VERSE 5 (CONTINUED)
Having briefly dwelt in our meditations on the only foundation of worship—the sacrifice of Christ— we will now refer to the only power of worship—the Holy Spirit. When "born again" we receive a new nature which is holy and suited to the presence of God. It is also capable of enjoying Him, which truth surely gives us the highest thought of creature-happiness; and yet, as the apostle says, that blessed state may be enjoyed even now. "But we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1111And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (Romans 5:11). Without this new nature there could be no worship. It is the children that the Father seeks to worship Him. Sonship is essential to worship. But the Father delights in the worship of His children. Not only does He accept it, but He seeks it. Wondrous, gracious truth, O my soul! Our God and Father seeking worshipers! "For the Father seeketh such to worship Him." John 4:2323But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23).
But besides the accomplished work of redemption, the new birth and our union with the risen Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit is indispensable to Christian worship. Nothing can be plainer than our Lord's own teaching to the woman of Samaria on this subject. "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23-2423But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23‑24). Here our Lord insists on the moral necessity of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in Christian worship. And surely He knows best what suits the Father, from whose bosom He came, and even then He was "in the bosom of the Father." John 1:1818No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18). It is by the Spirit, though children of God, that we understand, enjoy and worship Him. God being a Spirit, He must be worshiped in His own nature—"in spirit." A son is the same nature as his father.
As children we are feeble and dependent, but we are "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man." Eph. 3:1616That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (Ephesians 3:16). As children we are ignorant and foolish, but the Holy Spirit communicates to us the mind of God and gives us an understanding in divine things so that we can draw near to Him in thought and feeling suited to His holy presence. It is the Holy Spirit dwelling in us that gives us the consciousness of our oneness with Christ and our nearness to God. He is the seal of redemption and the earnest of the inheritance. The anointing of the head with oil is like "the unction" that we receive of God, whereby we may know all things. (See 1 John 2:2020But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20); 1 Cor. 2:1212Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12).) And it is by the same Spirit that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts (Rom. 5:55And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5)), which love, we may say, is the source of all our blessing and the spring of all our worship. If, then, the Holy Spirit be thus absolutely necessary to the worship of Christians, surely it becomes a matter of first importance that He should have His right place in the assemblies of the saints. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." 1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13). How can we render to God the glory due unto His name if the Spirit, by any means, be quenched or practically displaced? This is a solemn question. Would not the contrast, so strongly drawn by the apostle, be in some way applicable in such a case? "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Phil. 3:33For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3).
Here it is not the sin of the flesh but th3 religion of the flesh which the apostle warns against. In God's sight the one is as bad as the other. The true worshipers are known by worshiping God in the Spirit and rejoicing in Christ Jesus. The flesh can be very pious in its own way and can be largely occupied with good works; but it will never "rejoice in Christ Jesus." It knows nothing of Christ as despised on earth and honored in heaven; nor of setting our affections on things above. But even when Christ has His right place in the heart and the Holy Spirit is owned as the alone power of worship, we have need to watch against mingling the thoughts of the flesh with the guidance of the Spirit. It will be the constant aim of the enemy, where he cannot substitute flesh for spirit, to mingle the two.
One solemn question, one grand test, remains for each, for all: Do I rejoice in Christ Jesus alone? This is the true standard to judge by—the touchstone of spiritual worship. Do I answer to this standard? Is Christ my all in all? Do I come before God? Do I stand in His holy presence—rejoicing in Christ Jesus alone? He is the delight of the Father's heart—the Object of the Spirit's testimony—the joy and glory of His people. Happy, thrice happy, they who in this day of widespread fleshly pietism "worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
“O God, we come with singing,
Because Thy great High Priest
Our names to Thee is bringing,
Nor e'er forgets the least:
For us He wears the miter,
Where 'holiness' shines bright,
For us His robes are whiter
Than heaven's unsullied light.”
It may be well, before closing our meditation on the cup of joy, to dwell a little on its contrast, the cup of sorrow. In the saint's experience the latter often goes before and accompanies the former. The one being natural and the other spiritual, both may be full at the same time. It is only while in the body, and on the earth, that we can meet with the cup of sorrow. It will be unmingled joy in heaven. There we shall be met at the threshold with, "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. 25:2121His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:21). Then we shall drink, and drink forever, of the Master's own cup. We shall drink from the same fountain as Christ Himself. Having the same life we shall have the same relish for the joys, the employment and the blessedness of heaven, though not, of course, to the same degree.
Without this divine nature there can be no relish for divine things. To mere human nature the light of heaven would be more intolerable than the darkness of hell. Oh, what a thought! An immortal soul so driven to despair, through a sense of guilt in the presence of holiness, as to seek a shelter in the depths of darkness—as to cry "to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." Rev. 6:1616And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (Revelation 6:16). But even now, when the gospel of God's grace is preached to sinners, it is said of such, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." John 3:1919And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19). Oh that all such might be induced now to come to the light—the light of eternal love—the light of the cross of Jesus—the light of the boundless grace of God! Come, O sinner, come! Better far be revealed now in the light of the glorious gospel, where all is grace and love—where thy many sins can be pardoned and where eternal life is received as the gift of God, than be revealed before the face of the Judge when the door of mercy is closed. Why not come? Is there not a terrible sting in sin, even now, when the pleasure of it is past? Hast thou not tasted this, O my fellow sinner? How many are maddened to deeds of violence through the remorse and bitterness of sin, when the pleasure that led onto it is turned into gall and wormwood! But what must its bitterness be in that place where hopeless despair seizes the soul in all its dread reality? There nothing but sin and the sting remain, with the fearful conviction that no relief can ever come.
Why not then, my fellow sinner, be entreated to come to Jesus now—just now? If so guilty, so far down in the social scale that thou art ashamed of thyself in the presence of others—yet thou mayest freely, trustingly, come to Jesus. Thou wilt be welcome there. And rest assured of a present pardon, salvation and acceptance through His precious blood. Such was the experience of the woman that was a sinner and of the penitent thief on the cross; and such may be thine. He who died on the cross for thee and me is surely fit to be trusted. And say, would He have died for us if He had not loved us? Oh, lift thine eyes to that cross and see His unquenchable love bleeding there! Seekest thou another sign save the sign of the cross? God forbid! The great reality in the universe is the love of Jesus! For a time, all were against the sinner's Substitute. All refuge failed Him. (Psa. 142:44I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. (Psalm 142:4).) But then it was that His love burst forth through every weight and pressure in all its native strength and glory. Many waters could not quench His love, no floods could drown it (SoS. 8:7), though He could say in spirit, "The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head." Jonah 2:55The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. (Jonah 2:5).
Again and again we would ask thee, Wilt thou, dost thou value the love that willingly passed through all this suffering for the chief of sinners? And with what end in view, thinkest thou? That sinners might one day share with Him His throne in glory. Do lean all thy weight on Jesus—trust all to Him. His eye can never grow dim—His arm can never become feeble—His heart can never turn cold. For time and for eternity, thou art only safe and happy in trusting Him.
But see, O my soul, how far thou hast wandered from the footsteps of the flock—from their joys and sorrows. Well, be it so. The Good Shepherd was content to leave the ninety-and-nine that were secure and go far into the wilderness after a single lost sheep and seek until He found it.
We were speaking of the twofold aspect of the Christian's experience: the cup of natural sorrow and the cup of spiritual joy. He may know at times what it is to have both cups filled to overflowing. The poor human heart may be so broken with sorrow that it cannot look up; strength, motive, object, as to this life, may be gone. At such a moment he feels a pressure as if he were down and could never rise up again. And surely, but for the Lord's helping hand, he must have gone a step beyond the rallying point. Such is the crushing, exhausting weight of human sorrow—and such the Lord's loved ones may be allowed to experience. The blessed Lord Himself, as the Man of Sorrows, had deeper experience therein than any of His people ever can have. And now as the living Head, the great High Priest of His people, He knows how to succor and raise up the sorrow-stricken soul.
Just at this point the Lord may so reveal Himself to the soul as to draw the eye away from its own sorrow and turn aside the keen edge of its anguish. Not that the trial is removed or made less; nay, it may be deepening and that which is dreaded may be unmistakably drawing near. But the soul, we may say, is now in two regions, two states of being: in nature, amidst the desolations of earth; in faith, amidst the unchangeable realities of heaven. Both are real; but the spiritual joy changes the character of the earthly sorrow and strengthens to bear it. Quietness of soul being restored, it now remembers that the happy soul is only called up to wait with the Lord and to enjoy a quiet time with Him before the public display of His glory. But, oh! What experience, and how real! To have poured out at the same moment a full cup of joy and a full cup of sorrow, too! The latter we know shall ere long be clean forgotten; but the former will be remembered throughout eternity as one of the strongest, sweetest expressions of the Savior's compassion, love and tender sympathy.
In Rom. 5:1-111Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (Romans 5:1‑11) we have this line of Christian experience clearly set before us. It may be profitable to glance at it. It is a rich inheritance to the soul to have a personal and spiritual acquaintance with these eleven verses. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom. 5:1-21Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1‑2). In these two verses the full blessing of the soul with reference to the past, the present and the future is summed up. The work of Christ is the basis of it all. "Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification." Rom. 4:2525Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25).
As to the past, in the case of every believer, all is blotted out—all connected with the old man came to its end, in God's sight, on the cross. Both the root and fruit of sin were judged there. All that needed putting away was put away, according to the claims of God's glory and the sinner's need. Hence, the Christian is now one with Christ in resurrection. Death, judgment, the world, sin and Satan are behind him. On this ground, the ground of death and resurrection, there is perfect peace for the Christian, peace with God. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God." As to the present, we are introduced to the full favor of God. Our standing is in grace. "We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." And as to the future, we "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We are placed between the cross and the crown; our yesterday was Calvary, our tomorrow is glory.
This is true Christian condition; not experience, but faith. Being justified, having peace, standing in grace, waiting for glory. Experience flows from this condition. The Spirit of God having conducted the Christian to the very height of his condition, as a new man in Christ, and even given him a glimpse of the glory behind the veil, He brings him back, as it were, to taste, in experience, the trials of this life. Still he can glory. He glories in the depths as well as on the heights. None can glory in tribulation as those who are rejoicing in the immediate hope of the glory of God. So it was with the great apostle who was "caught up to the third heaven." 2 Cor. 12:22I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:2). There he found Christ as the only ground of his glorying; but when down here again and in tribulation through "a thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:77And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7)), he found the same Christ in the depths with him. "Most gladly therefore," he exclaims, "will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Cor. 12:99And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9). And such experience we also find in the eleven verses before us. "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom. 5:3-53And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:3‑5). Thus the wheels of his soul are set in motion, and through deep exercise he again, we may say, reaches the heights. He has now the blessed enjoyment of the love of God shed abroad in his heart and the gift of the Holy Ghost. What a blessed state of soul to be in, though under the very shadow of death! But this is not all; he has more to learn in this vale of tears, he must go through another kind of experience. The Christian is again brought back, not to the lesson of tribulation, but to an experimental acquaintance with the depths of his own moral ruin. What he was, as without strength, ungodly, a sinner, and an enemy he is now taught; but he learns these humiliating truths in the light of God's perfect love and the Savior's perfect work and the Holy Spirit's presence. And mark now the point he reaches by this process; higher he can never be raised. "But we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1111And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (Romans 5:11). Surely joying in God Himself surpasses all our enjoyment of the things He gives.
Well may we wonder at what may be known, experienced and enjoyed by the poor pilgrim saint in the wilderness. In the eyes of men he may appear a poor, heartless inhabitant of the earth. But oh, what depths he penetrates! To what heights he rises! What sights he sees! What power he commands! And what glory gilds his path! With him it is glory on the threshold of heaven and glory in the valley of humiliation. He knows the history of the future better than the past, and divine light sheds its rays on the present. The poor blind world knows nothing of this. Oh that they would come to Him who is the light of life and the light of men. Grace has no evil thoughts; what it has, it longs for thee to share. It preaches, prays, watches that thou mayest know and love the only Friend of sinners. Were one candle to light a dozen its own light would be not the less, but the united light would be far greater.
Now, just now, cast in thy lot with those who are walking in the light of the Lord; and may thine own path be as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Prov. 4:1818But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18).)