My Dear Brother in the Lord,
It might be well in these sad days, when so much positive evil is being everywhere manifested, to write a few short remarks on the principles of Christian walk; rather with the view of leading the saints who read your periodical to search the Scriptures on that subject, than anything else. I have jotted down a few thoughts, which I now convey to you, trusting they may be of use to those who read your periodical.
The Christian’s walk through this world is founded on his position in Christ. Christian responsibility never begins till the saint is established in his position. As a child of Adam he was responsible, and the law was the perfect measure of his responsibility. He was to love God with all his heart, etc., and his neighbor as himself; but in that condition he was utterly lost. Now through redemption he is forgiven and justified as a sinner, but not only that — he is entirely delivered from his state and condition as a child of Adam, and brought into the family of God; the Father’s name is revealed to him, he is sealed by the Spirit and cries. “Abba Father.” In that new position he is responsible, no longer as a child of Adam, but as a child of God. As a child he is responsible to obey his Father; as a member of Christ he has a common responsibility with the other members of Christ to hold the Head. To illustrate my meaning more clearly — all responsibility in this life is founded on a relationship already formed; such as a wife’s to her husband, a child’s to a father, a servant’s to a master. The responsibility must be formed before the responsibility commences. It would be preposterous to tell a strange boy in the street to walk as my child, he would not understand his responsibility to do so; but let him be adopted into my family, and then teach him his responsibility, he will understand the meaning of it.
It is on account of not seeing this principle clearly, that much of the doubt and darkness which pervades Christendom is caused, as well as the failure in the walk of Christians.
Now there are three great parts of the individual Christian’s position, from which his responsibility flows: 1st. He is born of God. 2nd. Christ in glory is the object of his faith. 3rd. The Holy Ghost dwells in his body, as a temple.
I begin with the first as that most commonly known amongst Christians, though it comes last in order in the Epistles, that is, that the Christian is born of God. This is a state which he has in common with all Old Testament saints, and connects itself with the government of God, a principle which is especially taught in Old Testament Scripture, Israel being the center of God’s government on the earth. Christians are under the government of the Father as children born in a family, and are responsible to obey Him. Obedience is founded on life. Commandments are addressed to that life as its rule. The law was the rule to the flesh or old man, the Father’s commandments and the law of liberty to the new man. See 1 John 1, 2; James 1:17-25; 1 Pet. 2:3-17. The Christian, born of God, and thus addressed, does righteousness and loves the brethren (1 John 3), but the general principles of government are the same at all times, modified by the revelation of the Father’s name, and refer only to this life and the new-born soul’s walk through this world. James and Peter, in this view, give a very wholesome connection with Old Testament Scripture, teaching that the man born of God needs a rule, which he finds in the Word of God, which is profitable for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God might be thoroughly furnished to every good work (2 Tim. 3:16). Here Paul was alluding specially to Old Testament Scripture, in the knowledge of which Timothy had been brought up as a child.
We now come to the other two parts of the Christian’s position, which may be said to be those properly Christian, that is, not belonging to the saint in Old Testament times. 1st. That a glorified Christ is set before him as the object of faith, the righteousness of God by faith is revealed to him. Founded on this,
the just shall live by faith (Rom. 1:17).
2ndly. The Holy Ghost dwells in his body as a temple, and he is called to walk in the Spirit.
As to the first, the righteousness of God as now manifested in Christ in glory, is seen to be in the believer’s favor consequent on redemption having been accomplished (Rom. 3:21, 22). The Christian believes; his sins are forgiven through Christ’s blood, and Christ is made unto him righteousness. He is justified, reckoned righteous by faith in Him, a Person outside Himself, who has wrought out his redemption; and given him deliverance from sin’s power. Founded on this position the walk comes in; the just shall live by faith; as dead and risen he is to yield himself to God (Rom. 6:13); having put off the old man, and put on the new, he is to put off the fruits daily of the former, and to put on the fruits of the latter (Eph. 4:20-29; Col. 3:8-14). He waits by faith for the hope of righteousness, that faith working by love (Gal. 5:5, 6).
But the second great work of Christianity is that the Holy Ghost has come down from heaven, consequent on the exaltation of Christ as man, and has sealed the believer, giving him the knowledge of his sonship, and of all the things freely given to him of God, so that his body is the temple of the Holy Ghost (John 14:20; Rom. 8:15, 16; 1 Cor. 2:12, 6:19). God dwells in him. Now he has positive power; it is no longer a simple yielding himself up to God (Rom. 6:13), but by the Spirit he mortifies or puts to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom. 8:13, 14; Col. 3:4). Walking in the Spirit, he does not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). He is called to be an imitator of God as a dear child (Eph. 5:1), forgiving as God forgives, showing his character as light and love. It is no longer simple dependence on an object outside you, and set before you at as an object of faith, but power come inside you, upon which indeed there is also need of dependence, but it is power acting on the flesh from within, as also manifesting the life of God in the soul. God works in the Christian both to will and to do of His good pleasure. This principle also is in direct contrast to legal obedience. Led of the Spirit the Christian is not under the law (Gal. 5); and yet as not under it and dead to it, and walking after the Spirit, he fulfills its righteousness (Rom. 7:4, 8:4). I think if the saint kept these three different parts of the Christian position apart in his mind, and connected them with three different parts of the Christian walk, much difficulty would vanish. It is true the parts blend together in the Christian, but they are distinct in themselves, and need to be seen distinct in the mind so as to understand our proper position and walk.
Your affectionate brother in Christ, A. P. C.