GOD’S THOUGHTS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY

There are many Christians, dear brethren, marked by a real evidence of the divine nature and the work of God who also love Christ, who nevertheless do not understand that their true place is with their Christian companions in the assembly. It is evident that, if they are true believers and have the Holy Spirit, they belong to the assembly, there is no doubt of it, but God’s mind is that the assembly according to the truth which that implies should be the expression of it, and the only way in which saints walking together are seen individually is in withdrawing from iniquity, separating from vessels to dishonour and pursuing “righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart”.

Once this ground is occupied, it is good to see that in going on together, every thought of God concerning the assembly can be realised, and this is a thought which must be a guiding line for us (I recommend it to young brothers and sisters as well as to older ones), that all that we have of spiritual value must be a contribution made to the assembly as being where God loves to dwell. It serves, so to say, to augment the glory of it.

A J Gardiner

16 September 1949

Place not known