Summer Conferences

We could quite easily call the summer conferences at Brunstad the College on Mount Zion. The knowledge that each conference participant can gain there is the knowledge that serves unto life and godliness. It is impossible to give a verbatim report of the conferences on just a few pages; nevertheless, here are some glimpses of Kåre J. Smith’s messages that are indicative of all the meetings and the messages by many brothers from many different countries and continents.

The Foundation

Everything ripens for the harvest; including each person’s life. So it is vital that we mature for heaven, that we come to a spiritual maturity before we are harvested. The end result of the house of our life will be according to the foundation on which it is built.

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:11. This was the foundation that Paul laid in the disciples’ hearts. It was the knowledge of Christ Jesus that was so precious to the apostle that he counted all things as loss and dung so that he could gain Christ and be found in Him. Phil. 3:8. It was the knowledge of Him who, according to the flesh, was of the seed of David and who gained a crushing victory over all this “David-flesh.” It is not a matter of course that this solid understanding and foundation has been laid in a person’s life, even though he has been converted for many years. Quite often, he understands very little of this work of salvation and is scarcely apprehended of it. Often, the soil of the heart is as hard as stone and spiritual dynamite has to be used to prepare it so it can receive this foundation.

Paul was an apostle for the purpose of working the obedience of faith in those to whom he preached. In our days this obedience is not being preached in the religious world. People reckon that obedience is primarily for those who are under the law and that grace does not require obedience. The fact of the matter is that if you are not obedient to your faith, you are spiritually dead. Once Jesus Christ has truly become the foundation for our life, it is absolutely imperative that we are obedient to all the blessed laws and commandments of the Spirit.

Jesus lived His life for our redemption. Now we can follow in His steps. If we love the truth about ourselves, about our lying and unrighteousness and pride, then the truth will make us free. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. Free from sin! Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:3-4 that through the knowledge of Jesus Christ we have received the greatest and most precious promises that pertain to partaking of divine nature. By the power of the Holy Spirit the life of Christ—His virtues and His nature—can be manifested through us. “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Heb. 2:18. Therefore the knowledge of Him who was manifested in flesh is the foundation for the hope that our body can be totally redeemed from sin and self-life. Not many people have had this foundation laid in their lives so that they have been apprehended by it in the depths of their hearts. On this foundation we can come to the throne of grace and find help at the right time. This means that we can get help not to sin! Heb. 4:16.

We read in Romans 8:3 that the law was weak through the flesh, but then God sent His Son on account of sin and “condemned sin in the flesh.” Jesus offered up Himself through the power of an eternal Spirit, and in the power of this Spirit God will also do this work in us who believe. But then we must have Jesus Christ as the foundation of our life and follow in His steps. What are His steps? Among other scriptures we read about them in 1 Peter 2:21-24: “That you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin . . . .” We also read in this passage of scripture that He, the Righteous One, did not judge when it concerned Himself, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.” We can see the life of which we can partake if Jesus has truly become our foundation. Then neither human reasoning nor feelings will be the guiding principle in our life. When a person, after being converted, continues to be angry, offended or bitter, it is plainly evident that Jesus Christ has not been laid as a foundation in his life. We will only be well-pleasing to the Lord after we have begun to do His will, which is good, acceptable, and perfect. “But let each one take heed how he builds on it,” we are exhorted in 1 Corinthians 3:10. Each of us is our own master builder after the foundation has been laid. We must take care to build with materials that last when they are tested by fire. Our work will last if we walk in the works that God has before ordained for us to walk in. Then we can say like the Master: “Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.” Heb. 10:7. In Malachi 3:2 we read that the Lord is like the refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap [lye]. Every disciple of Jesus who is keenly interested in having his building materials tested by fire also loves this fire and this lye.

Aksel J. Smith—100 Years

Aksel J. Smith would have been 100 years old this year, and in this connection there was a memorial meeting at Brunstad during the first summer conference. Aksel J. Smith was one of the main pillars of the church in the previous century. It was a profound enrichment to be reminded of such an important and faithful servant of the Lord, and not the least for the many young people who had not personally experienced this blessed shepherd and prophet in our midst. His life and his ministry still speak to all of us today.

His many articles in Skjulte Skatter (Hidden Treasures) have been published again. These are articles that have been written on the basis of his personal life-experience. The friends are urged to become more intimately acquainted with this servant of the Lord, also by reading what he has written throughout these years for edification, exhortation, and comfort.

In Proverbs 9 we read about the house of wisdom. Aksel J. Smith grew up in such a house of wisdom in a childhood home where he experienced practical Christianity. He himself received grace, in his time, to transform his house into a house of wisdom. We read about wisdom, that it is first pure and that she is full of mercy. Purity and mercy were the hallmarks of his life and ministry—first of all in his own home. On behalf of his children his daughter Anne could speak about an overwhelming mercy, about a home in which the children knew they were loved and in which they experienced a great amount of freedom and liberty, about a father who was always ready to express his love for his wife and children, in words as well.

Aksel J. Smith was a man who was greatly beloved in the church. Brother Kåre J. Smith mentioned that when he wrote the book Shepherd and Prophet, he wrote in the spirit of Aksel J. Smith. The work that goes on in the church today is largely a result of Aksel J. Smith’s visions for the church. He has been a guide to that which is good for the entire church. The words of the wise are like well-driven nails. He was far from being an authoritarian, yet he possessed great authority. Perhaps he was not a particularly brilliant speaker, but the life he lived had given him something to say. He was lowly in his own eyes and had a special care for those who were alone; he had an anointed tongue and could refresh the weary with his words, as we read in Isaiah 50:4.

Even in his youth Aksel J. Smith was zealous in the ministry of the gospel, first of all in Norway. However, his ministry was also a great blessing in many European countries and on other continents. For example, brother Gabriel in India can relate how brother Smith’s simple message opened his eyes to the new and living way. Brother Smith had spoken of God’s glory, which is His goodness. His ministry and his simple words had such far-reaching effects because he was so pure. Also, his ministry with Skjulte Skatter must not be forgotten. He assumed the responsibility for the editorial content for the paper from his father in 1943 and was its editor for many, many years thereafter. Sigurd Johan Bratlie spoke of his exhortations with regard to the continuing publication of the paper, not the least of which was not to be partial with regard to the publication of articles. It was on his heart that the paper’s mission was to “prepare the way” and contain hidden treasures for spiritual edification.

We must not forget Aksel J. Smith’s vision and enthusiasm for Brunstad either. From the very beginning he was the leader when it concerned the acquisition and building of Brunstad. This is when Aksel J. Smith proved that he was a spiritual prince, also in relation to the other two spiritual princes, Elias Aslaksen and Sigurd Bratlie, who bore the responsibility for the church in those days. As well, the many songs that he wrote and which we now have in our songbook Herrens Veier (Ways of the Lord) have passed the test of time both as to form and content.

Righteousness was something that Aksel J. Smith spoke of and wrote bout with authority and faithfulness. Once, when he asked a brother which words in the well-known Psalm 23 were the most central, he emphasized the following: “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” May the entire church follow the exhortations he gave and walk in the paths of righteousness. Once when he spoke about the Word becoming flesh in us he said the following words: “The Word must through us get arms and legs. The Word must get a mouth and a tongue.” Yes, let us follow his exhortation in song #368 in Ways of the Lord: “Press onward! Press onward!”

The Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus

In 1 Timothy 2:5 we read that there is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. God is limitless. How unsearchable are His ways! They are far too profound for our thoughts. Consequently, we had to have a Man as a Mediator, someone who was born of the Father from eternity, someone who was also born of the seed of David and was tempted as we are, but who also gained an eternal victory over everything that dwells in this David-flesh. In Romans 8:3 we read that sin was condemned in the flesh. Thus the way was opened for all those who believe. This is the way back to the Father. Only the few understand this. Only the few are apprehended of it. A person may have heard about it, but it will not become a revelation that can help him and set him free in his daily life unless he is apprehended of it.

If it has not become living for him it is because of an extreme lack of interest; he does not seek God’s kingdom first; he is busy with earthly things such as a career or material comforts. Therefore he does not see who the Master is. He does not know Him who was manifested in the flesh and who conquered all the manifestations of the flesh. A minimal interest in this life and this victory is an indication that such a person shows very little interest in eternity itself.

“But we preach Christ crucified . . . the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Cor. 1:23-24. From this we understand that if we do not take up our cross, we will never experience God’s power or His wisdom.

Christ crucified! By faithfully taking up His cross Jesus made all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge accessible to us. The prince of this world had nothing in Him. Now we have this hope as an anchor for our soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil. Through faithfulness we can haul in more and more of this anchor chain. This is the way back to the Father. We need to preach faith so that the Word can be planted into the hearts, as we read in James 1:21. Afterwards we must receive the implanted Word with meekness. The Word can find the necessary growth possibilities only in a pure heart. Meekness is necessary so that the Word can gain a firm footing. We must come to quietness in our inner man so that the Word that has been planted in us can work in us. If we are doers of the Word and not just its hearers, then the same Word will transform us into the image of the Father. On the other hand, if we are forgetful hearers, we deceive ourselves. V. 22. We can speak about something as if it were already a fact on the basis of our understanding, yet in the midst of it all we have not done what we know.

In Revelation 11:1-2 we read that John was asked to measure God’s temple, but not to measure the outer court. This tells us something about “temple Christians” and “outer-court Christians.” There was something to measure in the lives of the temple Christians; the Word, through obedience, had worked in them, whereas there was nothing to measure in the lives of the outer-court Christians, because they were not sufficiently apprehended of the Word to have become doers of it.

In Psalm 12 David speaks about the widespread corruption and unfaithfulness. “The godly man ceases,” he says. The godly, the God-fearing, are those who live the Word and yearn for the salvation of the Lord. V. 5.

May God’s Word have a clear tone among us. All words spoken about God’s Word that do not give birth to life in the assembly are speeches about the Word, but are not spoken as the Word. No one is born to life by words that are the result of only knowledge.

Raised up with Christ, sat in heavenly places! This is the life we have been called to. Eph. 2:6. Just think to be able to live a heavenly life while we are on earth! In the heavenly places there is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. There are no accusing spirits or accusers. This is God’s plan with each one who takes refuge in Him. “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” V. 7. We have been created in Him for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. V. 10. These are works which God has prepared for us now and in the millennium, as well as on the new earth. For example, think what a glorious task awaits us in being along to dry away every tear and eradicate all sorrow and crying and pain from the entire creation. Rev. 21:4. But then we need to live like it says in Romans 8:10: “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness.” This implies that all leading in our life no longer originates in the body in which sin dwells. All passions and desires have been put out of action, and God’s Spirit is now in full control.

Jesus nailed the certificate of debt to the cross (Col. 2:14), and we are His possession if we take our refuge in Him. All accusations against His possession are futile. Even if we should suffer defeat on this way, we can boldly rise up again in full confidence toward our resurrected Savior. “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Ps. 32:2. If there is no guile in our spirit, we serve God’s law to the degree that we have understanding and are open to more light over the things that were hidden from us, and then we can go from light to light and from victory to victory.

The Whole Counsel of God

The apostle Paul could testify before the elders in Ephesus that he had not shunned to declare to them the whole counsel of God. Acts 20:27. Imagine, the whole counsel of God! The part of God’s counsel concerning repentance and the forgiveness of sins is not unknown in the religious world. But what about the greatest and most precious promises, that we shall be partakers of divine nature and be filled with all the fullness of God? This is kept quiet—even denied. However, in the church everything revolves precisely around this: the whole counsel of God!

In Ephesians 3:17, ff., we read about being rooted and grounded in love, and about comprehending together with all the saints the capacity of the love of Christ—“To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Yes, we have read correctly: Be filled with all the fullness of God! It is only together with all the saints that we can know the love of Christ. Think that we can get to know the depths, even the entire capacity of His love which is so great that it embraces even the most deeply fallen. Be filled with all the fullness of God! There are no limits to what we can obtain!

This was Paul’s goal; he forgot the things that were behind and considered everything that was an obstacle to the knowledge of Christ as dung and loss. We, too, can follow him in these same steps even today. For example, the person who is offended or feels slighted is not rooted and grounded in love. He has lost fellowship with the saints. “If we love one another, God abides in us . . . .” 1 John 4:12. In other words, God does not abide in us if we are offended or are at odds with someone.

We find our ministry when we abide in love together with the others. A member who wants to be alone does not have a ministry. Neither does he have a ministry from the moment that he lets something evil enter into his heart. It is in the ministry that we can be filled with all the fullness of God. It is in the ministry that we get to see our poverty, and it is in the ministry that our poverty of spirit increases. These are the people whom the Lord can fill with the kingdom of heaven. Those, who in their ministry have a rich prayer life in their care for the others, will experience God to an increasingly deeper degree.

God sacrificed the best He had; He gave His Son to save us. Our love can be measured according to what we sacrifice, and if we are to serve for the salvation of man, we must continually sacrifice. When we live a life of sacrifice ourselves, we begin to understand a little bit of the sacrifice God had to bring for our salvation. If we are to live the life that we read about in Colossians 3:12-15, among other scriptures, we have to be a sacrifice. In verse 12 we see Jesus’ servant’s garb. By wearing this garb we begin to know some of the capacity of the love of Christ. Such people also become big-hearted, and it is blessed to be together with them. We cannot come to this without having fellowship with the saints. Some people want to live their life with “Jesus alone.” This is a great deception since we have clearly read in God’s Word that we can comprehend the love of Christ only together with all the saints.

Only the Weak Are Strong

God had made Abraham rich and had blessed him in many ways, but Abraham was not satisfied with the blessings alone. He waited patiently for the fulfillment of God’s promise that he would receive a son who would be his heir.

When God blesses us, the tendency is to keep something for ourselves, especially when it concerns honor. This is the spirit of Antichrist, a spirit that was already working in the apostles’ days and against which they fought with all their hearts. This is also the spirit against which our fathers in the church have wholeheartedly fought. The spirit of Antichrist is to exalt yourself. The spirit of Antichrist opposes the idea that the greatest shall be as the least. In Ways of the Lord #143 we sing, “Seek not honor, reputation; God be all in all.” This is totally opposed to what the spirit of Antichrist strives for, which is why this spirit must never gain entrance—let alone power—in the church. Abraham gave God the honor, giving everything to Isaac. This is the way of the grain of wheat, the way on which the Master went, He who was poor so that we might be rich. Having a ministry among the saints is not an easy matter. Paul, who had such wisdom, was in weakness and much trembling among the Corinthians. 1 Cor. 2:1-5. He feared that some of what he was and could do according to the flesh might become prominent in his ministry. His only desire was for the Corinthians to experience a man who lived Jesus’ life to His honor. He was a servant of the Spirit, a father in Christ, and not a disciplinarian.

If we want to be a servant of the Spirit, there is no other sufficiency that counts for anything except that which is from God. 2 Cor. 3:4, ff. The sufficiency that is from God is the revelations of the Spirit who can speak to us about the hidden things in man. To possess this sufficiency, we need to be weak in ourselves. Paul gave many a testimony of his own weakness and lowliness. In this weakness he was able to be a servant of the Spirit and thus serve people so that they were set free from their sins. A disciplinarian, who is a servant of the letter, binds people instead of helping them to become free. Those who are weak in themselves receive revelations of the Spirit about what is stirring in a man’s inner being and are able to help them and set them free. We have a vivid example of the ministry of the Spirit in the account of Jesus when He set the woman free who had been caught in adultery, and how He showed her the way to victory over sin.

1 Corinthians, Chapter 9

It is obvious from several of Paul’s letters that he did not consider the work of ministry an easy matter. Therefore he was weak and poor in himself. We need the spirit of wisdom and counsel and strength if we would truly serve each other. One chapter that can be of great help to us in serving each other is 1 Corinthians, Chapter 9. Both young and old should read it frequently. In verse 27 we read these serious words: “Lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified [unworthy].” It is possible to speak words of wisdom to others without making use of them yourself. Then you will be found unworthy.

“Now [all] this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” V. 23. Through his work of ministry Paul himself became a partaker of the gospel’s fullness. In verse 22 he writes that he became weak to the weak that he might win the weak. The tendency is to show off your strength when you have to deal with a weak person. If you are a true servant, you would rather seek to preserve fellowship with the weak in order to help them and encourage them. “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples [weaknesses—marg.] of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Rom. 15:1. Here the strong person has a debt to pay, and if he is righteous, he will pay it. Love will constrain him who is strong to bear his weaker brother, because the weak one needs the strong one’s strength and help. Therefore all of us must pursue love. Jesus died for the strong and the weak. It is His desire that everyone is served in a good and just manner. The goal of all true Christianity is to bear burdens, be of help, and benefit the others.

If we truly are to have an inheritance in each other, we must be willing to be served by each other. The weak one can also be of help to the strong one, for example, to help him to see himself better and to have greater care—to be more gracious and merciful.

When it concerns our mutual relationship, every one of us will experience that we need more cleansing in Jesus’ blood when we, because of our imprudence and lack of understanding, have served the law of sin with our members. In 1 Peter 5:1, ff., even the elders are exhorted not to lord it over the others. An elder ruins his own ministry if he begins to lord it over the others. He should rather be an example to the flock. Let the greatest be like the least—the servant and slave of all. The younger people, too, are to submit themselves under the older ones. And if there is a younger person who thinks that an elder is not in his right place, it is not the younger person’s responsibility to do anything about it. God will use someone else for that.

Words of Faith

Many people strive and labor to have communion with Christ through their emotions rather than by faith. In Romans 10 we read that we do not have to bring Christ down from heaven or up from the abyss, for the Word is near us, in our mouth and in our heart, and then Christ is near. Paul says that he was preaching the word of faith. Vs. 6-11. It is important to believe like a little child. There are creative powers in the Word. We read quite clearly about this in John, 1:1 ff. Without Him who is called the Word, nothing was made that was made. When Jesus came, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He was the Dayspring from on high for all those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13 we read that the Word of God works effectively in all those who believe. Therefore it is important that we receive it like a little child when we hear it being preached in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Many people pray for power from above but don’t bother being obedient to the Word. People usually pray for earthly blessings, and many of them pray “out in the blue;” they ask amiss in order to spend it on their pleasures. For us it is the word of faith that is important. True prayer is the result of a personal need and personal grief over ourselves. Then we have it on our heart to be obedient to the Word. When the Word is near us, then our Savior is also near.

Perhaps times will come when anxiety knocks on the door of your heart and you will ask, “What shall I do?” Then you shall do what it says in Philippians 4:6: Let your requests be made known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, so that the peace of God can guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Simplicity

Paul was afraid that the minds of the saints of the church in Corinth may have been corrupted from the simple faithfulness that is in Christ. 2 Cor. 11:2-3. The simple person loves God for His own sake, out of love for Him.

God gives gifts, and He blesses in various ways. Our minds will soon be corrupted if we consider only God’s gifts great and desirable. Then we will forsake that holy simplicity in which we serve God for His sake—out of love for Him.

Job is a tremendous example in this context. He proved by the way he reacted in the trials that came over him, that he served God because he loved Him. “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” Job 1:21-22. This is holy simplicity. All the saints have lived in this simplicity.

Our spirit must be set free from everything that is soulish and human so that our joy and satisfaction are only in God’s Word. Then the living Word of God will divide soul from spirit, and joints from marrow, as we read in Hebrews 4:12. Then we learn to get our strength only in the Holy Spirit, for we tend to add our own power and strength (joints and marrow), for example, when we serve people.

The prophet says, “Your words were found, and I ate them.” Jer. 15:16. Here we see how he rejoiced because of the nourishment he received from the Word for his inner life. Such love for the Word is necessary if we shall truly live in the world without being of the world and letting the spirit of the world gain power over us. Then we will also be able to give nourishment to others.

A Marvelous Light

“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” 1 Cor. 11:31-32. This is truly a marvelous light. This is indeed a heavenly calling to us.

By nature we are inclined to judge, accuse, and blame the others. However, then we are fairly blind to the fact that we ourselves have sin. Then we are undoubtedly hard and unrepentant and store up for ourselves wrath on the day of wrath, as we read in Romans 2:5.

Just think of the infinitely great difference there is between judging yourself and being along in the rapture, and being condemned together with the world, as we read in 1 Corinthians 11:32.

Many marriages have failed because the spouses have judged each other instead of judging themselves. It even happens that sons and daughters accuse their parents for the childhood they have had instead of forgiving and forgetting and learning to judge themselves.

The apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:17-18 that the time has come “for judgment to begin at the house of God.” We also learn that it is difficult for a righteous person to be saved, difficult in the sense of being transformed into the image of Christ. A righteous person has a good conscience, but if he does not acknowledge that he has sin, he cannot be transformed into the image of the Son. Yes, this is truly a marvelous light that we can judge ourselves and avoid being condemned together with the world.

Arild Tombre