EXTRACTS

Christ now abides after the fashion and order we have illustrated in John. There are three points in that gospel—(1) Christ set forth in the company of His own; (2) as the risen Man in the company of His own; (3) as coming again to receive His own, that where He is they may be also. I want you to put these three points together. They bring before us the thought of Christ in different conditions or positions, but of One whose heart is still unchanged; that is a great point to take in.

I think there is nothing more blessed than to see the changelessness of the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ. His disciples dwelt under His shadow with great delight. They contemplated His glory as of an only-begotten One with the Father. You never could understand the truth of the Church if you did not appreciate what Christ was here in the midst of His own upon earth.

Then He comes into their midst in resurrection, and makes known to them that they were His brethren; then He marks their association with Him as after the Spirit not after the flesh; He breathes on them the Holy Spirit. In John 17 He had demanded for them, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory”. His disciples had beheld His glory here, and now he prays for them to be with Him above, that they might behold His glory. We see here a heart which knows no change, the changeless heart of Christ.

F. E. Raven (Vol. 11, p.91)

Quest. Do you think there will be a judicial message to the gentiles in the closing days of the assembly’s history, somewhat akin to the message of Stephen to the Jews?

JT I think it is going on now. The ministry has taken on that character, the judicial character. If you read the Collected Writings, the prophetic side of matters, it will be seen how strongly the judicial side is in mind. We have, “God has judged your judgment upon her”, Revelation 18: 20. That is the judicial side, and no one is equal to the present position of the assembly who does not have that. In separating from evil, you judge what you leave; it is a judicial action. God says, You are judging it, but I will deal with it in time; your judgment will be executed. The judicial side is most important in every respect, because it clarifies the whole position and then we can go on with what is positive.

J. Taylor (Vol. 45, p.364)

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