“THE truth as it is in Jesus,” in Eph. 4:21,21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (Ephesians 4:21) is connected with putting off the old man and putting on the new; for you cannot have the practice of the Christian life, without the life itself. But having life, the commonest duties are connected with this truth of the body of Christ. For example, Lie not one to another! because “members one of another! This is the secret of the elevation of a Christian’s conduct.
All our duties flow from our relationships. A child’s duties result from what he is to his father; the wife’s to the husband, &c. A Christian is put in the most responsible relation; and his highest privilege is to have the Lord brought into everything, because thus his affection to Christ is tested in all. We have our place in Christ before God; and God has His place in us before men; so that whatever does not suit the presence of God, does not suit a Christian.
When man fell, he was under the evil. Now we are to be over the evil, “renewed after God.” “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and the holiness.”
The Epistle to the Ephesians supposes the Church to be with Christ. It ever views the Church in the Head. First, as to its testimony: “That now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God.” 2. As to blessing: “Blessed with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places in Christ.” 3. As to our place in Christ: “Which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” 4. As to where we are: “Quickened together with Christ, and raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” 5. As to conflict “Wrestling against spiritual wickedness’s in heavenly places.”
This Epistle never looks at the saints as apart from, but as in Christ. The whole body is ever so connected with the Head, by the power of the Spirit, that they cannot be separated. “Members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” “No man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church.”
In Ephesians, whether it is blessing, testimony, conflict, or where we are, all is heavenly; and the measure and standing of our conduct ought to be the heavenly man― “As the truth is in Jesus.”
In ch. 1 The counsels of God are considered. Chapter 2 His power to us-ward who believe. Chapter 3 the character of His blessing to the Gentiles. Chapter 4 the character of the saints as the body of Christ in heaven, and as the habitation of the Spirit down here. Also the practice becoming such. In ch. 5, towards the end, we have the exercise of Christ’s love towards those so united to Him. It is not only what is the place of God that we need to know, but what is the exercise of Christ’s affections towards us in that place. So here, it is not the plans and thoughts of grace that are presented to as, but the exercise of grace. It shows us the way Christ feels in His relationship to us.
Whatever we are, divine teaching ever connects the commonest details of ordinary life with the highest privileges. That which loosens the bonds of coon life is not the testimony of God. Whatever are the privileges of the saints they are brought to the light; and it is by the light everything is tested. Truth always fortifies conscience in a man, in His common-place duties. The truth would ever lead to the fulfillment of those common duties, which all own to be duties.
Again, wherever the grace and love of God act on a saint, they always go back To GOD. The incense in the holy place always ascended, but the fragrance was not for the priests, but for God. It was burnt entirely for God, but the sweet savor was diffused all around. Whatever Christ did He did to God, and it was a sweet savor. If it is not so with us it is nothing but selfishness.
Christ loved us, and gave Himself for us. Here is the greatest act of love to us: but it was “a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savor” (vs. 2). Love cannot come down and act in this heavenly, this perfect man, without its perfection being Godward. Love having God ever before it, can go on ever according to the mind of God, amidst all opposition. In its perfectness, however, this could be found only in Christ. We have it, but it is mingled with much failure.
Love, however, comes down from God and must return to God. We know how self-applause, and how many mixed motives creep in with us, afterwards, if not at the time. But oh! how earnestly should we seek that our motives ma) be single to Godward. It is a dreadful thing for the grace which God has giver to be used for SELF. Never did Christ seek His own glory. It was always His Father’s glory that He sought. It is indispensable for internal holiness (I speak not of external) to have the heart exercised about this.
All our privileges bring us to God. God has a certain character, and HE cannot allow anything unsuitable to that. “Ye were darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.” It is not, we have got light, but we are light. The very nature is light. Darkness and light can never be together. This broad truth is laid down in vs. 5, but it rests not here. It adds (vs. 6) “Because of these things the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience,” or unbelief.
Mark, how unbelief is the root of all sin. It is not the only sin; but all sins deny the character of God. In verse 8, it is said “Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.”
This principle having been laid down, we have the measure and standard of this light (vs. 14) even Christ Himself. “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” Christ is the standard, you are asleep a little, not dead actually, but practically as if dead. Let me awake, then, and get all I can in Christ. But what do I get in Christi Everything! This awakening does not mean the conscience merely, for the avoiding certain things, but it is the getting Christ Himself formed in us. While I have the nature I have also Christ the object before me, and He is light! Light is before my soul, as well as within my soul; Christ is my life, and I get in Christ divine perfection, as well as life.
Christ shall give thee light. Let us take one instance. People think it a great matter if a man has what they call a fine fortune left him! But Christ says, “How hardly shall they that have riches, enter into the kingdom of God.”
“A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” “Woe to them that are rich!” Riches may be the ruin of a man. Is that light?
“See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (vs. 15). We are not only to avoid certain things, but there is something to be gained. Divine wisdom to live Christ. We have to walk with all the wisdom of God. Satan is seeking to trip us up; to dim our testimony; to cause that to be seen in us which is not Christ. We are called in a world that is against us to be waiting every opportunity to seize it for Christ. We are to live Christ before the world. That is what is meant by wisdom and redeeming the time. It is not merely not wasting it, but seizing it for Christ. The devil seeks to pre-occupy men’s thoughts and affections; but we want to redeem time from this, by seeking every opportunity of introducing Christ.
“Be filled with the Spirit” (vs. 18). Nothing but the Spirit―a vessel filled with one thing―the Holy Ghost, the spring and source in the soul, of all You do. If it be so Christ will be the subject. The Spirit may give understanding, and the mind still be working; but when “filled with the Spirit,” the whole man becomes the instrument in His hands, so that he thinks, feels, utters, only what the Spirit gives. I speak here only of power, not of revelation. Thus, filled with the Spirit, the flesh would not meddle with the things of God. But too often we mix up our own thoughts, and we introduce things at the wrong time. We want to be as clay moulded by Him.
What a deliverance is this from self! What a consciousness of the power of God in us, when thus filled with the Spirit! All must acknowledge how little there is of this in us, and how all is so mingled! so little of the complete setting aside of all that is of man! If we fail, the conscience has to be dealt with; but our normal condition is to be walking with God “filled with the Spirit.”
Our proper joy also is in God. “Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord” (vs. 19), while looking up or looking down, giving things to God and the Father! What, for tribulation? Yes! because the Spirit gives me to see God in the tribulation. Filled with the Spirit, I am ever giving thanks to God. See how Christ rejoices in spirit, saying, “I thank thee, O Father,” (Matt. 11) when, as to circumstances of sorrow around, His heart was breaking. The secret of this was, that while grieved with Israel’s rejection of Him, He was in perfect communion with His Father, and with the glorious thoughts of God about His Son.
Very often the flesh is not broken down enough to make a man take the place and walk in the truth which God Himself has revealed to the soul. Thus it was with Peter (Matt. 16:17,2817And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:17)
28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16:28)), though he had just made the blessed confession of Christ which the Father had revealed to him, when the Lord spoke of His path of humiliation, as the Christ, “the Son of the living God,” before the Jews, Peter could net bear it, and beseeches Him not to speak thus. Peter’s flesh was not broken down enough to walk in the power of the truth he had received and rejoiced in. So it is with us.