01.0.4. Introduction

Introduction

Mr. Grant’s “A Divine Movement” has been selected for Volume One of the Christian Update series because of the unique, practical and important truths it presents, not because it is an easy book to read even in its edited form.

These truths generally are not taught to Christians today, first because these truths are not popular — they do not agree with the position taken by most Christian leaders. Secondly, I fear that many of us who know (in differing degrees) and should be teaching these truths as a practical reality, have so let them slip that we shy away from presenting to others what we ourselves fail to practice. Thirdly, some may feel that the finer details of the truth about God’s Church are too difficult for, or beyond the need for particularly the young Christian to know.

However, the most complete knowledge about God’s Church and our practical relationship to it, is one of the most important doctrines (truths or teachings) that any Christian can learn. The Church is Christ’s special object for this present dispensation. He is its heavenly Head, and each believer, simply by being saved, is a member of the body of Christ which is the Church. “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word; that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish … For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones … This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church” (Eph 5:22-33).

I pray that the thoughts that Mr. Grant presents in what follows, concerning our practical relationship to the true Church, will cause each of us to carefully search both Scripture and our own hearts — two things that we often don’t like to do, perhaps because we are afraid of what we might find. The subjects which Mr. Grant discusses definitely are the ’meat,’ not the ’milk’ of the Bible, but I believe that the words and thoughts of this book will be understandable to any Christian of at least high school age who desires — purposes — to chew up and digest the meat of Scripture, instead of simply being content with the easy, surface truth — the milk of God’s holy Word. The Bible quotations are from the New Scofield Bible except when wording is critical. Then, the very accurate “New Translation” by J. N. Darby or Mr. Grant’s own translation, have been used. Also, the old-English words such as ’hath’ and ’thou’ have been updated to the 20th Century ’has’ and ’you.’ However, when reference is to God, the old English words “Thee, Thou, Thine” have been retained. Although I don’t see any Scriptural reason for retaining these words, I have found that many Christians feel very strongly that the older words are more respectful to God than “You.” R. P. Daniel