Easy Summaries of John Nelson Darby on God’s Grace, the Rapture, Dispensations, the true Church etc.
TThe bond of fellowship is the Lord; the boundary is the death of Christ; the power is in the Spirit. What lies at the heart of the whole matter and what properly leads to fellowship is appreciation of Christ.
William Johnson (1850-1921)
Golden Nugget Number 335
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“God made Him [ who had no sin] to be sin for us” (2 Cor 5:21 NIV) goes much deeper than that. I can only understand by it that, as to His own consciousness, Christ on the cross was as sin in the holy presence of God. I do not think anything short of this gives an adequate idea of the forsaking of God, or of the dealing with sin so as to remove it from before God.
(F E Raven, Letters, p218)
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“Cause Thy face to shine…”
On the burden, so to call it, of Psalm 80 (see verses 3, 7, 19)*, it may be observed that we get the person of the Lord strikingly revealed through Scripture. Thus, regarded in different lights, He is both the answerer of prayer and the suppliant. He receives the Spirit, and pours out the Spirit. (Zech. 12:10; Acts 2:33). He is the Rock (Matt. 16:18), and yet He looks to God as the Rock (Psalm 62). He is one of the flock (Psalm 23) and yet the Shepherd of the flock (John 10). He is on the throne praised, and yet the leader of the people’s praise (Psalm 116; Rev. 5). He is a Priest, and yet the redeemed are priests to Him (Rev. 20:6). In one respect He is a Jew, desiring the divine favour for His nation, and waiting for the face of Jehovah to be turned again to His people (Isa. 8:17). In another respect He is as Jehovah Himself, the God of Israel, with His face turned away from His people (Matt. 23:39), thus strikingly revealed in both His divine and human place, both as the expectant head of Israel, and yet as Israel’s God. All this can be understood when the great mystery of “God manifest in flesh” and its glorious results are understood. But who can utter it all?
John Gifford Bellett, Short Meditations on the Psalms.
*Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Psalm 80:17 v 3 and 7 similar
Golden Nugget Number 327
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have you waited in the presence of God?
I assume that as believers in we are definitely devoted to service the Lord Jesus Christ, and I make an appeal…to all here as to whether that is so. I do not presume to define what the service is. Probably that is a matter that lies between the Lord Jesus and your own souls; but that every one that belongs to Him is devoted to service, and that for ever, must go without saying; for the immensity of what Christ has done lays us under eternal obligation. Our lives, our abilities, all that we possess, must be at His feet for service…
I ask you, in regard to your service, have you waited in the presence of God? Have you a sense that He has taken you up? There are two dangers: one is to serve unintelligently, and the other is to not serve at all. There should be a sense in our hearts that God has definitely taken us up for service. It was so with Christ…there abode in His heart the secret that He was God’s Servant.
(R Besley)
Golden Nugget Number 328
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It is most touching to see that it is “the bride, the Lamb’s wife”; she is seen in suitability to the One who suffered here. He has traversed the path of suffering love even into death, for it was as the Lamb He died; He brought in divine love in the way of redemption, and to do so He suffered and died. The saints acquire suitability to the Lamb by being found in the path of suffering here. They “follow the Lamb wheresoever it goes.”
( C A Coates, Paignton, 1926. Extracted from The Believer’s Friend Volume 18 )
Golden Nugget Number 326
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This gives us a rule that goes far beyond “what is the harm of this or that?
Everything, whatever ye may do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Colossians 3:17)
This gives us a rule that goes far beyond “what is the harm of this or that?” and is so simple. It comes into any common thing in the day, like buying a dress. Are you doing it in the name of the Lord Jesus? Can you go to a concert in His name? Of course not. The things may not be wrong, but it settles everything – hundreds of questions that might arise. It gives me as my measure and rule to be walking in Christ, and living for Christ. I have Christ as my life, and He cannot do it…If I am in earnest, it is the most comfortable rule possible; but if I am not, it pinches dreadfully: because you may say, “Am I never to do anything to please myself?” Ah, you betray yourself! What a comfort it is to know what He likes!
Golden Nugget Number 324
(J N Darby NS vol. 34)
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September 2020
But the main reason is that I have been writing a book: ‘After These Things – Summaries of John Nelson Darby’s Papers on Prophecy for Christians waiting to see the Lord of Glory when he Raptures his Church’. When finished it will be about 300 pages long, much of it being revisions of articles I had summarised over the past six years, supplemented with chapters on subjects which Christians often confuse, and which Darby strove tirelessly to clarify. Doctrine is unashamedly premillennial, based on scripture and showing clearly what pertains to the heavenly Church and earthly Israel.
The expression of God’s Kingdom is the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of God.
The basis of God’s Kingdom is righteouness; righteousness accomplished and declared in the death of Christ.
The expression of God’s Kingdom is the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of God.
The principle of the Kingdom is peace,
and
The rule, or law of the Kingdom is grace.
(F E Raven, 1898 Readings)
We are to “walk humbly with thy God, (Micah 6: 8)”. Never was the word more needed than today, when pride and ambition are even exalted as virtues. We are to bind on humility, and, again, we are reminded of Him–our Lord and Teacher–who humbled Himself as no other ever did or could, and presents Himself as our glorious Model. He ever glorified God in His lowly pathway here, and His word to us is, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls.” There is truly rest and joy in following Him.
(W M Brown, Words of Grace and Comfort 1951)
Golden Nugget Number 318
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Were we lying in death? He puts himself into it. Did we deserve the cup of wrath? He takes and drinks it. Was all the power of Satan against us? He goes into it and breaks i
I find then the perfectness of the love of the Saviour. His rejection only served as a means of expressing His love still further. Mark the reality of this expression as meeting all our case. Were we lying in death? He puts himself into it. Did we deserve the cup of wrath? He takes and drinks it. Was all the power of Satan against us? He goes into it and breaks it. Christ does not say, You come to Me properly, and then I will help you. No; He comes down into it all; He does not seek to escape; He does not turn away from the insults and violence of men, but, through them all, He offers Himself without spot to God.
(J N Darby, CW vol. 31 p148-9)
Golden Nugget Number 315
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