15. “L.,” Whitby. “There is a sin unto death” implies more the depth of moral evil of a sin than any particular class of evil. Thus when Ananias and Sapphira agreed to tell a lie about the disposal of their property, to make it appear to others in God’s assembly where the Holy Ghost dwelt, they were people of superior devotedness to the Lord, that lie was “a sin unto death.” It was lying to God the Holy Ghost. “A sin not unto death” may be the doing of any evil thing not having this very grave character. It needs spiritual mindedness to perceive the difference. Peter being full of the Holy Ghost detected the quality of the sin immediately, and, instead of praying for the perpetrators of it, he saw at once that it could only be dealt with by “death” according to the mind of God. We read also in 1 Cor. 11 of some who, because of misconduct in relation to the supper of the Lord, were cutoff with death. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” When a person sins short of this kind of delinquency, we arc to pray for such; but the apostle also says “There is a sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray for it.” (1 John 5:16, 17.) How needful that we should be kept continually in the presence of God! There was One who could say, “I have set Jehovah always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” And again, “Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” (Psalm 16:8; 17:4.)
16. “R.,” Southampton. When we speak of “gifts” we have something definite before our minds. The ascended Jesus “gave gifts unto men.” And they are defined. We read also that “there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.” But besides “gifts” we have persons fitted for office by the Holy Ghost, such as “over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.” Again, it is clear that some brethren in Christ are qualified (no doubt by the Spirit) to give audible utterance for such desires in united prayer as the others can happily say Amen to. Prayer certainly is not a “gift,” nor is it an “office,” and yet who has fitted the member of the body for its use at such particular times but the Holy Ghost? When we speak of ability or talents for certain work, we have a large variety and range of service opened up to us. We have long thought even in the distribution of tracts, to which you allude, that some Christians are by their kind, respectful, and modest demeanor peculiarly fitted for such important service; while the bold and uncourteous manner of others in giving tracts, and speaking to individuals about their souls, has sometimes made us question whether such are not taking up the holy, precious service of Christy in fleshly energy, instead of the leading of the Spirit of God. When truly led of the Lord, and fitted by the Spirit for such precious service, we believe there will not only be love to souls, but love to the Lord in lively exercise, and prayerful dependence on Him, so that what we do may be, both in quantity and quality, acceptable to Him! May the Lord graciously work in and by us in all our service to Him!
17. “P. H.,” Newburgh. The Lord’s prayer. If the Holy Spirit had intended these words of Jesus to be said as a form of prayer by Christians, would they not have been in the name of the Lord Jesus? And if His Jewish disciples used it (of which there is no evidence), yet, when He was about to depart He said, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full.” (John 16:23-26.) What a change this is as to prayer. All prayer now must be in His blessed name, in contrast with all previous prayers which were not in His name. What is called the Lord’s prayer was not in His name; therefore it also, as suited to Jewish disciples, is in contrast with prayer now suited to the Christian. It related to the kingdom, that for which they looked. There is no thought of the church of God in it; or of a finished redemption: the time had not come. But now the kingdom is set aside or postponed—the very nation cut off through unbelief for a time, which will be the earthly center of the kingdom yet to come. This being the case, and a new thing revealed, which had been hid, the purpose of God to take out of this world the church, the bride of Christ, for heavenly glory—the Holy Spirit will now, not lead us back to a Jewish form of prayer, however perfect for them, but will lead our prayers in keeping with the present revelation of the purposes of God. See the prayers of the apostle Paul. (Eph. 1:17, 23; 3:14-21.) It will be most suitable for them (the Jews), after the church is taken up to meet the Lord, and the kingdom on earth has come. We think it is well to do as you say, “seek to be guided by the Spirit, in making requests unto God.”
The persons you name must be sadly ignorant of the difference betwixt Judaism and Christianity. It would be well if we all understood the difference better.
18. “S.,” Hoyland. When a man as a sinner receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior, he is entitled to reckon himself to have died with Christ, and to know that he has eternal life in Him risen. (See Rom. 6:8, 11; 1 John 5:13.) It is most blessed to have the certainty from the unerring word of God that we have eternal life, and that we are always seen by God in all the acceptability and nearness of Christ Jesus. These things every true believer should know, and we may be assured that such only are standing in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. With regard to the four laws to which you refer in Romans 7 and 8; we consider, 1St, “The law of God” in which a quickened soul delights in chapter 7:22, is God’s truth as revealed to us in His word. 2ndly, “The law of my mind” in chapter 7:23, is the principle of activity in the quickened soul which is according to God, but has not strength, on account of not yet having received the Holy Ghost to resist the principle of evil working in the members, so that the person is brought into captivity to the law or principle of sin which is in his members. 3rdly, “The law of sin” is the principle of evil active in us that is in our flesh. 4thly, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” is the principle of life in Christ given to us by the Holy Ghost. We speak of the law of gravitation; so law is sometimes used as setting forth a principle. It is this principle of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus alone, which sets free from the principle of sin and death. (Rom. 8:2.) Such know what it is to be “free indeed!”