“Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth. But shun profane babblings; for they will proceed further in ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a gangrene; of whom is Hymenus and Philetus; men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his, and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness” (2 Timothy 2 R.V.).
In the latter part of this scripture we have truth that has already been brought before us to-day. For we have been reminded what are our duty and responsibility in the present condition of things. Only we have here a little more than a reminder of what is due from us. It is needful for us also to know what we have been made in Christ, and what we inherit in the things that God has given us and which we can never lose. If called to the path of duty we must have that which gives us strength. It is no use to go to an anemic person and tell him to have strength; he needs it. Amid the wreck of Christendom what have we still remaining? Do we not find ourselves desponding oftentimes because we look at what we have not, instead of what is secured to us in Christ?
This Epistle was written in view of what had come upon the church in apostolic times. There were those who had seen the fair scene in Jerusalem at Pentecost, when all were filled by one holy Personage. The astonishing outward unity was true not only in Jerusalem, but Gentiles were brought in, who forgot racial animosities, and the love of God was shed abroad alike in all their hearts. But how soon this faded! In half a century it was gone. In the days in which Paul writes, how much had come in to sadden his heart! It was a trial and a sorrow to such an energetic man to be shut up in Rome while tidings came in from all parts of the world that assemblies were departing from the faith, who forgot to love one another. Disciples turned away from him, forgot him, and were ashamed of his chain! If so then, what now? Men then were erring from the truth, and God's providence overruled this for our profit, that in the counsel given for that day we might have guidance in paths of similar difficulty. Hence we have words in this Epistle which send a flash of light over the dark waters of strife and confusion. Men were misconstruing the word of God; and it was needful for a workman, if he did not wish to be ashamed, to handle it rightly. It is a solemn thing to take the scissors and the paste and seek to improve the word of God. Let us heed the warning of the apostle here, and be careful to divide rightly the word of truth. Men Paul knew who had missed the mark. People like something new, and so did Hymenxus and Philetus. They talked of the resurrection as having taken place already, and overthrew the faith of some. A man who speaks to others on any subject takes a great responsibility upon himself, but how much more do those who speak of the word of God?
But the apostle has a word of cheer and comfort, and it is this which is on my mind to-night—the last words I read. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure,” or, as it should read, “The firm foundation of God standeth.” I think it a needed word at all times; and from what has been before those assembled here to-day it is clear that it is intensely needed at this time. In face of apostasy the apostle turns to what is immoveable and imperishable. Never mind the fables of Hymenmus and Philetus; you have what God has established and which abides evermore. In spite of all that is bewildering at the present time, this is as true and fresh to-day as ever; and there is as much power in it as ever. We need not want to go back to Pentecost. What have we got now? The foundation of God. What is it? Because it is not defined people begin to speculate. You have only to consult commentators to see what confusion is the result. Some would refer you to a concordance. A concordance is excellent when used as it should be, but it is not the Bible. It will help you to find parallel references to a text, but it will not give you its meaning.
The foundation, I believe, refers here to that which God has established for the comfort of our souls. It is not one thing or another specifically, but a general word which comprehends those things He has given us in Christ Jesus. But three things are specially prominent among those secured to us in these days, and they have all been before us at various times to-day. In Hag. 2:4 we have Jehovah's word, “I am with you.” The New Testament answer to this is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ in all His fullness and sufficiency. And, blessed be God, this is not dimmed. The prophet spoke also of the Spirit and the word of God. And we still have all three (2:5).
Think now what this implies to me and to you. We have Christ as He was given to the church at the beginning. Take John's Gospel. In chap. v. the Lord is spoken of as the Giver of life, while in chap. vi. He is the Supporter of that life, its bread. And the believer whose hunger has been satisfied is the one who knows how to continue to cat His flesh and drink His blood (ver. 56).
What gives support to the soul in days like this? We look back on One who was ceaselessly active when here, yet abiding in unbroken communion with the Father; and we have the privilege of hearing His words and seeing His actings to all sorts and conditions of men. As we read these things our souls are fed. In chap. x. it is the Shepherd who cares for the excommunicated sheep of chap. 9. When through faithfulness to Him we find ourselves alone, is He not there to welcome us? He is the same to-day as ever.
In chap. 13 we have infinite comfort. The Lord Jesus Christ just before He was crucified is in the midst of His own. They are only a very few, but a Judas is there, and a Peter is there, so self-confident. But are His loving words affected by what He sees in their hearts? He speaks to lead them on in the knowledge of Himself, liable as they are to temptation; and by words and illustration intended to fasten the truth on their hearts He washes their feet, removing the defilements of the way. Amid all the confusion of the present time we have One who acts for us in glory as in the upper room. We have Him still in this way; for amid all the wreck of ecclesiastical things this firm foundation stands.
That is John. There are some who delight to set Paul at loggerheads with the other apostles, but he is not so in the scriptures, when read aright. Nor is he as to our subject. The apostle has a deal to say to the Hebrews about the Mosaic system set aside to make way for Christ. But though the Jewish system is shown to decay, in the first and last chapters we are reminded that Jesus Christ never passes away. “Thou art the same.” “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever” (Hebrews 1:12; 13:8). It is true that we ourselves have seen things and instititions fade away; but in the person of Christ we have One on whom change can never come; and He abides in ministry as at the beginning. In the Revelation, amongst the churches where is the Lord? Still there, walking among the candlesticks.
But we have also the Spirit of God. The Lord promised another Comforter, or Paraclete; One who should be as much to them as He Himself had been here in this world. He should come down and remain until the bride of Christ is ready and the Lord comes for her. There is a lovely picture of this in Genesis 24, where Eliezer convoys Rebekah across the desert to Isaac. Is it not the blessed office of the Spirit to cheer our onward way by the ministry of Christ? The great sin of Christendom is the practical denial of the presence of the Holy Ghost. If we realized His presence when gathered together for worship, how softly we should move, how slow to speak, how much we should fear to break the silence of the Spirit! He remains in all the sovereign activity He had at the beginning. Why do we not see more of His activity? Because we look amiss; we look for great things, and forget the still small voice. Two things ever characterize the work of the Spirit. He is here to glorify Christ, and is the power by which we worship the Father and the Son. And one absolute mark of the Spirit is this glorifying Christ. But this in itself might be misleading. Hence we have a criterion. The Spirit always works in accordance with the word. There is a threefold cord—the Son could say, “I am... the truth” (John 14:6); so also, “the Spirit is truth” (1 John 5:6); and “thy word is truth” (John 17:17). If I find myself taking a certain course of action, how am I to know if it is in accordance with the Spirit? I have the word as a guide. And so we can try this on ourselves, only we prefer to try it on others!
A word now on the treasure we have in the word of God. This is only refreshing when we come to it, with human theories placed on one side. Some come with the set notion of supporting their own fancies, and look out texts accordingly. We need the word as a continual power in our own souls, and this alone can keep our souls in communion.
If we set up a religious routine of our own; it is possible for persons to fall in with it and trust to that routine for benefit to their own soul. A person may go to the worship meeting looking for a word, and, if there is no word, go empty away; and serve him right. We must go to the word of God for ourselves. Why do we not? Because it proceeds to set us right and to discover what is wrong with us. And this firm foundation abides, whatever the circumstances.
We must regard it as the word of the Lord, not one jot or tittle of which can fail. It is settled in heaven, and by it we are admitted into the counsels of the Most High. A great many think the Lord may speak to them of their personal ways, but apparently has no right to interfere with ecclesiastical matters. Some say, “I believe that where I was converted, the Lord means me to stay.” We ought to be in our ecclesiastical associations only where we can, and do, obey the commandments of the Lord.
None shall overthrow the foundation of God. But it has a seal. A foundation is supposed to be out of sight, but the word of God is above the language of the schools. We have two metaphors here. A foundation is that which is unalterably settled, and a seal is the emblem of authority. Think of it in connection with the One who put it there. The seal is open to the inspection of all. There are great truths here in God's seal and counter-seal, which all can lay hold of, and which indeed ought to lay hold of us. Without discussing the foundation, does it not come home to us as a power to comfort, that whoever may misunderstand us, the Lord knows us. The knowledge of the Lord is what we have to fall back on in the present mass of confusion.
Peter was particularly instructed as to the knowledge of the Lord. He lent the Lord his boat to preach from, and the Lord knew his circumstances as a fisherman, for He was not oblivious to the anxieties of a business man. “Let down your nets for a draft.” “At Thy word I will—just one net.” The Lord knew, but Peter did not know, or dream, how much the Lord knew (Luke 5:1-11). They enclosed a great multitude of fishes, but the net brake. The Lord said “nets,” but Peter let down one only. In John 21 there is an echo of a sadder scene—his denial. When the Lord probed his heart to the bottom, he cried, “Thou knowest.” How comforting to be brought back to this. We may be alone and scorned “the Lord knoweth.” When all doubt us, He knoweth.
One other word the apostle adds, “Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” This cannot mean personal conduct, for if a man is a Christian at all he has given up unrighteousness. Are we then to set up to be judges of what is iniquity? We have both Guide and guide book as to this, and it is incumbent on us to depart from iniquity.
We are each building, according to the Lord's parable (Matthew 7:24-27). This is not preaching; but the man who digs deep is the one who is doing the will of the Lord. We are rearing a building in our individual lives, and now and again we shall have a storm, and then it will be proved on what we are building. If we are not building on the word of the Lord it will quiver, and shake, and go down.
Having received anything from the Lord, let us hold it fast for Him. He is soon coming, and He will then have something to say to us about our conduct. Whatever is not of Him will go, and go forever. We have not to make a way for ourselves, nor to build up our own associations. The way is here for us in the scripture. May we keep His word, for His name's sake.
W. J. H.