The Trial and Proof of Faith

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
Glory belongs to God and to the Lamb. If the Church is looking for advantages on the earth, it takes on the character of Babylon. The Lord Jesus wills that the Church, His bride, should have the glory that belongs to Him, and that she should with Him wait until He enters into His glory to enjoy it with Him. If she is looking for an earthly glory, she becomes unfaithful to her heavenly Bridegroom; and this is the greatest unfaithfulness. We ought not to have any of the things which the prince of this world gives, but receive the heavenly things from the hand of God, and expect them from Himself. The Church ought to be the manifestation on the earth of that thorough detachment from the earth. She ought to be entirely independent of everything else, and in absolute dependence on God. This is the trial and proof of faith-to refuse the possession of things before God gives them.
It was the sin of Saul to have sacrificed before Samuel had come (see 1 Sam. 13:8-138And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 11And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. (1 Samuel 13:8‑13)). It is infinitely better to wait for the enjoyment of everything with Christ. "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" (1 Cor. 3:22, 2322Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3:22‑23)). And if this link is broken, the relationship between God and the creature is broken also. The Church must wait for the epoch of her glory, until the judgment of God be executed. Satan always tries to deceive the Church in this respect. He even endeavors to unite Christians in a spirit of human association to arrive at a spiritual millennium which is not promised, and which would exalt man and the means he has in his hand.
Nothing will make the bride happy but the presence of the Bridegroom. On the other hand, God will not exercise His power in the government of the world without Christ. Those who endeavor to produce a spiritual millennium want to use the resources of men. And as they must have money, they rest on what man can give. It is similar in principle to Babel (see Gen. 11), notwithstanding the excellence of the intentions; and Christians who expect the blessing before the judgment always rest on the energy of man.