Part 2
In the last issue we saw that the call to go outside of the camp unto Christ, was primarily given to the early Christians in Jerusalem. They had found the better thing in Christianity, and were to leave the mere types and symbols, which in their day had pointed on to Christ, and go out to Him who was now outside of the whole Jewish system.
Now let us refer to our questions in the last issue:
“Can this call to go out, be applied to us?”
“If applied to us, what is its true force and meaning?”
In order to best answer these questions we might ask another -
“Is there now on earth anything that answers to the camp?” Yes, sad to say, there is that which in many respects corresponds to the camp in Israel’s day. It is the vast profession of Christianity. Christianity did not long retain its heavenly character, but became influenced by Judaism, and an earthly religion.
There is no thought in the New Testament of the church of God on earth taking on the ways of the earthly tabernacle. Israel had a religion, God-given as it was, which was suited to man in the flesh. Man did not need a new birth to enjoy or appreciate the magnificence of the temple (Luke 21:55And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, (Luke 21:5)), its wonderful furnishings, the sacrifices, the robed priests, the trained singers, etc. All of these things the natural man could and did enjoy. Christianity never had any of these as given by God. We never read of a Christian temple, but on the contrary, the Lord told the woman in the fourth chapter of John, that there was to be no earthly place of worship now. It was to be worship “in spirit and in truth” which should characterize this time. The early Christians came together in private homes, and while in Troas the Apostle Paul preached on the third floor (See Acts 12:12, 20:5-11; Rom. 16:55Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. (Romans 16:5)).
We read of the Lord and the apostles singing a hymn before they went out on the night of His betrayal, but not one slight mention is made in the New Testament of musical instruments connected with Christian worship. We do get exhortations to singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord, and singing with the understanding in the assembly, but never with the aid of musical instruments. These were proper enough in the past dispensation.
Judaism had priests who stood between the people and God, but the people as a whole could not come near. In true Christianity all saved persons are priests and are fully qualified to approach God direct (1 Peter 2:55Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)). In Hebrews we are exhorted to “draw near.” Yet today, Christendom has set up priests and ministers who are above the people, and has divided the church of God into clergy and laity. This was never the mind of God for those made “nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Yet, today if we look around, we find Christianity housed in fine buildings with their magnificent decorations and ornamentations—all borrowed from the day of types and shadows. We find the best of musical instruments and the finest of talent, supposedly used in the worship of God. The clergy is there and every mark of an earthly religion, but the heavenly character of the Christian has been lost. It is the world and Judaism all mixed up together with Christianity in order to appeal to the natural man.
A man need not be saved to enjoy the fine buildings, services, and oratory found in the professing church. The very truths of God are corrupted and tampered with so that they will be accepted by the majority and suit man as he is. The truth is made palatable, so that memberships can be held.
Furthermore, all kinds of evil have crept into the profession and today every basic truth of God is being denied somewhere in “the camp.” The camp today has become as corrupt or worse than it was in Moses’ day when he placed the tabernacle “without the camp, afar off from the camp.” The Lord Jesus, and the simple truth of a Christian’s heavenly calling are outside of the camp of Christendom today.
Dear fellow-Christian, have you heard the Lord’s call in such a time to
“Go forth unto Him without the camp”?
To enjoy His approval in this day, one must heed that call. The camp on every hand is defiled, and the call to you is to go outside of it. Your Lord is outside and beckons you to come out to where He is. Some have seen the corruptions within the camp, and have decided to separate from everything and walk alone, but this is not what you and I are called to. The call is “unto Him” as well as “without the camp.” There must be a place outside of the camp where the Lord is in the midst, and to that you are called.
In 2nd Timothy when the terrible conditions of the last days are described, the one who would please the Lord is called to separate from the vessels to dishonor. He is called to separation, but it also says to follow “with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” You are not called to walk alone, but when evil abounds you are called to separation. You may have to seek the Lord’s guidance and direction, to find where He is, but the call is plain.
The camp and all that pertains to it, does appeal to the natural man. Each of us has a nature that can be appealed to by beauty, magnificence, music, or oratory; but Christ the Lord who is outside, calls to you and me.
Some may plead that there are Christians in the camp, and this is readily admitted, but what has that to do with the call of God? Even in Moses’ day when he pitched the tabernacle afar off from the camp, there were some godly Israelites in the camp, and some who prophesied there. There may be godly preachers today in the camp, but if God has called you outside, that is your place. You can leave in the Lord’s hand those who are still in the camp, knowing that He knows them that are His; but your place and mine is not only outside, but by the grace of God, afar off from the camp.
May He grant us grace to keep that distance—not in the spirit of boasting or self-confidence. No, let us hang our heads in shame that we have so little valued our Lord and the place where He is. Let us own how little we have enjoyed and walked worthy of our heavenly calling. Our failures and our feeble response, however, are not grounds for lessening the distance from that which has been corrupt.
It may cost you something to walk with the Lord in true separation. Remember the call in Hebrews adds, “bearing His reproach.” Are you prepared for that? Are you willing to bear a little shame for His Name? The early disciples rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name. Should not the conscious approval of your Lord and Master be sufficient to sustain you in the midst of reproach? Some real Christians may not understand you, and think you are narrow, but ask yourself solemnly whose favor and approval you seek.
Dear young Christian, if God in His grace has called you to that place where the Lord is, outside of the camp, may you seek His help to walk worthy of Him who is there. Furthermore, may you not be enticed back into the camp because of some friends there, or to hear some special man who preaches in the camp. The Lord’s word of exhortation to some who received His approval is:
Value the truth of God, and hold it fast. This would not be said if there were no danger of letting it slip.
(Concluded)