Letters 15

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
March 24th, 1864.
My Dear Brother In The Lord,——The saints generally everywhere seem anxious to study the Word, and to get communion over it-a good sign surely in the last days. " I commend you to God, and the word of His grace " was Paul's parting word to the elders at Ephesus; and they that honor that word now do find what David says to be true-Thou halt magnified Thy word above all Thy name. " In the beginning was the Word." John 1:11In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) gives us who the Word is. We know nothing of Him save what is written. It is a word indeed of grace, and the living God makes it precious.
In reading and lecturing lately on Phil. 1 have been much struck with chapter 3. The contrast between, on the one hand, flesh as sought to be boasted in-its position, energy (blind), and righteousness, and, on the other, Christ-His position, the energy of light found in Him, and the righteousness of God in Him. If it is human righteousness I sought, there could be nothing beyond, because the hour of its judgment is not come, but if I have Christ in His position (vv. 7, 8), there is not only righteousness existent in Him (v. 9), and divine energy ours in Him (v. 10, and Eph. 1:19, 2019And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:19‑20)), but Himself remains over and above to be loved, walked with, lived to. Christ Himself was Paul's life down here. Some might draw their thoughts from inside themselves (v. 19), and mind things of earth. Paul was occupied with Christ Himself. Chap. iv. seems to me to be the illustration of how a man who knew nothing but Christ up there in heaven found a side (so to speak) in everything which pertained to Christ (v. 2)—-difference of mind through weakness (v. 3), the feeble laborers (vv. 5-7), the circumstances which have the tendency to lead to care (vv. 8, 9), the things approved of God and shown out in Paul's life (vv. 10-19), his own needs and the desire of Philippians to sympathize with God in caring for them-all give the picture of a man who lives with, and to Christ, knowing how to turn all things down here to glory. If the top of the stone looks dry and hot, beneath it is cool and moist. I do think we want more of the practical skill to live out Christ in our circumstances thus below. I pray first for all, but specially for myself. G. V. W.