It is most needful, when about to offer a word of admonition, to set forth the proper ground on which such a word can be received.
Now, as to the position of the believer, as set forth in the New Testament, it is one of the most complete—justification and acceptance “Justified from all things.” “Complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power.” “Accepted in the beloved.”
These are some of the expressions used by the Holy Spirit to set forth the believer's position before God—a position founded on the accomplished work of Christ, and not upon anything the believer has done. God's grace has assigned it to him; the blood of Christ has fitted him to occupy it; and the operation of the Spirit has led him into the enjoyment of it. His being in it, therefore, is the fruit of the combined action of the divine three in one; nor can aught in him ever interfere with that action. The believer's justification, and acceptance, are as independent of himself, and everything in him, as is the position of the sun in the heavens. There it is; but who set it there? God. There and thus is the believer; but who set him there? God. Hence one is as independent of him as the other, for both alike are founded on what God is.
Hence it is clear that no warning or exhortation can involve or interfere with the believer's position and relationship. So far from this, the very fact of our being addressed in such a way proves, in the clearest manner, God's gracious recognition of our relationship. If God gives me a command, the fact of His doing so proves that He recognizes in me a principle of life and power, whereby I can both hear and obey. He would not call upon one “dead in trespasses and sins” to do anything. His command to such an one is to repent and believe the Gospel. But when one is born again, has entered into an eternal relationship, based upon redemption, then, and not till then, is he addressed in the language of warning and exhortation; and on his due observance of such language depends much of his present blessing and usefulness.
We are prone to confound two things: namely, our eternal relationship to God as His children; and our present responsibility to Christ, as His servants and witnesses. The former is the result of the action of the Divine will and power; as we read in James,
“Of His own will begat He us by the Word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures.”
The latter, on the contrary, is a thing devolving upon us daily, and calling for much holy diligence in the prayerful study of the Word, and waiting upon God.
Many of us fail in answering to our responsibility to Christ, in manifesting Him in our ways, and in our practical testimony for Him; but this, blessed be God, does not touch our eternal relationship with Him, though it may and does interfere with our enjoyment as children of God; yea, to talk of one without the other is to be “deceived by vain words.”
This train of thought leads us naturally to the immediate subject of Christian intercourse—a subject of much more importance than might at first sight appear.
By Christian intercourse, I do not mean that intercourse which we have when gathered, on solemn occasions, for worship or edification. The intercourse to which I allude is of a much more familiar character; and, for that very reason, it needs much more solemn watchfulness, lest in it the enemy should betray us into anything unbecoming the elevation which ought to mark the character and path of those who profess to be members of Christ's holy body, and temples of His Holy Spirit.
It is sometimes painfully humbling to observe the character of intercourse which prevails among those whose professed principles would lead us to look for very different results. While marking the intercourse, and the conversation which frequently obtains among professing Christians of the present day, one feels disposed to ask, Is it possible that these people really believe what they profess? Do they believe that they are “dead and risen with Christ”—that their calling is a heavenly one—that they are part of Christ's body—that they are crucified with Christ—that they are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit—that they are pilgrims and strangers—that they are waiting for God's Son from heaven?
It may be, that these weighty principles are items in the creed to which they have given a nominal assent; but it is morally impossible that their hearts can be affected by them. How could a heart, really under the power of such stupendous truths, take pleasure, or even take part in vain, frivolous, empty talk—talk about people with whom they have nothing whatever to do—talk about every passing trifle of the day? Could a heart full of Christ be thus occupied? It is as impossible as that noon could intermingle with midnight. Yet, professing Christians, when they meet at the dinner-table, and at their tea-parties, are, alas! too often found thus occupied.
Nor is it only in our intercourse with our fellow-Christians that we forget ourselves, or rather forget the Lord; but also in our intercourse with the world. How often, when we meet with unconverted people, do we slip into the current of their thoughts, and find a theme in common with them! Sometimes this is mourned over, sometimes it is defended, and the defense is founded upon an erroneous view of the Apostle's expression,
“I am made all things to all.”
This, surely, does not mean that he entered into the folly and nonsense of worldly men. By no means. This would be to assert too much. What then does the expression mean? It means, that Paul denied himself among all classes of men, in order that he might “by all means save some.” His object was to bring sinners to Christ, and not to please himself, by entering into their habits of conversation.
(To be continued)