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General meetings, Montreal, October 1974 Fourth Reading meeting.
We're all in the.
Mind and I'm ba ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba ba ba ba ba ba.
Oh, that's really great.
Oh.
God.
Now what? Going throughout the day everywhere, I can do it in the world.
We also sing 178.
178.
Was.
All the rain for.
Your life.
Lord.
And all of the Lord.
Wowing our hearts do art for the world.
Should I have another one in there now? There's no way you're going to be like this.
1.
Of life.
00:10:16
Ephesians chapter One.
Verse 20.
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.
Far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And it's put all the things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him, that filleth All in all.
And you had the Quickened who were dead, and trespasses and sins burn in time past you've 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, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins, that bringing us together with Christ by grace you're saying, and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Let in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through to Christ Jesus.
Or by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves? It is a gift of God, not a work that any man should vote for. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus under good works, which God is before ordained that we should walk in them.
Without the counsels of God in the first few verses of the first chapter and then the intercession that we might be in the good of this power and all the blessings that we have, but now we find in the also added to it the the way in which.
God went about to.
To bring us into that blessing in this following chapter and where he got us to. But I was just going to ask.
This question as to the 20th verse, I think someone said that we were seated.
In the heavenly places in Christ, not with Christ. Is that right? What's the difference, Brother Barry? I think I brought that out Saturday.
That have been said, seated in heavenly places with Christ we'd be already there in our glorified bodies.
Will be true Sunday.
But at the present, it's our standing. It's where God sees us. We're plainly taught like this.
In in Romans 8 and one, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and then in First Corinthians one and 30.
We get now of him are he in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto his wisdom righteousness.
Sanctification and redemption.
How God sees us already in Christ, and he looks at us, has already seated there.
Or we can easily understand that if we're in Christ, and if he's seated at the right hand of God, we must be there too. And while a precious, wonderful thought, that is.
How it lifts us above this passing theme scenes, and it should separate us from this scene to just take in what God's thoughts are that we're so absolutely separated from this world that's going on to judgment that he sees us already up there.
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In Christ seated.
There at his right hand.
There's a little suggestion of that in Romans, where Paul just brings in for the moment the thought of the mystery in the 8th chapter, and there he speaks of the believers already glorified. But that's in the councils of God, isn't it? We're actually not there yet, but we are as far as God's councils are concerned, so that the work is all finished as far as Christ's part is concerned.
Except that we have not yet our glorified bodies now in Colossians, where the believer is seen here in the wilderness.
A little different picture from Ephesians, where we're seeing already seated there. Why the believer is spoken of in this way that our life is hid with Christ in God, and when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall is it ye appear with him also.
But in glory, so that our life has already hid there. And this is a real comfort too, especially when we think of our position here in the wilderness. That's Colossians, of course.
That wonderful beloved, the way the Spirit of God takes delight in using superlatives as to how the place our Blessed Lord now occupies when we think of Him.
So has insulted and spit upon them, crowned with thorns and scourge, and given the most shameful death for that death the Romans.
For the death of the most wretched criminals. And that's the kind of a death they gave the Lord of glory. And now think of what God has done. We can think of what man has done, and then think of what God has done and what has he done. He's exalted him far above.
All principalities and power might.
And dominion, I suppose, principalities have to do with the angels.
We know very little about angels and we're never to guess and speculate on the subject.
But if we do think of him, here's the one that's been exalted so far above them that we can just leave the subject with the Lord as to the importance of their place, and think of that one who is so, so highly exalted.
The Lord Jesus became a man, that he was made a little lower than the angels. For mankind is of the lower order in creation than the angels. But now the Lord Jesus as man has taken his place above the angels and saw that in him we are lifted above the angels. It's a wonderful thought when we think of it, that this person.
Who was down here as a man despised and rejected, has now gone up, and he's even above the angels. And so it tells us in Hebrews too, he hasn't put the world to come in subjection to the angels, because that would be below the one who is in the highest place.
He's a man and we're associated with him to be displayed with him as redeemed man.
So that's the force, is it not? In Hebrews 12 The the universal gathering, and it speaks of the heavenly place there. Let's turn to it in Hebrews chapter 12. Our translation here doesn't make it too clear.
Revelation Chapter 12 and verse 22.
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Just like to read it the way it is in the new translation.
Brother or Revelation, Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 22. But here come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, the universal gathering, and to the assembly of the first born who are registered in heaven, and to God judge of all. And to the spirits of just man made perfect. Well, there are vast myriads of angels, but they're going to be gathered in.
And.
Here were brought to this wonderful scene where there is the assembly of the first born who are registered in heaven. Now that is the place that we're going to be occupied occupying. And so in the 5th of Revelation, when the description is given of that heavenly scene, the first company that we see are the redeemed who are singing praise to him as the one who's redeemed us by his blood. And then the second theme of praise, not of singing but of praise, is from the angels.
And then the whole created scene, all giving him his rightful place. But the redeemed identified with Christ as man, will occupy that special place of nearness.
That's interesting, isn't it? How that God brings on the scene the last subject which says of greatest importance in his heart and thoughts. Just take the creation of Adams. God formed Adam of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and then God planted a garden and eat.
Founded it so that every tree was the work of the Creator, where every tree that was good for food and presence in the eye was found, and then we get the animal creation all brought to Adam to receive their names.
What was the last subject?
That was the bride. The wife comes last on the feet.
That which according to this you see.
The Church.
The head of the church.
Over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness.
That's completion, isn't it? Like the compliment they've known as a compliment of the sun, isn't it?
As I understand, the compliment is that which being added completes.
The what is before us? So the Christ and the Church make a complete display.
Of God's thoughts and purposes connected with his glory.
Well, you could think of another subject where the most important.
Object is brought in.
At a later time, you're reading about the rhyme. Come on to Zion and then the New Jerusalem. Well, if you take the history of Israel.
Strange to say, Jerusalem wasn't immediately in the position of the tribes. It was held by the Jebusites, and it was only when David was raised up that Jerusalem.
Became the capital city of Israel and was city had more importance in connection with God's ways and purposes than any other city in the whole land. But it came in later. So isn't that something of God's ways in connection with His counsels and purposes?
To lead up to a sort of a penicillin to bring in.
Most glorious, most wonderful subject, he has so after having viewed as, as we do, all the various purposes of God, then comes in the bride that was hid from ages and from generations.
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All God's ways with Israel is what he revealed to the prophets, and so on and then doing even during the Lord's life.
It was a transitional period, wasn't it? And then after.
After the spirit of God has come, our God comes out, he says. I've had a secret all down through the ages, and I want to tell you about that secret.
Which contains the highest.
Thoughts and purpose and plans that I've ever had on my heart.
And that is that my dear beloved son, become a man and come into this world is going to possess all this inheritance, but he's going to have a bride by his side? Asked the church. And oh beloved.
You and I should walk through this scene where the humble hearts, and with a deep sense of our unworthiness, when we consider that during this dispensation in which our lot has been marked out for us, we are connected with the very highest thought and purpose of God.
The third chapter of Genesis.
You're Speaking of the Councils of God in the first, but in the second chapter of Genesis they continue after the Fall in this way that there's the promise.
To the woman's seed. There was no promise made to the woman or to Adam. But to the woman's seed, well, now we get them. Redemptions work.
That is.
The animal slain and the coat of skins. And as soon as we get that, then in tight we have Adam naming his wife Eve the mother of all living. Now I believe that's a picture in connection with what we have in our subject in Ephesians.
In Romans the 8th chapter.
We read.
The whole creation waited for the manifestation of the sons of God.
That is, not until the Church is in its inner place with Christ.
Will the whole creation be delivered from Estrada?
Not until then will the new order be set up.
So we have that figure there that is in Genesis, the mother of all living.
In that sense.
We have discussion of the unfaithful. We have pain, disgust at fair length and then set a man of faith. We have Esau generations and all they're doing before we have anything of Jacob, and perhaps that's the reason that God allows us to see what man is doing.
Then he brings his mouth to see and that would explain why in the present time it seems like things are so bad in this world. God is giving man a little day, but he's going to come in himself and Jesus will reign over it all. Christ will reign us King Indiana.
That was brought in the 19th of Revelation Brothers Monday.
The false bride, the false church is judged and put away, and the marriage of the lamb has come.
Is that the thought? Yes, the marriage of the Lamb is come, and there is such a thing as first of all, his presenting her to himself.
That comes first. We get that in our book of Ephesians, is it not? I believe that's the very first thing before ever the supper. I believe the presents are to himself. Now I know it isn't brought out distinctly, but I believe we have that suggestion that the first thing that takes place is that he presents her to himself. And then later on, of course, the guests have their place in this marvelous occasion.
00:30:21
We have the principle of what's been talking about in the second chapter of John and the 10th verse. Every man at the beginning does set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now. That's always the way God places man in a position of privilege, where he enjoys something of these wonderful things. And then what does he do?
He just spoils it all and ends up with that which is worse. But how different with God. When man has spoiled it all, then God always brings in not the restoration of the thing that was spoiled, but always something better. For the eternal state will be something far better than Eden was. When man failed and forfeited the earthly paradise, God said, well, I've got something better. He opens the door of the heavenly 1.
And says, well, this is something far better that you're to enjoy. Israel forfeited the land when they entered it under Joshua because of disobedience, but they're going to enjoy it in the more blessed and wonderful way the second of John hippies this, and they'll enjoy that good wine.
It's always the opposite of the way man does. He always runs out of all his good things, but God always comes in then with something better than what has been spoiled. We have different pictures, do we not, in the Old Testament. And they're so helpful.
Because it doesn't say that all scripture is doctrine, but it says all scripture is profitable for doctrine. That is, it's illustrative it it gives us something to.
Help us to see the details more of the doctrine of the New Testament. Now actually in Revelation we don't have the bride as such. We have the wife. The bride is mentioned of course to identify her, but it's the wife now. That's the first time in scripture and it's a beautiful type that is.
As has been brought out.
After all the creation after everything was in order, then the bride is presented.
Eve Now that's the the beautiful tie connected with.
The Lord himself, who's over all his overall thing, something like our chapter here. He's over all and he has his pride with him, but there are many other beautiful pictures.
Of his companion in Scripture. Take Abigail, for instance.
David's wife, Abigail, she's a type also.
Of the bride or the companion, we might say, but the picture there is rather the bride at home in the Father's house, because Abigail means the joy of the Father. Now, brethren, we get much enjoyment from these types. If we'll trace them out, we have another one in.
In Moses.
His wife, of course.
Zippra, which really means a Sparrow. You know, she was his companion in rejection. That is, in separation from him. Well, that's a picture of the day in which we're living.
The the Lord is away. We're here.
And their separation. So we have the various pictures, we have the.
Joseph when he's the standard to the throne.
He's given a wife and the fruit of that union is.
Ephraim and Manasseh, well, it was fruitfulness.
At the time of his rejection and then ascension to the throne. But also Manasseh means forgetting he's going to forget all the toil.
That he was in in order to bring about. Of course we're using the type now. The Lord Jesus will forget all his toil when he has his bride with him. Now these are lovely thoughts that we get from the Old Testament in the various types or pictures that God has given us.
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Your thanks brother Dundee in that where you get the marriage in heaven on the 19th of Revelation.
It says his wife hath made herself ready. It has seemed to me that, as you were saying, I agree that when it's the bride, it's more the joy, the delight that.
Is the picture for us. But when it's the wife. I believe you brought it out. But I'll repeat it It's companionship.
And it seems to me that the very fact that when you get the marriage of the Lamb in heaven is.
Especially mentioned there as the wife, because beloved you and I, poor, unworthy things, will be the companions of God's beloved Son to all eternity in the nearest circle that has a will be in heaven.
The angels retire, you know, and let another company come into a near place. Now I know in Revelation that the company that has seen there around the land that was trained includes the Old Testament Saints. Because the 24 elders include all that are caught up to meet the Lord, the Old Testament Saints will be included.
But there is to be.
A company there.
That is looked at as the the wife and the bride that will occupy a place of nearness that no other company will occupy.
And isn't that true too, and important that God in his wondrous grace by sending the Spirit, like Eleazar said across the desert?
He's preparing you and me, morally and spiritually, or the enjoyment of our companionship, which is to be a very special place of nearness to Christ in connection with all the glory and with all His counsels and purposes that are to be accomplished.
I'd like to ask a question in the.
19th and 20th verses.
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.
Why is What is the special significance of bringing that factor of power here? We know that every work of God speaks of power. Work of creation would speak of power. But why is the assembly here the power that is now for us, The power that brought Christ from the dead?
Would you think Brother Gill?
Saul in his wisdom his.
Using that power, we see that raised up Christ in connection with our blessings.
At this present time, is that your thought?
Well, I'm wondering why the reference was to the power that raised up. Christ is now the power for us.
What, Romans 8:00 and 11:00?
And it's really connected with Romans 8 and 10 first.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you, it's the same power as it not as the thought. Now this reaches on to the whole subject of resurrection, And that will be true also of the nation of Israel as a nation in the coming day, the whole subject of resurrection.
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It's the mighty power of God that is demonstrating there.
It's victory over death and the enemy.
Say that there's nothing that makes man feel so helpless as death. He has plans and as long as there's life. Why he thinks that? Perhaps the person might pull through. But when death is coming in, man has to say, well, that's the end of anything that I can do. Death has come in, but it wasn't the end of what God could do. Now that blessed One, who now is in death, is raised up and given the very highest place he has seated there now at the right hand of God.
Very power that raised up Christ is also going to bring us into that place with him another day, and already we're seeing in him. So the next chapter begins with and you happy, quickened or given life, who were dead. The Lord Jesus was in debt, and that mighty power raised him out of death and seated him there at the right hand of God, but not to be alone about the fullness of him, that Philip All in all the church to be associated with him.
But here we're dead sinners. Well, that mighty power that raised up Christ has now given us a new spiritual life. And in another day, as you mentioned in Romans 8, is going to change our bodies and make them like Him to fill that place, not only as we are now in Him, but with Him. Perhaps even if we could think of it here was this fair creation, so wonderful from the hand of God.
But the head of it was lying in a deep sleep. But now he's he's raised from that deep sleep and he assumes these places, the head of creation, but with something more he has beside him now his companion, who is to share that place as a power of God, has raised up this one. And now he has seen, I say, at the head of creation with his companion. Well, we know that sin came in and spoiled that, but it's not going to spoil that of which it was the end of the type.
The precious Savior is there, the Church is already seen in Him, and now that power is lifting us up out of spiritual death, giving us new life, seating us there in Him and soon with Him.
Thoughts and the great stones and costly in that connection, brother Gordon. And they they mentioned there that some of those stones that were raised out of those pits and placed in the temple.
Without the sound of an axe or a hammer weighed 250 tons. And the writer, I'm sure most of us have read it. The writer suggested this a thinking of it in connection with what has been said in the second chapter and the sixth verse. And have raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ, he says. Just imagine if we could the relative thoughts that.
Everyone of those stones were raised at the same time and all placed in the building together at once, he said. We could just if we could just think of that, if the power of God here that's presented in raising up the Lord Jesus and raising up all those who belong to him at once in the purposes of God. I enjoyed that. Carrying that thought just a little further, Brother Little, I believe you'll find you probably have already read of this that.
Similar buildings at the time were constructed of stones.
That were fashioned in the same way, and although the stones were so great.
The the way they were fit together.
You could hardly scarcely see a line or see light between they were so closely fit together.
Well, now, applying that principle today, it's love that binds the Saints together, brethren, and this should be seen among us today. And if this were the case, there wouldn't be these little difficulties that come in and divide Saints. So those stones were all fit perfectly together without the sound of a hammer, but in going back to the subject of resurrection, just for a moment.
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Our brother Gill's question perhaps isn't completely answered. Could we suggest this, that the thought is the word new, new. When you think of resurrection, you think of something entirely new. I believe our brother Hail mentioned the fact that death had come in suggesting this thought. Now when death comes in and it says in First Corinthians 15 that Jesus died and was buried.
Now that suggests the end and he can say in in.
Luke's Gospel in the 22nd, 22nd chapter. At the end, the things concerning me have an end. That is, there's an entirely new order. We don't know Christ after the flesh any longer, and so when we think of resurrection and that mighty power, we think of something entirely new.
And it's going to be new on the earth, too. And that day we read in Revelation 21, everything will be new. That's the thought I believe in. Resurrection.
Thank you. That and this first verse you have to be quickened who were dead in practices and sins. Now in Romans you get.
How we're justified?
When it speaks of being justified, it's a guilty Sinner who?
Has now received from the judge a clearance so that he can be in God's presence without any sense of guilt in his soul, but when the Spirit of God is bringing before us.
The very highest truth that we have in his word.
He gives us the darkest picture that is possible to give. For we have a scene that while there's life, there's hope, but when one is dead, why all hope is gone? So if he's going to show us seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, he takes us down to the motion, hopeless condition, possible dead.
Ah, just physically dead, but dead in practices and incense. It's rather remarkable that those who are dead there seem to be walking according to the course of this world, so that.
Whoever heard of dead men walking? That shows how the Spirit of God uses these illustrations.
Together in John chapter 5. Could we look at that for a moment? John chapter 5 and verse 24.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.
For as the Father hath life in himself, Even so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.
Now the 28th verse, marvel not at this, for the hour is coming into which all that are in their grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth. Well, in the 25th verse he's talking about those who are spiritually dead, who hear the voice of the Son of God, and who lives spiritually because we receive a new life. But he said don't marvel at this because there's something more wonderful, the same voice that now gives spiritual life.
Is another day going to call forth from their graves all those that are physically dead? And so when it says in our chapter the power that worketh in us, the same power that has taken us from that spiritually dead state and has given us new life, is the same power that is also going to raise us physically. But here, of course, in our chapter Ephesians 2, it's particularly now what he has done.
When we heard the voice of the Son of God and we as dead sinners we lived and that's why we have that justification, isn't it? I really think that the expression in Romans 5 is very beautiful justification of life, because God not only looks on me as though I had never sinned about, he has placed me before him in a life that never sinned and never could sin. So justification of life.
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Is where we stand. If we were only in the position that as though we had never sinned, we'd be only in the position that Adam was before the Fall. But God did more than that. He gave us not the same life that Adam had before the Fall, but he gave us a new life. Christ himself is our life, and so now He can justify us because we're before him in a life that never sinned, never could sin the very life of Christ.
That's where we stand now. And so this is the power that's already working in US and is going. The Spirit is going to complete that work he has begun. When he quickens our mortal bodies by the Spirit, the same Spirit that quickened us, His dead sinners will another day quicken these mortal bodies.
As far as you'd say that the second verse is speaking to the Gentiles. For there's no doubt that the assembly at Ephesus was composed of both Jews and Gentiles. But he addresses the Gentiles first, wherein in time passed he but we he walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air.
The Spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience.
But when you read about the condition of the Jew in the next verse, among whom also we all identify themselves with the Jews, we all had our conversation. For a manner of life in time passed in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
They're just this difference that the Gentiles.
Were subject more to the Prince of the power of the air, that is Satan, than the Jew who had the oracles of God. For Satan can't operate in the light as he can in the dark, and so these.
Who are addressed in the second verse for once worshippers of Diana the Ephesians, greatest Diana the Ephesians.
And of course, Satan used idolatry to keep his victims under his foot in his position.
We should never use the expression, should we, of anyone, the child of the devil. That isn't the way that Scripture puts it here. It's children.
Of wrath, isn't it? Now Peter could use that expression being an apostle of a certain one, but.
We don't know the hearts of men that we do know that the unsaved man is a child of wrath until he finds the Savior. But he's not a child of the devil. He's not said to be the child of the devil, is he?
What is the difference between the?
If there is a difference between the children of disobedience in the second verse.
And the children of wrath and the third verse, somebody give us something on that.
Well.
It shows, doesn't it brother Little, that though the Jew was so highly favored, and he wasn't in the darkness of either them like those worshippers of idols, yet as far as his nature was concerned.
His fallen nature was no better.
Than that those who were given over to I don't.
In that way were under the control of Satan, were by nature, and thus were just as subject to the wrath of God as those who were living such vile lives in connection with idolatry and heathen worship.
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There's something of that today, isn't there, among the children of those who are the Lords?
I recall as a boy having these verses read in gospel meetings, and I used to think in the foolishness of my heart. Well, this wasn't me. I I never was steeped in these things. I didn't get far off the course. I had godly parents. I was brought up in a godly atmosphere. But I suppose others have shared with me that we had to learn later that the nature was there.
We had the same route, even though God had preserved us from it, exposing itself through these vile things. So it had to be dealt with just as though I were classified right here with them.
I was thinking I was reading recently in connection in these verses, in connection with this first or the second verse, that it looks back, doesn't it?
Or in time past.
He 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, a child of God is not looked at as a child of disobedience, but a child of wrath. But God the Lord Jesus for the wrath for him he's been delivered. And so you notice in the.
In the third verse, among whom also we we all had our conversation in times past, we look back at that. We say that's where we were, but fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. And we're by nature the children of wrath.
Even as others. But the Lord Jesus for the wrath for us, He's delivered us from that. And then I was thinking of the 5th chapter.
And the sixth verse, let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things.
That is, these things that were named before and characteristic of the of the children of disobedience, or because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
They're going on in this disobedient children and the judgment will be their portion. But the the the believer is not looked at as a child of disobedience, the child of wrath, because the Lord Jesus bore the rat for him. He's been delivered from that.
I enjoyed that. I perhaps I don't know whether I've made it clear or whether that's the right thought, but at least I enjoyed the thought. You wouldn't call a believer a child of wrath, would you? Rather little. No. His brother has been delivered, if you yes. In other words, a moral, living person is just as much exposed to the wrath of God as one who is living in the vilest of sins. And so the heathen were very deeply sunk in sin, and they were children. Or even the correct translation is Sons of Disobedience. That is, they were manifested in an open character of.
Sin and wickedness.
Whereas here were the favorite people but they were also exposed to the wrath of God. But I believe that perhaps we could say in Peter we have that which would describe those who are the the saved ones. It says first Peter, chapter one.
Verse 13.
Or gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children, or properly children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.
So now we're looked at as being in a new position. We're no longer children of disobedience, but children of obedience, but were exhorted to walk that way. We have this holy character, God, our Father is holy. Now we're to be careful that we don't display the character of the old man, but rather the character of the family to which we now belong. So I believe we could say that every true Christian is looked at in scripture as a child of obedience.
01:00:01
We don't always act like it. We're exhorted to act like it. That's Romans 6, isn't it? Romans 6.
The God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. The change has taken place.
Paul life was a pardon. You were seeing Brother Gill about the way you were brought up. Christian home was.
There was a Christian atmosphere which was a protection and the blessing, but it seems to me that there is a warning here, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
Are seen in my day some very, very sad cases, those who were brought up in very strict separation.
But they got into higher education.
And they gave up the gospel they they accepted in. For the whole ideas soul is not only the falling into.
Immoral ways becoming a drunkard or something violent still, but the the less of a mine.
Oh, how subtle Satan is to give all of these poor minds.
I think of the brother that I looked up to, but when we got into higher education, he became, as far as I know, confirmed atheists are infidel gave up the audience been taught in the meeting, and the truth that his father held well.
We can never cuss these mines.
And I'm our brother, Brown telling me as a young man, he says. Well, the mind.
Is.
Is something that is our natural minds we can never trust, and he gave me an illustration, he said. Suppose there were a number of marksmen that were shooting at a mark.
And the sights of the gun are wrong so that the gun will not shoot correctly, he says. Which one are those marksmen Is the surest to miss the mark. Well, I said the man that's the best shot, he says it's just that way. He says the man that has the keenest mind is the surest to miss the the mind of God if he's defending on his intellect.
Casting down of him.
Imagination and of every high thought that exalted itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought To what? To the obedience of Christ?
The reason out of the Scriptures and not into the scriptures. We find reasoning out of the Scriptures, and there are the deep things of God. But we're never to allow our minds to go beyond divine revelation, but always to keep them in subjection to it.
God has used in the history of the Church man with great minds. If they bowed their minds to his revelation, hasn't he?
Francis Dillman said of Mr. Darby. And there's no doubt that he had the greatest mind in all English. But he said, he vowed to the Bible like an old school.
Paul was.
Outwardly a man that could be looked up to, probably Nicodemus too, without any blemish, but.
There was one thing that slew him, and that was Thou shalt not covet. And here we have the mind at work.
But no outward evidence of sin, perhaps? We don't know, of course, but the mind was at work. And yet Paul was under the wrath of God just as much as anyone else. But he sets aside even the religion that he had, which was the religion of the flesh, which?
Which really was a build up of the mind as well. Not having the mind of God. His own mind was at work in a religious way and this is also used today.
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I suppose we could say there are two kinds of mind. There's the ritualistic mind and the rationalistic mind. And there are some people that tend one way and some tend another. And so we find our Brother Brown many years ago gave a very helpful talk on what we see in revelation toward the man and toward the woman. Toward the man is the ritualistic, the rationalistic, I say trend. And we see that heading itself up in complete and open rebellion against God and divine revelation and everything.
Now then, we see the bringing of man thoughts into religion. And we see that in the great system that we have of religion, where Christ and His work and all that is important is left out. So the mind of man doesn't always travel in the same direction, but it always travels away from God if it's not brought in subjection. And that's why it tells us, gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober.
We have to be continually watchful. Colossians gives us that warning. Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy. Perhaps that's the.
Rationalistic mind are vain deceit and the rudiments of the world. That's the ritualistic mind. And both were wrong, Both were a departure from holding the head. So we have to watch. We all have different tendencies, and no two of us are alike. But the enemy knows our weak points, brethren, and he's going to attack us on whatever is our particular weak point. May the Lord give us to walk in dependence and in obedience to His word.
Now the fourth verse brings us the change, doesn't it? But God. And when God comes in, everything changes but God who?
Who is rich in mercy for his great lover with. He loved us even when we were dead in sins at.
Quicken us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved.
Now this was done, of course, all by God himself.
We we love to think of a soul confessing Christ as their Savior and having gone through real repentance first. But still, it's all of God, isn't it? We learn it here. It's all of God.
He's the one who who draws. He's the one who gives the soul to to realize their need through one way or another. And then the spirit of God bringing home to the conscience, it's guilt. And then the work is done in the soul and he's brought to God. He says that the whole remedy lies in the blood of Christ, the work that's done for him.
God is rich in mercy.
Nobody has the contrast in these verses but you.
And then we get.
But God and you and then but God when it's and you Oh well, the dark picture we have. When it's but gone then while the rich you will have.
Rich in mercy for his great love. Mercy. You know among my show mercy to someone that only deserved to be thoroughly punished for their crime and wrong. But bring in his great love.
Oh, how marvelous. We deserve nothing but His judgment. The only thing not only show great mercy to us, but He also showed great love.
And he loves us when in this very state of death that we're in. It wasn't after we were brought out and knowing and trusting in him, but he loved us even when we were in that wretched, awful condition.
And don't you receive love? And that there is a very special view of new birth or giving life here?
For I'm sure we all understand that Quickening is communicating life.
That is a special view because.
Itself, but have quickened us together with him.
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Have quickened us together with Christ by grace here saved and raised us up together just as, oh, here we were, down in this awful state of death, like pleasure so corrupt that his sister objected to the stone being rolled away. Now he signals out of that awful state of death and corruption. But he hasn't stopped there, has he?
He lifted us up, and I supposed together would be the the favored Jew and the corrupt.
Gentile, who was once under the power of Satan. He brings us together, and he doesn't stop until he has us seated there in glory in Christ.
Brothers, expression and the address that divine love is loving the unlovable. And that's surely what we have here, isn't it?
Well, you need to sit together, hasn't he?
Showing their companionship from nearness to one another.
Now what is this together referred to? Is this bringing in the Jew and the Gentile together?
So that later on in the chapter we see that middle wall, a partition all broken down.
But we we just have one answer, and that's Christ.
There's no Jew any longer, no Gentile any longer. God's counsel for the believer, that is Christ. So making peace.
But this is positional, isn't it? We are we are seeing seated, but in our practical walk we're not going to be seated and at rest until we get home.
We should soon be, Brother Gill, seek to carry out what is yet to be true of us as much as possible down here, and to judge everything that hinders.
The manifestation of this unity and.
Going on together in the enjoyment of our spiritual blessings.
That's the meaning of that little word hasted. We get it in second Peter. We get it in the history of David and Abigail. It says she hasted, she hasted, she hasted. I think it's either three or four times that It says she hasted. Well, what for? But she was going to become the bride of David.
It doesn't mean that she could hurry anything up, of course, but it meant that in her own soul she was anticipating.
The final outcome when everything would be realized fully.
And that's what really is before us, isn't it?
The 7th 1St isn't it that in the ages to come me might show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. He has already shown the riches of His mercy and picking us up. But He is going to show us. This verse tells us the riches of His grace in the place that He is going to put us in. We're already there spiritually about. We're going to occupy that place and body as we often sing in spirit there already and then as soon.
Body perfect, all glorified with thee, And that in that scene he will be able to display, when there is no hindrance, the exceeding riches of His grace, all through the ages to come, and it's all through Christ Jesus. What a wonderful future is before us. What a wonderful answer, as it was mentioned previously to all of this world offers, all of Satan showed to the Lord in a moment of time as compared to all that is before us.
To share for all eternity as the objects of His grace.
Nice, isn't it? The exceeding riches of his grace.
All about the kindness.
We have been saved during the meetings in what a wonderful place we have been brought. We have been exhorted that our work should be.
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In conformity with it. But when we try to live, we find there is no strength. Then we have seen that there is power to us. Word. Now how can we avail ourselves? How do we practically avail ourselves of this power?
Find in the 9th chapter of Luke that the disciples had made several mistakes.
And the Lord had been praying twice in that chapter.
And in the 11Th chapter they say to the Lord, teach us to pray. And I believe that's the answer. We have the power. They have been given power at the beginning of that chapter to cast out demons, but they couldn't use it. And we have been given the power. But I think we should say to the Lord, teach us to pray. Not teach us how to pray, but teach us to pray. And I believe that's the answer, dear brother, I don't believe we can use these things except in complete dependence on the Lord.
That's what's brought out here, isn't it? And what follows 8-9 and ten by grace, Are you saved through faith? Not even the faith was of ourselves. That was the gift of God. We weren't saved by works because we might both. But does this mean that God doesn't desire good works? Oh, indeed, he desires good works. Now that very life that he gave us is characterized by that. It is characterized by those very good works that he foreordained, that we should walk in them.
We traced the pathway of the Lord Jesus, and we see that life manifested as our brother brought before us in the young people's meeting on Saturday. We possess the very life of Christ. How did he walk down here? What is the great secret of godliness? The pathway of the Lord Jesus? And so while we boast and give thanks, that salvation is not of works, not of anything that we have done, that it was God Who.
Chose us beforehand in Christ.
Is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus that we have forgiveness. It's by his gift that we have faith. So he now, by the life that he has given, supplies the power that we need to walk. And more than this, he's actually marked out the good works. And I think this is very important because.
When we are saved, how often you find a young believer? Immediately he plans what he's going to do for the Lord.
But that isn't what Saul of Tarsus did, he said. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
He was told, it shall be told thee what thou must do, and how important for us, if we have been brought to know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, and that we should listen to His voice through His word, telling us what these good works are. And then, as our brother remarked, independence, counting upon Him for the strength, the very kind of work of our salvation, is all of himself, and the life that is able to please Him is from Him.
And now his word to direct us how completely we have been fitted to walk to please him then down here.
We've been told that this book of Ephesians gives us the highest truth, but it's notable that later in the book we have numerous references to the law. So we are also hearing this afternoon. It's meant to be very practical. So we're told in the 10th verse of this second chapter that we should walk in, that we should actually be doing these things and treating them as real, and it's something that we have right now.
And this goes through to the 4th chapter, verse one. It says wrong, worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called on the 17th verse, chapter 4, not to walk as other Gentiles walk. Well, the life has changed. Now we're not to walk like those in the former way that we walk. And then in the 5th chapter in verse one, walking love.
Strike golf, who have loved us and have given himself.
For us and offering a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. And the eighth verse of chapter 5 its walk as children of light. We have the light now. We we have the ability now we see where the path leads from the word of God where the walk in light. Finally in the 15th verse it says walk circumspectly looking around.
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There's danger all around, We need to look around and be careful.
From every direction as we walk, so it's going to be practical.
Present that we Stand and sing 195.