Biblical Church Discipline by Daniel E. Wray. Banner of Truth Trust. Price 35p.
This subject of this concise booklet is by no means popular today, but popularity is certainly not the criterion of spirituality, importance or relevance. At all levels of church life the glaring absence of discipline lies at the root of many paralysing problems. With the pendulum swinging towards anarchy and indifference this much neglected function of the church has almost vanished, although Calvin makes the proper exercises of discipline one of the salient features of the true church of God. Very necessary then is this re-affirmation of the church’s responsibility in this respect. “It is ironic,” says the writer, and rightly so, “that the rejection of church discipline is often justified in the name of love.” The contents of this production by D. E. Wray are well arranged and merit most serious consideration in the present climate of false tolerance of evil. On page 32, however, certain sentiments are expressed with which we cannot agree. The example of Christ and His apostles in lawfully partaking of the Lord’s commanded ordinances in the Jewish church, is given as a reason for not separating from a church which allows the profane and scandalous to continue in its fellowship. This inference, in our view, does not carry sufficient weight, and tends to overlook the unique prerogatives of Christ, as well as his ultimate words concerning the Temple — “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate . . .” Further, one of the basic lessons that emerges from a study of the seven churches in Asia is surely a call to the immediate exercise of discipline to avert disaster. Finally, we would simply pose one question to the ‘faithful’ who remain within the bounds of a corrupt church; are they meeting with any real measure of success in decreasing, let alone in stemming the tide of corruption?” If not, what is the proper and effective alternative? F.M.
The Charismatic Movement — Biblical Teaching on Tongues by Rev. John Douglas.
The author of this 63-page booklet is a minister of the Free Presbyterian Church of Northern Ireland. Concerned about the spread of the Charismatic Movement in its tongues-speaking aspect, he maintains that the power to speak in languages not known among men in this world is a satanic counterfeit of the tongues-speaking of apostolic times. In this connection he expounds 1 Corinthians 14. Mr Douglas believes that the legitimate gift of tongues was the ability to speak in foreign languages as described in Acts 2 v. 3-12. With this he contrasts the unintelligible utterances of modern Pentecostalists which cannot be used to convey scriptural truths to others. So much so, that their missionaries have to learn foreign languages just like others. Their tongues-speaking is done “in the church,” which Mr Douglas finds opposed to 1 Cor. 14 v. 22.
The 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians certainly presents difficulties to the reader, and much depends on whether the tongues spoken of here by Paul are regarded as genuine gifts of the Spirit, foreign languages not understood by the worshippers; or, as Mr Douglas thinks, the speakers had no knowledge of what they were doing or saying, nor could anyone know. In fact he takes the tongues in this chapter to be the same spurious, Satan-inspired ones, that he writes to warn Christians about now. If Mr Douglas is in error here (and we think he is), parts of his interpretation of the chapter are invalidated, and his argument spoiled. Which is a pity, for we believe he is right in trying to expose the unscriptural nature of modern speaking with tongues. He correctly views it as a part of the ecumenical movement, and something used by Rome to regain power over the apostate Protestant churches. Strangely, Mr Douglas thinks that Ananias and Sapphira were true believers!
The booklet has no price marked, but a label says that copies can be had from the Mourne Missionary Trust, ‘Hor-kesel,’ Church Road, Carginagh, Kilkeal, County Down, Northern Ireland. A. McP.
James by Robert Johnstone, D.D. Pages 444, price £3.50. Banner of Truth Trust.
This volume is a reprint of a course of lectures on the General Epistle of James by a United Presbyterian minister, Rev. Robt. Johnstone, D.D., to the people of his first congregation at Arbroath in 1871, as part of his regular pulpit ministrations. It is not, therefore, a commentary in the ordinary sense of the term but is mainly an exposition of the text although such questions as the writer, date, people addressed, etc., are not overlooked. These matters are considered in the introductory chapter. A few verses are taken up in each lecture and by careful exposition the practical lessons are elicited and applied to the needs of the hearers as the minister takes his people through the chapters of the epistle. No doctrine or lesson that can be fairly deduced from the epistle is neglected but in accordance with the best traditions of the Scottish pulpit, the Word of God is reverently and faithfully examined and explained. The volume is, therefore, of special interest to ministers of the Gospel for, as Prof. Smeaton says in the words quoted on the cover: “Not a single lesson that may arise from any word or position of a word appears to be omitted.” There is no display of scholarship but the evidence of wide reading and exact knowledge is apparent everywhere. The severely practical nature of the epistle in its unsparing condemnation of public sins and moral faults is brought out under such headings as: The Genesis of Sin; Spiritual Mirror; Power of the Tongue; Origin of Strifes; Evil Speaking and Judging; Woes of the Wicked; etc. The sins which James condemns, however, are those found mainly among the Pharisees whereas the typical Gentile sins of Idolatry and moral uncleanness are not mentioned, which gives a Jewish flavour to the epistle. Possibly written at Jerusalem, the epistle is addressed to the Jewish Church.
The position of James on the doctrine of faith and works is explained in two helpful chapters on Faith without Works and Justifying Faith, a Working Faith. The passage of the epistle under discussion in these two chapters, James ch. ii, verses 14-26, is thought to bring James into conflict with the Apostle Paul in Paul’s treatment of justifying faith in Romans and Galatians. This was a misconception which led Luther to question the right of the Epistle of James to a place among the inspired scriptures. Dr Johnstone, however, has no difficulty in showing that James treats of faith as the mere intellectual assent which is barren of good fruit — “the devils believe and tremble,” ch. ii, v. 19 — his words are: “the soul-destroying impression that the knowledge of truth, with assent, necessarily constitutes saving faith”; whereas Paul speaks of the evangelical grace of faith which captivates the heart and governs the whole inwards spiritual life, the faith that works by love. There is no evidence in the epistle to show that Romans and Galatians were known to James at the time of writing as they evidently belong to a later date. Nevertheless, James is in perfect agreement with Paul.
This book is a valuable addition to the Banner of Truth publications — it is one of the Geneva Series of Commentaries — and should appeal to the ordinary reader as well as to ministers of religion. The high standard of printing and binding of the Banner of Truth is maintained, the price is low, and the work should prove of great spiritual help in a day of low moral standards and great spiritual declension. A.F.M.