EXTRACT – “LOOSE HIM AND LET HIM GO”

How many tears have we shed in regard of the brethren who have left us, and are not available to us? We are speaking now of what is a question of feelings – of how much I am moved, and whether I have shown it. In having a brother, am I on the line that inasmuch as in me lies I would remove that which hinders him, that which holds him and deprives the family of him? The Lord Jesus as a divine Person disposes of death and calls Lazarus out of the grave. We could never do that, but there are many things we can do. The Lord did not remove the grave clothes. How many are held by grave clothes! He says, "Loose him, and let him go". Then again He says, "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained", John 20:23.

Note, remission comes first. May it not be that some brother is held in bondage for want of remission? You say, he has not confessed. The Lord does not say anything about confession in John 20, He leaves it with us. True enough we have to retain sins; thank God for the power! How could we get on without it? The mandate to retain sins is from Christ. There are those we are compelled to use that against; we have to do it in love to protect the Lord's name, and to maintain a place suitable for Him. But then how many there are whose sins we might remit and we have not done it, hence, the brother is lost for the moment; he is lost to the family.

J. Taylor Vol.25 pp.345,346

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