49. “D. D.,” Wells, Norfolk. Heb. 1:1414Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14) teaches very plainly the ministry of angels—a most precious truth. How blessedly we are provided for! Christ ministers for us on high. The Holy Ghost ministers in us; and angels minister to us. We thank you, most heartily, for your kind and cheering letter. May showers of blessing descend upon you all, and upon your work!
50. “F. J. S.,” Lincoln. It is entirely a matter between your own soul and the Lord. If the infirmity of which you speak hinders you in the Lord’s work, it might be right to have it removed. But if it be merely a matter of personal appearance, you could hardly look for God’s blessing on the operation, or have it performed to His glory.
51. “C. A. D.,” Ottawa. Thanks for your letter and the accompanying lines.
52. “L. M. R.,” Woolwich. It is very important that the Christian should be thoroughly clear and above-board in all his ways. There should be nothing questionable in any of his transactions—nothing hidden. We should not put our hand to a single thing which would not bear the very strictest scrutiny. Hence, if this person, “who works for a large Firm in London” is doing anything which she would not wish the Firm to know; if she is receiving anything which she wishes to hide from their knowledge, it is perfectly evident she is not acting uprightly. If she is perfectly clear in what she is doing, why send this question to us? Can she with a good conscience take the discount from the person who supplies her with the things? Should it be termed “discount” or “brokerage?” “If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” And again, “If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” If it is an understood thing on the part of the Firm, that discount is given, it is all plain and right; but anything underhand is utterly unworthy of one who is called to walk in the light of the divine presence.
53. “I. L.P.,” H.M.S. “Shannon,” Channel Fleet. There is no question as to the true reading of Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1). The last clause should be omitted. The apostle is speaking of the positive standing of the believer, and not of his walk. If you think of your walk, be it ever so upright, ever so pure, ever so elevated, you will find something to judge; hence if it be a question of walk, we could not possibly say, “no condemnation.” Is it then implied that the question of walk is not one of capital importance? God forbid that anyone should say or think so; but our walk could never be the basis of “no condemnation,” inasmuch as it is not perfect; but our standing is perfect, because it is “in Christ Jesus.” In verse 4, we have the subject of our walk introduced, “That the righteousness [δικαίωμα} of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” Here, the clause is divinely suitable, but to insert it in verse 1, involves not only redundancy in style, but error in doctrine. It is interesting and instructive to notice that verse 1 gives the condensed statement of chapter v. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” Verse 2 sums up chapter 6, “The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Verse 3 condenses chapter 7, “What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Mark the marvelous precision of scripture. It does not say, “In the likeness of flesh,” for then He would not have been a real man at all. Neither does it say, “In sinful flesh,” for then He could not be a perfect Savior. His humanity was as real as it was pure and spotless. All homage to His peerless Name! Universal and everlasting praise to His glorious Person!
64. “F. A. F.,” Christchurch. We do not consider Luke 14:2626If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26), applicable to your case at all. 1 Tim. 5:44But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. (1 Timothy 5:4), we should judge a more suitable scripture. If your dear invalid mother needs your care—as, judging from your letter, we assuredly consider she does—your place is at her side. If she could be left alone for a couple of hours, and were willing to spare you, then we feel assured, dear friend, you would delight to be at the table of your Lord. But for a child to neglect a sick mother—to leave her alone, not knowing what might occur, we should judge to be most reprehensible. You must act before the Lord in this matter, regardless of human thoughts.
As to what you say in reference to “nature,” we may remark that many err exceedingly through not distinguishing between “nature” and “flesh.” We find in 1 Cor. 11, that nature is admitted as a teacher. “Doth not even nature itself teach you.” So also in Mark 10, Jesus, beholding the young ruler, loved him, although there was nothing but nature in him. Nature needs to be watched; flesh must be judged and ignored. We all need the adjusting power of divine truth. We are so sadly prone to be one-sided. We run some principles to seed, while others, equally important, are not even allowed to take root. We want to have our character, our conduct, our whole course, brought under the government of “all truth” It is very sad and very humiliating to see some professors talking largely of their high position; but, as to their ways, failing in common righteousness. Let us remember that, “The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men.”
We cannot but judge, dear friend, that we all need to give more earnest heed to “The white linen which is the righteousness of saints.” “I counsel thee,” says our Lord Christ, “to buy of me gold tried in the fire”—divine righteousness—“that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment”—human righteousness—“that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.”
May the Lord give us to apply our hearts to these things! There is a terrible amount of sham in the professing church—high profession and low practice—the head in the clouds; but the feet anywhere and everywhere, but in the path of obedience.
55. “A Perplexed One.” Take a case. There are two men in yonder life-boat; one was picked up after two hours’ terrible struggling with the waves, and the most awful mental agony through fear of death. The other was picked off the wreck, a few minutes after she struck, and hardly had time to feel his danger. Both are in the life-boat—both are safe, the one as safe as the other. They are saved by the life-boat. It is not a question of their previous feelings, but simply of their being in the life-boat.
No doubt, the former will have a deeper sense of the value of the life-boat: but that is a matter of experience and not a question of salvation. There are hardly two cases of conversion alike. Some go through exercises of soul before they come to Christ, others after. It is the Christ I reach, and not the way I reach Him, that saves my soul. We cannot lay down a rigid rule. We believe that all must, sooner or later, learn what the flesh is; and the sooner and the more thoroughly we learn it the better. We have invariably found that those who have gone through the deepest ploughings at the first, make the steadiest and most solid Christians afterward. But we are saved by Christ and not by experience. It often occurs to us that many of our young people who have been religiously brought up, and led to make a profession, are much to be felt for when called to go out into the world. They are ignorant of their own hearts, ignorant of the snares and temptations of the world, ignorant of the devices of Satan. They have never proved what the world is. They were led, it may be, gradually, imperceptibly, into the divine life, but have never been sifted and tested; and hence when brought face to face with the stern realities of life; when called to grapple with the difficulties of the day; to meet the reasonings of the infidel, the fascinations of ritualism; or the allurements of the world, the theater, the ball-room, the concert, the thousand and one forms of pleasure; they are not able to withstand these things; they are not decided for Christ; their Christianity is not sufficiently pronounced; they give way and fall under the power of temptation; and then they are most miserable, often brought almost to despair. But God, in His mercy, brings them back, after their terrible conflict; and overrules all the exercise for the deepening and consolidation of His work in their souls.
But, if there be not the germ of divine life; if it be merely the effect of religious training and home influence, then alas! the poor soul plunges, with terrible avidity, into the vortex of sin, and rushes headlong to destruction.
How many a lovely youth has gone forth from the parent-roof, virtuous and unsophisticated, ignorant of the cruel ways of the world, and ignorant of his own heart. The enemy lays some trap for him; he is caught in the snare; one thing leads to another; he goes from bad to worse, until, at the last, he becomes the degraded victim of lust and vice, a moral wreck over which broken-hearted parents are called to shed many a bitter tear, or by which their gray hairs are brought down with sorrow to the grave.
We are most thoroughly persuaded that what is needed for the day in which our lot is cast is wholehearted, out-and-out, undivided consecration of heart to Christ—a thorough breaking with the world, in its every phase—that perfect rest and satisfaction of heart in God Himself which renders a man wholly independent of all that this wretched world has to offer. If there be not this, we need not look for any real progress in the divine life.