15. L. Β.,Brighton. 2 Cor. 1:21, 22, as you say, speaks for itself as to its being God “which establisheth us.” Then there are three other things stated. “And hath anointed us.” If we compare this with 1 John 2:27, anointing is the teaching of the Spirit, or spiritual intelligence communicated to us— spiritual discernment, as in 1 Cor. 2:10-15. The natural man receiveth not this anointing: he has not the discernment of the Spirit.
“Who hath also sealed us:” the gift of the Holy Spirit after we have believed, as God’s witness that we are His. (Eph. 1:13.) In the days of the apostles, the gift of the Holy Ghost was very manifest. (Acts 2:3, 4; 10:44-46; 19:6.) And though we have not the gifts that accompanied then, yet the seal of the Spirit should be far more manifest now than it is in all our ways. “The earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” This is the ever-abiding indwelling of the Spirit, the Comforter, that He may abide with us forever, even the Spirit of truth. (John 14:16, 17): “which is the earnest of our inheritance,” &c. All four aspects of the Spirit’s presence and operations are equally needed and blessed.
16. P. B. St. Austell. Rev. 14:6, 7. This chapter is a brief synopsis of events. “Angel” in this book frequently denotes a heavenly messenger of God, chiefly to execute judgment. In these verses the messenger announces the everlasting glad tidings. Flying in the midst of heaven, having this gospel to preach to all nations, seems to indicate the great rapidity with which this gospel will spread over all the earth. The gospel of the church or assembly is only for a time, the period of gathering the church. That has ceased in the Revelation after the third chapter. This gospel refers more to the power of the Lord: compare the song of chapter 15. It will be glad tidings to the suffering remnant that God is immediately about to interfere in judgment on the wicked. This calls forth worship. God did act thus of old before the church was, and will so act again when it is gone. Then Babylon falls, judged forever. But oh, how solemn the fact that this Babylon is the proud Christendom around us, fast ripening for everlasting judgment! All is in contrast with the present time. Here we suffer, then we shall be in glory forever with the Lord. May He keep us from seeking to satisfy curiosity, but rather to profit our souls in all this.
17. A. M. S., Bexhill-on-Sea, “The spirits of just men made perfect” (Heb. 12:20-23) looks forward to the future kingdom and glory of God, in contrast with Judaism and Sinai. Thus these are the spirits of Old Testament saints, in distinction from the church of the firstborn. (Ver. 23.)
1 Pet. 3:19: “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.” This is evidently Christ in spirit preaching in Noah, at the flood, to those who were disobedient. Those now are spirits in prison, yes, in that prison in which the rich man lifted up his eyes, being in torment. (Luke 16) These are part of the dead, who will stand before the great white throne and receive the doom of the lake of fire. And let us not forget, that as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be when the Son of man cometh.
18. Η. Τ., Chesapeake Bay. It is quite true there is a striking; difference betwixt the first marching; orders as given by our Lord in Luke 9:8-5 and 10:4, and the marching orders as given in Luke 22:35, 36. Indeed the latter is a reversal of the former. Yet both are perfectly consistent. In the former both the twelve and the seventy were sent to the cities and towns of Israel, to announce the glad tidings of the kingdom, and these were regarded as yet in relation to God. But in the latter case all such relation was cut off by the rejection of Jesus. It must be all free grace now, or immediate judgment. Whilst the relation of Israel continued the marching orders were to take no purse or scrip, but to acknowledge the relationship of Israel by partaking of hospitality. After the immense change as to Israel, the marching orders were to go to the whole world with the glad tidings of a giving God; but now they were to take their purse, and indeed “for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.” (8 John 7.) It is thus doubtful whether the person you name in Morocco is in this matter subject to the word of the Lord.
19. H. L., Rochdale. You are right, the atoning death of Christ is being set aside in every possible way by the teachers of this day. I do, indeed, pity the young men who are being taught “that the word of God tells men they have to keep the ten commandments in order to be saved.” I would beg of such young men to read the Epistle to the Galatians. Surely it needs no comment of man. It is the fullest and clearest statement of the word of God, that “if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Let the young men repeat those words of God over and over again. But read every verse in the fear of the Lord. And let them read Rom. 3. There they will find that they are all guilty, and it is too late, for those who are proved guilty, to be saved by keeping the law. To attempt it is to reject Christ, and to trample under foot His precious blood. Let them read what God says of Israel, who tried to be saved by keeping the law. (Rom. 9:31 to 10:3.) And then read what is said of Christ. Tell these young men that their teacher is like one of these Jews, and is deceiving them, to their everlasting ruin. May God have mercy on this poor man. We hear his eyes have been opened.
20. W. M., Spaldwick. You will notice that the circumstances of Acts 5:13, 14, and these last days are very different. At that moment the Lord had put forth His power in a most solemn manner: and great fear came upon all the church. Now, as is described in 2 Tim. 3 Pet. 2, and Jude, evil men and seducers have crept in, and it requires the greatest care and watchfulness to preserve ourselves, as described in 2 Tim. 2:20-22. It would therefore be most unscriptural now to throw open the door for any one to come to the Lord’s Table that liked, without the usual godly care. Eph. 2:19 refers to the true building of God, the holy temple of the Lord. It is not the great house of 2 Timothy; the whole church of God is that holy temple. A few gathered together represent the whole; though, as a fact, the church of God, composed of all saved persons now on earth, is sadly divided and scattered abroad, GOD’S GLAD TIDINGS.