Scriptural Principles Relating to the Church
John L. Erisman
Table of Contents
Scriptural Principles Relating to the Church
With Some Remarks About Going on Accordingly—Part One I would like to look into the Scriptures this afternoon concerning the Lord's people here in this scene and His desire to be with them and to dwell among them as they journey on here. I believe it is very evident from His Word that it has been His desire from the very beginning to dwell among His people —not only for time, but also for eternity.
The first scripture I wish to turn to is Gen. 49, where Jacob is blessing the tribes of Israel. I particularly want to notice what he says to Judah in the 10th verse: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be." That should be in the plural, "gathering of the peoples be." Now, verses 22-24, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel)."
Here we have, I believe, the earliest expression of the desire of Jehovah to dwell among His people. The Lord is mentioned under the name of Shiloh. (Shiloh is both a place and a person.) And it says He is coming, "and unto Him shall the gathering of the peoples be." It is plural. It was not only the children of Abraham that these prophecies concerned, but they also took in the Gentiles "the peoples." We see that, too, in the reference to Joseph. This was how our blessed Lord and Savior had to come into this scene, as the lowly and rejected One. It speaks here of Joseph, that he was, "a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall." So his branches did run over the wall. They were not confined to Israel, but ran over the wall to include the people that James speaks of in Acts 15:14, "God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name." Here it tells us, in Gen. 49:23, 24 that, "the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: but his bow abode in strength." So we know that our blessed Lord and Savior had to come into this scene, in order to accomplish our redemption, as a lowly, humble man. On account of that, He was rejected by His people and the archers certainly did shoot at Him. But, "His bow abode in strength."
Now, turn to Ex. 15. It has been remarked that in the book of Genesis there seems to be a nearness of Jehovah in His dealings with His people that we do not find later, after the law was given. He could come and reason with one like Cain and point out the way of salvation to him. He could take up different characters throughout the book and speak to them personally. But after the law was given, a distance had come in. When we get to Exodus, the Lord is not dealing with individuals as He was in Genesis but He has taken up a people. So here, they had been delivered from Egypt and had been brought through the Red Sea, which is a figure of the Lord going into death for us and delivering us from this world and the power of this world, Satan. As soon as they get across the Red Sea we have a song a song of deliverance. In this song, they speak of His desires toward His people. Ex. 15:17,18, "Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in; in the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established. The Lord shall reign forever and ever." Here, we have a mention of His wanting to dwell amongst His people. Think of that the grace of God in addressing them in this way and putting this hope before them, that He wanted to dwell among them in the Sanctuary! The Lord still' has those desires. He dwells now in a different way than what was spoken of here in this song, but it is still His desire. And I would like to trace something of that desire through the Scriptures.
In Ex. 25, we have the subject of the building of the tabernacle and some special instructions about the ark and the mercy seat that was above it. It is nice to see the way the Lord speaks of it. Look at verses 21, 22, "And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel."
So we have these final instructions. They were to put the mercy seat above the ark in this holy place. Chapter 15 spoke about the Sanctuary. Here the Sanctuary has been constructed and we see the grace of God in the way He speaks with them about this mercy seat. He says, "There I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee... from between the two cherubim... of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." Here was His place to meet with them. And we find in the Old Testament many references to His dwelling between the cherubim.
God, in His grace, made provision for the people so that He could go on with them. It was only through the sacrifices and the shedding of blood that He was able to come down and dwell among them. Before He took them up, the Passover lamb was sacrificed in Egypt and here, in this book and in Leviticus, provision is made for the sacrifices. There had to be the shedding of blood, for there could be no remission of sins without it. So here was the mercy seat and the High Priest could go in and sprinkle the blood of the sin offering on the mercy seat. This was done on the Day of Atonement. It was here that He would meet with them. So we find the Lord speaking with Moses from out of the tabernacle. When the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered it and the Lord spoke from within to them and gave them instructions.
Turn now to the 25th Psalm. You know, if we are to go on with the Lord, we have to learn something as to the secrets of His presence to be in the secret of what He has communicated to us. It is only faith that can lay hold upon it, and He would have us to walk in that secret. The 25th Psalm follows the series of psalms which bring in, first, the Lord's exercises concerning the cross and His being forsaken of God (Psa. 22). Then, in the 23rd Psalm, we have the Lord in resurrection as the Shepherd, the one who is leading His people on in this scene. In the 24th Psalm, we have the Lord reigning. So it takes us from the cross on until the time when He shall reign. But in the 25th Psalm He goes back and takes His place among the remnant which is seeking to follow Him. We have some very important verses in this psalm. I would like to call your attention to several: verses 8-10, "Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will He teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies." Verse 14, "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant."
We would like to know the secret of the Lord concerning what He has for His people here in this scene. Well, we learn some very important lessons in this psalm. First, He speaks about the meek. He was the meek and lowly One when He was here. And He would have us to be meek and lowly ones as we tread our pilgrim journey through this scene. So it tells us here, "The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way." This world does not have much use for meek people. They like to run over them. But here we learn that the Lord cares for them. He will guide them "in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies." The things which we learn in the Scriptures as to our pathway here are quite different from what we would gain by our knowledge as taught in this world. The world would have us aspire to great things. In order to aspire to those great things, people are not known by their meekness. But the Lord was the meek and lowly One. He says, "I am meek and lowly in heart." "Come unto Me... and ye shall find rest unto your souls." So here He tells us the secret of these things. Would we like to know the secret? Well, here it is! And here are the instructions concerning it.
Now, turn to the 127th Psalm. "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep." At the heading of this psalm it says that it is, "A Song of degrees for Solomon." I was told very early in my Christian life that in the Psalms where you find something in fine print above the psalm, it really belongs to the psalm. When you find something there in italics, it is man's summary of the psalm, what he thinks about it. And often man is far off. But that which is in fine print was inspired by the Spirit of God. It tells us that this was a Song of degrees for Solomon instructions for him.
One has often thought about Solomon. It was said of him prophetically that he was going to build a house for Jehovah. It was also said about this house that David received the plans of it by the Spirit. Here was a man who was drawing up these plans as led by the Spirit of God. We often think of things being written by the Spirit of God, but David received the plans for it by the Spirit of God. One writer said about the temple that he thought it showed a sign of deterioration of Israel because it was not used in the New Testament in type. What he did not realize was that those very plans were received by David from the Spirit. Furthermore, in connection with the worship, we find that when David was anointed king as a young man he later had to flee for his life. After he met Goliath, jealousy came in with Saul so David had to flee for his life and, for a while, he found refuge with the old prophet Samuel. We learn in 1 Chronicles, that while David was with Samuel (here was the old prophet and the young king I suppose he was still in his teens), they were communing together concerning the worship that was to be established. And we find later on that David did arrange the courses of the priesthood according to these instructions of Samuel.
Well, one has thought, with all that background, here we have a psalm that tells Solomon, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." Here was one who had the plans handed over to him. He was a chosen vessel to build this house and yet he is told that something else is necessary, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." He had to be in the secret which is spoken of in that 25th Psalm, "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." So, we might have great intelligence as to some of these things, but unless we go on in the fear of the Lord and in the secret of His presence, we will miss the path we will labor in vain! It is not the time for doing exploits! One is reminded of what Jeremiah said to Baruch, "Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not." Jer. 45:5. So, in connection with our passing through this scene, it is a good thing to remember that. We are told to humble ourselves under the hand of God and in due season He will lift us up.
Let us turn to Psa. 132. Here is something concerning David and his exercises about worship. The ark had been separated from the tabernacle for many years, probably 80 to 100 years. There was a disorganized state of things there in connection with worship it was not in the place where it had been set up by the command of the Lord. We find elsewhere that there was a reason for that—failure had come in among the priesthood. They had failed grievously, so the Lord had to forsake Shiloh. Here David was exercised about the fact that the ark was separated from the tabernacle. It exercised him so deeply that he said (verses 3-5), "Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the Lord, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob." His parents evidently had taught him in his youth something concerning the importance of the ark and its place in Israel. They had mourned over the fact that it was separated. David had heard that; he was the anointed king, even in his youth, and so he purposed in his heart that as soon as he became king he was going to find the place for it. Evidently the Lord had showed him that it was not to be returned to Shiloh, because the Lord had forsaken that place. So we find that he makes this promise. And if we were to read the historical account, we would see that this was the first thing he did when he became king over all Israel. He was king over Judah for 7 1/2 years. Later the other tribes gave him their allegiance. Since the ark was in their territory, he could not do anything about it until that time. So we find that he sought it, and it is the first thing mentioned in connection with his being king. At first, though, he did it in a fleshly way. And oftentimes that is the way we do. We get hold of certain truths and seek to carry them out in a fleshly way. Well, the Lord had to speak to him very pointedly, and David gave up for a time. Then he finally realized that the ark should be brought up by the Levites (1 Chron. 15:11-15).
Now there is one thing in connection with this that I wanted to call attention to. You know, we speak of what a blessed place it is to be able to come together and to remember the Lord in His death, and what a privilege it is. Oh that we valued it more! It tells us here that David prayed to the Lord about this when he brought the ark to Jerusalem. We know that when the Lord forsook Shiloh, He chose Mount Zion (Psa. 78:60-72). Mount Zion means grace. It was when everything had failed (even the king had failed) that He chose Mount Zion. It speaks of mercy and grace, the opposite of Mount Sinai. So David, when he brought the ark into this temporary place in Jerusalem, said: "Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest; Thou, and the ark of Thy strength." Psa. 132:8. He asks the Lord to come in, and speaks of it as a rest to the Lord. "Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest; Thou, and the ark of Thy strength." That was David's thought concerning it. Then we find farther on, in the 14th verse, that the Lord answers him as to that request. He said: "This is My rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it."
In the 22nd of Luke, when He was to keep that last passover supper with His disciples as He assembled there with them, He said: "I have desired" (or, as the marginal reading tells us, I have heartily desired) "to eat this passover with you before I suffer." His great desire was to be there in the midst of His people. And He, at that passover, instituted the Lord's Supper. There He said that He had heartily desired it. Is His desire any different now that He is in glory? No, I believe He has that same desire. He would like to have His people around Himself. And so we learn something of that desire in the New Testament.
Turn now to John 4. Here we have the account of the Lord meeting that Samaritan woman, that poor, degraded woman. He allows His light to shine upon her, which showed what a sinner she was. So, she says, when first aroused (verses 19, 20), "Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and Ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." She, perhaps, had been aroused a little bit and she really tried to talk religion to Him, as we might say. She told Him about how their fathers had gone on "And Ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." I think it is marvelous to see the grace of our Lord with this poor degraded woman and what He says to her: "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Here He tells her there was a change coming.
God had forsaken the tabernacle at Shiloh. He chose Mount Zion and Solomon built Him a temple there a glorious, wonderful temple. But, in the end, they turned from it in heart and worshipped idols. So He had to allow the enemies to come in and destroy that beautiful temple, and they were all carried captive to Babylon. In His mercy, after 70 years, He allowed a remnant to return. So they started in afresh to build a temple. First, they set up the altar and it was nice to see that. It says they set up the altar for fear of the nations around. They felt if they gave the Lord His true place there, and approached Him with that altar, that it would be a protection from the enemies around. Well the Lord is looking out for His people He is not indifferent to what goes on here. So we find that this remnant built a temple. But it is quite distressing in a way when we see how often, even in those remnant days just a few years in the interval of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah it had to be called to their attention that they had sinned and had gone in with the nations around them in a way that was forbidden by the law. They would then bind themselves under an oath that they would not do that again. But it was only a short time until they did it again. I believe they did that about three times. The last time was in Nehemiah. And each time they placed themselves under an oath.
When we come to the book of Malachi, about 100 years, I believe, after Nehemiah's time, we find that they had forsaken the Lord again. This time they could not be aroused to any sense of it. In Ezra and Nehemiah's time they could be aroused, but here in Malachi's time they could not. However, there was a remnant stirred up, but they did not put themselves under any oath that they would not do so again. Rather, it says that they, "spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written." So He heard and He said, "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels." He had a special place for them. How the Lord honors faith!
There is a blank between Malachi and Matthew's gospel of perhaps about 400 years. We do not find any communications in the Scriptures during that time; there were no prophets. But we do find in Luke 2 that when the Lord was born, there was a remnant. Putting themselves under oaths could only carry them a few years and then they transgressed again. But, during those 400 years, those who spoke often one to another were preserved and kept going on in simplicity before the Lord. How marvelous it is that they were preserved. The encouraging thing, it seems to me, is that they were kept going on until the Messiah came until the Lord came! What a cheer that is to us now! If there is the going on in simplicity and dependence upon Him, He will preserve us and preserve the testimony (it is His testimony, not ours) until He comes.
Now, then, in the gospels we have the Lord's ministry, and He had to tell the Jews toward the end of His ministry, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." He told His disciples that "not one stone" should be left "upon another." Here He tells this woman that the time for a change is coming: "The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." Then He tells her, "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews." They did not know what they were worshiping, He said. (They were really worshiping demons that is what it amounted to.) But, He says, "We know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is." The time had come for the change. God was no longer going to go on with that old thing. How sad it is, if we read the Scriptures, to find that man fails in everything that God commits into his hands. He fails to realize that God is a Spirit; he fails to realize what is becoming to one in this path of faith, because it had been a path of faith all along. In the law a natural man, unconverted, could carry out those things in a nominal way; many of them did. But there were those who read between the lines, as we say, that there was something else beyond that outward observance.
The principles of Scripture are those things which express to us the ways of God. In the New Testament we do not have a definite chapter and verse for everything that comes up. But there are principles that guide us. One has referred to the Sadducees in the 20th of Luke, when they came to the Lord denying the resurrection and proposing an improbable situation to Him of a woman who had seven husbands. Now, who is going to be her husband in the resurrection? He had to tell them that in the resurrection they were neither married nor were given in marriage. And He cited a scripture back in Exodus, where the Lord was speaking to Moses and He introduced Himself as, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." The Lord said, "He is not a God of the dead, but of the living." He was teaching Moses that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were with the Lord. The Sadducees denied that. That scripture which He quoted did not say anything about that, but it showed in the very expressions of it.
I was interested in reading in the JND Translation about the expression, "Word." In one place it tells us there are two expressions for Word; one is the definite text and the other is more the thought of what is taught rather than what is expressed. And that is what we have in the principles of Scripture. It is like the Pharisees. They thought they could read between the lines in the Old Testament that there was to be a resurrection, though it was not given as a doctrine. There were some who thought they could see it, but there was no definite word for it. However, the Lord held them accountable that they had not seen it. And so the Lord holds us accountable for what we should, see in the Word.
I remember one time, many years ago, in Chicago we had a case of discipline and some of us were speaking to Mr. Potter about it. We raised the question, "Shouldn't there be some definite scripture to tell us what to do?" He said, "The New Testament is not written that way." The law was written a good deal like that. They had specific instructions what to do and what not to do, which animals were clean and which were unclean. But in the New Testament we do not have things written in that way. It is not like a textbook in school where one portion is gradually developed into another, and so on. But it is, "line upon line; precept upon precept; here a little and there a little." And so we learn God's ways.
But we have to know that He is a Spirit and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth. We must approach Him in that way. We cannot go on in this scene as the world does, or even as they did in the Old Testament. We find oftentimes in the Old Testament characters who were cited for their faith and yet they told lies. Perhaps they thought to save themselves. In the New Testament God has come out. He is a God of Light as well as a God of Love, and in Him is no darkness at all. That is not in keeping with our position here. The world has an expression, "The end justifies the means." But that is not true in what the Lord has given to us. He does not want our conniving to further His ends here in this world. He wants us to approach Him in faith. So He tells the woman, in John 4:23, 24, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." When He speaks of truth here, I believe we might say it is in the absolute sense. It is not the sense, "in the main it might be true, but in details it might not. It could be a little shady." No, it is not anything like that. "Must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
Here we have the Lord introducing the fact that there is going to be a change. Turn to the gospel of Matthew and we shall see this change spoken of in chapter 16.
In the 13th verse Jesus raises the question, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" in verse 14 the disciples answered, " Some say that Thou art John the Baptist; some Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." But none of them really approached the truth as to His person. The natural man cannot see that. So, He said to them, "But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Lord there speaks of something future. He says, "Upon this rock" (that is, the confession that Peter made as to His being the Christ, the Son of the living God the Christ that was the Rock upon which this Church was to be built) "I will build My church." So we see that it was yet future. Sometimes you may pick up a paper written by one in the Christian world, and they speak about the Church. They want to take it way back into the Old Testament. They will say, "Was not Isaiah a Christian?" Well the Christians were those who were the followers of Christ after He came. No, the Church was yet future.
We also notice here that Peter is called blessed. I do not know of any other man in the New Testament who was called blessed. I think it is well to notice here though, that in this same chapter the Lord had to speak to Peter in a rather severe way.
Peter must have been puffed up a little bit about what the Lord said to him. And, you know, we can't stand very much without the pride of the old man asserting itself. So in verse 21, the Lord spoke about His going to Jerusalem to suffer many things and be killed, and be raised again the third day. "Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee." Peter takes it upon himself to rebuke the Lord and tell Him, "No that is not the path You ought to take. You are too valuable here with us; You should remain with us." So the Lord had to turn to him. He recognized where that came from. He recognized the source of it and so this most blessed man is now told, "Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." Peter here stooped down to the level of man. He was on a high position; God had revealed to him the truth concerning Christ and now he sinks down to the level of man and looks at things from the human standpoint. He had to be told, "Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me." So it is possible for the most blessed among the people of God to get down to the human level and speak perverse things that are not to the glory of God. Peter had to be rebuked!
Now, in chapter 18, we have the Lord beginning to reveal to us what He was about to do. He again speaks of the Church in this chapter, one of the two times, I believe, that we have it mentioned in the gospels the Church. We have here a case of difficulty coming up between two disciples and the Lord tells them a certain procedure to follow. They were to go and speak to him and take two or three witnesses. If they were not heard—if there was no yieldingness on the part of the one spoken to —they were to tell it unto the Church. So here we have the Church again spoken of. Is it not humiliating to think that the second time the Lord speaks of the Church it is spoken of as a place where difficulties should be settled amongst us by those who are His. They constitute the Church as we may see later on, and here difficulties can be settled. Now we will see how it is that they can be settled. Verse 20: "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." Here He gives us a simple thought concerning the Church. He says, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." He is in the midst! That was His promise. It is said, in connection with this man who would not hear the Church, "Let him be as a heathen man and a publican." Why was that said? Because he had despised the Lord in the midst.
I would just like to mention the divisions in this 20th verse. "Two or three" there is the divine number, the minimum number, we might say, the divine number of His disciples. Then we next learn, "are gathered together." Oh, there is a divine power of gathering. They do not gather together voluntarily. It is the power of the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God does this gathering. So, "are gathered together," is the power of the Spirit of God—the divine power. Everything connected with this verse is divine. Then we have, "together." There is the unity which is formed by the Spirit of God. It is not union; it is not binding ourselves together with some kind of an oath or something of that kind. But the Spirit of God brings together and unites together, as we will see farther on. So, here is this unity. Then, "in My name." There is the authority divine authority. Things in this world, you know, are done largely by some name endorsing them.
Here we have, "My name." There is the divine authority. There could be no higher authority than that —My name. Then, He says, "There am I." There is the divine presence. We have to be gathered together. Not only that, but there has to be a divine center to whom we are gathered. So, He says, "There am, I." Then He says, "in the midst of w them." So here we have the Lord speaking to us in this wonderful way of the Church, how it is gathered together brought together by the Spirit of God, and that the Lord is in the midst. I believe that we do not contemplate enough the presence of the Lord in the midst!
Brother Potter had a verse from the 89th Psalm framed and put under the clock on the wall in the meeting room. I suppose he thought it was a place we would look quite frequently, so he had this verse framed as a text and put there. Psa. 89:7, "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him." He wanted to call our attention to and to ever keep before us the fear of the Lord. "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be 'had in reverence of all them that are about Him." One wishes we could keep that more before us. I realize that we have this treasure in earthen vessels, and oftentimes the flesh is not kept in the place of death and human thoughts come up with us as they did with Peter. But is is a wonderful thing if we can be brought to realize that the Lord is in the midst. And, that if we do certain things contrary to the fact that He is in the midst, it is a most solemn thing!
We could not, for instance, knowingly go to another nearby meeting simply because we did not like the way the chairs were arranged, or something like that. I believe that would be despising the Lord in the midst. And, if for any reason we did not like what was going to be brought up and we went elsewhere, I believe that would be walking disorderly. It tells us in 2 Thess. 3:6, "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition" (or the instructions) "which he received of us." I believe that should exercise us. The Lord is in the midst. And, if for some reason or other we choose not to go to a certain place on account of something there which displeases us, we are setting ourselves above the Lord in the midst and above our brethren.
In the Old Testament, in connection with the gatherings together of Israel, the seventh day was prominent obligatory. In the New Testament there is a new beginning. The Lord was in the tomb on the Sabbath Day but He was raised from the dead on the first day of the week. And we see the prominence given to this first day of the week in the New Testament. I remember one time talking with a Seventh Day Adventist. He was bemoaning the fact that Christian people in general observed the first day of the week instead of the seventh day of the week. He was blaming that on Constantine, the one who lifted the Church from the place of being the persecuted Church to a place, as it tells us in the address to Pergamos, "where Satan's seat is," that is, in the world. He blamed him for inaugurating the first day of the week as the day on which Christians should gather together. I asked him, "When was Pentecost?" He knew enough to look it up, and he looked back in Leviticus and found that they were to number seven Sabbath days, and, on the morrow after the seventh Sabbath, they were to bring out of their habitations two wave loaves baked with leaven and offer them to the Lord. So he said, "It was on Monday, wasn't it?" I replied, "It wasn't Monday, it was the first day of the week." Well, he was going to have to ask somebody about that.
Now, turn to Acts 2. Here we find the day of Pentecost, which means fifty—the seventh Sabbath and one day following. The Lord was risen from the dead and ascended and the disciples were together. The overruling hand of God, I believe, brought them together that time.
You know, in the Gospels, the disciples did not seem to enter into the things the Lord told them. They seemed to take them in but very little. But the Lord told them that after the Spirit of God was come, He would bring to their remembrance those things which He taught them. We find that the Lord ascended in the first chapter of the Acts, and He had opened their understanding to understand the Scriptures; yet the Spirit of God had not come. Still it is nice to see that there had been progress with them. In the first of the Acts they seemed to show more intelligence than they had previously when He was here and so they can turn to the Scriptures and realize that someone had to be chosen for Judas' place. So they choose one. They acted on the principles of the Old Testament and chose this one by lot. (I do not doubt that the Lord guided that lot.) After the day of Pentecost, though, when the Spirit of God came, we find an entire change in their lives and the power in which they were able to speak. The Spirit of God had become their power of testimony as the Lord had said.
So here they were together, "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." The Spirit of God came upon them, that was, we might say, the birthday of the Church the first beginnings. We are told in 1 Cor. 12:13, that, "by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." That took place here, on the day of Pentecost.
I would like to turn now to 1 John 1 and consider just a few verses to show something that had transpired when this great event on the day of Pentecost took place. Notice the first, third and fourth verses (the second is a parenthesis): "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life." That is speaking of our Lord as He came into this scene in human form. They had seen Him, they had heard Him, they had touched Him. Then, the third and fourth verses: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may he full." I particularly wanted to call your attention to this third verse, "That ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." We were saying that when the Lord was here they did not seem to enter into the things He was teaching them. Afterward though, after this day of Pentecost came, something took place which had never taken place before. They were introduced into a fellowship, a fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. He brings that before them. Well, I believe that took place on the day of Pentecost. I just call that to your attention.
Now turn back to the second of Acts. The apostles had been preaching the gospel and numbers were converted. We read in verse 41: "Then they that gladly received His word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." It tells us, "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship." In the New Translation it is turned around, "they persevered in the teaching [doctrine] and fellowship of the apostles." It was the doctrine and fellowship of the apostles. It was that which the Apostle John was speaking about years later—about this fellowship. So it tells us that they continued steadfastly in the doctrine and fellowship of the apostles. Well, the Lord would have us "continue steadfastly in this into which we have been brought, and truly there is no fellowship like it. There is nothing in this world to compare with the fellowship that He has introduced us into!
So, here, they continued steadfastly. Oh, we should endeavor to keep out anything that would mar this fellowship! We are told in Ephesians to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." This is the unity which is of God and He would have us use diligence to keep this unity in the uniting bond of peace. We should not seek to introduce things from an argumentative standpoint or anything like that, just to hear an argument. I remember a story Mr. Potter told about a man who used to be in fellowship in Chicago. Afterward he got away and became the vice-president of one of the great railroads. I believe it was the Milwaukee Railroad, with offices in Minneapolis. One time Mr. Potter was up there and a brother took him around to see this man. Mr. Potter was a little man and this man was a big man. So, when he saw Mr. Potter, he threw his arms around him and just lifted him off his feet and said, "I have a confession to make. Back there on 81 Clark Street, where we used to meet, I confess that oftentimes I said things in that meeting just to see you fight." Well that was not endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace.
So here we have, "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship." Then it mentions the breaking of bread and prayers. It has been said that when one gets cold in his soul, the prayer meeting is the first meeting he neglects. I believe it is true. The prayer meeting is really a source of our power being before the Lord in prayer collectively. So here they were, continuing steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and in fellowship. Of course in that day they did not have a New Testament in their hands as you and I have today, so they were dependent upon the apostles to bring before them the Word of God. Sometimes the question is raised, "Why in Corinthians does it not say something about reading meetings?" Well, I believe that they did not have the New Testament in a volume then; they probably had very little. They may not have had any New Testament scriptures, but there were prophets in that day in the assembly who could give to them the mind of the Lord and they evidently did read the epistles as they came to them. And so there were no instructions as to that, but we do get something about them later on.
So here we have the Lord in the midst, as it is said in Ephesians, "Builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit." And when we meet together in that way, we are, "builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit." The Spirit of God is here. The Church is looked at as a house in two ways: one with God as the builder, and the other, with man as the builder. Where it speaks of it as being builded together for a habitation of God, that is as we see it today. There may be some false material in it but, nevertheless, God owns it as a place to dwell.
We have been speaking about His desire to dwell among His people. I would like to turn to one more scripture that is for this present dispensation. We know that in the time to come, the millennium, there will be a new center upon the earth. I was thinking particularly, though, of what is beyond that. Turn to Rev. 21, the first four verses: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death; neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Now we have passed beyond the present, "little while." The Church period is gone, and the millennium is gone. But here we still have that desire of God to be among His people. We have here a scene of new heavens and a new earth. Former things have passed away. We read in Peter about the earth being burned up, the elements melting, and new heavens and a new earth. So here we get new heavens and a new earth. And here, also, He is still expressing that desire to be among His people. All in this new scene, as we have described here in these few verses, are those who are His. They are no longer in bodies like we have now they have been changed. Evidently there will still be a heavenly people and an earthly people. So we have here the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as a bride adorned for her husband. The new Jerusalem is seen in the millennium and spoken of as the bride of Christ, but now a thousand years have passed by and nothing has changed. How often was there change in the earthly histories; how often failure had come in in one way or another and blighted what was so fair and promising at the beginning. Well here is the new scene. For a thousand years it has been the bride of Christ and it is still the same as it says here, "Coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
Now, just this word, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men." That tabernacle is, I believe, the Church the redeemed. And He dwells in that tabernacle; He dwells with men. Is it not wonderful to see His thoughts concerning poor, fallen man and hear what His redemption has done for us? "Made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Here we have His purposes concerning us, and they go beyond this scene into eternity.
Part Two
We have referred to Acts 2:42 and considered in a general way some of the things that pertain to us while seeking to go on in accordance with what we have written there. "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Here we have two assembly meetings spoken of the breaking of bread and prayers. I desire to look at this first one. In Acts 20 we see the day on which the disciples gathered together in those early days for the breaking of bread. Verse 7: "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." We have already mentioned that it was on the first day of the week, the day of Pentecost, that the Spirit of God came down and baptized the believers, those who were the Lord's, into one body. What a marvelous thing it was. How marvelous it was to be introduced into this fellowship which is spoken of here. We find that at this time several years had passed by since that event and here, on this first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together to break bread in remembrance of the death of their blessed Lord and Savior.
In 1 Cor. 11 we have a letter to the assembly at Corinth and there were certain things in their midst which were not in keeping with the calling with which they had been called. So the Apostle has to write to them in this letter correcting these things. And he tells us here how he received a revelation concerning the breaking of bread. They had been gathering together and there had been disorders there, so he writes to them concerning it. Verses 17 22: "Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not."
Now he tells them something about this which should have been before them in their gathering together: "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation [judgment] to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another."
Here we have some very wonderful instructions concerning the Lord's supper. We read in the gospels, when the Lord instituted that supper, how He desired to eat it with His disciples before He suffered. It was the occasion of His eating the last Passover with them. He evidently had eaten other Passover suppers with them, but now, as He was about to depart out of this world, He had a special desire to keep this one with them because He was about to institute something else, which is called here, "the Lord's supper."
The Apostle Paul brings to their attention that it was on the same night in which He was betrayed that He instituted this supper. Betrayal is an awful thing! It is one of the most disheartening things, humanly speaking, that one has to pass through. The Apostle emphasizes that it was the night in which He was betrayed. It shows the importance of what the Lord was about to do and His request to His disciples. The very occasion of it, with all that He had before Him that night they were to forsake Him, all of them; Judas was to betray Him and yet He thinks of them. And as He tells us elsewhere, He thinks of those who should believe on Him through their word. So this is passed on down to us. We see how much it was upon the Lord's heart to bring before them this simple request to remember Him in this way. So, the Apostle brings this before them, telling them he had a special revelation. The Lord instituted it, as we have said, on that same night in which He was betrayed. Now, several years afterward, the Apostle Paul (it had not been his privilege to be there with them that night because he was then still an unbeliever) received a special revelation from the Lord, after He had gone to glory, of the importance of this request. Oh that we had more before us this desire of the Lord to have us remember Him.
We have already considered the Lord's desire to be among His people. We also referred to the 4th of John, where He told the woman of Samaria that there was to be a change in the manner of approach to Him and to the Father. He said, "The hour cometh, and now is," as though the time had come for the old order of things to pass away. It was to pass away in His rejection. So here was something new that was to be instituted. In those remarks to the woman He speaks about worship, and He says: "The Father seeketh such to worship Him." So, in connection with what we have brought before us here, there should be worship. It is not simply a formal thing. Some have called it a formal thing, but it is not that. When we think of the way in which our blessed Lord and Savior instituted it, we would not dare to speak of it as a formal thing but something which brings before us the remembrance of Himself in passing through death for us. And so, when we are gathered together in this way, He would have the worship proceeding from our hearts to Himself and to the Father as we partake of this supper.
One has thought of something in the Revelation concerning worship. It is not a book you would normally turn to for the subject of worship. But there are some things there that I would like to call attention to: how that worship was in accordance with the way in which He was manifested to His disciples. Rev. 1. When this message was given to John concerning the addresses to the seven assemblies, we have the Lord brought before us in a certain way. Verses 4 and 5: "Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth." There we have the Lord brought before us in a certain way. It speaks of Him being the faithful witness unto death and it speaks of His resurrection. It also speaks of Him in His future relationship to this world, being the prince of the kings of the earth. I believe when He is spoken of as the prince of the kings of the earth it does not mean He is inferior to them, or in an inferior place, but that He is the One who is above them all. The word prince is sometimes used in that way, as one who is above the rest of the people. So He is introduced here as, "the prince of the kings of the earth."
Then we get the Church, the Lord being brought out in this way to them draws out the response of the Church. And it is worship and it is in accordance with the way in which He is manifested to them: "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." So here the Church picks up the theme. They understand what is due Him and so they speak of Him in His love for them He has washed us from our sins in His own blood. Well, I am sure that this should be before us when gathered together in this way to remember Him in His death.
Then it speaks of us as being made, "kings and priests unto God and His Father." We are introduced into a place where we can worship as priests. We have not yet entered into the kingship; that will come by and by. But it would seem as though the service the priestly service would never cease, for we read in chapter 20 of those who participate in the first resurrection, that they shall be kings and priests. So the priesthood continues. But what I wanted especially to call attention to here is that the praise was suitable to Him in the way that He is brought before us. And in connection with our being together to remember the Lord, there is a theme which corresponds with that. Sometimes the theme may vary because it should not follow a certain ritual, but the way the Spirit of God brings Him before us. So our hearts should be in tune with that, so that our selection of hymns and the scriptures that are read will be in accordance with the leading of the Spirit of God.
Then in chapter 4 we read: "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind." Then, verse 8: "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts [living creatures] give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."
Here we have the Apostle John caught up into heaven and he sees this throne brought before him. It is the majesty of it that seems to be brought to our attention here. And we see these living creatures speaking of the One who sat there, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." They speak of that One, His majesty and what He had been before, what He is, and what He will be in time to come. When that is brought before the twenty-four elders, (the twenty-four elders represent the redeemed who had been caught up at the coming of the Lord, and John's being caught up during that cry, "Come up hither," is perhaps an allusion to when the Church will be caught up—which we are looking for at any moment—and ushered into this scene), they fall down in worship before Him, and say, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." So we have Him brought before us in this way, in His majesty and in the splendor of that scene, and we see how their hearts respond to it. They give Him the glory that is due Him. We should be, I believe, like the Church on earth in the first chapter, who received communications and their hearts were tuned to those communications. And here we have them caught up to heaven; here praise is offered unto God and the Church responds in accord with that.
When we come to the 5th chapter, we have a different scene. We have the throne spoken of, but the scene changes. A challenge goes forth because there was here a book of judgment that needed to be opened and no one was found worthy. John tells us in the 4th verse, "And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne." Here the Lord is brought before us as the Lamb that had been slain. We can say that almost 2,000 years have gone by since that time there upon Calvary's cross when He was slain, but it is just as fresh in the mind of God as it was when it occurred. "For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." Psa. 90:4.1 remember a brother speaking of this many years ago; he spoke about a thousand years being a watch in the night. He said, "Then the cross would be just like it was yesterday." But regardless of how fresh that would be in the mind of mankind, it is always fresh in the mind of God. And He would have it fresh in our hearts. He would have our hearts go out in worship as these did here.
In verse 8 of Rev. 5, we find, "the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." So we see how the praise which goes up at this time suits the occasion. Here is the Lamb who has been slain, and the elders and the living creatures offer up praise that is suitable for that occasion, the way the Lord is manifested to them. They say, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain." It is no longer now as in His majesty, in creation, but as the One who has redeemed them. And their hearts go out accordingly. One was just thinking of this, that, in connection with our worship, there should be a theme that the Spirit of God would lead us in. It is not just giving out a favorite hymn one perhaps we may have been singing, or one that we often sing. But there should be exercise that it is in accordance with the way in which the Spirit of God is leading. I know we cannot lay down rules as to these things, and one would not want to, because it would be a dead thing if we did. But I believe the Spirit of God would have us take these things to heart.
Now let us look at the last chapter of this book, verse 12: "And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments [wash their robes JND)], that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." 16th verse: "I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." There the Lord reveals Himself to us as the One who was the root and the offspring of David and the bright and morning star. And when He speaks of Himself as the bright and morning star, then we have the Church—the Spirit and the Bride. Here is the Spirit on earth leading the Bride to say, "Come." It is in accordance with the way He has presented Himself. Then there is going out, too, "Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Then, verse 20: "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen." And then the response, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." How perfectly suitable this worship is! I believe the Lord would have us to be exercised about this, that our hearts should respond to the way in which He is brought before us.
In connection with meetings of the assembly, there are sometimes matters that come before us which have a different character, and that character is sometimes similar to the way in which the Lord spoke of the Church in the 18th of Matthew. There difficulties had arisen among His own. We have already referred to the 20th verse: "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them," that He is in the midst. We also see how the Apostle had to speak to the Corinthians, that, in the way they were going on, they despised the One in the midst. We find then, in the 18th chapter of Matthew, that there were difficulties to be settled. One would not want to say, as sometimes you hear it said, that every case of discipline which comes up should be carried out in that same order. I do not believe that is the way in which it is presented there to us. It is presented as a personal trespass. So there is the going to see one and then if there were no reconciliation, they were to take two or three witnesses. Then, if there were no reconciliation, it was to be told unto the church. The assembly is then told of his fault, and if he neglected to hear, he was to be, "unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." It does not say that he was put outside, but if this condition went on, it could be taken up by the assembly for further action.
There are some things, as we learn in 1 Corinthians 5, which have to be dealt with by the assembly and which are not in the nature of a personal trespass. There he speaks of a case of fornication among them, and he had to call to their attention that they had not sorrowed over this matter as they should have. Verse 2: "And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you." He says they had not mourned. I believe the Lord would have us mourn. He would not have us rise up in indignation like the children of Israel did with the case in the Judges where one in a city of Benjamin had done a terrible thing; they rose up as one man and sought in their vengeance to punish the tribe, and they almost annihilated the tribe; they had their minds made up. They did not seek the Lord's guidance. They asked Him, "Who shall go up first?" Well the Lord had something to teach them. He told them Judah should go up first. So Judah went up and they were smitten, though they were far more numerous than Benjamin. Finally, when they had suffered defeat, they had to say, "Benjamin, my brother." Then the Lord tells them to go up and He would deliver them, and so they were.
Well, here at Corinth, it says they were puffed up; they had not mourned. And when these things come among us, there should be mourning. It is not merely that in the place or places where this matter has taken place there is the Lord's chastening. It could be for the whole church for our attitude wherever we might be. One very devoted servant of the Lord said that he wondered sometimes why these things were allowed to come among us, and he said, "Perhaps there is something in me or in my ways, that the Lord has allowed these things." So He would have us to mourn over it.
Then he finally tells them that they had to put this man away. In the end of the chapter he says, "put away from among yourselves that wicked person." And he brings before them in the 7th verse, "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened." That is, it would spread. "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." He would touch their hearts and call to their attention that Christ is our passover. He refers then to the passover feast and the feast that followed the feast of unleavened bread. In verse 8: "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." This feast of unleavened bread lasted seven days and, I believe, it is typical of our complete sojourn here in this world. That is, it i: the sojourn of the Church until the Lord takes it from this scene. So we are to keep the feast, no with the old leaven, not in the way we had former gone on, not with the leaven of malice an wickedness letting something of that kind come in But we are to go on in accordance with the new that is, "with the unleavened bread of sincerity an truth."
Now, verse 9: "I wrote unto you in an epistle' (or, have written to you in the epistle, I believe it should be, not in a former epistle, but in this epistle) "not to company with fornicators: yet no altogether with the fornicators of this world, or wit! the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolators; for then must ye needs go out of the world." In on midst this should not be allowed; there should no be company or mixing with such. But he says, "ye not altogether with the fornicators of this world.' In our business dealings with those we meet in the world we do not have to inquire what their status is in society before we can do business with them No, he says, "not altogether with the fornicators of this world... for then must ye needs go out of the world." We would have to go out of the world if that was the case.
He also brings before us here certain other thing connected with this, "With the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolators." Covetousness, yet know, is not looked down upon in this world. In fact, sometimes they look upon it as that which, a: they say, "Makes the wheels of the world go round." That is, it is man's desire and ambition to succeed in this world, either monetarily or to have a place in this world. But when it comes to that which is in our midst, He asks us not to mix with that. And one has been thankful in going on for many years and being gathered to the Lord's name, to see that merely having a position in this world or wealth does not give one a place in the assembly. One has been thankful that the Lord has preserved us from that.
Then, in the 11th verse: "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one, no, not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." Here he goes over this list again and adds to it. We have a railer, or drunkard, or extortioner. It gets down to some of those things which are not much thought of in this world. Well he ask us not to company with them. We should not go on in a social way with them. We should seek their restoration but not go on with them in a social way.
Now, I would like to turn to Acts 15. We have often spoken of this chapter, and it is a remarkable chapter in the Word of God. Here the question of circumcision had come up. The Jews in Jerusalem, as a servant of the Lord used to say, were not really on Church ground. They never gave up Judaism in the way that they should have. So it clung to them, and they held to the Law and its provisions. Here some of them came down to this Gentile assembly at Antioch. The Lord had worked in Antioch and there was an assembly of Gentiles, for the most part, there. Well, some of these Judaizing teachers came down and tried to teach that they should be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. Paul and Barnabas were there, having returned from a missionary trip. Paul and Barnabas are spoken of as apostles (Acts 14:14). They had no small dissension and disputation with these Judaizing teachers, and it was determined by the assembly in Antioch that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
It has been remarked that Antioch was quite an assembly. In the 13th chapter we have four or five that the Spirit of God mentions as teachers and prophets and so, in a way, we would look upon them as a fairly capable assembly. They ought to have been able to know the Lord's mind. But the Lord evidently told them, "You cannot decide this, you must send up to Jerusalem, the seat of this trouble where it came from." So we find that they went up.
There is a certain order in Acts 15 that I would like to call to your attention. In the 4th verse: "And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." So they bring that before them. And, you know, oftentimes when evil comes in among the saints to try and plague them, I believe we will find that those who are overcome with that evil are the most active. I heard it stated years ago, "It is because when we have a bad conscience it forces us into activity that we might have our conscience stilled in some way by the activity."
Then, in verse 6: "And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter." Whether it was the same time, that is, whether they withdrew or it was another occasion, has not been revealed to us, but the apostles and elders came together for to consider this matter. It has often been taught among us that the assembly is not a democracy where every one has an equal voice in a matter. Here it tells us that the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. We read in Timothy and Titus about elders. They are spoken of as those who have rule in the Church of God. And, it says, if a man has not his house, or his family, in subjection, how can he rule in the Church of God? Well, here they come together to consider this matter that is the first thing. And it has also been said among us that the assembly is not a deliberative body. That is, you do not bring a matter of this kind up where there is something that looks like it might need to be carried out, such as excommunication. You do not bring that up and discuss it in the assembly first. The apostles and elders came together to consider the matter. And I believe that is godly order, that the older ones should consider the matter. They may, if they choose, have some of the others there that they might learn. But one of our teachers of a past generation or two used to say, "It is better to have few than all the brothers in on a matter of this kind." And I believe some have seen that to be good advice.
So they come together to consider it. There must have been a number of elders in that assembly in Jerusalem at that time, because it was quite a large assembly. There was much discussion and Peter allowed them to say what they had to say. And sometimes that is a very good example to follow, because, if people are in the wrong, sooner or later they manifest it and they manifest that they do not have a good conscience. It is manifested more to all than if you attempted to cut them off in the first place. Then Peter rose up and told them how God chose him at the beginning to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, and how God blessed that message and put no difference between the Gentiles and the Jews. Then it is nice to see the way he speaks of it in verse 11: "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." He does not say, "they shall be saved even as we." It is nice to see the grace there that puts the Gentiles first.
There was power in that message of Peter's, and the multitude kept quiet. There is power in the assembly. I have noticed in my time that when people talk together individually they say lots of things, and some of it may be just mere hearsay. Well, you say, "Come on now, let's have a brothers meeting on this. Let's talk about it." And you find they do not say nearly as much as they did when the were talking freely together there is a restraint. And I have noticed that when brought together in the assembly there is a further restraint. That is, they will not talk as freely as they would in a brothers' meeting. I believe it is the overruling 01 the Spirit of God, and it shows the need for the assembly. It is not the brothers that do everything. Some may say, "Well, what good is it for the sisters to be there; they cannot speak." Yes, but the Spirit of God cannot act unless the whole assembly is together, which it cannot be if it is simply the brothers.
So they gave silence to Paul and Barnabas. Then we have James getting up and he sums up what Peter had said and presents it in a little different way. It is rather remarkable that we have these two, Peter and James, bringing this matter before the assembly two who never seemed to be entirely free from these Jewish traditions, with their laws and forms and it is nice to see the way that James presents it to them. He rehearses this thing and shows how the Lord is going to bring in the Gentiles. Then, in the 19th verse, he says: "Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God." He says, "My sentence is." "This is my judgment." Then, in the 22nd verse: "Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church." Here we have the apostles and elders, and they accept James's judgment on the matter; then the whole church is brought in. "It pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company."
In connection with bringing matters before the assembly, I have always heard it taught by those of a past generation that it took more than one voice to bring a matter before the assembly. One man could not stand up and say, "Now here is what we ought to do." That was out of order; it took two voices. Brother Potter use to refer to the silver trumpets that were made in the 10th of Numbers. It says that when they blew with the two trumpets the whole assembly would be gathered together, but one trumpet brought the elders together. Brother Potter used to insist on that. So for one brother to attempt to call the assembly together really is not in accordance with the teaching of Scripture.
We find then, that they accept James's testimony and write letters to those in Antioch: "The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment." So they say, "We did not send them they went down there on their own zeal." It was the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. They went down there and attempted to introduce this. So in the 25th verse: "It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Now there is one thing I would like to call attention to. In speaking here of Barnabas and Paul, they call to their attention that these men have gone forth with the gospel and hazarded their lives for the gospel. It seems to imply that special consideration should be given to the fact that they had done that. Of course, if they were in the wrong, that would not be commendable at all that they hazarded their lives. But here were these devoted men; God had blessed and honored them, and they had carried the message to the Gentiles, hazarding their lives for it. So they call their attention to that and they had made a note of it themselves.
The brethren do send down certain necessary decrees. It has been noted that these decrees which they sent down were not based upon the law but go clear back to Noah. They go back to what was before the law was given.
Perhaps it would be well to consider what the Apostle gives us in Gal. 2 concerning this special trip to Jerusalem, which we do not get in Acts 15. He tells us in Gal. 2:1, that he went up by revelation. The Lord had a very special purpose in sending him there. He was an apostle and had apostolic authority, yet, in this case, the Lord would not allow him to use that authority in Antioch in order to settle this very important question. The Spirit of God also overruled in some way in the assembly; how, we are not told. But, in some way, they were made to realize that they should send certain ones with Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, unto the apostles and elders about this question.
They were being guided according to the principle brought out in Eph. 4:3, "Using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace." (JND.) The epistle of the Ephesians had not been written at this time, but it was that which belonged to the truth of the Church. If this question had been settled at Antioch, those so active of the circumcision in Jerusalem would, in all probability, not have been satisfied. So the Lord overruled and prevented Satan from getting in a wedge and causing a division in the Church.
It was a marvelous intervention of the Lord, and this is very evident in the simplicity of those necessary things which they felt constrained to send to the converted Gentiles. These, as it has been mentioned, were divine principles in force before the law was given. They were what should characterize them as having been brought out from under the power of Satan into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. They cover three important lines of truth: 1. Worship of the one true God.
2. Life belongs to God.
3. Purity of life in man.
When the letter from Jerusalem was read to the assembly in Antioch, they rejoiced at the consolation and deliverance.
I believe we can see, in what we have been considering, illustrations of how complete the Word of God is in providing the Church with instructions to carry us on through all the trials and difficulties as long as the Church is left here, or until the Lord takes us to glory to be forever with Himself.
Courtesy of BibleTruthPublishers.com. Most likely this text has not been proofread. Any suggestions for spelling or punctuation corrections would be warmly received. Please email them to: BTPmail@bibletruthpublishers.com.