As a young believer searching for a collective pathway pleasing to the Lord, an old brother – Mr. Walter Pittman of Toronto – wisely gave me this Scripture to guide me:

• "If any one desire to practise His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is of God, or that I speak from Myself", John 7: 17.

In the bright early years of the assembly Paul stressed the value of "sound teaching", 1 Tim. 1: 10:

• "Laying these things before the brethren, thou wilt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which thou hast fully followed up", 1 Tim. 4: 6.

• "Give heed to thyself and to the teaching; continue in them; for, doing this, thou shalt save both thyself, and those that hear thee", 1 Tim. 4: 16.

In days of decline, Paul exhorted,

• "Have an outline of sound words, which words thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus", 2 Tim. 1: 13.

Paul put doctrine – teaching – first because without sound doctrine all will be lost:

• "But thou hast been thoroughly acquainted with my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings", 2 Tim. 3: 10.

• "Every scripture is divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness", 2 Tim. 3: 16.

• "Proclaim the word; be urgent in season and out of season, convict, rebuke, encourage, with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not bear sound teaching", 2 Tim. 4: 2-3.

In the last days, John too stresses holding fast to the doctrine of the Christ:

• "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, they who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in flesh – this is the deceiver and the antichrist.

• "See to yourselves, that we may not lose what we have wrought, but may receive full wages.

• "Whosoever goes forward and abides not in the doctrine of Christ has not God. He that abides in the doctrine, he has both the Father and the Son.

• "If any one come to you and bring not this doctrine, do not receive him into the house, and greet him not; for he who greets him partakes in his wicked works", 2 John 7-11.

The above Scriptures ought to convince the most skeptical of the need of sound doctrine.

The articles presented here are believed to be the sound doctrine – or the suitable practice that flows from it – that is needed at the present time.

The "vagueness in the minds of many as to Forgiveness, and also … with relation to Propitiation and Substitution" which prompted Mr. Hayward to write the following paper is common among so-called evangelicals.

• That it should have been – and perhaps still is – so among brethren who have had the advantages of clear and powerful teaching, is a reproach and a shame,

• and if those who preach or teach are not clear, what can be expected of their converts or their hearers?

• While the certainty or fulness of our salvation may not – and thank God, does not – depend on how clearly we understand these great matters,
  • who is there who loves our Lord Jesus and values His death who would be satisfied with being vague as to these holy truths?

Paul exhorted Timothy, "Have an outline of sound words", 2 Timothy 1: 13. Mr. Hayward provides some "sound words" which we do well to "hold fast".

• Forgiveness

It is believed that the difficulties as to forgiveness arise from a lack of apprehension of God's great basis, so that some with the desire to render the gospel as wide as possible, teach that all are forgiven.

• Further, it is found there are other vague thoughts existing, as for instance, that there is no future judgment except for the rejection of Christ, and that judgment should not be presented with the gospel.

• Such teaching and vague thoughts can hardly be expected to bring about effective work in the gospel, whereas all would greatly desire to see this increased amongst us.

Before touching on the actual work of the Lord, one would point out that in any language we use we must have in mind the impression such language conveys to others,

• so that if we say "All are forgiven", we must expect our hearers to assume we mean that their obligations are discharged and their sins and iniquities will be remembered no more.
• This essentially will be the impression conveyed whatever the speaker may intend and, as it is presumed this is not intended, such language should surely be avoided.

• Certainly one finds no scripture which states, "All are forgiven",

• "In whom we – as distinct from all – have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins", Col. 1: 14.

• So, too, Christ is exalted at the right hand of God to give repentance to Israel – to the Jew first – and remission of or forgiveness of sins, as Peter says in Acts 5: 31-32.

If all are forgiven, what meaning was there be in Christ being at God's right hand to give repentance and remission? And the note that repentance is linked with remission.

• Further, the Lord refers to some of whom He says if they speak against the Holy Spirit "it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in that to come", Matthew 12: 32.

• So that to say "all are forgiven", is clearly contrary to Scripture.

• Many more scriptures could be adduced but one is enough, and two ample, nor can any scripture contradict another, so
  • Colossians 1: 14 shows we have forgiveness in contrast to all;

  • Acts 5: 31-32 that Christ is that God's right hand to give it on condition of repentance, and

  • Matthew 12: 32, but all are not forgiven, and some never will be.

As to what men are judged for, Scripture is also quite definite for the books are opened and the dead are judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works, Revelation 20:  12-13.

• This clearly is not judgment only for the refusal of Christ.

• That surely would be one of their works, but all are here included, and Scripture says every idle word is to be given account of.

• Further, the end of such is shown, or after they are judged, they are cast into the lake of fire, and there it is the Lord indicates "their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched"; so this is final and for ever.

A very important part of the preacher's service, is to press home that judgment is pending, that is, the execution of it, or as it is put in Romans 2: 5-6,

• "according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation" that is bringing in active execution "of the righteous judgment of God who shall render to each according to his works".
• Paul calls this part of this gospel, for he says, "in the day when God shell judge the secrets of men according to my glad tidings by Jesus Christ", Romans 2: 16.

• It is stated in Romans 1: 18, that "there is revealed wrath from heaven", and Paul says "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men".

• Further he reasoned "concerning righteousness and temperance and judgment about to come" so that Felix trembled, or "being filled with fear answered, Go for the present", Acts 24: 25.

We need more of this deep sense of the terror of the Lord that it may be evidenced in our preaching,

• for without it the conscience is little, if at all, affected and hence, there not being conviction, sins do not stand out before the soul and forgiveness goes unsought.
• Even where there is brought into the soul some sense of forgiveness the work without this convicting element is shallow and weak.

That God's attitude towards all is forgiveness is blessedly true, as is intimated in Luke 24: 47,

• in that He [i.e., Christ] would have repentance and forgiveness of sins prieached in His name to all nations,

• but if it is to be assumed that all are consequently forgiven, it must also be assumed that all have repented, which is untenable.

The preaching shows that forgiveness is God's attitude or disposition towards all alike,

• and the preaching of repentance indicates that a way has been provided for self-judgment, and that God in His goodness is leading that way, for the goodness of God leadeth to repentance.
• All this is based on the great work of Christ, whereby He has become "the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the whole world", 1 John 2: 2.

• Propitiation

The great basis of the gospel is propitiation, that is, that in the death of Christ, God has secured for Himself a righteous basis upon which He can show mercy.

• Hence, God has "set forth" Christ before the universe as the One in whom propitiation is secured by His blood.

• He is formally set forth by God as the propitiation or mercy-seat, available on the principle of faith. Romans 3: 25.

• The idea of propitiation is to appease and the throne of God, which has been offended by sin, being appeased by the blood-shedding of Christ thus becomes the mercy-seat from which God can dispense forgiveness on the principle of faith.

• The worldwide bearing of this is supported by 1 John 2: 2 and Romans 3: 25-26.

But this propitiation of the throne needs more consideration. God has imposed two things upon men, namely death and judgment. Hebrews 9: 27.

• and in order that He might be just and yet "the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus", these liabilities must be met.

• Christ has therefore appeared once in the end of the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

The blood of Christ is the witness that what was demanded by the holiness and the righteousness of God has been effected,

• and hence, in Leviticus 16, the blood was carried in to the mercy-seat and sprinkled on it as witnessing that on God's side all has been met

• and before it, as indicating complete and universal testimony.
• Its import, in fact, is that the judgment poured out upon the Lord when He was made sin, and His subsequent surrendering Himself to death, condemned sin in the flesh – Romans 8: 3 –
  • so that henceforth man in that condition has been judicially removed from before God as utterly unfit for His presence.

• God is glorified in this, in that He has vindicated His abhorrence of sin before the universe by the turning away of His face from His Son when He was made sin, and in the closing up of His life, so precious to God, in death.

• The Lord's burial indicates that no more can that question be raised except it be for the final execution, in those who refused the way thus provided by God for their forgiveness.

Another glory shines out here – that of His nature – for instead of executing His judgment on men immediately He gave His own Son

• that the judgment might be vicariously carried out in Him, and God might have a free hand as "just" to "justify him that believeth in Jesus".
• Sin having thus been dealt with judicially and in its totality at the cross, suitably to God's own holiness yet in accord with His nature of love, and every attribute having been vindicated,
  • God's glory is secured and He can come out freely to all with the proclamation of forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, as raised from among the dead and presented as a blessed Object for faith.

But whilst in Christ's's death there is the condemnation before God in the sight of the universe of the man who has sinned, so that the ground is clear for God to come out to all in forgiveness,

• this does not mean man's responsibility is lifted from him or that he is free.
• God is free, and has provided thus in Christ a righteousness which is towards all but only upon all those that believe,
  • for it is a divine necessity that the way into the righteousness of God shall be through faith.

Hence as Romans 5: 18-19 shows, "it was by one offence towards all men to condemnation so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life.

• "For as indeed by the disobedience of one man, the many have been constituted sinners, so also by the obedience of the one the many will be constituted righteous".
• Observe here the change in words from "all" in verse 18 to "many" in first 19, for though the righteousness is towards "all" it is only the "many" who are constituted righteous.

Although man in flesh, and sin in its totality, has been dealt with in the death of Christ, as indicated above, yet in fact men are still here in flesh;

• but the cross of Christ is like the flood in effect so that in God's eye all flesh has come to an end.
• In the execution, however, of what God has thus arrived at judicially at the cross, there is a pause to enable men to accept His provision.

The preaching of Christ thus becomes a savour of death unto death or life unto life, for as surely as the cross witnesses to the removal of man in flesh before God judicially,

• so must he be removed eternally, either in Christ as covered in the ark, to use the figure of the flood, or in judgment as covered by the waters,

• and this is determined and made evident in God's dealing with, and solving, the whole question of sin in Christ's sufferings and death.

In the pause or interval, referred to above, the gospel goes out and those who accept the covering in Christ as God's appointed Head in resurrection,

• come under God's righteousness, and are justified on the principle of faith "freely by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus".

Whilst God has thus wrought for His own glory and laid a basis for the blessing of all in the death and resurrection of Christ, so that forgiveness can be preached towards all,

• yet no scripture says the sins of all men are borne, and for any to be forgiven it is clear that their sins must be borne by the Lord.

• Substitution

This brings us to substitution as it is commonly called, which may be viewed as part of the detail of the great work of propitiation, and stands in relation to the elect, and is not so directly the burden of the gospel.

• So in Hebrews 9, already referred to, Christ put away sin in its totality, verse 26, by the sacrifice of Himself but, in verse 28, He is spoken of as "bearing the sins of many", but not of all, as should be observed.

• Substitution involves the Lord taking on Himself the individual sins of the elect, and who knows what this means? – He Himself bearing our sins in His own body on the tree!

• Every faculty of the Lord's body was fully alive and entered in intensity, with God, into all the holy abhorrence and judgment of these sins, feeling all the awful consequences in His own body, so that is said in Psalm 42: 7,
  • "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy cataracts".

This bearing on individual sins, which must not be separated from the great work of propitiation for it is an integral part of it, constitutes a wonderful link between each believer and the Lord, for it binds our hearts to Him, each with a peculiar bond, in that every believer can say "It was my sins He took on Himself and bore".

• He does it in priestly intelligence and feeling, for it says "He became a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people", Hebrews 2: 17,

• which evidently is not worldwide bearing – and indeed the word for propitiation there used is somewhat different from 1 John 2: 2, but stands only in relation to the elect.

• This clearly lies in the sovereignty and foreknowledge of God which we ever have to bless God for, for unless He had elected to prepare us for glory and then called us, who could have been saved? Rom. 9: 23-24.

In Leviticus 16, the bullock suggests the complete work towards all – including, of course, the substitutional work – so that repentance and remission of sins can be preached "on the principle of faith to faith", Romans 1: 17 – and the Holy Spirit promised,

• but the scape-goat – although strictly referring to Israel as coming into forgiveness by sight and not by faith – can be viewed as illustrative of the pronouncement of the sins of the elect upon the victim by the priest and the bearing away of them by the victim for ever.

• There cannot be the bearing of sins, without a priest, and the Lord is both Offering-Priest and Victim for those He thus represents and whose names, we may say, He had upon His heart at the cross.

Faith can now lay hold of forgiveness as presented in Christ as risen – for we do not wait for sight –

• and then the Spirit, given by Him, becomes the means of the consciousness of forgiveness in the heart as linking the believer with the One in whom the forgiveness is. Colossians 1: 14.

• But to say anyone can be forgiven without repentance – which involves confession – and faith, is to traverse Scripture.

In Luke 7, the Lord is seeking to induce Simon, the proud Pharisee, to confess, and he puts before him, in grace, the figure of a small debtor and a large debtor, and the advantage of confessing to a large debt,

• but Simon spurns it all and the Lord departs never to sit down at that table again.
• "He frankly forgave them both", although used in the figure, is not applied to Simon, though it does indicate how God was then, and at the present time is still, towards men in forgiveness,
  • and looses His claim, so to speak, in that He puts it momentarily in abeyance, as it is stated "not reckoning to them their offences", 2 Cor. 5: 19.

• But to use this to say all are forgiven as some say, 'provisionally', or otherwise, would be to oppose the scriptures already referred to, or to bring in something they do not state,
  • and to make what one might call a moratorium, announced by the creditor to all debtors, the equivalent of a full discharge in view of payment received.

• It is right to announce that God is not imputing sins – 2 Corinthians 5: 19 – but non-imputation is not forgiveness, provisional or otherwise.

In the end, those who will not accept the displacement before God at the cross and embrace the forgiveness thus tendered will be put out from His presence, consigned to the lake of fire forever, after having been judged according to their works out of the books written. Revelation 20: 15.

If any desire to use Luke 7 as indicating God's attitude – and surely it can well be so used – their language should be so couched as a not to give the impression that all are forgiven,

• as this will only damage souls, giving a false ease and hardening the conscience.
• That God's heart is toward all in forgiveness is shown by His [i.e. Christ's] being prepared to sit at table with men, but to say that they are forgiven goes beyond what the Lord said to any there

• except to the woman who had confessed and repented at the feet of Jesus, and to her He said, and only to her, "Thy sins be forgiven thee".

Even the words "frankly forgave" are not those of a set transaction, but rather that He was 'gracious to' them and, being a figure, it must be interpreted by the scriptures in the epistles.

• If it is said "all are forgiven" because forgiveness is preached, then we must also say all have repented because repentance is preached,

• but foolish and unlearned questions we are specifically told to avoid.

The Scripture shows there is no forgiveness apart from repentance and whoever preaches otherwise, though he may be intending to magnify the work of Christ, actually speaks derogatorily of His work, and in a way calculated to mislead the hearers,

• which should not be permitted for it can only convey a certain impression of slackness on God's part as to sins, and a lack of defined issue arrived at in the cross, as well as promoting carelessness in the hearers.

May we all be helped to maintain the fulness and the purity of the glad tidings.

A.M.H.

Giving is practised by all Christians, and at its best is patterned after divine giving. It is not peculiar to the brethren to whom 'My Brethren' is devoted.

• What is peculiar to them is their method of giving and distributing.

The 'collection' may not seem to fit under the heading of 'Doctrine' but

• as it is an integral – and in certain ways a distinctive – feature of the collective life of brethren it seems in order to present some details here.

It would be abnormal and unusual for 'brethren' of any persuasion to take public collections.

• Generally, collections are taken on the Lord's Day in connection with the meeting for the breaking of bread, typically only from those 'in fellowship'.

• Collections are not taken at 'gospel' preachings or other meetings, although at times on special occasions.

It is not my intention to explore various practices beyond the above comments, which are only made to contrast with what follows.

G.A.R.

David in his day, providing all the material for the house of God, can say of himself,

• "And moreover, in my affection for the house of my God I have given of my own property of gold and silver … and who is willing to offer to Jehovah this day? …

• "And the people rejoiced because they offered willingly, for with perfect heart they offered willingly to Jehovah; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy".

• Later on he says, "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer willingly after this manner, for all is of Thee, and of that which is from Thy hand have we given Thee", 1 Chronicles 29.

• What an elevation is given to all this free-hearted offering!

When the house fell into disrepair, Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest and said

• "Why have ye not repaired the breaches of the house? And now receive no money of your acquaintances but give it for the breaches of the house".

• The house of the Lord was to be put before all personal needs. 2 Kings 12.

• So may we think of the widow commended by the Lord in that "of her destitution" she "cast in all that she had, the whole of her living".

When we come to Christianity we find wholehearted giving at the very beginning – Acts 2, together with other references in the book.

• The "collection for the saints" is connected in 1 Corinthians with the first day of the week.

• The question then arises as to the most suitable time and circumstances for this to be taken according to the "spirit" and not the "letter" of Scripture.

• Are not the saints gathered together at the Lord's supper as on no other occasion in an atmosphere of love permeated by the spirit of sacrifice on the part of the One of Whom Paul says
  • "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes He, being rich, became poor, in order that ye by His poverty might be enriched", 2 Corinthians 8: 9.

Now at the supper we have three material things which on such an occasion take on a spiritual meaning, the loaf and cup speaking of divine love towards us,

• and the answer on our part free-hearted giving, an answer of love to love in relation to the support and maintenance of divine interest in this world.

• Would not wisdom's children, left ofttimes to do what is comely and practical, put the three together or have part in them in a successive way that the material things with their spiritual significance should lead us on to what is wholly spiritual in the service of God?

• Could the separation of these two parts – love on the divine side and our response – be considered more comely, more practical or more spiritual?

• Surely the 'box' on the table unites in our minds and hearts three material things each with a spiritual meaning, the emblems having their own distinctive meaning to all our hearts and minds.

To put the box at the door means we have two fellowships, one for privilege and one for responsibility;

• for those not in the former, including unconverted persons, may have part in the latter.

• Does God need or want a gift of unconverted persons to further His work?

The only receptacle described, as far as I can recall, for giving in relation to divine interests is that prepared by Jehoiada the priest, the description and position of the receptacle being of great importance.

• "And Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Jehovah", 1 Kings 12.

• It was not an open vessel and it was clearly visible "beside the altar" so that anyone approaching the altar took account of the sacrifice made for him and of the receptacle provided by its side for "free-hearted liberality".

We sometimes fail to put a right value on material giving. Paul says in Ephesians 4,

• "Walk in love, even as the Christ loved us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour".

• But when Paul speaks of material giving of the saints he says in Philippians 4,
  • "the things sent from you, an odour of sweet savour, an acceptable sacrifice, agreeable to God".

  • Also we get in Hebrews 13, "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of the lips confessing His name. But of doing good and communicating of your substance be not forgetful, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased".

JT, in his Letters 2: 305, sets out in a practical way the spiritual significance of the whole matter. There he says,

• "The love of Christ for the assembly is greater than the love of the assembly for Christ. But they meet at the Lord's supper, and the Lord would not have us stress any inequality. The Lord's supper as celebrated is a public matter, and the love of the saints of the assembly has part in it".

May 1961,   E. J. Hemmings.

The brothers entrusted with the care of the funds for the city – as well as those who made the announcements in the local meetings – would take down the names, purposes and other details as to amounts suggested and agreed upon.

• Suggestions – which could be made by any brother – might be amended, deferred or set aside depending on various priorities, circumstances or information.

• The total amount desired remained constant, being increased permanently or temporarily according to the ability of the brethren or special needs.

The purposes were handled in order:

• Need: The poor or widows as made known by each local meeting. General economic prosperity had made this need rare. Need was often met by private giving.

• Servants: In recognition of their service and travelling expenses, with priority to those invited to serve locally, and those who had to travel long distances. Widows of servant and sisters who served in taking the notes of special meetings were included.

• Fellowship Meetings: Rental of room for local one-day meetings on Saturdays, if the local city room could not accommodate brethren from nearby meetings.

• Special Meetings: Rental of room and other expenses for annual local three-day meetings – to which general invitations were issued – and as fellowship with localities from which invitations had been received and with localities which issued worldwide invitations.

• Bible and Tract Depot: Subsidy of printing costs to reduce price of printed ministry.

• Other: Special needs that might become known.

The details of the special collection were announced at the beginning of the meeting – before other annoucements – on the first Lord's Day of the month for collection that day.

• All collections were taken after a short pause following the breaking of bread.

• The collection from each local meeting was given to those entrusted with city funds for distribution. This would be reported on at the next care meeting.

Before the sisters began attending the care meeting the special collection was also announced two weeks in advance and the care meeting was therefore held a week earlier.