Let me ask the Christian soul a question. Are the claims of the Lord Jesus on you of deep and paramount importance in your eyes? In proposing such a question, I do so to those who profess to love and own Christ as their Lord; who, having taken their true place before God as poor lost sinners, are resting by faith on the work of Him who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification, and so have peace with God, and are standing in His favor (Rom. 4:24; 5:124But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (Romans 4:24)
1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)). Are these claims of sufficient weight that you would seek to know His mind and will, even if it were to break the most cherished associations of your heart? And, knowing His mind and will, are you seeking for grace to walk therein? I feel this a deeply solemn question in the present day-a day of the highest sounding profession, with so little conscience or life toward God. Religiousness is putting forth her fairest and most seductive forms, seeking the aid of science, and poetry, and art to deck herself withal. Holding in her hand a cup of abominations which stupefies the senses and lulls to sleep the conscience. And even where she is not putting on the outward adorning, she practices other deceits. Those whose senses would not be ensnared by the outward adorning, are ensnared by the specious arguments of expediency, and a round of evangelic ai activity-works perfect, it may be, before men, but not before God (Rev. 3:22Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. (Revelation 3:2)). She is suiting herself more and more to natural, unrenewed man; and under the name of Christ, she turns away her eye from Christ, and boasts that she is " rich and increased with goods, and has need of nothing" (Rev. 3:1717Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17)). " The form of godliness without the power "(2 Tim. 3:55Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:5)), surely is the condition of things around us. The Lordship of Christ is ignored. The presence of the Holy Ghost is either denied in words, or, what is even worse, professed to be acknowledged in words, and completely denied in practice. This is truly solemn. One of the very vital, central truths of Christianity, and of the church of God-that which marks off, in a clear line, this dispensation from all that went before or which follows, denied; and the whole merged into a heap of confusion, out of which souls can hardly find a clue, and are "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth " (a Tim. 3:7). However, "the foundation of God stands sure," and whatever man's unfaithfulness has been, God's principles do not alter. And the responsibility of His people never alters. While it is their blessing to know that "The Lord knoweth them that are His," still their responsibility is, " Let every one that nameth the name of Christ (" the Lord" is the correct reading) depart from iniquity; " iniquity connected with the great house and its corruptions (2 Tim. 2:1919Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19), etc.). The Christian is to purge himself from the vessels to dishonor, that he may be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, prepared unto every good work. He must not, as we have before touched upon, rest satisfied with the corruption, nor need he try to repair the injury that has been done; that will never be repaired till the professing mass meets its end in judgment. His path is a plain one-" Depart from iniquity; " Purge himself from the vessels to dishonor." And now comes his personal walk of holiness. He is to " flee also youthful lusts" and then in his walk in the company with others, to "follow righteousness, faith, peace, charity (" love ") with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." This is the principle—a plain one—separation from evil, and to God, in the midst of it. May He who alone can do so, give subjection to His word to those whose eyes fall upon these pages, and a growing separation and deepening subjection, as they go on their pathway, to those who by grace have learned in their measure to walk therein. "He that bath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me," and "if a man love Me, he will keep my words" (John 14). This is characteristic of Christianity. It is intelligent obedience rendered to a Person, not to a law. Of old God was hidden behind the vail, "dwelling in the thick darkness " (1 Kings 8:1212Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. (1 Kings 8:12)). He sent forth His claims to men in the law; and although He said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might," still it dad not reveal a person to attract the heart. That time has passed away. Christ has come, and "by Him we believe in God" (1 Peter 1). Each believer can say with Paul, He "loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2). And now we owe Him the love of our hearts and the obedience of our lives-One, whose love " constraineth us " to "live henceforth not unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us, and rose again" (2 Cor. 5). It is a Person we are thus called upon to live for and to love; One who has sanctified us unto obedience such as that which characterized Himself (1 Peter 1:22Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2)); surrendering self, life, all, for those who hated Him. The law proposed that a man should love his neighbor "as himself" The obedience of Christ was the entire surrendering of self for His enemies.
The Lord Jesus appealed in His day to the Jews (Luke 12:54-5754And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 57Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? (Luke 12:54‑57)) to discern the signs of the times, even by the force of natural conscience, and to judge what was right. His word should find an echo in many a Christian heart now that has sunk down to sleep amongst the dead (Eph. 5:1414Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)) Everything around us in the present day-religion, the state of men, nations, powers, kingdoms-are each, gradually and perceptibly, taking their places for the closing scenes of judgment (which introduces the Kingdom).
The Christian, instructed beforehand of these things, can watch them calmly and quietly, awaiting the coming of His Lord. He knows that his calling is a heavenly one, where judgments cannot come. The coming of the Lord, the Son-of God, for His people, is the one boundary or horizon of his hopes. His actions and service and plans and sojourn here are arranged in view of that event; and if called to serve his Lord and Master here, he does so in the sense that he serves. as in the last days. May a deepening sense of this fill the souls of His people; and may this their proper hope, ere the day dawn, be formed in their hearts, and serve to direct their ways.