I speak in tongues more than you all - A biblical exploration about the gift of tongues. Two pitfalls are pointed out: The dangerous error of counterfeiting the truth and the chilling error of a dead orthodoxy.

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Eternal Security

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Creation - A series of ten messages by Norman Crawford on what the Bible says about the origins of the earth.  In the series, Mr. Crawford examines the definitions of "science", assumptions about uniformity, the basis of faith, the Gap Theory, fossile dating.  This series was taped at a weekend conference in Canda.

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Tom Bentley

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Byrne Foreshew

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 Baptism

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In light of Matthew 22:30" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:30 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:50-54, shall we know one another in heaven?

This is an oft-raised question and one that shews how diverse are men’s minds. To many the very possibility of non-recognition seems unthinkable. If we are to know as we are known, does not that bespeak a deeper and wider knowledge than before, not a feebler and narrower, “when the mists have rolled away”?

Abraham knew Lazarus and the “rich man,” and all about their past; and the “rich man” knew Abraham and Lazarus, and can we suppose that Lazarus, did not know on whose bosom he was pillowing his head? See Luke 16:23, 25." TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:23, 25.

This speaks, no doubt, of the intermediate state, but the principle is the same. The apostles knew Moses and Elias on the Holy Mount. What point would there be in making to ourselves friends with our money, that they may receive us into everlasting habitations? (See Luke 16:9)," TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:9), for how could these “friends” do so, if they could not recognise their benefactors?

I think the true conclusion is that we shall know those whom we have known and all others of the redeemed besides. This does not mean that earthly relations which are of a temporary character, will continue, and this is I think all that Matthew 22:30" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:30 teaches, but nothing is hinted as to a change of personality or a loss of identity. As for 1 Corinthians 15:50-54," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:50-54, surely no changes wrought in the saint by the putting on of immortality or incorruptibility, will exceed the wonderful change wrought in Christ by His glorification, and yet “He is the same” and is recognisable through it all, as John experienced (see Revelation 1:1-10)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 1:1-10).

William Hoste

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How could the Lord Jesus and Lucifer both be the Morning Star?

This page was adapted from an answer at Truth and Tidings Magazine by David Oliver.

Let there be no misunderstanding:  the Lord Jesus did not step into a place that Satan lost through his pride. Christ Jesus was without measure both higher in rank and his being than Satan. Christ's plan to come as the Morning Star was made before creation (John 17:24)" TARGET="_blank">John 17:24) and before Satan was created.

Perhaps there could there be some irony in the reference to the Old Testament’s morning star as compared to the New Testament’s Morning Star? The morning star seen from the Earth is more brillant that all others. In the same way Satan excelled among all God’s creatures; he was the "anointed cherub that covered" (Eze 28:14)." TARGET="_blank">Eze 28:14). He was given the highest place of all created beings, but he wanted to climb above the place that God had given to him. He was cast down from heaven (Luke 10:18)" TARGET="_blank">Luke 10:18) and eventuall will be consigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 20:10). Jesus Christ along has the capcity to occupy such an exalted position without being overcome with pride.   He "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped" (Philippians 2:6," TARGET="_blank">Philippians 2:6, English Standard Version). The pathway that God designed for Christ led Him to the very lowest of the low, "even the death of the cross" (v 8). The Father lifted him to the highest point of honor and glory.  He is both Morning Star and Sun. He is "far above all" (Ephesians 1:21)" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 1:21) and will remain so for all eternity.

D. Oliver

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RECOGNITION IN HEAVEN
Will the friends and relations of this world recognise one another in heaven?

Three Scriptures come to mind

(1), Luke 13:28" TARGET="_blank">Luke 13:28: “Ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God and ye yourselves thrust out”;

(2), Luke 16:24" TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:24: “Father Abraham . . . send Lazarus”;

(3) Matthew 17:4" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 17:4 Peter said, “Let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.”

The Jews would know the patriarchs and all the prophets; the rich man recognised Lazarus and knew Abraham; the apostles knew Moses and Elias. It is a fair deduction that, if in a future state, or even here under spiritual conditions, there is recognition of those not known before, there will be not less of those already known. But the conditions being entirely altered, and new relations established, the old would disappear. Even now this is temporarily the case in an assembly of saints, gathering to the name of the Lord. When they are thus “in church” the earthly relations are in abeyance, but the personality persists, and so will it be I believe in the future state. Earthly relations and affections will be for ever superseded by heavenly, but the personality will never lose its identity. “Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known (1 Corinthians 13:12)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 13:12).

W.H.

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Can a company claim to be an assembly of God, where Church truths and fundamental truths are not taught?

Of course, we understand that such truths are not denied, but simply neglected for others, such as exhortation, or prophetical and dispensational teaching. Where fundamental truth is generally denied in a company, such loses its character as an assembly, just as the individual does his character as a Christian. But what constitutes an assembly, is a company of true believers who seek to gather to the Name of the Lord, know no other Centre than He, and no other Leader than the Spirit of God (while welcoming those whom He has called to rule, or qualified to minister the Word), and no other rule than His Word.

But why should not these truths be taught? Are there not elders among the saints, who though not exactly “teachers,” in the sense of possessing a distinct gift, are nevertheless “apt to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2)" TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 3:2) and able to explain both church and fundamental truths? There is a call for prayer that the Lord would raise up “gifts” in His churches able to instruct the saints. But it is not “light” which constitutes an assembly, but life in Christ of those composing it.

On the other hand, we need “all the counsel of God” as revealed in His Word, not merely certain favourite truths, for “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)." TARGET="_blank">2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

W.H.

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THE HOUSE OF GOD

Do you think that the House of God is regarded in Scripture as “the place of profession,” as is sometimes taught?  That is, the "profession" of one who is not saved, but is a part of church culture.

A good deal is taught on this subject, which we do well to test by the Word of God. It is sometime erroneously taught that the House of God is the place of Christian profession, and that God recognises this as a “third something” between the true Church and the world. What is known as Household-Baptism, for instance, thus seeks to justify the baptism of children and unconverted household servants. These are brought, they assert, into the House of God—they are “in the ambit of the Church of God,” as the strange expression goes. They are there on the ground of profession; but what profession can infants make? And if unconverted persons make any, it can only be false. That man has made a mixed thing of it by carelessness in reception, or by neglect of Scriptural discipline, is sadly true; but to make out that God is responsible for, or connives at such a state of things is indeed serious.

Now, the expression “House of God” refers in the Old Testament, if we except Genesus 28:17, 22, where Jacob uses the expression in a figurative sense, to the Tabernacle or to the Temple, and though uncleanness and even idols (2 Chronicles 33: 7)" TARGET="_blank">2 Chronicles 33: 7) might invade that House, they never formed part of it, and at every revival were drastically removed and cleansed away (e.g., 2 Chronicles 24:13;" TARGET="_blank">2 Chronicles 24:13; 2 Chronicles 29:16;" TARGET="_blank">2 Chronicles 29:16; 2 Chronicles 33:15)." TARGET="_blank">2 Chronicles 33:15).

Paul in writing to Timothy speaks of his knowing “how to behave himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” This is the local aspect—the Church of God, viewed as the place of responsibility. Undesirable elements did incorporate themselves, alas too easily, in the local “house” (see Jude), but though the condition was detected, it was not approved of. Ecciesiastics justify the sad lack of discipline in their organisations by the parable of the tares and the wheat—”Let both grow together until the harvest”—but they seem to forget that “the field is the world,” not the church. Undesirable visitors, thieves, and such-like, may find entrance into a house, but it is contrary to the desire of the head of the house, and they form no part of the household and must be removed as soon as detected. In Hebrews we read, “But Christ as a Son over His own house: whose house are we, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6)," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 3:6), that is, those who continue in the way prove themselves to be the House of God, the rest have no part in it.

It is indeed a blessed privilege of the people of God no longer to be “strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19)." TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 2:19). And this is His purpose in gathering saints to Christ —“To whom coming as unto a Living Stone. . . chosen of God and precious; Ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:4," TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 2:4, ). “Ye are God’s building.. . ye are the temple of God” (1 Corinthians 3:9, 16)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 3:9, 16). When the apostle speaks of the “House of God,” does he then view it as possibly or even probably including “false brethren crept in unawares,” or ideally? I believe the latter, for whatever is not God’s building is an extraneous element to be purged out. For instance, in Hebrews 10:21," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 10:21, Christ is presented as “High Priest over the house of God”—surely He is not the High Priest of false worshippers—trespassers in that house. Again, Peter reminds us that “judgment must first begin at the house of God.” Has he in view the heterogeneous company, that some seem to see almost exclusively, in the place of profession—a mixture of believers and unbelievers, because they all profess and call themselves Christians? I think the context shows rather that the true House of God is in view—contrasted with those that “obey not the gospel of God,” and paralleled in the following verse with the righteous—”If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:17, 18)." TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 4:17, 18). Where is there room in this verse for a third something, neither righteous nor ungodly, but “professors.” The original from which this quotation is taken bears this out: “Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth; much more the wicked and the sinner” (Proverbs 2:31)." TARGET="_blank">Proverbs 2:31).

These latter, including false professors, will be recompensed not now, but in the future. But someone will say, “Does not Paul speak of ‘the great house of Christendom’ in his Second Epistle to Timothy?” Certainly not in so many words, though such a form of words has been dogmatically attributed to his writings. What he does say, I believe parenthetically, is, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour and some to dishonour” (chap. 2. 20). This passage and the ‘parable of the tares seem to be the sheet anchors of ecclesiastics to justify their mixed systems. To them “the great house” is “the Church” in their broad sense of a great ecclesiastical, christened organisation, reciting the apostles’ creed and practising “the sacraments.”

Others, as we have seen, understand Paul to mean “the great house of Christendom,” though I believe such an idea springs from a misreading of the passage. I submit again that verse zo is in the nature of a parenthesis, explaining the use the apostle is about to make of the term, “vessel unto honour” in verse 21. “In a great house” (that is in any great house in Rome, where he was in prison, or in Ephesus, where Timothy is supposed to have been), there are vessels of various materials and of varied uses. At this point the apostle resumes his exhortation, “If a man purge himself from these”—the evil things and men above referred to—he shall be something corresponding to the literal material vessels of gold and silver of any great house, namely a spiritual vessel unto honour in the House of God, “sanctified and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

One does not wish to dogmatise, but I would ask my readers, who desire to be still subject to the Word of God, apart from the glamour of great names, carefully to weigh above with the Scriptures.

W.H.

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