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Separation
Ministry by C. W. Cooper

 

Introduction
Separation


Tears
Christian Unity and Fellowship

 



INTRODUCTION

Although little personal information is available as to him, 'Charlie' Cooper, of Belfast, was well known among the brethren as a poet.

In December 1960, "in order to maintain a good conscience before God", Mr. Cooper withdrew from what he judged was "becoming a sect".


It is interesting to consider the circumstances of each of the three items presented here:

  1. Separation – in 1950 before the death of JT Senior – is a balanced presentation in accord with the outlook of brethren of that time and earlier.

    • Separation is not a popular subject. Many think it is merely negative, but separation from evil is necessary because of God's holiness.

      • "Be ye holy, for I am holy", 1 Peter 1: 18, Leviticus 19: 2. This is hardly negative.

    • That exhortation is not merely to individuals but to brethren collectively as called to be "a holy priesthood" and "a holy nation", 1 Peter 2: 5, 9.

    • Of course, to merely be separate without it springing from devotion and love to the Lord Jesus would be pharisaism.

  2. Tears – just a month after the 1959 London meetings which heralded the beginning of the legal era – presaged the sorrow soon to come upon the brethren.

    • This address was at Dublin – where the revival had begun with joy, just over 130 year earlier.

  3. Christian Unity and Fellowship – 1962, after his withdrawal from the legal sect – in his local meeting – shows his unwavering commitment to the truth in spite of what he calls "the shaking through which we have recently passed".

G.A.R.

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SEPARATION
1 Chronicles 12: 8; Numbers 8: 13-15
Nehemiah 13: 1-3; 1 Chronicles 25: 1, 2, 6-7
Address at London, December 26, 1950
Words of Grace and Comfort, 1951, 27: 97-107


I desire to speak on the thought of separation. About 130 years ago there was published a tract which had widespread effects throughout Christendom;

Brethren at that time acted on the Scripture in 2 Timothy, which refers to vessels to dishonour and says, "If therefore one shall have purified himself from these, in separating himself from them …"

There was a time in the history of Christendom when the church could effectively deal with evil by putting away wicked persons,

I have remarked already on what constant opposition there has been to this principle. That very fact alone should convince us that the principle is of God.

The early brethren, too, had to stand against current conditions in Christendom, but the enemy, not long after, brought about a system which might well be described as a half-way house.

Now the Scriptures are full of this thought of separation, but for certain reasons I have limited myself to these four, as conveying something of what is in mind just now.

1 Chronicles 12

In 1 Chronicles 12 it says, "And of the Gadites, there separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness", and that Scripture I want to use

We are often occupied with the negative side of separation: we think of all the places we cannot go to, and of invitations we have to refuse, but it is really a matter of separating to the Lord.

So it says of these men, "armed with shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions". There was moral courage with them, and that is a feature very necessary for the conflict.

The position of the stronghold goes down to verse 22. In verses 16-18, we read that there were some "of the children of Benjamin and Judah".

There are several references to 'captains' in the chapter. I believe it is to suggest that they were men prepared to accept responsibility, men who give a lead, who "take the lead", as the Scripture says.

Numbers 8

In Numbers we again find this thought of separation. Indeed it is emphasised in Numbers, for in this book we have the assembly in the wilderness.

It says, "Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel" – which suggests God's sovereignty – "and thus shalt thou do unto them".

Now this chapter goes on to say,

Then it says, verse 7, "and shall wash their garments, and make themselves clean".

Nehemiah 13

Turning to the Scripture in Nehemiah, I might say that, in these two books – Ezra and Nehemiah – which belong to a broken day, the idea of separation is emphasised.

I just wish to make an appeal so that,

The chapter then goes on to tell us what the mixture was.

Then attention is called to "the men of Tyre" – verse 16 – a mixture in relation to business matters.

The next matter is in verse 23:

1 Chronicles 25

Finally I refer to 1 Chronicles 25, a suitable Scripture at this time, for it deals with the service of song.

I should remark that the names of these men are exceedingly instructive, and very suggestive. What is to be noted is that the name of Jah occurs in so many of them.

Many of our hymns in the past have been marked perhaps by a good deal of feeling, but there was too much about ourselves in them.

May the Lord bless His word!

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TEARS
2 Timothy 1: 1-4; Psalm 42: 1-3
2 Kings 20: 1-5; Revelation 21: 1-4; Psalm 56: 8
Address at Dublin, August 22, 1959
Words of Grace and Comfort, 1960, 36: 214-24


What is before me tonight will be sobering rather than exhilarating. Nevertheless, I trust it will be profitable for us all.

So it is my desire to speak about tears. All the passages read refer to them and what I have in mind is governed by the Scripture in Psalm 56.

There is an injunction in Exodus 22 from God, through Moses, to the people of Israel, that they were not to delay the outflow of their winepress, and

Indeed, in relation to this matter of tears the Lord Jesus, as in everything else, takes the first place.

It is a comfort to us that the Lord Jesus has Himself gone before us in this pathway. We never shed a tear but He is ready to help us.

2 Timothy 1

The Scripture in the second epistle to Timothy is a word from an old man to a young one.

This word, as I said, is addressed to a young man; it would have equal forced to a young woman.

This was written many years ago and yet its application is as strong tonight as when Paul sat down and wrote this letter to his beloved child Timothy.

It is good for the young people to make themselves acquainted with the history of the professing church.

During the last century there came to light a wonderful revival.

From that time things began to move from two angles: they began to go forward in power as energized by the Spirit of God,

The decline and division I am speaking about began in Paul's lifetime and yet he is able to indicate that what is of God is going through.

Things in the Christian testimony were not (and are not) getting any easier.

Let us take account of the situation all around in Christendom.

Psalm 42

Now I go on to Psalm 42. We are moving on in our spiritual history now.

Paul knew something about the Jordan. He says,

Perhaps someone here is passing through a time of sorrow – maybe a bereavement, as in Bethany.

2 Kings 20

Now I speak about Hezekiah. In the account in 2 Chronicles the chapter begins in a remarkable way. It says,

There is a another message to him however. Isaiah is to

This illness was not by chance; it was not an accident. It all happened in the carefully planned ways of God. So may we be encouraged to see that we are "In every state secure, watched by the Saviour's eye".

From that point Hezekiah begins to get gain and he speaks about going up to Jehovah's house and says,

Revelation 21

I finish now with the Scripture in Revelation 21. How good it is to be able to turn to this Scripture.

This voice then says that

May we be encouraged even if we are found shedding tears in this way!

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CHRISTIAN  UNITY
AND  FELLOWSHIP
Deuteronomy 12: 8-14, 26-27
1 Corinthians 10: 14-22; 2 Timothy 2: 19-22
Summary of a Reading at Belfast, January 13, 1962
Help and Comfort, April 1962, 1: 73-78


C.W.C. It was suggested that we should consider the thought of Christian unity and fellowship. The psalmist says

In John 17, we see now precious to the Lord was this thought of the unity of all His own, for He prayed

Deuteronomy 12

In Deuteronomy 12 reference is made, for the first time, to

1 Corinthians 10

The epistles to the Corinthians set out God's original thoughts as to Christian unity and fellowship.

"The communion of the blood of the Christ" is an expression which should affect us inwardly, because

2 Timothy 2

The second letter to Timothy was written in view of days like those in which we find ourselves, and is therefore, of inestimable value to any who desire to walk in the path of the Lord's will in the midst of the confusion.

The second chapter of the epistle shows that our first concern should not be to find the right company; this is a mistake made by many.

Having thus outlined a path amidst the ruin, the apostle Paul reminds Timothy that he had been thoroughly acquainted with Paul's teaching, and exhorts him to abide therein –

It is instructive to notice in the history of the kings of Israel that whatever their own lives had been, there is always a comment by the Spirit, that they did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam.

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