There are at least five things treated of in the epistles that should always characterize every believer as long as he is down here in the world.
First, he should be always confident (2 Cor. 5:66Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (2 Corinthians 5:6)). In the opening verses of this chapter, the Apostle speaks of the knowledge that the Christian has of eternal blessing after this life, in a body suited to the heavenly condition, etc., and then adds, "Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." vv. 5-8.
What blessed assurance it gives the heart to know that all is the work of God Himself. He it is who has already wrought us for the future glory, already given us the earnest of that which He has prepared for us in heaven, even the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident. The
Spirit's presence in us gives confidence. It is through Him we know what is freely given to us of God. The world is always living in uncertainty. Tens of thousands of souls, whose conversion we should be sorry to doubt, are more or less uncertain of the blessing God has given to them. Through self-occupation, unsound teaching, and the like, they are uncertain whether after all they will arrive in the glory. The Word of God is sure and abiding; and, through the Spirit, we may and should know certainly both what we have and what we are shortly about to enjoy with Christ forever. "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:... we are confident, I say." Faith grasps the unseen, is confident, and knows that if the Lord returns for His own, we shall be found among them (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)); or, if we should pass out of the body into the unclothed state, it is to be in His blessed presence.
Second, we should be always praying. In the epistle to the Ephesians the believer is looked at as blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ, according to the eternal counsels of God. This is our present and eternal portion in Him, through God's abounding grace. All who know and seek to hold to and enjoy this blessed place now find themselves exposed to the wiles and fiery darts of the wicked one, and the terrible assaults of wicked spirits. But God has made a provision for us in this awful conflict. We are exhorted to put on the panoply of God detailed in Eph. 6 Space will not permit us to dwell upon the different parts, but our readers would do well to consider the passage. It is all for defense, except the all-powerful weapon, "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." We are called to stand fast in an evil day, and we can only withstand our mighty foes as we face them fully armed and wield the Word of God in the Spirit's power in every assault of the enemy. This we cannot do in our own strength. Hence it adds, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." v. 18. We must be dependent, always dependent It is the Lord's battle, and it is only in being strong in Him and in the power of His might, that we can stand fast. Our foes are mightier than we are, but the Lord is almighty. To fight without Him, is but to expose our own utter weakness; but, praying always, etc., we have One active for us who has already overcome all Satan's power at the cross.
We learn too from the same passage that we should also persevere in prayer for all the saints of God, as having part in the wondrous blessing that we have spoken of, and as exposed in the same war, to the same assaults.
Third, we should be always rejoicing (Phil. 4:44Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)). We have seen in the foregoing that Christians have a heavenly position in Christ; and in the epistle to the Philippians we get what another has called the practical walk of a heavenly man upon the earth. There are four things, among others, that prominently characterize this epistle. There is no mention of sin throughout, showing that a Christian saved from it should have nothing more to do with it. The flesh is mentioned, but only to warn us to have no confidence in it; our path must be a path of suffering through this world if we follow Christ, and joy and rejoicing should characterize us all the way through. Paul, with Christ before his soul as his life, pattern, object, and strength, presents himself as an example in chapter 3. He was pursuing this path with indomitable spiritual energy, and had already trodden it some 30 years. With the Lord as his object and goal in glory, he rejoiced in Him, and exhorts all believers to do the same. "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." Phil. 3:11Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. (Philippians 3:1). "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Phil. 4:44Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4).
If we get occupied with ourselves, or with others, or the world, or the trials and sorrows, and difficulties of the way, Satan will surely rob our souls of this joy. It is only as we gaze by faith on the Lord Himself where He is, who has triumphed over the whole power of the foe, and sits exalted as Man at God's right hand, that we can rejoice at all. And it is only as our souls are engaged with Him continually in the power of the Holy Ghost who dwells in us that we can answer to the exhortation practically, "Rejoice in the Lord always." This is our blessed privilege, even down here. May we know more and more of it. What will the fullness of that joy be when we see Him as He is, face to face forever!
Fourth, we should be "always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus." 2 Cor. 4:1010Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10). In verse 4 of this chapter the Apostle shows that "the god of this world hath blinded the minds" of unbelievers; and in verse 6 that "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Then he adds: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency [or surpassingness] of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." vv. 7-11.
This brings before us very plainly from another point of view the character of the pathway that Paul and others were called to tread in following the Lord Jesus through this world. But, nothing daunted by the power of Satan and the opposition and wickedness of men, they went on in God's power, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in their body. This was the only life they, and we who are also Christians through grace, are called to live. To serve Christ is to follow Him (John 12:2626If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. (John 12:26)), hating our own old life, and living out in a practical way day by day the life of Jesus. He walked ever in the midst of foes who were thirsting to take His life and who at last did so. It is the same world still, and the heart of man is unchanged, filled with hatred to God and Christ and His saints. To follow Christ faithfully, exposed His servants continually in the early days of Christianity to trouble, perplexity, persecution, and death. But light from the glory had shone in their hearts (and has shone into ours also) to give the light (or for the shining forth) of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And with this constraint, faith, in God's power, faces all and lives out practically the life of Jesus in this body till the end of our sojourn here. The Apostle adds, "For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake." 2 Cor. 4:1111For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4:11). As it is elsewhere written, "For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Rom. 8:3636As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (Romans 8:36). The apostles always carried their lives in their hands, so to speak, being ever exposed to the injustice of time-serving men invested with authority, the bitter hatred of jealous religionists, and the violence of the lawless mob.
Through grace we live in the day of an open door which no man can shut (Rev. 3:88I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)), and the character of the evil to which we are more immediately exposed is different, but the same deadly hatred often exhibits itself and, but for governmental restraint, would surely break loose in persecution, as in a later day it will against others, even unto death (Rev. 6:9, 10; 13:15-179And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (Revelation 6:9‑10)
15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:15‑17)).
Fifth, we should be always abounding in the work of the Lord. In that wonderful chapter, 1 Cor. 15, after bringing out so blessedly the resurrection of Christ, and of His people when He comes, the Apostle closes with the triumphant language, "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," and then exhorts the saints: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." Chap. 15:58. The Corinthians were in danger of being led away by false doctrine as to the resurrection. We are surrounded with all kinds of errors, from one side of Christendom to the other, and are in danger of the still deeper subtlety of the enemy coming as an angel of light and seeking to palm off evil as precious truth. The Apostle meets it firmly, uses the occasion to develop the truth more and more, and closes that section of the epistle by exhorting the saints to be steadfast, unmovable, notwithstanding the enemy's efforts; and, instead of slackening their spiritual energies, to be always abounding in the work of the Lord, cheering their hearts with the word of encouragement, "forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
Satan would be very glad to see God's people give up their work and labor in despair and settle down upon their lees. Many a one has been foolish enough to listen to his lie when face to face with the power of evil, and has lost heart and sought to weaken the heart and hands of others, crying, "All is gone." 'What is this but helping Satan's work? Is Christ gone? Is the Holy Ghost gone? Is the Word of God gone? Are God's people gone? Ah! dear Christian reader, we have the same Christ on high in the glory for us as ever, the same Holy Ghost to sustain us here below, the same Word of God as our sure guide through all; and the saints of God are as dear as ever to Christ; a world is still around us full of perishing sinners over whom grace lingers to the very last moment.
Let us then bestir ourselves. Satan is in earnest, and the world is in earnest. Let us then be earnest too, for surely God is and He is for us. May we be found steadfast, holding to the whole truth of God, unmovable as a rock surrounded by the raging waves, and always abounding in the Lord's blessed work. Let us see to it that we are in communion with Him, going forth day by day at His bidding and in His strength, to help and edify His people and to sound out the glad tidings of His grace, as He gives ability, until He comes. We shall surely find His promise true at that day, for we know already from His abiding Word that our labor is not in vain in Him.
May each believer be found always confident, always praying, always rejoicing, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, etc., and always abounding in the work of the Lord.