IN his ministry we see something of the dispensation also. “The foolishness of God” and “the weakness of God” (that is the testimony to Christ crucified which the world judges “mean and slight”) were now dispensed, and according to this was Paul's ministry. It was weak and foolish in the judgment of the Greeks of this world. He came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom. His preaching was not with enticing words, but he was among saints in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling (1 Corinthians 2).
But further extended as his preaching was over the world, it set forth the comprehensiveness of the grace of God in this dispensation. In principle the sound of this grace was to go to the ends of the earth; and so Paul speaks of his ministry as stretching itself on the right hand and on the left, from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum. He had received “apostleship for the obedience to the faith among all nations,” and he felt himself debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise. He spake to the Jews, and to the devout persons, to the common people as many as he met with; and then with the philosophers (Acts 17). His purpose was to compass the whole earth. And thus he speaks continually to the churches of passing from place to place, by Corinth into Macedonia, returning thence to Corinth again, and so being brought into Judea; and again—he speaks of going to Rome as he takes his journey into Spain. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, and the Spirit that was in this apostle of God, therefore, thus reached the ends of the world. He was calling on men everywhere to repent, as did the dispensation. And when he could no longer go about with the gospel, being the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles, “he received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:3030And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, (Acts 28:30)). All this was expressive of the comprehensiveness of the grace that was calling in “bad and good, that the wedding might be furnished with guests.” In the Jewish times the ordinances of God were all at Jerusalem. It was there that men ought to worship. The priest abode in the temple, for the dispensation was one that refused converse with men, but in righteousness kept the flock of God folded in the land of Judaea. But now the dispensation is one of grace, going forth in the activities of love, to gather home the lost sheep that had gone astray upon the mountains; and preaching is therefore the great ordinance of God now. Preaching is the new appointment of God, something that is beyond the mere services of a secluded temple; and of this new ordinance Paul was made the most distinguished minister.
Then in his conduct, I may say that in a very general way it was made to exhibit the dispensation. In his conduct, as he says, there was “a manifestation of the truth.” And this is what faith always in measure does. Faith in a living form reflects the truth dispensed. The conduct of faith, as one has observed, is always according to the principle of God's present dealing. As John says, “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” And as Peter says, “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:99Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)). That is, blessing being bestowed on us, blessing is required of us. And so in Paul's conduct we trace the great principles of God's present dealing with the church. The Son of God emptied Himself of the glory that He had before the world was; and while on earth ever refused Himself. With title to call for legions of angels, He was dumb as a sheep before His shearers; being free as the Son, He submitted to the exactions of others (Matthew 17:2727Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. (Matthew 17:27)). So Paul, though free from all, made himself the servant of all, becoming all things to all men for their good (1 Corinthians 11:11Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1); 2 Corinthians 11:2929Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? (2 Corinthians 11:29)). And mark his words to the Ephesian elders, when he takes leave not only of them but of his ministry, ready to go into prison and onto death for his Master—Jesus (Acts 20:17-3517And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. 18And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 19Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: 20And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 25And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 32And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. 33I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. 35I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:17‑35)). Mark what he there declares his conduct in his ministry had been, and how he testifies of himself that “he had showed them all things” —thus telling them that he had been made to take the honored-place of reflecting the actings of God in the gospel, letting the churches see in him the blessedness of dealing in grace, which is (as we to our salvation know) the way of the Son of God in the gospel. “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This was a holy testimony which the Spirit enabled him to bear. And in a certain sense I would say that he even surpassed the gospel; not the spirit of it (that was impossible), but the mere conditions of it. The Lord had ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel; but Paul had not used this his power in the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:1212If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. (1 Corinthians 9:12)). He might have been burdensome to the disciples as an apostle of Christ, but he was desirous to impart to them—not the gospel of God only, but his own soul, because they were dear to him (1 Thessalonians 2:99For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. (1 Thessalonians 2:9)). But what does this reflect but the unmeasured and untiring love of God, which has visited us in the gospel? So effectually had he learned Christ-so blessedly was he through grace enabled to exhibit the dispensation—and beside, so fully was he a pattern of that conversation to which the dispensation calls us, that he could say, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an ensample; for our conversation is in heaven.” He lives on earth as a citizen of the heavenly city, and was (as the Spirit allowed him strikingly to express it) “unto God a sweet savor of Christ.”
But, however honored he might thus have been as the apostle of the Gentiles, and in his apostleship, person, ministry and conduct, the witness of the dispensation; yet he was not sent, as he tells us, to baptize, but to preach the gospel. For there was now to be no gathering point on earth. If any such, this apostle would have been it. But no! Christ was the center of all renewed souls, and He was in heaven. The Lord was not now setting up one visible point as he had once done at Jerusalem. The dispensation was heavenly; its source of power and its place of gathering was the upper sanctuary. It was “a citizenship in heaven” that was now enrolling, for not yet was it to be said of Zion, “This and that man was born in her.” All that in every place called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, were now recorded on high, as in the Lamb's book.
Such was our apostle; and far more might be added of the same character, but I will not further speak of them. I would now notice only one other thing, that was peculiar to him also. I mean his rapture into paradise. In this he stands also as the representative of the dispensation, inasmuch as it was as “a man in Christ” that he was favored with this rapture. In it he knows himself only as such, and therefore this paradise is the portion of all such. I judge it assuredly to have been the place of the spirit of the saint while absent from the body, and to which the pardoned thief went on the day of his crucifixion. Paul was actually caught up to it for a season, but no other man has ever had the same joy. He calls it “paradise” — “the third heaven,” the place of abundant visions and revelations. Whether in or out of the body he knew not, but there he was. He has not been allowed to tell us much about it, and scripture is generally silent on the nature of it. But there he was, and in this rapture of our apostle, as by the teaching of scripture, it is witnessed to us that it is better to depart and be with Christ, and that the place of the delivered spirit is a place of abundant revelation, and a paradise of visions of Christ.
The actual being of such a place was opened fully to the faith of the church (though it might have been apprehended before) when He, who is now its Head, said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And again was it verified to our faith when Stephen, “a man in Christ,” said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” But still this is not the church's perfection. The Spirit given to us of God is but the earnest of the house “eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5). The throne of the Son of man is the inheritance of the saints, and the glory for which the church waits. But that place of glory is not yet prepared, as the place of the spirits of them that depart in the Lord is. There may have been visions of it, as on the holy mount, but it rests still only on vision; it is the hope still long deferred. Christ waits at God's right hand for it, and the Spirit and the bride say, Come. The whole creation groaneth for it. But it still tarries. However, beloved! the word is, wait for it—it will surely come and will not tarry.
Many whom I love much in the Lord may not judge with me in these things. And surely I know that we know now but in part, and therefore can but prophesy in part. But we may be helpers of each other's joy, and so has the Lord appointed it. Nevertheless, let us take heed, brethren, that we be not taught the fear of God by the commandment of men. Let us take heed of obedience in the flesh; but watch that we do what we do in the power of communion with the Lord. And in whatever of enlarged knowledge we are instructed through others, let us have grace to try it all by a conscience exercised before our God, and inquire after truth as in His presence. Be it so with Thy saints, blessed Lord, more and more! Amen.
J.L.H.
(Concluded from page 248)