“I sometimes think that we are experiencing a little of what must have been felt by some at the close of the apostolic age, namely, that after all the truth that had been taught, it was little understood and could be, and was, quickly surrendered and lost.” This excerpt from a brother’s letter (many years ago) is sadly true. The ease and rapidity with which the most important truth is given up are amazing. A work of the Spirit is so fine in its nature and workmanship that it is easily spoiled if human hands are laid upon it. The corruption of the best thing is the worst corruption.
Spiritual Progress
Receiving and holding fast the truth in the Spirit are always associated with progress in spirituality and excellence of moral practice. The losing of the truth tends to spiritual death and moral corruption. When some in Corinth denied the resurrection, it told on their morality, for ignorance of God as a moral being accompanied the denial of the truth of resurrection. Adding law to Christ for the Christian life led the Galatians back practically from the Spirit to the flesh, and, in principle, from Christianity to heathenism. Paul was in an agony when he saw symptoms of “not holding the head” in Colosse, and he seeks with all urgency to detach the Hebrews from “ordinances,” knowing how they were hindered by them from advancement in the truth and the word of righteousness.
The state of the church after the decease of the apostles (as preserved in the writings of the apostolic fathers) tells of no gradual losing of the truth, but of a complete and immediate descent, as it were, from heaven to earth! It is one thing to have the truth fully taught, but none except spiritual and exercised souls will receive and retain it, and they are always the few.
The Power and Presence of the Spirit
Where the power of the Spirit is enjoyed and all eyes are lifted up to the Lord on high, the saints are kept fresh in a living atmosphere of divine things and the power of the Spirit giving a sense of the presence of God. Souls are sustained by the atmosphere of living truth and by means of the Spirit’s presence revealing Christ. The atmosphere in such circumstances is laden with nourishment, and the least portion of truth in this spiritual diffusion can be made to fill the whole soul with the strength and sweetness of Christ.
But when the Spirit is grieved, quenched or resisted, His strengthening and refreshing power is gone, and the more the truth is presented, the worse is the state produced. Nothing is more hardening than the loading of disordered minds with the strong meat of Christian truth that can be received with profit only by broken spirits and divinely exercised souls. Self (and the allowance of the things which nourish it) gives a distaste for the things of the Spirit.
The Inauguration of Christianity
Christianity was inaugurated with such a power of the Holy Spirit as led to the obliteration of selfishness, and the replacing of it by the love for one another that flowed forth in grace. Under the truth preached, the Spirit led naturally to divine unity, happy fellowship and refreshing worship. This is the secret of unity, and the efforts of human energy to supply its place only make matters worse. Neither the truth nor fellowship one with another can be had except in the living grace and power of the Spirit. What we want, then, is a Spirit-given experience of Christ flowing from the precious truth we have received, and this truth is a rich legacy for which we have great cause to be thankful. If the Holy Spirit is given liberty to act in His primitive energy in the midst of us, spiritual devotedness, liberty in worship and social gladness may be enjoyed as in those early days.
The Glory of Christ
What we should covet earnestly, and pray for, is that the truth of the gospel of the glory of Christ should be given forth in the power of the Spirit with the eye fixed on a glorious Jesus at the right hand of God, for what is truth apart from Him who is the truth in the glory of God? Christ is the truth objectively, the Spirit is the truth subjectively, and we must have both, not only in object and witness, but in life and power.
It was so on the day of the first Pentecost after Christ’s ascension, when the promised Spirit came and “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” The disciples testified of a glorified Christ with power; this ministry of the Spirit went on, “and the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly” (Acts 6:77And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7)). No fruitless preaching then! When the word was preached in apostolic times, there was a constant stream of living power in connection with it; Christ was magnified, and souls were blessed.
Might not God in His sovereignty cause this action of the Spirit for Christ’s glory to be given now, when “the churches” are departing from the truth, and the world is rapidly going into religious infidelity? All things ecclesiastical seem fast hastening to ruin, and the shattering of those gathered in unity on divine ground has occurred simultaneously with this defection. Before long God must interpose by the coming of the Lord and judgment on the world. In the meanwhile, may He give fresh power in witness to “the testimony of our Lord” and the work of grace by His Spirit!
Bible Herald (adapted)