A hen we urge the law of love we do not mean sentimental human affection with all its partiality, its inconsistency .end blindness. We mean love after the pattern set by the Lord Jesus who died for a church full of imperfection and who. under the very shadow of the cross, gave comfort to his faulty disciples. This law of love so incessantly urged upon us in the Word of God is the most soul searching and the most difficult of all the commands. It involves a crucifixion of the flesh far more complete than that which comes to us from the bitterest criticisms of misguided opponents. If we ignore these- commands while giving an extreme and unjustifiable application of the command to withdraw from the disorderly we- sin doubly. We sin in that which we- do and that which we neglect.
From the testimonies cited, it is surely safe to draw the following principles.
- Fellowship in the Gospel is a felkm ship with the Father and the Son, God calls us. It is therefore a sacred matter to be treated with reverent care.
- if we- join ourselves to the world join that which God has ordained to be separate (2 Cor. 6).
- If we cut off brethren from fellowship without scriptural warrant we put asunder thal which God has joined ( 1 Cor 12; Eph. 5:30).
- We must at all times remember the warnings against judging each other and the countless exhortations to love and forbearance.
- There are times when on the judgment of the inspired apostles we are-called upon to withdraw from offenders. From those who turn from any element of the Faith (2 John 10); from those who by perverse disputing’s cause wrath, strife of words, railings, evil surmising’s ( I Tint 4:6); from those who are guilty of moral offences ( I Cor. 5:11 ); such to be restored in love after repentance (2 (,or. 2:7, 8 ).
- That all unrighteousness is sin. but there is a sin not unto death. Many such offences are to be reproved or rebuked and left to the judgment of the Lord ( I Tim, 5:20; Titus 1:13; I Cor. 4:5).
- That in this sacred fellowship with the Father and the Son we can have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from all sin.
Are these principles helpful? Are they fairly stated? If you think not, then take your Bible, put in a few hours’ study yourself and try to draw up a more faithful summary. Add such scripture as you think may be necessary, but do not ignore-any of the testimonies referred to here.
In time of strife some may agitate that we cut off some of the Lord’s servants who are- judged beforehand to be unworthy. Some- may be frightened by the suggestion that to decline- shows them to be weak in the faith. Well, “to the law and the testimony,” that is the only guide. Have these brethren denied any element of the faith? Are they guilty of perverse disputing’s which are making your ecclesial life impossible? Have they been guilty of any of those moral lapses mentioned by the apostle? In short, is there any scriptural principle which justifies you in saying, “These men were called by God to the fellowship of the Gospel, but they are now taking such a position that Scripture requires me to take the extreme step of cutting them off ?”
Perhaps there is no one charge that can so easily be tested. but rather a multitude of alleged offences which in the aggregate are regarded as providing a cause. Beware of these “many and grievous charges.” It is easy to bring charges against any body of men to show that their general standard of conduct is inferior to that of others. Whether true, half true, or wholly false, such accusations are difficult to judge. Fortunately we are not called upon to judge. Rather are we required to refrain. We have responsibilities in our own ecclesia to make it a real light-stand, but there is nothing in scripture to suggest that we are called upon to make a detailed examination of the way of life in other towns. Smyrna was not held responsible for the sins of Laodicea, and Smyrna would have been at fault if it had attempted to pass judgment. It was the Lord who judged.
Brethren need not be distressed by the thought that they are bound to pass judgment when others have fallen out. We need not take sides at all, indeed there are disputes in which those at a distance cannot possibly take sides If some brethren in misplaced zeal insist on an unscriptural division, the whole responsibility lies with them. If they cut our brethren off they cut us off. Clearly we cannot seek their fellowship while they have cut off the body to which we belong. It is equally clear that they alone can repair the breach. We can say with per feet truth, “We have not cut you off, you have cut us off.” The old man of the flesh hates to make such a confession, hut it expresses a distinction which may make all the difference between life and death in the day of account.
If there is in these days a Laodicean church, the Lord will pass judgment on it. He is the only one qualified, and God has committed all judgment to him. We need to be very- careful how we even form an opinion on such matters. A thousand times more careful how we speak and write.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One