33. “G.,” Bournemouth. We are thankful to hear of your having been helped by the Paper on “ Election.” We hope you may have the Lord Jesus Christ increasingly before the eyes of your heart. When you lay aside doctrinal questions, and have to do with the Son of God, the risen and ascended One, who “made peace through the blood of his cross/’ according to the will of Him that sent Him, you will find comfort flow into your soul. The true ground of assurance is not what you feel, but what God says. Taking your place at the feet of Jesus, as a helpless, guilty sinner, hearkening to God’s word, and believing it because He says it, you will have “joy and peace in believing.” By Him (Christ) all that believe are justified from all things. You will then have liberty to live unto God.
34. “F.” There can be no question that every sinner that comes to God by Christ will be saved (Heb. 7:25); it is also quite true that every one that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life (John 3:36); and yet how few believers (perhaps from bad teaching) boldly confess that they are saved, and have everlasting life! Such are safe, and have life, but have not peace, and do not therefore enjoy communion, or the conscious favor of God. John tells us that he wrote his first epistle that believers might know that they have eternal life. (1 John 5:13.) When a believer is assured from scripture that he has remission of sins, that his old man has been crucified with Christ, that he is a child of God, accepted in the Beloved who is his life and righteousness, and that he has received the Holy Ghost the earnest of the inheritance, then he is, as you say, in the “conscious favor of God/’ and, in his measure, enjoys “ fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” This is communion.
The unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and “a sin unto death” are, in our judgment, not the same. The former can only be by a rejecter of Christ, the latter gives the idea of an intervention of the Lord in His governmental dealings in removing one from the earth by death. Of the Corinthians it was said, “ for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” These subjects have been repeatedly taken up in our “Answers to Correspondents.” We shall hope (D.V.) to reply to your other questions in our next issue.
35. “B.,” Ryde, I.W. We have heard of others lately who have had confused thoughts about “ the bride,” through reasoning on the subject instead of simply receiving God’s testimony in the written word. We have heard also of some who have been bold enough to assert that “the bride” in scripture always refers to the Jews. It is not a new idea, for we remember its coming up about twenty years ago. But let us turn to scripture, and may God’s voice be heard by us!
(1.) In the last chapter of Revelation, when Jesus presents Himself as “ the Bright and Morning Star,” we are told that “ the bride” says “ Come;” she also entreats those who hear to say to the Lord “ Come,” and, turning to the unsaved with the message of the grace of the gospel^ says, “ Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Now, where in Jewish scriptures is Israel’s hope said to be “ the Bright and Morning Star”? Instead of this, Is not Christ as “ Sun of Righteousness,” which comes after the “Morning Star,” the nation’s hope? (Mai. iv. 2.) Again, is not Christ as the Morning Star remarkably associated with Christians as their hope? (See Rev. 2:28; 2 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 22:16.) Besides, where in any part of Jewish prophecy is the nation, or the remnant found waiting for Christ and “holding forth the word of life” to perishing sinners around? Is not the remnant of Israel always seen crying to Jehovah to come down, and deliver them from their enemies by executing judgment upon them? We know that “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness;” but where is there an idea of judgment when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to take? is to Himself?
(2.) Does not “ the marriage of the Lamb’’ take place in heaven? (Rev. 19:1-11.)
(3.) In Rev. 21 The apostle has a vision of “ the bride, the Lamb’s wife;” and observe the relationship is not with Jehovah, but with the Lamb. It is “ the bride.” Her characteristics are heavenly: she descends from God out of heaven. Can this be Israel? Further, we are told that the bride, under the symbol of a city, has in the foundation of its wall, what? the Patriarchs? No, but “the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb/’ Are we not plainly told elsewhere that those saints who form the church “ are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets”? (Eph. 2:20.)
(4.) In the Epistle to the Ephesians we have three figures of the church, “one body,” “ a holy temple,” and that church which Christ loved. In “the church which is his body,” of which Christ is “ Head/’ we have clearly the union of members on earth with the Head in heaven—one body; the most beautiful idea of oneness, so that Christ could even speak to Saul of those on earth whom he was persecuting as “ Me.” In this figure, how-over, there is no room for others being united; but, in the building of a temple, we have growth as new stones are being added; there is room for increase, and for its being God’s habitation through the Spirit. But in chapter v. Christ’s affections are brought out. He “ loved the church, and gave himself for it.” We have also His present loving care of it, and that He is soon to ii present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” It is that which occupies His heart’s affections. He is a model for the christian husband to copy: he is to love his wife, and nourish and cherish her, “ even as the Lord the church.” Precious truth! Yes, Christ loves the church as Himself. It is part of Himself; and “no man ever yet hated his own flesh.” Again, when speaking of the union of husband and wife, it is added, “ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”
It is strange that a Christian should be found bold enough to assert that Adam and Eve were not types of Christ and the church; for we are not only plainly told that Adam “ is the figure of him that was to come,” but, when the tenderest bridal affections are brought out, for our heart’s comfort, in Eph. 5, the very words are quoted which were used in Gen. 2, and applied to Christ. Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.....Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh;” and in Ephesians it is added,” This is a great mystery,, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Rom. 5:14; Eph. 5:31, 32; Gen. 2:22-24.)
With regard to Rebekah being a figure of the church (to which another directs our attention), it requires a little more study of scripture to perceive. No one, perhaps, who reads these pages would deny that Isaac on the altar, and Isaac coming to meet his bride, remarkably foreshadow Christ on the cross, and Christ coming to meet His saints in the air. It is striking also to observe that between these two events Isaac is testified of, but not seen; Abraham’s natural seed are not now on the scene, but come in after, though their future blessing is declared to be secured through Isaac’s death, and Jehovah’s promise and oath. We have also bereavement, burying the dead, buying and selling, money and merchants, answering pretty much to what the world is now. Besides these things, the great work done during this interval is a bride called out for him who in figure was dead and is alive again, and heir of all things. She hears of him, and her heart is taken up with one whom she has not seen. She is blessed, separated from country and from her kindred, and goes out to meet the bridegroom. She is kept and cared for every step of the way, and her hope is only realized when she actually sees Isaac, who meets her, and takes her to himself. (See Gen. 22-24) Whether this is typical of what is now going on between the death of Christ and His coming, the christian reader will judge.
36. “C,” Berkhamsted. The article has not been printed separately, but you are at liberty to do so.