The judgment of God on man must first be removed in judgment. Many are in comparative darkness, because they do not see that the man under judgment has been terminated judicially in the cross for the believer. God never revives that man. That which was under judgment has been removed in judgment. The resurrection of Christ is not merely a receipt that your sins are atoned for, but that a Man after a new order has come up out of death, no more according to the flesh, so that for the believer, not only is the mortgage on the house paid off, but every stone of the house has come down, and a new one is built on the same spot, but with none of the old material…May each one of you rejoice that the man under judgment has gone, and that Christ—the glorified Man, the “greater than Solomon”—is the only source of your life and your every blessing…
(J B Stoney, NS vol. 6 p 5-8)
Golden Nugget Number 268
Golden Nuggets are published by Saville Street Distribution, Venture, Princes Esplanade, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8QD UK
Hence we may see how very real and practical is this question of how to study Scripture. It is intimately connected with our entire moral and spiritual condition, our daily walk, our actual habits and ways. God has given us His Word to form our character, to govern our conduct and shape our course. Therefore, if the Word has not a formative influence and a governing power over us, it is the height of folly to think of storing up a quantity of scriptural knowledge in the intellect. It can only puff us up and deceive us. It is a most dangerous thing to traffic in unfelt truth; it brings on a heartless indifference, levity of spirit, insensibility of conscience, which is appalling to people of serious piety. There is nothing that tends so to throw us completely into the hands of the enemy as a quantity of head knowledge of truth without a tender conscience, a true heart, an upright mind. The mere profession of truth which does not act on the conscience and come out in the life, is one of the special dangers of the day in which our lot is cast. Better by far only to know a little in reality and power, than profess a quantity of truth that lies powerless in the region of the understanding, exerting no formative influence upon the life. I would much rather be honestly in Romans 7 than fictitiously in Romans 8. In the former case I am sure to come right, but in the latter there is no telling what I may come to.
(Short Papers, C H Mackintosh) Golden Nugget Number 267 Golden Nuggets are published by Saville Street Distribution, Venture, Princes Esplanade, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8QD UK
The Lord never exhorted people to do what was not exemplified in Himself.
It has been said that we are never asked to do anything that has not been already done; we are not entitled to ask others to do what we ourselves are not doing. If I exhort another, I must examine myself. Paul never exhorted people to do what was not exemplified in himself. The Lord Jesus exhorted the disciples to do what had already been seen in Himself. The true servant says, “Follow,” not “Go.”…That is the difference between law and grace. The true servant takes the lead and says, “I will show you the way.” Look at the references Paul makes to his own life and service and spirit! It is astonishing. The apostle could present himself and his ways as a model. No one could say that those things were impossible. If only we gave the true Isaac His place all would be well. Paul gave Christ His place from first to last. Christ reigned in his heart, and his ways and teaching were of Christ. If Christ has His place all will be right.
(C A Coates, Outline of Mark, p364)
Golden Nugget Number 266
Golden Nuggets are published by Saville Street Distribution, Venture, Princes Esplanade, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8QD UK
Some say there is now no collective Christian position and that it is impossible for Christians rightly to break bread together in view of the public breakdown of the church. However I think we can free from sectarian organisation.
I have heard it said that there is now no collective Christian position. I understand what they mean. Some have though that it meant it was now impossible for Christians rightly to break bread together in view of the public breakdown of the church. However I think we can free from sectarian organisation.
I believe that the Lord is reminding His own as to the subject of gathering. A brother recently wrote to me, referring back to when he was ill in 1970 (a significant year for some readers). He wrote:
“I was crying out to the Lord in pain, when the Lord came back to me with the rebuke, ‘You don’t really love me! all you love is ‘the assembly’, I am secondary to all you do!’
By putting ‘the assembly’ in quotes, I am sure he was referring to a religious body, not the body of Christ. That challenged me: does my little round of meetings and the fellowship I enjoy mean more to me than the Lord Himself. Frederick Raven said he did not understand a ‘collective position’. Many resisted him then – maybe we would have been preserved from a lot of sorrow had we gotten the gain of his ministry since. Here are a few extracts (slightly edited for sense) from a reading on the parables of the mustard tree and the leaven in Matthew 13:31-46 (1901) – See Ministry of F E Raven Vol 15 p 359).
F E Raven
Frederick Raven
The mustard tree conveys the idea of imperialism, the hierarchical system of things, a great conspicuous figure, which affords shelter; the leaven hid in the three measures of meal represents a great inflated mass leavened by corrupted doctrine. When Christianity assumed a form and character which God never intended, it was morally a ruin. The ruin has come in upon Christianity as a whole. I think everyone who takes a place outside the great world order is a witness to the ruin. We must go on without any pretension, without any idea of what is called corporate witness, an ecclesiastical company in any sense. We are in danger of becoming a tree: well let us say, a small tree.
In reply to the remark ‘Our collective Christian position is a witness to the ruin’. Raven answered. I do not understand a collective position. I think our position is essentially individual. I cannot see any warrant for anything save what is individual in the present state of things. Find ‘those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart’ (2 Tim 2:22), I do not mind who: I am not recognising a company. I cannot see any warrant for anything save what is individual in the present state of things. Scripture says, ‘Two are better than one’ (Eccl 4:9). If you get two people walking in righteousness they will naturally be drawn together. I should not recognise a company. If I were asked to what company I belong, I should say, “To none”.
Abiding in Christ meets every difficulty. The sad thing to me is, that I see a great number today who do not seem to be abiding in Christ. I do not say that they are not Christians, but the only antidote to lawlessness is abiding in Christ.
We break bread in view of all Christians; we cannot compass all in fact, but in our mind we take in all saints. The moment we go out in thought to the whole church all is plain sailing. A Christian who isolates himself is lawless.
When asked, ’Is there any company that can act with authority?”. FER answered ‘No’. Then asked ‘How then can we deal with evil?’, ‘You do not go on with evil. We seek to act according to the truth. As to putting away, I am a bit afraid of the collective idea. The only thing that can act with the authority of Christ is the church. However, two or three acting in Christ’s name is not really the church, only they are guided by the principle of the church. ‘We being many are one body’ (Rom 12:5). I do not see any warrant for taking the place of a company; we stand apart from the organisation of Christendom.
My Conclusion
Perhaps we all need to be with the Lord and do a bit of rethinking. I fear lest in leaving or rejecting the tenets of one company, we join or espouse the ideas of another. Occupation with Christ is the only antidote.
Sosthenes
September 2019
Full Text of Reading
Following some criticism for ‘selectively quoting’ from FER, I am reproducing the whole reading.
See Ministry of F E Raven Vol 15 p 359).
Obtainable from Kingston Bible Trust
I do not believe that my extracts detract in any way from the whole reading
READING ON MATTHEW
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Ques. In reference to the tree — is it the thought that the outward proportion is according to the inward corruption?
F.E.R. Yes; but I think you must distinguish between them. The leaven and the mustard tree are two different similitudes. One represents one thing, and the other represents another. The tree conveys the idea of imperialism, a great conspicuous figure, which affords shelter. On the other hand, the leaven hid in the three measures of meal represents a great inflated mass leavened by corrupted doctrine — they are two distinct figures.
Rem. The mustard tree represents the hierarchical system of things.
F.E.R. Yes, it becomes conspicuous in the world, ruling over the kings of the earth. The harlot will ride the beast. That is imperialism. The three measures of meal leavened represent a great inflated mass.
Rem. Permeating a given sphere.
F.E.R. Exactly.
Ques. Do you get the end of those two views in Revelation 17 and 18?
F.E.R. I should think what you get in Revelation is more the mustard tree. It is the great city Babylon that rules over the kings of the earth.
Ques. Does the apostle speak of leaven in 2 Timothy 3 where he gives a moral description of the last days? Does that give the idea of leaven?
The Adaptation of Christianity to Man
F.E.R. Not quite to my mind. I think leaven is very much more what is human. It is the adaptation of Christianity to man. Everything is humanised.
Rem. That is the point — Christianity adapted to human ideas.
Ques. Is it what is spoken of in Colossians 2?
F.E.R. Yes, that is it. “After the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world”.
Rem. “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them”.
F.E.R. What is our place in regard of all these things? We have a perception of them, and are professedly apart from them, but I do not know whether we are apart from them morally, and I fear in many minds there is a kind of hankering after them. What was said at the beginning was that if you stand outside these things, as recognising the character of them, you are a witness to the ruin. It is a poor kind of thing to be a witness to the ruin, but that is pretty much where we are. I do not know how far it is understood.
Rem. That is what was before me, that we might see how far we are sensible of the ruin and outside of it. The mustard tree is the ruin.
Ques. This is a picture of the ruin of what?
Rem. It is the ruin of the kingdom of heaven that is spoken of here. The mustard tree is the ruin.
The Church and the Kingdom of Heaven
Ques. Do you distinguish between the church and the kingdom of heaven?
Rem. I do; but in bringing in the kingdom the church comes into view. The mustard tree is a great hierarchical system which Christ never intended the church to be.
Rem. It is the product of a false kingdom instead of the true. Babylon is a false system.
Rem. You get the beginning of it in 1 Corinthians. “Ye have reigned as kings without us”.
F.E.R. It is worth while to know what is in our minds when we speak about the ruin. When christianity assumed a form and character which God never intended, it was morally a ruin. God never intended that there should be clergy and sacramentalism and all that sort of thing; but that is the form that christianity has taken to a very large extent.
Ques. When we speak of the ruin, do we not think rather more of it in connection with a house than a tree? You would say that the house has broken down.
F.E.R. I do not know that I should say that. I think Christianity has.
Rem. Christianity was really intended to produce a moral witness for Christ here, and in that sense it has failed.
Ques. Does the failure embrace both the kingdom and the church phase of things?
F.E.R. I think the ruin has come in upon Christianity as a whole. I think every one who takes a place outside the great world order is a witness to the ruin.
Ques. Are you not a witness to what cannot be touched by ruin? Was not Paul?
F.E.R. You are not qualified to be a witness to the ruin if you are not up to the mark.
Rem. Our collective position is a witness to the ruin.
I do not understand a Collective Position.
F.E.R. I do not understand a collective position.
Ques. “With those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart”, does not that imply a company?
F.E.R. I do not mind who it is: it is anybody who calls on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Ques. What was in your mind when you said that you do not understand a collective position?
F.E.R. I think our position is essentially individual. I cannot see any warrant for anything save what is individual in the present state of things.
Rem. But Scripture says, “Two are better than one”.
F.E.R. I agree to that. I cannot see how we can be a witness to the ruin if we are lawless. A lawless man cannot be a witness to the ruin, he is in the ruin. If you get two people walking in righteousness they will naturally be drawn together.
‘Our Fellowship’
Rem. A good deal has been said about our fellowship.
Rem. I think that means christian fellowship.
Ques. I often hear the expression, ‘So-and-so is not in our fellowship’. If we use such terms, what is meant?
F.E.R. I should suppose that what is meant is that So-and-so is not walking in the truth. If a man is going on in Bethesda, I should not say that that man is really in the fellowship of the truth.
Rem. I have heard you say that the only warrant for our going on together in fellowship is in that passage in 2 Timothy: “follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart”.
F.E.R. Quite so. It is the only warrant I know for it.
Rem. Then we must go on without any pretension, or without any idea of what is called corporate witness.
Rem. What you mean is that we cannot claim to be an ecclesiastical company in any sense.
Rem. We are in danger of becoming a tree.
F.E.R. Well, a small tree.
Rem. I suppose we cannot help walking together if we are each walking in the truth.
F.E.R. I do not mind at all if the truth is the bond. There are, I fear, a great many in fellowship with us who look upon brethren as an association, or something of the kind, on scriptural lines, and they are borne along with it.
Rem. I suppose it is that you really stand aside and through grace wait for Christ, and if there are any others waiting they are glad to break bread with you; not forming anything.
F.E.R. Quite so.
Romanism and Protestantism
Rem. I do not see in the seven churches that anything is under the eye of Christ but Romanism and Protestantism — Thyatira and Sardis; all the sects, and so on, are not anything under the eye of Christ, they are all part of Protestantism. It is Romanism on the one hand and Protestantism on the other.
Ques. What about Laodicea?
Rem. That is part of Protestantism.
Ques. What of Philadelphia?
Rem. That is also part of Protestantism.
Rem. Do you think these parables have any connection with the previous part of the gospel — the tree and the fruit — and the tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down? I thought of Christ as the green tree. He was removed. The trees of the earth were cut down because of the evil in them.
F.E.R. I think the fig tree has been cut down for good; but the fig tree represents man under culture, and it is cursed.
Rem. The tree that is spoken of here is not in connection with fruit good or bad. It is connected with shade and overshadowing.
Ques. When you speak of ‘individual’, is there not such a thing as the unity of the Spirit?
F.E.R. Yes; but if you are a witness to the ruin, you do everything right, else you are no witness. If you are lawless you are involved in the ruin. The mystery of lawlessness already works, and it is only as we are apart from it that we are a witness to the ruin.
Ques. Is there any company that can act with authority?
F.E.R. No.
How can we deal with Evil?
Ques. How then can we deal with evil?
F.E.R. You do not go on with it. There is no need to go on with evil.
Ques. Are we to look for “faithful men” today?
F.E.R. Yes, I think so. I think we seek to act according to the truth.
Rem. It has often been said that it is only the assembly that can put away.
F.E.R. I am a bit afraid of the collective idea. The meaning of putting away is to get apart from evil. I think the only thing that can act with the authority of Christ is the church. I do not think two or three acting in Christ’s name is really the church, only they are guided by the principle of the church.
Ques. If you went into a place you would try to find those who are calling on the Lord out of a pure heart?
“I should not recognise a company. If I were asked to what company I belong, I should say,’ To none’.”
F.E.R. Yes, certainly; but I should not recognise a company. If I were asked to what company I belong, I should say, To none.
Ques. Would you address a letter of commendation to the saints?
F.E.R. Yes; but it is not because I recognise a company, but because I know there are saints there who call upon the Lord with a pure heart; but those few saints are not the church.
Ques. What is it if it is not a company?
F.E.R. A sort of two or three held together by the truth. In acting we can only act in the light of the church.
Ques. Would the expression “Tell it to the assembly” hold good now?
F.E.R. The principle of it would, but I think we are in danger of getting into an organisation. We have lists of meetings or address books.
Ques. When you speak of a company you are using the word in a sense of an ecclesiastical company?
F.E.R. Yes. People do their best to force us into some ecclesiastical position. Brethren are not an addition to the system around us; it is the very thing we have to contend against. I do not see any warrant for standing apart from what is in christendom, but in seeing that it is not according to God, and this is individual.
Ques. How would leaven affect us now?
F.E.R. You will find in christendom that the precepts of christianity are very largely adapted to man as man. Men can take up an official position as men. For a clergyman it is not necessary that a man should be converted. I have no doubt that a great part of the world is largely affected by the precepts which you get in the epistles, but they are applied to man as man.
Ques. We have heard recently that many have taken the path without faith in it; is that what is in your mind to guard against?
F.E.R. Yes; if people take account of brethren as a company, and attach themselves to them as such, there is no faith for the path, and they are hanging on some one else. I do not know what the end of it will be. We are, I fear, dragging on a lot of unwilling people.
Ques. What about young people who desire to take their place to remember the Lord? May they not be instructed?
F.E.R. Yes; but they not only want instruction but faith for the path.
Rem. Abiding in Christ meets every difficulty.
F.E.R. The sad thing to me is, that I see a great number today who do not seem to be abiding in Christ. I do not say that they are not christians, but they are in measure lawless. The only antidote to lawlessness is abiding in Christ.
Ques. What is our warrant for breaking bread at all if you get rid of the company idea?
“We want to walk in the light of the church”
F.E.R. If you do not act in the light of the Lord, you are lawless. We want to walk in the light of the church. The moment we go out in thought to the whole church all is plain sailing. If a christian isolates himself he is lawless; but we want to keep ourselves and our own minds clear of the company idea.
Rem. There is a sense in which you can look at the company by taking in all saints.
F.E.R. Yes, you are on plain ground then.
Rem. You would have a great objection to a christian isolating himself.
F.E.R. Yes, I think he is lawless.
Ques. Does not breaking bread give the thought of a company?
F.E.R. I break bread in thinking of the entire company.
Rem. The one loaf takes in the whole of the saints.
F.E.R. Yes. In mind you take in all saints, and you break bread in view of all christians; we cannot compass all in fact, but in our mind we take in all saints.
Rem. You take in in your mind what is in God’s mind.
F.E.R. Yes, exactly. “We being many are one body”. I do not see any warrant for taking the place of a company; we stand apart from the organisation of christendom.
Rem. The use of the word ‘company’ involves in many minds the idea of some kind of corporation.
Rem. The brethren.
F.E.R. Yes. The great point is that we must each individually be in faith. I take myself as an example; if any one challenged me as to what I belong to in christendom I should say, ‘To nothing’. It would not be a quibble in my mind.
Rem. 2 Timothy is a great book for us now. It shews a clear path. Follow first righteousness, then faith, then love.
F.E.R. Yes; but it is with those who call, &c.
Calling on the Lord out of a pure Heart is Individual
Rem. It would be unbecoming for any company of christians to claim that they were calling on the Lord out of a pure heart.
F.E.R. Yes, the individual does that.
Ques. When you speak of a company, would not that imply every one forming that company?
Rem. It is very difficult to convey an idea of what it is to others. It is inexplicable to people outside.
F.E.R. I am not considering what they think, but what is in my own mind. My point is as to where we are in regard of these things in our own minds. I believe the thought in a great many minds is that brethren are a company in christendom gathered together on scriptural ideas.
Rem. You would refuse their putting you in a false position.
F.E.R. I am anxious to be out of a false position in my own mind. I have no doubt the position is an exceedingly difficult one.
Ques. When we use the plural number, ‘we’ and ‘us’, ought we not to take in in our minds the whole church?
F.E.R. Yes, I think so. The point with regard to it all is the idea that people have in their minds of the position taken up, and of our relation to all that is going on.
Ques. Did not all this come out some years ago in Fragmentary Remarks?
F.E.R. I am quite sure all this was in Mr. Darby’s mind. No one was more averse to anything like organisation than he was. The very fact that any one of us is seeking to pursue the truth of necessity brings us together for the moment; but there can be no collective witness to the ruin; it is individual.
Rem. Mr. Darby maintained that we were only two or three, and if we were a witness to anything we were a witness to the ruin.
Rem. You are a witness to the ruin by abiding in Christ rather than by taking pains to let people know whom you are associated with.
F.E.R. I think so. I want to see an end of lawlessness amongst those with whom we are associated. If we were abiding in Christ we should stand clear of a great many things we are now associated with. I see many people in fellowship who assent to the truth, but who are not governed by the truth. Do you think if people were abiding in Christ, they would be found in picture galleries? Is that suitable to abiding in Christ? If you are not abiding in Christ, you are sure to be lawless.
Ques. How is this difficulty to be met with regard to those who seek for help?
Faith for the Path
F.E.R. The difficulty is, there are people who have not faith for the path.
Ques. What do you mean by faith for the path?
F.E.R. Take Moses. Moses had every opportunity in the world, but he had faith for a path. If people have faith for the path they will be prepared for self-abnegation. If they want to get the best of both worlds, to get the things of this world as well as the things of Christ, they will not be much good. It is not that we make a company, but our bond is the truth. What we want to know more of is living down here in relation to the One in heaven. I defy anybody to find any antidote at all to lawlessness excepting abiding in Christ. It certainly means the entire setting aside of our own will.
Ques. Do I get a right impression that the only thing for us is for the truth of God to be made good in our souls individually?
F.E.R. Yes.
Ques. What would you say abiding in Christ is?
F.E.R. It is like the earth abiding in the sun. It is coming under the influence of Christ; you are held by attraction to Christ.
Rem. If we are walking in the Spirit, we shall be abiding in Christ.
F.E.R. I think the whole universe will abide in Christ, and that is how God intends to set lawlessness aside. In the meantime we abide in Christ and He in us. I do not think Christ will abide in you if you do not abide in Him. If Christ is your Head Christ is your intelligence, and you view everything according to Him. Christ in the gospels never viewed anything according to man. Man’s thoughts were continually presented to Him, but He never viewed anything according to man. We have the mind of Christ, and we view everything in relation to Christ and not to ourselves.
Rem. I remember a brother saying that practical christianity may be summed up in two expressions: the sum of the Spirit’s teaching is abide in Christ, and the sum of Christ’s teaching is “Love one another”.
Rem. I suppose if two persons were abiding in Christ they would be loving one another, and there would be unity?
F.E.R. I think so. The true principle is — “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another”. We cannot get out of that — “We have fellowship one with another”.
We are represented at the right hand of God by the Priest, and the Priest loves us. We could hardly say that Aaron loved the people. He interceded for them, and bore the names of the tribes on his shoulders and on his breast. But our High Priest loves us, and supports us as long as we are on earth, and nothing can separate us from His love. It is wonderful to think that He knows us individually. Aaron had the names of the tribes on his shoulders, but the Lord says He knows His own sheep by name; John 10: 3. He spoke to Mary by name; He knew her individually; she was a sheep. And so in regard to us, He knows us and intercedes for us.
Last Lord’s Day the Lord took our brother Mark Lemon of Sevenoaks to be with Himself. Many readers will have known Mark, not least as editor of the magazine ‘Living Water’, and also for managing the Stone Publishing Trust, a distributor of bibles, tracts and current and old ministry. I knew Mark for over 60 years: he was a very dear brother for whom I have had much affection and esteem, who served the Lord well. He will be sorely missed by his dear wife Monica (they celebrated their golden wedding recently), the gathering in Sevenoaks and many throughout the world who received encouragement from him.
Handing on the Torch
In 1994 Mark Lemon compiled a book entitled ‘Handing on the Torch[i]’ comprising extracts from the Ministry of F E Raven. I know some readers of A Day of Small Things have problems with certain aspects of F E Raven’s ministry, and I do not want to get into a discussion about other subjects here. I just ask my readers to consider without prejudice some of the things he said as to the church and collective Christian experience. He was very much set against claiming positions – something that brought him into conflict with big-B Brethren.
Some Selections from Mark’s Book.
Here are some selections from Mark’s book.
Frederick Raven
The church is in ruins; and I am sure we ought to be more under the burden of this than we are. I have felt how little sense I have of the defection of the church, of how far the church is from the mind of God in regard to it. . . . The fact is we have had far too much in our thoughts the idea of setting up an expression of the original, and have been pretty much contented with it. That means that we are losing sight of the ruin of the church. From F E Raven: Fellowship, Privilege and Testimony[ii]
The tendency with man, if he has any sense of the failure of the church, is to begin again, to try and set up a sort of pattern of what the church originally was. It has been said that if we are a testimony to anything it is to the ruin of the church, but people do not quite like that, they want to be ‘a local expression’ of something. . . . If you have apprehended the ruin you can stand apart from what is contrary to the Lord, and be guided by the light which was from the beginning, without making any pretension to ecclesiastical order. F E Raven: Notes of Readings on Romans – Chapter 8[iii]
We cannot return to the power, to that which was at the beginning; but even in recognising that the Holy Spirit is still here, we get great good. The remnant in Malachi could not go back to the Solomon state of things. If Christianity could be set up as at the beginning, it would only fail again. It is a great assumption to imagine that we can set up a representation of the church, From ‘The Divine Side of “in Christ” and its Effect in the Saints’[iv]
I decline altogether the idea of attaching any peculiar value to a particular company because that company holds something distinctive. The only value of any company in the present dispensation is that they return to what was from the outset; that is that they represent morally the church as before Christ. From The Holy City Jerusalem[v]
If you ask me what Christianity really is, I should say it is Christ formed in the saints by the Spirit. It is not holding a certain system of doctrine. . . . I cannot conceive of anything more wonderful than to be able to say that the spiritual constitution of the believer is really derived from the heavenly, so that it can really be said,‘As is the heavenly, such are they also which are heavenly’. From The Last Adam[vi]
Conclusions
From the above, there are a number of significant points.
The church is in ruins and we are to feel our own part in it.
We cannot correct it by setting up a new representation as to what was from the beginning (I personally have recently got help as to this one)
If we did it would fail again, and we would fall back into sectarianism with its structure and formality
We should not claim to have anything distinctive, setting us apart from other believers
We need to recognise that we derive from what is heavenly, so our gathering should reflect that.
Increasingly, I have come to the conclusion that, if the Lord has, in His goodness and wisdom has put a few simple believers together enjoying assembly privilege, they are to reflect Christians in testimony, valuing all believers equally. As the Lord said, ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’John 13:35
In the eye of God the man under judgment has gone in judgment. But you are not in liberty until you are delivered from the body of this death. ‘For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death’
When the prodigal’s father covered him with kisses, he could not doubt his reception. He did not make his intended proposition: ‘Make me as one of thy hired servants’ (Luke 15:19). You are justified when you believe that God has raised Christ from the dead. In the eye of God the man under judgment has gone in judgment. But you are not in liberty until you are delivered from the body of this death. ‘For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death’ (Romans 8:2).
Romans 5 is acceptance, and the Holy Spirit given: Romans 8 is deliverance. The Holy Spirit tells me that God loves me, also tells me that I have life in Christ (see Romans 8:2) Before then I could not be truly happy. I was happy when I looked up to God, but mererable when I looked at myself, conscious of my unfitness. I saw that ‘that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing’ (Romans 7:18), then I cried, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?’ (v.24).
We see it with Israel. They were out of Egypt, but it was only near the end when they looked to Spirit (Numbers 21). That was after they had learned their wretchedness. It took 39 years before they saw the brazen serpent.
The blood – you are sheltered from judgment.
The Red Sea – you see a way through by the death of Christ
The brazen serpent – you know that you are in Christ, and live
The Jordan – you are dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world.
The Father’s House with the Best Robe
Then you can enjoy the Father’s house with the best robe. It is joy unspeakable!
In answer to a question ‘Do you say that peace is not enjoyed till we know that the old man is crucified?’, Stoney took a more positive response. Instead of concentrating on the old man, he looked to enjoying of the great supper, and making merry which you can do only if you are in liberty [*]. A sailor said he did not mind any weather so long as he could see the sun. You must keep your eye on Christ.
If our old man has gone on the cross we would not be occupied by ‘holiness by faith’ teaching. If the old man has gone in the eye of God in the cross, then it should be gone from my own eye. I change my man: ‘not I, but Christ liveth in me’ (Galatians 2:20). There are two sides; one, that you are cleared in the eye of God in the cross; the other that you know you are in Christ. Then you are free: ‘For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death’ (Romans 8:2) . The flesh is set aside as you walk in the Spirit. You must accept the fact that you have died with Christ. To this you are committed in baptism. The mark of a man walking in the Spirit is that his body is a living sacrifice (See Romans 12:1).
[*] My take on this is that we should be occupied with what the Lord has done, and not whether we are crucified with Him. Enjoying the merriment in the Father’s house stops us being occupied with what we are naturally. Occupation with whether we are crucified with Him, is occupation with self.
1. James Butler Stoney by our late brother Gavin Simpson
James Butler Stoney
James Butler Stoney was born in Portland, County Tipperary, on May 13, 1814, and when only 15, he entered Trinity College Dublin to study for the Bar. In 1831 during an outbreak of cholera, he was taken ill, and his first thought was “How can I meet a holy God?” Alone, he threw himself on his face and cried to the God he had heard of as a boy, who alone could receive the chief of sinners because the “Crucified One” was at His right hand. A long sleep restored him but he had been “born again.” “No more law for me,” he said, “I’ll be a witness to grace”—the grace that could only be revealed from glory for sinners. He joined the Divinity Class at the same College and completed his studies but was not ordained. During this period he spent time studying the Scriptures.
He married Mary Frances Elwood in Dublin in 1838. She was a daughter of Robert Elwood of Knockadoo County Roscommon in the West of Ireland. They spent their early married life in County Tipperary and County Mayo in Ireland and at Gooding Lodge, Pembrey (near Llanelli) Carmarthenshire. They had one daughter and four or five sons. The daughter, Anna, was the eldest child (1839 – 1932). By 1871 they had settled in London living at 23 Lonsdale Square, Islington. In 1901 they were at 106 Falsgrave Road, Scarborough.
Mr Stoney did not go abroad to serve God, as far as is known, as did J N Darby and others, such service being limited to Great Britain and Ireland, but for almost 60 years he served God actively and faithfully. Besides his oral ministry, he “contributed to a number of Christian periodicals”. For many years he edited and contributed to one called ‘A Voice to the Faithful.’
He served in a series of bible readings in Edinburgh in October 1895, and following these meetings he had a fall. He was indisposed until his death on 1st May 1897. His daughter wrote a diary of his closing days which is entitled “From Glory to Glory”. It covers the period of his life from his return from Edinburgh until his death. At one point she read to him the notes of the Bible reading at Edinburgh on the Priesthood of Christ, then contained in ‘A Voice to the Faithful’ (see JBS vol 6 p. 315.) and she was deeply touched to see how his own words, almost his last words in public, are being made true to himself now. He said at the end of the same reading “It is the time you spend with the Lord that is everything to you” (vol. 6.] p. 324.)
Mr Stoney continued to serve the Lord and his people even while indisposed. There is a section in Volume 3 of his letters giving details of his communications whether written, dictated or spoken during this period. He did so until two days before the day of his death. Details of his burial are not available except that he was buried in Manor Road Cemetery, Scarborough. His widow and Anna continued to live at Falsgrave Road until Mrs Stoney died on 30th April 1902.
In reading his ministry you feel that he had a distinct impression of the Lord’s greatness and that he was in the gain of what he ministered. On one occasion his daughter said to him that persons were saying servants have a special line or impression given by God. She asked him “What is yours?” he replied “Oh, I think Glory is my impression”.
Mr. Stoney said “I did not know Mr. Darby until after he was in Plymouth in 1833. After leaving the University, I went to stay with him at a brother’s house at Cork, where I was his constant companion; and just to give an idea of the truth that came out, I mention an attempt of mine to compose a hymn, entirely a new idea to me, as a divinity student, raw from the University, and before I was twenty. You may see from this how very clearly was brought out the fact that our place is heaven, and that Christ is our Head there.” The verse is quoted below so that those who read this may share the impress which prompted him to compose it.
HARK! happy saints! loud lift your voice,
Tell to the world how we rejoice –
Yon heaven is our home.
There lives our Head with glory crowned;
And we as for His kingdom bound,
All cry – Lord Jesus, come!
J.B. Stoney (1814-1897)
In 1865 he composed a poem entitled ‘REST’ . . . which shows how near he was to God.
Extracted from the preface to ‘Encouraging Words – Extracts from the Ministry of J B Stoney’, by Gavin Simpson, published 2006 by Stone Publishing Trust, Sevnoaks, Kent http://www.stonepublishingtrust.org.uk/index.html
2. James Butler Stoney from ‘Chief Men Among the Brethren’
JBS Grave – New stone in 1970’s
JAMES BUTLER STONEY was born at Portland, Co. Tipperary, on 13th May, 1814. His father was a strict Puritan and his mother (nee Butler) equally strict from a different point of view. Her four sons remarkably answered to her culture in mind, in address, and in the manner of life. They had private tutors, and lived in a country home, with only country pursuits and pleasures
J.B.S. entered Trinity College, Dublin, at fifteen, taking his place at 70 out of 92. At nineteen he was Senior Freshman and well up in Classics and Law. His first religious impression was as a boy, when the Rev. Baker Stoney, Rector of Castlebar, the friend and fellow-worker with Mr. Nagle of Achill, came to Portland. At family prayers he read Acts 9, and dwelt on the fact that God’s salvation was so great that He could send a “light out of Heaven” to arrest one soul, and in that light was seen a Saviour in the glory of God for a man on earth who was stamping out His Name from the earth. He saw that just One and heard the voice of His mouth (Acts 22 and 26).
The youthful mind is “wax to receive and marble to retain, ” and he never lost the sense of the revelation in Christ of the “kindness and love to man (philanthropy) of our Saviour God” (Titus 3. 4). But the ambitions and joys of youth left little room for serious thought. He was eagerly following his studies for the Bar; all his prospects in life depended on his success at the Bar.
In 1831 men were dying of cholera all around in Dublin. He was suddenly taken ill, and his first thought was, “How can I meet a holy God ?” The agony of his soul was worse than that of the body. He rang for his servant to go for the doctor. “Thomas, I am afraid I am dying. ” “Surely you are, sir, ” said Thomas. Alone he threw himself on his face, and cried to the God he had heard of as a boy, who could receive the chief of sinners because the “Crucified One” was at His right hand. When the doctor came he was exhausted and appeared dying, but quite calm he said: “Jesus will have me. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
A long sleep restored him, and he was soon able to return to his studies. But he had been “born again,” born for a new world, new hopes, new life. “No more law for me,” he said. “I’ll be a witness to grace, ” the grace that could only be revealed from glory for sinners.
He joined the Divinity Class at Trinity College, Dublin, where there were really good men at that time, but he had to wait nearly four years. He could not be ordained until he was twenty-four years of age. His family were very angry; his uncle would have nothing more to do with him; as his fine talents and opportunities were being thrown away for a curate’s pay.
But during those four years, he was studying the Scriptures with all the earnestness of a soul that had learned that unseen things are for eternity, the seen things of this life passing away. As he studied the Epistles he found that the “gifts” for ministry in the Church of God were given directly from the Ascended Man to each one, so that by Christ’s own appointment one became an evangelist or a teacher, etc. (Eph. 4). *He would not wait for a curacy; he would go out at once into the highways and hedges and invite sinners to come to God’s great salvation: “Come, for all things are ready. “
He wrote a little book called “Discipline in the School of God,” dealing with the Old Testament characters, and contributed to several periodicals. He spoke somewhere every day and travelled much. A fervent, impressive speaker, he anxiously avoided anything like eloquence, feeling that the Spirit of God was the only power for holy things.
J.B.S. died on 1st May, 1897, just before his eighty-second birthday. God was his exceeding joy to the end—while telling of Him he gently fell asleep. He rejoiced to say:
“‘Tis the treasure I found in His love
That has made me a pilgrim below.”
“When I look at this place, He is not here; and when I look at myself naturally I am not fit for Him. How happy then to know that I belong to the place where He is; and that through grace I have been made suited to Him in that new position; so that I set my mind and affection there, as the place where my deepest joys are realised.”– J.B. Stoney
.
God finds, Thou Spotless One, in Thee
Where all perfections dwell,
All that His heart could wish for me,
More than my tongue could tell.
He finds me ransomed, righteous, fair,
Where all His joys transcendent are –
He finds me perfect for His praise,
His glory through eternal days.
Oh, strange that I should ever leave
Such place of rest in Thee;
That I should e’er Thy Spirit grieve,
Or from Thy presence flee.
To turn to creature joys for rest
Is but to wander from Thy breast;
Yielding to sin’s enticing snare
But robs my sweet abiding there.
Oh, keep me then, most blessed Lord,
Abiding in Thee still,
In deep communion, through Thy Word,
Thy life in me fulfil.
Dark shadows here are all around;
I’m only safe as in Thee found;
Soon, and for ever on Thy breast,
Shall be my sweet, eternal rest.
How should I continue with ‘A Day of Small Things’.
Recently we had some dear friends to stay with us. On the Saturday evening, one young lady was not her normal ebullient self. She was coming up for her secondary school graduation exams (‘A’ levels), and was asking the question, ‘What shall I do?‘. She had so many options – subjects and places at university, or would an apprenticeship be better? Of course, we encouraged her to seek help from the Lord.
This gave our friend the subject for his preaching on the Lord’s Day. Many in scripture – even God Himself – asked the question: ‘What shall I do?’ (Luke 20:12). Also, we have a young rich man who wants salvation through his own works (Mark 10:17), a fool who relied on worldly wealth (Luke 12:17) and Pilate asking a frenzied crowd (Matthew 27:22). Then there was a servant of the Lord recalling his conversion asking the Lord for the first time. He was to find an answer amongst the Lord’s people (Acts 22:6).
That brings me to my question, ‘What shall I do?’
I have been working on ‘A Day of Small Things’ for about six years. The site has some 500 articles including over 80 summaries of the works of John Nelson Darby. I could go on producing summaries and have a couple in my in-tray. But largely I am repeating what has already been covered. I have limited time and strength, and of course, do not know how long I have remaining, but I desire to use my writing skills to God’s glory.
I edit some ministry for publication under the series ‘Today if ye will hear His Voice’, but my question is: How should I continue with ‘A Day of Small Things’. I am therefore asking you, my dear Christian readers, for guidance.
I can continue with JND articles, but as I say that is repeating.
I could work similarly on other servants’ works, such as that of the oft-maligned Frederick Raven, or that servant with an outlook to heaven James Butler Stoney.
I am also conscious that there are many dear believers dissatisfied with the institutional structures of sectarian Christendom and desire to find a living ministry – what belongs to the Lord’s assembly, what sees the Christian calling as a heavenly one and who are looking for the Lord’s return to rapture His saints. reaching them without retorting to the world’s methods is a challenge. But I would like to reach more.
After some prayer I have felt that our eyes need to be lifted up – so for the next few weeks, I hope to work on some of the ministry of J B Stoney – Steps in Light, Acquaintance with Christ, Acceptance and Deliverance etc. I trust that this will also be of encouragement to my younger readers. I believe JBS was only about 20 when he wrote:
Hark! happy saints! loud lift your voice, Tell to the world how we rejoice – Yon heaven is our home. There lives our Head with glory crowned; And we as for His kingdom bound, All cry – Lord Jesus, come!
Last Lord’s Day the Lord took our brother Mark Lemon of Sevenoaks to be with Himself. Many readers will have known Mark, not least as editor of the magazine ‘
