Monday, November 02, 2015

J N Darby's strange doctrines



From early Waymarks on Canon floppy disk, vol.1 of 3

(includes Newsletters 1-7, Waymarks 1-20)

. J.N.DARBY'S view on repentance:-

 "If it is put before faith, it unsettles the whole ground we stand upon before God.." Notes & Jottings p.9. On salvation. You can be saved without being born again,:- " I mean really saved, not merely quickened" Notes & Jottings p.186

W KELLY concerning Cornelius, Acts.10. "He was already a converted man....But he did not know salvation proclaimed in the gospel." Exposition of Acts. p.151. Converted without being saved! Again, "Those who are born again do not enter Christian ground until they have received at least the first and most needful blessing ". Ibid.,p.164. This appears to be becoming saved at some time after being born again. Kelly assures his readers that Cornelius was "Already born of God" but"had now to learn of salvation's door open to the Gentile believer". ..."To be born again never did suffice. There may be conversion. But till one knows that all is clear between the soul and God...the Holy Spirit does not seal the person".

 DARBY again:- "Born again we must be to have the smallest part in these things but it is faith in Christ's work which is sealed by the gift of the Holy Spirit". Collected Writings  p.398. When one's knowledge is satisfactory then his faith can be sealed. This, Darby describes as "a deliverance,-not being born again, not forgiveness-though both  be true-but deliverance,...by the Spirit dwelling in us.." Ibid.,p.412. 
These exclusive doctrines appear to accommodate the account of Darby's conversion given by W.G.TURNER in his biography :-"From the age of eighteen until he was twentyfive Mr. Darby underwent much spiritual exercise. Speaking to the late Mr. William Kelly many years after on the subject of the possibility of real conversion before the peace of conversion, Mr. Darby said that for these seven years he practically lived in the 88th Psalm, his  only ray of light [my italics] being in the opening words 'O Lord God of my salvation.' " John Nelson Darby; by W.G.Turner, p.16.

Note that Psalm!  It is the mournful dirge of a man who lacks peace with God. It is not a Christian song. It was what Darby experienced, he tells us
.Michael Browne, in his book Aspects of Some Exclusive Doctrines shows that these views put forward by Darby and Kelly are still being  taught by modern exclusives. He quotes Prof. W.J.OUWENEEL of Holland (a Kellyite) as stating in his commentary on Titus 3:4-7, "...Cornelius was only converted and born again and had only new life from God before he came into contact with the gospel by which he was to be saved (Acts11:14). Besides regeneration he also had to be saved..."   Mr. Browne outlines the major exclusive errors in his book and warns against the blatant sectarian activity by exclusive factions. He  writes of a vigorous attempt to target so-called 'Open' assemblies. Much of their own literature is being published by Chapter Two, Plumstead.

John Nelson Darby was the founder of the Brethren Movement in the 19th Century