34. “Mary.” Your communication was entirely too late for our April issue. Our reply is summed up in that pointed inquiry of the prophet, “Can two walk together unless they be agreed?” Let nothing induce you to link yourself with one who is not one with you in the things of the Lord. Think not that you will bring him to see with you after you have taken the false step. As well might you think of pulling a person out of a morass, by plunging into the morass yourself. How could you expect to set another right by going wrong yourself? Shall we do evil that good may come? We hold it to be a fatal mistake for two to come together who are not of one heart and one mind as to Christ and His cause. The papers on “Church History” and the “Lord’s Coming” are, if God permit, to be published separately.
35. “A Troubled One,” London. We feel persuaded you are too much occupied with your own feelings, experience, and spiritual history, instead of resting simply and absolutely on Christ’s finished work, and God’s faithful word. The foundation of your peace is not that you were converted when you were fourteen years of age—nor that your friends thought you converted, but that Jesus Christ once suffered for sins the just for the unjust, that He might bring you to God—that He was delivered for your offenses and raised again for your justification—that He has perfectly satisfied and glorified God as to the entire question of your sins. This, beloved friend, must be the sole foundation of your peace, now and forever. Even supposing you were deceived—which we do not at all believe—in reference to your conversion, that is no reason why you may not now rest on Christ for salvation and peace. You are as welcome now as ever. It is quite possible—indeed more than probable—that the work in your precious soul was but shallow at the first, and the Holy Ghost is now leading you into profounder exercises, and more intense searchings, which shall assuredly issue in a more settled rest upon that everlasting foundation which God has laid for you, in a crucified and risen Christ. Take care how you listen to the suggestions of Satan or the reasonings of your own heart. Take God at His word. Rest in Christ and your peace shall flow as a river.
36. “C.” The word of God sets forth, in the fullest and plainest manner, “what should be the conduct and general bearing of christian servants towards their employers.” Thus, for example, “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eyeservice as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” (Eph. 6:5-85Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. (Ephesians 6:5‑8).) Similar is the teaching of Col. 3:22-2522Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. (Colossians 3:22‑25). So also in Titus, we read, “Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” We are not aware of any specific direction in scripture as to the conduct of servants toward one another; but surely the general teaching as to christian walk and character would bear upon that relationship as upon every other. if christian servants will only study their model, and seek to be formed thereon, it will regulate their conduct both towards their employers, and toward one another. We may further add, that christian employers have to, look well to the manner in which they acquit themselves in their relationship; for we may rest assured that to this question, as to all others, there are two sides.
37. “W. M.,” Dumfries. “Our citizenship is in—heaven.” “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” What has a dead man to do with politics? But the Christian is one who has died in Christ—died to sin—died to the law—died to the world, and hence he has, in God’s view of him, no more to do with these things than a man lying dead on the floor. He is alive in Christ—alive to God—alive to all that is spiritual, heavenly, divine. He is in the new creation. His morals, his religion, his politics are all in the new creation—all heavenly—all divine. He is done with the world, in spirit and principle. He is in it, to walk as a pilgrim and stranger—in it to live as a Christian—a spiritual, heavenly man; but not of it to walk as a worldly, carnal, natural man. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.” May we live in the power of these things.
38. “R. S.,” Glos’ter. The “other sheep” of John 10 are such as are called from among the Gentiles, to form, with those of the Jewish fold, the “one flock” under the one blessed Shepherd. In Eph. 4 we have the further truth of the “one body” composed, as we know, of Jew and Gentile, and united by the Holy Ghost, to the living Head in heaven, and to one another on the earth.
39. “J. W.,” Polmont. We do not see any difficulty as to the term “children” in Eph. 6:11Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1). In the entire context, the Holy Ghost is exhorting Christians, in their various relationships, to discharge the functions devolving upon them therein. None but Christians are addressed or exhorted in the epistles. Hence it follows that the “children” here addressed are Christians. Christian parents are exhorted to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This, obviously, takes in all our children whom we are to train, from the very beginning, for the Lord, counting on Him for them, and He will never fail a, trusting heart. We are to take God’s ground for our children, in the entire system of moral training, from their birth; and He will assuredly honor the faith that, thus counts on Him for the children, and trains the children for Him. He cannot deny Himself, blessed forever be His holy name!