We cannot have too clear a view of Paul's teaching union with an ascended Christ, putting us in a wholly new position. The more I go on, the more I see that the loss of this by Christendom is the secret of its state; and it is mainly that which God has recovered in a measure in these last days. But this it is makes it so important that the truth should not be discredited, by denying or in any way slighting any other part of scripture. It is curious that this was just the ruin of the Paulicians. They had nothing else but Paul's Epistles, and the Gospels; and their adversary took up this very point against them, a certain Peter Siculus.
But it is a mistake to think only Paul speaks of the new place; John does too. Nor is this all. The other parts of scripture are the word of God; and if any have not attained to Paul's doctrine, we are to walk by the same rule. Besides, the other aspects of the truth are as important in their place as that. Where that truth is held alone, there is a hardness, a want of daily dependence, which leaves the best Christian affections dormant. Further, the whole system is false. Those other parts of the New Testament were certainly available for Christians then, and, if so, for Christians now. “Holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling,” is clearly Christian ground; and wilderness life is a part of Christian life, as Canaan and conflict are.
Further, the person who makes light of John's writings makes light of the manifestation of God and of the Father, and makes his own acceptance before God the only thing of importance now. This is a very very bad state of soul, and such are clearly on low ground. We have to., maintain redemption against the Puseyite heterodoxy of making incarnation the saving work. But if we hold redemption tenaciously fast, the Bread come down from heaven must not be lost. And as to Peter, if I lose his writings, I lose the government of God and the connection of this in Christian times with O.T. times. Now the glory of God is concerned in these things; and it is a poor boast of knowledge to leave that aside, and think only of what exalts. So of Jude where it directly concerns the professing church. In no place is the Lord's personal glory as Christ brought out more fully than in Hebrews. Is that nothing for the Christian, because the unity of the body is not there too?
Even Paul's Epistles give different aspects of truth. The Epistle to the Romans does not hint at our resurrection with Christ, nor allude to Christ's ascension (save once in chap: viii. to lay the ground for intercession, which is really dropped out of their scheme). Ephesians never goes on Romans ground at all; Colossians takes up in substance both. The vaunted clearness is not sound knowledge, but rejection of many important parts of truth; and it uniformly produces self-sufficiency and hardness, not personal dependence on grace and on Christ. J.N.D.