Young Christian: Volume 35, 1945

A group of girls employed in a store were engaged in busy conversation. As they were to attend “a show” that evening, they seemed very happy and full of interest—all but one of the number, who listened in silence. Presently one of them addressed her:

“Aren’t you going this evening?”

“No,” she quietly replied, “I do not go to such things.”

“And why not?”

“Because I am a Christian,” was her answer. And now came a chorus of voices:

“I’m a Christian!” “And I’m a Christian!” “And I’m one too! and we go to dances, and such things.” “We’ve no notion of laying ourselves on the shelf yet awhile.”

From the dear Christian girl came the quiet rejoinder,

“God says in His Word that we cannot serve two masters: we cannot serve God and mammon.”

“But won’t you go this evening?”

“No: the Bible says we should ‘seek those things which are above.’”

Was not this a happy testimony for a babe in Christ to bear? This dear girl was not ashamed of the “gospel of Christ.” After deep exercise of soul, she had found Jesus as her Saviour; and now His approval was more to her than the smiles of the world; and in His strength she stood for Him. Although it takes true courage to confess Christ in the face of a jeering world, He will give courage to the one who has a true heart for Him.

“Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven.”

“But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).

The time will come when in the Father’s presence, and amid the host of holy angels, Jesus will own as His, those who, in the midst of sorrow and temptation, owned Him down here. O, to be true to Him! Is it not worth more than worlds!

What about the girls who said, We are Christians, too, but we are going to have our pleasure yet a while! Let the Word of God answer,

“Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4).

Will Jesus own such? Ah! beware, ye who have the world. A fleeting moment of pleasure may be yours; but what about that eternity of woe!

“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in Him” (1 John 2:15).

“No man can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24).

Extract: The Atonement

The atonement will be our music through the endless ages of eternity. The sight of glory is not so great as the song which celebrates grace.

“Unto Him that loves us, and has washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 1, verses 1-6

“Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by God’s will, to the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus who are at Ephesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (verses 1 and 2, New Translation by J. N. Darby). So begins the Epistle to the Ephesians, written during the two years, approximately 61 and 62 A. D., following the apostle’s arrival as a prisoner in Rome, in which he was permitted to dwell in his own hired house; it was in this time that he also wrote the Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon and to the Philippians. It will be interesting to refer to Acts 28:16-31 in this connection. Paul was liberated in A. D. 63 but was arrested in 66 and suffered martyrdom, it is believed, in 67, in which year Peter also was martyred. The cruel Nero, emperor of Rome, committed suicide in 68, ending his fourteen years’ reign; and in A. D. 70, Jerusalem was destroyed.

The saints and faithful in Christ Jesus in the first verse are simply the believers as they are referred to in many other Scriptures,—saints, or set apart, separate or holy ones; faithful, or those who have living faith; such is God’s way of describing His children. They are those who know God as their Father, and His Son as their Lord Jesus Christ (verse 2).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ; according as He has chosen us in Him before the world’s foundation, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love; having marked us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He has taken us into favor in the Beloved” (verse 3-6, JND)

This Epistle, it is at once evident, is vastly different in subject from that to the Galatians. In the latter we had God’s exposure of the now common and altogether inexcusable error of combining law and grace. The Epistle to the Ephesians, it has been well said, gives us the richest exposition of the blessings of the saints individually, and of the assembly, setting forth at the same time the counsels of God with regard to the glory of Christ. There must have been in the assembly at Ephesus at the time that the epistle was written, a state of soul which the Holy Spirit judged to be such that the full communication of the mind of God, which we have here, might be made to them. That that state did not last is evident from Revelation 2:1-7.

The third verse speaks of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as He who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Does not this title, or these titles, do they not lead us to consider the words spoken by the Lord to Mary Magdalene in the morning of His resurrection:

“Go to My brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father and your Father; and to My God and your God.” John 20:17.

A quotation from William Kelly’s “Lectures on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians, with a new translation”, written about 1860, will be helpful to the young Christian in an understanding of the above:

“Our Lord stood in a two-fold relation to God; He was Son of God, not only as a divine person, but as man in the world (Luke 1); besides His highest personal glory which shines through John’s gospel. ‘That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God’. This last title refers to Christ, viewed in humanity in this world; and it is therefore stated only in the Gospel of Luke, which is pre-eminently the human biography, if I may so speak, of Christ. But it might not have been known, unless God has told us, that He carried that same relationship as man into His resurrection. He teaches us that death and resurrection gave Him title in God’s righteousness to put us in His position. So that He could, for the first time, say, in the fullness of meaning which those words convey, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, to My God, and your God’, He is now not merely ‘My Father’ and ‘My God’, but ‘your Father’ and ‘your God.’”

“The death of Christ had completely obliterated all that was against the children of God; the resurrection of Christ, after redemption was effected, enabled Him to give them His place of resurrection and sonship before God. And what a wonderful place is this! To think that now, even while we are in this world, our Lord would have us to know that we are sons, in and through Him, before our God, and that we are instinct with resurrection-life,—alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord; that we stand before God without a single charge or condemnation, and this, because He had taken by grace the ‘same condemnation’ with the guilty on the cross. He was the ‘holy thing’ —we unholy, altogether undone. But on the cross He was made sin for us, and entered the same condemnation—made it His own on the cross; and now there is none for me. I am brought into the same place that He had as the risen one before God.

Of course, I am not speaking now of His divine glory. The notion of the creature, no matter how blest, being in any other position than that of looking up to God and worshipping Him, could not enter a renewed mind. The Lord Jesus was Son in His divine nature from all eternity, but as man, too, He was Son: and also as risen from the dead. And by His death and resurrection He brings us in before God and His Father, having the same position as Himself, so far as to be sons, absolutely without sin in our new nature, and freed from condemnation before God because the old nature is already judged. The new nature requires none to die for it, but the old one did; and all is done. In Christ crucified, God condemned sin in the flesh, and to faith all the evil is gone. The blessedness of Christ is now made ours, and we can look up and say, ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.’”

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is then the God of Christ, when Christ is looked at as man; He is the Father of Christ, when Christ is looked at as His Son, the Son of His love. In the first character the nature of God is revealed; in the second, we see the intimate relationship which we enjoy to Him who bears this character of Father, and that according to the excellence of Christ’s own relationship to Him. It is this relationship to the Father, as well as that in which we stand to Christ as His body and His bride, that is the source of blessing to the saints and to the assembly of God, of which grace has made us members as a whole.

The apostle’s heart goes out in praise in verse 3 to Him who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Note that He has blessed, not will bless in eternity; the work is done. And what are the spiritual blessings? Everything that belongs to Christ. The scene of our blessing is not like Israel’s, on earth, but in heaven, where He is.

Verse 4, we can see, is associated with the first of the characters in which God has revealed Himself—as the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. “According as He has chosen us in Him before the world’s foundation, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.” How wonderful, how amazing this is! A choice He has made of us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and we by nature lost, ruined, enemies of God; dead in sin too, but quickened by His grace,—made to live by grace, and given so glorious a prospect.

Verse 5 is linked with the second of the characters in which God has revealed Himself—that of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Having marked us out beforehand for adoption (of children) through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will.” There is a special relationship in which we stand, children of the Father.

Verse 6 belongs to both of the verses which precede it: “to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he has taken us into favor in the Beloved”—both the choice of verse 4 and the marking out beforehand of verse 5.

Let us give further thought to what we have read in the early verses of this epistle, and may the Holy Spirit lead our hearts into a deeper enjoyment of what God has done, is doing, and will do for His glory and His Son’s glory and our blessing.

God has chosen us in Christ before the world’s foundation (verse 4). Just think what this means! We speak of God’s sovereignty; that He does what He pleases; we learn this and more from Luke 4:16-30, and Romans 9, 10 and 11; and other passages, but in this passage in Ephesians we are told of a choice that God has made of you and me, young Christian, not during one’s lifetime, nor earlier, even so far back as the time of the world’s foundation (Revelation 13:8 for instance) which you will find always refers to His earthy people, but in that former eternity of which the word of God gives almost no account. There are four passages which refer definitely to what belongs before the world’s foundation. These are in the language of the New Translation of J. N. D.:

John 17:5 (the Lord’s prayer, uttered just before His betrayal and His cross, in which He spoke, not of His sufferings, but of His people who were to be left in the world when He should return to His Father).

“And now glorify Me, thou Father, along with Thyself, with the glory which I had along with Thee before the world was.”

And the 24th verse: “Father, as to those whom Thou hast given Me, I desire that where I am they also may be with Me, that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me, for Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

Ephesians 1:4. “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the world’s foundation, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.”

1 Peter 1:18-20. “Knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible things as silver or gold, from your vain conversation handed down from your fathers, but by precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, the blood of Christ, foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but who has been manifested at the end of times for your sakes.”

Three of these passages refer to the blessed eternal Son of God of whom the Gospel of John in chapter 1 Says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things received being through Him, and without Him not one thing received being which has received being” (John 1:1-3, JND).

Another has said, “We are chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. Now this expression is not simply that of the sovereignty of God. If God chose some out of men now, it would be as sovereign as if before the world (was formed); but this shows that we belong in the counsels of God to a system set up by Him in Christ before the world existed; which is not of the world when it does exist, and exist after the fashion of this world has passed away. This is a very important aspect of the Christian system. Responsibility came in (for man of course) with the creation of Adam in this world. Our place was given us in Christ before the world existed” (See J. N. Darby, Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, Ephesians, chapter 1).

Another writer says, on the same subject, “Choosing us is a necessary part, because it is evident there was no one but God to choose. It was before the foundation of the world, when God alone was. Man had no voice nor choice in the matter. It was purely God acting from Himself. It was a matter of God’s own choice, that He would have others to be in Heaven beside Himself. ... Here we have God’s choice of us personally. For it is not merely to have a people, as if it were some vague thing, a certain number of niches in heaven to be filled up with so many people. There is no such notion in the Bible. It is persons He chooses. There cannot be such love without a person distinctly before it. And if it is true even among men, that, love is not an uncertain feeling—which is rather a fancy, much more is it true with God. He loves us individually. Hence He has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, to show how entirely it is a choice, independent of our character and ways; and if so, it must always flow back to God in a way according to Him. And so it does. If there is this choice of God in Christ before the foundation of the world, He will have saints before Him in such a way as God alone could.”

“Having marked us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will.” This is God as the Father of the Lord Jesus blessing us; not merely choosing us, but marking us out beforehand for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to Himself. The word translated “adoption” (Greek, Huiothesia) is found five times in the Scriptures (Rom. 8:15 and 23; and 9:4; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5) and means placing as a son or child. What this may mean when a man of the world adopts some boy or girl as a charitable act, or a duty he feels that he owes, makes a very poor comparison with the adoption God gives those whom he receives, as this chapter by itself discloses, and many other passages of Scripture besides. No earthly children of adoption could by any means have cost the man who adopted them so great a price as we; or be born again as we have and be held in such affection as we are.

By the Word of His Power: Part 1

Hebrews 1:1-3

Before opening my subject tonight, I would like to mention two instances that we get in the Acts of the Apostles. In chapter 16 when the Apostle Paul was speaking at Philippi, you find a woman there whose heart the Lord opened to hear the things that were spoken by Paul, and she got a blessing that day that she is enjoying tonight. In the next chapter we find that same servant of the Lord, Paul, under different circumstances. He is speaking in another city, and the people say, “Let us go and hear what this babbler has to say.” It is the same servant, preaching the same gospel, but think of the difference in the attitude of his hearers!

Any blessing that you, or the speaker himself, can get tonight depends upon our attitude of soul. Are you here thinking, “What will this babbler have to say?” or are you here to attend to what the Lord has to say? If that is our attitude of soul, we can’t help but get blessing.

I want to speak in a very simple way tonight of some of the blessings that are ours because we have been called to heaven, and of the glories of that blessed Person who is there waiting for us. We have it brought out so wonderfully in the book of Hebrews.

We suppose that the book of Hebrews was written to the Church at Jerusalem. It is unlike the other epistles, because it has no salutation and no signature. Perhaps the reason why Paul hid himself (for no doubt he wrote it), was because he was conscious of the intense prejudice that existed at Jerusalem against him, because he had turned aside from his Pharisaical Judaism, and had cast it aside, and had accepted unreservedly the Messiahship of Christ. So, in order not to provoke antagonism against his message, he hides himself. Also, he does not care to direct their thoughts to any other apostle, because he is going to tell them about the Great Apostle and High Priest of their profession, Christ Jesus.

Think of the religious background of those to whom the apostle brings out the truths he states in Hebrews. There in Jerusalem was firmly entrenched for ages, that religious system of things which at the start was given by God, but like everything else committed to man, had become corrupt. Yet the more corrupt it became, the more boastful it became. When Paul was writing this epistle, no doubt the most outstanding thing in that great metropolis was the religion of the Hebrews. No doubt the grandest building there was the temple, with its gold and silver and magnificent stones, and all the grandeur that was attendant upon its ritual. And the people were proud of their ancestry, proud of their religion, and very much inclined to look with contempt upon anything outside their own circle.

In that great city were some believers. They were in the minority, and they were keenly conscious that they were surrounded by this great system of things that denied everything they held dear. That system of things laid claim to the earth, and if those in it were asked to demonstrate what they had religiously in this world, they could point with pride to many evidences of it. They could point to that temple, to the dignity of the priesthood, and to that magnificent and elaborate worship, and they could cite the generations that lay back of that system. But here in that same city were little groups of simple believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and if they were challenged to produce some credentials for what they held, there was nothing tangible to which they could point. They had no building, no temple, no ordained priesthood, no enlarged borders, to their garments. All they had was the Word of God, and there were no promises connected with their system that gave them title to this earth. All their promises as Christians connected them with heaven. No wonder there was a temptation to give up attachment to the unseen and turn back to something which the senses could appreciate.

That is the situation in which these Hebrew Christians found themselves. Paul is writing this epistle, led by the Spirit of God, to encourage them in their heavenly hopes and to keep their eyes fixed above, where He is. He is saying in effect, “Don’t turn back to earth. Hold on a little longer—just a little longer.”

He starts out by opening up to them the glories and the dignity of that blessed One to whom they were attached by faith.

“God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Heb. 1:1-3.

When one reads that opening of the Epistle to the Hebrews, he just feels how impossible it is to do justice in speaking of such a revelation. Our brother in preaching the gospel last night referred repeatedly to what we have here— “God hath spoken.” O, what a thing that is! Have you heard Him? I wonder if everybody here tonight is a child of God. When one faces an audience of this size, he feels that there may be someone here who is not saved. Remember, “God hath spoken,” and, friend, He has spoken to you! If it is God who has spoken, would you not do well to take heed?

In the room where we have been holding the three day’s meetings, my glance wandered several times to that large picture of the King and Queen hanging on the wall, and I thought, “What a hush would come over this audience if they should come walking out on that platform.” Then I thought, “Suppose they should start to speak from that platform. What a tremendous hush would fall over the audience, and what attention would be given to what they said!” And yet, in our midst is a Greater than Solomon, a Greater than King George, a Greater than the Queen. Here we read that God hath spoken. Friend, it is worth listening to what He has said.

How has God spoken? In times past He spoke unto the fathers by the prophets. It was God that spoke. But the marvel of marvels is, that in these last days He has chosen to speak unto us in the Person of the Son. We will never be able to fathom the wonder of that, but we will marvel at it through all eternity. God came down in the Person of the Son, and God has spoken to us. Isn’t that wonderful! How much do we appreciate it?

(To be continued)

How Much? What Sort?

“How much?” Short, but weighty words, important both in their significance and in their setting. (Read Luke 19:1-27).

The first ten verses tell of the “Salvation” which the Lord Jesus brought at His first coming. But if this is known and the soul is deepening in the “grace of Christ,” it is necessary to respond to the parable our Lord “added” for those that “thought the kingdom of God should immediately appear.” The Lord Himself is seen as the nobleman pictured in the parable. He has gone to heaven, received the kingdom and will presently return. Before going, He said to His servants, “Occupy till I come,” giving to each one the same sum wherewith to trade.

Have you ever asked yourself for what purpose God saved you, gave you eternal life, sealed you with the Holy Ghost, filled you with peace, joy and hope, gave you the Holy Scriptures, and gifted you according to the grace given? Surely all this is included in the “pound” entrusted alike to each one of us.

It is a decisive day in your spiritual life when you say to yourself:

“I am not only a child of God, but He has given me the privilege and responsibility of being His servant.”

From henceforward, by His gracious help, your one object and interest in this world (apart from earthly duties) should be to “occupy,” to trade with your pound till He comes, and to trade with all your strength, for very soon your Lord and Master will return.

Before He sets up His kingdom in this world, He will ask each one “How much” has been gained by trading with His pound, in His absence? How blessed to hear from His lips, “Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful (not successful) in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”

Be encouraged, dear brother or sister in Christ, to use His pound faithfully, no matter how insignificant your service may be. Remember it is grace alone that will put you in heaven forever, but for faithfulness in your service now, He will confer a reward in His kingdom. Very, very soon this glorious kingdom will be set up in the place in which He died, and then “if we have suffered with Him we shall also reign with Him.”

“What sort it is?” Another little sentence of great moment! (See 1 Cor. 3:12-15).

Many earnest servants apparently go in for quantity— “How much?” —regardless of quality— “What sort?”

We need to be constantly in the Lord’s presence for direction in all our service, so that our labor for Him here may be suitable to our Master’s mind. So that it may be characterized by Him as “gold, silver and precious stones”: instead of as “wood, hay and stubble,” to be consumed in the testing fire of His judgment. Thus will it be “found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

Fragment: Instruction in the Scriptures

To instruct even the unconverted child in the Scriptures is of great value. It is like laying a fire well, so that a spark alone is needed to kindle it into a flame. It is a good and wholesome thing for Christians to be most particular in the training of their children in a thorough knowledge of the Word of God.

Perfection

“And it came to pass, that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.” Luke 2:46.

Is there not a fitness in its not being said of the Lord here that He was either teaching or learning; though it is said that He was hearing and asking questions? It seems to me that there is. To have taught would not have been in season, a child as He was in the midst of His elders. To have learned, would not have been in full fidelity to the light, the eminent and brighter light which He knew He carried in Himself; for He was wiser than His teachers, and had more understanding than the ancients (Psa. 119:99-100) we may surely say of Him; I mean not as God, but as One “filled with wisdom,” as it is said of Him. For of this child, in the temple with the doctors, we read that He was “strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” So that He knew how in perfection of grace to use the fullness of wisdom that was in Him; and He is therefore not presented to us as either teaching or learning.

A Timely Word

“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

“Till I come give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them” (1 Tim. 4:12,13,15).

Extract: All for Him

He has purchased “a peculiar people to be zealous of good works.” He has brought you to Himself, to have your whole heart wrapped up in His interests, your thoughts, actions, everything for Him. Are we living enough out of the world (not merely its pleasures but its cares) and enough with Christ for Him to have a large place in the daily thoughts of our hearts? Have we the consciousness from the time we get up in the morning till we go to bed at night that our hearts are with Christ, a consciousness that He is in us, and we identified with Him?

Gathered to Thy Name, Lord Jesus

Matt. 18:20

Gathered to Thy name, Lord Jesus,

And to Thy name alone;

This our true and only center,

None beside we own.

By Thy Holy Spirit gathered,

Objects of His care;

Not a matter of our choosing,

He has brought us there.

Thus with others brought together,

Be they two or three;

We have Thine own Word which tells us,

Thou wilt with us be.

Other names and other centers,

We would lay side;

‘Tis enough that Thou art with us,

We have naught beside.

Keep us, Lord, in days of ruin,

Gathered thus to Thee,

In the path of separation,

Till Thy face we see.

Correspondence: "Let Us Go Unto Perfection"

Question: Please explain Hebrews 6:1, especially, “Let us go on unto perfection.”

Answer: The Epistle to the Hebrews is occupied with Christ in contrast to Judaism, and we have Christ and His work unfolded to us. The rest is seen as but shadows which were the beginning of the doctrine or teaching, from which we must go on to what belongs to full growth.

The things mentioned in verses 1-2 are as far as Judaism could give them. Verses 4-5 are things belonging to Christianity.

It would be to profit if we could follow this out through the chapters and in reading the epistle, it is well to keep this in view.

Prophets and angels. Moses. Joshua and David; the Aaronic priest must all give way to Christ. He was to be a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. An earthly altar to give place to a Spiritual one. So the place of worship is within the veil. The many sacrifices that could never put away sins, pass away, and give place to the one great sacrifice that put away sin so perfectly, that every believer stands before God in its perfection (Heb. 10:4,12,14,17). It could not be repeated.

The Son of God has accomplished it all, and is now a man living and glorified in God’s presence.

To go on unto perfection, is to learn everything in the light of Himself as God, and man, and to know that He is the one in whom we are accepted. There is no thought of what is commonly spoken of as sinless perfection, till Christ comes and claims His church; then we shall be in all His perfection: spirit, soul and body.

Go Thou Thy Way Till the End

Some years ago, a man named John opened a grocery store. John soon became a prosperous man, and was much liked by all his neighbors, being of a genial and kindly disposition, as well as having a character for honesty and straightforwardness, in all his business transactions. But for all this, John was a man who scoffed at all religion, and openly avowed his unbelief in the existence of God.

After some years John’s old Christian father died, and in his will he bequeathed him, among other things, a large and much-valued family Bible.

“What a fool was my father,” said John to his wife, “to leave me a book which is absolutely worthless to me! It must have cost quite ten dollars, too, and yet if I sell it, it will only bring a few cents. How can I make any profit out of it? Let me see—yes, I shall use the pages as wrapping paper in my store,” and, in spite of his wife’s remonstrances, he placed the book on his counter and tore out the pages one by one to wrap up his customers’ purchases in.

For some time did this godless man continue thus recklessly to tear to pieces his father’s Bible; and if some of his customers felt a little shocked, they did not trouble to give expression to their feelings.

One day, however, a farmer living at some distance came into the store to buy some nutmegs. John proceeded as usual to tear a leaf from the Bible and place it on the scales; but, just as he was about to weigh the nutmegs, his customer called out:

“Wait a bit, John! That page you have taken to wrap your merchandise in, is sacred to me; you have torn it out of my God’s blessed book; you shall never make use of it for any purchase of mine! Give me the nutmegs without any paper”; and putting them loosely into the pocket of his coat, the farmer walked out of the store, leaving John feeling very uncomfortable.

“Is this book really so different from other books?” he asked himself. “I must see if this page contains anything extraordinary;” and folding it up, he put it into his pocket.

That evening, when business was over, he seated himself by the fire, and drawing the page from his pocket, he unfolded it and began to read. It happened to be the last chapter of the book of Daniel. Slowly and carefully he read the solemn words, and a feeling of awe crept over him as he thought of resurrection and judgment; of the portion of the wicked and of the just. But when he came to the last verse, the voice of God, whom he had hitherto despised and ignored, spoke loudly.

“But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” He was filled with alarm.

“That is just what I am doing,” said he; “I am going my way until the end, and there is no doubt I shall then rest in my grave; but must I, too, stand in my lot at the end of the days. Then in which lot shall I stand? Mine will assuredly be the lot of the wicked—mine the shame and everlasting contempt!”

The arrow of conviction had entered the conscience of the careless scoffer, and now he saw himself a guilty sinner in the presence of a holy God. Filled with misery and unable to rest by day or night, he at length spoke of his trouble to his wife.

“O, John!” she exclaimed, “I always knew it was very wrong to tear up that Bible. Let us get what now remains of it, and see if it will help you.”

The dilapidated book was brought from its position on the counter, and together they began to read. This time it was in the book of Revelation. But every word his wife read seemed only to increase his fear, and when she came to the words, “their works do follow them,” he groaned.

“O, wife, I wonder if my works will also follow me? I don’t want them to, for they have been so wicked.”

But the blessed Spirit of God, who had thus aroused this sleeping sinner, having first shown him his great need, guided him to other portions of the blessed book, in which, with delight he read of the great salvation which had been accomplished for him by Another. He saw that the Christ of God, whom he had once despised and ignored, was his only deliverer from the judgment which he so feared. With joy he learned that the precious blood of God’s holy Son could cleanse all his sins, and in simple faith he rested his soul upon the value of that blood to God, so that his misery and fear soon gave place to peace and joy.

He now longed to read the whole of God’s precious book. The remains of his father’s Bible he placed on a table, and by its side a new Bible of a similar edition which he had purchased, and in reading which, he now found his greatest joy. And if any wondered why the two large Bibles were thus placed side by side, John delighted to tell them how the torn one recalled to him the time when in his lost and sinful condition he had scorned a God of love, and abused His message of grace; and the new one spoke of that wonderful day in his history when Christ became his joy and treasure. He now “goes his way” with a glad heart, no longer fearing to “stand in his lot at the end of the days.”

But where will my reader stand at the end? Let him ask himself,

“Where, and how do I stand now?”

He has started a new year, but where will its end find him? If in eternity, what will his lot be? Is the inquiry worth an answer? Then, let him never rest again till a satisfactory one can be given.

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

“Come unto Me, all ye labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

Peace-Maker or Peace-Breaker

“Seek peace, and pursue it” Psalm 34:14. How we are reminded of the Lord’s words here,

“Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God,” (Matt. 5:9). Again,

“Having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Eph. 6:15).

The man that is not a peace-maker is, in the spirit of his soul, a peace-breaker. Why? Because he is not walking in carefulness before God.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 1, verses 7-11

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace; which He has caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and intelligence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself for the administration of the fullness of times; to head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth” (verses 7-10, JND).

Until the seventh verse, nothing has been said of the former state or condition of those who are the particular objects of God’s favor. Theirs are all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, and they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. Poor sinners, all of them, and miserable because of their sins, were they; dead in trespasses and sins; slaves of sin and of Satan, the Word of God says about them. They needed redemption; needed to have their sins forgiven.

Just so, in the seventh verse we read, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace.” He who blesses, has seen us in our wretched state, and acted in our behalf according as we have just read, “according to the riches of His grace.” How much we owe to our God for all His grace!

Yes, and this grace He has “caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and intelligence, having made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself for the administration of the fullness of times to head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth” (verses 8-10). Thus we learn that having been redeemed and so relieved of all anxiety about our sins, God can now tell us the mystery of His will. There is a reminder of Genesis 18:17-33 in this, God telling Abraham what He purposed doing in connection with the destruction of Sodom. But this is incomparably greater in Ephesians, wherein God makes known the secret of His counsels with regard to His Son for the administration of the fullness of times. Everything is to be summed up in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.

And this leads to the inheritance: “in whom we have also obtained an inheritance, being marked out beforehand according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will, that we should be to the praise of His glory who have pre-trusted in the Christ; in whom ye also (have trusted), having heard the word of the truth, the glad tidings of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, ye have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance to (or up to) the redemption of the acquired possession to the praise of His glory” (verses 11-12, JND).

Other passages of Scripture add to our knowledge of the inheritance which awaits Christ, and, in grace, ourselves. The subject should be better understood. Let us turn to Romans 8:16 and read to verse 23,

“The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. And if children, heirs also; heirs of God and Christ’s joint heirs; if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us. For the anxious looking out of the creature expects the revelation of the sons of God; for the creature has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by reason of Him who has subjected the same, in hope that the creature itself also shall be set free from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans together and travails in pain together until now. And not only that, but even we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also ourselves groan in ourselves, awaiting adoption, that is, the redemption of our body” (JND).

The truth here brought before us relates to the Christian hope. Christ is glorified, we shall be glorified with Him; after the church is thus removed to heaven, a new work of the Spirit of God will begin on earth, primarily among the Jews, but extending to the Gentiles and to the lost ten tribes of Israel. The Lord will appear on earth to establish His kingdom and to deal with the unbelieving. The universe will come under His rule, ourselves associated with Him; His inheritance, and ours to share with Him.

The good pleasure of God is to unite all that is created under the hand of Christ. This is His purpose for the administration of the times in which the results of all His ways shall be manifested. Another has written;

“It will be a grand spectacle, as the result of the ways of God, to see all things united in perfect peace and union under the authority of man, of the second Adam, the Son of God; ourselves associated with Him in the same glory with Himself, His companions in the heavenly glory as the objects of the eternal counsels of God.”

By the Word of His Power: Part 2

If God had chosen to remain hidden in thick darkness, all the science in the world could never have penetrated one inch through that thick curtain of darkness. The battle fleets nowadays have those mighty, million candle-power search lights that make the ocean as light as day; but they could never have pierced the thick darkness in which God dwelt until he was pleased to reveal Himself. He has done it, and done it in the fullest possible way. He has come forth in the Person of the Son of God. God has manifested Himself in the Son. What a privilege we have, who were born in this age. I have read history somewhat, and I read about men like Julius Caesar. He was born before the Lord Jesus ever came into this world, and he never heard of Christ. Why was I not born then? O, I was born in what we call A. D.—the year of our Lord. You and I were born since that blessed One came into this world, and what a privilege we have! It was not our choice but God chose to place you and me in this favored position. How our hearts ought to well up in thanksgiving to Him that ours is such a favored place!

God has spoken in the Person of the Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things. Everyone else is a usurper. The world is divided up into kingdoms and countries, and you can get books that will give you the list of all the countries and the size of their territories, but in one sense they are all usurpers, for it all belongs to Him, and He is heir to all things.

“Whom He hath appointed heir of all things” —not this poor little puny world only. He is Heir of all things—and that is the One we read about in this same verse who has made purgation for sins. When one stops to contemplate the plan of salvation, he is simply overwhelmed. The grandeur of the plan by which God has been pleased to deal with the question of your sins and mine is beyond all human amazement. And it would have taken this same plan with all its marvelous sacrifice and infinite wisdom, if you were the only sinner that ever lived. It would all have been necessary to take care of Adam’s sin, if no other man had ever been born. Yes, by one man sin entered into the world, and so death passed upon all men. Yet, the One that put away that sin, is the One who is Heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.

Not so long ago, Brother M. and I were having meetings down in Iowa. It was a cold winter night, and when we got out of the car and turned off the lights, were irresistibly led to gaze up into the canopy of heaven, and we simply stood aghast as we saw the expanse of the heavens. It was unusually clear that night. The milky way was just white with stars, and the glory of the heavens was an unforgettable sight.

Of whom do you suppose we were thinking? We were thing of the One who spread the canopy above our heads. O, the glory of that Person!—and He is the One who died for us! Can we put those two things together?

Our poor little minds simply cannot take it in. You know, I think it is a good thing for all of us once in a while to take time to gaze into the heavens at night and think how great they are, and how small we are;—and then to think the One who put them there, made purgation for our sins! Our heads fairly reel as we gaze into that expanse, and I wonder if the human mind could stand it just to gaze and gaze and let the vastness of it grow upon one. It seems to me that human reason would crack under the strain.

The One who hung on the middle cross made that expanse. How great is it? The most powerful telescope man has ever invented only sees more of what they have already seen. Out in California one of these days, if God permits, astronomers are going to gaze through a 200-inch reflector telescope, and they will be able to see four times as far as they have ever seen before. Christians, what will they see? Will they see an end to that expanse of starry heavens? You know they will not. They are just going to see more of what they have already seen—and yet some of those stars are so far away that if they had been blotted out of the heavens 2,000 years ago we would not know anything about it, because the light would still be coming from them. It takes only eight minutes for the light to get from the sun to the earth—but here are stars so far away that they might have been blotted out two millenniums ago, and we would not know the difference. Who made all that?—We know it was the blessed Son of God.

God has spoken in the Person of the Son, by whom also He made the worlds. “Who being the brightness of His glory” or “the outshining of His glory and the expression of His person (or substance), and upholding all things by the word of His power.” I think creation is marvelous—but to me there is something more wonderful still, and that is the fact that not only did He create them, but all down through the untold millions of years that those orbs have been shining there, He has been upholding them. He upholdeth all things—and that is the One who died for us, and the One who is going to have us with Himself in heaven forever and ever.

“Upholding all things by the word of His power” —O, the marvelous dignity of that One. He upholds, not just this world, but all the universe of God. I can take a baseball and toss it down this aisle, but the moment it leaves my hand my control over it ends; but that is not the way God by the Son made the universe. He started it on its way, but He did not let loose. Every planet and every universe, as it reels through endless space, is held and sustained and kept in its course by that blessed One.

You and I take to the road in our automobiles, and there is a fear attendant upon that kind of travel. Perhaps we don’t go very far until we hear a crash, and there is a lot of excitement, and something has happened. It is such a common occurrence that everybody here has seen something like that. Things have gone crisscross. There has been a collision, and there is a racket and a noise—and perhaps there is suffering and possibly death. There is the same danger whether you travel by car or by train. Dear old Brother Close spoke along this line one time, and he said, “Whenever man makes anything, he always puts a repair shop right alongside of it.” The moment you hear of an automobile, you hear of a garage where you can get it fixed; the moment you get a lovely watch, you immediately think of a shop that will fix it when it goes wrong.

Well, beloved, He upholds all things. How many of those planets and stars have had to be laid up for repairs? He upholds all things by the word of His power. That is the blessed Lord Jesus, the One who made purgation for sins, and in whose presence we are going to be forever and ever. We are going to enjoy what He enjoys, and be heirs and co-heirs with Him. What a future! Would you not like to be a child of God? Wouldn’t you like to know that when you get through down here you are going to be with the Man who built the sky, forever and ever? And you know, all the saints of God down through the ages who have lived and gone on, have been made heirs of that same glory. They are going to be with Him, and in a certain measure they are enjoying the blessedness of His presence now. They will enjoy it in fuller measure a little later on. That is the portion of everyone for whom He made purgation of sins.

“By the word of His power” —not by the power of His word. What does that mean? I take it to mean this: All power in heaven and in earth is His, but the way He manifests that power is by His word. For instance, as He came up to the tomb of Lazarus, Lazarus had been lying there corrupting, stinking, for four days. As the Son of God approaches that tomb, the power is all there, but it is the word that makes it effective. The word that said “Lazarus come forth” was in itself that which gave that carcass to be suddenly transformed into life—real pulsating human life—and come forth into light and life and joy, and association with the best that this world had —back to his loved ones, back to his home, and back to the side of the Son of God. It was the power manifested by the Word. Isn’t that wonderful? Some day that same power is going to be manifested on behalf of every one of us in this room who knows the Saviour. O, yes, it is going to work in you mightily, and when it works in you, it is going to take you right up into the glory of God, and you will inhabit that place forever and ever with Him.

(To be continued)

Not Routine

(Luke 22:19-20)

“This do in remembrance of Me” has a peculiar claim on us. The Lord Jesus was about to undergo death, and yet there He is in all quietness and calmness, saying, “This do in remembrance of Me.”

How differently a person goes out on a Lord’s day morning to the other days of the week! Where are you going? I am going to meet the Saviour, according to His own desire, and everything else sinks into utter nothingness There is no routine in it. Could there be routine in worship, adoration, bowing of the heart, and the satisfaction that takes a person out of the world? If there is a hymn sung, it is worship; if there is silence, it should be the silence of adoration. I go and sit down and wait till I have the sense that the Lord is there, and that is everything. It is not repetition. There is no such thing in God’s ways with us as repetition. We never pass through two circumstances alike.

Drawn or Driven

There are two methods which the Lord graciously adopts, in order to draw the heart away from this present world. The first is, by setting before it the attractiveness and stability of “things above”: the second is, by faithfully declaring the evanescent and shakable nature of “things on the earth.” The close of Hebrews 12 furnishes a beautiful example of each of these methods. After stating the truth, that we are come unto Mount Zion, with all its attendant joys and privileges, the apostle goes on to say:

“See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven; whose voice then shook the earth, but now He hath promised, saying, ‘Yet once I shake, not only the earth, but also heaven.’ Now this ‘once’ signifieth the removal of the shakable things, as of things that are made, that the unshakable things may remain.”

Now it is much better to be drawn by the joys of heaven, than driven by the sorrows of earth.

The believer should not wait to be shaken out of present things. He should not wait for the world to give him up, before he gives up the world: he should give it up in the power of communion with heavenly things. There is no difficulty in giving up the world when we have, by faith, laid hold of Christ: the difficulty would then be to hold it. Thus, if we are realizing our portion amid the unshakable realities of heaven, we shall find little difficulty in resigning the delusive joys of earth.

Fervent Charity

“And, above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8.

The apostle turns to what is very helpful for us who are within. Towards those who are outside, there is to be sobriety and watchfulness, coupled with prayer to God; but now among ourselves, what is there to be? Fervent charity. Why? Because that is the thing that God delights in— “Love covereth all sins” (Prov. 10:12). This is the reason why he presses that this fervent charity should work in them, because it not merely keeps people going on well with God, but happily with each other.

There are no people who have such opportunities of irritating each other, as those who are seeking to walk in faith and in the truth, outside human systems. They are flung much together, all the old barriers broken down, and they are simply brought together on the ground of the church of God. Unless grace thoroughly works, there is no place where people can so pain and wound each other, and therefore Peter says we need this fervent charity, not only for going on together, and for the restraint of what is not lovely, but also for the activity of divine love in the saint of God, and finding the very opportunity for its activity in the naughtiness of someone else!

The worse a thing is in another, the more lovely an opportunity it gives you for covering it up.

“Love covers a multitude of sins.” Not one or two, but a multitude—a thousand little things that the devil would like to tell in every quarter, in order to upset the saints, and thus introduce a dead fly into the ointment, and produce a stinking savor (Eccl. 10:1). What is the cure? says Peter. O, this divine love; you cover it up. Peter says, God has His eye on you, and if you are keeping up another’s fault, you are keeping it up for God to see, and He cannot like that.

But supposing you cover with a mantle of love my naughtiness, what does God see? The reproduction in you of the same love and grace there was in Christ. Peter says, I expect you to go on smoothly with the saints, no matter what other people are doing.

“Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” Verse 9. This is perfectly beautiful, though some people would grumble at you for doing it; not so, says Peter.

“Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality” (Rom. 12).

First, look out that nobody is in want and secondly, you are to keep an open house free. You are, nay more, enjoined so to do. This is a beautiful divine balance.

God very often not only thus brings His people together, but by these means binds them together. Use your house to get your brethren together, and get to know them, and they you, and that not because you must—not grudgingly, but in love.

Speaking for Christ

When the Lord Jesus saved us, and caused us to rejoice in the knowledge of His love, He did not mean us to keep the whole of that joy and gladness to ourselves. He meant us to tell to others the joyful tidings of salvation. He says to all His loved ones, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee” (Mark 5:19).

He bids us make known His love and power to our friends and kindred, and to all others to whom we can speak the Word. He desires His saved ones to be His witnesses, and to speak of the glory of His name. Not of necessity in public, or large crowds, but to our companions and friends.

Thus it was that Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, just after he had met the Lord himself, got hold of his own brother, Simon, and “brought him to Jesus.”

Thus it was that “the little captive maid,” who waited on Naaman’s wife in the far-off land of Syria, made known the name of Elisha, the prophet of God, and was thus the honored instrument in leading her master to where he was cleansed of his leprosy.

Many such opportunities are within the reach of every young believer, in which a simple word for Christ, may be used to the salvation and blessing of needy ones all around. Do you embrace such opportunities?

Do you tell your friends and companions of Jesus, and entreat them to flee from the wrath to come? Yon bright angel band around the throne would be glad of the opportunity to do so, but to them it is not given. One of them came to tell of His birth to the shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem, but never again do we read of angels being sent to tell of Christ to sinful men on earth. The honor of this has been given to you—yes to you. But are you seeking to do it?

Do you speak a word for Jesus, or are you silent on all that concerns His name? Do you speak of earthly things to those with whom you mingle, and yet you never speak to them of Christ and His great salvation? Does shame prevent you, or the fear of being laughed at, hinder you? Far be the thought.

If you have not done so in the past, begin at once. They soon may die, and, O, if they should, and pass away from earth, unsaved, how you would be filled with remorse, as you remember that you never warned them of the coming wrath, nor told them of a present salvation.

A Gospel verse quoted; a word spoken about the Lord Jesus and His work on the cross for sinners; a tract handed to them may be used of God for their salvation, and your sure reward in the glory.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

I Am Come

The worship of God is founded upon the knowledge of the heavenly position we are in, being called out of the world into fellowship with Himself. We have not a single thing in common with the world. We can sit and sing of redemption, just as if we were now in heaven. Our relationships with God will not be in the least changed when we get home; they will be just the same then as they are now; and there is no ground upon which we shall be there, that we are not upon now. He has set us in Christ, and we can say, as in Deuteronomy 26:3,

“I profess this day unto the Lord my God that I am come unto the country” not shall come.

Correspondence: Prophesying; Salvation

Question: I have often wondered what it meant by a woman prophesying, since she was forbidden to speak in an assembly of people.

Answer: Philip had four daughters that prophesied (Acts 21:8-9; 1 Cor. 11:5). The Scriptures were not completed then, and God could and did reveal His mind on certain occasions, such as Acts 11:28; 21:10-11. God made an unconverted priest, Caiaphas, to prophesy (John 11:49-52). In none of these cases was it speaking in the assembly, and these communications of Philip’s daughters could be conveyed to the assembly if it was given for that purpose by their father or by any brother.

Question: Please explain: “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 1 Peter 4:18.

Answer: The first Epistle of Peter shows the privileges of the saints under the government of God in their earthly journey. Peter wrote to the converted Jews, who, with all the other Jews, were driven out of Palestine and scattered among the Gentiles (1 Peter 1:1) by the Romans. Their spiritual blessings are spoken of (verses 2-9, 18-19, 23; and many other passages), so that their eternal salvation was secured without a doubt.

The Jew had all to suffer banishment, but the Christians had, as well, to suffer for well doing (2:20; 3:17), and also for Christ’s sake (4:13-16), and with this last, a reward of heavenly glory was promised (4:13; 5:10; Matt. 5:11-12). And already the spirit of glory and of God rested on them (4:14).

But they were allowed to go through troubles and fiery trials in the judgment of God’s house, upon them in discipline, and in it, they were to commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator, and if this judgment began with the Christian, what would the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? It is thus, the righteous were saved through difficulties; the trials and judgments which beset them, as of the Jewish nationality; and the poor unsaved had the sufferings, but nothing but eternal woe at the end as Christ rejectors.

God Is Satisfied: Are You?

Anxious souls generally begin at the wrong end. They begin with themselves, instead of beginning with God. It is their doings, their feelings, their satisfaction—themselves, in some way or other; and often it is a very long time before they learn to turn from themselves to look at God’s side: yet they never can find peace of conscience and joy of heart until they do. We are continually meeting such cases.

“Are you saved?” we ask them.

“I hope so,” they reply.

“But are you not sure about it?”

“Well, not exactly; I only wish I were. I am seeking for it and praying for it; but I can’t say I’m sure. I don’t seem to get satisfied.”

O, the numbers there are in this condition—praying, seeking and trying to get satisfied! It is all of self! They are putting the cart before the horse and are surprised because they can’t get it to go. Of course not! The gospel begins with God, not with us. Look at that well-worn but unexhausted sixth verse of the third of John as an example:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

It begins with God. God loved—God gave. We believe—and we have everlasting life.

Start then with God! See how He has been met—how He has been glorified—how He has been satisfied; then you may well be satisfied when you have learned that He is.

I remember, sometime ago, meeting a young sailor in this very condition. He had been seeking, and praying, and trying to feel satisfied. And what do you think delivered him at last, and made him perfectly happy? Just one simple fact which he had overlooked.

Do you ask what it is?

It is the fact that God is satisfied. Now just think of it; turn it over and over in your mind; read it slowly, and let your poor weary heart take it in.

“O,” said the sailor, as his face brightened, “I never thought of that before—God is satisfied.”

“Yes,” I said, “He was the offended party by your sins. You were the offender. Jesus came to satisfy God’s holy and righteous claims by dying for our sins; and He did that work perfectly. And God has proved His satisfaction in the person and work of Christ by raising Him from the dead. Had God not been satisfied with that work, He would have left Him in the grave: but He has taken Him out and proved that He is satisfied. And it was all for you! Surely, if God is satisfied with the work of His Son, you may be also!

“I see quite clearly where you are making your mistake,” I continued; “you are trying to be better and feel different—trying to work yourself up to a certain state of happiness, and then feel satisfied with your own joy; and because you are always failing and never arriving at the standard you have set up, you are dissatisfied.

“Now just suppose a man buying goods at a shop to the amount of $25.00, and then he gets into difficulties and is unable to pay. He cannot pay the debt himself, and he is not aware that any one has paid it for him; and so you find him going about saying, ‘O, if I could only get satisfied!’ You would say to him at once, ‘My friend, you never can be satisfied until you have paid your debt, or someone has paid it for you. The storekeeper must have payment and be quite satisfied first.’

“But now, supposing a kind-hearted friend goes to the storekeeper and pays the bill, and obtains the receipt and sends it to the man; he would not sit down and look at the receipt, and say, ‘If only I could feel satisfied.’ Of course not! He would know the money was paid, for the storekeeper had given his receipt; and thus proof of the storekeeper’s satisfaction would give him satisfaction.

“Thus it is in the gospel. The Saviour, who stood in our place, was ‘delivered for our offenses’ (He had none), ‘and was raised again for our justification’ (Rom. 4:25). So that the risen Christ is God’s receipt for me. He is satisfied; and so am I. Now, why should you not be this very moment, and give Him the thanks and praise?”

It was sweet to see the effects of this truth on the sailor as his heart drank it in. He was filled “with joy and peace in believing” (Rom. 15:13), seeing that “God is satisfied.” And looking at me with a face beaming with joy, he said,

“I see it all, I see it all—God is satisfied: I can go home and thank Him for that.”

Now, dear anxious reader, you have read thus far: will you lay down this tract and say,

“I wish I could be satisfied?”

Never, never, never will you be satisfied until you have believed that God has found infinite satisfaction in the work of Christ on the cross for you.

“He bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).

He cried out on the cross, “It is finished!” and died (John 19:30). But, thank God, He is risen again, and exalted to “the right hand of God” (Acts 2:32-33). Yes!

“This Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:12): from whence God has sent the Holy Ghost to give this witness to all believers,

“Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (ver. 17).

Matchless Saviour! Thy work is done. Once was sufficient for God, and once is sufficient for me. I can meet God with joy, for Thou hast answered every question, and settled every claim, and introduced me to that blessed God who rejoices over me with joy, who rests in His love, and rejoices over me with singing.

Yes, the way He receives the poor, dissatisfied, repentant, returning prodigal—covering him with kisses, clothing and feasting him—tells out the satisfied heart of a satisfied God.

Dear, anxious friend, try no longer to do anything; wait no longer to feel anything, but rest where God rests, in Christ, who has so glorified Him at the cross, that He can send a message of love to you, and say,

“God is satisfied.” Now, are you?

“Satisfied with Thee, Lord Jesus, I am blest.”

One Thing Is Needful

(Luke 10:42)

The Christian’s path through this world is so beset with dangers on every side, that a right sense of his own weakness and great responsibility will make him fear and tremble. And justly so. But this will lead him, not to despair, but to trust in the living God. Where there is no proper sense of weakness and responsibility, there can be no security for Christian consistency.

Covetousness, pride, vainglory, carnal ease, self-indulgence, are some of the snares that surround the path of worldly prosperity. And the enemy watching our tendencies, knows how to foster and increase them. Hence we may find some who would strongly object to vain display and self-indulgence, caught in the snare of covetousness, and that under the plea of frugality, or even humility. Adversity, too, has its snares. There may be complaining, envy, and discontent, along with our difficulties.

But we dwell not on these; rather would we turn to the remedy, by which we may be preserved from every wile of the enemy. Nothing short of personal communion with the Son, who is with the Father, is adequate to raise the soul above the dangers of prosperity and adversity, above self and the world, above the association of nature, and above all the attractions of earth.

May the Lord in His great mercy teach us all these lessons of faith, and enable us to manifest the efficacy of His presence as enjoyed amidst the toils and trials of this world.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 1, verses 15-23

“Wherefore I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you, and the love which ye have toward all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you at my prayers, that the God of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him, being enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of the might of His strength in which He wrought in the Christ in raising Him from the dead” (verses 15-20, JND).

As we read this epistle, do we not realize how far beneath the thoughts and purposes of God are man’s thoughts, and even the thoughts of many believers? What wonders, if the Holy Spirit has been our guide, have been discovered to our hearts in a prayerful study of the first chapter alone! Of course, one must be a believer in the Lord Jesus, as we read in verse 13, “having heard the word of the truth, the glad tidings of our salvation”; consequent upon believing, you were “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the earnest of our inheritance to the redemption of the acquired possession to the praise of God’s glory” (verse 14). And if not saved, how awful your position, awaiting eternal judgment!

In verse 16 and following, is a prayer of the apostle’s, introduced by these words,

“Wherefore I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you, and the love which ye have toward all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you.”

We see how suitable it was for the apostle to begin with a reference to the operation of faith, which casts us upon the love of God, instead of his second word, “the love which ye have toward all the saints”, which might have led to high thoughts of self, always unsuitable in the believer. Christ must have the first place in our hearts, and next, “all the saints.”

Paul’s desire was that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ (speaking of Him as man), the Father of glory, would give the saints the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him. We have already noticed the titles of “the God” and “the Father” of the Lord Jesus found in this epistle, used by the Lord on the morning of His resurrection (John 20). We may refer also to John 4:23 and 24; where the divine titles are separated.

“God of our Lord Jesus Christ” is used in the prayer of Ephesians 1 because the basis of what is asked is the glory of God who has raised Christ from the dead and exalted Him as man at His right hand.

“The Father of glory” brings to our minds God as the source and fountain head of all heavenly blessedness. In becoming God’s children, we acquired a knowledge of Christ, but the apostle’s prayer is directed toward full knowledge.

The eyes of our heart need to be enlightened, that we may know the hope of His calling, spoken of in verses 3-5, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, a subject which was brought out in verse 11; and with these blessings God would let us know what the surpassing greatness of His power is toward us who believe. Shall we seek to explain a little, these three things of which verses 18 and 19 speak?

The hope of His calling, of course, brings in the coming of the Lord; that is the Christian hope as in the eighth chapter of Romans, and elsewhere. As another has said,

“The hope is founded on the full blessedness that pertains to us, according to that purpose of God which is already ours in Christ—already made known to us and received by our hearts—the calling of God that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

“The riches of the glory of God’s inheritance in the saints”, connects us in thought with verse 11. He means to have the entire universe blessed and happy under Christ; all things in heaven and earth are to be put under Him, and we, the heavenly saints, have obtained in Christ this inheritance. The inheritance of God applies to that which is below us, to created things, which are all made subject to Christ, and when God expels the wicked spirits from any connection with the heavenly spirits, when He puts down all power upon the earth, the heavenly saints are chosen to take the whole universe in His name, as Israel once were directed to take for God the land of Palestine.

And we are to know, in further answer to the apostle’s prayer, what is “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of the might of His strength in which He wrought in the Christ in raising Him from among the dead; and He set Him down at His right hand in the heavenlies, above every principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; and has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the assembly which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (verses 20-23, JND).

In the verses last quoted is the desire that the saints may know the power already exhibited, which has given them part in this position of blessing and glory. Just as they were, by God’s grace, brought into the position of Christ before God His Father, so the work wrought in Christ, and the display of God’s power in raising Him from the grave to His right hand are the expressions and the model of the action of the same power which works in us who believe, which has raised us from our former state of death in sin, to share in the glory of Christ.

But feebly do we enter into these truths which the apostle desired in his prayer for us. It has been said, Let me look at Christ, and I see there the very life that God has given me, and the hope of it too, even as to the inheritance. God loves and delights in Him as man so well that He could not keep back a single thing He has made, from Him. He is the heir of it all, and we, hidden in Christ, can enter into the fullness of His calling, and into the inheritance, because we merge into union with Christ. And as you can only know the calling and the inheritance in the full knowledge of Christ, so it is also with “the exceeding greatness of His power.”

No matter what could be conceived of the highest angel or archangel, Christ has (as man) received a higher dignity, and this place He holds in present association with us while we are here. Therefore, it is added that He has also been given to be head over all things to the assembly. The assembly shares His place of headship over all, but as His body, in inseparable union with Him. We belong to Him, and He would have our heart lifted up above all the present scenes.

The assembly is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. It is the complement, or that which fills up Christ, looked at as man risen from the dead. He would no more be complete in His resurrection without the assembly, than Adam would have been without Eve.

Extract: Examining Before Receiving

The conversion of five thousand in a place would in no way change the responsibility of a gathering of saints, to examine carefully the converts before receiving them. For no excitement as of a great and holy movement, can set aside responsibility, as to either the holiness of the house of God, or tender compassion toward the souls of men.

The Man Whom the King Delighteth to Honor

(Rev. 19:11-16; 1 Tim. 6:13-15; Esther 6:7-11)

Bring forth the royal vestments

The King doth use to wear,

For Him His soul delights to own

Of heaven and earth the heir;

And fairer than the comeliest

Of all the sons of men,

For meekness and for righteousness,

He’ll ride in triumph then.

The King of kings and Lord of lords

Proclaims His glorious worth,

Sending Him forth in victory,

To rule His ransomed earth;

A name He hath of hidden depth,

That none can know but He,

A token of the Father’s love,

That name of secrecy.

Hear ye the proclamation

That rings upon the air

“The King of kings and Lord of lords,”

It blazons everywhere;

For thus shall it be done to Him

The King delights to own

With honor and with majesty,

Crowned with His royal crown.

The glory of the risen Man

The universe doth fill,

For He alone, the Lord from heaven

Has done the Father’s will;

Anointed high above the rest,

With gladness and with joy,

The praises of ten thousand tongues

His beauty shall employ.

Pale not, ye kingdom glories!

Until the blissful day,

When all into subjection brought,

Beneath Messiah’s sway,

The glories of the subject Son

The bride of Christ shall tell,

And God with man upon the earth

For evermore shall dwell.

By the Word of His Power: Part 3

He upholds all things by the Word of His power. O what a word that is! Dear soul, there is not the least thing in your life or mine—that is not dependent upon the upholding power that dwells in Him. How dependent we are, even as creatures, apart from the fact that we are God’s children. Did you ever think of how graciously God has placed things around you in order that you may enjoy the good things of life? We take these things for granted and forget that there is an Intelligence that is controlling it all. The Christian owns that Intelligence, and He owns Him as the One who made purgation for sins.

A while back we were reading in Exodus about the plagues God visited upon the Egyptians through Moses. There were the lice and the locusts and the frogs—different forms of life—and when they came swarming over the land, man was utterly helpless. All he could do was cry out for mercy. Why don’t those things happen today? Men go on their way—they make great powerful cranes and huge bulldozers that can turn over the face of the ground and make the landscape over, and they get boastful. But, you know, enough frogs or enough lice, or enough locusts, or enough flies, would spoil the whole thing. When the River Nile turned the frogs loose, they came up over the land and it was impossible to get away from them. They were in the kneading troughs, and they were in the ovens when the women baked the bread. When they went to bed, there were the frogs—slimy, cold-blooded frogs everywhere. Horrible! Man thinks it cannot happen, but, friends, it did happen. And why?—because the One who upholds all things by the word of His power, permitted things to slip a little out of balance, and the frogs came. Some of you have been farmers, and you know what a pest of flies are and how they torment the stock. Did you ever stop to think why it is that all the flies within a five-mile radius did not come to your farm? If they did, you would have to go out of business—you would have to quit right there.

So it is with everything else in the perfect plans of nature. There is a species of eel that inhabits the ocean. If it were not for the natural enemies that God has seen fit to put in that great sea, within six years the whole ocean would be solid eel. Yet, we move on day by day taking things for granted, and forgetting that He upholds all things by the Word of His power.

Womenfolk complain a lot about the dust in their homes. They are always dusting, and they say, “This is the dirtiest town—there is dust everywhere.” And yet, if it were not for the dust that God has seen fit to distribute through the atmosphere, none of us could live on the earth. We could not exist except for the dust that dissipates the harmful rays of the sun.

Astrologers turn heavenward their great telescopes, and they search the skies and examine this planet and that planet, and this universe and that universe. Why is it that with all their searching, they have never yet found another planet, another universe, another star, with an atmosphere in which human beings like you and me could live? Ah—

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God loved the world, and that is the only place in all that vast expanse where human beings could exist. He upholds all things by the Word of His power, and everything here is for our good and blessing. The One who planned it all is the One who made purgation for our sins. What a wonderful Saviour we have!

“When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” That is where He is now, beloved. He is not in Galilee now. People make pilgrimages there, and I suppose that if I had an opportunity, I would enjoy going there myself; but, after all, the Spirit of God is not directing our hearts toward Galilee. He is directing us to the right hand of God, where this blessed One has set Himself down. He went up there in the dignity of His own Person, and there He sat down. He has the best right possible to be there.

What is He there for?—the rest of the book of Hebrews tells us the purpose of His being there, and that is what we want to get before our souls. Why is He there? Where is He?—He is at the right hand of the Majesty on high, and that is the reason the Apostle gives that magnificent introduction to the Epistle of the Hebrews. He wants them to get a glimpse of the glory of the Person that God has sent into this world. He wants them to look up there where He is, and then He is going to tell them all about Him there. It is the glory of the Person of the Son of God—the One who manifested the effulgence of His glory—the One who is the expression of the substance of God. He says,

“This is the one about whom I am going to talk to you. I want you to appreciate who He is, and where He is.”

Chapter 2:7-9— “Thou madest Him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst Him with glory and honour, and didst set Him over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we see not yet all things put under Him.”

We don’t see all things under Him.

Those nations in Europe that blaspheme the Scriptures and have persecuted the saints of God, and have even been allowed to shed the blood of 2,000,000 of God’s earthly people—they are not put under Him yet. As we look around us wherever we may go, whether it is in Canada or the United States or wherever it may be, we are reminded constantly that there is much that is not yet put under Him.

But here we are told that all things are going to be put under Him, and that is what faith is waiting for. In the meantime what does faith see? “We see Jesus.” O, that personal name! It does not say, “we see the Son of God,” it does not even say that we see Christ. But “we see Jesus.” Where do we see Him?

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour.” (verse 9).

That is where Stephen saw Him. As the life was ebbing from Stephen’s body, he saw the heavens opened and he says,

“Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” And then he says, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

If you are going to see Jesus, that is where you will have to look. When we start looking around at this poor scene of chaos and confusion, we get confused in our thinking; and if we keep looking in the wrong direction, it will have an unhappy effect on us. We will begin to think we belong down here. We will begin to think that Christianity belongs to the world, like the temple there in Jerusalem, and we will begin to think we are part of it. If we do not continue looking off unto Jesus, that will be the result.

We see Jesus, but we see Him in the glory. We do not yet see all things put under Him, but we know they are going to be. That faith held in the soul is going to deliver us from all this modern effort to bring in, by the clever intelligence of man, what God has said can never be.

How far, beloved Christian friends here tonight, have you allowed yourself to be swung into the spirit of what is around? How far have you become a partaker in the hope that the Atlantic Charter is going to solve the world’s ills? How far have you become a believer in the Four Freedoms? How far have you settled down in the thought that the Eight Points that were discussed and decided upon for the postwar world are going to be successful or otherwise? If you think these things are going to work out something satisfactory and more or less permanent for this world, you are thinking contrary to the Word of God, and you are denying the very thing with which we started out tonight— “God hath spoken.”

In Ezekiel 21:27 God speaks, and He says, “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is, and I will give it Him.”

(To Be Continued)

Stewardship

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10.

When the apostle talks of a gift, it is not only a man being able to preach or teach. He says, “As every man hath received the gift.” Then you see that you have a gift, and you are responsible to use it, and the sphere in which you are to use this gift is the church first of all. Whatever you have, it is not yours; you are only a steward. It all belongs to Christ; and you must be a good steward, because you will have to give an account of your stewardship by-and-by.

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (verse 11).

If you speak, that is a gift for edification. If you minister—that is, carrying perhaps a little soup to some sick saint, or a little money to one who is in need of it—according to the measure of your ability, do it. It is a question of using the temporal things of this life for the glory of God.

How beautiful it makes the acts of everyday life! God is as well pleased with the right use of everyday things, the goods of this life, as with the exercise of spiritual gifts, either preaching, for the conversion of the world; or ministry, to the building up of the body of Christ.

I deny that either you, I, or any man has a right of ministry. No! We have no liberty to speak in the assembly, unless we speak “as oracles of God”; and that is not liberty merely, but bounden responsibility. If you possess a gift, you are bound to use it. Not that a man who has a gift need always be using it; he has always plenty to learn, and can hold his peace, if he be wise, on many an occasion, and profit by listening to his brethren.

If I rise to speak in God’s assembly, I must speak, not only according to the oracles of God as revealed in Scripture, but as being the direct mouthpiece of God to His saints at that very moment, giving forth to them exactly what God would have them hear at that moment.

We have in the 11Th verse, God communicating something to those who speak, which they are bound to give forth—something of His mind; just as in the 10th verse, you are to do it simply, if you have anything to give away, and all is to be done for God’s glory.

Ready

There are three things that Peter uses the word “ready” in connection with.

In the first chapter, of his first epistle, he tells that God is “ready” to take us out of the world.

In the fourth chapter he tells us that He is “ready” to judge the world: and between these two moments, the Christian is always to be “ready” to give an answer to anyone who asks him the reason of the hope that is in him.

Correspondence: Leavened or Unleavened Bread?

Question: Should leaven or unleaven bread be used at the Lord’s Supper? Is not Scripture abundantly clear as to its being used at the time of unleaven bread in the Old Testament? If we are to be careful about symbols, to illustrate the oneness of all believers, and we should be, should we not be, at least, as careful by symbols, to declare the sinlessness of that blessed body broken for us? Should we not zealously keep out of the bread broken in memory of Him, leaven which certainly speaks of sin, and the workings of evil?

“Let us therefore keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8).

Answer: The church began on the day of Pentecost. This is the “Feast of Weeks” of Leviticus 23:15-21. For this it was specifically ordered that they should bring “two waves loaves of two tenth deals: (of fine flour), they shall be baken with leaven; they are the first fruits unto the Lord.”

We understand these two loaves typify believers, such as those in the upper room in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Notice the “with leaven.” Leaven is recognized as being in believers, but it is leaven “baken”; it has been through the fire, its activity has been stopped by the fire, but it is there.

The unbroken loaf on the table represents all believers on earth united together to form the Body of Christ.

“For we being many, are one loaf.”

How fitting, then, that leaven should be found there. But in the Word of God, not one word is said as to the kind of bread that was to be used in the remembrance of the Lord in His death. Such distinctions as “leavened” or “unleavened” belong not to Christianity, but to Judaism. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:26 says nothing about the kind of bread, whether leavened, unleavened, white or brown, but simply, “this bread.” To be occupied with the question as to whether the bread should be leavened or not, is to drop into the snare of putting the new wine into the old bottles.

Let us keep the Lord before us in the memorial, not the nature, or the ingredients, of the symbol.

Colonel Roosevelt's Mistake

During the Spanish War, Theodore Roosevelt, much attached to his men, was greatly concerned when a number of them fell ill. Hearing that Clara Barton (the lady who devoted herself to the work of nursing the wounded soldiers) had received a supply of delicacies for the invalids under her care, Colonel Roosevelt requested her to sell a portion of them to him for the sick men of his regiment.

His request was refused. The Colonel was very much troubled. He cared for his men, and he was willing to pay for the supplies out of his own pocket.

“How can I get these things?” he said. “I must have proper food for my sick men.”

“Just ask for them, Colonel,” said the surgeon in charge of the Red Cross headquarters.

“O,” said Roosevelt, his face breaking into a smile, “that is the way, is it? Then I do ask for them.” And he got them at once.

Often the Colonel’s mistake has been repeated in connection with the matter of salvation. People seem to expect to receive it in exchange for something that they can offer.

One brings an earnest prayer; a second brings a vow or promise to turn over a new leaf; a third brings an inwardly-made resolution to live a better and purer life; a fourth thinks that before he can receive salvation, he must produce some evidence of his sincerity in the shape of an improvement of his conduct; a fifth imagines that he can obtain it by adherence to an orthodox creed, and conformity to certain religious observances.

Now the truth is, that God’s salvation can only be had as a free gift. Why should there be any difficulty in understanding this? The words of Scripture are very plain:

“I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely” (Rev. 21:6).

“The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

Pride rebels against such terms. It would rather pay, however small the price. But God is too great to sell His blessing, nor could any man merit salvation in the smallest degree, however long he might try. God is prepared to meet the sinner with His hands full of the richest blessings, if only the sinner will come with empty hands to receive it as a gift. Will you?

“By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

“Not by the works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

How God Is Known

It is not by creation man knows God. Man seeks to know God by creation, but he does not thus know Him; nor does he find Him out by His providential dealings up to Moses’ time, nor by His revelations from Sinai, for man could not come near Him: if but a beast touched the mountain, it was to be stoned, or thrust through with a dart. God dwelt in thick darkness, which no man could approach unto.

It is neither by creation, nor by providence, nor by law, that man knows God, but by the One who came down, walked this earth as a man, and revealed the heart of God towards man, and then who died for man, and has gone up again to the glory above—the Lamb of God.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 2, Verse 1-7

“And you, being dead in your offenses and sins—in which ye once walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience; among whom we also all once had our conversation in the lusts of our flesh, doing what the flesh and the thoughts willed to do, and were children, by nature, of wrath, even as the rest; but God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love wherewith He loved us (we too being dead in offenses) has quickened us with the Christ (ye are saved by grace) and has raised us up together and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that He might display in the coming ages the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness towards us (note: actually bestowed, not merely in the heart of God) in Christ Jesus.” (verses 1-7, JND)

In this chapter we come to a new portion of the epistle which discusses the operation of the power of God on earth, in order to bring our souls into the enjoyment of the heavenly privileges made known in the first chapter. The first two verses speak of the believers who were taken from among the Gentiles. In Romans 1 and 2 details of their past are given; here it is sufficient to speak of them as in their offenses and sins; dead as to spiritual life; no response to God, and the character of this moral death was such, that at the same time, they walked according to the age of this world, according to the devil, the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. Was not this the true condition of our own souls before we knew God? The “ruler of the authority of the air” is a title that fits Satan’s far-reaching influence, as the air surrounds and penetrates everything in nature, so does he. It will not be always so.

“We also all once” in verse 3 includes those, who had been Jews, alike with the Gentiles, dead in offenses and sins; sons of disobedience in verse 2, but in verse 3 “children, by nature, of wrath, even as the rest”; so God classifies those who are strangers to Him. “Sons of disobedience” implies moral likeness to the parent stock, fallen under the rule of Satan.

The story is complete; could our hopelessly bad state, our total ruin, be more plainly set forth? Now and here is God’s answer to it all spread out in language worthy of Himself, beginning at verse 4. Consider it deeply, my soul, and you too, young Christian:

“But God, being rich in mercy...”

In the first chapter we have had grace shown us in abundance, and here it is mercy to the same end. Why the two words? Because grace speaks of the favor bestowed upon us, tells of the source in God, while mercy refers more to the state of the persons to whom it is shown.

We read then that God is rich in mercy, and the more we learn of the depravity within us by nature, the more the riches of that mercy are realized in our souls.

But we pass on to a yet more wonderful character or quality in our God, “because of His great love wherewith He loved us.” Can we understand this? No, there is no explaining it; it is a secret hid in His bosom. To a holy God, hating sin, what could there be that could cause love, divine love, to exist toward such creatures as we by nature? Yet we read in John 3:16,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Jew and Gentile are equally dead in offenses (verse 5). God has “quickened us with the Christ (ye are saved by grace), and has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that He might display in the coming ages the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Three things are here said of us, that in part, or all, could never have been true of believers before Christ’s resurrection and ascension:

1. We were quickened together with Christ. It had not been said before that He had been quickened, although it is an evident fact.

2. We were raised up together with Christ.

3. We have been made to sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ, that in the ages to come God might display the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Marvelous is the grace of God to you and me, is it not?

Conversation

I must not, as a saint, allow that which is not profitable to issue from my lips.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers,” (Eph. 4:29). All conversation either ministers grace to you, or it corrupts you. I think we ought not to turn aside the keen edge of the Word of God in respect of this.

By the Word of His Power: Part 4

You young folks have studied history, and I think it is a good thing to study history, within proper limits. You have found in history the life story, the panorama, of the rise and fall of nations. That is history, and if you take the rise and fall of nations out of history, what have you left? And yet, I suppose that each nation as it rose in its turn to the height of its prosperity, was just as sanguine, just as hopeful, just as concerted about what it could do, as men are in the present day. Man has always been like that. Nebuchadnezzar lived a long time ago, and as he looked out over the grandest metropolis in the world, he could strut back and forth, and could spread himself and say,

“Is not this great Babylon that I have builded?”

If you had looked upon that city, you would have said,

“Surely it will endure for millenniums to come.”

What is it today? Just a few old mounds. Nobody lives there. It is just a few mounds of earth, scattered out over the Plain of Shinar. Why? God said by His prophet that that city was going to be destroyed, and that it would never be inhabited. There it lies today, a silent witness to the truth of the Word of God.

Dear saints of God, don’t be deceived. One feels a constant battle in his own heart not to be taken away by all the schemes and plans of man that are so freely talked about today. Man has always been like that. He has never learned his lesson, and the only safe thing for you and me is to just say,

“We see Jesus.”

I don’t want to close without reading the first verse of chapter 3,

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (confession) Christ Jesus.”

We are holy brethren. I might ask you,

“Are you one of the brethren?”

Yes, by the grace of God you are, if you know the Lord Jesus. If He is your Saviour and you have put your trust in Him, you are one of the brethren. But are you one of the holy brethren? Do you shrink from that? Suppose I come to you at the close of this meeting and say,

“Brother, are you one of the holy brethren?”

If you know the truth, you will have to say “Yes.” Who are the holy brethren? Why, they are the ones who are attached to the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus. He is up there in the glory, and He has been trying for over 40 years to get my heart out of this world. O, how poorly I have responded to His love! He has been trying to wean me from this poor scene and get my eye centered in heaven, and He is trying to do the same thing with you, because He wants us to be practically what He has made us positionally.

Now, holy brethren are separate brethren, aren’t they? They walk a separate life—and what makes them like that? Why, they are strangers and they are pilgrims. They are seeking a heavenly home, and that makes them misfits in the world down here—and the more they become conformed to that blessed One up there, the stranger they seem down here. When they speak of the things of the world, the people of the world understand each other. But when we speak the language of our heavenly calling, our heavenly hopes and aspirations, and the heavenly promises, the world does not understand what we are talking about. But you and I should be able to understand that language. Which do you understand better—the language that you hear at the meetings, or the language you hear at the barber shop? Where are you more at home if you join the conversation? That is searching, isn’t it?

“Partakers of the heavenly calling.” What is the heavenly calling? It is the calling to heaven. What could be more simple? When God called the Jew, He called him to the earth—right to a spot of ground down here in this world. But, Christian, when He found you and drew you to Himself, He started you on the way to heaven, and the only reason you have not landed there long ago is the long-suffering patience of God that is waiting for somebody else.

“Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.” Why Christ Jesus? Christ is the glorified one, and so it is the glorified Jesus. He is the Apostle and High Priest. Now, consider Him! O, think of Him. Think who He is, and think where He is—and the two things go together.

You will find those two themes running all through Hebrews. If you and I consider Him—if that forms our thinking, we are going to be more like Christians. We are going to be more like heavenly citizens. We sometimes sing a hymn about being more like the saints that used to be. What is going to make us more like the saints of old who had heaven before them? We have it right here.

“Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.”

Concluded.

Prophetic Terms: 1. "The Fullness of the Time"

We are living in important times, in days when great changes are taking place throughout the world. It is a time of upheaval, and besides that, the world is on the threshold of even greater events. Many men of the world are perplexed and fearful as to the future. No one can look forward five, ten, or twenty years with any calm. The international waters are troubled, and there are many explosive elements that cause a sober man to fear.

Now in the midst of scenes of confusion, some men prophesy of greater and better times to come. Many have schemes for the improvement and betterment of mankind. Panaceas are offered, tried, and then discarded, but apprehension grows.

Fellow-Christian, this is a time when we should seek to have God’s thoughts, and not man’s, as to the present evil world and its future. There is only one book in the whole world that can tell the future, and yet how very few Christians there are that understand much of what it says. Surely God has given us the prophetic Word as a lamp in a dark place (2 Pet. 1:19), and we do well to take heed to it.

It would be impossible to give any comprehensive exposition of the prophetic word in these papers, but with the Lord’s help we hope to consider some of the expressions and terms used in connection with prophecy. A clearer understanding of these terms should enable the young Christian to have a better outline of prophecy, and thereby to discern the character of the day in which we live. He should then be able to look forward with joyful anticipation to his own blest future and view the scene around as God views it. To have God’s thoughts about the world, and to understand more of what He has decreed regarding it, would tend to give us more calm and peace when we see the tendency to unrest, and to the shaking of everything heretofore considered stable. Then neither the false hopes of the false prophets of our days, who still preach peace, safety, and betterment; nor the cries of the pessimist who sees the undermining of everything solid, will affect us. We shall be able to look beyond the darkness and enjoy even now the prospect of the things that cannot be moved.

“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28).

“The Fullness of the Time”

It would be profitable to first consider a term used by God, which causes us to look backward, as it refers to the ushering in of the ground of all our blessing.

“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4-5).

The fullness of the time (singular) looks back over the four thousand years of man’s history on the earth prior to the birth of Christ. During this time God was testing man in many successive ways. On man’s part all the trials ended in sad and dismal failure. It mattered not in what way man in the flesh was tested, he came short and was found wanting.

The whole course of the Old Testament is a tale of failure. Think of the wonderful opportunity Adam and Eve had where all was fresh from the hand of God in the garden, yet they gave their ear to the deceiver and fell. Man in innocence was not proof against sin, when put to the test.

After fallen man was driven out from the presence of God, he soon filled the earth with violence and corruption (See Gen. 4 and 6). Lawlessness was so rampant, that God cleansed the earth with the flood, and made a fresh beginning in Noah and his family. Almost immediately failure came in, in Noah himself, and soon his posterity had “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Rom. 1:23). Idolatry which had not been mentioned before the flood, became the rule.

Then God called Abraham out from among idolaters (Josh. 24:14) to walk with Him. He chose the seed of Abraham for His special people and gave them every opportunity to serve Him. He treated them without the law and with the law; He gave them the priesthood and it failed; He sent them prophets and He gave them kings; but all is the same sad story of failure. If ever a natural people—man in the flesh—had a chance to bring forth fruit for God the children of Israel had.

God likens them to a vineyard which He Himself had planted but which never bore fruit for Him who planted it. He looked for fruit, but there was none (Matt. 21:33-41; Psa. 80:8-13; Isa. 5:1-7). In Luke 20, after speaking of the lack of fruit He received from His vineyard, God says,

“What shall I do?”

It is as though He had come to an extremity. Every effort and every culture of natural man to bring forth fruit, had proved to be useless, and God asks “What shall I do?” The decision is reached, and God answers His own question with,

“I will send My beloved Son: it may be they will reverence Him when they see Him” (Luke 20:13).

And with this verse we come back to Galatians 4:4,

“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.” Blessed be God! He concluded that man could not bring forth fruit, and He ceased looking for it. He decided to act in the love and grace of His heart, and send His beloved Son.

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son” (1 John 4:10).

We all know the answer to this expression of God’s love. They cried “away with Him.” They cast Him out! And God triumphed over their abounding wickedness, and made that blessed One to be an offering and sacrifice for sin. Yes, when man had done his very worst, God did His very best. What a story of love—divine love!—love that gave the dearest object of His heart for most unlovable objects. He sent His Son to “Redeem.” He would bring us to Himself according to His love, but also in keeping with His holy character. His beloved Son must die—must bear our sins—if we were to be saved.

Galatians goes on to tell of being brought to God as “sons” with the Spirit of His Son in our hearts. O, the depths of God’s love and wisdom! Well may we look back to the “fullness of the time,” and rejoice that we are not on probation, but if we believe on Him who was delivered for our offenses we are saved and brought to God as sons.

(To Be Continued)

The Sunday School Teacher's Pen

I read a letter from a young girl who was asked if she knew the Lord Jesus Christ as her Saviour, to which she replied,

“I can answer that with a big Yes.”

She then went on to tell how the Lord spoke to her through a letter received from her Sunday school teacher. She had just started out to work, and the loving appeal met with a blessed result, and then and there she took the Lord Jesus as her Saviour and wrote to tell her teacher so. I have known of quite a few cases of definite conversion, resulting from letters written in dependence on the Lord, and I feel I must just commend this to the prayerful consideration of the many Sunday school teachers who read this magazine.

The children in our Sunday schools only receive letters on very rare occasions, and they are delighted to have one all to themselves. This gives such a blessed opportunity of a very definite, personal appeal. It may be asked, When should I write? This must be a matter between yourself and the Lord, but the one who has the souls of the young ones upon his or her heart, will find that occasions do arise. The absence of a child through sickness or other reasons, gives a good opportunity for a letter. Then I know of one teacher who finds out the date of the children’s birthdays and writes them a loving letter of greeting to be received on that day, not forgetting the importance of starting another year with Christ as their Saviour and Lord. This teacher has been definitely encouraged in this service, and the Lord has used the letters to more than one child.

There is another feature about a letter which is not always the case with the spoken word. The latter is often forgotten and not appropriated, but the written message is definitely personal, and there is no doubt for whom the appeal is meant. The letter is frequently kept, and valued, and may deliver its message at a future day.

An interesting incident in connection with this is told by Mr. L. in his book, “Hand Gathered Fruit.” A young lady, when asked for an account of her conversion, said that one day she was clearing out a box containing the accumulation of many years. She was destroying many old letters, and as she glanced at them before tearing them up, she noticed a letter, the handwriting of which was strange to her. Opening it, she discovered it was one from her Sunday school teacher, written many years before, when she had left home to go to a situation. In the letter her teacher spoke of the love of Jesus, and urged her to accept Him as her Saviour. The letter had doubtless been read when received, and not destroyed, but laid aside, and after a time altogether forgotten. Now, as she read it again, after years had rolled by, the loving appeal of her teacher came with wondrous power to her heart, and kneeling there by the pile of torn letters to be burnt, with tears running down her cheeks, she yielded to the Lord. Very probably the teacher never knew the result of that letter, but the day of glory will reveal it to her, and also surprises for many of us, who have not seen the results at the time of service done to the Lord, with the desire for blessing to souls.

May the Lord stir up our hearts to use every opportunity that He puts before us for His glory.

Christian Exhortation

There are few things less understood than the real nature of exhortation. We are apt to attach to that word an idea of legal effort which is quite foreign to it. Divine exhortation always assumes that a certain relationship exists, that a certain standing is enjoyed, that certain privileges are apprehended. The Spirit never exhorts save on a divine basis. For example:

“I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God” (Rom. 12:1). Here we have a fine instance of divine exhortation. “The mercies of God” are first put before us, in all their fullness, brightness, and preciousness, ere we are called to the voice of exhortation. Again:

“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). Here we are exhorted on the settled ground of our being “sealed.” He does not say, “Grieve not the Spirit, lest ye be eternally lost.” Such would not be in keeping with the true character of divine exhortation. We “are sealed,” not so long as we behave ourselves, but “until the day of redemption.” It is absolutely done, and this is the powerful reason why we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. If that which is the eternal seal of God, set upon us until the day of redemption, be the Holy Spirit, how careful should we be not to grieve Him! Again:

“Since ye then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above” (Col. 3:1). As those who are risen, what should we seek but “things above”? We do not seek these things in order to be risen, but because we are. In other words, the solid basis of our standing is laid down by the spirit of grace before ever the voice of exhortation falls on the ear. This is divine. Aught else would be mere legality. To call upon a man to set his affection (or mine) upon things above, before he knows, upon divine authority, that he is “risen with Christ,” is to begin at the wrong end, and to lose your labor. It is only when I believe that precious, emancipating truth that when Christ died, I died; when He was buried, I was buried; when He rose, I rose; it is only when this grand reality takes possession of my soul that I can lend an open ear and an understanding heart to exhortation’s heavenly voice.

It is well for my reader to understand this thoroughly. There is no need whatever for a multitude of words. Let him simply take his New Testament, and, beginning with the Epistle to the Romans, trace throughout the exhortations of the Spirit of God; and he will find, without a single exception, that they are as completely divested of the legal element as are the promises which glitter like gems on the page of inspiration.

This subject is not fully understood. Exhortation in the hands of man is widely different from what it is in the hands of the Holy Ghost. How often do we hear men exhorting us to a certain line of action in order that we may reach certain privileges! The way of the Spirit is the reverse of this. He sets before us our standing in Christ, in the first place, and then He unfolds the walk. He first speaks of privilege, free, unconditional, inalienable privilege, and then He sets forth the holy responsibility connected therewith. He first presents the settled and unalterable relationship in which free grace has set us, and then dwells upon the affections belonging thereto.

Christendom

The Holy Ghost has given us the three grand distinguishing titles, namely, “The Jew, the Gentile, and the church of God.” Alas! that which calls itself the church of God has become a corrupt thing—a vast mass of baptized profession. But clearly that which is called Christendom is no longer viewed as being on Jewish, or Gentile ground, nor will it be judged as such, but according to the profession which it takes up. Hence the appalling solemnity of Christendom’s position. He believe it, beloved friend, to be the most terrible moral blot in the wide universe of God—the masterpiece of Satan and the destroyer of souls.

O! the awfulness of Christendom’s condition—the awfulness of its doom! No human language can set it forth. May all who truly belong to the church of God, be enabled to yield a calm, clear, decided, and consistent testimony against the spirit, and principles and ways of that terrible thing called “Christendom.”

Extract: A Good Conscience

While grace gives me a good conscience by the blood of the Lamb, it is by a tender, holy walk that I keep that good conscience.

Correspondence: The Thieves; Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost

Question: Please explain Matthew 27:44 with Luke 23:39-43.

Answer: Matthew 27:44 asserts that both the thieves joined with the priests in mocking and reviling the Lord.

Luke 23:39-43 witnesses that one repented and believed on Jesus, calling Him Lord, and owning that He was the true King of Israel, and asking a place in His Kingdom in the future when He would come to reign. His genuine repentance and conversion are seen in the way he condemned himself, and reproved the other, and in looking to the Lord for His forgiving love to bless him. The Lord’s answer bears it out. Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” This was immediate blessing. He was sure to be in paradise that very day with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 calls the third heaven paradise: that is where the spirit of Jesus went, and that is where the thief went when the spirit left his body. Jesus said in verse 46, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit,” then He died. The martyr Stephen, in Acts 7:59 said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

2 Corinthians 5:8 witnesses to the same blessed truth. It is not true that the spirit is unconscious after death. Nor is it true that the Lord went into prison when He died. His spirit went to the Father, but He did not ascend till forty days after He rose from the dead. Ascension is of spirit, soul and body, the whole man.

Question: What is the meaning of Matthew 12:31-32?

Answer: Read from verses 22 to 32. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was the Pharisees’ saying that Jesus did His miracles by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (See also Mark 3:22-30). “Because they said He had an unclean spirit.” This showed the wickedness and malicious hatred of their hearts. They have “never forgiveness,” “neither in this world” (or age, dispensation of law), “neither in the world to come” (the dispensation that follows after the church is caught up).

Now we live in the period when God is dealing in grace. Now we preach the gospel to every creature, “Whosoever believeth in Him, shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). There are men now living who once professed to believe on Christ, and have become apostates. They have not been born again. They have only a name to live, but are dead; and there are true believers who have sunk into worldly ways. To them, God calls, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from (among) the dead, and Christ shall give thee light,” not life, for every believer has eternal life. He may lose his happiness, and cease to enjoy his salvation, but the Great Shepherd will look after every blood-washed one.

This “blasphemy of the Holy Ghost” has no reference to true believers who have backslidden. 1 John 2:1 Says to God’s children, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” He maintains our place before the Father in all the blessed efficacy of His own finished work.

I Came to Jesus

In a lone room a sad and weary woman sat lamenting the death of her only child, a bright girl of twelve years. Emma had gone to be with Christ. She had been converted in early years, and her simple, earnest testimony to the gospel’s saving power, had received but little sympathy from her worldly mother. Now Emma had gone, and she had time to think. Many of her departed daughter’s words were coming back to memory, and she sat that evening at the open window, looking across to the little cemetery on the hillside where Emma’s body lay awaiting the resurrection morning. Her weary, unsatisfied heart yearned for rest: she had not found it in the world and the pleasures of sin.

Sitting there brooding over the past, and wondering what the future would bring, sounds of singing fell upon her ears. She rose, and looking out, saw a circle of young men standing on the street only a few yards from the door, under the open window, singing a hymn. The first sounds that fell upon her ear were—

“I came to Jesus as I was,

Weary and worn and sad,

I found in Him a resting place,

And He has made me glad.”

The tears fell thick and fast. She was “weary and sad,” but no such resting place was hers. When the hymn was finished, one spoke, then another, telling the story of Jesus and His love. The well-known words of Jesus—

“Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” were specially dwelt upon, and the way of life and peace through Christ alone made plain. God owned the Word, and she received the message by faith. That night the first evidence of her new life was manifested by her going down and taking her place in the circle, and when the meeting was over, she invited the speakers to the house, and to their joy, told them what the Lord had done for her soul.

What a resting-place is Christ for the weary sinner! Readers, is He yours?

Who Loved Me

Galatians 2:20

Three little sunbeams, gliding all I see;

Three little chords, each full of melody;

Three little leaves, balm for my agony.

“Who”

He loved me, the Father’s only Son;

He gave Himself, the precious, spotless One;

He shed His blood, and thus the work was done.

“Loved”

He loved—not merely pitied. Here I rest.

Sorrow may come—I to His heart am pressed.

What should I fear while sheltered in His breast?

“Me”

Wonder of wonders, Jesus loved me;

A wretch—lost—ruined—sunk in misery.

He sought me, found me, raised me, set me free

My soul, the order of the words approve:

Christ first, me last, nothing between but love.

Lord, keep me always down, Thyself above.

Trusting to Thee, not struggling restlessly,

So shall I gain the victory—

“I—yet not I” —but Christ— “Who loved me.”

Extract: Incurable

The world is incurable; and before He comes whose right it is, and who will reign in righteousness, it must be cleansed by judgment.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 2, Verses 8-13

“For ye are saved by grace, through faith; and this, not of yourselves; it is God’s gift, not on the principle of works, that no one might boast. For we are His workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has before prepared that we should walk in them.” (verses 8-10, JND).

“Salvation is of the Lord”, was Jonah’s word from the belly of the great fish, in Jonah 2:9. And in Romans 1:16, the Apostle Paul writes,

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth.” Here, fittingly following verses 1 to 7, we have,

“For ye are saved by grace, through faith; and this, not of yourselves; it is God’s gift, not on the principle of works, that no one might boast.”

We are reminded of the midnight cry of the conscience-stricken jailor at Philippi (Acts 16:24-40), who “having asked for lights, rushed into the inner prison and, trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas; and leading them out, said, Sirs, what must I do that I may be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. And they spoke to him the Word of the Lord, with all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed them from their stripes (the many stripes with which they had been scourged before they were cast into prison); and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And having brought them into his house he laid the table for them, and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God.” This incident shows the result of receiving salvation, even in one newly born again.

We are seeing how fully God has supplied our needs, in His grace, and that all of the rich bounty we possess is the result of the outpouring of His own hand. But the next verse, the 10th, adds,

“For we are His workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has before prepared that we should walk in them.”

Here again is a subject for meditation. We, believers, are the workmanship of God in Christ; our doing is in no way the ground or the means of our salvation; it could not be. As another has expressed it:

“The same God who had a purpose of saving us and blessing us with Christ before the world was made, had a certain line of walk, a special course of action, in which He expected the recipients of such favor to walk. It is not the thought of the good we ought to do as men, as a means of showing that we are willing to obey God under the law. It is not loving God and one’s neighbor as oneself simply, but another type and display of love altogether. It flows from our new relationships, and if it be exercised in loving God and loving those around us, it is according to the rich love which God Himself has shown us in Christ. It is not merely duty, let it be the very highest form of obligation. If a man were to walk merely in this, though ever so well, he would fall short of what a Christian ought to be, and they are not the ‘good works which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.’

“The law was brought in by Israel’s presumption and self-conceit; it was not something that God had before ordained for His people to walk in. Therefore it is said, in Romans (chapters 5, 6, 7) that law came in by the way. It was a thing that entered incidentally, as a sort of parenthesis brought in for a special, but very momentous purpose. And it has done its work, and the believer, even if he had been under it, is brought clear out of it and made alive to God. He has a new husband, and is dead to the old one. But here the truth is put in a very beautiful form, in harmony with the character of the whole epistle. As the calling and the purpose and all that God thought about us, were before the world was, so even the character of the believer’s walk was ordained before ever we came into the world, and is in its own nature entirely above it. It is a question of our manifesting God aright, as He is now displaying Himself.

“Be ye followers of God as dear children?

“What a wonderful place is this that we are put into! We have been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them. We have a new character of life altogether, that the law never contemplated, and we have a correspondingly new character of good works” (Lectures on the Epistle to the Ephesians by Wm. Kelly, about 1860).

“Wherefore remember that ye, once nations in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that called circumcision in the flesh done with the hands; that ye were at that time without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the convenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world; but now in Christ Jesus ye who once were afar off, are become nigh by the blood of the Christ” (verses 11-13, JND).

The eleventh verse marks the beginning of what we may call the third section of the epistle; chapter 1 having been occupied with the unfolding of the purposes of God in grace commencing before the foundation of the world, and the earlier portion of chapter 2 showing the means whereby God has taken up persons that were dead in trespasses and sins and by nature children of wrath, quickening them with Christ, raising them and making them sit together in Him in the heavenlies. We begin now in the eleventh verse with the present working of God’s plans in the world.

“Wherefore remember,” says the apostle in the concise language of verses 11-13, what you were once—nations in the flesh, “called uncircumcision by that called circumcision in the flesh done with the hand, that ye were at that time without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.”

It was not long after the flood in Noah’s day, that the whole world having turned to the worship of idols, the true God called on one man, Abraham, to take a place of separation from all the others, and made him promises of great blessing on the earth, to him, and particularly to his seed. But much of the expected blessing failed the descendants of Abraham because of their very evil course, and God gave the place of government in the world to the Gentiles. Then came the cross of Christ, sealing the fate of the Jewish nation, and though there was patience on God’s part with them, He began at once to carry out His eternal counsels concerning the church. But in addition to the glorious portion in heaven which the church has in Christ, it has also an existence on earth, and enters into the dealings of God here below. And now we who once were afar off are become nigh by the blood of Christ; precious place indeed!

Prophetic Terms: 2. "The Fullness of Times"

“The Fullness of Times”

Last month we considered the term “the fullness of the time” as being the time when the probation of man ended. God had tried man in every way, so that none could say that anything was left untried or undone. Every trial ended in the failure of man to bring forth fruit for God, and proved all, both Jews and Gentiles, to be under sin. All hope for man had thus ended, unless God act in pure grace. This God did, for He sent His beloved Son—the dearest object of His heart—down into this world of sin and sorrow, saying “maybe they will reverence My Son.”

But when men saw the Son, they rejected Him, and finally cried “away with Him.” Both Jews and Gentiles were guilty of His death, but God again abounded over their wickedness, and brought salvation to men through the sacrificial death of His Son. The offer of a free and full salvation went forth, and today continues to go forth.

Friend, have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour? There is no hope and no salvation for you unless you personally accept and acknowledge Him.

From where we stand today, we look back to “the fullness of the time,” but we may also look forward to

“The Fullness of Times.”

God has decreed, “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times (plural) He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him” (Eph. 1:10).

This looks forward to a time yet future, but not in the distant future, when all things in heaven and earth shall be brought under the Lord Jesus. Although He is now disowned in this world He created, the time is coming apace when all in heaven and in earth shall own His rights and confess Him as Lord.

During the interval between “the fullness of the time” and “the fullness of times” it might appear that God is indifferent to the dishonor and maltreatment accorded His Son in this world. God is patiently waiting and beseeching men to be reconciled (2 Cor. 5:20) while He forbears to execute judgment on this world where His Son was murdered. God shall yet avenge the death of His Son, but today is the time of His longsuffering and patience. He has assured us that judgment will fall, and Peter speaks of the delay in these words,

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).

This world today is in the position of a guilty criminal who has been duly tried, then condemned to execution, and is just awaiting the day and hour of execution.

Should any read these lines who are still unsaved, remember that you are a part of this world over which the judgment of God hangs. You are either saved by His death and precious blood, or you are numbered among His murderers and rejectors who are awaiting certain doom. There can be no neutrality concerning Christ; you are either for Him or against Him. If you have not already accepted Him, accept Him quickly while there is still opportunity, and before the judgment overtakes you.

During the interval we have spoken of, the Lord Jesus sits at God’s right hand waiting until His enemies be made His footstool (Psa. 110:1).

During this long period of the non-intervention of God with this condemned world, the gospel goes out, but soon it is going to end. In one place God speaks in His word of this period as “the mystery of God.” Note what God says:

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets. ... And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 10:7; 11:15).

Yes, Christ shall yet reign and have dominion over all, but He shall first put down all His enemies. He shall visit this world with great and sore judgments and gather out of His kingdom all things that offend. Then shall be the “fulness of times” when all things in heaven and in earth shall be headed up under the Man of God’s counsels.

When God first made man, Adam, He placed him in the garden of Eden and gave him dominion over the earth. He made him lord of the creation, and even brought the animals to him to have him name them. But Adam gave his ear to the devil’s lie and fell. Ruin, sorrow, misery, and death followed the fall of man. Not only man, but the whole creation suffered because of the fall of its first head. Satan, the deceiver, became usurper of man’s place. He was even able to offer the kingdoms of the world to the Lord Jesus when He came (Matt. 4), for he said, “they are delivered unto me.” The Lord Jesus refused to receive them from Satan.

It might have looked as though God’s purpose to place man at the head of this creation had failed, and as far as the first man and his posterity were concerned, it had failed; but God shall yet have all under the man, the second Man, the last Adam during the “fulness of times.” What the Lord Jesus refused from Satan, He shall yet have from God. He is going to take the headship of the creation, not only by right, but by redemption, for it had fallen under the power of the enemy through man’s sin. All that had been ruined in the hands of the first Adam, shall be more than made good in the last Adam—the Son of God and Son of Man.

The eighth Psalm, and the second chapter of Hebrews, both speak of His coming dominion, and His present exaltation at God’s right hand. In Hebrews we read that we do not see all things put under the Lord Jesus yet, but we do see Him crowned with glory and honor.

And during the period of waiting, called the “patience of Jesus Christ,” a bride is being gathered out from among the Jews and Gentiles to be His joint-heirs, and share His glory in that soon-coming day. Fellow Christian, such is your portion!

(To Be Continued)

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

The midnight cry is heard!

O! slumbering saints arise,

Awake from sleep, your vigil keep,

And prove yourselves “the wise”;

Arise! arise! go forth,

The Bridegroom is at hand;

The Morning Star, He comes from far,

To claim His waiting band.

The midnight cry is heard!

Go forth, your Lord to meet,

His voice we hear—His step is near,

Your blessing to complete;

Your lamps are all but out,

O! put them all in trim,

Let every light for Him shine bright,

Let naught their luster dim.

The midnight cry is heard!

O! foolish virgins, haste,

While yet there’s room, escape your doom,

Of boundless mercy taste;

The Bridegroom tarries yet,

Your empty vessels fill;

To God on high, go there and buy,

Without a price—who will.

The midnight cry is heard!

He comes! He comes at last!

Ye virgins wise, to meet Him rise,

Your midnight watch is past;

The new eternal song

Now flows from hearts at rest,

With Him in light, where all is bright,

With Him forever blest.

The midnight cry has ceased!

No foolish enter in—

Too late! too late! ‘tis sealed your fate,

And now your woes begin;

Too late! too late! too late!

The door, forever shut,

You knock in vain—no entrance gain—

“Depart, I know you not.”

Our Object

Our hearts are fixed just so far as we have an object—fixed according to God, when we have Christ Himself before us. How can I love if I have nothing to love? A man is what he feels, and likes, and thinks. If my soul lives and feeds upon that which is most excellent—Christ the bread of God—Christ becomes, in a practical sense, formed in the heart. In Him, the man Christ Jesus, God has had all His delight, and the display of it too.

How and Where Enoch Walked

“And Enoch walked with God.” Genesis 5:22 and 24.

There is an interesting analogy between the time of Enoch, and the times we are passing through. If you reflect on the times in which we find Enoch, and compare them with those in which our lot is cast, you will find a very close similarity. People have often said,

“It is all very well to talk about Enoch ‘walking with God,’ but he had not half the trials, half the difficulties, that saints of God have in these days.”

That is a very superficial view of the history of Enoch’s time. He was surrounded by the world as Cain made it. God made the earth, but He did not make the world, or age, as we see it. No one supposes that the disordered system of things round about us is the production of God’s hand. Satan is the god and prince and head of that. God made the literal earth of course, but this disordered system of things that is round about us, where we see such terrible departure from God—God did not make that, neither is He the author of it. Satan has manufactured that out of the total revolt of man. That is exactly what Cain’s world was, in principle, in Enoch’s days. There were two things that entered into the constitution of it—a religion, and a city.

There is a great fact embraced in those two things. Cain was the founder of a religion that disowned the claims of God in righteousness, seeing that man had fallen from God. He also overlooked the fact of the curse that had come in through that fall.

A few words may not be out of place as to Cain’s sacrifice. He brought to God of the fruit of the ground. It was not that he lacked in energy, or that he wanted in earnestness, or that the man was unruly. Cain toiled on the earth, and though cursed, it yielded its fruit to him, and he brought the fruit of the earth that was cursed, as if there had been no curse at all, and offered it to God. There is a great principle involved in this—the moment that the fall exists as a fact, we can bring nothing acceptable to God except through the death of Christ; and the moment that we attempt such a thing, it may be unwittingly, we have fallen under the power of Cain’s religion in principle. That which characterized and marked what I call the religion of which Cain was the inventor and founder, was bringing to God an offering, and doing it so as to deny the great principle, “without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

The city is exactly what we have all round us at the present moment. There was manufacture, there was the art of man cultivated to its greatest possible extent, ingenuity taxed beyond all conception, to produce something which would make the world, out of which God had been rejected, bearable to man. This was Cain’s world. Herein lay its religious, political, and moral aspects (Read Gen. 4:17-22).

It is a very blessed thing to find God calling out a man in the midst of a scene like this, surrounded as he was on all hands by that which disowned God; and it is a comforting thing, too, to our hearts, to find the Spirit of God giving us a record, such as you have in those verses in Genesis 5. With that state of things on every hand, here is a man that is called forth as a witness to the power of God. He was kept in the midst of all that, “walking with God.” Beloved friends, it is exactly what you and I are called to in these days; we are called to “walk with God.”

I heard a beloved servant of God say that when he left England, and went abroad, he came across many of God’s people who had gone out from England to settle there, and he asked them how it was they came out there. He got one reply from one, and another from another, but not a word that indicated to him in the least that there was anything like an exercise of soul before God as to His pleasure in the matter. And he said to one something like this,

“Well, but I read in Scripture that ‘Enoch walked with God,’ and I also read in Scripture that God says, ‘I will guide thee with Mine eye.’ What do you know of that?”

Well, the only reply he got from several to whom he spoke after that fashion, was simply an evasion of this direct appeal to their conscience.

Now, beloved friends, all this is very serious; and here is the solemn part of it, these very people were not unintelligent people, they had a very good knowledge of dispensational truth; they understood the scripture. They could tell you the bearing of certain parts of Scripture, and so forth; but when it came to this practical question of individually “walking with God,” and communion with God, and guidance by God’s eye, and this principle of faith, they were completely at sea. I say that is very solemn, and I think that you and I have to be on the lookout. We have to take care that our outward intelligence is not in advance of our personal communion with God. Be assured of it, the moment it comes to be so, Satan has materials at hand with which he will make terrible havoc. The outward understanding of the things of God, apart from this blessed question of personal “walk with God,” is a weapon in the devil’s hands.

There is another thing in connection with this “walking with God,” which is exceedingly blessed. We see it in Enoch. He had but one object. You will always find that where there is this simple walking with God, there is this one object. There is the relationship enjoyed; there is the soul in the sense of this relationship, but besides this, there is an object. You will find it brought out most beautifully in Hebrews 11, in the end of that fifth verse,

“Before his translation, he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

That was the one thing that was before him. May I ask you affectionately, is that the one thing before you? Take everything in your life, take every circumstance in your history as a Christian, take everything that your hands are engaged in, your business relationships, your home relationships, your church relationships; is the one thing that is simply before your heart that you want “to please God”? This is very searching.

Before ever he left the world of Cain, with all the hindrances and attractions that were in it, “he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” You see, the eye was entirely off everything but God; there was the one thing that commanded him and controlled every movement of the man, the intense desire “to please God.”

If I have God before me, if I am acting with reference to Him, if I am thinking of pleasing Him, I have the testimony in my conscience that I please Him, and that keeps me up; it is a secret spring of satisfaction and joy in my heart. It is a blessed and wonderful thing, because it separates the affections of the soul from the ten thousand motives and influences that would act upon it.

A Contrast

While preaching the gospel the following illustration occurred to me as helpful to a soul to see the blessed position now of the believer in Jesus, as regards his or her sins, in contrast to that of an Old Testament saint:

Suppose I were deeply in debt, to the extent say of $50,000, and had not a fraction toward paying it, neither were able to earn or get anything towards it. Imagine my distress, especially when I remembered that my creditor might cast me into prison till I paid (Matt. 5:26). Such, my reader, is a feeble picture of your condition and mine by nature before God. I am met by an acquaintance, looking the picture of misery and despair. A little after, the same person again meets me, now I am apparently much relieved—in a measure at rest and happy.

“Why,” says he, “what has taken place? Is that debt paid?”

“No; but one of immense wealth, whose word I can and do rely on, has promised to pay it. I rest in his promise—indeed, I have it in writing; I rest in this.”

“But he may draw back,” says my friend.

“O, no,” I answer, “he never will.”

After a while I am again seen by the same acquaintance; but how peaceful, restful, happy, and bright.

“Why, what a changed man,” he remarks; “what has happened now?”

“He has paid the debt,” I answer.

“Have you the receipt?” he inquires.

“Yes, I have.”

Now, my reader, which of those three conditions describe your present state? If a stranger to Jesus as your Saviour, if unpardoned at this moment, the first undoubtedly does. If you are a believer, but regarding the gospel as a promise, doubtful of the pardon of your sins, you are practically where an Old Testament believer was.

Alas! Many dear souls are just in this state today. But God’s desire for you is to “know” (Acts 13:38) that your sins are forgiven, not are going to be; that the debt has been paid by the atoning death of Jesus for each and every believer, and the risen Saviour is the receipt.

“God will not payment twice demand,—

Once at my bleeding Surety’s hand,

And then again at mine.”

Moreover, the Saviour, the risen Jesus, is in the glory, now at the right hand of God—the pledge and assurance, that all who believe in Him shall be there presently with Him, and like Him, to praise Him forever.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Rom. 11:33).

My beloved reader, a plain personal question to you as I close, Is your debt paid? If not, O! come to Jesus; come now.

“Now is the accepted time.”

The Lord's Love

“Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” John 13:1.

“The love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” Ephesians 3:19.

There’s nothing like Thy trusted love,

Lord Jesus, here below;

Its sweetness we would daily prove,

And all its fullness know.

Thy love has thought of every need,

Of all the pressure here,

And ever lives to intercede

Till we are with Thee there.

Correspondence: Forgiveness; The Gospels

Question: Please explain Matthew 6:14-15; and 18:34-35.

Answer: Matthew 6:14-15, is governmental forgiveness which we all need day by day to keep us in communion with the Lord.

The Christian has eternal forgiveness besides, which was not known before the death of Christ (Heb. 10:14; 1 John 2:12). We are always forgiven, but we would be unhappy if we did not exercise a forgiving spirit to others (Eph. 4:32). We forgive because we have been forgiven.

Matthew 18:34-35, is the same principle, but here it is applied to Israel, who hated the Gentiles (see 1 Thess. 2:14-16), and are cast off for their behavior meantime, till all is paid. See Isaiah 40:1-2, for their restoration.

Question: How are the different Gospels to be understood?

Answer: “The Gospel of the Kingdom” is what was preached by John and Jesus and their disciples, and is the announcement to Jews and Gentiles that the King of Israel is about to set up His Kingdom. But Jesus was rejected and crucified, and is gone to the Father’s right hand, seated on the Father’s throne, from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool.

During this period, since His rejection, “The Gospel of the Grace of God” is preached to every creature, and all who believe are the church, His body and His bride. It is also called the glorious gospel, or properly the gospel of the glory of Christ, because He is glorified, and those who believe it are called to share His heavenly glory.

When this period is ended, and the saints from Adam down are all raised and the living ones changed, and all caught up to be with the Lord, “The gospel of the Kingdom” will be again sent out to both Jews and Gentiles.

In Revelation 14:6-7, we find “The Everlasting Gospel” calling on all that dwell upon the earth to fear and worship God who made all things, the Creator God. This gospel of creation has been going forth ever since man was on the earth. Psalm 19:1-6, is creation’s testimony. When the hour of God’s judgment is at hand, this special testimony is sent to call the heathen from their idolatry to worship the Creator.

Noah's Carpenters

“You don’t look at all like a patient, Miss Emma,” I said, as a fresh, rosy-cheeked girl of seventeen, the very picture of health—the daughter of Christian parents—came one day into my consulting room.

“No Doctor, I’m not come for advice, but mother said that she thought you would help me with a little subscription”; and at the same time she produced a collecting book, entitled, “Indian Vernacular Society.”

“What is the object of this society?”

“O, its object is to teach the little boys and girls in India to read the Bible in their own language; and I am doing all I can to help it forward,” she answered most eagerly.

“A capital idea,” I replied. “I suppose, then, the real object is that the children may hear of Jesus, and be brought to believe in Him, and thus be saved, and know that they are?”

“Exactly so.”

“Well, I hope the Lord will use this effort to the blessing of many of them,” I replied; “but before going further, may I ask you, Miss Emma, did you ever hear of Noah’s carpenters?”

“Noah’s carpenters! No; who were they?” she replied, rather uneasily.

“They were people who may have helped to build the ark, by which others were saved, and yet never went in themselves.”

“I never thought of them before.”

“Very likely. But do you not think you are somewhat like them? Here you come trying to help other people to be saved, and yet, so far as I have ever heard, you are not saved yourself. Tell me, do you think you have ever yet come to Jesus yourself, and had your sins washed away? To put it plainly, Are you saved?”

This query was followed by a lengthened silence; her face flushed crimson, her eyes filled, and then, with a burst of tears, she replied:

“No, I know I am not saved. I see, I have been like Noah’s carpenters.”

The bow drawn at a venture had truly entered the joints of the harness, and she was from that moment a spirit-wounded and convicted sinner. A long and interesting conversation followed, which I need not relate. We looked at the Word of God, and she found out to her utter dismay and distress, that all her own righteousnesses were but as filthy rags in the sight of God, and that she was an utterly lost soul, needing cleansing and pardon. In this awakened state, after prayer with her, she left me.

Some weeks rolled by, and I was wondering what had been going on in my young friend’s soul, when she again came at my consulting hour. Her pale anxious face betrayed what her words soon confirmed, namely, that, since we parted, she had passed through days and nights of deep soul-anguish.

“Mother said she thought I might come and see you again, for I am so miserable and wretched, I don’t know what to do”; and, indeed, she looked all she said.

“I am most glad to see you, Miss Emma, I suppose today you want something for yourself, not for others?”

“Yes. I am most anxious to be saved; if I only knew how to come to Jesus; but I am so wicked, and my heart so hard, and I feel so dead.”

“You must come to Him as you are—in all your sins—for He has said, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ Just believe Him simply. Take Him at His Word.”

“I do believe on Him, but I don’t get any good from it. I don’t feel any different.”

“You must not look at your feelings; you must just hear what He says, and give heed to His Word. Now, look at this verse,” and I turned to John 5:24. “Mark what Jesus says, ‘Verily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.’ Now, tell me, who is speaking here?”

“Jesus.”

“And to whom is He speaking?”

“To me.”

“Well, do you hear His Word?”

“Yes.”

“And do you believe Him that sent Him? Do you believe God sent Jesus to save you, to die for you, and to wash away your sins?”

“Yes, I truly believe He did.”

“Now, then, see, you have complied with the two conditions given, you have heard and believed; listen to the three blessed consequences that the Lord says accrue to the one that hears and believes. Such an one ‘hath everlasting life,’ that is a present possession. Inasmuch as you hear and believe, what does Jesus say you now possess?”

“He says I have ‘everlasting life.’”

“Good. Stick to that. But there is more in the verse. He says, he that heareth and believeth, ‘shall not come into condemnation.’ That provides for the future. There can be no condemnation for the one who believes in Jesus, because He Himself, on the cross, bore that condemnation. Now, since you have heard and believed, what does He say as to your future?”

“He says I shall not ‘come into condemnation.’”

“If He says you shall not, do you think you ever can?”

“No; of course not. He would not tell me what is not true. He cannot lie.”

“Exactly so. Thus, you see, He meets the present and the future in this verse. Nor is that all. We all lay in death; we were, each one, ‘dead in trespasses and sins,’ and out of that state we pass, the moment we hear His voice, for He quickens us by His word; and so He adds here that the one who hears and believes ‘is passed from death unto life.’ Nothing could be simpler or more blessed.”

“Yes, I see it now. I have heard and believed, and therefore, I have ‘passed from death unto life.’ O, how simple it all seems now!” and the pent-up feelings again got relief in a shower of tears, not now tears of conviction and distress, but those joyous, gladsome tears that will flow down the cheeks of a redeemed, pardoned, blood-washed sinner, when God’s grace is tasted and enjoyed. I prayed with her, and thanked God for His grace in saving her; and she left full of peace and joy in believing.

Many years have elapsed since my young friend found Jesus, but I rejoice to know she goes on her way, a bright, happy witness of the Lord’s grace, and is an earnest laborer for Christ, and a true soul-seeker in her own quiet sphere.

Reader, where about are you? Are you a Noah’s carpenter, or a real genuine Christian? Let not this hour pass away and leave you as it found you. Did it find you unsaved? As you value your soul, let it not pass away and be forever a witness against you and your unbelief. Be persuaded to come to Jesus now. Then shall your future be bright and joyous, for you will be saved, and satisfied.

Extract: Adam or Christ

I can trace everything connected with my circumstances, and what I am here, to the first Adam; but, connected with all my blessing in Christ, I have to go up there where my life is hid with Him in God. How wondrous the grace of God! His mercy does not rest merely in the cleansing blood, vast as that blessing is, but it puts poor sinners into association with the Son, in life above (Col. 3:3). God reckoned to Him our guilt, and if we are freed from guilt and in association with Christ in life, we get power from Him to walk as living men.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 2, Verses 14-22

“For He is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of enclosure, having annulled the enmity in His flesh, the law of commandments in ordinances, that He might form the two in Himself into one new man, making peace; and might reconcile both in one body to God by the cross, having by it slain the enmity; and, coming, He has preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off, and the glad tidings of peace to those who were nigh. For through Him we have both access by one Spirit to the Father” (verses 14-18, JND).

God’s unfoldings of His truth are marvelous, as we are learning from verse to verse. “For He is our peace,” puts that peace entirely beyond a mere inward state of feelings; our peace is Christ outside us, and this, whether we believe it or not, but we are dishonoring Him if we do not believe. All blessings flow to us consequent upon the death of the cross (verse 16), or as expressed in the language of verse 13, by the blood of Christ.

He has made both one, Gentile and Jew, and broken down the middle wall of enclosure which until the day of Pentecost stood between the two. The enmity which was in the commandments of the law, entirely separating the one from the other, was annulled in His flesh, that He might form the two in Himself into one new man, making peace. Nor does this suffice for God as indicating to Him the measure of what has been wrought, for verse 16 adds that there is included in the divine design the reconciling of both in one body to Himself by the cross, having by it slain the enmity; and coming, He has preached the glad tidings of peace to those who (Gentiles) were far off, and to those (Jews) who were near. For through Him we have both access by one Spirit to the Father.

At the risk of some repetition a few more remarks seem to be called for. Christ was not making out our righteousness when He was on earth. His life was necessary to vindicate God and His holy law, as well as to manifest Himself and His love; but the righteousness we are made in Christ, is not the law fulfilled by Him, but the justifying righteousness of God founded on Christ’s death, displayed in His resurrection and crowned by His glory in heaven. It is not Christ simply doing our duty for us, but God forgiving my trespasses, judging my sins, yes, finding such satisfaction in Christ’s blood that now He cannot do too much for us; it becomes, if I may so say, a positive debt to Christ because of what He, Christ, has suffered. It is not seen that the law is the strength of sin, nor of righteousness. Had Christ only kept the law, neither your soul nor mine could have been saved, much less blessed, as we are. Whoever kept the law, it would have been the righteousness of the law, and not God’s righteousness which has not the smallest connection with obeying the law. Because Christ obeyed unto death, God has brought in a new kind of righteousness—not ours, but His own in our favor. Christ has been made a curse upon the tree; God has made Him “sin” for us that we might be made righteousness of God in Him.

All believers now, whether Jews or Gentiles, in Christ Jesus are brought into an entirely new place, the Gentile out of his distance from God, and the Jew out of his dispensational nearness; both enjoy a common blessing in God’s presence, never possessed before, Christ having died for and under sin—our sin. The old separation dissolves and gives place by grace to oneness in Christ Jesus. When did this begin? An important question, for it is really the answer to the question: What, according to Scripture, is the church? Ask many of God’s children. Would they not say, The aggregate of all believers? But is this the body of Christ as shown us here? There were saints from the beginning, all who were born of God; but were they formed into a united assembly on the earth? Did anything under the Old Testament correspond to one body? It never was heard of excepting as a thing promised, till the day of Pentecost. It awaited the cross of Christ.

In this epistle we find the Gentile in a most deplorable condition of distance from God, and separation from all that God had chosen upon the earth. But the cross of Christ has annihilated all such distinctions. It has proved that the favored Jew was, if possible, more iniquitous than the poor Gentile. They had rejected and crucified their own Messiah.

The young Christian will have seen, in his study of the Bible, that the priests were the constant leaders of Israel against their Messiah, and the most urgent for His death. The world’s religion is heartless, regardless of profession. It may put out a very fair appearance, and have a good deal of truth mixed with it, but it is without standing before God, and its end is forecast in the Revelation, chapter 3, in the very solemn letter to Laodicea. In the plain-spoken language of another,

“The Lord has brought out what His church is. The will of man has raked up the law of commandments out of the grave of Christ, and enacts it over again. This is found throughout all Christendom. It is inconceivable, except through realizing the power of Satan, how Christians can take up the peculiar institutions of God to His people, curses and all, in the face of such a chapter as this, where we find that all this is gone, even for Jews who believe, by the authority of God. It is a practical denial of the blood and cross of Christ. What a solemn proof of the ruined state of the church of God!” So plain is the Word of God, here in verses 15 and 16.

“So then ye are no longer strangers and foreigners, but ye are fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the corner-stone, in whom all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit” (verses 19, 22, JND).

In verse 19 it is the believers from among the Gentiles that are in view—no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints and of the household of God. The foundation of the New Testament apostles and prophets is what is spoken of. You will remember the Lord’s word in Matthew 16:18:

“And I also, I say unto thee that thou art Peter (or, a stone) and on this rock I will build My assembly, and hades’ gates shall not prevail against it” (JND). So 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 tells of one who had a part in the laying of the foundation. Matthew and John and Peter were other apostles who shared in the foundation work; Mark and Luke were prophets who had part in it. And will you turn to 1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 3:5, and the 4th chapter, verse 11; all telling of the New Testament apostles and prophets.

Once God had dwelt on earth—His dwelling place the temple and the preceding tabernacle; now He dwells in the church more blessedly through the Holy Spirit. That divine Person dwells in the church, making it thus God’s dwelling place. He also, as we know, dwells in the individual believer, though that is not the subject here. But what guardedness of walk becomes us; what care concerning our responsibilities should be felt by all of us who are Christ’s through faith!

Thou Art the Christ, the Son of the Living God

Matthew 16:26

Thou art the Christ, Lord Jesus,

Son of the Living God;

Worthy art Thou, most worthy

To be by all adored.

Creator, Thou, of all things

In heaven and on earth,

All worlds are Thine, Lord Jesus,

All owe to Thee their birth.

Humbled, rejected Saviour,

Nailed to the cursed tree,

Bearing for guilty sinners,

Shame and indignity.

O! who can tell Thy sorrows,

Or who conceive Thy pain,

When Thou by God forsaken,

Wast crucified and slain?

Firstborn of every creature,

Seated in glory now;

Head of the new creation,

Before Thy feet we bow.

Thou art the Christ, Lord Jesus,

Son of the living God;

We worship, we adore Thee—

The purchase of Thy blood.

Prophetic Terms: 3. "Times of the Gentiles"

“Times of the Gentiles”

Let us read a verse from the gospel of Luke wherein we find the above term used.

“And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Luke 21:24.

The word, Gentile, is used in Scripture to describe any and all nations who are not Jews. Before the days of Christianity, there were only Jews and Gentiles on earth, but now there is another body known in Scripture as the “church of God,” which is composed of those who are saved, from among both Jews and Gentiles. All three are mentioned in one verse,

“Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.” (1 Cor. 10:32).

Before marking out what is meant by the term, the “times of the Gentiles,” we shall have to look at the history of the Jews.

God chose the seed of Abraham for His special people on earth. They were further marked out in Isaac and Jacob; and when God gave to the nations their inheritance on earth, He marked out their bounds “according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deut. 32:8). They were His special possession on earth among mankind. He gave them His promises, and then His covenants. After redemption, He came down and dwelt in their midst.

God also gave them the land of Canaan for a possession and drove out the inhabitants of that land. He did not however drive them out without just and sufficient reason. The seven nations who inhabited that land were only tenants on it, as it all belonged to God. Through their great wickedness, these nations polluted the land wherein they dwelt; and God said to Abraham that He would give his seed the land of Canaan, but not yet, because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Gen. 15:16). This is a principle with God. He never acts in judgment until there is no other alternative. He waits long in patience, but when iniquity reaches its peak, He must act in judgment.

So when the iniquity of the heathen who occupied the land of Canaan, reached the limit, God gave the land to the children of Israel. He brought them out of Egypt and planted them in the land whereon His eyes were “from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year” (Deut. 11:12).

We have not space here to recount the multitude of blessings that were bestowed on the Israelites in their land, but we all know the sad history of failure which followed. While the heathen had polluted the land before, Israel did it afterward. In Psalm 106:38 we read that they polluted the land with blood. They learned the works of the heathen and worshipped their false gods.

In fact, the condition in that land became as bad, or even worse, than it was when inhabited by the heathen whom God displaced because of their wickedness. Note this verse,

“So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken” (2 Chron. 33:9-10).

Yes, they would not hearken. We read that God sent many messengers to them, but they despised the messengers, and misused His prophets “till there was no remedy” (2 Chron. 36:14, 16).

If God had not acted then, it would have shown Him to be as careless of His glory as they were. He must act! Their very nearness to God, and place of special favor, did not make them exempt from punishment—No! It increased it. God’s special favors increase our responsibility, as we read of Israel,

“You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for your iniquities” (Amos 3:2).

Finally, after every possible effort on God’s part to recall His earthly people, He sent Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon to chastise that guilty nation. Note these words,

“And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god” (Dan. 1:2).

Yes, the Lord gave the children of Judah into the hands of this Gentile monarch. In fact, God gave this king a universal dominion, and withdrew His throne from the earth. Earlier (Josh. 3:11) God was called the “Lord of all the earth,” but in the book of Daniel, He is called the “God of heaven.” Israel who had been called “His people,” are then called “not My people” (Hos. 1:9). This great change that took place when God withdrew His throne from the earth, and turned His earthly people over to Gentile control, marked the beginning of the “times of the Gentiles.” This change took place about the year 606 B.C.

And while a remnant of Judah returned from captivity seventy years later, they only did so under the power and control of the Gentiles so the “times of the Gentiles” went on, and today still continues.

When our Lord spoke in Luke 21, He said that after His speaking, Jerusalem was to be “trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” This also came to pass about the year 70 A. D. and also, still continues. While some Jews have been allowed back in their land and in that city, it is, as all know, strictly under the control of Gentiles today; and it will remain so regardless of any league of nations, or anything else, “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” That word “until” does tell us that there will be definite termination of this period. In fact, we are getting along down towards the very end of this period—how close we don’t know; but it will end when Christ the Lord comes out of heaven with His saints to execute judgment on this Christ-rejecting earth.

“The times of the Gentiles” are pictured in Daniel, second chapter, in the image of a man. The last part of this figure of the “man of the earth” is the feet and toes, which describe the last part and state of Gentile power before the end of this period of time. Then, as we see in Daniel 2, the Lord shall come out of heaven to execute judgment as the “stone cut out of the mountain without hands;” and He will strike the then-existent part of Gentile dominion (the feet and toes of the image—the revived Roman Empire) in His wrath, and break all things to pieces. After executing judgment, His kingdom will fill the whole earth, and Israel will again be brought into a place of blessing and prominence; but it will be a new Israel—they will have a new heart in that day.

May the Lord give us all to see in what close proximity we are to the very end of this age. May we be looking for our Lord from heaven and holding the things of earth more lightly.

(To Be Continued)

Suffering for and With Christ

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.” (1 Peter 4:12-14).

The apostle brings in the thought of being with the Lord in glory, as the answer to suffering for Christ here. This is the highest kind of suffering that a Christian can go through. The suffering of the 13th verse is different from the suffering of the 14th verse. In the 13th verse, we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; in the 14th verse, we suffer for Christ.

All are partakers of Christ’s sufferings—that is, of those sufferings which he passed through down here, excepting His suffering in the way of atonement. The suffering of the 13th verse every Christian has part in, but every Christian has not part in the suffering of the 14th verse. The 13th verse is suffering with Christ; the 14th verse is suffering for Christ.

I ask you, have you never, in going through this scene of death and misery, heaved a groan because of it all? That is suffering with Christ, in sympathy with what He felt. That groan is the groan which the Spirit of God produces in the saint, and is in character like the groan of Christ at the grave of Lazarus. Christ suffered going through this scene as a perfect man, seeing the misery and sorrow that sin had introduced, and how God was dishonored. We suffer in our measure in seeing the same things, and that is suffering with Him.

But we do not all suffer for Christ. If we go on in the ways of this world, and seek to save ourselves, no doubt it can be done; but then there is the missing of all that Peter speaks of here. If we do as Moses would not do, we may escape suffering. You may be called everything that is bad, because of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, Peter says, happy are ye; instead of being downcast about it, take it as a privilege that you may be reproached for His blessed name. O, for a little more of the spirit of the apostles in the 5th of Acts:

“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters” (Verse 15).

As soon as I touch the things that do not belong to me, I am sure to suffer. Do not be ashamed to suffer as a Christian; but be ashamed to suffer as a busybody; and if you suffer as a Christian do not forget this, that in all God is letting you pass through, there is a blessed purpose. It is a great thing to remember that He has His own blessed purpose to work out in our souls, and if He lets suffering and trial come in, though we do not like it, yet He sees the need.

Extract: Revealing God and Man

Scripture turns us inside out and shows us what is in our hearts. There is no other book that reveals God, and no other book that so reveals man.

The Book of Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord

If you will turn to the book of Proverbs, you will be interested to see how you get “the fear of the Lord” spoken of so very frequently there. In the Proverbs, I believe God gives us the furnishing of the understanding. If you have time, read a chapter every day of your life. It will preserve you from much sorrow and trouble in your pathway here. I want to point out the way, in the structure of the Bible, in which it is connected. The next two books, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, have to say to the heart. You have the conscience in the Psalms; the understanding in Proverbs, and in the next two books, the heart. They are the compliment of each other.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon talks of the heart, only to confess that it is empty, and in the Song of Solomon it is more than full. In the one, the heart is too big for the object—the world, all under the sun—; and in the other, the object—Christ—is too big for the heart. One book is heartache, and the other is heart’s-ease. The secret of divine peace and joy is found in the Song of Solomon. It is occupation with the love, and the person of Christ.

But now for the Proverbs. You will find seven times in this book what the fear of the Lord is stated to be.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7). The fear of the Lord is the first step to knowledge and progress. Now pass onto the eighth chapter.

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate” (Prov. 8:13). Things which He hates, we should, or His fear is not in us. Next we get,

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Prov. 9:10). There is great difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge may puff me up, but wisdom will never puff me up. Knowledge is the apprehension of the truth, but wisdom is the capacity of using the truth. It is the way in which the soul, led of God, can use what it has rightly, and divinely. Then,

“The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened” (Prov. 10:27). It is very similar in its tone to what we shall find in the Psalms.

Next we read,

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death” (Prov. 14:27). A sure way of escaping Satan’s snares is of priceless value. Sixthly we read,

“The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility” (Prov. 15:33). Wisdom is always willing to learn, it is only fools who need no instruction. And now lastly,

“The fear of the Lord tendeth to life; and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil” (Prov. 19:23). Abiding satisfaction is a sweet fruit of this holy fear.

Correspondence: Israel and the Church Both Brides?

Question: Are Israel and the church both brides of Christ?

Answer: I will give a few comparisons and contrasts between Israel and the church; both are kept distinct in Scripture.

Israel is called to inherit Canaan (Ex. 6:2-8). The church’s call and inheritance is heavenly (Eph. 1; 1 Peter 1). Jehovah the great I Am is His name to Israel. He is made known to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and we are children of the Father, members of the body of Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells in us. The Lord Jesus is the King of Israel and the nations—they are His subjects. He is our Saviour, Lord and Head and Bridegroom; we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. We shall reign with Him.

The earthly people were chosen from the foundation of the world (Deut. 32:8; Matt. 25:14).

The heavenly saints, the church, were chosen before the foundation of the world (2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2; Rom. 8:29).

Israel is now divorced, and scattered out of their land.

The church is now being gathered, while Christ is on the Father’s throne. The marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven, before Israel is restored on earth (Rev. 19). In Revelation 21:9 to 22:5 she reigns above, over Israel and the nations on earth. The church is seen in Revelation 21:2 in heavenly glory: (that is eternity), and Israel and the nations are called “men.” There is no distinction seen between them then.

The church is composed of saved Jews and Gentiles and is caught up to her home in heaven.

Israel, now scattered, are to be regathered into Canaan.

Jerusalem is the bride, or Queen of Psalm 45; and Song of Solomon.

The church began after Christ died, and rose, and the Holy Spirit came down.

Israel’s restoration will be a time of joy on earth as many prophecies tell us.

The church is never mentioned in the Old Testament. It was hid in God and never revealed till Paul the apostle was used to unfold it. (Rom. 16:25-26; Eph. 3:4-9).

A Joyful Surprise

An old man named Robert J. living in a certain village was poor in earthly goods, but rich in faith. He had known his Lord and Saviour for many years and sought to live well-pleasing to Him. The poor, far and wide, knew the simple old, man who had always a kind word ready, and when necessary did not think anything of sharing his last piece of bread with the needy. He was so faithful and earnest in visiting the sick, that even the danger of infectious disease could not keep him away. Where others drew back for fear, there he was, consoling dying believers, or pointing the unconverted to their lost condition, and to the crucified Christ.

One day he came home very tired. He had been wandering about for hours, and was glad to have the chance of resting his weary limbs, but scarcely had he sat down, when someone called for him to visit a dying man in the next village. Our friend at first felt little inclined to go. His weary body seemed to say:

“I can really walk no more”; an inner voice whispered, “Try it, the Lord will give strength; it is for a dying man.” At length he got up and said to himself:

“I shall go; it is written: ‘Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’” (Gal. 6:9).

Arriving at the village, he soon found the house he had been directed to. It was a poor dwelling enclosed in a little garden. At his knock, the door was opened by a cleanly dressed woman who said,

“Come in, the sick person will be real glad to see you. He has asked for you repeatedly. The doctor has just been here and thinks he will not live over the night.”

Robert entered and found the sick man very weak indeed. After a few questions about his bodily condition, he said,

“My friend, it is a very solemn thing to lie there with the consciousness of having to appear soon before a holy God to give account for every word, thought and deed.”

“Yes, it is a very solemn matter,” replied the sick man; “but I know whom I have believed.”

Robert was greatly surprised, for such an answer he seldom met. Indeed he was not quite convinced for he knew how often many rest on false hopes; he put a few more questions, therefore, to the sick man, but the answers proved beyond a doubt that he had come to Jesus with his sins and had found forgiveness and salvation through His blood.

“How long is it since you have found the Lord?” asked Robert overjoyed.

“About twenty years ago. Yes, my conversion was quite a wonderful one. It happened through an extraordinary miracle.”

“A miracle?” asked Robert; “every true conversion is an extraordinary miracle. Is it not the greatest miracle, that a man who is dead in trespasses and sins, becomes born again through the Holy Spirit?”

“Yes, indeed,” said the man, “that is true; but my conversion was an extraordinary miracle like those in the Old and New Testaments.”

“Impossible, my friend,” was Robert’s answer, for he feared that the sick man was putting his trust in the remarkable manner of his conversion, instead of the work of Christ.

“You may think so,” replied the sick man, “but you will judge differently when you have heard about it. Till about twenty years ago, I had led a godless life. I drank, I swore and made Sunday especially a day of sin. One day I was sent into a field to mow hay. Before that I had promised some comrades to spend the evening in a saloon, drinking. I went to the field, taking my dinner with me, for my house was too far away to go back for it. It was only bread and cheese, for I was too poor to buy better food. Arriving in the field, I sought a place to hide my stocks of food. I tied it in my handkerchief and put it in a hole in the hedge. There was nobody besides myself in the field. When midday came, I went there to eat my scanty meal. My little package still lay in the same spot just as I had left it. Carelessly I unwrapped it; but what was my astonishment, when I found a tract inside! At the first glance I could scarcely believe my eyes; but it was actually so. I opened the tract and read it, and then my whole body began to tremble. I knew that no man had been in the field. If so, I would have seen him. God Himself, I thought, has sent me this tract by an angel. I read it and read it again. The tract spoke of my sinful and lost condition, and warned me to flee from the wrath of God. I fell on my knees and for the first time in my life, cried from the depths of my heart,

‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’

I resolved firmly, as God Himself had sent me this tract, to begin a new life from that hour and only live for the Lord. You can easily imagine that I did not go to the saloon that night. I was very unhappy and felt all broken down. I knew the greatness of my sins and my crimes. But the Lord had mercy on me, and at last granted me the grace to accept the Lord Jesus through faith; and from that time my heart was filled with peace, joy and thankfulness. I was a new creation, as it is said in 2 Corinthians 5. I have since then been much persecuted and through it have unfortunately experienced much weakness, but the faithfulness of my heavenly Father has sustained me, and I rejoice that I shall soon be up there with my Lord, and praise Him throughout eternity for His unspeakable grace. Now, can I not say truthfully that my conversion was brought about through an extraordinary miracle?”

With these words, he looked at Robert questioningly, who, however, seemed to be deeply moved with the account and remained silent for a time, till finally he asked:

“How long did you say it was since this happened?”

“It will be twenty years next month,” replied the sick man.

“Was the place where the field lay not called Ponder’s Bush, and the owner’s name Jonas?” questioned Robert with an agitated voice. And when the sick man answered in the affirmative, he continued:

“Praise the Lord! I can explain the miracle. On that morning, I was taking a walk near the field. Through the hedge, I noticed a man hiding something. I was curious to know what it was, thinking it might be something stolen. When the man had departed, I went and examined the little bundle, but found it to contain only bread and cheese. I was about to go away, when it occurred to me that I had some tracts in my pocket and thought it might do no harm to place one inside. I did it, and thought as I went away: ‘Who knows whether the Lord will not bless the reading of this tract to the heart of that man.’”

It was now the turn of the sick man to be astonished. Indeed, it was a striking moment. Old Robert was moved because he had found the fruit of seed he had planted twenty years before; and the sick man was moved, because that God had made known to him before his death, the man who had been the means of his conversion.

Old Robert went again with renewed courage to his work of making souls acquainted with salvation through Christ.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Extract

Experience ought to strengthen faith; but there must be a present faith to use experience.

Caught up Together

“The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

O Jesus, come, descending

For saints that sleep in Thee;

When Thou wilt change the living

To immortality!

The rapture-morn is breaking

Unclouded, bright and fair;

His waiting ones are ready

To meet Him in the air.

“Himself,” with shout descending,

Fulfills His faithful word,

To bring His saints to glory—

“Forever with the Lord.”

“Caught up,” for His adorning

In beauty to excel;

“Caught up,” with shouts exulting,

In unity to dwell.

“Together” there assembled,

“Together” round Him throng;

With transport, ever singing

The never-ending song.

“Unto Him who loved us” (Rev. 1:5).

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 3, Verses 1-13

“For this reason, I Paul, prisoner (literally, in bonds) of the Christ Jesus (or of Jesus Christ) for you nations, (if indeed ye have heard of the administration of the grace of God which has been given to me towards you, that by revelation the mystery has been made known to me (according as I have written before briefly, by which, in reading it, ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ) which in other generations has not been made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the power of the Spirit, that they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of His promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings, of which I am become minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me according to the working of his power. To me, less than the least of all saints has this grace been given, to announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ and to enlighten all with the knowledge of what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God who has created all things in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God, according to the purpose of the ages (or eternal purpose) which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of Him. Wherefore I beseech you not to faint through my tribulations for you, which is your glory” (verses 1-13, JND).

The whole of this chapter is a parenthesis, and in it, parenthesis follows parenthesis, includes parenthesis, too; so that, keeping this before us, all becomes clear as we study the chapter.

The first chapter gave to use the counsels and purposes of God in a remarkable way, including the church or assembly as the body of Christ united to Him as Head.

Chapter 2 deals with the work which forms the assembly, showing it growing unto a holy temple, in the Lord, a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Chapter 3 prepares the way for the fourth chapter.

Paul was not only an apostle (chapter 1); he was also a prisoner for the Gentiles, because he preached the gospel to them (see, among many passages, Acts 22:22). Further, he was the administrator of the grace of God, the gospel, or glad tidings, as he says, in Colossians 1:23,29. He speaks of the mystery of the Christ, which in other generations had not been made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the power of the Spirit (verses 3, 5).

The mystery had been made known to the Apostle Paul by special revelation. Mystery it was, concealed in the divine bosom; and this of necessity; because in the past centuries God had raised a partition wall between Jew and Gentile and established Israel on a special footing.

It was in the power of the Spirit that the revelation had been made to God’s apostles and prophets of the New Testament. The Old Testament saints, one and all, knew nothing of this, except, if an exception there was, that to them, by means of various prophets, it was revealed that the Gentiles would be blessed in a future day, but Israel remained a separate people. Nothing can be found in Old Testament holy writ, that the day was coming when they who are of the nations should be joint heirs and a joint body, and joint partakers of God’s promise in Christ Jesus. As far as the writer knows, the only direct mention of the church of God in the Old Testament occurs in Psalm 22, verse 22; “in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee”, and we would not be assured of this but for its quotation in Hebrews 2:12. The place of Israel in Psalm 22 is distinct, as verse 25 shows.

But what was the mystery? First, that Israel’s Messiah, the Christ, instead of taking the kingdom which was and is His, foretold by the Old Testament prophets, should completely disappear from the world, and that God should set Him in heaven at His own right hand as the Head of all glory, both heavenly and earthly; further, that He should give the whole universe into His hands to administer the kingdom, and maintain the glory of God the Father in it.

This is the first and most essential part of the mystery: the second the part of the church, being only the consequence of it.

Writing to the saints at Ephesus, the apostle then makes known that to him, less than the least of all saints, this grace has been given to announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ, and to enlighten all with the knowledge of what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God. And, further (verse 10) that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies the angels might be known through the church the all-various wisdom of God according to the purpose of the ages which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. One has remarked as to this last, that God is now making known a new kind of wisdom to the angels by His dealings with us, the saints of God now on the earth. This is something we may have forgotten, if we ever knew it. Think of what it means! The angels looking at us to see what God is doing, working in us by His Word and the Holy Spirit to bring us to the consciousness of our privileges!

Extract: Father

“Father” —a name that may give abiding calmness and strength and liberty to the soul.

Prophetic Terms: 4. "The Fullness of the Gentiles"

The Fullness of the Gentiles

There is a period of time spoken of in the Epistle to the Romans, which has a very special reference to the days in which we live, as showing that there will be an end to the present period of grace. It is called “the Fullness of the Gentiles.”

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25).

There are several things indicated in this verse and in the whole eleventh chapter of Romans:

First, that Israel has been partly blinded in the governmental dealings of God;

Second, that the Gentiles are at present brought into a special place of blessing and favor;

Third, that this present period of Gentile preference is to end, and Israel again become the center of God’s ways of blessing on earth.

We might then inquire, How did Israel obtain the special favored place in the past dispensation? We will have to go back into the Old Testament and there see that after the flood, men became idolaters and corrupted themselves in the worship of images, behind which were demons. From this condition, God called Abraham (Josh. 24:15; Gen. 12:1-3), and made him promises as to his seed after him. God began in Abraham a line of special promise and blessing on the earth. This special privilege is spoken of figuratively in Romans, as an “olive tree” of which Abraham was the root. The Israelites were the natural branches of this “olive tree” (See Jer. 11:16).

Before the days of Christianity, it was a distinct advantage to be born a Jew. There were special promises conferred on them. This is well described in the words of Romans 3:1-2.

“What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.”

They had the promises, the covenants, the law, the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament, and many other advantages.

The next question that arises is, Why were these favored people blinded and cut off from the olive tree? Their blindness was brought about, first, through their own willful departure from God, and then by God’s just decree, when they rejected every means of recalling them to Himself.

We find that God pronounced the decree of judicial blindness against the Jews back in the days of Isaiah.

“And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isa. 6:9-10).

This sentence was issued against the Israelites over 750 years before the Lord Jesus came into the world. Another question might well be asked. When was this threat of blindness actually carried out? In the answer to this question we are impressed with the wondrous longsuffering of God. God waited long and patiently. He sent prophet after prophet to His erring people, and finally sent His Son, whom they rejected and cast out. Even during the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus, His own nation were closing their eyes to the light. In Matthew 13 the Lord made mention of the sentence of blindness pronounced by the prophet Isaiah. It was being partially fulfilled because of their persistent willfulness.

But even then, God lingered in patience over His earthly people; and after the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus, He sent them a message of free pardon and salvation through the testimony of the Spirit of God to the finished work of Christ. This is plainly shown in the defense of the martyr Stephen in Acts 7. After Stephen had charged them with the guilt of resisting the Holy Ghost, they stoned him, thus showing their rejection of God’s final offer of mercy before the carrying out of the sentence in full.

The Jews at Jerusalem had thus sealed their own fate. Then, as the gospel messengers went about preaching from city to city, they sought out the Jews first. When the Jews rejected the gospel, the blindness descended on them. It seems to have settled down gradually from place to place as they refused the last message of grace. It settled down somewhat in the same manner in which the glory left the temple in Ezekiel—little by little as though loath to do so. It is fairly easy to trace through the Acts, the progress of the rejection of the gospel by the Jews, and the shift to the Gentiles. We might note some examples:

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Acts 13:46. This was at Antioch in Pisidia. Next notice the same development at Corinth:

“Paul ... testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles” (Acts 18:5-6).

Finally, we see the Apostle Paul sent to Rome, the great capital city of the empire, and world metropolis, as a prisoner, because of Jewish hatred. When he arrived in Rome he “Called the chief of the Jews together. ... to whom he expounded and testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets. ... And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers.” Paul then quotes the sentence from Isaiah 6 as applying to the case, ending with, “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and they will hear it,” Acts 28:16-28.

Here, almost 800 years after its pronouncement, the sentence is fulfilled. Thus the gospel to the “Jew first” was closed, and the Gentiles became the center of God’s special favor upon the earth. They were brought into this through Israel’s fall. They were grafted into the “olive tree” on earth. It is a distinct advantage today to be born a Gentile. Yes, the Gentiles now have “much every way.”

But in Romans 11, God speaks, through the apostle, to the Gentiles. It is a solemn word of warning which He gives there. He says that if they do not continue in God’s goodness, they shall be cut off from the olive tree as Israel was, and then if the Gentiles are cut off, Israel shall be grafted in again.

We must remember that in all this it does not speak of a Christian who fails, being cut off, nor of a Christian being cut off at all. It is not “eternal life” in question, but the special favor of God to people on earth. The Gentiles now have this favor, and not the Jews. The Gentiles have the “salvation of God” preached to them freely, but as God suggests, Have they continued in His goodness? Has Christendom continued in the “faith once delivered unto the saints?” No! No! No! The answer is visible on every hand. Infidelity, modernism, evolution, false doctrines, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God! What a sad story and what gross ingratitude to God’s salvation prepared at such a great cost!

Reader, if you are not truly saved, be warned. The Lord Jesus is coming to take the real Christian home soon—very soon, now—and then the “Fullness of the Gentiles will be come in” — that is, will be completed. The door of grace to the Gentiles will close and the mere professors be left behind for judicial blindness that “they all might be damned who received not the truth.” (2 Thess. 2:12).

Such is the certain doom of fast decaying Christendom.

Extract: Victories

The Lord does not enumerate our victories until warfare is over. Until the goal is reached, the believer should not be occupied with his progress. The apostle says: “forgetting the things that are behind.” The race is not the moment for pausing; the apostle had to reach forward to the things that are before, and every backward glance was not only lost time, but a positively evil thing, inasmuch as it divided the thoughts, affections, and aim of his heart, and hindered him in doing “one thing.”

“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14).

His Secret

Tom P. was only a pattern maker by trade but had risen to superintendent of the Scale Department of a good-sized works. It was an arduous post, as the firm kept neither draftsmen nor designers. Competition was exceedingly keen, and the competing firms had the advantage of highly trained men with good drawing offices.

Our company had cause to buy a large number of very intricate scales, from very large ones to weigh railway trucks of 150 tons, down to quite small, (but very complicated) scales. The whole order went to Tom P.’s firm.

In all this work, our scales were most satisfactory. I do not think we had one mistake throughout, nor did one break under the heaviest service to which we put them.

I knew that they had all been the sole product of Tom P. I knew what work he must have put into them. I knew he had had little or no education, and yet the work called for a good education, so one day I put the question to him,

“Mr. P. what is the secret of this. Everybody else makes mistakes, but you don’t, and yet you are the one who would be most expected to do so, please tell me why this is?”

He looked around his office, and replied,

“Before I ever start a scale, I shut that door, and get down on my knees and commit it to the Lord; and although it used to be the greatest marvel to me that there were no mistakes, now I understand the secret, and wonder no longer.”

Dear reader, that was Tom P.’s work, and he did it to the glory of God, till even godless unconverted men marveled. May you and I have the grace to do our work in the same way!

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

What Is Worship?

It is well to understand the difference between prayer, preaching, teaching and worship. They are each most important in themselves, and all of God, and ought not to be confounded.

In the preaching of the gospel, God is addressing the world; in teaching, He is speaking to His saints; but in worship we address God, we render adoration to Him. Ministry is from God to man; worship is from man to God. Hardly two things could be more distinct, and yet the distinction is rarely seen.

In Christian worship, we draw near to God as our Father in Christ Jesus and address ourselves to Him. When we know God as He has revealed Himself in the person and work of Christ, we have holy liberty in His presence, and render the praise, thanksgiving, and adoration of an overflowing heart.

It may be well to notice the difference between prayer and worship, nearly allied though they be to each other, and even suitably mingled together, as “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks” (1 Tim. 2:1). We have always much to give thanks for; still, the two things in themselves are quite distinct. We bring our empty cups to God in prayer and beseech Him to fill them. This shows our knowledge of God and our confidence in Him. But in worship it is the cup more than full as it overflows in thanksgiving and praise.

Ye Are the Salt

Salt is something presented to God: every sacrifice must be salted with salt (Lev. 2). There may be much fruit where there is little or no service. See the blessed man in the first Psalm. The church and Christ are one. Everything of Christ in us is fruitful. Real service is fruit; but all is not service which seems to be so.

“The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (James 3:18).

“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:11).

Whatever of Christ is naturally seen in us is fruit. God works in us by His Spirit, by giving us those desires that lead us into like mindedness with Jesus.

I rejoice in the thought that every setting sun is bringing us nearer and nearer to a world where suns will never set—where we shall walk together forever in an atmosphere of light and glory—where all the desire, longings, and hope of our hearts will be fully met! How blessed to feel that we have such a hope! How wonderful, that while the world around us is following after shadows, and walking in a vain show, we know and love the truth! That ours are hopes which will not, cannot deceive.

Indifference

Why should we plead ignorance when the claims of Christ are in question? Does it not prove that while we are quick, earnest, energetic, all alive, when self is concerned, we are indifferent, sluggish, slow-paced, when Christ is concerned? This is the plain humbling truth. May we be humbled under a sense of it! May the Spirit of God make us more thoroughly in earnest in things which concern our Lord Jesus Christ. May self and its interests sink, and may Christ and His interests rise in our estimation, every day! And may we at least cordially own our holy responsibility to go diligently into every question in which the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may, even in the most remote degree, be involved, however we may fail practically in our research. Let us not dare to say, or think, or act, as though we thought that aught that concerns Him is a matter of indifference to us. God, in His mercy, forbid! Let us esteem all that merely concerns ourselves to be, comparatively, nonessential; but the claims of Christ to be of paramount authority.

We believe we very often plead ignorance, when indifference would be the truer term to use. This is very sad.

It is impossible to close our eyes to the startling fact that the claims of Christ—the value of truth—the authority of holy Scripture, are being, more and more, set aside, each day, each week, each year. We believe we are approaching a moment in the which there will be toleration for anything and everything save the truth of God. It behooves us therefore to look well to it, that God’s Word has its own proper place in the heart; and that the conscience is governed, in all things, by its holy authority. A tender conscience is a most precious treasure to carry about with us, from day to day—a conscience that ever yields a true response to the action of the Word of God—that bows down, without a question, to its plain statements. When the conscience is in this fine condition, there is always a regulating power wherewith to act upon one’s practical course and character. Conscience may be compared to the regulator of a watch. It may happen that the hands of the watch get astray; but so long as the regulator has power over the spring, there is always the means of correcting the hands. If that power be gone, the entire watch must be taken to pieces. So with the conscience. So long as it continues true to the touch of Scripture, as applied by the Holy Ghost, there is always a safe and sure regulating power; but if it becomes sluggish, hardened, or perverted, if it refuses to yield a true response to “Thus saith the Lord,” there is little if any hope.

Extract: The Ideal of a Saint

He was a divine visitor to this world, a heavenly stranger among men ... He had not where to lay His head, while He was visiting their necessities with all the resources of God. This is the ideal of a saint of God—to be independent of all this world can give, while with open heart, and lavish hand, bestowing upon it all the benefits and blessings of God.

Yes, Lord, It Does!

I have felt many times I would like to tell the Lord’s dear people the way and the means He used to bring me to Himself, to know Him as my own dear Saviour.

I joined the army, and lived a careless and indifferent life, caring only for the things of this world. Regardless of my immortal soul, I continued that course of life, but could not help knowing that the Holy Spirit was striving with me. Sometimes I would be on my knees before the Lord, and at other times as careless as ever. Often those words have come to me,

“My Spirit shall not always strive with man.”

I knew it was the Spirit of God that was striving with me, and I used to dread the thought of the Spirit of God leaving me to myself.

But, blessed be the Lord, it was the Shepherd seeking the lost sheep. He sought me, and He found me. It was one Lord’s Day, that the Lord spoke to me again, while I was at a meeting. It was nothing that was going on in the services, but a verse of a hymn that I had often heard my dear mother sing, and had sung myself when a boy. The words were these—

“One there is above all others,

O, how He loves.”

I shall never forget that moment, so real was it, as if the Lord had spoken to me from glory, though this hymn was not being sung. It was not then that I found peace, although I received it the same day.

Myself and two other men were put in charge of a small battery or fort, and this day, after we had had our dinner, one of the men went to the gate and found a tract which someone had put through the door of entrance into the fort. He picked it up, and just looked at it, and then gave it to me. The Lord had sent someone with it as a message to my soul. The piece which was used of the Lord for my conversion was,

“How a Sinner can get Saved.”

I was shown that “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).

These words brought peace to my soul. The writer was shown how the Israelites only had to look to the brazen serpent; and I could see it so plainly that I was to look to Christ by faith, and live.

Before that, I had not realized what sin was in God’s sight, nor yet what a sinner I had been. But now all the sins of my past life seemed to rise up before me as they had never done before, and I was in greater darkness than ever. Satan was using all his power, and telling me that had only been deceiving myself, and that it was impossible for the Lord to forgive me, for I had been too bad.

Not knowing what to do, I was almost despairing about what I had been. The Lord then spoke to me in a still, small voice by His Word,

“The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin,” and I said,

“Yes, Lord, it does,” and a sweeter peace filled my soul than had ever done before. Since then I have not had a doubt. All praise be to the Lord, who works in mysterious ways.

When I think of all His love to me I can but praise Him. All His dealings with me have been wonderful. This last year again, He had led me into fuller light, giving me to know Christ as the object of my heart, and gathering me out to His precious name.

I felt, dear brother, in writing these few lines, showing you the Lord’s dealings with one so unworthy, that you would be able to praise Him and thank Him that your work of faith and labor of love is not in vain in the Lord. To Him be all the praise and glory, for He is worthy. I would love to know the dear one who put the tract through the gate. I have it still, and it is very precious to me.

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Eccl. 11:6).

“The entrance of Thy Word giveth light” (Psa. 119:130).

Take No Thought for the Morrow

“Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Mathew 6:34.

Shed not tomorrow’s tears:

Thou mayst not then have cause to weep,

Or God may give thee swift relief;

Dismiss thy fears:

Who meets the trouble ere it looms,

A searcher after ill becomes,

And double burden bears.

Tomorrow’s storms why dread?

The distant cloud thou fear’st to see

May break before it reacheth thee;

Lift up thine head:

It may be ere that morrow dawn,

Where storms and tempest never come,

Thou shalt be led.

Tread not tomorrow’s thorns;

If brass and iron be thy shoes,

Sufficient grace for daily woes,

Thy burden’s borne:

Wait on thy God, and strength renewed

To mount, or run, or walk the road,

Shall be bestown.

Tomorrow’s need why count?

Though drop by drop be all that’s given,

Treasured by rich supply in heaven,

Unfailing fount!

Suffice that manna daily fall,

That never fails the cruse of oil:

Thou’lt know no want.

Crave not tomorrow’s grace:

If the last enemy assail,

And dying hour with all its wail

Around thee lays,

He who hath helped thee hitherto,

With love, and power, shall bear thee through

E’en Jordan’s waves.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 3, Verses 14-21

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in the heavens and on earth is named, in order that He may give you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power by His Spirit in the inner man; that the Christ may dwell, through faith, in your hearts, being rooted and founded in love, in order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height; and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge; that ye may be filled even to all the fullness of God.

“But to Him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us, to Him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen” (JND).

In chapter 1 The apostle speaks of his prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would give to the saints at Ephesus the spirit of wisdom and revelation in full knowledge of Him, having the eyes of their heart enlightened.

Here in chapter 3 we have another prayer, answering to the second title in the first chapter—the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Both prayers have Christ as foundation and center, but He is regarded in wholly different points of view. In the first prayer He is viewed as man, and one who calls God His God; in the prayer we now find Christ regarded in His still more intimate relationship as Son, who therefore brings before us the Father. We too have communion with God in both respects; we have to do with Him as God and as Father.

The prayer of chapter 1 has been called the prayer of glory, because that is its character; the main thought in the prayer; that of chapter 3 has with equal appropriateness been termed the prayer of love. There is not a word in the second prayer about Christ’s being exalted “above every principality and authority and power and dominion,” for the subject is not glory at all, nor what God has done, nor anything conferred or Christ, but Himself and His love, the sum and substance of our blessing.

In verses 14 to 21 we are on different ground then, than we were in chapter 1; on higher ground too. It has been truly said that, wonderful though it is that we are to share Christ’s glory, it is yet more wonderful that we are loved by the Father as He loves His Son (John 17:23).

“Every family in the heavens and on earth” naming the Father includes all the creation, whether Jews or Gentles, principalities and powers, angels or the church of God. The church has a very special place before God, as we learn from the Scriptures—a place which none can share, not even an angel. But “every family” necessarily takes in the despisers of His grace for whom there awaits the sinner’s eternal doom.

For those who will share the very special place, the peculiar place nearest to the heart of God, this prayer of the apostle seeks that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may give them according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power by His Spirit in the inner man; that the Christ may dwell, through faith, in their hearts, being rooted and founded in love, in order that they may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height.

The prayer in the first chapter asked for a deep and real apprehension on the part of the saints of their standing before God; in the third chapter the prayer is for practical inward power by the Holy Spirit, that Christ might have His place in their hearts by faith. It is a question here of actual state, of the affections having Christ within, of being rooted and grounded in love, that they might be thoroughly able to apprehend that which is indeed beyond measurement. The apostle does not say what it is, leaving the sentence without an ending. He brings us into infinity. What then is the meaning? Certainly not the love of Christ, mentioned immediately afterward. It is in relation to the heavenly counsel of God the Father, once a secret, now disclosed. All things were for the glory of His Son—the whole creation, both heavenly and earthly, and the saints are to have the very highest place with Him over it all.

We continue (verse 19): “And to know the love of the Christ, which surpasses knowledge; that ye may be filled even to all the fullness of God” (JND). We shall never know His love fully, but as has been remarked by another, there may be the knowing more and more of what surpasses knowledge. It was for the saints now, in this world, that the apostle thus prayed; and he continues “but to Him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us, to Him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen” (JND, verses 20-21).

Young Christian, meditate deeply upon these closing verses; indeed, upon the entire chapter; think of what God has done, and what He has in prospect for His heavenly saints, for His church, and make use of the invitation plainly included in the twentieth verse—to ask for more of the Father “according to the power which works in us.” That power is God’s—the Holy Spirit who dwells in every believer.

How blessed we are! Yet to our shame be it said, How little we think of these things!

He Hath Said, I Will Never Leave Thee, nor Forsake Thee.

Hebrews 13:5.

He hath said, whose word abideth,

He, the Life, the Truth, the Way;

Whatsoever thee betideth

I am still thy strength and stay.

I will guide thee, I, thy Saviour,

All thy pilgrimage below;

Thou shalt realize My favor

And My strength in weakness know.

Never shalt thou lack sustainment

While thou passest on thy way;

E’en such things as food and raiment

I will give thee day by day.

Leave then all to My providing,

Thou shalt know My constant care;

Ever in My love abiding,

I will all thy burdens bear.

Thee I’ve loved from everlasting,

And I would that thou shouldst know,

While on earth, the rest of casting

On Me all thy cares and woe.

Nor will I, thy Lord, forsake thee,

Well I’ve proved My constant love;

Soon I’ll come again to take thee

To My home prepared above.

Prophetic Terms: 5. Christ's First and Second Coming

Christ’s First Advent

The Old Testament scriptures abound with prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah.

In Micah 5:2 it was foretold that this coming “Ruler in Israel” should be born in Bethlehem, in the land of Judah. The eternity of His Being was also mentioned in the same verse.

Isaiah 7:14 said that He was to be born of a virgin and His name called Immanuel.

Then in Isaiah 9, His deity was announced and it was said that He should have the throne of David.

That He should come through the family of David was definitely prophesied in Isaiah 11 and Psalm 132.

The approximate time of His first appearing was even indicated in Daniel 9.

Many other references might be made to the promises and prophecies concerning Him, but space will not permit. Enough has been quoted to prove the existence of precise information, given by God, whereby His Anointed could and should have been expected, and discovered when He came.

But, how was it? Was the world or even the nation of Israel looking for Him? And when He came, did His earthly people rejoice that He had come? No, no, no. Although coming through the royal line of David He was an outcast from the beginning. People of wealth and social prominence occupied the inn, but there was no room for Him. He was placed in a manger.

The Jews made their boast of having the Scriptures entrusted to them, and these were read every Sabbath day in their Synagogues; but, except for a little handful, none were expecting their Messiah. His birth was almost unnoticed, and an aged woman (Anna the prophetess) could speak of Him to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

When Herod the King heard of His birth he called all the chief priests and scribes of the Jews together for information about this coming King. These leaders could quote from the prophet Micah as to the place of His birth, which proved that they were conversant with the letter of Scripture; but they did not make one move to see Him. Their hearts were far from Him. Sad, sad state indeed!

Christ’s Second Coming

Now the Lord Jesus has been gone back to heaven almost two thousand years, but before He went away He definitely promised,

“If I go ... I will come again.” John 14:3.

Just as surely as His first advent was foretold, so His coming again is promised in words unmistakably clear. The One who has gone back to heaven will soon come again. He did not say, I will send an angel to bring you to Myself, but

“I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am there ye may be also.”

Now many dear Christians have read these words supposing that they mean death is coming for them, or that Christ will come for them at their death. But that is very careless reading. He. Himself is coming for us. Death has not gone away, nor is it coming again. And when a child of God falls asleep in Jesus he has gone to be with Christ which is far better (Phil. 1:23). He has gone to Christ; Christ has not come for him.

The early Christians were living in the constant expectation of the Lord’s return. This was a real hope connected with their salvation. The saints at Thessalonica.

“Turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven” (1 Thess. 1:9-10).

The whole character of this dispensation should be one of constant expectancy. Christians should be followers of a rejected Christ, living in view of His return. When this hope ceased to animate the church, it fell into worldliness. Christians settled down to be at home on earth when they ceased looking for their Lord from heaven. There is nothing that so separates one in heart from all that is here, as the expectation of hearing that shout and being caught up to be with the Lord. If you and I knew definitely that the Lord would come tomorrow, it would make the things here seem insignificant, and we would be seeking to be found pleasing to Him when He comes.

The Thessalonians became troubled because some of their number died before the Lord came, supposing that they had lost something. To correct this fear the Apostle Paul wrote the details as to the Lord’s coming.

“The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

He has promised, and will come to call all the redeemed to Himself. At His coming for all the saved, He will not come all the way to the earth, but shout that shout in the air, calling all who died in faith from their graves. Immediately following this, all who are living and believe (John 11:26), will be caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air. In 1 Corinthians 15 we learn that all this will happen “in the twinkling of an eye.” Our bodies of humiliation shall be fashioned like unto His body of glory (Phil. 3:21).

We do not know of one thing that must take place before the Lord comes. He may come and call all the redeemed from their graves, and catch away all the saved ones who are living on earth, before this paper goes to print. There is nothing that must be fulfilled first, and none can give a reason why He may not come today.

Dear fellow Christian, are we really looking for Him who died for us? Do we long to see Him? I do not ask, Do we accept the doctrine of the Lord’s coming? The Jews knew the doctrine of His first coming, but were not looking for Him. May we not be merely believing in the “Lord’s Coming,” but actually expecting Himself. The unbelieving world shall not see Him when He comes to call us into the air to meet Him. Later when He comes visibly to the earth, we shall come with Him. Then He shall come to execute judgment before He sets up His earthly kingdom and reigns, but the object of this paper is to set before us our proper hope—His coming for His own. May this stir our affections, and not merely increase our knowledge.

Lamb of God, Thy faithful promise

Says, “Behold, I quickly come,”

And our hearts, to Thine responsive,

Cry, “Come, Lord, and take us home.”

A Lesson From the Ants

A young Sunday School teacher was much discouraged. She had labored faithfully for long among her girls with no outward result. Was it worth going on?

It was Sunday morning, and as she thought of her class, she felt troubled. One of her girls had been found guilty of theft—a girl whom she had prayed for and yearned over, seeking to win her for the Saviour. Would it not be better to leave the school to others? She would not be missed and could be of use at home.

Meditating thus, she passed out into the garden, and sought a secluded spot where she loved to sit. As she approached, she saw her little brother intently watching something.

“Come and see” he said, as she took a seat beside him. Numberless ants were to be seen running to and fro across a path, over which someone had let fall a spadeful of sand. This was evidently in the path of the ants to their nest, and so the industrious little creatures were busily engaged in removing it. Each ant picked up one grain and ran off with it, returning shortly for another. As the whole army worked with a will, the heap of sand was fast disappearing. Each little ant did not stop to look at the heap of sand and say,

“I can never move that; it is of no use trying.”

O no! It ran and moved one grain and did what it could. As Ellen watched, she learned the lesson, and was encouraged to go on.

What about us? We cannot convert one soul, much less our classes. God alone can do that. But let us see to it that we do our part in the work. The Lord has given us the privilege of having a share in sowing the Word; are we going to do nothing because we cannot do it all? We must be content to do well that which lies to our hand, doing it as to the Lord, with a single eye to His glory.

If our hearts are set on results, we shall only meet with disappointment, and shall soon be discouraged and give up; but if we really have our eyes on the Lord Himself, then we can go steadily on, willing to do that which He has given us to do, and being content with the knowledge of His approval. That is where we so often fail—seeking more the approbation of our fellow-laborers than being satisfied with the private consciousness of the Lord’s smile.

Is not this the case? O! the Lord would not have it so. He would have us value His approval of our work, far above any results we might see. He may, in His grace, allow us to see fruit of our labors, for which we unfeignedly thank Him, but He will not have us rest in the fruits, but in the conscious enjoyment of Himself, doing His work in communion with Him. And surely service which does not flow from communion, is of no value in the sight of God.

May we have the Lord Himself as our object, and then whether He allows us to see our work crowned with success, or whether He sees fit that we should see no fruit from our labors, we can go on steadfastly in the work to which He has called us, rejoicing to be privileged to have a share, not only in serving, but also in suffering. Remember the words of the Perfect Servant,

“I have laboured in vain, I have spent My strength for naught, and in vain: yet surely My judgment is with the Lord, and My work with My God” (Isa. 49:4).

“The servant is not greater than his lord” (John 15:20).

O let us rejoice in the privilege of having fellowship with our rejected Master, while we labor gladly and willingly to gather the children in, to be His, in the day when He makes up His jewels.

Dependence and Obedience

“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Sam. 15:23). These are weighty words for a moment like the present, when man’s will is developing itself with such extraordinary force. It is deemed manly to assert our will; but Scripture teaches the direct opposite.

The two grand elements of human perfection—of perfect manhood—are these, namely, dependence and obedience. In proportion as anyone departs from these, he departs from the true spirit and attitude of a man. Hence, when we turn our eyes to Him who was the perfect Man—the Man Christ Jesus, we see these two grand features perfectly adjusted and perfectly developed, from first to last. That blessed One was never, for a single moment, out of the attitude of perfect dependence and absolute obedience.

To prove and illustrate this fact would take us through the entire gospel narrative. But take the scene of the temptation, and there you will find a sample of the whole of that blessed life. His one unvarying reply to the tempter was, “It is written.” No reasonings, no arguments, no questions. He lived by the Word of God. He conquered Satan by holding fast the only true position of a man—dependence and obedience. He could depend upon God; and He would obey Him. What could Satan do in such a case? Absolutely nothing.

Well, then, this is our example. We, as having the life of Christ, are called to live in habitual dependence and obedience. This is walking in the Spirit. This is the safe and happy path of the Christian.

Independence and disobedience go together. They are utterly unchristian and unmanly. We find these two things in the first man, as we find the two opposites in the Second Adam in the garden sought to be independent. He was not content with being a man, and abiding in the only true place and spirit of a man, and he became disobedient. Here lies the secret of fallen humanity—these are the two elements which make up fallen manhood. Trace it where you will—before the flood, after the flood; without law, under the law; Heathen, Pagan, Jew, Turk, or nominal Christian; analyze it as closely as you please—and you will see that it resolves itself into these two component parts—independence and disobedience. And when you reach the close of man’s history in this world, when you view him in that last sad sphere in which he is to figure, how do you see him? In what character does he appear? As “the Willful king,” and the “Lawless man.”

Extract: Pressure or Fear

If we find our souls under pressure of the spirit of fear or bondage or uncertainty, we may be sure that they have let go the gentle hand of faith. ... This ought not to be so. We are to know that we have ever to do with love!

Christ Is All

“Christ is all.” Colossians 3:11. Do we make Him this?

It is a question of my salvation? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

It is a question of relationship with God? “Ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26.

Is it a question of experience? “For to me to live is Christ.” Philippians 1:21.

Is it a question of service? “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13.

Is it a question of my path? “I am the way.” John 14:6.

Is it a question of heaven or the place to which my path leads? He would define it as “where I am.” John 14:3.

O, let us know more of that rich blessedness which comes of making Christ all, of seeing “Jesus only.” Our cry should be— “O, to know Him.” Philippians 3:10.

In our selfishness we cry and beg for blessings. It is the Blesser we need, Himself; He is the joy of the Father’s heart. Let us taste with Him the delight He takes in His Son. Christ is infinitely higher than doctrine or experience. Experience we shall have, but only with Him can our hearts be ravished and raptured.

May it be with us: Christ, Christ, Christ. You cannot get a better portion or place, than He gives. Your portion here will be “food and raiment,” your place “outside.” Your portion there is “all spiritual blessing,” your place “in Him.”

And now, let every affection, every desire, every thought, and every aim, be gathered to, and centered in, Him.

Nothing but Christ, as on we tread,

The gift unpriced, God’s living Bread;

With staff in hand and feet well shod,

Nothing but Christ, the Christ of God.

Nothing save Him in all our ways,

Giving the theme for ceaseless praise;

Our whole resource along the road,

Nothing but Christ—the Christ of God.

The Corn of Wheat

John 12:24

Christ was the corn of wheat that fell into the ground and died. He brought forth much fruit—a picture of which we have in the wave sheaf in Leviticus 23:11. He was the corn of wheat—the harvest, a whole sheaf.

Extract: By Faith

“We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand” (Rom. 5:2).

It is not attainments, it is not watchfulness, it is not services or duties which ... give the soul entrance into that wealthy place of divine favor.

“By faith we have access into this grace wherein we stand.”

Correspondence: Natural or Spiritual Body?

Question: Do we gather from Scripture that the Lord rose from the grave with His body unchanged? Do we not gather from the Word that He went into the grave with a natural body, and rose with a spiritual body?

Answer: It is well for us to remember what the Lord said of Himself, “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father,” (Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22) and not try to define what cannot be defined.

We believe the wonderful mystery of the Lord of life and glory gone into death. We know He walked a true man here on earth, and that He is now the risen glorified Man to whom we are united by the Spirit. We know His body saw no corruption (Psa. 16; Acts 2). We know He was the seed of the woman, that holy thing which shall be born of thee (the woman) shall be called the Son of God. And that was miraculous. It brought a clean thing out of the unclean. “In Him was no sin.” No mortality in him. When “He tasted death” it was by “the grace of God,” for death had no claim on Him. He could say (John 10:17-18),

“I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (See also John 2:19-21).

We must avoid scrutinizing His person. Let us bow before Him and worship Him as one

“Fairer than all the earth-born race,

Perfect in comliness Thou art;

Replenished are Thy lips with grace,

And full of love Thy tender heart.

God ever blest! We bow the knee,

And own all fullness dwells in Thee.”

“Our precious Saviour was Man, as truly as I am, as regards the simple, abstract idea of humanity, but without sin, miraculously born by divine power, and more than this, He was ‘God manifest in the flesh.’ Now, having said so much, I entreat you with all my heart, not to try to define, and to discuss the Person of our precious Saviour. You will lose the savor of Christ in your thoughts, and you will get in its place only the barrenness of the human mind in the things of Christ, and in the affections, which belong to them. It is a labyrinth for man, because he works from his own resources. It is as if one were to dissect the body of one’s friend, instead of delighting in his affections and his character. In the church it is one of the worst signs I have met with. It is very sad to get into this way—very sad that this should be shown in such a light before the church of God, and before the world.

“I would add that so deep is my conviction of man’s incapacity in this matter, and that it is outside the teaching of the Spirit to wish to define the manner of the union of divinity and humanity in Jesus, that I am quite ready to suppose that even while desiring to avoid it, I may have fallen into it, and thus may have spoken in a mistaken way in something which I have said to you. That He was truly Man, Son of Man, dependent on God as such, and without sin in that condition of dependence—truly God in all His ineffable perfection—this I hold, I trust, dearer than life. To define everything is what I do not presume to do. ‘No man knoweth the Son, but the Father.’ If I find anything which weakens one or other of these truths, or which dishonors Him who is their subject, I will oppose it with all my might, as God may call me to do so. May God grant you to believe all which the Word teaches with regard to Him, Jesus. It is our food and sustenance to understand all which the Spirit has given us to understand, and not to seek to define that which God does not call upon us to define, but to adore on the one hand, and to feed upon the other, and to live in every way according to the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

J. N. D.

What Will You Do With That Voice in Eternity?

A minister of Jesus was struck with the surpassing sweetness of the voice of a young lady who sat near him. Being afterward introduced to her, he inquired, with much anxiety, whether she loved the Saviour, and belonged to Him. She replied, without evincing much interest in the subject,

“I am not a Christian, and so I suppose that I do not love the Saviour.”

“Then, my dear young friend,” said the minister, “what will you do with that voice in eternity? Shall it be spent in uttering the wailings of the lost, forever and ever?”

He said no more, but turned with a saddened heart, and left her to her own reflections.

That solemn question followed her everywhere—it rang in her ears by day and mingled with her dreams in still hours of the night. Nor did it ever leave her till she found peace in believing in Jesus—till she was prepared joyfully to sing the song of redeeming love with the people of God on earth, and now she waits to join the song that shall ascribe all honor and glory and blessing unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever.

“They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy ... for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood” (Rev. 5:9).

“He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psa. 40:3).

Give Attendance to Reading

1 Timothy 4:13

Some years ago, when spending a few days at H. it was proposed to have preaching in the open air one evening, and we set out during the day in different directions to invite the people. In one of the cottages was dear old Margaret W– , and it is one little saying of this aged saint that calls forth these few lines. The writer’s heart has often been encouraged by the remembrance of her words. Margaret’s days of toil on earth were drawing to a close; a busy life had been hers, working year after year, as tailoress at the many farmhouses around, till age at length demanded that the well plied needle should be laid aside.

“I can’t do much now,” she said, “but I read a little, and I work a little, and I look up!” Her words sank into our hearts with sweetness and instruction.

Dear toiling mother, if such should read these lines, do thy oft revolving duties weary thee, fulfilled, it may be, unseen by any save One who notes everything?

“Look Up!” yea, “read a little” too. The Lord can make a little go a long way.

“He that gathered little had no lack.”

Thus shall you be helped with secret strength.

“Secret blessings, richly flowing Lead to everlasting day.”

The following year we were again at H. We soon visited the cottage of our dear old friend, where we still found her, but now quite bent and feeble; the little room she lived in also showing signs of its occupant’s waning strength and inability to keep it as was her wont. On reminding her of the previous year, and the lesson she had unconsciously imparted, and from which we had so profited.

“Ah!” she said, “my sight is nearly gone now; I can’t read, and I can’t work, I can only look up!”

While we can read let us read, if only “a little” daily, prayerfully with faith. Nothing can make up for this. Leanness of soul and a train of sorrows result from its neglect.

“As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.”

One knows that the daily things will swallow up more than the “twelve hours in a day,” if we allow them, but “seek ye first,” is the blessed Lord’s own injunction. As sure as we do so, we shall find our duties will get quite as well attended to, and with a happier heart, for we shall also have given the Lord Jesus His portion—our ear.

Mary sat at His feet and heard His word. May we do this, dear reader, more than we have ever yet done. Then shall we be better fitted to work, even “a little,” for Him.

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

“Looking (off) unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith,” till the happy moment when we all shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 4, Verses 1 to 4

“I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you therefore to walk worthy of the calling wherewith (or, according to which) ye have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love; using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace.” (Chapter 4, verses 1, 2, 3, JND)

Again, the dear apostle, writing from his Roman cell, refers to himself as Christ’s prisoner; in the third chapter it was as “prisoner of the Christ Jesus for you nations,” and here he writes as “the prisoner in the Lord.” He was in bonds because of the testimony which he had borne to the truth of what God had done for both the Gentiles and the Jews, and in particular His forming by faith, out of both, one body united to Christ. And in what connection does Paul now make mention of his imprisonment? First of all, to express the wish that what should characterize their lives was lowliness; forbearance with one another in love; walking worthy of the heavenly calling; while using diligence to keep the unity which the Holy Spirit has made in the uniting bond of peace. Now this unity of the Spirit is exactly that; it is not one of persons who are naturally of the same mind, but a oneness of the members of the body of Christ established by the Holy Ghost, maintained in a practical way by a walk according to His directing, or as we may say, according to the Word of God.

“There is one body and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all, and in us all. But to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ” (verses 4 to 7, JND).

“There is one body”; how important, yet how little understood by the children of God! As has been said by one often drawn from in these pages (W. Kelly):

“When they hear of the body of Christ, the idea is scarcely more than that they are forgiven, are children of God, and are going to heaven. How very little all this is a measure of what is implied in the body of Christ! Many true believers suppose it to mean the aggregate of those who are reconciled to God—the objects of His favor who are not left to die in their sins. But one might have all these privileges without any of the characteristic features of Christ’s body, or God’s habitation through the Spirit. It would have been quite possible, if God had been so pleased to order it, that Christians should have been children of God, conscious of their redemption, knowing their sonship, fully expecting to be glorified with Christ in heaven, and yet never have been joined together as one body in Christ, with God dwelling among them by a special presence of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. This was a super-added privilege over and above redemption, through the blood of Christ. And this is so true that if you search all the Old Testament through, you will find that never are the saints of God spoken of there as members of Christ’s body, the habitation of God through the Spirit.

“But more than that. The prophets are full of a glorious scene yet to be enacted on this earth, when the Lord will put down Satan’s power. There is a time coming when evil will no longer be permitted to go unpunished, nor good to suffer here below; and when that day comes, Scripture is plain that although God will have a people for Himself upon earth, they will not be joined together as one body, nor will they form His habitation through the Spirit. It is between the two advents of Christ, between the grace which has appeared, and the glory which is going to appear (Titus 2:11-13) that we hear of the special vocation wherewith we are called.

“For let us consider what the body of Christ is—His body, of course, I mean, not as predicated of Himself personally, but as composed of and applied to those who believe in Christ now, that spiritual corporation to which belong all true saints of God now found upon the earth and ever since Pentecost. What are the blessings which constitute it? What does the Holy Ghost mean by membership of this body? I answer, the cross, being the witness and expression of the guilt of the Jews more especially (the guilt, doubtless, of all men in general, but preeminently of the Jews), gave occasion for God to dissolve completely, for the time being, the peculiar place of favor which the Jewish people had previously possessed. God Himself blotted out the landmark which separated Israel from the Gentiles, and instead of making Israel to be the one channel of His promise, on the contrary the tide of blessing turns decidedly and conspicuously toward the Gentiles. He gathers out of Jews and Gentiles a people for His name, and joins together this election out of them both, who believe in Christ, in order to the possession of new privileges that never had been tasted in like mode or measure before.

“One most remarkable feature of the blessing is that the distinction between Jew and Gentile is gone. In the cross they united in wickedness before God. But what does God use it for? He says, as it were, I will take that very cross which man has made the scene of his outrageous rebellion against Me—which proved that My ancient people were grown violent in hostility against Me in the person of My Son, and I will make the cross to be the pivot on which I will turn fuller, richer blessing than had even been hoped for by believing men in this world before. Thus, as the cross was the rallying point of Satan to gather men in an unholy union against God and His Son, so God makes it to be the precious center where He forms the Jews and Gentiles that believe in His Son, into a new body, where all such distinction are blotted out forever ...

“God will accomplish all that He has spoken of in the prophets in the days of heaven upon the earth. But meanwhile the Messiah that was promised to bring in the glory, came, and has been rejected. Instead of having a throne, He had the cross; and far from taking the earth for His inheritance, He was cast out of it and went up to heaven. A new state of things consequently was opened, and for this order, altogether different from that contemplated generally in the prophecies; we have the New Testament revelation. ... You might have expected, had God been then acting upon principles of righteousness, that at once, the universe of God would have been convulsed, at least Jerusalem and Rome destroyed in His fiery indignation. Far otherwise. Heaven opens, but it is to receive the crucified Jesus, not to judge His murderers; it is, furthermore to send down the Holy Ghost on earth, to form by grace this new body, the church of God; it is to bring those vile murderers of Jesus, if they only received Him, into a place of blessing whose breadth and length, and depth, and height never had been enjoyed or known before. And this is grace ... ”

“There is one body, and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in one hope of your calling.”

Here is blessing indeed, for the child of God. “One Spirit” is essential, for it is He who makes the “one body” a reality here on earth; and with this gift is the “one hope of our calling” —the Christian hope of the coming of the Lord. Until the close of the church’s history on earth, when all the living believers, together with the dead in Christ, rise to meet Him in the air, the Holy Spirit will continue to make the bright prospect of 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 a living hope in the Christian’s heart; this is the “one hope of our (heavenly) calling” (John 14:2-4; Titus 2:13, “that blessed hope”; Rev. 22:20).

Extract: Feeling God's Word

The more deeply I feel the action of the Word of God in my own heart, the more I shall feel and exhibit its formative influence upon my entire course, character, and conduct.

The Man Who Died for Me

Some of the Last Words of J. G. Bellett

Sadly altered was the poor worn-out body, pillowed in an easy chair, but his spirit was rejoicing in his much-loved Lord. He said,

“Two months ago, when I felt this sickness was unto death, I ask Him to reveal Himself to me in increased loveliness and nearness. He did. He filled me with Himself. I know the blood has done its blessed, blessed, work for my soul; it is His love, His beauty, His perfection, that fill my heart and vision.”

He then spoke of feeling a little better that day.

“But ah! that is no pleasure to me.”

Then, clasping his dear thin hands together, he said, while tears flowed down his face,

“My precious Lord Jesus, Thou knowest how fully I can say with Paul, to depart and be with Thee is far better! I do long for it! They come and talk to me of a crown of glory—I bid them cease; of the glory of heaven—I bid them stop. I am not wanting crowns—I have Himself! Himself! I am going to be with Himself! Ah! with the Man of Sychar; with Him who stayed to call Zacchaeus; with the Man of the 8th of John; with the Man who hung upon the cross; with the Man who died! O, to be with Him before the glories, the crowns, or the kingdom appear! It’s wonderful—wonderful! with the Man of Sychar alone; the Man of the gate of the city of Nain! and I am going to be with Him forever! exchange this sad, sad scene, which cast Him out, for His presence. O, the Man of Sychar!”

My pilgrim days are waning;

The voice of Him I love

Has called me to His presence,

In my Father’s house above;

Long, long, by faith I’ve known Him

But now I’m going to see

The Man who sits in heaven,

The Man who died for me.

To be alone with Jesus,

Himself to gaze upon,

To see the Man I’ve read about

Oft in the eighth of John,

To leave this scene of sadness,

O wondrous! Lord, to see

The glory of Thy presence,

The Man who died for me.

It is the Man Christ Jesus

With whom I’m going to dwell,

The weary Man of Sychar,

Who sat upon the well,

Whose matchless love filled that poor heart,

And gave her eyes to see

That He was God’s anointed One,

The Man who died for me.

I’m going to be with Jesus,

Who in this world of pain,

Gave back the widow’s only son,

Outside the gate of Nain;

His heart was moved with pity,

His word caused death to flee,

I’m going to see Him as He is,

The Man who died for me.

To leave the world that cast Him out,

And to be with Him there,

Before the kingdom glories

Or the “many crowns” appear,

O blessed Man of Sychar!

It is Himself to see,

He calls me to His presence,

The Man who died for me.

But ere I left the desert,

I longed that I might know

What joy His blessed presence

Could give me here below;

These few short fleeting moments,

O, I would nearer be

To Thee, my precious Saviour,

The Man who died for me.

He gave me all I asked for,

Yea, more than I can tell;

He filled my soul with rapture,

With joy unspeakable;

The hand of Jesus on my soul

Seemed laid so tenderly,

I had for my companion

The Man who died for me.

To fall asleep in Jesus,

‘Tis that I think of now,

To be forever with the Lord,

Before Himself to bow;

Ah, yes, with Him who

Called Zacchaeus from the tree,

With Him who hung upon the cross,

The Man who died for me.

Prophetic Terms: 6. The Apostasy

The Apostasy

There is much prophecy concerning this earth that must yet be fulfilled; and each prophecy relating to the future will come to pass to the smallest detail, just as did those prophecies concerning ancient cities and governments. We should not, however, try to force Scripture and fit the happenings of today into prophecy. Those who are real children of God may see some shadows of future events, but it is not given to us to look for developments of future prophecy. Everything will unfold with lightning rapidity after the church is gone from the scene, but our special portion is to wait and watch for the Lord Himself. He is surely coming soon to call all His redeemed to meet Him in the air.

What then will be the condition on this earth following the departure of every true Christian? The answer to this question should probably be divided into two parts: that which concerns the great lifeless Christian profession left behind, and the condition of the Jewish people. The taking of every real Christian from the earth will not remove the profession of Christianity. In fact, it appears that there will be more show and pretension than ever before, by a dead, empty, and corrupt Christendom. There may be a temporary upset when the Christians suddenly disappear, but the devil will be ready with a lie to calm any fears of those who are left behind. The empty shell will take new life from amalgamation and soon boast of greatness. It will truly become “Babylon the Great.”

Much evil is tolerated and condoned within the pale of the professing church now; then it will “become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev. 18:2). Such is the description of the fearful state of that which began in simplicity and truth on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Those who dream of Christianity spreading throughout the world and converting it, so as to eventually establish a sort of millennium on earth, are being sadly disillusioned even now. What a glorious day it will be for the saved, when the Lord calls them home at His coming! What a terrible beginning of an awful end for what is left behind! Christendom bereft of those who are real, will readily accept Satan’s delusions.

The “Gospel of the Grace of God” will cease when the Lord comes for His own, regardless of a certain continuation of profession. The gospel door that has stood open for almost two thousand years, will suddenly close at the coming of the Lord. Those who have heard the message of grace and put off the acceptance of the Lord Jesus, will awake with consternation when it is too late.

Reader, on which side of that door would you be, if it were to close right now?

There is a false teaching abroad, that says there will be another chance for those who wait too long, and find themselves left behind. Some, probably well-meaning people, say that those on the outside will have a chance to accept the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” But what does Scripture say? Read the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. It certainly offers no encouragement to such an idea. There were five foolish virgins and they represent millions in this and other countries, who are nominally called Christians, but they have not had any personal dealing with God about their sins. They have not accepted the Lord Jesus as their own Saviour. They know of the “oil,” but have never possessed it. They have never “bought” it. Buying suggests more than a knowledge of a thing; it implies a closing of a transaction so that it becomes one’s own. After the “foolish” find themselves left behind, they will seek admittance, only to hear those awful and irrevocable words,

“I know you not.”

O, reader, if still unsaved, do not longer trifle with God’s offer of mercy, nor put your trust in any false hope of another chance, which will only land you in hell.

“Now is the day of salvation” —it is not promised tomorrow.

Then there is a still worse description of the condition of Christendom in Second Thessalonians. As bad as “Babylon the Great” will become, a more shocking and debasing iniquity will quickly follow. The working of this error is already present, but it is yet restrained and will be until the Spirit of God leaves the world with the church; then wickedness will increase very rapidly. At that time a certain wicked person will come on the scene “with all power and signs and lying wonders.” There will be a “strong delusion” sent by God “that they should believe a lie.” And why? Because they would not receive “the truth, that they might be saved.” Think what an awful thing it will be for rejecters of Christ to be given over by God to believe a lie. What folly to think that one can refuse Christ now, and stand a chance of doing better when all the powers of darkness are turned loose against him!

This consummation of wickedness is spoken of as “a falling away,” but more correctly “The Apostasy,” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The attempt to overthrow even the name of God, and the substitution of the worship of man and Satan, will precede the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. How comforting to the child of God to know that he shall first be called up to be with and like Christ!

The Apostasy of the Jews will also reach its climax at the same time. They, too, will go into gross idolatry. The unclean spirit of idolatry, which so long afflicted the Jews, had gone out of them when the Lord was on earth. Idolatry is not mentioned as one of their sins after their return from the Babylonish captivity. But the Lord Jesus foretold that the time will come when the wicked spirit of idolatry, with seven other wicked spirits, will return to them, and their last state will be worse than the first. (Matt. 12:42-45).

The same wicked man who will deceive apostate Christendom, will also deceive the Jews. He will show them great signs and wonders, even to the bringing fire down from heaven. He will place an idol, the image of the great political leader, in their rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, and compel the worship of this man, and accept homage himself. He is the one whom the Lord Jesus said will come in his own name, and him they will receive (John 5:43). He is called the “king” in the latter part of Daniel 11, and also in Isaiah 30 and 57. He is the second beast —the “beast with two horns like a lamb” —of Revelation 13. Figuratively he will have horns like a lamb to deceive as an imitation of Christ—God’s Lamb; but his voice will betray him for he will speak as a dragon. Satan is directly behind this “false prophet” and “antichrist.” His deception will be so strong that if it could be possible, it will even deceive the “very elect” Jews (Matt. 24:24). The mass of the Jews will apostatize, but God will have an elect remnant among them who will suffer persecutions, many unto death, for their faithfulness.

The wickedness of man (both Jew and Gentile) reached terrible depths when they cast out God’s Son when He came into the world in grace. Still God abounded in grace over their culminating sin, and sent forth the gospel of His grace to the Jew first, and then to the rest, beseeching them to be reconciled. When this grace is being wantonly refused on every hand, is it any wonder that God should finally give man up? No, the wonder is that He should bear with such wickedness and ingratitude this long. The explanation of this strange, lingering forbearance of God is found in 2 Peter 3:9.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

(To be continued)

The Guidance of God

(Read 1 Samuel 23 and 24)

The subject of Divine Guidance, in its application to the details of our everyday life and conduct, is evidently one of great importance; and it is one on which the minds of many saints are often greatly exercised.

“It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”; but there is One of whom it is written,

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Jer. 10:23; Prov. 3:6).

There are important epochs in the life of each of us when the need of divine guidance cannot but be felt. But the word is not, “Acknowledge Him at such times as these,” but,

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him.”

Habitual reference to the Lord in all the details of life, makes it easy to confide in Him when any great crisis arrives; whereas if in general we pass on without acknowledging Him, though the heart may feel, when in straits and difficulties, the need of light from above, not being practiced in consulting God or familiar with His ways of guiding His people, little knows how to cast itself upon Him, or even to avail itself of such guidance as He vouchsafes. And though the Lord may, and often does, exceed His promise, and guide when in extremities, those who do not habitually acknowledge Him, the promise is, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and” then, when difficulties occur, “He shall direct thy paths.”

It is not that we need always be asking, “What must I do?” There are things in which we know the Lord would have us to be engaged; but He is to be acknowledged in these things as well as in inquiring of Him when uncertain as to our path.

“It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.”

“For thou also hast wrought all our works in us.”

“Without me ye can do nothing” (Phil. 2:13; Isa. 26:12; John 15:5).

One thing we must never forget, that if we are to have practical guidance from God, it must be in a path which is itself according to His mind and will. A vast deal of the uncertainty felt by Christians as to the details of their path, arises from the fact that they look for guidance as to details when their entire position is such as God cannot own. It is contrary to His Word.

Walk With the Lord

Walk with the Lord! so shalt thou know

That fellowship of love,

His Spirit only can bestow

Who reigns in light above.

Walk with the Lord! and thou shalt find

Thy heart made truly His,

Who dwells in Cloudless light enshrined,

In whom no darkness is.

Walk with the Lord! and sin abhorred

Shall ne’er defile again;

The blood of Jesus Christ, the Lord,

Has cleansed from every sin.

Walk with the Lord! and e’en the tomb

No fearful shade shall wear;

Glory shall chase away its gloom,

For Christ has conquered there.

Walk with the Lord! and thou shalt see

Thy path, though thorny, bright,

For God, by grace, shall walk with thee,

And God Himself is light.

Extract: Acquainted with God

The tempter would lead us to judge of God by the dark shadings of many a passage of our history here. But the Spirit of God would have us acquaint ourselves with Him in the beauteous light of the gospels, the glory that shines now in the face of Jesus Christ.

Correspondence: Open; The House of God

Question: Would you please explain 1 Timothy 5:24-25?

Answer: Paul’s first letter to Timothy is mainly directions for the ordering of the assembly. He was delegated by the apostle to appoint the necessary elders and deacons. The above verses are part of his instructions.

Verse 23 is a parenthesis given on account of his carefulness of habits, while his physical condition needed more than water.

Verse 22. He is told to lay hands suddenly on no man, lest he should identify himself with another man’s sins. He was to keep himself pure.

Verse 24. Some men’s sins could be seen at once, and so could be condemned or judged, while others were more hidden, but come out in the end, and they cannot escape the eye of God. It was the same with good works; with some they are all seen on the surface, while others leave it to somebody else to tell. Timothy was thus taught not to be hasty in receiving or appointing any.

This is practical for us also, to keep from haste in receiving with open arms those we do not know except on their own testimony, and so prevent us from bringing trouble on ourselves, or into the gathering to the name of the Lord Jesus.

Question: What is the house of God?

Answer: The house of God with Israel was first the tabernacle in the wilderness, and then the temple in the land, built at Jerusalem. Since then no building or meeting place is called in Scripture, the house of God. It is now composed of people (Eph. 2:22).

It was when Christ was glorified, and the Holy Spirit was sent down as promised (John 7:39; 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:7,13), that this came to pass at Pentecost (Acts 2:1, 33). From this on, each believer was sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13), and all believers are thus baptized into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), and are thus members of the body of Christ, and members one of another (Rom. 12:4-5). This is the only membership Scripture knows for believers, and is called the church, which is His body (Eph. 1:22-23).

The other aspect of the church, as the dwelling place of God by the Spirit, is called the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15). It is the church, or assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The one hundred and twenty gathered in the upper room at Jerusalem became this house when the Holy Spirit came down and filled the house where they were sitting. In this aspect of the church, men are its caretakers. They are responsible for its building and order, as we see in Paul and others (1 Cor. 3:10). They built it by their teachings, and baptism done in the name of the Lord, and as we go into its history we find, what always happens with anything committed to men, failure comes in and wrong material is introduced; wood, hay, stubble, is built in as well as gold, silver, precious stones. The foundation is right, but the builders have gone wrong (1 Cor. 3:11,12-17). We find its ruined condition spoken of in 2 Timothy; 2 Peter; Jude; 2 Thessalonians; Revelation 2-3. And such parables in Mathew., as “the tares,” “the man without the wedding garment,” and “the five foolish virgins,” illustrated its mixture. Then judgment will fall upon the rest after the Lord has come and taken all who were truly converted, out of it. What is left behind will be Babylon (Rev. 17), and to this state it is fast hastening (Rev. 18:4).

At the present time 2 Timothy 2 Compares it to “a great house,” a mixture of good and bad, and in great confusion. The believer is called to walk in a clean path (vs. 21), and to follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord sincerely (vs. 22) and is thus meet for the master’s use.

Though the church, the house of God, has fallen into such ruin, God has not forsaken it. He still dwells down here (Eph. 2:22), and all the privileges of it remain for faith to use and enjoy.

Two or three can have the presence of Christ in their midst, if they are truly gathered to His name (Matt. 18:20). We still have the Word of God for our upbuilding, comfort, and guidance; and the Holy Spirit ever delights to teach us, and to unfold to us, the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10,12.). We cannot set up the church anew, but we can walk in obedience to God’s Word.

Just As I Am

Mary M– was a young woman of eighteen, the eldest daughter in a well-to-do family in the town. There was the widowed grandmother, a genuine Christian, on her way to heaven. Then there were the two daughters and a niece, all professors of religion; but none of them really believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The evening gospel meeting had just finished, and some anxious ones were being spoken to, when Miss M– came up to me, and said she wished very much I would call and see her the following day, as she wished to speak to me further about what she had heard that night.

The following afternoon I called and found her waiting for me. She immediately opened the subject by saying,

“I have been thinking a great deal on these things for some time. A friend of mine presented me with a book, in which the gospel is very simply and clearly put, and it opened my eyes to see things in a new light altogether. I used to think that if I said my prayers night and morning, and went to church on Sunday, it would be all right at last; but I see now that I am a lost and ruined sinner, guilty before God, and that I must be saved by the Lord Jesus. My difficulty is chiefly this, that I do not feel as anxious about my soul as I ought. I do not feel the burden of my sins as heavily as some have told me they did; but I earnestly hope that the Lord will make me more anxious soon and save me.”

“I am glad to hear you say that you have been awakened, Miss M–, to see that your churchgoing and prayer saying will never take you to heaven; for I have no doubt that many religious people sincerely believe that if they do these things, they will get to heaven, and they only awake out of their delusive sleep when it is too late. I am glad that you see that salvation is in Christ alone; but I do not think you are much better off than before, when you think you have to make yourself ready for the reception of salvation by efforts of your own. You are just as helpless as ever, for you can no more make yourself feel the burden of your sins than you can take them away. Salvation is entirely of the Lord.

“Let me illustrate it thus: Suppose a rich man should provide a free supper for all the poor children of this town. Supper being on the table, the servants are sent out to bring the children in. Of course, they are all glad to hear about the free supper, and their teeth are set on edge to get to it; but they have an idea in their minds that everyone who goes to the supper ought to be dressed in black, as the servants are. When they look at their muddy feet and tattered coats, they shake their heads and say to themselves, ‘We cannot go to supper like this—we must be dressed first’; and that being out of their power, the thing is settled—there is no supper for them. Now, there can be no dispute about black clothes being a suitable outfit for supper, but he who provided the supper knew that in this case they were not able to buy them, and he therefore imposed no such condition. The invitation was to poor children, and they were expected to come just as it found them.

“The supper was for poor children.

“The gospel is for lost sinners.

“The beauty of the gospel of God’s grace is that it meets the sinner just as he is. ‘Christ died for the ungodly’ (Rom. 5:8) and ‘this Man receiveth sinners’ (Luke 15:2).

“You are lost, whether you know it or not; and the burden of sin is there, whether you feel it or not; and God asks no further preparation from you than this, that you own yourself a sinner, and claim Christ as your Saviour.”

“Well, that certainly puts it in a new light altogether. I see now that He is willing to save me just as I am.”

“Yes, that’s it. He says, ‘Whosoever believeth on Him shall receive remission of sins’ (Acts 10:41). You are one of the ‘whosoevers’! Are you willing, then, to receive God’s salvation on His own terms? Will you accept it as a free gift, just as you are? You cannot make yourself more welcome to it than you already are; you cannot make God more willing to save you than He already is.”

“How beautifully simple! I wonder why I did not see it before. I am a lost sinner; God says it. Jesus died for sinners—therefore for me. I see it all. He will take me as I am.”

Dear reader, God loves you as you are; He has provided salvation for sinners—therefore for you; and He invites you, with all His heart, to accept it in the very condition you are at this moment.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15).

“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

Not of Us

If the Lord authorizes for service, He also grants the needed power, but only on this ground, that it is held as in Him alone, and by us as in full dependence on Him. The excellency of the power is of God, and not of us. Mark this, it’s not of us.

We may be the channel, yet only then as being in company with the Lord. He has most power who abides most in his Lord’s blest company.

Mighty signs and wonders may not be seen, but he is always a man of spiritual power who walks with the Lord, for with such, communion is the first thing, and service results from that.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 4, Verses 1-4, Continued

Chapter 4, Verses 1 to 4 continued

Further in connection with the third verse: before we go on to the fifth:

“Using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace,” tells us unmistakably that we, believers, have a responsibility as well as a privilege in upholding that unity which the Holy Spirit has wrought. Without our knowing it, He has formed a unity of all who confess Christ as their personal Saviour; wherever they may be, all over the world, and in whatever connection they may be found, all the true members of Christ are embraced in the unity of the Spirit. Using diligence to keep this unity, is not only to cherish feelings of love toward our fellow-Christians, who may be found in a thousand different bodies and “denominations,” some at least of which would appear to have been formed without much regard for this verse 3. Diligently, then, we should be maintaining this unity of the Spirit, and doing it in the uniting bond of peace.

In Galatians 5:22-23 we have, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,”; this way of peace must then be ours, if we are to do His work in any measure. As another has written, “God’s Spirit is not occupied with merely giving right opinions about points; deeper purposes are His. He is bowing souls to Christ and exalting Him in their eyes. But to bring one soul out of darkness into light, or out of a little into deeper light, is surely precious; and this is what God Himself is now engaged with.

“We do well, while holding fast our liberty for Christ, not to allow the barriers that men have brought in, but to treat them as null and void. But then it will be, as often said, that every man has a right of private judgment. I deny it totally. No man has a right to an opinion in divine things; God only and absolutely is entitled to communicate His mind. What one has to do, is to get out of the way, that God’s light may shine into the hearts of His children.

“Men in their self-importance, only cause their dark shadows to pass over themselves and each other; they thus hinder, instead of helping the communication of divine truth. Whereas, when the desire of Christ’s servant is that God may lead on and strengthen His children, is it in vain? Never.

“The moment you begin to gather people round a particular person, view or system, you are only forming a sect. For this is a party, though it may contain many members of Christ, which forms it basis of union, not on Christ, but on points of difference, which thus become a special badge and means of separating between the children of God. The apostolic church never challenged a converts’ faith as to an establishment or dissent—never asked, Do you believe in episcopacy, voluntarism, or even the church of God? The true and God-glorifying inquiry ever was and is, Do you believe in the Christ of God? It is true that in early days, if a man confessed Christ, he was cast off by Jews and Gentiles, and became an object of enmity to all the world; and this was no slight a guard then against people confessing Christ unless they really believed in Him. But if a man had received the Holy Ghost through the hearing of faith, he was at once a member of the one body and acknowledged as such.

“Why should this not rule now? Am I not content with the wisdom of God? Would I then supplement His Word, or do without or against it? It is no sect if you act upon the mind of God; it is a sect if you depart from it. The question therefore is, what is God’s intention about His church? How would he have us to meet? Am I willing to receive all real Christians—persons whom all believe to be converted? Doubtless there is such a thing as putting them out if they prove not to be so, for there is no possible case of evil but what the Word of God applies to, so that there is not the smallest need for any rules or regulations of men.

“Unless men are spiritual, they will not keep the unity of the Spirit long; they will soon find abundant ground for fault finding. But those who hold fast and firm to Christ as the center of the Spirit’s unity, as they are no sect, so they never can become one, whatever be the schisms, divisions, heresies of their adversaries. It is very sorrowful that any souls should go away in self-condemnation, but it is the more blessed for those who, spite of all, have faith and patience and grace to stay.

“The apostle said, in writing to the Corinthians, ‘There must needs be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest.’ These were the men who in that day clave to the Lord with full purpose of heart. May the same thing be true of us now! I deny that the Word of God is made of none effect, or that I am in any way bound to sin now more than then. The unity of the Spirit which the Ephesians had to keep, is the unity which God lays upon all His children. If the Word has regenerated my soul through the Holy Ghost; if through it I know my Saviour and my Father; if to it I am indebted as the means God uses for cleansing my soul from day to day, am I to say that I need not follow His Word as a member of Christ’s body in the assembly of God, where He dwells in the Spirit? Surely, if my soul owns its divine authority, woe is me if I do not seek to follow it in all things.

“ ... If a believer falls into sin of a certain character, he ought to be put away. What is merely personal should be dealt with in a private way; it would be monstrous to put all failures on the same ground. The first and deep feeling of the soul ought to be, in vindicating God, to get the person right. The church is a witness of divine grace, and has to seek the blessing of the unconverted, and the restoration of Christians who have gone astray. Are we endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit? How is it that Christians are found formed into different associations? If the Word of God be that which they at all cost, seek to carry out, why do they require human rules and modern inventions? If God gives a rule, I do not want another. I do want to have His in all its strength, so as to bring forth the truth to a man’s conscience, and say, that is God’s will. Is it well or wise to yield this up? God has written a word that bears upon everything moral, by which He intended His children to walk; are we doing so? Some may ask, Are you then perfect? I answer, We are endeavoring to hold fast, and in peace, the Spirit’s unity, we are honestly seeking subjection to the will of God; are you doing the same?

“This is the main question for every child of God—Am I endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit? And am I doing it in God’s way or out of my own head? Have I surrendered myself to do His will? ... But further, this unity is to be kept in the bond of peace. God is forming His church of all those who belong to Himself. It is not Christian persons holding particular views of this or that, but the Spirit holding to His own unity, or to what Christ is to them, not to the points in which they differ one from another. ... ”

The foregoing lengthy quotation is taken from a valuable work “Lectures on the epistle of Paul, the apostle, to the Ephesians,” written about 1860 by William Kelly, a servant of the Lord who faithfully labored for his Master many years.

Prophetic Terms: 7. The Great Tribulation

The Great Tribulation

The time during which the apostasy will develop will be one of trial and trouble for the earth. The moment the church is taken to heaven to be with Christ, God’s plans for the earth will open. At present He is waiting in patience for men to be saved; then He will visit the earth with judgments of increasing intensity.

It is well to be thoroughly clear that no true believer in Christ will be left here during this time of tribulation. The book of Revelation gives many details as to the unfolding of the judgments that will fall on the earth, but in it, the church is not seen on earth, after the end of the third chapter. It is seen in heaven in the symbol of the “elders” who display divine intelligence as to that which happens. There, as another has said, “They sing the sweetest songs in heaven; they worship more frequently and characteristically than any others. In them combine exalted position on thrones, active office as priests, as well as prophetic intelligence.”

While the church is still viewed on earth in the third chapter, there is a promise made to the overcomer that he will be kept from the “hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” It is not that they are to be preserved through temptation (tribulation), but they are to be kept from the “hour” of it. They will be gone first, like Enoch, who went to heaven without dying, before the flood came. The whole world will feel the awfulness of that time, but Palestine and the apostate Jews, and the apostate Christian (so called) nations will reap special vengeance.

When the Lamb in heaven takes the book of judgment to open its seven seals (chapter 5), the “elders” are seen seated on thrones.

Chapter 6 describes the opening of the first six seals, which are in the nature of providential judgments of God. It is God moving behind the scenes bringing forth horses and riders to fulfill His will.

The seventh chapter is a parenthesis in which a special remnant of Israel is sealed—faithful to God, they will be sealed for preservation. A countless number of Gentiles also will come out of “the great tribulation.” The latter will be those who not having heard and refused the “gospel of the grace of God,” will in that future time believe in God, and await the coming of Christ as King.

Chapter 8 resumes the unloosing of judgments as the seven trumpets begin to sound when the seventh seal is opened. The severity of the trials increases as the time progresses.

Read carefully Matthew 24:3-14. In these verses the Lord Jesus revealed the course of trouble right down to His return to reign. It is needful to see that in this portion it is the revelation of the coming tribulation as it will concern the Jews. Much confusion has been caused by applying this portion of the Lord’s discourse on the Mount of Olives to Christians or to our time. The disciples in Matthew 24 represent the faithful Jewish remnant who will suffer great persecutions. They will live in days of unparalleled trouble and also suffer from their own brethren who accept the antichrist. Their troubles will be from without and from within.

The disciples ask, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” This word “world” should have been translated “age” and the context shows that the world does not then come to an end, although a period of God’s dealings with man will end. In answer to their question, the Lord informs them of general troubles to come, which He calls “the beginning of sorrow.” These earlier troubles correspond to the early judgments mentioned in the book of Revelation. The later troubles as described in verse 21:

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”

While the whole period is often spoken of as “the great tribulation” this term, strictly speaking, only applies to the last half of it. The first part is only the “beginning of sorrow.” The “great tribulation” will be the worst time of trouble the world will ever see. It will be a comparably short time but will be exceeding fierce and hot. Both parts together will probably not be more than seven years. This is a very small space of time compared with God’s other dealings with men; for instance, it is almost 2000 years that the gospel has gone forth.

The twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew supposes the Jews to be back in Palestine; and indeed, some are already there. They will rebuild the temple and reestablish Jewish ritual. But very suddenly, at the middle of the seven years, their sacrifices and religious services will be stopped, and an idol will be set up in the temple—in the “holy place.” At this point their apostacy becomes final, and ushers in that terrible “great tribulation” of short duration. The presence of the idol—image of the great head of western powers—in their temple will be the direct sign for any godly Jews to flee from Jerusalem. When that happens, they are to flee in such haste, that if they are in the field, they are not even to go into the house to get their clothes; desolations are at the very door.

Matthew 24 should not be confused with Luke 21. In the latter the Lord gave instructions for the early Christians to leave Jerusalem before it was destroyed by Titus in the year 70 A. D. At that time the signal to leave, was the presence of the Roman armies around the city. The Christians heeded the Lord’s words and were spared the awful slaughter when Jerusalem fell.

Daniel the prophet also foretold of the days to come. In chapter 12 he described the tribulation as a time of trouble such as never was before. This is the same time of which the Lord spoke, for there cannot be two such times both of which are the worst. Let us notice the eleventh verse:

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolation set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.”

The word “abomination” in Scripture plainly refers to an idol or to idolatry. Here we learn that it will not only be the signal for godly Jews to flee, it will be the point from which they can count time. The worst days of trouble will start at that point. Terrible as they will be, they are measured, and will only run their allotted time. Twelve hundred and ninety days is just three- and one-half years, plus an extra thirty days. (Jewish reckoning of time figures thirty days to each month.)

The idol is called the “abomination that maketh desolate” because that for this, God will send a strong one to scourge them. The same days are numbered in Revelation 11 as forty-two months, and 1260 days, either of which is three- and one-half years. Forty-two months are given in Revelation 13 as the time when the great head of the united western nations will defy and blaspheme God. He will be aided by Satan (called the dragon), and the antichrist (described as a beast with two lamb-like horns).

The mass of the Jews who are then back in their land, with the antichrist as their leader, will make a league with the united western powers for their protection. Nevertheless, it will fail, for God will send a power from the north of Palestine as a desolator to scourge them. Listen to what God has said by Isaiah:

“Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves. ... The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, ye shall be trodden down by it” (Isa. 28:14-19).

The prophet Jeremiah calls it “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” (Jer. 20:7).

And now, dear young Christian, be assured that “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” Soon we shall be off from this wicked world to be with our precious Saviour. We shall not be here during the time which we have been considering. God has spoken to us about it, as He would to friends. He has let us into the secrets of what is coming. It is with us as with Abraham: he did not dwell in Sodom, but God told him what was to happen to Sodom.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Rom. 11:33).

(To Be Continued)

The Journey's End

I have often been surprised at seeing the patience with which my fellow-travelers on a long and tedious journey, have put up with many annoyances and inconveniences. I suppose it is because it is but a journey, and the mind occupied with arriving at the journey’s end think but little of the troubles by the way. This reminded me of David in 1 Samuel 25, whose mind set by Abigail on the journey’s end, 29-31, was able to overlook the insults by the way, as one has so well said:

“The heart must be on the end of the journey, not on the incidents by the way, to know how to be abased and how to abound.” Would that the journey’s end were more to us, and then the ups and downs would not upset us as they do.

Because of the Angels: Part 1

1 Corinthians 11:3-16

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoreth her head; for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn; but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman is of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man, for this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering but if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”

This is a subject in Scripture of great practical importance that many do not clearly understand. If God speaks in His Word on any subject, it must be because we need to know it. And when God has spoken, we should be ready to heed what He has said. Furthermore, it must be conceded that God is capable of making His meaning clear and plain beyond any doubt. If in any case we do not understand, it is quite probable that the trouble lies with us. Either we have not read it carefully; or we are prejudiced by some preconceived idea; or still worse, we do not see, because we are willful and do not want it to be that way.

Now in verse 3, the Spirit of God through the Apostle says that “the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” This then is God’s order of power. God has a place for each (man and woman) and surely it is not grievous to abide in that place. Man has his place as God’s representative on earth— “the image and glory of God.” The woman also has a distinctive place—not the place of prominence, but the place of subjection according to God’s order. She can, however, glorify God in her appointed place. Man can, and alas does, sadly fail in properly filling his place, but he is in it just the same. He should seek to act before God in his place, and she should be happy to fill hers. Each should deem it a privilege to occupy the place assigned by God.

God has established a certain order throughout His creation. Christian men and women are not to neglect this order, but to remember that they are a divinely appointed spectacle—yes, a spectacle even to angels (vs. 10). Angels are learning the wisdom of God, being spectators of His ways. The fact that they witness God’s ways down here, is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 4:9 and Ephesians 3:10.

Now there is a very simple rule to follow that will demonstrate the place the man has. He is not to pray or prophesy (communicate the mind of God to others) with a covering on his head. To have his head covered, would spoil the demonstration before others of God’s appointed place for him. It would be the mark of his abandoning the place of authority, and would leave no visible head.

The rule for the woman is just as simple: she is not to pray or prophesy without having a covering on her head. If she prays without a covering on her head, she dishonors her head. It would be disorder, to be witnessed by angels. The covering on her head is the outward sign of her subjection. A sister’s prophesying, of course, is restricted by other scriptures. She must not do so in the assembly (1 Cor. 14:34), neither is she to teach nor to usurp authority over the man (1 Tim. 2:12).

The fact that this simple direction about covering the head is generally disregarded in Christendom, does not excuse any from following it. Some turn this portion aside by ascribing its authorship to Paul; but the Spirit of God was the divine author, and Paul only the penman. He said that the things he wrote are “the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37). If this be true, then it is a serious matter to resist them.

Listen to the strong language used:

“For if a woman be not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it be shameful to a woman to have her hair cut off, or to be shaved, let her be covered” (JND, vs. 6).

What woman would want her head shaved! She would be publicly disgraced and would hide herself. Well then, says the Word of God, Let her put a covering on her head when praying or prophesying.

(To be continued)

Service

True service begins with Christ, who is the Head, and when Christ is forgotten, then the service is defective; it has lost connection with the spring and fountain of all service, because it is from the Head that all the body, by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, increaseth. The body is of Christ, and He loves it as He loves Himself, and every one who would serve it, will best learn to do so, by knowing His heart and purposes towards it. In a word, it is Christ who serves, though it may be through us. We are but “joints and bands.” If we are not derivative and communicative from Christ, we are useless. To be useful, my eye and heart must be on Christ, and not on the issue of my service; though, if true to Him, the end will vindicate me too, however disheartening the interval.

He who judges of his service by present appearances, will judge by the blossom, and not by the fruit; and, after all, the service is not for the sake of the church, but for the sake of Christ; and if He be served in the church though the church own it not, yet, Christ being served, He will own it.

Now the constant effort of Satan is to disconnect, in our minds, Christ from our service; and this, much more than any of us, perhaps, have fully discovered. Whether in reading, or praying, or speaking, how seldom, if we judge ourselves, do we find that we act simply as towards Christ, and Him alone? How often may sentimentality and natural feeling affect us in our service, instead of simple love to Him!

“Thrice happy he who serveth

The Lord with heart and soul!

Whose purpose never swerveth,

Who loves the Lord’s control.

“With single eye—unfearing,

With simple, child-like faith –

The Master’s accents hearing;

‘He doth whate’er He saith.’”

Extract: Of Faith

The Word of God is the ground of faith; the Lord Jesus Christ is the object of faith; God Himself is the source of faith. Seeing Him who is invisible, is faith in exercise; holiness is the fruit of faith, and “It is written” is the language of faith. It is by faith, not for faith, that we are justified.

Extract: Happy in Christ

If we were only happy in Him, we should work much better for Him. It is joy in Christ that gains victory over the world. Why are we in subjection to the world? Just because we have not found in Christ all the joy we ought to find.

Correspondence: The Lord's Day

Question: Why do we call Sunday, Lord’s Day? Does not Scripture tell us not to esteem one day above another? (Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16).

Answer: In Christianity we have no days to keep as they did under the law, is the answer to these scriptures.

In the Word of God the days have no name—as Sunday or Monday. We have numbers instead. The seventh day was given to Israel as the Sabbath, the sign or seal of the covenant (Ex. 31:13-17).

It was never given to Gentiles to observe, except those who settled among the Israelites in the land of Caanan.

When Christianity began, it gave us the first day of the week, because the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead on that day; the Holy Spirit came to dwell on that day; the first gospel sermon was preached that day, and as time went on, the Christians came together to break bread on that day (Acts 20:7), and the Apostle John, while alone in the isle of Patmos, gave to it, by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, its name when he wrote, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.”

We have no rules or commandments from the Lord how to observe it. That is left to those who truly love Him, to give Him the first place. The statutes of the country in which we live have made it a holiday, and what better could Christians do than to use it for the One who has loved them and given Himself for them?

Romans 14:1-8 leaves everyone free to please the Lord as he knows best and does not put us under law to observe days. It is a great thing for us to please the Lord and devote our hearts and time to how best to glorify Him.

What Can Take Away Your Sins?

“I was taken suddenly ill, and lay unconscious for two days,” said a man to me, with whom I had a conversation a few days ago.

He had been at death’s door, as people say, but, through mercy, had recovered again. He freely admitted that it was a very serious thing to be called to meet God, that life was very uncertain, and that eternity was a solemn reality indeed.

“And can you tell me now how a man can have his sins forgiven—what can take away all our sins and make us fit for the presence of God?” I said.

“I believe it is by going to church.”

“Where do you find that in the Bible?” I asked.

To this question he made no reply. Taking out a Testament I read for him the words,

“The blood of Jesus Christ His (God’s) Son cleanseth us from all sin,” and sought to impress upon him the fact that the only thing which could cleanse from sin, and give peace with God, was the blood: not our doing or righteousness, but what Christ has done for us upon the cross. Yet this very man had been present at meetings held in a house not far from where he lived, at which the word of the well-known hymn were sung:

“What can wash away my sins?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

So little did he appear to have taken in the truth contained in those words, which I suppose he had sung himself, or at least heard others sing.

O, fellow-traveler to eternity, be in earnest! Your immortal soul’s destiny hangs in the balance. The sands of time are sinking; eternity with all its great realities is coming. How many of your friends and acquaintances can you not recount who have already passed the confines of time, and have entered eternity; and you too must pass also! Time is but like a dewdrop, a speck, compared to eternity, which is like a boundless ocean. Are you ready for it? If not, listen to the Word of God:

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18).

“It is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul” (Lev. 17:11).

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).

Extract: Communion, Wrestling, and Glory

Mary chose the good part which should remain with her. Let us cultivate the principle of hidden satisfaction in Christ; it is the beginning of eternal communion.

It was not Jacob wrestling, but God wrestling with him. He has plenty to withstand in me, and is it not pleasant that He should withstand it? Faith is able to stand under a divine rebuke. Did you ever come away from the rebuking presence of God, with fresh strength in the manhood of faith? It was heaven to Jacob’s spirit.

When the Samaritan leper, instead of going on to the High Priest, turned back and fell down at the feet of the Lord Jesus, owned Himself the Lord of the temple, and His presence the temple of the Lord. “There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”

“Master, where dwellest Thou?” “Come and see.” As though He had said, “Follow Me, and you shall know; do not lose sight of Me, but follow Me even to the Father’s bosom.”

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 4, verses 5-12

“One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all, and in us all. But to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ. Wherefore He says, Having ascended up on high, He has led captivity captive, and has given gifts to men. But that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same who has also ascended up above all the heavens, that He might fill all things; and He has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints; with a view to the work of the ministry; with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ” (verses 5-12, JND).

The subject of the unity that belongs to the saints of God in Christ now, is still before us. The fourth verse is one character of unity; the fifth another, and the sixth a third. They form concentric unities which enlarge respectively. Nobody enters the first except those who are born and sealed of the Holy Spirit, but in verse 5 we have a more outside unity, and area of profession, larger than that of real spiritual power. Here “the Lord” is made prominent. I recall from childhood hearing a young woman, who at the time had a position in our household, saying something about “our Lord,” and heard my mother’s quick but kindly expressed response, “Is He truly your Lord and Saviour, Harriet?” The Bible tells us that in the day of judgment many who are unsaved will say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?” And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:21-23). (See also Matt. 25:11-42).

In like manner, we read here of “one faith,” —the common faith that all Christians profess; thus we distinguish it from the religion of the Jews, and the idol worship of the heathen. This is not the faith that receives Christ and is saved.

“One baptism” follows because that is a mark of Christian profession. Thus verse 5 tells us of just that—the Christian profession, the unity of it, not necessarily a real, holy and eternal thing, since there is much that is unreal, profession and not possession, in it.

And now we reach the sixth verse, giving the last unfolding of unity in and around Christ our Lord. We acknowledge “one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all;” a personal God, and not a number of divinities, as the Gentiles did, and many still acknowledge. As it is said, the bulk of men have gone on with their idols, in spite of Old Testament law or New Testament gospel. The Christian revelation shows God in an infinitely larger character and for us far more intimately known than as the Jew knew Him. “In us all” speaks of the Father’s special relationship to the Christian.

The Holy Spirit next turns to the consideration of the special ways in which the Lord calls upon the various members of His body to serve Him, for “to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” All of us have a common position as belonging to Him, but what is now brought out here is what is peculiar in privilege and responsibility on the part of each individual member of Christ.

It should be noted that there is a plain distinction in the point of view in which the Spirit presents Christian ministry in Ephesians and in the Corinthian epistles. Of course, Christ is seen above all His servants in every case, and as Head and Lord He gives certain gifts. In Corinthians, the Holy Spirit is more prominent than Christ, but in Ephesians the reverse is true. Both aspects are necessary to God’s glory, and equally perfect in their place.

But we must leave further consideration of this most interesting subject to another occasion, if the Lord will.

Prophetic Terms: 8. The Day of the Lord

In this paper we come to the subject of the “Day of the Lord” which will follow the days of “apostasy” and “great tribulation.” The troubles of the “great tribulation” will be terrible, and will end with the Lord coming personally to execute judgment. He will come to cleanse this world by taking vengeance on them that know not God, preparatory to setting up His kingdom on earth. Some have confused the “day of the Lord” with His coming for His saints, but this should not be done. When He comes to usher in the “day of the Lord” His saints will come with Him. When He appears in glory, they will appear with Him (See Jude 14-15 and Col. 3:4.) Previously (that is, before the “apostasy” and the “great tribulation”) He will have come and called His redeemed from the earth and the tomb, according to 1 Thessalonians 4.

Both the Old and New Testaments speak of the “day of the Lord” as a time of judgment and darkness for the earth. Let us notice some of the verses from the Old Testament:

“The day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. ... For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” Joel 2:1-11.

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave neither root nor branch. ... Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Malachi 4:1-5.

“The day of the Lord ... is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and alarm.” Zephaniah 1:14-16.

“The day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low. ... And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” Isaiah 2:12-19.

Many other verses of the Old Testament also tell of the time when the Lord Himself shall come to judge the earth. At that time His enemies, called in Acts 2 His foes, shall be made His footstool. What a serious thing it is to be an enemy of Christ! Since the death of the Lord Jesus at the hand of man, there can be no neutrality with regard to Him; one is either on the Lord’s side—for Christ—or against Him. Reader, are you a friend or a foe?

In the New Testament the Lord Himself foretold His coming in judgment. The words of Matthew 24:27-30 are plain:

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ... Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

In the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul had to instruct these young Christians in the truth of the Lord’s coming to take His saints away from the earth before the judgment. These newly saved ones were distressed because some of their number had died before the Lord came, so the Spirit of God sent this word to them, explaining how the dead in Christ shall be raised and the living believers caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This will not be at the “day of the Lord,” but will take place sometime before it. Then in the fifth chapter of this epistle they are informed of the “day of the Lord” that will be subsequent to the Lord’s coming for His own.

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

From this verse we learn that even in the midst of all the troubles of the “great tribulation,” men will be working on plans for world improvement, and for the insurance of peace to a ravaged world. They will become quite confident of the success of their plans and will prophesy “Peace and safety” only to find their hopes dashed to pieces by the coming of the Son of Man to execute judgment on His enemies. God will be left out of all their plans, and their destruction will be swift and sudden.

What a contrast the “day of the Lord” will be to man’s day of the present! Even now man’s will is paramount and God is left out. In that day with all the Christians gone from the world, it will have become utterly godless and apostate. But the day shall come when Christ, once rejected here, will return with His saints to execute judgment. He is despised and rejected now, but the day will come when all must own His rightful sway.

After Paul had written his first letter to these young Christians at Thessalonica, they became further troubled. This time their trouble was concerning the “day of the Lord.” They had been passing through troubles as a result of their testimony for Christ. They were suffering persecutions and someone wrote to them forging the Apostle Paul’s name, saying that the reason they were having so much trouble was that they were passing through the “day of the Lord.” This was not true, and Paul wrote his second letter to correct the error. In the second chapter he says,

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and (the word “by” is in italics and does not belong here) our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that day of the Lord (most translators render it “Lord” here instead of “Christ”) is at hand (or more correctly “is present”).”

He beseeches them not to be worried by this false report, and calls to their remembrance “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him.” This is to precede the “day of the Lord.” They had been instructed in Paul’s first letter about how the Lord will come in the clouds and call the saints to meet Him in the air. This hope should be their comfort and stay. The fictitious report said that the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” had actually come—that it was already present, not merely that it was at hand or imminent. This threw them into consternation (remember it bore the forged name of the Apostle to accredit it) for they understood that the “day of the Lord” was to be a terrible time. They no doubt knew some of the Old Testament prophecies which we have just noticed, so we can well understand their troubled state on hearing such a report.

After reminding them of the coming of the Lord as their own hope, the Apostle Paul goes on to explain that the “day of the Lord” cannot come until after certain other things take place. The “apostasy” and the revelation of the “man of sin” must precede the coming of the Lord to execute judgment. Surely He will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel. His coming in judgment, bringing in the “day of the Lord,” is a certainty; but no Christian should be troubled by it, for he will be gone from the scene first to be with Christ, and will come back with Christ in that day.

We might borrow an illustration from another. Suppose a certain city in revolt against their rightful king. The king then gathers an army together to go and punish the rebels. But there are some there who are still loyal to their king, and to them the king sends word that he will first come to a designated place outside of the city and call all those who are loyal to meet him there. He says further that not one shot shall be fired before they are called out of the doomed city. They are not then to be troubled by false reports that he has already come and the destruction begun, but to calmly await his call to meet him. He also promises his faithful ones that, when he does go to execute vengeance, they shall accompany him.

The Second Epistle of Peter also speaks of the coming of the “day of the Lord” as a thief. A thief comes without warning and never for good, so the “day of the Lord” shall come on the godless world very unexpectedly for judgment.

Peter, speaking by the Spirit of God, goes further and tells of events that will take place even after the thousand-year peaceful reign of Christ. He speaks of the dissolution of the present earth and heavens at the close of the “day of the Lord.” Thus we see that the “day of the Lord” will usher in the reign of Christ on earth and continue throughout and even beyond it, to the ushering in of the “day of God” —the eternal state, with new heavens and new earth.

To be continued.

Extract: Where Is Your Heart?

Are our hearts upon such enjoyments as God can sanction, and Jesus share with us?

Because of the Angels: Part 2

1 Corinthians 11:3-16

The Apostle, by the Spirit, went back to the creation to establish God’s order from the beginning. The order and purpose of the creation is set forth as the grounds for woman’s subjection to man (vss. 8-9). Then in verses 14 and 15 he appeals to what we learn from observing nature. This shows the appropriateness of a woman having her head covered when praying. Nature teaches that long hair is a glory to a woman (how sad when Christian women cut it to be like the world) and signified a certain place of retirement. She was not to show herself with the boldness of men. Her hair was given her “in lieu of a veil” (JND vs. 15). It marked a retiring, subordinate place in God’s creation. This was God’s doing and has its own blessing where it is not set aside by the will of men. We must remember that in the “new creation” there is neither male nor female, but all are one in Christ Jesus. That, however, is not the point here, but the respective places of each in this world before the eyes of others—even of angels.

Some in resisting Scripture, have wrested it by seeking to prove that a woman’s hair is the covering that is required. The attempt to misuse the divine instruction, should be so plain as to scarcely deserve comment. But for some who may have been misled by this strange twisting, it is well to call attention to some points. If a woman’s covering could be deduced to mean her hair, then a man’s hair would be his covering also. Now this evidently could not be the meaning in his case. What man would have his head shaved to be devoid of a covering. Even nature indicates only “short hair” for him. And he, who is supposed to have “short hair,” is not “to cover his head” when speaking to God or for God.

“For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God” (vs. 7).

How could “not to cover” possibly mean to not let his hair grow long like a woman’s when praying? The words of this verse express action or lack of action at the time of prayer. It is an act which he is not to do when praying. He may cover his head at other times, but these instructions refer to the time of “praying or prophesying.” How could anyone think otherwise? Therefore, we see that in a man’s case, his hair is not the covering spoken of; he is not to put a hat, or other covering on his head at this designated time.

Notice again the sixth verse: To make a woman’s hair her covering, instead of a hat or some other object, would make something quite ridiculous out of it. Such reasoning would make that verse say that if a woman did not have any hair on her head, then her hair was to be cut off—an obvious impossibility. The folly of seeking to prove that a woman’s hair is her covering, should be apparent. In verse 15 it should read, “in lieu of a veil.” Her long hair simply marked in nature a certain subordinate, retiring place.

Some in Christendom have written, in an effort to turn aside the plain directions, by saying that it means “her long hair” is the covering, and that it simply amounts to a ban against having her hair bobbed. Now, it is sad when a Christian woman bobs her glory, and in doing so is “conformed to this world.” But how could she have bobbed hair the rest of the time, and make it long when praying? It is a question of her showing and acknowledging her divinely appointed place when speaking to God or for God. This is to be done by placing a covering on her head at that time. Obviously if she has long hair all the time, there is still something to be done when praying. As we noticed in the case of a man, God spoke specifically about an act not to be done at the time of prayer. A woman already has a place of retirement in nature, already has long hair which marks her position, and now is to place a covering on her head to signify her subjection in that place. Is not that simple enough? For her to be without a covering, would be sign of her having taken the place of authority, and having left her own position. It would be confusion of God’s order, witnessed by angels. God has gone to great lengths to show the reasons for such a rule. Why should any labor to make something else out of it? It is to be feared that the refusal to show the outward mark of subordination, is merely the indication that the God-given place itself is refused.

Ever since Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, aspired to be “as gods” and fell, self-exaltation has been one of the worst weeds in the human heart. The first couple were not content with their lot, and seeking to exalt themselves, brought in ruin and misery. Blessed contrast in the second Man—the Lord from heaven! He humbled Himself to the very depths, and now God has highly exalted Him (See Phil. 2). Blessed Saviour, may we all learn more of Thee!

One more word as to covering the head—may the Lord exercise Christian women to select millinery which is a “covering” when it is to be used for this purpose. A little tuft of flowers or feathers certainly is not a covering. God speaks of a covering for the head—not a modern head ornament which leaves the head largely uncovered. Such will not have the Lord’s approval. How needful, then, it is that we should be before the Lord as to the purchase of a hat, or “whatsoever” we do, that all may be pleasing to Him.

(Concluded)

Extract: Christianity

It is one thing to be the advocate of Christianity, and another to be the disciple of it. And though it may sound strange at first, it is far easier to teach its lessons than to learn them.

Who Is the Lord?

“Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” (Ex. 5:2)

Who is the Lord? His power pervades

From earth to heaven’s remotest sky,—

Seen in the light, that bids the shades

Of midnight’s thickest darkness fly;

The planets that majestic roll,

The sun that shines from pole to pole,

Declare His glorious majesty.

Who is Jehovah? Hear His name

In whirlwinds and in thunder pealed;

Behold it in the dreadful flame

Of forked lightnings bright revealed:

Famine, sickness, earthquakes, fire,

Are His ministers of ire;

His, who is our Rock and Shield.

In the vale of emerald green;

In the stream, the tree, the flower;

In the azure vault serene,

And the twilight’s peaceful hour:

Listen to fair nature’s voice,

Hear her constant song, “Rejoice

In God’s goodness, skill, and power.”

Who is the Lord? A starry gem

To yon low shed directs our eyes;

The angels sing, “At Bethlehem

The King of grace and glory lies:”

See Him in a manger laid,

Him, in swaddling-clothes arrayed,

Who outspread the boundless skies.

Who is the Lord? Yon lonely One

Whom all reject, whom all deride!

The birds have nests; but He hath none

From cold or heat His head to hide:

Hungering, thirsting, fainting, lo!

See “the Man of Sorrows” go;

My soul, for thee He all did bide.

Who is the Lord? Yon prostrate One,

In that dark vale, Gethsemane;

O, mark that bitter cry and groan;

Those tears, and sweat, and agony!

O’er Him the sins of ages roll;

Sorrows of death o’erwhelm His soul:

Sinner, all this He bore for thee.

Who is the Lord? A prisoner led!

See how they bend the mocking knee;

A crown of thorns is on His head;

“Behold the Man!” Can this be He?

He at whose beck the angels fly?

Who wields Heaven’s red artillery?

Yes, even this He bore for thee.

Who is the Lord? Behold that tree—

Hell’s power, man’s hate, sin’s doom meet there;

Such crushing loads of agony

Who, but Jehovah’s self, could bear?

‘Tis night at noon; earth groans and shakes,

While God His only Son forsakes—

His only Son He did not spare!

Who is the Lord? Can this be He,

Who utters that heartbroken cry,

“Why hast Thou, God, forsaken Me?”

“Eli, lama sabachthani.”

Is this the well-beloved Son,

With the eternal Father one?

My soul, thy sin’s the answer why.

Who is the Lord? His corpse they lay,

With it five wounds, in yon new cave,—

The Lord of life, death’s willing prey;

They seal the stone, they guard the grave:

Well may we weep around His tomb;

Love’s deepest depth! sin’s deadliest doom!

For us Himself He would not save.

What epitaph could we indite

His name, His deeds, His worth to tell?

“Here lies the Lord of Life, and Light,

Jesus, the Christ, Emmanuel.”

O sinner, look within, and see

All that thy Lord has borne for thee; –

O Love divine, unsearchable!

Who is the Lord? Behold on high,

A Man sits on the Father’s throne;

The Man, that did for sinners die,

“As Lord of lords,” heaven’s myriads own:

“Worthy the Lamb!” all angels cry,

“Worthy the Lamb!” our songs reply,

He is the Lord, and He alone.

A Right Decision

I left my room, one Friday night, to have a walk. As I was walking along, I met a young clerk in the employment of a firm close to my office, with whom we do business. I had met him in the office once or twice before. He seemed a nice young fellow, and was very refined and amiable. As we walked along the street, he pointed to a house, well-known as a place of amusement of a very low kind and asked me if I would go with him there for the evening. I was astonished. He saw it and remarked that “the place was not so bad as people called it,” and urged me to go.

Young in years, and very young in grace, as I then was, naturally social and fond of company, a stranger in the town too, I hesitated a moment. The tempter said,

“Go and see it, you need not stay.”

I found myself actually walking along with the young man, although I had given him no answer. I felt a crisis had come, perhaps the crisis of my life. I stood; I prayed inwardly for strength to resist the devil, and I was strengthened. Looking my companion straight in the face, I said, firmly,

“No, I’ll not go, I am a Christian,” and wishing him good night, I wheeled about.

My soul was filled with joy as I walked along, and although a stranger in the great city, I felt God was very near me. Nor was this all. As I walked along, I found out a Young Men’s Meeting, where over two dozen young Christians were met to search the Scriptures together. I ventured in. What a welcome I had there. I found myself at home among them at once and there I am at home still. Praise be unto God.

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Prov. 4:14-15).

“Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).

Be Ye Separate

Morally, Christ was as separate from sinners while on earth, as He is now. But, outwardly, He was in their midst; and, as the witness and expression of grace, He was spiritually in their midst also. Since His resurrection, He is completely separate from sinners. The world seeth Him not and will see Him no more save in judgment. It is in this last position, and as having put on this character of entire separation from the world, that the church, that Christians, are in connection with Him. Such a High Priest became (befitted) us (Heb. 7:26). The church retains her strength, Christians retain their strength, so far only as they abide in this state of complete separation. The world does not understand it and cannot participate in it. Human joy and sociability have no part in it. Divine joy and the power of the Holy Ghost accompany it. The life of our adorable Saviour was one of gravity and straitness—not in Himself, but—because of evil that pressed upon Him on every side.

Accepted in the Beloved

These words are found in the first chapter of Ephesians and verse six. They mean that anyone who has taken Jesus as his or her Saviour is clothed in all the beauty of the Lord Jesus—God does not any more see him in his sins but, “in Christ,” in all His grace and loveliness. That is exactly as God sees us though we may see many unlovely things in ourselves because “the flesh,” our old bad nature, is still in us till we receive our new bodies.

Now, once there was a dear Christian lady who just did not seem able to grasp this wonderful truth—that she with all her unloveliness, was all covered up by the Lord Jesus and His loveliness before the eyes of God—that God really did not see her at all, so completely was she “clothed” in the Lord Jesus. Would you like to know how she came to enter into and enjoy this precious truth?

Well, one day some visitors came to have dinner with her. After the meal they helped her with the dishes. One person wiped, I suppose, and another put the dishes away. After they were gone, she was quite unable to find a certain plain glass tumbler that she always kept in the kitchen. She searched high and low for it, among all the glasses and dishes she had, but it had simply disappeared and so finally she gave it up as lost.

Quite a long time after, she was cleaning her cupboards, washing every glass and dish. All of a sudden, she found her little plain glass! Where do you think it was? It was inside a beautiful cut-glass tumbler where one of her guests had put it not knowing it belonged in the kitchen. Why had she not seen it when she looked among her glasses? Why, the beautiful design cut in the tumbler had completely hidden the plain glass so that it was quite out of sight, hidden behind the beauty of the lovely glass.

In a flash it came to her that she was just like the plain glass—hidden right out of sight “in Christ.” O, how she did enjoy that truth then, and no doubt enjoys it more every day. Thus God, her Father taught her in this simple way one of His most blessed truths.

Now this is true of even the youngest one who believes in Jesus. Is it true of you, dear friend? If not, do not rest until you, too, can say, “I am Accepted in the Beloved.”

Correspondence: Who Is the Adversary?

Question: What does Matthew 5:25-26; and Luke 12:58-59 apply to? Who is the adversary?

Answer: Primarily this applies to Israel, who had broken God’s covenant, and when God sent His Son to them, they rejected Him also. They are now cast into prison because of their treatment of Christ, and there they will remain till the time of their restoration through the death of Christ (Isa. 40:1-2).

But we can also apply these scriptures to each Jew and Gentile now, for all have sinned against God, making God their adversary. But God loves them, and beseeches them to be reconciled to Him, and calls to them, “Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation.” And to those who believe on the Son, He gives full pardon for all their sins, and makes them children of God, accepted in the Beloved One, made meet to be partakers of the portion of the saints in light (Col. 1:12). They are perfected forever by the one great atoning sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 10:14). and so have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).

There is also a modified way in which we might apply this scripture. If a Christian, a real child of God, sows to the flesh, and will not judge himself and confess his sin, he will reap corruption. The Lord has a contention with him; the Holy Spirit in him is grieved, and unless he confesses his sin, he is unhappy and his communion is broken. The Lord may need to chasten him, that he may be restored, but before doing so, He beseeches His loved one to hearken to Him, to open the door and let Him come in again into his life, that the Saviour and he may again sup, together (Rev. 3:19-20; Heb. 12:5-6; Eph. 5:14).

A Nurse's Conversion

We have had occasion for great joy in our home recently. My dear nurse came to me three months ago (a Roman Catholic). She had already seen that her religion had no foundation, and had tried other churches, yet could see no difference, and so went back to the Catholic Church to “worship.” But soon after coming to me, she began to manifest great interest as to her soul’s salvation—and at times my husband and I thought she was saved; then again she made us to doubt.

After our morning reading and prayer on the Lord’s Day, she made some happy remarks which really sounded as coming from a believer. Just as she was leaving my room, I said to her,

“Mrs. V. are you really trusting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? Can you say you are saved?”

She seemed quite overcome, almost speechless for a moment, then said,

“I do believe the Word of God fully, and I am so thankful for the help you and Mr. A. have given me, but I am not so sure as you folks are. I hope I am saved.”

Then I told her that as long as she hoped she was saved, she was not yet saved,

“For,” I said, “if you owed someone a bill, then went and paid it, you would not say, you hoped that it was paid, but that you knew it.”

She saw the point, and I added,

“So the Lord Jesus paid all your debt, but you do not believe it.”

Then she went about her work. The Lord blessed the word. One could see that she was not at ease—she was in turmoil of soul.

Later in the morning, I told her that with the Lord’s help I thought I should be able to get along without her in about ten days. She said she so appreciated her stay with us, and that she knew God had sent her here, and that she would never forget the things she had heard. Then she went about her work, but returned soon to my room, saying,

“If that is the case, that I will only be here a short time, then please, Mrs. A., pray for me; please pray much for me, for I must be saved while I am here! O! I hope I shall not be lost!” Now her anxiety plunged her almost to despair.

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

“Today, if ye will hear His voice; harden not your heart” (Heb. 3:15).

“Mrs. V.,” I replied, “we do pray for you much. Often in the night when I lie awake, I pray for you, but all the praying will not help you, unless you are willing to surrender. There is only one way, the way we all had to come, and that is, to own one’s self as a lost and guilty sinner, and then accept that precious gift of God, according to John 3:16,

“‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’

“Perhaps, you do not understand the infinite value of that Precious Blood which was shed for your sins, as

“‘The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin’” (1 John 1:7).

Furthermore, I added that the blessed Saviour said when on the cruel cross, “It is finished” —that there He paid the full penalty, for all who will come to Him, and by faith accept His great salvation.

During the morning she came several times to my room and tried to converse with me, trying to hide her feelings, but it just would not work; the tempest within her was raging. During the afternoon she laid down on her bed in my room to rest, but there was no rest. After about an hour she got up and walked around. Again, she came and laid down and was very quiet for a while, then up again walking around. Then she came to my room saying, “O! Mrs. A. I see myself a lost and guilty sinner and I do accept the Lord Jesus as my Saviour!” At the same moment she burst into tears, and falling on her knees she prayed aloud,

“Lord Jesus, I come to Thee as a lost and guilty sinner, and accept Thee as my Saviour. Please forgive me all my sins.”

I followed her in prayer, then called my husband, and we rejoiced together as he prayed and thanked the Lord, she remaining on her knees the whole time, now weeping for joy.

Truly, “How good is the God we adore!” and how we praise Him for using my affliction (a broken hip) for bringing us eternal blessing as well as causing joy in heaven over another repentant sinner.

It might be added that she soon showed a desire to remember her Lord in His death in the breaking of bread with fellow Christians gathered to His precious name, and is now going on in happy fellowship.

“He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock ... and He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psa. 40:2-3).

Extract: A Book Worth Reading

Christ is your lesson as well as your teacher. ... Is any book so worthy of reading as the book that we call Jesus?

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 4, Verses 5-12, Continued

Chapter 4, verses 5 to 12 (cont’d.)

We may well linger over verse 7: “But to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ.”

It is nothing but unmerited favor that any of us are enabled, even in the smallest measure, to serve the Lord. The source is in Him, and the “measure” is in Him, too. Nothing is left to man’s ordering, nor to the choice of the individual saint. All is of Christ, and His giving.

The next verse is quoted from Psalm 68, verse 18. There it is Israel’s blessing that is in view, while here it is the heavenly saints that are looked at as receiving from the ascended Lord. He has led captivity captive; the power of man and of Satan, though apparently victorious at the cross of Christ, actually met with complete and final defeat there, though the evidence of it has been revealed only to the heavenly saints as yet.

“By weakness and defeat

He won the mead and crown;

Trod all our foes beneath his feet

By being trodden down.

“Bless, bless the Conqueror slain,

Slain in His victory,

Who lived, Who died, Who lives again

For Thee, His church, for thee.”

And as ascended, He has given gifts to men—the gifts which are the subject of this portion of chapter 4. “But that He ascended,” (the Holy Spirit adds what had no place in the Psalm) “what is it but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same who has also ascended up above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.”

Our blessing is founded upon His having died; the descent spoken of was not only from heavenly scenes to earth, when He took His place as a man among men, but further, and necessarily, the sacrifice of Himself, brought Him into death, here expressed as His going into the “lower parts of the earth.”

“Lord, e’en to death Thy love could go,

A death of shame and loss,

To vanquish for us every foe,

And break the strong man’s force.”

So the believer sings in a well-known hymn. In Philippians 2 we have those precious words that speak of the blessed Lord’s descent from heavenly glory (verses 5 to 8), followed at once by, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him. . .” The one who stooped so low, has ascended up above all the heavens, as our chapter here declares, “that He might fill all things.”

And from the height of glory He has given gifts to men. The passage in Psalm 68 refers directly to the blessing of restored Israel in the Millennium, but in Ephesians 4 the reference is to the heavenly body yet here on earth, and its present blessing. To it the Lord has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds, and teachers.

The difference between verse 11, and 1 Corinthians 12:28 engages our interest. The earlier and longer list is of gifts made to the assembly at its beginnings, as we may readily see by turning to Acts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 14 and later chapters. The shorter list in Ephesians 4 gives what were to remain when miracles were no longer needed in the work of the Lord. It would be difficult to believe that today, when the gospel has had free course for centuries, there would be souls brought out of darkness into light that now gives no heed to the story of a Saviour’s love.

Apostles were provided at the church’s foundation, and shortly afterward, and we have their inspired ministry forming a large portion of the New Testament.

Prophets were raised up from time to time as they were needed, particularly in the days of the beginning, when much of the New Testament was not yet in written form. See them referred to in Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 21:10, and 1 Corinthians 14. Prophets were not limited by God in Old Testament or New to the foretelling of future events; we see them telling the mind of God as occasion arose.

Evangelists, gifted by the Lord for the telling out of the way of salvation, are mentioned in Acts 21:8 and 2 Timothy 4:5. In the second passage Timothy was told, though not an evangelist, to do the work of one. This many of the children of God do, on occasion. Charles Stanley, whose “C. S. Tracts” are still on sale, was greatly used of God in the gospel in England during the later years of the nineteenth century.

Shepherds and Teachers are closely related; surely it is not without purpose that shepherds are named first. Read John 21:15 and following, in regard to Peter’s work. For convenient reference the passage is quoted from J. N. Darby’s excellent translation;

“When therefore they had dined, Jesus says to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He says to Him, Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I am attached to Thee. He says to him, Feed My lambs. He says to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He says to Him, Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I am attached to Thee. He says to him, Shepherd My sheep. He says to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, art thou attached to me? Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, Art thou attached to Me? and said to Him, Lord Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I am attached to Thee. Jesus says to Him, Feed My sheep.”

Caring for Christ’s “lambs” and “sheep,” was then to be Peter’s work. See 1 Peter 5:1-4, and for that matter the whole of both epistles, wherein Peter showed that he had not forgotten his instructions about shepherding the flock of God.

Of “teachers” we read in Acts 11:26; 13:1 and 18:23,28, and many other passages, but the epistles are full of teaching without which believers would be left in much ignorance of God’s truth.

Well, all this that we have been looking into is what the ascended Lord has provided for His people with three distinct purposes in view (verse 12):

“For the perfecting of the saints.” “Perfect” in the Scriptures means full grown. See Hebrews 5:13-14 where the same word in the original is translated “of full age.” This looks at us individually: the Lord would have us each growing through knowledge of His Word into likeness to Himself which we shall attain, as we are expressly told in verse 13.

“With a view to the work of the ministry.” Divine wisdom has provided all the “machinery,” shall we say, that the body of Christ needs in its operation. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers, each performing the portion of the care of the body that falls to him, leave no room or need for the cumbersome, humanly devised systems of what is called church government. Let the Lord have His way, which has been proved to be sufficient for every need by those who are willing to give up man’s provisions.

“The work of the ministry” left to Him, assures the needed workers to carry on for the blessing of His people, beside giving Him the honor and glory that are rightly His.

“With a view to the edifying of the body of Christ.” The building up of the body, including all of the members. What tender solicitude is here, on the part of the risen and ascended Lord, for His much-loved people! May our hearts be more and more exercised, seeking His approval in all things.

Extract: To Truly Learn Scripture

We do not read Scripture with sufficient intimacy of heart. We read it as if we were acquainting ourselves with words and sentences. If I do not get by Scripture into nearness to God in heart and conscience, I have not learned the lesson it would teach me.

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord with hearts and voices,

Gathered in His holy name;

Every quickened soul rejoices,

Hearing of the Saviour’s fame.

Praise the living God who gave us,

Lost and ruined as we lay,

His beloved Son to save us,

Bearing all our sins away.

Praise the Lord for all His guiding,

Snares so thickly round us lie;

We in His own light abiding,

Are directed by His eye.

Praise Him for His long forbearance;

How our sins His heart must pain;

Righteous in His loving kindness,

Cleansing us from every stain.

Praise Him, enemies assail us,

As we through the desert go;

But His Sword can never fail us,

It shall silence every foe.

Praise Him for the manna given,

Falling freshly every day;

Jesus Christ, our Lord from heaven,

Is our food through all the way.

Praise Him through the desert marching,

Onward to the golden shores;

For our Saviour we are watching,

And we’ll praise Him evermore.

The Power of God

The ancient people of Trace had a symbol for the power of God. It was a sun with three beams.

One of the beams played on a sea of ice and melted it.

Another shone on a hard flinty rock and dissolved it.

The third shone on a dead body and raised it to life.

The gospel message is invested with that power.

The love of God as contained in the message of the gospel, has melted many a cold heart.

The sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as contained in the gospel has broken many a hard and stubborn will.

And the Gospel believed in the heart always brings life to the dead (Eph. 2).

Prophetic Terms: 9. The Millennium

The Millennium

When the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man returns in flaming fire taking vengeance on His enemies, He will be preparing the earth for the wonderful time often spoken of as the Millennium. Many have mistakenly thought that the gospel of the grace of God is to first spread throughout the world and so prepare the way for Christ to come and reign. But on the contrary, the gospel is being despised and corrupted, and soon the real Christians will be taken from the world to be with Christ in the Father’s house. Then judgments of increasing severity followed by the coming of the Warrior-King will cleanse the earth before His blissful reign. Judgment, and not the gospel, will prepare the way for the Millennium.

The word “Millennium” is not found in the Holy Scriptures but has been coined from two Latin words to designate a period of “one thousand years.” While the word is not there, the thing itself is very definitely found in many parts of the Bible. The Old Testament abounds with references to the wonderful reign of Christ and its effects on the world, the nations, and the children of Israel. The Lord Jesus also referred to it in the Gospels, and when we come to the book of Revelation, we find the “thousand years” spoken of six times in the first seven verses of chapter twenty. The Old Testament does not disclose the duration of the time, but the book of Revelation does.

We also get many types in the Old Testament which point on to Christ as King. To mention only two, kings David and Solomon, we see in them types of Christ coming in judgment and then reigning in peace. David was the rejected, though crowned king, just as Christ is now. Then the day came when he ascended the throne and his reign was characterized by war. In his days the enemies of Israel were subdued, and then Solomon, after establishing the kingdom on righteous principles, reigned without “adversary or evil occurrent.” The one is a type of Christ putting down His enemies, and the other of Christ reigning in peace and righteousness afterward. Of course, we must remember that these are only types, and the best of men break down as types. What a breakdown there was in Solomon, as a type of Christ reigning in wisdom and righteousness! But the more the types fall short, so much the more will Christ, the blessed Anti-type stand out in bold relief. Solomon when at his best in his beginning displayed unusual wisdom, but it was only after the sight of his eyes and the hearing of his ears; but of Christ we read,

“He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears” (Isa. 11:3). He will know all fully.

If the Queen of Sheba was overwhelmed by the display of earthly glory found in Solomon, the type of Christ; what will the saved of the nations feel when Christ really reigns! If the shadow was so great, what will the substance be!

In the transfiguration scene (Matt. 17:1-8; Luke 9:27-36) there is a sample of Christ’s coming kingdom. Peter refers to it in 2 Peter 1:16-18, saying that they were eyewitnesses of His majesty. It was the coming kingdom displayed in miniature. There was the Lord transfigured before them. There were also Moses and Elijah who typify the heavenly saints—Moses a type of those who die, and Elijah of those who go to heaven without dying. Peter, James, and John represent the earthly saints in natural bodies. Thus in the kingdom the heavenly and earthly will be brought close together, with Christ the object for all.

In the Millennium the curse pronounced on the earth in Genesis 3 shall have been removed. Thorns and briers will not be present as now, for we read that “instead of the thorn, shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier, shall come up the myrtle tree” (Isa. 55:13). Everything will then be wondrously fertile. The crops will be so great that the plowman will overtake the reaper (Amos 9:13). Psalm 5 and 72 also describe the fullness that will be brought forth by the earth in that time. The seasons are to remain, but all will be ordered for blessing, except where there is disobedience among the nations. Zechariah 14 foretells the withholding of rain to any nation that does not go up to keep the feast of tabernacles at Jerusalem.

Even the animals will benefit from the beneficent reign of Christ. At present they are subject to suffering by reason of the fall. They were made subject to vanity through the fall of creation’s head—Adam (Rom. 8:19-22). During the Millennium they will be delivered from such bondage, and according to Isaiah 11 and 65, enmity among them will cease to exist.

The Jews who are now hated and despised in many, many places throughout the world, and forbidden from entering their own land, shall be brought back. Those who are apostate and receive the antichrist, will meet their doom when Christ returns in judgment. Afterward the faithful few who were hunted and chased, together with the scattered all over the earth, will be brought back by the Lord. It is written in Matthew 24:31,

“He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

So great will be the national regathering of Israel that they will then not refer to the Lord as having brought them out of the land of Egypt but as having led them out of the “north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them” (Jer. 23:3-8). Both Judah and the ten tribes will be brought back to dwell as one in the land. Their blessing will be as “life from the dead” (Rom. 11:15), and as the resurrection of the “dry bones” of Ezekiel 37. These scriptures, and also Isaiah 26:19 do not speak of the resurrection of the body, but of the national resuscitation of Israel for Millennial blessing.

Israel can then sing as in Psalm 48, “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion ... The city of the great King.” The magnificence of the city of Jerusalem will surpass anything that the world has ever seen. Many scriptures foretell the future prominence and blessing of Jerusalem and the land of Israel. From Zechariah 14 we gather that there will be certain physical changes in the vicinity.

Who on earth can describe the horrible sufferings of the Jews since the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70? What recompense for those fateful words, “His blood be on us and on our children.” But while “He hath smitten” so it will be said, “He will bind us up” (Hos. 6:1). When the “King of Glory” appears, then the words of the poet will be accomplished

“Those gloomy years have rolled away,

The years of Israel’s mourning;

The rising sun with healing ray

Proclaims the King’s returning.”

As for the Gentile nations, they also will be blessed. Those who are left of the Gentiles after the days of judgment, will be brought into the Millennium, and be blessed as they own Israel’s King. At present the nations are seeking means of securing peace, but there can be no lasting peace yet. Before such peace can come to this troubled world, an even worse time is due. Instead of peace, the prophet Joel tells us:

“Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men ... beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears” (Joel 3:9-17).

But in the Millennium it shall be fulfilled:

“He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:4). The business of learning war—scientific research and the like—is to go on and increase for the present, but when Christ reigns, they shall not learn war anymore. Lord, how long till then?

But what of the church—the true Christians of this day—during the wondrous reign of Christ? (Read Rev. 21:9 through 22:5). In these verses we see something of the displayed heavenly glory of the church in that period. Of course, the language is figurative but withal it is a beautiful description of magnificence and glory. She is seen descending out of heaven and displayed over the earth. Thus the heavenly saints will reign with Christ (canopy over the earth) in that day. They are to be associated with Him in His reigning—not to be reigned over, as wonderful as that will be for the earth. The saved of the nations are to walk in the light of that heavenly city, of which the Lamb is the light.

Satan, the devil and arch deceiver, is to be bound in the bottomless pit, or the abyss, during the Millennium (Rev. 20:1-3).

“Thou art coming, might Saviour,

‘King of kings,’ Thy written name,

Thou art coming, royal Saviour!

Coming for Thy promised reign.

O the joy, when sin’s confusion

Ends beneath Thy righteous sway;

O the peace, when all delusion

At Thy presence dies away.”

(To be continued)

Suffering for Christ, and Its Reward

During the reign of one of the tyrant Roman emperors, a youth of noble birth was ruthlessly consigned to the dungeon. For years, the heavy iron chains of a felon bound his ankles and his wrists, as day by day he lay in the dark and loathsome prison at the emperor’s pleasure. Suffering not for crime, but for speaking the truth, and for faithfully exposing the sins and cruelties of those in high places of the world. Now the once bright countenance is worn, and the locks are gray with suffering. But the righteous will not always suffer. The day must come when the sufferer for righteousness’ sake will be rewarded. The cruel emperor dies, and his successor sits on the imperial throne. Hardly had he been raised to wear the purple and the tiara than he sends to the dungeon to have the prisoner released. Worn and weak with suffering, in his heavy chains, the prisoner is placed before the throne. His fetters are struck off, he is clothed with purple, and, instead of his narrow cell and gloomy prison, he is raised to royal rank and honor. A pair of scales are brought forth, and the iron chains that he has worn are heaped on one after another, and carefully put in the balance. At the emperor’s word, gold is piled on the other scale, and for every pound of iron that he has worn in the dungeon, he now receives a pound of gold in return. Think you that he wishes now his fetters had been lighter?

So shall it be with all who suffer for Christ and His truth down here.

“If we suffer, we shall also reign” (2 Tim. 2:12). Every pang and abuse that is borne for the Lord’s sake, will have its return in the day when the Lord shall reward His servants. Our “light affliction” here shall have in return “an eternal weight of glory” there. When “the righteous judge” brings forth the just balance of heaven and gives every man according as his work shall be—

“O, what shall recompense His smile,

The sufferings of this little while?”

Dear young believer, are you a sufferer for Jesus’ sake? Do you bear from day to day the scowl and scorn of a world that crucified your Lord? Think it not strange. It is only what He promised. But it will not be always so. The last day of reproach, contempt and scorn draws near. Then the honor and the crown. Cheer up! yours is a sure reward.

“Be ye also patient; establish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:8).

Chapter and Verse

Some of you young Christians are employed in factories, workshops, and offices where there are many of the unconverted around you. It is not at all an uncommon thing for discussions and arguments to arise on religious subjects in such places, especially at times when God is working and sinners being saved. We have seen, at such a time, public work ships and factories during meal hours transformed into something like “Debating Clubs,” where scriptural subjects were discussed and argued in anything but a Christ-like spirit. It would be well for you, dear young saints, to keep clear of this kind of thing altogether. It is very bad for your spiritual life to get mixed up with contentious, worldly men. As a rule, you can do them no good, but they can do you much harm. Besides, there is no need to argue or debate on the things of God. Everything is as clear as noonday in the Book. If you should be asked to “give an opinion,” simply refer them to “thus saith the Lord.” Quote to them the Word of God on the matter: give them “Chapter and Verse.” This is the most effectual way of silencing an opponent. It is the only way of convincing an honest inquirer. God’s Word speaks best for itself: it needs none of our arguments.

I remember a large factory where a number of young believers worked. At the dinner hour, arguments often arose on various subjects, such as prophecy, baptism, and amusements, and over and again young believers lost their tempers, and got into a bad state of soul arguing and debating.

There was one young man there, who would never share their debates at all. When his opinion was asked, he simply opened his Bible and read what God said, without adding a word. When assertions were made, he quietly asked,

“Will you give us chapter and verse for that?”

Some didn’t like it, yet they all respected him. He was nicknamed by some “Chapter and Verse,” but his word had weight. He was a man of the Bible: he knew it, loved it, obeyed it, and believed in its sufficiency. He accepted nothing that “Chapter and Verse” could not be given for, and he was right.

Dear young saints, stick to your Bibles. There never was a time in which the Book of God was more assailed, and less obeyed, than this. Therefore, cleave to it the more. For all you hold, for all you do, for wherever you go, see that you have “Chapter and Verse.” That will keep you right.

Extract: Within

(Luke 11:5-9). Christ speaks of a man going to a friend at midnight, and asking for three loaves, “And he from within shall answer”; these are pregnant words, are you within? It is a dangerous condition in this world. What I mean by that, is, losing your sympathies with the joy and sorrows around you.

Extract: Worldliness and Selfishness

Worldliness and selfishness have no power to breath the atmosphere of the kingdom of God.

Correspondence

Question: Was Christ Jesus the first man that entered heaven? Did not Enoch and Elijah go there?

Answer: God, in His grace, did take Enoch and Elijah to heaven—trophies of what He could do with sinful mortal men, but it was on account of what God was going to do in the work of atonement (Rom. 3:25), that they, or any of us, could be there. Jesus could speak of His being there as the rejected Son of Man (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:68; John 1:51); and referring to the mystery of His person, said (John 3:13), “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.”

“When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high” Heb. 1:3. He passed through all the heavens (Heb. 4:14) (JND); He sat down (having finished the work) on the right hand of God (Heb. 10:12, Ps. 68:18; Heb. 9:12). He has entered in as our forerunner (Heb. 6:20).

“In all things He must have the pre-eminence” (Col. 1:15-18).

Question: Are children of the heathen who die in infancy, lost?

Answer: Matthew 18:11 speaking of children who have not come to years of responsibility, says, “The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.” In that verse we see that, though lost as born of sinful parents, the death of Christ who died for all, has purchased salvation for them, and for all irresponsible children of men. Luke 19:10 speaking of sinners who have sinned, says, “The Son of Man is come to seek, and to save that which was lost.” These had gone astray in sin.

Young Christian: Volume 35, 1945

Table of Contents

Not Ashamed of Christ

Extract: The Atonement

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 1, verses 1-6

By the Word of His Power: Part 1

How Much? What Sort?

Fragment: Instruction in the Scriptures

Perfection

A Timely Word

Extract: All for Him

Gathered to Thy Name, Lord Jesus

Correspondence: "Let Us Go Unto Perfection"

Go Thou Thy Way Till the End

Peace-Maker or Peace-Breaker

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 1, verses 7-11

By the Word of His Power: Part 2

Not Routine

Drawn or Driven

Fervent Charity

Speaking for Christ

I Am Come

Correspondence: Prophesying; Salvation

God Is Satisfied: Are You?

One Thing Is Needful

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 1, verses 15-23

Extract: Examining Before Receiving

The Man Whom the King Delighteth to Honor

By the Word of His Power: Part 3

Stewardship

Ready

Correspondence: Leavened or Unleavened Bread?

Colonel Roosevelt's Mistake

How God Is Known

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 2, Verse 1-7

Conversation

By the Word of His Power: Part 4

Prophetic Terms: 1. "The Fullness of the Time"

The Sunday School Teacher's Pen

Christian Exhortation

Christendom

Extract: A Good Conscience

Correspondence: The Thieves; Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost

I Came to Jesus

Who Loved Me

Extract: Incurable

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 2, Verses 8-13

Prophetic Terms: 2. "The Fullness of Times"

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Our Object

How and Where Enoch Walked

A Contrast

The Lord's Love

Correspondence: Forgiveness; The Gospels

Noah's Carpenters

Extract: Adam or Christ

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 2, Verses 14-22

Thou Art the Christ, the Son of the Living God

Prophetic Terms: 3. "Times of the Gentiles"

Suffering for and With Christ

Extract: Revealing God and Man

The Book of Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord

Correspondence: Israel and the Church Both Brides?

A Joyful Surprise

Extract

Caught up Together

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 3, Verses 1-13

Extract: Father

Prophetic Terms: 4. "The Fullness of the Gentiles"

Extract: Victories

His Secret

What Is Worship?

Ye Are the Salt

Indifference

Extract: The Ideal of a Saint

Yes, Lord, It Does!

Take No Thought for the Morrow

The Epistle to the Ephesians: Chapter 3, Verses 14-21

He Hath Said, I Will Never Leave Thee, nor Forsake Thee.

Prophetic Terms: 5. Christ's First and Second Coming