ONE can only say that such a scripture as this, and such a record of the devotedness and self-surrender of the ministry of those days, makes us look very small, if, on the other hand, it makes us great, by the place in which it sets us; but it is always that way; it is the small people that are great, and the great people that are small, and if there be any attempt at being great in ourselves, we only prove ourselves to be small. God cannot allow man to boast, and we travel much nearer to man in that form than we are, perhaps, aware of.
We have before us here, in the opening part, " the love of Christ constraineth us," &c., and " henceforth know we no man after the flesh," &c. Now in what way are we accustomed to look at mankind? We might put it very near home in this way. We are influenced by the different relationships we are in in this world, and we are accustomed to make differences between one man and another in approaching them. The apostle says, " know no man after the flesh," therefore all that we really know as servants of Christ, is, a man in Christ; or, a man out of Christ; just a soul to be saved.
The world at large before the Christian that is in his true place, can only be looked at as composed of those associated with Christ, or just simply souls to be saved. To recognize no one after the flesh, to ignore that ground altogether, puts a weapon in our hand; it puts us in this attitude towards each: is he a saved soul, or a lost soul? has he peace, or not? and that alone is the ground of action towards him. As to ourselves, the conscience is just the thing to be kept, if you have got peace in your soul; on the ground of that peace, if you keep a good conscience, you will be in the right place. It is want of keeping a good conscience that has put so many Christians in a wrong place, but if you keep a good conscience, you will be found in the true place, along with those who are keeping the truth, and walking in truth.
Therefore the apostle is careful to put it before us-"know no man after the flesh"-a different order, so to speak. And what is the order? Where all things are of God; God the source of everything-a new creation.. God was in Christ, reconciling to Himself, and then, in advance, is committed unto them the word of this reconciliation-Christ having been made sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Then comes in the character of the ministry, the manner and way of the bearers of it; a wonderful thing this ministry; that is what makes us small, the contrast with what, we know ourselves to be; we came so very far behind practically. It was a wonderful ministry in those days, and the result of entire separation to God.
At the end of the chapter we have two things brought, out in a very marked way-the conditional and the unconditional. All that we have and are in Christ is unconditional; all strength, and support, and enjoyment here, conditional. God reveal ed Himself unconditionally, when He brought His people out of Egypt, as Jehovah. He was then a deliverer-God. He came down to deliver them; there could be no condition in that. But to Abraham He said, " Walk before me, and be thou perfect," &c.; there is the condition. Nevertheless, it is association with God as the Almighty God, so there is no lack of power. How so? Because God has not changed. A wonderful thing to think that we are in the place where we want for nothing, because in the place of power, knowing that the power is there, whether we realize it, or not. Why, then, are we always wanting something, morally, or secularly, or religiously, or what not? God says, " Walk before me, and be thou perfect; I am the Almighty God:" and so to us; " Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
May the Lord, in His infinite grace, keep us so conscious of the place He has brought us into unconditionally, that we may walk worthy of it, and thus enjoy, in their fullest extent, all the conditional blessings that belong to it. W. F. B.