Philadelphia
I quite believe that Philadelphia will go on to the end. In one sense it has always existed.
But when the cry raised about fifty years ago awoke the slumbering saints, when the word reached souls with power - "Behold, the bridegroom, go forth to meet him" - then I say the Philadelphian character came out in new and brilliant colours, and though th ...read
Article
Reformation or Transformation?
The word "transformation" occurs twice in Scripture with reference to Christians (Rom. 12:2, and 2 Cor. 3:18). Every believer tries to be reformed, but very few apprehend the great moral difference between reformation and transformation. As a rule believers rejoice that they are saved, and aim to be up to the language of Micah 6:8, "to do justly, a ...read
Sermon
Salvation
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lo ...read
Article
Self-Improvement or Growth?
Everyone according to his moral sense, if he is true to his conscience, refuses the evil and seeks the good; and as the conscience becomes enlightened, this is more definitely insisted on. This is the principle of law; obedience was enjoined by the law however contrary to the natural man. Now when grace comes in, the believer rejoices in the assura ...read
Article
Take Heed How You Hear
Man was in darkness as to the mind of God until He was pleased to reveal it. Hence His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. He tells us His mind in His word, which otherwise we could never have known by research or thought of our own. His revelation is therefore light; "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding ...read
Sermon
The Assembly
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Gho ...read
Article
The Church in Laodicea
Revelation 3: 14-22
It must strike every careful reader that the Laodiceans are addressed as if they did not know the gospel.
They are very boastful of their great acquisitions. "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods and have need of nothing"; but when they come to be inspected, they are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and bl ...read
Sermon
The Coming of the Lord
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. - Revelation 22:16-17
MY ...read
Article
The Difference Between Spiritual Ministry & Carnal
IN the believer there is the natural mind, and there is the spiritual, or "the mind of Christ". Now it is as each is addressed that the ministry is spiritual or carnal. When the theme in the mind of the speaker is simply Christ in His divine reality, the ministry is spiritual; but when man, or his acceptance of the subject, is the attempt or desire ...read
Article
The Difference Between Spiritual Ministry and Carnal
In the believer there is the natural mind, and there is the spiritual, or "the mind of Christ". Now it is as each is addressed that the ministry is spiritual or carnal.
When the theme in the mind of the speaker is simply Christ in His divine reality, the ministry is spiritual; but when man, or his acceptance of the subject, is the attempt or des ...read
Article
The Duty of a Philadelphian
There can be no real work for Christ if one be not in the path with Him, and the effort to work for Him without being in the path with Him betrays itself in the character and intention of the work.
If I am not in the path with Christ, I must be in the path of man which, be it ever so good, is after all only a human path. It is not of the divine ch ...read
Article
The Good Figs, Very Good; & The Evil, Very Evil
THE one immutable law of good and evil is progress; each by its very existence demands and promotes increase. The good becomes very good, and the evil very evil. Hence it is a most serious question whether I am engaged with that which is really good, or with that which is evil in God's judgement.
In the passage in Jeremiah the words at the head of ...read
Article
The Laodicean State
The last phase of the assembly as the vessel of testimony for God on earth is the Laodicean; hence what that state is, and how produced, must be of great interest to us. The four latter assemblies run down to the coming of the Lord. Philadelphia is the assembly in light and power before the end. Laodicea will be spued out of Christ's mouth as en ...read
Article
The Last Great Revival
EVERYTHING of earth consigned to man, from the garden of Eden to the assembly, has failed. However brilliant and effective its beginning, it soon became tarnished; the bright gold became dim, until at length there was a little or no trace of the original order of things. Yet in every instance there was a season of marked favour from God, before tha ...read
Article
The Leaven of Laodicea
It is worthy of note that Peter, the one to whom was revealed the rock on which Christ builds His church, and who is there confirmed in the name Peter, as himself material [Gk. petros] for this new and unique structure, that he, at that very time, as recorded in the same Scripture (Matthew 16: 16-24), should have given utterance to a sentiment whic ...read
Sermon
The Man of Power
Acts 7:54-60
MY thought in coming to a meeting like this, is to hear something from the Lord that will help me on in relation to this present time; call it a conference if you like-we do come together to confer with each other-to hear each other speak. It is that I may know His mind, which is a distinct thing: "I call you not servants ... but .. ...read
Article
The Mark of a Servant of Christ
EVERY believer in Christ feels and owns that it is his duty to serve. It is inseparable from the true faith of a christian. Nay, the extent and nature of his service in any line are always in keeping with the sense of the nature of his own blessing in Christ. In the service, whatever be the line of it, there is always an indication of the nature of ...read
Letter
The Marks of the Lord Being with His People
Thank the Lord, I am very happy and encouraged. I am assured that He has taught us the right way.
I do not deny that we are very feeble in it, but I can say, "The Lord of hosts is with us" [Psalm 46: 7], and that is everything.
I have been much interested in seeing the marks of the Lord being with His people. I could hardly explain all to you ...read
Sermon
The Mystery
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; ...read
Article
The Nature, Object, and Responsibility of the Church, The Body of Christ
I suppose there is hardly an exercised soul but would admit that we are in the difficult days, the perilous times; yet it is one thing to see the difficulty, and another to understand the remedy for the difficulty. Are you exercised as to the remedy for the difficulty? In 2 Timothy 3 we read of the perilous times. The apostle did not live in those ...read
J.B. Stoney