No. 5
1 John 1.
THE true and happy state in which the saints of God ought consciously to stand, is the holy, peaceful confidence of what God has given. If all were in a true state, there would not be a doubt about our portion is Christ. I would make a marked distinction between the true standing of a Christian, and what constitutes a Christian. The true state of a saint is to be in the most perfect, unwavering consciousness of what God is to him, though there are thousands of saints who have not this, and yet are saints. That consciousness is the particular thing of this dispensation, for it is the dispensation of the Spirit, and it is by the Spirit’s witness to our souls that we know it. What enables us to cry, Abba, Father? The Spirit of God, the Spirit of Him who raised up Christ from the dead, the Spirit of adoption, is what leads us to cry, “Abba, Father!”
If strong in the Spirit, we shall be strong in this confidence; and then, what can hurt us? This is a day when there ought to be much self-examination. When John wrote this epistle there were many antichrists. Apostacy had come in. As the Church had multiplied, evil had multiplied, and he leads them to examine themselves, which is a most important Christian duty, though often neglected, and sometimes spoken against. I do not say we should examine ourselves for the purpose of getting peace; this we have through the blood of Christ; never let us look into ourselves for that. But we should examine ourselves to see if Satan is hindering our blessing, and God’s testimony in us, or to see that no unbelief, no evil of any kind is allowed, that we are not tolerating anything contrary to God’s mind; and to see that we are going forward with God, and not turning away from God. If we do not deal honestly with our souls on these points, Satan may come in as an angel of light. God’s love to us knows no change: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love;” He has made Jesus to us everything we want. We have no trials, no cares, no wants, no sorrows for which God has not made provision in Jesus; and we are to draw out day by day as we want.
We cannot be happy while in doubt. Even in worldly things, it is only as a man gets what he feels he wants that he can be happy. If a man is left a large sum of money, his right and title may be secure, but be is no better for it, if he knows nothing of it; and I often think that many saints are like this, they are given great things, but have no joy because they do not know it.
What is it that ministers to this confidence? It is manifestation; and this manifestation we have in this epistle more than in the others. Every blessing is in God, but what good is it if His heart be not open to me? God is not merely contented with having blessing for us, but He has manifested what He is to us. The Eternal Life which was with the Father was manifested. How? In the person of the Son of God. (vs. 2.) So in ch. 4:8, it is written, “God is love;” but what is that if it be merely what God is in Himself? Observe, however, the love is manifested unto us, that we might know it without the shadow of a doubt. If a poor soul is cast down and in deadness, consider that” the Life was manifested,” and the contemplation of this manifestation feeds holy confidence in God. Again: We all know what sorrow, what trouble, what care is, and why? Because of the power our sins have given Satan. Well, here is the blessed Jesus meeting us― “He was manifested that He might destroy the works of the Devil.” (ch. 3:8.)
God, then, has manifested Himself in Christ, and love in perfection is seen in the cross; there we see that God hath set forth His beloved Son to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (4:9, 10.) The apostle’s heart was filled with this love. See its unselfish character; he will not lock the blessing up in his own heart, but says, We have good news, and come and tell you, that you may have fellowship with us. But was his object that we might merely have fellowship with one another? No; if you go no further than that it is good for nothing. It was to draw them into that which he and others were so enjoying; and truly, said he, “our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (vs. 3.) This, then, was the object, and it is the highest thing a saint can have. The Spirit of God brings us into this fellowship through the blood of Jesus. God has called us into fellowship with Himself. Every believer knows something of this, though some may not be able to explain it or speak of it as others do. Satan seeks to hinder us in this fellowship, and when self is the object, instead of Christ, there must be feebleness, and this accounts for the weakness of the present day; but all our meetings, visiting’s, social intercourse, are worthless, nay, worse than worthless, if they do not tend to lead us into this blessed fellowship. This, I say, Satan will seek to keep us from. Dear brethren, Are you in the enjoyment of this fellowship? If you are, it gives you power over the world, the devil, self, yea, victory over everything; but, beloved, in this day, when profession so much abounds, I pray you look to it, and in the Lord’s name I beseech you do not rest, and do not give God rest, till in blessed confidence you can say. “My fellowship is with the Father and with the Son—my Father, my Jesus; my Beloved is mine, and I am His.”
There are many degrees of fellowship; but let us never forget that the very truth we possess may be made an instrument to hinder it, by making us satisfied with that instead of fellowship. Many go on smoothly in easy circumstances, but when anything goes against them they are thrown out, showing plainly that they were not in fellowship. Ah! see where God has called us, up above this world, far away; and what are we often doing but trying to come down to earth out of this fellowship. Why is it? We should search ourselves. “These things write we unto you that your joy may be full.” What joy? Fullness of joy; that which we have in fellowship, sorrow cannot drag us out of it, nor can earthly joy lift us into it, for it is of God. We only get out of the scene of misery and death around by getting into fellowship with God. When we sit around the Lord’s table, we ought to see that we do not call to that feast those whom God has not called; not one should be brought in without much prayer; because if you call those who have not been called of God you cannot have fellowship, and sooner or later they will be a drag, a trouble that will break out to your dismay and God’s dishonor.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Neh. 8:1010Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10).) Where do I get strength to serve the Lord? In fellowship; and then it is not merely doing things from a sense of duty, though that is good. Paul acted from a higher motive. Love carried him through all. His fellowship was above, his citizenship was in heaven, his joy was full, and what a blessed service was his! He was released from all doubting, and it is when I am in happy liberty that I am free to serve. It would be happy to see every saint, in every relationship of life, doing all that they put their hand to “unto the Lord;” but self is the horrible thing that puts down Christ, and puts up something else. If we have the joy of the Lord, we have strength for anything, and we serve One who will accept every little thing. The Devil and the World may say it is presumption to say that our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, but we ought to say it, and not rest till we can say it. We are partners with Jesus. He has taken our sins, and given us His righteousness, yea, given us Himself. He is a Son, and we are sons; He says Father, and we say Father. It is lamentable to think how self blinds people.
Dear Reader! If you are a saint, and not in fellowship, there is something wrong, some cursed thing in the camp. What is it? Do search, that you may not lose but enjoy the great thing which God has given you, and that God may not be dishonored. You bear the name of Jesus, then do not walk as a worldly man. Let each be able truly to say, “My fellowship is with the Father and the Son,” and then if we meet together we can say, “Our fellowship is with the Father and the Son;” but if we meet together and have not this fellowship, it is putting off our souls with the husks, when God would give us great things.