"That They May All Be One" (John 17.21)

by Toms, A. F. | Category: General | Aug 1964

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning"

(Romans 15.4)

The very prominent place that is devoted in the Old Testament Scriptures to the subject of Israel's constitution as a nation, and their subsequent history as God's people, leave us in no doubt about the importance God attaches to this subject. In Genesis God called one man, who was to become the father of that great nation. The godly line of faith is traced from Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, and in the book of Exodus we see the nation emerging, as the posterity of Jacob's twelve sons at mount Sinai pledged their obedience to the word of the LORD. Subject to their continuing obedience, God promised that they would be to Him

1.a peculiar treasure (Exodus 19.5) (or peculiar people, Deuteronomy 7.6).

2.a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19.6).

3.a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). They are also described as

4.a chosen seed (Deuteronomy 7.7, 10.15).

5.a flock (Psalm 78.52, Jeremiah 13.17). And to this people God said,

6."Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25.8).

To show that these truths have their counterparts in New Testament teaching is the purpose of this article, and briefly these might be set out as follows:

1.a people for God's own possession (1 Peter 2.9).

2.a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2.5), and a royal priesthood (2.9).

3.a holy nation (1 Peter 2.9).

4.an elect race (1 Peter 2.9).

5.the flock of God (1 Peter 5.2).

6.a spiritual house (1 Peter 2.5).

We propose to take each title separately, examine the teaching connected with it as it found expression in Israel in a past day, and then see what teaching God has in these things for those who desire to do His will today.

The House of God

Important stages in Israel's experience are presented to us in the book of Exodus. They were redeemed by blood, baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and at mount Sinai God gave them a law to keep. To this they pledged their obedience in the words, "All that the LORD bath spoken will we do, and be obedient" (Exodus 24.7). Thereupon Moses "took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words." They had entered into a covenant with God, the two sides of which are clearly presented in Deuteronomy 26. 17-19,

"Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and that thou shouldst walk in His ways, and keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgements, and hearken unto His voice: and the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be a peculiar people unto Himself, as He bath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all His commandments; and to make thee high above all nations which He bath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as He bath spoken."

To this people, redeemed, baptized and pledged to obedience, God said, "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25.8). It is important to notice that it was when they had avowed their obedience to "all that the LORD had spoken", then, and only then, did God speak about His desire to dwell among them.

Can we doubt that Peter had this sequence before his mind when he wrote his first epistle to Jewish believers of the Dispersion? They had been redeemed ...with precious blood (1.18, 19), saved (as to their life for God) from a corrupt world through baptism in water (3.21), and Peter addresses them as "elect ...unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." The blood of sprinkling must be distinguished from the blood of redemption. The former was "the blood of the covenant" (Hebrews 10.29), answering to that sprinkled by Moses, the mediator of the covenant, on both the book and the people, when the people pledged their obedience to the words of the book. These Jewish believers, as those to whom the Hebrews was written, had not come to a mount that "might be touched but to Mount Zion ... and to Jesus the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel" (Hebrews 12. 18, 24).

To these redeemed, baptized "children of obedience" (1.14) who had purified their souls in their obedience to the truth (1.22), (note the emphasis on obedience in Peter's first chapter), Peter writes, "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house."

Stephen's words (Acts 7.48) and Paul's (Acts 17.24) make it clear that in this dispensation the "Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands." His house today is a spiritual house, composed of living stones. "Living stones" is a term which might be applied to every believer who has received new life from Christ, but living stones do not form a house until they are built up together, and so Peter writes, "Unto whom coming ye ... are built up a spiritual house." The Greek tense (present participle) implies continual coming to Christ, which makes it clear that it is not coming in response to the gospel call (that they had already done when they tasted that the Lord was gracious), but coming to Him in obedience to His word. That much is clearly stated by Peter, but we may well ask, Where did this spiritual house find its expression in apostolic days?

Fitly framed together

Let us consider Paul's work at Corinth. In response to his preaching "many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized" (Acts 18.8). Paul dwelt with them a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. He describes himself as a wise masterbuilder (1 Corinthians 3. 10), and those who were obedient to his teaching were built together and became the church of God in that city (1 Corinthians 1. 2), which church Paul describes as "God's building" (1 Corinthians 3.9).

In every building a matter of first importance is the foundation, and when that is laid, another of equal importance is the cornerstone, in line with which all other stones must be built. In this respect God's building is no exception, and this wise master-builder was at pains to lay a firm foundation, "which" he says "is Jesus Christ." In Ephesians 2.20 he describes it as "the foundation of the apostles and prophets", but they are one and the same, for the teaching of the apostles carries the same authority as that of the Lord Jesus, and is as binding upon disciples today as the words which fell from the lips of the Master Himself. Then he adds, "Christ Jesus Himself being the Chief Corner Stone." A willing lining up of oneself with the teaching of the Lord Jesus, and those of His apostles secures for the believer a place in God's building, which is a local church of God. Living stones are built together and "each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2.21). This is the New Testament answer to God's temple of a past day. "Living stones" coming to Christ in obedience to His word, built together locally in churches of God, which churches in aggregate are the dwelling place for God.

"We are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (2 Corinthians 6.16).

A GOD-GIVEN PATTERN

In the building of the Tabernacle, Moses worked strictly to the pattern which God showed him in the mount. That God was particular about this is seen from His oft-repeated instruction, "See that thou make them after their pattern, which hath been shewed thee in the mount" God's house has always had a pattern. David was given the pattern for the temple, which he passed on to Solomon (1 Chronicles 28.11-19). "All this ...have I been made to understand in writing from the hand of the LORD, even all the works of this pattern." Ezekiel also received the pattern of God's house (Ezekiel 43. 10-12) and the instruction to the house of Israel was, "Let them measure the pattern." That was sound counsel, to which we in our day do well to take heed, if we would build for God.

That there is a New Testament pattern we cannot fail to see. The apostles built to it, and passed it on to others. To Timothy Paul wrote,

"Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me" (2 Timothy 1.13).

Upon Timothy rested the responsibility of handing it on to faithful men, who in turn would be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2.2). As long as men of God held to this pattern, the unity of God's people was maintained. As the work of God progressed, spreading to Samaria, Antioch, and out further still, each church that was planted was patterned upon the first church of God in Jerusalem. Of their gathering together it is recorded:

"They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers"

(Acts 2.41, 42).

In the seven points contained in these verses we have in broad outline the pattern of a building for God. They that received the word were baptized in water, in acknowledgement of the Master's command in Matthew 28. 19, 20. These baptized believers were added to those who were already together (Acts 1.15). Thus there was a within and a without, and those within were there because they had been added by the Lord. Occasional fellowship was unknown. Those who were added continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching, which embraced the Faith "once for all delivered to the saints", and in the fellowship, the breaking of the bread and the prayers.

As the work spread from Jerusalem to all Judaea and Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, in fulfilment of the Master's words (Acts 1. 8), the same pattern was followed, with the result that all the churches of God were alike in their constitution. They were built upon the same foundation, and those who were built in as living stones were subject to the "all things whatsoever" the Lord commanded. Thus was established a divine unity, a people together, forming one house of God.

CONDITIONAL ASPECT OF GOD'S HOUSE

A consideration of New Testament Scriptures relating to God's house makes it clear that continuance therein is dependent upon continued obedience. In God's house a certain standard of behaviour is required. Only as this is so, will it be what God intends it should be, "the pillar and ground of the truth". "These things write I unto thee ...that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God" (1 Timothy 3.14, 15). "These things" include instruction governing the lives of men, women, overseers, deacons and wives. If the lives of all in a church of God were regulated at all times by God's word, what a wonderful testimony to the truth God's house would be!

Position and condition must never be divorced, and if spiritual condition deteriorates, there is ever the possibility of the Lord moving the lampstand out of its place (Revelation 2.5). Hence the words in Hebrews 3.6,

"Christ as a Son, over God's house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end" (R.V. margin).

"Holding fast" is here contrasted with "falling away" in verse 12, and that which keeps us from falling away is heeding the word, "Today if ye shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts" (verse 15). To this end we are to exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called Today (3. 13).

The conditional aspect of God's house is clearly seen in God's dealings with Israel. "He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh" (Psalm 78.60), and later He also forsook the temple at Jerusalem. The judgement on God's earthly house was pronounced by the Lord Jesus when He said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matthew 23.38). "My Father's house" had become" your house". In each case disobedience was the cause.

DIVlNE UNITY MAINTAINED

The divine unity that was established as a result of building to the same pattern, was maintained by apostles and elders conferring together over matters of difficulty as they arose. The Jerusalem Conference of Acts 15 is an example of this. Decisions reached at this Conference, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, were binding upon all the churches of God. "And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem" (Acts

16.4). "So the churches were strengthened in the Faith, and increased in number daily" (Acts 16.5). The teaching of the apostles, addressed to one particular church, was binding upon them all. "So ordain I in all the churches," wrote Paul in 1 Corinthians 7.17. "If any man seemeth to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God" (1 Corinthians 11.16). There was unity therefore in constitution, and in doctrine also, and that in turn led to unity of practice.

Is not this the unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed in John 17, "that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee"? (verse 21). Clearly it is not the unity of the churcb which is His Body, for which He was praying, for that can never be destroyed, nor can its unity be disrupted. "The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16. 18). It is rather the unity expressed in churches of God, which is brought about by individuals responding to the desire of the Lord Jesus expressed in His prayer to His Father, "Sanctify them in the truth: Thy word is truth". It is obedience to the word of the truth that sets believers apart to do the will of God.

This was one of the great purposes for which the Lord Jesus died, "that He might also gather together into one (one thing) the children of God that are scattered abroad" (John 11.52). It was never God's intention that believers should be scattered in different denominations, as we see them today, nor would it be so if each bowed his will to the word of truth. Obedience to the same word must needs lead us to the same place. How precious this one thing must be to God!

"Tis precious too, 0 God,

Thine eye should look upon

Thy scattered children here

United into one.

Lord, may Thy word for ever be

Our guide to perfect unity."

DAYS OF APOSTASY

That which is precious to God is ever what the devil seeks to destroy, and even before the apostles had finished their work, departure from the Faith had begun. To the elders of Ephesus Paul said,

"From among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them"

(Acts 20.30).

Paul saw this state of things coming, and so also did Peter:

"Among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies... by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of" (2 Peter 2.1, 2).

These were men who concerning the truth had erred, and through their false teachings the faith of some was overthrown, and much damage was done to the testimony of the Lord. "Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth" (2 Timothy 2.19). False teaching does not alter "the way of the truth". The foundation that had been laid stood firm, and as long as there were faithful men willing to purge themselves from these false teachers and build on the foundation, there would remain something for God.

In the closing days of John's life there were still seven lampstands in Asia (there may have been others elsewhere) sending out their light; albeit the light from some of them was dimmed by reason of the lukewarmness of the disciples. In the midst of them the Lord Jesus walked. He had a message for each church; alas, more often of reproof than commendation, which shows how cold of heart many of God's people had become. Those were days of declension, and soon after, the light faded out, as far as collective testimony was concerned. The dark ages followed, of which church history tells us, when doubtless God ever had His faithful ones witnessing for Him amidst the darkness. We pass over centuries of comparative darkness until the days of the Reformation, when Martin Luther revived the truth of justification by faith. How much it cost him, and other faithful men, to hold this truth, history records, and from those days onward the light shone with increasing brightness as more and more truth was discovered in the Scriptures. The Anabaptists stood for the truth of believers' baptism, and early brethren, seeing the wrong of clerisy, gathered together to worship God in simplicity. Each time fresh truth was bought. Some eighty or more years ago brethren saw the truth of churches of God, forming God's house, as distinct from the Church which is His Body, and they separated from others in order to build for God according to the pattern they saw in the Scriptures.

A REMNANT

In many ways the churches of God are like the remnant under Zerubbabel and Joshua, whose spirits God stirred up to rebuild His house, where stood the ruins of Solomon's temple. "How do ye see it now?" God asked, "is it not in your eyes as nothing?" (Haggai 2.3). It seemed small compared with the glory of the former house. But God's word was, "Go ye up to the mountains and bring wood and build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD."

"I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified." Is not that word sufficient to stir the hearts of all who love the Lord, to rise up and build for God according to His word? Those who see these truths in the Scriptures, and are prepared to pay the price of obeying them (for the truth ever has to be bought, Proverbs 23.23), may be few compared with the large number of born-again ones who belong to the Body of Christ who remain unmoved. But fewness of numbers did not hinder the remnant of the past, and neither need it hinder God's remnant people today. Does it matter whether we be many or few, as long as we have the word of God to support what we are doing, and the assurance that He will take pleasure in it? "Who hath despised the day of small things?" God asked His people of old. If God does not despise it neither should we, but having measured the pattern, let us be like Zerubbabel of old, who said, "We ourselves together will build unto the LORD."

Believers today are scattered in many denominations, and some ask what part they have in the purposes of God. We must remember that this is a day of recovering truth, unlike apostolic days when the disciples had "the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2.4). The Faith had been "once for all delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3), and it was theirs to hold and to keep it. These days therefore are different in that respect. We have no doubt that the Lord derives pleasure from the devoted lives of His children in every place, and we recall His words in Malachi 1. 11, "in every place incense is offered unto My name, and a pure offering". This was written of people who never came to the Place of the Name (perhaps in some cases they did not even know about it). At the same time it did not alter the fact that His expressed desire was that His people should offer in the place that He had chosen to put His Name there. And so today. Ours it is to press on in the doing of what we know to be the will of God.

THE PRIESTHOOD

Closely associated with the subject of God's house is that of the priesthood. "Ye also, as living stones are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood" (1 Peter 2.5). To Israel God's word was, "Ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests." It was God's intention that the firstborn sons of Israel should have the privilege of priestly service, but this they forfeited by the sin of the golden calf. Instead, the tribe of Levi was separated for the service of God's house, and from among them the sons of Aaron were chosen to serve as priests.

Their function was in connexion with the worship and service of God's people in God's house. Had there been no house there would have been no priesthood. Theirs it was "to come nigh unto the altar". (Leviticus 21. 23), to approach unto the holy things (Leviticus 22.3).The offerings of the people were offered to God through the priests.

Aaron's sons followed in the priestly service of their father, but those who were blemished were not allowed into the sanctuary, nor could they approach the altar. We judge that today all believers have a birthright to priesthood, but a study of the scriptural references to priestly service in the New Testament will bear out the Old Testament analogy that priests do not function apart from God's house. "He made us to be a kingdom, priests unto His God and Father" were words written by John to the seven churches in Asia in which the Lord walked.

He who is Son over God's house is also Great Priest over the house of God (Hebrews 10.21). What a privilege it is to have a place in God's house, and as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest! This is all made possible as we acknowledge the place that God has given Him as Son and Great Priest over His house.

"For you therefore which believe is the preciousness," says (1 Peter 2.7). Clearly it is not believing in Christ as Saviour which is before Peter's mind here. He is dealing with the fact that Christ, the living Cornerstone, though rejected of men, has been exalted by God to the throne of God on mount Zion above (Hebrews 12.22). There all the heavenly hosts are under His control, and if saints on earth also bow to His authority, they become a house for God to dwell in, and a priesthood to offer to Him.

We can see that this depends upon our obedience to His word. Acts 6.7 records, "And the word of God increased;... and a great company of the priests were obedient to the Faith." What a glorious change it must have been for those men! They had belonged to the priestly line under the old economy, but now had become obedient to the Faith, which was to His New Testament people what the law was to His people of old, and being added to the disciples in the church of God in Jerusalem, they formed part of that worshipping company - a holy priesthood offering up spiritual sacrifices. On what grounds were they thus privileged? They were obedient to the faith. This will perhaps become clearer still as we consider the subject of

THE PEOPLE AND THE PLACE

"If ye will obey My voice indeed... then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me from among all peoples" (Exodus 19.5).

"For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God:

the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth" (Deuteronomy 7.6).

When Israel pledged their obedience to God's word, and Moses had sprinkled the book and the people, they entered into a new relationship with God. They became His people, distinct from other peoples around, in that they were "called by the name of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 28.10).

This truth also carries over to the New Testament, and wherever the expression "My people" is used it refers to those who have been called out and gathered together to do God's will.

"We are a temple of the living' God; even as God said ... and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (2 Corinthians 6.16).

This was written of those who had answered the call, "Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate."

This subject introduces us to an aspect of the death of Christ which is perhaps overlooked by some believers. To the churches of Galatia (Galatians 1.2) Paul writes,

"our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father" (Galatians 1.34).

and again,

"Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity (lawlessness), and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works" (Titus 2.13, 14).

This truth finds its type in the Sin Offering for the congregation, outlined in Leviticus 4.13-21, and again in Leviticus 16 on the day of Atonement. It is not individuals who are in view here, but the people as a whole, and the outstanding difference was that the blood of the Sin Offering for the people was sprinkled "before the LORD, before the veil", and on the day of Atonement it was brought within the veil and sprinkled on and before the mercy-seat. The bodies of those beasts were then burned without the camp. Hebrews 13. 11-13 alludes to this

"The bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered without the gate."

Please note that it was that "He might sanctify the people". Clearly it is not the sanctification of 1 Corinthians 1.30 that is referred to here, for that applies to all believers, who are "sanctified in Christ Jesus, called... saints". This has to do with the realization of one particular purpose for which the Lord Jesus died, that "He might gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad". We can surely see how dear this is to the heart of God that He might have a people gathered together to do His will, called by His name. But the realization of it depends upon our obedience to the call, "Let us therefore go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach".

ONE PEOPLE, ONE PLACE

As we have seen, Israel were distinct from other peoples because they were God's people, called by His Name. It is important to notice that as surely as God linked His Name with a people, so did He link His Name with a place. The people and the place were thus linked together. Their clear instructions were,

"Unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither shalt thou come" (Deuteronomy 12.5).

To this one place they were to bring their burnt offerings and sacrifices, for in this place the priesthood functioned, and God was worshipped in the way that He had laid down.

Hitherto they had done "every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes" (Deuteronomy 12.8), but when they came into the land, the word was,

"Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: but in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee" (Deuteronomy 12. 13, 14).

Has not this a voice for us today? As surely as God has His people, so surely has He His place. Many true believers offer to God in different places, but there is a place with which God's Name is associated. We shall search the New Testament Scriptures in vain to find any other place of collective testimony than the churches of God. To such churches the Lord added those whom He called to Himself.

They are "of God", called by His Name. In churches of God the early disciples gathered for the offering up of spiritual sacrifices. Their gathering together is referred to by the apostle Paul in such scriptures as 1 Corinthians 11. 18 "when ye come together in the church", and verse 20, "when therefore ye assemble yourselves together".

Those were happy occasions for Israel when at certain times in the year all the males went up to God's house. We can catch something of their joy in the Psalmist's words, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the house of the LORD." But in the New Testament we have presented to us something which far exceeds that God's spiritual people, gathered together in churches of God, blending hearts and voices together in worship of the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. At such times we are exercised in the highest function possible to redeemed people on earth.

We know that in the church of God in Corinth there were many serious disorders which must have robbed the Lord of very much of the joy which He would otherwise have derived from their coming together. That consideration introduces us to a further line of truth in regard to God's people in the past and the present, for both are referred to as

A HOLY NATION

After the flood God divided the nations upon the earth (Genesis 10.32) but none of these could be a holy nation unto Him. Later, at mount Sinai God set apart for Himself Israel, and so distinct was the separation from other nations that Balaam said as he viewed them from a bare height,

"Lo, it is a people that dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations" (Numbers 23.9).

If the LORD was to dwell among His people it was essential that they should be a holy nation, and this would be possible only as they obeyed His voice. To them He said,

"I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from the peoples. Ye shall therefore separate between the clean beast and the unclean... and ye shall be holy unto Me: for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that ye should be Mine" (Leviticus 20.24-26).

A nation denotes a people together, subject to authority and governed by a law. In the case of Israel the law was that given through Moses, but for God's holy nation today it is the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9.21), "the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ" (James 2.1). Subjection to that law will inevitably result in holiness of life, and to this subject Peter leads on:

"Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your behaviour seemly among the Gentiles" (1 Peter 2. 11, 12).

Other nations would be watching Israel, as the Gentiles are watching us. We can surely see, once again, that the people who are thus addressed as a holy nation were under obligation by reason of their avowed obedience to the Lord to be "holy in all manner of living" (1 Peter 1.15). Persistent failure in this may well lead to the forfeiting of that separated position to which God has called us. This truth will be emphasized further as we consider yet another title by which these people were called, namely,

AN ELECT RACE

"My people, My chosen" is the way God described Israel in Isaiah 43.20. To them Moses said,

"The LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself" (Deuteronomy 7.6).

That this election was with a view to service is clear from God's word through Moses to Pharaoh, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me" (Exodus 8.1). Moses reminded them of this fact on the eve of their entering the promised land.

"And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,... Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day" (Deuteronomy 10.12, 15).

When Peter used the term "elect race" he probably had in mind this word about Israel, for the word "race", genos, means offspring, kindred, etc. They were "elect... according to the foreknowledge of God the Father... unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." This latter expression we have already commented upon, and it remains only to point out that the election here referred to was unto service, for later they were exhorted to "give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1.10).

Clearly we cannot make more sure the election of which Paul writes in Ephesians 1.4, which is gloriously true of all who are "in Christ". Further reference to the election of all believers is made in Romans 8, where the sequence is the foreknowledge of God, foreordination, calling (the gospel call), justification and eternal glory. Here is a call of God and an election which human failure can never alter. It is eternally secure in the finished work of Christ. Praise God for that.

That of which Peter writes is conditional upon diligence on our part, and has to do not with eternal salvation, but with service. It is the call of God to the believer to come out and be separate, which call the Corinthian saints, among others, had answered, and obedience to that call had brought them into the Fellowship of God's Son Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1. 9). From this position it was possible to go back, as indeed some did, and hence the necessity for Peter's exhortation that they "make their calling and election sure", by adding to their faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, etc. The conditional aspect is thus once again brought before us, for the position into which God had called them by His grace would be theirs as long as they held dear the truth in which they were established (2 Peter 1.12). Perhaps Peter was looking back to that early morning incident by the sea of Tiberias, when his resurrected Lord laid upon him the responsibility of tending and feeding His sheep, when he wrote, "I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things." A true shepherd he was, with a great care for the Flock of God, which he, along with his fellow-elders, was responsible to tend.

THE FLOCK OF GOD

In the Psalms of Asaph Israel is described as God's flock.

"Thou leddest Thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron" (Psalm 77.20).

God was the "Shepherd of Israel" (Psalm 80. 1), His gathered together people formed His flock and Moses and Aaron were shepherds of His flock, by whose hand (note, not hands, showing the unity of their leadership) He led them.

Israel's history is one of continual departure in heart from their Shepherd, and Ezekiel 34 contains a severe indictment of the shepherds of Israel who fed themselves instead of the sheep. The leaders went astray and the people followed, so that Jeremiah wrote, with his eyes running down with tears, because "the LORD'S flock is taken captive" (Jeremiah 13. 17).

The Lord Jesus uses the same expression in His teaching in John 10. The Good Shepherd who died is the Great Shepherd in resurrection, and is also the Chief Shepherd in glory. Many sheep He has, all of whom are eternally secure in His hand (John 10.28), but while He has many sheep He has only one flock, which is composed of those who obey Him. How often in New Testament Scriptures the importance of hearing and obeying is impressed upon us, and here again it is the condition attached to being part of His flock.

"Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock, one Shepherd" (John 10.16).

In the days of His flesh He gathered around Him a small company of men who loved His word. "Ye are they that have continued with Me in My temptations" He said, and this company He refers to as His flock.

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12.32).

That little flock, although scattered abroad for a while when the Shepherd was smitten (Matthew 26.31), was kept together by a continuing obedience to the Shepherd's word, and in Acts 1, after the Master's ascension, we see them gathered together about one hundred and twenty persons (verse 15).

SHEPHERDS OF THE FLOCK

As the flock grew the number of under-shepherds to care for it increased, but it was still one flock. Peter wrote to fellow-elders of five provinces in Asia Minor, whose responsibility was to exercise the oversight in the churches of God in those provinces, but although the churches were many, the flock was one. They were "one flock, one Shepherd."

Paul, speaking to the elders of Ephesus, says,

"Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20.28).

The overseers in any church are to feed the sheep in that church, in the charge allotted to them (1 Peter 5.3) but they are nevertheless part of a bigger thing, and the unity of the one flock depends upon the unity of the elders, who under the Chief Shepherd, are responsible for its care. The elders are among the flock (5.1) and the flock are among the elders (5.2), which shows the importance of their being united as one.

In this sphere of divine rule, where the voice of the Shepherd, and obedience to it are all important, under-shepherds are appointed to rule over the flock, not in the sense of lording it over the allotted charge, but rather, as was the custom with Eastern shepherds, to go before the flock as examples. To the saints under their care the word is

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them"

(Hebrews 13.17).

"But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you"

(1 Thessalonians 5.12).

The work of the shepherds is to admonish, encourage, support (verse 14), and as occasion arises to deal with the disorderly (2 Thessalonians 3.6), and if need be, to guide the assembly in putting away a wicked man (1 Corinthians 5.13).

It will be seen therefore, that the expression "the flock of God" is used, not of scattered sheep, but of those together under the guidance and rule of the Lord, the Shepherd, to whom all authority in heaven and on earth belongs. Within this sphere of the flock, authority has been delegated to under-shepherds, made so by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20.28), who work in the light of that day "when the Chief Shepherd shall be manifested" (1 Peter 5. 4) and they shall "give account" (Hebrews 13. 17).

IN REVIEW

Whether we think in terms of the house of God, or the people who form that house, in their function as a holy priesthood in worship, or a holy nation in testimony, or a united flock under the rule of the Shepherd, the condition of obedience is the same in each. There is only one house, one people together, one priesthood, one nation, one flock, and they all found expression in the same people in a past dispensation. We can see that obedience to the same word of God, instructed by the same Holy Spirit, will guide willing-hearted disciples to the same place. It did in apostolic days, and God's word not having changed, we must expect that it will do so today. It was on this ground and to give expression to these truths that brethren separated themselves seventy to eighty years ago. The burning desire of their hearts was to be obedient to the truth that God was graciously showing them in His word. One of the outstanding lessons of Old Testament writings is that as long as Israel were obedient to God's word they were blessed, but if they were disobedient, and continued in their disobedience, they fell away from the position to which God had brought them.

In this vital point a clear distinction is seen between the Church which is His Body and the churches of God. Nothing that has been written detracts from the glorious truth that the Lord Jesus is building a Church which He calls "My Church". This is unique to this dispensation of grace and was a mystery "which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 3.5). Of this Church the Lord Jesus is the Builder (Matthew 16.18), and entrance into it is by baptism in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12. 13). It began to be built on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given, and will be complete when the Lord, Jesus returns to the air, at which time He will "present the Church to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing" (Ephesians 5.27). The glory of this Church cannot be marred, for the "gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16.18) and those built into it by Christ are eternally secure. From it they can never be severed, nor can they fall away, for Christ Himself is the Saviour of the Body, and also its Nourisher and Cherisher (Ephesians 5.23, 29).

The following summary may help to clarify the essential differences between the Church His Body, which is heavenly in character, and the churches of God which are for testimony on earth.

The Church, His Body The Churches of God

1.There is one Body, Ephesians 4.4,There are many Churches of God, Romans 12.4, 5 1 Thessalonians 2.14; 2

Thessalonians 1.4.

2.Comprised of all believers in ChristA company of disciples gathered

Galatians 3. 28, Acts 2.5, 9-11. together locally, 1 Corinthians

1.2

3.Made up of those who believe asMade up of disciples who obey

Peter did, Matthew 16. 18. The word of Christ, Acts 2.41,

42; Romans 6.17.

4.Entered by baptism in the Spirit,Baptism in water essential

1 Corinthians 12.13. before being added, Acts 2.41;

Acts 18.8.11.

5.Depends only upon initial obedi-Continuance therein depends

ence to the invitation of Christ, upon continuing obedience to the

'Come unto Me". Word of God, Revelation 2.5.

6.Cannot be put away, John 10.28.Sinning brother put away from

the church in Corinth, 1

Corinthians 5.13.

7.Cannot wander away of one's ownMay withdraw from a Church of

accord. Joined to Christ. God 1 John 2.19.

8.Christ is the Builder, MatthewMen build, 1 Corinthians 3.9-10.

16.18.

9.Cannot be destroyed, MatthewCan be made havoc of and cease

16.18 to exist, Galatians 1. 13

10.In the Body there is no distinctionDefinite distinctions between

between male and female. All aremen and women. Each have a

one in Christ Jesus, Galatiansdifferent work. 1 Corinthians 3.2814.34; 11. 5.

11.The unity of the Body is assuredFor the unity of the disciples

because it depends only upon thethe Lord Jesus prayed. This is

work of Christ, 1 Corinthians an outward unity expressed by12.12, 13. churches of God.

12.Death does not separate, Philip-Death does separate. At death apians 1.23.disciple ceases to be in a

church of God.

13.Nourished and cherished by Christ,Cared for by elders, Acts 20. Ephesians 5.29. 28; Hebrews 13. 17.

14.The truth of the Body hidden inThe truth of God's house (now

the Old Testament. Ephesians comprised of churches of God) is

3.3-5.seen throughout the Old

Testament, Exodus 25.8; 1 Kings 8.27 etc.

15.Will be seen in heaven throughoutExists only on earth. Will ceaseeternity, Ephesians 5.27; Revela- when the Lord Jesus returns for

tion 19.7, 21.9. His saints.

CONCLUSION

While we rejoice greatly in the eternal purpose of God in connexion with Christ's Body, in which all believers are joined with their Head, in the bonds of love, yet the disciple of the Lord Jesus also longs for fellowship with a company of believers with whom he can serve the Lord according to the New Testament pattern, and it is in this connexion that the foregoing truths are of such vital importance.

Dear fellow-Christian, where shall we find rest but in the place where the Lord finds rest?

"What manner of house will ye build Me? saith the Lord:

Or what is the place of My rest?" (Acts 7.49).

God finds rest where His will is done, and to that place He will lead us if we are obedient from the heart. The promise is,

"If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it be of God, or whether I speak from Myself" (John 7.17).

May the language of our hearts be, as with the Psalmist,

"0 send out Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead me:

Let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles.

Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding Joy" (Psalm 43.3, 4).

Toms, A. F. | Aug 1964
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