It is not so much the reception of truth which tests the state of soul of God's people, as the "patient continuance in well doing;" for in the first discovery of truths hitherto unknown and un-enjoyed, there is an ardor akin to that which always characterizes first love. Alas, that this should ever cool, or that the truth should lose power over our souls, but as the old adage says, "Time tests."
In Paul's epistles to Timothy, we see what close fellowship in the truth existed between this honored servant of Christ and his "son in the faith." It is in these epistles alone that Paul uses the expression, "man of God," and advisedly so, we may say, for is it not evident from Old Testament scriptures that this appellation implied one who stands for God and His Word in the midst of difficulty and departure? Twice he repeats this expression (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17), and twice he exhorts Timothy to continue (1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Tim. 3:14).
Continuance in the truth marks the "man of God." Timothy was not only to be a "Fundamentalist"; this of course he must be of necessity (1 Tim. 1:19), 1:e., one who maintains the foundation or basis. In his second epistle, ch. 1:8, the apostle says, "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner." It was for his special commission Paul was suffering, and to which he specifically refers in Eph. 3:3 and Col. 1:24-27.
In these blessed truths which Timothy had learned from Paul, he exhorts him to continue. This would not be a path of ease or popularity, for already the apostle saw the germs of apostasy, and the second epistle was written when "all in Asia" had turned away from him; and the "house of God" (1 Tim. 3:15) had become like a "great house" (2 Tim.2:20) wherein are vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor, so that the "man of God" needed to be thoroughly furnished.
Paul was prisoner for "the testimony of our Lord;" it looked like tragic failure, but the apostle knows no defeat. Demas, loving the world, had departed; all who had been with Paul fled at his first answer, seeking an easier path, but this aged warrior says, "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me," and he energetically seeks to strengthen the faith of his young fellow-servant.
"CONTINUE THOU
in the things which thou hast learned," says the apostle, and he closes the epistle with the beautiful benediction, "The Lord Jesus be with thy spirit." What a voice should all this be to us!
One might say that for centuries the most precious revelation of the New Testament lay buried beneath the mass of a corrupt professing church, when the Lord raised up Luther for the recovery of truth long lost sight of. We all know that what specially characterized Luther's ministry was the truth of "Justification by faith." For the recovery of this, we devoutly thank God; but beyond this Luther, seemingly, did not go.
Three hundred years after Luther nailed his famous theses to the church door at Wittenberg, the Spirit of God wrought in the souls of men, anointing their eyes to see the precious ministry peculiar to Paul's epistles, and recovering to the Church truths in large measure forgotten. The result is too well known to need repeating:in various parts of the world the Spirit of God gathered to the Lord alone, a witness to the all-sufficiency of the Name and Person of the Lord Jesus, and the presence of the Spirit to guide and govern in the assemblies of the saints-a testimony against human organization. "Tragic failure" there may be in maintaining truths so graciously recovered, and in this we all have our share, and surely can say with Daniel, "We have sinned." One greatly used of God in connection with this movement once wrote in a letter to a brother in Christ,
"When there is an attempt at displaying the position and the unity, there will always be a mess, and a failure; God will not take such a place with us. We must get into the place of His mind to get His strength. That is now the failure of the Church. But there He will be with us. I have always said this. I know it has troubled some, even those I especially love, but I am sure it is the Lord's mind. I have said, We are witnesses of the weakness and low estate of the church. We are not stronger or better than others, but we own our bad and low estate and therefore can find blessing. I do not limit what the blessed Spirit can do for us in that low estate, but take the place where He can do it" (J. N. D.).
By this it is evident the writer had no thought of any ecclesiastical position in the religious world; and perhaps failure to grasp the fact that the position which so-called brethren found themselves in was merely "a testimony to the failure and weakness of the Church," accounts for the disappointment experienced by some, and departure from the position once taken.
The danger which confronts us is not the ruin of the professing body, or "tragic failure" of those who have sought to maintain the testimony of our Lord. Why should we be dismayed by this, seeing that we commenced with the irremediable ruin of the fair structure pictured in the opening chapters of the Acts? The house is manifestly in ruins, but 2 Tim. 2 still affords instruction for the child of God, and what comfort it is to know that though everything built upon the foundation may go to pieces, the foundation standeth sure.
The watchword for us to-day is not recovery, but retention-holding fast what has been recovered. The word of the Lord to the Church-remnant, notwithstanding its little strength, is "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev. 3:11).
Man has ever failed in maintaining whatever God has graciously committed to his hand, but, thank God, the truth remains, divine principles never change, and we are privileged and responsible to walk in the revelation God has given.
We are called, as never before, to stand. We cannot put things right in the Church, neither can we put others right, but we are to see if we are individually right. I am responsible to act with respect to that which cannot be ruined. Not to take my pattern from a failed church for (as another has said), "A failed church is surety for nothing," neither am I to compromise truth for unity, but God has plainly marked out the path for faith in the midst of church disorder (2 Tim. 2). "Let everyone that nameth the name of the lord depart from iniquity." I am to purge myself from every vessel to dishonor, and walk righteously, in peace and love. I am not called upon to purge the house, but purge myself from those walking dishonorably, and this brings me into the company of those like-minded, who "call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart." The great snare today is not the fact that all is in ruin (this must be unreservedly admitted and confessed), but lest the ruin should be the cause of making us ashamed of that which is above all ruin, and an easier path be sought by compromising truth.
What solemnly impresses one to-day is that after having been so highly favored of God, He having opened our eyes to see His present mind for His people, and delivering us from what was merely of man, recovering to us the sense of what the testimony of the Lord is, we, through our lack of watchfulness, and allowance of the flesh and that which suits the flesh, should be in danger of drifting back into that from which grace delivered us. This is doubly serious for "if the light that be in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." Nothing is more to be dreaded than a counterfeit, and that which is nearest to the truth, yet not it, is the worst deception.
Bear with me if I speak plainly, for I desire to stir up our minds by way of remembrance. Has there not been of late years, in many assemblies, the adoption of methods and principles foreign to the Word, and the spirit of accommodating ourselves to that which answers to "the camp" of Hebrew 13:13, after, professedly, obeying the Word and going "forth unto Him" outside it? May not our unfaithfulness to those truths graciously recovered to us, be the cause of the weakness so apparent, and the lack of blessing in our meetings?
The Lord's words to the Ephesian assembly were, "Remember therefore from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come upon thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent" (Rev. 2:5). May the Lord give us to heed the word, and exercise our hearts deeply, enabling us to more firmly "Hold fast," retaining what has been recovered. J. W. H. N.