AFTER counting out some of the new silver issued to the bank, the cashier said to his customer, "The new silver is not equal to the old coinage; there is more alloy in it, and the true ring is wanting.”
To give proof of his statement, he took a, six-penny coin, together with a half-crown piece, and sounded them in my presence; but the true ring was absent. He remarked, "It will be difficult to detect the coin of the realm from base coinage.”
I replied, "Degeneration is a sign of the times.”
“Absolutely!" was his rejoinder.
This calls to mind the words of the prophet Isaiah: "Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.”
And, mark, material degeneracy follows moral degeneracy, for the prophet had previously said of Israel, "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters; they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they are gone away backward!” (Isa. 1:44Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. (Isaiah 1:4).)
The Lord had corrected them in measure, but they had not ceased to do evil, nor learned to do well. They were outwardly religious, but inwardly rebellious. The whole head was sick, and the whole heart faint. (Isa. 1:55Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. (Isaiah 1:5).) And out of the heart were the issues of life, and therefore the life was tainted and corrupt. (Prov. 4:2323Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23).) Hence the growing degeneracy of the nation of Israel.
This degeneration is true of man individually and collectively. Adam fell from his state of innocence; Nimrod became a masterful man; Pharaoh hardened his heart against God and Israel; Nebuchadnezzar was abased on account of his pride.
National decay leads to disaster and ruin. We have read of "the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.” This was preceded by the rise and fall of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. These are object lessons in history. And this is being repeated in the history of nations to-day, especially where the light of the gospel has shone once brightly, and where the truth has been given upon, let us heed the warning of the Lord in Matt. 6:22, 2322The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22‑23): "The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" "The way of the wicked is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble." (Prov. 4:1919The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. (Proverbs 4:19).) The Scriptures plainly declare the growth and increase of evil in every shape and form. They also declare the coming of the Lord in judgment upon the ungodly, and the way in which He will clear this scene by His righteous judgments.
Listen to the testimony of Enoch, the seventh from Adam: "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken again Him." (Jude 14, 1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15).) again, the prophet Isaiah says, "When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." (Isa. 26:99With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:9).) This will be true not only of the world at large, but of those portions of the earth containing apostate Christians and Jews. Meanwhile, in the first three chapters of the Revelation we see the Lord Jesus attired as a judge, making scrutiny into that which professes His Name now.
He sees the departure from first love in Ephesus. He notes after this the Church settling down in the world, in the case of Pergamos, and then allowing Jezebel to teach and to seduce His servants in Thyatira. He warns Sardis to be watchful, and to strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to die, for their works were not found perfect before God. He notices the little strength of the Philadelphians, and exposes the lukewarm state of Laodicea, and describes the last state of the Church as "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Here is spiritual degeneracy in the Church portrayed by Him whose eyes were as a flame of fire!
Adverting once more to the degeneration of the Muse of Israel and Judah, we find that, as the evil increased, the Lord spoke to His people by the prophets, "rising up betimes, and sending, because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy." (2 Chron. 36:15, 1615And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 16But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:15‑16).) There were temporary revivals under Hezekiah and Josiah, but at last Israel and Judah were sent into their long captivity, and they are scattered and peeled over the face of the earth.
We now come to the second part of our subject "Regeneration." This word indicates not only the need of the new birth for the individual, but also the new order of things to be established in the earth, when Christ comes to take the kingdom. First, the word "regeneration" tells the absolute necessity of a new birth or nature. From whence comes this new life? It is entirely born of God; it is the gift of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. It is the new nature which cannot sin, because it is born of God.
It is entirely distinct from that which is born of the flesh, which is opposed to God in principle and act. It is, in fact, a new creation, for if any man be in Christ he is a new creature (or, there is a new creation), old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. The believer is no longer looked at as "in Adam"; he is in Christ, and Christ is his life. “For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but new creation." (Gal. 6:1515For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (Galatians 6:15))
This is a new order of things indeed, "that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye IN CHRIST JESUS, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Cor. 1:29-3129That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:29‑31).) The old order of things is set aside altogether, and the believer in Christ is justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law, for he has become dead to law by the body of Christ, that he might live to God. "For I, through law, am dead to law [as a principle of life] that I might live unto God." "I 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." (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).)
In the Gospel of Matthew we have the kingdom of heaven proclaimed (Gal. 4:17, 2317They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. (Galatians 4:17)
23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. (Galatians 4:23)), and the powers of the age to come are manifested, in the healing of all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Gal. 4:23-2523But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. (Galatians 4:23‑25)). Then in chapters 5. to 7. we have the principles of the kingdom of heaven set forth; during the times of the rejection of the King, the practice of which leads to suffering, shame, and loss in this world. But in Matt. 19, we have the question of rewards for those who suffer for righteousness sake, or for Christ's sake. The Lord Jesus replied to Peter's question, "What shall we have therefore? “and the answer is given, "Verily, I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me in the REGENERATION when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." (Matt. 19:27-3027Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (Matthew 19:27‑30).)
Here is the new order of things for the earthly kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
“The first shall be last, and the last first." The Church will have her unique place in the heavenly part of the kingdom, in Christ Jesus, according to that word, "Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Eph. 3:2121Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:21); Rev. 21:5, 65And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:5‑6).)
T. B. N.