Correspondence

1. “Η. C. W.,” Cheltenham. Thanks for your letter. We do not question for a moment the truth of what you say as to Mr. Pearsall Smith’s personal love to Christ, or his desire to raise the spiritual tone of Christians. And, further, we may add the expression of oar full conviction that God has used him to call attention to much neglected truth. But, at the same time, we are persuaded that he has not only, as you say, “made some errors in judgment, and used slipshod phrases which might convey a different meaning to the hearer from that which he understands himself,” but that he has failed to bring out the precious truth unfolded in Rom. 6. That he has taught much precious truth we fully admit—truth found largely in other writings which are comparatively little known: but he has taught not a little error as well. As to the blessing which you yourself have received, we heartily thank God for it; and we earnestly pray that you may be thoroughly rooted, grounded, and settled on God’s foundation, namely, Christ Himself, “who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” Keep close to Him, dear friend—yea, abide in Him. Be at His side, and then you will be on His side.
2. “A Perplexed One,” Jersey. Scripture distinctly teaches that the believer will never come into judgment at all. 2 Cor. 5:10 declares that all shall be manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ, believers and unbelievers—not, of course, at the same time. But how will believers be manifested? In all the perfectness of Christ Himself. Are they to be judged? Assuredly not. Their judgment is past forever. It was executed at the cross. If there was a single atom of sin or guilt left unatoned for in the death of Christ, a single question left unsettled, a single thing-no matter what—that has to be judged, then, most assuredly, we shall be eternally damned. But no, dear friend, it is all settled—blessedly, divinely, eternally settled; and all who believe on the Son of God have passed from death unto life, and shall not come into judgment. (John 5:24.) Thus much as to the person of the believer. It is as impossible that he can come into judgment, as that Christ Himself can. The members can no more be judged than the Head. No doubt our work shall be tested. “The day shall declare it.” It shall be tried by fire, and all the wood, hay, and stubble will be burnt up. And, further, when we stand in the light of the judgment-seat of Christ, we shall look back with an enlightened gaze over the whole of our career, and see, as we never saw before, our mistakes, our follies, our sins, our infirmities, our mixed motives. But we shall see also, as we never saw before, the fullness of the grace of God, and the efficacy of the blood of Christ. With regard to Matt. 12:36, 37, it teaches us that “men will have to give account for every idle word.” So also, in Heb. 9:27 we read, “It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment.” But the believer is taken completely off the ground of judgment, inasmuch as Christ was judged in his stead; and hence, instead of looking for judgment, he is looking for the Savior. Is all this precious grace to make us lax and careless? May we speak idle words because we are not to be judged? Far away be the horrible thought! Nay, dear friend, it is just because we believe that Jesus was judged in our stead, and that we shall never, can never, come into judgment, that therefore we judge ourselves day by day, and refuse to justify in ourselves a single sinful thought. “How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” It is our holy privilege to reckon ourselves “dead to sin.” We have passed through death and judgment, in the Person of our Substitute, and “we have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.” (John 4:17.) Here lies the grand secret of our peace—the secret of our deliverance from the power of sin—the secret of all holy living. May the Spirit of God expound and apply it in power to your heart, and then you will cease to be “A Perplexed One.”
3. “M. L. C.,” Cheltenham. We are not to do evil that good may come.
4. “H. J. D.,” Crediton. There is a place at the table of the Lord for every member of the body of Christ, provided always that there be nothing in doctrine or walk to disqualify. If anything more be required for admission to the table than the ability to cry, “Abba, Father,” that is, the Spirit of adoption, it is not the Lord’s table at all, but the table of a sect.
5. “W. R. L.,” Paddington. We most assuredly believe that the collection at the Lord’s table is an integral and most blessed part of the worship and communion of the assembly. Some, we are sorry to say, look upon it as an interruption: but we cannot so regard it. We believe 1 Cor. 16:2 is the divine authority for the collection on the first day of the week. The inspired apostle had been dwelling upon the most sublime and precious truth at the close of chapter 15, and we may be sure he deemed it no interruption to communion or worship to pen the words, “Now concerning the collection.” Why should we deem it an interruption, when the Lord puts, as it were, His box or basket into our hands, and asks us to contribute to His cause? It is the most suited opportunity we have, as an assembly, of so doing. Besides, it is morally comely—yea, it is simple righteousness—to contribute. How is the rent to be paid? How are all the expenses to be met? And then the Lord’s poor, and the Lord’s work at home and abroad. How are these to be met? Is it not a holy privilege for all to have fellowship? And what more suited occasion than when we are seated at the table of our Lord, feasting, in holy communion, upon the rich provision of His love? Some may, perhaps, object that the words, “Let everyone of you lay by him in store,” militate against the idea of a public collection. But why say, “on the first day of the week” if it were merely a private matter? We believe that laying by in store sets forth the calm, deliberate, devoted nature of the offering. We should determine, before the Lord in secret, what we are able to give; and then in the public assembly, in full communion, deposit our offering in the Lord’s treasury, remembering that His eye is upon us. We greatly fear, dear friend, that some of us are sadly deficient in reference to the collection. We forget the words, “everyone of you,” and “as God hath prospered him.” We come and avail ourselves of the room and its accommodation—the assembly and its privileges; but we do not consider how all these things are to be provided. And this is simply taking the very lowest possible view of the matter. Were we merely to view it as a question of common righteousness, we are morally bound to contribute, according to our means, to the expenses of the place where we meet, and where we enjoy the very richest and rarest privileges that Christians can taste upon earth. We have no right to suppose that one, or two, or more wealthy members of the assembly will defray all the expenses. To act on such a supposition as this is to deny our individual responsibility, and surrender a most precious privilege. We have long felt that, did we only consider that the box on the Lord’s table is His treasury, out of which He pays the rent of the room for His people to meet in, and out of which He would meet the need of His poor, and the demands of His work, we should have more correct ideas “concerning the collection.” No doubt, those who take it upon them to manage the Lord’s money need much grace and wisdom; and they should seek to act in full fellowship with grave and godly brethren in the distribution of the offerings of the assembly. All this is most important; but for anyone to assert that the collection at the Lord’s table is an interruption to worship and communion, is, in our judgment, a very doubtful evidence of spirituality of mind, or largeness of heart.

Correspondence
6. “C. Η.,” Tottenham. We do not feel it to be for edification to discuss the subject of your note; and we should advise you to refrain from such discussion.
7. “W. H.,” Torpoint. Wait patiently on the Lord to open your way to His table. He may see it right to exercise your faith, but He never fails a trusting heart. Most assuredly you ought not willingly absent yourself from the table of your Lord, or from the assembly of His people. We must not yield to the reasonings and objections of mere nature. “Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.” May the Lord guide and strengthen you!
8. “Learner,” Sutton. As to fact, we are in Egypt; as to experience, we are in the wilderness; in spirit and by faith, we are in Canaan. We are not yet come unto the rest.
9. “J. G.,” Aberdeen. Your question is entirely one of individual conscience. Where the heart is really true to Christ and bound for glory, the question of investment will never be raised, or if raised, will be very speedily and definitely answered. Read Luke 12:22-40.
10. “A deeply distressed One,” Birmingham. We can only help you by prayer. Your case, though a truly deplorable one, is not beyond the reach of the almighty grace of God. He can restore your soul, and lead you in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Look to Him in true self-judgment. Do not limit His grace. Jesus ever liveth to make intercession. God, in His abundant mercy, grant you full restoration!
11. “A. B.,” Staffordshire. It would not promote edification to discuss your question. Let each one study the New Testament, in the spirit of these words, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”
12. “R. F.,” Ballymena. We believe “the angel” is the mystic representative of the assembly before the eye of Christ. He passes from the angel to the assembly as though they were interchangeable terms. You will notice this throughout the seven addresses.
13. “A. and E.,” Isle of Wight. “Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve” (Matt. 26:20.) So also Mark 14:17. Again, in Luke 22:14, “When the hour was come, he sat down and the twelve apostles with him.” Furthermore, Judas is distinctly mentioned as taking part in the feast and asking a question. And then not merely at the passover, but at the supper, our Lord says, “Behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.” We do not see how anyone can question the fact of the presence of Judas at the supper. His character Was only known to the Lord. His fellow apostles did not seem to have any suspicion of him. But then to argue from this case that we ought to countenance known evil at the Lord’s table, is simply wicked. To say that we may have traitors at the table, for aught we know, is to confess our own weakness; but to say that we ought to have known traitors, is perfectly shocking to any holy mind.
14. “Frater,” Cheltenham. Our Lord Jesus Christ has left us an example that we should follow His steps. Can we trace His footsteps into a field of battle? We are called to walk even as He has walked. Is it walking like him to go to war? Alas! we fail in many things; but if we are asked if it be right for a Christian to go to war, we can only answer the question by a reference to Christ. How did He act? What did He teach? Did He ever take the sword? Did He come to destroy men’s lives? Did He not say, “He that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword?” And again, “I say unto you, that ye resist not evil.” How do such words comport with going to war? But some will say, “what would become of us if all were to adopt such principles?” We reply, If all were to adopt those heavenly principles, there would be no more war, and hence we should not need to fight. But it is not our business to reason as to the results of obedience; we have only to obey the word of our blessed Master and walk in His steps, and if we do so, we shall, most assuredly, not be found going to war. Persons sometimes quote our Lord’s words, “He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one,” as affording a sanction for going to war; but any simple mind can see that they have nothing to do with the question. They refer to the altered condition of things on which the disciples would have to enter when the Lord should be taken. While He was with them, they had lacked nothing; but now they would have to face, in His absence, the full brunt of the world’s opposition. In short, the words have an entirely spiritual application. Again, much use is sought to be made of the fact that the centurion in Acts 10, was not told to resign his commission. It is not the way of the Spirit of God to put people under a yoke. He does not say to the newly converted soul, “you must give up this or that.” The grace of God meets a man where he is, with a full salvation, and then it teaches him how to walk by presenting the words and ways of Christ in all their sanctifying and formative power. But again it is said, “Does not the apostle in 1 Cor. 7 tell us to abide in the calling wherein we are called?” Yes; with this powerfully qualifying clause, “Abide with God.” This makes a material difference. Suppose a hangman is converted, could he abide in his calling? It will be said that this is an extreme case. Grained: but it is a case in point, inasmuch as it proves the fallacy of the reasoning on 1 Cor. 7. It proves that there are callings in which one could not possibly “abide with God.” Finally, then as to your question, dear friend, we have simply to inquire, “Is it abiding with God, or walking in the footsteps of Christ to go to war?” If it be, let Christians do so; if not—what then?
15. “P..” Kent. Thanks for your kind note. We have very recently replied to your questions on 1 Pet. 3:19.