NOTES OF AN ADDRESS
“Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold.... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot ... ..As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."—1 Peter 1:1818Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (1 Peter 1:18) to 2:11.
THERE is a striking difference between the writings of Paul and Peter, though both are indicted by the same Spirit. Paul generally looks at the saints as now in Christ, and in Ephesians as already in heavenly places seated in Christ—"in whom we have obtained an inheritance." Peter, however, in his epistles, looks at the saints down here in manifold trials, going on to their heavenly inheritance—" an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven," &c. Paul often looks at us as" a new creation," one with Christ, and complete in Him who is the Head of all principality and power, and by this new order of truth shows the wide contrast between Judaism and Christianity. Peter writes to Christians who were Jews by nature, and suffering persecution for Christ's sake, and turns to Jewish ideas and scriptures to instruct them in Christian truth. For instance, he calls them" elect," but not now as an elect nation, but "strangers scattered." He speaks, too, as we have seen, of an inheritance; not an earthly land of promise, but an inheritance reserved in heaven for them. If he speaks of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, it loot the morning and evening lamb of Israel's daily repetition, but the Lamb of God; and if Israel were promised to be a "kingdom of priests" of an earthly order, they were now a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. They were to pass the time of their sojourning here in fear it is true; but not the slavish fear of distance that Israel knew at Sinai, but to fear because they had been redeemed at such a cost as the precious blood of Christ. But whatever be the difference in the lines of instruction of these two apostles, we need them both. It is well to know the joy and liberty of the one, which shows our present standing and blessings in Christ risen and ascended; and it is equally important and comforting to know the present resources for the manifold trials of the way in the manifold grace of God.
As to great principles, whether of God's character and ways, or of man's moral condition, both in their several style, in the diversity of operation of the same Spirit, speak the same things. If one ascribes all our blessings to the grace of God in Christ, the other traces all from God, and secured to us in the blood of the Lamb; and if one says that no flesh shall glory in His presence, the other repeats the prophetic announcement, that "all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass," and that what endures is the word of the Lord.
It is that word which plainly unfolds the grace and sufficiency of God in Christ. Hence it is that Peter addresses the saints as those whose faith and hope are in God. This is most blessed, and most wonderful too, that we should know God Himself, against whom we had so sinned, and before whom we had been so guilty, to be now our confidence and hope. The fact is, that God's gift of His beloved Son has manifested His love to us; the unblemished Lamb has redeemed us by His blood, and God has shown the perfectness of that work in raising Him from the dead; so that by Him we believe in God—our faith and hope are in God.
Observe that it is by Christ that we believe in God. How simple this is God sent forth His Son, and shows us what He is for us on the cross. There He tells out to our hearts His perfect love, and brings home by the Holy Ghost its unutterable depth and fullness, thus inviting and securing our confidence. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." No marvel, then, that we are called to behold the Lamb—to look by faith at Him lifted up; for there we taste that God is gracious, are drawn into His presence, and approach with confidence; for we are assured that Christ died for the vilest of sinners, and that His blood cleanseth from all sin. Learning thus God's love in the atoning work of His beloved Son, our faith and hope are in God. Our confidence is not in self, nor in circumstances, but in God; for not only does He give us title to stand in His presence for ever through the blood of His Son, but He hath made Him, whom He hath raised from the dead and given glory, to be unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. We rest, then, in God, having perfect peace in His presence, reckoning on His love, His faithfulness, and His power to us-ward in Christ. If a soul hesitate and say, while gazing on the Lamb of God, Is ill that salvation for me? the divine answer is, He “was manifest in these last times for you who by Him do believe in God." What clear certainty and precious assurance this word gives the heart—"for you who by Him do believe in God." And why? Because He glorified God and established divine righteousness in putting away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself, so that He is now able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him. It is most blessed for the soul to be thus landed peacefully in God's presence, through knowing God in Christ. It was God who gave His Son to be a sacrifice for sin; it was God who condemned sin in the flesh; it is God who declares that He hath obtained eternal redemption for us; and it is God who has made known His will, that everyone that seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life, and be raised up at the last day. How can it, then, be otherwise, while looking unto Jesus, than that our faith and hope should be in God? The already accomplished work of redemption and God's infallible word give the fullest assurance. Christ risen and exalted proves God's estimate of that work, and He will be true to His own word. He cannot deny Himself. It is not what we are, but what God is; not what we feel, but what God says; not man's opinion, but the word of God, and that word He proclaims to us by the gospel. Thus the soul, by faith in the Lord Jesus, has peace and rest in God's presence; his faith and hope are in God.
There are two things necessary to make a sinner happy in God's presence, and they are both brought out here—redemption, and the new birth. No one could be at home in heavenly glory whose sins had not been righteously and judicially put away; or old he enjoy the presence of God and the Lamb, unless he had a nature capable of it.
We have already looked at redemption. Here we are reminded that we are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold.... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot. The glory of the Person gives efficacy to the work. In the blood of Christ we see the perfectness of divine love; and God, raising up of Christ from the dead and giving Him glory, skews how completely the work of redemption was accomplished.
The new birth is another thing—the work of God in us. The Spirit does this by the Word. James says, "Of His own will begat He us by the word of truth;" and here it is: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." In John's gospel we have, "Except a man be born of water [the word] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." And when Nicodemus asks "How can these things be?" the Lord directs him to His death on the cross, showing him that life can only be had through faith in Him lifted up. Here you see the death of Christ, the Spirit, and the Word, all brought into action in the work of the new birth. Thus those who are born again have believed in Jesus lifted up on the cross, and through Him they have "eternal life." Hence we are told, in John's first epistle, that "whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." No one, then, is born of God, who has not received the Lord Jesus as his Savior; and this is deflected by the word of God and the Spirit. In this way, by the Spirit, be obeys the truth. The effects are seen in love to the brethren, & the second chapter opens very remarkably. To these persons who had obeyed the truth and were born again, he writes that they should lay aside all malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, and evil speaking. What! is it possible that true Christians can have these things? Certainly, or they would not be told to lay them aside. For the new birth is not an alteration of the old evil nature, but is something additional —"a new creation." Hence our Lord said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Here are two natures. The malice, guile, &c., are the actings of the old nature, and they must be laid aside. It is very humbling to feel that we still have such things, but it is too true; and in order for growth (mark, not security, but Christian progress, growth in grace), these evil lusts and workings must be laid aside, and the word of God constantly fed upon. If malice, guile, &c., are not laid aside, the Spirit will be grieved, and there will be little or no appetite for the truth. By disallowing evil, and drinking in the word, as a new-born child does the milk, there will be growth. And as the word of God always leads the heart to Christ, because it testifies of Christ, so will the soul thus feeding be brought into constant association with Christ. Hence the next words, "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious." It is impossible, perhaps, to overrate the importance of this truth in the present day of looseness and indifference. If then there would be growth, spiritual progress, in a soul who has tasted that the Lord is gracious, there must be laying aside of the lusts of the flesh, a drinking in the sincere milk of the word, and personal intercourse with the Lord Himself. Let us seriously ponder these three things.
But further. Every Christian is a priest. In the next verse we read, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood." The upward action of spiritual life and energy will be in coffering up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by hens Christ! The outward action of the Christian we find, in the ninth verse, to be expressing Christ, living Christ showing forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
The result of all this knowledge of Christ is such fellowship with Him, as to make us feel strangers here where He had no rest; a stranger where He was, and still is, rejected; where He could say, "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." He is necessarily a pilgrim also, because he is going home. He is basting on to the possession of the heart's dearest object. The knowledge of Christ necessarily makes him long to see and be with Him.
“'Tis the treasure I've found in His love,
That has made me a pilgrim below.”
May we know what it is, not only to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory in Him whom having not seen we love, but looking to Him, abiding in Him, holding personal intercourse with Him, our souls may gratefully worship, faithfully serve and honor God, and take our true place as not of the world, but strangers and pilgrims, who cannot be fully satisfied till we are with Him and like Him in glory.