SEVEN

Outside the Camp

If, however, through the mercy of God the eyes of a few have been opened to see the distinguishing truths of Christianity and the great departure from these great truths in Christendom, what are such to do? Are they to remain in ecclesiastical systems which by their constitution or practice set aside the Headship of Christ and the presence of the Spirit? Does Scripture afford any light as to the course those should take whose eyes have been opened to these great truths and who desire to answer to them?

It is impossible to think that God has left His people without any guidance for an evil day. We read in 2 Timothy 3: 16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." So we may be sure there is light to show the path of the godly in an evil day. Through ignorance or bad teaching we may fail to discern it. We may be so wedded to national and hereditary systems of men that we even oppose it. We may through indifference and lack of exercise fail to walk in it. Nevertheless God has a highway through this wilderness-world for the ransomed of the Lord, and He has given light that we may discern this way in a day of ruin.

This light is not confined to one scripture. The Second Epistle to Timothy, the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, the Second Epistle of Peter, the Epistles of John and of Jude, the addresses to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3, all have in view the ruin of the Church in responsibility and in a special way give light for the Christian path in the last days. Moreover we have in the Epistle to the Hebrews very special light for those who find themselves linked up with religious systems formed after the pattern of Judaism.

That Epistle was written to Jewish believers who were in danger of turning back from Christianity to Judaism. To meet this danger, Christ is presented to their hearts. The glory of His person, the glory of the place He holds at the right hand of God, the grace and sympathy of His heart as our great High Priest, and the efficacy of His work, all pass before us to attract our hearts and thus draw us outside of every religious system on earth and attach our hearts to Himself in heaven. Hence, the great closing exhortation of the Epistle, "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach" (Heb. 13: 13)!

One great aim of the Epistle is to show that if Christ appears before the face of God in heaven, He takes a place outside the religious systems of men on earth. If He has gone within the veil He has also gone without the Camp. So the exhortation to the believer is to go without the Camp to reach the company of Christ in the outside place. Here then is the Scriptural reason and the Scriptural warrant for leaving the religious systems of men. We do so, not simply because there is a great deal of evil in these systems, but because Christ is outside of these systems and we desire to reach Him and give Him His place. We "go forth . . . unto Him."

EIGHT