Question: What is the tree of life, and the river of life? Rev. 22:1, 2.
Answer: “The tree of life” is figurative language for the blessedness of Christ, known and enjoyed by our souls for all eternity. Its twelve manner of fruits every month, speak of its freshness and satisfying, but not satiating food for our souls. Its continual supply is the “River of Water of Life”, going out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Source and fountain of all blessedness, where there is no decay.
Question: (a) What connection has Matt. 5:23, 24, with the Lord's table? (b) What is the difference between Matt. 18:15, and Luke 17:3?
Answer: (a) The spirit of Matt. 5:23, 24, shows that if we have not endeavored to put ourselves right with a brother whom we have offended, or seems to be offended with us, we are not in the right spirit to approach God in prayer, either at the Lord's table, or anywhere else. (Mark 11:25, 26.)
(b) In both these passages we are told to rebuke or tell the brother his fault, but in Matt. we find more detail in trying to win, or gain the brother, and it might be necessary, as a last effort, to tell the case to the assembly. We need to humble ourselves first, and see that we are enjoying the love of Christ, and loving the brother with the love of Christ to him. Alas! this is where we so often fail. We fail in making his sin our own before God. We, as priests, are to eat the sin offering for our brother in the holy place. (Lev. 6:26). What we want is love in exercise (John 13:1; Eph. 4:2, 3).
Question: Please explain Matt. 5:25, 26, and Rom. 6:4.
Answer: To Matt. we might add Luke 12:58, 59. Both, primarily indicate Israel, or the Jews' position. It was a call to them not to reject Christ. It was the moment of their trial, but they did reject Him, and so were delivered up to the judge and to the officer, and have been cast into prison (out of their land, and among the Gentiles), out of which they can never come till the last farthing is paid, and they can never pay, but God who gave His Son to die for them, can in His own time say:
“Comfort ye My people. . . for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.” Isa. 40:1, 2.
But it is right to say that all unrepentant sinners of both Jews and Gentiles that die without Christ are eternally lost.
In Rom. 6:4, we see the significance of the act of the servant in baptizing; it was unto, not into, the death of Christ, and that should teach the Romans not to live in sin. We do not see the believer risen in this Epistle, but Christ is, and we, in it, are taught to walk in newness of life. Baptism changes the person's position on earth, and it gives a new responsibility, but confession is not attached to it. Acts 8:37, according to the best translations, is not acknowledged as the Word of God. There are many Scriptures to exhort believers not to walk in sin, but to walk after the pattern and example of the Lord Himself. 1 John 2:1, is a good example, also verse 6.