Thank God we are under grace. But does this blessed fact weaken, in any way, the truth that
holiness becomes 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" (Psalm 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? Is evil to be tolerated
because we are not under the 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).

You say, "We must not draw comparisons between God’s dealings with His earthly people and
His dealings with His Church." What, then, mean the following words in 1 Cor. 10:1-11?
"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under
the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in
the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they
drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them
God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our
examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. . . . Now all these
things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition upon whom
the ends of the world are come."

Is not this drawing a comparison between God’s dealings with His earthly people and His Church
now? Yes, surely; and well will it be for us all to ponder and be admonished by the comparison.
It would be sad indeed if we were to draw a plea from the pure and precious grace in which we
stand for lowering the standard of holiness. We are called to purge out the old leaven, on the
blessed ground that "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7). Woe be unto the
Corinthian saints 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, the Corinthians were not called to stone or to burn this man; and here we have the contrast
rather than a comparison. 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" (Psa. 93:5). Can you not praise Him for His holiness as well as His grace? Can
you not, as the standard of holiness rises before you, add your doxology, "Blessed be His name
for ever and ever! Amen and amen"? We trust you can. We are disposed to think that any remarks
contrary to these are the fruit of that one-sidedness to which we are all prone, and which must
ever prove a sad hindrance to our progress in the knowledge of divine truth.

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 to be just as broad and as narrow
as the Word of God.