A word on Acts 11:26.
1899 264 We need not enter into curious questions, nor even dwell over much on the word "Christian." It was a name given by outsiders in Antioch of Syria, a city notorious for affixing nick-names. This word, we see from 1 Peter 4:16, was adopted by the Holy Spirit in writing to Jewish converts, as by men generally. On the one hand, if one be not in the new relationship, what is he but a child of disobedience! On the other hand scripture appears not to call any one a child or son of the devil, till there is a wilful rejection of the Lord. Still all are alike by nature children of wrath. The most correct and amiable are included no less than the repulsive and immoral. Let us glance briefly at the bearing of the scriptures that occur at the moment. We are encouraged to confide in the gracious guidance of the Spirit, while far from the delusion of claiming exemption from mistake. What then is meant by a Christian? A professed believer since Christ's death and resurrection. This indicates his proper place and relation. He is a saint, and much more.
Now the word of God is explicit in dealing with a man in himself as a guilty sinner. Such is every child of Adam by nature. But God reveals in Christ a new blessing which the Old Testament prophets were awaiting. Israel's hope was the Messiah: "My salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed" (Isa. 56:1). But the Messiah having been rejected brought in an unexpected state of things, which required a fresh body of scripture, based not on promise, but on accomplishment and heavenly blessing. The Christian has life eternal by faith as a present and known possession. When Christ comes, his body will be changed accordingly; but he is already quickened together with Christ. And as God made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, it is that we should become God's righteousness in Him. Thus in the gospel is God's righteousness revealed by faith unto faith. Hence, in the Epistle to the Galatians (Gal. 5:5), we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Being already justified by faith we look for the glory which is its due result. Christ's work of redemption has such value and efficacy before God that if we believe on Him our sins are remitted, and we are justified. God is not gracious only but righteous in thus dealing. He is glorified in the Son of man as a sacrifice for sin, and will bring us into glory with Him.
But what of sin? It has been borne to God's glory in the cross of Christ. Hence is there a new and justifying righteousness (not man's works which could but condemn him; but) God's, in virtue of Christ's redemption. Again, when He rose from the dead, He rose not alone, but as the seed-corn which fell into the ground and died, bringing forth much fruit. He is the Second man and the Last Adam, the head of a new family, which derives its name from Himself. He is the Christ; we are Christians. Adam became not a father till he was a sinner. The Lord Jesus, fully proved the Righteous Servant, died for our unrighteousness and rose the Head of God's family who are to be with Christ where He is. It is therefore God's righteousness, not only to set Him at His own righthand, but to justify now and to glorify at His coming all that believe on Him. As we are naturally in Adam, so are we spiritually in Christ; and if it was right of God to condemn the fallen Adam and his guilty children, is it not at least equally right to justify all that believe on Christ the last Adam? It was not death that made Him cry, "My God, my God, why didst Thou forsake me?" it was the far deeper fact that there and then God made Him sin for us. For He suffered once for sins, just for unjust. He bore sins' judgment for the believer. God would have men bow in faith before His ineffable mercy and grace, and also His righteousness which can and does clear the lost who believe. We are entitled by Christ's death and resurrection to have the fullest confidence in God; as it is written, "Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." Thus the gospel is not only extrication from sin, but a new standing altogether; and this by grace produces powerful moral effects. There is now a new walk according to Christ's, which follows the communication of His life to the Christian: "not I, but Christ liveth in me."
But scripture never mingles the responsible walk with the standing which grace gives us in Christ. How could God condemn either the work or the life of Christ? In the cross He has already executed sentence on our nature, and we are in Christ Jesus where condemnation can be no more. Compare Romans 8:1-4.
The Christian is in Christ and thus blessedly perfect in his standing. Not only is righteousness imputed to him, so that the Lord imputes no sin, but we live of His life even now. Christ has given us life eternal, His own life to be ours.
The disciples were never said to be in Christ until He here breathed it in risen power on the day He rose, life abundantly. Again, "He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." 1 Con 6:17. This is the union of the Christian with Christ. The Holy Spirit in the day that is now, having come down, imparted to the believer the blessed consciousness of it. John 14:19-20. Jesus was as truly man as any one; but He alone absolutely without sin. He was born "that holy thing." Luke 1:35. If the words were "one flesh," it might be argued that the whole world, or all mankind, is united to Christ; but it is "one spirit." The end is worthy; we shall be like Him. In 1 Cor. 1:30 "redemption" is said last, signifying the full future deliverance of the body. Compare Romans 8:23, which points to that conforming us to Christ. Do you oppose to this the views of some erudite men? The Bible was written, not for literary strife, but for souls who honour God in faith. Human learning is a sorry master, but may be no bad servant; and so it is with every earthly boon.
The believer is already a temple of God. Do you believe your body to be the temple of the Holy Spirit? If you doubt it, you give up a distinctive privilege of the Christian and of Christianity. Not only are we bought with a price but the Holy Spirit designs to dwell in us. No doubt we are poor and weak; but the Holy Spirit is neither. Does not the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanse us from all sin? Does not Christ wash our feet, when defiled, with the water of the word? "This is he that came by water and blood." 1 John 5:6. The Holy Spirit takes up His abode in us consequent on our resting on God's testimony to Christ and His blood.
In 2 Cor. 1:21 God, it is said, "Stablisheth us with you in Christ." This contrasts His certainty with man's uncertainty. There is nothing so plain and sure as the testimony of God to His child; but there is this accompaniment to heed that he must be nothing. It is but a human sort of lowliness, to be ever occupied with thinking and speaking of my own badness. When we do wrong things, we should surely confess them. But we are privileged, forgetting ourselves, to behold Christ in God's presence, and to know our blessedness in Him.
2 Cor. 3. contrasts the Christian with the Israelite. What was engraven on stone, the law, told what the Israelite should present; but the Christian, having Christ written on his heart by the Spirit of the living God, is called to reflect Him as His epistle.
The believer is not set like the mystics and pietists striving to die. He has by faith to recognise the truth of his own death by the power of the death of Christ. "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live." It is the abiding consequence of the past act of Christ on the cross. Fallen Adam shows us our natural life; but the life we as Christians now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the Son of God; and each can say "He loved me, and gave Himself for me." Hence in Gal. 5:21 it is not said, "They that are Christ's" ought to crucify, but "crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Ought I, a Christian, a child of God, to be occupied with the objects of men? Has not Christ His objects? and should not His objects be ours? There are daily duties to be performed by us as serving Him; but this is quite another thing. We are sanctified to obey as He did. Fie was called the carpenter's son, and no doubt did the work as part of His Father's business. But duties are one thing; objects are quite another.
Having the indwelling Holy Spirit, we should not complain of lack of power; any more than of direction, as having the written word. Has not God blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ? Does not God see us as He sees Christ — all Christians? Every right step for a Christian is founded on his being in Christ. "Old things are passed away" to faith: it is not a question of feeling. Christ is the model, and He has left us an example that we should follow in His steps.
We are called on condition of liberty; but it is as walking in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian, because he is washed from his sins in the blood of Christ.
Hence it is written in Col. 1:12, that we are to thank the Father Who made us meet to share the portion of the saints in light. Many think that the believer goes on growing gradually till he becomes fit for glory. One ought better to have learnt the truth from the repentant robber on the cross. Neither walk nor service could qualify us for heaven, nothing short of what grace gives us in Christ. This is what the Christian has, and what the work of redemption has done for him. Observe too that ver. 10 just before speaks of increase by the right knowledge of God. There and thus the Christian ought to grow. But there is no growth in meetness for sharing the lot of the saints in the light. Christ's work for us is perfect, and perfects the Christian in the sight of God. "By one offering He hath perfected for ever — without a break — them that are sanctified." It is true of all real Christians.
How blessed then to be a Christian! how awful to despise the Name, which by faith makes the poorest of sinners to be one! how inexcusable thus to heap up wrath against the day of wrath, in the face of the goodness of God leading to repentance!