GENEALOGICAL REGISTRY IN A DAY OF DEPARTURE (4)
[p. 247] GENEALOGICAL REGISTRY IN A DAY OF DEPARTURE (4)
JT It will be observed that the approval in view here in verse 15, is God’s. “Study to show thyself approved unto God”. The apostle had said, “Do I now seek to satisfy men or God?” Galatians 1: 10.
WH Why do you draw attention to that?
JT Because the tendency in our hearts is to please men and not God.
Rem I suppose it would involve divine support?
JT Yes, God supports those whom He approves. The word of truth has to be cut in a straight line.
TMG What is the force of that?
JT I suppose it is to be carefully held in its own setting, so that it is not misapplied. A crooked line would show carelessness; one is not to be biased in one’s interpretation or use of Scripture.
EM There may be an endeavour to avoid reproach in the use we make of Scripture by seeking to please men.
JT Yes, Timothy was to have an “outline of sound words”, which words he had heard of Paul “in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus”. This would be an outline of Paul’s doctrine, as we have been saying, held in faith and love instead of as a creed Here we have the word of truth, which suggests another line of thought. This is to be “cut in a straight line”.
Rem This is the truth as one whole.
JT We read of “the scripture of truth” in Daniel 10: 21, but “the word of truth” is that which expresses it fully. It is important that every part of scripture should be first shown in its proper setting and then applied [p. 248] in ministry.
TMG Would you illustrate that for us?
JT If you take up the prophets and seek to use them, as you are entitled to, in ministry, it should be made clear, if not so already, what any given passage primarily signifies, before a present application is made. It has to be remembered, too, “that the scope of no prophecy of Scripture is had from its own particular interpretation, for prophecy was not ever uttered by the will of man, but holy men of God spake under the power of the Holy Spirit”, 2 Peter 1: 20, 21. It was revealed to the prophets that what they ministered they did not minister to themselves, but to us; 1 Peter 1: 12. This second epistle to Timothy makes much of Scripture, which is one whole, and no passage should be used to nullify another. It is holy, and should be used in a priestly way; it should be used with spiritual intelligence.
JM It has been said that there are many interpretations of Scripture.
JT There is one interpretation in connection with the whole scope of Scripture. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit”. Each had his own part to write; but the Holy Spirit is the Author of all, and so there is one mind, behind the whole book. In Luke 24 the Lord Himself expounds from all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself; and He gives the intelligence as well, according to that chapter. He opened the understanding of the disciples that they should understand the Scriptures.
JMcG This would save us from using one section of Scripture in disregard of the teaching of the others.
JT The types become of great value in ministry, and in reading for edification. The Scriptures afford “comfort” as we see how they present Christ.
SL It was “the things concerning himself” he spoke of. I suppose that all Scripture speaks of Him.
JT He is the theme of all Scripture.
Ques Why does it say in Romans 15: 4 that “we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope”?
JT Because the Scriptures afford us many examples of patience. James says in chapter 5: 11, “Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy”. The Scripture inspires hope in our hearts in that way.
TMG They take you back to God.
JT Yes, the reference in verse 17, to these two men, Hymenaeus and Philetus, serves to bring out the great test for us in the last days, the great text upon which we act now, a kind of Magna Charta for the Christian in the last days. Satan would make it appear that there is no hope for the maintenance of the truth of the assembly nowadays.
This part of the epistle shows how the believer is always free; he need never be in bondage. Having drawn attention to the error, the apostle says that the foundation of God stands. That is the first great feature, and then the seal, which every believer should have, affords him a means of liberty. “The Lord knoweth them that are his” assures you of the welfare of all the saints. “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity”, delivers you from the influence of evil.
WH It is a great comfort for the last time.
JT The Christian is always free; no combination of circumstances can limit you.
JM You can always withdraw from evil.
WHM What would “the foundation of God” imply [p. 250] here.
JT I think the point is, that it is God’s foundation, which would, of course, be well known to Timothy, It is a sure foundation. Knowing God, we may be certain as to this. What is said here is that it stands. What is of God must stand; but then we are entitled to speak of it according to what it is. The Scriptures make that very plain. In Matthew 16 the foundation is, “the Son of the living God”. It is the question of Christ’s Person there. In 1 Corinthians 3, it is “Jesus Christ”; the kind of Man that is presented in the gospels.
Rein. In regard to this chapter, would you say that it takes the place of what we get in 1 Corinthians?
JT No; this puts you in a position to get the benefit of 1 Corinthians. That epistle gives the Lord’s commandments, which were intended to govern the assembly in the exercise of its functions and responsibilities here on earth.
Ques How would that stand in relation to the law of the house of God as seen in 1 Corinthians?
JT Before any question can arise as to discipline, we have to see how an individual is liberated from evil. Iniquity is a thing which may refer to a system, but then when you come down lower in the chapter, the “vessels” are persons; so that one has to have a judgment as to things, such as evil associations, and then one has to judge of persons, whether they are to honour or dishonour. You have to “withdraw” from iniquity, and “purge” yourself from vessels of dishonour. So that one in that way is clean, not only as to things, such as evil associations, but one is also clear of persons who are defiled. We have to distinguish between those who are personally defiled, in whom will is active, and those who are misled, and we have to withdraw from those who are dishonourable. Then, we have to “follow righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart”. Of course, the question of [p. 251] discipline arises, but obviously the first thing is to be clear personally.
SL Do I understand you to say that in Corinthians it is “things”, and here it is “persons”?
JT In 1 Corinthians 5 you have both things and persons. The leaven was a thing, but it is also said, “remove the wicked person from amongst yourselves”.
Rem The question on our minds is, Are we to act on the principle of 2 Timothy or on the principle of 1 Corinthians 5 in which latter the assembly was involved?
JT That, of course, raises an important question. It is clear that the principle of our position in these last days is seen in this epistle to Timothy. You cannot go outside of the great house, nor can you put anyone out of it. You will have to face this in 1 Corinthians 5: 13, that yourselves there refers to the same company as “the assembly of God at Corinth”, and this has now developed into what is termed here in 2 Timothy 2, the “great house”. We are all in this, vessels to honour and vessels to dishonour alike. The truth is, that the public position those spoken of here as calling on the Lord out of a “pure heart” is a negative one, and this has to be maintained. It is founded on withdrawal from iniquity and from vessels to dishonour. I do not see that a public action taken, in purging ourselves from a wicked person, by those spoken of in verse 22 should be different from the action mentioned in verse 21. What it may be privately, as before God, is another matter. We have to continue “calling on the Lord out of a pure heart”, as stated in this epistle.
Rem There are many who call on the Lord; the question is, Do they do it out of a pure heart?
TMG If they are even professing Christians they call upon [p. 252] the name of the Lord.
EM If anyone calls on the name of the Lord, he has no right to be associated with iniquity.
JT That applies to the whole of Christendom, one who separates from evil has to find those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
Ques How do you define calling on the Lord out of a pure heart?
JT It means that you cannot go on with what is impure. Your heart being purified by faith, you are to maintain this. The pure in heart see God; Matthew 5: 8.
Rem The believer is free in his pathway from evil associations, so that he can call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
JT The question would be, Is your heart right? Jehu said to Jehonadab, “Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?” 2 Kings 10: 15. Jehonadab answered, “It is”, and Jehu took him up into the chariot. That is, I believe, like a challenge from the Lord to us at the present time.
Rem That is the way we find ourselves together. It is serious when iniquity arises in such a company.
JT Here in 2 Timothy 2: 22 we are to “follow righteousness”. It is quite clear on that ground we cannot go on with evil. We grow if we are following righteousness.
TMG “Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever”, Psalm 93: 5.
JM Do you attach any importance to the formula in 1 Corinthians 5, “Put away from among yourselves”?
JT It is well to consider it. If a formula is not strictly applicable it is better not to use it. I have known it to be said of a brother who was disciplined, that he was put outside of the assembly of God on earth! That sin has to be dealt with is unquestionable, otherwise we should not be following righteousness. The exercise is as to what is the most [p. 253] seemly thing to do publicly - seeing the assembly as a whole, has failed. 1 Corinthians 5 is the commandment of the Lord as to a wicked person when the saints in a locality could be addressed as the “assembly of God”. The latter fact makes all the difference. Instead of purging out the leaven, as at Corinth, we have to purge ourselves by separation, or withdrawal, and I do not see that this should be deviated from, even by two or more; that is publicly. It is the principle of our position in the “great house”. But, as I said, the evil must be dealt with, and dealt with according to God’s holiness. There must not be any disregard, in principle, of the commandments of the Lord, for this is the test of our love for Him; John 14: 21. We hold all in our souls, but we see that some are not applicable in the conditions in which we are. Compare Matthew 18: 17, and 1 Corinthians 14: 23 - 33.
SL If that point as to dealing with the sin is arrived at, we have no difficulty.
JM Mr. Darby would not break bread where godly Christians were refused.
JT Directly you break bread you have committed yourself to the position. The tenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is, so to speak, the law governing fellowship. Consistency with what you have committed yourself to, is insisted on there. All the light in 1 Corinthians has to be maintained of course, only that we have to be careful that in our public actions we do not ignore the ruin of what was designated at the beginning, “the assembly of God”.
JM It has been suggested that if we cannot act on the ground of 1 Corinthians 5 we cannot have the Lord’s supper.
JT The action enjoined in 1 Corinthians 5 involves the authority of “the assembly of God”. It is administration, but the Lord’s supper is not that.
No one administers the Lord’s supper. It is a memorial to those who love Christ. It is affection that takes it up. The breaking of bread is in the light and recognition of the whole assembly, but as partaking of the Supper we are not in the position of administration. We are calling the Lord to mind, and our eating the bread and drinking the cup announces the Lord’s death till He comes.
EH There are three local gatherings in Belfast who wish to be for the Lord, to follow righteousness, faith, love and peace. We have to be real about this, and if we find something amongst us that is unsuitable what is to be done? Should it not be felt by all and brought before all in such a way that it might be rightly judged?
JT Oh, yes; we must have “the law of the house” before us. There can be only one assembly in the city, no matter how large the city may be, so that if we walk in the light of that, without pretence, we are in a position to act for God. When evil arises, an alarm must be sounded (Numbers 10) and the saints come together to have the facts laid before them, so that the consciences of all may be exercised as to it. Of course, everything has to be established on adequate testimony, and wisdom would leave all investigation and deliberation with the brothers, especially those older and more experienced; but before action can be taken according to God, the facts, as fully established, should be laid on the consciences of all. The evil having been thus dealt with, the Lord’s support can be counted on as really as at the beginning, I believe, only the public action will be in the recognition of the sadly altered conditions in which the saints are, owing to the general failure.
Ques What is the next thing?
JT The guilty person should be present and it should be announced formally that the sin exists [p. 255] and that it has not been judged before God, and therefore we can no longer walk with that person.
EH You would not allow him to break bread?
JT It is clear that he cannot break bread if the saints state that they can no longer walk with him, that he is unfit for Christian fellowship. I think it is most important that we should accept humbly the present condition of things. The assembly outwardly is in ruin, and it is a question of being humble before God and having His mind.
FM If what has been brought before us were carried out, and each one took the matter home to himself and herself, the Lord would give His support, but if it is simply a question of what we do it will have no moral effect.
JT The law governing these things is the special responsibility of the priest; compare Leviticus 6. It is for those who are spiritual, which all should be, to discern how it is to be applied. See also Malachi 2. The priest that offered the sin offering was to eat it, according to Leviticus 6: 26; then it says that “all the males among the priests shall eat thereof”. Then it is said to be “most holy”. All this speaks very solemnly as to the need for spirituality and holiness in maintaining what is suitable to the house of God.
JM So that underlying the instructions given in this epistle there is priestly state.
JT If you are not in the priestly state there is hope of the law being carried out according to God.
SL There should be no vindictive spirit, because you have to take the whole weight upon yourself, as a priest.
Rem A person thus dealt with cannot break bread until he is restored. In case he insisted on breaking bread, what then?
JT That would be a very extreme case. [p. 256] Faith does not reckon on that, faith reckons on the power of God.
JM We can count on the Lord’s support as we keep His commandments.
JT The Lord looks for us to act becomingly, but if there is not the disposition and determination to deal with evil, the Lord is not with any company.