The "white stone" seems to mark the individual approbation of Christ; the "new name" peculiar intercourse between Christ and the individual, different from that which all share alike, different from the public joy. There is a public joy. All saints together will enjoy the comforts of Christ's love, will enter into the "joy of their Lord," and with one heart and one voice will sound His praise. There will also be joy in seeing the fruit of our labors, as it is said, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?" 1 Thess. 2:1919For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (1 Thessalonians 2:19).
And again there will be another joy in seeing the company of the redeemed, all according to Christ's heart in holiness and glory. But besides this public joy, there will be Christ's peculiar private individual recognition and approval—the "white stone," and the "new name which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it."
Christ speaks elsewhere of His own new name as Head of the new creation. There are old names belonging to the Lord Jesus, but His new name is connected with that into which His Father brings Him, when all things which have failed in the hands of man, will be established and developed in Him; and having thus Himself a new name, He gives us also a promise of a new name. We are not only to know Jesus, and be known of Him according to present circumstances, but to have a special knowledge of Him in glory, according to the glory.
Our souls must value this personal approval of Christ, as well as think of the public approval. The latter will be great blessedness; but there is no peculiar affection in it, nothing that stamps peculiar love on the individual. Glory will be common to all, but glory is not affection.
This "new name" is a different thing; it is the proof of Christ's value for a person who had been faithful in difficult and trying circumstances, for one who has acted on the knowledge of His mind, and overcome through communion with Him. This will be met by special individual approbation. There is the public joy and approval in various ways, and the manifestation of our being loved by the Father as Jesus is loved. But this is not all that is given for our encouragement in individual conduct through trial, failure, and difficulty; there is also this special private joy of love.
When the common course of the Church is not straight, not in the full energy of the Holy Spirit, there is danger of disorder. We find that the Lord then applies Himself more to the walk of individual saints, and suits His promises to the peculiar state in which they are. What faith has to do in such circumstances, is to lay hold intelligently, soberly, and solemnly on the Lord's mind, and to walk according to it, strengthened by the promises which He has attached to such a path as He can own.
This at once refers the heart and conscience to Jesus, while full encouragement to the feeblest saint. And it is very precious to have thus the guidance of the Lord, and the promise of His own peculiar approbation, so peculiar, that it is known only to him who receives it, when the course of the Church is such that one is thrown greatly on individual responsibility of conduct. But then, while it gives us strength for walk, it puts the soul in direct responsibility to the Lord, and breaks down human will.
When the professing church has become mingled with the world, "eating and drinking with the drunken," those who seek to be faithful must often have to walk alone, incurring the charge of folly and self will (and that too, even from their brethren), because they refuse to 'follow the beaten path.
Our only safety is in having the soul brought under the sense of direct responsibility
to the Lord by such warnings and promises as these, which both guide and supply strength to stand free from all around, while the consciousness that Christ marks and owns our ways, will sanctify as well as encourage our hearts. For it must be joy to anyone who loves the Lord Jesus, to think of having His individual peculiar approbation and love, to find that He has approved of our conduct in certain circumstances, though none know this but ourselves who receive the approval.
But, beloved, are we really content to have an approval which Christ only knows? Let us try ourselves a little. Are we not too desirous of man's commendation of our conduct? or, at least, that he should know and give us credit for the motives which actuate it? Are we content, so long as good is done, that nobody should know anything about us—even in the Church to be thought nothing of—that Christ alone should give us the "white stone" of His approval, and the "new name which no man knoweth save only he that receiveth it"? Are we content, I say, to seek nothing else? Oh, think what the terrible evil and treachery of that heart must be that is not satisfied with Christ's special favor, but seeks honor (as we do) one of another instead!
I ask you, beloved, which would be most precious to you, which would you prefer?—the Lord's public owning of you as a good and faithful servant, or the private individual love of Christ resting upon you, the secret knowledge of His love and approval. He whose heart is specially attached to Christ will respond, The latter. Both will be ours, if faithful, but we shall value this most, and there is nothing that will carry us so straight on our course as the anticipation of it.