Hebrews 3:1-6
The constant tendency of the heart, even when brought up to our privileges in Jesus, is to slip off from them. When Satan finds he cannot resist the introduction of the power of the gospel by false doctrine, he then seeks to get something before the mind, as worldliness, the cares of the world, and a thousand things, to keep the soul from simply looking to Jesus. When the truth is first presented to the soul, he tries to hinder its reception; but when it is received, his effort is to diminish its power, in some way or other, and the only remedy for this is the heart being occupied with Christ Himself. We need an increasing knowledge of Christ in order to keep our hearts out of the world, for the heart that is learning Christ cannot stay about the things the world presents, but desires to go on to know Him more fully. In looking to Jesus, it is not knowing a doctrine merely about Christ: it is Himself we want to know. It is " the truth as it is in Jesus" that has a charm for the soul; for grace and truth came by Christ Jesus, and it is never known in the power of faith out of Him. There never can be that power which detects the course of false doctrine, but as the soul is dwelling in Himself, "rooted and built up in him." (Col. 2:7.) The heart centered in Him is able to look out and see all the extent of the divine revelations to the soul. " Wherefore, holy brethren," says the apostle, " partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." There is always a tendency to slip back, and thus lose all practical power; but because of this, does He try to shake their confidence of what they are? Not in the least. God never does this, but He shows us our inconsistencies with what we are.
So the apostle calls back the hearts of the Hebrews to the place of grace where God was dealing with them. As in the Corinthians also he says, " I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ." They were puffed up by the evil; and it is not that the apostle would allow the evil to pass, but he first sets them on the ground where God had set them. And so he comes to our hearts and says, Do not you turn away from the ground where God has set you. He calls us up to the spring of it all in the heart of God, and then says, How can you be seeking the world and what it has to give, when you have such a portion in God?
I would now say a word of the manner in which he presents Christ. He is going to speak of Christ in the most glorious way he can; but he does not begin with it. He first speaks of that which is a link between their hearts and this blessed and glorious One, and having knit up our hearts to this, he then shows us His glory. Now there is great grace in this: for it is not merely as an abstract truth, (a system of theology, saying, This is God.) No; but he says, I am going to talk about one who was amongst you-the one between you and God-the one who brought God nigh to you, and stood for you toward God. I am going to talk to you about Him " who was faithful to him that appointed him."
Here we get this glorious Person in an official character, and thus He was appointed. And we look at this blessed and glorious One in office, " who was faithful in all His house." " Whose house are we?" And this is of the greatest comfort to us; for it is thus we get this glorious One so very near to us-so close to us as to be interested in everything that concerns us. For Christ, " as a Son over His own house," was interested in carrying on all God bad entrusted to Him, as Moses, the servant, was interested in bringing Israel up out of Egypt. But he presents Christ to us as worthy of more glory than Moses. "Inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house, for every house is builded by some one, but he that built all things is God." And thus I End myself brought into union with Him who created all things. I was brought close to Christ when I got this blessed familiarity, and then I find that the One who condescended to be in this blessed place of highness to me was God; and so I learn that all my concerns are in His hand, who is God. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Christ is faithful as a Son, who knows the house belongs to Him-" As a Son over his own house, whose house are we." It is His own house, for Christ, as a Son over His own house, is not only the God who created all things, but the one who takes an interest in everything that concerns us, just as a son over his own house. And thus I find myself brought into the presence of the whole universe in Him that created it.
Now this is the way the Spirit of God would carry us on through the world, not as merely leading us through the world, but keeping our hearts above the things of the world, while passing through it.
As the Son cannot but be faithful to Him who appointed Him, when I see that the One that is thus interested in His own house is the glorious One that created all things, I learn that it is God, Himself, and I can trust Him. He also makes us to see that it is the interest of the Son, and not merely an official appointment; anti thus the heart knows Christ has all the interest in it as a Son over His own house; and. thus our hearts are fixed on Him, and enlarged on Him; our affections are drawn out and enlarged in their own proper sphere; and the heart, thus kept from worldliness, is enlarged in a divine way, and it is such a comfort to think that the most ignorant soul, if taught of God, gets enlarged and sanctified affections.