UNTITLED, 1936

UNTITLED, 1936

Mr. L. D. Malpas.

Beloved Brother, — Here in New York we have much to do with this kind of thing, and invariably we find the Lord’s approval and support in refusing to receive persons who are linked up in this way until such links are severed; and in some cases where the sister or brother is in fellowship and he proceeds to get married we have withdrawn from him. “In the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7), is unquestionably more than simply that the person in question is a christian. It implies recognition of the Lord’s authority, His commands; and, of course, fellowship is involved. The enemy is constantly trying to weaken the fellowship by introducing lower standards, and I am sure the Lord is with His people in standing out against this practice. It may seem hard to deny fellowship to a sister such as you mention who seeks it, but her engagement to this young man was entered into with her eyes open, and under the government of God this necessarily incurs penalty. She, and those who would support her in coming into fellowship, are ignoring this, and at the same time serving the enemy’s ends in lowering and weakening the standards by which we profess to walk. If our sister humbles herself before the Lord now, He will come in for her, either to bring the young man into the truth or break the link which He cannot approve of.

Affectionately yours in Christ,
James Taylor.