22. “H.” Taunton. The scripture (1 Cor. 7:3939The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:39)), “She is at liberty to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord,” in itself only goes so far as to restrict marriage with a Christian. No doubt there are also other considerations connected with the walk of a Christian. If walking in the flesh, or allowing evil of any kind, to marry such an one, or be married to such an one, would surely be to become partaker of the evil. In certain cases a person, though professing to be a Christian, is not to be received into the assembly. (See 1 Cor. 5:1111But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. (1 Corinthians 5:11); John 2:1010And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. (John 2:10).)
23. “S. Η. N.” For a poor aged Christian to have to receive assistance from the parish is a very humbling proof of the present ruin of the church. It was not so in the beginning. We have just heard of a dear aged Christian receiving two shillings and sixpence per week, at the age of 103. He also sells a few matches. Two things, however, are greatly needed—the hearty sympathy of those who can give; and industry and management in many who should not need help, who might thus become able to assist the really distressed. These are matters in which the Lord’s glory is greatly concerned. We could not say a Christian may not have thankfully to receive from the parish. (1 Pet. 2:1313Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; (1 Peter 2:13).)
24. “W. J.,” Penygraig. In Gal. 2:7, 87But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) (Galatians 2:7‑8) it does not seem to be so much that which characterizes the gospel of the uncircumcision and the circumcision, as that the fact was apparent, after fourteen years? labors, that God had really owned and used Paul as His honored minister of the Gentiles. This was as distinctly proved as that He had used Peter as the apostle of the Jews, or circumcision. We see the wisdom of God in allowing so long a time to pass before the conference at Jerusalem (Acts 15), so that the mighty work of God, through Paul, to the Gentiles, might be accomplished. For though the truth of the church does not seem to have been fully revealed to Paul as yet, still, there was a great advance during the fourteen years. The preaching of Peter was salvation through Jesus Christ, rejected, crucified, and risen, and made Lord; but no setting aside the Temple service of the law. Even at Caesarea (Acts 10) they were rather brought into the new privileges of Israel. (See ver. 36.) The temple worship, &c, continued.
Now Paul distinctly preached a justification that could not be reached or acquired by the law of Moses, and said so. (Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39).) This prepared the way for all that was to follow, when the transitionary state had passed away. God spared the Jews the sudden revulsion of giving up the whole administration of the law at once, but gradually unfolded this through Paul’s preaching, and mightily owned it. As to the Gentiles, the question was forever settled. (Acts 15) Then, later on, the Epistle to the Hebrews; and about the same time the complete revelation of the church as the body of Christ, in Ephesians and Colossians. How perfect the whole and every part of the word, and of the ways of God!
25. “Μ. M.,” Devizes. We thank you for calling attention to the sentence, in the December number of this periodical, page 319—“He is the Man justified,” as applied to the Lord Jesus. The writer did not, and could not, use it as when applied to us. We are justified from all things, accounted righteous. He was ever the Holy One, ever the Righteous One. He could ever say, “He is near that justifieth me,” &c. (Isa. 1.—read vers. 6-9.) “All the people that heard him justified God.” “Wisdom is justified of all her children.” (Luke 7) In His whole being as man, from birth to being received up to glory, we read of Him, “God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit.... received up into glory.” (1 Tim. 3:1616And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16).)
When man had condemned Him to death, and crucified Him, He was then justified of God in the sense of being declared the Holy, Righteous One. “And declared the Son of God, with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Rom. 1:44And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (Romans 1:4).) “He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.” Now, as our Representative, this is most blessed. The glory of God shining in the face of Jesus as man, as our Savior and Representative, declares Him righteous; and thus we are accounted righteous. This is justification in this sense—“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?” We thus understand what we are accounted to be, by seeing what He is declared to be.
In that sense is He justified, the Holy One and the Just. What He really is, not like us, what we are accounted to be. Believing God who raised Him from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification, we are thus accounted righteous, accounted to be what He is declared to be.