AIM AT THE TOP
AIM AT THE TOP
I was glad to get your letter and to read the interesting enclosures. It is evident that ———— is not in the testimony himself, or he would not be so ready to place work and success above it. The men of the testimony are men for God, and they set forth what is the purpose of God in fullest blessing for souls. Those who work outside the testimony, however true and earnest they may be, are not for God simply, but for man absolutely. The tendency of christian preachers in the present day, is to present a Christ to suit man’s need, and not one to bring man to God. Now, I believe the more truly and faithfully the testimony is maintained, the more will Satan oppose, and therefore the servants who are witnesses for Christ will be hindered in every diabolical way, while those who make man singularly their object and despise the testimony will not be opposed. I do not say that Satan will really help them, but I believe he will not oppose them, and they will sweep along in one tide of human success. It was so in Paul’s time, those who turned from him had apparently an easier time than he had. James had more followers than Paul. Amongst us in a very remarkable way success has never been an evidence of real prosperity, whether I take ———— or ————. When the success is very apparent you may assuredly reckon that there is some deep undercurrent of mischief.
As to your own letter, the question which you raise is a deeper one — whether God does not, as in Hezekiah’s time, accept a lower platform, because of the state of His people. In one sense I should say God will accept you on a lower platform if you do not assume that it is the highest one. If you aim at the top, but in truthfulness own that you are not there, He will meet you where you are, and lead you on to where you seek to be, and this is just what He has done with the brethren. They felt they were not in church order according to His mind, but though they felt and owned that they were not, yet they were not content with their state, but really like the captives at the river Ahava (see Ezra), sought the Lord in prayer and fasting how they might reach the place of His pleasure. I believe that the moment we say ‘We see it all’ we are in danger. If I propose a lower platform than the one the Lord has appointed, it will be only another Zoar; but if I seek with purpose of heart to reach to the very top in answer to the purpose of God, though I am only on the lowest round of the ladder, He will meet me. One thing is very remarkable in His dealings with any remnant (I .mean by a remnant the residue of His people, who after departure from their calling sought to return to it), and that is, that He helped them more. His intervention, though not in display, was more marked and more effective [p. 255] than in the days of their youth and vigour. Joseph was the first remnant, and as far as we know there was more power exercised on his behalf than towards any of the fathers, and when Paul was forsaken of all men and alone in the testimony, the Lord stood by him....