“LET THE OTHERS JUDGE”
J. Mitchell
The brethren will realise that this verse directly bears on this meeting, but I wish in one’s application to widen it a little. In a meeting such as this we are generally concerned that there should be two or three prophets to speak. It is very necessary that prophets should speak; that is why we are gathered together this evening, and generally we do that weekly. But possibly we are a little less concerned about the second half of the verse which says, “Let the others judge”, and it is that section of the verse that I would like to say a little about this evening.
I do feel for oneself and for one’s dear brethren that we would do well to sharpen the faculty of judgment among us. Very soon after the verse our brother read in Genesis (Genesis 1: 1) you find God dividing between the light and the darkness. That is discrimination, and the faculty of
judgment is really that; it discriminates. It is represented in the Scriptures in a variety of ways. There is the palate for instance, which is a discriminative faculty in our human make-up; but what I want to speak of is the exercise of discrimination in relation to the truth and what proceeds among the saints. If the faculty of judgment is not in exercise the result is congregationalism, and alongside congregationalism is clericalism. The great antidote to, or preservative from, those things, dear brethren, and what will facilitate the working of the assembly truly in our local positions, is the faculty of judgment being in exercise.
Now that does not mean that we are unnecessarily critical, or that we are unbrotherly, or that we are watching one another seeking to catch persons in their words—I would like to make abundantly clear that I am not suggesting that; but what I am suggesting is that whatever is said, and whatever is done in our localities, needs to be weighed. It needs to be weighed by every one of us, and it is not only that the brethren have a right to weigh these things; I venture to say that they have a responsibility to weigh them. The faculty of judgment is not something that belongs to a few. If the assembly is to be entered into rightly it is the responsibility of all, of every person. Paul says in this very epistle, “Do ye judge what I say”, 1 Corinthians 10: 15. Therefore, as I say, the brethren have not only a right but also a responsibility to judge of matters, and to judge of what I am saying here at the present time, and I trust the judgment would be in the presence of God. So the judgment would be a righteous judgment and we would have God’s mind about matters and, I repeat, dear brethren, this is a tremendous preservative among the saints. It preserves the prophets. “Let two or .three prophets speak, and let the others judge”—if there is that faculty of judgment among the
saints it preserves those who seek to say something in the way of bringing in the mind of God.
It would also preserve those who seek to exercise the responsibility of leadership. If the faculty of judgment is among the saints it becomes a great preservative for the functioning of prophets and leaders, which functions are right in themselves. Persons who seek to exercise these responsibilities amongst the saints are thus preserved. I think you might see then that it becomes one of the most preserving elements for all. It will keep the enemy at bay; it will ensure that things that are said and things that are done in our midst are right and that they can be honoured in heaven, and I think that is a very great matter. So when we come to what we speak of as assembly judgments it is right that every person should judge—“Let the others judge”—and I think that is a great necessity so that things are not being done by a few, resulting in brethren not being carried by what is done. It is very essential in whatever is done in any locality that the brethren are carried in their consciences by it. I am not suggesting that you must wait until all are carried. It may be some may not be carried in their conscience, but what I am speaking of is the general principle of everyone judging, and judging rightly. Nor am I suggesting that because all are carried is it necessarily a right judgment. But the normal state of things is that a right judgment is arrived at by all. The assembly has been truly in function in judgment and what has been judged can be honoured and ratified in heaven. So I think there is a great need for this spirit of things among us.
Remember the Bereans, it says of them that they were “daily searching the scriptures if these things were so” (Acts 17: 11), and Mr. Taylor said that Paul would have appreciated the Bereans’ spirit that did not take things just because it was Paul speaking.
Not that I think Paul would ever say what was wrong, but they did not just take things because of the weight of the person who said them; they searched the Scriptures daily; they came to their own judgment of matters. I believe that is a very necessary thing among the saints at the present time, indeed at any time, and all the time. It is not a question of who says it. Of course, from a certain point of view, you have confidence in things that certain persons say. Paul himself says to Timothy, “knowing of whom thou hast learned them”, 2 Timothy 3: 14. Therefore, as we ofttimes say, things that have come down in the ministries of the revival are reliable, but there is a great necessity, dear brethren, to pursue matters in secret with God in this discriminative way, and by weighing things up, so that we arrive at things for ourselves, with the result that the truth is established among the saints. Now I repeat that this is a very great necessity, because if the revival is anything it is not the truth held in doctrine; it is not a system of things that is held externally; it is really each of the saints arriving at the truth substantially in themselves.
Mr. Raven made the point that he cared nothing for a company of persons who were holding to the tenets of the truth. What he really sought was a company who were walking in the light of it. Now I think that to walk in the light of it you must arrive at it for yourself. Therefore there is a great need for this discriminatory judgment among us. So we would encourage one another that such a faculty might be increased with us and that there may be an increase in the spirit of enquiry, and the spirit of following things up, and the spirit of testing things by Scripture. If I could again refer to Mr. Taylor, he said more than once, Do not accept it just because I say it; take it to the Scriptures and test it in the light of Scripture.
Thus you find the truth becomes substantial; it becomes your own.
Now I would just like to add a little warning as to that, because persons sometimes say that they test everything by Scripture when they are not exactly testing things by Scripture, but by their own interpretation of Scripture. Now there is quite a difference there; but I am saying nevertheless that this thought of judgment is something that we all need, and that we need to keep exercised about. Do not let us be lethargic. If lethargy comes in in this connection I have no doubt whatsoever that the result would be congregationalism, and alongside with congregationalism goes clericalism, and if clericalism comes to light we are pretty quick to blame the cleric, but, you know, if there is clericalism among the brethren there must be spiritual lethargy. If the body is in function, and true discriminatory judgment is in operation, these things have no place. Therefore let us, every one of us, take the responsibility to ourselves. I press this because I feel the need of it. Responsibility does not belong to a few; the responsibility belongs to all. You will remember the reference to the angel of the assembly in the addresses to the assemblies and Mr. Darby’s note (to Revelation 2: 20) making it perfectly clear that that is the responsible element in the assembly, and that we are all responsible, every one of us. What I am seeking to say simply then, dear brethren, is, let us take up our responsibility, and I believe that in taking it up there will be very great preservation among the saints. May the Lord help us in it, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Edinburgh
5 January 1982