WHAT BELIEVERS ARE TO HOLD FAST IN CHRISTIANITY

Hebrews 4: 14–16; 10: 19–25; Colossians 2: 16–19; Revelation 3: 7

APG These scriptures speak of things that we are exhorted to hold fast. In Hebrews 4 “hold fast the confession”, in chapter 10 “hold fast the confession of the hope unwavering”, in Colossians “holding fast the head” and lastly in Revelation “hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown”. I thought we might get help as to these things. Along with that I was impressed with the way that the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of in these scriptures. As we are occupied with Him and our attention is focused on Christ, the saints are encouraged and built up. I was thinking particularly of the need for holding fast our heavenly calling. It is a great sorrow when believers give up what is heavenly for an earthly religion. In Hebrews chapter 3 the saints are addressed as partakers of the heavenly calling and that is what is to be held fast. Holding fast is necessary in an adverse scene, but I think that in Christ and in divine resources, there is help and support for us in view of holding fast. In Hebrews where we read, Christ is spoken of as our “great high priest who has passed through the heavens”. This epistle and Colossians too, are full of references to the glory and greatness of Christ. It is such a One that we have as our High Priest, for support. We are often reminded of the two things in this chapter; the searching character of the word of God, and the service of Christ as Priest in view of holding fast the confession. He provides support for us in our weakness, but the main thought is that we are to hold fast to the confession. We could perhaps get help as to what the confession is.

And then in chapter 10 it is not so much our need that is in mind, it is more in view of “entering into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus”. We were reminded in Grangemouth recently of the distinctive privilege of this dispensation. I was particularly impressed with verses 23 to 25, as though the result of being consciously in the presence of God is that we “hold fast the confession of the hope unwavering”. And then also how we regard one another; I think as we know what it is to be in the presence of God and see the glory of Christ, we consider for one another, “but encouraging one another, and by so much the more as ye see the day drawing near”.

And then in Colossians there is the reference to “holding fast the head”. We sang of that in our hymn, ‘our living Head’, and ‘our glorious Head’ (Hymn 199). Everything that nourishes, and gives impulse to the body is from Christ. Again it is essential that we hold fast the Head. We know that this letter was also to be read to the Laodiceans; the condition that developed there was really through not holding fast the Head. They were drawing from another source.

Then in Revelation 3, “hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown”. The Philadelphians were marked by real affection for Christ, not making claims. This is what the Lord is saying to them, “hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown”. The Lord is presented here as “the holy, the true; he that has the key of David”. We had a word on Tuesday as to this, in view of the service of God being maintained in freshness, and following what we had in Aberdeen, the pathway that is separate from evil being in view of what is for the pleasure of God being maintained in freshness and in life. “He that has the key of David” suggests the service of God. The word “I come quickly” would stir the affections of the saints. Perhaps we could get some help in this enquiry.

RJC Christianity is a very distinctive system, is it not? I thought of the great High Priest here, there was never a great High Priest before. There was a high priest, but Christianity has this glorious source of help and support in the One who has passed through the heavens. He is there in all His distinctiveness and we can call on Him at any time, but I thought of the distinctiveness of the system that God has made available to us centring in that blessed Man before God.

APG This whole epistle draws attention to the greatness of Christ. “The Apostle and High Priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3: 1), our confession is really Christianity. These persons were in danger of giving it up, and they were being exhorted to hold fast the confession, and all the support that was required was there in the great High Priest.

RJC Whatever we are asked to do from the divine side, there is support and help available for us. We are not left to our own charges. But if we have right desires then help is available for us.

APG That is fine and the service is for those in the pathway of faith.

WMP Is this connected with our valuation of these things?

APG Yes I was thinking about that. If we value these things rightly we will hold on to them, we will not want to let them go. So the writer here is seeking to bring before the saints the glory of what they are connected with, the heavenly character of it.

CKR The danger in Hebrews was slipping away. These exhortations that you are bringing forward would help us all and prevent us from slipping away, by holding faster than ever to these glorious matters that relate to Christ.

APG So we do not exactly hold fast with our own strength, we need the support of our great High Priest. I think it is as we hold fast that we prove the strength and support of Christ.

GCMcK So Christianity involves a great spiritual and heavenly order of things, wonderfully superior to what the Hebrews had known. Does the confession link with that, it was not the outward thing that they had in the old system, but now they have a far more glorious, but heavenly and spiritual one, is that right?

APG We are often reminded of the contrast in this epistle and of the glorious things that they were brought into. They were suffering, they had sorrow and felt their weakness. I think that holding fast would involve suffering and then we would feel our weakness. But “we have not a high priest not able to sympathise with our infirmities”, what an encouragement that is. Our brother spoke of the feelings of the Holy Spirit last weekend. Here we have the feelings of Christ, the feelings of a man. He understands all that we go through.

GAB What they were tending to go back to was not exactly evil. It was something that had been owned of God but had now been superseded. I think that is a big test, to see what God is doing now, what is superior, because I suppose the Old Testament scriptures in this epistle are not viewed as types so much as viewed as contrasts.

APG So the greatness of Christ really characterises the whole system, “a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God”. The name of Jesus would remind us of His manhood; His service as high priest would be motivated by love.

DBR That would be confirmation that what is old has been superseded by “Jesus the Son of God”. The Messiah had to do with earth, but the Son of God has to do with a heavenly sphere, a heavenly sphere of relationships do you think?

APG So that the scripture in Psalm 2 is quoted in chapter 1, “Thou art my Son—this day have I begotten thee”, Hebrews 1: 5. Then it is also quoted in chapter 5 as to the high priest, His sonship underlies His priesthood. It suggests His greatness and, as you say, what is superior to what was before, an encouragement for us not to give up. It is all in view in having a part in the service of God.

WL I like the illustration that has been used often as to the limpet and the rock; the old believer was being harassed by the atheist and was asked some questions that he could not answer, but he said, ‘Well, you might shake me on the rock but you will not shake me off it’.

APG Yes very good, it is cleaving to Christ and I think that His priestly service would attach our hearts to Him. The name of Jesus speaks of this sympathy from above. The saints go through a great deal of testing but the Lord has sympathy with His own. Sympathy is more than compassion; compassion is feeling for the saints, but sympathy is feeling with His people.

JSp Would the throne of grace imply power in all things?

APG Grace is supreme, “Let us approach therefore with boldness to the throne of grace”. It would remind us of the prayer meeting, do you think? It is of course also individual but what a resource we have in the throne of grace. I would be glad of your help as to it.

JSp The whole system is really set in relation to the believer carrying things through. While it is the priesthood of Christ that is emphasised in Hebrews, it is really to develop priesthood in us too.

APG So the grace is for seasonable help. The grace is available at the time it would be needed. Mercy might remove the test, but we prove the grace as we are going through the testing.

CKR Say more on your impression of what the confession is that we are to hold.

APG I think it is what our brother said earlier, it involves all that belongs to Christianity, the greatness of Christianity. Our calling is heavenly. Is the confession something that is public? It involves our testimony. We are a heavenly people, do you think?

CKR We have in Timothy as to the Lord Jesus that He “witnessed before Pontius Pilate the good confession” (1 Timothy 6: 13), which related to truth did it not? That would still be the case, but here it would be Christianity and the truths relating to the triumph of all that, would it not? If that becomes held in such a way in your mind and affections then you just will not give it up.

APG It says later in chapter 11 of those who “confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth” (Hebrews 11: 13). It would be seen that they were heavenly. Abraham was heavenly in character.

RG So this is what is available to those that go out to Him without the camp bearing His reproach. It would be an encouragement to us in the midst of public breakdown to go out to Him, and then this is all available to us to have our minds and our lives engaged with the One who is in heaven.

APG So that going forth to Him would involve suffering and reproach, but then we have the support of Christ and the grace of Christ as going through the testing.

WL Would Naboth be a good illustration of this?

APG Yes I was thinking of him. It cost him his life. He held on to his vineyard, the heritage of his fathers, involving the service of God.

WL So in the following chapters it is still called Naboth’s vineyard.

APG That is encouraging.

GCMcK So there is both a throne of grace and there is a great high priest. It suggests a very great system of things, both the throne and the priest.

APG Yes a very full provision, full resource for us.

GCMcK I suppose the Jewish believers might have felt themselves cut off from all that they relied on before their conversion, all the material system of things, but here there is a very full provision, divine grace towards them, and the priesthood of Christ sustaining them, in view of approaching the throne of grace.

APG It says, “but tempted in all things in like manner, sin apart”. He has been in the same testing circumstances, sin apart.

DTP The side of sympathy is one that brings encouragement to the believer’s heart, because there is One who has faced these matters for us, and there is the triumph now of where He is, and it is all being sustained in life, that is the glory of it.

APG So that the confession involves that Christ is in heaven, but He was the One who was here. I thought of John chapter 11 how the Lord’s feelings are expressed. It says He was “deeply moved in himself”, John 11: 38.

DBR The prophet says, “In all their affliction he was afflicted”, Isaiah 63: 9. Then I thought of this matter here, “Let us approach therefore with boldness”, perfect certainty do you think? We have been encouraged that it might be a continual matter that we approach with boldness.

APG Yes it suggests that we are free, the truth has set us free. Do you think that the reference to boldness would suggest sonship, involving liberty to approach?

RJC Would it suggest too that the throne is available, it is a throne of grace so we can approach with boldness to that throne, because God is disposed towards us and the Lord is available to us.

APG He has all the resource whatever the circumstances and whatever the temptations. It says “tempted in all things in like manner, sin apart”.

RGr Do you think that it is times of need that bring out the greatness of divine Persons? That is how we learn their greatness, do you think?

APG That is good. We learn divine Persons as we go through these testings. We learn His love, Christ is serving us in love, and that causes us to be attached to Him. Do you think the outcome would be more attachment to Christ?

RGr And even the Old Testament saints had distinctive lessons in relation to the names of God in times of pressure.

WL What is the difference between brashness and boldness?

APG Brashness is suggestive of the flesh, a natural feature, but say what is in your mind.

WL It is quite remarkable that it says “therefore with boldness” and also in chapter 10 (see Hebrews 10: 19); it seems to be quite a prominent thought in his mind. It would be a spiritual feature as you say, it is not a question of assertiveness in the flesh.

APG It is also in chapter 3, “if indeed we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope firm to the end” (Hebrews 3: 6), there it is in view of continuing to the end.

GAB There is nothing to repel about this throne. In Isaiah 6 “the foundations of the thresholds shook”, and “the house was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6: 4). This would bring out the superiority of Christianity that this is a throne and we are drawn to it and attracted to it.

APG It is for persons who are on the pathway of faith. It is an attractive reference, “For he does not indeed take hold of angels by the hand, but he takes hold of the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2: 16), that is those who are marked by faith. active faith.

DTP What is His mind as to receiving mercy, when we are approaching?

APG I think someone said in regard to Paul, that the Lord might have removed the thorn in mercy, but he was given grace to sustain him in the testing.

DTP There is something in our state as we approach is there not, maybe we are troubled, maybe we have difficulty, but there is something operating in us and receiving mercy is really receiving the answer.

APG Yes, it would cause thankfulness too in our hearts to God as the source of the mercy.

DBR Do you think the word ‘seasonable’ is to be noted? Whatever we need, the help is seasonable, it is something coming directly to us from the priesthood of Christ.

APG I think it is very attractive, it is just at the time as it is needed, not in advance, it is the Lord providing grace just at the time the saints are going through the testing. Perhaps we should move on to chapter 10, which speaks of the privilege we have available to us to enter into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way that has been made available through Christ. He has come out and He is now there in the presence of God on our behalf. This approach is not in view of our need exactly, but in view of looking at the glory of Christ. And I was particularly thinking that as we enjoy that privilege and avail ourselves of the access, that we will be changed, resulting in our holding fast “the confession of the hope unwavering”. Holding fast, considering one another, and encouraging one another are the results of enjoying our place in the presence of God.

RJC Does every believer have this access if they wish to avail themselves of it? I thought of boldness for entering into the holy of holies, that is something new in Christianity is it not? It did not belong to the old dispensation, but we have liberty through the blood of Christ to enter right into the presence of God.

APG Yes, that is very encouraging and as you say it is available. He has made that way open for us and the saints here are being exhorted to make use of the way of approach.

TRC In chapter 4 when we are exhorted to hold fast it immediately says, “For we have not a high priest not able to sympathise with our infirmities”, and then in chapter 10 it immediately says, “for he is faithful who has promised”. Does that give certainty in our soul as we hold fast that everything is established in Christ in glory?

APG There is great assurance for us in the faithfulness of God and then this whole section is designed to provide assurance in our approach. What you say as to “we have not a high priest” involves contrast, our high priest is able to sympathise.

GCMcK It is the question of the hope here, it is looking ahead I suppose, it is the hope we have, but it seems that what we enjoy at the present time sustains the hope as to what lies ahead—a little like “hope does not make ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts”, Romans 5: 5. What we enjoy now of the presence of divine persons and the knowledge of their love is what underlies and sustains the hope do you think?

APG Yes I think so. Do you think the hope involves the divine purpose? And then chapter 6 speaks about the hope, “lay hold on the hope set before us, which we have as anchor of the soul, both secure and firm” (Hebrews 6: 18, 19), which would link with what our brother remarked that there is assurance connected with it. Would you say more as to it?

GCMcK It connects with the faithfulness of the One who has promised. I suppose that opens up a wonderful range of divine thoughts for us, these promises of God, everything that God has in mind for us is in view in this.

APG And the promises are all secured in Christ risen from among the dead.

NMcK I noticed in chapter 4 it is ‘Son of God’. Does that mean that there is a new system and the Son of God is going to start with what is entirely new for God? But here it is the blood of Jesus, does that involve more a blessed Man in the presence of God? The greatness of the two things, a new system and the greatness of the Son of God at the centre of it, but then there is a blessed Man in the presence of God.

APG Yes, the service of a priest involves a man. A priest must be a man in order to sympathise. The blood of Jesus involves the cost that this way is made available to us, the infinite cost. So as was said earlier it would encourage us to value what we have. This way has been secured at such infinite cost.

WL They are both there, “the blood of Jesus” and “that is, his flesh”, what do you say about that?

APG Does that involve His coming into manhood? Does it involve His death too do you think?

WL The value of the blood remains, the actual shedding of it is historical, but His flesh is His present condition.

RG Is that the Person that goes through do you think? His blood has been shed, His life has been given up and water came out too. The water comes into this section, so that the whole man is secured, you might say, to be alongside of Christ in His present condition. Would that be right?

APG Yes so that every hindrance to enjoying this place has been removed through the blood of Jesus and the water; the water removing any defilement so that we are entirely free in His presence.

RG What is inside has been secured, the sprinkling has secured that, but what is outside has also been secured as the water has cleansed us, and so we can understand something of His flesh, do you think? That we can go through in the appreciation of the Person of the Lord Jesus who has entered in for us.

APG That is helpful. My exercise was that these scriptures would cause us to have a greater appreciation of Christ. He is brought before us very attractively in these scriptures. If we are holding fast, it is as having Him before us.

DBR I was just going to say He remains a Man, that would all be part of the confession of the hope. He could have gone in from the mount of transfiguration, He could have gone in on personal grounds, but He dies, sheds His blood and He goes in on that basis, and that secures our place so we can approach in full assurance of faith, nothing to turn us back or hold us back.

APG Jesus has entered as forerunner for us, meaning that there are others. He has secured our place there.

GAB The veil is not said to be rent here.

APG No, it says “through the veil”, say more as to that.

GAB As I understand it the rent veil which we read of in the gospels is God coming out to man, but this is man going in to God. It is through His flesh that man subsists continually before God.

APG I would like the brethren’s help as to how this affects our attitude to one another, how we consider one another. We are exhorted to consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, but then we have also to “consider one another for provoking to love and good works”. I think if we are enjoying our place in the presence of God it will affect our view of the saints, how we speak about them, because the saints are there on His heart.

JSp So that we are part of a sanctified company.

APG The Sanctifier and those sanctified are all of one, it is a very great company; is that what you are thinking? A glorious, dignified company, and it is good to view the saints in that way, not just as natural relatives or friends, but to view them as on His heart and the object of His affections.

RGr Do you think the suggestion as to considering one another would suggest that the saints are beginning to take on the characteristics of the priests themselves? They are beginning to look on one another intelligently with a view to help, do you think?

APG “Provoking to love and good works.” There is another kind of provoking, Paul says to the Galatians, involving envying and so on, but this is provoking to love and good works. Do you think that as we express love for one another, that results in provoking love in others?

GCMcK I was thinking of the expression, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”, it does not say ‘not giving up going to the meetings’, it suggests that we come together as drawn by this common enjoyment and bond that we have, do you think?

APG Yes, assembling is a dignified thought, “assembling of ourselves together”; it is as though we are coming to enjoy the company of the saints. It does not say ‘to the name of the Lord’ here, it is the “assembling of ourselves together”, involving our appreciation of the saints, what is of Christ in the saints.

WMP These assemblings provide an area where we are maintained at the level of these first few verses. So that our experiences at the Supper are intended to really give some touch, some character to the meetings as they proceed in the week.

APG So if we have a fresh view of the glory of Christ it will affect the assemblings of the saints, they will be given a heavenly character. No other gathering of persons can be compared with it, the assembling of the saints.

CKR They are right customs, are they not? This is not only a right, good custom, but it is healthy custom to approach, to know something of going into the divine presence, and then become accustomed to holding fast the confession. It is in view of the day that is drawing nigh is it not? The influence of another day should always affect us.

APG Yes, “so much the more as ye see the day drawing near”; as though we would be increasing in our affection for one another. We would desire to encourage one another.

RG Do you think that, “consider one another for provoking to love and good works” takes place when we assemble together in the main?

APG There is the opportunity of bringing Christ before one another and that is what would build up the saints. Say more of what is in your mind.

RG I was just thinking about the way you could consider this kind of attitude about somebody that is at a distance, but when you gather together, you assemble together, you are looking on one another, you see the work of God in one another and you walk with one another, provoking to love and good works.

APG So it can be enjoyed in our local places especially.

TDB It says of the Lord that He loved His own and He loved them to the end, then He washed their feet that they might have part with Him. Is that what you are saying about heavenly things?

APG Yes, it is love, service flowing from the love of Christ.

RJC It is in our gatherings together that we hold fast the Head; we want things to come from a pure source and the Lord is always available to us, as we have sung, ‘Great source of wisdom, power and food’ (Hymn 199). Everything is in the Head, but we must hold fast the Head, we must make way for Him in our gatherings together.

APG I was encouraged by the hymn. Holding fast the Head is inward, holding fast the confession is more public.

DBR It comes in here as being set up in Christianity.

APG The body is what is substantial; verse 17 of Colossians 2 speaks of a shadow, but the body involves substance, all deriving from the Head, only from the Head. In this epistle we are complete in Him, we do not need to go outside of Christ for anything. It speaks about “doing his own will in humility”; if we allow our wills the flow from the Head will be hindered.

GCMcK It speaks of “his own will” and it is the “mind of his flesh”, the sources of things are in himself, it is his own will and mind; and then over against that there is what is of Christ and what is from the Head, “from whom all the body”, what a contrast. This is looking outside yourself entirely to another source of supply and thought.

APG It involves all the saints even the youngest, the young ones would be included in the joints and bands, holding the saints together, united together by the joints and bands.

JSp A similar scripture in Ephesians refers to growing up to Him, “holding the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things, who is the head” (Ephesians 4: 15), and it refers to “until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man”, Ephesians 4: 13. That would be the great end to be arrived at, do you think?

APG Yes there is supply there too, each one is to be available for the supply of nourishment from the Head. It is a favour to have our part in it, supplying encouragement, food for the body, directly from Christ.

WL What would you say about the increase from God?

APG We were speaking about love, and provoking to love and good works, this relates to the increase of love amongst the saints, I would be glad of your thoughts about it.

WL Yes I think you are right, I was thinking first the blade and then the ear, then the full corn in the ear, thirty, sixty, a hundred, that is the increase of God.

APG It suggests life too, what is increasing suggests a living organism. Life is imparted from the Head under the influence of the love of Christ. WL What are the joints and bands?

APG I would be glad of what the brethren might say about it. The expression involves all the saints.

WL It is really something functioning, it is not a myth.

APG There is movement resulting from an impulse from the Head.

RGr The only mention of the Holy Spirit in Colossians is to “your love in the Spirit”. Colossians 1: 8. Do you think that underlies what we are talking about, “holding fast the head”? It is the Spirit’s power that enters into it and the affections of the saints being active, do you think?

APG Yes, the current speaking of the Spirit and taking in what comes from Christ. Mary sat at His feet. She chose the good part—that was holding fast the Head. He was the source of her nourishment, and the source of her life.

JAB Do you think that this section that you have read in Colossians would give us the context of holding fast as the way in which we are maintained in life. I have been thinking as you have been speaking it is possible to hold the truth but not hold it fast. We can easily enough say ‘Yes, I believe in the tenets of Christianity’, but that is not holding things fast in the way it is presented here, because a body is an organism, you cannot easily pull it to pieces, it is indeed united together by the joints and bands, and that is how life works and that is really how Christianity works, is it not? It is not just holding things, but it is joining them up and uniting them together by life is it?

APG The body is a living thing and we have been speaking of love; love is an expression of life, the greatest expression of life, someone said, love flowing among the saints. So if we do not hold fast the Head deadness would come in, just a form of things, that is what you have in mind?

JAB So holding fast the Head in the context of this analogy of the body means that each part of the body also holds fast, holds fast to each other, each part is united to the other as well as to the Head so it is all one entity, is it not, as a result of holding fast the Head?

APG So that the danger here is returning to ceremonialism, but there is no life in that.

RG So it is a great encouragement for every locality. It has been said there is no gift in this section, but there is the Head and there is the body, and there are the impulses of the Spirit from the Head to the body that cause the increase, and that is available to all of us wherever we are, do you think?

APG It would cause unity amongst us too as we all draw from the same source; there would not be any clashes of personality or that kind of thing if we are all drawing from the Head.

GAB The joints might suggest flexibility, and the bands firmness, we need both these things. Love working among the saints involves flexibility, we can come and go and give a bit, but the bands involve that the truth is maintained, and both these things characterise the body.

APG The joints and bands involve the saints moving together.

GCMcK They seem to have two functions, in addition to what has just been remarked helpfully, but it says “ministered to and united together by”, so they seem to both involve the administration of something from the Head I suppose, and binding together, it seems it goes together.

APG I had thought that “ministered to” would mean drawing from that source of supply, from Christ, resulting in unity among the saints, an inward unity, not just an outward form of unity.

DBR Do you think it really relates to the inward secret side of Christianity? I think what was referred to as to the Spirit is helpful; although not mentioned here you cannot preclude Him from this, His service would be essential for entering into this, and for giving us power and capacity to draw from Christ.

APG Yes, so this could only be known in the power of the Spirit, there is no other power that could enable this to operate.

CKR Is this increase particularly collective?

APG I think it is.

CKR And therefore how would you help us to assess it? Is it in the service of God with greater fulness and filling out of the whole occasion? Is it in the preaching? Is it in the quality of the ministry amongst us, and readings? What are the indications of this increase?

APG Well I think the first thing you said, this would operate in the service of God, impulses coming from Christ, that would be probably the greatest evidence of it. Life and freshness in the service of God.

CKR So if this is taken on it is going to attract us to go through on to Ephesians, is it not? Colossians is an interim position, but you have to be attracted more over to the full life and spiritual purpose and glory.

APG Yes very good. We should perhaps go on to Revelation, I appreciate what you say as to the service of God, I think that is what is in mind in Philadelphia; “the holy, the true”—Christ is the One who is minister of the holy places, the One who has the key of David. I was thinking especially of this word in verse 11, “I come quickly—hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown.” This company was marked by keeping things, they valued the things of Christ, they had affection for Christ, they valued everything that was His. They had “kept my word”, and “kept the word of my patience”.

RJC “These things saith the holy, the true; he that has the key of David”, he that ‘has’ the key of David would suggest that He is in complete control. He opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens. He is in absolute control. He has opened up a way for us into the service of God, and He would make the way available to us right into the holy of holies as we read earlier.

APG So it is a great thing to have a living part in the service of God. Do you think that would be one of the things that we would want to hold fast? “Hold fast what thou hast”, a living part in what is for God’s pleasure. The Philadelphians are not making any claims, but these features that the Lord refers to mark them.

JSp Paul says to Timothy, “Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted” (2 Timothy 1: 14), even amidst the breakdown and failure coming into these different assemblies it is wonderful to see there is a company holding it and not letting it go.

APG So the Spirit is the power for keeping, it is in persons, “the Holy Spirit which dwells in us”, it is often remarked it is not kept on bookshelves, but is kept and valued in the hearts of the saints in the power of the Spirit. “I come quickly”, that would be a word for the affections of the saints, drawing our hearts towards Himself.

PAG I wondered in relation to the increase of God whether one of the things that we have is the Lord’s word, “I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God”, John 20: 17. We still have that word.

APG Yes, the address to the Philadelphians, to the overcomer involves what is His. Is that what is in your mind, things of Christ, “the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem ... from my God, and my new name”. It is all His things that are precious to this company.

PAG So in that sense, despite the breakdown, we have access still to the greatest things. Is that what you are suggesting through this scripture?

APG Even in this day of breakdown we can have part in what is living, and, as you say, the greatest things which are for God’s pleasure including the enjoyment of divine purpose.

DBR As to what our brother has referred to, do you think we would be helped to hold fast the whole scope of the service of God? The final thing is that God has been revealed in the Trinity, that really in a certain sense would be the final feature that we would reach in the service of God. I think we need help on that, because there is a tendency to stop at the Father, but the truth is that we worship God known as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

APG So that the thought of response to God is wider. I remember a brother saying it is not exactly higher but it is a wider thought than response to the Father. We are privileged to have our part in it. I trust it is maintained in freshness amongst us.

WL The name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is a guide to us; what has been said is most important; God all in all, is something to be arrived at. While we know we cannot go outside the economy, and the Father supreme there, nevertheless we can reach and touch in a living way, God all in all.

APG And also worship involving what is secured in the hearts of the saints.

WMP So one of the things that the Philadelphian has is the knowledge of the love of Christ, “shall know that I have loved thee”, so that is something that we might hold on to as well.

APG It has been suggested that is the crown, the knowledge of the love of Christ for the assembly. As we are often reminded if we give us the highest, the top shoot, there is decline very quickly. But as you say that is what we want to hold fast, the enjoyment of the love of Christ and what is for Him in the assembly.

RGr Do you think meetings like these are intended to teach us what we do have? It does not define it exactly, it says “hold fast what thou hast”. We should be intelligent as has already been suggested as to the height of things that has been made known to us, and in the light of this word, “I come quickly”, we should be holding these things vitally do you think?

APG When it says “what thou hast”, it is what we have in a real way in the power of the Spirit, it is not what we have in a mental way, it is what we have as enjoying it in the power of the Spirit.

RGr It is a very great thing that divine Persons have maintained the truth unimpaired in the present conditions, but that is what we do have and we are enjoined to hold it.

APG Our brother referred to Naboth, the way to hold fast the inheritance is to enjoy it, as Naboth did, to be maintained in the enjoyment of it; if we lose that then there will be decline.

Reading at Glasgow
22 August 2009

KEY TO INITIALS

T. D. Beveridge	A. P. Grant	W. Patterson
G. A. Brown	A. Gray	D. T. Pye
J. A. Brown	R. Gray	D. B. Robertson
R. J. Campbell	W. Lamont	C. K. Robinson
T. Campbell	G. C. McKay	J. Spinks
R. Gardiner	N. McKay