Waymarks 56 February 2009

Waymarks 56

Report of Open Air Preaching

January 13^th DUNSTABLE. Ashton Square. This is the first time out this year. The response is much as it has been over the years. One man shouted out “Praise the Lord” as he walked by. Even the ungodly know what they should be doing but praise to the Lord can come only from redeemed lips.

January 16^th LUTON T.C. There is more shouting today, which assures me people are listening. Then an elderly West Indian lady stops to speak to me. She tells me she is looking forward to the Rapture and encourages me to go on preaching. She left but returned a few moments later. she wants to have fellowship with me, and pushes a banknote into my hand. I usually refuse money – it is often offered- but I am satisfied she is a genuine believer so I accept her gift.

January 30^th  LUTON T.C. I thought I had committed a serious offence when I arrived in the town today. I had come on parade without my sword. Well, I thought it was already in the car, but it wasn’t. I was able buy another at the market on the way down to the main street. There is a Bible stall there, but I didn’t expect they would stock AV Bibles. However, they had one, an AV pocket Bible. Admittedly this cleared out the lady’s stock of AV Bibles.

I began preaching As usual, expecting this to be another very ordinary open air gospel meeting. After a few minutes I was encouraged by a passing gentleman who said “aw, shudd up!”  This lifted my spirit a little for it meant people knew what I was preaching about.

Then a Muslim man wanted to ask me a question. I knew he was a Muslim because he was wearing what appeared to me to be a brown night-shirt and on his head a little white bonnet. I told him I would answer his question when I had finished preaching but he began to shout at me saying he knew I couldn’t answer his question.

Within minutes I had a crowd of 40-50 people standing around me. I felt my spirit soaring. They were mainly white faces but all clearly “on my side”. One man asked me if I required this Muslim’s head to be kicked in —or words to this effect in slightly rougher language. I assured him all was well so he stayed to listen.

I resolved to preach freely to this gospel audience, so began to preach on There is one God and one mediator between God and men; the man Christ Jesus. This one God is over all and has no connection with Allah. I also quoted John 3: 16 and this seemed to be this Muslim’s sticking point. How can God have a begotten Son? I reminded him it was insolent to demand of God what He could or could not do and pointed out that he had no comprehension of the nature of the True and Living God but I would explain to him. What did he know of Isaac? Nothing, it seemed. We quoted Hebrews 11: 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac.... his only begotten son.  But Abraham had already fathered Ishmael! So “only begotten” does not refer to procreation., does it. He offered to buy me a dictionary (the crowd was amused when I told him that the local authority had allowed me to teach English in its schools for more than 30 years.) In the end he just slunk off. A youth who had stood listening remarked that I had got him beat and the crowd seemed quite pleased about it. But this saddened me. I told the boy I hadn’t wanted to score points against him, rather that he should be confronted with the truth  of the gospel.

This youth’s comment made me appreciate that the crowd was not hanging on to my every word because they were anxious to get right with God. They want this Muslim fellow put in his place and felt that I had done it. Not at all the outcome I was looking for in my preaching.

The spirit of the crowd was again highlighted when a man asked me why God allowed “this lot” to exist. I gave him my stock answer; When God disallows “this lot” he might start with you. you need to get saved.

By this time my Calvinistic, Charismatic friend had arrived and had started to preach (he didn’t expect to find me here today; my slot is Wednesday.) The crowd disappeared as quickly as it had come.

February 17^th DUNSTABLE. Ashton Square. The snow has gone and its warmer today. It is also half-term and there are a lot of children about. Two little girls listened. One commented that I had “had a good preach”. It is rare for anybody to notice the difference  between an oration and preaching, especially when they are only about ten years old!  I thought they must have a background but I was loathe to engage them in conversation. However they both accepted a copy of John’s Gospel  and did so politely, thanking me for them.

February 19^th LUTON T. C. I was expecting a commotion again today. But there was no Imam to oppose me so passers-by continued to pass by. Peter turned up and wanted to ask his usual childish questions. They were the questions he asked last year...and the year before.  He is still living rough though he has a council flat. He was stopping me from preaching so I persuaded him to go and sit on the bench so I could continue.

AV Verses Vindicated

Exodus 20: 13

Thou shalt not kill (ratsach )

“You shall not murder” NRSV, NKJV etc.

Every murder is a killing but not every killing is a murder. The  Authorized Version translates ratsach as murder or kill, or slayer/manslayer according to the context.  If Ex. 20.13 is limited to murder, it will not apply to the manslayer who may have killed by accident. The cities of refuge become superfluous for him and their typology collapses.

Killing for any reason apart from Genesis 9: 6, Whosos sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man, is against the law of God, but provision was made for accidental killing. A safe refuge had to be found while it was being investigated.

Believers will not wish to take up arms under any circumstance and carrying a weapon for self defence will require violence in its use. Killing another man may put him instantly into hell.

Matthew 17: 21

Howbeit this kind (faith as a grain of mustard seed, in making prayer requests, v.20) goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

“....(omitted text)”     ESV

V.21 not even referred to. no explanation s to why it is missing.  NRSV

In this gluttonous age men will not pray and certainly they will not fast. No fasting: no tremendous answers to prayer.

However, there is extensive manuscript evidence for this verse and only two depraved manuscripts supporting the omission; Aleph* and B theta.

It is clear therefore that the words were wrested from Scripture by ungodly hands. The omission today is supported by ungodly critics.

1 Corinthians 4: 16 (See also 1Thess. 2: 14)

Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers ( mimetes) of me.

“Therefore I urge you, imitate me.” NKJV and all other modern versions.

Monkeys and parrots can imitate. Only converted men and women can follow the apostle. So we note that mimetes is consistently translated “followers” in the AV Bible. (7 times).

Plato used mimetes  to describe an imposter, a mere actor. The Spirit of God uses the word in an altogether different sense, hence the English translation follower.

1 Thessalonians 2: 14  (See also 1 Cor. 4: 16)

For ye, brethren, became followers ( mimetes) of the churches of God....

All modern versions translate mimetes as imitators. Those who merely imitate the churches of God might be regarded as cults or sects. They are obviously not the genuine article. Those who follow have in mind the example and testimony of the one they seek to follow.

Hebrews 11: 23

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper (asteios) child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

“....they saw he was a beautiful child”  CEV and  other modern versions inc. NKJV and JND.

Asteios occurs in only one other place;  Acts 7: 20, and reads exceeding fair. This also refers to Moses.

Moses may well have been a beautiful baby but his parents saw beyond this and they did so through the exercise of faith.  They knew and understood that God had a specific purpose for their son in the years ahead.  What they saw (understood) therefore was that Moses was a proper child.

In modern terms we define proper as “fit for purpose”. This is the meaning of asteios. Our bible critics, not moved by faith, miss this entirely. Moses would be the man raised up of God to lead the people of God.

The words exceeding fair in Acts mean exactly  the same as in Hebrews.  Fair may be translated “proper under the rules” as in “it was a fair fight”.

 Moses’ exceeding fairness was the desirability  that God saw in him. 

Moses ‘ mother had recognized God’s interest in her son when she saw him that he was a goodly child. Ex. 2: 2.

His goodliness was Godward.

Hebrews 12: 1

Wherefore seeing we also are  compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us...

“....and the sin that clings so closely...” NRSV, ESV

“....and the sin which so easily ensnares us...” NKJV

“....and the sin which so easily entangles us....” JND

“....and of the sin which holds us so tightly....” CEV

The sin is sin in general and  not here a particular addictive sin as some teach. Such teaching is dangerous and rather than helping to overcome a particular sin, instead stimulates it. The impression is that we all have a particular sin that we cannot shake off so we must just run on and do our best. The sin, albeit unwillingly, is condoned.

Beset and surround are synonyms. All around us are those who overcame. They ran the race and they wear the victor’s crown. We can therefore do the same. Sin cannot actually get hold of us and drag us out of the race (unless we allow it).

It cannot cling to us , it cannot entangle us. It may beset us. That is, as we run, it tries to close in on us and surround us so hindering our running. But we lay it aside at the beginning of the race and run on. The believer IS an overcomer.

By the Way....

A brother in Christ tells me that he heard a preacher recently tell his congregation “God does not want converts but disciples”.  This Brethren preacher makes God to be a liar for we read in Psalm 51: 13, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted.  Again, in Matt. 18: 3 Verily  I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Acts 3: 19 reads, Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.

It is highly exceptional for conversions to be called for in Brethren circles. The majority of its members, we believe, are therefore unconverted. They cannot speak of a day in their life when they consciously repented of their sin and turned to Christ.  Biblical conversion must be preceded by repentance.  We have not heard that the man who preached against the need for conversion has been rebuked, or even that he is barred from preaching.

However, we do hear (sometimes) of the need of a born again experience. Guy Davies, reviewing What the bible teaches about being born again by Gary Brady, writes in the current Protestant Truth magazine:-

I agree that the non-Christian seriously needs to be born again, but it seems to me that the New Testament encourages the unbeliever to repent and believe the Gospel, rather than pray for the new birth.

With this we concur. So much of our preaching is taken up with urging unbelievers to seek an experience rather than in setting the terms of the gospel before them and urging them to repent and believe it.

□ We read in the Q and A column of Truth and Tidings, January 2009,

If the believers lose confidence in their leadership, their responsibility to submit to and pray for their leaders has not changed. Nonetheless, the burden of responsibility in remedying this condition rests on the leaders.

.... But, [supposing the overseers are at fault], two possibilities exist. The first is a primary resource and the second is a possible resource. The primary resource is prayer, whether or not the overseers are unapproachable. This is not a resource of last resort! The possible resource is some other Christian brother or sister who has earned your respect and the respect of other (and perhaps older) godly believers. In seeking their help, refrain from speaking evil of your overseeing brothers (Jam 4:11; 1Th 5:12, 13), and do not allow this to produce factions in the assembly.

Now read Acts 20: 30. Also of your own selves [the Ephesian overseers] shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  

T & T  demands that we submit and pray. Pray, we can. Particularly that the local church will not be irreparably damaged by these elders. But are we to submit? Are we to yield to the authority of men who are determined to have their own following? Must we follow men who somehow have gained the oversight and are teaching error?

Paul had an answer to this also. He wrote in words crystal clear, Withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly. 2 Thess.3: 6.  There is no exclusion clause: —unless he is on the oversight.

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1 Tim. 6: 5.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. Rom. 16: 17.

This writer knows what it is to be accused of causing division and offences. He once challenged an elder for publicly teaching the Lord could sin. He (this writer) was ejected from the assembly for the sin of questioning the oversight. A leading teacher, visiting nearby warned others that he should be totally rejected in all assemblies.

The offence Paul wrote of is that which is CONTRARYTO THE DOCTRINE not that which discomforts the chief men.

We are not required to submit to men who lead the flock into by-pass meadow. The demand made by T & T is mere cultism. We should point out that most of our leaders are tainted with Calvinism and not a few see no need for conversion.

If the local church is to be kept pure we must avoid the “submit or be punished” syndrome.

But it seems that doctrine is not to be discussed because it causes factions.

□ “A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that faith may indeed bring us health. People who attend religious services do have a lower risk of dying in any one year than people who don't attend. People who believe in a loving God fare better after a diagnosis of illness than people who believe in a punitive God. No less a killer than AIDS will back off at least a bit when it's hit with a double-barreled blast of belief. "Even accounting for medications," says Dr. Gail Ironson, a professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Miami who studies HIV and religious belief, "spirituality predicts for better disease control”   — Time Magazine; 12^th Feb. 2009.

We reply “we know it, my daughter, we know it,” . But there is pleasure in sin and the sinner would rather perish than give it up. The believer gains above all, spiritual health and eternal life.

Churches Together —A Warning

Churches Together is an organisation seeking to unite all churches to a common purpose in any particular town or district. It constitutes a horrid ecumenical mish-mash of apostasy. Some of its aims, as stated on the Churches Together in Northampton website are:

• to enable the churches, as pilgrims together, to develop growing relationships, to seek a common mind, and to make decisions together
• to encourage churches to worship, pray and reflect together on the nature and purpose ofnthe church in the light of its mission – each church sharing with others the treasures of its tradition
• to enable the churches to respond to the needs of society and to witness to the Gospel together.....to evangelise together.
• to provide a focus for relating to the local authority and other statutory bodies.......etc.

A list of affiliated churches is given on the above mentioned website. It includes:

Evangelical Baptists. This will delude some into thinking it can’t be all bad. But the first two mentioned are also members of the apostate Baptist Union and are linked to the Willow Creek Association ¹. Discerning brethren will know the implications of this.

Also included are Anglican Churches, Charismatic Churches, Vineyard Churches ², Greek Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Methodists, Quakers (a very much pseudo Christian organisation) Roman Catholic Churches, and even Worldwide Church of God. This latter is a false cult, once led by H Armstrong and now desparate to be a “mainstream” denomination.

These all “share”  the treasures of its tradition with the other apostate members.

And tucked away in the midst of this apostate soup are two Gospel Halls:

1. Osborne Road Gospel Hall ; contact member, P Burditt.
2. “Gospel Hall”. This one choosing to hide its name but identified as Spencer Bridge Road Gospel Hall by the name of its contact, John Salisbury, tel; 01604792092

A visit to Spencer Bridge road Gospel Hall might suggest a reason why these people wish to be associated the godless religionists of Northampton.; their building appears to be taken over by Social Services judging by the certificates on display. The purpose of CT is to promote Ecumenism and they do it through “relating to the local authority”.

Their “mission” is to preach a social gospel.

^1“BILL HYBELS AND WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH

Bill Hybels and the Willow Creek Community Church have jumped onboard the mystical bandwagon, and Willow Creek is not only one megachurch that is located west of Chicago; it is also a network of more than 12,000 churches that hold the same philosophy. The fall 2007 issue of Willow magazine featured “Rediscovering Spiritual Formation” by Keri Wyatt Kent. It is a glowing recommendation for mystical practices, including monastic communities. She cites Richard Foster and other contemplative mystics. While noting that some conservatives are suspect of the new mysticism, she says that the practices have largely become mainstream.

Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit in August 2006 introduced Jim Collins to the 70,000 participating Christian leaders. Since 1982 he has been a disciple of New Ager Michael Ray. That year Collins took Ray’s Creativity in Business course, which “takes much of its inspiration from Eastern philosophy, mysticism and meditation techniques” and promotes tapping into one’s inner wisdom. It describes an “inner person” called “your wisdom keeper or spirit guide” that “can be with you in life” (“Willow Creek Leadership Summit Starts Today,” Lighthouse Trails, Aug. 10, 2006). Collins wrote the foreword to Ray’s 2005 book The Highest Goal: The Secret that Sustains You in Every Minute, which claims that man is divine and recommends Hindu mind emptying meditation. The book quotes Hindu gurus Ram Dass, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Swami Shantananda. Yet Collins calls it “the distillation of years of accumulate wisdom from a great teacher.” Following is a quote from the book:

“I attended a meditation-intensive day at an ashram [Hindu spiritual center] to support a friend. As I sat in meditation in what was for me an unfamiliar environment, I suddenly felt and saw a bolt of lightning shoot up from the base of my spine out the top of my head. It forced me to recognize something great within me ... this awareness of my own divinity” (Michael Ray, The Highest Goal, p. 28; the foreword is by Jim Collins; quoted from “Willowcreek Leadership Summit Starts Today,” Aug, 10, 2006, Lighthouse Trails).

Again we are reminded that the evangelical-emerging church contemplative movement has intimate and growing ties with the New Age.” —  David Cloud; Wayoflife.org

2             ^“VINEYARD CHURCHES

On August 31, 2003, I made a research visit to the Vineyard Fellowship in Anaheim, California, and the speaker, a Vineyard pastor, preached a message on contemplative prayer. He described it as “gazing at length on something” and as “coming into the presence of God and resting in the presence of God,” as lying back and floating “in the river of God’s peace.” The speaker described sitting on a couch “in the manifest presence of Jesus.” He quoted St. John of the Cross, “It is in silence that we hear him.” He recommended the writings of Thomas Merton, who promoted the integration of Zen Buddhism with Christianity. The Vineyard speaker described personal revelations that he has allegedly received from God, claiming that on one occasion Jesus said to him, “Come away, my beloved,” and he obeyed by staying in a monastery. He used several Catholic “saints” as examples of the benefit of contemplative prayer, and there was no warning whatsoever about their false gospel, their blasphemous prayers to Mary, or any other error. In fact, he recommended that his listeners “read the lives of the saints.” He mentioned St. Catherine of Siena and said that Christ appeared to her and placed a ring on her finger signifying her marriage to Him, thus giving credence to this fable. He mentioned “St. Anthony,” one of the fathers of the deeply unscriptural Catholic monasticism. Anthony spent 20 years in isolation, and after that, according to the Vineyard pastor, the “saint’s” ministry was characterized by “signs and wonders.”  — David Cloud; Wayoflife.org

Associating with Ecumenism is spiritual whoremongering. Whatever the seeming “pure motive” in joining with such, the practice is forbidden to believers.

Learn the lesson of Numbers 25 and cease from sacrificing to the gods of apostate Christendom — or it will be thought you are merely are part of them

Wherefore come out from amongst them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. 2 Cor.6: 17

Apostasy and the Critical Text by David Sorenson

Notwithstanding men such as Scofield and Clearwaters and numerous other Fundamentalist leaders in between, it is doubtful if many of them ever did any serious research into the history and lineage of the critical text. Had they spent the time and effort that many in later years did in researching the origins of the critical text, it is doubtful they would have continued their support. It was only \in the last half of the twentieth century that conservative scholars such as Edward Hills, Davis Otis Fuller, Theodore Letis, Donald Waite, Jacob Van Bruggen, Dell Johnson and others began to publish their research into the problems clinging to the critical text. For the most part, these men have been ignored or dismissed as right-wing extremists. However, the evidence uncovered  by them has not and will not go away. Fundamentalists are going to have o confront the extensive evidence of apostasy associated with the critical text from Origen to Metzger. If separation is an inviolable foundation of Fundamentalism, Fundamentalists are going to have to admit the apostasy connected with the critical text — Touch Not The Unclean Thing; The Text Issue and Separation; Northstar Baptist Ministries; 4^th Ed. 2003; p.216

This book is strongly recommended to those concerned about the destructive influence of the critical text. Should some of my brethren reprove the recommendation of a Baptist production, it is time for them to clean out their library.

Outside the Camp

Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp. Hebrews 13: 13

J Flanigan wrote in Assembly Testimony March/April 1992:-

"Outside the camp unto Thy dear Name;

This in Thy Word I see,

Unto that Name, then I share in His shame,

Privileged place to be.

Feasting on Christ, His reproach to share;

Tempt not my soul away,

Nought can compare with the blessedness there,

Outside the camp with Thee."

And this, forwarded by  J G Good,  Assembly Testimony, Sept/Oct 1980

'Unto Thee, the homeless stranger

    Outside the camp,

Forth we hasten, fear no danger,

    Outside the camp.

Thy reproach far richer treasure

Than all Egypt's boasted pleasure;

Drawn by love that knows no measure,

    Outside the camp.'

We read in Present Truth, Vol.14; No. 168; October 2008, in the article entitled Is There A Biblical Pattern For The Church? these words —

At least two things are suggested by the phrase ‘gathered in (or unto^*) my name’. First, identification with the Lord Jesus.  That is the believer abandons all man-made ecclesiastical systems, and is identified with the rejected Christ. The epistle to the Hebrews urges this upon us all. “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing his reproach” (Heb.13: 13. ‘The camp’ in that day was Judaism, and its modern equivalent is Christendom into which many of the features of Judaism have been absorbed. The believer is called to break his links with that, and be associated alone with the Man who is ‘outside the camp’, as one gathered to His name.

^* In order to establish a link  between being gathered and being outside the camp, the Scripture reading itself has to be altered. The word “unto” is not a suitable alternative to “in” in Matt. 18: 20 (see  www.avbibleversesvindicated.blogspot.com ) The verse is misquoted anyway. The reading is For where two or three are gathered together  in my name...

Those familiar with the Hebrew epistle will be aware that Christians were  not being urged to separate themselves from some ecclesiastical system. They had already done it, as Heb. 10: 25 shows – not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is. It is not possible to forsake something that does not already exist. When the letter to the Hebrews was written, believers were already meeting together in a scriptural  manner, gathered together in His name. Further proof of this is found 13: 7 where the believers are exhorted to remember them who have the rule over them. They spoke the word of God (they were not preaching Judaism) and their faith was to be followed.

Then in 13: 17,  these Hebrew Christians were to obey them that have the rule over them. Thus in the middle of a passage dealing with the right attitude to the elders in the assembly we have the “let us go forth” statement.

As Pink rightly points out, this has nothing to do with a foot exercise. It is a heart matter.

This is what Pink had to say on the subject:-

Hebrews 13:13 has ever been a great favorite with those who started "Come out" movements. It has been used, or rather misused, again and again by ambitious Diotrephes, who desired to head some new party or cause. It has been made a sop for the conscience’ by many a little group of discontented and disgruntled souls, who because of some grievance (fancied or real) against their religious leaders, church, or denomination, forsook them, and set up an independent banner of their own. It is a verse which has been called into the service of all separatists, who urged all whose confidence they could gain to turn away from—not the secular world, but their fellow-Christians, on the ground of trifling differences. That which these men urged their dupes to forsake was denounced as the God-abandoned and apostate "Camp," while the criticism they have (often justly) met with for their pharisaic conduct, has been smugly interpreted as "bearing Christ’s reproach."

Finally, the deceived are now easily drawn to become ardent propagators of their new tenets, zealous proselytizers, seeking to persuade others to leave the apostate "Camp" and join them on "the true scriptural ground." "Let any man of contrary opinion open his mouth to persuade them, and they close their ears: his reasons they weigh not, all is answered with ‘We are of God, He that knoweth God heareth us’ (1 John 4:6), as for the rest, ye are of the world" (Hooker). Such was the policy pursued by the "Fifth Monarchy men," the "Brownists,’ Thos. Cartwright and his following in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Such too was the course taken by John Kelly in Ireland, Alex. Campbell in Kentucky, more than a century ago—the latter founding "the Christian Church," denouncing all others as unscriptural. So that Mr. J.N. Darby followed a well-trodden path!

—      from  Exposition of Hebrews, ch.115 A W Pink.

The article in Present Truth appears to be promoting the movement described by Pink.

The “Camp”  the writer to the Hebrews had in mind  may well have been the camp in the wilderness as they surrounded the tabernacle. This was God appointed and God approved worship. It fulfilled its purpose and ceased to have purpose with the coming of Christ.  But it was more than Judaism that killed the Lord. It was the whole world that crucified Him (see 1 Cor. 2: 8). Christendom didn’t crucify Him. Christendom, though maybe now deep into apostasy, has always acknowledged the person of Christ; His virgin birth, his death, burial, and resurrection.

“Camp” in the New Testament is a military expression. Parembole (camp) being translated “castle” in Acts and apart from twice in Hebrews translated “camp”, is also translated “armies” in Hebrews 11: 34. The military maintained control throughout the Roman Empire thus what Judaism was practiced was as permitted by the Emperor. The Christians were not being urged to flee from some political/religious set up. Rather it is a spiritual thing.

“Going forth unto Him” is therefore, now a personal exercise of the heart for all those who have experienced a conversion and have been added to the local church. They are dead to the world (1 John 3: 1)

We have to point out that so many of those who regard the going forth as a matter of leaving the Baptists and Pentecostals, Presbyterians, and Methodists (mentioned in the article under consideration) have never had a conversion experience. The necessity of a conversion is played down among the Brethren and denied by many of them. We have heard a conference speaker tell his audience he had never been converted but such a confession had no impact on his preaching career. I have yet to discover a mention of the conversion of J N Darby in any biographical works concerning him.

I spent 20 years in a particular “Outside the Camp” assembly. It was an assembly marked by immorality from its establishment in the 1950’s until its collapse 50 years later. We saw adultery, fornication, sodomy, drunkenness practiced. A Bible class teacher spent evenings teaching the young men to play cards. An elder taught in the assembly that Christ could sin. We never though of leaving in those days because “without were dogs”!  However the dogma expressed by Present Truth was strongly adhered to. It was not an Exclusive assembly. It would have been termed by many as “open”.

One would expect “outside the camp” assemblies to be filled with “outside the camp” people. Alas, although we find many faithful and godly believers gathering with us, there are plenty who are not faithful, neither are they godly. But they regard themselves to be outside the camp. We have to apply the Scripture; from such withdraw thyself. (2 Thess. 3: 6). we do likewise regarding those of corrupt minds (1 Tim. 6: 5).

Many who use the slogan “Outside the camp and gathered to His name”  comply with the “Inside the Camp” philosophy  of slavish and idolatrous worship of the modern so-called scholarship that has produced so many false perversions of Scripture.                                                                                                                                                                                              

What is a Biblical Conversion?

A biblical conversion is a spiritual experience that wholly changes a person for the rest of his time on earth and for eternity. It begins with repentance toward God, produced by the effect of Scripture on his mind and soul. Repentance is an abhorrence of sin in one’s life because of what it cost a holy, righteous God in dealing with it. A change of mind is produced regarding sin and this produces a change of heart — one’s whole life-style is changed.

It continues in a faith then placed in Christ as Son of God and personal Saviour. This results in a spiritual change, from death into life which is eternal.

There are fundamental doctrines that must be believed from the outset for conversion to take place. Jesus the Man must be believed to be God’s anointed One come in the flesh and born of a virgin. His full deity must be acknowledged, and His sinless humanity.

He must be trusted in as one’s personal Substitute on the cross; receiving in His own body the punishment due to the sinner and laid upon Him by a Holy, Righteous and Just God.

His bodily resurrection must be believed.

All this may take a little while for the sinner to grasp. A one hour gospel meeting may not be enough for him to take it all in but at the moment of repentance and trust it all happens in an instant of time. Conversion is instant. The entrance of the Holy Spirit is instant. The dead soul is revived, and the newly born again person knows it. He knows he is now saved and can never forget it neither can he give it up. Conversion is for eternity. It begins at a a specific moment on a particular day.

Now the Scriptures:

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. Acts 3: 19.

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 18; 3.

Being converted in the above two verses carry a similar sense (though they are different words in the Greek N.T.).

A turning about is required. It is a work of the Spirit upon the willingly repentant and believing soul.

They passed through Phenice and Samaria declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. Acts 15: 4.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians; ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven. 1 Thess. 1: 9,10. This is conversion.

It means passing from death to life,  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. John 5: 24. The passing is at the instant of believing.

It means deliverance from the power of darkness and entrance into the kingdom of God’s dear Son,  the Father....hath delivered us from the power darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Col. 1: 12, 13.

It means becoming a new creature. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5: 17.

It means being born again; washed and clean: a work of the Holy Spirit.. According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3: 5.

It means sharing the very nature of God. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1: 4.  The born again soul being a new creature, has a new nature.

In the light of the above verses (and many more that could have been quoted) it is impossible for a soul to be saved and not know it. Yet this is being taught by certain brethren moving among us. Certain unconverted men, having attained to our platforms, are preaching the uncertainty of conversion.  they are unaware that conversion is a powerful, dynamic, life giving experience that happens only once for every believing soul.  It is not an experience that can happen unwittingly without the full conscious response of the repentant believing soul.

Furthermore it is impossible to be saved and others not know it.  In this the children of God are manifest, and the chidren of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 1 John 3:10. 

We sometimes hear it said, “we don’t know whether he is saved or not (but he has been coming to the meetings for years) . This testifies to the fact that there is no  shred of evidence of new life about the man.

Shall I Fear Man?

Shall I, for fear of feeble man,

The Spirit’s course in me restrain?

Or, undismayed in deed and word,

Be a true witness of my Lord?

Awed by a mortal’s frown, shall I

Conceal the Word of God most High!

How then before Thee shall I dare

To stand, or how Thine anger bear?

Shall I, to soothe th’unholy throng,

Soften Thy truth, or smooth my tongue,

To gain earth’s gilded toys, or flee

The cross endured, my Lord, by Thee?

What then is he whose scorn I dread?

Whose wrath or hate makes me afraid?

A man! An heir of death! A slave

To sin! a bubble on the wave!

Yea, let men rage; since Thou wilt spread

Thy shadowing wings around my head:

Since in all pain Thy tender love

Will still my sure refreshment prove.

742 Heqrt-Warming Poems; edited by J R Rice.

(This poem attributed to The Methodist Hymnal)

Better Lose Clean Than Win foul

It is better to lose with a conscience clean

Than to win with a trick unfair:

It is better to fail and to know you’ve been,

Whatever the prize was, square:

Than to claim the joy of a far-off goal

And the cheers of the standers-by,

And to know down deep in your inmost soul

A cheat you must live and die.

Who wins by trick may take the prize,

And at first he may think it sweet,

But many a day in the future lies

When he’ll wish he had met defeat.

For he man who lost shall be glad at heart,

And walk with his head up high,

While his conqueror knows he must play the part

Of a cheat and a living lie.

Detroit Free Press (found in 742 Heart-Warming Poems; compiled by J R Rice)