It is clear that self-importance or disappointment may set up small assemblies today without God, but that which has brought in the ruin I believe to be moral. “All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s” (Phil. 2:2121For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. (Philippians 2:21)). “All men forsook me” (2 Tim. 4:1616At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. (2 Timothy 4:16)). “All those which are in Asia be turned away from me” (2 Tim. 1: 15) — not from Christ absolutely, but they would not go the whole path of faith with the apostle. They feared the cross, the rough and unseemly road the Spirit of God led them. The world had entered among them in the shape of ease and respectability; it is the first form which the devil puts on, for it is order and comeliness for the flesh. But it is the world and Satan, and hence power is wanting to enable the resisting of other forms of error, heresy and clericalism. A vessel of power becomes obnoxious because his standard troubles the conscience, instead of his spiritual power acting on the heart as well. When the conscience is reached in a Christian, and not the heart, he kicks against it. Thus the church goes its own way into the hands of Satan in a worldly clerical road. God was wise indeed to choose not many mighty, not many noble, not many rich; they find it hard to submit their comforts and comeliness to God’s. A rich body of Christians will become practically poor and simple, or practically worldly. Such is my thought stated briefly.
The ruin I see now none can deny; our feelings in it are a further question because they depend on our sympathies with Christ, and that is spiritual power. Everyone would not have wept over Jerusalem, as our Lord did, even though not going with its guilt. I judge that dwelling on divisions marks a very feeble estimate of the state of ruin the church is in, but I am thankful for every apprehension of the truth. Whatever the door of approach, once souls get into the truth by divine teaching, it will be perceived on every side as men grow in the consciousness of what the church is. For where is the bride of Christ, His beautiful flock which He gave us? Thank God, it will be seen all together in glory!
J. N. Darby, 1847