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This is the Church
by
A T Jones
Part One
Christian Unity
(All the emphasis has been added by the Protestors)
Christian unity
Christian Unity is always among the Christian things that are of the greatest importance.
While Christian Unity is in itself of great importance, to know what it is, is of greater importance.
This because to desire, and to strive for, and to promote, as Christian Unity what is not Christian Unity at all is a most dangerous mistake and an immense loss. And much of just this has been done, and much of it is being done just now as a part of the several great "movements" in and by the churches that are now being urged.
In studying Christian Unity for what it really is, it will be helpful first of all plainly to state what it is not.
One of the clearest expressions of what it is not is the following prodigiously false statement of what it is:
"This unity is two-fold; it comprises:
"1. Unity of doctrine and faith, which consists in the common accord of all the Faithful in admitting and believing all that the teaching church proposes to them as revealed or confirmed by Jesus Christ.
"2. Unity of government, which produces unity of communion, and which consists in the submission of all the Faithful to their respective bishops and in particular to the Roman Pontiff, supreme Head of the church."
Yet utterly false and Romish as all of that is, take away from it only the part that pertains to "the Roman Pontiff," and it fairly expresses the view of every denomination in the world as to what is Christian Unity.
But Christian Unity is altogether another thing than is any of that; and is as far higher than all of that as Heaven is higher than the earth.
Uniting of Christians upon doctrine, is not Christian Unity.
Agreement of Christians in belief, is not Christian Unity.
Uniting or agreeing of Christians upon a platform or statement of belief, or of doctrine, or of principles, is not Christian Unity.
Uniting of Christians in an agreed assent and submission to an order of church organization or church-government, is not Christian Unity.
Union of purpose or of effort of Christians or among Christians in promoting a cause, is not Christian Unity.
Free and pleasant fraternal association of Christians, is not Christian Unity.
Christians might have all of these things in one combination, indeed many of them do, and yet not have Christian Unity at all.
Christian Unity is far more and far higher than is any association or denomination or federation or council even of all the Christians in the world for any purpose or upon any platform or in any cause or in submission to any church-government. And it is so well worth having that it is worth more than all other things put together.
Come then, let us know what it is in its pure truth and splendid worth, and then let us have it for all that it is worth.
The church of God
In entering upon the study of The Church of the Living God, there is an essential that should first be considered: and not only first, but first and last and all the time. That essential is, The Place of the Holy Spirit.
In the last preceding study booklet, The Greater Purpose, it was related how that at the beginning of the building of The Church according to the new order of the eleven apostles, all of whom had been personally chosen, and called, and taught for three years, and ordained, and commissioned, by the Lord Himself, to go and preach the Gospel in all the world, were not allowed to go anywhere nor to preach at all till they were endued with power from on high in the baptism with the Holy Spirit. And they must tarry in Jerusalem and wait for that baptism.
At Pentecost that Baptism came. The Holy Spirit took His place, which was the first place of all. Then they preached the Gospel and the work went on. And that work went on with always the Holy Spirit in His own place, and that the first place of all and over all and through all and in all. This is God's way with His Church and in His Church, and it must be our way.
Let us trace for a little distance, this way of the Lord in and with His own Church: before man usurped the place of the Lord, and machinery the place of the Holy Spirit.
The second chapter of Acts is the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, Peter's sermon telling that this was the fulfillment of the prophecy by Joel that God would pour out His Spirit "upon all flesh," and the call to all to repent and be baptized, "and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
The third and fourth chapters tell of the healing of the lame man at the gate of the temple, of Peter's sermon to the crowd that gathered and of Peter and John being arrested and imprisoned by the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees of the Sanhedrin, of the trial next day by the great council where "Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost," made answer; and being let go, the two apostles went to their own company where they all together prayed "and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost."
The fifth chapter tells of the trick of Ananias and Sapphira in the matter of their agreeing to deceive as to the sale and gift of their property. And this was "to lie to the Holy Ghost," and "to tempt the Spirit of the Lord."
The consequences were immediate and dreadful. Then the apostles were all arrested by the high priest and council and were imprisoned for trial again. "But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them forth, and said Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life." Again they were arrested and brought before the council "and all the senate of the children of Israel," where again Peter "and the other apostles" preached the Gospel and declared. "We are witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey Him."
The sixth and seventh chapters tell of the choosing of men "full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom" to have charge of the "business" in "the daily ministration;" and of Stephen "a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost" speaking before the council with his face shining "as it had been the face of an angel," and of his "being full of the Holy Ghost" and looking up into heaven and seeing "the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God."
The eighth chapter tells of the preaching by Philip in Samaria, and of their receiving "the Holy Ghost;" and of "the angel of the Lord" telling Philip to go from Samaria away down to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza, where, when he arrived a man in a chariot was just then passing and reading in the book of Isaiah what is now the fifty-third chapter, and "the Spirit said unto Philip Go near, join thyself to this chariot." Philip did so, and preached to him Jesus in that same Scripture; the man believed and was baptized and went on his way rejoicing; and the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more."
The ninth chapter tells of the apprehension and conversion of the raging Saul, by the appearing of the Lord Jesus Himself, of his being "filled with the Holy Ghost" by the laying on of the hands of Ananias who was sent to him for this purpose by the Lord Jesus "in a vision;" of "the churches walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost;" and of the raising of Dorcas from the dead.
The tenth chapter tells of "an angel of God" speaking to Cornelius in a vision and telling him to send men to Joppa to call Peter to him; of a vision given to Peter to prepare for the coming of the man; of the Spirit's telling Peter that the men were seeking him and that he was to go with them; of his going and preaching in the house of Cornelius and "the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word."
The eleventh chapter tells of the rehearsal of the foregoing experience to the Pharasaic believer at Jerusalem who contended with him for what had been done; of the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles in Antioch, and of the sending of Barnabas over there "For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith."
The twelfth chapter is the story of the deliverance of Peter from prison by the angel of the Lord; and Herod's death from being smitten by the angel of the Lord.
The thirteenth and fourteenth chapters tell of "the Holy Ghost" saying to the church at Antioch, "Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them," and of their "being sent forth by the Holy Ghost;" of Saul, "full of the Holy Ghost" rebuking the opposing sorcerer; of the preaching of the Gospel at Antioch in Pisidia and of the disciples being "filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost."
The fifteenth chapter tells of the settlement by the Holy Spirit of the controversy as to circumcision and keeping the law for Salvation, and the sending forth of the letter saying, "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us."
The sixteenth chapter tells us that Paul an apostle, and Silas a prophet "were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia." and assaying to go into Bithynia "the Spirit suffered them not;" and thus traveling on, they were brought down to Troas where in a vision to Paul in the night a man of Macedonia called them over there. And chapters seventeen and eighteen tell of their experiences there and in Greece.
Chapter nineteen tells that Paul found at Ephesus "certain disciples" to whom he said, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" They replied, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." "Unto what then were ye baptized?" "Unto John's baptism." Then Paul preached Christ to them, and "they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied."
In the twentieth chapter Paul is on his way to Jerusalem, and he called the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet him at Miletus; and in his words to them he said, "the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me;" and "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the flock of God."
In the twenty-first chapter, when Paul came to Tyre the disciples "said unto Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem;" and when he came to Caesarea, the prophet Agabus met him and "took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles."
He went on to Jerusalem, and beginning in the twenty-first chapter and reaching to the end of the book there is one of the most remarkable chains of the direct providence and working of God that ever occurred in the world. And the last words of Paul in the book, begin with the great characteristic of the man and of the book, "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet," etc.
See EGW's "Paul's Last days" on this thought
From only this mere sketch of the book of Acts it is perfectly plain that the one thing that stands out plain and clear and prominent above all other things in the whole book and throughout the whole book, is that the Holy Spirit was then the grand sovereign, reigning, and guiding Personage in the Church and of the Church. And next to that one great thing there stands clear and plain and prominent throughout, the splendid corresponding truth that the Christians of the time constantly recognized and gladly yielded that sovereignty and reign and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Everywhere He is recognized as first. In all things He is considered first, and the first. If they had not done this, the record could not have been what it is; for then the experience would not have been what it was.
Let Christians again so recognize and yield the sovereignty and reign and guidance of the Holy Spirit over and in themselves and over all things in and to the Church, then again will experience of individuals of the Church prove to be what it was at the first; for He is the same yesterday and today and forever. Such only is the rightful place of the Holy Spirit in individuals and in the Church; and He needs only that Christians yield to Him that place and recognize Him in that place, to prove Himself to be all that He ever was in the place that is supremely His.
Thus in all things of The Church and to The Church and in The Church, the place of the Holy Spirit is the first place. No step can be taken and nothing can be done in the right way until the Holy Spirit is given His place.
And this must be so now with us in the study of this greatest of all things - The Church of the Living God. For it is the truth that, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which in The Church God hath prepared for them that love Him; but God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."
oooOooo
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