1896 10
There are two dangers to which believers are exposed: one is stopping short of the position grace gives, the other, of losing the abiding sense of it in the soul. Both involve what is important as to standing and state, or privilege and responsibility. The latter should ever be governed by the former, and both maintained in holy consistency and grateful thankfulness to the God of all grace, from Whom all blessing comes, and to Whom all the fruit of it should return.
Deuteronomy 26. and Eph. 2. are two striking scriptures to illustrate the position given in God's grace with an appeal, to those blessed, ever to abide in the sense of it. In the one we have that of Israel as a redeemed nation, and in the other, that of the church in the marvelous grace bestowed alike upon Gentiles. True, the one is upon earth in the land of Canaan, and the other heavenly in the once dead but now living and exalted Saviour. The principle nevertheless is one, though most important to distinguish; for from each given position there is a touching appeal, worthy of consideration in a moment like the present, when there is such need for believers to know and remind each other, that they belong to heaven, and no less to live and walk in the sense of the infinite grace of God, which not only saved but set them there in Christ. Israel, when in the land and enjoying their highest privilege in worship, were enjoined before the Lord their God to say, "A Syrian ready to perish was my father." Gentile believers, when raised equally with the Jewish ones to the position of being set in Christ on high were enjoined to "Remember" what they were in the past. To forget the past through the present position may be the thought and way of man; but it is not so with God for those who are the recipients of His grace. Neither will a received position lead to pride or indifference, when maintained in the presence of God, and enjoyed before and with Him Who gave it. Moreover, to stop short of the purpose of grace must be to lower what it is, and weaken or nullify that which gave rise to it. For example, Jehovah made known to Moses, the appointed deliverer of Israel, His purpose of grace toward them: they were not only to be delivered from the power of Pharaoh, and Egypt his sphere, but to be brought into the place of blessing, the land flowing with milk and honey.
This Ex. 3. clearly shows, when the Lord tells Moses His intention, and touchingly speaks of having seen His people's affliction, heard their cry, and known their sorrow. Hence the purpose of grace embraced not only deliverance from slavery, but the bringing into the blessings of Canaan. For Israel therefore to be content with the one, and fall short of the other, would be dishonouring if not presumptuous self-will as to the blessed purpose of divine grace. Yea, the precious truth of Deut. 26. whether as to the presentation of the firstfruits, or the confession of what they were in Egypt with what they sprang from, would be lost, both as to their blessing in the land, and the kept up sense of the grace that gave it.
The offered firstfruits could only be in and of the land of Canaan, so that Israel must be there, and possess it, before they could tender to Jehovah the precious fruit.
Then only, when in their enjoyed position, were they to say, "A Syrian ready to perish was my father" as well as to remember what they were in Egypt.
If position bore its holy fruit toward the Lord, so their past condition would have its wholesome effect, that all was of sovereign grace, flowing from Jehovah's choice — therefore to His own praise and glory, though equally to His people's happiness.
Having considered the position and grace of an earthly people, we follow only to look at the heavenly, which unfolds divine grace in all its fulness. If Jehovah and Moses were concerned and together respecting the former, God and His Son were blessedly so as to the latter: an important distinction, when we remember also that God has been glorified in and by His Son. By Him sin, death, and Satan's power have been annulled, so that the blessed purposes of grace may appear in all their fulness. Bearing this in mind, to stop short of the position grace gives is to slight not only divine purpose, but Christ Himself in and by Whom it is made good, seeing He is the grand centre of all purpose and counsel, and His God-glorifying death its holy and righteous basis. It may be expected therefore, that the Epistle of divine counsels (as Ephesians clearly is) would unfold the fulness of divine grace.
Extremes of condition and position, infinitely beyond that of an earthly Israel are declared, laying bare the root and springs of an evil nature, wholly corrupt, and alienated from God: not only Jew and Gentile alike sinners, but dead in trespasses and sins, equally the children of wrath; a condition of ruin, helplessness, and death. Then and there it is, that God displays Himself by a power already manifested in Christ. He Who in grace went into death for the sin of others is now raised out from the dead by the power of God, and seated at His own right hand: a power in favour of all who believe, consistent with righteousness, and in character with what God is. Love and mercy in their greatness and richness combine with the exercise of divine power, suited to the condition of those dead in trespasses and sins; as it is written, "But God Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ."
There is life with Christ risen from the dead, but further, "He hath raised us up together and made us sit together, in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Moreover that it may be fully understood to be His pure abounding grace that gives this position (as well as displays the exceeding riches of it by-and-by), it is added, "For 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." Such is the given place of all believers now, not only the knowledge of being saved, but of life with and position in Christ in heavenly places. How distinct, and infinitely beyond that of an earthly people in the land of Canaan, who were taken from Egypt's bondage, with the humbling origin of "A Syrian ready to perish"! Whereas present grace raises from moral death and sin, to life and seated position, and no less fully blesses in Christ in heaven. The supreme dignity and surpassing contrast of divine grace is not wondered at, since it is in and by Christ Jesus; and such wonder is eclipsed in the unfathomable fact that He by "the grace of God tasted death."
When the latter expression of grace can be fathomed (which it never will), then will the extent of blessing flowing from it know its limit. But only God and His Son are in the knowledge and fulness of it. Alas! how little pure grace is known or understood with the love that gave rise to it, and the work of Christ by which the grace of salvation has freely come. The grace that saves from death and judgment, with present forgiveness of sins, is much clouded with uncertainty; so that the fulness of grace in seating us in Christ in heaven is rarely heard of, much less known and believed in as a present blessed reality. No wonder therefore, that the ground of an earthly people is accepted, and Jewish things imitated; as if what was should still be in experience and practice, rather than what is, since Christ has come and is gone into heaven. Eternal redemption, eternal life, present seated position in Christ, in the abiding rest and peace of a full salvation, are nevertheless for today, since the gospel of God has been preached by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Happy they who receive in their simplicity these holy and precious realities, as beyond all question!
It is well, for those who in any measure know what grace has freely and fully given in Christ, to be reminded of the responsibility such a position brings with it.
How wholesome therefore is the appeal to remember the past, not only as to those of whom it is written, that they were without hope and without God in the world. Alas! Gentiles when under the profession of Christ, have become proud and boastful, indifferent to the true grace of God, yea, have turned it to fleshly purposes and carnal ends. Those too who really know and have tasted the grace and blessedness of a present heavenly standing may well give heed, lest they fall into the snare of practical indifference to the abiding sense of what grace should produce. If heavenly life calls for heavenly ways and holy fruit, so also such a position claims the corresponding answer in separation from all that is a denial of it, bearing in mind that those set in Christ on high are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
To avert the danger of falling short, either of the place grace gives, or of its abiding effects, no brighter sample can be given to imitate, than the apostle Paul, to whom its fulness was made known, and as it was received so was it also expressed to others. Grace abounded toward him to own himself the chief of sinners, the least of the apostles and of all saints. Nevertheless he laboured more abundantly, adding, "Not I, but the grace of God which was with me." In motive and object Christ Himself governed him: a man in Christ his grand theme, in contrast to man in the flesh; and Christ in glory the One for Whom he had suffered the loss of all things, to gain Whom as His eternal portion would be his incomparable blessedness. Such was grace to him for salvation and position, as Christ Jesus was his Saviour, object, and boast. May that same grace so work in us by the blessed Spirit of God to beget in some little measure a like answer to the praise of Him, Who, though on high, yet went lower than all, in order to provide at all cost to Himself a place not only in Him in the heavenlies now, but to be with Him in His own likeness for ever and ever. Amen. G.G.