The love of God is known fully by us in that which has been wrought for us.
The death of Jesus has closed the door against sin being imputed to us. Everything inconsistent in us would be sin on our conscience, if the Holy Ghost had not revealed to us what Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God, has done for us. But as to communion, Christ being our righteousness and the propitiation for our sins, as our advocate with the Father is occupied with our sin, which never reaches God as guilt. Whatever God sees inconsistent in us, the Spirit, consequently, through the advocacy of Jesus, reveals to us.
Believers are not only justified, but being justified, they are enabled to have respect unto the recompense of the reward. Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own work. Of course, if this were in the slightest degree to be mixed with the ground of our salvation, it would be ruinous. We are quickened consequently on Jesus being on the Throne of God; our righteousness, therefore, is already wrought. Our standing before God is in Divine righteousness; consequently, that matter is forever settled. Now, righteousness is only known on the Throne of God; the fruits of it are found here.
The Apostle Paul in writing to the Philippians prays that he may know Him, that he may be found in Him, “if by any means he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Believers are called by glory and virtue; the energy of the Spirit of God works in them according to glory. And how? Better for us if, by any means, dear friends, by any sacrifice, by any death to the flesh. We are saved by hope; because of the energy of the divine life we crave after glory which we have not, even for that time when the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
But, dear brethren, is it the hope of reward that sets me to work? No, it is written, “the love of Christ constraineth us.” But what is it which encourages me in the trouble and trial? It is the hope which is set before us; thus it was with Jesus in His trying life. He, of course, was not seeking after righteousness, but it is said, “for the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross and despised the shame.”
We have the ascertainment of righteousness to begin with. Jesus, of course, had it in unity with the Father; Jesus’ sitting at the right hand of God causes us, through the Spirit, to know this righteousness. Having this confidence, there is not one thing to accuse me of In the simplicity of the new man, the believer seeks after fresh acquirements, fresh knowledge of Jesus. When the flesh comes in, it always hinders this, and dims and darkens our faith; for is there any association between glory and sin, which the flesh always works in? The Lord supply that energy of the Spirit which discovers sin to us! Where this is felt and departed from, there is no need of the Father’s chastening, but even when we are chastened, we are judged of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. But, dear brethren, remember the Father is more intolerant of evil in His children than anywhere else; it is totally unsuitable to that glory which is their portion, and therefore our Lord says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman... every branch in me that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. In this is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” The prodigal son is not brought in all his rags into the father’s house, he is first clothed in the best robe. But still there is discipline; though the believer is clothed and complete in Christ, there is the Father’s chastening to bring the soul into deeper acquaintance with Jesus..
“These things write I unto you, that ye sin not; but if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” &c. If we do sin (although it is our privilege not), the propitiation remains in all its efficacy for us. And the righteous one, Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness before God, is ever at His right hand. Thus as priest, Jesus continually maintains our cause before the Father, and as advocate ministers to us the supply of the Spirit, to show us what sin is. We see the same character of sin in ourselves, in spite of our growth in knowledge, as in our unrenewed state; and this shows us the irremediable nature of sin, and especially when we see sin mixing itself with our most holy things. For instance, suppose the spirit of self-applause comes in when I am speaking of the love of Jesus in giving Himself for us, I thus come to have a much deeper sense of the entire evil of my nature than I ever had before, my selfishness being brought into contrast with the amazing self-sacrificing love of Christ. Now I am to learn this through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Dear friends, if I were speaking to you as doubting your righteousness (in Jesus), I should be wrong at the very foundation, but that being forever complete, I expect from you to walk worthy of God who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory. Why do I expect this from you? Just because He has called you to have fellowship with Himself and His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. What has the Lord called us for? Just to be witnesses of “the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God,” to be the exhibition of God’s triumph of good over evil, just as in the fall of man evil triumphed over good. We need never be surprised to find evil in the heart; but whenever you do so, dear friends, judge it, bring it into the light of God’s holiness; don’t make light of it.
When the righteousness of the believer is established in Jesus, the Father’s chastening begins. Where there is not the continual exercise of a conscience void of offense before God, the Father certainly will take cognizance of it, because we are called into glory. We should have growing revelations of the Father; we are to recognize the flesh as dead, to seek in the energy of God’s Spirit received through the exaltation of Jesus, daily growing acquaintance with Him, that so we may be able to judge the old man.
Be entreated then, dear brethren, to use all diligence, if you would live blessedly, in communion with the Lord. If you would die (if it pleased Him that you should die) with the brightness of God’s countenance on you, seek in everything to live in fellowship of the Spirit with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, —which is the portion of His children. May we follow after holiness, seek after nothing else, knowing that we are called to walk worthy of Him who hath called us to His kingdom and glory. —MS. Notes.