"He that gathereth not with me scattereth."
There may be gathering, as we see, in looking round at what is called the church; but if it is not WITH Christ, the whole thing, vast as it is, is but scattering. One may be very ignorant about Christ, but it must be Himself around whom we gather.
But, on the other side, so sectarian are our hearts, that we have need to watch, lest, when Christ is owned as the center, we be like the disciples, who said, " we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us." Here self had sprung up; for the man whom they forbad was glorifying God in casting out devils in Christ's name. There is no possibility of detecting the subtlety of self, except as Christ is the center of the soul. And it is certain that Christ will not be the center of my efforts if He is not the center of my thoughts. And it is equally certain that I shall not make Christ the center of all around me, if he is not practically the center of my own heart.
It is a great thing for a man to say, I have no object but Christ; that He is everything to me. And everything in me is so judged by this one object, that the whole activity of my heart is for Christ, and only for Christ. It is not enough to have Christ only at bottom as our object-every Christian has that; for if Christ be not at the bottom of the heart, the man is no Christian at all.
The truth is simply this, that between Christ, who is the root at the bottom of the heart, and that which comes out, there are ordinarily a great quantity of middle things that are not judged, and which certainly are not Christ, nor like Christ; for only touch them, and nature is directly up in arms. Besides love to Christ, there is often love of money, love of worldly company, love of power, love of influence, under the pretext of using it for Christ: all of which, if unjudged, must hinder communion, and will prevent Christ being the simple and only object and center of the soul.
There is nothing that the hearts of God's children should more sedulously cultivate than the thought that we have to do with God. " Jesus has suffered for sins once, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." It is with God " we have to do," And if this truth be not practically maintained in the soul, our strength will be weakness, our walk our disgrace, and our worship but form.
This is the thought we are to cherish, that through redemption " we are brought nigh to God," " we have to do with God."
I need hardly say that in every age the whole power and blessing to man has arisen from his having to do with God. God is the source of all life and blessing. But the way in which the displays of God's presence, and power, and help are manifested, are modified by the relations in which He is manifesting Himself to His people, and according to His purposes in dealing with His people.
In a former dispensation, and in the present, there is a contrast in the mode in which God's presence and power are manifested. God's presence with Israel was for a manifestation of His power and goodness upon earth before the nations, and hence the discomfiture of outward enemies, and the enjoyment of earthly blessings. In the church God's presence is for the manifestations of His power in sustaining upon heavenly principles a people whom He has gathered to Himself. And hence His power will be mainly displayed to faith, in the victory over spiritual enemies in a triumph over the world, and in the enjoyment of spiritual blessings.