EXTRACTS

F.E.R.

The great importance is the circumstance which brought him to Philippi; the vision of a man of Macedonia. I mark the results at Philippi by what comes out in the epistle.

The true measure of a thing is the moral depth, not the superficial area. What comes out at the close of chapter 6 (2 Corinthians 6) is that the saints could not get the benefit of the ministry, because they were not clear of associations. It is the same today; they do not get the benefit of the ministry, they are hindered by social links, etc. It is very remarkable the way in which he speaks of the saints here, of being in unequal yoke with unbelievers, etc. Believers are really described as ‘righteousness’, ‘light’, ‘Christ’, ‘believers’ and the ‘temple of God’; they were that here. They did not understand the gravity of it all, but all these things were presented in the saints; if they were here at all, they were in the saints, and so it is now.

J.S.O.

There is an important note in the New Translation to verse 14, ‘unequally’ is consequence but not stated in the text, which says ‘diversely’ referring to the levitical law, which forbade different animals to be yoked together; Deuteronomy 22: 10.

F.E.R.

Exactly. The saints are not alive to what is expressed in them. We want the consciousness of what we are subjectively.

D.L.H.

You could not have the subjective if you had not the objective?

F.E.R.

The true objective is really God; the subjective is the reflection of the objective.

We have to meet things here with the subjective, not with the objective. If the Corinthians had been alive to what was expressed in them, they would not have tampered with things in the world. Everything is to be after the image of Him that created it. The Creator is objective, but image is subjective. It is like a man looking into a pool of water—he sees himself. The apostle wanted to awaken the saints at Corinth, as to what was expressed in them so that they should not maintain links

inconsistent with it. Righteousness is the first lesson you learn about God.

F. E. Raven (Vol. 10, pp.432, 433)

I think Enoch had faith as to his translation. What I mean is that God gave him light about it.

Man could not have faith if God did not give him light, man cannot originate faith—if a man believes, he believes because God has given him light as to things. It is stated in commenting on Enoch, “Without faith it is impossible to please him”. Light may be presented to people and not accepted, but they cannot please God without it. Faith is the first principle as to pleasing God; we believe “that he is”, we do not arrive at it by reasoning. God has been pleased to make Himself known, and therefore it is by faith we reach the result that God “is”; that is, He exists, and is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Those are the first principles of faith. I might say one word further, and that is, God’s reward is not connected with this world; He brings in His reward outside of the world. Enoch was translated, and so it is in regard to the church. I do not expect any reward from God in connection with this course of the world. Moses got no reward in connection with this world. He died without entering the promised land, but “he had respect unto the recompense of the reward”. God’s reward comes in outside of the world. God does not come in to make a man distinguished in this world, but He has a reward for the man that seeks Him. I think that is our position; we believe that God is; and that God is the rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. God has pleasure in being sought of man, and will reward those that seek Him. That is the first principle of God’s dealings in grace with men.

F. E. Raven (Vol. 12, p.435)

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