A Great House
This term—great house—most closely corresponds with what is called “Christendom.” It is the sphere where the name of the Lord is called upon and with that goes the responsibility to depart from iniquity. But we are never called to come out of Christendom. The only way to come out of that sphere of Christian profession would be to become an apostate to Christianity.
It is within that sphere of profession that we are responsible to depart from iniquity. This means separation even from other believers who refuse to depart from iniquity. We are told, “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” A vessel to dishonor is not described, but we are individually to be exercised to be a vessel unto honor.
The Camp
This was that system of religion which man in the flesh could enjoy, including a luxurious building, fine music, robed priests and a visible altar. When our Lord Jesus presented Himself to the builders (Acts 4:1111This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (Acts 4:11)) in that religious system, they in effect said, “There is no place for you here.” So the call to believers, after the death of the Lord Jesus and the subsequent opportunities that God gave to Israel to repent (and they did not), is: “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:1313Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Hebrews 13:13)). The place where He has promised “there am I in the midst” is surely a place found outside “the camp.”
Many principles of the camp have been incorporated into the religious systems found in the great house. While we do not come out of Christendom, we are to separate from what corresponds to the camp that has been adapted into Christendom.
We (those gathered to His precious name) look at ourselves as outside the camp, yet when it comes to public meetings, we sit mute with no exercise to take part in view of the fact that each believer present is a priest capacitated to offer prayer and praise (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)). But if we look for another brother to always take part while we are quiet, in practice (though not, perhaps, in doctrine) we embrace what we are to come out of.
What about music? What pleases God now is worship in Spirit and in truth from the heart (John 4:2323But 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. (John 4:23); Eph. 5:1919Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (Ephesians 5:19)). Such worship may grate on our ears, but it is pleasing to God. People—moved by the humanistic principles of our culture—are easily persuaded that listening to beautiful music is a form of worshipping God. But music is like honey. It is a natural sweetness that was recommended for man in measure (Prov. 25:1616Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. (Proverbs 25:16)), but it has no place in the sacrifices of God (Lev. 2:1111No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire. (Leviticus 2:11)).
Distinguishing Between the “Camp” and the “House”
It is helpful to distinguish between these two things—Christendom and the camp. They are often spoken of as if they were the same, but they are not.
To enjoy individual fellowship with believers who are not collectively in fellowship with us is not necessarily going into the camp. However, at times, these believers may want us to go with them to their religious functions. This is where we need exercise about what characterizes the camp we are to leave.
Individual fellowship with other Christians, with whom we do not meet collectively, can still be a blessing to us, and we ought to be able to be a blessing to them. Yet, dear older brethren often express the importance of care and caution concerning such fellowship, and with good reason—especially for younger believers—for where there is no exercise to distinguish how far such fellowship should go, such individual fellowship can end up with the believer totally involved in the camp—taken up wholly with what is Judaistic in principle.
R. Thonney (adapted from a note to young believers)