Chapter 1:5
In the previous verses we had three points brought before us; first, the apostle's salutation, in which he regards,: the saints as the objects of the present favor of the Father, and of the peace which He gives. Happy position! secured to us forever in Christ. And sweet it is thus to be able to view the saints at all times, whatever their practical condition, may be, as dear to God, the excellent of the earth, whose present peace and blessing He seeks, even as He has secured it for us forever in Christ. In fellowship with these thoughts of God, the apostle greets them with grace and peace from God their Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then, secondly, we had his thanksgiving for the hope laid up for them in heaven. Heaven was near to his thoughts. Jesus was there. He had entered in, and He was preparing a place for them. He is to come again to take us to Himself, that we may be forever with Him. And when He shall be Manifested then shall we also be manifested with Him in glory. This latter, perhaps, was more especially the hope here before him; Christ in them " the hope of glory." What rest of heart the apostle had in contemplating this issue of Christ's travail on their behalf, their being with Him forever in heaven! Many an exercise he had on their behalf even as to the very condition they were in at the time he was writing to them; they had lost the sense of their place with their risen Head; at any rate it had become much enfeebled, and with the enfeebling of this all else became enfeebled too. He had great agony for them; and this was Christ's Spirit yearning in him over them for their deliverance, and for their entrance in living power into the joy and comfort of the mystery. But when he turned to heaven all was peace; he could give thanks to the Father for the portion He had laid up for them there. Christ was there. The Head was there, and with Him every one of the members should appear in glory.
Then, thirdly, in the 4th verse, we had the ground of this thanksgiving as far as they were concerned—even their faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints. Grace had wrought in them already, and he at once connects it with glory.
In the close of this 5th verse and in the next, a new subject comes before him; the gospel, " the word of the truth of the gospel." In connection with this he makes three statements, each of them weighty and important, as indeed every word of God is.
First, he connects the hope laid up for them in heaven with the word of the truth of the gospel. The gospel, the good tidings of grace, had wrapped up in it also good tidings of glory. It was in the word of the truth of the gospel that they had heard of the hope laid up for them in heaven. Such was the range and scope of the gospel at least which they had heard: it was God's good news not only of the forgiveness of sins through the blood of His Son, but of eternal blessedness with Him in heaven.
How could it be otherwise? Christ was in heaven, and we are redeemed to be with Him. The cross put Him in glory, and it puts all who trust in Him, too. Blessed is it to know what we are delivered from-the wages of sin-eternal separation from God, who is love, the fountain of all goodness and joy; and this, too, as the expression of His everlasting displeasure. But how much more blessed to know that His perfect love did not spare His own Son, not only that I might not perish, but that I might know Him and be with Himself forever. Jesus was forsaken for us, that we might be forever brought nigh. This gives the heart an object as well as perfect peace to the conscience. It delivers also from this present evil world; the brightness and blessedness of that One discovering the true condition of this one-far from God and in bondage to Satan, and under wrath because having rejected Jesus. The word of the truth of the gospel reveals all this-the true condition of man and his world; the perfect grace of God which has wrought in the cross for us, and which had wrought in them, by the gospel, giving them a place even now with Him who bore it for them, and the hope of being with Him forever in heaven.' It was the word of the truth of the gospel, and on it they might rely with confidence. Man and his glory was passing away, but the word of the Lord should endure forever. 'And this was the word which by the gospel was preached unto them.
What firmness of step, and what buoyancy of spirit this heavenly hope gives to him who has it in passing through this world! Then we realize that we are not of it, and that we are on our way to God.
A second characteristic of the gospel was its universality. It had reached them, and was amongst them, as, indeed, it was in all the world. It was no mere Jewish good tidings; it was for man. Offenses abounded among the Jews; but where sin abounded, a far wider thing, there grace did much more abound.
Then, thirdly, it was bringing forth fruit in all the world and amongst them, too. It was gathering souls to God through Christ wherever it went; but besides, it was bringing forth fruit in those who were gathered. This last point is plainly implied in the clam e which follows: " since the day ye heard it, and knew the grace of God in truth." Ever since it was the power of fruit-bearing, as at the first it was the seed of eternal life. This is a very important point, and one we are apt often to forget. The seed that fell into the good ground brought forth fruit; some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundredfold. We have become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that we should be married to another, even to Him that is raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God. This is the simple natural result of union with Jesus risen. And the grace of God, when known in truth, sets us thus before God in Christ, the fruits of which union we are to manifest down here upon the earth. We are to walk in newness of life, i.e., of existence. In order to this we must abide in Him. But when simply holding the Head everything is fruit, fruit unto God.
What a place of honor and glory this is-of being the living channels of the affections and virtues of Christ hid in God here in this world! (O, that we esteemed it more.) Thus it is we adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, by manifesting in this world of sin and in the trying circumstances of daily life, not what flesh is, but what Christ is; our heart feeding upon His love, whilst we lean upon His arm and are guided by His eye. What interest He takes in our being fruitful, that His Father may be glorified! Will He fail us in the hour of need? He lets us come into it just that we may prove how abundant are His resources to make us victors over all the power of the enemy.
May He keep us near to Himself that we may be happy in His love, and so be strong to live for Him.
(Continued from page 24.4.)
( To be continued.)