VERSE 4 (CONTINUED)
The fourth state being connected with the Lord's coming, we have much more light and definite teaching on it than on the intermediate state. Comparatively little is said on the third, or separate, state of the soul. A veil, we doubt not, has been purposely drawn over it so that it might not come between our hearts and our Lord's return. Had the soul's blessedness with Jesus during the present period been fully revealed, we might have been selfish enough to have thought so much about it and to have longed so much after it that the hope of His coming might have lost its proper place and power in our hearts. The Holy Spirit guards the hope of the church on all sides and with special care. But enough is revealed to satisfy the heart of faith as to our dear departed ones. Further light is, in love, withheld. Let us meditate deeply on what is revealed and be subject thereto. And knowing the love of Jesus and the unchangeableness of our divine life amidst all changes, the interpretation will be easy.
“For to me to live is Christ," says the apostle, "and to die is gain." Phil. 1:2121For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21). This is a contrast. To live is Christ-to die would be a gain upon that. And further, he adds, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better." Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23). "With Christ" would be his "gain." This would be "far better." But first of all, carefully note the blessedness of the state with which he contrasts departing "to be with Christ.”
“For to me to live is Christ." What nearness to Christ, what communion with Him, the servant must have that can say this! It includes the idea, first of all, of having Christ for his object, his motive, his joy, his strength; and, also, of great love for the church, a deep and tender interest in all that concerned the name and glory of Christ and the well-being of His people. "For to me to live is Christ" tells of the energy of the Spirit that would sum up all of that mighty heart, that bright light, that noble servant, in these few words. And now comes the important question: How much would such a one gain by death? He would be "WITH CHRIST"—in the enjoyment of Christ personally in heaven. And this tells of the energy of the Spirit as to the other side—the consummation of all blessedness—"with Christ." But would the soul not lose much of its interest in all these lower things, now that it has reached the higher? Most assuredly not! It has the higher things in addition. This is the point of great interest as to "the unclothed" state. We can never lose anything that we now have, in fellowship with Christ, because He is already risen and glorified. He is our life—that life has no trial to go through. It only loses in death the poor cumbersome body in which it groaned, being burdened. All that we now know and enter into through the teaching of the Spirit must abide forever. We only lose that which belongs to the first Adam, but nothing of that which belongs to the last Adam. There is immense force in the apostle's words of contrast, far better— FAR BETTER!
This would be true as to everything touching the soul's connection with the blessed Lord, both as to the higher and the lower things.
It is no longer in our power to communicate to the dear departed soul that which we know would have given it joy here; but being present with the Lord, everything that is worthy of His love and fitted to deepen the joy and elevate the worship of the dear departed one we can happily trust Him to communicate. All is well! How well! Absent from the body, present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:88We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8).) How far the soul apart from the body (its own proper instrument of expression) can express itself, we venture not to say, but in its bright consciousness, it remembers and it loves. It thinks of the past and present, it anticipates the future. It waits in patience, with Christ, for the morning of the first resurrection; but its present and blessed feast is His unchanging, never-ending love.
“There are our loved ones in their rest;
They've crossed time's river; now no more
They heed the troubles on its breast,
Nor feel the storms that sweep its shore.
But 'there' pure love can live, can last;
They look for us their home to share:
When we, in turn, away have passed,
What joyful greetings wait us there—
Across the river!”
There is only one other passage I would refer to on this point. It has always been a favorite with the weary pilgrim. I mean the Lord's own words to the penitent thief, "To-day shalt thou be WITH ME in paradise." Luke 23:4343And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43). The sweetness, the comfort, the rest of heart which this assurance gives is beyond all expression. There "with the Lord" and with loved ones who have gone before, the soul rests, clothed in light and breathing the air of heaven. The mother has found her child, long, long gone before her, but never forgotten. And oh, what a fresh spring to her worship! "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Psa. 34:33O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. (Psalm 34:3)) will now be their joyous song. And there, too, the husband meets the wife of his youth, who was early called, but whose hearts were formed to love, not only for time but for eternity. True, human relationships will be unknown there, but hearts and loves remain forever.
But lest we should anticipate the resurrection-state, we leave—most contentedly leave—our dear departed ones "with the Lord" and with each other in that blooming garden of heaven's choicest delights. Now we often travel by faith between the dark valley and that bright. Eden above, but soon the Lord will come. Lord, Lord of that happy land, how soon? When shall the cloudless morning dawn? "A LITTLE WHILE" (John 16:16-1916A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? (John 16:16‑19)) is the Master's own measure of His absence. Then, when that happy morning dawns, we too shall say farewell to this vale of tears. Faith's work shall then be done, "for we shall see Him as He is." 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). Hope, too, shall then be realized in the Person of the Lord, as it is written, "And they shall see His face." Rev. 22:44And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (Revelation 22:4). These all-important companions of the valley are no more needed. Faith, so long accustomed to the flight, shall then, and forever, "fold her wings." Farewell, "precious faith," but, oh, how much I owe thee! Hope, "blessed hope," soul-sustaining hope, shall then be lost amidst the glories of the Jerusalem above; but love remains; yes, love, eternal love, prevails through all the ransomed throng.
But what of the poor body that lies moldering in the grave? The now-humbled body shall, ere long, share eternal glory with the soul. Scripture is plain on this point. But I will do little more than quote two or three passages.
“What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?" 2 Cor. 6:19. Here, observe, the Holy Ghost has taken possession of the body. He thus appropriated the body to God. Had the text said, "your heart is the temple of the Holy Ghost,” the question of affection might have been raised; but it is your body—which plainly assures us that the body, living or dead, is in the custody of the Holy Ghost—that henceforward He is the custodian of the believer's body. Again, "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." Rom. 8:1111But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11). Here it is said not merely "your bodies," but "your mortal bodies," which meets the heart in sweetest grace. But what a volume of truth we have on this subject in 1 Cor. 15 "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body... And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." vv. 42-44, 49.
“The resurrection-morn will break,
And every sleeping saint awake,
Brought forth in light again:
O morn, too bright for mortal eyes!
When all the ransomed church shall rise,
And wing their way to yonder skies—
Called up with Christ to reign.”