There are many who own the name of Jesus, the Savior, and preach forgiveness of sins in that blessed name. Some of such would also speak of meeting in the name of Jesus. Some may, on the other hand, speak of “Jesus only.” Now, whilst the name of Jesus is unspeakably precious, and “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin;” but for those who had heard and believed the grace of God, the apostle thus prayed: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:9.)
The Lordship of Jesus is not only equally set aside by the two great streams of human wickedness—infidelity and superstition—two streams fast becoming one, in roaring rapids of violence, but, what is still more distressing, the preachers of forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus, and those who own that name most precious, they also too much set aside the authority of Him as Lord.
We may speak of Him as Lord of heaven and earth, but do we truly own Him as our Lord? Providing sinners be saved, they are left to join and own any government that men may choose to set up in Christendom, never asking or reflecting, Is this suited to the Lord? is this walking worthy of the Lord? Is He not entirely ignored as Lord, and each found doing that which is right in his own eyes?
No doubt, in the crowds that walk along the broad road of profession, there are learned and far-seeing men; but there is a narrow path, and the vulture’s eye hath not seen it. It can only be discerned by the Spirit. The worst thing is this—men, saved sinners, are content to go on in what their heart condemns; so different from this earnest prayer of Paul, or even the words of Moses in another day. He says, “Now, therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way.” Have you found grace in His sight? Thank God if you have. But now, if so, have you ever truly prayed to God, “Show me thy way?” You may think you know it, or you may trust in men, or churches, and think you have no need to cry to God, “Show me thy way.” You could not make a greater mistake. Let us read a few more words of Moses: “That I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight; and consider that this nation is thy people.” Is this the childlike desire of our hearts, having found grace in His sight, that we also may know Him, be more and more acquainted with Himself, and thus ever find His full, free favor? Do we know, and do we thus speak to Him about, His whole redeemed church? What was the answer of the Lord? “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Is not this enough? The path may be very narrow, and despised by men, but in that narrow path, whatever may be against us, He says, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” The vulture’s eye, far-seeing men, have not known this narrow path of perfect rest, in a world full of opposition and bitter hatred.
Yes, it is enough: “And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us?” Yes, it is this, the presence of the Lord with the few gathered to Himself that marks the narrow path. But then, must not this separate from whatever disowns the Lordship of Jesus? “So shall we be separate, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.”
And was Israel as a nation more separate from the people that were upon the earth, than is the church of God? But mark, if it is not separation to the Loud Himself, it is only sectarianism, or the disowning of Jesus as Lord. Can we truly say, “Is it not in that thou goest with us; so shall we be separated?” We must walk with the Lord, or we cannot walk worthy of the Lord. The world ever rejects and disowns Him. And does He not say of His own that are in the world, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world?”
The first thing, then, the apostle prays for, for the beloved saints in Christ, is, that they “might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Is this our prayer, our desire? For how much more do we need, in these last days of deceivableness, of unrighteousness, to look to Him! Now, have we the knowledge of His (our Lord’s) will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding? Or are we merely led by men for party purposes in the church of God? Do not admit for a moment that this is not your privilege, however dark the night, however great the confusion. The path will be narrow, but the privilege how great! Is there any wisdom like being filled with the knowledge of His will? But do not forget the vulture’s eye sees it not; it must be known by spiritual understanding. If, however, a servant knoweth his lord’s will, and doeth it not, does his knowledge profit him? Nay, is he not the more to blame? Thus the prayer continues: “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing.”
There are lords many, or divers human church governments, owned in Christendom, but each, when compared with the church in the beginning, displaces Jesus as Lord. In the beginning the world hated and persecuted the church of God. And what they did to the church, they did to the Lord. He said, “Why persecutest thou me?” Now, with great numbers, that very world governs the church. In the beginning the Lord held the stars in His right hand; guided and governed the assembly by the Holy Ghost: now that assembly is divided into various conflicting governments. All this we must confess and deplore. What need, then, for earnest prayer, at such a time, that we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing! Yes, will it not be all pleasing unto Him in these days of human will, to find a few loyal hearts?
We earnestly ask all our readers to cry to God about this matter. Do all own Jesus as Lord? No doubt this can only be done by the Spirit of God. “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (1 Cor. 12:3.) We may own other lords, but if we truly own Jesus “the Lord,” we may rest assured this is by the Spirit of God. What divine comfort, then, there is in those words of His, “Where two or three are gathered to my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Yes, if we have found grace in His sight, we may count on His presence with us. It is enough; we need no more; soon we shall see His face in glory, Lord of all. Oh, that we may walk worthy of Him, as Lord, now. May we do that only which is suitable to Him, until He come. C. S.
Oh may Thy Spirit guide our souls,
And mold them to Thy will,
That from Thy paths we ne’er may stray,
But keep Thy precepts still!
That to the Savior’s stature full
We nearer still may rise,
And all we think, and all we do,
Be pleasing in Thine eyes.