Correspondence

 •  7 min. read  •  grade level: 7
1. “W.,” Birkenhead. In Rom. 8:26, 27,26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26‑27) we are taught that the Spirit maketh intercession for us. He it is who is the Author of every true and right desire in our hearts. He teaches us to pray to the Father, in the Name of Jesus. It is only by the Spirit that we can pray as we ought. As to the question of praying to the Holy Spirit, we do not think it intelligent. True, the Holy Ghost is God, and is to be viewed in His own distinct Personality; but still the New Testament teaches us that He prays in us, to the Father, by the Son. A person praying to the Holy Ghost can hardly see with clearness the Spirit’s indwelling.
2. “F. T.,” Hungerford. It must ever be the desire of the heart that loves Jesus to see Him as He is, and be with Him, and like Him forever. Hence, the proper cry of an affectionate heart is, “Come, Lord Jesus.” But, on the other hand, it is our privilege to have fellowship with Him in His long-suffering toward this poor world. “The long-suffering of our Lord is salvation.” Blessed be His name, “he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3) “We do not think there is any difficulty in reconciling the two things. A loving wife may mourn the absence of her husband, and earnestly long for his return; but he is away preaching the gospel, and she may have such full fellowship with him in his work as to be quite willing that he should prolong his absence, if only a single soul should thereby be brought to Jesus. As to your difficulty about the expression “falling away,” in 2 Thess. 2 it arises, we judge, from you not seeing the distinction between the Lord’s coming to receive His people, and His coming to judge the world, — between His coming as the Bridegroom, and His coming as the Judge. “The day of the Lord” refers to the latter; and, ere that day comes, there will be a great apostasy or falling away, and “the man of sin will be revealed.” It is most needful to understand this distinction. The proper hope of the believer is the coming of the Lord, which may be actualized at any moment; but when the Church has gone to be with her Lord, the man of sin shall be revealed, “ whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” This is far too weighty and extensive a subject to be handled in our limited space; but you might study prayerfully 1 Thess. 4:13-5:1013But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‑5:10) compared with 2 Thess. 2:1212That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:12).
3. “E. S.,” London. Your MS. has come to hand. It contains some very sweet and true thoughts; but, as a whole, it would not suit our pages. May the Lord bless you, and make you a blessing!
4. “A. M.,” Pimlico. If you can lay your hand on volume 4 of “Things New and Old,” you will find, page 25, a paper on Heb. 6:1-10,1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3And this will we do, if God permit. 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:1‑10) which will help you. It may also be useful to your young friend to remember that even though he could not explain this passage of scripture, yet it is impossible that the word of God can ever contradict itself. Now, we read in John 10 that Christ’s sheep can never perish. We read in Rom. 8 that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Hence, whatever Heb. 6:4-64For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4‑6) means, it cannot possibly contradict John 10 or Rom. 8. But the fact is that not one of the expressions in Heb. 6:1, 21Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1‑2) rises to the height of regeneration, or sets forth any special feature of Christianity as distinct from Judaism. Passages innumerable of the New Testament, declare that the believer possesses “everlasting life.” How can everlasting life ever be lost? Impossible. If the believer’s life could be lost, it should be termed “temporary or conditional,” not “everlasting life.” However, you might get your friend to read the paper above referred to. It is from the pen of a dear servant of Christ, now with his Lord, once a Wesleyan minister.
5. “Η. Α. Unita.” We believe the truth of the eternal Sonship of Christ is as distinctly taught in scripture as the truth of the Trinity. The fact that such an expression does not occur, no more militates against the one truth than it does against the other. If the Son is God, He must be eternal. “Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, Ο God, is forever and ever.” (Heb. 1:88But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8).) It seems to us that the Deity and Eternity of the Son are so indissolubly linked together that whoso denies the one denies the other likewise. May God give us all subjection to Scripture!
6. “J. B.,” Manchester. We cannot recall the substance of the letter to which you refer. Indeed we have no remembrance whatever of having received it.
7. “J. Îœ. H,” Edinburgh. We cannot understand how anyone calling himself a Christian could presume to speak, as you describe, of the holy and honorable institution of marriage. Neither can we understand why you should have occasion to seek a human opinion on the point, with Heb. 13:44Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4) shining before you, on the one hand; and 1 Tim. 4:1-41Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: (1 Timothy 4:1‑4) on the other. Oh! when will people learn to open then: Bible and bow down to its holy authority, in all things? We have a most perfect abhorrence of that mock spirituality, sanctimoniousness, and transcendentalism so apparent in the remarks to which you call our attention. To us it seems to be simply holiness in the flesh, which we know is one of Satan’s crafty wiles. Marriage was instituted by the Lord God, in the garden of Eden. It was sanctioned by the presence of Christ, in Cana of Galilee. It is pronounced honorable by the Holy Ghost in Heb. 13 To forbid it is said to be a doctrine of devils, in 1 Tim. 4 This is quite sufficient for us, let pious sentimentalists and hyper-spiritualists say what they will.
8. “J. F., Stowmarket. Your MS. has come safely to hand.
9. “Η. M. A. C. K.” You have only to cast yourself, in true contrition and self-judgment, on the changeless love of God. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1) “He restoreth my soul, and leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Let nothing shake your confidence in the love of God, the work of Christ, or the record of the Holy Ghost.
10. “A Learner,” Berkely. John 12:3232And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32) refers distinctly to the death of Christ. Is this not plain from verse 33? “This he said signifying what death he should die.” The death of Christ is the ground on which all are gathered to Him. “Except a com of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone.”
11. “R. A. W.,” Bristol. In Acts 7:5050Hath not my hand made all these things? (Acts 7:50) we have Stephen addressing prayer to the Lord Jesus. We cannot see how anyone could object to our doing the same. We must beware of being hyper-critical.
12. “J. C,” Near Stonehouse. The question you propose is one for your own conscience to weigh ha the light of scripture. It could be of no real use to you for us to say that we could not for worlds occupy such a position, or stand in such a relationship as you describe; inasmuch as each one must act according to his light. We believe the servant of Christ ought to stand perfectly free from human influence, He should have to do only with His Lord, both as to his work and as to his support. But in all these things, the rule must ever be, “According to your faith.” It is none of our business to judge others · each one must stand or fall to his own Master.
13. “A Young Christian.” Be much in prayer for deliverance from tins sore temptation. You will also find it healthful to be continually occupied with positive good. This is a good preservative against evil thoughts. May the Lord grant you full deliverance from this grievous besetment!
Several communications stand over.