GOOD THINGS

W. Dickson

Judges 9: 10; Ephesians 5: 9; 3 John 11

The testimony which Caleb and Joshua rendered after their mission was that the land was a very, very good land. I think after our experience during these two days we would agree that to be in an environment which is totally different from what morally exists in the world is very good. So, as

following up what has been much in my mind this week, I want to speak of what is good. It is a great comfort in a world of evil to have a link with a God who is the Source of good.

Everything that He administers in grace to His people is good. Younger brethren, I exhort you to learn to love what is good. The Holy Spirit who indwells you will develop in you a love for what is good, not only publicly in companionships and in our walks of life, but a love for what is good for its own sake. A feature of a person who is near God is that he unvaryingly loves what is good. We are here at this time because we love what is good and hate evil. The Spirit of God has shown us that the evil in this world is on account of the rejection of Christ. So we have a judgment about it and we love what is good as it is known in the circle of God’s people. Every part of this parable of Jotham is interesting but I have chosen that part which deals with the fig because all that the fig tree says is, ‘Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit?’

Before I proceed with what is in mind, I would like to clarify something that was said this morning in the reading in the reference that was made to the basket of figs, because there is a deep moral lesson in it. At the time that Jeremiah wrote (see Jeremiah 24) the armies of Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonish king encompassed Jerusalem. He had come as the instrument of God’s chastisement on account of the idolatry and departure of the people and the basket of good figs represented those who bowed to the divine government and forsook the city and went into captivity. The bad figs were king Zedekiah and others who chose to remain in the city and defy the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. Now the moral lesson in that is this, that in the sight of God it is good to bow to His government. The position in Germany today is one of division of government. The world-wide scattering of the saints is governmental and any attempt

to overcome these governmental circumstances by breaking down the path of separation and opening the door to open principles is to ignore God’s government. The teaching of the Scripture is that if we humbly bow our heads in the light of what has come in, we have God’s promise that He will restore us again to the land—“For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel—Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be purchased in this land”, Jeremiah 32: 15. So I would say that any attempt to overcome the governmental situation by seeking the fellowship of those not walking in the path of the truth will meet God’s disapproval. Bear with me in explaining what I felt was not too clear this morning.

This fig tree says, “Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit?”; it was fully satisfied. Brethren, are we fully satisfied? I do not mean self-satisfied, but do we find our deep satisfaction in the things of God? If Ahab had been satisfied he would not have wanted Naboth’s vineyard. The gift of the Spirit to the believer should mean that he is perfectly satisfied in what God has given him in His grace. Are you satisfied in your local meeting? Do you think you would get on better in another place? The fig tree says, ‘Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit?’ It was satisfied. O, beloved brethren, there is great gain in developing the inheritance in our own place. So we should not leave any situation in which God is manifestly blessing us spiritually. To be blessed materially is in itself no indication of God’s favour. The thought of the fig tree is that you are satisfied spiritually. So a dignified answer is given to the suggestion that the fig tree should become king. Who wants a king’s place in this world? The King is coming—the King of kings. The Lord of lords is coming and we shall have a part in that kingdom. Who wants to be a king in his locality? Is it not far better to be among the brethren and enjoy your good fruit? Younger brethren, the service of God is greater than any service manward. I know that we sometimes measure things by platform service, but seek much grace to realize that sonship before the Father is greater than any place in service. So do not let us leave our good fruit.

In Ephesians 5: 9 it says that “the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth”. It is quite remarkable that goodness comes first and it is a reminder to us of the standard of walk that befits believers who have the highest light that the Lord has been pleased to give. This chapter (Ephesians 5: 11, 12) speaks of evil things and it also speaks of unfruitful things, but we should manifest the fruit of the light in all goodness. I want to speak of the great value of influence amongst the brethren. It is an expression that is often used, ‘an influence for good’. Beloved younger brethren, seek the help of the Lord that you are always an influence for good in every way in which you move in the circle of the saints. It is not that you need to exhort or preach to your companions. Influence is a very subtle thing, and I use the word subtle in a good sense. The effect of good influence permeates the saints. So the fruit of the light is goodness and involves a standard of conduct that reflects God.

So in John’s epistles “beloved” is one of his favourite designations. It is good to think of and address the brethren affectionately. So he says, “do not imitate what is evil”. The imitation of evil is more readily done than the imitation of good, and anything which detracts from the rights of Christ is not good. If there is a lowering of the standard of the truth it does not come from God who is the Source of good. We are not called upon to imitate what is evil. We must adhere to a standard. In 2 John 9–11 the question arises as to a person that comes to the house not abiding in the

doctrine of the Christ. What do you think John would say if someone were to say to him, ‘It would be good to have that man in the house?’ Would he say that was good? No, he would say, “Do not receive him”. Love is not incompatible with the maintenance of the truth. Is there a brother or a sister with a difference with another? Take the opportunity to imitate God. What did He do? He forgave us—what a line to imitate! The pattern of assembly life in the character of our meetings is a good thing. We want to imitate everything that is good in the assembly. Assembly customs, if they are not local customs, are good things and should be imitated. John says, “He that does good is of God”.

There is sometimes a charge laid that we are not very evangelical. Well, there was a little maid in Naaman the Syrian’s house and all that she did was good because she learnt through the prophet that God was good. She was evangelical. I do not accept the suggestion that the saints are not evangelical. There is abundant scope for evangelical work in personal contact, in giving out tracts, in the open-air preaching, each of which is good, there are examples that could be quoted from the New Testament, one of which is that of Andrew who first found his own brother. That is a fine place to start, first finding your own brother. What influence for good have you in the home, that you can bring your brother to Christ?

“He that does good is of God”—in a corrupt world the saints of God are like the salt of the earth. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted? The trend of the meetings these two days is to alert us to the fact that the salt must not lose its savour. The great preservative of the gospel is the people of God themselves going on with what is good.

“He that does evil has not seen God”. How do you see God?

That is a big question. It is not with physical eye-sight. You see God morally in the death of Christ. You see the solution of good and evil on the cross and if you do evil you ignore God’s judgment at the cross. If you do good you bear testimony to the triumph of good over evil.

Remember that God is the Source of good and let our time be filled out here amongst the brethren and amongst men in the pursuit of what is good, for His name’s sake.

Address at Endbach
24 May 1980