(Ephesians 4.)
A solemn thought here crosses the mind. It is the thought of that human roll of membership with which we have been long familiar. But, alas, how many names may be there that have never experienced the baptism of the Spirit! Were He who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, and who holds the seven stars in His right hand, to examine our Church rolls, would there not be many names blotted out of that so-called book of life? It ought to be a book of life—it professes to be a book of life, for none should be entered there who do not profess to have a new life in Christ. But alas! alas! in many places it has become an empty form. The thought, as thou weighest it, becomes more and more solemn—it is overwhelming—it is heartbreaking! What is to be done? How are they to be reached? How is the fatal slumber to be broken? They deceive and are deceived, yet it may be unintentional. Formalism is the blind and snare. But how is the spell to be broken? They are a thousand times more inaccessible than the openly careless and profane. As of old, publicans and harlots enter the kingdom of heaven before the merely nominal professor. They are garrisoned on all sides by lifeless forms. And they are willing to hope that all will be right in the end, though in the mean time they heartily side with the world. Again, are ready to cry out in agony of soul, What is to be done?
If the parable of the ten virgins represents the state of the professing Church as the Lord sees it, how sad and solemn the picture! And we must bow to His judgment, and receive the truth in faith, whether we can see it as He sees it or not. But, alas! where, where does the responsibility rest? Doubtless with professors themselves, but not with them only. Has every true Christian done his utmost to awaken and to warn them? Let us not put in the plea, “I have no gift.” That will not do. We have grace, and that is the ground of responsibility. “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ver.7.) And the awful fact as presented by our Lord, is surely enough to move every heart and fire every tongue. Thousands of our most respectable neighbors, who have received the right hand of christian fellowship, and who are dreaming that all is well for the future, are unpardoned and unsaved. They have no oil in their vessels. They have never been born again. The Holy Spirit dwells not in them. They are going down, from every comfort in this life, to that place of endless, speechless woe. Surely the occasion calls for tongues of living fire. The purple robe, the fine linen, and the sumptuous fare, must give place to that scene of unutterable anguish, where worlds could not purchase one drop of cold water to cool the burning tongue. Are they to go down with their arms folded, and at their ease, to the burning lake of fire? Again, once more, in agony we cry—What is to be done?
Oh! blessed Lord! Master of assemblies! Awake, awake, AWAKE thy people, that they may put on strength—that they may put on courage, energy, and zeal, in the great and needed work of awakening—of evangelization. Go, my fellow Christian, go to either Church or Chapel: open the door and look in—What seest thou? A fair and beautiful congregation to look upon. All are sitting in the most respectful manner, and listening with devout attention. The sight is imposing and lovely. Thy heart warms towards them—it soon burns. But the solemn question arises, Are they all true Christians—are they all saved? The answer comes unwillingly, but the heart sinking answer must come; No. The parable affirms, that one half is unreal—having a name to live while they are dead. Does the preacher know it—does he believe it? thy heart anxiously inquires. He ought to know it, and be governed by the awful and melancholy fact. The fire of a holy zeal for God’s glory in their salvation should consume every other consideration. Nothing else in such a position is worthy of a thought. Heart and soul, voice and tears, appealing and pleading, must all be employed, if by any means he may save some. Let him but realize the awful thought that one half of his respectable and comely congregation may be shut out of heaven at last, but at present they know it not; and surely, if he has a heart to feel, and a tongue to speak, he will think of nothing but their salvation. A carefully arranged discourse, an intellectual display, or brilliant rhetoric, are all out of place here. Everything must give way to the eloquence of an earnest heart. It must be “pulling them out of the fire,”
The fearful state of things on all hands demands it—loudly and earnestly calls for it. The time is short—the end is near—the thought of eternity connected with misery is awful. My dear reader; pray, where art thou? Amongst the wise, or the foolish virgins? Or hast thou made no profession at all? Know, I pray thee, that unless thou art born again, thou canst not see the kingdom of God. There must be the possession of a new life in Christ, or heaven would be more intolerable to thee than hell. How awful the thought! “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Come now—come at once—come straight to Him: He died that thou mayest live—He lives that He may receive thee, and hear thy praise. See that thou hast living connection with Him, all else will prove unavailing before His tribunal. Formalism is most deadening and deceiving. See that the risen Christ is thy one object of desire and delight. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Lord, grant that those who have the ear and the confidence of professors, may be plain, pointed, and faithful; and may many, through the power of the Holy Spirit, be awakened ere it be too late. “For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36, 3736For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36‑37).
“What doth the watchman say,
Whose cry the slumberer wakes?
‘The night hath nearly passed away:
The morning breaks.’
‘Come, whosoever will,
Ere God’s right hand He leaves:
He waits till He His bosom fill
With all His sheaves.’
‘God speaks, shall we be dumb?
Watch that your lamps may burn:
Come, all ye weary wanderers,
come! Return, return.’
Take up the watchman’s word;
Repeat the midnight cry:
‘Prepare to meet your coming Lord,
The time draws nigh.’”
We must now return in our Meditations to that which is real—to our first lesson on the subject of the Christian’s vocation—“the unity of the Spirit.”
But many inquire, What am I to understand by keeping this unity? I see it is already made, but how am I to keep it? This is an important question, and one that concerns us more than any other. My answer is, By assembling together for the breaking of bread, prayer, done in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. No assembly can express this unity unless the Spirit, who forms it, has His own place of sovereign rule in the assembly. It does not mean the unity of Christians, merely, but the unity of the Spirit. To “keep” a thing is to hold it fast, therefore we must hold fast the truth, on this subject, as God has revealed it. Plainly, we are to “keep” to God’s plan of the Church, and not to make one of our own. It is supposed there will be difficulty and trial in doing so, as we are exhorted to endeavor to keep it.
And this, remember, my soul, thou must do with all diligence, and at all cost. God has formed this unity for the glory of Christ. Let this be thy motive, and the light of a cloudless sky will shine on all thy path. It will be perfect rest, and perfect peace, and untold blessing to my soul. Hence it is called “the bond of peace” A peaceful, restful, happy spirit, should characterize the members of Christ’s body. Individually, we have peace with God through the blood of the Lamb, but the peace here spoken of is peace among ourselves.
See then, I pray thee, that thou art honest and earnest in this part of thy vocation. Do thy utmost diligence to maintain, and manifest in thy practice, the Spirit’s unity. on no point of thy practice would I charge thee more solemnly than on this. God’s glory, the honor of Christ as the exalted Man, the due acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit on the earth, and thine own richest blessing, are all connected with it. Besides, it is the grand characteristic truth of this dispensation. Unless we are clear on this truth there must be confusion as to many others. Therefore it is that all Christians are exhorted to maintain in practice the principle of this unity, which is the body of Christ.
It was no doubt the one great aim of Satan when Christ was here, to have Him expelled from the earth. But, wonderful to say, though Christ was crucified, Satan has utterly failed in his object. Christ is still here in the members of His body, and they are now in heaven, in Him their Head. This great truth is brought out in the doctrine of the Spirit’s unity. It was first made known by the Lord Himself from the opened heavens. When Saul was on his way to Damascus, he was arrested by these words, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?... I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” Here the Lord speaks of Himself as still identified with His people on the earth. No words could more forcibly or touchingly express the reality of this union. What a real and a blessed tiling to faith are these words, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”
These words, of tenderest love and sympathy for His poor saints, were words of almighty power to the fiery persecutor. He fell to the ground. He was brought down to his own absolute nothingness. But there he was met in grace, and created anew in Christ Jesus. As he afterward said of himself, “I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” He is a model man both as to the Lord’s mercy to the chief of sinners, and as to the privileges and blessings of the saints. In this remarkable way, Paul became the chosen and fitted vessel for the new revelation. He knew its heavenly character. He had been converted by a word that contains the germ of all that was afterward revealed. His life was devoted to it. Hence he could say, “For me to live is Christ.”
If we have entered into the mind of the Lord, as thus revealed from the excellent glory, we shall see no difficulty in “keeping the unity of the Spirit;” or, in practically maintaining that principle when we come together which expresses and exhibits the “one body.” It will, theft, be our deepest joy and highest privilege on earth, though with much trial; but everything must give way to this. The dearest friendships, the oldest associations, the most sacred ties of kindred, will not be allowed to hinder us from “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Affection for friends and kindred may never have been felt more deeply, but that tender word from the Lord Himself in heavenly glory, and the exhortation of the Holy Spirit in the epistle, rise above and prevail over them all. The will of the Lord is now seen and must be followed. That which lies nearest His heart, and is most intimately connected with His glory, is the ground of His appeal to our allegiance. And no sooner is this path taken in faith and love to Him, than His richest blessings flow into our souls. Christ is honored—the word is obeyed—the Holy Spirit is 111:1 grieved, and who can speak of the blessings that immediately follow? The person and work of Christ will now be ministered to the soul by the Holy Spirit, in a way unknown before, and the word of God will be seen in a new light. We are where Christ is, and where the light shines., “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Here we have Christ as the center, and the Holy Spirit as the gathering power to that center. It is not said where two or three meet, or gather; but where two or three “are gathered.” The Holy Spirit is the gathering power to Christ as the center.
What a theme for meditation is now before thee, Ο my soul. Here rest awhile. Dwell patiently and minutely on all the bearings of this great subject. It is thy vocation—it is that which thy Lord claims of thee. Personally, He is in heaven and thou art on the earth; but He would have thee know and own the mysteries of that union which makes the Head and the members “one body”—“one new man.” Oh, most marvelous, mysterious, blessed truth! What can be so dear to thy heart! What can be so pleasing to the heart of thy Lord, as to see thee carrying it out in holy practice, for the glory of His great name!
But this is a deep moral question; my soul, be assured of this. It is more, much more than an ecclesiastical one. The love of Christ, the results of His atoning work, and our oneness with Him, are in question. There is a depth and tenderness in His love as here expressed, which the heart loves to linger over. As if He had said, I still dwell on the earth in my members—I cannot leave them—I must return to them, and remain with them in spirit, until that happy day when they will all be with Me in person. All this He plainly says in John 14:1818I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18), “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.” It is enough, blessed Lord! O, enable us by thy grace to enter more fully into thy love for us—thy delight in us. It passeth knowledge.