The believer is assured that all truth and blessing center in Christ, and that it is consequent upon what He is and has done, that the Christian is what the word of God plainly declares Him to be. No less is it so as to the glorious future of blessing yet to be manifested, both as to the heavens and the earth. The present privilege of the family of faith, and the coming reconciliation and gathering together of all things above and below, are the subjects heading this paper. One has to do with the, first coming of the Lord Jesus, and the other with His exaltation, coming kingdom, and glory. It may be profitable to look at both these points with the state of man and things as they were, are, and will be.
In “the fullness of the time,” and that to which it refers, does it not imply clearly certain times or periods which had ran out, so that the time had come for God to bring forth His promised resource in the person of His own beloved Son? To touch upon one or two periods before this moment, there was that of innocence, when God created and blessed man, and set him in paradise. Sin soon entered, and then for the first time is mentioned “The Seed of the woman,” One who should bruise the serpent's head.
After this promise there was the period from Adam to Moses, as stated in Rom. 5, when death reigned, although no actual law was given. It was during that time God called out Abram, who became the chosen vessel of promise, both as to the inheritance, and the blessing of the families of the earth in him. This was confirmed to his Seed in Gen. 22, when Isaac was figuratively raised from the dead. Thus there was the Seed of the woman, and the Seed of promise; but before the answer to both came, it was necessary for another period to come—that of the law which raised the question of man's righteousness and actual state. This period is referred to in the Epistle to the Galatians, where the state of the believer, then is contrasted with the state of the believer now. Then the liberty of grace was not known, seeing that the flesh was being tested, the law applying to man in that condition. Bondage to the law; with the fear of death, marked their state as a principle, even though brighter things and heavenly hopes may from time to time have been given. The believer during the law-age is spoken of as being under tutors and governors until the time appointed, yea, children under age treated as servants as to the thoughts and ways of the Father, even though they were called children. All this marked the closing period before God was about to send forth His very best gift in the Person of His Son, when the promise both of the woman's Seed, and also of Abraham was about to be fulfilled. This therefore is “the fullness of the time” when, after all else had failed on the one hand, and God had spoken according to promise on the other, it is written, “God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”
Christ incarnate therefore is the time referred to, when the day of innocence, the reign of death from Adam to Moses, and finally age of the law, were all superseded by God sending forth His Son. This of necessity was a new era in the ways of God, being a further, yea, a full, revelation of Himself in love by giving His Son, together with His blessed purpose toward man in redemption. If God had pledged Himself by promise both as to the woman's Seed to bruise the serpent's head, and to bless the nations of the earth in Abraham's Seed: if too, law had come between promise and fulfillment, God's love had anticipated and provided for all this in Him Who came in the fullness of the time, the One in Whom alone promise could be made good, as well as the people fitted in state and title for the inheritance.
The Son of God was made of a woman, and made under the law. Thus the place in grace taken as to His manhood embraced the whole of Adam's race, as well as that of those under law. Infinite grace indeed for the Son of God to come of a woman, conceived of the Holy Ghost, but born truly of the Virgin Mary, yea, further to take His place under law, and this in view of redemption. To accomplish redemption was the grand and blessed object of God in sending His Son. Though made of a woman, and under the law, nothing short of His death could meet the case of man fallen and ruined, or of a people under law which they had fully broken, and hence were guilty and condemned. There could be no room therefore for boasting, much less insisting that Gentiles must be circumcised, seeing the one needed to be redeemed as much as the other. The solemn question of sin must be settled by Jesus, Who in the fullness of time came for that end. The love of God the Father in sending, and the love of the Son in coming, are alike seen; although it rested wholly with the Son to die for the ruined sinner, and no less take the curse and exhaust the judgment of a broken law. Thus, and thus only, was justice satisfied, holiness met, and a glorious salvation secured, giving the unmistakeable proof that at Calvary alone was the work done as to sin, for the glory of God, and the need of the guilty.
Redemption being accomplished by the Son of God, privileges corresponding to it are made known, such as distinguish the believer from those before Christ came. This is the important and decided reasoning of the apostle in relation to believers under law. Indeed, none knew what is now revealed and established. They were in bondage, with no indwelling power, either as to liberty or relationship. Promises as to the inheritance were theirs, given as they were to Abraham, and confirmed to his risen son Isaac; but as is shown in Gal. 3, Christ is the true Seed in whom all centers. Whereas now, faith in connection with Christ (Who has made good by His death that which established the promises in Himself) has come, whilst the believer in the past was shut up, kept under the law. It is no longer the tutor or schoolmaster, but Christ; and those believing in Him are, not only delivered and in holy liberty, but children of God. These two privileges were not known till Christ came, neither could it be said, there was neither Jew nor Greek, for these distinctions existed even with believers who were of Abraham's seed, hence of the promises. They were children, that is to say, in infancy, as to the inheritance, and the Father's mind about it, with no real fellowship with Him respecting it, although heirs. Now, on the contrary the Jew, under law, and the Gentile without law, when believing it Jesus, have equally received the adoption of sons, a precious gift freely given of God, in virtue of an accomplished redemption.
The believing Jews, now having Christ, are no longer in the place of servants, but in the knowledge and happy liberty of “sons of God;” moreover as to the believing Gentiles the apostle adds, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Life, liberty, and relationship in the power of the Spirit of God mark the present period, rather than what marked the past. They are Abraham's seed, therefore, on the principle of like faith (but faith as now revealed in connection with Christ and redemption accomplished) yea, sons and heirs of God. Is not this wondrous vantage ground, though in true character with the result of promise, relationship, and heirship, being made good in Christ risen from the dead? He it is Who is the sole and worthy cause of the believer's present state, being a contrast to those before He came, even though the principle of faith as to promise and blessing is ever the same.
How sad to find many true believers not knowing or enjoying their true privilege of adoption and heirship in conscious association with Christ risen. If free from law-righteousness by owning Christ, yet are they often following some good forms of the flesh so termed, with works in character with such a state. They either excuse, or teach, a condition of bondage and doubt, confirming it by turning to the experience in the Psalm and other portions, to the cost of receiving and standing fast in the liberty wherewith Christ makes free. Such a state of life and grace is not according to the gospel of the grace of God, and is most dishonoring to the finished work of Christ, the holy and righteous basis of it. Let the reader ponder this, and if under bondage in the mingled experience of doubts and fears, may he see that abiding peace with God, and complete deliverance from the Adam state of sin, crowned with the Spirit of adoption, begetting the happy cry of Abba, Father, are alone true Christian liberty. (To be continued.)