ORDER
S. D. K. Roberts
Jeremiah 31: 35; Hebrews 3: 5, 6; 1 Corinthians 11: 34 (from “But the”); Revelation 1: 12–16
I have in mind to speak a word about ‘order’. It is a subject that not merely interests us, but affects us all in some way. First I draw attention to God’s order in the heavens. It speaks in this first passage of “the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for light by night”. We look up and appreciate the perfection of God’s ordering in the heavens. Everything there is in order (see Genesis 8: 22). I understand that the earth, in its revolutions, loses less than one-thousandth of a second in one hundred years. I suppose that in the garden of Eden everything was in perfect order before sin came in, and Christ’s reign in the millennium will bring about conditions of moral order here on earth. We learn to appreciate order. Now I want to show the importance of order in relation to the assembly. Hebrews 3 speaks of
Christ as Son over God’s house. The Son’s honour is connected with the order of that house, and this would be seen publicly today if the will of the creature had not been introduced. We would have expected God’s house to be the one sphere where man’s will had no place. It is
“the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own”, Acts 20: 28.
However, we have humbly to admit that, in the public position, man’s will has come in, and with it great disaster. However, this beautiful expression as to Christ being “Son over God’s house” is still true. May it impress us all. I think Solomon gives us a ray of its glory. At that time there was “neither adversary nor evil event”, 1 Kings 5: 4.
We read of “God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth”, 1 Timothy 3: 15. We would feel any disorder in our own houses, how much more does God feel any disorder in His! The Lord Jesus felt deeply the disorder in what claimed to be God’s house, when He was here, saying, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations but ye have made it a den of robbers”, Mark 11: 17. Let us see that no element of creature will comes in to disturb the divine order. As recovered to God by the work of Christ we are set free to become bondmen to righteousness. As set free from slavery we are to become willing bondmen to the Lord, who is referred to as “Master” a number of times in the New Testament, indeed the word “Lord” implies that we are to be committed to the will of Another and have no right to exercise our own wills. I find this very testing. “Son over God’s house” would involve that His will is to govern everything there. If this were so practically, everything would be in perfect order in that sphere.
I come now to Corinthians, to the sphere of the local assembly, This, of course, includes every believer in a place, but concretely there are those who are available as seeking to walk in the truth in this day of public breakdown. Paul says, “But the other things, whenever I come, I will set in order”. He had apostolic authority from the Lord to do this. Later in the epistle he says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14: 33), showing how order is related to peace. Again, he says, “But let all things be done comelily and with order”, 1 Corinthians 14: 40. Paul directed the Corinthians to deal with the man in their midst who had sinned. It was not left for another locality, such as Cenchrea, to put this matter in order. Corinth must act in relation to its own matters. Mr. Darby remarked, ‘admitting all brotherly communications and remonstrances’, what is done should be received by the other assemblies (see ‘Coll. Wrtgs.’ N.S. Vol.14.
p.303). Mr Taylor said that if a matter of discipline arises that is purely local and requires priestly discernment, it belongs to the brethren locally and should be left to them; ‘the unity of the Spirit requires that it should be left to them’ (see N.S. Vol.27, p.498, also Vol.14, p.112).
The passage in Revelation brings before us the Lord’s rights in relation to His assembly in a
‘composite’ way, that is, the assembly as composed of local assemblies. He is seen as having in His right hand seven stars. It says in verse 20 that the, seven stars are “angels” of the seven assemblies, indicating those responsible—and all in the locality are responsible. The seven stars being in His right hand would show that He has full control over all of them and there is no room in that hand for independency. The one book which John was to write (verse 11) was to be read by each of the seven assemblies. Each of the seven was directly responsible to the Son of man, and He has something to say to each.
As in that right hand the Lord has full control of each star and will not allow any infringement of His personal rights as to each one, nor is He delegating those rights of His to any other of the assemblies. He does not give Philadelphia any rights over Laodicea, or over any of the others. He will personally rebuke what displeases Him in each, and discipline each in His love. Individuals in each locality are to withdraw themselves from anything displeasing to the Lord and so become over-comers. Order, dear brethren, requires that the Lord’s rights in relation to each locality are respected and not interfered with, otherwise there is disturbance of the peace (see Psalm 122: 6–9).
What a comfort it is to see Him who is Son over God’s house seated now on His Father’s throne, and to realize that there is power in the Holy Spirit as drawn upon—to bring in conditions of peace, based on righteousness. Righteousness is the recognition of divine rights and primarily, in this setting. Christ’s rights in His assembly. Order requires the full recognition of His rights, for His name’s sake.
Address at Cape Town; 30 October 1982.
A young believer recently wrote—‘For some time I have carried a burden before the Lord that there are young people in fellowship who do not have the firm conviction of having a link with the Lord ... There are many who know the Lord, and we speak together about His things, but there are also many who want to change the subject’. Accompanying the letter were the verses printed below — Ed.