The spirit of obedience is the great secret of all the present and practical blessings of the believer; for the Spirit is not grieved, and so becomes the minister of the grace and knowledge both of the Father and of the Son, and the simplest believer walking thus, enjoys the blessings of the covenant-faithfulness both of the Father, and the Lord, and the Spirit to the purposes of love in which we stand, and of divine glory.
The very blessings of the Church bring us into a kind of conflict that we should know nothing of apart from such a position, and privileges, and blessings. So the Church is subject to more failure and evil than either Jews or Gentiles were, because they were not set in the same blessings. A Jew might do many things which would be monstrous in a Christian, and find no defilement in his conscience. The veil
that was over the knowledge of God being rent, the light shines out, and the consequence is, that this light which has come out of the holy place cannot tolerate evil. Christians are in a more dangerous position, if not walking in the light, than a Jew. Satan may draw and entice me with many things which would have no power against me, if I were not so favored. Hence the need of the exhortation, " Be strong in the Lord, and the power of his might."