Thank God we are under grace. But does this blessed fact weaken, in any way, the truth that "Holiness becometh [God’s] house … for ever"? (Psa. 93:5). Has it ceased to be true that "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him"? (Psa. 89:7). Is the standard of holiness lower for the Church of God now than it was for Israel of old? Has it ceased to be true that "our God is a consuming fire"? (Heb. 12:29). Is evil to be tolerated because "we are not under law, but under grace"? Why were many of the Corinthians weak and sickly? Why did many of them die? Why were Ananias and Sapphira struck dead in a moment? Did that solemn judgment touch the truth that the Church was under grace? Assuredly not. But neither did grace hinder the action of judgment. God can no more tolerate evil in His assembly now than He could in the days of Achan (Josh. 7).

The assembly at Corinth was commanded_woe be unto them if they had refused_to put away from among them the wicked person, to deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. True, they were not called to stone him or to burn him, but they had to put him out from among them if they would have the divine presence in their midst. "Thy testimonies are very sure; holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, for ever." Can you not praise him for the holiness as well as the grace? Can you not, as the standard of holiness rises before you, add your doxology, "Blessed be His glorious name forever;. . . Amen and amen"? (Psa. 72:19). We trust you can.

We must never forget that, while we stand in grace, we are to walk in holiness; and, as regards the assembly, if we refuse to judge bad doctrine and bad morals, we are not on the ground of the assembly of God at all. People say we must not judge; God says we must. "Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (1 Cor. 5:12,13). If the assembly at Corinth had refused to judge that wicked person, it would have forfeited all title to be regarded as the assembly of God; and all who feared the Lord would have had to leave it. It is a very solemn matter indeed to take the ground of the assembly of God. All who do so have to bear in mind that it is not at all a question of whom we can receive, or what we can tolerate, but what is worthy of God. We hear a great deal these days about the "broad" and the "narrow"; we have just to be as broad and as narrow as the Word of God.

(From Short Papers, Vol. 2, by C.H. Mackintosh.)