Correspondence

 •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 6
4. “Îœ. Α. Î’.,” Needham Market. Jesus claimed the elect remnant in Israel as His sheep. “This fold” (John 10:1616And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)) evidently refers to His sheep amongst the Jews for whom He laid down His life; and the other sheep, “which are not of this fold” evidently refers to His sheep found amongst the Gentiles. Precious words He says: “them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one flock (not fold), and one shepherd.” Surely Jesus is that Shepherd. We do not see how any one can object to sing of Him as the Shepherd. May we have less criticism, and more worship.
5. “P. B.,” Camberwell. The Spirit is not speaking, in Jas. 2:14-2614What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:14‑26), of the salvation of the soul, but of justification in the sight of men. You will not find one word in this epistle as to redemption by the blood of Christ; it is the question of works proving the reality and genuineness of faith. “Show me thy faith without thy works”—this was impossible; it is not so— “and I will show thee my faith by my works.” Works are thus the evidence to us that a man who professes to have faith is saved. In this sense we are to make our calling and election sure—manifest to others.
6. Holloway. We do not approve of anonymous questions, but require the name and address of writers. Neither do we engage to answer mere profitless criticisms. Scripture fully bears out the sense of the writer of page 330 (December number). “Those who are redeemed are actually translated out of the kingdom of Satan, and into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Israel were redeemed out of Egypt, and actually brought into another place—Canaan. What Pharaoh was to Egypt, Satan is to this world.” (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4); Eph. 2:22Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2); see also Acts 26:1818To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18).) Surely this is full deliverance from Satan, as well as translation into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Various aspects of this great truth are found in the word—very notably 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1817Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (2 Corinthians 5:17‑18). What a translation from the old to the new creation! May we each of us know more of this in our souls. If you have never found in scripture the hiding of God’s face from His beloved Son, then surely you cannot have known how dreadful sin is in His sight—so dreadful, that when Jesus was made sin, and bare our sins, He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
7. “F. C.,” Grimsby. In Matt. 11:22, 2322But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. (Matthew 11:22‑23), the judgment spoken of is not so much a question of time as of fact. It will be more tolerable for Tire, Sidon, or Sodom, in the day of judgment than for those who heard the gracious words of Christ then, and rejected them. The day of judgment covers both the judgment of the living nations at the coming of Christ before the millennium, and the judgment of the great white throne, after it. The judgment of the land took place when the Romans destroyed it. But the chief point is the intolerable anguish of those who have heard, as those cities did, the very words of Jesus, and those who now hear His words, as written by the very apostles who heard them, and yet refuse the mercy and grace of God. When the inhabitants of Tire, Sidon, or even Sodom, stand before the white throne, dreadful as are their sins, yet they will not have the awful remembrance of such mercy rejected. Thus this scripture, like others, may have a double fulfillment: first, in the destruction by the Romans; and, finally, before the great white throne, at the judgment of the dead.
8. “J. Îœ. N.,” Oxford. Scripture does not speak definitely as to length of time elapsing between believing and sealing; but, as to order, it is definite. “In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” (Eph. 1:1313In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13).)
In one case it would appear to be the moment after they believed. “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” (Acts 10:43, 4443To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (Acts 10:43‑44).) On another occasion, it was some time after they believed that they received the sealing of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:12-1712But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:12‑17).) The great thing to learn, is, that the Holy Ghost is not a seal to His own work in us, or on our devotedness, but to the testimony of a full redemption—the hearing and believing the truth of the Person and work of Christ— “the gospel of your salvation.” The oil was not put on the cleansed flesh of the leper, but upon the blood. (Lev. 16:1717And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. (Leviticus 16:17).) The Holy Ghost is a witness of the unchanging efficacy of the blood of Christ; and if a quickened soul, through defective teaching, does not know this, he cannot be said to be sealed.
9. “G. W. P.,” Bromley. On the principle of law the Moabite was under the curse, or shut out of the congregation of the Lord. (Deut. 23:33An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever: (Deuteronomy 23:3).) But on the principle of free grace, Ruth, the Moabitish damsel, was brought to the place of highest honor in Israel. Very beautifully does her history illustrate the difference of the two principles. If under law, we should be under the curse; but, by the free grace of God, we are made even sons of God.