THE CLOSING TESTIMONY
[p. 360] THE CLOSING TESTIMONY
To bear in mind and set forth to the last the character and features of the testimony which has been committed to God’s servants has been a matter of deep interest at all times. Moses sets it forth in a song in Deuteronomy 32. Joshua set up a great stone, and said. “This stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord, which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God”, Joshua 24: 27. The testimony would at all events be preserved in and by the great stone - typically our Lord Jesus Christ. It was the chief burden of the prophets not only to arouse and awaken the people to the testimony, but also to announce the true and full expression of it hereafter, by Him to whom we turn in the very close of the assembly’s history here, as the “faithful and true witness”. The testimony of the Lord, according to His mind, must be of paramount interest to those who at every time follow Him and love His name. Thus we find Paul, Peter, John, Jude and James, dwelling on the testimony to the very end, instructing the saints how to act in the circumstances and condition of things that will be at the end. Surely it becomes us, and it will instruct and encourage us, to trace briefly the leading subjects which engage our attention with regard to the testimony, in order that we may be better able to understand the will of our Lord for us in a day like this.
Paul, in 2 Timothy 3, specially instructs the servant in the nature of the difficult days which are to come, and how the servant is to act in such a time. Christendom - or the professing church, if we compare 2 Timothy 3 with Romans 1 - is not only as corrupt as heathendom; but the corruption of the former is more relative, that is, in relation to man, while in the latter it is more selfish, or self-gratification. There is a deeper vein of malice in christendom, though not the same immorality as in [p. 361] heathendom. Now in this time, and when things are in this state, “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof”, there would be leaders after the type of Jannes and Jambres, secretly canvassing for followers, easily duped, laden with sins, led away with divers lusts; all this to resist the truth. Then three things are distinctly presented, the moral state of the mass, the character of the leaders, and that of their followers. The success of the leaders for the moment would be in proportion as they were able to deceive and to resist the truth. Now the true witness in such a day would, as Timothy is exhorted, be marked by two things; first, the persistent continuance in the things which he had learned from Paul, and secondly, the knowledge of the Scriptures - in a word, Paul’s doctrine or teaching, and all that God had inspired, without any limit; because “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works”. A man thus furnished is the one fit and prepared to uphold the testimony in the closing hour.
Now, having been instructed in the knowledge he is to possess, we turn to the manner in which he is to act. (See 2 Timothy 4: 1 - 5). It is not simply the rapture of the saints he is to have before his mind, but the appearing of the Lord. He is to be patient and labour, and not to be discouraged by the general disposition to turn away their ears from the truth, but he is to go on; and in order to make full proof of his ministry, he is, in addition to all his labours, to do the work of an evangelist. The maintenance of the truth as it had been delivered was his main duty, but he must not forget the unconverted, while he sought with persevering zeal to controvert the errors of the hour. It is, I believe, a weakness in the servant which we may often notice, to make preaching to the unconverted his chief service and interest; it is evident that it is not the line of duty prescribed and [p. 362] enjoined here. It is ever, except when the gift is purely that of an evangelist, an escape from the stern and anxious duties of a witness and a defender of the faith among those who, while possessing it, are uncertain, and ready to turn away their ears from the truth. It is plain that there must be a slipping away and a weakening of the testimony when the servant contents himself with the happy service of the gospel; and nothing has more tended in many ways to diminish or supersede the responsibility of the witness in this day than exclusive occupation with the unconverted. The gospel will not be overlooked by the man of God who is true to the testimony of the Lord, eager and earnest to maintain it, as has been said, when the apostle should be removed, to make up in any little way for the loss.
There is one thing more that the servant must be prepared for in order to be true to the testimony to the close; and that is, he is not to be discouraged or disappointed even if all the saints desert him at a crisis, because of fear and pressure from the enemy. The Lord will stand with him, and when things are apparently most against him, there will be an opportunity for proclaiming the testimony of the Lord. The witness thinks of everything and everyone with reference to the Lord. Therefore he is often a reprover and judicial, as well as a minister of grace, for we have seen that he must do the work of an evangelist. He must not cease to offer grace to the unconverted, though severe and unyielding to the professor of the truth.
Peter, in his second epistle, gives another line of instruction for the closing hour, when sin and corruption through false teachers should abound. The practical state of souls is what he first insists on. “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth”, chapter 1: 12. He then presents the Lord’s coming, the day star, as the hope of the heart; while in view of all the corruption promoted by false teachers, he sets forth that “the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”, chapter 3: 7. Thus each soul is on the one hand sustained by the coming of the Lord, and on the other dissociated from a sense of evil and temptation by the word, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?”
Now in James the coming of the Lord as the harvest-day is the one thing presented to the righteous under trial, as Israel was, scattered abroad on the earth.
In Jude there is departure and apostasy; and hence the exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Here it is more declension through laxity and unwatchfulness, for there are certain men crept in unawares. It is the effect of evil association. “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core”. If we look down to the end, and see how the saints have been compromised, and their light and truth perverted, by unrebuked leaven, we are here taught the only true way to extricate ourselves. “Ye, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life”. While of some we are to “have compassion, making a difference, but others save with fear, snatching them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh”. We must note that neither in Peter, nor in James, nor in Jude, is the Spirit occupied with the unconverted, but with the state of souls under diverse, distinct, and widely different circumstances. As we have seen, the preaching of the gospel is not to be neglected, but the great and constant theme is the testimony, the light and walk of the saints in a day of darkness and difficulty.
Lastly, in John - of whom the Lord says, “If I will that he tarry till I come” - we are more definitely instructed as to the nature and character of the closing testimony, when Laodicea would characterise the professing church. There the Spirit and the bride of the Lord say, “Come” (Revelation 22: 17); this is ever the first distinct and certain sound, always heard and always maintained. The wise virgins are awakened up and have gone forth to meet the Bridegroom. This is the great characteristic of the assembly when truly in testimony and in fellowship with the Holy Spirit come down from heaven to testify for Christ in His absence. But if one of the Lord’s people is not in this testimony, there is ever directed to him, and to every one as he is, the invitation, the earnest appeal, “Let him that heareth say, Come”. The more any are true to the testimony, and the more they are set on the one true desire of hearts loyal to Christ, the greater interest must they take in everyone belonging now to Christ; they cannot be overlooked. The true are not satisfied to go on persistently in company with the Holy Spirit in the one hope of the heart, but are as it were unwilling and reluctant to go on alone; they seek that all saints should be in company with the truth, and in the testimony. Hence the service is, “Let him that heareth say, Come”. He that hears the sounding forth of the characteristic of the assembly’s fidelity to Christ, let him join in it, let him co-operate. There is a longing for Him. And then if any is “athirst”, unsatisfied, let him come. The heart of the assembly in true testimony is not content while one of Christ’s is practically indifferent to the testimony, or apart from that joy of heart which is our portion here. And yet this is not enough; though all this will be the leading desire of the heart, still it is not complete unless the offer of salvation is sent forth to all. Hence it is added, “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”. The preaching of the gospel, in order to gather the last members of the body of Christ, is the only fit and adequate service of one devoted to the [p. 365] Bridegroom. It is important that preaching the gospel should not monopolise the prior desires of the heart true to Christ. It cannot be neglected and slighted when the heart is true to Him, but inasmuch as it is true to Him, it must follow the course and action of His heart.
I do not speak of the evangelists now as gifted of the Lord for a special service, but I speak of the general interest of the assembly in testimony. To be in fellowship with the Lord, I must follow the order in which He places them; and it is only in that order that the Holy Spirit will help me.
The Lord grant that this little review of the testimony at the close may lead to edification, and encourage us to be more faithful to His name and interests.