MARCH 9TH, 1920
MARCH 9TH, 1920
MY DEAR BROTHER, — Many thanks for yours. It is very kind of you to write so fully, and I value the opportunity of considering your thoughts on the subject which is a matter of exercise at present.
It is in the desire to maintain the full force and scope of 1 Corinthians 5: 13 as the commandment of the Lord that I recognise His will to be that a wicked person should be excluded from the privileges and fellowship of the assembly, and from the company of all who call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I think this is the scope of the Scripture in a just and sober interpretation of it, taken in its divine setting in an epistle addressed as 1 Corinthians 1: 2. I hold that it is obligatory not only on all saints, but on all who call [p. 108] upon that holy Name, even though it be in profession only. That, in its full and proper scope, it is not now obeyed is obvious, and is the evidence of departure and ruin, which is humbling to us all as having our part in it.
I am unable to see that the acceptance of the above interpretation involves that “we must necessarily judge as evil all the various judgments of the past and consequently our own present position”. It seems to me that if brethren had now come to the conclusion that it was wrong to exclude a wicked person from their fellowship there would be force in your argument! But the matter is on quite a different footing from this. Brethren are, thank God, as much set to exclude evil from their associations as ever. They regard those “various judgments” as morally right, and as come to in the fear of God, with true and upright desire to maintain what was due to the Lord; and what was suitable to the abode of God’s holiness. But there have been many things in the practice of brethren, and terms frequently used in years past, which have quietly dropped out through exercise in the presence of increased light. For many years, and particularly since we were so much helped by F.E.R.’s ministry, brethren generally have been exercised to avoid taking any ground, or using any terms, that might seem to involve pretension in the scene and circumstances of the church’s ruin. But we do not “judge as evil” what was done uprightly, and for the honour of the Lord’s Name, and which was, as to its substance, approved of Him, though we might not feel free to do things just in the same way now. We do not “judge as evil” the measure of light and truth we had forty years ago, though we were happy to say and do many things then which we should not say or do now. To be thankful for increased light does not involve that we “judge as evil” our former measure of spiritual intelligence and growth. The “dilemma” you speak of does not present itself to my mind as being such at all.
I would suggest that the “ground” on which any action may be taken is distinguishable from the “object” or “motive”. It is true that all links with an evil-doer should be severed on the “ground” that he is unfit for any Christian fellowship. But the “object” in view would be, first, to maintain conditions suitable to the Lord, and in accord with His holy Name, and in keeping with the character of God’s house. And, secondly, in the spirit of grace and love, that the offender [p. 109] might be exercised, convicted, and fully restored. The “motive” in all that was done would be the obedience of faith working through love ...
My power is very small, but I would certainly earnestly desire to use it to the utmost to prevent disintegration, and to build saints up in Christ, that as formed in the divine nature they may be comforted and knit together in love. May we have wisdom to discern the movements which really tend to divide and scatter, and spiritual power to resist them as strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength. And in every way may we be found “seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed”!
I have jotted down these few thoughts in reference to your remarks. I submit them freely to your consideration and criticism, and shall be glad to be corrected where I am wrong.
With very much love in the Lord Jesus,
Yours very affectionately in Him,
March 9th, 1920.