Ques. Does Eph. 2:12 show us the Christian's past condition? Verse 13, our present condition?
Verse 7, our future? L. M. W.
Ans. Yes, Eph. 2:12 is the description of the Gentile unbeliever by nature, and is what we once were.
Verse 13 is our place now in Christ Jesus, made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Verse 7 is where we are displayed with Christ in heavenly places in glory in the future ages; and this will show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us.
Wonderful indeed that sinners should be saved and fitted and brought into such blessedness! And to think of the love of the Father and of the Son already set upon us, and ours to enjoy for all eternity (Eph. 3:21).
Ques. Is it contrary to the Word of God for me as a woman to teach a class now grown up to manhood? 1 Tim. 2:12 seems to condemn it?
D. C.
Ans. Yet, it is unscriptural for a woman to take the place of a teacher of Scripture to teach men, but she can be a true servant of the Lord. "Help those women which labored with me in the gospel." Phil. 4:3. The Lord used Mary of Magdala to carry a message to the brethren (John 20:17). Aquilla and his wife Priscilla helped Apollos, a Jew, mighty in the Scriptures, to understand Christianity, and "expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly" (Acts 18:24-28). Women can help in the gospel without leaving her womanly place and character. A meek and quiet spirit in the sight of God is of great price. In prayer with other women, and in private conversations with any one, the influence of the truth is felt. See also Luke 8:2, 3 in material things, also Rom. 16:1. Scripture does not say what her work is to be. She can find that out in communion with the Lord.
Ques. Please explain Matt. 20:1-16. L. A. W.
Ans. From "Young Christian," Vol. 4, year 1914, page 73, "In this parable is shown the sovereignty of the Lord in calling and rewarding the laborers in His vineyard. It is not a question of obtaining salvation, for we do not labor for salvation. It is to teach us that the Lord is our Master. Peter had said "what shall we have therefore?" Here is the answer even to those who begin late in the day, "Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you." Laboring for Christ because we love Him, and trust Him, is better than laboring for reward. It is grace, not law. We love to do it because of His grace to us. He made us His.
Reward is encouragement to those who are serving Him with His approval. It is not the motive to lead us to serve. Those who bargained for the penny, received it. "What is right I will give you." They trusted Him. The assurance of reward is given when the Lord is the motive for the labor. If we get the reward as the motive for laboring, it falsifies the character of true service for Him. Then Peter and the disciples must learn that it is His to do with as He pleases, and therefore, many that are last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. It is the sovereign grace of God that is the source of true blessing.
Peter was called, and a place given him by the Lord.
Paul came in later on, as last, but he was a chosen vessel to unfold the heavenly mystery of Christ and the Church as a stronger testimony to grace, so the last was first, and the first last. Each has his place to fill as given by the Lord (Eph. 4:8). Again, notice, this is not salvation, but service after we are saved.
Ques. Will the reaping of Gal. 6:7 be only for this life; or will it go into eternity? T. F.
Ans. Both saved and unsaved persons are included here. We need to discern between those who are born again; and those who are still in their sins, and are therefore on the road to eternal judgment.
The unsaved live for self; that is the only life they have. The carnal mind is enmity to God: it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. Deceived by the devil, they are trying to satisfy themselves without God, and in a measure they appear to enjoy the world. But how terrible the awakening when they meet God, and give an account to Him (Rom. 14:11).
“Because of these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience." Eph. 5:6. They also in many ways are reaping what they sow now. We see it every day in the ruin men and women bring upon themselves. "The way of transgressors is hard." Prov. 13:15.
Sin's stamp is on everything, so that no one has lasting happiness. God has set eternity in man's heart, so that Christ alone can satisfy the soul (Eccl. 3:11. "World" there means "infinite"), and death is before them also, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark 8:36, 37.
Now, about the Christian! He also sows and reaps every day. The Christian is a man who has believed the gospel of his salvation. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 1:13; 2:8, 9). He is a child of God, and has eternal life (John 3:36; 1 John 3:1, 2). He can never come into judgment (John 5:24; Heb. 10:14; 2 Cor. 5:21). So that all who are in heaven, are sinners saved by grace, children of God, all alike members of the family of God, and members of the body of Christ (Eph. 5:30).
Yet though thus blessed, we have the old nature in us as well as the new, what is here called flesh and Spirit. If we live to please ourselves, we are sowing to the flesh. If we are seeking, through grace, to please the Lord, we are living to the Spirit, and as we sow we shall reap. If we allow self to be our object, we lose our communion with the Lord, unhappiness comes in, and we may make shipwreck of our lives, through not holding a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:19). We find many who are thus living; they marry unbelievers, join unions and societies, directly contrary to the Word of God (2 Cor. 6:14 to 18), and mingle with the world's efforts to be happy in other ways, and they already reap corruption.
The Lord will express His appreciation in the glory, of all we have done, and how we have lived. Enoch had it before he was translated (Heb. 11:5) that he pleased God, and as far as He can give it, we every one will have praise of God (1 Cor. 4:5). So we find in Scripture, in the Father's house as children, we shall all be loved alike, but in the Kingdom display of glory, each one will have his separate place to fill. We see this in the Lord's teachings; such as the talents (Matt. 25), "Have thou authority over ten cities," "Be thou over five cities" (also Luke 22:29, 30). So that it means not only reward, but we are all sowing and reaping. If diligence gives us now the blessed abundant entrance "into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10, 11), it is surely an incentive to make us careful not to sow to the flesh, but to the Spirit, so that we might enjoy now this eternal life (1 Tim. 6:19). J. N. D. Trans. calls it, "Laying hold of what is really life.”
The poor world, and sometimes Christians who want to see life, call it a good time; but the Christian has a good time already, for he has the privilege of feasting on the pleasures which are forever more (1 Tim. 4:8).