When
the Lord gathered His disciples together in the upper room for the breaking of
bread, after supper was over, “the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has
desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for you,
that your faith fail not; and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren”
(Luke 22:31,32). The way the Lord warned Peter is very striking. He referred to
Satan sifting him as wheat. If Peter had not been wheat, he would not
have been sifted. If he had been mere chaff, the devil would have left him
alone. He never worries his own subjects; he keeps them in peace. Saints he
always attacks.

      What
is the next word? “But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not.” That
is beautiful. We should pray for God’s servants too. Pray for those who are in
the forefront of the battle. The devil is ever ready to trip them up.

      Now
look at Peter’s answer and his fall:“Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both
into prison and to death.” What an answer! Beloved, that man had fallen! His
fall did not occur when he really denied the Lord. Here is where he fell. He
was occupied with his own affection. Later that evening the Lord was betrayed
by Judas, following which they took Him, “and led Him, and brought Him into the
high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off” (verse 54). Shortly
thereafter, Peter denied his Lord three times over as forewarned by Him.

      Notice
how the process of restoration follows immediately upon the heels of Peter’s
denial:“And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter, and Peter
remembered the word of the Lord…. And Peter went out and wept bitterly”
(verses 61,62). How does the Lord recover our hearts? By a look sometimes. He
turned and looked on Peter. What kind of a look was it? Was it a look of anger
and reproach? No, I think it was a look of brokenhearted, disappointed love. It
said, “You do not know Me, but I know and love you. Nothing has changed My love
to you.” That look broke poor Peter’s heart and he ”went out, and wept
bitterly.”

      If
Peter had not had the word, “I have prayed for you,” and the look, I believe he
would have gone and hanged himself as Judas did. Remorse puts you into Satan’s
hands, but repentance leads to real breaking down before God. There never will
be recovery without repentance.

      You
will find that Peter has a private restoration and a public one. The private
restoration is referred to in Luke 24:34 and the public restoration in John 21.
The evidence of his restoration is manifest in Acts 2. The Lord met Peter
privately. What took place at the meeting nobody knows. The Spirit of God has
thrown a veil over it. Why? Because He deals with souls individually. It would
not do me any good to know how the Lord dealt with you when your soul had
backslided. But we do know that Peter was beautifully restored to the Lord.
This we find in John 21. His brethren were slower than Peter in reaching the
Lord on that occasion. He did not wait till the boat got to the shore; he cast
himself into the sea in his hurry to get near the Lord. He says in effect, “You
can have the fish, let me get to the blessed Lord.” It is clear from this
action that Simon Peter was restored to the Lord.

      Then
the Lord gave him a public restoration. I think, beloved friends, you will
never find a saint doing any real good until he is completely rid of
self-confidence and broken down before the Lord, and hence really right with
the Lord. He is then in a condition for the Lord to use him. We see Peter
restored to the fellowship and company of the apostles in John 21, and then we
see him in Acts 2 preaching the Word and mightily used of the Lord. When the
devil saw Peter preaching in Acts 2 he may have wished he had left him alone in
the high priest’s palace. Why? Because the breaking of him was the making of
him, and in the Acts of the Apostles we hear much more about Peter than any
other of the Lord’s disciples. He was picked up and restored. There is nothing
like grace! Grace saved us as sinners, and grace has kept us as saints. And
when we get to glory what shall we say? It was grace all along the way.
Therefore the deeper the sense of the Lord’s grace in our souls, the more our
hearts will rejoice in Him.

      (From
Backsliding and Restoration.)

 “Judge [or criticize] not, that
you be not judged [or criticized]” (Matt. 7:1).

      How
many of you, my readers, enjoy receiving criticism? Not many, if any, I reckon.
Now, how many of you have ever given out criticism? Most, if not all, I would
guess. So why do we dish it out if neither we nor anyone else enjoys receiving
it? This is a question we all need to ponder.

      The
above verse is fast becoming one of the best known and most widely quoted of
all Scripture. It is being used more and more against those who dare teach that
certain activities and behaviors are wrong and sinful. But did the Lord intend
that His disciples never discern between right and wrong in themselves
and others? In Matt. 18:15-17 the Lord clearly authorizes His people not only
to discern sins committed by others but also to go to such a person and point
out the sin. For what purpose? Showing that I am better than that sinner? No,
not at all, but rather for the purpose of drawing that person back to the Lord.
“If he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.”

      Notice
that Matt. 7:1 is not an absolute prohibition against judging or criticizing
another. Verse 5 gives one condition that needs to be satisfied before we are
qualified to criticize another:“First cast out the beam [or log] out of your
own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the mote [or speck] out of your
brother’s eye.” However, this condition is helpful only if I have the spiritual
discernment to detect the log in my own eye.

      Another
condition is implied in verse 1 itself:“Judge not, that you be not judged.” In
other words, if you don’t want to be criticized, and if you don’t appreciate
the value of it for yourself, then you are not qualified by the Lord to give it
out to others. But as we grow spiritually, we will begin to pray along with the
psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts;
and see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psa. 139:23,24), and “Cleanse me
from secret faults” (Psa. 19:12). In what ways does God answer these prayers?
(1) He may impress a Scripture upon our hearts during our private Bible study
(“All Scripture … is profitable … for reproof, for correction,” 2 Tim.
3:16,17); (2) He may use the public preaching and teaching of the Scriptures to
impress upon our hearts the need for correction and change (“Preach the Word
… reprove, rebuke, exhort,” 2 Tim. 2:2); or (3) He may send another believer
to us to point out our sin (Matt. 18:15; Gal. 6:1). Most of us can easily
handle the first two means of correction, but many of us have difficulty with
the third one. Why is that? Our human pride gets in the way (1 John 2:16).

      The
more we grow in Christ—in that One who was “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt.
11:29), the One who “humbled Himself and became obedient unto death” (Phil.
2:8)—the more we will exhibit these characteristics of Christ (see Gal.
5:22,23). Thus, we will grow in the ability to be ready and willing to receive
reproof, correction, and criticism from other persons, whether believers or
unbelievers, whether family members or non-relatives, and whether persons older
or younger than ourselves.

      As
we begin accepting and valuing the criticism of ourselves, we will discern the
ways of offering criticism that make it easiest to accept. Then, and only then,
are we prepared and qualified by the Lord to pass along criticism to others.
When we see a brother or sister “overtaken in a fault” or sinning in some way,
we first fall on our knees before the Lord. We examine ourselves as to that
fault or sin. We make intercession to the Lord for that person (1 Tim. 2:1).
And if the Lord lays it on our heart to “go and tell him his fault” (Matt.
18:15), we go with fear and trembling, “in the spirit of meekness” (Gal. 6:1),
and with much prayer and dependence upon the Lord. “If the sinning person
“hears you, you have gained your brother [or sister]” (Matt. 18:15), restoring
him or her to a closer walk with the Lord and to precious fellowship with
yourself.

      So
let us pray for the ability to accept and value positive, spiritual, Biblical
criticism from others, that we may in turn be “thoroughly furnished unto all
good works” (2 Tim. 3:17), including that of helping to restore our sinning brothers
and sisters to the Lord.

        “The fruit of
the Spirit is … temperance” (Gal. 5:22,23).

        While the word
“temperance” sometimes conveys the thought of moderation and abstinence from
drinking alcoholic beverages, the Scriptural thought goes far beyond this. The
word in the Greek literally means “self-control” and covers all aspects of our
daily lives. The apostle Paul uses this word in 1 Cor. 7:8,9:“I say therefore
to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But
if they cannot contain [or do not have self-control], let them marry; for it is
better to marry than to burn.” In the same epistle the word is used also in the
context of training for an athletic contest:“Every man who strives for the
mastery is temperate [or controls himself] in all things” (1 Cor. 9:25). The
lack of self-control is a characteristic of the last days:“Men shall be …
without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent [or
without self-control]” (2 Tim. 3:1-3).

        To have
self-control means that we are not slaves to any habit. The person who is not
temperate has cravings for certain natural pleasures, and he either continually
yields to these cravings, or else becomes edgy or grouchy if deprived of the
pleasures. While we might tend to think particularly of alcohol, tobacco, and
other naturally addicting substances in this regard, there are other things,
not physiologically addicting, for which people, including Christians who are
not controlled by the Holy Spirit, may develop cravings. These may include such
things as chocolates or other sweets, coffee, food in general, watching
television, watching the ball game, playing games, reading unprofitable books,
sleeping in, or simply desiring relaxation.

        Many of us may
have problems with regard to pushing ourselves away from the table on which is
often spread enough food for twice the number of people present. Do I desire to
use my body for the Lord, realizing it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.
6:19)? Then I should not want to do anything to my body that will tend to
degrade my health or to reduce my mental alertness. Perhaps a common example of
lack of self-control is found in our partaking of the traditionally large
Sunday noon dinner, and then—because we have eaten more than is
prudent—spending the afternoon sleeping it off. Thus, precious hours which
could have been used in service for the Lord, discussion of the Scriptures, or
prayer and meditation are lost forever.

        The Roman
philosopher Seneca, whose life span overlapped that of the Lord Jesus, once
said, “I am born to greater things than to be the servant of my body.” If a
heathen can recognize the foolishness of indulging the flesh, how much more
should a child of God be diligent not to be in bondage to the desires of the
flesh.

        Listen to what
the Scriptures say about overeating:

        “Put a knife to
your throat if you are a man given to appetite” (Prov. 23:2).

        “The drunkard
and the glutton shall come to poverty” (Prov. 23:21).

        “I will say to
my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat,
drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul
shall be required of you” (Luke 12:19,20).

        Another has
said, “We can certainly enjoy food, relishing in the wholesome aroma and taste
of a succulent meal; but when food begins to be our master we have stepped from
the realm of godly enjoyment to bitter bondage and sin.”

        The Lord Jesus
counseled, “If your right hand offend you, cut it off” (Matt. 5:30). A less
extreme application of this verse could be applied by one who has a problem
with overeating. Try removing all unnecessary foods from your house for a
period of time. Discipline your body as the apostle Paul did and “bring it into
subjection” (1 Cor. 9:27).

        For what do we
hunger and thirst? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after
righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6). “As newborn babes, desire
the since milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if so be you have tasted
that the Lord is gracious” (1 Pet. 2:2,3).

        Do we know what
it is to be on the heavenly race course (Phil. 3:10-14; Heb. 12:1,2)? This is
the course in which we lay hold of heavenly blessings and possessions, and gain
more intimate knowledge of Christ Himself. We will come to know very little of
these things apart from self-discipline and self-control—the ability to say an
emphatic “NO” to the natural desires of the flesh.

      The
allowance of flesh in the least degree in a Christian is to grieve the Spirit
of God, by which he has been sealed until the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).
What a motive to holiness is the fact—true of every believer—that the Holy
Spirit of God dwells in him! He may, alas, grieve Him in many ways. Everything
that has not Christ for its motive and object must grieve God’s Spirit and
hinder our growth and communion.

      To
quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19) is to hinder His free action in the assembly.
While there are special permanent gifts in the Church (Eph. 4:11), there are
also the “joints and bands” (Col. 2:19) that work effectually in the measure of
every part, and by which the body of Christ increases. If they are hindered in
true spiritual service, the Spirit of God is quenched.

      There
are dangers to be avoided on both sides, especially by those who seek to walk
in the truth of the Church of God. On one side the danger is that because there
is liberty for all to “prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be
comforted” (1 Cor. 14:31), there may be the undervaluing of special ministry
which is a permanent thing as long as the Church of God is here. On the other
side there is the danger of quenching the Spirit in the various helps—the
joints and bands by which nourishment is ministered in the body of Christ—by
putting special ministry in the place of the free action of the Holy Spirit in
the members of Christ. Both are to be cherished, and the most spiritual are
those who will value all that God gives.

      We
see in 1 Thess. 5:20,21 that it is ministry that the apostle has in his mind.
While in verse 12 he exhorts them to own those who labor among them and esteem them
highly in love for their work’s sake, in verses 19-21 they were not to quench
the Spirit in any, but at the same time to “prove all things” which were said
and “hold fast that which is good.”

      (From
Scripture Notes and Queries.)

        “A talebearer
goes about revealing secrets:but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a
matter” (Prov. 11:13).

        Talebearing,
even though the tales be true, is most mischievous. If there be a fault, to
lovingly admonish in private, and then conceal from all others, is in
accordance with the mind of God.

        There is an
instructive word in this connection in Exodus 37. Verses 17-24 relate to the
making of the candlestick, or lamp stand, for the tabernacle. Among the
accessories to it, we read in verse 23 that Moses “made his seven lamps, and
his snuffers, and his snuff-dishes, of pure gold.” We find here something that
is intensely interesting and unspeakably precious. No lamp will long burn well
without occasional snuffing. Hence God has made provision even for so
apparently insignificant a matter as this. To the mind of man it might seem of
trifling importance as to how a light was snuffed, and what was done with the
black snuff afterwards. In God’s eye, nothing is trivial that concerns the
glory of His Son, or the welfare of His people.

        The snuffers
were made “of pure gold”—that which symbolizes the divine glory, and speaks,
too, of perfect righteousness. It may often happen that some saint of God is
losing his brightness, and no longer shining for Him as he once did. It is the
priest with the golden tongs to whom is entrusted the delicate task of
“snuffing.” “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual
restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you
also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). Thus will the “snuffing” be accomplished according
to God, and the restored brother’s light burn all the brighter for it.

        But what then? Is
the evil to be spread abroad, and made a matter of common knowledge? Ah, there
were not only the snuffers, but the snuff-dishes; and they too were of pure
gold! The priest was to put carefully away, in these golden receptacles, the
black, dirty snuff which he had removed from the wick. To have gone about
spreading the filth upon the spotless garments of other priests would have been
to defile them all. It must be hidden away in the presence of God! Is not this
where we often fail?

        How much grief
and sorrow might have been prevented in many an assembly if the golden
snuff-dishes had been more often used! On every hand we hear of strife and
discord brought about through evil speaking; and it is remarkable how ready we
are to listen to that which we know can only defile. Oh that there might be
more “angry countenances” among us when the backbiter is out seeking to spot
and blacken the snowy garments of God’s holy priests (Prov. 25:23)!

        In the New
Testament the divine way of dealing with a brother’s fault is clearly defined:
“Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone:if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother”
(Matt. 18:15). If brethren would sternly refuse to listen to complaints against
others until this first condition has been complied with, it would go far to do
away with evil speaking. Many a brother would be won if approached in priestly
nearness to God by one who carried with him the golden snuffers and the
snuff-dish.

        But if he
refuse to hear? Then “take with you one or two more.” And if still willful, as
a last resource, “tell it unto the church” (Matt. 18:16,17). But this is not to
be done until the other means have failed.

        By thus acting
in accordance with the Word of God, much shame and misery might be spared
innocent persons, and many wandering ones recovered who, through backsliding,
are driven deeper into the mire. God, too, will be glorified, and the Lord
Jesus honored; for He has said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed
your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet…. If you know these
things, happy are you if you do them” (John 13:14,17).

        (From Notes
on the Book of Proverbs, Loizeaux, Neptune, New Jersey.)

* * *

        More Scriptures
concerning talebearing:

        “A froward man
sows strife; and a whisperer separates chief friends” (Prov. 16:28).

        “He who covers
a transgression seeks love; but he who repeats a matter separates very friends”
(Prov. 17:9).

        “The words of a
talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the
belly” (Prov. 18:8; 26:22).

        “Where no wood
is, there the fire goes out; so where there is no talebearer, the strife
ceases” (Prov. 26:20).

        “Whisperers,
backbiters, haters of God” (Rom. 1:29; 2 Cor. 12:20).

      It
is always a trial and a grief to an assembly of Christians when the extreme,
final step of discipline must be carried out in putting away a wicked person
from fellowship with God’s people. But thank God, there is a bright side when,
after faithfulness in the path of duty, there is the joy of seeing the wanderer
restored. We can almost feel the thrill of the apostle’s gladness as he wrote
of the recovered brother, “I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in
all our tribulation” (2 Cor. 7:4).

Praying for Restoration

      Restoration
is what was prayed for, hoped for, expected. While one put away is to be left
alone, this does not preclude the thought of prayer for him, and looking after
him after the lapse of some time. Especially should this be done if he is weak
and untaught, and if he has bowed to the Lord’s judgment. Of course, those who
put a bold face on it, or who continue in sin, can only be left in God’s hands.

Looking for Marks of

Restoration

      Marks
of true recovery are very plain. There will be a sense of sin against God (Psa.
51), a judging of the root of it, a submission to God’s governmental dealing,
even when undue severity may have been used by the saints; these are some of
the proofs of true recovery. If there was trespass against any, the wrong will
be righted as far as possible—the dishonest gains refunded, the bitter, false
accusations withdrawn; and, we need hardly add, the sin will be forsaken. Until
there is restoration to communion with God, there can be no true restoration to
the assembly. The steps in the reinstatement of the cleansed leper (Lev. 14) to
his privileges are interesting and instructive in this connection. It was the
priest who was to examine the healed man, and rites in his restoration are most
suggestive of recovery.

Being Restored to the Assembly

      It
will be noticed that the leper, even after his restoration to the worship of
God, “remained abroad out of his tent seven days”; it suggests that even after
personal recovery an interval may elapse before the person is restored to his
privileges in the assembly. There are many reasons for this. If the offense has
been glaring or disgraceful, it is fitting that the world should see the
genuineness of the repentance. It will not hurt, but deepen in the individual a
sense of his sin. In addition to this, it is well to remember that the tender
consciences of the saints have been sorely wounded, and the offender will
gladly allow time for the healing of the shock inflicted. Anything like
insistence upon his immediate reception after confession, or resentment at
delay, would show that the work in his soul lacks completeness.

      On
the other hand, the assembly needs to guard against a hard, unforgiving spirit.
When the consciences of all are satisfied, there should not be needless delay
in confirming their love to their recovered brother. “Sufficient to such a man
is this punishment that was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise you ought
rather to forgive him … lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with
overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love
toward him” (2 Cor. 2:6-8). How gracious, how loving, and yet how holy, are all
these directions!

Walking Softly While

Restored Fully

      Let
us add that when the restored brother is again in his place, his sin is not to
be remembered. True, he will not forget it; but shall the others, by
look or manner, betray lack of confidence? Ah, we are too much like the world,
which “forgives, but cannot forget.” Neither can we say such an one must keep
silence, and never again expect to be used of the Lord. It was Peter, the
wandering sheep, who was made a shepherd for others (John 21:15,17). When David
was restored he would teach transgressors God’s ways (Psa. 51). He will walk
softly the rest of his days, a chastened person, but a happy and a useful member
of the Body of Christ. “He restores my soul, He leads me in the paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psa. 23:3).

      (From
The Church and Its Order According to Scripture.)

        “Let your
moderation be known unto all men” (Phil. 4:5).

        Undoubtedly,
moderation is a most commendable Christian virtue, but there is more to the
original word than this. It has been rendered by some as “yieldingness”; this,
too, is an excellent translation and suggests the resilience of character that
many of us sadly lack. Other versions have “considerateness,” “forbearance,”
and “gentleness.” These various terms may be summed up in the very appealing
translation given by another:“Let your sweet reasonableness be
manifested to all men.” What a lovely trait is this sweet reasonableness in a
Christian! It is the very opposite to that unyielding, harshly-dogmatic,
self-determined spirit that so often dominates in place of the meekness and
gentleness of Christ. “I beseech you, my brethren,” wrote Cromwell to the
warring theologians of his day, “remember that it is possible you may be
wrong.” How apt we are to forget this when engaged in discussions as to either
doctrines, methods of service, or assembly principles!            This does not
mean that one need be lacking in intensity of conviction or assurance as to the
correctness of doctrines, principles, or practices that one believes he has
learned from the Word of God. But it does imply a kindly consideration for the
judgment of others who may be equally sincere and equally devoted—and,
possibly, even more enlightened. Nothing is ever lost by recognizing this and
remembering that we all “know in part” (1 Cor. 13:12).

        (From Notes
on Philippians, Loizeaux, Neptune, New Jersey.)

* * *

        Other verses
with the same Greek word as translated “moderation” in Phil. 4:5:

        “I … beseech
you by the … gentleness of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:1).

        “A bishop then
must be patient, not a brawler” (1 Tim. 3:3; also Tit. 3:2, “gentle”).

        “The wisdom
that is from above is … gentle, and easy to be entreated” (Jas. 3:17).

                “Servants,
be subject … not only to the good and gentle, but also to the
froward”(1 Pet. 2:18).

        Our hearts go
out to married couples of which only one of the partners is saved. How
difficult it often is for such couples to enjoy the full mutual happiness that
comes from both partners being submitted to the Lord. We should seek to
encourage the believing spouse by assuring him/her of our prayers. But can we
do more? Is there any advice we can give to our brothers and sisters in such
situations? Let us seek counsel from the holy Scriptures.

The Wife’s Meek and

Quiet Spirit

        In 1 Peter
3:1-4 we find the following advice given to the wife of an unsaved man:
“Likewise, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that, if any obey
not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the
wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose
adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of
wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

        The first point
made by the apostle is that wives should be subject to the authority of their
husbands. We have noted in a previous issue how important this is for achieving
a happy marriage when both partners are saved. It is of no less importance if
the husband is not saved, for it not only will help to make the marriage more
stable and enjoyable, but it will also be a most effective testimony to the
unsaved husband. An attitude of submission (verse 1), chaste or pure behavior
(verse 2), and a meek and quiet spirit (verse 4) are all important elements to
be manifested by a woman who wishes to see the salvation of her husband. The
word “conversation” in verses 1 and 2 is an unfortunate translation in the King
James Version. “Behavior” is a better translation. The thrust of the passage is
that the husband is won to the Lord not by much preaching and cajoling by the
wife but by the submissive, pure, meek, and quiet behavior of the wife.
Often, the wife may try too hard to push Christianity onto her husband.
Sprinkling the house with gospel tracts, covering the walls with Scripture
texts, having the Christian radio station on whenever he is home, and having
Christian friends come over to speak to the husband may have the effect of
driving him further away from the Lord. On the other hand, the husband is
watching the wife very carefully to see what effect Christ and Christianity are
having in her personal life. If she is living a Christ-like life (see 1 Pet.
2:21-23 for some elements of this), diligently attending to his physical,
emotional, and material needs, showing love and affection to him, and being
submissive to him, these attitudes and actions will certainly not go unnoticed
by him.

The Wife’s Manner of Dress

        Another point
made by the apostle has to do with the wife’s manner of dress. She should dress
modestly at all times, not seeking to draw attention to herself by the type of
clothing or jewelry she wears. Her husband will tend to fear that he may have
rivals for his wife’s affections among her Christian friends, so he needs a
great deal of reassurance as to his wife’s devotedness to him.

The Wife’s Submission to

Her Unsaved Husband

        With regard to
“Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands,” a perplexing question
frequently arises:“How far does this subjection go?” Suppose the husband does
not allow the wife to attend the meetings and activities of the assembly.
Should the wife submit and stay home on the basis of this Scripture along with
Eph. 5:22,23, or should she disobey her husband on the basis of “we ought to
obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) and “not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together” (Heb. 10:25)? There is no easy answer to these questions,
but I would tend to advise along the line of submission to the husband in this
as well as other situations that do not require her to engage in wicked
behavior. It may help to consider that while man looks on the outward
appearance, God looks on the heart. If the sister’s heart is with the
assembly—if she longs to be there but is prevented by her husband—the Lord
takes note of that. One is not generally considered to be forsaking the
assembly if prevented because of a trial such as a serious chronic illness; is
it any different if one is prevented because of a different kind of trial such
as an unsaved and unyielding husband?

Not Blind, Unquestioning

Obedience

        Obedience to
the husband in such instances should not necessarily be a blind, unquestioning
obedience. The wife would do well to seek to discern her husband’s reasons for
his prohibition. It may be that he simply resents her being away from home. He
may fear that she is not satisfied with the friendship and companionship which
he has to offer her and that she is seeking it from persons who share her
Christian faith. He may feel that she will neglect her household duties, or may
not be available when he needs her. Thus, the wife should make a special effort
to prove to her husband that she really does care for him and enjoys spending
time with him. She should take the initiative in suggesting things to do and
places to go together, considering particularly his interests. If he does allow
her to go out occasionally, she should make it a point to return home promptly
after the service is over. And if she believes that it is God’s will that she
disobey her husband’s wishes in order to attend meetings of the assembly, then
she should bend over backwards to be submissive to her husband in every other
respect possible.

An Unsaved Wife

        If it is the
husband who is saved and the wife unsaved, many of the same principles apply.
While the husband is not bound by Scripture to submit to his wife’s wishes
concerning his Christian activities, he must give full consideration to her
fears, needs, and desires. He might consider curtailing some of his
church-related activities in order to spend time with her. He ought to make
every effort frequently to reassure her of his love for her. Also, Peter
exhorts the husbands to give “honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel”
(1 Pet. 3:7). Since women tend to be weaker physically and tire more easily
than men, the husband should guard against frequently running off under the
guise of serving the Lord or meeting with his fellow Christians, while leaving
his already tired wife behind to clean up the kitchen, put the children to bed,
and pack his lunch. Such actions will not go far in attracting the wife to the
Lord Jesus.

Sanctifying Influence of the

Saved Spouse and Parent

        Further
instruction is given in 1 Cor. 7:12-16. While Christians are to carefully avoid
entering into an unequal yoke in marriage, once they find themselves in such a
yoke they are not to seek to get out of it. The saved one by a Christ-like life
has a sanctifying effect upon the unbelieving spouse, as well as upon the
children. But suppose the unbelieving spouse lays down the ultimatum:“Either
you give up all manifestations of your Christian life or I am leaving.” Verse
15 of this chapter suggests that the believer should let the spouse leave in
such instances. While every effort should be made to preserve a marriage (in
keeping with Gen. 2:24 and Matt. 19:6), no one is asked to do this at the
expense of giving up the Christian faith.

Marriage of a Saved Person

to an Unbeliever

        The passages we
have been considering in 1 Peter and 1 Corinthians likely were written
primarily to those who were already married when they became saved. The
principles apply equally to those believers who, in violation of 2 Cor. 6:14,
willfully marry an unbeliever. However, many additional problems may exist here
because of the sin of the believer in disobeying God’s Word with regard to
choice of a marriage partner. There may be the problem of guilt feelings due to
not having confessed the sin or not being sure that God can or will forgive so
serious a sin. For this we need to be reminded of the wonderful promise in 1
John 1:9:“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There may be envy
toward others who did not commit the same sin and as a consequence are
enjoying happy Christian marriages. This attitude needs to be confessed as
sinful. One may engage in self-pity, which often leads to depression, as a
result of making the foolish choice. Or, conversely, there may be fantasizing
about how much more pleasant life would be if married to another Christian.
Brooding over the past, being depressed over the present, despairing over the
future, and dreaming about what might have been … but is not, will only
increase the problems, make it more difficult truly to love and cherish one’s spouse,
and lessen the effectiveness of a Christian witness toward that person.

No Thoughts of Divorce

        Above all, the
saved partner must diligently avoid entertaining the hope that his or her
unsaved partner will initiate a divorce. If this is at all in the mind of the
saved partner, it may give rise to subtle behaviors aimed at sabotaging the
marriage and turning away the heart of the partner. The saved partner might
think that a divorce will automatically set him/her free to find and marry
another Christian. However, this thinking is not Scriptural. The verse, “if the
unbelieving depart … a brother or a sister is not under bondage” (1 Cor.
7:15) does not imply freedom to remarry. (A detailed exposition of this verse
can be found in the writer’s book, The Christian and Marriage, and in Words
of Truth, July-August 1982, or by writing to the editor.) Only if the
unsaved partner remarries (thus committing adultery in the extreme) might the
saved partner be free to remarry (Matt. 5:32; 19:9). Even then, if the saved
partner has undermined the first marriage, how can he/she expect God to bless a
new marriage?

        For those who
may not be doing all they can to preserve their marriage and to be the best
possible wife or husband to their spouse, I urge the following:Confess your
sin to God and accept His forgiveness. Persevere in prayer (Col. 4:2 JND), both
for the salvation of your spouse and for spiritual wisdom, patience, and
strength for yourself. Keep believing that God will answer your prayers
concerning your unsaved spouse. Keep feeding on God’s Word, and if you have
children, be faithful and persistent in feeding them the Word as well. Keep
living the Christian life with a meek, quiet, submissive spirit. And though
faint, keep pursuing (Judg. 8:4) these goals; keep following Christ.

When
the world is crowded out, and the flesh is underfoot,

And
the Tempter is sent backward by the Word,

Then
the Spirit has control, over thought and word and soul,

Only
then it is that we can wield the sword.

Then
the subject mind can say to the Spirit, “Have full sway!”

And
the peace of God will rule in sweet accord,

And
the emptied heart say “Come,” for no other is there room,

But
the Father, Son, and Spirit, and the Word.

      (From
Help and Food, Vol. 49.)

Having the Attitude of

Christ toward Sinners

      Suppose
your brother does you wrong; an evil word, perhaps, or an unkind action done
against you—something that you feel deeply as a real personal trespass against
you. It is a sin, of course. Nobody knows it, probably, but himself and you.
What are you to do? At once this great principle is applied:When you were
ruined and far from God, what met your case? Did God wait till you put away
your sin? He sent His own Son to seek and to save you. “The Son of Man came to
seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). This is the principle for
you to act upon. You belong to God; you are a child of God. Your brother has
wronged you? Go to him and seek to set him right. It is the activity of love
that the Lord Jesus presses upon His disciples. In the power of divine love we
are to seek the deliverance of those who have wandered from God. The flesh
feels and resents wrong done against itself. But grace does not shroud itself
in its own dignity, waiting for the offender to come and humble himself and own
his wrong. The Son of Man came to seek the lost. I want you, He says, to be
walking after the same principle, to be vessels of the same love—to be
characterized by grace, going out after the one who has sinned against God.
This is a great difficulty unless the soul is fresh in the love of God and
enjoying what God is for him. How does God feel about the child who has done
wrong? His loving desire is to have him right. When the child is near enough to
know the Father’s heart he goes out to do the Father’s will. A wrong may have
been done against him, but he does not think about that. It is his brother who
has slipped into evil, and the desire of his heart is not to vindicate self but
to have the brother righted who has gone astray that his soul may be restored
to the Lord.

“You and Him Alone”

      “Moreover,
if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between
you and him alone” (Matt. 18:15). It is not here the case of a sin known to a
great many, but some personal trespass only known to the two of you. Go, then,
to him and tell him his fault between you and him alone. “If he shall hear you,
you have gained your brother.” Love is bent on gaining the brother. So it is to
him who understands and feels with Christ. It is not the offender, but your
brother that is the thought before the heart:“You have gained your
brother.”

Further Steps

      “But
if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth
of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (18:16). Is it
possible he may resist one or two who come to him, witnesses of the love of
Christ? He has refused Christ pleading by one; can he refuse Christ now that He
pleads by more? It may be, alas, that he will. “And if he shall neglect to hear
them, tell it unto the church.” The church means the assembly of God in the
place to which these all belong. “If he shall neglect to hear them, tell it
unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a
heathen man and a publican” (18:17). The assembly, then, is told of the guilty
person’s fault. The thing has been investigated and pressed home. The church
warns and entreats this man, but he refuses to hear; and the consequence is:
“Let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican.” This is a most solemn
issue! A man who is called a brother in the preceding verse is now to me as a
heathen man and a publican.

The Kind of Person Who

Is to Be Put Away

      We
are not to suppose the man necessarily to be a drunkard, thief, or fornicator;
but he is one who shows the hardness of self-will and a spirit of
self-justification. It may arise out of small circumstances; but this unbending
pride about himself and his own fault is that on which he may, according to the
Lord, be regarded as a heathen man and a publican. In the case of open sin or
wickedness, the duty of the church is clear:the person is put away. Nor would
there be reason in such a case for going one at a time, and then one or two
more. But the Lord shows here how the end of this personal trespass might be
the same:the Church has finally to hear it may have to put the unrepentant
sinner away.

      (From
Lectures on the Gospel of Matthew.)

      “And
Abram went up out of Egypt … even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent
had been at the beginning,… and there Abram called on the name of the Lord”
(Gen. 13:1-4).

      This
passage presents to us a subject of immense interest to the heart, namely, the
true character of divine restoration. When the child of God has in any way
declined in his spiritual condition and lost his communion, he is in danger,
when conscience begins to work, of failing in the apprehension of divine grace
and of stopping short of the proper mark of divine restoration. Now, we know
that God does everything in a way entirely worthy of Himself. Whether He
creates, redeems, converts, restores, or provides, He can only act like
Himself. This is unspeakably happy for us as we are particularly prone to limit
Him in His restoring grace. In the situation now before us, we see that Abraham
was not only delivered out of Egypt, but brought back “unto the place where his
tent had been at the beginning.” Nothing can satisfy God in reference to
a wanderer or backslider apart from his being entirely restored. In the
self-righteousness of our hearts we might imagine that such an one should take
a lower place than that which he had formerly occupied; and so he should, were
it a question of his merit or his character; but inasmuch as it is altogether a
question of grace, it is God’s prerogative to fix the standard of restoration;
and His standard is set forth in the following passage:“If you will return, O
Israel, return to Me” (Jer. 4:1). It is thus that when God restores, He
does it in such a way as to magnify and glorify the riches of His grace. Thus,
when the leper was brought back, he was actually conducted “unto the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation” (Lev. 14:23). When the prodigal returned,
he was set down at the table with his father. When Peter was restored, he was
able to stand before the men of Israel and say, “You denied the Holy One and
the Just” (Acts 3:14)—the very thing that he had done himself. In all these
situations, and many more that might be added, we see the perfectness of God’s
restoration. He always brings the soul back to Himself in the full power of
grace and the full confidence of faith.           The moral effect of divine
restoration is most practical. The restored soul will have a very deep and keen
sense of the evil from which it has been delivered, and this will be evidenced
by a jealous, prayerful, holy, and circumspect spirit. We are not restored in
order that we may the more lightly go and sin again, but rather that we may “go
and sin no more” (John 8:11). The deeper my sense of the grace of divine
restoration, the deeper will be my sense of the holiness of it also.
This principle is taught and established throughout all Scripture, but
especially in two well-known passages, namely, “He restores my soul; He
leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psa. 23:3),
and “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). In other
words, having tasted divine grace, we walk in righteousness. To talk of grace
while walking in unrighteousness is, as the apostle says, to turn “the grace of
our God into lasciviousness” (Jude 4). The grace that forgives us our sins
cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Those things must never be separated.
When taken together they furnish a triumphant answer to both the legalism and
the lawlessness of the human heart.

      (From
Notes on the Book of Genesis.)

      We
shall not lose the Holy Spirit when we are raised again (John 14:16). This,
perhaps, is a simple truth, but one that makes us feel how great will be our
capacity for happiness in that state. In this present life, a great portion of
our spiritual strength is employed to enable us to walk in integrity, in spite
of the flesh and the temptations of the enemy. But in our resurrection life,
neither the flesh nor the devil will exist. All the power of the Spirit in us
will then be employed in rendering us fit for the infinite happiness we shall
find there (Psa. 16:11). We shall enjoy it all according to the strength of the
Spirit.

      When
we consider the teaching of Scripture that the believer in Christ is sealed by
the Spirit, it is well to notice first of all that our Lord Jesus Christ
Himself was thus sealed:“Labor … for that meat which endures unto everlasting
life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you, for Him has God the Father
sealed” (John 6:27). This is the chapter in which Jesus speaks of Himself as
the “Bread of God,” “the Living Bread,” and “the True Bread from heaven”
(verses 32,33,51). This life-giving Bread came forth and was presented to men,
as sealed by the Father, that they might eat and live forever. The sealing of
the Son of Man was the Father owning Him as His well-beloved One, and declaring
His delight in Him.

      I
heard an illustration recently that is relevant. Often today we find bread
offered for sale with the maker’s name, or some trade name, either put upon it
by a label or literally baked into it. The bread is sealed with the name of the
baker. He practically says, “This bread is good. I put my name upon it, for I
stand back of it in every particular.” So has God the Father sealed the Bread
from heaven. He acknowledged and approved His blessed Son in everything.

      It
is wonderful to learn from Scripture that the same Spirit who sealed the
Saviour seals all who are saved by Him. In Eph. 1:13 the apostle addresses
those who “trusted in Christ … in whom also, after that you believed, you
were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” In J. N. Darby’s version it is
even clearer:“In whom also, having believed, you have been sealed.” How
soul-assuring is this! Sealing is not a question of experience. It is a
precious fact to be accepted on the authority of the Word of God. When you
believed the gospel, dear saved one, you were sealed by the Spirit. God the
Father put His stamp upon you, so to speak. He did this by giving you the
Spirit to dwell in you—He who dwells in us is the seal.

      In
the same Epistle we read:“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are
sealed

      (Continued
on page 98)

      Let
us consider the truth of the indwelling of the Spirit, which is one of the
characteristics of the Spirit’s presence and work during the present Church
age. In this indwelling of the Spirit lies all the possibility for practical
sanctification.

      We
shall look at four features that characterize the indwelling of the Spirit:(1)
The permanency of it, (2) the enlightenment of it, (3) the liberty of it, and
(4) the refreshment of it.

The Permanency of the
Indwelling

      “I
will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may
abide with you forever:even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16,17). We note in
this verse the permanence of the indwelling:“He [shall] abide with you
forever.” All is stability and permanence in the present era, for all is based
upon a finished redemption and Christ taking His place on high.

      When
Christ died, He not only provided a perfect atonement, but by His death,
sentence was pronounced upon the whole human race. Sin in the flesh was
condemned; our old man was crucified with Him, and its worthlessness declared.
Now, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). I do not touch the fact
of the presence of the old nature, and the deeds of the body to be mortified;
but there is a new man who has eternal life. Everything here is of God, and the
Spirit will have no occasion to leave for there are no conditions upon which He
remains, save the fact of accomplished redemption.

      Did
you ever think of the awful dishonor done not only to the Spirit of God but to
Christ by the denial of the perpetuity of this abiding? If the Spirit could
leave after having taken up His abode in us, it would involve a denial of the
work of Christ. His work would have ceased to avail before God. It would drag
Christ from His throne in glory if the Spirit could depart from a believer.

      My
brethren, I am persuaded we little realize what it means for the Holy Spirit to
indwell us. If we did, what lowliness would mark us, what abhorrence of sin,
what quickness in the detection of the most subtle forms of evil, what
reverence toward our God! I pray that all of us may grow in our knowledge and
appreciation of the abiding of the Holy Spirit in us.

The Enlightenment of

the Indwelling

      “When
He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He
shall not speak of [or from] Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear that shall
He speak; and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me; for He
shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you” (John 16:13,14). This
Scripture teaches us the character of this indwelling of the Spirit, how He
operates. Notice particularly that He works by the truth. He guides into all
truth, even as our Lord prayed, “Sanctify them through Thy truth:Thy Word is
truth” (John 17:17). Spiritual intelligence is the very cornerstone of piety.
The Word of God—the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments—is the vehicle of
the Holy Spirit, the instrument which He uses. The spiritual condition of a
person may largely be gauged by his estimation of the Word of God. If that be
neglected, or thought lightly of, no matter how ecstatic the feelings, how deep
apparently the piety, there is not much true work of the Spirit of God. What a
fullness there is in the Word of God! Let us not be slothful in making it our
own, under the guiding energy of the Spirit of truth.

The Liberty of the Indwelling

      “The
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of
sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). Here we have the emancipating power of the
indwelling Spirit. The sixth and seventh chapters of Romans develop the truth
that emancipates. The cross is the end of me judicially:“Our old man is
crucified with Him that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:6; Gal. 2:20). Thus we are dead to sin in the
death of Christ, and are to reckon ourselves so, and alive unto God in Christ
Jesus. But this death puts me out of the reach of law, not only as that which
condemns, but as a rule for man in the flesh.

      In
the seventh chapter we find that so long as the soul seeking holiness turns to
the law, it finds the bonds of sin drawn tighter, for “the strength of sin is
the law” (1 Cor. 15:56). But in the beginning of the eighth chapter we see the
way of escape, that the life in Christ Jesus is a life of liberty. Instead of
the law we have the Spirit, and all through this chapter the Spirit is
prominent. Thus we have deliverance by the Spirit. “Where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17).

The Refreshment of the
Indwelling

      “Whoever
drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be
in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13,14). In
this interview with the woman of Samaria, our Lord used the water as a type of
the Spirit as that which ministers life and refreshing. No matter where man
turns for refreshment, he fails to find that which can truly quench thirst.
Pleasure, reputation, power, wealth—whatever the heart of man craves—can never
satisfy.

      To
the woman of Samaria, seeking satisfaction in the pleasures of sin and the
world, the Lord promised not only the gift of a draught of water, but a well
springing up evermore. As in new birth we have the bestowal of life by the
Spirit, so here we have Him dwelling in us, maintaining and developing the
life.

      In
Psa. 110 it is said of our Lord, “Thou hast the dew of Thy youth.” His vigor
and freshness are perennial, eternal. To Ephesus it was said, “You have left
your first love” (Rev. 2:4). They had lost the freshness that marked the early
stages of the divine life in the soul. Of how many, beloved brethren, must this
be said! No outward fall has marred their testimony; they are above reproach,
and in many ways commendably zealous; but there is no “dew.” Truth has taken
clear form, doctrines can be distinctly stated, a keen scent for error is
present; but Oh, where is that freshness that ever marked our adorable Lord?

      We
have looked at four features which characterize the indwelling of the Spirit:
(1) The permanency of it—“He shall abide with you forever”; (2) the
enlightenment of it—“He shall guide you into all truth”; (3) the liberty of
it—“The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law
of sin and death”; and (4) the refreshment of it—“A well of water springing up
unto everlasting life.” Surely, with such abounding fullness, our
sanctification should be deep and full and complete.

      (From
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.)

      “My
little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1
John 2:1).

      If
the child of God has still within him a fallen, sinful nature, it is not only
possible, but there is the constant danger of his falling into sin, unless he
is guarded by the truth, and by the power of God. Sin is not looked upon as a
trifle, nor as something habitual. “Whosoever is born of God does not commit
sin” (1 John 3:9). Any doctrine, therefore, that teaches that we are to think
lightly of sin is not the doctrine of Christ, but of Satan.

      But,
on the other hand, there is the opposite extreme. Satan would seek, first, to
make the believer careless and lead him into sin, and then to overwhelm him
with despair. Both are the opposites of that which grace does. It warns against
sin, speaks of its danger; but for one who has fallen into sin, it shows the
remedy, and means of restoration to God.

Failure

      What
is the root and origin of all failure in the child of God? Self-confidence:
this leads to self-pleasing, begets carelessness, and the eye is taken off the
Lord Jesus. A living faith in Him alone is what keeps the saint in God’s ways.
“By faith you stand” (2 Cor. 1:24). God has called His people to make progress
in His ways, to go on from strength to strength, and not to be standing still.
“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue …” (2 Pet. 1:5). When the
soul is thus pressing on after Christ, with the one object to be with Him and
like Him on high, he will despise the attractions of the world and the
enticements of the flesh, and will withstand the wiles of the devil. But “he
who lacks these things is blind” (2 Pet. 1:9). It is spiritual sloth in the
child of God that leads to neglect of prayer and feeding on the manna; and thus
Satan’s opportunity has come. Well is it for the soul if this inward declension
is owned at once, and restoration take place immediately. The Lord’s eye, as a
flame of fire, sees down in the secrets of the heart, and knows when love has
grown cold. “You have left your first love” (Rev. 2:4)—this is the beginning
and root of all declension; and to this one He says, “Repent.” This is a call
to judge the state of the heart, to turn afresh to Him whose love is as intense
and almighty as when He laid down His life and rose again. His love fans the
heart’s dull flame into brightness and warmth, and restoration is effected in
His grace.

      Suppose
this state of coldness and worldliness is neglected; it increases, and becomes
manifest in some form of outward evil. This may be some gross act like the sin
of David, or that of Peter when he denied his Lord; or it may be increased
worldliness, taking up the ways of the world, its pleasures or its
covetousness. Many things, doubtless, that are not regarded by man as evil are
in the Lord’s eyes a fall. Indeed, the gross act may be used by Him to awaken
the saint, who would otherwise go on with a cold and careless heart. A fall:is
it a trifle? God keep us from thinking so. It means dishonor to Christ, linking
His holy name with sin. It means the encouragement of the world to go on in
sin, to despise God, to reject Christ. It means an example to fellow-Christians
that may embolden them to trifle with sin. Who can tell the consequences of
such an act?

Restoration

      If
the child of God were left alone after a fall, he would be hopeless; Satan
could fill him with despair, and he would plunge still more deeply into sin, or
lapse into hopeless indifference. But there is a mightier One than Satan. The
good Shepherd has His eye upon His poor wandering sheep, and none shall pluck
him out of His hands. So He begins the work of restoration. “He restores my
soul” (Psa. 23:3). Indeed, this had been anticipated for, as He said to Peter,
“I have prayed for you” (Luke 22:61); and this was before Peter dreamed of his
danger. “He ever lives to make intercession for [us]” (Heb. 7:25) but He must
bring the sin home to the conscience; for otherwise one would remain
indifferent. So He recalls the soul:“The Lord turned and looked upon Peter”
(Luke 22:61). This brings back the warning, shows the sin, and breaks the
heart. Its effect is wonderful and most blessed. All his pride and
self-confidence is gone, and in true sorrow Peter goes out, not to continue in
his denial, but to weep bitterly.

      Nathan’s
words to David, “You are the man” (2 Sam. 12:7), and the effect upon David—“I
have sinned against the Lord” (12:13)—tells the same story. The work of
recovery is now effectually begun; the soul has judged its sin and confessed
it. Confession and self-judgment, in simple faith, are God’s means of restoring
the soul to communion. This is the washing of the disciples’ feet (John 13)—a
bringing home to the conscience the sense of sin, and leading to true confession
to the Lord. And He is as ready to forgive and restore (not to save, which had
already been done when the soul first came to the Lord) as He was to receive
the first feeble call of faith. There are many lessons, humbling and painful,
that He has to teach, showing the root of the evil, and how it developed,
leading them to increased self-distrust, hatred and loathing of the sin, and
earnest departure from it. Thus following restoration to communion, and the joy
of the Lord, is the walk in the Lord’s path, in childlike obedience and happy
engagement in His service.

      (From
Help and Food, Vol. 25.)

        “Wherefore, my
beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”
(Jas. 1:19).

        Christ Himself
is the model of this, as of all else that is good. As the Holy One of God, none
was so swift as He to hear God’s Word. He says through the prophet, “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the
learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.
He wakens morning by morning, He wakens Mine ear to hear as the learned. The
Lord GOD has opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away
back” (Isa. 50:4). Nor was it otherwise with His bearing in the presence of the
tempter:the Word of God was His constant resource, and only the more if Satan
perverted it. “It is written again” (Matt. 4:7) was His lowly, God-honoring
answer. And so it is, and has ever been, with His sheep. They hear His voice
and follow Him; they know not the voice of strangers (John 10:4,5).

        The Word of
truth abides in its value. By it we have been begotten of God (Jas. 1:18); by
it the new life is fed, formed, directed, and strengthened. If we rightly heed
all Scripture, we assuredly shall welcome every word that explains the new life
and its duties, and His glory and grace who is its spring and fullness.

        “Be … slow to
speak.” We have another nature that is self-confident and impulsive. We need to
be on our guard that, knowing ourselves weak, ignorant, and naturally prone to
evil, we may look up to God and wait dependently on Him. As born of Him, it is
ours to be jealous that we may neither misrepresent nor grieve Him. And
therefore are we warned of another danger when it is added that we should be
“slow to wrath.” How often we manifest impotent and hasty self-will! We are now
sanctified to do His will, to obey as Christ obeyed. There is of course a right
occasion for wrath. So the Lord looked round about on those who misused the
Sabbath to oppose God’s grace in an evil world (Mark 3:2-5). But we are
exhorted to be slow to wrath and to let it soon be over. “Be angry and sin not;
let not the sun go down upon your wrath; neither give place to the devil” (Eph.
4:26,27).

        James is
occupied with our practical ways in consistency with God’s sovereign will in
begetting “us with the Word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits
of His creatures” (Jas. 1:18). Thus He looks for conduct according to that new
nature He has given us by faith. Submissiveness of heart becomes us in hearkening
to Him, and in avoiding our natural haste of speech and proneness to wrath.

        (From Exposition
of the Epistle of James, Bible Truth Publishers, Addison, Illinois.)

* * *

        Scriptural
advice to the overly quiet:

        “There is … a
time to speak” (Eccl. 3:1,7).

        “If your
brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and
him alone” (Matt. 18:15).

        “Grant unto Thy
servants that with all boldness they may speak Thy Word” (Acts 4:29).

        “Let no man
despise your youth; but be an example of the believers in word” (1 Tim. 4:12).

* * *

        Scriptural
advice to the overly talkative:

        “O that you
would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom” (Job 13:5).

        “Set a watch, O
LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Psa. 141:3).

        In the
multitude of words there wants not sin; but he who refrains his lips is wise”
(Prov. 10:19).

        “He who has no
rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls” 
(Prov. 25:28).

        “There is … a
time to keep silence”(Eccl. 3:1,7).

        “A fool’s voice
is known by multitude of words” (Eccl. 5:3).

        “In … many
words there are also divers vanities:but fear God” (Eccl. 5:7).

        “Hold your
peace at the presence of the Lord GOD:for the day of the LORD is at
hand” (Zeph. 1:7).

        “Every idle
word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment” (Matt. 12:36).

        “If any man
among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his
own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (Jas. 1:26).

      When
the apostle Paul wrote about wickedness in Corinth, he was grieved to see the
utter indifference as to the matter. It may be true they did not know what to
do, but would not every right-minded saint have been overwhelmed by the shame
that had come upon the Church of God? And would He not have removed
providentially a wrong-doer if there was no other way to be rid of him? Their
indifference showed an entire lack of conscience. The most uninstructed spiritual
person would mourn (1 Cor. 5:2). How differently the apostle felt:
“Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears”
(2 Cor. 2:4).

Judging Self Before

Disciplining Another

      A
case of wickedness in an assembly assuredly ought to lead to deep exercise on
the part of all. Instead of saying, “God, I thank Thee” (Luke 19:11), true
humility will rather say, “Search me, O God” (Psa. 139:23).
Frequently, too, there will be occasion for self-reproach. Had the erring one
been looked after? Had he been prayed for? Had a godly example been set him?
Surely such questions as these will arise in one truly realizing the shame of
such things. An undressed wound may become gangrenous, and amputation be
necessary; but would not the physician who had neglected to take the proper
care of his patient be ashamed of his work? And how many cases of extreme
discipline are made necessary by these neglected cases! “He who rules … with diligence”
(Rom. 12:8).

Limiting Occupation with Evil

      But
this sorrow and humility, this self-judgment, will only make the truly
exercised the more firm in vindicating the honor of the Lord. Joshua arose from
lying on his face and executed the Lord’s penalty upon Achan (Josh. 7). After
all, His glory is the only thing to be sought. The case of the woman in John 8
is not in point here. There it was the infliction of the law by men themselves
guilty; here it is the act of broken-hearted saints resorting to a last act to
keep unsullied the precious name of Christ. But in what spirit are we to act?
How shocking would be the thought of a judicial trial as if we were the judges!
How loathsome the gloating over the wretched details of the evil! It is not
necessary that the whole assembly be dragged into the particulars of a case of
wickedness. A few careful, godly brothers who have the confidence of the saints
should go thoroughly into the matter, and when all is clear report the results
to the assembly, which will then act by putting away the wicked person.
Occupation with evil, even when necessary, is defiling; and as few as may be
should be engaged in it, and these should wash their garments (Num. 19:21). Let
such matters be kept out of conversation. “Let it not be once named among
you, as becomes saints” (Eph. 5:3,4).

Loving the Sinner

      We
must likewise remember that love—love to the offended and to each other—will
fill the hearts of those truly exercised; not love at the expense of truth, but
love that mourns while it smites, like God’s love when He chastens.

      The
detection of evil is a priestly function (see Lev. 14 in connection with
the leper). Why is it that so many cases of discipline fail to commend
themselves to the consciences of God’s people, and are the occasion of dividing
them asunder instead of uniting them? Is it not because the saints have
forgotten their priestly position, their place in the sanctuary, and that in
communion alone they can have guidance and power? Instead of this, how often
the subject is food for conversation and strife, until there is no power.
Saints need to be much with God, much occupied with Christ, when evil has to be
dealt with.

Having Godly Sorrow

      In
concluding this subject, let us note the spirit produced in the Corinthians by
the apostle’s faithful dealing:“For behold this selfsame thing, that you
sorrowed after a godly sort…. In all things you have approved yourselves to
be clear in this matter” (2 Cor. 7:11).

      (From
The Church and Its Order According to Scripture.)