which he stands. This is quite another thing than being born again. (See Gal. 3:26.) "For ye are all the sons of God, by faith in Christ Jesus."
Then in chapter 4:6, "And because ye are sons (not to make you such), God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." A saint before the day of Pentecost was born again. A believer since that time is not only born of God and knows his sins have been borne by Christ and put away, but the Holy Ghost dwells in his body, uniting him to Christ in heaven. ("He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit." 1 Cor. 6:17.). He knows this in the consciousness of his soul: because the Lord said, "At that day (i.e., the Spirit's day) ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." (John 14:20.))
The Church of God, then, is the "body of Christ," and nothing else. It was, before the world was, in God's eternal purpose. Is not of the world now, but its members are strangers and pilgrims here. Will not be of it in the days of the millenial age, although reigning over it with Christ. And in the eternal state, preserves its own eternal character when all time distinctions-Jew, Gentile, etc.-have passed away. "To God be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Eph. 3:21.)
This, then, is the Church of God-the body of Christ, in God's sight; and the normal position of all believers who are members of it. The feeblest members, as the strongest, have their position in it. Their realization of their position is quite another thing. We read in Eph. 5:30, "We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." Such is the union of all who believe with Christ. And remember, it is when Christ had accomplished redemption, risen from the dead, and ascended to heaven, that this could be said, and not before.
Practical Value of the Doctrine.
But this being so, we might think the doctrine of the Church, Christ's body had no practical value for its members. I desire to notice the immense practical value which it bears. I believe nothing can be more important at the present day. With the doctrine comes in many collateral truths, the power of which many of the Lord's people have been getting hold of in these days; such is the true character of Christian ministry, i.e., Christ's gifts bestowed in his body, evangelist, pastor, and teacher, etc. (Eph. 4:7-12), the free liberty of Christian ministry used of the Holy Ghost, who divides to each one severally as He will. (1 Cor. 11), etc., etc. But I pass these by, for the present importance of the subject before my readers.
I need hardly now say that the body in its completeness is the entire number of believers gathered out by the Holy Ghost between Pentecost and the Lord's coming, and united in one body to Him as head. But, inasmuch as the body is never in its complement together in the world, at any given time between these two events, there is another aspect of the use of the word "body." We find that the members of Christ who are on earth at any given moment between the two events are always treated in Scripture as the "body of Christ." "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular," writes the Apostle to the Assembly of God at Corinth. (1 Cor. 12:27.) "There is one body and one spirit," (Eph. 4:4.) This is very important, as it gives us the practical use of the doctrine; otherwise we might be inclined to treat it as that only belonging to the body in its completeness and heavenly aspect, and thus have no practical value. Even the Assembly of God at Corinth was in principle the "body of Christ." It was gathered together on the ground and principle of the body, apart from the world.
The Lord's Supper.
The Apostle Paul, who reveals the truth of the Church, and to whose ministry it was given, received a special revelation concerning the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:23-25), and this in connection with the mystery of "Christ and the Church," His body, which was committed to him. (Eph. 3:2-9, and Col. 1:24, 25.) The Lord's Supper according to God, links together two things, i. e., the death of the Lord and His coming again. In partaking of the Supper we show His death, by which we have life and redemption, till He come. "As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the Lord's death till He come." (1 Cor. 11:26.) But the Lord's Supper is more than this; it is also the symbol of the unity of the body of Christ. We cannot partake of it, according to God, without owning this. If only two or three members of Christ came together now-when the outward manifestation of the unity of Christ's body is destroyed-to break bread, (as such they are privileged to do so, see Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 11:20), they express in the act the unity of the "body of Christ." The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread (loaf) which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? "For we, being many, are one loaf, one body, for we are all partakers of that one loaf." (1 Cor. 10:16,17.)
So that it is impossible to partake of the Lord's Supper in its true sense, according to Scripture, without expressing in the act the unity of the body of Christ. And hence the unscripturalness of attempting to take the ground of independency, or that which is assumed by the different human sects or churches so called.
It is with reference to the Supper that a discipline is exercised, whether self-judgment, or the discipline of the Assembly, or that of the Lord himself. It becomes thus a moral center-not, of course, the center, but a moral center-and a test for the conscience of the individual Christian or of the Assembly. It is with reference to the Supper that the individual believer scrutinizes his own conduct and walk; thus not leaving himself open to other discipline. "If we would judge ourselves, we should not he judged," (v. 31). Failing this personal scrutiny of ourselves, the Assembly, which was gathered on the ground and principle of the body, was responsible to put out from among themselves that wicked person, (1 Cor. 5:13, and the whole chapter); if they failed in this, the Lord exercised the discipline needed and neglected; and "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." (1 Cor. 11:30.) They had been even taken away by death. So that we see that the personal scrutiny of ourselves, the discipline of the Assembly, and that of the Lord when the other two were neglected, were all exercised with reference to the Supper, which is the symbol of the unity of the body of Christ.
This is an immense principle, especially in these days of ruin, in the professing church. When even two or three are gathered together thus, apart from evil, they are responsible for all this. "Do ye not judge them that are within." (1 Cor. 5:12.) And besides, it is the only way Scripture knows or owns; and is the only way in which we can gather together, according to God; i.e., on the principles of the body of Christ in the name of the Lord. Even two or three are fully competent and responsible, although they are not the entire body, for all this, even as seen on earth at any one time, or in any one place, and not claiming to be such; and, moreover, not for a moment pretending to set up or reconstruct anything, or manifest any unity-although they express it in the Supper, which is quite another thing-in the ruin of the professing Church of Christendom. If they tried to do this, it would only be a failure, and they would soon find out their mistake.
On the other hand, they are necessarily in fellowship with all who were thus gathered, in the name of the Lord, on the ground and principles of the one body, and one Spirit, who acts in the one body, no matter where such are to be found, space and locality making no difference. Hence it is inevitable that they must be in fellowship with all who are thus gathered; while, at the same time, not pretending to be the entire body as seen on earth at any given time; nor doing so in such a manner as to exclude other members of the body, who are not thus gathered before God,-the title of all to be with them being membership of Christ, and corresponding holiness of walk and conversation.
The House of God.
The Church has another aspect, which we find in Eph. 2:20-22; it is the house of God here below, the habitation of God through the Spirit. Built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets, (chap. iii. 5 proves them to be those of the New Testament), Jesus Christ Himself the corner stone. This building is the true thing which God builds. But when we turn to 1 Cor. 3, we find what man builds. The Corinthians were, as responsible before the world, "God's building" verse 9, "The temple of God," verses 16, 17. Paul, as a wise master-builder, bath laid the foundation in his doctrines, and no other could be laid; this foundation would stand sure. (2 Tim. 2:19.)
Man then began to build, and brought in upon the foundation, "wood, hay, stubble," as well as "gold, silver, precious stones," mischievous and worthless doctrines, persons, etc., with which the house is now filled, and by which it has been built by man. But the Holy Ghost did not leave the house. The house began to extend its proportions, disproportionately to the body, with which it had been co-extensive at the first. The body remained still the true thing which God had formed.
Thus, the house, instead of maintaining its primary state, viz., the "house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground (or base) of the truth," (1 Tim. 3:13) became like a "great house," with vessels to honor and dishonor in it. (2 Tim. 2:20.) Still the Holy Ghost was there; and as to responsibility, it still remained God's house in the world. Hence Peter tells us that "judgment must begin at the house of God," (an invariable principle in Scripture, see Ex. 9:7, 1 Peter 4:17). The body is infallibly secure: and the Lord takes it, the true thing, out of the house; and judgment is executed on that which is the responsible thing here below, and which is thus treated and judged according to the responsibility it had assumed. The house, I need hardly add, is the whole professing Church, composed of all the sects and systems, not excluding any who are in it.
I would here add a word as to the responsibility of those who are Christ's. At the first, in Acts 2:47, "The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." The church (or Assembly, which is the correct word) was then a thing to which persons could be added. But when we come to the state of things in 2nd Timothy, we find that, instead of there being something to which to add a person, that "the Lord knows them that are his," in that which He likens to a "great house." The responsibility of each one, then, is to "depart from iniquity." He cannot leave the house of God, nor can he mend matters now; nor again, is he to rest satisfied with its corruptions; but he is to separate himself from iniquity-from everything that dishonors the Lord in it; and to purge himself from the vessels to dishonor, that he may be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the Master's use: to be personally pure, and to identify himself with those who have done likewise, and who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. See 2 Tim. 2:19-22.
The Assembly of God.
The word "assembly" is used in two ways in Scripture. If we look at Christ on high, it is His body on earth; if we look below, it is the professing body. Locally of course the assembly of God at such and such a place could then be addressed, because it was there. Nov if God were to write an epistle, through an Apostle, to the assembly of God at such a place, no one could claim the letter. Because no sect or system is "the Assembly of God." nor can any claim to be such. If it did. it would be to the exclusion of the other members of Christ in the sects around. The saints can, and should, walk in the truth of it. and obediently to the word of God. But at best they are a remnant: and a witness (if really walking in the truth) to the failure of the church of God. Their testimony should be-1St. To the truth of the church as it was, in the ever-abiding principle of "one body and one Spirit." 2nd. To the state of the church as it is.
When Christians have got out of the systems and sects, they find such a ruin around, they hardly know what to do; and finding things in such confusion. they fall back on the principle of Matt. 18:20, "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them;" and many difficulties have arisen when they have not likewise got hold of the ever-abiding principles of the church of God, i.e., "one body and one Spirit." The promise in Matt. 18 is truly blessed, but is to be used in reference to the subsequent revelation of the church by Paul. The first thing to ascertain is, what is the church-the body? And next, how even two or three can come together, apart from evil, and are competent of the Lord to exercise all the needed discipline, when thus gathered.
We have no need to leave Paul's Epistles, to get hold of the principles. And when we thus get hold of principles which never alter, and to the observance of which we are ever responsible to the Lord, the promise of Matt. 18:20 should be looked for, and is most blessed. When they are thus gathered, they are morally an "assembly of God;" and the only thing which the Lord owns as such. If not, what else? I would guard, at the same time, against the abuse of the word "assembly." If they claimed to be "the assembly of God," in any place, to the exclusion of other members of the body who might be in the sects, they would be wrong, and off the ground which God can, and has owned and blessed. Otherwise there is no danger in the use of the word. They are an assembly of God, gathered in the name of the Lord. And, moreover, in doing this they never contemplate the re-constructing of anything. They are together on the only ground Scripture knows.
"The Unity of the Spirit."
It is the privilege of all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, and not only their privilege but their responsibility, to "endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:3.) The unity of the Spirit is not unanimity of sentiments or opinions, although the more spirituality there is, the more will this be found. It is the unity of the one body of Christ by the Holy Ghost. The Apostle had explained, in chapter ii., the work of Christ on the cross laying the foundation of this unity, in making peace, breaking down the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, to reconcile both to God in one body by the cross: giving access to both by one Spirit, through Himself, to the Father.
Those who are thus gathered out of Jew and Gentile are baptized into one body by the Holy Ghost, since His descent at Pentecost (see Acts 1:5, 1 Cor. 12:12,13, etc.), and united to Christ as Head of the body (chapter 1:20-21). Becoming on earth a habitation of God through the Spirit (chapter 2:20-22). This unity having been formed by the Holy Ghost, it is in His keeping; but the Apostle, after unfolding the mystery (chapters 2; 3.) exhorts the members of the body, i.e., all believers, to endeavor to keep the unity which the Holy Ghost thus constitutes, adding, "there is one body and one Spirit." Every believer belongs to this body. It is not the opinions which one holds, but membership of Christ which is in question. It is this which entitles each to unite with others-who are, through grace, doing so in weakness-in thus furthering God's dispensation, with the energy of an obedient heart, and with that lowliness, and meekness, and long-suffering, and forbearing one another in love, which is so much the more needed in days of declension and ruin.
The unity of the Spirit does not depend then upon the unanimity of opinions or clearness of views, or intelligence of all the members of the body of Christ, but upon the fact that they belong to that body. The Lord's Supper expresses its unity, as we have seen, and all the members are entitled, in the act of "breaking of bread," to remember the death of the Lord, and look for His coming, and to own that they are one body. None should be excluded but those who are not walking in holiness, or are knowingly in evil associations, or who are standing outside in discipline, etc.
I have no doubt that the Lord will own, in His own time, the faithfulness of those, who, in true-heartedness to Christ, have had grace given to do so in these days of super-abounding evil.
The Corporate Actions of the Holy Spirit
From "Words of Faith," Vol. 2, 1883.
"When the day of Pentecost was fully come," the baptism of the Spirit took place. And it may be well to remark here that this baptism never has to do with an individual saint, but with a number of persons, as a corporate action; also that once it took place it never was repeated. These remarks will be found to have great importance in our true apprehension of the church of God or body of Christ.
The number of disciples together in prayer on the day of Pentecost were thus acted upon-they were baptized into one body at that moment. Previously quickened and drawn after Christ, this fresh action changes their status from being mere individual believers to that of a body united to its Head in heaven. Christ had gone up there after redemption was accomplished, and He has entered into a new state for man by resurrection, and a new place for man, as ascended and seated in heavenly places. And in connection with this new state and new place, the Holy Ghost acts as such down from heaven, forming this "one body" in union with Christ and with each other, as "members of Christ." This is the only "membership" known in the Word of God.
Now, here I would remark that, when this body was formed at Pentecost no one knew anything about it; because it was needful that a fresh offer be made, that Christ would return to Israel as a nation and bring in the times of the restitution of all things spoken of by the prophets, and bless His people on earth. The early chapters of Acts (2-7,) are taken up with this tentative action towards that people; and it closed in the martyrdom of Stephen, and the message was sent after Christ, "We will not have this man to reign over us." The ground was now cleared to bring out fully the "eternal purpose" of God; and Saul of Tarsus was converted by a heavenly Christ, and "separated from the people (Israel) and from the Gentiles, unto whom (said the Lord) I now send thee."
He was heavenly in his origin and destiny and ministry, to bring out that body, formed by the Spirit's baptism on earth, while Christ hid His face from the house of Israel; those "unsearchable riches" never before made known to the sons of men; that valley between the mountain tops hitherto undiscovered and undisclosed. Saul of Tarsus hears from the Lord Himself that the saints on earth whom he was persecuting were Himself. "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise (said he) and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of those things which thou hast seen (that is, Christ in glory) and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee." (Acts 26:15, 16.) Here he receives an intimation that further revelations would be given at some convenient time not then arrived.
Now all this happened after the whole assembly was scattered, at the persecution which arose about the death of Stephen. in Jerusalem. Outwardly, what was gathered together and formed in Jerusalem was destroyed; but Paul receives (he only of all the Apostles ever speaks of the church of God) the revelation of that which has been formed at Pentecost into a divine unity, as one body. which never could be destroyed; nor could its unity ever be broken; God holds the unity of the body in His own hands.
The special revelations given to Paul (with that of his ministry generally), are noticed by his drawing marked attention to them in connection with this great subject. They are four in number: 1St. The unity of the body, "How, that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote afore in few words) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men." (Eph. 3) He then proceeds to unfold this body, composed of Jew and Gentile, yet being neither when thus united into one. 2nd. He received a revelation of the Lord's Supper in connection with these truths committed to him, "I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you," etc., and he gives the details of the Supper (1 Cor. 11:23, etc.), adding to it several new features not before given by the Lord in His institution of it on earth; but as now freshly instituted from heaven, as the Head of His body, which He was not until He went there. One marked feature is, that it becomes, when observed in its truth, the symbol of the unity of the body of Christ on earth. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The loaf which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ? For we, being many, are one loaf, one body; for we are all partakers of that one loaf." (1 Cor. 10:16, 17.)
A third marked revelation we find in 1 Cor. 15, in connection with the resurrection of the saints who have fallen asleep, and the being changed of those who do not fall asleep before Christ comes. "Behold," he says, "1 show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
The fourth we find in 1 Thess. 4, "For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not go before them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with voice of the Archangel and the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever he with the Lord."
Thus we have in these four revelations: the unity of the body of Christ; the symbol of its unity on earth in the Supper; the first resurrection of the sleeping saints, and change of the living; and then the rapture of all to the glory of God. These embrace the constitution, employment, resurrection, and catching up, or rapture from this scene of the church of God or body of Christ; and form a complete and comprehensive summary of its whole truth.
Now, I must still endeavor to present more distinctly the present actuality of this body as here on earth, where as to personal place the Holy Ghost is. It is here that all its members are seen at one given time-as, for instance, while I speak these words. It is true that when there is a general abstract statement of this body as the fullness of Christ, "the church which is his body, the fullness (or, complement) of him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:22, 23), there is no time contemplated; and then the body is seen in union with Christ in heavenly places, as a matter of counsel, in connection with His exaltation as Man. But in all other places in Scripture when this body is mentioned, it only includes those members of Christ who are alive on earth at any given moment of its existence as you hear these words! For there as to personal place the Holy Ghost is, who constitutes its unity. as dwelling in each member, and baptizing all into one body.
Let us put a figure as to this. The -th regiment of the British army fought in the battle of Waterloo. It is now in the roll of the army of England, having its identity. and the same number and name as then. Yet all its members have died off, not one man being in it now that was then in its strength. Others have come in, and filled up the ranks, and though the members are changed, the regiment is the same. So with the body of Christ; those who composed it in Paul's day have died off, and others have come in, and filled up the ranks. Those who sleep, their bodies are in the dust, and their spirits with the Lord. As to personal place, they have lost their connection with the body for the present. They are of it, though not in it, now. They will all take their place in it when it is removed from this scene. Here, "If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it," etc. Suffering is not the part of those who have passed away from present connection with it.
Formed by the baptism of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, it has been carried along those eighteen centuries past in unbroken unity, souls passing away, and others coming in; and it is here today on earth for God and for faith, as truly as when Paul wrote, "There is one body and one spirit." The baptism never was repeated, but individual souls have been quickened and sealed, and thus united individually to that which the Holy Ghost formed by His baptism at Pentecost; and all its members can now, therefore, say, "by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body," because we belong to that which was then definitely and permanently formed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
There is one further important truth in connection with this doctrine, or the body, to which I would now refer before closing this paper. It is this-that wherever locally the members of this body were seen together "in assembly," they were always treated as the body: this, of course, not separating them from the whole body on earth, but treated of God, as acting on the ground and principle of the body, and in unity with the whole body on earth. This is found in 1 Cor. 12:27: "Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular." Here the principle is applied. The apostle had been teaching the great doctrine of the body (vers. 12-26): first, its unity, and then the diversity of its members, each having (whether comely or uncomely members) their place in the whole; and he applies this practically to the local assembly at Corinth, in the verse (27) above quoted.
This, then, is the body of Christ; this the corporate place of every member of Christ on earth; this the only membership known in Scripture. The divine, positive fact and truth of that which no ruin of its outward unity, no corruption of Christendom, can ever mar or destroy. Grasping this in our soul's consciousness, and by faith, we have something stable, amidst the ruins of the professing church, on which to act; on which to rest in the last days. Of the practical use of the truth we shall hope to treat in the concluding paper.
The Walk of Saints According to the Spirit
"Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit."-Eph. 4:3.
"Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord, depart from iniquity."-2 Tim. 2:17.
Our present subject is to examine and ascertain, in some measure, from Scripture what our path is at the present time, and our responsibility in connection with the Holy Spirit's presence on earth, as members of the body of Christ, formed by His presence and baptism. May the blessed Lord guide us, as those who would say, "Show me now thy way," and "Give me grace to walk therein."
First of all, then, we must examine the testimonies of Scripture as to the state of ruin into which the professing church has fallen, and in which we ourselves are involved. God permitted the roots and germs of all this state to come out in the apostolic days, so that He might give us the testimony of His word as to it all, and mark a path for His own in the scene of confusion which exists around us. We cannot escape from it to go outside; nor, at the same time, does God force us to abide in a path where the conscience is outraged, and the word of God discarded, and practices are found which have no warrant from Him. He gives us a plain path, where we may obey His voice, and have the joy of His presence with us in our course while here.
It is striking and instructive to see that the Epistle from which we have cited our text for this evening's lecture, was not written in a day when everything was in order, when the church of God was walking, in the first freshness of power and blessing, with Christ. If this was the case when it was written, we might have admired it, and thought of its perfection and beauty in days gone by; but we should have found no practical value in it for our own path in days of weakness and failure and ruin.
We see the wisdom of our God in giving us its teaching just when the days were darkest in apostolic times; when, as we read in Philippians (written at the same moment), "all were seeking their own, and not the things of Jesus Christ;" when "many walked," of whom the Apostle had told them before, and had now to tell them even weeping, that they were "enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end was destruction, whose god was their belly, who mind earthly things." Such were the days when "Ephesians" was written: the aged Apostle was in prison himself, and cut off from the work which he loved; all was rushing onward to ruin. It was then the time for God to bring forth by his means the most full and blessed unfolding ever given of the church of God. It was written in a day of ruin, as faith's provision for a day of ruin, until we all would come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God to full-grown men-into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we might no more be "babes," etc. (Eph. 4:13,14.)
The gradual, but sure, decay had begun at once in the early church. Tares were sown amongst the wheat, and false persons were introduced from without, as Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8); the enemy, too, had begun to sow evil and discord within. (See Acts 5;6) This state of things is largely recognized in the various Epistles. In Corinthians the wisdom of men and sectarianism were springing up, and moral evil had been allowed (chap. v.), and doctrinal evil was spreading fast. (1 Cor. 15)
The law had been introduced in Galatia; asceticism and philosophy had been added to the law in Colosse. There was Judaism and ceremonies on all sides (Hebrews), and the presence of the Spirit forgotten. All this may be seen largely in the Epistles. But when we come to Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy, these things were there, and recognized as current, and all those of Asia had turned away from Paul, though not yet, perhaps, from Christ. It is then that the Holy Spirit in the Apostle forecasts the state of the "last days," which was then coming in. "In the last days perilous times would be there," and the state of nominal Christians would become like that of the heathen, as described in Rom. 1:29-31, compared with 2 Tim. 3:2-5, with the difference of "a form of godliness," or "piety," while they "denied the power thereof." From such the servant should "turn away."
This, then, was the state of the professing church which had been established on earth as the "pillar and ground of the truth." (2 Tim. 3:15.) It was now the sphere where error and evil existed unchallenged.
We must now ask, What are God's principles, when the sphere set up by Him at any time in the earth became corrupted as this before us? We may even see that these principles were His before evil entered the scene, and were the true principles, unchanged by any circumstances, which ensues. They were "separation" and "largeness"-separation to God because He is holy; largeness of heart because
He is gracious! We see this in paradise before man fell. He planted a garden in Eden, and separated it from the rest of the scene, for the man to dwell in, and dress it and keep it; yet from it flowed four rivers, to carry its blessings to the four quarters of the earth.
When the world was judged, and again peopled, and divided into nations at Babel, God called a man out of it, separating him to Himself, because He was holy; yet, because He was gracious, He promised that "in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." So also in Israel; He brought them out of Egypt, that He might dwell among them, and His word was, "Thou shalt be holy with the Lord thy God." (Deut. 17) Yet they were to be the center from which blessing should flow forth to the nations, who might there learn that He was God. "In Judah God was known; his name was great in Israel." In the church of God, too, the saints were not of the world, even as He was not of the world; yet the desire He expressed was, "that they all might be one, that the world may believe." (John 18) These instances show us the principles that should guide His own.
We see this illustrated in the day when Israel corrupted themselves, and, under Aaron, made the golden calf. Moses had gone up, to receive the law, to the top of Mount Sinai, when the people revolted against God, and returned to idolatry, out of which they had been redeemed. Moses came down with the tables of the law in his hands, and saw the calf and the dancing; but, with the blessed intelligence of one who was in spirit with God, he acts in a moment in a way that saves the honor of Jehovah, and spares the people. Had he kept the tables of the law outside the camp unbroken, he would have compromised the authority of the Lord. And had he entered the camp with them, the people would have to be cut off. So he broke the tables before the mount!
He then returns to God, after the tribe of Levi had executed the discipline of God upon their brethren, earning their place as the priestly tribe. (Ex. 32) Moses then prayed to the Lord to spare the people, or to blot him out of the book He had written. Nay, said the Lord, "Him that sinneth will I blot out of my book." Moses then returns to the desert, and while he waited to see what the Lord would do, and the people stripped themselves of their ornaments before the mount, Moses "took the tent, and pitched it outside the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp."
Here was the most glorious moment of all his history. The moment when he so apprehended God, and His holy nature, that, without even a command from Him, he does that which was suited to Him; and the cloudy pillar, emblem of His presence, came down, and spoke to Moses, as a man speaks with his friend! Here was separation to God, yet largeness of heart for His people, and for their true blessing.
We might trace through Scripture many instances of this kind, which show us that separation to Him is the true path for His own, when that which He had set up in blessing had corrupted its way in the earth. We see it in Israel separated from Egypt: Moses separating from Israel at the moment cited. The Nazarite Samson, separated from Israel, when they were under the domination of the Philistines. David's men separated to him in his days of rejection. Jeremiah's directions to separate himself from the people to the Lord (Jer. 15.1, that he might be God's mouth, to separate the precious from the vile. So the "mark" to be set upon them who sighed and cried for the abominations in Jerusalem. (Ezek. 9)
The Baptist separating the repentant remnant to Christ. The church separated from the nation at Pentecost. Paul separating the disciples from the others. (Acts 19) The directions, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord," etc. (2 Cor. 6) But when we turn to the Second Epistle to Timothy, we find this principle applied to our path in the simplest and most striking manner. The aged Apostle turned to his own son in the faith, with his heart burdened with the sin in which the people of God now were involved; yet bright in the freshness of the courage needed to lift one above it all, and give the sense that God was above all the evil around.
It is often the case that the soul gets under the power and sense of the evil to such a degree, that it becomes occupied with it, thus losing sight of God. This is a wrong state to drift into, and never will give power to surmount the evil in anywise. Grappling with the evils in the world, or the so-called Christian world, is not our path. But while persuaded of their existence and power, the heart can turn to God, and find Him and His ways superior to the evil; and we are called to separate ourselves to Him.
This character of things occupies the greater part of the Epistle. The Spirit of God recognizes that there is no ecclesiastical recovery for the church of God, as a whole, to be looked for; while there always is individual recovery by the truth. He had been treating of the false teaching of Hymenaeus and Philetus, and such like, when he adds, "Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." How refreshing to think that no amount of corruption had destroyed that sure foundation of God! There stood the everlasting truths, which never altered, though the house of God had enlarged itself to what he likens to "a great house," with "vessels of gold and silver, of wood and of earth, some to dishonor," yet scattered abroad by the devices of men, and by the craft of the enemy, within that sphere were those who were Christ's.
"The Lord knoweth them that are his," said one inscription of the seal of God! The eye of man could not single them out, nor even the eye of faith discern them. They may be like the seven thousand who had not bowed to the image of Baal in Elijah's day, whom the prophet had never discovered. Still, God knew them; they might be as the godly ones in the day when Israel's heart was as hard as an adamant-stone, when Ezekiel prophesied in vain; they were known of Him who knows all hearts, and He called to the executors of judgment in Jerusalem-"Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof," before judgment which would not permit of pity, fell on the rest. (Ezek. 9:4.) God knew those in that day, those who were His; and He knows them now, as our passage in 2 Tim. 2:19 testifies. This is the privilege of all who belong to Him.
But now he turns to the reverse of the seal, and reads the second inscription: "Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." Here, then, is the way I may see those hidden ones of the Lord; they must be separate from evil to Him. Simple yet comprehensive step! Let the evil be moral, doctrinal, intellectual, or religious, the path is the same-to "depart from iniquity" is the responsibility of the saint who names the name of the Lord. Vessels of honor and of dishonor—precious and vile-may be there. The Hymenaeus and Philetus may have to be condemned, but the true soul must "purge himself from these" that "he may be a vessel unto honor, sanctified (or, separated), and meet for the Master's use."
Let me remark as to that word, "purge." It is found but twice in the original tongue of the New Testament Scriptures. The first place we find is in 1 Cor. 5:7: "Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." This marked the
responsibility of the whole church of God, set up on earth as "an unleavened lump." She was to maintain her place in this, and to "purge out" all that savored of the old leaven-the evil which was then creeping in at Corinth, as this chapter shows. But she did not, as a whole, do this. She soon became indifferent to the evil, which soon, alas! became her characteristic, and not the holiness due to Christ. Now comes the second use of the word. The individual, finding himself in the midst of "a great house," filled with "vessels to honor and dishonor," was to "purge himself" from such, by standing apart from them, as from all this which dishonored the Lord, in order to be a vessel unto honor for the Master's use.
But when a soul has taken this step, it might engender a Pharasaic spirit in him, in standing thus apart because of his Lord, and so we have next, "But follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." He would find others who, like himself, had grace given to be separate to the Lord, and he was to walk with such, in holiness of conduct, and a pure heart likewise.
But this separation to the Lord has, so far, only a negative character. But this is the responsibility of the "house of God," now become like "a great house" around him. We want something more, therefore; we require a positive ground of action for our souls in the midst of the scene. Here, then, comes in the never-changing truth of the unity of the body of Christ, of which he is a member. This abides here on earth in the midst of Christendom. It is within that sphere that the Holy Spirit maintains, in unbroken unity, the body of Christ.
Granted that outwardly it is broken to fragments to our vision, and the members of that body are scattered in every section of the professing church; granted, too, that it is utterly impossible to restore it to its original state, that no skill or power can ever set it right again -all this is quite true; but then I am ever responsible to set myself to rights, before everything, with God. I am a member of Christ, and separate from evil; well, I am not the only one whom God has called so to act for Him, because He is holy. I find others also; we meet as His members to worship the Father, to remember our Lord; but it is as members of Christ, and as acting in the truth of that body of which we are members-we can be together -and on no other ground! (I mean no other ground according to God.) We are thus in a breadth of truth which embraces every member of Christ on the face of the earth!
This is "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." We can neither keep, nor break, the unity of the body-that is kept by the Spirit Himself intact, spite of every failure of man. But we are called to "endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
What, then, is this unity? It is the power and principle by which the saints are enabled to walk together in their proper relations in the body, and as members of Christ. It may involve my separation from one member because he is attached in practice, or religiously, to that which will not stand the test of the word of God. It may call me to walk with another who is walking in godliness and in its truth. I may find a true soul who sees the truth up to a certain point, not no farther; I can enjoy with such all that he enjoys in the unity of the Spirit. Suppose fresh light reaches his soul, and he refuses it, then we part! I must never weaken the path I am called to by compromise with him of the truth. All this involves the body of Christ; it is the ground of action, because the Spirit of God maintains it.
This unity, too, excludes individuality most fully. No one can take an isolated place. If he is called to stand alone in some locality because of the word of the Lord, it puts him in communion, and on common ground, all over the world, in other localities, with all who are walking in such a truth. It excludes individuality, too, when together with others; one might be tempted to act in independency of other members of Christ-to take action himself, not in communion with the rest. It throws us outside every system of man, too, but keeps us in that unity which is according to God!
Now here is the divine and positive foundation under our feet for this day of ruin. This is not merely a negative path. It is wide enough for all, because it embraces all in its breadth, whether they are there, or not. It is exclusive of evil from its midst, as known and accepted; to admit it would cause it to cease to be the unity of the Spirit. It is not merely the unity of Christians-which is the effort of the many to effect, often to the refusal of the truth of the body of Christ. How often do we see the effort to be together apart from its truth, merely as believers in the Lord. Men may make many unities, and attach Christ's name to them, and call it the church. God attaches unity to Christ, not Christ to unity! Then it must be true in nature to Him whose body it is; it must be practically holy and true. (Rev. 3:7.)
Trial may come in, and the enemy seek to mar this effort of the faithful to act for God. Discipline, too, may have to be resorted to, to keep those thus gathered together true and right. When this is so, the action taken in one place in the Spirit, and in obedience to the word, governs all others, where the people of
God elsewhere are thus acting in the truth. The Lord's table being spread, as that in which we own the unity of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16,17) is in the midst of those gathered together in the name of Christ. (Matt. 18) One in communion at it in one part of the world, as with those who are endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, is in communion with all, wherever they may be found. Once ceasing to be in communion in one place, ceases in all. Thus individuality is impossible, apart from unity; or unity from individuality.
It is only in the church of God, or in its principle, we have both maintained. In popery we see unity, but no individuality; in other sects individuality, but no unity. In the unity of the Spirit we have both, and there only.
Then the cry of others is, "You want us to come to you, and hear the truth; why do you not come to us?" The question is most natural, but the answer is plain: We never can make wrong right by mixing with it; we desire your blessing; we desire that you who are not with us may act on what you are, as members of Christ, by one Spirit, and with us on the only divine platform on earth! You would be the first to blame us, did your conscience bow to the truth, for having weakened or falsified it by mingling with error, in order to win others to be with us. Your title is clear to be at the Lord's table with us, if you are a member of Christ (we assume that you are walking in uprightness of soul before God). We dare not ask other terms than this for your being in your true place. I have heard it has been said by others what we look for more-such as exacting promises that you go to no other gathering of Christians, and the like. This would be unintelligent in us in the strongest way, we would be making more than membership of Christ, and holiness of walk your title to your place.
Your coming to help us to be faithful to the Lord should receive a hearty welcome from us in His name. Let us not suspect any other motive in those who come than our own desire, through grace, to do the same. Often have I seen souls come in all simplicity, who would be scared away had they been placed under a condition; for when they came, they found His presence there, and never left again! A soul finding itself with Christ would not likely seek to wander away again to other paths, even though it may be a pathway of reproach "outside the camp" with Him.
A word now, in conclusion, as to the place of those who are together, in these last days, in the truth. We sometimes hear of being "a testimony." I ask, To what? And I reply for all, We are a testimony to the present state of the church of God, not what it was once, but what it is. But suppose we are really thus a testimony to its failure, this involves much more than at first sight we would think. We must in such a case be as true in principle and practice as that which has failed! Though but a fragment of the whole, this must be really a true fragment. This will ever keep us lowly in our own eyes, and nothing in the sight of others. As long, therefore, as we are a testimony of this character we shall, by grace, never fail! The Lord alone will be our strength and our stay in days of ruin, and perilous times of the last days.
In the great sphere of the profession of Christianity on earth-the responsible church, or "house of God," where His one Spirit dwells and operates, there is a divine current in which the faithful will be found. In one of the great lakes, or inland seas of Switzerland we find what will illustrate my meaning. One of the great European rivers runs into this inland sea at one extremity, and out at the other; but it is found that the current of the river is traceable all through the vast sheet of water. There are also, as a matter of course, the eddies and the back-water, which is near the current, and the dead water outside its influence. Thus it is in the professing house. There are those to be found in the current of the Spirit within the great professing body; there are others whose position would be near it, though not in the stream, but, as it were, in the eddies which are close at hand. There are others who have turned aside, and been drawn into the backwater, and never seem to recover. Others, too, who are found in the dead-water, out of the reach of the current, or even of its influence.
It becomes, therefore, a very real question for each-"Where am I?" "Am I like a chip or a withered leaf, in the eddies, or in the backwater, or in the stream?" If in the last, we are carried along in that one path, in the freshness and energy of the one Spirit of God, in the truth of that one body of Christ, of which we are living members; faithful to Him who loves us, yet will-less and obedient in His hands, who can use for His own glory, and the blessing of others, the weakest vessel, if in the current of His Spirit, in the truth.
The Unity of the Spirit and Endeavoring to Keep It
"The unity of the Spirit" is that power or principle which keeps the saints walking together in their proper relationships in the unity of the body of Christ. It is the moral realization of its unity: and endeavoring to keep it maintains our relations with all saints according to the Spirit of God-and in the truth.
We meet with others in the name of the Lord, on the principle of "One body and one Spirit." (Eph. 4:4.) We thus "endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," and we seek thus to be in the "fellowship of the Holy Ghost," who maintains the unity of the body of Christ. Consequently we find ourselves apart from those who are not in this blessed path, even though they may be perfectly sound in doctrine and godly in life, or who are, perhaps unwittingly, associated with those who are neutral and indifferent to Christ's glory and this truth.
We thus meet on a ground wide enough to embrace every member of His body, to the exclusion of none. If those who come are knowingly in connection or association with that which cares not for His truth and glory, it would exclude them from fellowship at the Lord's table. If they are unwittingly mixed up with it, we should be glad to meet with them, but we should feel bound to tell them the ground we take with reference to Christ, and the position they occupy with reference to Christ. This would leave it on their own responsibility to be with us or against us. We could not "return to them," while we are told, "Let them return to thee." (Jer. 15)
Consequently we could not join with them in gospel work, because they have not God's end in view. God's end is not salvation merely, but that His people should be on earth a living witness for Christ and His body, during His rejection and absence, and with other members of His body-walking in unity and peace. The church of God is the witness on earth that "God is light," "God is love," and "God is One." The Holy Ghost on earth answers to and reveals Christ on high. He is the "Holy and True;" the Holy Ghost on earth is the "Spirit of Holiness" and the "Spirit of Truth."
One member cannot be said to represent the body, or to be the body, because he eats of the one loaf. If he comes together in any place, according to God's mind, to eat the Lord's Supper, with other members of the body of Christ, they would be collectively a true expression of Christ's body on earth in that place. A number of members of Christ may be together, and not in the unity of the Spirit at all (as I doubt not is often the case). It is not that Christ does not sustain them as members of His body, but they may be together on independent ground, or linked with the widespread (and widening) principle of neutrality to Christ. The Holy Ghost, consequently, would be hindered; and though much that is true, as open ministry, and the like, be owned in principle, it could not be owned as an assembly of God, because Scripture would not recognize it as such. There is but "One Spirit," and if we are seeking with others to maintain the unity of the Spirit, there can be no antagonistic principle which we could own.
The Holy Ghost has not left God's house (now like "a great house," or Christendom), although many corruptions are there; while at the same time Scripture does not own the claims put forward by many in it to be "an assembly of God."
The Book of Ezra gives the account of the return of a remnant from Babylon to a divine position and city. They did not pretend to the former greatness, without that which would answer to these pretentions, but they sought to walk in faithfulness before God, with an empty temple-no Urim and Thummim-no Ark of the Covenant-no Glory; but God's Spirit with them (Hag. 2:5), and separation from all that was contrary to Him, characterizing their course. (See Ezra 1:59-63; 4:1, and 10:1-9.)
Analogously-there is now a remnant separated to God from the corruptions around-owning the divine ground of the church of God before Him, pretending to nothing, but seeking to be together in the fellowship of His Spirit on earth, and waiting for Christ's return. They are glad to give the right hand of fellowship to every member of His body who desires to walk in the truth with them in like separation from all that is evil around.
I believe it is a day when we must gird up our loins through His grace, and fix our eye upon Christ alone; we shall then be able to judge of what is due to Him, and not from our judgment by looking at our brethren. We shall be able then, through His grace, to escape the master-corruptions of the day-false doctrines-and the enemy's imitation of the true-the principle of Jannes and Jambres withstanding Moses by a counterfeit.
The expression "One body" is used in 1 Cor. 12 with reference to all the saints upon earth at any given time. But "Ye are the body," is also said in Corinth, as the assembly in that place; that is, that in the ground and principle of their gathering together they were "the body"-a most important passage. It shows that an assembly of God, to be really such, is ever on the ground and principle of the body. (Ver. 27.) Those who now meet in one place and partake of the "one loaf" on this principle, are no more the body of Christ at that moment than at any other time. But they have faith in the truth of it, as seen in their practice, while others who speak of it without practice do not seem to have. The former can show their faith by their works-the only way in which such can be done.
The "body" is not used to express union with Christ. The body is united to Christ by the Holy Ghost. Those who are together in the practice of this truth are "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The Holy Ghost constitutes the unity of the body. They are seeking to walk in the fellowship of the Holy Ghost-a divine Person who will not bend His ways to us-we must bend our ways, in the truth, to Him. People suppose that because they are members of Christ they must consequently have the practice of such a truth. None can have the practice of it (although really members of it) unless in the unity of the Spirit, and with those who have been
there before them; it is impossible to have it avowedly apart from such. The common practice of the day is to accept divine principles and terms apart from their practice. Scripture is too strong for this.
May our hearts be led into that love of the truth, and love in the truth, and for the truth's sake, that we may be enabled to escape the vortex into which so many are falling!
Extract From Scripture Notes and Queries
QUESTION: "How am I to endeavor to keep `the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?' What does it mean?"
ANSWER: "The Holy Ghost came down from heaven personally on the day of Pentecost, and dwells in each member of Christ individually (1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 1:13,14, etc.); and the saints thus indwelt upon the earth, form God's habitation through the Spirit. He dwells corporately in the whole Church (Eph. 2:22, etc.). He unites each member to Christ (1 Cor. 6:17). Each member to the other members (1 Cor. 12:13), and all the members to the Head. This is the Church of God-the body of Christ.
"This unity has remained untouched by all the failures of the Church. It is a unity which cannot be destroyed, because maintained by the Holy Ghost Himself. He constitutes the unity of the body of Christ.
"The Church of God was responsible to have maintained this unity of the Spirit, in practical outward and visible oneness. In this she has failed. This unity has not. It remains because the Spirit of God remains. It abides even when oneness of action is well nigh gone. The unity of a human body remains, when a limb is paralyzed; but where is its oneness? The paralyzed limb has not ceased to be of the body, but it has lost the healthy articulation of the body.
"Still, no matter what the ruin may be-no matter how terrible is the confused and unhealthy state in which things are-Scripture never allows that it is impracticable for the saints to walk in the fellowship of God's Spirit, and maintenance of the truth; such is always practicable. The Spirit of God pre-supposes evil and perilous days; still God enjoins us to endeavor 'to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace;' and He enjoins nothing impracticable. We never can restore anything to its former state; but we can walk in obedience to the word, and in the company of the Spirit of God, who enables us to hold the Head. He will never sacrifice Christ and His honor and glory, for His members. Hence we are exhorted to endeavor to keep the 'unity of the Spirit' (not the 'unity of the body'; which would prevent us from separating from any member of the body of Christ, no matter what his practice). The Holy Ghost glorifies Christ-and walking in fellowship with Him, we are kept specially identified with Christ.
"In this endeavor, I must begin with myself. My first duty is to separate myself to Christ, from everything that is contrary to Him: =Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity' (2 Tim. 2:19). This evil may be moral, practical, or doctrinal; no matter what it is I must get away from it; and when I have done so, I find myself practically in the fellowship of the Holy Ghost; and on a divine basis where all those who are true-hearted can be likewise. If I can find those who have done the same, I am to follow righteousness, faith, peace, charity, with them (2 Tim. 2:22). If I can find none where I am, I must stand alone with the Holy Ghost for my Lord. There are, however, the Lord be praised, many who have done likewise, and are on the line of action of the Spirit of God in the Church. They have the blessed promise as a resource, 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name. there am I in the midst of them' (Matt. 18:20). They are practically one, as led by the same Spirit, with every member of Christ in the world who has done likewise. I do not now refer to their absolute union with the whole body of Christ-but of the practice.
"The basis on which they are gathered (i. e.. the Spirit of God, in the body of Christ) is wide enough in its principle to embrace the whole Church of God; it is the only divinely wide platform on earth. Narrow enough to exclude from its midst everything that is not of the Spirit of God: to admit such would put them practically out of the fellowship of the Holy Ghost.
"This endeavor does not confine itself to those who are thus together-one with the other. It has in view every member of Christ upon earth. The walk of those thus gathered, in separation to Christ, and practical fellowship of the Spirit and maintenance of the truth, is the truest love they can show toward their brethren who are not practically with them. Walking in truth and unity-they desire that their brethren may be won into the truth and fellowship of the Holy Ghost. They may be but a feeble remnant; but true remnants were ever distinguished by personal devotedness to the Lord, who ever specially watched over them with the most tender solicitude, and associated Himself specially with them!"
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