60. “Kilmarnock.” It is clear that the Lord gave thanks before He broke the bread, and gave it to His disciples at His supper, and also before He gave them the cup. (See 1 Cor. 11:24, 2524And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:24‑25);. Matt. 26:2727And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (Matthew 26:27).) Now as the Lord’s supper is characterized by remembering Him and showing His death with thanksgiving, we cannot see any reason why those who take the Lord’s supper should not give thanks, both before eating the bread and drinking of the cup; on the contrary, is not giving thanks the delight of our hearts on such an occasion? We need scarcely add that the brother who gives thanks is only a mouth-piece for all who partake. There is no idea in scripture of the one who blesses the Lord or gives thanks doing anything to the bread and wine. A heartfelt enjoyment of the Lord Himself, and the consciousness of the eternal blessing into which we are brought in Him and through His death sets the soul clear, when nothing else will.
61. “Colsterworth.” Many difficulties in scripture vanish when we see the present ways of divine activity—grace, and government. Those who see only the grace of God bringing to us salvation, will wonder at such ways of divine interference in the assembly, as with Ananias and Sapphira. We read that at Corinth many were “weak and sickly,” and many “sleep,” and also the passage to which you refer, “a sin unto death,” as in 1 John 5:1616If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (1 John 5:16). The truth is, not to speak of the Father’s discipline of His own children, that God governs men because they are His creatures. The Lord chastens, rebukes, and judges them in His assembly, because it is His assembly, and there are sins of such a grievous character in His sight as to call for removal by death. It may be a lie of a most foul type, or the wicked practice at the Lord’s supper of not discerning the Lord’s body, or something else, which may be “a sin unto death;” when a case is clear, we cannot pray for such, but must leave them in the Lord’s hands. We do not, therefore, read that Peter or the other saints prayed for Ananias and Sapphira.
62. “Cinderford.” Elijah was “taken away,” into heaven by a whirlwind; whereas the Son of man ascended up into heaven by His own power. “I ascend unto my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God,”
63. “Brixton.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” is something more than the mind assenting to the fact that Christ is a Savior for sinners. It is not only believing about Him, but believing on Him. We are told that it is “with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Such have fled to the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Savior from everlasting punishment; they look to Him as the Object of faith; they approach God by Him; they rely only on His blood as their ground of peace and justification; and they trust in Him who was crucified, but now risen and ascended. They know Him as a living Savior; they do not only confess, therefore, that He was the Son of God (which is quite true), but “that Jesus is the Son of God;” they do not merely believe the historical fact that Jesus was the Christ, or the Anointed, but “that Jesus is the Christ.” Thus they have a living Savior before their souls, who, having accomplished eternal redemption for us, is now seated on the Father’s throne. Such certainly have authority from God’s word, for being assured that they have remission of sins, are justified from all things, have been crucified with Christ, and are risen with Christ. (See Acts 10:43; 13:38, 3943To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)
38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39); Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20); Col. 2:11-13; 3:1-411In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:11‑13)
1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1‑4).)
64. “Twickenham.” In the first and second chapters of Ephesians, the believer is looked at as having been by grace quickened, raised up, seated and blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus. This is the new character of blessing which is peculiar to Christianity. Our walk flows out of our apprehension and enjoyment of this nearness to God, and the new relationships connected with it. It is in this communion and blessing we are enjoined to stand; that is, to be consciously in the nearness and acceptance of “the Beloved;” and it is in regard to this that wicked spirits oppose us. They are active in hindering us from maintaining our standing where God has set us, and are to be resisted by the strength of the Lord and armor supplied. Our standing as complete in Christ, in all His nearness and acceptance, must be uncompromisingly maintained—“having done all to stand.” It is plain, therefore, that no one can know the conflict with these wicked spirits in the sixth chapter, who has not accepted and made his own by faith the blessings in which divine grace has set us, as brought out in the first and second chapters. It is this which these wicked spirits try to hinder, and all heavenly-minded souls know it.