JANUARY 6TH, 1939
JANUARY 6TH, 1939
BELOVED SISTER IN THE LORD, — ... It would require a lengthy paper to set forth fully what has brought about that Christians in very many localities are found walking together in a fellowship which they confess to be of universal character, and which they are fully persuaded is according to the truth. But I will [p. 261] mention very briefly some of the considerations which have brought this about.
About 100 years ago there began a movement of the Spirit of God amongst His children in many different parts which produced wide-spread exercise in regard to the truth of the church, or assembly, of God. There were national bodies in evidence then, as now, and also different sects possessed of more or less truth. But neither of these different forms of religious association answered to the truth as presented in Scripture. The national bodies nominally included all baptised persons within their area, including a great mass of persons who were not converted at all. This was manifestly far too wide to be a true basis of Christian fellowship. On the other hand each of the sects had its own membership of persons who adopted its particular form of church organisation and theological views. By taking a distinctive name each sect marked itself off from all others, and had thus confessedly a narrower fellowship than the assembly of God.
When the Scriptures were prayerfully considered, and the Holy Spirit was recognised as being here to give illumination in the mind of God, it was soon perceived that there was nothing in Scripture to justify the arrangements which were in force by human ordering. It was learned from 1 Corinthians that the saints in any particular place formed the assembly of God in that place, and that they could come together to exercise discipline, if necessary (1 Corinthians 5), to eat the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11), and for edification (1 Corinthians 14), without any appointed minister or leader. It was seen that the Holy Spirit operated, and divided as He pleased spiritual gifts amongst the saints, so that it might appear that they were one body by the way the different members functioned together (1 Corinthians 12). One Member of the body cannot possibly function as a substitute for the other members, however gifted he may be. So that 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 completely set aside the clerical system, and show that an entirely different system is in the mind of God for His assembly. Each local assembly has “body” character (see 1 Corinthians 12: 27), and is therefore intended to function body-wise. Now neither in the national bodies nor in the sects is there normally any such coming together. That is, there is no such coming together as is contemplated in [p. 262] Scripture as the normal coming together of the assembly of God. In the light of this what can any exercised believer do, who wishes to walk in the light of God’s mind as made known in Scripture, but separate from an order of things which leaves no room for the divine order? The assembly is not merely a congregation or an organisation; it is an organism, the members of which function together in unity. It is clearly suggested in Scripture that the service of God assembly-wise will go on under such conditions. If there is no room for the manifestation of the Spirit in different members of the worshipping body, is it not a grave departure from the divine order? Why should not the worshipping company pass on from the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup to praise divine Persons in the beauty of holiness — the different members functioning according to the measure given in the service of praise? This would secure a living service with unlimited possibility of spiritual expansion, so that with deepening spirituality there may be a deepened and enlarged volume of praise ascending from the body as the worshipping company. One can hardly conceive what the service of praise would be if all the vessels of the sanctuary were available in a practical way.
The truth of Christian fellowship involves separation from what is evil. This is clearly seen in 1 Corinthians 10 and 2 Corinthians 6, and our definite instruction for the last days is: “Let every one who names the name of the Lord withdraw from iniquity (or unrighteousness)”. It is as the people of God have acted on this principle that they have received great light as to the spiritual privileges and constitution of the assembly. Indeed, every part of the truth concerning Christ and the whole counsel of God has been ministered by the Holy Spirit amongst those who have honoured God and the Lord Jesus by separating from what was not in accord with true assembly order as laid down in Scripture. Room was made by the grace of God for a ministry which could not possibly have been given in conditions where there was no room for it. How could assembly truth be brought out where there were no assembly conditions? It is a common thing for those who are not prepared to separate from evil to desire to benefit by the spiritual wealth which has been given to those who have walked in separation. But this would be to hold the truth in unrighteousness. The ministry is, indeed, available [p. 263] for all; as the Scriptures are; all that God has to give is for all His saints, but it can only be known and enjoyed as the essential conditions are accepted. Persons who remain in associations which have been formed by men must not expect to have the enjoyment of spiritual privileges which require an altogether different environment. Each one is responsible to withdraw from what is wrong, that is, from things which are obviously not in accord with God’s assembly order, or with any part of His truth. Then, having ceased to do evil, they are in a position to learn to do well. This is a matter of individual exercise for each one, as the Lord may be pleased to give light to each.
One does not question the piety, or the true desire to serve the Lord, of many who go on with what is not according to the truth, and one longs that they should have all that it is possible for them to have. But until they see that a humanly devised order in divine things is really disorder, and they are prepared to return to the true order of God’s assembly, they cannot expect any great degree of spiritual enlargement with reference to how God would be served in His assembly. I do not suggest that the Lord does not give them supplies of spiritual food; I am sure that in His faithful love He does. But they fail to enter into what is most pleasurable to Him.
The enemy has greatly used the principle of independency to weaken or counteract the truth of the assembly of God. But how could one part of the assembly of God be independent of another part of it? For there is one body universally, and it is an organism one part of which cannot be detached from the rest without doing violence to its very constitution. If we think of the matter from the divine side we shall be convinced that it must be so. The assembly is one, though it may take form in a thousand, or fifty thousand different places. So that no instructed believer would feel free to be identified with any independent company of Christians, however estimable they might be personally, because in the very fact of taking independent ground they are giving up something which they should cherish exceedingly; namely, that they are of the one universal assembly of God, and that while they walk in local assemblies they always have in mind that “there is one body”, and they seek to recognise this in a practical way in the principles and practice of their fellowship.
[p. 264] No company of believers walking together in the truth would set up to be the assembly of God. They are conscious that they are but a fragment of it. But they are privileged to walk in the light of the mind of God in regard to all His saints, and to seek grace and wisdom from Him to work it out practically, notwithstanding the many difficulties and their own felt weakness.
The gifts for ministry which God has set in the assembly (1 Corinthians 12: 28) do not belong to one locality more than another. Wherever they may be in the Lord’s ordering they exercise their gifts for the benefit of the body. This applies also to the gifts of the ascended Christ mentioned in Ephesians 4.
It is recorded that in the days of Asa Judah sought Jehovah “with their whole desire, and he was found of them”, 2 Chronicles 15: 15. And I have no doubt it will ever be true that those who seek the Lord with their whole desire will find Him, and I do not believe there is any other way to discover His mind. A heart that seeks Him becomes impressionable. A little word that has no particular significance to others becomes full of divine import to a seeking soul. If we only want the Lord’s mind He will not hide it from us. Indeed, the whole matter is simply one of obedience. But often preconceived thoughts hinder us from simply seeking the Lord for His mind.
This is just what occurs to me at the moment, and I trust it may be of some help.
With much love in the Lord,
Yours affectionately in Him,
January 6th, 1939.