Table of Contents

1 Corinthians 15

"BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM AMONG THE DEAD, AND BECOME THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT."

Simple Thoughts on 1 John 4

1 Kings 20: 23 and 28

Thoughts on the First Epistle to Timothy

1 Timothy.

1 Tim. 1.

1 Tim. 2.

1 Tim. 3.

1 Tim. 4.

1 Tim. 6.

Two Circles

2 Corinthians 4 - with a reference to chapter 3

2 Thessalonians 1 and 2

A Threefold Cord

Ecclesiastes 4: 12

Thoughts on the Eight Signs of John's Gospel

No. 1. John 2: 1-10.

No. 2. John 4: 46-54.

No. 3. John 5: 1-9.

No. 4. John 6: 5-14.

No. 5. John 6: 15-21.

No. 6. John 9: 1-7.

No. 7. John 11: 1-44.

No. 8. John 21: 1-14.

"What sign shewest thou?"

John 2: 18; John 6: 30.

Poetry

Lessons from Afflictions Ways

Poetry

Deut. 8: 2.

Ephesians 1.

Romans 5: 1-11.

1 John 4: 14.

1 Thessalonians 4: 16.

The Assembly Foretold: Founded: Formed: Furnished: Functioning

Part 1.

Part 2

Furnished and functioning

THE ASSEMBLY (PART 3)

Its Future

"We beheld his glory"

John 1: 14

1 Corinthians 3: 1-17 - Builders and TheirWork

The Divine Calendar of Events to Follow the Rapture

Christ for the Christian

Christ: God's Appointed Centre of Gathering for the Universe of Bliss and Glory

The Greatness of Christ

"The Lord Jesus Christ our hope"

MAY/JUNE

The Love of Christ

Common Ground!

Another Comforter

A Confessed Disciple

John 19: 38-42; John 20: 11-22.

The Constraining Love of Christ

2 Corinthians 5: 14-17.

Conviction; Discipline; Attraction; Separation

The Corruption of the Ages

Revelation 17

Covenants - New and Old

Discipline

Studies in Ephesians

The Father loveth the Son

John 3: 35.

John 6: 44

"He first loved"

1 John 4

"Follow me"

A Few Thoughts on Genesis 49

Some Glories of our Lord

Glimpses of the Glories of our Lord in Hebrews 1 and 2

God is Sovereign and Righteous in Blessing or in Judgment

Romans 9

God's Thoughts

Psalm 139: 17, 18.

"Things of gold" In the "Holiest of all"

Hebrews 9: 3, 4.

Wires of Gold

"The Gospel of God "

Romans 1: 1 to 5: 2.

NOV/DEC 1973

The Greatness of Christ

Revelation 22: 13.

"Alpha and Omega"

"The Beginning and the End."

"The First and the Last."

The Gospel of the Glory

Thoughts on the Epistle to the Hebrews

"Help from the Sanctuary"

His Hour

Hope

The Holy Spirit

SHOULD WE PRAY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT? NO!

SHOULD WE ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TODAY? NO!

ARE THERE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT TODAY?

WOULD ACTS 19 SUGGEST THAT ALL BELIEVERS DO NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT?

Isaiah 53

Thoughts from John 20

Joseph

Genesis 41: 38-45.

The Lord Jesus Christ

Acts 2: 36.

The Lord's Supper - Expression of the Fellowship

The Love of Jesus

"A man in Christ"

2 Corinthians 12: 2.

"Meet for the Master's use"

Matthew 18: 20

Matthew 27: 51; Hebrews 10: 19-25

Mediatorial Glories of Christ

Rom. 1: 1, 3, 4; Rom. 5: 11; Rom. 8: 29

THE CROSS IS THE LESSON BOOK OF THE LOVE OF GOD.

Melchisedec

Moral Cleansing

John 19: 34; 1 John 5: 5, 6.

Mothers

"The mystery of piety"

1 Timothy 3: 15-16

"The mystery" - What is it?

Ephesians 3: 1-10.

Answers to Correspondents

Question:

Answer:

Question:

Answer:

Question:

Answer:

Question:

Answer:

Some New Things

The Orderings of God

Isaiah 25

An Outline of Things to Come

Paul before King Agrippa

Acts 26: 1-20

Perseverance

Features of the Philippian Epistle

Philippians 2: 1-16; 2 Kings 2: 1-15

The Epistle to the Philippians

Power and Spirituality Considered

1 Corinthians 14: 1-4.

"To the praise of the glory of his grace"

Psalm 63

Reconciliation

Thoughts on Revival

Romans 16: 25-27; Colossians 1: 12 to 2: 3

Romans 16: 25-27

Romans 8: 14-30

"Satisfied with favour"

A Word on Service

"Sit thou at my right hand"

Psalm 110: 1.

Some Men in the Epistles

Son of the Right Hand

The Right Hand

He is There in virtue of His Person

He is There in Virtue of His Preeminence

He is There in Virtue of His Priesthood

He is There in Virtue of His Sacrifice

He is There in Virtue of His Moral Perfection

The Sufficiency of Christ

Colossians 2: 5-19; Colossians 3: 1-4.

The Sufferings of Christ

The Cross

Some Marks of Wisdom's Children

Luke 7: 29-35, 47-50.

Number 13.

"The Word became flesh"

John 1: 14; 1 John 4: 2.

John 3: 12, 13.

NA - Miscellaneous writings

Norman Anderson

This document may be found online at www.stempublishing.com

You are welcome to freely access and use this material for personal study or sending to other Bible students, compiling extracts for notes etc, but please do not republish without permission.

With the prayerful desire that the Lord Jesus Christ will use this God-given ministry in this form for His glory and the blessing of many in these last days before His coming. © Les Hodgett (contact@stempublishing.com) (2011)

1 Corinthians 15 Simple Thoughts on 1 John 4 1 Kings 20: 23 and 28 Thoughts on the First Epistle to Timothy Two Circles 2 Corinthians 4 — with a reference to chapter 3. 2 Thessalonians 1 and 2 A Threefold Cord Thoughts on the Eight Signs of John's Gospel Lessons from Afflictions Ways Poetry The Assembly Foretold: Founded: Formed: Furnished: Functioning. "We beheld his glory" 1 Corinthians 3: 1-17 — Builders and TheirWork The Divine Calendar of Events to Follow the Rapture Christ for the Christian. Christ: God's Appointed Centre of Gathering for the Universe of Bliss and Glory The Greatness of Christ "The Lord Jesus Christ our hope" The Love of Christ Common Ground! Another Comforter A Confessed Disciple The Constraining Love of Christ Conviction; Discipline; Attraction; Separation. The Corruption of the Ages Covenants — New and Old Discipline Studies in Ephesians The Father loveth the Son "He first loved" "Follow me" A Few Thoughts on Genesis 49 Some Glories of our Lord. Glimpses of the Glories of our Lord in Hebrews 1 and 2 God is Sovereign and Righteous in Blessing or in Judgment God's Thoughts "Things of gold" In the "Holiest of all" Wires of Gold "The Gospel of God " The Greatness of Christ. The Gospel of the Glory Thoughts on the Epistle to the Hebrews "Help from the Sanctuary" His Hour Hope The Holy Spirit Isaiah 53 Thoughts from John 20 Joseph The Lord Jesus Christ The Lord's Supper — Expression of the Fellowship The Love of Jesus. "A man in Christ" "Meet for the Master's use" Matthew 18: 20. Matthew 27: 51; Hebrews 10: 19-25. Mediatorial Glories of Christ Melchisedec Moral Cleansing Mothers "The mystery of piety" "The mystery" — What is it? Answers to Correspondents Some New Things The Orderings of God An Outline of Things to Come. Paul before King Agrippa Perseverance Features of the Philippian Epistle The Epistle to the Philippians Power and Spirituality Considered "To the praise of the glory of his grace" Psalm 63 Reconciliation Thoughts on Revival Romans 16: 25-27; Colossians 1: 12 to 2: 3. Romans 16: 25-27. Romans 8: 14-30 "Satisfied with favour" A Word on Service "Sit thou at my right hand" Some Men in the Epistles Son of the Right Hand The Sufficiency of Christ The Sufferings of Christ The Cross Some Marks of Wisdom's Children "The Word became flesh"

1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15

N. Anderson.

Verses 1-8: The certainty of salvation, as preached in the glad tidings, rests upon the sure foundation of the death of Christ for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and also upon the fact of His resurrection on the third day, according to the Scriptures. The statement as to His burial was needed to emphasise His death. There was nothing vicarious in His burial, k else proof from the prophetic word could have been adduced in support of the fact of His burial. Isaiah 53: 9 tells us plainly that "they appointed His grave with the wicked, but He was with the rich in His death . . ".

Verses 9-10: The grace and truth of God as to the content of the glad tidings did two things with Paul, they showed him his smallness even in the execution of his divinely endued service, especially as regarding his past history as persecutor of God's Assembly, they also enhanced to him the grace bestowed upon him with such blessing and power. This lay behind the message which had been preached and also behind the faith which had received those tidings.

Verse 12: Immediately the heinous character and implications of the false teaching is gone into, taking up 58 verses while in 1 Cor. 5 moral evil was dealt with in 13 verses, indicating that evil doctrine was, if anything, worse than evil conduct. Does it not eat as does a canker? And we read in verses 32-34, "evil communications corrupt good manners."

There are at least seven implications in the teaching that "the dead rise not."

1. Christ is not risen, we have lost our Saviour! (verse 13).

2. The preaching of the gospel is an empty thing. (verse 14).

3. The believing of the gospel is an empty thing. (verse 14).

4. The preachers are false and have falsified the character of God. (verse 15).

5. There is no forgiveness. (verse 17).

6. There is no hope for those who have died. (verse 18).

7. The living believers are of all men most miserable, they have lost their lives in this world, and there is nothing beyond the grave! (verse 19).

"BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM AMONG THE DEAD, AND BECOME THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT."

Verse 20: The sleeping saints shall rise again!

Verse 21: God's triumph is achieved in Man!

Verse 22: The extent of the effects of the fall of Adam — surely a racial head — "For as in the Adam all die," shall the extent of resurrection in Christ be any narrower? Decidedly not. "Even so in the Christ shall all be made alive."

Verse 23: Christ is coming! Then shall all those who are described as being Christ's experience the power of His resurrection.

Verses 24-28: In these parenthetical verses the Scripture passes quickly over the ensuing reign of the Lord indicating in so doing that the same power which shall raise and change the saints, shall also bring order into the realm where, for so long, disorder has prevailed. All rule and all authority and power shall be put down by the once-crucified Christ. Then shall He bring to a close His mediatorial reign and upon the threshold of eternity He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father. All shall be would up in absolute perfection. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Elsewhere we learn that "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire."

Verse 29: We return to the consideration of the no-resurrection doctrine. What shall be the value of being baptised for the dead if the dead rise not? Baptism certainly commits to death — to the death of Christ. These Corinthian believers had entered the ranks of the faith with the intelligence that they were "filling up the ranks," some had already fallen asleep, possibly through persecution for their faith. Did this deter others from taking their place in a profession which was anything but popular in such a pagan city? Certainly not! What a waste of time and what an incurring of suffering if the dead rise not! The servants of God who had brought the saving gospel to Corinth were not immune, indeed they had jeopardised their lives and were doing so every hour. Paul even called upon these brethren who ministered rejoicing to him to take account of the fact that he died daily. Recapitulating on his sufferings as having fought with bestial men at Ephesus, he asks what profit was there in such suffering if the dead rise not? Why not join the ranks of such as claim, "Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die," quoting, without a doubt, from Isaiah 22: 13.

The apostle then began to pour scorn on such error saying, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God; I speak to your shame." The knowledge of God would lead to righteousness and to holiness of truth, not to licentiousness.

Verse 35: We now come to a possible question of ridicule. It is well known that if you cannot deal with your opponent with calm and intelligent proposition your next resort will be to defeat him with ridicule! Hence, the apostle acts upon the premise which he had laid down in 1 Corinthians 11: 14, "Doth not nature itself teach you?" "That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or some other grain; but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth Him, and to every seed his own body." We are entirely shut up to the exercise of the power of God, so far as resurrection is concerned. And this is illustrated in the natural realm.

Verses 39-41, inclusive bear this out most clearly. Just as there are differences to the flesh of men, beasts, fishes and birds, and just as surely as there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, with their respective glories, "So also is the resurrection of the dead." Please note the expression "sown" which indicates that the divinely ordained way of disposing of the mortal remains of the deceased is burial not cremation.

Philippians 3: 20 teaches that in the present responsible condition the body of the believer is one of humiliation. When the Saviour comes from heaven such shall be the transformation that it shall be changed like to His body of glory.

Verse 42: of our chapter we read, "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

Verse 43: "It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power;

Verse 44: "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body."

We would draw the readers' attention to a worthwhile typical feature as regards the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the Temple in the land. Exodus 26: 15 and 1 Kings 5: 6-10; 1 Kings 6: 15, 32. Shittim (or Acacia) wood; cedar; fir; olive; palm — 5 different timbers. The first of these — Acacia — was used in the construction of the Tabernacle and some of its furnishings. Being very close grained it was hard and incorruptible, and was used for making the boards, bars, the ark, the shewbread table, the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering.

The Temple which Solomon built was largely of stone and this was covered with Cedar of Lebanon. The floor was covered with Fir. The two cherubim in the oracle and the doors were of Olive. There were carvings of Palms on the walls. Cherubim — speak of righteous government; Palms — speak of triumph; Open flowers — speak of adornment.

To apply these typical features to the resurrection bodies of the saints: —

Shittim Wood — refers to them in their incorruptible condition.

Cedar — to their being raised in glory.

Fir — to their being raised in power.

Olive — to their being raised a spiritual body.

Palm — to their being raised in triumph.

(1 Cor. 15: 44) "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." This Scripture teaches,

(v. 45). "The first man Adam became a living soul; the Last Adam a quickening (life giving) spirit"

(v. 46). "But that which is spiritual is not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual" Thank God, it was the natural which gave way to the spiritual — the latter will never have to give way!

(v. 48) We now arrive at two orders of men: the First Man, and the Second Man. How different were their origins! The First is of the earth — see Genesis 2: 7. The Second Man is out of heaven. Their character is as different as is their origin, the First is earthly, the Second is heavenly. Just as there is a race like the fallen man, Adam, so there is a race like the Second Man, the Last Adam — "As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly" (v. 48).

(v. 49) And so as to their destinies, "And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."

This becomes increasingly obvious from the language of Verse 50, "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

It is obvious that reference is to the heavenly side of the kingdom, for we know from prophetic Scriptures that men in flesh and blood shall pass into the kingdom on its earthly side. Hence the need of our being changed. Even Job in his day said, ". . . I wait, till my change come" (Job 14: 14).

The apostle goes on to speak of one of the mysteries which had been revealed to him, that of the first resurrection. We recall that when recounting his conversion, Acts 26: 16, before King Agrippa, he said that the Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to him with specific intention, "to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I shall appear unto thee."

So this would be one of those things. This, the resurrection of sleeping saints and the change of living saints, would take place "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." (v. 52).

This expression, "the last trump," has no connection with the end of the world, nor has it to do with the seven trumpets of the book of Revelation. These are described to us in that book, Rev. 8: 7-21, then there is a parenthesis covering the whole of Rev. 10 to 11: 14. The seventh trumpet shall sound in Rev. 11: 15.

The allusion in 1 Corinthians 15: 52 is of military character. We understand that there were three trumpet sounds: 1 — would rouse the camp; 2 — would sound 'strike camp'; 3 — would sound 'march off.'

When the change takes place then shall come to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory" (v. 54), and,

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (v. 55).

See in addition, Isaiah 25: 8; and Hosea 13: 14. "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law" (v. 56). Also, Romans 6: 14 and Romans 7: 7.

In conclusion, may we give thanks to God Who "giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 57).

May we, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" ( v. 58).

So then, let us be thankful for the fact that the "dead rise not" has its origin in the father of lies who sinneth from the beginning.

Simple Thoughts on 1 John 4

Simple Thoughts on 1 John 4

N. Anderson.

The central feature of this chapter is that "God is love". In result His love is toward us. We know this because He has manifested His love — "Because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

Obviously there is a life other than the responsible life which we all live in flesh. We do not live to God unless we do so through His Son. There is a limit to the life which we have naturally. That is a life which sin has corrupted, consequently death can and does touch it. The life which we live through the Son of God is sinless and death cannot touch that.

Would we receive this life we must know that righteousness must be satisfied. The claims of God in regard to sin must be fully met. In order to this He sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Wonderful love! Not that we loved Him, but He loved us. The cross then is at once the lesson book of the love of God for thereby was the basis laid upon which His righteousness has been established.

Not only so, but that love, according to verse 17 of our chapter, has so acted as to put us even now beyond the reach of judgment. "Herein is love with us made perfect (marginal reading) that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world." Then verse 18 declares, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment." Thank God that if there is no fear, there is blessed and present response, "We love Him, because He first loved us" (verse 19).

As we run over this instructive chapter we see that there are:

Discernment,   vv. 1-3;

Truth and Error,  v. 6;

Love and Life,   vv. 7-10;

Salvation and Judgment, vv. 14 and 17;

Fear and Torment,  v. 18;

also response to the love of God, for we are able to love one another, and to love God Who has loved us. There is also communion, for we dwell in God, verse 13; there is witness, for He dwells in us, vv. 13-16. Finally, there is likeness to the Son of God, even now, verse 17.

1 Kings 20: 23 and 28

1 Kings 20: 23 and 28

N. Anderson.

God of the Hills and Valleys;

God of the brooks and the springs,

Fresh'ning us all with the blessing

Thy grace ever freely brings.

How else could we bear the testing

While crossing the blist'ring sand?

How lift the head after scorching

But for Thy upholding hand?

Thou art the God of Thy people,

How near are they to Thy heart;

Caring for them in the pressure -

Of valley experience a part.

There, they have Thee, gracious Shepherd,

In darkest shadow not 'lone -

Borne, all by Thee, was death's substance -

Comfort is their's 'till they're home.

God of the Hills and the Valleys,

Thy saints are all in Thy hand;

No foe over Thee can triumph,

Not one before Thee can stand.

Thou givest Thine own the vict'ry,

The enemies all laid low;

Thy saints give Thee all the glory,

Ever Thy praises shall flow.

Thoughts on the First Epistle to Timothy

Thoughts on the First Epistle to Timothy

The House of God

N. Anderson.

1 Timothy.

Chapter 1. Deposit. The glad tidings of the Glory.

Chapter 2. Dependence Sympathy with the Testimony.

Chapter 3. Deportment Godliness (Piety) complimentary and responsive to the truth of  "God manifest in flesh."

Chapter 4. Doctrine. The Word of God — of the Faith. Good teaching.

Chapter 5. Dependability Of the servant of God.

Chapter 6. Durability Of the servant of God.

The exhortations of the 2nd Epistle ensue because of Deviation from the Doctrinal and Moral path of the 1st Epistle.

1 Tim. 1.

The epistle was written by the apostle Paul to Timothy, "My true child in faith." The inference being that the untrue was active in the profession of the faith. Responsible ministry and living are in view, hence "apostle . . . by commandment of God our Saviour." These words "commandment" and "Saviour" are not at first sight apposite words, yet solemn responsibility to which saving grace introduces, and for which saving grace empowers, is everywhere in this epistle laid upon the servants of God — whether Timothy (an apostolic delegate), or bishops and deacons, or all saints — in every department of life.

Two expressions demand notice: "God our Saviour" and "Christ Jesus our hope." The business of all saints is to set forth the disposition of God. The aspect of saints, in testimony, as forming the House of God is world wide. No racial or national bounds can be entertained here — God is a Saviour God, hence all the world comes into view, and His servants are to be in accord with His own mind and heart, thus the standard, "the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God."

God saves in view of another world which is in full accord with Himself, so Christ Jesus is "our hope." God's salvation will enable us to live and to serve to His pleasure, in the present course of things, with the certain knowledge that we are not destined to stay here for ever. We are to live, as saved, in view of the day when Christ will bring us with Himself into that world where everything is according to God. That world where, as in 1 Tim. 6, Christ will be shown by God as His appointed centre for the universe. Then Christ shall show to the universe the greatness of God. Assuredly all shall then be in concert with the will of God. The light of that coming, glorious day exerts its powerful and morally transforming influence now, leading to purity of life, soundness of doctrine, and faithfulness of testimony.

There is emphasis on that which is good — twenty-one times is the word used in the epistle — and purity, and soundness. It is obvious that evil was rearing its ugly head even in the day of Timothy, and note, he was serving at Ephesus. Can we wonder at the background condition of things at Ephesus when our Lord later said of those there, "I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first love."

According to the second epistle there was an emphasis on "a form of piety" without "the power" — no inner reality. Strange doctrines were appearing. The law was being enjoined upon the saints, but the great standard which tests all doctrinal pretence is "the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God."

The grace of God our Saviour has been clearly delineated in the saving of such a man as Paul had been, "chief" of sinners. What setting forth of longsuffering grace and mercy for all those Gentiles, ourselves included, who have been brought into blessing. What a demonstration of the mercy of God to those rebel Jews — "those about to believe on Him to life eternal."

A solemn charge was laid upon Timothy to bring the regulating truth of God to bear upon all for practical salvation. There is tremendous opposition. The supine condition of our day is as much an indication of Satanic opposition as were the fires of persecution in other days. It is essential that every servant — and we are all, even if in varying degrees, servants of God — should maintain faith (the whole body of Christian truth) and a good conscience (fruit of personal obedience to the truth) in every-day practice. If there is failure in this we shall surely fail as to the "faith once delivered to the saints."

1 Tim. 2.

In this chapter we are exhorted to be in sympathy with the disposition of God our Saviour. We are to pray for "all men." the bearing of our Saviour God is towards all men. He would have all men to be saved and come to the full knowledge of the truth. We are to pray for rulers and all in authority as recognising their power to help or hinder us in the pursuit of godly living. God's house would be called "an house of prayer for all people" (Isaiah 56: 7), and here the saints are urged to bear a character of prayer in keeping with this, as being themselves the house of God.

God Himself, has clearly demonstrated His desire for the salvation of all in that Christ has given His life a ransom for all. He has died, the testimony has now to be maintained, God is one — the Mediator between God and men one — the Man Christ Jesus. This proves the utter worthlessness of all men, for only Christ can bring men to God, and all need so to be brought. The Mediator is great enough to put His hand upon the throne of God. In taking Manhood and going into death He stooped low enough to put His hand upon the sinner that He might bring such righteously to God.

The men are to pray everywhere and with moral fitness, with holy hands; without wrath (do we pray at our brethren?) and without reasoning. Let us have implicit confidence in god — let us walk holily with our God — let us care for one another as being together in the testimony of God — then shall our prayers be effectual. The women too must bear a demeanour in character with their profession of godliness. Theirs is the subject learner's place, for two reasons; 1) Adam was first formed. 2) The woman was deceived. Nonetheless, she is the subject of special mercy in the time of travail and can expect deliverance as continuing in faith and love and holiness with discretion.

1 Tim. 3.

The House of God is the place of order and care. That which is spiritual — having to do with souls — is the special province of the bishops. The deacon service has more to do with the temporal. The wives of the deacons are mentioned as needing discretion. It would never do for the deacons to have wives who could keep nothing to themselves. There is scope for progress in the service of the deacons as is exemplified in both Stephen and Philip (see Acts 7, 8).

We all need to know how to conduct ourselves in the House of God, which is the Assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth. The pillar is for witness, the base is for stability. Saints have a twofold responsibility as forming the House of God, they must bear witness to it and support it. Order is necessarily maintained there. First, for the pleasure of God who dwells there, and also in testimony to those outside the House of God. God, who dwells in the House makes Himself known through those who form the House. We are always in the House of God — because the Assembly is the House of God — hence we are always responsible to represent God. This we do, not merely by preaching, but by our ways, by our appearance. Moral power is ever the attendant of obedience to the truth of God. Without a doubt the mystery of piety is great. This mystery is known to the initiates — the revelation of God in Christ, unintelligible to the natural man, is the enjoyed portion of those who believe. They have the key of knowledge. The deposit in the House of God is that galaxy of revelation which came out in our Lord Jesus Christ, He who was "manifested in flesh".

How glorious indeed is the fact of the incarnation, and as we follow that beautiful pathway of moral perfection as portrayed before us by the Holy Spirit in the Gospels, we are reminded that we are contemplating  "God manifested in flesh." Not a manifestation of God, but "God manifested . . ."

"Justified in the Spirit."

As to what meets the eye it would seem that the mystery of piety had utterly failed — indeed the natural eye could not perceive its perfection. Was He not put to death in the flesh? Had man seen any beauty that he should desire Him? Nay. Nevertheless the mystery of piety has been vindicated. The Spirit has justified God for manifesting Himself as He has done by putting His seal upon all that has accrued from this fact of the incarnation. Has He not formed that unique vessel the Assembly of the living God? The House of God has been formed so that every feature of the truth related to the fact that "God was manifest in flesh" might be treasured up and held forth in living testimony.

"Seen of angels"

Those holy beings for the first time beheld their God. They had erstwhile hid their faces in His august presence. Not even they could gaze upon God as in the form of God, but now they gazed upon Him in the bondman's form.

"Preached unto the Gentiles"

This unique manifestation was too great to be the property of any one nation. As thus manifested in flesh He would become available for all men, as it is written, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God."

"Believed on in the world"

The triumph of the grace of God is witnessed in this. In the very world where ungodliness is rampant the charm of the kindness of this downcoming of God has laid hold of souls. They have believed the testimony and are saved.

"Received up into glory"

The only fit terminus for such a life as that lived here by the Lord Jesus Christ, was the glory. The world crowned Him with a crown of thorns and transfixed Him on a cross "they crucified Him." The glory received Him!

In this remarkable declaration of the mystery of piety we have a sixfold description:

"God was manifest in flesh."

"Justified in the Spirit."

"Preached unto the Gentiles."

"Believed on in the world."

"Received up into glory."

Why not seven details thus giving us divine perfection? Perhaps the seventh feature is in verse 15, "the House of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." This vessel of testimony has been formed in this world in relation to Christ in glory and is the repository of the precious truth of the full revelation of God.

1 Tim. 4.

The precious substance of "the faith" having been delineated for us in the preceding chapter how solemn is the warning of the fourth chapter. It is encouraging to note that though the forces of hell are aligned against the testimony of God, the House of God is the sphere of the speaking of the Holy Spirit. He warns as to the evil of the "latter times" (note in 2 Timothy 3, "the last days," and in 1 John 2, "the last hour"). There was instruction given in the first days of Christianity which forewarned for "the last days." "To be forewarned is to be forearmed." The evil is subtle — seduction, deceiving spirits, the hoary character of the prince of demons is obvious here. He entered Eden as a deceiver, and now his minions are active in a teaching which emanates from the pit — speaking lies. So there is no change in the character of satanic opposition! Little wonder that he is designated in Revelation 12, "that old serpent . . which deceiveth the whole world . ." True to his old deceptive character he masquerades as though presenting something superior to God's appointing. "Hath God said?" he ever pretends to have something better than God. Here asceticism is urged upon the profession. Abstinence from marriage — as if it were unholy; and from meats — as though Christianity was a carnal religion! The preservative for believers in the use of God's mercies is ever the application and honouring of the Word of God in sanctifying power and dependent prayer. To put the brethren in mind of these things the servant would be "a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine. ."

1 Tim. 5 to 1 Tim. 6: 2.

This chapter gives general exhortation; elder and younger brothers; elder women and younger; widows who are widows indeed and younger widows. Then, too, we have a word to servants. Believers are to be regulated in every sphere of life by the truth of godliness — that practical character of acting at all times with respect for the honour of God.

1 Tim. 6.

Teaches the value of godliness with contentment. Warns too, of the snare of the will to be rich (verse 9). The uncertainty of riches (verse 17). The certainty of the giving of God, proved by those who trust Him absolutely. The man of God must Flee — Follow — Fight — Lay Hold On what is really life, and take up the divine charge with his eye on Christ who witnessed the good confession.

The servant must go on serving — there is no respite, no relaxation. There is no armistice in the conflict of good and evil "until the appearing (the bright outshining) of our Lord Jesus Christ." God will show Him forth in glorious answer to His good confession here. The knowledge of this affords encouragement for the Lord's servant now. In the presence of the mounting forces of evil opposition how blessed to know that the triumph of God is sure. How encouraging to know that faith will be vindicated in the world-to-come, and that every bit of service will be rightly assessed and recompensed.

The rich are not to trust in their riches — uncertainty marks the material — it is after all only temporal. Let them act as stewards for God. Let them do good with that with which God has entrusted them and let them "Lay hold of what is really life."

Let us all go on. Let us guard tenaciously that which has been committed to our trust. We shall be supported by present grace in the assurance of future glory.

Two Circles

Two Circles

Luke 23: 23 — "And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him."

John 12: 1, 2 — "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom He raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper."

N. Anderson.

We have read of two very contrastive circles, and though they were extremely different, being poles apart in disposition, yet they had one common interest — their focal point was Jesus.

However, and wherever, we view Him He fills the central place. In the passage in Luke the circle was one of hatred. In the passage in John the circle was one of love.

In each case Jesus was the Object; in Luke, "they crucified Him"; in John, "then made Him a supper." In the one He was despised and rejected; in the other He was loved and adored. The first circle is that of this world; of such is the Scripture written, "They hated Me without a cause" (John 15: 25 and Psalm 69: 4). They had seen and heard Him, and surely "the charm of a man is his kindness" (Proverbs 19: 22 N. Tr.) and He, "went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil." Had He not cried, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"? (Matthew 11: 28). Also, "him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6: 37). Yet they crucified Him. What a company! What a place! How dreadful the sin they then committed! Thank God, we know that at that place, in spite of the wicked hands which crucified and slew Him, God's "determinate counsel and foreknowledge" were fulfilled. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee" (Psalm 76: 10). God's will was established at the Cross. Redemption was accomplished there. And at that same place a righteous way of approach into the presence of God was opened for men.

None can fully assess all that Christ suffered at the hands of men for righteousness' sake when they crucified Him, and certainly none shall ever know fully what He suffered for sin at the hands of God when He, who knew no sin, was made sin for us. Praise God, for He has fully assessed it all. The sufferings of our blessed Lord at the place called Calvary shall be fully answered in the glorious day of display when He shall have His rightful place as universal Lord; but we can truly say now that the glory to which he has been exalted has measured the depths of suffering which He endured. As the hymnologist has written: —

Every mark of dark dishonour

Heaped upon the thorn-crowned brow,

All the depths of Thy heart's sorrow

Told in answering glory now.

Having looked at the awful circle of which it is written, "when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they crucified Him", how refreshing it is for our spirits to turn to this other circle at Bethany to which Jesus came, six days before the passover, which was to have its fulfilment in Him, for truly He was to be its antitype and we now read, "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5: 7).

What a scene at Bethany, the evidence of His love was there and also that of His death-conquering power, for Lazarus was there, witness to the resurrecting glory of the Son of God. This indeed was a circle of love, for we read in an earlier chapter, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." His was a well known love, for had not the sisters sent to Him saying, "He whom thou lovest is sick"? Jesus then came to Bethany and "there they made Him a supper."

Love ever delights to expend itself on its object, and so they feasted Him, giving Him the chief place. Martha served; Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Mary brought forth her store of very costly ointment and lavished it on His holy feet. Thus she took her place in adoring worship, gladdening His heart under the impending shadow of the Cross, and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Hated by that circle which shortly was to crucify Him, here in the home at Bethany, within six days of His crucifixion, He is loved, adored, and honoured.

Whether the circle be of love or hate, He holds the central place and the day is surely coming when all who have hated and rejected Him shall see Him, the once uplifted Son of Man, as the Centre of a universe of bliss and glory. Then, compelled by might, they shall bow the knee to Jesus, and their lips shall confess Him Lord of all.

May your heart and mine, dear reader, wherever we may be, as coming under the attraction of His glory and the drawing power of His undying love, join in spirit with all who love Him in sincerity, and gathering to His name in the recognition of the fact that He is the Assembly's only Centre of gathering, let us make Him a supper. Let us partake of the Lord's Supper with loving and worshipping hearts. May we remember Him as we gather to His Name, in the hope of being for ever with Him, "for as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, do ye shew the Lord's death until He come."

Take Thou our hearts, and let them be

For ever closed to all but Thee;

Thy willing servants, let us wear

The seal of love for ever there.

2 Corinthians 4 - with a reference to chapter 3

2 Corinthians 4 — with a reference to chapter 3.

N. Anderson.

"This ministry" (verse 1) is that of the New Covenant, the salient features of which are given in 2 Cor. 3, whilst its practical effects are presented in 2 Cor. 4. These outstanding features are "the ministration of righteousness" and, "of the Spirit" with, "the glory that excelleth."

They are contrasted with the ministry of condemnation and death with a glory which was transient — being that of the Old Covenant which was done away. The glory of the Old Covenant in the face of Moses its mediator, was unbearable because of the state of its subjects which was exposed by it. But that in the face of our Lord is bearable because of righteousness revealed and supplied. Thus, we look upon the glory of the Lord with unveiled face. Impressions of this glory, divine in their source, are made upon the fleshy tables of the heart so that, when we come to the teaching of chapter 4, expression of it morally can now be made while we are here in the body. Here we have not so much the ministry but rather the manifestation of the truth and that, to every conscience of man, in the sight of God. This is a word of searching to each of us and, where accepted by us, would keep us right in a day of man-pleasing.

As there is no veil on the face of the Lord — unlike the Old Covenant mediator — so there is no veiling of the gospel on the part of His servants. What, then, does the gospel convey? Glad tidings, which consist in the truth of Christ Who is the image of God. The revelation of God's nature is in Him. True, assuredly, when here in the days of His flesh, and just as true now that He has been glorified above. Do we not read in Colossians 1: 19, "in Him was pleased to dwell all the fulness"? Again in Colossians 2: 9, for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

The preachers then are hidden — but not the preaching — for Christ Jesus is set forth Lord, and they themselves servants for Jesus' sake. What has been responsible for servants with so great a message to be content with obscurity? The shining into their hearts, by God, "the God Who commanded that out of darkness light should shine," of the light of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

What a treasure! The vessels which contain it — how frail! "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us." Hence all the trial to which the vessel is subjected does but render it the more transparent for the outshining of the treasure. Herein is the triumph of God, that men here in flesh and blood, exposed to all these pressures, seemingly so adverse, account the treasure of such infinite worth that, morally, they accept the pressures in order that the outshining may be the more distinctly seen.

The dying of Jesus being borne in the body means the practical appropriation of the truth of the cross. His death is ours — how real the identification! This extends to the physical in its practical application; "we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4: 11). This eventuated for Paul (and for how many others!) in actual martyrdom, gladly accepted because the body is held for Him, just as in Romans 8: 10 it is held as dead in view of sin.

This identification with the death of Christ is practised in the certain knowledge that resurrection "with Jesus" is as sure as was His own resurrection. The power which raised Him from among the dead enables us now to be practical exponents of the grace and truth of God, and will raise us up with Him and will present us with all saints. This day of presentation is fast bearing into view, may we then express in our lives the witness of the glory which we now behold in the face of Jesus, that glory which we then shall enter with Him.

"While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are for a time, but those that are not seen, eternal" (2 Cor. 4: 18).

2 Thessalonians 1 and 2

2 Thessalonians 1 and 2

N. Anderson.

Chapters 1 and 2 of this short yet extremely stimulating epistle afford great encouragement to tried and troubled saints. Particularly while passing through persecutions and tribulations. These saints were being especially tried for the enemy of their souls was assailing them with false teaching that the day of the Lord was upon them.

This infant company of believers which, according to the first epistle 1 Thess. 1: 9, 10, had been delivered from idolatry in turning to God under the power of the grace of God preached in the gospel, had become targets for the opposition of evil men under the dominant influence of the prince and god of this world.

The bent of their evil teaching had earlier failed in its attempt to pervert them from the faith, it having been ably countered by the apostolic teaching bringing before them the revelation as to the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their opponents then changed their mode of attack. The minions of Satan are like chameleons, being "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11: 13-15).

And so these dear saints in Thessalonica were now being upset by false teaching that they were now in the day of the Lord. If in the first epistle they had been perversely taught that their brethren who had fallen asleep had missed the kingdom they were now being falsely taught that they had missed the rapture and of this the persecutions they were experiencing were the evidence.

Two reasons were advanced by the apostle as to the falsity of this teaching. One, the fact that the saints were still here: Two, the man of sin had not yet been revealed. The rapture followed by the apostasy must precede the presence of the day of the Lord — that period of unparalleled judgments and tribulation.

So the administered stimulus for the assembly in a day of trial and severe persecution with its assault on hearts and minds by false doctrine is the anticipation of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is encouraged by the apostolic ministry to look forward to that day with the certain knowledge that His coming for His own must first take place (2 Thess. 2: 1). In that day there shall most certainly be righteous recompense for those who have troubled the saints. Then, too, shall be redressed the trouble inflicted upon those who have suffered for their Lord during His absence and rejection. Then shall the erstwhile persecuted saints find: "each hope of glory gained, fulfilled each faithful word, and fully all to have attained the image of their Lord." And then shall suffering saints, now witnessing in the measure of their love and fidelity to Him in the day of contrariety, shine forth in the radiance of His glory. For then shall He be displayed in glory to every creature in the universe by those who, cost what it may, have been His faithful witnesses in the world which crucified Him. "When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day" (2 Thess. 1: 10). This is the hope of the gospel and this is its consummation.

But prior to the realisation of this blessed hope there shall be, here in the place where their witness has been so faithfully borne, the consummation of evil. The apostasy — the giving up of the faith and truth of Christ — shall come. Between the rapture of the saints and the appearing of the Lord in power and great glory bringing His saints with Him, there shall be on earth the presentation and acceptance of the devil's masterpiece, the revelation of the man of sin, the son of perdition. This shall be the crowning blasphemy of the mystery of lawlessness, initiated in Genesis 3: 5 when our first head, Adam, succumbed to the proffered bait in Eden, "ye shall be as gods." "This is that spirit of anti-christ, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world" (1 John 4: 3). Indeed, the whole sphere of professing christendom is leavened with it.

Everyone who honours the name of the Father and the Son can expect to be despised and to suffer reproach. Such, most blessedly, shall receive the comfort and sympathy of their blessed Lord, expressed in those feeling words, "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life" (Rev. 2: 10).

The Day of the Lord cannot come while the Assembly is still upon earth. Before it does come the Lord Himself shall have come for His own and they all shall have been "gathered together unto Him" (2 Thess. 2: 1). Then, and only then, can the apostasy — the general and public renunciation of the faith of the Son of God — take place. There shall no longer be any element of faith in apostate christendom, for all that is held forth in the claims of the man of sin shall only be presented to the senses of men. Note 2 Thess, 2: 9: "whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders."

These latter, "powers, signs, and wonders," had already been used on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 22) with regard to the witness of the Holy Spirit as to the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ — "a Man approved of God among you."

Here, as connected with the man of sin, we further read, "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

So long as the Assembly is here the restraining presence of the Spirit will be exercised. There is "What withholdeth" may refer to divinely instituted authority in government among men. For this see Daniel 2: 37; Romans 13: 1-4 and John 19: 8-11. 2 Thess 2: 7, refers undoubtedly to the Holy Spirit Who dwells in the Assembly as the temple of God (see 1 Cor. 3: 16 and 2 Cor. 6: 16). When "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and . . . our gathering together unto Him" occurs, the restraint which the Spirit exercises as being in the Assembly shall be withdrawn also. The march of lawlessness shall then receive great momentum. That which presently is working in "mystery" — not generally apparent, being known only to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear — shall develop rapidly. When once it reaches its peak as it shall do when the man of sin — so different from the Lord Jesus, the Man of God's pleasure — claims for himself what is due to God (Rev. 13: 11-17; 2 Thess. 2: 4). then shall the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven and shall consume the man of sin "with the breath of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming."

All who, in the meantime, received not the love of the truth, shall be damned along with the devil and his deputies, the Roman beast and the man of sin — the anti-christ.

May we ever thank God that He has "from the beginning chose you (us) to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; Whereunto He called you (us) by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Let us all join therefore with the apostle Paul in giving thanks to our God for having enlightened us as to the trend of evil and of its deserved end under righteous judgment. May we also, in the purifying power of our blessed hope with its encouragement, "stand fast" and "hold fast" the traditions or instructions, which we have been taught, whether by word or apostolic epistle. May we do so until we meet our precious Saviour and see Him face to face in our Father's house in heaven.

A Threefold Cord

A Threefold Cord

Ecclesiastes 4: 12

"A threefold cord is not quickly broken"

N. Anderson.

It is desired, in this paper, to trace some instances of the threefold cord in the Gospel of John.

Off necessity we commence with the revelation of the Triune God, for distinctive of this gospel is the revelation of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hence, our Lord is immediately presented as the Word. As such He is the expression of God and according to John 8: 25 when asked, "Who art thou?" He answered, "Altogether that which I also say to you."

In the light of verse 1 of chapter 1 we understand this apparently strange statement that what He said was the expression of who He is — for there we are told distinctly that the Word is God. So in this first evidence of a threefold cord we read, "In (the) beginning was the Word" — the eternity of His being. "The Word was with God" — His distinct Personality. "The Word was God" — His Deity.

In this chapter we have a wonderful revelation of triple character, for we read of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit — a tri-unity of Persons in the Godhead. Also the revelation of divine relationships — Father and Son — and the affections proper to those relationships, for we have the Father's bosom, and the Only-Begotten Son. Let us just refer, at this point, to John 17: 24. There the Son in prayer to the Father says, "Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world."

These divine relationships and affections are timeless, though manifested in time. The Persons in their relationships and the exercise of their affections were there before the world began. It is true then to say that this threefold cord is Eternal. Whatever the assaults of the devil through deluded men we rejoice that this cord is not quickly broken. That which existed before time shall outlast time.

We have a reference in John 1: 29 to the Sacrificial glory of our Lord as "The Lamb of God, which taketh way the sin of the world." Earlier, in v. 3 we have His Creatorial glory, for "all things were made by Him." Creatorial, Sacrificial, and Official glories are all here. Is He not the King of Israel and the Son of Man? We can rightly speak in this chapter of Personal, Moral and Official glories, in regard to the Son of God. Personal glory refers to who He is; Moral glory refers to the grace and beauty of His character and conduct — What He is; Official glory has to do with the various positions or offices which He fills — what He does. His moral glory is suggested to us in verse 36, John Baptist "looking on Jesus as He walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God."

In Exodus 12, the Passover chapter, the Lamb which was to be taken for an house, its blood shed and sprinkled, had to be a fit Lamb. Our Lord, viewed in the moral perfection of His walk here, was manifestly fit to undertake the supreme sacrificial work of the cross which not only would remove sin judicially, but would also glorify God in the removal of it. John, looking upon Him as He walked, was ecstatically moved to cry out, "Behold the Lamb of God." Lord, fill our hearts with the attractive grace of Thy moral worth!

In verse 38 He is the Teacher, while in verse 42 He acts as the Head of a new and divinely established system. Just as Adam exercised his headship over the lower creation in naming the cattle, the fowl of the air, and the beasts of the field (Genesis 2: 20), so our Lord gave a new name to Simon, "thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone."

He is the Lord of the Universe in verse 51, for as Son of Man universal authority and power are His; everything in heaven and in earth shall be subject to Him. In this connection He said, "henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man;" in the world to come He will be the link between the heavens and the earth. Note — the angels ascend first. The reason for this is that in the glory of His deity and the exaltation of His Manhood He is superior to them. Though positionally, in assuming Manhood, He came down below them (Hebrews 2: 9), He is ever above them. Though having stooped so low in His incarnation, lower still in the suffering of death, in virtue of His eternal Sonship He is, "so much better than the angels" (Hebrews 1: 4).

Then we read of three days in John 1: 29-35, 43; and John 2: 1. The first two verses refer to the first of the three days. This is characterised by the unique presentation of our Lord as the Lamb of God. On the basis of His death the new system of blessing and glory would be established, and in the glory of His Headship He administers all for the blessing of His own to the glory of God. The light of the full revelation of God is shed by Him upon those, who by divine love, are brought into that circle, "where love's treasures are displayed." The second day, verse 43, is suggestive of the call of the remnant of Israel — the prelude to the regathering of the people to Christ as their acknowledged centre. "To Him will be the obedience of peoples" (Genesis 49: 10).

In the third day there shall be the bringing in of marital festivity and joy. The wonderful thing is that while Jesus was there by invitation — a guest — He took His place as Host, for He provided what had been deficient in other hands. Mary said, "Whatsoever He saith unto you do it." He must have the pre-eminence in all things. Thus, as Host, He changed the water into wine — indicative of the joy and festivity of the Kingdom of God. All is dependent upon Him in the truth of who He is, and on the exercise of His authority and glorious power. How great will be the world-wide joy when His word is bowed to in that coming day.

It will be of interest to consider now the end of this gospel — John 20 and John 21. On the first day of the week, risen from amongst the dead, Jesus appears in the midst of His own, prefiguring Him in the midst of the Assembly as the Dispenser of peace, and Communicator of life in the power of the Spirit, and the Commissioner of His disciples in their mission of forgiveness, as heralds of the gospel of the grace of God. Eight days later He appears again, with Thomas especially in view. Thomas is figurative of Israel who will repent and believe when they see the Christ in the day of His glorious manifestation. His word to Thomas was, "Because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed."

In Isaiah we are told that the Lord, having taken up His rights, "shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously" (Isaiah 24: 23). "He will destroy . . . the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations . . And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" (Isaiah 25: 7-9).

How significant that Thomas, when the Lord showed him His hands and His side, answered, "My Lord and my God" (John 20: 26-29).

The day is certainly coming when the nation of Israel will see, receive and believe in their once crucified Lord, then manifested as the glorified One. In chapter 21 our Lord appears for a third time, and with this is connected the haul of great fishes. Suggestively, the net of the gospel of the Kingdom, cast into the sea of nations, shall bring in a great yield.

The first appearing (John 20: 19-23) is indicative of this present day, during which the Lord is gathering His own to His Name in assembly character; the second is illustrative of the bringing in of Israel, a willing people in the day of His power; the third suggests the gathering to Him of the nations. How wonderful that day when Israel and the nations shall own His rightful and righteous sway; how wonderful is the day in which our lot is cast, for the Spirit of God through the teaching of the Word of God is gathering to Christ as the alone gathering centre for the Assembly; soon He will be the manifested centre of gathering for the universe of bliss and glory. Lord haste that day and give us grace to rise to the height of Thy calling in this day!

It has been noted that in John's gospel there is a threefold division — John 1-7; John 8-12; and John 13-17 — Light, Life and Love. We remark that the condition of natural life requires Water, Light and Bread. In John 4 we have the Living Water; In John 5 the voice of the Lord quickens and the subjects of His life giving are made to live in the Light of the revelation of the Father which He has given. Light shone in the witness of John the Baptist; also in the threefold witness of the works of the Son; the witness of the Father; and the witness of the Scriptures. These three were one in focusing their Light upon the glory of the Son of God. In John 6 we have the Living Bread. He is the "true Bread out of heaven;" He is the Bread of God; He is the Bread of Life. Thus there is divine sustenance for spiritual life — water, light and bread.

A matter of greatest interest in the gospel is that of "the lifting up of the Son of Man." Three times is this holy theme presented to us — John 3: 14; John 8: 28; John 12: 32. John 3 obviously connects with the teaching of the first day in John 1, and the first appearing of our Lord in John 20. The new, heavenly family, gathering to him in the light of the revelation of the Father and the manifestation of eternal life, owes this richest blessing to the Son of Man who was lifted up that, instead of perishing, they might have eternal life. The reference in John 8 connects more with His testimony to Israel. "When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then ye shall know that I am (He)." Obviously, their learning that He is the "I AM" of the Old Testament is dependent upon His lifting up. The day is coming when Israel shall confess, as we have already intimated, the glory of their Lord. Note the language, "When ye have lifted up the Son of Man."

In John 3 His lifting up is a divine necessity in order that the floodgates of the love of God might be opened righteously. Here in John 8 there is an emphasis on their guilt in crucifying Him. In John 12: 32 — "and I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw all to Me." What an answer to the shame and ignominy of the cross! He who was the spectacle of all, shall be the acknowledged rallying Centre of all in the glory of His Kingdom. So then, the Assembly, Israel and the nations, all shall attribute their blessing to His having been lifted up at Calvary.

While we long for the day of His glory, we recall that thrice over men divided because of Him. John 7: 43 — "so there was a division among the people because of Him;" John 9: 16, on the occasion of His opening the eyes of one born blind, "there was a division among them;" John 10: 19, having presented Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep and having spoken of His intimacy with the Father, "There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings." They divided on account of His Person; His work; and His Word. These three blessed considerations are the touchstone for all today.

"What think ye of Christ is the test,

To try both your state and your scheme.

You cannot be right in the rest,

Unless you think rightly of Him"

His glory as the resurrection, life giving Son of God is attested in John 11: 4, 25, 26; He rides into Jerusalem as the King of Israel — great David's greater Son (John 12: 15); then in answer to the plea of the Greeks, "Sir, we would see Jesus," He said, "The hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified."

He speaks of three doors in John 10: 1-9 — the door into the fold; the door of the sheep (out of the fold); and then the door into salvation, liberty and pasture. He is the Shepherd of the sheep (v. 2); He is the Good Shepherd (v. 11); and He is the One Shepherd (v. 16). In John 10 He is the giver of eternal life; in John 11 He is the Raiser of the Dead; yet in John 12 He is the Corn of Wheat that falls into the ground and dies. This, praise His Name, that He might secure a company to share with Him the blessedness of His knowledge of the Father — a company which would, in responsive affection for Him, treasure these all-varied features of His glory which thrill our souls as we feast in the green pastures of this gospel. In John 13 He is the Feetwasher, enabling His own, without any defiling hindrance to have part with Himself in the place He now occupies with the Father. In John 14 He is the Preparer of a place for His own with Himself, and He is also the Coming One whose loving desire is to have them with and like Himself, where He is.

"All like Thee, for Thy glory like Thee Lord,

Object supreme of all, by all adored"

He is the Giver of the other Comforter, the Holy Spirit, as the living link with Himself in the Father's presence and as the power for witness in the world from which He has gone. In this connection He says of the Spirit (John 14: 26), "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

This covers the gospels. John 15: 26, "He shall testify of Me."

This covers also the epistles. John 16: 13, "He will show you things to come."

This covers the Book of Revelation. There are three distinct features of the Spirit's ministry; John 16: 8, "He will reprove the world of SIN and of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and of JUDGMENT."

The three reasons are — "They believe not on me;" "I go to My Father," and "the prince of this world is judged." Space forbids further details but there is sufficient in these suggestions of the threefold cord to meditate upon with resultant great spoil.

Turning to our Lord's wonderful prayer in John 17 we read of a glory which He had with the Father before the world was, v. 5; a glory given to Him which He shares with His own, v. 22; and a glory which, though it cannot be shared, shall be witnessed by His own, v. 24. Then there are three unities in this prayer of our Lord; Unity in witness, v. 11; Unity in communion, v. 21; Unity in glory, v. 22.

As we have travelled through this soul-entrancing gospel of John we have observed many instances of the threefold cord. now in John 19: 18 we reach that scene beyond all scenes, a sight that, reverentially, we hesitate to speak of. But even here man unwittingly gives Him the pre-eminence that He MUST have — "they crucified Him, and two others with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." Soon we shall see Him in the midst of the throne, "a Lamb newly slain" then to be the Object of universal acclamation.

Reaching the close of the gospel we notice in John 21 the threefold searching of the once bold Peter. He who had protested that if all failed their Lord yet he would not; he who denied His Lord with oaths and curses, now stood in the presence of that blessed Person. Three times He asked, "Simon . . lovest thou Me?" Twice the Lord used the general word for love; twice Peter replied, "Yea Lord; thou knowest that I love Thee," using the word for attachment or "I dearly love thee." The third time Jesus said, "Lovest thou me?" using Peter's word. Peter is grieved at this and said, "Lord; thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I am attached to Thee."

It was as though he said, "it takes Omniscience to discern it but Thou knowest that I dearly love Thee." Blessed searching; blessed Searcher of hearts! He, who in John 2 was said not to commit Himself to certain because he knew all men, now commits His chief interest, the sheep of His pasture, to the care of a restored Peter.

The Lord grant that everyone of us may be responsive to the love of the Shepherd which led Him to give His life for His sheep. In adoring and appreciative worship may we dedicate ourselves in His Name to the worship-service of the Father, in the power of the Spirit, thankful that, "a threefold cord is not quickly broken," and that the divine bond can never be broken.

Thoughts on the Eight Signs of John's Gospel

Thoughts on the Eight Signs of John's Gospel

N. Anderson.

No. 1. John 2: 1-10.

All signs are miracles, that is to say, supernatural exercises of divine power. Yet all miracles are not signs, for signs convey some distinct teaching in addition to their display of power.

The first sign is given in the second chapter. Our Lord was there at the wedding feast at Cana as an invited guest. In the changing of the water into wine He manifested His glory. His act of power signified that He must superseded every human host. In this act He demonstrated that He was the true Host for Israel. He will bring in the joy of the kingdom in the coming day of marital festivity, but only after the waterpots have been filled with water of purification. The purifying fountain (see Zechariah 12 and 13) shall follow the great tribulation. Then Jehovah shall be called Husband by His people and shall no more be called Master. Then shall the joy of the vineyards be their portion when the door of hope is opened to Israel, culminating in the betrothal with all its attendant blessedness (Hosea 2: 14-23). Thus shall the Lord be Host and Husband to Israel in the coming day of His manifested glory. All this and much more is suggested in the consideration of this first sign. May we who belong, not to Israel but, to the heavenly family of God, learn from the sign that the gracious, lowly Stranger, who came unto His own and was not received by them — He who was unknown in the world His own hands had made — is none other than the Lord of glory.

"The Invited Man, at Cana's feast

A humble Guest did dine;

Yet God — the Host — the water blest,

And changed it into wine."

No. 2. John 4: 46-54.

In Galilee our Lord exercised His healing power amongst the poor of the flock (see Isaiah 9: 1, 2 and Matthew 4: 14-16). The condition of the nobleman's son, physically, was illustrative of the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel. He was at the point of death. Healing mercy was there for him in Jesus, and for the healing of the nation if they would have Him. On this occasion the Lord signified to such of whom it could be said, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe," that Jehovah, Himself, had come down for their blessing. He was none other than Jehovah Rophi — "I and the LORD that healeth thee," (see for instance Exodus 15: 26). The healing mercy which shall be experienced by His people in the day of His coming glory was in Him as He trod His gracious pathway. We elsewhere read, "the power of the Lord was present to heal them" — yet all were not healed! Unbelief was general. Still, that mercy was experienced by the nobleman's son, and blessed to relate, the nobleman, affected by the testimony of the Lord, believed His word (verses 50-53).

No. 3. John 5: 1-9.

Here we learn that all that was signified by Bethesda — the House of Mercy — was present in the Person of our Lord. It is significant that the man's infirmity was of thirty-eight years' duration. Israel, after thirty-eight years of wilderness wandering, came very near to their inheritance. This period seemed to coincide with the incident of the brazen serpent (compare Numbers 21: 4-16, with Deuteronomy 2: 14). As in the flesh, and on the ground of law keeping, Israel will never get into the divinely promised inheritance. Here in John 5, the man at the pool was absolutely helpless. He had "no man" — but the mercy of God drew near to him in the Person of the Man called Jesus. In this act of healing mercy He shewed Himself to be the Lord of the New Covenant, as we elsewhere read, "I will have mercy" (see Hosea 6: 6 and Matthew 9: 13). It would seem that this man in John 5, subject of the mercy and power of the Lord, was not so responsive as the nobleman in chapter 4. The Jews, as ever, complained against the Lord for acting on the Sabbath day (John 5: 10-16). Jesus found the man and said to him, "sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. He gladly availed himself of the mercy and power of our Lord in healing, thus meeting his need, but seemed to resent the word of the Lord which spoke to his conscience. Be that as it may, in this incident the work of the Lord and the word of the Lord throw into relief His mercy, power, and holiness. All forms the basis of what follows in this chapter which outstandingly presents the greatness of the Son of God.

No. 4. John 6: 5-14.

Our Lord in feeding the multitude declared plainly that He is the Jehovah of Psalm 132: 15. Of Him it is written, "I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread." This quotation is from the Psalm which looks on to the day when Jehovah shall come into His rest. How great shall be the blessing ensuing for Israel when the Lord receives His rightful place. Then shall brethren dwell together in unity (Psalm 133). The Lord's earthly people shall come under the effective administration of the anointed Priest. According to Zechariah's prophecy (Zech. 6: 13) "He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne."

Coming under the joy and power of the blessing of the enthroned Priest, Israel shall enjoy life for the millennial age. Then, too, there shall be a spontaneous uprising of blessing Godward with its resultant blessing manward (Psalm 134). Read these last three Psalms of degrees and let us say to ourselves that the One who shall bring all this about is that adorable and glorious Person who fed the poor with bread in the day of John 6.

No. 5. John 6: 15-21.

Also in this chapter we have the fifth sign — Jesus walked upon the sea. Just as He came to His disciples in that day in the midst of the storm so will He come to His elect in the coming darkness and strong wind of the great tribulation day. He will bring the storm to an end by His glorious appearing and bring His won to their desired haven. He is the Master of the seas — the winds and the waves are under His control. He it is who said in Job 38: 11, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed."

He will bring to an end the coming storm of tribulation which the Jews shall receive under the fury of the Roman and Jewish beasts. He will shorten the days of unparalleled suffering by His appearing in power and great glory and bring in days of peace and blessing. Such is suggested in the fifth sign of the gospel of John.

"The Dependent Man, the mount ascends,

And Suppliant there is He;

The Mighty God — He then descends,

And walks the heaving sea."

Let us ever remember that, though we may learn much of dispensational significance through these signs, over all there shines the glory of our Lord.

No. 6. John 9: 1-7.

The great theme of the earlier chapters has been the testimony to men. Here the prominent thought is the work of God in a man. Thus we have had the Word of God to man, now it is a matter of the Work of God in man. If Israel, or Gentiles, are to be delivered from the darkness of their ignorance of God a divine work is essential. This is the significance of this sign. The downstooping of the Son of God into this world in the lowliness and grace of His incarnation — symbolised in His making clay with His spittle — only intensified the blindness of the Jews. If they looked for the Christ it was certainly not a humbled Christ; they looked for a mighty delivering warrior. Now that He had come, as the prophets had foretold, the only hope of blessing for Israel lay in their being obedient to the Sent One. Blessed be God, the day shall surely dawn when their hearts shall turn to the Lord. They shall then repent of their unbelief with its arrogant pretension to knowledge. They shall then no longer boast that they see. They will own their sin and ignorance and He will open their blind eyes. The veil shall be taken from their hearts and they shall gladly confess, in the words of Isaiah 25: 9, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is our LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Then, as in Isaiah 33: 17, "Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty."

What a change from their state when they said, "There is no beauty that we should desire Him." That belonged to the day of their national blindness as depicted in Isaiah 53. "The eyes of the blind shall be opened" (Isaiah 35: 5). Then shall the period of their judicial blindness be ended (See also Romans 11: 25-27).

In unbelief they had rejected the Lord when He presented Himself in inimitable grace and so, according to the end of John 9, they were given over to blindness and shall be until His coming in power and great glory. See also Isaiah 6 and John 12: 37-41. As set forth in this sign He is the only One who can lighten their darkness and He shall yet open their eyes. He is the Light Giver.

No. 7. John 11: 1-44.

This is the sign of the resurrection glory of the Son of God. What He did for Lazarus He shall yet do for the nation which is sleeping among the Gentiles. According to Daniel 12: 2, when the great tribulation has run its appointed course there shall be a national awakening — "some to everlasting life."

In Ezekiel 37 we read of the valley which was full of bones, "Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel . . . and shall put My Spirit in you and ye shall live . . "

Please read the whole of this wonderful passage of Scripture. The power of the Lord shall be exerted in the resurrection of His people Israel, the major part of whom have long been lost among the nations and thus are nationally dead. The glory of the Lord shall be manifested in bringing this about. Such is the portent of this sign. So the Lord Jesus had said as to Lazarus, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby."

Again, in verse 40 of our chapter, "Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" Israel's great hope of national resurrection shall be realised for them by the power of the Son of God. He is declared such by resurrection of the dead.

"Arise and shine — thy light is come;

Israel, one day, shall hear the welcome word;

Shall then come forth from out their darkened tomb,

To stand before the glory of their Lord.

Times of the Gentiles then give way,

Beneath the righteous sceptre's sway

Of Him, who out of Zion comes,

Bringing deliverance to all Israel's sons.

Dry bones shall live — a nation in a day be born.

When 'neath the banner of Jehovah's love,

They dwell in safety and in 'lasting peace,

And He — amidst their swelling shouts of praise."

(See Isaiah 60).

No. 8. John 21: 1-14.

The eighth sign in chapter 21 may now occupy us briefly. The third time in which our Lord shewed Himself to His disciples, after He was risen from among the dead, afforded the occasion. The disciples — the true remnant of Israel — during the night of His absence had caught nothing in their fishing. Acting on the instructions of their risen Lord, casting their net into the sea at His behest, they netted such a haul that they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fishes — 153 great fishes. The net, for all there were so many, did not break, unlike the occasion at the beginning of their history with the Lord, as recorded in Luke 5.

This occurrence would suggest the service they shall yet perform in casting the net of the Gospel of the Kingdom into the sea of nations.

When the Assembly has gone to glory God shall resume His ways on earth. The messengers of the coming King, still fishers of men, shall, so to speak, reap the harvest of the seas. The result, for millennial blessing, shall be that the Gentiles shall come to Israel's light (Isaiah 60). Then Isaiah 66: 18, 19 shall be fulfilled, "I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come and see My glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them to the nations . . that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles."

Thus at the end, as at the beginning of these signs at which we have glanced, and as to which, without seeking to be dogmatic, we have made some simple dispensational suggestions, the paramount feature is the manifestation of the divine glory of our Lord.

May we all be joined in heart with those who witnessed the first sign in the second chapter of the Gospel of John, for of His own we read, "This beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him." (John 2: 11).

"What sign shewest thou?"

John 2: 18; John 6: 30.

Further to our previous consideration of the eight signs in the Gospel of John we would remind ourselves that in answering the query of the people, as recorded in John 6: 30, our Lord spoke of the bread from heaven and identified it with Himself as "He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world." First, there was His coming down out of heaven — His Incarnation. Later He said, "The bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (v. 51). This was plain teaching as to His death. So here are two distinctive significations of the bread out of heaven; His Incarnation and His death.

In chapter 2: 18, answering the Jews who had said, "What sign shewest Thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things?" Jesus said unto them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." In verse 21 we read, "But He spake of the temple of His body." This was a reference to the certainty of His resurrection. "When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the Word which Jesus had said" (verse 22). Here then is the sign of His resurrection. In John 11: 25, He said, "I am the resurrection and the life." The power for both was inherent in His glorious Person.

It was after He had risen and had twice appeared to His assembled disciples, with His special appeal to Thomas on the second occasion, that we read, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His Name" (John 20: 30, 31).

The Lord grant that we may all derive some spiritual gain from the consideration of the eight signs, with their dispensational bearing, and also from the three signs of His INCARNATION, DEATH and RESURRECTION. All unite in setting forth the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Lessons from Afflictions Ways

Lessons from Afflictions Ways

N. Anderson.

"Take as an example, brethren, of suffering and having patience, the prophets, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord. Behold, we call them blessed who have endured. Ye have heard of the endurance of Job, and seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is full of tender compassion and pitiful" (James 5: 10, 11).

The Lord may discipline His servant; if so, it must be for his good. One lesson is the teaching of self-judgment, the opposite of self-confidence. How many, alas! have broken down just here. If we learn to distrust self entirely we shall learn to rest in the sufficiency of God. How interested He is in us to take us in hand to educate us, and with what blessed results. How useful is that servant who has so learned as to say truly, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers . . "( 2 Corinthians 3: 5, 6).

Psalm 4: 1 (N. Tr.) ". . . In pressure thou has enlarge Me" (Psalm 4:1, N. Tr.). Pressure — the crushing down — the narrowing of the way, all make (in the compensating mercy of God, where He is acknowledged as the God of circumstances, and where the circumstances are accepted as His ordering) for a broadening of the spiritual vision; an enlarging of the heart toward others; and an increase in the knowledge of God. Such was truly evident in the experience of those who could say, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement; who encourages us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to encourage those who are in any tribulation whatever, through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged of God."

". . . We were excessively pressed beyond our power, . . . that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who has delivered . . does deliver . . will also yet deliver" (2 Corinthians 1: 3-11).

Hebrews 12: 6-13 "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

His hand of discipline is guided by His heart of love. That love found us in a condition obnoxious to Him. Praise His Name! He will not leave us as He found us. So He chastens us that we may judge ourselves and that condition in which we were, that we might be rid of that which attaches to us of a world contrary to God and where Christ resisted unto blood.

Neither will that love have us deficient as to the new position which is ours ". . . and scourges every son whom He receiveth."

He disciplines us that there may be formed in us the feelings and desires which belong to sonship. Consequently, we need not to faint under that chastisement, nor to despise it — it is intended neither to crush nor to harden us — but that, being exercised by it, we may reap the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

Not only shall we be formed for the world-to-come, but we shall be set as landmarks amongst the brethren — guideposts, so to speak, which shall mark out straight paths for the feet; paths which shall be safe for any who would follow.

Poetry

Poetry

Esther Anderson

(The beloved wife of Norman Anderson)

"Touched with the feeling of our infirmities"

Courage, dear one, He knows all thy sorrows;

Knows every burden that thou hast to bear.

Not only knows, but says He'll be with thee,

Yea, every trial and grief will He share.

Tell all to Jesus, He will sustain thee,

Comfort and grace will He give thee each day,

Lifting thy heart above all the pressure

So to say truly, "The Lord is my stay."

Soon 'twill be o'er, the trial and testing,

Soon every sorrow forever be past.

Soon in that home, blest house of the Father,

Where are the joys that forever shall last.

The Life More Abundant

By Thy grace, Lord, Thou hast brought us

To that circle all divine:

There to hear the sweet outbreathings

Of the Father's love and Thine.

By the Spirit's power we enter

That blest home of love and joy,

Where Eternal life is centred

In that scene without alloy.

'Twas Thy cross that ope'd the fountain

Of the Father's wondrous love.

Help us, Lord, while trav'ling homeward,

More of that deep love to prove.

Oh, how sweet, e'en now to know it,

Yea, while pilgrims here below:

But that blessed day is dawning

When that love we'll fully know.

Wondrous joy the thought affords us,

When at home in glory fair

In that circle, bright, eternal,

Love's sweet portion we shall share.

Longings

Longing am I to be with my Saviour.

Longing, forever, from earth to be free.

Longing to be in that scene, bright, eternal.

Longing to see the blest Man of the Tree.

Longing to be from earth and its sorrow.

Longing to be where sin cannot come.

Longing to see the King in His beauty.

Longing to be with the Victor at Home.

Lifted Up

John 3, 8, & 12.

Moses lifted up the serpent

In that day so long ago.

The Son of Man must be uplifted,

Life eternal to bestow.

At the Cross the mighty ocean

Of God's love flowed full and free,

For 'twas there that Christ was smitten,

There — on that accursed Tree.

Thus as Son of Man He suffered —

The I AM was lifted up

As the Sent One of the Father

By His own rejected thus.

Some there were His Words Believed,

His disciples these — indeed.

In His Word they would continue,

By the Truth — the Son, be freed.

At the Cross this world met judgment;

Thus, its prince cast out would be.

Christ has said of His uplifting,

"I shall draw all men to Me."

Soon that blessed day is coming —

Glorious answer to the Tree —

Saints, and Israel, yea, the Nations,

ALL men, Saviour, drawn to Thee.

Thou art worthy, glorious Saviour,

Of that answer, yet to be.

NOW our hearts that place accord Thee,

As we think of Calvary.

Retrospect —  Prospect

Looking back o'er life's experience

Of Thy loving, tender, care:

If some painful, we can bless Thee,

Thou wast there each one to share.

In each one Lord, Thou would'st have us

Ever, only, seek Thy face:

Then to know the sweet uplifting

Of Thy giving — grace on grace.

Soon that blessed day is coming

When, from every care set free,

We shall be with Thee, blest Saviour,

There to dwell eternally.

In the meantime, may we daily

Seek "Thy Will" e'en now to prove;

Knowing that which Thou allowest

Only can work for our good.

"All the way"

Deut. 8: 2.

Blest Lord, we trace Thy goodness

Toward us ev'ry day.

Compassions, new each morning,

Bestrew our pilgrim way.

No need but Thou dost meet it —

With joy our hearts confess.

The ravens — thou dost feed them,

Shall we, Thy saints, be less?

In times of old Thy people

Didst see Thine arm made bare,

Help us then too, blest Saviour

To cast on Thee our care.

Make Thy blest Word our comfort,

Thyself our constant stay,

Till with Thee, Lord, in glory,

We'll praise Thee for "the Way."

"Our years"

Looking back o'er life's long journey

Surely you can truly say,

"Hitherto the Lord has helped me,

He has been my joy and stay".

May you prove His love more fully

As another year you see —

Leaving all your future with Him

Who has said, "I'll ne'er leave thee."

You have reached another milestone,

Threescore years and ten have passed:

If by strength your years be longer,

He'll still bring you home at last.

Deliverance

Oh, how good to see, Lord Jesus,

In Thy death upon the tree,

All my sins, my guilt — their judgment,

Borne, blest, Saviour, there for me.

Give me then, to learn the lesson,

Not my sins alone, but "I"

In Thy cross condemned, am ended

From before God's holy eye.

Not "In Adam" now my standing,

In God's Word this truth I see,

Now "In Christ" — no condemnation,

Wondrous grace! all this for me.

Looking off from self to Jesus,

Out of death, alive, for me;

CHRIST, the mighty One — deliverer,

All my strength is now in Thee.

May the Holy Spirit teach me

More of risen life with Thee;

Thus, responsive to His teaching,

CHRIST ALONE, my life shall be.

The Mystery of God's Will

Ephesians 1.

Oh, what richest thoughts of blessing

God has purposed for His own:

Blest with ev'ry spiritual blessing,

Now, in Christ, to us made known.

Riches of God's grace, abounding

Through Christ's death upon the tree;

Love of God, so great, eternal,

There flowed out so full and free.

Mighty power that raised up Jesus,

Brought Him from among the dead,

Seated Him in highest glory,

Joined us thus to Him our Head.

Wondrous day of God's appointing!

Christ — supreme —  shall then be shewn

To a wondering creation;

Blessed thought not then alone.

Purpose, Person, and the Power,

Working all, for this alone,

Have produced the church, His Partner,

She shall share His glorious throne.

Who could raise such thoughts of blessing?

Thine they must be, God, alone.

Thine the thought, the plan, the purpose,

Our glad hearts in worship own.

"He is able"

"He is able," sound the message!

All who come to God by Him

He can save unto the utmost;

Take away their every sin.  Hebrews 7: 25.

"He can save, but can He keep me?"

Yes! The answer comes to you.

Paul could say that He is able,  2 Timothy 1: 12.

Trust Him NOW and prove Him true.

Christ — alone gives satisfaction,

Every other stream runs dry.

Living water He doth give thee,  John 4: 13-14.

Springing up to God on high.

With the message comes the warning,

"He is able to destroy."

Sinner, Turn, at once, to Jesus:  James 4: 12.

Flee the judgment — know His joy.

Oh! how blest the Christian's portion,

SAVED and KEPT and SATISFIED,

By that One who ever liveth,

Christ — the Father's glorified.

"All things new"

No more nights of restless tossing,

No more nights of racking pain,

In that scene of peaceful resting,

Where such things no entrance gain.

No more pain! how good to know it;

No more sorrow, tears, or death;

All the former things departed,

When we reach that scene at length.

"All things new," this is the message

From that One upon the Throne.

"Write: these words are true and faithful."

Came the answer, "It is done."

"Lama sabachthani"

Hark the cry from out the darkness,

"Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

On that cross the righteous basis

Laid that sinners might go free.

Men could shoot the lip and scorn Thee!

Many bulls surround Thee there.

They could barter for Thy raiment,

Sinful men all this could dare.

What it meant to Thee, blest Saviour,

Sinners saved, shall never know,

When on Calvary's cross as victim,

Thou God's wrath didst undergo.

There Thou didst exhaust the judgment,

"It is finished" loud Thy cry.

From the unicorns God heard Thee,

Nevermore, Lord, wilt Thou die.

Thou are not alone now, Saviour;

Thou, the corn of wheat, hast died.

Many brethren now surround Thee,

Now Thou art the glorified!

To Thy brethren Thou declarest,

Even now, the Father's Name

In the midst Thou lead'st the singing

Praise and worship, Him acclaim.

Jacob's seed, Lord, too shall own Thee;

All the world must own Thy Name,

All earth's kindreds give Thee worship;

All shall then extol Thy fame.

Perfect Love

Holy Father, we now bless Thee

For the love which Thou hast shown;

Sending Him, Thy Son, the Saviour,

Thus to men Thy love's made known.

Wondrous grace! our hearts confess it,

"Jesus Christ is come in flesh;"

He has made propitiation —

Now, the sinner can be blest.

By the Spirit we confess Thee,

Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

And in love we're ever dwelling

Where all things are given of God.

Perfect love! it gives us boldness,

Even for the judgment day;

We, as He, are free from judgment

In this present world we say.

Endless love! which now encircles:

Perfect love! which casts out fear:

Spring from Him who first has loved us —

In response, we hold Him dear.

May that love flow out unhindered

Unto all who are His own:

Through the Holy Spirit's power

Will this love of God be shown.

Keep our hearts, O blessed Saviour,

In that circle all divine:

There, no thought of man doth enter,

Only love, divine, shall shine.

Amazing Grace

Lord, we wonder at Thy coming,

Marvel at Thy stoop of grace.

Not a need, but Thou did'st meet it,

When on earth Thy path we trace.

In that path of lowly service

Thy delight — to do God's will.

Satan — men — could ne'er deter Thee

From the path to Calvary's hill.

Puny man would judge his Maker,

Thou, in love didst bear it all:

Ever was the Cross before Thee —

There, on Thee, God's wrath didst fall.

Lord, Thy death has ope'd the flood gates

Of God's vast, eternal love.

Now it flows to "whosoever,"

From Thyself, now crowned above.

Help us ever to remember

What the cost all meant for Thee

And with hearts to Thee devoted

Christ, alone, "our life" may be.

"Won"

Armed with Letters to Damascus

Saul raged on his cruel way,

Hailing those to death and prison

Who confessed the "Jesus way."   Gen. 49: 27.

Suddenly a light from heaven

Shone above the noonday sun:

By the voice which came from glory   Acts 9: 2.

Saul, the ravening wolf, was won.

Stricken down was he with blindness,

For three days he saw no man;

But with heart engrossed with heaven,

All Christ's glory he did scan.

As delivered from the darkness

His great passion hence would be,

To tell others Who had saved him —    Gal. 2: 20.

"Son of God, who loved me."

Feared no longer as destroyer,

He was hailed as "brother Saul."

He did preach, exhort, encourage,  Isaiah 11: 6.

Bidding all to heed Christ's call.

How he witnessed before rulers,

Kings, all men, both great and small,

Telling oft' the wondrous story

Of his Saviour's loving call.   Acts 26: 28.

All things now were loss for Jesus,

For the knowledge of His Lord;

Such a sight he'd had of glory,

In that Man whom he adored.   Philippians 3: 48.

Gospel Blessings

Romans 5: 1-11.

Through Thy death, our loving Saviour,

Thou hast cleared us from all guilt:

Now by faith we are justified,

'Twas for this Thy blood was spilt.

Peace with God, is ours Lord Jesus,

And by faith we've access too.

Into grace unclouded favour,

Blessed standing, ever true.

Tribulation worketh patience,

And our hope no shame imparts;

For the Holy Ghost's indwelling

Sheds God's love within our hearts.

Thus the certain hope of glory

Makes these hearts of ours rejoice:

Great the favour of our standing

Since we've heard Thy welcome voice.

Blessed truth! Our God commendeth

His great love to sinners thus —

While we as yet were enemies —

Amazing grace! Christ died for us.

Reconciled through Thee, Lord Jesus,

Now through grace we joy in God:

Blessed fruit, Lord, of Thy sorrow

And the virtue of Thy blood.

A Word for Today

Lawlessness and sin and sorrow,

Rampage in the world today:

Proof of all man's disobedience

'Slaved in Satan's grip and sway.

To this world there came the Saviour,

Ever blest, Obedient One —

His delight to please the Father —

Holy, spotless, sinless Son.

Through Thy death Thou hast begotten

Those like Thee — obedient ones:

May Thy life, Lord, be our pattern,

Though Thou now to heaven hast gone.

In our hearts promote desire

To Thy Word to conformed be —

Cheerful, and with glad devotion,

Seeking only to please Thee.

May it be with deep Conviction

That we keep Thy Word most dear;

Holding fast the Fundamentals

In that Word enshrined so clear.

Not with any legal bondage

Would we hold these truths so dear,

But because we love Thee, Saviour,

And Thy precious Word revere.

And dear Lord, in all our service,

May our motive be — to Thee.

Grant that e'en Communicating

May be done ungrudgingly.

Thus, with Holy Ghost CONVICTION,

Would we CHEERFULLY CONFORM —

As we wait for Christ, our Saviour,

And His Holy Word perform.

Hebrews 12

Seeing such a cloud of worthies,

Casting every weight aside

With the sin which doth beset us,

Let us in Faith's race abide.

Looking off, alone to Jesus,

Author, Finisher, of faith;

May we follow His example,

While His wondrous path we trace.

For the joy Thou had'st before Thee,

Thou, the Cross endured — alone;

All its shame by Thee despised,

Thou art crowned upon the Throne.

May we not despise Thy chastening,

Ordered by Thy heart of love;

Fainting not, Lord, underneath it —

Exercised — its value prove.

Soon we'll be with Thee, Lord Jesus,

Soon the race of Faith be run;

May the lessons Thou hast taught us

Earn for us, Thy words, "Well done."

"The Father sent the Son"

1 John 4: 14.

Wondrous love! The Father sent Him

To this world of sin and woe:

By His own He was rejected

When He came God's love to show.

See that blessed, lowly Stranger

Here on earth  to God's will

Though it meant for Him — forsaking —

There alone on Calvary's hill.

Lord, it fills our hearts with worship

As Thy pathway we retrace,

Telling out to needy sinners

All God's wondrous love and grace.

Now Thy path of suff'ring's over,

Now Thou art the glorified:

Now Thy God hath Thee exalted,

He is highly satisfied.

Soon the blessed day is coming

Then all men shall Thee confess;

Every heart shall give Thee worship,

Willing lips their praise express.

Remembrance

'Tis our delight and our joy just to gather

Saviour, alone unto Thy precious Name;

Just to recall Thy blest path of obedience:

Thy wondrous cross with its sorrow and shame.

Thou didst come down Lord, in love to Thy Father,

His blessed will was Thy constant delight;

Fraught with His love, and with deepest compassion,

E'en for Thy creatures in sin's darkest night.

Filled with such thoughts our glad hearts adore Thee,

Praise too, and worship in God's holy ear,

For Thy great love and the price paid to save us,

Purchase our pardon and bring us so near.

Lord, till Thy coming, Thy death we'd remember;

Hasten that day when Thy face we shall see,

When all Thy loved ones surround Thee in glory —

All the blest fruit of Thy death on the tree.

"The Lord himself"

1 Thessalonians 4: 16.

The Lord Himself is coming:

We'll meet Thee in the air,

Be with Thee, like Thee, ever,

And Thy bright glory share.

What joy the thought doth give us

To be with Thee above;

Where sin nor death can enter

That scene of perfect love.

Yet ere this blessed portion

Our happy lot could be,

The Lord Himself must suffer

In love upon the Tree.

Such love as Thine, blest Saviour,

Moves now our hearts to praise:

'Twill be our song in glory,

When on Thy face we gaze.

Soon, soon, the vast creation,

Shall with Thy praises ring;

Then, every voice shall own Thee,

The rightful Lord and King.

For Christ

Thine O God, the plan, the counsel,

There should be in glory fair —

With Thy Son — a blest companion,

Who would all His glory share.

Lord, Thy love, so deep, eternal,

Brought Thee down from glory's height

To secure Thy Church, so precious,

For Thy 'lasting, deep delight.

Soon with Thee in brightest glory, Lord,

Thy ransomed Bride shall be —

She, on whom Thy love was centred

There at darkest Calvary.

Thou art sanctifying, cleansing,

Washing, by Thy Holy Word,

In this day of preparation,

For the day of glory, Lord.

In that day of presentation

Then Thy Church shall glorious be:

Not a spot, no, not a wrinkle —

But in all, conformed to Thee.

And when kingdom days are over

Still Thy Church shall be to Thee

Object of Thy heart's affection —

Yea! throughout eternity.

Greater than Joseph

As the Sent One of the Father

Thou didst come His love to show:

So that love in all its fulness

Sinful man might truly know.

All Thy works of grace, blest Saviour,

Could not bring the creature nigh:

Calvary's Cross must be Thy portion —

There the Suffering One to die.

God has raised and Thee exalted,

The Supreme One, glorified:

Every knee shall bow before Thee,

Thou shalt yet be magnified.

Lord, through sovereign grace we own Thee

As the Satisfying One;

Keep our hearts in blest communion,

Holy, blest, Eternal Son.

"The Son of God is come"

Son of God, in incarnation

Second Man come from above:

Wondrous grace, to man revealing

All the fulness of God's love.

Mighty stoop! In love surpassing

Thou wast found by shepherds thus:

Virgin's son — the Saviour, Jesus,

Yea, Emmanuel — god with us.

In Thy path of blest obedience

Needy sinners Thou didst bless:

Works of grace and power revealing

Who Thou wast — God, ever blest.

Lord, Thy works of power could never

Bring Thy guilty creatures nigh:

Thou must bear the sin, the judgment,

Wondrous love; Thou camest to die.

Now God's love flows out unhindered

Through Thy death upon the Tree;

On that Cross Lord, Thou wast smitten

So that sinners might go free.

When with Thee, Lord, in the glory,

To God's Lamb our song shall be:

Worship, honour, praise, and glory,

Thine, throughout eternity.

"To the uttermost"

Child of God, look up to Jesus,

'Tis for thee He intercedes:

See thy great High Priest in heaven,

He doth know thy every need.

Let thy tears flow in His presence,

Blessed place of sweet relief;

For His love will there enfold thee,

Give to thee the needed peace.

Not a trial, nor a sorrow,

But thy Saviour has been through:

He has grace and strength to succour,

Trust Him and you'll prove Him true.

Blessed hope, both sure and steadfast,

Mighty anchor for the soul

Into heaven itself He's entered,

Blessed proof we'll reach the goal.

Lead On

Help me, Lord, to leave the future

In Thy blest unerring hand.

Thou hath promised to be with me

Naught can fail which Thou hast planned.

Step by step, the path unfolding,

Give me grace to follow Thee,

Know the joy of Thy directing

Till Thy blessed face I see.

In the meantime wilt Thou keep me

Ever walking in Thy ways:

Pressing onward, ever upward,

Raising now my song of praise.

Probably her last verses, found in her notebook after her Home call.

The Assembly Foretold: Founded: Formed: Furnished: Functioning

The Assembly Foretold: Founded: Formed: Furnished: Functioning.

N. Anderson.

Part 1.

Before proceeding with this blessed theme it may be necessary to justify the designation used at the head of this paper. It is customary to refer to the "church": such an appellation conjures before the English mind some material edifice used for religious purposes. Does the word in its Scripture usage justify such a thought? Decidedly not! The word is used some 115 times in the New Testament, even apart from the reference in Hebrews 12: 23. Three times it is used rightly in Acts — Acts 19: 32, 39, 41. That in Acts 7: 38 refers to the congregation of Israel in the wilderness. The use of the word in Acts 19: 37 is a mistranslation and should read "temple plunderers." The other three uses in the 19th chapter are related to the tumultuous gathering in Ephesus. The word from which we get "church" is "ecclesia" — meaning "called out." In this and the following papers we desire to speak of this unique company of people who are God's called out ones, under six headings:

(1) Foretold (2) Founded (3) Formed (4) Furnished (5) Functioning (6) Future. Numbers (1), (2) and (3) are the direct subject of this article. Numbers (4) and (5) will form the subject of Part 2; and Number (6) that of Part 3.

The first Scripture to which we turn is Matthew 16: 13-18 for there we have the first New Testament intimation of this "Assembly." Evidently we cannot expect to find it in the Old Testament, in spite of what theological teachers say. It was yet future when our Lord spoke of it in verse 18. Accordingly He said, "I will build My assembly" — it was not yet in being. We are indebted to Him for having "foretold" it there. This intimation came from His own lips.

He also foretold the "foundation" upon which it would be built, and that was the truth of His own Person. This was revealed in the confession of Peter in reply to our Lord's query, "Whom do ye say that I am?"  Let us consider the circumstances that gave rise to this. He had asked, "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?"

Obviously the official title "Son of Man" does not cover the whole truth of His Person. Titles are, in themselves, descriptive of offices which the bearer of them fills. Names are descriptive of the Person who fills them. So then, Son of Man is one of His official titles. "Son of the living God," as confessed by Peter, is His Name. Thus then the Assembly would be founded upon who He is. Peter had replied, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." "Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona," thus our Lord addressed him on the ground of what he was naturally in view of the fact that the confession had not emanated from some natural conjecture, rather was it the result of divine revelation: — "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." This unique revelation came from the Father, out of heaven.

The "Assembly," being founded upon the Son of the living God, is in the distinctive light of the present era — "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." This being so, it would also be true that the "Assembly" would be an heavenly entity, having an heavenly calling, hence the word of the Lord, "Blessed art thou . . flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." Note how He equates Himself with deity (verse 18) "And I say also unto thee . . ." Who but God, manifested in flesh, dare to speak thus! "That thou art Peter (Petros — of the same nature as, but not the rock) and upon this rock (Petra) I will build My assembly." It is not built upon Peter but upon that which he had confessed, "the Son of the living God." This is the rock upon whom the "Assembly" is founded, hence it is incontrovertible, "Like a man which digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock; and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it; for it was founded upon a rock" (Matt. 7: 24, Luke 6: 48). So Petros is a piece of rock; Petra a mass of rock. In the course of history how violently the storms of persecution have raged from without against the assembly. How insidiously and persistently have the storms been raised by grievous wolves, entering in among the believers, speaking perverse things, endeavouring to displace Christ in the affections of His own, but they have failed of their purpose. Had not our Lord said, "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Note the following Scriptures for the significance of "the gates": Joshua 20: 4; Ruth 4: 1-12; Acts 14: 13. From a consideration of these and other Scriptures we learn that the gates are emblematic of administrative authority and power. It would be well to mention at this point, that before the gates of hell are reached, the portal of death must be gone through. The Son of the living God has gone through death and has come forth in resurrection in order to build His assembly. Peter declared in the hearing of the crowds on the day of Pentecost the verity of the death of Christ and also the verity of His having been raised from among the dead (Acts 2: 23).

So far we have considered the Foretelling and the Foundation of the Assembly. We shall proceed to a brief consideration of the historical "Formation" of it. This actually took place on the day of Pentecost to which we have just alluded. Acts 2: 1, 44-47  give us some pointers to the blessedness of this occasion. We are led to the consideration of the momentous fulfilment of the prayer of our Lord: "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He might abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth . ." We read earlier, "For the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 14: 16 and John 7: 39).

We have arrived in Acts 2 at the giving of the Spirit. This was a direct attestation that our Lord had been glorified and Acts 1 gives us in no fewer than five declarations that our Lord has been bodily taken up into heaven, verses 2, 9, 10, 11 and 22.

The dwelling with and in them (that is the Holy Spirit) was in consequence of His (the Lord Jesus) leaving them and going to the Father. We further read, "For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body" (1 Cor. 12: 13). Obviously, our Lord needed to be glorified in order to the Spirit being thus given. He "being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear," so says Peter in the course of preaching in Acts 2: 33. Christ being where He is at God's right hand, of necessity — as He had done on the cross — must accomplish redemption. Praise Him! This is just what He did by His dying and blood shedding. As raised from the dead and glorified He has given the Spirit. There are, in consequence, three things true which never could be before; there is a Man in the glory; a divine Person, the Holy Spirit here upon earth; and a new company in union with Christ where He is and that in the power of the indwelling Spirit.

The "Assembly" is now formed — a substantive reality in the very world from which Christ has gone — having been expelled so ignominiously by way of His cruel and shameful death of crucifixion. We have now viewed three of the features which we set out at the commencement of this paper — the Assembly Foretold, Founded and Formed.

Part 2

Furnished and functioning

Having considered the Assembly Foretold, Founded and Formed in our last issue we would say a little now about the Assembly "Furnished and Functioning." For the former we turn to Ephesians, especially chapter 2. Here we learn that this unique company is comprised of Gentile and Jew, erstwhile estranged and at enmity with each other, religiously and racially. Added to that condition they were both alike children of wrath by nature, Eph. 2: 3. The enmity existent between them having been abolished in the flesh of Christ (verses 14, 15), the middle wall of partition has been broken down and, of the two, He has made in Himself, one new man. The believing Gentile not elevated to Jewish ground, nor the believing Jew demoted to the lower level of the Gentile but rather both elevated to new creation ground. Then, too, in consequence of their mutual enmity being abolished they have been reconciled in one body to God by the cross. We also learn that additional to their being one new man, and one body, they have a united place of blessing as growing together to an holy temple in the Lord. This springs from the fact they are no longer strangers and foreigners — how could they be who have "through Him access by one Spirit to the Father," and now are "fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets."

How does this fit with our earlier consideration of Matthew 16, where we made so much of the Assembly being founded on the truth of the Son of the living God? Here in Ephesians 2 we have the doctrinal basis laid upon the foundation of the Person of Christ. Let us also remember that Paul in 1 Cor. 3: 9-11, while referring to that which is built by men in their responsibility, speaks plainly of the foundation which he had been used of God to lay, through the preaching of the glad tidings, in the souls of believers in Corinth. Here, in Ephesians 2, we are being taught that the foundation, apostolically laid in doctrine, has produced a building "fitly framed together." It grows with the day of display in view, having "Jesus Christ Himself" as its "Chief Corner Stone." while we are carried in affection to the coming day of glory, we are instructed that even now in this day of grace we "are builded together for an habitation of God in the Spirit." Just as God has been pleased to speak "Sonwise" so He dwells "Spiritwise" in the Assembly as His house. There His pleasure is secured and from it His testimony goes out.

The Assembly is viewed in its corporate aspect as the one Body of Christ; collectively as the House of God, covering all who have believed the gospel of their salvation and in consequence have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1: 13). These are individually in the blessedness of sonship with God, and of acceptance in the Beloved (Ephesians 1: 4-6).

In a measure we have referred to the "Function" of the Assembly while speaking of its being "Furnished" by the teaching of the apostles. In this connection let us recall that those early converts of Acts 2: 42 have this commendatory feature, "they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." We are not surprised, then, to read in an Epistle which speaks of "the last hour" (1 John 2: 18. N. Tr.) "We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4: 6).

The Function then of the Assembly is to be obedient at any time to the Word of God, the Scriptures of Truth. To the apostle Paul was committed the administration of the mystery — that Christ and the Assembly are one. This fact was implicit in the word of the glorified Lord at God's right hand when He apprehended Saul of Tarsus while exercising his zeal against the disciples of the Lord, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"

One "Function" of the Assembly as the Body of Christ is to give expression to the life of its Head. As the House of God it is its privilege and responsibility to minister to the pleasure of God and to witness for Him in the world in which it is. He is a Saviour God and the testimony to this truth goes out from those who form His House. The witness of piety, as governing our practice, that is, due reverence to God in all things and at all times, will give moral power to the testimony that the God of the House of God, being a Saviour God, would have all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. This is a crowning privilege to give a true representation of our God. How blessed to enjoy fellowship in this. This fellowship was inaugurated by the apostles teaching, just as surely as it is regulated by it. It is expressed in the breaking of bread; "We being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread" (1 Cor. 10: 17).

The blessing of the cup and the breaking of the bread identifies all who do so — as to their responsibility — with the death of the Lord. As they do so they practically say "amen" to the judgment of God expressed in the death of the Lord as to all that they were, and also endorsing His judgment of the world. We would cite, just now, the words of the apostle in Galatians 6: 14; "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

This fellowship, so expressed, can only be sustained by prayers. Those in the fellowship are in it by the calling of God — 1 Cor. 1: 9, and as they join in prayers they are at once confessing their own inadequacy and owning their confidence in the absolute sufficiency of their faithful God.

We believe, in the light of the forgoing truth, they have been thoroughly "Furnished" by the teaching of the apostles.

THE ASSEMBLY (PART 3)

Its Future

In the two previous papers we have looked at the Assembly under 5 headings: —  Foretold: Formed: Furnished and Functioning.

We will now consider the Future of the Assembly, Foretold by our Lord and Founded on the truth of Who He is, having been Formed on the day of Pentecost by the downcoming of the Holy Spirit and completely Furnished by the apostolic teaching, with a view to Functioning correspondingly. To those who form the Assembly the Future is viewed with glad anticipation. They know, from the Scriptures of Truth — received in faith and in the power of the Spirit's application of them — that they possess a sure, steadfast, blessed, purifying hope (Hebrews 6; Titus 2; 1 John 3: 3). When our Lord comes to reign — for He must reign (1 Cor. 15: 25) — they shall be brought with Him by God (1 Thess. 4: 14). In order to this "the Lord Himself" shall first come for them. Those who sleep through Jesus and those who are alive and remain unto His coming shall be caught up together to meet Him in the air. Then shall be realised the change spoken of in 1 Cor. 15: 51-54. The Scriptures also teach that we must all "stand before the judgment seat of Christ (God)" (Romans 14: 10; 1 Cor. 3: 13, 1 Cor. 4: 5; 2 Cor. 5: 10).

Our responsible history in life and service shall then be reviewed. Remember that when we read of reward or loss — 1 Cor. 3: 14, 15 — there is no thought of punitive judgment, for we shall be like Him Who is the Judge (1 John 3: 2). There will be no raising of the matter of guilt there, for that has been dealt with satisfactorily in the God glorifying work of our Saviour in His sacrificial death for sin at Calvary. We can say with absolute assurance: "God will not payment twice demand, Once at my bleeding Surety's hand and then again at mine." As to the judicial matter of our sins the apostle Peter has written, "Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2: 24).

Note — He did not bear them to the tree, as some erroneously teach, but "On the tree." Who bore our sins? Jesus! What did He do? Bore our sins! Where? On the tree! we repeat, not to the tree. How did He bear them? In His own body! the judicial work is done — for ever done — gloriously done. The matter of sins or sin will never be raised again! "Praise Him again, again, for us the cross He bore." 1 John 4: 17-19 declares plainly and unequivocally "Herein is our love (love with us) made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love (Him) because He first loved us."

When the judgment seat review is over we read "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth" and "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness(es) of the saints."

The assembly shall then be brought into marital union with Christ, the Lamb. This, in view of sharing the administration of the kingdom with Him. The assembly is here described as making herself ready, such is the outcome of the review at the judgment seat of her course in the world. In Ephesians 5: 25-27 we learn that Christ had loved and given Himself for her that He might prepare her for the day of presentation. Then shall He present the Assembly to Himself, all glorious, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Then shall be realised that which he had mentioned in His memorable prayer to His Father, "and the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou has sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me" There shall be displayed in glory such a unity and love that the world shall know beyond the slightest shadow of doubt that the Father had sent the Son.

After the one thousand years of kingdom glory with their righteous rule have run their appointed course, the Assembly — the only New Testament company that will retain its distinct and unique identity for eternity, shall be seen as the holy city, New Jerusalem, eternally fit for the new heavens and the new earth, coming down out of heaven from God. The Assembly shall still possess the dual character which has been hers since the commencement of her history. She will be seen as a "Bride adorned for her Husband" — proof, were it needed, that Christ abides a Man for eternity. She will no longer be seen in the administrative character of wife, in which she has been active for the duration of the kingdom reign: rather will she be seen for eternity as the object of the satisfied affections of Christ, who had loved and given Himself for her.

The Assembly shall also be introduced for that period which Peter describes in the last verse of his second epistle as "The day of eternity" (New Translation) — in these words, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men."

We have looked at the Assembly in these several and blessed ways: FORETOLD by our Lord; FOUNDED upon the glory of His Person as Son of the living God; FORMED, historically in the world; FURNISHED by the apostolic teaching; and FUNCTIONING as the Body, the Bride, and the Wife of Christ; also, as the House of God now, and growing to an holy Temple in the Lord for the day of display. Finally, in the eternal future, as the means of contact by God, not with Israel nor the nations, but with men. May we have grace and teaching by the Spirit so that, with divinely formed intelligence as to the master-piece of God, we may stand apart in sanctification and separation from all that which, in the religious world, is a denial of it. "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach."

"We beheld his glory"

"We beheld his glory"

John 1: 14

N. Anderson.

As occupying ourselves with such a theme we are in good company. the Psalmist said, "My meditation of Him shall be sweet" (Psalm 104: 34). The remnant of Malachi's day were distinguished in the Spirit's record as being those "that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His Name." The remnant of early incarnation days had an Anna who "spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke 2: 38).

What a blessed occupation! The two disciples of John 1 enquired "Teacher, where abidest Thou?" How blessed to be taught by Him. How much more so to abide with Him!

We thank God for the example of disciples who said to him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" (John 6: 68). We remember, too, the woman of Samaria who declared, "Come, see a Man, which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ?" Or the man of John 9 who exclaimed in answer to the question, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God? Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?" Then, too, we have the Greeks of John 12 who said to Philip, "Sir, we would see Jesus." Listen to the words of the converted Pharisee, "That I may know Him" (Philippians 3: 10). Let us join the lonely exile of Patmos who, as he contemplated the firstborn from the dead as the Prince of the Kings of the earth, burst forth into praise crying, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood . . to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen" (Revelation 1: 5). Harken to the question asked of the hypocritical Pharisees, "What think ye of Christ? whose Son is He?" (Matthew 22: 42). Let us take this question to ourselves and answer with Peter, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16: 16).

In such a spirit we would enter the pages of John's Gospel. Let us remember that this Gospel was written towards the close of the first century of the Assembly's history. Can we imagine almost sixty years without John's Gospel! Does it matter whether we accept this presentation of our Lord or not? Such a question is answered in 1 John 4: 6, "We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us." Also the solemn word in his second epistle, verse 9, "Whosoever goes forward and abides not in the doctrine of the Christ has not God. He that abides in the doctrine, he has both the Father and the Son. If any one come to you and bring not this doctrine do not receive him into the house, and greet him not; for he who greets him partakes of his wicked works." How can a man bring the doctrine if he does not believe it?

Immediately we enter John's Gospel we are carried back before the beginning of everything which did begin. He had no beginning — He stands distinct from all creation — superior to all. "In the beginning was the Word" — His eternal existence; "The Word was with God" — His Personal distinction; "The Word was God" — His deity; "The Same was in the beginning with God" — He was eternally distinct in His Person. He has greater glory than all creation in virtue of the fact that He created everything — "All things were made by Him." As the Word, He is not only the Revealer, but He is what is revealed. When He was asked, "Who art thou?" He replied, "Altogether that which I also say to you" (John 8: 25, N. Tr). His word presented Himself.

In connection with this wonderful revelation as to distinction of Persons in the Godhead, there is also the manifestation of Personal Relationships. If these relationships are personal then they are eternal, for the Persons are eternal. Hence we learn that "The Word became (He was not made) flesh and dwelt amongst us . . full of grace and truth" (John 1: 14 N. Tr.). John reflecting in the power of the Holy Spirit upon the wonder of the incarnation said, "And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father." He was — indeed He ever is — the unique Son. Five times in the writings of John He is called the Only-Begotten. This is the glory of His relationship (verse 14). Then in verses 18, the sweet intimacy of the Father's bosom belongs to this unique relationship. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only one of His kind — unique in relationship and in the sweetness of the affections proper to that relationship. This is the thought conveyed in the Name, Only-Begotten Son. There is not thought of birth or generation, the word is descriptive of unique relationship and love.

Five times, too, in the New Testament He is called Firstborn". Here again, it is not the thought of order of birth, but of rank. In Psalm 89: 27, God speaking of David His anointed king, said, "and as to Me, I will make him firstborn, highest of the kings of the earth." Evidently firstborn" is a title signifying distinction of rank, not of historic birth.

In Romans 8: 29, He is to be "firstborn among many brethren." In Colossians 1: 15, He is "firstborn of all creation." Having created all, coming by incarnation into His creation, He takes precedence over all. In verse 18 of the same chapter He is "firstborn from among the dead." In Hebrews 1 when He was brought as firstborn into the habitable world, the hosts of angels are commanded to worship Him. Again in Revelation 1: 5, He is "firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth." So whether it be Creation, Resurrection, His brethren, the angelic hosts, or the kings of the earth, He takes the first place, "in all things He might have the pre-eminence."

Thus as the Firstborn — He is the chief, first in rank.

As the Only-Begotten — He is the Unique Son of the Father's love.

He became flesh, but He never became Son. As we ponder the glory and grace of His incarnation, let the Word of Truth, in the power of the Spirit of Truth, convince us that we are not beholding "Sonship by incarnation," but we are beholding "the incarnation of the Son." Thus, as the Word — and He is the Eternal Word — He is the revelation of God. As the "Only-Begotten Son" He is the Declarer and Manifester of the Father. He has brought to light the relationship in the Godhead with the affections proper to them.

Three things at least command our attention in the Gospel; the glory of His Person, the glory of His power, and the glory of His love. The miracles recorded in this Gospel have the character of signs. Whatever dispensational features come before us in them, and they are rich in such instruction, let us ever remember that their prime intent is to engage us with, as manifesting it to us, the glory of our Lord. "These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His Name" (John 20: 31).

As we think of His glory let us remind ourselves that it comes before us in personal, moral, and official features. When we speak of personal glory, we think of who He is; when we think of moral glory, we think of His character, His conduct, His ways; when we speak of official glory, we think of the positions He fills.

He is presented to us in the course of the Gospel as the Shepherd of the Sheep (and this approximates to the truth of His Headship in Paul's writings). "There shall be one flock, one Shepherd" (John 10: 16).

He was amongst His own as the Comforter, the one who fully undertook for them (for He spoke of the coming Spirit as another Comforter"). He is The Bread of Life; He is The Door; He is The True Vine; He is The Son of David; He is The Son of Man; He is The Son of God; He is The Baptiser with The Holy Ghost; He is The Resurrection and The Life; He is The Light of the World; He is The Light of Life; He is The Last Adam ("He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost" John 20: 22); He is The Feet-washer; He is The Coming One; He is The Administrator of all Things, for the Father so loves Him that He has given all things into His competent hands; He is The appointed Judge. The Father has committed all judgment to Him for two reasons.

First — "That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father . . . which hath sent Him." Secondly — "because He is the Son of Man" (see John 5 verses 23 and 27). He is The Opener of the eyes of the Blind; He is The Conqueror over death and the grave; He is The Resource of His own in barren desert or in raging storm; He is The Ascended Man.

In these varied lights the Gospel presents Him. Wherever we view Him, morally or officially, we are constantly reminded that these things are predicted of Him who said of Himself, "Before Abraham was, I AM". He is God in the glory of His Person, however lowly He has stooped in the charm of His grace, or how else could we understand the words, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven." (John 3: 13)? He speaks here of Himself under an official title attaching to Him on the side of His humanity, yet predicates of Himself that which attaches to Him on the side of His Godhead. Hence the danger of attempting to separate Godhead and Manhood in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Let us distinguish without ever dividing; ever confessing that One Person subsists in both natures. He is God; He is Man; He is both God and Man.

This blessed conclusion is impressed upon us as we meditate upon Him as presented by the Spirit throughout the Gospel of John, and as we draw our meditation to a close we are reminded of three wonderful scenes at the close of the Gospel.

1) Thomas, convinced before Him anticipates the nation in his individual confession, "My Lord and my God" (John 20: 8, see also Isaiah 25: 9).

2) The disciple whom Jesus loved (love is of quick discernment) saith unto Peter, "It is the Lord" (John 21: 7), A fitting epitome for this Gospel which the Spirit inspired him to pen.

3) Peter in the moment of his thorough humbling, the Lord dealing with him for his full recovery amongst his brethren, said "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love thee" (John 21: 17).

Do we join him, dear brethren, before our glorious Lord of whom we read, "having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to the end" (John 13: 1), and do we say in sincere confession to Him, "Lord Jesus Thou art omniscient, and although it takes omniscience to discern it because of its comparative smallness, we tell out our love to Thee — we dearly love Thee"?

His glory increases before us, but instead of affrighting, it attracts us, because it is the glory of Him who loves us with an eternal love and, "we love Him because He has first loved us."

1 Corinthians 3: 1-17 - Builders and TheirWork

1 Corinthians 3: 1-17 — Builders and TheirWork

N. Anderson

The believers at Corinth were carnal — they walked according to man. Hence, there was an exaltation of men, they held mens' persons in admiration. Carnality rallied around leading ministers. True servants were of God, proved to be such by their ministry, which promoted divine results. One planted, another watered, the increase was of God. Both were united in their service. Paul said, "We are God's fellow-workmen." "Ye are God's husbandry, God's building." Note the "we" and the "ye." There were those who ministered the word, and those who were ministered to.

The apostle Paul, according to the grace of God which had been given him, as a wise architect laid the foundation of the work in Corinth, another built upon that foundation. All saints are not viewed as builders here. The assembly was the sphere of the building activities of those who took the place of being God's labourers. The assembly at Corinth had been reared upon a good foundation — Jesus Christ. The apostle, in his ministry there, had put durable material in the foundation.

"Now if any one build" — The apostolic work had been done, the sound foundation laid, others had taken upon themselves to build upon it! Not all had been given grace for building as the apostle had for founding. There was a day coming which should be revealed in fire, then would every man's work be put to the test. Gold, silver, precious stones, would abide the searching fire of holy judgment, for such was the product of divine exercise. All else, wood, hay and stubble, the product of human exercise, would be consumed.

Three kinds of workmen are specified:

1) Verse 14 — a builder building good material upon the foundation,

2) Verse 15 — a builder builds bad material upon the foundation.

3) Verse 15 — a builder sets out to destroy (corrupt) the temple of God.

In 1) the builder and his work are of value. 2) the builder (but not his work) is of value. 3) neither the builder nor his work are of value, indeed they are the reverse, hence the builder shall receive that which he would do to the temple of God which is holy — Him shall God destroy.

The local assembly is "temple of God" and is the sphere of the work of each. One builds that which is of God. The second, himself saved through the searching judgment of God, loses all that which he had built for it was but the product of human effort. The third, a pseudo servant of God, bends all his energies to defiling that temple — he will perish with his work!

Obviously this Scripture presents the assembly as the sphere of ministerial activity.

All believers are not viewed as builders in this passage, while all are affected by the work of those who do build. God grant that all who do minister amongst their brethren may do so as the apostle Peter says in his 1 Peter 4: 7-11 — "But the end of all things is drawn nigh: be sober therefore, and be watchful unto prayers; but before all this having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins; hospitable one to another, without murmuring; each according as he has received a gift, ministering it to one another, as good stewards of the various grace of God. If one speak — as oracles of god; if any one minister — as of strength which God supplies; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the might for ages of ages. Amen."

The Divine Calendar of Events to Follow the Rapture

The Divine Calendar of Events to Follow the Rapture

N. Anderson

Following the Rapture of the saints — those who form the Assembly and those of Old Testament days (1 Thess. 4: 13-17) — the next event to occur will be the Bema. Then shall be reviewed the lives of saints as to their life on earth (Rom. 14: 10-12; 1 Cor. 3: 13-15; 1 Cor. 4: 1-5; 2 Cor. 5: 10). Let us remember that there will be no punishment exercised then. For those who appear at the judgment seat are already like the One who shall examine them, and the word of our Lord in John 5: 24 abides true for evermore.

After the saints have appeared before the judgment seat the marriage of the Lamb shall take place. His wife, purchased by Him as the object of His love, at the cost of the giving of Himself into death at Calvary, prepared for the day of presentation through the application of the cleansing property of the Word, shall be clad in her garment of "fine linen, clean and bright (margin) the righteousnesses of the saints" (Rev. 19: 7, 8) See also Eph: 25-27. Blessed consideration is this! These things shall happen in heaven.

On earth God's ways shall be resumed. The remnant of Israel shall be secured and by them the testimony committed to the disciples in Matthew 10 shall be carried out. They shall carry the gospel of the kingdom beyond the confines of Palestine. So there shall be a re-gathering of Jews to their land. This is already taking place in a partial manner, for since 1948 we have seen the setting up of the State of Israel.

Then the Roman Empire which was in force when our Lord was crucified shall revive. The germ of this revival is now seen in these momentous days in which we live. The E.E.C. is with us! It's commercial character has already developed into a political in the European Parliament, soon it shall assume a military form. According to Rev. 13, the Beast shall arise from the sea — the troubled Western nations shall welcome him. This final form of the Roman Empire under its bestial head shall comprehend ten nations (Rev. 17: 12).

Simultaneous with this shall "another beast arise out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon" (Rev. 13: 11). This will be the Anti-christ.

Did not our Lord say, "I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not; if one shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." (John 5: 43). And so the pseudo-Messiah shall present himself for reception by the Jews.

When he comes he shall enter into league with the Roman beast. Together they shall sign a covenant for seven years duration — the last week of the prophecy of Daniel 9: 27. When the week of years has only run a half week the Roman beast shall prove false to the agreement. He shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease and will set up an idol in the holy place — the abomination of desolation. This shall infuriate the Jews and they will resist him. Consequently he shall use force to establish his will. This will introduce "the time of Jacob's trouble," or, as our Lord designated it prophetically, "great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Jer. 30: 7; Matt. 24: 21).

Various expressions are used in Rev. for this period of unparalleled distress:

"a thousand two hundred and threescore days;"

"a time, and times, and a half time;"

"forty and two months." (see Rev. 11: 2, 3; Rev. 12: 6, 14)

This time of trouble shall be ended having reached its limit — divinely set — by the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ as Son of Man (Matt. 24: 22, 29-31). He then shall come in power and great glory. The beasts shall be overthrown (2 Thess. 2: 8; Rev. 19: 19, 20). His angels will be sent forth to gather His elect by the sound of a trumpet, "from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Thus shall the lost tribes of Israel be found. This shall be preparatory to the setting up of His kingdom, which shall endure for one thousand years — spoken of in Daniel 7: 13, 14 as being universal and everlasting. What a contrast with the four world empires seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream. Those were ended by superior succeeding powers, finally by judgment at the coming of the Son of Man. His kingdom shall run its appointed time and will never be ended by force.

During the course of this millennial kingdom Satan shall be bound and consigned to the abyss.

The enemy in the land — the imposter king — having been dealt with, there remains that enemy from without, the Assyrian, the infamous King of the North. "He shall come to his end and none shall help him" (Dan. 11: 45).

We have said from Scripture that the kingdom of the Son of Man shall not be violently ended by some superior power, this is so. Yet it will not continue beyond the thousand years. "Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power" (1 Cor. 15: 24).

At the close of the kingdom, "Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog." Not the literal people of Ezekiel 38 & 39 — they had been destroyed in the judgment at the beginning of the reign of Christ — but their characteristic descendants. Their moral features are inveterate hatred of God and His King, with opposition against all divinely constituted authority. They, with the backing of Satan, will rebel. The rebellion shall be short-lived. Devouring fire shall come down out of heaven, from God. The devil that deceived them will be cast into the lake of fire, there to join his erstwhile minions, the beast and the false prophet. Eternal torment shall be the destined punishment of the devil and all who shall be implacably opposed to God.

The "Great White Throne" judgment will then take place with the irrevocable and final doom of the wicked dead. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. "Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (1 Cor. 15: 26 & Rev. 20: 7-15).

And so we arrive at the DAY OF GOD (2 Peter 3: 12, 13) "Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." — The Eternal State.

Christ for the Christian

Christ for the Christian.

Philippians 1: 20-21; Phil. 2: 5-13; Phil. 3: 3, 13-15; Phil. 4: 12, 13, 19, 20

N. Anderson.

(Extracted from Scripture Truth Vol. 46, 1977-9, pages 145-9.)

I remember an address on the Philippian epistle which started like this: "Sport for the sportsman, politics for the politician, money for the miser, Christ for the Christian". This was thought-provoking, and might also have its effect on the reader.

There is a sequence in the development of the truth in the epistles, which we have heard expressed like this:

Dead with Christ — Romans

Risen with Christ — Colossians

Seated in the heavenlies in Christ — Ephesians.

These three very short remarks do not cover the whole truth of these epistles, but they give a key for going into them more fully. Where does Philippians fit into the sequence? I believe that Philippians is complementary to Ephesians, in this manner: it gives the life of a heavenly man. Do you know any heavenly men? Look around and see if you can see any heavenly men! 1 Corinthians 15 speaks of Christ as the Heavenly One: "As is the heavenly One, such also the heavenly ones"; so there must be some heavenly ones on earth, heavenly as to their destiny. God would have us to be heavenly in character; this covers our conduct too. And the way the Spirit of God takes to promote heavenly-mindedness and to produce heavenly character, is to engross us with the heavenly One.

First, I want to say, we need a bedrock to rest upon. Here it is: "He who has begun in you a good work will complete it unto Jesus Christ's day" (1: 6 J.N.D. Trans.). Do you need assurance? Do you need a sense in your soul that what you got in trusting Christ will last, and that you cannot be lost? It is here. Your history has been commenced by the work of God. It will be completed by the work of God; but I can also tell you that you have got to do a bit of work as well. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (2: 12-13). God has given you a commencement of history with Him, that identifies you with that blessed heavenly One and will eventuate in placing you in His company, where He is, and like Him for evermore. He does not cease to work between the commencement and the conclusion. He is working all the time, and He is working with such Scriptures as we have here in the Philippian epistle, to bring Christ before us, that we might be so taken up with Him that we begin to take character from Him. True character is the product of heart occupation with this blessed Man.

The Christ Who engages the heart of God in constant, fresh, unchanged delight, is the Object with Whom God would have us engaged. I hope that the Spirit of God will impress upon your heart and mind the preciousness of Christ. I will therefore put the four chapters of Philippians under four headings in my own words. The heading for chapter 1 is contained in verse 21. The grand ambition of the apostle Paul was, as he said in verse 20, that Christ should be magnified — magnified! God desires that with us also Christ be made large. Here Paul says, "in my body, whether by life or death". This was the language of a man who was on the threshold of martyrdom. The possibility of execution was always there at his elbow. He says, "that Christ might be made large in my body, either by life or death"; and this is the reason: "for to me to live — Christ." Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sixth chapter of John's Gospel said this: "As the living Father has sent me, and I live on account of the Father, he also who eats me shall live also on account of me". To eat is to make a thing your own. If you make Christ your own, there will be reproduction in you of that kind of purpose of living that characterised our blessed Lord. He said, "The reason for my living is the Father"; if you and I are absorbed with Christ, the reason for our living will be Christ. Here is a man who was absorbed with Christ, and he says, "He is the reason for my existence". "For to me to live — Christ." And, "to die" (remembering as we say these words that martyrdom was just at his elbow all the time) "to die, gain". Do we think that way? It searches us; it is only possible when our hearts are taken up with Christ in glory; so the word that I write over chapter 1 is the motive for Paul's living. Is it the motive for my living? It is a question we all face.

In chapter 2 verses 5-13, the man who had the motive for living was given a model for living. I will revert to those verses later. Christ the motive l Christ the model! "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." In chapter 3, the heading is Christ the mark Paul says, "Forgetting those things which are behind . . . I strain, I leap forward, for I press toward the mark". The verse continues, "for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus". What is the "calling on high"? Christ is, in the language of Hebrews, the Forerunner. "Whither the forerunner is for us entered". I wonder if we are pressing on? Some of us are going on, dear brethren, but crawling there, crawling there! This is the language of someone who is keen to get there! This is the language of someone who is absolutely absorbed by what is drawing him on. I press toward the mark for the prize — the calling on high of God — Christ Jesus. Peter, in his second epistle, uses his own language, taught by the Spirit. He says, "Called by glory and virtue" (1: 3 J.N.D. Trans.). There was something beckoning Peter on. It beckons me on. It beckons every Christian on. Are we straining to reach the mark? We need virtue on the way, and it will be supplied  - moral courage, spiritual backbone to lift you out of the rut and to make every aspiration active for Christ, a living reality in your life now. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus".

Then, in chapter 4, Paul is well aware, as we are well aware, that we are absolutely poverty-stricken naturally as to the means to pursue these things. Verse 13 is the answer: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". Christ is my might. Brethren, everything we need is afforded to us. Our reading concluded with verse 19, "My God" — I like that! "There no stranger-God shall greet thee". God was no stranger to Paul; he says, "my God". Taking account of the exigencies of everyday living, he has already told us he knows how to be full and how to be empty. Some of us know what it is to be full; some of us know what it is to be empty. Perhaps we do not know how. Ruminate on it, because there is a wealth of blessing in it for us. "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus". It is mountains high, is it not? He says, "my God"! Put "my God" before "my need" and sandwich "my need" between "my God" and "His riches in glory in Christ Jesus". My need begins to shrink; it does not disappear, but I find the wherewithal to carry me through. So we have Christ as our motive, Christ as our model, Christ in glory as our mark, and the might supplied by Christ on the way to reaching it.

Let us return to the verses read in chapter 2. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation". How do you think He made Himself of no reputation? By taking the form that He never had before: in J.N.D.'s translation, "Taking a bondman's form". He gave up nothing. If there was anything external to the presence of God, He left that for a moment. As for what was properly Deity, He gave up nothing. He gave up nothing attaching to Himself in Deity, but He emptied Himself by taking a form that He never had before. He took the servant's form, and He "was made [became] in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself". How did He humble Himself? By becoming "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross". Seven steps down have been seen in these verses; I can only see three — two steps down and one up. The first step was taking the bondman's form, and the second was humbling Himself in this way, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That does not mean that He obeyed death. Death had no claim on Him. It means He obeyed all the way —  all the way to the cross. It is not the story of our redemption that is being given to us here. It is that self-humbling, that demonstration livingly in our blessed Lord Whose right it was ever to command —  a demonstration of self-abasement. If it were known more by us, even in feeble measure, it would give us the power morally, livingly, spritually, in every way. It would give us more fellowship practically, because dike answers to like, and there is nothing so good for drawing saints together as likeness to Christ. It is the unlikeness and the fleshly characteristics in each one of us that put us out-at-elbows with each other. In like-mindedness to Christ we will be drawn together.

I want to draw your attention to these phrases, "being in the form of God" (v.6), "took upon Him the form of a servant" (v.7), "in fashion as a man" (v.8), and " God has highly exalted him" (v.9). The Christ of the Epistles is the Christ of the Gospels. Even in Ephesians we learn Christ — "ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye have heard him . . . as the truth is in Jesus". In Jesus. Our Lord has not changed in the glory. The only change related to Him in the glory is circumstantial. His position is changed. Circumstances have changed for Him, but He is unchanged. In coming down into manhood's lowly form He gave up nothing that attached to Him as "in the form of God". "Having ascended up where he was before" (John 6: 62), He is giving up nothing in what He took when assuming manhood. He has carried manhood into glory and I want now to draw attention to the fact with regard to these verses, that the Christ of the Gospels is the Christ of the Philippian epistle.

If I travel through the pages of John's Gospel I am led by the Spirit of God to the irresistible conclusion that He was no mere man. I borrow an expression from 1 Timothy 3: this is "God manifest in flesh". John's Gospel brings before us the Godhead glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Person Whom the Spirit of God delights to parade before adoring hearts in the pages of John's Gospel is here presented by the same Spirit of God: "who, being in [the eternal "being in"] the form of God". The lowly Man Who sat by Sychar's well, weary with His journey was none other than this blessed Person, Who was in the form of God. John's Gospel presents us our Lord Jesus Christ in the greatness and glory of His Godhead and we have the same in this verse: "being in the form of God".

In the sequence of these verses we go next to Mark's Gospel. "Behold my servant whom I uphold; mine elect in whom my soul delighteth". Mark's Gospel is the Servant Gospel. As I go through the pages of Mark's Gospel, I become entranced with the "immediate" activities of the blessed Son of God in the execution of the will of God. I see Him instant in His activities. I listen on occasion to the words that fall from His lips, and when I rise from Mark's Gospel after reaching the end of chapter 16, I am irresistibly drawn to the conclusion that if anybody was, in the language of Isaiah, "Jehovah's Servant", the Man of Mark's Gospel is He. We have in Mark's Gospel the bondman's form. The Christ of the Philippian epistle is the Christ of the Gospel of Mark.

The very next expression, "being found in fashion as a man", carries us through Luke's Gospel. Proverbs says, "The charm of a man is his kindness" (Prov. 19: 22 J.N.D. Trans.). As I go through Luke's Gospel, I see the charm of a Man. I see Him, for instance, in the house of an austere Pharisee, and a woman of the city, which was a sinner, could make her way weeping, not to the feet of the Pharisee, but to the feet of the blessed charming Man. I go to the city of Nain; I see a funeral procession on the way to the cemetery and I see this Man taking account of a widowed mother who had lost her only son; and He heals her heart at the loss of her only-begotten son. He was moved with compassion, and He touched the coffin and He gave that young man to his mother. The glory of His Godhead is presented to us, as we have said, in John's Gospel, but He assumed flesh and blood to come near to us. In coming near to us He brought God near to us in revelation that we might get near to God in the fashion and recognition of the manner in which God has drawn near to us. So we see Him, in the grace of His manhood. Are you glad that your Saviour is a Man?

Matthew's Gospel is the Gospel of the King — the tribe of Judah stamped, so to speak, upon the presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit as He moves with great dignity through the pages of the Gospel. The "shout of a king" is there, and so there is power. The lion turns aside for none. He came for a reason and He pursued it to the end; nothing stopped Him. He moved there in all the majesty of His royal bearing. The Christ of the Philippian epistle is the Christ of Matthew's Gospel. The impress of royalty is here in verses 9, 10, and 11, "Wherefore God has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name". I do not myself believe that "the name above every name is 'Jesus'". It is the superior renown that He has been invested with. It is going to be displayed shortly and it is this that will be displayed in eternal days, and all will give expression to the fact that "Jesus Christ is Lord", and it will be "to the glory of God the Father". How will He bring that about? It will be by the exertion of His majestic power; and the devils, Satan amongst them, will bow the knee to Jesus. I think that is marvellous. Satan who assailed Him at every turn of the way, tried to bring Him down in the wilderness temptation, probably made an assault on Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, is going to bow the knee to Jesus, to say with all his minions "Jesus Christ is Lord"; and every being in the heavens, and every being on earth, every being in the infernal regions is going to acknowledge this to the glory of God the Father. Power will bring that about. We have the privilege now of owning His Lordship while He is rejected here on earth. You have got an opportunity now that you will not have when you are like Him and with Him in the glory: that is, to be for Him in the world where He is refused, because He is the attractive object of your heart, and you cannot help being devoted to Him.

Christ our motive;

Christ our model;

Christ our mark;

Christ our might;

Christ for the Christian!

Praise His name!

Christ: God's Appointed Centre of Gathering for the Universe of Bliss and Glory

Christ: God's Appointed Centre of Gathering for the Universe of Bliss and Glory

N. Anderson

He must ever be the Centre, whatever the circumstances, whatever be the disposition towards Him of whosoever may be involved: we repeat, He must ever be the Centre. Knowing Who He is we are not amazed that this should be so. "In Him was pleased to dwell all the fulness" (Col. 1: 19). Also, "He is the Head . . ." hence "in all things He might have the pre-eminence" (Col. 1: 18).

The Holy Spirit delights to draw attention to Him in a variety of circumstances and to emphasise to us that the central place is naturally His. If it be with the learned doctors of the law, He was "sitting in the midst of them, both hearing them, and asking them questions" (Luke 2: 46, 47). Little wonder that "all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers."

If it be in the Pharisee's house — whatever the intention of Simon in having Him there — the woman of the city which was a sinner, will mark Him out in the pre-eminence of His forgiving grace. When crucified, betwixt two malefactors, hatred would further degrade Him, we read "they crucified Him, and two other with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst" (John 19: 18).

Then on that day of resurrection power and triumph, when the surprised disciples were gathered together, "came Jesus and stood in the midst" (John 20: 19). Later, awful declension having set in amongst those who professed His Name, we see Him walking — albeit in judicial character — "in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks" (Rev. 1: 12, 13). A yet far happier sight John saw, "I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne . . stood a Lamb as it had been slain."

In that Lamb, the acknowledged centre of the world to come, we recognise Jesus. Once the centre of shame and suffering upon the cross, He is acclaimed, in the answering glory, as the centre of God's universe of bliss! (Rev. 5: 6, 9). Ample indeed, is the testimony of the Holy Scriptures to the grand fact that Christ, once despised and rejected of men, is to fill the highest station and there to be acclaimed by all! Every knee must bow before Him, every tongue must yet confess Him to be Lord of all! (Phil. 2: 9-11).

Time was, when, having presented Himself in lowly grace as Israel's long promised Messiah, His own people received Him not (John 1: 11). How blessed, though, to learn from the inspired Word, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" (Psalm 110: 3). Even as far back as Genesis 49: 10, Jacob had prophesied, "Unto Him shall the gathering of the people be." Again, Isaiah plainly intimates "In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and His rest shall be glory" (Isaiah 11: 10). He is the appointed Heir of all things (Heb. 1: 2). All things in heaven and in earth shall be gathered together in one, in Him (Eph. 1: 10). He is the Head over all things (Eph. 1: 22).

The day too, is coming — how soon we cannot tell — when all who form His Assembly, shall hear His voice calling them to join Him where He is in glory. In the powerful attraction of the love which then shall speak, all together (sleeping saints raised, living saints changed) shall leave this world and be gathered unto Him — the largest Assembly meeting of all time!

Let us remember that He Who stooped so low as to taste death for everything will, in consequence of His having been lifted up at Calvary, draw all to Himself. He will then be the admired Centre of a universe in which the rights of God are established.

So much then for the future, the outlook is certainly bright. Christ is to be publicly set forth in power and great glory. The universe which has witnessed His awful loneliness and suffering upon the cross of Calvary — when all forsook Him and fled: when God abandoned Him in His hour of unparalleled suffering — that hour of His being made sin as a sacrifice for sin — shall witness Him among the holy myriads (Jude 14).

Israel will then hail Him with joy: the Gentile nations too will bow at His feet (Psalm 72: 17-19). "Angels and men confess Him then when He in power shall come again." But nearer than angels, Israel, or the Gentiles shall be the favoured unique company — His Assembly, "The fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1: 23).

Every heart which loves Him surely cries,

"Lord Jesus come, and take Thy rightful place

As Son of Man, of all the theme!

Come Lord, to reign o'er all supreme,

Lord Jesus, Come!"

But while we consider this great and glorious prospect let us face the present implications of this longing that Christ should have His destined place as the gathering Centre for all in the world to come.

As we look upon the sphere of profession in this present world are we not made sadly aware that the general conditions are not indicative of Him having His true place as the only Centre for gathering to the Assembly of God. That He is such, the Scriptures definitely teach. While He took that place in the midst of His own on the day of His resurrection from amongst the dead, we do learn that such is His proper place. Hebrews 2: 11, 12 so plainly declares, "For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare Thy Name unto My brethren, in the midst of the Assembly will I sing praise unto Thee."

The true and outstanding feature of the Assembly locally, and everywhere, is that He is owned as the alone Centre of gathering.

As the apostle Paul took sad account of the divided state of the gathering in Corinth he besought the saints in these words, "Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ . . " (1 Cor. 1: 10). Christ is God's gathering Centre for the Assembly now. The acknowledgement of His Name will search every heart and conscience, confirming what is of Himself, but condemning all that is contrary. Hence, the apostle went on in 1 Cor. 5, to instruct that true dealing with evil must be exercised by them as gathered to His Name. What is due to His holy Name must be maintained amongst us.

Being gathered to His Name means that He is absent, and why? He has been rejected and crucified here. And we, being gathered to His Name, are identified with Him in His rejection. Of necessity then we cannot allow amongst us the principles or practices of the world which has crucified Him.

His Name covers the whole truth of His Person. This being so we will so treasure what Scripture teaches as to Him as to refuse those who do not bring the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9-11). We will guard against the intrusion of any denial of eternal relationships in the Godhead. We hold the truth of the incarnation of the Son and resolutely refuse the teaching that He became Son in incarnation. While gathering to His Name alone it must be to Him as Scripture presents Him. Indifference to Christ cannot be tolerated where His Name is owned.

May we be kept, then, from all that which threatens the faith in this our day. We may be shunned, looked down upon with pity, but He was crucified! May we welcome the opportunity to bear His reproach. With it, thank God, there is the compensation of honouring the Son. Is it not well that He should be honoured by us now, where the contrariety and opposition is? There will be none such when we are with Him in the Father's House on high.

"Christ also loved the Assembly, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself an Assembly glorious, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5: 25-27). Just like Himself! Spotless, ageless, blameless. Praise Him for evermore!

The Greatness of Christ

The Greatness of Christ

"I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last" Rev. 22: 13.

N. Anderson

There is portrayed to us in this short, simply worded, yet striking verse that which commands our attention, calls forth our praise, and bows us in worship. These things are descriptive of some of the all-varied glories of Him who has captivated our hearts and won them for God — Jesus! Precious Name! embracing as it does His downstooping grace and pathway of infinite perfection; of complete submission to, and concert with, the will of God; devotion to the Father and superlative grace to men. Well said were those adoring words: —

"Thy Name encircles every grace

Which God as Man could shew;

There only could He fully trace

A life divine below."

The heart, revelling in the fragrance of that name which is as "ointment poured forth," delights to contemplate some of the higher mysteries of the fame of Him who bore it, our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Only Begotten and Well-Beloved Son.

"Alpha and Omega"

The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, depict the speaking of God, bringing before us the glory of our Lord as the Word. He who in the beginning was with God, a distinct Person; and was God, co-eternal and co-equal, was fully competent to express God whenever expression was called for. Every communication of God to the creature was through the Word. If the prophets were used in times past in the partial speaking of God they spoke by the Spirit of Christ which was in them (1 Peter 1: 11 and 1 Peter 3: 19). In these last days God has fully spoken in the Son (Sonwise), and thus we learn that Christ, as the Alpha and Omega, is the One in whom God is declared; in Him the eternal life, the life of God has been manifested; He is the WORD (John 1: 1), and He is the WORD of LIFE (1 John 1: 1). The Lord Jesus is He by whom God has been revealed in the fulness of His nature as Light and Love. The eternal life which all believers have — a life which has the distinctive character that it is "with the Father," has been manifested in Him. All blessedness has been brought near to man, by revelation, in Him the Eternal Word.

If we contemplate the holiness of God which necessitates the removal in judgment of everything that is contrary to it — everything that has refused divine blessing in whatever way it has been presented — this too finds its expression in the Alpha and Omega. Revelation 19: 11-16, gives us a glimpse of heaven opened that we might behold One who is Faithful and True, who judges and makes war in righteousness, coming out of heaven to smite the nations and to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty, and His Name is called "the Word of God." Whether God is expressed in grace or judgment, He is so expressed in Him who is the Eternal Word, the Alpha and Omega — Jesus.

"The Beginning and the End"

This conveys the thought of activity or doing. The work of creation is, in Scripture, ascribed to the Son. He was ever the Agent of the activity of the Godhead. The universe sprang into being by the Word of His power.

"For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1: 16).

He is the Beginning, the Originator of every created thing. The creation of man was the outcome of divine counsel. God, Elohim — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — equally participated therein, but the act of creating is attributed to the Son. He is the Beginning and He is the End. He is the Object for whom all are created. He, the Son, was appointed "Heir of all things" in eternal purpose; this necessitated the creation of all things. He shall yet be honoured throughout the bounds of creation. Then, too, as to the New Creation, He is the Beginning, who is the Firstborn from among the dead, and the end in view is "that in all things He might have the pre-eminence" (Colossians 1: 16-18).

Hear His Word in John 4: 34, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish His work." In John 17: 4, anticipative of the accomplishment of redemption's work, ". . . I have finished the work that Thou gavest me to do;" and also in John 19: 30, when hanging on the Cross, "It is finished." Creation, Redemption, and Judgment are the work of Him who is the Son, Jesus, the Beginning and the End.

"The First and the Last"

The speaking of God, the doing of God, have found an avenue for fruition by Him, and now, in this expression we consider that which sets Him forth in the glory and majesty of His being. He is the great "I AM" (Isaiah 41: 4; Isaiah 44: 6; Isaiah 48: 12). What He is in His own being — beyond all that has been revealed — is indicated in this appellation, "the First and the Last."

As the One who entered man's estate in lowly guise, in whom God has spoken and acted, the devil has attacked Him and has sought to bring Him, in the creature's estimation, down to the level of the creature! Some there are who will own Him as Creator and Redeemer — but a creature still! The blasphemy of it! To say this of Him, even though He be described by such as the highest creature in the universe, is a denial of the teaching of the Word of God and an insult to Him majesty. He is the Christ, "Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 9: 5).

He is the Self-Existent One, Almighty, Eternal One. In Manhood He is saluted in terms of equality, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." God salutes God! O, the glory and the mystery of the Person of Jesus. He said of Himself, "Before Abraham was I AM" (John 8: 58).

Then, too, the Holy Spirit in John 12: 41, records "These things saith Esaias, when he saw His glory and spake of Him."

Read these precious Scriptures of truth — John 8, 12 and Hebrews 1 — meditate on their threefold testimony to Him whom men despise and slight, the Son become Man, our Lord Jesus Christ — "the FIRST and the LAST." Rejoice that the Scripture cannot be broken!

Whilst all this was true of Him and presented in testimony to men — the glory of His Person, His Work, and His Word — did He meet with united acclamation? Nay! John 10: 19; John 9: 16; and John 7: 43, witness that they divided on what He said, what He did, and who He is.

Praise God if through grace our eyes have been opened as the man in John 9. Being introduced to the Son of God believing, we bow at His feet, we worship Him — "The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

The Spirit of God would deepen in us the appreciation of Christ as the One in whom the Speaking — Doing — and Being of God is presented to us in this amazing Scripture.

"The mention of Thy Name shall bow

Our hearts to worship Thee;

The chiefest of ten thousand Thou,

Whose love has set us free"

"The Lord Jesus Christ our hope"

"The Lord Jesus Christ our hope"

N. Anderson

Our Lord Jesus Christ, at this late hour in the witness of His own in the world which crucified Him, would call our attention to the truth of His coming again. This is the Christian hope. Believers have an appointed witness, a responsible life, but they are destined for glory. God has chosen them to "obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Timothy 2: 10). Christ has "died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him" (1 Thessalonians 5: 10). This is our prospect, not only to go to heaven, not only to reign with Him in His Kingdom, but to "live together with Him." We are going to "see Him as He is" (1 John 3: 2).

We have not seen Him, as did the apostles, as He was. We learn of Him as He was, in the meekness, grace and charm, of His pathway through this sin-benighted world in the record of holy, and imperishable gospels. But we are going to "see Him as He is." Not then as the humbled One, but as the glorified One, and we shall then be "like Him."

Then shall the spiritual aspirations of all saints be realized at the rapture, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, for He shall then come for His own. He has loved them — the cross is the witness of this — and that love has followed them all the way, through everything. The blessedness of its consummation shall be known when He has all believers with Himself.

"Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5: 25-27).

How wonderful that love which procured the church by His dying! The day of preparation for the glory is hastening to its blessed conclusion; then shall He present it to Himself for the satisfaction of His loving heart. Then shall all those who have believed on Him to the saving of their precious souls be affected by His transforming and translating power. Those who have fallen asleep "through Jesus," with all those who "are alive and remain unto His coming," shall be caught up to meet Him and to be for ever with Him. May we be helped then, in this consideration of the truth of His coming again while we wait for Him with expectant hearts.

The first direct statement that He would come again for his own is in John 14: 1-3. There He promised to come for His own that they might be with Him where He is. Let us note He has plainly said, "and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again (I am coming again, N. Tr.) and receive you unto Myself." Not just that He would come at some time in the distant future, but from the moment of His going away He is the Coming One. Immediate and constant expectation of His coming again was to mark the faith of those who should be left here during His absence from this Christ-rejecting world. Notice, this is not His "coming to" His own, as in verse 18, blessed though this is; nor is it their going to be with Him at death as in Philippians 1: 23. This is His Personal return for them. Nor is He coming only for those believers to whom he spoke in John 14. His wonderful prayer to the Father in John 17: 20 warrants the application of the truth of His coming again to all who believe on Him, from Pentecost to the Rapture. He prayed not only for the apostles but for those also who should believe on Him through their word. Also, in that wonderful prayer, He desired of the Father that those whom the Father had given Him should "be with me where I am."

John 21: 22 suggests that while some might not continue here on earth until His coming again, others might. He is coming and His own who tarry until then will be caught up in company with all the resurrected saints to meet and to be with Him. What a meeting that will be when faith gives place to sight — when hope shall be realized.

As described in Luke 24: 51 and Acts 1: 9, His disciples beheld Him being taken up into heaven at the close of forty days after His resurrection. During that time, "He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs," also speaking to them "of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." He promised to send down from heaven the Holy Ghost by whose power, for a period of unstated duration, His witnesses should testify in "Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Then the Lord would "so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1: 11).

Note — a cloud received Him out of their sight, was this the cloud of glory which had enveloped the scene of His transfiguration on the holy Mount? See Luke 9 and 2 Peter 1.

1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17 transcends the angelic declaration as to His coming again. He would descend from heaven and the Rapture (the catching up of the saints) would take place. Then they shall be all caught up together, "in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." According to Acts 17, the apostle Paul spent at least a fortnight (covering three sabbath days) at Thessalonica opening and alleging, from the Scriptures, "that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ." Some from among the Jews believed his report, and also a great multitude from among the devout Greeks. These consorted with Paul and Silas. How blessed that privilege and what a test to the reality of their faith, to associate with the heralds of the gospel. Persecution was immediately stirred up. The gospel is in affliction in the world, as were its preachers — following thus, their rejected Lord and Saviour.

We learn from 1 Thessalonians 1, that the truth of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ formed such an integral part of Paul's preaching that the believers "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven . . even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." They were so affected by the truth that Paul remembered "without ceasing their work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1: 3).

One blessed feature of Paul's gospel was HOPE and it centred in Christ, causing those converts to separate, serve, and wait — see also 1 Timothy 1: 1. There Paul speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as "our hope." Grace gives hope to the hopeless. We are looking for the coming again of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The reason for His coming again; the manner and effect of that coming are all unfolded to us in a distinct and distinguished revelation — one of several given to the apostle Paul. This revelation — "this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord" — is found in 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18.

These young saints — in the sense that they were only about one year converted — were obviously in distress, for some of their brethren had died, and it was thought they had thereby missed the coming glorious kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is clear from the Scriptures that the Christian hope embraces the wonderful prospect of sharing in that coming kingdom with Him. To set their minds at rest in this sorrowing over departed brethren, the apostle acquaints them with the word he had received from the Lord in regard to His looked for coming. So he writes in this remarkable chapter: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."

Christ shall come with all His saints to reign over the very world which had rejected and crucified Him. Universal glory awaits Him in answer to that work well done at the cross. God has determined to gather up everything in heaven and earth in the competent hands of Christ (see Ephesians 1: 10). He shall not be alone then as once He had been in the suffering of death at Calvary. Among the several things He had prayed for in the unique prayer of John 17 was the unity of His own. He looked on to that coming day of display when the world would know that He had been the Sent One of the Father in His first coming, and also that the world would recognise that those for whom He prayed were loved by the Father as He was Himself. This unity of His own would be displayed in glory, and so he said, "and the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them" (John 17: 22-23).

This necessarily involves that when He takes up the reins of universal government His own must be with Him to share with Him the glorious inheritance. The day is approaching when the world-kingdom of God and His Christ shall come. We learn then from our passage in 1 Thessalonians 4: 13, 14 that our Lord will first come for His own in order that they may be brought with Him in the glory of His kingdom. "Them also which sleep in (through) Jesus will God bring with Him."

Note, too, that our being brought with Him in the glory of His coming reign is as certain as have been His death and resurrection: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." This revelation of His coming for us is given for the comfort of our hearts, to assure us that though death should intervene nothing shall hinder our coming with Him. So for this very reason He will come for us.

How will He come for us? "With a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." That shout will rally all His own. How wonderful will be the immediate effect of His coming! "The dead in Christ shall rise first." His own will hear the voice of the Son of God and will come forth from their burial places. He manifested His glory at the tomb of Lazarus, when "He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth." Someone has said that had He not on that occasion cried, "Lazarus, come forth" all that were in the tombs would have come forth. In John 5: 28, 29 we read that "all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth." Hence He spoke selectively in the day of John 11, and His shout when he comes again will be selective, for only those dead in Christ will recognise and respond to it. All the sleeping saints will be raised, and all the living saints changed, and all caught up to meet their Lord. To be with Him for ever is our prospect.

He will come Himself to effect this translation to glory. No angel will be entrusted with this blessed action. He who died to save us, who lives to keep us, will come Himself to take us to glory. Such is His love, such His longing to have His own with Himself. Glorious and blessed hope, sure and certain hope, and He Himself will give it fruition.

MAY/JUNE

There are certain prophetic events to be fulfilled before Christ comes in His kingdom. His glorious appearing — "the brightness of His coming" (the epiphany of His parousia) — will bring in judgment (see 2 Thessalonians 1: 7-10; also, 2 Thessalonians 2: 8-12). This judgment will fall on the apostates and their satanically inspired leaders. But we are not instructed to look for any events that precede the rapture. Indeed, the apostle Paul, writing on the blessed theme of the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ invariably wrote as expecting His coming in his own lifetime. In such Scriptures as 1 Thessalonians 4; 2 Thessalonians 2; 1 Corinthians 15, it is evident that the hope of the Lord's return was in immediate expectancy. Hence we do not merely await an event, we wait for Him who has assured us "I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

The Rapture, unlike the Appearing, will be private and thus outside the cognizance of the world at large — Christ is coming for those that are His "at His coming" (1 Corinthians 15: 23).

Some have thought because of the language used, "a shout, voice of the archangel, the trump," that the world will be alerted. However, we know from John 12: 28-30, that on the occasion of our Lord praying to the Father and receiving the Father's answer, those that stood by could not understand, although they heard the voice from heaven. They said that it thundered; others said that an angel had spoken to Him; but none could truly perceive what had really occurred. So on the occasion of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the men who were with him "stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man" (Acts 9: 7).

They were aware of some strange occurrence, but it was outside their ken. When the saints are caught up to heaven they may be missed, for their absence from the world will be noted, but where they have gone and how they have gone will be completely unknown. The march of events after the catching up of the saints will be so rapid that men's attention will be quickly otherwise occupied.

According to Philippians 3: 20 saving grace has given us a new citizenship. We are enregistered in heaven (see Luke 10: 20). Our hope is a heavenly hope — "the hope which is laid up for you in heaven" (Colossians 1: 5). "From whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3: 20). In Ephesians 5: 23 we read, "He is the Saviour of the body."

While we experience the practical salvation of Christ as we sojourn here in the body in the life of responsibility, soon we shall experience that salvation, as to our bodies, in the fullest possible way. According to Romans 8: 23, we are waiting for the day when the power of redemption will touch these bodies of ours and lift them out of the region of weakness and death. So in Philippians 3: 21 our Savour at His coming "shall change our body of humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth, and it will be exerted by him to subdue everything to Himself. Yet, the first touch of that power will be experienced by His saints at the rapture, when He raises the sleeping and changes the living, all caught up together to be for ever with Himself.

The apostle in 1 Thessalonians 1: 3, had expressed his assurance of the enduring constancy of hope of those young believers. That hope would not be disappointed. We learn from 1 Corinthians 15: 20-23 that the power for the resurrection of believers who sleep has been demonstrated in Christ's own resurrection from among the dead. Thus the certainty of the realization of the Christian hope has been emphasised, for we read "but now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept . . But every man in his own order; Christ the firstfruits; afterwards they that are Christ's at His coming."

Who then are Christ's at His coming? Certainly those believers alive when He comes. But then sleeping saints are His too. At His coming for His own they will be raised and the living changed. What of saints of pre-church days? John Baptist was quite happy and content to be a friend of the Bridegroom (John 2: 29). The 19th chapter of the Revelation gives us a prophetic pre-view of the marriage of the Lamb. The wife of the Lamb is there in the garments with which she has made herself ready, "the righteousnesses of the saints." Then we are told "Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." We conclude that the Baptist will be an honoured guest there. Also such as Abraham of whom our Lord said, "Abraham rejoiced to see My day" (John 8: 56). The marriage in heaven is the immediate precursor to the commencement of the "day of Christ." Abraham will be at the marriage supper as one of the many friends of the Bridegroom. So, too, those holy myriads of saints from every past day in the dealings of God — all will be there to celebrate the marriage of the Lamb in the day when the church is presented to Him. How will they get there? They will experience the resurrecting power of Christ when He comes to claim His own. All saints will have their distinctive family positions in that day — "each in his own rank . . Christ's at His coming."

The church will have the nearest place to Him, for she only is the body and the bride of Christ. The church only will be given to Christ as an help-meet for Him — just as Eve had been given to Adam to share with him in the dominion entrusted to him, so shall the church share with Christ in the administration of the world to come. Indeed, the church which is His body is the fulness of Him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1: 22, 23). Following the marriage and its festivities the heavens will be opened and the glorified Christ come forth in power and great glory. No longer to be alone as once upon that cross of shame. God will bring with Him all those who have believed that He died and rose again, trusting Him as Saviour and Lord during the time of His rejection. Then shall be answered the word of our Lord in the prayer of John 17: 22, 23, "And the glory which thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me." In order to their being brought with Him He will first come for them. They will be caught up to meet Him, their heavenly Bridegroom, that they might come with Him as the King.

So then, as we have seen earlier, sleeping saints will not miss the kingdom, indeed, they are given precedence for moment, for we repeat they will be raised first, the living will then be changed, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," and together they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and so shall they "ever be with the Lord."

The very sphere from which Satan has for so long conducted his nefarious operations is to be the meeting place of Christ and those that are His own at His coming; glorious triumph! Welcome victory! His coming draws near; as soon as the Father gives the word He "Shall descend from heaven with a shout" (the grand rallying shout), "He that shall come will come and will not tarry" (Hebrews 10: 37). and they answer, "Even so come Lord Jesus. Amen."

The Love of Christ

The Love of Christ

N. Anderson

The following is but a short meditation of the love of Christ. That it is impossible to give a comprehensive account of such love is borne out by a reference to the Ephesians 3: 18, where the apostle prayed that, among other things, we might "know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge."

John 11: 36, "Behold how He loved him." Whilst we can speak of His love in the past tense, how blessed to know that it is an abiding love. John, in Revelation 1: 5, spoke of the love of Christ as an ever subsisting reality. In regard to our sins he said, speaking in the past tense, "Who has washed us from our sins;" but in regard to His love which had led Him to do the cleansing work, once for all, he said, "To Him who loves us" (N. Tr.). Praise His Name, He loves and shall go on loving His own.

John 13: 1, "Having loved His own which were in the world He loved them to the end," He loved them through everything — through Israel's rejection, the treachery of Judas, the denial of Peter, the forsaking of all the disciples, the agony of Gethsemane, the mockery of Gabbatha, and the crowning suffering of Golgotha. Nothing could abate His love. "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it" (Song of Songs 8: 7). How often have we sung with deep feeling: —

"But Thy love remains that entered

Into death to make us Thine."

The suffering, darkness, and sorrow of the cross are gone, and gone for ever; but the love that took Him into and through it all abides for ever.

As the abidingness of His love has been attested by the sufferings He has endured — sufferings beyond our telling — so we may be encouraged by the knowledge that no suffering through which His own may be called to pass, nor circumstance however testing, can ever diminish His love. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" This is faith's confident challenge. "Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that love us."

Paul added his own triumphant testimony, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." And we are taught in Romans 8: 1 that we are where divine love is resting — "in Christ Jesus."

Blessed as all this undoubtedly is, do we so rise in the appreciation of this deathless love of Christ as to enter into the knowledge of His love to the Father? If we learn His love to us it is in the way of learning that He has made known the Father. He has been revealed by the Son, and by the work of the cross the way into the Father's presence has been opened righteously. The Father would have us draw near in the company of the Son of His love. He would have us there for His pleasure, joying in Him and perfectly at home before Him. As we enjoy this rich and lasting portion — the sweetness of eternal life — the Father's heart is gratified, and for this He gave His only begotten Son.

He who has manifested to us the Father's Name has also communicated the truth of part with Himself; the blessed prospect too, of being with Him where He is, and He has taught us of the new day which was to dawn as a result of His taking His place on high — the Spirit's day, with its unrestrained ministry of heavenly blessing. He moved out from the upper room to the outside place — the sphere of fruitbearing and witness — declaring as He did so, "that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence" (John 14: 31).

So He went out to the garden, over the brook Cedron, with the shadow of His impending death at Calvary lying over His spirit. Cedron had long centuries before witnessed the tears of the rejected anointed of Jehovah, 2 Samuel 15, but what shall we say of the rejection and betrayal of the Father's Beloved; of the Gethsemane sorrow with its sweat of blood — not recorded in John's gospel — but we are told that over the brook Cedron there was "a garden, into the which He entered, and His disciples."

Yet, wonder of wonders, He paused on the way to the garden and lifted up His eyes to heaven. Surely His heart was also in unclouded communion with the Father. In the midst of the many petitions in His wonderful prayer, given to us in John chapter 17, He breathed out in the hearing of His own that one day the world shall know that the Father loved the saints even as He loved the Son.

How precious for us to be let into such knowledge; may such divinely revealed verities awaken a response in all our hearts.

John 13: 1, the Son loved His own through everything.

John 14: 31, the Son loves the Father, and in devoted obedience would go into death for the glorifying of the Father. Having thereby laid the basis for the richest blessing of His own, He would ascend up where he was before and inaugurate the new day by sending down the Holy Spirit. He would also have us know that the great desire of His heart is to have all His own sharing with Himself in the glory which the Father has given Him, and that in that day love would be displayed in glory — the love of the Father to the Son, and the love of the Father to the saints. Then shall His own see Him in the unique pre-eminence of His eternal Sonship and appreciate fully that the Father's love to the Son pre-dated the creation of the world. That love belonged to the sweet relationship in which the Father and the Son had ever subsisted. As the love was pre-time so also was the relationship. In the conscious enjoyment of these blessed revelations we long for the realisation of the blessed hope which He has given us in those memorable words; "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17: 24).

As we wait may we worship the Father, in spirit and in truth, seeking grace to follow our beloved Lord in the responsive power of holy love.

Common Ground!

Common Ground!

N. Anderson.

The general trend in things religious at the present time is to form a world-church, embracing every breed and every creed. This movement takes in Mohammedans, Jews, and Christians of every shade; hence the need of a common basis of communion. Its leaders think that they have discovered such in the acceptance of the universal Fatherhood of God, and the universal Brotherhood of man.

It seems that they have found Scripture support for their ideas in such Scriptures as Acts 17: 29; 1 Corinthians 8: 6; and Ephesians 4: 6. Do these Scriptures lend support to the present trend? Or is there some misapprehension of them on the part of those who adduce them? Let us look then at those passages of Scripture in their contexts.

Please read Acts 17: 22-34 inclusive; then 1 Cor. 8: 5, 6; finally, Ephesians 4: 6.

Consider Acts 17: 28 — The preacher, being none other than the Apostle Paul, said, "For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring." This seems to be conclusive enough, when detached from its context! The word "offspring" seems to denote relationship, but does it? The word is akin to "become, to be, generation, kind." As sued by the apostle in quoting their pets he uses the word offspring as denoting their having received being, "For in him we live, and move, and have our being." The thought of creaturehood is implicit in "offspring" and not relationship.

Every man has come connection with God — for He has created them all. Thus He stands in respect to men as Creator. This is as far as His Fatherhood goes, He is in this sense the Originator of all.

As to 1 Corinthians 8: 6 — ". . . there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things . . " Note, that here there is a distinction made between believers and unbelievers. The verse really reads, "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in (for) Him." Only those born again and believing are in relationship with Him. See Galatians 3: 26, "For ye are all the children (sons) of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Also, John 1: 12, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power (the right of privilege) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on His Name." Relationship then is by faith and not creation.

Then, as to Ephesians 4: 6, note that here again relationship is limited. The two aspects of the Fatherhood of God are before us in this passage. "One God and Father of all" — as Creator and thus the Originator and Governor of all, but again, note how relationship is limited, "and in you (us) all."

Having said so much as we have, let us look at some passages where there does seem to be a common basis.

Romans 3: 22, 23 and Romans 10: 12 — These two Scriptures both say, "There is no difference" Why then do we say that there is no common ground for communion or, rather, fellowship? Look carefully at the Scriptures referred to. That in Romans 3 says, "There is no difference: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 10 says, "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." To claim the common ground which these two Scriptures afford is first of all to admit to being guilty before God, and then to admit to being lost! The guilty need to be justified: the lost need to be saved.

These two things, being guilty and lost, are the attendants of the fall of man. Man lost any basis that he might have had for drawing near unto his Creator by reason of his disobedience in Eden's garden. Those four questions asked by God elicited answers from Adam which demonstrated how he had fallen from his first estate.

1. Genesis 3: 9 "And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou?"

2. Genesis 3: 11 "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?"

3. Genesis 3: 11 "Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"

4. Genesis 3: 13 "And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?"

Note, in reverse order: "What hast thou done? and "Where art thou?" — Guilt and State.

Adam blamed God, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, And I did eat." The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." The woman blamed the serpent.

How had the serpent beguiled her, or as the New Testament says, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (1 Tim. 2: 14).

The serpent had deceived her by insinuating a doubt in her mind, for had he not said unto her, "Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" The woman lied to the serpent saying, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat."

So there was held out by the serpent, the lust of the flesh; the lust of the eyes; and the pride of life. The principles which make up the world system, against which the young men in the family of God are warned in 1 John 2: 16. Thus the first pair succumbed to those allurements and lost their place, being driven out of the earthly paradise. God in righteousness, yet in mercy, having clothed the guilty husband and wife with coats of skins, indicating that the only suitable clothing for His holy eyes was that which sacrifice had provided, placed cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. The attributes of God were harnessed in His unrelinquished guardianship of the guilty pair. "Lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken."

Thank God, for the Seed of the woman, our Lord Jesus Christ, that Holy Thing, called Son of God. He came into the world by way of the womb of the virgin, and having assumed Manhood was tempted as was the first man. Not in a garden of plenty but in a barren wilderness. There He triumphed over the devil, who left Him for a season, waiting until he deemed the time was ripe for another onslaught against the Son of God. Our holy Lord, assailed in Gethsemane's garden, refused to take the cup from the hand of the devil. There, against the dark background of the disobedience of the first man, He, the Second Man out of heaven, proved obedient even unto death and that the death of the cross. Such was His perfection that, then and there, by His crucifixion He opened the way, righteously, back to God. Vindicating the claim which He had earlier made, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14: 6).

Thus, and only thus, has common ground been made whereon man, estranged from God by sin, can come to God in perfect righteousness. Not by claiming, erroneously, that we are all part of the universal Brotherhood of man, under the universal Fatherhood of God. But by acknowledging what is avowedly true, that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," owning with thanksgiving, that "the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Another Comforter

Another Comforter

John 14: 15-17, 25, 26; John 15: 26; John 16: 7-15.

N. Anderson

Our Lord was about to leave His own in the world where evil abounded, and where they would be hated for His sake (John 15: 19-21). So He exhorted them, "Let not your heart be troubled" (John 14: 1), and again, verse 27, having said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Four reasons He gave them as to why they should heed this word from their Lord.

1. His going away to the Father's house would prepare a place there for them.

2. He would come again for them, that He might receive them to Himself, that where He was they also might be.

3. While He was away they should have His peace in order that they might be in a world of hatred and persecution, in tranquillity of spirit even as He had been.

4. In addition He would beg the Father and He would give them another Comforter-One who could come alongside and undertake for them completely.

They would indeed be better off during His physical absence. They were not to lose by His leaving them, rather were they to be the gainers. So He said, "It is expedient for you that I go away: if I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you."

We would like to make an aside just here. Our Lord, though having assumed the flesh and blood condition, "The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us" (John 1: 14),

did not in so doing relinquish that which was ever His in co-equality and in co-eternity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Thus we read of Him saying, "I beg the Father." There are two words used in the course of these chapters, 13 to 17, for "pray" or "ask." One of which denotes the asking by an inferior of a superior, the other which denotes the asking of an equal. The latter is used in this instance. Our Lord was consciously on equal terms with the Father and so He makes His request that the Father would send them another Comforter.

There are two necessary prerequisites on the part of His own. It was not sufficient that they be troubled in heart, let them prove their love for their departing Lord. "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." Obedience is ever the proof of love. "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

The other Comforter, unlike our Lord Who was about to leave them, would abide with them for ever. The disciples would gain then, for they would have two Comforters-the Spirit of Truth to be with them forever, even for the remainder of their sojourn here upon earth, and Christ in the Father's presence as their Advocate (see 1 John 2: 1). Our Lord's advocacy, not being part of our present theme, we leave it-profitable though the consideration of it would be. In leaving it we would just like to add that the same word is translated in either passage as Comforter and as Advocate-Paraclete.

The other Comforter is identified as the Spirit of Truth. What our Lord had said of Himself objectively, "I am . . the Truth," is here said of the Spirit subjectively. The Spirit would reproduce in the disciples of the Lord a practical answer to that which had been set before them in Him. Furthermore, the Spirit of Truth would not only be "with you"-companywise, but He would be "in you"-individually. The Son had been with them but He had not been "in" them. The Spirit being "in" them, awaited "that day." For His being "with" the Assembly in its collective character as distinct from being "in" them individually-please read 1 Cor. 3: 16 and also 1 Cor. 6: 19.

Note that the company of those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are distinct and consequently distinguished from the world. For "the world cannot receive the Spirit of Truth, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him, but ye know Him for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14: 17).

It is averred by some that "He dwelleth with you" was only true while our Lord was here on earth but we would counter such a suggestion by saying that the Spirit being in the saints was in consequence of His dwelling with them. Let us keep in mind that "the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7: 39)-while as yet our Lord was still here on earth.

In John 14, "Another Comforter" is identified for us by our Lord as the Holy Spirit (verse 26). Note that in this chapter "The Father will send in My Name." In John 15: 26, "Whom I will send unto you from the Father." While we read in John 16: 23, "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth is come." Thus, in John 14 He would be sent by the Father in the Son's Name. In John 15, the Son would send Him as from the Father. And in John 16, He would come. In the first instance He is sent in the interests of the Father. Finally, He comes. How blessed is the inter-communion of the Persons of the Godhead!

In John 14 our Lord outlines for us the ministry of the Spirit of Truth, "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." This would have particular reference to the gospels. We are not left to the fallible memory of men, no, we have the infallible Spirit of Truth to direct the disciples even in these matters. Hence, at the close of this gospel the last verse says, "There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they were written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."

So the Spirit has been selective in that which He recalled to their remembrance. He Who alone is capable of teaching us all things is surely capable of bringing those things to their remembrance which He sees absolutely indispensable. For instance, if we read with prayer and care the first epistle of John we shall find no fewer than nine references to that which is "from the beginning"-the commencement of our Lord in His ministry in this world.

In John 15, the Spirit of Truth, said our Lord, "shall testify of Me" This most certainly covers the teaching of the epistles. Their characteristic feature, among others, is that they are united in presenting Him. His lowly self-humbling leading to His exaltation; His being extolled as Lord and Head; the truth of His priesthood and His being Minister of the Sanctuary as also Mediator of the New Covenant. How enthralling is the teaching concerning His being the Second Man out of heaven, and the Last Adam. His being Firstborn of all Creation, and the Firstborn from the dead. The Head of the New Creation. As such He has accomplished the work of Redemption and Reconciliation. The Spirit then bears witness to Him where and as He is. In this He uses the disciples, "Ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning."

How rich their compensation for having companied with Him during those days when having come unto His own, His own people received Him not! How many facets of His glory in His many functions as witnessed by Peter, James and John, Jude and Paul. For all these we are debtors to the Spirit of Truth Who had empowered them in their witness. Granted that Paul had not companied with our Lord from the outset, yet he certainly had seen our Lord in glory!

We turn to the account in this chapter: it would assuredly be expedient for the disciples that our Lord should go away. If He did not, then the Comforter would not come to them. "If I depart I will send Him to you" (John 16: 7). In this instant we have His distinct sending on the part of the Son. When He was come, His coming would have a distinct bearing on the world. His very presence brings demonstration to the world of three things:-

1. Of sin.

2. Of righteousness.

3. Of judgment. Not "judgment to come," as so often misquoted.

1. "Because they believe not on Me" The crowning sin of the world is unbelief as to the Person of the Son. The blessing of God had been offered to the world on the incoming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He had earlier said, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I am come not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12: 46, 47). Again He had also said to the leaders of Israel, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth" (John 9: 41).

2. "Because I go to the Father" The demonstration to the world of righteousness lay in the fact that He had gone to the Father. Henceforth they would see Him no more. The world which He had created, in which sin was reigning, had been presented with its Creator, replete with saving grace. What was its response? "Away with Him. Crucify Him. We will not have this man to reign over us" (John 19: 15; Luke 23: 21; Luke 19: 14). And so He who was so unrighteously treated here, left the world and went to His Father. If then we would see righteousness we do not look around, we look up and see our Lord accepted by His Father. He has reversed the judgment of the world which has rejected His son. He has received Him in perfect righteousness. The world, in rejection of Him, is a doomed system. The Father then has expressed the truth that righteousness is not to be found here. It may only be found with Him, and that as connected with Him in the exaltation of His Son.

3. "The prince of this world is judged." Little wonder then that the world is doomed! Led on by him in self-exaltation and in his hatred of God and His Christ, the Spirit gives convincing demonstration that he is entirely unchanged since his assault against God in the garden of Eden. Then he had succeeded in alienating man from God his creator. "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it" ( John 8: 44). "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning" (1 John 3: 8).

The prince of this world had also pitted himself against our Lord, not in a garden but in the wilderness. Having met his match and being defeated, he retreated for a season (see Luke 4: 13). We read also, John 12: 31, "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out." His sentence was reached at the cross; his judgment is richly deserved. The execution of that sentence awaits that occasion of which we read in Revelation 20-he shall be bound for a thousand years and cast into the abyss. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison"-and it shall be evidenced that his long incarceration has not altered him in the slightest (read Rev. 20: 7-10), "and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone," thus shall his judgment be ultimately carried out.

Here in John 16, while the door of this world is closed to the saints, that into the Father's world is opened to them, "I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now." Loving consideration of our departing Lord! "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all the truth; for He shall not speak of (from) Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak." He will lead us into the sweetness of the communion of the Persons of the Godhead. They never act independently of each other, while we do read in our King James translation, "He shall not speak of Himself," there is no doubt we could better read, "from."

It is erroneous to assume that the Spirit shall not speak about Himself-indeed, we are indebted to Him for every word we read about Him. He, then, would lead us into that realm of subsisting communion of life, nature, co-equality, and co-eternity of Deity. "He will show you things to come," pleasing or painful, dark or bright! He outlines to us the future-the coming glory, as well as the ensuing breakdown, and who amongst us has not failed to hold fast that which has been committed to our trust? He, while shewing us things to come, gives not only warning but also recovering truth. How often does our Lord say, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Assemblies." "He shall glorify Me, for He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you."

How full and heartwarming is the Spirit's ministry as He repeatedly draws attention to Christ? No matter in whatever aspect we view Him He is so presented to our affections "that in all things He might have the pre-eminence." Our Lord goes on to say, "All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you." This will draw us into the sphere of eternal life, where the Father and the Son are at home in unalloyed bliss. John tells us, by the Spirit, in chapter 1 of his first epistle, that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."

In 1 John 5 we learn that our Lord, no longer on earth but now in the glory, and having gone there via the cross, has given us the Spirit Who joins His witness with that of the water and the blood. "These three agree in one . . and this is the witness, that God has given unto us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."

We thank God for that other Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and His present ministry which gives us the value of the Gospels, the Epistles, and the prophetic portions of the New Testament including the book of Revelation.

A Confessed Disciple

A Confessed Disciple

John 19: 38-42; John 20: 11-22.

N. Anderson

It is indescribably blessed for any believer to be in a condition where the thoughts of God are his thoughts, and where there is conformity to divine ways. That, of course, is the fruit of a divine operation in the soul. How good it is for us to enter appreciatively and intelligently into God's thoughts, for as we do so there is a consequent forming of our ways. Paul could refer to "My ways which be in Christ" (1 Corinthians 4: 17). Those were ways ordered according to the mind of God.

We have been reminded that God is doing something, and in John 19 we have an example of a man in whom God was working. That work was to fruition in the case of Joseph of Arimathea when he came to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. The death of our Lord had made a powerful impact upon his spirit, and consequently had affected his ways. It was no small thing for him to go to Pontius Pilate beseeching him for the body of Jesus. Notice what the Spirit of God says of him in verse 38, "Being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews." How much are we marked by secrecy in relation to the things of Christ? Does secrecy colour our Christian profession? Or have we taken our stand in identification with Him as the refused, unwanted and crucified One? It is surely no small matter for us to take such a stand.

There had undoubtedly been a work in Joseph's soul. He was "a disciple of Jesus, but secretly," and the time had now arrived when his discipleship must be brought into the light of day. This was effected by the power of the truth of his Lord's rejection and crucifixion which had laid hold of him, making him aware that thus a moral line was drawn between the true disciple and the world.

Separation from evil is a moral necessity; it is a component feature of the faith, for our Lord has said, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world" (John 17: 16). Whilst this is positionally true of all believers, the Holy Spirit presents it to us in the Word of God that we might be affected by it practically.

Joseph came under the impact of the knowledge that his Lord had been crucified, and abandoning his secrecy, he took his stand for Christ. The moment of decision had arrived for him; not a decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, for that he had already done, but a decision to take his place as a follower of the crucified Christ.

What is there in this crucified Saviour that would lead a man possessing status and honour in this world to take a step which might involve losing it all? We often sing, 'Jesus thou art enough, the mind and heart to fill'; we like to sing such words, but the Spirit of God, in our quiet moments, raises the question with us as to how far we are really in the truth of them. Joseph had come under the spell of the attraction of Christ, and although the pathway of Christ had apparently ended at the cross, his heart was so touched by the sense of His worth that he took his stand with Him. It is a miracle of the grace of God when anyone takes such a stand in a world where all the streams are flowing against the truth of God. May He grant that everyone of us may similarly take that stand, and as having done so, may we be helped to an increasing appreciation of the attractiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we be helped to continue to stand in faithfulness for Him.

The death of Christ is a reality; the apostle Paul used the truth of the crucifixion as a basis for the doctrine of the Galatian epistle. We have referred to a verse already in which he said, "I am crucified with Christ." The cross was not the end of the Saviour but Paul said, in effect, that it was the end of himself in the sight of God. He endorsed the judgment of God upon all that he was, and took his stand alongside the crucified Christ.

He further said in that epistle, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6: 14). The truth of the cross cuts across everything here. We are used to these expressions; we have heard them so often in ministry, and they may have formed our way of thinking. What is needed is the practical answer in our everyday lives to what is ministered. This truth takes us all in; for men, who in self-will exalts himself against God, is brought into judgment in the cross of Christ; the world too, which allows the self-exaltation of man, meets its judgment there. The Lord Jesus, speaking in view of His impending death, said, "Now is the judgment of this world" (John 12: 31).

How then can we rub shoulders with a judged world, as though we were one with it?

The truth of the attractiveness of Christ is not limited to what it separates from, important as this is, but we are separated to Himself where He is at God's right hand. In the conscious enjoyment of communion with Him in that blessed circle of affection, a new relationship is made known to us. Relationship with Himself and with the Father is ours in virtue of His death and resurrection, in the power of a new life.

In Mary Magdalene we see one to whom the world had become an empty place; indeed her hopes seemed blighted now that her Lord had died. If there has been with us, as with her, true association with our Lord Jesus Christ in His rejection, He will lead us into the light and joy of the blessed fact that death could not hold Him. Mary had "stood by the cross;" she had also "stood without at the sepulchre," and now she hears His voice in resurrection — the voice that she had thought was forever hushed in death — calling her by name, "Mary." He reaches her affections and she recognizes Him, seeking, apparently, to embrace Him, but he says, "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father." Notice He did not say only "Touch me not," but "Touch Me not for I am not yet ascended". Implicit in this is the truth that she could not have Him back in the conditions which existed before he went to the cross, but she was to know Him in ascension, in entirely new conditions.

Then He says, "Go to My brethren;" that is very blessed! He did not say, "Go to the brethren" but "Go to My brethren." This was impossible until the work of the cross had been completed and He had risen from the dead. There was no change as to His own divine and heavenly relationships, for these are eternal, but there is now a new relationship formed for those upon whom His love is set. "Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God."

Has the power of this really gripped us? Does it not involve our entering into divine thoughts and into divine ways? If it does grip us our souls will be thrilled with the sweetness of the Father's love — "Love, well known, yet passing human thought."

Association with the Son of God means that the path which He has trodden is the path for us. He ever moved here in obedience to the will of God, and if His God is our God, then obedience is incumbent upon us. It is possible only as we continue in communion with Him.

As the result of the message that He was risen, the disciples gathered together. The blessedness of brethren dwelling together in unity is likened by the Psalmist to that holy anointing oil which came upon the head of Aaron, running down to his beard, and descending to the skirts of his garments; and the Spirit of God connects with that the blessedness of eternal life. This life is known and enjoyed in the midst of those who have come under the power of the attractiveness of the risen Christ who is today in the Father's presence.

One feature of the administration of our anointed Head is that, as the power of the anointing flows down to us, we judge ourselves and our own wills. We are brought to appreciate the will of God and the mind of Christ — and that mind will form us in true lowliness.

What causes divisions? Not the truth of God, or the attractive grace of our risen Saviour. These things only unify. May God help everyone of us to come under the power of Christ's attraction — that One whose love took Him into death; who has risen in triumph; who is ascended to the Father. He would attract, command, and direct us, until that looked-for moment when we shall hear His voice and see His face. Until then may we be decided in our confession, and true in our discipleship.

The Constraining Love of Christ

The Constraining Love of Christ

2 Corinthians 5: 14-17.

N. Anderson

In our Bible reading this afternoon terms such as "we ought," "we should," and "we would" were used. Along with this, emphasis was laid upon the fact and the necessity of being born of God; for only "new bottles" could contain the "new wine." Reference was also made to the necessity of the power of the Spirit of God to lead us on into the apprehension and enjoyment of all that is established of God "in Christ."

I wish to give a simple touch on the love of Christ. There is an intimate relationship between it and this new, heavenly system, for that love having accomplished redemption, all is now available to us.

There is a constraint — a compelling power — in the love of Christ. Under that constraint there is a spontaneity of progress and response. We have experienced the compassionate love of Christ. Our hearts have been touched by it and we are Christians because it has laid hold of us. If the truth of Christianity is to be practised and maintained by us we need the constraining love of Christ to motivate us.

When we were on the broad downward road, in our sins, with eternal perdition before us, it was that compassionate love of Christ which took Him into death on our account, that arrested us, bowing us at His blessed feet. I wonder if we are equally acquainted with the constraint of that love! Of necessity this question applies only to those who know that love's compassion. It so arrests, impels, and teaches, that the first effect of the constraining love of Christ is to form our judgment in line with the judgment of God. The whole story of the cross is involved in this constraining love. Its first effect upon us is to compel us to a right judgment. So we have read, "we thus judge." Have we a right judgment of ourselves? We are prone to judge others; how very easily we sit in the critic's chair; but if we know the constraining love of Christ, we judge ourselves.

What is this judgment we are constrained to accept? "That if one died for all, then were all dead" (verse 14). Thanks be to God for the largeness of the extent of the benefits and blessing of Christ's death; certainly, "He died for all." The teaching here is that His death for all evidenced that all were dead. Such was the condition of every one, there was not even a spark of life Godward. This is the judgment which the love of Christ constrains us to, that apart from God's intervention in power such is our condition.

Christ's death for all does not put all there, it proves that all are there, and if that is true, then that is our condition — DEAD. I am sure that it is good for us to be constrained to this judgment. The love of Christ brings us to it — the grand starting point from which we can go forward in the things of God.

In our reading this afternoon we touched upon our deficiencies; they are largely due to our tardiness to accept God's judgment against ourselves. The Galatian Epistle, to which we referred, emphasizes this. There the apostle Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2: 20). Here, under the constraining love of Christ, he acquiesces in God's judgment against himself. Again in that Epistle he said, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (ch. 6: 14). The world as mentioned there is not the immoral, filthy world of heathen darkness; it is the religious world, where religious man has "trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace" (Heb. 10: 29).

That world and the men of it, have come under the judgment of God at the cross. It is that character of the world which is religious, refusing the judgment of God, and consequently without the power of God; without the love of God; and without that attractive and delivering Object — the Christ of God, who is in the glory of God. "He died for all, that they which should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again" (verse 15).

There has been a power in operation, in this world of spiritual and moral death, by reason of which there are those who live. How rich is that mercy of our God which directed His life-giving power; may our souls deepen in the knowledge of it. Some of the sweetest songs in the Scriptures have originated through saints having in their souls a large sense of the mercy of God. That mercy, then, and the power of God, with the love of Christ, have been operative on our behalf. Christ, the Last Adam, is a life-giving Spirit, and as such is the Head of the new creation in the power of which He imparts life to those who were once untrammelled in the first creation's moral departure from, and rebellion against, God. Now, where all were dead, life has been brought in — there are those who live.

Hence, another blessed product of the constraining love of Christ is that they live unto Him. Thus the apostle in Philippians 1: 21 says, "For to me to live is Christ." The One who loved him was the governing Object of his life. Where that constraining love is known there is deliverance from self-occupation. The Christian, in the drawing power of that love which "passeth knowledge," is Christ centred. We are all, from the youngest to the oldest, tested here. Is it self or Christ? If we have been constrained by His deathless love to apply the truth of the cross to ourselves we shall likewise be drawn to find in Him an Object outside of ourselves, One who so commands us; so absorbs us; that we cannot help living unto Him. We shall experience the liberty and spontaneity of responsive love. We shall not love because we ought; we shall not serve because we should. There is no legal, servile, bondage here. We shall love, we shall serve, we shall live to Him because we cannot help it. The constraint of His love which on the one hand reduces us to the lowest level, so blesses us that we respond to Him as the flower opens to the rising sun.

In our reading we laid emphasis on the thought of "with Him;" here we stress the words, "unto Him." At the beginning of the book of Revelation there is a song raised by a bondslave of Jesus Christ in the Isle called Patmos. It was, "Unto Him that loved us." Christ was his Object; he sang under the constraint of the love of Christ.

We do not need improved circumstances in order to make Him our Object. Perhaps we think we could be better Christians if our circumstances were bettered! I doubt it. We are in the very circumstances which God has ordered for us, and in which He intends to produce for Himself the very best in each one of us. Whatever our present lot — bodily weakness, adversity, sorrow, care, trial — we can, in the enjoyment of Christ's constraining and unfailing love, raise our song of praise "Unto Him." We read in Psalm 4: 1 (N. Tr.), "In pressure Thou hast enlarged me." It seems to me, that in any circumstances, the constraining love of Christ known in the soul, enables the believer to rise in superiority to them, because he is held in the attraction of the loving, living Christ who is above all and in command of every situation.

"Unto Him which died for them, and rose again." Is not that sufficient reason for our living unto Him? How powerful a lever to move us in devotion of heart and life to Him — He died for us. He came in love right down beneath all that we were, he came down to the very bottom for "He was made sin for us."

All this in order that He might bring us, in His own blessed company, right to the top. His death has closed the door upon that system — this present evil world — which is contrary to God in every thing, and His resurrection has opened the door into New Creation. How much, dear brethren, do we know of the practical truth of these things? The constraint of His love will separate us from that world where He died, and at the same time will empower us to represent Him in it. Christ, out of death, the Object of our hearts, draws us into communion with Himself in the joy and blessedness of that New Creation. "The New Creation's stainless joy gleams through the present gloom." The light and glory of it are shining in the face of Him who loves us, who died for us and rose again, and it is His love that "constraineth us."

Conviction; Discipline; Attraction; Separation

Conviction; Discipline; Attraction; Separation.

Heb. 11: 23-27; Heb. 12: 4-14; Heb. 13: 10-16.

From an Address by N Anderson.

We have had much doctrine in the course of our Bible readings, good doctrine, sound doctrine; now I desire to touch a little on the side of its application. It is not easy to make the application. It is easier to have a mental outline of words — a mental acquisition of the terms of truth, than to adopt it personally and practically.

Just a simple touch, dear brethren, on the verses we have read beginning with Hebrews 11. We would start with a word to Christian parents. It is a serious matter for a Christian parent, knowing his own background, to stand up to exhort other Christian parents. "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child."

When they hid Moses we might have thought they were hiding him in view of their own personal interests, but they saw he was fair to God. Christian father and mother do you hold your children as fair to God? We hold them for God on the ground of the death of Christ. Moses' parents did it in figure. They committed him to the waters of death because they saw he was fair to God. We are living in the day — I refer to it sadly — of the permissive society, when there is little held for God. We are permitted to sit under the ministry of some of the richest truths — may God grant that one effect upon the Christian parent will be that the colour of that ministry will invade the family circle and that the young people may be held for God, and trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Let us keep this prominently before us that the Christ who has won our hearts, and whom we would desire to direct our lives, is absolutely adequate to govern the whole family. If the Lord leaves us here there is a need for the strengthening of the things that remain. What a blessed thing to bring our children up under the banner of the Christ, and in the atmosphere of the love and the truth of God! What a joy it is to see one's children breaking bread!

Verse 24 says, "By faith Moses" — not his parents now. The feature of faith which committed him to God at his birth is now manifested when he comes to years. He has a history — forty years there, forty years here, and forty years somewhere else, but that is not the point now before us. It is a history which started with committal to God, a committal which I am convinced was maintained by his parents in dependence on God. We read of his parents that a son of Levi took to himself as wife a daughter of Levi — that was a good start! Oh, young Christians, emulate both the spirit and principle — seek your companions in the Christian circle, a circle in which you enjoy the love and fellowship of divine Persons. I am sure they followed Moses with their prayers, and when he has come to years he was marked by conviction. He had to stand upon his own feet! Don't be content to be swept along in a stream. It is easy to be a Christian in a meeting like this but we need to stand, with divinely formed background, upon our own feet in the testimony of God. Moses when he was come to years refused the best the world had to offer. He was marked by definite, positive committal. Do not be among the many who do not know where they are in the things of God. Moses was a man of conviction, and his conviction showed itself in this way — he refused! He refused — choosing! The Christian does not live on a negative plane; he lives on a very positive one: —

"I've heard a sweeter story:

I know a nobler Name."

We are blessed "with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ," and they cannot be exhausted nor worn out — there is no deterioration; there is no diminishing.

"Let others boast of heaps of gold,

His riches never can be told;

Christ for me.

Your gold will waste and wear away,

Your honours perish in a day,

My portion never can decay,

Christ for me."

So this man makes his choice — refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter in the blessed, entrancing attraction and energy of choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God.

We are strangers here, we are not at home in this world. Why should Moses ally himself with the people of God in such conditions? The truth of the Christ has ever been before the mind and heart of God, and even with Old Testament worthies, whatever they may or may not have known about it, the Christ of God has put His impress upon everything that has been brought into being, and He puts His impress upon the saints of God. Here is a man who comes under the impress of Christ! He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater than any wealth that could be found in the land of Egypt, because he had respect unto the recompense — he is looking on to the end! It stops us from drifting; the anchor holds firm — it holds firm within the vail.

Christ is in reproach. The shadow of the cross is lying heavily upon this world, and the day is coming when the world will be brought to judgment for the crucifixion of the Christ of God. In the meantime we have the privilege of sharing the reproach of Christ. God would have the saints identified, not just positionally, not just doctrinally, but practically with the cross of Christ.

In Hebrews 12 we have the thought of discipline. It is not an easy thing to speak about, and it is not an easy thing to experience — but it is a blessed thing to experience. What is discipline for? It is to disciple one into the truth of what belongs to us in the calling in which God has been pleased to call us. We are scholars at school and have lessons to learn, and some of them can be pretty hard. In the school of God the lessons are moral lessons. There we learn how to judge ourselves; there we learn how we can become independent of that which at one time we thought we could not live without. However discipline may come (and there are many ways) there is no second cause for the Christian who is in this school of God. A moral formation takes place and we become strengthened; we become resolute and true to the God who called us and become, practically, a partaker of His holiness.

"My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord" (verse 5). God desires to form us in the moral dignity of sonship even whilst down here. What a revenue of blessing can come out of discipline! — spiritual formation; likeness to Christ; the reproduction of those blessed features so delightful to God as seen in that blessed Man as He moved in His impeccable moral beauty as a Man among men. Some of us faint under it. We hang our heads; we hang our hands; we weaken our knees. We may stop praying — and the drooping of the hands is connected with the stopping of praying. Scripture says, "Lifting up holy hands."

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Timely help in the ministry of our glorious High Priest stops us from falling, and He ministers to us all that we need. Paul and Silas knew the grace of Christ which kept them in prison circumstances, and yet lifted them spiritually. Such is the priestly ministry of Christ — it carries us through and makes us more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

It is quite obvious from the verses in Hebrews 13 that there is a difference between the heavenly order of things and Judaism. An earthly religious system gathers around men. The religious practices of today are absolutely essential to the carrying on of a worldly organisation.. So in verse 12 "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." This has to do with holy purpose — that He might set apart the people for holy service; that they might serve God outside of the accredited, organised system of human religion. May this sink deeply into our souls "suffered without the gate"

Let us go forth to Him — it is the attraction found in Christ! There is the drawing power, If we are found in the outside place as the fruit of being attracted to Him, in that will be the evidence of a power that would make it attractive to others. "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach."

The features of the camp are all around us — let us have our eyes and our hearts attracted to Christ. Separation follows conviction, discipline, attraction. True separation is brought about by the power of attraction found in Him.

The Corruption of the Ages

The Corruption of the Ages

Revelation 17

N. Anderson

For the threefold division of the Book of Revelation see Rev. 1: 19.

1. "The things which thou hast seen" — Rev. 1: 12-18, The Son of man in judicial character among the seven churches set as lampstands in the world.

2. "The things which are" — Rev. 2 and 3, The history of the church in responsibility.

3. "The things which shall be after these" — Rev. 4: 1 to Rev. 22: 21.

The third section presents the ways of God in claiming His rights, putting down evil and establishing His will and authority in the capable hands of Christ.

The second section ends with the presentation of Christ as the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God. How solemn the warning, with present rebuke and chastisement, that judgment is coming — "I will spue thee out of My mouth."

Praise God, the rapture will take place before the stroke of judgment falls, and His own shall be gathered to Christ in the glory. The apostasy will be complete and the man of sin will be revealed. The rights of God are, for a time, usurped by a man who will be acclaimed with adulation by apostate religion. This development of evil is seen in Revelation 17. The corruption of the ages is there consummated in "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."

The worst idolatry of all time will be seen in her, a man shall be worshipped as though he were God! Whilst her true character, Mystery, is generally hidden, God gives light as to her to His saints. Whilst the Mystery of God in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge is that of the union of Christ and the church, the Mystery of evil is the union of the corrupt and false church with the bestial head of the revived Roman empire after the true church has been raptured to heaven to join her glorious head, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Babylonish union is neither organic nor spiritual. It is political and economic, with territorial wealth and expansion as its end. Babylon will be powerful and far reaching in influence. She sits upon the many waters (see verse 15), and she rides upon the beast. For a time he is under her control. Religion then rules politics and uses them for the expansion of her own power. So the barren waste into which John was carried in the Spirit was a fitting vantage point for contemplating her! She was set upon a scarlet coloured beast and was decked in the garb of imperial splendour. Every indication of opulence was hers. Also the features of corruption and licentiousness — attendants of idolatry in its most extreme form. According to verse 5 she mothered others like herself. Hatred of God and His people energised her. She was relentlessly opposed to the witnesses of Jesus. His very lowliness incensed her. There was certainly no room for such moral grace in her scheme of things. Little wonder that John was amazed at the sight of her.

Verse 8 — "the beast . . was" — it had had a past history; "and is not" — had lost its power for a period; and "shall ascend out of the abyss" — it shall be revived by diabolical power.

The seven mountains of verse 9 identify the beast with Rome — the political and administrative centre of the revived Roman Empire.

The seven heads speak of the historical forms of government which had been dominant in the past. Five had had their day; one was in being when the Revelation was given through John; another was to come and to continue for a short period. The beast of the prophecy was to embody and to continue in himself all the ruthless features of the rulers which had preceded him; and in that sense, while he was an eighth he was of the seven. On this beast the woman sits!

If the Mystery of Christ and the Church is God's masterpiece (Col. 2: 1-3), then this mystery in Revelation 17, the woman and the beast, is the devil's masterpiece. In THE Mystery we have Christ and the Church — the Man and the woman. In the consummation of evil the woman for a time takes precedence over the man (the beast). Divine order, as in the creation, is denied — the woman rules the man! (See 1 Cor. 11: 3).

We are now undoubtedly living in a day when coming events cast their shadows before! The scenes are setting for the great religious apostasy — the "falling away," prophesied in 2 Thess. 2. Ecumenicity, universal religion, will reach its climax in the Babylonish system. Even in our day, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the move towards world-wide church union leads to subservience to Rome. The motto still stands, "semper idem" — always the same. The world-church will gain territorial power. What an unholy alliance shall that be between the counterfeit church and the devil-empowered revived Roman Empire under its bestial head! (Please read Revelation 12: 9; Rev. 13: 4; and Rev. 17: 8). If the revival of the beast is predicted so also is his doom, for twice over we read he shall go into destruction, verses 8 and 11. The earth wonders at the revival of the beast, but it is the wonder of the deceived! They are unknown of God, their names are not written in the book of life. The end of verse 8 says they wonder "when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

The climax hastens. Let us remember that when these prophetic ways are resumed on earth the church will already have been raptured to heaven by the Lord Himself. In Rev. 11: 15 the seventh angel sounds his trumpet to announce the setting up of God's kingdom in power under the administration of Christ. This will terminate the tribulation of the last half of the last prophetic period, three and a half years. The tribulation, resulting from the beast being unfaithful to the covenant he makes with the Jews for a week of years, cannot take place until the Roman empire is revived in its final form. This evidences that the church will NOT go through the tribulation; the Lord having come for His church, this heavenly company will be in heaven while these events run their course on earth.

After the opening of the sixth seal, as described in Rev. 6: 12-17, chaos abounds in the spheres of human government. This opens the way for the master-man to emerge and bring cosmos out of chaos. During the trumpet judgments, six of them in Rev. 8 and 9, the evil machinations of the two beasts which are described in Rev. 13, will be given full exercise. In the period covered by the six trumpets the great tribulation runs its course for three and a half years; forty two months or twelve hundred and sixty days brought to an end by the coming of Christ in power and great glory, according to Rev. 11: 15 — "The kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever."

The final judgments, the seven vials commence while the beast's eminence is at its peak (see Rev. 16: 2).

The pouring out of the seventh vial introduces the fall of Babylon (Rev. 16: 19), and this is gone into in some detail in Rev. 17 and 18. The ten horns of Rev. 17: 12 are ten kings allied with the Roman beast in the hope of eventually receiving kingdoms from him. While for a season they all, with the beast, serve the purpose of the woman, they become tired of her — "And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her with fire." They receive power with the beast. They have one mind; their power and strength is given to the beast. What a confederacy! They are united in their hatred of the Lamb. How different the Lamb from the beast! There is no weakness with the Lamb, He shall overcome them; He is Lord of lords and King of kings! In the day of His victory He is accompanied by those who had been true to Him in the day of His rejection, those who are called, chosen and faithful.

How ever diabolical the march of evil in the false queen, the beast, the ten kings, and with them the anti-christ, the imposter king of Israel (called in Rev. 19: 20 the "false prophet"), there will be made manifest, as one has said, that "God is behind the scenes and He moves all the scenes He is behind." So here, in spite of their mutual hatred of and opposition to God and the Lamb, God uses the ten kings and the beast as the rod of His judgment against THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. While they had turned against the harlot they were, unwillingly, carrying out the will of God (see Rev. 17: 17) — "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."

How encouraging for tried saints in this the church's day in witness and responsibility, whatever the weakness and declension, God holds the reins and will bring about His will and surely fulfil His word. The corruption of the ages which we see growing towards its climax will come under the stern and irrevocable judgment of God, "In one hour is thy judgment come." "In one hour so great riches is come to nought." "Her sins have reached to heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." "Strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." "God hath judged your judgment upon her." Rev. 18: 20 (N. Tr.).

Truth shall triumph. Faithfulness shall be honoured. God will execute punitively upon the religious corruption that holy judgment which has led apostles and prophets, with the heavenly saints, to stand apart in holy separation from man's organised system of things. Rev. 18 gives details of the doom of apostate christendom. God has the last word, and He would encourage the faithful of the present day (and also those of the coming post rapture days) with the light of His certain victory, to the end that we all may be marked by faithfulness in the present day.

Covenants - New and Old

Covenants — New and Old

Jer. 31: 31-34; 2 Cor. 3: 3; Heb. 12: 24.

N. Anderson

Please note the contrast between the Old and the New Covenant. The Old with its "thou shalt" and "thou shalt not," and the New with its "I will." Demand in the Old; gift or grace in the New. While it may be seen that the New Covenant will yet be made with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, in its literal terms, we would point out that God is acting today on the basis and in the spirit of it. So, in the institution of the Supper the Lord Jesus said, "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood."

The blessings which are ours now anticipate, in principle, those of Israel in that day when they shall enjoy the actual terms of the New Covenant as propounded by Jeremiah.

If theirs is to be a writing in the heart so there is a writing in our hearts now. The sovereign mercy and operation of God are as necessary for us as for them. Just as the law proved them to be utterly incorrigible, so we learn that "in me (us) good does not dwell" and, on the contrary, "Sin dwelleth in me (us)" (Rom. 7: 17, 20). Our hearts, then, are not less stony than theirs. To be rendered impressionable God must operate. This He has done in new birth and thus, in new Covenant mercy, He has given us "fleshy tables" "Of His own will begat He us" (James 1: 18). "According to His abundant mercy has begotten us again . . " (1 Pet. 1: 3).

He is not writing the law today — He is writing Christ. Giving impressions of Christ and forming Him in us by the Spirit of the living God.

In Ezek. 36: 27, in addition to the heart of flesh, He says, "I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My ways . ." We have the Spirit now as the Spirit of His Son, sent into our hearts crying, "Abba, Father," and as the bond of union with Christ in the glory, and with one another. Yet, incidentally, the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us who walk not according to flesh but according to the Spirit.

He shall be their God, He is ours as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our God as we are in relationship with Him as sons, being associated with the Son of God. We are also His people as the apostle Peter teaches in 1 Peter 2: 10. James in his summing up in the crisis of Acts 15, refers to Peter's declaration of how God had visited the nations to take out of them a people for His Name. Israel, now Lo-Ammi — not My people — will be Ammi, in new Covenant blessing (cf. Hosea 1 and 2). They will then be set up with a national polity of their own on earth yet, nonetheless, distinct from the Gentiles. The people of God are completely taken out today, from Jew and Gentile, "our citizenship is in heaven."

The development of this thought will take us on to the truth of the one body — not as Jew nor as Gentile but — as an entirely new, separate, and heavenly entity, in which there is a completely new man devoid of all racial, religious, social and secular differences, "but Christ is everything and in all." See for this Colossians 3: 10, 11. They shall then have no need that any should teach them, "Know Jehovah, for all shall know me" (Heb. 8: 11). Ours, though, is to be in "the full knowledge of Him."

Divine and eternal relationships with the affections proper to them are in the realm of this knowledge — God is revealed, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Their sins shall all be forgiven them and they shall be at perfect rest in their knowledge of God. We are also forgiven and justified. As transferred from Adam to Christ we are in the gain of Romans 5: 17-19, for instance. We know the blessedness of the favour of our God; the gift of righteousness also with the hope of reigning in life by the one, Jesus Christ; with the free gift which has led to justification, not only from offences, but unto life in our risen racial Head. The grace of our blessing is delineated in the risen Christ. We see Him, "raised from the dead by the glory of the Father" clear from everything to which He had died — and we in Him. Deliverance from sin's dominion, as also from the curse of a broken law. All then demonstrating to us the greatness of the blessings which are ours — not being under the literal terms of the New Covenant, but as being blessed in the spirit of it.

In conclusion, our blessings are great indeed, but our hearts are drawn out to Him in Whom this disposition of God in New Covenant mercy has been made known. Affection for Christ with appreciation of His redeeming work will help to keep us right in this evil day. For we are come "to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 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" (Heb. 12: 24, 25).

Discipline

Discipline

Extract from a Letter of N. Anderson.

Not until we are with the Lord shall the wilderness way be ended. There is no end to the discipline while we are here, but what a yield in the day of Christ's glory. He shall be surrounded by His holy myriads — not one automaton shall be among them. Every one of them shall come out in the kingdom, to His glory, with a conscious knowledge of His love and mercy, and an intelligent ability to act for Him in the administration of that glorious day. All formed in days and ways of contrariety — Oh! the wonder of the grace which has taken up such weak mortals as ourselves with a view to emblazoning the precious features of Christ throughout the universe of bliss and glory. Praise Him! We shall praise Him for ever! All shall be found to praise, honour and glory at Christ's appearing.

Studies in Ephesians

Studies in Ephesians

Eph. 1: 1-3; Eph. 2: 11-22; Eph. 3: 1-21; Eph. 4: 1-4; Eph. 5: 22, 32.

N. Anderson.

Eph. 1: 1-3: — The apostle to the Gentiles salutes "the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus." To them he commends grace and peace, then he bursts into praise and worship, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." By the way, the revelation of God would carry with it the thought of nature and responsibility; that of Father, grace and privilege.

4-7: — Our place individually is that of sonship. The character of our acceptance is only properly understood as we appreciate Christ's acceptance as the Beloved. Beyond all thought of what is official is the sweetness of what He is to the Father. For in the unclouded intimacy of divine and holy love He is in abiding Manhood, and we are brought into the same affectionate acceptance in Himself.

All is the fruit entirely of the sovereign grace of God. We shall never be robbed of this rich blessing in time or eternity. The Father chose us in Christ before time had commenced, and has marked us out for sonship, not for anything which He saw as meritorious in us but absolutely according to the good pleasure of His will. His intention in so doing was that we might be before Him holy, and without blame in love. This is what Christ ever was, and is, and we shall be just like Him.

We are now free to receive the knowledge of the mystery of His will for the glory of Christ, for He is destined to be the gathering centre for a universe of bliss and glory. All, which in the course of the past ages has broken down in the hands of those to whom it had been committed, shall be gathered together in one in the competent hands of Christ. All shall then be administered to God's glory in the world to come.

Then too shall be realised the prayer of the Son to the Father, "And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast loved Me." Unity in glory — the third unity prayed for by our Lord — John 17: 22, 23. Because we then shall be with Him, sharing the inheritance with Him. This, too shall be "according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Eph. 1: 11).

When our Lord takes up the inheritance He will not be alone as once upon the cross of shame, no! He shall have with Him His divinely formed and given companion, the Assembly, His body, even as Adam was given a suited wife (Gen. 2: 18-25). Eve was part of Adam — "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." The divine order is, "the woman is of the man, so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God" (1 Cor. 11: 12).

The Assembly, the Body and the Bride of Christ cannot come into the inheritance until He comes into His own. Nevertheless, those who form His body, being sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, receive the Spirit as the, "Earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1: 13, 14).

The elements of the Mystery are here in the end of our Scripture. Christ is exalted by the power "Which He (God) wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all " (Eph. 1: 20-23).

Note, we are not told that the "all things" over which He has been set include the Assembly. No! for in the day of His manifested supremacy it will be patent to all that the Assembly is distinct and distinguished. It will be as Asenath was to Joseph in the day of his exaltation.

Eph. 2: 11-22: —  This presents to us the work of God in time by which the Assembly as the Body of Christ is formed. Jew and Gentile alike, dead in trespasses and sins have been the subjects of the life giving power of God. That same power which wrought in Christ (chapter 1: 20) has quickened us with Christ. The "together" of chapter 2: 5, 6 refers to these believers. The grand end of God's work with them was to unite them to Christ in glory. This is the unique feature of the present era. All believers, from Pentecost until the Rapture, are comprehended in it.

From verse 11 of chapter 2 we have the Assembly as an actual subsisting reality. The varied features of it are detailed here and are the fruit of divine work. In verses 1-10 we are taught that the mighty power of God has wrought for the implementation of the counsel of God to set man in union with Christ where He now is. It is good to be reminded of What and How we were. How blessed the contrast between "at the time" and "now" (verses 12 and 13). Thus is enhanced to us the grace and power of God in bringing us from the condition in which we were. Note the "you" — Gentiles — and the "we" — Jews. Our position now "in Christ" is fixed and unalterable, and shortly we shall be with Him. Spiritual and heavenly blessings will only be fully enjoyed in that sphere to which they belong.

Eph. 2:13. "Ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Believers from among Gentiles are spoken of here in contrast with those from among the Jews who have believed, for such were ceremonially near. Christ is "our peace" for He has made us, naturally and religiously opposed as we were, to be in perfect amity together. That which distinguished the Jew and had given him advantage over the Gentile had ever existed as a barrier between them. Christ has made both one having broken down the middle wall of partition. This He has done through His sacrificial work upon the cross. He shed His blood and offered His flesh, entailing for Him the condemnation upon all that both had been, to which they both were righteously entitled. In consequence then of that which He has done we are made nigh — distance is gone; we are both one — His death has removed the enmity between us: instead of Jew and Gentile there is now — "one new man." We must needs view this truth abstractly — we must look away from what we are in our actual responsible condition and take account of what we are in Christ. There are no fleshly distinctions — "neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free" (Col. 3: 11). Galatians adds, "neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3: 28). Colossians says, "Christ is all, in all." There are then no natural, no racial, no religious, no cultural, no secular distinctions.

The "One New Man" embraces all saints of this present period, Pentecost to the Rapture. We would say just here, that Christ is not the New Man, while the New Man is Christ characteristically. The "new man" is a creation, Christ is not (see for this, Eph. 4: 24). Thus reconciliation is known and enjoyed — the blessedness of being in right relations one with the other (Jew and Gentile), and with God. The height of blessing is that "through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

We list here the blessings stated in Ephesians 2: 13-22 —

1. Made nigh by the blood of Christ.

2. Both made one.

3. Created in Himself of the twain one new man.

4. Reconciled to God in one body by the cross.

5. Access to the Father.

6. Fellow citizens with the saints.

7. Of the household of God.

8. Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

9. Jesus Christ Himself, being the Chief Corner Stone of this spiritual edifice.

10. An holy temple in the Lord.

11. An habitation of God in the Spirit.

The unsearchable riches of Christ are announced among the Gentiles, preached in the Gospel. Forgiveness of sins, justification of life, redemption, reconciliation, sonship, eternal life, new creation. Christ is Lord of all and has peace for all. He is Priest, He is Minister of the Sanctuary, He is Mediator of the New Covenant — this last carries with it the administration of righteousness and the gift of the Spirit. Christ has "brought life and incorruptibility to light through the glad tidings" (2 Tim. 1: 10).

There is the "hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began; but hath in due times manifested His word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour" (Titus 1: 2, 3). "This is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life" (1 John 2: 25). The promise is eternal life; it is in Christ Jesus; it belongs to the faith of God's elect; it was promised before the world began. The word of it has been manifested in preaching.

Ephesians 3: 1-21 (parenthesis): —

Verse 1 — intimates the interest of the apostle Paul in Gentile believers.

Verse 2 — there was a particular administration committed to Paul having the blessing of Gentile believers especially in view.

Verses 3, 4 — The mystery had been revealed to Paul. This would be one of "those things in the which I will appear unto thee," said to Paul in the day of his turning to the glorified Christ, by none other than Christ Himself.

Verse 5 — that this truth was also revealed by the Spirit to the "holy apostles and prophets." Paul seems to have received it directly from Christ.

The distinctive features of the Mystery are detailed in

verse 6 —

1. That Gentile believers should be joint-heirs.

2. A joint body.

3. Joint partakers of His promise in Christ by the glad tidings.

"Joint" refers to such believers with believers for among the Jews.

1. Is individual blessing for sons of God. Sonship and heirship go together. The highest blessing is that of sonship. The thought of joint heirs introduces to collective blessing.

2. Joint body, is corporate. The body is an organism instinct with the life of its Head.

3. Joint partakers of His promise refers to the promise of life. For this, please read 2 Timothy 1: 1; Titus 1: 2 and 1 John 2: 25. Reference has already been made to these three joint blessings.

The Mystery then is the bringing in of Gentiles who have believed the gospel of our salvation, with those from among Jews who have believed the same blessed testimony, and together they have been united to Christ in glory. The Assembly, as the body, was brought into being on the day of Pentecost by the descent of the Holy Spirit. The personnel were Jews, the door for the reception of Gentiles was opened in Acts 10 by the apostle Peter who, because of his Jewish scruples, was given the vision of the sheet let down from heaven. The formal truth of this Mystery awaited the conversion of Gentiles, and the revelation of it, as we have seen, to Paul. The administration of it was also committed to Paul. That was the putting into operation of the truth in the ordering of the saints in their local settings. Hence we read of him teaching everywhere in every Assembly — see 1 Cor. 1: 2; 1 Cor. 4: 17; 1 Cor. 7: 17; 1 Cor. 10: 16, 17; 1 Cor. 11: 16; 1 Cor. 14: 33.

Eph. 3: 8: — The effect of the revelation was to make Paul appreciate his nothingness, yet again in 1 Cor. 15: 9 where he said, "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God." His great aim, henceforth, was to "enlighten all with the knowledge of what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God . . ." The Assembly is the vessel, as united with Christ, in which the all-varied wisdom of God is witnessed by heavenly beings. Eternal power and divinity (Romans 1: 20) were to be seen in creation, yet, the Assembly in union with the glorified Christ is the masterpiece of God. The creation had been brought into being to afford God a platform whereon could be worked out His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord. "In Whom we have boldness and access by faith of Him," access into the knowledge of this great secret of God, that Christ and the Assembly are one.

The apostle then bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that the needed state be wrought in them to enable them to lay hold of, and practically to answer to, these blessed things. He requested of the Father that we might be, according to the riches of His glory, "Strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith."

The entire range of the divine purpose would be opened out to us — "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height." In case we should be staggered by such a heart-filling knowledge he also asked that the Father would provide us a pillow on which to rest, "the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled unto all the fulness of God." We shall surely join with the apostle in the ascription of praise, "Now unto Him Who is able to do above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the Assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen."

Eph. 4: 1-4 and Eph. 5: 22-32: — The apostle here urgently entreats saints to walk worthy of the calling wherewith they have been called. This calling has been detailed for us in Eph. 2. The truth of the Assembly being the vessel for administration in the coming kingdom is implicit in the teaching that those who form it are "fellow citizens." Coupled with this is the intimacy of their inside place, "and of the household of God."

The growing "unto an holy temple in the Lord" — the stones even now coming to Christ, the Living Stone, being put into their place in view of the coming day of display; and the present fact of being "builded together for an habitation of God in the Spirit" with the fact of their forming the one body all is urged upon us in order to our being practically affected by it. There is nothing ethereal, nor theoretical in the calling. To ignore its vital application will sorely affect our relations with one another. "With all lowliness" — not having high thoughts of self: "And meekness" — no self-assertion; "with longsuffering" — that quality of patience which waits upon brethren, while they grow in truth; "forbearing one another in love" — the needed atmosphere in which we may "use diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace."

We are not enjoined to keep the unity of the Body, that is a unity that has been made once for all. It comprehends all who believe and who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. That which we are enjoined to keep is exemplified in Philippians 2: 1-5, "think the same thing, having the same love, thinking one thing." Thus the evidence of being indwelt by the One Spirit will be plain to any.

Keeping the unity of the Spirit is practical indeed. The truth of the Mystery as we enjoy it together will certainly affect us in our relations with each other. How sad to find those who form the one body and who know that they are members one of another, at variance doctrinally or personally. Often this latter is on account of some antipathy or coldness which has come in. The condition of a Euodias and a Syntyche, whatever the cause, implies that there are a thousand and one spirits in the Christian profession instead of One. Do we not read in Eph. 4: 4, "There is one Body, and ONE Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling." The one hope is twice referred to in this epistle, once as "the hope of his calling" (Eph. 1: 18), again, as here, Eph. 4: 4, "the hope of your calling." This will eventuate in glory with Christ above. Ephesians is one of five epistles which do not speak of the rapture, the coming of our Lord for His own. The others are, Galatians, Philemon, and 2nd and 3rd epistles of John.

So there is to be but one mind among the saints of God, and that is the mind of the Spirit. The particular sphere of His activity is the first of the three circles spoken of in verses 4-6, and they are worthy of attention.

1. "There is One Body"

This was formed by the baptism of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (1 Cor. 12: 13). This baptism with the Spirit, despite what so-called Pentecostalists proclaim, will never be repeated. Acts 2 gives the historical descent of the Holy Spirit. He has united all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ into one living organism of which Christ in glory is the life and Head. The hope also is one, having the certain prospect that the members of the one body are destined for glory above with Christ the Head. The calling is Sonship (1: 4, 5); while in 1: 18 it is designated God's calling, for its height and blessedness is before us there. In chapter 4 it is our calling to the intent that we be practically affected by it here and now.

2. "One Lord, One faith, One baptism"

This is the circle of profession, vital or otherwise not being the question. The centre and administrator of the faith is the One Lord. The door of entry to it being baptism by water.

3. "One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

This is the widest of the three being universal in extent. God is spoken of as Father of all, the Originator of all in the sense of Creatorship. He is supreme for He is over all and works through all, but He is only "in us all" — the believing company. This company is in all three circles. By reason of natural birth they are in circle 3. By reason of their having owned Jesus as Lord and having been baptised they are in circle 2. In virtue of being sealed with the Spirit they are members of the One Body, thus they are in circle 1. Only those who are of the same life and nature of God are in the first circle.

From verse 7 in the chapter, we have the resources of the Head for the sustenance of His own in the truth and power of their calling. Every saint has some ability, and the supply of grace for its exercise is given from Christ the ascended Head. There are a variety of functions to be performed — all service is not platform work such as preaching or teaching. Gifts for ministry according to Ephesians 4 are persons — "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors 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; until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ."

Being still in the world where the enemy is at work to oppose God and Christ our only safety lies in the acceptance of that which is divinely afforded, and that is the ministry which flows down to us via the gifts from the ascended Head in heaven. Should we be unable to avail ourselves of that, there is the constant downflow from the Head reaching the members through that which every joint supplieth. This indisputably leads to the self-building up in love.

This truth of the Mystery has only been possible because of the love of Christ. So we read, Ephesians 5: 25-32, which gives force to the exhortation to wives and husbands, "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Assembly, and gave Himself for it." His was a sacrificial love. As we read in Matthew 13 of the merchant man seeking goodly pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Here, He not only sold all that He had; the crown and throne of Israel, but He gave Himself. All that He was in the grace of His impeccable humanity was given that he might buy the Assembly for Himself. This meant for Him the Cross with "all its suffering, shame, and loss." Not only has He purchased it by His dying but He is preparing it for the day of His presenting it to Himself. He is not making the Assembly fit to be loved, for His love for the Assembly brought Him here in Manhood's lowly fashion. Having found it with that which clung to it from its past history in a world gone far from God, He acts to remove every mark. This He is doing by sanctifying and cleansing it with the washing of water by the Word. The Word has cleansing property not only to remove what is contrary but also to form what is pleasurable. This is by presenting to His saints those attractive moral features which will be used to form His beauty in them. When the day of presentation arrives His Assembly will be seen in all the suitability which He has brought about by His present service — "glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or of any such things, but that it might be holy and blameless" — spotless, ageless, blameless, just like Himself. For this He ever was and is. The Assembly shall, united with Him in glory, share with Him the administration of His coming kingdom. The union of man and woman is a great mystery, but this union of Christ and the Assembly is greater.

The devil who has ever opposed what is of God employs varied tactics. Sometimes he adopts the "roaring lion" character, at others he adopts the employment of wiles. We can well understand that he will do his utmost to hinder any from the enjoyment of these heavenly things which we have looked at. Let us then, "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places." The necessary armour is available, let us take it to ourselves, for what we have is well worth our fighting to retain.

The Father loveth the Son

The Father loveth the Son

John 3: 35.

N. Anderson.

"The Father loveth the Son" is no new theme in John's Gospel. We learn from John 1: 14 He is "the Only Begotten of (from with) the Father," and from verse 18, "the Only Begotten Son Who is in the bosom of the Father."

Relation and affection, proper to the unique relationship, are indicated here. Little wonder then we read, "The Father loveth the Son," and is so complacent in respect to Him, so at rest in the confidence of His competency, that He has given all things into His hand. Obviously, our Lord as Son is Heir. Everything is committed to His capable hand. Universal rule will be exercised by Him, who was "appointed heir of all things," before anything existed. The worlds were made by Him in view of His administering all to the glory of God (Heb. 1: 2). According to Psalm 2: 8 He was invited — note, one divine Person speaks to Another — "Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."

Here, in John 3: 35, without His asking, all things are given into His hand, of the Father because the Father loves Him. Once again we read in this gospel, "For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth" (John 5: 20). He is treated by the Father as on equal terms with Himself. Blessed truth, indeed! In John 16: 27 the Son says to His disciples, "For the Father Himself loveth you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God." Such is the Father's love for the Son that He loves those who love Him!

John 6: 37: "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me;" although Psalm 102: 24 says, "take me not away in the midst of my days;" and Daniel prophesied, "And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, and shall have nothing;" and also Isaiah 53: 8, "He was cut off out of the land of the living." We may rest assured, as our Lord says here, "of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John 6: 39).

"His name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him, all nations shall call him blessed" (Psalm 72: 17). "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord" (Psalm 22: 27). (Read also Ezekiel 21: 25, 26, 27). Then in the New Testament, Col. 1: 20, "by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Also Ephesians 1: 10; "That . . He (God) might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth: even in Him." Yes, it shall certainly be raised up again (as though from the dead), "at the last day" — that day of kingdom glory, when he shall usher in "the world to come, whereof we speak." The last day of God's dispensational dealings with the creation, the day of Millennial glory, righteousness, peace and blessing — see Isa. 2 and 31; and Psalm 85.

John 6: 40: " . . . everyone that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." Blessed answer to the faith, distinguished from the murmuring of verses 41 and 43, faith which, as it were, saw beneath the badger skins and discerned the glory of the Father's Son — ". . and we beheld His glory . . " (John 1: 14). Such, then, shall be raised up to share with Him the glory of His kingdom — "the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them." (John 17: 22).

John 6: 44

The Father draws to the Son and none can come otherwise. In the kingdom of the Son of His love, that "last day" of crowning, blessing and glory, raised up by the Son, shall be that unique company which had been drawn by the Father to the Son in the day of His humiliation, rejection, and crucifixion. In that last day the Son shall honour the Father, by saying unto Him, "Behold I and the children whom God has given Me." (Heb. 2: 13).

John 6: 54:

These all, seeing in the humbled Nazarene, the Son of the Father; and drawn by the constraint of the Father's love to the Son shall, none-the-less, come by way of the cross. The appropriation, in faith, of the death of Christ, opens the way on our side for our part with Him in the last day. The Cross leads to the Glory! Our Lord said in John 12: 32, as to all things, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me." The Son of the Father's love is the gathering centre for the universe of bliss and glory!

John 11: 25:

It could well be that Martha had heard something of our Lord's teaching as to "the last day" — "I know that he shall rise again in resurrection at the last day." In this she referred to our Lord's word as to her brother Lazarus, "Jesus saith unto her thy brother shall rise again" (verse 23). Or she could have been thinking in terms of Daniel 12: 2, or even Ezekiel 37: 12. (See also Romans 11: 15). What she really needed to know was that the power of resurrection and life was there before her in the Person of our Lord, the great I AM of John 8: 58. While as Son of God He speaks life to dead souls now, so giving them to live before God in the blessedness of a life — eternal life — to which neither sin nor death can have anything to say. Shortly He shall act as the resurrection and the life to the bodies of His own. Then those believers who have died shall live, while those who live, physically, and believe shall never die. In other words, sleeping saints shall be raised — "I am the resurrection" — living saints shall be changed — "I am the life." Then shall be fulfilled His prayer of John 17: 24, "Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world." So we close as we commenced with this blessed note: "The Father loveth the Son."

"He first loved"

"He first loved"

1 John 4

N. Anderson.

A few thoughts on the fourth chapter of John's first epistle might profitably engage us, and as leading up to it we may refer briefly to the other chapters of the epistle.

In 1 John 1 we find the leading thought is fellowship. This stems from, "that which was from the beginning" — the manifestation of eternal life in the Son of God. The gospel of John undoubtedly gives prominence to the revelation of "The True God," whilst the epistle stresses the manifestation of life. 1 John 5 concludes the doctrine of the epistle with the profound declaration, " . . . Jesus Christ. This (One) is the true God, and eternal life."

Historically the apostles were first in the fellowship, but this epistle was written that we might share their fellowship, a fellowship which was, "with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." Thus fellowship is with the Father and with the Son, with the apostles, and with one another (verse 7). Fellowship is "in the light," that is, in the full revelation of God, for "God is in the Light." It is based upon the cleansing efficacy of the blood of Jesus. Thus we are not only in the light, but we are fit, through the blood, to be there.

1 John 2 brings before us true growth in its various stages — "fathers," "young men," "little children." Whilst exposing the hindrances, it marks out the way to true growth — obedience to the Word as taught by the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3 extols the manner of the Father's love which has given to us our place as children of God, and destined us for glory with Christ in the day of His manifestation. The marks of the children are detailed — the practice of righteousness; the non-practice of sin; the practice of love; abiding in Christ; Christ abiding in them; having the Spirit as the power for apprehension and enjoyment. All this has in view the hope of being like Christ in the day of manifestation.

1 John 5 gives us the witness of the Spirit, the water and the blood, to the end that we may know that we have eternal life.

1 John 4, which we have specially in mind, emphasizes true knowledge.

Verse 2 — the knowledge of the Spirit of God;

vv. 6, 7 — the knowledge of God and of the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error;

v. 13  - the knowledge that we dwell in God and He in us;

v. 16  - knowing the love which God hath to us.

The hall-mark of the Holy Spirit's ministry through the gifts is the confession "that Jesus Christ is come in flesh" (N. Tr.).

At least two truths are involved in this confession: —

1) His pre-incarnate existence, otherwise it would be pointless to speak of Him as come in flesh." this calls for faith in the Godhead glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2) His true humanity — "come in flesh." He passed angels by — "the Word became flesh." the predilection of God was in men.

Therefore let the twofold emphasis of this Scripture lay hold upon us. May it bow us in adoration, stir us to fidelity and deepen in us the knowledge of the design of God for our fullest blessing.

"Jesus Christ come (His pre-incarnate existence) in flesh (His incarnation)."

Whilst we cannot possibly overstate the truth as to His deity, let us not fail to appreciate the tremendous significance of His having become Man. This augurs richest blessing for men. He, who is ever God, became a Man in order that the wealth of the revelation of God might become available to men.

Verse 4 attests the moral superiority of the believer over the antagonists of Christ — the fruit of the power of the indwelling Spirit.

Vv. 5, 6 give to us the apostolic credentials — "We are of God."

The true knowledge of God is evidence by hearing the apostles. This involves the whole-hearted acceptance of the entire apostolic testimony. If we would have fellowship with the Father and with the Son, we must have fellowship with the apostles; we must accept their teaching. They taught "that which was from the beginning." They opened the door by their testimony into the blessing of the full knowledge of God. To refuse to hear the apostles is to confess our ignorance of, and alienation from, God.

v. 7 shows that the fruit of knowing God is the practice of love. That love expresses itself towards its visible objects — the brethren. All is the product of the love of God, "for love is of God."

v. 8 — it is impossible to know God and not to love; NOT LOVING is evidence of NOT KNOWING.

v. 9 gives us to see that there is nothing ethereal or theoretical about the love of God. It is substantive and practical, for it has been manifested towards us, God having sent His Son, the Only-begotten, "into the world, that we might live through Him" (v. 10).

There can be no reception of life except through righteousness (cf. Galatians 3: 21). Scripture couples life and righteousness. Hence the introduction of righteousness raises, along with the question of our state of death Godward, that also of our guilt.

"Herein is love . . . that He (God) loved us." The active expression of that love was the sending of His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. This emphasizes the sovereignty of the love of God, for we did not love Him. The cause of the loving was in Himself; the expression of it was the work of His Son at Calvary. Thus verse 9 involved Bethlehem — the Incarnation, whilst verse 10 involved Calvary — the Crucifixion! The Cradle and the Cross — infinite love!

This then is the mighty lever which would move us to love one another. The love of God has reached out to us through the Person and the work of the Son, now it would flow out through us to each other, verse 12. In this way there is the practical outshining of God, for "if we love one another, God dwelleth in us." How wonderful! This means that the family of God have the blessed privilege of perpetuating the life and character of the Son of God. Do we not read in John's Gospel, chapter 1 verse 18, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared him;" and now in our chapter — "No man that seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us." Thus God is being brought in living testimony before men as the saints live in the power of the divine nature.

Our speaking, our Scripture exposition, our preaching of the gospel, blessed as all these things can be, are not the manifestation of God, but our love to the brethren is.

v. 13. If we are to know this blessedness of dwelling in God (communion) and of His dwelling in us (character and testimony), we are altogether dependent upon divine teaching and empowering. Praise God we are indwelt by the divine Teacher, the Holy Spirit —  "He hath given us of His Spirit."

v. 14 shows that living, powerful testimony is the result, and that in this scene of sin, death and darkness. We are capacitated and empowered by the Holy Spirit — and only thus — to witness to the Saviour of the world, sent as such into the world by the Father.

In v. 15 we see that the way into this realm of righteousness and love is by the confession that Jesus is the Son of God.

v. 16 teaches us that the love of God is not a preaching subject merely, it is a heart-knowing reality. He has shed His love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us (cf. Romans 5: 5). This is not testimony, though testimony will certainly be enlivened thereby, but it is for soul enjoyment.

v. 17. That love of God, manifested towards us, perfected in us, reaches its blessed end with us, by setting us consciously in mind and heart beyond judgment and in the enjoyment of the blessed truth that "as He is, so are we in this world."

Vv. 18, 19. Thus He leads us to this peak of Christian blessing and enjoyment — "We love (Him), because He first loved (us)." His love to us is causeless (ours to Him is causative), and there the soul rests, intelligently, joyfully, responsively and worshipfully.

Vv. 20, 21. Lest that love on our part be less than practical we are once more directed to the fact that the Christian circle is the sphere which that love permeates, and that the reality of love is tested by its expression to the brethren — "That he who loveth God love his brother also." Love in its exercise is considerate of others, and does not (as does the flesh) find any pleasure in uncovering another's sins; rather would it cover them (cf. Proverbs 10: 12; Proverbs 17: 9; 1 Corinthians 13: 6; James 5: 20; 1 Peter 4: 8).

"Follow me"

"Follow me"

N. Anderson.

With a view to drawing attention to the path of true discipleship it may be profitable for us to look together at Luke 9.

Verses 1-6: The twelve were called together, commissioned, empowered, and sent forth to preach and to demonstrate the Kingdom of God.

Verses 7-9: The impact upon Herod of this testimony.

Verse 10: The return of the apostles. Only one short sentence described their service. They "told Him all that they had done."

There is a salutary thought here for all who serve. We must give an account of our stewardship to our Lord. May we ever remember we are under His authority, and act as to Him in all our service with the light of the coming judgment seat before us.

He took them, and went aside privately into a desert place. How different this is from being under the public eye. Yet it is here, in the Lord's company, that we get His appraisal of all, and obtain needed adjustment, refreshment, and resource for further service.

Verse 11: He, the Lord, is the object of attraction; the people followed Him. Well for us if our service brings Him into prominence. Alas! too often we parade ourselves — our ability, our work. True service hides the servant and exhibits the Master.

Those who followed Him experienced the compassion which filled His heart. In all this He proved to the disciples and to the needy multitude His sufficiency. He is the Master of every situation.

On this occasion His bounty was not exhausted. Ample as was His provision in feeding the five thousand, there were twelve baskets left over. The twelve tribes of Israel shall prove that sufficiency in the coming day.

Verses 18, 19: Give the consensus of public opinion as to His Person.

Verse 20: Faith's confession, "Peter answering said, 'the Christ of God'."

Verses 21, 22: The shadow of the Cross pressed upon His spirit, and this He intimated to His own. His disposition of mercy was to be slighted. The crucifixion would be Israel's answer to that mercy and to the confession of who He is. Yet, midst this foretelling of His rejection was the portent of His triumph! "and be raised the third day."

Verses 23-27: It was just then that our Lord opened out the path of true discipleship. that path is possible only to such as have some heart-appreciation of His glory, and to such as would share His rejection now. "Our Lord is now rejected, and by the world disowned." Hence He appeals, "If any man will come after Me . . " Is He my attraction? Is it Himself I want? Any other reason for my taking the path of discipleship will wane, sooner or later, and I shall be but another wreck by the way. ". . let him deny himself." Self-abnegation is an outstanding mark of the true disciple. "Not I but Christ." ". . . and take up his cross daily . . " What a sight to see a man carrying his cross. That man is finished with the world and the world is finished with him.

The cross is not the ordinary trial of everyday life, though the disciple will experience that too. Perhaps someone says under pressure, "I have a heavy cross to bear," but that is not the thought here, for our Lord says, "Let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

He has been crucified here and He invites us to make the cross ours. Identification with the crucified Christ is another mark of true discipleship. The language of such a one would be "I am crucified with Christ." He passes judgment upon himself; he confesses that God's judgment of sin in the flesh, expressed in the cross of Christ, is the judgment that he, himself, deserves. He thus takes sides with God against himself. He would also say,  "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6: 14).

To such a man, losing his life, having no recognition by that world which crucified his Lord, will be a comparatively simple thing. He will count, and keep on counting, everything but loss. We notice that our Lord said, "for My sake." Said the disciple Paul, as he assessed gain in this world to be loss, ". . . for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ" (Philippians 3: 8). Gain or loss for the disciple is governed by his affection for, and appreciation of, CHRIST.

Whilst the rigours of the path — rejection and loss here — are clearly indicated, there is abundant encouragement. So the Lord Jesus points on to the day of triumph and glory when he shall receive His rightful place. If, in that day, those who deserted the path here, shall meet with shame from Him, surely it is true that loyalty to Christ now will receive its reward then. "Follow Me" — the cross now, the glory then.

Verses 28-36, are an encouragement to discipleship.

A sight of the coming kingdom was given to the disciples to afford present encouragement. The Lord graciously gives to His own the light of the day of His glory, that their faith may be strengthened in this world where they constantly meet with contrariety and testing. Thus they are enabled to move on in the way in fidelity of heart to Him, knowing that all will eventuate in triumph, blessing and glory.

Their rejected Lord, who suffered here, and for whom they too will suffer if they continue true to Him, will shortly be accorded His rights. So, in the confidence of "that day" with its blessed compensations, they bear the misjudgments and slights of this day. Everything shall be set right then, for all shall be set in relation to Christ. In such confidence the true disciple faces the opposition, and serenely asserts, "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment; yea, I judge not mine own self . . . Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God" (1 Corinthians 4: 3-5).

He took the three disciples up into a mountain, the place of elevation — the great things of God belong to the heights. The plain is the place of testimony and service; the mountain is the place of display. He, who was at home in the mountain as in the plain, bowed Himself in prayer, manifesting that dependence and humility pave the way to glory. Such beautiful moral features are becoming in those who would be His disciples. All that is committed to our trust in testimony now, is destined to come out in glory shortly. In the meantime, if we would be faithful to that trust, let us emulate Him.

It may well be that the mountain scene is the answer, for the true disciple, to the desert scene of verse 10. Obscurity for the servant here as following his rejected Lord; glory there, when Christ is transfigured, when all the suffering gives place to the answering glory. He shall not be alone in that glory, even as He was not alone in the glory-mount; Moses and Elias were there, but they were there with Him.

These two Old Testament servants were representatives of the law and the prophets. How much of trial and failure marked their days, but here is the indication that nothing that is of God shall fall to the ground. All will be gathered up and fulfilled in the manifested power and glory of the Kingdom of God.

"Who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease, which He should accomplish at Jerusalem." The pillars of the world to come are securely founded in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We also view Moses and Elias in another way. Moses, who passed through death, is a type of those "who sleep through Jesus," and who shall be brought with Him when He comes to reign. Elias is a type of the living saints caught up together with those who are raised. This raising of the sleeping, and changing of the living saints shall take place at the rapture. Then, as 1 Thessalonians 4 reveals, "The Lord Himself" will come for His own, and translate them from earth to heaven with a view to bringing them with Him to share with Him in the Kingdom.

Then, too, the disciples may be viewed as representing Israel nationally, as the spectators and beneficiaries of His glory as the supreme Administrator in that coming day. "When they were awake, they saw His glory!" Israel shall awake from her long sleep amongst the nations to behold her glorious Lord.

The unwitting remark of Peter was silenced by the enveloping cloud. Moses and Elias were hidden; however blest none can stand on a level with the Christ of God. He must, in all things, have the pre-eminence. He shall fill that scene, for God shall "gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth" (Ephesians 1: 10).

The Kingdom glory, as prefigured on the Mount of Transfiguration, shall be the consummation of all the ways of God. His will shall be accomplished there. Hence the cloud of glory, which departed from the Temple in Ezekiel's day because of Israel's sin, shall return in the day of Christ. The prophet saw in that vision of the glory, in the midst of the appearance of the throne, the likeness of a man. Here on the glory mount, the Man of God's counsel fills the scene, and the glory finds its complacent resting place. How encouraging to the faith of the disciples to know that in that glory there was a place for them.

Then too, the Father called their attention to His well beloved Son; "This is My beloved Son; hear Him." Beyond all the display of power and glory is the sweet retreat of divine and eternal affections where the Father and the Son are ever at home, and where we through grace, shall ever dwell. The Father reveals what the Son is to Him, "My Beloved," and desires that they give Him their undivided attention — "Hear Him."

What a prospect then for faith! The blessed light of it is given now during the day of discipleship, and in the apprehension and enjoyment of it we follow in diligent haste.

"Till then 'tis the path thou hast trod,

Our delight and our comfort shall be;

We're content with Thy staff and Thy rod,

Till with Thee all Thy glory we see."

Verses 37-45. At the bottom of the hill the glorious power of that manifested kingdom will exercise itself, dispensationally, in needy Israel, delivering from the power of the unclean spirit (antichrist), and setting them up in the blessing of His own glorious presence, All this is here set forth pictorially, and ministers an encouragement to loyal-hearted discipleship. But that pathway has to be trodden here and now, before the kingdom is actually brought in, so for Christ there must be the deliverance into the hands of men.

Verses 46-48. They evidenced the innate desire of the flesh for personal greatness and that, let us note, almost beneath the shadow of His cross.

Verses 49, 50. They boasted their position, "We forbad him, because he followeth not with us".

Grace rejoices whenever and wherever Christ's Name is honoured. Whilst our Lord did not recommend the twelve to go and join this man, yet He rebuked their disposition whilst graciously emphasizing their association with Himself, "Forbid him not; for he that is not against us is for us". May we recognize and value all that is done in His Name.

Verses 51-56 mark the true character of the present moment. As to the Samaritans, "they did not receive Him . . ." He was the rejected One. Consequently, insult and reproach belong to that path into which he called His own. Do we know what spirit we are of? A patient bearing of the insult and an exhibition of mercy befits those who are of the spirit of the Second Man.

Verses 57, 58. As there is no place here for the Master do we as His disciples covet fellowship with him? "The servant is not greater than his Lord" (John 13: 16).

Verses 59, 60. Discipleship is in the power of a life which delivers from this death-stricken scene and gives urgency to the present testimony.

Verses 61, 62. Christ must be first. He must in all things have the pre-eminence. "Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord." May this be the willing-hearted response of all who read these words. The rigours of the path are real; the encouragements are abounding; the compensations are sure; and above all — Christ is worthy. Almost His last word to the individual was — "Follow thou Me" (John 21: 22).

A Few Thoughts on Genesis 49

A Few Thoughts on Genesis 49

Jacob's Last Words

N. Anderson.

This chapter, being the last words of Jacob, gives a glimpse into God's way with the twelve tribes of Israel.

1) Reuben is illustrative, first of man unfallen, verse 3, then as fallen, verse 4. Simeon and Levi set forth the paramount features of fallen man. "Corruption and violence are in their ways" — lust and lawlessness. Though Israel had been hedged about with the mercy and blessing of Jehovah, they were no different from the Gentiles as we read even in the Ephesian epistle, they "were children of wrath, even as others" (Eph. 2: 3).

2) Judah, the royal tribe, suggests the intervention of God in Christ. Had not Israel rejected God, having sought a king, like unto the nations? (1 Sam. 8: 5-7). Desiring to become like the nations, they evinced the sad fact that they had indeed become like them morally — disobedience marked them, and so they sought sovereign independence (please read at this point, Deuteronomy 17: 14-20). Yet God interposed in amazing mercy, for of Judah the Lord Jesus came, "born King of the Jews" (Matt. 2: 2). "He came unto His own (things)" — for Israel's throne was His by Personal right. Yet, "His own (people) received Him not" (John 1: 11).

Praise God, for the thought that His being the true Judah we may say, "Thou art He whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee" (verse 8), "Thou art gone up" (verse 9), suggests the present period of Christ's ascension to the right hand of God. Verse 10 is the prophetic future and then he shall return as Shiloh, the true Prince of Peace. He shall be the gathering centre for the tribes and in a wider sense for all nations, "To Him shall the gathering of the peoples be."

Verses 13 to 15 are descriptive, in the prophetic history of Zebulun and Issachar, of Israel's condition today in commercialism and as largely dependent upon the Gentile nations for their existence. Though since 1948 we have had the State of Israel in existence, there are still more Jews among the Gentiles than in the promised land.

Suggestively, between verses 15 and 16, the rapture of the Assembly shall occur. The calling out of the Assembly forms no part of the time ways of God. At the present time the clock of prophecy is still stopped. It shall not begin to tick again until the Assembly shall be caught up to heaven to join Christ as His Bride.

3) The recovery of Dan, taking his proper place as "one of the tribes of Israel," though he shall yet be "as a serpent in the way," will be the fruit of the Spirit of God working conviction, leading to repentance. This shall be in consequence, even in Dan, of the cry of a remnant, "I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD."

It has been suggested that anti-christ may come out of Dan. In the book of Judges, chapter 18, Dan was the first tribe to practice idolatry. Later, Jeroboam son of one of Solomon's servants, having come to reign over the divided kingdom (1 Kings 12: 20), became notorious for his making Israel to sin by worshipping two golden calves which he set up — one in Bethel, and the other in Dan! (1 Kings 12: 25-30). It is not without significance that Dan is omitted from the one hundred and forty four thousand who are sealed in Rev. 7: 4-8).

The overcoming, too, of Gad, with the blessings of Asher all await that coming day when Messias, the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be accepted where once He was rejected — and shall be glorified where once He was crucified! The present day is characterised by Psalm 65: 1, "Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Sion." But then in the day of His power, "Thy people shall be willing" (Psalm 110: 3). And, "They shall be still (continually) praising Thee" (Psalm 84: 4).

4) Jacob's prediction as to Naphtali suggests the loosing of a remnant, which, with desire for the coming King, shall provide the preachers who shall carry the tidings of the coming kingdom, "He giveth goodly words."

Joseph indicates the coming national resurrection, exaltation, and blessing. The long suffering under the Gentile oppressors' rods shall give way to rich and lasting blessing, with enduring liberty, from the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. Whilst the history of Joseph would yield us precious typical teaching as to our Lord Jesus Christ, we confine it to its application to the coming day of glory when shall have come the world kingdom of our God and His Christ. Then, too, the nations shall come into blessing as subsidiary to Israel. "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall." Assuredly, in the world to come it will be a case of "Rejoice ye Gentiles with His people" (Romans 15: 10 cited from Deut. 32: 43).

Finally, in Benjamin there is predicated the subjugation of every foe, "Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf." Praise God, if there is going to be a devouring of the prey, there shall also be a dividing of the spoil. This will bring to mind Isaiah 53: 12. The true Joseph "shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied" and the true Benjamin "shall divide the spoil with the strong because He has poured out His soul unto death."

If there is going to be a full answer in blessing to the once suffering Israel — much of it rightly deserved during the times of the Gentiles — how thankfully we look on to "the day of Jesus Christ," when He Who suffered so wrongfully at the hands of Jew and Gentile and sacrificially for sin at the hands of God, shall fill the highest station.

Then shall the kingdom of God come in power. Israel on earth shall be the head and not the tail, Christ shall be owned as universal Lord. Then shall it be plain to all, as foreshadowed by the words of Jacob respecting Judah, "Thou art He Whom Thy brethren shall praise."

Some Glories of our Lord

Some Glories of our Lord.

N. Anderson.

Extracted from Scripture Truth, Volume 37, 1952, page 149.

Whilst each of the Gospels gives its own presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ; viz., Matthew — the King of Israel; Mark — the steadfast Servant-Prophet; Luke — the Perfect Man; John — the Divine greatness and glory of the Son; we remember that He is all that He is in each of them. Let us consider some presentations of Him in Matthew.

In Matt. 1: 1, He is the Son of David. As such the government shall be on His shoulder, and from Zion He will send forth the rod of His strength, ordering the earth according to God. But in Matt. 22: 41-46, He emphasizes the fact that David's Son is David's Lord. The complex glory of His Person is here before us. A Man — yes, truly a Man — but more, He is God. Hence the prophetic word, "They shall call His name Emmanuel; which being interpreted is, God with us.

Long before, Isaiah had cried, "Oh that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldest come down!" (Isa. 64: 1). He pleaded for a terror-striking, judgment-executing intervention of God. Now God had come down, but in wondrous mercy. Hence the angelic intimation, "He shall save."

But had not God before this interposed in mercy in Israel's history? Yes, assuredly. Read His words from the burning bush, as recorded in Exodus 3: 7, 8. He came down then to deliver, but it was after an impersonal sort in the pillar of cloud and fire, and as the Angel of the Lord, delegating authority to Moses and Aaron. It was even as Isaiah had said, "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His presence saved them" (Isa. 63: 9).

But now, God had visited His people of a truth for, said the angel, "Thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." So that at once there is intimated to us the proper Deity of Jesus, as well as His true Manhood. The lowly Jesus of the New Testament is the Jehovah of the burning bush.

Then too He is presented to us as the Son of Abraham, to whom the promises were given. He shall bring to fruition every promise of God, for all the promises of God are yea and amen in Him. As Son of David He will establish God's kingdom in the earth. As Son of Abraham He will fulfil the promises to Israel, and in Him all the families of the earth will be blessed.

At the close of Matt. 11, we see Him as the Son of the Father, for there He addresses the Lord of heaven and earth as "Father." In that day when Israel refused Him He uses the confident language of victory. In the day of Abraham's victory Melchizedek came on the scene as priest of the Most High God,: Possessor of heaven and earth; and here the Son says, "All things are delivered unto Me of My Father:" Compare with this, John 3: 35.

Though Israel despised and rejected Him, the Father wrought in sovereign power and grace, producing a new generation, whom He speaks of as the "babes." These would receive the revelation, and treasure every precious thought of Him to the Father's praise. Yet, with all that is revealed, there is an unrevealed depth of glory in the Person of the Son, for, "No man knoweth the Son but the Father." So while we worship and adore Him in the appreciation of all that has been made known, we gladly confess at the same time that there is in Him that which is beyond our finite comprehension, and defies all exposition.

"The higher mysteries of Thy fame

The creature's grasp transcend;

The Father only Thy blest name

Of Son can comprehend."

Then in Matt. 16 He asks, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" He adopts this title when Israel's attitude of hostility and rejection becomes apparent. In Matt. 8 it bespeaks His lowly path — "The Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." But it is also the title of His official glory for, as such, all things are put under His feet, as stated in Psalm 8 and Hebrews 2.

Men's opinions at their best extolled Him only as a servant of God, and they had in common the thought that He was only a Man. Being thus astray as to His Person, they were sure to be astray as to His work. His work is what it is because of who it is, that has done it. But Peter — one of that new generation — the "babes" — declares that He is the Son of the living God. Resurrection power is implied here and on this rock-confession of who He is the-assembly is to be built. Death's portals must be passed before Hades' gates come into view. The Son of the living God has stooped to death, and has prevailed. Praise Him for evermore!

He is also the Christ, as Peter here confessed. This marks Him out as the Lord's Anointed, who, as the Man of God's good pleasure, will be the Head of all things in heaven and earth, and who will fill all things to the glory of God. To Peter it meant that He was the promised Deliverer, who would fulfil to Israel all that God had promised them. But Israel refused Him, and so the old must give place to the new.

In Matt. 13 we read, "Every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven . . . bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." The "Christ" in Matt. 16 has reference to the old, and hence the injunction that follows to "tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ." On His rejection the time had come to set aside the old and reveal the new — all that is connected with Him as the Son of the living God.

Flesh and blood could not perceive this glory of the Lord Jesus. It lies outside the natural order. It belongs to the unseen, spiritual order and can only be apprehended as the fruit of the Father's revelation. The Son now speaks to Peter, in the consciousness of His oneness with the Father, and gives to Him a new revelation — "I say also unto thee . . . upon this rock I will build My church."

He has now gone from the earth by death and resurrection. But such is the Divine work that, in the very world that crucified Him, an entirely new thing has been built — His assembly. It is distinct from all that preceded it, and is that which will answer for God's pleasure to the revelation that has been made. This building is the house of God. It is here in testimony now, and will be for the manifestation of His glory in the coming Kingdom, and finally His eternal abode.

Then there is the unique relationship of the assembly to the Lord Jesus Christ, for by the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost it was constituted not only the house of God but also the body of Christ. We are united to Him the glorified Man, and "by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." Just as Eve was taken out of Adam, to be presented to him for an helpmeet, so the assembly is of Christ as His body, and awaits the day of presentation to Him in heaven, then to display His glory. Meantime it is here in testimony to all that has been revealed.

The assembly is the object now of Christ's affection, and as His body is to be the expression of His life in the world where He was crucified. Ere long it will radiate His glory, when, "He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe . . . in that day" (2 Thess. 1: 10).

May it be ours then, as forming part of His assembly, increasingly to grow in the apprehension of His glory, that more affectionately, intelligently and faithfully we may represent Him now, while waiting for the day when He shall fill all things.

Glimpses of the Glories of our Lord in Hebrews 1 and 2

Glimpses of the Glories of our Lord in Hebrews 1 and 2

N. Anderson.

In chapter 1 He is the Speaker, for God has spoken in Him. In times past God had spoken through the prophets, using them as channels for His Word. In these last days He has spoken Sonwise. God is the Speaker, the Speaker is God.

1. The Son is the Appointed Heir of all things. This is stated first and necessitated creation, for if the Son is heir He must have an inheritance.

2. The Son is the Creator of the worlds.

3. The Son is the Effulgence of the glory of God.

4. The Son is the expression of the substance of God.

5. The Son, by the word of His power, upholds all that He has brought into being.

6. The Son, by Himself, has made purification of sins.

7. The Son has set Himself down on the right hand of God.

No. 1 that we have referred to involved, equally with No. 2, His pre-incarnate existence. His being "appointed" indicates that counsel took place before time began.

Thus we have in regard to these seven features:-

1. Pre-Incarnation and Counsel.

2. Creation.

3-4 Revelation which necessitated his Incarnation.

5. Sustainment of all things.

6. His death as the ground of purification.

7. His glorification, involving His Resurrection and Ascension.

In the place of Universal supremacy He is "the Son of the Right hand." He is, in the glory of His Person and Place, the true Benjamin. Added to all this we read that He is marked out as "better than angels," for He has inherited "a more excellent Name than they."

The following verses in chapter 1 show clearly that this Name is "the Son." Stooping into Manhood, He, who was ever in pre-incarnate glory, co-equal in the tri-unity of Godhead with the Father and the Spirit, inherited in Manhood that Name of unique relationship. His Sonship pre-dated His incarnation. In John 17: 24 He spoke to the Father of that love which preceded the foundation of the world, saying, "Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world."

Can we conceive of the love of relationship being existent before and without the relationship? Again in John 17: 25, "but I have known Thee."

Dare we date this knowledge possessed by the Son. These three things must be correlative:

1. The relationship of the Son with the Father.

2. The love proper to that relationship.

3. The knowledge of the relationship.

So we rightly conclude that the Son brought into time a timeless relationship. On this blessed and holy theme we note John 5: 18, ". . . that God was His own Father," just as He was God's own Son, twice stated in Romans 8: 3, 32. His enemies understood Him to assert His equality with the Father in His saying as recorded in John 5: 17-20.

To resume in Hebrews, in Heb. 1: 6, He is Lord of the angels; verse 8, the Son is saluted as God; verse 9, He is morally excellent, and as such anointed above His fellows. Verses 10-14, He is "the Same." The I AM of the Old Testament is here identified with the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This galaxy of glories is predicated of that blessed Person who became Man — what a Christ!

If the first chapter expatiates upon the greatness and glory of the Person of the Speaker, then the second chapter introduces us immediately to what He spoke — His Word. He spoke salvation. This chapter will soon tell us that He who is personally great; whose word is great, has accomplished a great work. May we ever hold dear the truth of His Person, of His Word, and of His Work.

v. 9 He is the supreme Son of Man.

10 He is the Leader of our Salvation.

11 He is the Sanctifier of His brethren.

12 He praises in the midst of the Assembly.

13 He is the Confident One.

He is the Incarnate Christ — in taking part in blood and flesh, He is as ever unique. We partake in flesh and blood as our common lot, but He came into that condition from outside of it. Having done so he has not ceased to be God, nor shall He ever cease to be Man.

14 He is the Overcomer of the Devil.

15 He is the Deliverer of the children of God.

16 He is the Merciful and Faithful High Priest. Merciful on our side in regard to our need and weakness; Faithful on the side of God in regard to whatever is due to Him.

17 He is the Propitiation. He has done the work necessary to satisfy God about our sins. This meant, for Him, the Cross — it will mean access to God for us.

18 He is the Helper of those who are tried. He has passed this way before us, and now in the glory He gives us the gain of His experience. He ministers to us Succour, Sympathy, and Salvation throughout our responsible course. This He does that, being freed in our spirits from the pressure of circumstances, we may with delight join Him as the Minister of the Sanctuary. So He would enable us to draw near to God with holy boldness as purged worshippers, having no more conscience of sins.

We have considered very briefly something of the variety of the glories of our blessed Lord in Hebrews chapters 1 and 2. In the first we have viewed the pure gold of the glory of the Son — God, in the greatness of His Person. In the second, we have viewed the acacia wood of His holy Humanity. We recall that the Ark of the Testimony, Exodus 25, was made of acacia (incorruptible wood) overlaid with pure gold. Surely we see in these two chapters the anti-type of the Ark. As we do so we increase in appreciation of the speaking of God which has reached us in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is Sovereign and Righteous in Blessing or in Judgment

God is Sovereign and Righteous in Blessing or in Judgment

Romans 9

N. Anderson.

Verse 8. The Seed, was born according to Promise, and promise is Sovereign, being entirely dependent for its implementation upon the Promiser.

Verses 9-11. The promise of God, was evidently independent of the doings of either Jacob or Esau. Note too — the purpose of God is related to Election and Calling. It is not related to either judgment nor destroying, hence it is not dependent on the practice of those who are the subjects of Promise.

Verse 12. The place of honour was given to the younger before he was born.

Verse 13. Jacob was loved because God loved him — no other reason could be adduced. Esau, on the contrary, was hated because he despised the birthright. This was written long years after their history had run its course (see Malachi 1: 1-3; Hebrews 12: 16, 17). Of Esau we read in the latter Scripture, "For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought is carefully with tears." We say just here that what he sought was not repentance, but the blessing which he had bartered for "a mess of pottage."

Verses 14, 15. There is no unrighteousness with God — mercy and compassion serve His own will.

Verse 16. Mercy is sovereignly bestowed without any question of deserts.

Verses 17, 18. Pharaoh was raised up for the manifestation of God's power and the declaration of His Name throughout the earth. If Pharaoh would not obey God — read at this point, Exodus 3: 19 — then would God harden his heart. So would He accomplish His own ends — the deliverance of His son Israel — by the exercise of His own power.

Verse 19. The Jews might say, "but we are not like Pharaoh. For who hath resisted his will?."

Verse 20. God has His own rights. Though the Jew might say, "You are to blame: you have made us like this," God replies that "the potter has the right to make of the clay, one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour" (see verse 21).

Verse 22. What then if God exercises His right to execute judgment where it was deserved? In the exercise of His wrath He makes His power known. How does He do so? HE "endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction." How, or by whom, had they been fitted? By their sins. At the same time He makes known "The riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory." Vessels of wrath have fitted themselves for wrath, while vessels of mercy will forever be indebted to Him for preparing them for glory, in spite of the fact that this epistle elsewhere says, Rom. 3: 22, 23, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

What then shall we say to God for having acted in mercy to such as only deserved lasting punishment, and having given them lasting blessing? "O depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God . . . for of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things; to Whom be glory for ever. Amen" (Romans 11: 36).

God's Thoughts

God's Thoughts

Psalm 139: 17, 18.

N. Anderson.

It is a very blessed day in the history of our souls when one's thoughts are displaced by God's thoughts, when we can say, "How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand."

It is the beginning of a new day to us in relation to God.

Naturally we have our own thoughts about God, about men, about the world, about Christ, and also about all that would be best for ourselves; but we have to learn that all our thoughts are wrong, that there are better thoughts concerning us in the heart of God than ever were found in our own hearts about ourselves.

This is brought before us by Him Who "knew what was in man," In the parable of the wilful son of Luke 15; he thought he could do better for himself than his father was doing, so he took his journey into the far country, but he had to learn, in the deepest depths of degradation, how much better it would have been for him to have submitted himself to the thoughts of his father and to have left himself in his hands. He made the same mistake on his return when he formulated the terms upon which he was to be received — those of a hired servant!

But it was not merely to meet the need of a homeless wanderer the father ran from his door the day the sin-sick soul departed from the swine's trough and began to retrace his erring footsteps. If it was the son's need which drew him in the direction of the father, the father also had a need which expressed itself in falling upon the neck of the wretched penitent, and covering him with kisses; but the need of the father was very much greater than the need of the son, and of an altogether different nature. It was all selfishness with the prodigal — and it could not be anything else, for his need was so great that he was unable to have any regard for anyone but himself — but with the father it was the necessity of unselfish love gratifying itself in blessing an unworthy object.

And this is the picture we have drawn by the One who dwelt in the bosom of the Father, and Who knew all the thoughts and desires of that bosom; a picture of the very way in which a poor sinner is received by God, and of the joy God has in receiving such; a picture we contemplate with unwearied gaze; and in which we ever find some new beauty; a picture in which we read how much better the thoughts of God are about us than our thoughts are about ourselves, and how much worse off we should have been had He dealt with us according to our desires.

God has pre-destined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. Less than this would have expressed our thoughts, fulfilled the desires of our minds, even of our renewed minds; how much worse off we should have been! But God will fulfil His own thoughts, His own eternal thoughts of "peace," of "good," of glory.

His thoughts about us are set before us in Christ glorified as Man; so the better we know Him, the better we shall know the thoughts of God about us. From these thoughts of His He is not to be diverted, He will have His own way in spite of everything.

And these thoughts of God are eternal; thoughts He had regarding us before the world was, when He purposed to have us in the relationship in which His Son is to Himself and in all the love of which He is the worthy object. Blessed be His Name! How well we may say, "How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!" May these thoughts of His be our daily meditation.

"Things of gold" In the "Holiest of all"

"Things of gold" In the "Holiest of all"

Hebrews 9: 3, 4.

N. Anderson.

"The Golden Censer"

"The Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the Golden Pot that had Manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the Covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the Mercy Seat."

The Ark speaks of Christ in the grace and holiness of His Manhood and in the glory of His Godhead.

The Manna speaks of Christ once humbled here — the food of His saints.

The Rod speaks of His life beyond the grave and of His priestly service to sustain His own so that they might be brought into the enjoyment and moral power of the Covenant.

It is good for us in such a day as the present, when the material tends to transcend the spiritual — in the esteem of men — to buy of a glorified Christ gold tried in the fire that we might be rich. Silver was of no account in the days of Solomon, everything was of gold. Then, God had His proper place; His House was built; His Name was called upon His people. Divinely endowed prosperity was their portion. In thirty years or so all was changed. Rehoboam, and all Israel with him, forsook the law of the Lord. God, in His righteous government, brought up the king of Egypt against Rehoboam. He spoiled the treasures of the House of the Lord and took away the shields of gold. Rehoboam replace them with shields of brass. The inferior was complacently accepted (See 2 Chronicles 12).

In yet a later day, with even deeper moral decline, Jeremiah lamented, "How is the gold become dim!"

Thankfully, we look forward to that day when the voice shall sing in Israel — in answer to the prophecy of Isaiah 60 — "Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;" and, ". . . for brass I will bring gold . . " What a day of recovery when the Lord sets up his kingdom! Then Zion's walls shall be "Salvation" and her "gates, Praise."

Warned then by the failures of others, anticipating too the day of Christ, may we ourselves be content with nothing less than the gold of the truth of God, ministered by the Spirit of God, making everything of the Christ of God.

The Golden Pot. Exodus 16: 33.

The Golden Pot and its content of manna suggest that the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, in Manhood here upon earth, was in every way pleasing to God. The omer full, placed in the Ark, indicated God's distinct appreciation of Him here.

Gold is ever emblematic of the divine glory — only a Golden Pot would do for storing the treasured measure of manna. God's glory ever found an answer in that blessed Man who walked through this world despised and rejected of men but chosen of God and precious.

The Hidden Manna held out to the overcomer in a Pergamos, world-bordering, condition of profession (Revelation 2: 17) will yield a sweet taste of that, in Christ, which was so delightful to God. Beside His public service and ministry there was His constant communion with and dependence upon God. All was treasured up of God — not one little bit of it shall be lost. It will be the portion of the overcomer of worldly Christian profession to share in God's treasured store. Fitting recompense indeed for whole-hearted allegiance to Christ in the day of testimony and testing. That allegiance was sustained by their secret life of dependence, communion, and feeding upon Christ, a Christ once humbled here. We appreciate then that only a Golden Pot would do to contain the precious memorial of the wilderness food of the people of God.

As we feed upon the true manna we are made to feel increasingly that we are moving against the current of the present evil course of things. Thus we become aware of need of "help from the sanctuary" (Psalm 20: 2).

The Golden Altar. Exodus 30.

This speaks of Christ as competent to sustain the whole system of divine glory and testimony. The shittim wood speaks of His incorruptible humanity — the pure gold of His absolute deity. Hence He is eminently able to maintain what is due to God and what is needed by us. He is "a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God." Merciful on our side — faithful on God's side.

The Golden Altar was foursquare, one cubit each side — north, south, east and west — there is never a circumstance but what the fragrant grace of Christ's intercession can cope with it completely. One is the number of unity; two is the number of testimony. Christ would intercede for His own that they might be ONE (John 17: 20, 21), and that, in the living power of unity, they might witness to the God of the House of God.

As saints reap the gain of His intercession they are supported in the testimony of God, and are made to realize the blessedness of forming part of the House of God, and to reflect the intercessory grace of Christ. So they pray for "all men" — "all saints" — servants — "all things" — in all places — and at all times (see 1 Timothy 1: 1; Ephesians 6: 18; 2 Thessalonians 3: 1; Philippians 4: 6; Luke 18: 1).

Christ, in His service of Golden Altar character, sustains His saints in the sphere of fellowship as set forth in the Table of Shewbread. He also sustains them in the ministry of the Spirit, set forth in the shining of the Golden Lampstand, so that they are endowed and empowered to go out into the Court in witness and to go into the Holiest in worship.

The High Priest, clad in his garments of glory and beauty, had as the crowning piece of his adornment the Golden Plate, Exodus 28: 36-38.

This was fastened by a lace of blue to his mitre upon his forehead. The stated reason being that the whole priestly service of offering should be, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD."

As the saints take up the privilege of serving God as purged worshippers they come under the ordering hand of the Lord Jesus Christ — "High Priest of our confession."

How seemingly strange and contradictory is this statement; ". . . that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts . . . that they may be accepted before the Lord" (Exodus 28: 36-38). No imperfection of thought or expression will escape Him. Every offering will be presented in the perfection of His grace. That fragrance which marks Him in His intercession in the Holy Place will mark Him too in His service in the Holiest of All.

The High Priest, on the Day of Atonement, went into the presence of God enveloped in the cloud of incense from the Golden Censer. Christ has gone into that presence in His own perfection. We draw near in the fitness, perfection, grace and acceptability of the Christ of God. How thankful we are that, spite of our mixed condition, spite of imperfect presentation because of what we are, every gift sincerely offered to God is passed through the hands of our Faithful High Priest, and reaches God in the suitability with which Christ presents it.

The Golden Censer. Hebrews 9: 4; Leviticus 16: 12.

Historically this was in the presence of God, in the Holiest, only once a year — on the great Day of Atonement. The Hebrew epistle tells us that the first feature of the Most Holy Place was that it, "had the Golden Censer." This reference back to the Tabernacle in the wilderness carries with it all the light of the New Testament. The Golden Censer is within the veil because our Priest is within the veil.

If the Golden Altar suggests His constant intercession, then the Golden Censer suggests that the work of atonement is forever done and consequently Christ is in the inside place. This clearly distinguishes Christianity from Judaism, for our Priest is within the veil — the Minister of the true sanctuary — constantly engaged in the service of God in the abiding fragrance of His all-varied grace and glory, as typified by the spices of the sweet incense, He is constantly leading the saints in the service of praise and worship Godward.

Thus the GOLDEN POT speaks of God's appreciation of a once humbled Christ; the manna — the food of the saints for days of wilderness history.

The GOLDEN ALTAR, of Christ as the Sustainer of the divine system; and the sweet incense of His continual intercession for His own.

The GOLDEN PLATE, of His holy vigilance to ensure that only what is pleasurable to God shall be presented to Him.

The GOLDEN CENSER, of the worship-service which He carries on today in the presence of God.

Thank God for wilderness food which forms a constitution to enable us for overcoming now, and gives us the prospect of feasting with God on all that He has stored up of Christ — the Man of His pleasure.

Thank God for Christ's priestly support which sustains us in the testimony now.

Thank God for access into His presence now, on the grounds of Christ's perfect offering and in the acceptability which is His alone.

"Blest God and Father, in Thy sight,

We bow and own Thy grace;

We worship in Thy glorious light,

Which shines in Jesus' face."

Wires of Gold

Wires of Gold

A Meditation

N. Anderson.

Colossians 1: 19  ". . . In Him all the fulness (of the Godhead) was pleased to dwell."

Colossians 2: 9  "For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

Exodus 39: 3  "And they beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it artistically into the blue, and into the purple, and into the scarlet, and into the fine twined linen."

In our first Scripture we see our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, Incarnate.

In our second Scripture we see our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, Ascended.

He came into Manhood in tender grace, but in so doing He never ceased to be all that He had ever been in pre-incarnation. He had ever been Son in co-equality of deity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. In assuming flesh and blood He came in all that He ever was. Having trodden His pathway of spotless worth He went down into death at Calvary. The apostle John, in his inspired presentation of our Lord, declared that His death, resurrection and ascension were His own acts.

John 10: 18  "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of Myself."

John 2: 19  "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

John 20: 17  “. . . I ascend to my Father."

The gold of His Godhead shines through all! John 6: 62 "What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?" He was not previously there as Son of Man — He was there in His Sonship, in pre-incarnate deity. Relationships in the Godhead are Personal, hence eternal. Having taken Manhood, having by His death accomplished redemption, having broken death's power by rising again, He has ascended up where He was before. In doing so He has not ceased to be what He became in incarnation — Man. Neither has He ceased to be what He ever was in the greatness of His Person — God. If then, the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell in Him in incarnation days, He was, assuredly "God . . .manifest in flesh" (1 Timothy 3: 16). Now that He has gone back where He was before He has certainly NOT ceased to be God, and just as surely, if in coming down He became Man, having gone up He has not ceased to be Man. Hence we read, "In Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily".

The gold ever shines in all that He is, and in all that He became. The truth of WHO HE IS shines also in everything He does, and lies behind every office which He fills. So we read in the typical Scripture of Exodus chapter 39: 3 that the gold — symbol of deity — was inextricably worked into the fabric of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.

The Blue — speaks of the heavenly order and character of His holy Manhood.

The Purple — speaks of His imperial and universal glory as the Son of Man.

The Scarlet — speaks of His royal glory as King of Israel — the Son of David.

The Fine Twined Linen — speaks of the perfection and beauty of His moral worth.

Let us view Him in some of the varied incidents of His pathway here. When a demand was made for the temple tribute (Matthew 17: 24-27), although he was "greater than the temple" (Matthew 12: 6) He exhibited the even texture of the fine linen, the moral beauty of His grace and lowliness. In His humble submission He took the "stranger's" place, "that we may not be an offence." Then He sent Peter to catch a fish and in its mouth was the double didrachma, "for Me and thee." Here was the intricate working of the wire of gold in the linen texture, for the omniscience and omnipotence of Godhead were manifested in the action of our humble, lowly Lord. The Stranger, Lord of the temple, is the Master of the seas.

Consider Him at the gate of the city of Nain. The tender-hearted compassion towards the poor widowed mother, bereft of her only son, and the word of His resurrecting power, bespeak at once the heavenly charm of His kindness and the power of His Godhead. He, the Only Begotten Son, had a heart for her who had lost her only son (Luke 7: 11-17). Thus we see the golden wire of Godhead intricately mingling with the charm of His humanity which exhibited the blue of heaven.

In John's 1: 43-51, He was presented in the spontaneous testimony of Philip as he poured out his appreciation of the Lord. In the first flush of the attractive grace and power of this all-compelling Person, Philip said to Nathanael, "We have found Him of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, Jesus, the Son of Joseph, who is from Nazareth." To the scornful query of Nathanael, "can anything good come out of Nazareth?" he could only reply, "come and see."

In the Old Testament Scriptures to which Philip had referred, the scarlet colour of the royalty of "great David's greater Son" is prominently displayed. Immediately Nathanael comes to Him he is made aware by the Lord's description and knowledge of him that he stood in the presence of unique greatness. Nathaniel's spirit was searched by Him of whom the Psalmist wrote (cf. Psalm 139: 1-6). He who knows our downsitting and uprising, who understands our every thought. Once more we perceive omniscience and divine constraint eliciting from Nathanael the confession, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel." The gold of deity intermingled with the scarlet of His royal rights in Israel.

There is more than this. The same Person would be the link between heaven and earth. The administration of the universe is committed to our Lord as Son of Man. The purple of imperial and universal right is here. The angels are described as, "ascending and descending on the Son of Man." They must first ascend. Are we not reminded of the Scripture, "For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak." In virtue of His position as the exalted Son of Man — the universal Ruler — angels are beneath Him. Let us ever remember that He who stooped beneath angels, to taste death for every thing, is above them all positionally, and is ever above them Personally, because of Who He is — the Son (cf. Hebrews 1).

Thus He is presented, in the closing verses of this remarkable first chapter of the Gospel of John, in the purple of His character as Son of Man, with the outshining of the wires of gold — the purple of His universal supremacy and the gold of His eternal deity — the Son is the Son of Man.

Thus, however, we may view Him — Who He is what He became; what He has done in the charm and grace of His life and in the glory of His redeeming death; where He is now at the right hand of the greatness in the heavens; what he shall be in the day of his manifested splendour, we are constrained to bow in holy adoration before Him — God and Man in One blessed Person.

The wires of gold, artistically and inextricably worked into the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine twined linen, remind us constantly that WHO HE IS lies behind WHAT HE DOES and behind every office WHICH HE FILLS; and that WHAT HE DOES is perfect and abiding because of WHO HE IS that does it.

May we be kept in holy wonder as contemplating His glory, grace and beauty.

"For He is thy LORD; and worship thou Him" (Psalm 45: 11).

"The Gospel of God "

"The Gospel of God "

Romans 1: 1 to 5: 2.

N. Anderson.

The Roman epistle is the epistle for the teaching of the gospel. It is the gospel of God. How wonderful it is that God has been pleased to speak to man in the way of glad tidings, for that is what gospel means. These glad tidings have a focal point. Coming as they do from the heart of God they focus our attention upon a real living Person. This immediately distinguishes the gospel from everything which makes a bid for the ears of men. It is "concerning His Son." The Son is quickly identified for us, being "Jesus Christ." As the Son of God is the theme of the gospel we may expect some unfolding of the love of God, and we later read that "God commendeth His love towards us." Who more able to make known the heart of God than the Son who has ever subsisted in the sweetness and love of eternal relationship?

"Jesus" is His personal name. Given to Him in His incarnation, bringing before us thoughts of His lowliness and humility; at the same time bespeaking His glory and grace, for JESUS means Jehovah the Saviour.

"Christ" is an official title. He is God's anointed Man. As such He shall give effect to the will of God by so establishing His righteousness that blessing might freely flow to those who deserve only eternal judgment. The gospel then concerns  "His Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

I wonder if we are all united in owning His as "our Lord"? Is He your Lord? Is He my Lord? Thank God, through grace I do truly say He is my Lord. Later in the epistle (Romans 10: 9) a well known verse — would to God its truth and power were as familiar as the words — "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

Yes, saved, by the grace of God! The Saviour in His incarnation came of David's royal line. This made Him available to all that are of Israel, thus the note is sounded forth — "to the Jew first."

Then the declaration has been made that He is Son of God. We are not all of Israel but we are all, because of sin, under the power of death, hence the Son of God is available for all, and the declaration is to the effect that He is — "Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from (of) the dead."

How unlike the first man! Christ's life and ways were all marked by holiness as the first man had been marked by sin. Death is the king of terrors and defeats us all. The Son of God has again and again demonstrated His death-conquering power. For instance at the tomb of Lazarus — "Come forth, and he that was dead came forth."

We learn in Romans that death came in by sin, and we are now introduced to Him who is able to deliver from death because He has dealt with the sin question.

The gospel then concerns this One who has made known the love of God and has brought life in where death had reigned.

The gospel which thus presents Him brings before us the fact that man has been on trial for long centuries and has been proved guilty, helpless, hopeless, sinful wreck, absolutely incapable of extricating himself from the position in which sin had enslaved him, incapable too, of expiating his guilt. The law has come in and can only accuse and condemn, and no flesh is justified by the deeds of the law. This is the crowning conclusion of Romans 1 and 2 with the first half of Romans 3. Man is indicted before God, and the whole world is brought in guilty! Well, if we cannot deal with our guilt what is to be done? We can do nothing! The sooner we accept this the better for us. If anything needs to be done the only One who can do it is the One against whom we have sinned.

Thank God, there is in the gospel the revelation of righteousness of God. He has established His right to bless and justify those who, by sinning, had established their right to be forever damned. And He has done it on a righteous basis, and that the finished work of Christ on the cross. God has manifested His righteousness apart from the law and it is not by works but "by the faith of Jesus Christ," and it is "unto all" — this is the scope of the gospel. All have a common need for "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Truly "There is no difference." All are guilty before God. How large-hearted He is, His righteousness is "unto all." To the Jew who thought he was religiously near, and to the Gentile who was "afar off," whether he knew it or cared about it or not. But His righteousness is only "upon all them that believe."

This is the application of it. Only those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are in the benefit of the gospel. How blessed then is the fact that God has revealed His righteousness in the gospel. He has a right to judge us; what we have done by sinning against Him affords Him the right to banish us for ever. But wonder of wonders, He has established His right to bless us by what Christ has done. What we never could have done for ourselves in an eternity of endeavour God has done for us through that one act of sacrifice at the cross. The application of this through the gospel is to "him which believeth in Jesus." If then we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our own personal Saviour we stand before God in righteousness; we are justified and have been cleared from every charge of sinning that could be levelled against us — indeed God Himself could not charge us for He has cleared us! In Romans 3 we learn on what ground God has done this. Let it be emphasised that we have not merited it, for "all have sinned."

This then is said of those who have believed the gospel, "Being justified freely" nothing to pay. Had we been asked to pay we should have been lost for ever. We read in the parable of the two debtors in Luke 7, "and when they had nothing to pay, He frankly forgave them both." It is all the free-giving of God — "by His grace."

But there was a price to be paid, however much beyond men. Jesus has paid it all — yes, "all to Him I owe." The matter of our guilt has been thoroughly dealt with, God has not closed His eyes to it, His grace which reaches out to justify the guilty does so on a stable, incontrovertible foundation, the righteous basis of Christ's finished work. So it is "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God has set forth to be a propitiation (or, a Mercy Seat) through faith in His blood."

In the tabernacle in the wilderness the Mercy Seat was the throne of God. There His claims were met by the blood of sacrifice which was sprinkled upon and before the Mercy Seat. There was the righteous meeting place between God and the mediator of the Old Covenant, Moses. Christ, the Mercy Seat, is the meeting place now for God and the sinner. God has set Him forth in this way, "through faith in His blood."

His life has been given in sacrifice that the claims of God may be fully met and that men might be enabled to meet Him in righteousness. On this ground is God's righteousness in forgiving guilty sinners declared. "To declare His righteousness: for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

This teaches that every sin forgiven in Old Testament times was so, prospectively, in anticipation of the finished work of Christ; and  "at this time" refers to this present time since Christ was crucified. Those who now trust the Saviour are justified — made right with and by God who is righteous — right in everything He does. Christ's precious blood has opened a righteous way back to God for guilty sinners. Let us thank God for such amazing grace to the guilty and take our place with all who believe the gospel of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

NOV/DEC 1973

As we travel through this wonderful epistle we learn from Romans 4 that two examples are adduced by the Spirit of God to demonstrate the truth of justification by faith. Abraham, the father of all who believe, came to God in faith, and "his faith was counted for righteousness."

As to David, the second example, he was the fountain head of the kingdom; as Abraham was the fountain head of promise. David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness without works. This, of course, is the great theme of this chapter — being made righteous before God without works, on the principle of faith alone. David said, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Abraham illustrates the blessing of "him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly."

He and David, both pillars in the history of God's earthly people, emphasise the blessedness of those who come to God pleading no merit of their own. We conclude then that a man is justified by faith without works at all, without law works or any other works. This is a divinely formed conclusion, taught in the Word of God, and exemplified by none less than these two figureheads in God's ways with Israel. God who puts righteousness to the account of the believer in Jesus will never put sin to his account. Again let it be most strenuously affirmed that man can of himself do nothing towards this blessing, all is of the sovereign mercy of God. Again in Romans 4, when Abraham had realised his incapability of implementing the promise of God he found strength in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Abraham accepted that when he could do nothing God would do everything, and that is just what he proved. Notice, God is able. We are utterly unable — God is completely able. This is where faith rests. There is this difference between Abraham and ourselves — he believed what God would do; we believe what God has done, for "we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

In the death of Jesus our sins have all been dealt with. He has borne them sacrificially, even as the apostle Peter elsewhere says, "Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2: 24).

Let us then thank God, as we take account of our Lord Jesus Christ who went in death on our behalf at Calvary and is now out of death in resurrection, and gladly acknowledge that as Christ is absolutely clear from everything with which He had charged Himself in dying, so all who believe the gospel are as clear from every charge of guilt as He is, now risen from among the dead.

The blessed result of His death, the conclusion of the matter, for faith, is detailed in Romans 5.

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." We may now look back over our guilty past and say, "we have peace with God." As to present standing we say, by Him, "we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." As to the future, "we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

How blessed is the confidence that we shall eventually be at home where all is suitable to the God who will bring us there. How marvellously He has wrought that we should delight to be there, and that He should delight to have us there. Thus as to the past — peace with God; as to the present — we stand in grace; as to the future — we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Praise be to God for having so acted towards us in gospel blessing. He has done so righteously, He has acted in perfect consistency with all that He is, for — "The work that Thine own Son has wrought, has brought us back in peace and free."

From this point in Romans 5, we progress in the knowledge of Himself. Verses 3 to 5 give us, in a sense, experience in circumstances of trial and contrariety — in other words, wilderness experience. What marks a wilderness is barrenness, no sustenance. In the spiritual counterpart of this the believer learns that there is no support for him in the world through which he passes. Yet, in the good of verses 1 and 2, he says, "and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also."

This obviously cuts across the natural course of things — "glory in tribulations"? Yes, because we know that tribulation is used to form us as we go through it in communion with God. The moral quality of "patience" (endurance) is acquired in the face of trial. We are morally strengthened to stand against the storm just as the tree bending to the wind strikes its roots deeper. This endurance works experience, for we are brought to the conscious knowledge of the faithfulness and support of God. We learn to distrust ourselves, for we are just as incapable of sustaining ourselves in the path of faith as we were of justifying ourselves. So we learn God when things are seemingly against us. Blessed experience that gives us to trust Him unreservedly!

And experience works Hope. This makes the light of the coming glory shine more brightly before us, cheering us on our heavenly way, detaching us more distinctly from the world and conforming us more to God's world. While being helped through the circumstances of this godless world we keep the goal in view, looking forward to those circumstances of glory which shall be ours with our blessed Lord where He is. Praise God, there is an end to the tribulation and the testing, but may we learn the lessons that God would teach us in it. There certainly is spiritual and moral gain for us now, for as we read later in the epistle, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."

"And hope maketh not ashamed" — it is certain of realisation. While we hope, "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." While hope looks to the future we now have that which is a pledge of all that God has given and promised. The Spirit, by His poser, gives us the consciousness of the love of God. We are enabled now to know and enjoy that which shall be our eternal portion. This is language applicable to all who form the Christian company — "the Holy Ghost which is given to us."

May we then go in for the knowledge of God, the enjoyment of the love of God as expressed in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." The cross is the lesson book of the love of God! Verses 7 and 8 definitely contrast the love of God with the love of man to man, "but God commendeth His love toward us."

For sinners — the unworthy, the undeserving — indeed those deserving only of eternal wrath, for such Christ died! Let us ever remember that the full expression of the love of God was in Christ's death. Blessed as our enjoyment of God's love is, our enjoyment, ebbing and flowing as it is, is not the measure of the love of God. The Scripture ever directs us to look out from ourselves to that which perfectly displayed the love of God — the death of Christ.

So while we were neither righteous nor good, while we were yet sinners, God gave Christ to die for us and we can now most surely say, "much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." He gave his life for those who by sin had forfeited their right to live and this being so judgment will never touch those who believe. Then, too, "if, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by (in the power of) His life." That is to say, present, day to day, practical salvation through every pressure and trial of the way, is assured to us because Christ lives in the power of an endless life at the right hand of God. He administers to us all that we need to lead us triumphantly through this life of responsibility and experience. We shall be saved, all the way by Him. This is a touch on the priestly service of our Lord Jesus Christ in His ministry of succour, sympathy, and salvation toward His own until they join Him where there is no care nor testing.

We come now to the last verse of this first section of the Epistle to the Romans — "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (the reconciliation)." As reconciled to God all distance is gone, no hatred remaining, all enmity has been slain in the cross of Christ, we are brought near to God:

"So near, so very near to God,

We could not nearer be;

For in the Person of the Son,

We are as near as He."

How wonderful these results of the gracious operation of God! We find our joy in God — the God against whom we had sinned, whose judgment we had justly incurred, the God who spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, the God who has blessed us for ever, the God who will surely set us in glory with Christ, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ — we joy in Him. Our hearts rise to Him giving Him His worthy praise. We worship Him in the power of the Spirit of God whom He has given to us. This is the peak of the epistle, for God has blessed men who once were at a distance from Him and they, now brought near, praise, worship and adore!

Let us praise Him again and again for His grace in which He has abounded toward us in "the gospel of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Greatness of Christ

The Greatness of Christ.

"I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

Revelation 22: 13.

N. Anderson.

There is portrayed to us in this short, yet striking verse that which commands our attention, calls forth our praise and bows us in worship.

These things are mentioned as descriptive of some of the glories of Him who has captivated our hearts and won them for God — Jesus. Precious name! embracing as it does His down-stooping grace and path of infinite perfection, of complete submission to and concert with, the will of God, of devotion to the Father and superlative grace to men. Well said were those adoring words: —

"Thy name encircles every grace

Which God as man could shew;

There only could He fully trace

A life divine below."

We may rejoice in the fragrance of that name which "is as ointment poured forth," and delight to contemplate some of the higher mysteries of the fame of Him who bore it.

"Alpha and Omega"

the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet indicate the speaking of God, bringing before us the Glory of the Lord as the Word. In the beginning He was with God — a distinct Person, and was God: thus He was fully competent to give expression to all the mind of God.

Every communication of God to the creature was through the Word. When the prophets in times past spoke, it was by the Spirit of Christ which was in them (1 Pet. 1: 11). And in these last days God has fully spoken in Him. So we see that as the "Alpha and Omega" Christ is the One in whom God is declared.

The Lord Jesus it is by whom God has been revealed in the fulness of His nature as Light and Love. The eternal life too into which believers are introduced — that life which has this distinctive character that it is with the Father, has been manifested in Him. All this blessedness has been brought to man as revealed by Him.

If we contemplate the holiness of God which necessitates the removal in judgment of everything that is contrary to it, this too finds its expression in the Alpha and the Omega, for Revelation 19: 11-20 gives us a glimpse of heaven opened that we might behold One who is faithful and true, who judges and makes war in righteousness, who comes out to smite the nations and to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty, and His name is called the Word of God.

Whether then God is expressed in grace or judgment He is so in Him who is the Eternal Word, the Alpha and Omega, the first word and the last word of all that He has to say.

"The Beginning and the End."

This conveys the thought of activity or work. The work of Creation is ascribed to the Son. The universe sprang into being by the word of His power. "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him" (Col. 1: 16).

He is the beginning, the Originator of every created thing. The creation of man was the outcome of divine counsel. God, Elohim — Father, Son and Holy Ghost — equally participated therein, but the act of creating is attributed to the Son. He is the Beginning and He is the End. He is the object for whom all are created — He is yet going to be honoured throughout the bounds of the creation.

As to the new creation He is the Beginning who is the First-born from among the dead and the end in view is that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.

Hear Him in John 4, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish His work." In John 17 anticipative of the work of redemption being accomplished . . . "I have finished the work that Thou gayest Me to do." On the Cross "It is finished." Creation, Redemption and Judgment are the work of Him who is the Son — the Beginning and the End.

"The First and the Last."

The work of God, the speaking of God, have come to fruition in Him; but here we come to that which sets Him forth in all the glory and majesty of His Being. He is the great "I Am" of Isaiah 41: 4; Isaiah 44: 6, and John 8: 58. What He is in His own Person, is conveyed to us in the expression "the First and the Last." As the One who entered man's estate in lowly guise, the One in whom God has acted and spoken, the devil has attacked Him and has sought to bring Him, in the estimation of the creature, to the level of the creature.

But no — He is the Christ who is over all God blessed for evermore. He is the self-existent Almighty and Eternal one. In Manhood He is addressed in terms of equality by the Father. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever" (Heb. 1: 8). The Holy Spirit through the apostle John quotes Isaiah 6 as being directly fulfilled by Him. "These things said Esaias when he saw His glory and spake of Him" (John 12: 41). This testimony is given to the glory of the Person whom men despise and slight — The Lord Jesus Christ — The Son become man — The First and the Last."

And while this was true of Him, as to the glory of His Person, His work and His Word, did He meet with united acclamation? Not at all. John 7: 43, John 9: 16 and John 10: 19 witness that they divided on what He said, what He did, and who He was.

But our eyes being opened, like the man in John 9, being introduced to Him who is the Son of God, we believe and prostrate ourselves in worship at His feet: The Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and the Ehd, The First and the Last.

"The mention of Thy name shall bow

Our hearts to worship Thee;

The chiefest of ten thousand Thou,

Whose love has set us free."

The Gospel of the Glory

The Gospel of the Glory

Acts 1: 8-11; Acts 2: 14, 22-24, 33-36; Acts 7: 55, 56; Acts 9: 20, 24-28.

N. Anderson.

Psalm 19 has been referred to, and a fragment from it may serve to illustrate the line I wish to pursue, the Lord helping me. There we read of the sun, "as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoicing as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it" The same sentiment may be used to illustrate the outgoing of what the apostle Paul in the end of Colossians 1 calls the gospel. Here, from the Acts, I desire to speak to you of what I shall call "The March of the Testimony — its development in character and sphere."

Acts 1 gives us a direct link with the gospel of Luke. There the Lord Jesus, risen from the dead and about to be taken up into heaven, commissioned His disciples to preach repentance and remission of sins. They were to be His witnesses, "in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." But oh! the grace of His heart — they were to begin in the very place where He had been crucified. He had prayed at Calvary, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," and now, in answer to that prayer, the testimony of forgiveness was to be carried to them.

He commanded them to "tarry . . . in Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Then He was carried up into heaven. as they gazed after Him, the two men in white apparel instructed them that this same Jesus would so come again. They said, "Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?"

The gaze of the disciples was, as it were, directed earthwards. The time had not yet come, in the expansion of the testimony, for the unfolding of the true intent of the heart of God that, according to His eternal purpose, He had a place for men on earth in association with the Man of His counsel in heaven.

In Acts 2 a Divine Person, the Holy Spirit, has come down from that Man in heaven to bring here the report of His glory there. This report by the Spirit, through Peter, is made to the men of Judaea and Jerusalem. This is the carrying out of the first part of the commission from the risen Christ. The sphere of the testimony commences at the very place where the Lord Jesus was crucified. The character of the testimony at the outset was the presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ as great David's greater Son.

Immediately, in Peter's preaching, the Spirit, Whose function it is to bear witness of and to glorify Christ, delights to rehearse all that wondrous story of perfection and blessing which the Gospels record. He speaks of the life and ministry; the works of power, the going down into death, the triumphant resurrection, and the glorious exaltation of our Lord. All that had come out in the pathway of that blessed One down here has been treasured up of God. Through the goodness of God we have been brought into a position in which we can avail ourselves of the Spirit's ministry in connection with our Lord Jesus, from the cradle to the glory, including all that came out on the way.

Here, in Acts 2, all is presented that the conscience of the nation might be reached. God was prepared, had the nation repented (see Acts 3: 19-21), to send Jesus again.

Him, Whom they had crucified, God had raised from the dead, glorifying Him at His own right hand, making Him Lord and Christ. He was, when here, truly Lord and Christ in the glory of His Person. The cry had gone forth, "Behold, thy King cometh unto thee," but they had replied, "We have no king but Caesar," and with wicked hands they perpetrated the foulest crime that ever was committed in the history of time. But God has exalted Him to the highest place. As Lord, supreme authority is vested in Him; as Christ, supreme ability and wisdom are His for the effectuating of every thought of God for Israel's national blessing.

The Spirit has thus vindicated Him and Israel is called upon to repent. What then is their answer to this presentation of a glorified Christ? No different from their answer to a Christ once humbled here!

Stephen in Acts 7, before the Sanhedrim, has spoken of the ways of God. He has drawn attention to these nine key men in the history of God's ways with His earthly people. Now, in the power of the Spirit, his eye is directed upwards into heaven. A turning point is reached in the testimony of God. Heaven is opened. Not now that Christ may enter there, but in the expansion of the testimony it is opened that a man on earth may steadfastly gaze therein to take account of all that is there, to see "the glory of God, and Jesus."

Different rays of that glory had shone out in these outstanding men of God in Israel's history, but now all are eclipsed. The heavens are open now — there is a Man in the glory, and that Divine Person, the Holy Spirit, has come down to dwell in our souls, uniting us thus to Christ in glory. He reports to us that every ray of the glory of God has been gathered up and concentrated in the Man of His pleasure. It is ours now to look into heaven and see Christ there as the glorified Son of Man.

Our first introduction to Him as such, in the New Testament, is in Matthew 8, where He says, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head."

There it is His title in rejection and poverty; here in the Acts it is His title in universal supremacy. The epistles open out to us that, whilst as Son of David He has the authority and ability to give effect to the will of God for Israel, as Son of Man He has the authority and ability to hold the universe for the good pleasure of God. Now we see Him in the place of power and glory at God's right hand; the day is coming when every intelligence in the universe shall have its attention focused upon Him and all will own His worthiness in that day of His manifestation.

When Christ was thus presented to Israel their rage knew no bounds. Venting it upon Stephen, they stoned him to death, sending him to heaven as their answer, the refusal of the glorified Christ, reiterating in effect, "We will not have this man to reign over us."

Stephen, as the stones battered the life from his body, exhibited the moral beauty of his Lord. This indicates a further feature of the Spirit's ministry to-day. He is forming in the lives of believers a moral transcript of the glorified Man. God is saying, as it were, "You have rejected My Christ, but in the power of the Holy Spirit I am continuing His life here in My saints." Here is the moral triumph of God. In the world that has crucified the Lord Jesus, He is drawing men out of the ruin and attaching them to Christ, producing in them the moral beauty of that precious life in testimony in the very world that refused Him.

Passing now to Acts 9, we see Saul of Tarsus converted by the revelation of Christ in glory. We have been seeing that the character of the testimony has been developing in these presentations of the Lord Jesus; so also we see an expansion of the sphere of that testimony. Jerusalem and Judaea are left; Samaria has been visited and the gospel has won its triumphs there.

In Acts 8 a son of Ham is blessed; in Acts 9 the son of Shem is blessed and the son of Japheth is seen to be blessed in Acts 10. The whole human race is to be visited with the testimony of God. In the commission to Saul of Tarsus, converted on the Damascus road, the glorified Lord indicates that the uttermost parts of the earth are coming into view. Such is the expansion of the truth in relation to our Lord Jesus Christ that the sphere of its out-telling must correspondingly be enlarged. Israel is not large enough to contain this testimony. God will see to it that the whole race hears that the Man Whom men despised and slighted is the Man Whom He delights to honour.

Saul, entering the synagogue, straightway preached Christ, that He is the Son of God. Here we reach the peak of the testimony. Finality is reached in the Son of God. God has been fully revealed, in nature and character, in the Son of God. In Him, as such, has been fully brought to light the divine and eternal relationships of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with the affections proper to them. A complete answer has also been given to all that has come out, in that the Son of God has entered into heaven in abiding Manhood.

Heaven is now opened to men on earth that they might enter intelligently, appreciatively and responsively, as in association with the Son of God, by the Spirit, into all that wealth of heavenly truth and blessing which has reached us in the Son of God.

Brethren, this is the Person you and I came to when we confessed in His presence, "Jesus, my Saviour, I come to Thee." Great would have been our blessing had the blessed God only forgiven our sins; but He has brought us, through forgiveness, to a mighty ocean of blessing and invites us to know its fulness as in communion with Christ, that by the Spirit there might be the moral continuation down here of the life of that blessed One up there. In the light of this we can understand what the servants of the Lord mean when they say that our lot is cast in the most favoured day. The wealth of God's treasures has been brought out now, in the power of the Spirit, in connection with our Lord Jesus Christ — Son of David, Son of Man, Son of God.

In Acts 20 the apostle indicates the outstanding features of his ministry; Repentance and Faith; the Gospel of the Grace of God; the Kingdom of God; all the Counsel of God; the Church of God. The apostle to the Gentiles — great in his office and service — is seen here in the power of the truth he ministered. Thus he speaks of the manner in which he was among the saints; he served the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations; he counted not his own life dear to himself. To him to live — Christ.

Brethren, you and I have had nothing to face such as he had. What effect has been produced in us by the revelation of the Man at God's right hand, in the power of the Holy Spirit come down from Him there? May we be led to emulate the spirit and character of the apostle Paul. So to live and to get the gain, morally and doctrinally, of the truth for the glory of Christ, the good pleasure of God, and for the blessing of the saints, is possible only as we know sustained communion with Christ in the power of the Spirit. May it be so with each one of us.

Thoughts on the Epistle to the Hebrews

Thoughts on the Epistle to the Hebrews

N. Anderson.

The first two chapters give light as to the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is especially presented as the antitype of the Ark of the Testimony.

In chapter one emphasis is laid upon His deity. There the pure gold shines before us in verse after verse. The second chapter just as clearly speaks of His true humanity — the shittim wood. In Him as the true Ark of the testimony God has been fully declared, thus we read, "God has spoken to us in . . . Son."

That God might be revealed and men be brought into the good of the revelation the Son took Manhood and went down into death. By His death He defeated the Devil; met the holy claims of God and secured a company of many sons — His brethren, the sanctified ones — the Assembly, in the midst of which He has taken His place as Leader. He conducts them, in His own company, into the presence of God, leading their willing hearted praise.

Hebrews 3 to 9 open out to us the truth of the Priesthood of our Lord and His better sacrifice.

He is variously presented as Wilderness, Sanctuary, and Melchisedec Priest. The heavenly calling — better far than any earthly blessing — demands "such an High Priest" as He is. This calling, with its available helps for the partakers is here opened out to faith. How the appreciative saint revels in the preciousness of the Word of God and in the Priestly grace of our glorified Lord. All is grounded on the imperishable basis of His "better sacrifice" who "through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God."

Passing into the tenth chapter we are invited to avail ourselves of the blessed privilege of entering through the veil into the presence of God. Such is the holy boldness and fitness afforded by Christ's death that we find ourselves at home with God, needing and asking nothing. What a region of satisfied desire to be before Him with something to give to Him! So would we function as purged worshippers, having freely received we would freely give. With hearts entranced by Christ and in the enjoyment of His glory and grace we would wave Him, in Spirit formed appreciation, before God for the satisfying of His heart.

"The glories of His work we bring —

Thee glorified we see;

His deep perfections gladly sing,

And tell them forth to Thee."

Hebrews 11 illustrates most wonderfully the principle that "the just shall live by faith." Here we learn what faith in God leads the believer to do for God. It has been truly said, "Faith believes the incredible; sees the invisible; and does the impossible." The first seven verses are basic. The quality of faith is attested. In the case of Abel we learnt that approach to God is on the ground of sacrifice. Faith recognises that life is forfeit by sin and comes to God through the death of another. Enoch demonstrates that the man of faith cannot be at home in a world where sin is dominant. He walked with God. Such a walk could have but one end — glory; God translated him. Suggestively, he prefigures the translation of the Assembly to heaven before the storm of the great tribulation. Noah is a figure of the godly remnant of Israel, not kept from the tribulation but saved through it. Verses 8 to 20 give seven instances of Faith's Confession or Witness. Verses 23 to 31 give seven instances of Faith's Conversation or Walk. Verses 32 to 34 name seven who illustrate Faith's Conflict or Warfare. These are followed by the unnamed women and "others'. Of all such the divine testimony is, "of whom the world was not worthy," and "these all . . obtained a good report through faith."

All that we have so briefly viewed in the divine gallery of faith emphasizes that the heavenly calling is "better" than the earthly calling in which all these worthies had their part. The saints of this day of grace are given precedence over all the Old Testament saints, for they cannot come into their promised portion until we, "the many sons," are brought to glory.

That grace which, in Hebrews 10, leads into the holiest of all, and calls into the path of faith — so blessedly illustrated in Hebrews 11, brings us under the discipline of the school of God in the next chapter. If we would know the blessedness of the presence of God, if we would be morally fitted for our place in His testimony now or in the world to come, we shall need His schooling. Growth in the knowledge of God, serviceability now, fitness for the reigning time, all are promoted by chastisement, the child-training of God. How many and blessed are the lessons learned in the testing circumstances of every day as the saint goes through them with the conscious knowledge of being under His hand. A true estimate of self; practical partaking of the holiness of God; the value of the support of the priestly grace of Christ; these are some of the lessons to be learned in the school of God. A deepened appreciation of the things "we are come to" is also possible for us. We are not under the law with its bondage and fear, we have come to "Mount Zion" which speaks of the sovereign choice and love of God (Psalm 78: 68). We are come to the vessel of God's administration "Heavenly Jerusalem," the metropolis of the coming universe of bliss and glory. We are come to the gathering of the angels, for "unto the angels hath He not put into subjection the world to come, whereof we speak."

We are come to the Assembly of the Firstborn (ones) enregistered in heaven. The Firstborn is a designation of rank and dignity. Just as our blessed Lord, as Firstborn, takes the chief place in regard to all creation, so His Assembly takes the chief place of blessing and glory in relation to all the companies of saints from the different days of God's dealings — each with its own distinctive testimony. We are come to God, the Judge of all, for all in the world to come will be subject to Him. His will shall be supreme. His administration shall be universally recognised and acclaimed, and we are now come to Him. He is our God. We are come to the spirits of just men made perfect. The spirits of all the pre-church saints are blest indeed. They are now in the good of the finished work of Christ. Redemption's work has been done, they know the righteousness of their blessing and attribute it to the death of Christ. Yet still they await the consummation of blessing. Perfect as to their spirits the just men are waiting for that moment when the power of God's salvation shall touch their bodies at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant. In the spirit of that Covenant we are blest now. We have received everlasting mercy from His hands. Those hands that shall dispense world-wide blessing in the day of His Kingdom have been stretched out to us and that mercy flows righteously through the blood of sprinkling. Assuredly it speaks better things than that of Abel which cried for vengeance.

The knowledge of all this that we have come to, in coming to Christ, is well calculated to spur us on to full response to God, in the enjoyment of our heavenly calling.

The last chapter of our epistle teaches us that the features of the heavenly calling have ample scope for manifestation in the practical circumstances of everyday life.

1. In the continuance of brotherly love. Passing as we are through a cold and hateful world how comforting it is to experience, as we so often do, the love of the brethren. May we increasingly contribute to it.

2. In the grace of hospitality opening our homes for the good of others. The opened heart opens the home — "Come into my house" (Acts 16: 15). Fidelity and holiness are essential there, with bowels of kindness.

3. In having a heart for prisoners. Maybe we do not know any personally, but we have all heard in our day of those who have been incarcerated in communist prisons. Shut away from fellowship, deprived of every visible reminder of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, how ruthlessly and cruelly have they been oppressed in an endeavour to break their spirits and to wrest them from the faith. Who knows but what many are now suffering similarly. May we enter, feelingly, into their circumstances and lift up our hearts to God in fervent prayer on their behalf. May we have sympathetic concern for those who suffer any adversity. May we feel deeply for such with feelings borne of practical experience as being ourselves in the body — that is to say, as being in the responsible condition in which we have the opportunity of learning for ourselves the compassions of God and so much so that we can extend to our suffering brethren the comfort which we ourselves have received. Surely we are not above or impervious to the trials of our brethren! If we are we have never been in the sanctuary.

The priesthood of believers is not named in our epistle but Christ is named as the High Priest of our confession. We are His associates. Invited, as we are in chapter 10 to draw near into the holiest of all, it is that we might exercise ourselves in the highest priestly service — the worship of God. Thus in the first ten chapters of Hebrews we are moving in, step by step, to be at home in the presence of God as purged worshippers. From thence we are moving out, in the power that His presence imparts, fraught with holy sensibilities which we have acquired in the holiest of all as we have companied with the Great Priest over the House of God. Thus we move out into the circle of fellowship and into the sphere of testimony. May we know more of the power of communion with that One who, while He is Minister of the Holy Places, feels for His own who are where the pressure is, and so ministers to them as to lift their hearts into His own company above the pressure. How great then is our privilege in exercising priestly sympathy towards our suffering brethren!

4. Another practical attendant of the heavenly calling is the maintenance of holiness in the marriage bond — and how great the need, in this day of increasing moral laxity, that the believing husband and wife should comport themselves as before God for His glory.

5. Also in living without the love of money — content, with this confidence, He has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Let us, in whatever circumstance, abide with Him, and we shall be "more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

Then we are exhorted, "Remember your leaders . . . imitate their faith." Do not imitate their methods, but do imitate their faith. What made them useful in their service; what constituted them leaders worth following, was their faith in God and their unreserved obedience to the Word of God. Consider the issue of their manner of life, they ever pointed to Christ. Their lives were coloured by their communion with Him. Whoever noticed them turned to Christ, just as did those two disciples who heard John Baptist speak, "they followed Jesus."

To those who lead; speak the Word of God and with all your speaking live it. Yours is a privileged position but a solemnly responsible one too. To "rule" is to lead in the way that is right. In this you follow your Lord for He leads in the way of righteousness (see Psalm 23 and Proverbs 8). To lead in the way is to exemplify in your practical life those things which you enjoin upon your brethren. How sad if, stumbled by your example, they despise your precept. Rather give them cause to value your doctrine through the appreciation your practical obedience engenders.

But leaders come and leaders go! We all have cause to remember such with thankfulness and if they have led aright they will have led us into this confidence, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."

There are doctrines of grace, centring in Him who is the Centre of the heavenly calling, which establish the soul. Here is permanence and stability — Judaism with its enslaving legality is effete. That earthly calling is superseded. We have a fellowship identifying us with the altar where God's claims have all been met and where He finds His satisfaction and pleasure. It lies outside of the corruptions of men. It has Jesus Christ as its gathering centre. "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." He is outside all that is not of God. He is outside the Jewish order of carnal religion. He, "suffered without the gate." Our place is outside the camp with Him. If it was imperative for those from among the Jews who had trusted Christ to leave that order of things, originally constituted of God, corrupted by the Jews — "where also our Lord was crucified," how much more so for us to separate from that which God never established — the sects and systems of Christendom! Jesus shed His blood not only to deliver from judgment as did the blood of the passover lamb in Egypt, but to set us apart to God for His pleasure and service. We have nothing abiding here — our hope is in the world to come, "whereof we speak."

Let us then, with all this light and blessing, be a praising people. In every step of our way, whatever the circumstances, let us offer our spiritual sacrifices to God. May we be a thanksgiving people, doing good to all, and thus give pleasure to our God.

"Obey them that have the rule over you," or rather, "obey your leaders." They — salutary thought — are accountable to God for their stewardship amongst the saints. "Pray" — how readily we criticise. How often do we pray? These servants sought the prayers of their brethren in all their service, with all good conscience.

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will . . ."

God grant that we may reap the gain of this epistle's teaching and be such as those who heed the injunction, "Leaving the word of the beginning of the Christ, let us go on to what belongs to full growth."

"Help from the Sanctuary"

"Help from the Sanctuary"

Chains and Rings of Gold, and a Lace of Blue

N. Anderson.

Were there no help for us we would undoubtedly faint under the pressure which meets us in the path of daily confession and wilderness journeying. How, too, could we survive under the chastisement of God, of which all the sons of God are partakers? There is help from the sanctuary! We learn from the Hebrew epistle that "we have such an high Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary . . " We must consider Hebrews 4 to 7 if we would know what kind of Priest this is in Hebrews 8: 1.

He is, "a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God." He has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God; He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities; He administers the grace and mercy of the throne of God; He gives timely help; He is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. He has learned obedience by the things which He suffered, and consequently is able to succour the tried ones. Indeed, the outstanding feature of "such an High Priest" is His ability — "He is able!" He is for ever able seeing He ever lives; thus He is able to succour, sympathize, and to save completely the comers unto God by Him. Such an High Priest is just what we need on account of our place in the calling of God, One who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. He eclipses all the priests who preceded Him, and He will never be succeeded as were those other priests, for death shall never touch Him. He has tasted death but is now alive for evermore. Neither shall He be superseded, for there is none so great as He. So we have a better Priest to minister to us as partakers of the heavenly calling, and His priesthood is based upon a better sacrifice than was the priesthood of Aaron. In this epistle we learn of the better things belonging to those who partake of the heavenly calling, all administered by the High Priest who is becoming to us. Everything is based upon the better sacrifice — that of Himself. This produces better worshippers — those who, having no more conscience of sins, have a better privilege than ever was known in Old Testament days, for they can draw near to God in holy boldness under the hand of the Great Priest over the House of God.

According to Hebrews 2: 9, our Lord Jesus Christ is "crowned with glory and honour." In the Septuagint version of Exodus 28, where we read of "holy garments for glory and beauty," the word used for "beauty" is this word translated "honour." So Christ, our High Priest, is invested with glory and beauty in the presence of God. It is before one to point out very simply and as briefly as possible something which has yielded great encouragement as it was meditated upon.

In Exodus 28: 7 we read of the priestly ephod and the shoulder pieces. In fitting settings thereon were placed two onyx stones inscribed with the names of the children of Israel, six on each, according to their birth. Then, as regards the breastplate of judgment, it bore twelve precious stones, each stone bearing a name of one of the tribes of Israel. The names were borne upon the shoulders of the priest according to generation, in this all are alike. On the breastplate all are different.

Simply and briefly, the saints of God as being partakers of the divine nature experience trials, common to all saints, passing as they do through a world gone far from God and opposed to all who belong to Him. Yet all saints are not alike as to gift and service. Someone has said, "Gift is an impression of Christ." Some apprehension of Christ belongs to each saint and it takes all the saints to fitly set Christ forth. There are trials peculiar to each saint in his path of God's service. However they are viewed, whether in what is common to all or what is peculiar to each, we may thankfully say that there is adequate support for them in their Great High Priest. They all have a place on the shoulders and upon the breast of their Priest. The shoulders speak of strength; the breast speaks of affection. We have a place in the affections of Christ; we have a place on the strong shoulder of Christ.

Further we learn from this chapter in Exodus that the breastplate is bound by chains and rings of gold, and with a lace of blue, to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. The chains and rings of gold bespeak the Godhead glory of our Priest. The lace of blue bespeaks the heavenly grace of His Manhood. The word translated "wreathen" means a strong band. The strong bands of His Godhead and Manhood emphasize to us how well and securely we are sustained according to God. However great the testing we are subjected to we have in our High Priest One who is more than equal to every circumstance of the way and He will bring us safely through. "His strength shall be ours on the road." He will bring us through every trial and every step of the wilderness way, and set us down in the glory of God — for His is bringing many sons to glory.

In the meantime the blessedness of our calling is appreciated in the knowledge that He bears His own upon His heart and upon His shoulders before God now, and that He will do so continually. As we avail ourselves of His ministry of sympathetic succour and support we shall prove the reality of everyday salvation. Lifted in our spirits above the pressure of circumstances, yet with all that we have acquired in the way of spiritual enrichment under the discipline of God, we shall gladly "draw near" under Christ's leadership, as Minister of the Sanctuary, into the "holiest of all," with an indisputable title to be there, rejoicing that we are there. Having received "help from the Sanctuary" we shall exercise ourselves as "purged worshippers" before God, ever valuing the preciousness of Christ and recognising His activity expressed in those imperishable words — "In the midst of the assembly will I sing praise unto Thee." We shall "join the singing that He leadeth," and as we sing our songs to God and voice our praise and worship we shall not fail to speak well of Him in God the Father's listening and rejoicing ear.

His Hour

His Hour

N. Anderson.

Several times in the Gospel of John we read of an "hour," and almost all of them mentioned by our Lord Jesus Christ. A meditation on some of these will be profitable to our souls.

The wedding feast at Cana of Galilee (John 2: 1-11) is the first occasion on which our Lord used this term. Mary, His mother, had approached Him telling Him, "They have no wine." Surely this was the time for Him to manifest that He was Master of the situation! But He would not be precipitated into any such course. His reply was, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come." That "hour" is yet to strike when the Lord will produce the wine of joy in His coming kingdom. That will be the time of marital festivity when the erstwhile unfaithful and divorced Israel will be taken to himself in new covenant blessing to share, on earth, the joy of His dominion (Hosea 2: 14-23).

In John 5: 25, He takes account of the awful supineness all around Him. In the consciousness of His deity and power, and in co-equality with the Father, He announces that "the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." In the course of this blessed "hour" our lot has fallen. We have heard His life-giving voice speaking in His word to our dead souls of the Father's love, and He has brought us "from death unto life" (v. 24). Then, too, "the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice. And shall come forth." Just as dead souls in this present hour of quickening have experienced the power of His voice in making them live to God, so then dead bodies will be raised. "They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (judgment)." Between the resurrections of these two classes a thousand years will intervene (Rev. 20: 4-15).

The hour of His manifestation in power and great glory, ushering in His kingdom reign, shall bring the first resurrection to completion. This commenced with His own resurrection as "the first fruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15: 20). At His coming for His saints all that are asleep through Jesus will be raised. Then, just preceding His glorious appearing all the post-rapture saints who will be martyred for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 6), and those, too, who refuse to worship the beast and his image, or to receive his mark on their foreheads or hands (Rev. 13), will also be raised (Rev. 20: 4-6). All of these — Old Testament saints; the Assembly; post-rapture; all pre-millennial — will experience the blessedness of that resurrection "hour."

When His reign of a thousand years has run its glorious course the wicked dead, small and great shall hear His resurrection voice summoning them in its own irresistible power from the grave to the great white throne. There they shall meet their final judgment and be consigned to the lake of fire. "This is the second death," whilst of all those who have their part in the first resurrection it is written, "on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years" (Rev. 20: 6).

In John 12: 23, the "hour" of His public and universal glory as Son of Man is presaged by the expressed desire of the Greeks, "Sir, we would see Jesus." This betokens the day when the once humbled One should be glorified, but ere that hour of brightest glory could be ushered in, another "hour" of unparalleled suffering which Calvary entailed for Him must be endured. In anticipation of that hour He voiced His soul trouble, "Father, save Me from this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour, Father, glorify Thy Name" (vv. 27, 28). He has passed through that "hour," hence the Father has been glorified; the kingdom of the Son of Man will be brought in; life can be communicated to dead souls now, and soon the hour of resurrection will strike. That hour of His suffering was the hour of all hours. Eternity looked forward to it as eternity will look back to it. The cross is assuredly the centre of eternity. With hearts affected, quickened by His power and won by the love which took Him through it all, we gladly avail ourselves of the privilege of that other "hour" of John 4: 23, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him." Outside of worldly religion and altogether apart from its ceremonial and sensuous order, in its darkness through its ignorance of God, we gladly gather to the Name of the Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit; and in the company of the Son of the Father's love, enter the presence of the Father to worship and adore.

The glories of His work we bring

Thee glorified we see;

His deep perfections gladly sing,

And tell them forth to Thee.

Hope

Hope

John 11: 1-5, 21-26; John 14: 1-3; 1 John 3: 1-3.

N. Anderson.

It is essential that the Scriptures referred to in this short paper be read in order to obtain gain from the thoughts suggested.

How precious to the Saviour was that family circle at Bethany. He oft resorted there, sure of welcome, refreshment, and affection. There, too, His affections were freely exercised. Sickness, obviously of a grievous sort, had visited a loved one there. How natural that the sisters of Lazarus should send to our Lord, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick." Jesus said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it." Now, unquestionably, He loved those sisters and their brother and we must keep that in mind as we read, "When therefore He heard, he is sick, He remained two days in the place where He was." There was purposeful intention in His apparent inactivity.

Death and corruption were permitted to invade that family circle. Divine power (and it had been evidenced more than once in our Lord's pathway) was certainly present in Him, the Son of God. He could have prevented the loved one from dying. Neither sister had any doubt as to that for later each said, "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Nor had Martha any doubt as to her brother's ultimate resurrection, for when Jesus said to her, "Thy brother shall rise again," she replied, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection in the last day." She looked forward, as did the proper hope of any Israelite, to "the resurrection of the dead" (see Paul's word in Acts 23: 6).

The Lord, however, was about to manifest the glory of His Person. He would prove that the power which would certainly be exercised in the "last day" (see John 6: 39, 40, 44, 54 for His references to the last day) was resident inherently in His Person — He is the Son of God. As such (see John 5: 21-29) He quickens dead souls, and as such He shall raise the dead. So He says to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life." Death and corruption must give way before Him. It is in virtue of this truth that we elsewhere read, ". . . the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15: 52).

In this world, in the day of John 11, where sin and death were reigning, where death, the judgment of God, was recurrent — for "death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5: 12); and, "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6: 23); yes, in the very world where the power of death was wielded by the devil to affright and to enslave men (Hebrews 2: 14, 15), the witness would be given that the Son of God is great enough to maintain the glory of God and defeat the devil. This eventually involved for Him the being made sin, sacrificially; and the bearing of sins in "His own body on the tree." As David slew Goliath and cut off his head with the weapon with which he, Goliath, had terrorised Israel, so would the Son of God go into death, defeating the devil and in delivering power bring freedom to those who through fear of death had all their lifetime been subject to bondage.

"He Satan's power laid low;

Made sin, sin's reign o'erthrew;

Bow'd to the grave, destroy'd it so,

And death by dying slew."

His own resurrection is the evidence that God is glorified. All that is for God as the fruit of eternal purpose is established on the ground of resurrection. The Lord is Himself distinguished by resurrection. He is  "Marked out Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead" (Romans 1: 4). The raising of Lazarus was a demonstration of the Lord's power and of the glory of His Person. Satan's power is annulled; there is deliverance for man; the Son of God is glorified. Thus we see the import of His Word, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it."

Before referring to verses 25 and 26, which are particularly before us in this paper, we would reverently look at the manifest holy sympathies and feelings of the Son of God in this death stricken world. Verse 33 — When He saw Mary weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He "was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled." Such were His holy sensibilities that He felt acutely the awful blight that sin and death had brought into the world. The awful suffering of the creature as the consequence of sin and death caused Him to groan in the presence of it. Though holy, harmless, undefiled,  - death having no claim upon Him — He felt in His spirit the dreadful dishonour to God, and the awful distance and desolation of men. As perfect Man, He not only felt for God, but being God in His own proper glory He felt for man as only God in the presence of human misery could.

Verse 34 — "Where have ye put him? They say to Him, Lord, come and see."

Verse 35 — "Jesus wept."

Well may these words stand uniquely alone. What sympathy can compare with His? He entered with sinless sympathy into the feelings and sorrow of the bereaved. His groaning and His weeping bespeak the intensity of His holiness and the reality of His sympathy. May our hearts be bowed in adoration before Him . . . holy, sympathising Lord! Though His circumstances have changed, for He is no longer here (He is glorified above in the presence of the Father) He is just the same today. Every sorrow-stricken saint, feeling the desolation that sin and death have brought in may come to Him and find enduring love and sympathy.

As to verses 25 and 26: "he that believes on Me, though he have died, shall live, and every one who lives and believes on Me shall never die," we might well enquire — "when shall these words of hope be realized?." We know from John 5: 24, 25, that believers have received life from the Son of God; having heard His quickening voice they live to God in a life that death cannot touch. Yet they also live a responsible life in flesh and blood conditions which will come to an end at death or when the Lord comes. According to the words of our Lord in John 14: 1-3, He is coming for His own to receive them to Himself, "that where I am ye may be" He has left this world and has entered the Father's presence. He has gone there in a new condition. He came from the Father into the world, and in so doing He became flesh. Having in the grace of His incarnation assumed Manhood, now that He has accomplished redemption, He has carried Manhood into glory (see John 13: 31, 32). He has ascended up where He was before; He has gone there in abiding Manhood, and His going there has prepared a place for His own with Himself. In coming forth from the Father into the world He never ceased to be all that He had ever been in the glory of co-eternal and co-equal Godhead with the Father. Now that He has gone back to the Father (see John 16: 28), He has not ceased to be what He became in incarnation — He abides a Man for ever. Blessed be His Name, He has secured a place for men in His own company in the Father's house, and His love will never be satisfied until its objects are with him there. When He comes to receive His own to be with Himself then shall those blessed words of hope be realized. Then sleeping saints shall be raised to life immortal and incorruptible; then saints who are alive and remain unto the coming of their Lord shall be changed; the power of Him who is "the Resurrection and the Life" shall touch their bodies and they shall never die. How blessedly these words of John 11: 25, 26 coalesce with our Lord's revelation given to the apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18.

Note how the order in John 11: 25, 26 corresponds with the order in Thessalonians. In John — "he that believes on Me, though he have died, shall live; and every one who lives and believes on Me shall never die." In 1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17, "and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we, the living who remain shall be caught up . . to meet the Lord in the air." As we await that blessed moment may we evidence our love for Him, our absent Lord, in willing-hearted obedience, in keeping His commandments — "If ye love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14: 15). We are empowered so to do by the Holy Spirit, the other Comforter, who dwells in us. He supplies the needed power for sustained communion, and for the apprehension of the revelation which has been brought to light by our blessed lord. He also empowers the fruitbearing and witness of the saints until we are with Christ.

We learn from 1 John 3: 1-3, that our Lord, who at present is hidden from the eyes of men, is to be manifested, and then His own will be seen to be with and like Him. See also the word in Colossians 3: 3, 4 " . . your life is hid with Christ in God. When the Christ is manifested who is our life, then shall ye also be manifested with Him in glory."

The kind of love with which the Father loves us is learned in the appreciation of the place of children in which He has now placed us. Such is the affinity between the saints and the Son of the Father's love that "the world knows us not, because it knew Him not." "What we shall be has not yet been manifested; we know that if it is manifested we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

We are now loved of the Father; the world now knows us as little as He is known; when the Father is pleased to give a universal manifestation of what we shall be it will be apparent to all that Christ's likeness is impressed upon each saint. Then, "He shall have come to be glorified in His saints, and wondered at in all that have believed" (2 Thessalonians 1: 10).

John and Paul are perfectly united in this blessed theme that Christ shall be glorified in the saints (read Colossians 3: 4; 2 Thessalonians 1: 10; and 1 John 3: 2). How blessed to consider that "we shall be like Him" in the day of manifestation! The reason is given — "for we shall see Him as He is."

Yes, we shall be like Him in that glorious day — and God is going to show that forth — but we shall have been made like Him at the rapture. In that very moment, when He raises the sleeping and changes the living saints, we shall "see Him as He is. Surely 1 Corinthians 15: 51-54, agrees with this — "we shall all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye."

What a prospect, dear brethren, and how great the privilege of radiating the glory of Christ in that longed for day of manifestation to every bound of the world to come. Blessed hope! we are waiting to see Him! we are looking for Him! and He shall certainly come again for His own in view of bringing them with Him in His kingdom. Assuredly this is part of the joy which was set before Him when "He endured the cross, having despised the shame."

Without a doubt we shall find full joy and satisfaction in being with and like Him, but "He shall see of the fruit of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied" when He surrounds Himself with "many brethren," the gift to Him of the Father's love. Then shall those words of John 11: 25, 26 and 1 John 3: 1-3, be blessedly fulfilled.

Soon the heavens will be opened and Christ be set forth as the supreme Centre of a universe of bliss and glory. Then shall it dawn upon the world which crucified Him that He was of a truth the Sent One of the Father, and that those despised companions of His were loved with the same love which rested upon Him.

Blessed portion! As we consider this blessed hope it exerts a purifying effect, separating us from the world which rejects Him, and giving us in our feeble measure to live pure and holy lives — the moral transcript of Christ in the world where He has been — until we are with Him where He is, "Everyone that has this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure."

"Not we alone, Thy loved ones all complete

In glory round Thee there with joy shall meet.

All like Thee, for Thy glory like Thee Lord,

Object supreme of all, by all adored."

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit

N. Anderson.

There are nine references to the Holy Spirit in the gospel of John — from John 1 to John 7. It is not until we reach John 14 that we see clearly the distinct Personality of the Spirit.

See the following Scriptures as to:-

The Truth of His Person.

Gen. 1: 2; Isa. 48: 16; Matt. 28: 19; John 14: 16, 17, 26; John 15: 26; John 16: 7, 8, 13, 14, 15; Acts 5: 3, 9; Acts 13: 2; Acts 15: 28; 1 Cor. 12: 13; 2 Cor. 13: 14.

The Witness of the Holy Spirit

John 15: 26; Acts 5: 32; Rom. 8: 16; Heb. 10: 15; 1 John 5: 6-12.

The Spirit as Seal, Earnest, Anointing.

Luke 11: 13; Acts 19: 2-6; 2 Cor. 1: 21, 22; Eph. 1: 13, 14; Eph. 4: 30.

Type of Anointing.

King: 1 Samuel 10: 1; 1 Samuel 16: 13.

Prophet: 1 Kings 19: 16.

Priest: Exodus 28: 7; Exodus 28: 21.

OWNERSHIP is connected with SEALING.

POWER is connected with ANOINTING also  KNOWLEDGE (1 John 2: 27).

PLEDGE OF COMING GLORY is connected with EARNEST.

WASHING relates to NEW BIRTH.

BLOOD SPRINKLING relates to REDEMPTION.

OIL relates particularly to THE HOLY SPIRIT.

SEALING follows BELIEVING, NOT knowledge nor experience. These are the fruit of the Spirit's work in the believer.

The work of the Spirit —

1) In bringing about NEW BIRTH is distinct from and precedes His INDWELLING.

2) SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT is unto THE BLOOD OF SPRINKLING AND THE OBEDIENCE OF JESUS CHRIST (1 Peter 1: 3).

3) Through the Spirit alone can the deeds of the flesh be mortified (Col. 3: 5).

SEALING — when does it occur?

We repeat that it occurs on believing the gospel of your salvation (Eph. 1: 13). In Acts we have an example of this (Acts 19: 1-7).

SHOULD WE PRAY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT? NO!

All approach to God, whether for prayer or worship is BY the Spirit.

It would be nonsensical to speak of praying IN the Holy Spirit TO the Holy Spirit. Scripture speaks of worship BY the Spirit of God (Phil. 3: 3 N. Trans.). It also speaks of praying IN the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). Thus Scripture never speaks of worship or prayer TO the Spirit.

SHOULD WE ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TODAY? NO!

The word in Luke 11: 13 was spoken by the Lord to His disciples before He had died, risen again, and had been glorified. See in connection with this, John 7: 38, 39. Perhaps while the 120 were meeting during the ten days between our Lord's ascension and the descent of the Spirit, many prayers may have arisen from their hearts asking God for the promised Comforter. But NOW HE HAS COME!

ARE THERE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT TODAY?

WOULD ACTS 19 SUGGEST THAT ALL BELIEVERS DO NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT?

The answer to these two questions is definitely — NO! The disciples in Acts 19 whom Paul found were not Christian believers. They had received the testimony of John the Baptist — they knew only John's baptism! They were on the ground of the godly remnant of Israel which had believed the testimony of John Baptist — they were looking and were ready for the coming of Christ! But He had already come! Paul instructed them as to this blessed fact and put them on Christian ground by baptism — new ground for them, and there and then they received the Holy Spirit. Let us remember that Scripture most definitely teaches that, ". . . by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12: 13). This took place on the day of Pentecost as detailed to us in Acts 2.

SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST (MATT. 12: 31) — CAN WE COMMIT THIS SIN TODAY? NO!

For this was committed by the Jews in attributing the power by which our Lord performed His miracles in exorcising demons to the prince of devils (demons?) — Beelzebub. Christ is not on earth today, nor is He directly performing these works today. Hence it is impossible to commit this sin against the Holy Ghost. It has been suggested that the Jews committed this sin in stoning Stephen, Acts 7. The Scripture said, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did so do ye" (Acts 7: 51).

The testimony of God did not specifically turn from the Jews in Acts 7. Paul said in Acts 13, "It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing yet put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13: 46). There is no word here about blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.

While such a sin is impossible today we are none-the-less exhorted to ". . grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4: 30). Also, "Quench not the Spirit" (1 Thess. 5: 19). The first of these exhortations would apply to us individually, while this second would apply to us collectively. Let us see to it that we live our lives in subjection to the Spirit and that Assemblywise we accept the teaching, for instance, of 1 Cor. 14: 29 — as to the order of the Assembly meeting. Where the Spirit presides and where liberty is afforded Him for the ordering of the gathering according to divine teaching, to the honour of our God, and consequently to the edification, and exhortation, and comfort, of the gathered saints.

Please read, prayerfully, the fifth chapter of Galatians in regard to the individual recognition of the Spirit's indwelling and activity, also the fourteenth of 1 Corinthians as to the recognition of His indwelling the Assembly, and the consequent order of such a gathering when saints meet together to the Name of our Lord.

Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53

N. Anderson.

This chapter is the central chapter of the second major division of the book. This section commences with a word of comfort for God's people and for Jerusalem. All hangs upon the intervention of God in the Person of His servant. We learn from chapter 41 that Israel had miserably failed as Jehovah's servant — "they are all vanity; their works are nothing; their molten images are wind and confusion" (Isaiah 41: 29).

In Isa. 40: 3, we have an obvious prophecy respecting John the Baptist as Jehovah's messenger; "Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."

John was sent to prepare Jehovah's way, and in John 1: 30, calling attention to Jesus, the Baptist said; "This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is preferred before me; for He was before me," an evident pointer to the pre-time glory of the Person of the Son of God. The Jesus of the New Testament is the Jehovah of the Old.

This second section of Isaiah, covering Isa. 40 to 66, closes with the re-gathering of Israel (Isa. 66: 20), and their presentation as an offering to the LORD. Also all nations and tongues shall be gathered to witness the glory of the LORD (v. 18). The grand finale of the way of Jehovah, which is introduced in Isa. 40 with the presentation of the Messiah, is that "it shall come to pass . . . all flesh [shall] come to worship before Me, saith the Lord" (Isa. 66: 23).

The basis of all this — the blessing of Israel, the blessing of the Gentiles, the glory of the LORD, is brought powerfully before us in chapter 53. The importance of this prophetic chapter is emphasised as we note its frequent citation in the New Testament — some fourteen references are found there.

As a matter of interest we note there are 66 chapters in Isaiah, and there are 66 books in the Bible. The first section of the prophet covers 39 chapters; there are 39 books in the Old Testament. This leaves 27 chapters in the second section of the prophet, and there are 27 books in the New Testament. The central feature of this prophetic section is chapter 53, and the central fact of the New Testament is the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jehovah's Servant served unto death in the book of Isaiah, and in the New Testament Christ became obedient, even unto death, and that the death of the cross. Well might we then consider this 53rd of Isaiah.

We might first say that in Isa. 50 Christ's deity introduces His humiliation. See, for instance, verse 3 of that chapter, "I clothe the heavens with blackness," the language of the Governor of the universe; yet in verse 4 He is in the Learner's place. Then in verse 6 He is humiliated and maltreated by those who had witnessed Him in the grace of His humility.

In chapter 53, His humiliation introduces His glory!

Verse 1. — The prophet laments the unbelief of those who were peculiarly the subjects of the mercy of God. The Arm of the LORD is a symbol of the power of God, so often exerted for the overthrow of His enemies and for the salvation of those who trust in Him (see Isaiah 51: 9; Isa. 52: 10; Isa. 53: 1; Isa. 59: 16; Isa. 62: 8; and Isa. 63: 5, for uses of this title). On occasion, as in chapter 53, the Arm of the LORD seems to be personified.

Verses 2 and 3 — "He shall grow up before Him." This is the 'Arm of the LORD' growing up before Jehovah. To Him, Christ in the days of His flesh was a root out of a dry ground; life and fruitfulness in all their potentialities were there in Him. Israel was the dry ground. There was no sustenance for our Lord there. All His support was drawn from above. To Israel He was an object of derision and scorn — hence "a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."

Verses 4 and 6 — This will be the language of Israel in the coming day of their conviction and repentance, for the nation shall yet learn the truth of the sympathetic as well as the sacrificial and redemptive sufferings of the holy Sin-Bearer. Verse 4 certainly teaches us — as quoted in Matthew 8: 17 — that He first bore in His spirit that which he removed by His power. He entered, in the deep and holy feelings of His heart, into all that His people suffered. He suffered sympathetically in the acuteness of His sinless perfection; they for their sins under the governmental hand of God. The day will assuredly come when the sufferings of the holy Sin-Bearer shall be rightly apprehended, then shall Israel say in deep contrition, "He was wounded for our transgressions."

The prophet Hosea has this day of atonement for Israel in mind when he says in his last chapter, verses 1 and 2, "O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD; say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips." Israel then finds in Isaiah chapter 53 the words which they will take in the day of their national repentance.

Verse 5 — Their sins are confessed, as it were, over the head of the "scapegoat" (Leviticus 16: 21, 22).

Verse 6 — They recognise the holy Sufferer as the One upon whom, sacrificially, as it were, the LORD's lot fell (Leviticus 16: 8, 9, 15). True confession will be produced from the lips of the repentant people — we have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way. How great had been their disobedience and rebellion! Yet, wondrous mercy! — "The LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

Surely we have in these verses the great anti-type of the Day of Atonement:

The righteous claims of God fully met by the blood of the sin offering — Propitiation.

The guilt of the people met in the confession over the scapegoat — Substitution.

Both goats were necessary on the Day of Atonement to set forth these two aspects of the one sacrificial and redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ when He offered Himself, through the eternal Spirit, to God. By His spotless sacrifice He eclipsed every sacrifice in the ceremonial system of Judaism, for it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to put away sin and make perfect the comers unto God (Hebrews 10: 1-4).

Verses 7 and 8 — tell of the willing submission of the unresisting Lamb of God; of His unrighteous treatment; His being cut off; and withal, the true reason for His death, "for the transgression of My people was He stricken."

Wonderful Saviour!

Verse 9 — attests, by His burial in the rich man's tomb, that there is a divinely fixed limit to the wicked activity of sinful men, "thus far shalt thou come and no further." God takes care to attest His appreciation of the moral beauty of that life. Men may say, "when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him." The charm, the moral perfection, of that blessed Man were unattractive to those who did not believe, but nonetheless there was superlative beauty there, "the beauty of holiness." So we read, "He was with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth." Truly, like the paschal lamb, the Saviour had passed the scrutiny of the eyes of divine holiness — kept from the tenth to the fourteenth and proved to be without blemish or spot.

Verse 10 — Deeper far than all His sufferings at the hands of men for righteousness sake, were the sufferings at the hands of God for sin — this only and entirely in His sacrificial death. "He hath put Him to grief."

Verses 10 to 12 — The grand issues of the redeeming and God-glorifying death of Jesus: —

1. "He shall see His seed." A generation, a race, after His own kind, would be brought into being.

2. "He shall prolong His days." The cross is not the end for Him, no, He shall come forth, the mighty Victor over death and the grave.

3. "The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." He shall establish the will of God universally. The administration of the coming kingdom will be in those competent hands which once had been pierced at Calvary.

4. "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." The fruit of His work shall be worthy of the work and of the Workman — fitting answer to the suffering, shame, and loss, of the Cross.

5. "By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant instruct many in righteousness." The basis of righteous blessing has been laid in His death and all who are brought into blessing before God shall be instructed in the righteousness of their standing through the value of Christ's finished work.

6. "For He shall bear their iniquities." Not a cloud shall exist between God and His own. Everything which had stood between them has been fully and righteously dealt with, to God's satisfaction. Hence, as instructed by God's righteous Servant they will be perfectly at rest in heart and conscience.

7. "I will divide Him a portion with the great . ." Once alone in the awful sufferings of the Cross, He shall not be alone in the recompensing glory. He shall have companions then. God declares (grand expression of His complete satisfaction with the finished work of Christ), "I will divide Him a portion with the great." The Saviour in the unselfish activity of His love — proof that the cross has not exhausted His love — "shall divide the spoil with the strong." Who are the great and strong in that day of Christ's coming glory? Those who have borne reproach for His Name in the world which crucified Him. Those who share rejection with Him here shall share glory with Him there.

All this, says God, for four reasons:

1. "He hath poured out His soul unto death." His death shall never be forgotten in the glory.

2. "He was numbered with the transgressors." His shame shall be fully answered. Though earth may despise and defame Him, God honours Him in heaven and will manifest His approval of Him to a wondering universe. This chapter gives an answer to such a question as — "What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour" (Esther 6: 6).

3. "He bare the sin of many." God answers with glory that love which took Christ into death for the justification of others. He who once "bare the sin" will bear the glory.

4. "He made intercession for the transgressors." That prayer of His, uttered in the extremity of suffering, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23: 34), though little accounted by the motley throng which surrounded the cross, has been fully evaluated in heaven, and is here added to these features which bring forth the reward of God to Him in the day when the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

As we close this meditation on this wonderful prophetic Scripture, we would sincerely say, "To Him be the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever. Amen."

Thoughts from John 20

Thoughts from John 20

Notes of an address by N Anderson.

As I consider this wonderful chapter I am impressed with some of the features of the first day of the week.

Christianity is a matter of the first day of the week; Judaism is a matter of the seventh day. While we think in terms of time when we talk of days, let us reflect that Scripture uses time terms in regard even to eternity. 2 Peter 3: 12 and 18 — "The day of God" — which goes beyond the kingdom day of 1,000 years rule, and (J.N.D.) — "the day of eternity." Hence we connect the first day of the week with the new creation order of things. The seventh day belongs to that earthly religious system of things which crucified Christ; the first day belongs to the blessed sphere of heavenly blessing which finds its acknowledged centre in the glorified Christ. That day is with us now.

Here, in John 20, this first day of the week is a matter of the empty tomb! This speaks to our hearts of the triumph of God, the victory of Christ, and the vanquishing of all that is opposed to God. The empty tomb tells us that it was not possible for our Lord to be holden of the pains of death. Those heavenly things which fill the pages of John's gospel, as also the whole range of earthly things of which the Old Testament prophets so glowingly wrote — all rest securely upon the finished work of Christ and shall be displayed in the light of the empty tomb. Thank God, the tomb is empty, otherwise we would not be here as we are today. Does the sense of wonder, triumph, grace and glory, of the empty tomb, grip our souls? As it does so, form and depth are given to heart-desires after Christ.

Matthew 28: 6 — "He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." Note the angelic language; not "where the Lord lies." Are we appreciative of the fact that He is not here? Then we shall desire to know Him where He is. How blessed to company, in a sense, with a Mary Magdalene. His absence made her a mourner here, made the world an empty place for her, and she wept, "because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." He was the supreme, governing Object of her affections and the loss of Him made her desolate indeed. Thank God, while we are deeply conscious of His absence from the world, Scripture would teach us that we have not lost Him, rather have we gained Him in another scene. The spiritual poet has written, "Thy cross has severed ties which bound us here, Thyself our treasure in a brighter sphere." He is risen! an empty tomb and a risen Christ! Well may we exult.

This gospel, displaying to us the glories of our blessed Lord, does not give us the historical fact of His ascension. In John He is the ascending One. In the 6th chapter we are reminded that He was the bread which came down from heaven. At the close of His discourse in that chapter many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. Had there been some waning of His irresistible attraction? — far be the thought. He had spoken to them of His death as the alone basis for the bestowal of eternal life, and of the imperative necessity of their appropriation of His death — under the figure of eating His flesh and drinking His blood — if they were to have this eternal life. This brought to light their shallowness, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" As they turned away from Him He asked them, "Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?"

So in this gospel He was the ascending Christ! To Mary, in verse 17 of our chapter, He said, "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." Yes, He would ascend and now He is the ascended Christ! If the bars of death could not retain Him, He certainly could not be detained here. Someone has said, "Earth is not the domicile of risen men" — this as to the saints of God, for in the coming millennial reign of Christ, to which the brother was referring, those who compose the assembly of God shall be where they belong — with Christ in glory. He has already gone there. Do we not read in John 13, ". . . Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father . ."

Ere He went He accomplished that work which glorified the Father and made it righteously possible for men to join Him where He has gone. The riches blessing of men before God is the gift of eternal life, and this capacitates men for the knowledge of divine Persons in the relationships and affections proper to them. As we know God, we enjoy Him and as we enjoy Him we respond to Him. We repeat then, that Christianity is a matter of the first day of the week, of the empty tomb, of the risen Christ, of the ascended Christ. Yet the shadow of the death of Christ still lies athwart this sinful world. How gladly, yet perhaps too easily, do we assent while gathered where and as we are today. When we go our several ways tonight will we still assent? When we go to our homes, and to our everyday necessary things, will we still say, "Yes, the Cross of Christ shadows this whole world order of things. However can we be at home where He is refused?" How practical are the implications of this for us all. How impossible for us to accept them save as we do so in the view of His empty tomb, and in the good of that first-day order of life and blessing which is the believer's portion. Herein lies the secret of true moral power — occupation with the ascended Christ.

Communication from Him is a mark of true Christianity! How he must have voiced Mary's name! She recognised Him then and turned about saying "Master." One cannot but think of that saying in Proverbs 19: 22 (J.N.D.) — "The charm of a man is his kindness (goodness)." Here was the true Shepherd addressing His own by name. This was the out-breathing of intimate affection. He said to her — "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father, but go to My brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." He had already said in His unique prayer to the Father, John 17: 26, "And I have declared unto them Thy Name, and will declare it."

One of the distinctive features of the first day of the week order of things is the knowledge of the Father. What our Lord had declared here before the cross, He being the manifestation of that eternal life — the character of which was that it was with the Father — He now repeated as the risen and ascending One. With this declaration of the Father there was also the announcement of a new relationship — "My brethren." As thus associated with Him it is ours to know this "out of the world condition of love and relationship, into which redemption brings us." Before the cross He had said, "One is your Master, even Christ; and ye are brethren."

Now the distance is gone. If His incarnation bridged the distance, redemption has removed it, and our links are with Him on the other side of death. When ascended the line of communication would be for ever established between Himself and His own. We cannot have Him back as He was before the cross — "Touch Me not."

This would rebuff any endeavour on the part of any to connect Him with that world from whence He has gone. "For I am not yet ascended." would imply the blessed possibility of association with Him where He is now as with the Father. May we get into the spirit of this; He is entirely apart from this present course of things and He encourages faith and affection to be apart from it too, in the enjoyment and power of communion with Him where He is ascended.

Another feature of this first day of the week order is the knowledge of Himself in His own unique relationship to the Father. He said, as none other could, "My Father." Here is the affirmation of His Sonship. He had brought into incarnation that relationship in which He had ever subsisted before time began. His passage through this wicked world had not impaired nor diminished His Sonship one little bit and now, with the cross behind Him and the glory before Him, He attests His unchanging relationship in these blessed words, "My Father." Another has said, "As to being Son in the eternal state He says, "I came forth from the Father and am come into the world" again, "I leave the world and go unto the Father," and you have no Father if you have no Son. If I do not know Him as Son when He came into the world, I have no mission from God at all. And you get, too, "the Father sent the Son" (J.N.D.)"

In verse 19, ". . . came Jesus and stood in the midst." Christ in the midst of His own! Do we know the blessedness of gathering to His Name alone? "For where two or three are gathered together unto My Name, there am I in the midst of them." As taking His place in the midst of His own He said unto them, "Peace be unto you." He would have them in tranquillity of spirit in His own company before God. In order for this there must have been the removal of everything which stood between them and God. He showed unto them His hands and His side. There was the evidence of that love which had taken Him down unto death — the death of the cross. There He had accomplished propitiation and substitution. He had met the claims of glory and the need of ruined men! His work was done! The glory of God had been maintained. A righteous basis of standing for men had been laid. So He said, "Peace be unto you." Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Whilst that memorable scene is past nonetheless, where saints gather in His Name alone, something of that gladness is their portion Especially, whenever on the first day of the week they accord Him His place and portion. Then He again said, "Peace be unto you."

Not now to set them at rest before God, but rather to give them that needed calmness of spirit in which to face a hostile world in service to and for Him, as He had Himself been here for the Father. This too, is a feature of the first day order of things: the representation of Him as He had represented the Father. For this they needed the life of the new order. "He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye (the) Holy Ghost." As the Head as well as the Centre for gathering, He gave them life in the Spirit's power. Then He commissioned them with the evangel of grace, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them."

He also sent them with a sense of holy discipline — the sense of divine government, "and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." Is this as acceptable to us as is the commission of grace?

Christianity then, I repeat in closing, is a matter of the first day of the week; the empty tomb; the risen and ascended Christ; the new relationship; the new revelation — the Father; the new life; the new Centre; the new Head; the commission of grace and the exercise of holy discipline. May we all seek that available grace which will enable us to enter into the practical good of these blessed things, under the drawing power of Christ's irresistible charm.

Joseph

Joseph

Genesis 41: 38-45.

N. Anderson.

"Royal robes shall soon invest Thee,

Royal splendours crown Thy brow."

The background to these verses in Genesis is graphic indeed. With regard to it we simply and briefly say that the fruit of Joseph having been in prison was that one man was removed in judgment and another brought into blessing. This reference is to the baker and the butler. In New Testament teaching we learn that the old man has been condemned in the Cross of Christ and that the new man has been created. Our links are with Christ risen and glorified. It has been aptly said, "the Cross was the doom of the old creation; the tomb was the womb of the New Creation; and the resurrection gives it birth."

Joseph had known suffering; he had known the treachery of his brethren; he had known imprisonment with its trials. He had, suggestively, suffered at the hands of Jews and Gentiles. However, in the ordering of God, the moment of exaltation had arrived. Hear the word of Pharaoh, "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" And to Joseph, "Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled." The recognition of Joseph's wisdom, divinely endowed, was the cause of Pharaoh's pronouncement.

Let us transport our thoughts to the New Testament. John 3: 35, "The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand." With this in mind we recall (according to John 19: 1-3) that our Lord was cruelly maltreated and they put on Him a purple robe. They had robbed Him of His own garments — suggestive of the attack of Satan-inspired men against our Lord, robbing Him of the glory due to Him. The soldiers garbed Him with the purple robe in mockery. Both John and Mark, in their gospels, tell of the purple robe. John tells us in his first epistle that the Lord Jesus Christ is "the true God." Yet several times in John's gospel we read that He is the Son of Man. Psalm 8 teaches that this is the title of His universal supremacy. He who is ever co-equal and co-eternal in the Godhead has stooped down to become a Man and because of this the Father has committed all judgment to Him (John 5: 22, 27). He is competent, because of who He is, to fill the highest station, and though men garbed Him in cruel mockery, He shall yet wear the imperial purple. The day shall surely dawn, as prefigured in the history of Joseph, when He who has been down beneath all shall be exalted above all.

Mark also mentions the purple robe; his is the Gospel of the Perfect Servant. Certainly as we read Mark's Gospel we are constrained to say of our Lord, "He is the servant of all." And He has displayed in all His service His fitness for ruling. Though he said to the disciples, as they voiced their displeasure against John and James desiring chief places in the coming kingdom, "whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all." He also said, "For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10: 35-45). So He Himself exemplified the beautiful features of self-humbling which lead to exaltation. The wise man, Proverbs 30: 22, tells of three things by which the earth is disquieted, and first is "a servant when he reigneth." Position does not of itself confer fitness for it. In our blessed Lord we learn the beautiful marks that fit for righteous rule. The Servant of all shall be the Lord of all — "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him"!

Matthew, the gospel of the King, singles out the scarlet robe of human and royal glory. The robe in which our Lord's tormentors arrayed Him mocked His title to the throne of Israel. Very early in Matthew's gospel the question was asked, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" The wise men came from the east to Jerusalem seeking the King. Our Lord Jesus Christ, made of the seed of David according to the flesh, was in the direct line of royal succession. The throne of the kingdom belonged to Him by right in virtue of His royal birth. At the close of His holy pathway we view Him crowned — but with a crown of thorns — 'twixt two malefactors, impaled upon a cross. This was His accusation, set above His head — "This is Jesus the King of the Jews".

Praise God, the once refused, despised and crucified [One], shall yet wear the royal robe of kingly glory. Israel, willing in the day of His power, shall welcome Him — "And it shall be said in that day, Lo this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" (Isaiah 25: 9). So shall He, who once was garbed in the mocking robe and crowned with the cruel crown, be acclaimed when God sets Him forth with the crown of pure gold upon His peerless brow. "He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne" (Zechariah 6: 13)

Luke is the gospel of the Perfect Man. There we are told He was arrayed with a gorgeous or splendid robe (Luke 23: 11). This word "gorgeous" is elsewhere (Revelation 15: 6 and 19: 8) translated "white." It means bright or shining. Surely we are right in suggesting that the white colour is the fit emblem of the unstained holiness and moral beauty of the life of our spotless Lord as He lived here in a sin-defiled world.

As we meditate upon these remarkable features presented in the various Gospels we see most clearly, although wicked men had no such perception of our adorable Lord, that He is eminently worthy to bear all that is suggested by these various colours.

Genesis 41. Pharaoh took off his ring — that ring which bore the royal cipher, his authoritative seal — and he put it on Joseph's hand. Then he arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and placed a chain of gold about his neck. Thus he indicated to all that Joseph was the man of his right hand, and so he distinguished him.  The ring — speaks of authority; the fine linen — of moral worth; the gold chain — of sovereign majesty. We sometimes speak of the threefold glories of Christ — Personal, Moral and Official.

As to Personal glory — He has rights because of WHO HE IS. There were those who said He was the son of the carpenter. They spoke as though they knew all about Him, His family connections; His background; as though to say "He is only one of us"! There was something they did not know, lying outside of creature ken. For this divine revelation was essential, such as was given to Peter when he confessed, "Thou art the Son of the living God."

The fine linen — was figurative of our Lord's beautiful character witnessed in all His conduct, attesting His moral fitness for ruling. How delightful was that perfect life lived in devotion to the Father — a green spot, indeed, in the midst of the arid waste of man's rebellion against God. Even Pilate was compelled to acknowledge, "I find no fault in Him," and to cry plaintively, "Why, what evil hath He done?"

As to Official right — He is King of Israel. Psalm 2 lends its prophetic voice, "Yet have I set My king upon My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree; the LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee."

Two things are said here of our Lord which emphasise to us the wonder of His Person,

1) "Thou art My Son." This is what the official King is in personal relationship. As to this, we are faced with what is timeless.

2) "This day have I begotten Thee," carries us on to the Incarnation. Here we have a time expression — "This day."

Our Lord, coming into Manhood, brought with Him that timeless relationship in which He had ever been with the Father. And He is the King. Official glory belongs to Him. We may say, the truth of who He is lies behind every office which He fills.

We may also say that, while He has Personal, Moral, and Official rights to the throne, the New Testament clearly teaches — even as suggested in the history of Joseph — He has rights because of His suffering — He tasted death for everything (Hebrews 2: 9). He is now crowned with glory and with honour. The cross entitles Him to the crown.

In all that Pharaoh did for Joseph he was virtually saying, "the man who has been down to the bottom is now set at the top." Joseph rides forth and as he does so the cry rings out, "bow the knee". Our Lord was hailed in mockery: men bowed the knee to Him in scorn, but the Scripture declares that, "Every knee should bow . . . and every tongue should confess that He is Lord." He shall be greeted in the day of His manifestation with universal subjection and acclamation.

Joseph was also given a new name, Zaphnath-paaneah. As to its meaning there are several suggestions — Light of the world; Saviour of the world; Revealer of secrets. They were all true in Joseph's case. His revealing of the royal dreams gave light as to the true state of affairs in Egypt, and his wisdom brought practical salvation in the time of famine. Our Lord is the Light of the World and He has brought into it, in infinite grace, the revelation of the love of God. He is the Revealer of Secrets. He has brought to light the Father's heart. He has opened to us the Father's house with all the love, peace, joy and glory, that belong there. "The Father sent the Son, the Saviour of the world."

Certain in their day declared, " . . . this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a suited wife, Asenath, daughter of the priest, or prince of On. He received a consort, one equal to him in his position of exaltation, fit to share with him in the rule of Egypt. Turning to Ephesians 1 we read that God has set our Lord "at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1: 2-23).

Christ, the glorified Man, has a complement in the administration of the world to come. The mystery of God's will is that all things in heaven and on earth shall be headed up in Christ. Scripture teaches that there are two exceptions to universal subjection to Christ — "It is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him" (1 Cor. 15: 27); and in this passage in Ephesians 1 the church is distinct and distinguished from the all things. There is an organic union between Christ and the church — the union of the Head and His body. He is not here described as head over the church but to the church. And this denotes an affinity such as was typified in the Genesis account when God said, "Let them have dominion" (Gen. 1: 26); and "it is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him an help meet for him" (2: 18). The church, the body of Christ, is the help meet for Him, and the world dominion of the coming kingdom shall be shared with Him.

As we draw our simple consideration of these blessed features of the greater than Joseph to a close may we thank God for the grace which has been given us, as believing the gospel of our salvation, to be united to Christ by the Spirit. Praise God for the knowledge of the all varied glories of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise Him too for the knowledge that He is destined to universal supremacy. Praise Him for the blessing of our having "obtained an inheritance in Him." Pray too that the day of its realisation may hasten. In the meantime may we live as those who wait for their Lord.

The Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ

Acts 2: 36.

N. Anderson.

We do at least learn from the Scripture cited that God has reversed the judgment of the world. That judgment was expressed in the crucifixion of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This act of diabolical cruelty had demonstrated the world's hatred against God, in spite of His unparalleled infinitude of saving grace towards guilty men. Yet God had raised Him from among the dead and has set Him at His right hand exalting Him. Thus we read, "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

As Lord authority, power, and administration are committed to Him. Was He not, even in the days of His humiliation when here on earth, Lord? Undoubtedly, and this He had frequently shown. We cite but two from the many incidents which could be adduced to supply confirmation. Luke 5: 1-9, when Peter and his partners were told by our Lord to "launch out into the deep, and let down you nets for a draught," (for the Lord would not use another's boat without paying for it). Simon answered Him, "Master (using a word peculiar to this gospel, meaning Commander) we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net." Note the word "the nets," had the Lord not said "nets"? Having done so, they enclosed such a multitude of fishes that their net brake. On this they beckoned their partners in the other ship to help them, doing so the ship began to sink, so great was the haul. "When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

The resources of the deep immediately responded to our Lord, He is the Master of the seas! Later as "He went into a city called Nain," He met a funeral cortege on the way to the cemetery. It was that of a young man, the only son of his widowed mother. Our Lord, when He saw her, had compassion on her and said, "Weep not. He came and touched the coffin and said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise, and He that was dead sat up and began to speak. And He delivered Him to his mother."

He, who was Himself an only-begotten Son, felt for the widowed mother as none else could. Thus, whether the resources of the deep, or the depths of bereavement's sorrow, all must yield to the Lord. And so we might continue, yet it maybe these two incidents from among the many which could be cited will suffice to confirm that, even when here in lowliness, He was ever Lord. Why then should He be "made Lord"? Because when presented to the Jews as such they had despised and crucified Him. When they had done their worst, God stepped in and did His best. As we read,  "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses" (Acts 2: 32).

God indeed has so wrought that in that soon-coming day when His Son shall be universally owned, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power" (Psalm 110: 3). "To Him shall the obedience (gathering) of the people be" (Gen. 49: 10).

Being then by the right hand of God exalted He has there been made both Lord and Christ. The recognition of this was attested on that day of Pentecost in that three thousand souls received the apostolic testimony — contrasting with the inauguration of the law system when three thousand perished under the judgment which was then administered (Ex. 32: 28). These who were saved on this the beginning of the Spirit's day, "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking bread and prayers" (Act 2: 42). This was a work amongst Jews. The commission from our risen Lord was to preach "repentance and remission of sins . . in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24: 47). When we reach the Acts He indicated the territory of their witness, "Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth" (Acts 1: 8).

Turning to Acts 10 where the witness was to extend to the Gentile in the person of Cornelius with his household, such was the feeling against the salvation of God going to such that even Peter, to whom the Lord had entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven, needed a thrice repeated vision in preparation to opening the door to the Gentile. That he had learned the lesson which the vision was given to teach him was evidenced by his preaching in the house of Cornelius, "The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all)." Not only of the Jew but also of the Gentile, "To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10: 43).

In going over to Romans 10, we learn that He is presented for the acceptance of individuals. Paul, by the Spirit's inspiration, writes there, "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved."

By this shall our souls be saved. Being saved in hope, we await the redemption of our bodies by power. In between these two grand events we have the blessed opportunity to prove Him as an every day, all the way, Saviour and Lord. We shall be saved from many a pitfall and dilemma if we nail our colours to the mast. Let it be known Whose we are, and Whom we serve. We shall soon find, if we let it be known that He is our Lord and Saviour, that the worldling will give us a wide berth! This confession of the Lord with its attendant heart belief introduces to the Kingdom of God. This is certainly not yet in display. Indeed this is the time for suffering, not for reigning! This then is also the time for subjection which ever carries with it the principle of obedience. This Kingdom is not carnal but a spiritual kingdom. We read in Romans 14: 7, "For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Every department of life affords scope for the practice of its moral features. This consideration leads us into Colossians 3: 16 -25. Here again, the accent is upon our Lord Jesus Christ. Whether amongst our brethren; "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."

In the realm of married life the wives, the subject ones, are first addressed, "Wives be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." The husbands are next exhorted, if wives are to be subject they must be given every encouragement so to be. "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." Love provides very fertile soil for a happy marriage and surely in the midst of the Christian company nothing can be so honouring to the Lord than for the partners to go on happily in love. Family life is not excepted from divine admonition. If there ever was a day when children were encouraged in defiance of parental authority that surely is the present day.

"Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." This too is governed by the happy recognition of His Lordship. Fathers also come in for a word here: "Provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged."

How many children may leave, or contemplate leaving, home due to their ill-conceived thoughts of the iron heel! Fathers, see to it that you so live your life in loving obedience to your Lord that you afford your children every reason to go on in the happy atmosphere of a true Christian home — exemplify yourself those things you would enjoin upon them. Passing now into the region of secular relationships we come to servants. While we in our day have no equivalent to that which obtained in the apostle's day, nonetheless this has to be marked by the principle of obedience, such as pertains to the Kingdom of God. Bondslaves (servants) have not to be governed by menpleasing, just acting so as to catch the master's eye in order to curry favour. They shall act with their eye on their Lord desiring to please Him in all things. Conscious too, that a day of just appraisal is coming. Well aware that however rightly or wrongly they may be treated here, then there will be perfect redress. One of these days bondservice shall give place to reigning. Then too, when righteousness rules, he that now does wrong shall receive for the wrong that he has done — and there is no respect of persons. The Lord shall judge impartially. Masters must give to their servants that which is just and equal for they have a Master in heaven.

In every sphere of responsibility let us remember that the features of subject obedience have already been perfectly exemplified in no less a Person than our Lord Himself. He it was Who said in the days of His flesh, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of (from) Me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls, For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

He was entirely committed in devoted obedience to the Father, this is what He spoke of as His rest. "My yoke" — companionship with Himself. "MY burden" — the establishing of His Father's pleasure. thus are we invited to learn from Him, and this in view of sharing with Him in His rejection now, and yet with reigning with Him in faithful anticipation. According to Phil. 2: 5-11, the answer is given for His self-humbling, though being in the form of God, thinking it not a thing to be grasped at to be equal with God. So unlike Adam! for He was and is God, and yet He stooped to the form of bondman, taking a place in the likeness of men, and being found in figure as a man, He humbled Himself. O! the depths of His humbling — becoming obedient even unto death, and that the death of the cross. "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14: 11).

Little wonder, then, that we read, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him." Such renown has been bestowed upon Him that in the day of His manifested supremacy, when the Name of Jesus is sounded forth, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

As we have earlier said, this shall be the day of His manifested supremacy — then shall be the time for God's displayed approval of the principle of the lowly, subject obedience. Our Lord Jesus Christ shall then receive His due answer for all the reproach, shame and contumely which he met with here. How right that it should be so. May we all have the grace to follow in His steps until then.

The Lord's Supper - Expression of the Fellowship

The Lord's Supper — Expression of the Fellowship

1 Corinthians 1: 9; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26.

N. Anderson.

The -

REVELATION   of it from Christ in glory to the apostle for

COMMUNICATION  to the Assembly, as such, hence its

CELEBRATION  with its character of

COMMEMORATION of the death of Christ, with its

DECLARATION of that fact to any and all who will take account of it, and this in the

ANTICIPATION  of His coming again, thus indicating His intention of its

CONTINUATION  until then.

There is need on our part of

PREPARATION  in the light of the fact, as propounded in chapter 10, that

PARTICIPATION  in the Lord's Supper involves our

IDENTIFICATION  with the death of Christ, and commits us to the

OBLIGATION to stand apart, in holy separation, from everything which is condemned in, and opposed to, the death of our Lord.

The Love of Jesus

The Love of Jesus.

N. Anderson.

(Extracted from Scripture Truth Vol. 41, 1962-4, pages 126-7.)

The home at Bethany comes before us in John 11 as a place where the love of Jesus was known. There they knew how to rely on it with natural, simple confidence at every season. Individually the members of the little household are marked out as its objects. "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus," as if to teach us that through all the experience of initial serenity, mourning sorrow, dawning hope, and the joy of restoration and reunion, the love of Jesus was there, ordering events, weeping in sympathy, and working the final miracle. The lesson is surely that whatever may be our sorrow, the love of Jesus stands before it, walks beside it, and though there be delay, comes at last — it will unfailingly be true for all His own — as the Resurrection and the Life.

The story begins with the sickness of Lazarus. "Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus." This was the brother of that Mary who anointed the Lord, yet his relationship with that illustrious woman did not make him immune from suffering. Further, his sisters sent to Jesus saying "Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick". How infinitely blessed to be an object of the love of Jesus, but even this did not provide immunity from sickness. The work of divine love is not to guarantee freedom from suffering, but to make it serve the divine end. "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."

At first there is no word about the benefit to the sufferers themselves: but when afterwards they reviewed it all, how clearly it would be seen that their own highest good was involved in what served the glory of God. Let us therefore not be hasty in arriving at a carnal assessment of the sufferings of this present time. Seen from the glorious heights of God's "afterward", their experience of the well-known love of Jesus, coming to its flower and fruit in their sample of life and resurrection with Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, was coincident with that which glorified God. It was not indifference which caused Jesus to abide two days still in the place where He was. Rather was it His allowing the circumstances to ripen towards the divine end.

"Not unto death", said the Master, yet Lazarus died, and Jesus said to the disciples plainly that "Lazarus is dead". Death was not the end, but Lazarus' death was necessary to the attainment of that end. The grand end in view in the sickness, suffering and dying of Lazarus was the manifestation of the fact that the power of resurrection and life was visiting this world in the Person of the Son of God. The heart anguish of the bereaved sisters was to give place to the full joy attendant on the resurrecting power of the Son of God. Where the awful power of sin reached its climax in death, where the ultimate power of the devil was seen, just there the glory of God shone out. The Son of God stood before the tomb and cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth. And he that was dead came forth." Mighty triumph! The devil defeated! Death annulled! The grave robbed of its victory! The day of mourning turned into the joy of resurrection! What a result from the sickness of Lazarus. What strong consolation for the heartbroken sisters to learn that their suffering had become the occasion of setting forth the glory of their Lord.

Thus the sorrowing saints are enlarged through the pressure coming on them, for this was the paradox uttered by another sufferer when he said, "Thou hast enlarged me when I was in pressure" (Psalm 4: 1). Through such an experience Paul learned to say, "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

The grand revelation of the release of all the sleeping saints from the grip of death was augured by His intervention in love and power, for, "He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die."

The end of the Lord on this occasion was to manifest the power which will shortly raise all the sleeping saints and change all the living saints. "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven . . . 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: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

"A man in Christ"

"A man in Christ"

2 Corinthians 12: 2.

N. Anderson.

"I know (not, 'I knew') a man in Christ" (New Translation), a continuing fact. But that man in Christ had a unique experience. He had been (above fourteen years ago) "caught up to the third heaven." That was a special, and perhaps a non-recurrent, experience. Being a man in Christ was a continuing reality. The spring of Paul's happiness was not in the special or occasional experience, but in the enjoyment of his abiding place "in Christ."

Whilst he would not glory in himself as a man, or as a servant of the Lord, he would glory of such a man — a "man in Christ." this made nothing of himself, for his position "in Christ" was entirely the sovereign operation of God, ("of Him are ye in Christ Jesus") on the ground of accomplished redemption, and through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

The experience of being "caught up," however blessed, was special and passing. In that experience he was not conscious of being "in the body or out of the body." He had to return to conditions of bodily consciousness. In this, the responsible condition, temptation abounds. There is no trial in being caught up — there is unalloyed enjoyment. There is no danger of self-inflation in the company of Christ. The temptation is down here. What more awful than the pride of a man puffed up by the abundance of divine revelations?

Whilst all believers may not have the special experience of being caught up as Paul was, all share the same abiding place "in Christ." All may taste the uplifting joy of this blessed position, and all may be tested on the line of spiritual pride!

Paul was given a thorn in the flesh — a messenger of Satan to buffet him — something which tended to make him contemptible in bodily presence and speech; yet, with this blessed end in view, that he might be humbled and dependent.

What better asset to an active servant of the Lord than a strong, healthy body! Paul though that without such a body he must be positively hindered and restricted in the service of the Lord. He thought physical efficiency was essential. But he bowed under the humbling hand of the Lord, "I will not glory, but in mine infirmities." As glorying in "a man in Christ," he gloried in that which made everything of Christ. Glorying in his infirmities he gloried in that which made nothing of himself. But, blessing of blessings, along with that which emphasized his nothingness and demonstrated his utter weakness, he heard that same voice which had spoken blessing to him on the Damascus road, now saying, "My grace is sufficient for thee." "My . . . thee," and in between (not to separate but to sustain), "My grace."

As the "small" Paul looked on the largeness of that grace, which alone could support, empower, and employ him, he cast his weakness, indeed himself with all his deficiencies, at the feet of His all-sufficient Lord, crying, "most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. therefore I take pleasure in infirmities . . . for Christ's sake; for when I am weak," consciously so, and looking for nothing in himself the vessel, "then am I strong." Strong in the strength which Christ supplies!

"Meet for the Master's use"

"Meet for the Master's use"

Acts 4: 36, 37; Acts 9: 26, 27; Acts 11: 19-26; Acts 15: 36, 37.

N. Anderson.

What has now come to pass in relation to Christ once crucified, raised and ascended, is that the Spirit of God has come down from that glorified Christ in order to announce that there is something for God established in Christ where He is today. One of the blessed features of the apostolic testimony in these early verses in the book of the Acts is that it draws attention to the fact that God's centre of administration has been transferred from earth to heaven. There is a mighty concourse of people gathered together in relation to an earthly system of things which, unwittingly to them, is going out in the ways of God. It is being displaced; it is being set aside; it is being wound up for a season; and if that is so, something new is coming in. The Spirit of God, in the apostolic testimony, draws attention to the fact that, at God's right hand in heaven, God's centre is established. Christ is at God's right hand in glory. Peter preaches Him as Lord and Christ, and the whole bent of the Holy Spirit's testimony is to draw attention to Him where He is.

As the testimony moves on in these chapters, the Spirit of God draws attention to an individual. We might speak of assembly features, we might speak of assembly character, of assembly order, of assembly power, of assembly service, of assembly worship; but all is the aggregate of individual hearts that have been brought into blessed contact with the Christ of God at God's right hand in glory. In the verses we have read we have a man, Joses, who has come under the mighty impact of the testimony that God's centre has been transferred from earth to heaven. The apostles have been pleased to give him a new name, Barnabas, and I think it indicates that very quickly in the life of this man there had been some reproduction in the power of the Spirit of God of features that were seen in Christ Himself.

We have been reminded of the intercessory service of our Lord Jesus Christ, and allied with that His gracious ministry of succour, sympathy, support and salvation, that the saints are the subjects of as moving here in a contrary scene. Barnabas appears to be one who, under the Spirit's power, has moved very rapidly into the apprehension of what is resident on that line in that blessed Man. We are all characterized by what we are engaged with, and as Barnabas, son of consolation, has his heart engaged with this blessed ministering Man at God's right hand in heaven, he betakes of the character that marks his Lord, and is seen as a son of consolation. He is one who carries on a service that is calculated to bind together the saints of God. Is the line we are on, in conditions where there is much to distress, depress and discourage, that of binding together the saints of God? Barnabas was a true son of consolation, setting himself to bind together those who with himself had come under the powerful testimony of the Spirit of God, whose hearts were entranced with this living Christ in glory, and who consequently, in some measure at least, had been led apart from that earthly system of things which was passing out of the ways of God.

We further read that he was a Levite. That is doubtless a reference to his natural history, but surely Barnabas became a Levite in the true spirit of Levitical service only as his affections were transferred from the earthly system of things and became focused upon God's new centre at His own right hand in heaven. He thus became a true Levite. One of the greatest features of Levitical service is to contribute something to that which will be for God's own pleasure in the sanctuary. The Levites in their calling were given to the priests to minister to them; and the priests in sanctuary service ministered in the presence of God that which had been gained in true Levitical service. A feature of Levitical service was that they were to carry (as it were figuratively in testimony) through the wilderness all the holy things which composed the dwelling place of God. These holy vessels were committed solemnly to the charge of the Levites; things which the Holy Spirit has told us speak of Christ. And it is our privilege today as true Levites to carry in testimony that which the Spirit of God ministers to us relative to Christ, in the varied presentations of Him that abound in the word of truth.

Let me say especially to those who are younger, but not exclusively to them, steep your souls in the Word of God. Where is the material to be found that the Spirit of God can use to develop in your souls features truly connected with what God is doing now in relation to Christ in glory? — In the Word of God! So I repeat, search the Scriptures. There is a testimony to Christ written deeply on every page. The true Levite learns in the Word of God what he has to carry in testimony; and what he carries in testimony would afford him something that can be used in priestly service in the presence of God. Equally, of course, if we are to go on in true Levitical service, we must know something of priestly service in the presence of God. Barnabas became a true Levite in the power of the Spirit of God as his heart was entranced with the living Christ in the glory of God.

In the verses we read in Acts 9, we have the account of Saul's remarkable conversion. He was arrested by the same blessed Person who had arrested Barnabas, and in this record he is seen essaying to join himself to the disciples at Jerusalem. They are afraid of him, as well they might be, but Barnabas, as in the current of what Christ was doing from the glory, is aware of what is going on in Saul relative to that blessed Man on high. He knows of Saul of Tarsus, he knows a great deal about him; and he brings him to the apostles, declaring unto them how Saul had seen the Lord in the way. Barnabas very quickly laid hold of the fact that there was something distinguishing, something distinctive, and something potentially formative in seeing Christ as Saul had seen Him. Saul had not seen Him in the lowliness of His Galilean pathway; he had not seen Him in the sufferings of the cross, in the day when "sitting down they watched Him there." Saul hated Him, hated His Name, sought to extinguish it; but Saul got a sight of Him beyond the suffering, in the glory. And Barnabas is alive to what the Lord is doing, he is alive to the fact that Christ had arrested Saul, and that he had seen Him in the way. How important were the communications which the Lord made to Saul on the Damascus way! He had said to Ananias, "He is a chosen vessel unto Me" (Acts 9: 15), but He had also said directly and personally to Saul himself, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."

He gave this distinct intimation to Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road, that there was something on the earth so identified with Himself in glory that it could be spoken of as "Me." The assembly is here, Christ's body, and this truth was to be a cardinal feature of Paul's ministry — that Christ and the saints are one. I say again, steep your souls in the Word of God. We are not just a congregation of people who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; but having believed the gospel of our salvation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, and we are united by that Spirit to Christ in glory; and all who are so united are members of His body, one with Him. There is a danger with us of falling into ignorance of this wonderful truth that has been so blessedly revived for us. Barnabas reports that Saul "had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to Him."

He recognizes that there is something here precious to Himself. And if we get the truth into our souls as to what the saints are to Christ in their union with Him in glory, it will change our whole attitude, if it needs to be changed, in regard to practical fellowship. All movements amongst the saints of God will be motivated by this blessed truth, that Christ and the saints are one. Barnabas relates the wonderful fact that Saul had so come under the power of this blessed Name, the Name he had sought to extinguish, that he had boldly preached at Damascus in the Name of Jesus. I think that is blessed. Just visualise this man, leading those who sought to stamp out the Name of Christ, and the sight of Christ in glory so entrances, so morally revolutionizes him, that he is unable to restrain himself from announcing that name. This is the wonder of Christianity, it is spontaneous and has no legalism about it; he cannot help himself, he is preaching in the name of Jesus. Saul (afterwards Paul) thus becomes the willing servant of Christ, and in his service he commences at the very heart of the testimony, "he preached Christ, in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God."

One mark of coming under the power of the Spirit of God is this, that we shall be aware of what Christ is doing in this world today, alive to the true character of the testimony connected with the saints in their union with Christ in glory, and thus we shall be found moving in concert with Him.

In Acts 11 we read that the saints of God had been "scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen." Whilst the enemy thought he had scattered the saints, he had unwittingly spread the testimony of God. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee; the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain" (Ps. 76: 10). We see the testimony spreading by those who had been scattered, and who are seen preaching the Word, initially to none but the Jews. They were at the moment in the current of what God had in view; the testimony of Christ in glory as the centre of God's thoughts. But the Spirit of God is operating, and there are some who move a little further, and we find them in Antioch speaking to the Gentiles, "Preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord" (verse 21).

What power there is in a Spirit given testimony! What power in the proclamation of it, when hearts engaged in it are in the enjoyment of what they are preaching, and in communion with the One they preach! Eventually tidings of these things came to the ears of the assembly in Jerusalem, and the brethren evidently knew the man who would be alert as to what was going on amongst the Gentiles. "They sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God was glad."

Here is a man with a heart for the grace of God; he is looking for the evidence of the grace of God, and he sees it. It is sometimes said that we see only what we want to see. Our spiritual sensibilities can become deadened if we are occupied disturbingly, and sometimes destructively, with things that do not feed the saints of God. Let us get on to the positive side; let us be engaged with that which will build up the saints. Thank God the Holy Spirit delights to turn our eyes to what God is doing in relation to Christ. Barnabas goes to Antioch and seeing "the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord." He besought them to cleave to the Lord. He may have besought them out of the purpose of his own heart, but I believe he was equally beseeching them that out of the purpose of their heart they should cleave to the Lord. Brethren, let us cleave to the Lord.

If we are found cleaving to the Lord in reality we shall be cleaving one to another. As cleaving to the Lord we get right values, we get right judgment. Barnabas "exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man." He was a man ready for the occasion. It was an important moment in the history of the testimony of God, and Barnabas does not need to be conditioned to it, he is conditioned already, conditioned in the presence of God. How often we fail to seize an opportunity because we are not ready. "He was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and much people was added unto the Lord."

The true servant of the Lord has a true judgment, first of all of himself, he knows his own limitations; but he knows also the qualities of others, and this is seen in Barnabas as he sets out and seeks Saul. Here is a movement in the current of what Christ was doing at that moment, a moving out from Judaism to the Gentiles in order to bring them into the blessedness of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Barnabas recognizes that Saul is the servant for this, and he goes off to seek him. Let us not be selfish in our service; let us recognize our own limitations, and then recognize the qualities and abilities of others. Thus Barnabas sought Saul, and brought him to Antioch, and there together they laboured amongst the saints of God.

The verses read in Acts 15 present a sadder picture. Barnabas seems to go out under a cloud. Why are we told of this declension in such a man of God? Would it not emphasize the fact that there is only one perfect Servant. "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him . . He shall not fail" (Isa. 42: 1, 4). The word I think can be literally translated, "He shall not burn dim." I think Barnabas in this chapter was burning dim. Scripture gives us some indication why. John Mark was his sister's son. Barnabas allows the ties of nature to come in, to invade the province of his service to the Lord; and when we allow in our service to the Lord what is foreign to it, there is bound to be disaster. We rejoice in the earlier references to Barnabas; why does the Holy Spirit record his failure? That we may take heed; if Barnabas broke down, then we are liable to break down. The rocks are charted that the mariner might avoid them. However sad the close of the history of Barnabas is, let us cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart, and thus we shall continue to be identified with the present interests of Christ.

Matthew 18: 20

Matthew 18: 20.

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."

Substance of an address by N. Anderson.

The company is of no value if it is not rightly centred on the Christ of God. The centre of the gathering is the Lord Jesus Christ — in this connection — His name. I ask you, simply yet solemnly, if any company suggested that the Lord Jesus Christ was a sinful Man — would you go on with it? Or that He is not very God; or that He is not truly Man — sin apart? These are serious things and they have to be faced. If the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ was born of a virgin were denied, or that it does not really matter, and that it is optional whether we accept or not that the Lord Jesus Christ is Son in the co-equality of Godhead, eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit, would you go on with it? The centre of gathering for the company is Christ as the Scriptures present Him, not Christ as we think He should be; not Christ as we think He might have been, it is the Christ of the Word of God. I have been exercised as to the truth of the intrinsic glory and greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ as co-equal in the Godhead with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Co-equality is not confined to His advent here. Our blessed Lord, in the grace of His incarnation, brought into Manhood the relationship in which He has ever subsisted with the Father, and He brought also the blessed revelation of the affection proper to that relationship.

Scripture is replete with divine teaching in the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, that Christ was Son in the bosom of the Father before He was seen as the Babe of Bethlehem.

Let us exercise, dear brethren, the thinking faculty that has been given to us in the gift of the Spirit of God in relation to the discernment of the truth of the PERSON who is the Centre of the gathering, and in the discernment of that which would cast aspersion upon His blessed Person. I trust the Spirit of God will press the truth of it upon us, because we are not only faced with the so-called ecumenical movement — noxious as that is — but there is a so-called peaceful penetration into the ranks of believers which would rob us of the truth of Christ as alone the true centre of gathering. Indifference to Christ cannot be tolerated where the Spirit of God exercises the thinking faculty which leads us to not only judge what is contrary but what is acceptable to true assembly gathering.

Where can the assembly be found today? Speaking abstractly we find it in the heart of God; we find it in the heart of Christ; we find it in the ministry of the Spirit of God; speaking abstractly we find the assembly in the Word of God; speaking concretely it is difficult to find it anywhere. I hear brethren praying and speaking of "our assembly" or of "this assembly." If saints of God gather here in this particular place on some particular occasion they cannot be called "the assembly of God" except as you view them abstractly in conjunction with and in union with all the saints of God on earth at any time. The local assembly — speaking geographically — includes all believers in the place designated by the local name, not just those who break bread in one particular meeting. It would be a blessed thing if in real faith and affection and in the Spirit's power, those who break bread in such a place did so in the light of, and in the appreciation of, the truth of the assembly as gathered to Christ's Name alone. Blessed indeed to learn from the Word of God what the assembly is in the light of God's revelation, and as in the light of the affections which dwell in the heart of our blessed Lord, He who loved the assembly and gave Himself for it. He has done that, it is historical, and He will yet present it to Himself all glorious. Looking at the saints in their responsible condition today it seems absolutely incapable of realisation, but in the mind of God on the basis of the work of Christ, and having regard to what the assembly is to Christ, it is not only gloriously possible of realisation, but it is just on the doorstep, dear brethren. Christ is coming. He will translate the assembly from earth to heaven in a moment. This is not a theory just to be said "Amen" to when referred to in prayer or in ministry, it is that which would produce desire and response continually as Christ is precious to us.

Are we appreciative of the fact that differences between believers militate against the truth of the assembly of God? Let us weigh what is said in verse 20 — "for where two or three."

It is not merely a question of numbers that is in view in Matthew 18, but the words of our blessed Lord have in mind the number of those whose feelings are in accordance with His own blessed heart. Would we not like to be amongst such? Such gatherings are an evidence of attraction, and a demonstration of the fact that there is an all commanding Object, One who exerts so powerful an influence that one person comes from here and another from there, and they meet at one appointed spot, with one blessed Object as their supreme attraction. Where can such an Object of attraction be found? The pre-eminent Christ; the impeccable Christ; the precious Christ of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the attractive Centre of gathering for His people. It says — "Where two or three are gathered" — there is an external gathering attraction exerting a powerful drawing influence. "Draw me, we will run after Thee." Are we here because we have been brought; or here because of natural links? Or are we here because Christ is precious to us? Notice the "where" and the "there" — "There am I in the midst of them."

We repeat — the company is of no value unless it is centred upon the Christ of God. He of whom Paul wrote, "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor." Can we measure such love? We have to bow our heads and hearts in the presence of this presentation — "He became poor"! It tells the story of the cross; it tells the story of His being made sin; and the story of the sufferings of Christ. He was rich yet for our sakes He became poor that we — think of the magnitude of it — that we ruined by sin, poverty stricken, — that we "through His poverty might be made rich." As we contemplate such grace we refuse to countenance anything or anyone who belittles the Christ of Scripture.

If we are gathered together unto His Name we are aware of His absence from the scene in which we are gathering. Christ is absent. Why is He absent? "They hated me without a cause."

Christ is absent. If He were not absent we would not be gathering to His Name, we would be gathering to Him. "We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him" — the Rapture. He is absent and we know why He is absent, and we are in sympathy with Him in His absence, and if we are in sympathy with Him we are identified practically, not theoretically, with a rejected Christ. "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach."

Philadelphia is not confined to any circle of meetings. One of the blessed features of this Philadelphian character is "Thou hast a little strength," nothing to boast about. We cannot afford to raise our heads and say of others — "What do we want with them?" If we appreciate them as precious to Christ we know that — "Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it."

The sadly broken state of things may prevent us from walking freely with some but we feel for them, and as praying for them we should seek before God that they might gather to Christ's Name alone. The Lord's own words to Philadelphia are — "Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word." Christ's Word! "And hast not denied My Name."

They were true to Him in the face of the mounting opposition which would rob His own of the blessedness of identification, not only with a rejected Christ who was once crucified here, but a Christ still rejected in man's world but who is glorified in heaven. The light of His glory streams down upon us, brethren, and a ministry of the Spirit of God reaches us in His own power from that blessed Man so that our hearts being drawn out to Him there we might be true to Him and His interests and His people here.

May the Lord grant that we may be found in real faith and in energy of affection and loyalty of walk gathering to Christ's Name — the Christ of Scripture, because He is worthy.

Matthew 27: 51; Hebrews 10: 19-25

Matthew 27: 51; Hebrews 10: 19-25.

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom."

N. Anderson.

On the death of Christ, the finale to Israel's hatred against Him and their rejection of God as revealed in Him, the rending of the temple veil robbed the ritualistic, ceremonial system of its importance. There was no longer anyone behind the veil. The Jewish House was left unto them desolate (Matt. 23: 28). God was no longer there! "For God came forth to meet us then." The revelation was complete, being crowned by the crucifixion of the Revealer. The Jew was left with an empty house! the rending of the veil was the action of the hand of God, hence, we read — "From the top to the bottom." Two things, at least, were enacted in the death of our Lord: Judaism was set aside as effete: the way of approach to God, fully revealed in the Son, was opened to faith.

Hebrew 3: 1, exhorts us to "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus." As the Apostle He has come out to make God known: as the High Priest he has gone in to God in answer to the revelation He has made of God. Two things, at least, were involved in His coming out, His incarnation in grace; and the work of redemption. The creation of man necessitated Bethlehem; and the fall of man necessitated Calvary. So, the Word became flesh. His humanity was assumed with a view to His dying. His holy, impeccable life served to emphasise the distance into which the creature had been plunged by his sin against the Creator. That distance, bridged by the incarnation of the Son, has been judicially removed by His sacrificial death upon the cross. The will of God to bless was wrapped up in man and so He passed angels by, Hebrews 2: 14-18. For "reconciliation" read "propitiation." He became man in order to take up man's case, and to bring him to God, for He had destined many sons for glory — see for this Hebrews 2: 10.

Please turn to Hebrews 10: 19-25. Believers now have boldness for entering the holiest by the blood of Jesus. The background to this is in Hebrews 9: 7, 8, on the day of atonement "the high priest alone once a year, (entered) not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing." Obviously the way in is open since the death of Christ, "Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God" (Heb. 9: 14). In contrast then with those under the first covenant, we go in through the blood of Christ. His death, having dealt with our sins to the entire satisfaction of God's holiness, has opened the way in.

Note, through "the new and living way, which He has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh" (Heb. 10: 20). This may be aligned with John 1: 14, where we learn that "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us . . full of grace and truth." We thus learn the truth of His having assumed the condition of humanity. Grace, by which He fully met all that in us which was contrary to the revelation of God, and truth which while fully disclosing God at the same time thoroughly exposed man. Grace took Him into death that through redemption the righteous basis should be laid whereon God, having been glorified, we could be invited to draw near (Heb. 10: 22).

Thus was the way into the presence of God opened. Having, then, availed ourselves of the blessed access which His once-for-all death has afforded, we enter there through the newly slain way. In man's calendar it is nigh two thousand years since Jesus died, but in the reckoning of heaven it is as though He had just died — "the recently slain way." This is a "living way," for He Who died to gain an access there for us is no longer dead, for He lives in abiding Manhood. And we draw near "through the veil," which He has dedicated or us, "that is to say, His flesh." The way in for men is open now, in that He is there in glorified and, as we have said, in abiding Manhood. So, we go in through the veil.

"He lives a Man before Thee,

In cloudless light above,

In thine unbounded favour —

Thine everlasting love."

In Tabernacle days the veil dividing the most holy from the holy place was embroidered with cherubim, emblematic of the fact that none could enter there except they were in accord with the righteous character of God, Who dwelt between the cherubim on the mercy seat.

This formed a barrier to all that was contrary to God, and so today the veil remains, welcoming all who are in accord with the God Who dwells there, while at the same time reminding us that all which is of the flesh is excluded. "And having an High Priest over the house of God; Let us draw near." Thank God, the distance has been removed — the death of Christ has once and for all removed it — and the word is, "Let us draw hear with a true heart."

Hearts affected by the truth that approach is commensurate with the revelation which has been made in the Son. "Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience," surely this involves being purged from dead works, Hebrews 9: 14. Being once purged we have "no more conscience of sins" (Heb. 10: 2). "And our bodies washed with pure water." Cleansing, judicial — sprinkled as to our hearts; moral — washed with the water of the Word. This is an appreciated fact, answering to the consecration of the priestly company in Leviticus 8.

"Let us hold fast the confession of the hope unwavering, (for He is faithful who has promised) and let us consider one another for provoking to love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the custom is with some; but encouraging one another, and by so much the more as ye see the day drawing near." The expression, "assembling of ourselves together," only occurs in one other Scripture — in 2 Thess. 2: 1.

Mediatorial Glories of Christ

Mediatorial Glories of Christ

Rom. 1: 1, 3, 4; Rom. 5: 11; Rom. 8: 29

N. Anderson.

In referring to this epistle let me encourage you, if you have not already done so, to acquaint yourself with its teaching. If we are established in the truth of Romans we shall be able to intelligently follow the divine sequence of Christian doctrine in the epistles of Paul. From Romans to Colossians; from Colossians to Ephesians; such is the spiritual order.

Romans teaches our death with Christ; Colossians our death and resurrection with Christ; Ephesians teaches that being quickened and raised with Christ (union) we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ. Absorbing the truth of Romans into our souls by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and in communion with the Lord, we are led to judge ourselves as God has judged us in the cross of Christ. Being made conscious of the fact that the flesh is incorrigibly bad, so much so that God, being unable to mend it, has once and for all ended it in condemning it unsparingly in the death of Christ at Calvary, we accept the judgment of God, thus unmistakably expressed for ourselves, fervently saying "AMEN" to the truth of the cross. We see that in that death in which our sins were dealt with, we too, as to all that we were in the flesh, have been dealt with. All that we have done, our sins, our guilt; all that we are, our sinful state, has been fully met for God. He has finished with men after the flesh, and so have we. We look away from self as being so unworthy, and look to Christ, the Man out of death, in Whom everything of God and for God is found.

Keeping this in mind, I desire to bring the Lord Himself before you in some of His mediatorial glories. We cannot make progress in truth, except as our hearts get the understanding of His glory, Who is the blessed theme of the Gospel of God.

The epistle sets before us time and again what is "of God." In chapter 1 alone we have nine things mentioned as being "of God." Let us remember that all blessing from God has reached us through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is essential if we are to value the blessing aright, to be established in the truth concerning Himself and in affection for Him.

Why is the Gospel said to be "concerning His Son"? The height of our blessing is set out in chapter 8, where those led of the Spirit are said to be "sons of God." So, too, we "have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Also, "the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." The purpose of God is that we should be "conformed to the image of His Son." We can only learn the blessing of sonship as we appreciate the relationship and glory in which our Lord Jesus Christ, in abiding Manhood, subsists before God.

Then, too, God has reached finality in His Son. He is God's last word, and if He is refused, everything of God is refused. The fullest outspeaking of God has reached men in the Son. God is now fully revealed in Him, in nature and in character.

We must remember, while speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ as subsisting now in glory in abiding Manhood in the relationship of Son of God, that His Sonship did not commence with His Incarnation. Scripture teaches us the Incarnation of the Son, NOT Sonship by Incarnation. He brought into Manhood that relationship in which He had eternally subsisted. There were relationships, with the affections proper to them, in the Godhead before time began, and which shall continue when time has ceased to be. Those relationships and affections are eternal. The Scripture which has helped to confirm me in the truth of the eternal Sonship of our Lord Jesus is John 17: 24, "Father . . . Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world." This is the love of the Father for the Son; He speaks of that love being set on Him before the world was brought into being. It seems almost superfluous to have to say that we cannot have the love of relationship without the relationship.

A vast range of things having to do with the mediatorial glories of the Lord Jesus Christ comes before us in this epistle. As Mediator He is the One Who came out from God to speak and act for God, and Who went in to God, to act and speak for man.

All His official glories are related to Him as the Mediator, and the glory of His Person lies behind every office which He fills. He must be God to act for God, and He must be Man to act for men in such a way that God should be glorified in having men before Himself in blessing. He is God and He is Man, "Christ . . . Who is over all, God blessed for ever." His Mediatorial work is what it is because of Who He is.

Hence the Gospel is, "concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord." "Jesus" speaks of His lowly grace in incarnation — the charm of His Manhood. Let us ever remember that precious Name was given to Him as the One Who would, "save His people from their sins." Surely the verse we are quoting from Matthew 1, confirms that the Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New.

He is "the Christ" — the Anointed Man. To Him is committed the work of establishing every thought of God for His own glory. His purpose and counsel, His promises, all shall be established BY and IN the Man of His pleasure. "All the promises of God in Him are Yea, and in Him Amen." The blessing of the creation, Israel and the nations, heaven and earth, shall be brought to pass by Him.

He is "our Lord." This is not the lip service of mere profession. It is the glad acknowledgement of those whose hearts have been won by the Gospel. In the Acts Peter preached to Israel that God had made that same Jesus Whom they had crucified, "both Lord and Christ."

In the house of Cornelius, the Gentile, he announced, "Jesus Christ . . . (He is Lord of all)." Thus there is the administration by Him of the blessing of God, to the Jew first and also to the nations. The individual comes into the blessing by confessing "the Lord Jesus," believing in his heart that, "God has raised Him from the dead." He finds then that, "The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him," and, "whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved."

The day is coming when heaven, earth and hell shall own His Lordship. That will be the day of His manifested power and glory. As drawn by mercy while "Our Lord is now rejected and by the world disowned, by the many still neglected and by the few enthroned," we confess in glad unison with the whole company of the redeemed "JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD".

In Rom. 3, God has made righteousness available for men. But it is "by faith of Jesus Christ unto all . . ." Such is the greatness of His finished work that the justifying grace of God addresses itself to all mankind, but it is only "upon all them that believe." God is "just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

The grace of God can righteously justify the sinner. Those who believe stand before God upon an unassailable foundation, being justified freely, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. God looks upon us as in a flawless position; we too, are perfectly at home before Him. The righteousness of God now holds no terror for us because "as He is, so are we in this world."

We see the blessedness of our position in our glorified Saviour — Christ Jesus. God has bought us by Christ's precious blood, to set us free from the judgment which our sins assuredly deserved and to have us before Himself for His pleasure and our lasting blessing. This flawless position is the believer's for ever, for Christ has obtained through His death at Calvary an "ETERNAL REDEMPTION."

He is thus the "Mercy Seat" — the meeting place for God and man. For God, because all the claims of the throne have been met by the blood of the crucified One. For man, because He has taken our liabilities upon Himself and has given to God a full satisfaction for them all. God has been propitiated, and He, Christ, is our Substitute. As to the Mercy Seat, God had said to Moses, "There I will meet with thee . . " (Ex. 25: 22). This was in the most holy place, in the Tabernacle. So now, in grace, the holiest of all is opened to us who trust in Christ's redeeming blood. May we know what it is, as forgiven and redeemed, to meet God there in full response as purged worshippers.

In Rom. 4, the power of God is prominent, as the righteousness of God is the theme of ch. 3. That power has been witnessed in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has been delivered for our offences and the power of God has reached out to Him in the depths of death as the sin Bearer, and lifted Him out in glorious resurrection for our justification. We are as clear now from our offences as He, once the sin Bearer at Calvary, is in resurrection.

Behind the righteousness and the power of God is the love of God. The cross of Christ, as in Romans 5, is at once the witness of the righteousness and the love of God. For while God has shed His love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which He has given us, our enjoyment of the love of God is not the measure of it. NO! Christ's death is the measure of the love of God, and thus, "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

THE CROSS IS THE LESSON BOOK OF THE LOVE OF GOD.

I am reminded of the boards of the Tabernacle in Exodus. They were made of shittim wood overlaid with gold — the same materials as the Ark of the Testimony. Each board had two tenons which fitted into two sockets of silver. The silver speaks of the redemption work of Christ, and the two sockets, of the two-fold witness of that work, the righteousness and love of God. May we be established in the truth of the death of Christ — the basis of our standing before God.

In the appreciation of the blessing and favour of God we may well "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ," the great Administrator of the bounty of God. Through Him we have received the reconciliation. Where distance was, nearness is; His place is the measure of that place which is ours as the fruit of His finished work.

"So nigh, so very nigh to God, I cannot nearer be;

For in the Person of the Son, I am as near as He."

Adam, the fallen head of a fallen race, bequeathed to all his posterity, sin, death and condemnation, as the fruit of his one act of disobedience in Eden. Now Christ's coming into the world was no after-thought with God. Indeed, as setting up Adam as racial head, God had Christ before Him. Coming into the world, and going into death at Calvary, He fully met all that Adam had brought in by his fall. God has been glorified, and now as risen from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ has displaced the first head. HE IS THE HEAD OF A NEW RACE! Just as we read of "the many" who are under fallen Adam's headship, so we read of "the many" who are under the headship of the risen Christ.

His headship is viewed in this racial way in Romans 5: 15-17, 19. Verse 18 gives a more extended view of His headship. It is in keeping with 1 Cor. 11: 3, where we read, "The head of every man is Christ."

All the blessing of the grace of God is available for "all men," but it is only available to them "in Christ." He has brought in for His posterity, the grace of God; the gift by grace — justification; the gift of righteousness, and justification of life. As under fallen Adam's headship they had been reigned over by sin in the power of death, so now under the headship of the risen Christ they will "reign in life by One, Jesus Christ."

He has, as Romans 6 teaches, broken for us the mastery of sin; consequently, we are to reckon ourselves "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

He has borne the condemnation and curse of a broken law, hence we are "Free from the law, O happy condition."

We have a New Head — Romans 5; a New Master — Romans 6; and a New Husband — Romans 7.

We have reached in our souls the truth and power of deliverance when, having exclaimed "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" we burst into thanksgiving, saying, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

In Romans 8, we learn, amongst many blessed truths, there is NO CONDEMNATION, NO ACCUSATION and NO SEPARATION. The apostle ranges through the realm of the opposition which confronts the saint of God, and in case he has missed any opponent he concludes, in verse 39, "no any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." We are in Christ where the love of God is, and where there is nothing to condemn.

Then, in this wonderful chapter which gives us the doctrinal climax of the epistle he declares the purpose of God. That purpose is not only to bring us to glory, but God has marked us our beforehand to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be "the Firstborn among many brethren."

What a prospect lies before us! To be taken out of this world of sin and darkness and to be set down in the presence of the glory of God, surrounding His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This shall consummate our blessing. Not one saint shall be missing. Every believer, justified here by the precious blood of Christ, shall be there, and like Him too. But He shall be the Chief One amongst those holy, heavenly and glorified myriads. All shall acknowledge gladly that He is the Sun and Centre. He shall have the pre-eminence. Every saint shall contribute then, in the fullest possible way, to His supreme glory — "The Firstborn" amongst the "many brethren."

"Not we alone, Thy loved ones all complete

In glory round Thee there with joy shall meet,

All like Thee, for Thy glory like Thee, Lord,

Object supreme of all, by all adored."

May the Lord bless this presentation of Himself and give us to grow in appreciation of Him, whilst we await His return.

Melchisedec

Melchisedec

N. Anderson.

Melchisedec appears in Genesis 14 unheralded and unannounced. yet there is no suggestion of mysticism neither any circumstance to suggest he was a celestial (resident of heaven) personage of high rank.

There are clear indications in Genesis 18 that the visitation to Abraham was of supernatural character —

"And the Lord (Jehovah) appeared unto him . . "

"Lo three men stood by him"

"My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight . . "

"they said unto him . . ."

"And he said, I will certainly . . "

"And the Lord said . . . " (verses 1-6, 9, 10, 13).

So this most interesting chapter uses language which arrests enquiring faith with the fact that God had visited His servant. The passage in Genesis 14 carries no such intimation.

The first recorded war in Scripture — suggestive of the last (Rev. 19) — ended with victory for God's servant and deliverance of the captives. Melchisedec, King of Salem (King of righteousness, King of peace) appears with that which speaks of the sustenance of life — bread, and also that which speaks of joy — wine (Psalm 104: 15). He came on the scene as "the priest of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth." No angel will act in priestly grace to bring man to God. Melchisedec brought blessing from God to Abraham, and he presented blessing to God. "Blessed be Abraham . . and he blessed the Most High God." Abraham acknowledged the greatness of this man, Melchisedec, for he gave him tithes of all.

The next reference to Melchisedec is in Psalm 110. Messiah is there addressed by Jehovah thus: "The Lord hath sworn . . Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." There is another reference to a priest-king in Zechariah 6: 13, " . . he shall be a priest upon his throne;" an obvious prophecy going beyond the immediate subject of it, to Messiah. Melchisedec is not mentioned again until we come to Hebrews 5, 6 and 7.

So far, then we have learned from Genesis 14 that Melchisedec came on the scene after Abraham's victorious battle with the kings. His name means, "my king is righteous." He was also king of Salem (Shalom) — peace. We know from Psalm 85 that God's  "Salvation is nigh them that fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land," and when that is realised then it shall be said, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."

Melchisedec was priest of the Most High God, and he brought forth bread and wine (Gen. 14: 18-20), he blessed Abraham and then he blessed the Most High God. We have also seen that Abraham recognised the greatness of this priest by giving him tithes of all. So there is no relating of his personal history, all we are told is his name and character, and that he brought something, and that he did something — in other words, what he was and what he did, blessing down and blessing up! He simply appeared on the page of Scripture history, a living priest, marked by righteousness, peace and blessing!

We learn from Psalm 110 that our Lord was sworn to be a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, that is to say, a living priest, a blessing priest, a great priest. Hebrews 5 teaches that our Lord did not take this honour of priesthood upon Himself, but received it by the calling of God (verses 5-7, 10). The writer had many things to say concerning Christ — "called of God an High Priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec." These were hard to be uttered, not that there was anything mystical about them, but that the state of those to whom he wrote was such that they were described as being, "dull of hearing."

Hebrews 7, gives us the application of "the order of Melchisedec."

While our Lord shall function properly as King-Priest in the world to come, we need to remember that He is now, and has been, since he was exalted to God's right hand, "a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

We get the present gain of His ministry as such, for our Priest now lives in the power of an endless life! This chapter also says that Melchisedec was "made like unto the Son of God." He adumbrated in his outstanding features the abiding Priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Melchisedec was without father or mother and he had no priestly genealogy. He merely served the will of God in the manner of his appearing. A priestly pedigree was essential for priests after the order of Aaron (Numbers 3: 5-8; Ezra 2: 62). We are not told of any prescribed limits to the service of Melchisedec such as were later assigned to the sons of Levi — 30 years old to 50 years. But we are told the priests of Aaron's order were "Men that die" (Hebrews 7: 8, 23) and, "they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death," but our Priest has been brought before us as being of an order to which death did not apply — "there he received them (tithes), of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."

Our Priest, "abideth a priest continually." He is greater even than Abraham (verse 4); than the sons of Levi (vv. 9 and 10). How fitting then is Melchisedec to afford an illustration of the Priesthood of our Lord. Personally, Christ is the Son of God; positionally, He is "set at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens."

Even now, He is "Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec," but He is acting towards His own today in a ministry which is after the pattern of Aaron (Hebrews 2, 4, 7 and 8).

Moral Cleansing

Moral Cleansing

John 19: 34; 1 John 5: 5, 6.

N. Anderson.

Blood and water — the blood for judicial cleansing, the water for moral cleansing. The blood deals with our sins, affording expiation. The water deals with our moral state and conduct, affording purification.

1 John 1: 7 — "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."

1 Corinthians 6: 11 — "but ye are washed . . ."

"That precious stream of water and of blood

Which from Thy pierced side so freely flowed,

Has put away our sins of scarlet dye,

Washed us from every stain, and brought us nigh."

The blood and water were the witness of Christ's death, the dual aspect of which is before us here. There is that which meets the judicial claims of God. As of old the blood was sprinkled upon and before the mercy seat — the cherubim, emblematic of the righteous attributes of God, looked down upon the sacrificial blood upon the mercy seat and were satisfied. The blood being sprinkled before the mercy seat indicated that a righteous way of approach to God had been opened.

Our Lord, "came by water and blood . . . not by water only, but by water and blood" (1 John 5: 6). He did not come — as had the prophets — with a purifying ministry only; as to its intended effect. He came to afford absolute satisfaction to God for sin, and a moral purification in men based upon His sin-cleansing work which had been accomplished by Him in the offering of Himself as a sacrifice for sin at the cross. The use of water as a cleansing instrument cannot be gainsaid, or that water is used as a figure of the cleansing property of the Word of God. In John 15: 2 the Lord spoke of purging the fruit bearing branches of the vine, and in that connection said, "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you."

Obviously there is cleansing quality in the Word. In Psalm 119: 9, the question is asked, "wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways?" The answer is given, "By taking heed thereto according to Thy Word." The Word of God, where heeded, will enable any young saint to tread a clean path through this sin-benighted world, if ye or she hears and obeys it, for "Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

As born into this world we are of sinful stock, and hence unclean. We are morally cleansed by the application of the Word of God in the hands of the Spirit of God. See John 3: 5, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

We are morally cleansed in new birth — not by the removal of the unclean nature — but by the implantation of what is altogether new. The apostle Peter wrote — "See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently; being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1: 22, 23).

The instrument used to effect new birth is at once "incorruptible," "living," and "abiding."

James also, in James 1: 18, declared, "Of His own will begat He us with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."

Paul, in Titus 3: 3-6, having spoken of what these Cretian believers had been before their conversion, said that God had saved them "by the washing of regeneration."

They had been the subjects of a morally purifying work. This word "regeneration," by the way, does not mean "new birth." The word occurs but twice, here in Titus 3, and once before in Matthew 19: 28. Rather does it refer to the New Age which shall be brought in when our Lord sits as Son of Man upon the throne of His glory, as He said so plainly in Matthew 19: 28. According to Isaiah 65: 17, 18, the coming kingdom will be a new creation scene, morally. What a change will be observed then as compared with that condition of things deplored by God in Isaiah 1.

In the Christian company the 'new age', (that is to say, the world to come, the coming kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ) is morally anticipated, for the new birth which belongs to it is active now. Hence we have seen that new birth — is of divine origin, for "of His own will begat He us." It is the fruit of God's sovereignty. It is effected by a divine agent. for those born again are born of the Spirit of God. It is brought about by the application of a divine instrument — "born of water;" of "the Word of God;" of "the Word of Truth." It is divine in result, for the subjects are "partakers of the divine nature".

The question may now be asked — What connection is there between the death of Christ and moral purification? Well, the Word which God uses to form the clean thing in the soul of a man is the Word of the Cross. Did not Peter say, "this is the Word which in the glad tidings is preached unto you"?

The central theme of the gospel is "the Cross." Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1: 18, "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." Again, "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

This does not refer to the act of preaching, but rather to the subject matter of the preaching. How foolish to the wisdom of this world is the testimony that life and blessing are only available to men through the once crucified Christ! Romans, the setting forth of Paul's gospel, emanates from the Cross. In that epistle we are distinctly taught that Christ's death has dealt satisfactorily with both our guilt and our state; with our sins and with sin; with what we have done and with what we are. All has been met by the death of Christ. There is moral cleansing for us as we come under the application of the Word of God — the Word of the Cross. We are delivered from the mastery of sin (see the teaching of Romans 6), and we are set free for the service of God. The Spirit of God applies the morally cleansing Word of God, occupying us with a soul transforming object — Christ — a living attractive Man at the right hand of God. As we are affected by the Word we are freed from the features which once marked us, and we are marked by those features which we admire in Christ, features which are ever delightful to God. In a word, the Spirit of God reproduces in us the moral characteristics of Christ by His powerful application of the cleansing Word of God.

Thus we see the value of the Word of God in its cleansing power. How essential that we should live in obedience to it. We shall no longer move casually on the fringe of Christian testimony and fellowship. Brought into practical subjection to that Word we shall move right into whole-hearted allegiance to Christ; whole-hearted separation from worldly pleasures and company. How can we any longer remain world borderers if the Word of God grips us? How can we continue as merely quizzical spectators of the testimony of God? May God grant that we be brought out of what is contrary, and into the living enjoyment of the precious things of God under the drawing power of the attractive grace of our risen Lord.

God grant that we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and who know something of the blessedness of being cleared judicially from every charge of guilt by the blood of Christ, once shed on the cross, may also know something of the moral cleansing of the Word of God. May we prove this increasingly in our everyday life and way; our thoughts, our words, our actions, dominated by the Word of God. Let us esteem it then more than our necessary food, so that as we read it and feed upon it, we may be formed by it to the pleasure of God and to the honour of our precious Lord. Certainly He is worthy that this should be so with every one of us.

Keep us by Thy mighty power from this present evil world,

Sanctify us, make us holy, by obedience to Thy Word;

Cleansed by it; Heark'ning to it;

Guided by it; Joying in it;

'Till we end our pilgrimage.

Mothers

Mothers

Judges 5: 1-9; John 19: 25, 26, 27; 2 John

N. Anderson.

Mothers hearts are needed today as much as ever. It was in the time of disorder and disarray that Deborah came to the fore. In her song she recalls the palmier days, when leaders led (as it should read) in Israel, and the people offered themselves willingly — happy days of the testimony of God! but now what a change! (verse 6), lawlessness was rampant: to walk abroad was dangerous — "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Leaders had ceased (verse 7). Idolatry was practised. In our day we are exhorted — "Little children keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5: 21). What is an idol? Anything that takes the place of God in our affections!

Conflict proved their weakness (verse 8) "Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? Their defences were down; they were weaponless! "Then sang Deborah . . . I arose a mother in Israel" (verse 7). Such as needed today; mothers with a heart for the testimony of God; mothers who bless the Lord; mothers who feel with God.

What a place the mother has in the home. How much she has to do with the children. The father, normally, spends less time with them than the mother who, normally and Scripturally, is the worker at home. How responsible and yet how privileged she is to have such close links with the family in their tender and formative years. What an opportunity for godly mothers to lay a good, Scriptural, and christian foundation in her children.

Our holy and ever gracious Lord, when suspended upon the cruel cross, demonstrated the perfection of His humanity, as beholding His mother standing by in the company of that disciple whom He loved, He put the stamp of His approval upon the blessedness of the natural relationship, saying, "Woman, behold thy son! then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! and from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." Blessed consideration of our Lord! Oh! you younger believers with believing mothers, cherish them, hearken to their admonishment, for they know what is best for you.

"Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother: for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck" (Proverbs 1: 8, 9).

This leads us to the consideration of the 2nd Epistle of John, which is probably the last household word in the Scriptures. How decorous the approach of John in this letter to a mother, perhaps a widowed mother, for it is evident she was in charge of the house (v. 10), "The elder unto the elect (chosen) lady and her children" — they walked in the truth. What an emphasis is laid on Truth here!

"The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple" (Psalm 119: 130). How much such a mother needed divine help in leading her children aright. So John wished for her; first, "grace" — that sense of the favour of God which had opened out the grand revelation of the present era, "Jesus Christ come in flesh," and, "The doctrine of the Christ" — that is Himself come down and Himself gone up, and the unfolding of the truth of the Father and the Son — surely, Eternal Life!

There is no reason at all why sisters should not be in the light and gain of the deep things of God — else how shall they teach their children the Truth? Following grace comes — "mercy" (v. 3). In the busy round of life with its daily family cares and the family household chores, she needs "Mercy" — that blessed quality of care and consideration which comes down to her in all the intricacies and pressures of the daily family life, to strengthen and bear her up and to arm her for the way. Then John wishes "Peace." Oh! the tranquillity and serenity of the mother who knows and enjoys the "favour" of God and is helped by the "mercy" of God, and — please note — "from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ" — all that He is as Lord and Head. This the beloved John desired for her and with it the consciousness of all the charm and sweetness embodied in the precious name of Jesus and, over all, the blessed atmosphere of the Divine Family — "the Son of the Father, in truth and love," the bond of all.

Such then is the requested supply for a true "Mother of Israel" in our day with its erosion of family life and the encroachment, increasingly, of state care attended as it is with the appalling increase of juvenile delinquency; the tragedy of "latch key" children; and the sweeping tide of vandalism and violence.

Here, then, is the bulwark to hold back these features from incursion to the Christian home: Grace, Mercy, Peace, Truth with Love, in an increasingly loveless world.

May every mother, aye, and father too, "Love one another. And this is love, that we walk after His commandments." May we remember ever that obedience to the truth is the proof of love in truth.

Lord, I am satisfied tonight to be

A mother, in a world gone mad with hate;

Here in this hour of earth's agony,

I do not ask that I might do some great

Magnificent achievement, bringing fame;

I do not covet larger fields to roam;

I only want to keep alight the flame

Of God's love, shining from a christian home.

I thank Thee for the children, if the way

Should lead to heartbreak grant me courage, Lord.

I will remember that there was a day

Thy mother's heart was pierced, too, by the sword;

Thy grace will be sufficient now — as then.

I am glad to be a mother, Lord — Amen.

(Composer unknown)

"The mystery of piety"

"The mystery of piety"

1 Timothy 3: 15-16

N. Anderson.

One blessed feature of our calling is that we are in integral part of the House of God. Please read these two verses of Scripture from the N. Tr. by J.N.D. Note, Timothy was not exhorted as to how he should behave, rather that he should know how one should behave — any one who would take account, for this is an abstract statement, albeit having very practical results on the part of any who obey it. When would such knowledge apply? Constantly, for we are always in the House of God, as we learn elsewhere, we form part of it, 1 Corinthians 3: 9, "Ye are God's building," also, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Further, we read in Ephesians 2: 22, "Ye also are builded together for an habitation of God in the Spirit." also, 1 Peter 2: 5, ". . . yourselves also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house . . .."

As the Pillar, the function of the Assembly is to bear witness to all who are without. First, for the pleasure of God who dwells there, then for the lasting blessing of all who receive the testimony in faith. For the God of the House of God, is a Saviour God and, as such, would have all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

The pillars of Solomon's temple Jachin and Boaz, were conspicuous, being eighteen cubits high, their heads being ornamented with pomegranates and lilies — fruit and purity. Similarly, we apply these features to the Assembly as the Pillar of the Truth. It was also the Ground of the Truth. The outstanding witness of the Assembly as the House of God is to the manner in which that truth had been witnessed to by our Lord. The Assembly then is the vessel in which is deposited the Truth, according to 1 Timothy 1: 10, 11; Acts 2: 42; Ephesians 2: 20 — apostolically. In 2 Timothy days when, in contrast to 1 Timothy days, the break-down, even in Paul's time, is beyond recovery in any general way, we are responsible to maintain it individually as before God. for this see 2 Tim. 1: 8, 13, 14; 2 Tim. 2: 1, 2, 19-22; 2 Tim. 3: 14-17; 2 Tim. 4: 1-5.

What then is the Truth? "Confessedly the mystery of piety is great." One of its blessed features is the holding of what the apostle Paul spoke of as "my Gospel," and further, "my Doctrine." Piety may be professed in its form, an outward semblance, indicative of pretence, whilst its power may be denied. As to such as practice this kind of hypocrisy the apostle plainly says "from such turn away." It may truly be said that while in the first epistle this character was more or less limited, the apostle saying as to it, "some shall depart from the faith" (1 Timothy 4: 1), when we turn to the second epistle the decline has gained momentum, and he sadly writes, "This thou knowest, that all they which be in Asia be turned away from me" (2 Timothy 1: 15). Yet piety has been seen livingly in this world and we may truly say that, while it is never attributed to God, it is though to man in his conduct Godward.

When our Lord is introduced to us in this passage of Scripture our hearts are immediately engaged with One who in His every thought, word, and deed, lived entirely for God. Hence the first expression, "God was manifested in flesh." He who had spoken creation into being had Himself entered creation!

There had been manifestations of God in Old Testament days as in the case of Abraham in Genesis 18, "And the LORD appeared unto him . . and he lift up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he say them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the ground, And said, My Lord . . ." This was certainly a Theophany — a manifestation of God to man. By the way, note Abraham's mode of address. While he greeted them in the singular, he treated them in the plural. Significantly, the Lord appeared in threefold form on this occasion, long before the truth of the tri-unity of the Godhead was revealed in New Testament days. However, it may have been implied in the language of the first verses of the Bible in the use of the plural (at least three) noun, Elohim. However this may be, profound field for faith's consideration as it is, here in 1 Timothy 3: 16 we are not told of a manifestation of God by any means whatever, rather we are taught that "God has been manifested in flesh." Surely this is allied with such a Scripture as John 1: 1, "and the Word was God," also verse 14 of the same chapter, "and the Word became flesh." Obviously, the Deity of the Word is spoken of in the first verse, then the actuality of His incarnation in the fourteenth verse.

Thus was fulfilled the prophetic pronouncement of Isaiah 7: 14; being realised in Matthew 1: 23, as there predicted, ". . . and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

To return to 1 Timothy, why "in flesh"? Read Hebrews 2: 13, 14, "Since therefore the children partake of blood and flesh, He also, in like manner, took part in the same," and in verse 16, "For he does not indeed take hold of angels by the hand . . it behoved Him in all things to be made like to His brethren." Proverbs 8 speaks of Wisdom personified being before God's works of old, "rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with the sons of men." Someone has said, "Because the predilection of God was with men, God became man." The same also said, "The creation of man necessitated Bethlehem, and the fall of man necessitated Calvary."

Time and again, as we consider the Gospels in their presentation of our Lord, we are constrained to confess, "of a truth God is here." When the great tempest arose He was asleep in the ship, His disciples came to Him and waking Him, said, "Lord, save us; we perish. And He said to them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!" (Matthew 8: 23-27).

Creation's God was there, the Master of the elements! On that other occasion when that woman of the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat in the house of a Pharisee, at meat, came and stood at His feet behind Him weeping.  "He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. They that sat with Him at the table, began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" The forgiving God was there! He who had been sinned against, being there in fashion as a man, was such in riches of grace. We shall never fail to bless God for becoming Man. He had done so that He might draw near to men in wondrous revelation and that, in response to the wonder of His grace which had brought Him so low, men might draw near to Him in spontaneity of adoration. We thank Him then for what He has done, we praise Him for the way He has done it, we worship Him for Who He is.

We next read that He "has been justified in the Spirit." We know that, so far as we are concerned, being justified we are made right with God, judicially, and that by sacrifice on the principle of faith. This cannot be so with respect to God! The sweet Psalmist of Israel, in Psalm 51: 4, justified God in acknowledging his own guilt saying, "that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest." The publicans justified God by receiving baptism at the hands of John the Baptist (Luke 7: 29). Indeed, "Wisdom is justified of all her children" (Luke 7: 35).

Each of these citations indicate that God was declared right. Being justified in the Spirit says as plainly as possible that God has done the right thing in having been manifested in the flesh, and thus has the stamp of the Spirit's approval been put upon that life of spotless worth. According to Romans 1: 4, our Lord lived His life, in every detail of it, "according to the Spirit of holiness." In His entry into the human estate He was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1: 35). Following His baptism by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit came upon Him in dove-like form, anointing Him for His public service (John 1: 32). In John 6: 27, we learn from His own lips, ". . for Him hath God the Father sealed" (Matt. 12: 22). Throughout the entire course of His path of holy service He ever acted by the power of the Spirit. Did He not say, ". . if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God" (Matt. 12: 28), referring to His healing of the demon possessed, blind and dumb man in the synagogue.

Before leaving this matter of His having been justified in the Spirit it may be profitable to review the manner in which the Spirit comported Himself towards the Lord — especially in His wilderness temptation. It is well known that each of the four gospels has its own peculiar presentation of Him. For instance, Matthew sets before us His regal rights as King of Israel — Matt. 2: 12, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" Mark, as the Servant-Prophet. Luke, as the Perfect Man. John, as Son in the glory of Godhead.

Hence, Matthew wrote, "Then Jesus was carried up into the wilderness by the Spirit" (Matt. 4: 1 N. Tr.). Mark says, "And immediately the Spirit drives Him into the wilderness" (Mark 1: 12). Luke, in his account, tells us, "But Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit . . was led in the wilderness." John, who emphasises His Deity as the Word and as the Only-Begotten Son, does not record the wilderness temptation, but tells us, "And John bore witness, saying, I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptise with water, He said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on Him, He it is who baptises with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God."

In the gospel of the King, the Spirit exercises due deference to Him — He carried Him. In the gospel of the Servant of Jehovah, the Spirit driveth Him. In the gospel of the Perfect Man, He was led. In the gospel of His Godhead, He is described as using the Spirit. While we do not carry servants, we order or drive them. We do certainly carry kings. The Man of Luke's gospel is neither carried nor driven yet He, in perfect obedience, is led. In the gospel of John, He who is so early presented as having brought all things into being, is gladly served by the Spirit.

We pass now to another facet of the heart affecting truth that God has been manifested in flesh. He "has appeared unto angels." Those unfallen beings, ever His willing servants in pre-incarnation times, first looked upon their Creator when He became flesh. For instance we read of those seraphic beings with their six wings, Isaiah 6: 2, "With twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he flew. And one called to the other and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" They uncovered there faces when God was manifested in flesh. Note the threefold cry, "Holy, holy, holy" — why? Not once, nor twice but thrice. Could there be here the acclamation of the triune God? He Who was seen of angels when in subject Manhood was ever reverentially saluted by them. It was an angel who had brought the news of His impending birth to Joseph (Matthew 1: 20, 21). Gabriel was sent to Nazareth to the virgin to intimate to her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and "wherefore the Holy Thing also which shall be born shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1: 35).

And in Luke 2: 8, an angel was there by the shepherds to herald the birth of a "Saviour . . who is Christ the Lord." Also, "Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men" (Luke 2: 13, 14). Thus God, manifesting Himself in flesh — whatever consternation and trouble laid hold of men in Jerusalem, that city where God had placed His Name (Matthew 2: 3) — set the heavenly host agog with joy and praise, bringing into the world the pledge of ultimate peace as the fruit of coming reconciliation.

Later, in the wilderness temptation as recorded in Mark 1: 11, He was with the wild beasts and angels ministered to Him. When at a later date still He went into the garden of Gethsemane and anticipatively faced the horror of being made sin, sacrificially, "an angel appeared to Him from heaven strengthening Him" (Luke 22: 43).

When one of His disciples drew his sword and smote off the ear of the bondman of the High Priest, Jesus said to him, "Return thy sword to its place; for all who take the sword shall perish by the sword. Or thinkest thou that I cannot now call upon my Father, and He will furnish Me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt. 26: 52).

That heavenly host that had throbbed with joy and adulation at His birth were now ready, did the Father give them word, to hasten to His help! A legion of Roman troops numbered anything from 3000 to 6000 fighting men — just think of it, more than twelve legions of angels — but the Father gave no such word, nor did our Lord ask for them. He certainly wrought no miracle to preserve Himself from death, indeed He wrought a miracle in dying! (c.f. John 10: 18).

When He had been crucified and lain in the borrowed tomb (we pass over the account of His death, for it has no place in these facets of the truth that God has been manifested in flesh) those women who, in their affectionate concern for their expectantly entombed Lord, were saying one to another, "Who shall roll us away the stone?" need not have so wondered, "for an angel of [the] Lord, descending out of heaven, came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it" (Matt. 28: 2).

Forty days after, whilst the disciples stood gazing up into heaven, as He was going up, "behold, also, two men stood by them in white clothing, which also said, . . . why do ye stand looking into heaven? This Jesus . . shall thus come in the manner in which ye have beheld him going into heaven" (Acts 1: 10, 11).

Thus, then, was He seen of angels! Throughout His entire course here in flesh, even when no human eye beheld Him, He was ever the object of occupation and adoration to those heavenly hosts.

He, "has been preached among the nations" — the impact of God having been manifested in flesh was too great to be confined to Israel. The testimony of it must be widespread. As risen from among the dead the Lord had commissioned and commanded His own that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name, beginning at Jerusalem. For this witness they would require power from on high. The Spirit having come upon them they would witness to their Lord in Jerusalem, all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. We might add that in this would be an extension to His being justified in the Spirit. From then on we trace their activity in witness, moving on in the early chapters of the book of Acts, in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria and, following the conversion of the erstwhile persecutor Saul of Tarsus, the uttermost parts of the earth or, as he wrote in Colossians 1: 23, "the hope of the glad tidings, which ye have heard, which have been proclaimed in the whole creation which is under heaven." Praise God! the witness continues still — "God is one, and the Mediator of God and men one, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for all, the testimony to be rendered in its own time" (1 Tim. 2: 5, 6).

"Has been believed on in the world." Blest triumph of grace! He had come into the world and though the world had been made by Him, it knew Him not (John 1: 10). Such though has been the issue of God having been manifested in flesh that its truth in witness has been exceedingly fruitful. No longer the land of the Jews but to the whole wide world has been the witness. The results shall shortly be seen and heard for "They sing a new song, . . thou hast redeemed to God . . out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Rev. 5: 9).

"Has been received up in glory" What a reception! Despised and rejected here, midst ignominy and shame, how fitting the answer to it all. Blest answer to reproach and scorn — no room in the inn! only a cattle shed! Room, well deserved in heaven! And there He has been received in glory.

Thus, with worshipping hearts we have considered this mystery of piety. Yet, there are but six facets of the fact that God has been manifested in flesh. Surely we should expect seven! For six savours of the imperfection of man morally, soon to be consummated in "the man of sin" who shall bend all his efforts to securing idolatrous worship. And, also, to bring about the deifying of the head of the fast forming and reviving Roman empire — the number of whose name shall be "six hundred and sixty-six," the number of a man. See for this Revelation 13: 11-18.

Yet, after all, in the sequence we have followed, it could well be that there are seven features. The seventh being the first that we read of in 1 Timothy 3: 15, "God's house, which is the Assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth." This assuredly is the repository of the truth of the mystery of piety, which confessedly is GREAT. May we all receive the needed grace which will enable us to conduct ourselves as worthy to hold the entrusted deposit, for His Name's sake.

"The mystery" - What is it?

"The mystery" — What is it?

Ephesians 3: 1-10.

N. Anderson.

It is important that we should know what the mystery is — it is the outstanding revelation of the present period. This period commenced with the downcoming of the Holy Spirit from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Ascended Man, on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). It will terminate at the coming again of the Lord Jesus to rapture His own to glory.

The apostle Paul speaks in our chapter, verse 2, of "the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward." This word, "dispensation," is elsewhere translated "stewardship" (see Luke 16: 2-4). This distinctive stewardship, entrusted to Paul, was the making known to the Gentiles (especially) the truth of the mystery which he had received along with the other apostles by revelation. The Lord was pleased to reveal (to uncover or unveil) by the Holy Spirit the great secret of God which had been hidden during the past ages. Yet to Paul alone was the ministry or stewardship of it committed. Hence, we find the teaching of it in the epistles of the Apostle Paul only. References to the mystery are to be found in Romans, 1st Corinthians, Colossians and Ephesians. The latter epistle gives a clear and concise statement of what the mystery is. In verse 6 of this third chapter we read that there are three constituents of the mystery:

1. That the Gentiles should be fellow or joint heirs.

2. That they should be of the same, or a joint, body.

3. That they should be joint partakers of God's promise in Christ by the gospel.

Thus we have Joint Heirs, Joint Body, and Joint Partakers of God's promise. We might rightly ask, with whom are the Gentile believers "joint"? Clearly, as this same epistle teaches (see chapter 2 especially) with believers from among the Jews. If, as we learn from Eph. 2: 1-6, these believers are united to the risen and heaven-seated Christ, they are also in union with one another, as taught in Eph. 2: 11-17. Three great intentions are in view in that chapter —

v. 7 — that in the ages to come God might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus,

v. 16 — that they might be reconciled to God in one body,

v. 22 — that God may have a House in which to dwell now, through the Spirit.

So then, the saints from amongst the Gentiles and Jews will be the vessel of display in the coming ages; are now the Body of Christ for the expression of the life of Christ; and also are now the House of God in which He dwells for His own pleasure, and through which He makes Himself known in wondrous grace. Believers then, from amongst Gentiles and Jews, are the subjects of the mystery. First they are Joint Heirs. This entails that they will share, collectively, the vast inheritance spoken of in Ephesians 1. According to verses 9 and 10, God has "made know to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself."

In the dispensation (administration, stewardship) of the fullness of the times He is going to head up all things in One, in Christ. This peculiar expression, "the fullness of times," leads us on to the world-to-come when our blessed Lord, God's anointed Man, will be supreme in the universe, manifested and acknowledged as such, by every intelligent being. Many are the times which have run their course during the history of the ways of God. These were all marked by failure on the part of men to carry through to finality and fruition whatever had been committed to them of God. All that has ever been entrusted to man has broken down in his incapable hands. How blessed to look forward to that coming period when everything of God which has come out in His past dealings, gathered up in the capable hands of the Man of His pleasure, shall be seen in glorious display. "The pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hands."

God's inheritance will be administered by Christ in the coming period of millennial rule and splendour. He shall not be alone in that coming glorious epoch. All the subjects of God's purpose, marked out for this blessing before time began, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, the sons of God, all taken into favour in the Beloved, all these have obtained an inheritance in Him. God will take up the glorious inheritance in which Christ will be universally supreme by putting the saints, the many sons, in possession of it. Then will be manifestly fulfilled the first feature of the mystery as detailed in Ephesians 3: 6 — the Joint Heirs will realise their inheritance, for Christ will be set forth bringing His saints with Him.

The second feature of the mystery is that the saints are a Joint Body. There are not two bodies, "There is One body" (Ephesians 4: 4). According to Ephesians 2 this joint body is composed of those to whom the apostle refers in verses 1 and 2 as "you" and "ye" — these being believers from among the nations, and in verse 3 — "we" — believers from among the Jews. All alike are the subjects of God's rich mercy and great love. They had all lain in spiritual death, all were dead in sins, but God made them to live together in union with Christ; raised them up together and made them to sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. These are they who are reconciled to God in One Body. This is the body of chapter 3. Not now a number of sons who are joint heirs in collective blessing, but through the life-giving operation of God united to the glorified Christ as a man's body is to his head. This unique, divine formation is a living organism — the Body of Christ. As the many sons, being heirs, will collectively have their part in the inheritance, so are the saints as Christ's body, the vessel, corporately, for the expression of the mind and life of the Head now, and for the display of the glory in the coming ages.

The third feature is, "Joint Partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel." What then is this promise in Christ which they partake of by the gospel? What then is this promise in Christ which they partake of by the gospel? Look at Titus 1: 1, 2, " . . . in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, PROMISED before the ages of time, but has manifested in its own due season His word, in the proclamation with which I have been entrusted, according to the commandment of our Saviour God." Also 2 Timothy 1: 1 — " . . according to PROMISE of life, the life which is in Christ Jesus . . .." See also 1 John 2: 24, 25 — " . . ye also shall abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the PROMISE which He has promised us, eternal life."

We are not left in uncertainty as to the PROMISE. It is life, eternal life. Life and incorruptibility have been brought to light by the gospel. Our Lord by His going into death has annulled death and opened the door into life. The blessed tidings of this are clearly set forth in the gospel of the grace of God.

To summarise: The three constituents of the mystery as explained in Ephesians 3 are —

1. Heirship, which involves sharing the inheritance with Christ.

2. Organic unity, which involves the truth of the Body of Christ.

3. The Promise of life which involves relationship — sonship.

The late H. J. Vine wrote —

1. is COLLECTIVE

2. is CORPORATE

3. is VITAL

The truth of the mystery is that the saints of the ASSEMBLY are ONE with their glorious HEAD. The mystery thus embraces the truth of Christ and the Assembly. Much more could be written on this blessed theme of Christ and the Assembly, but the foregoing may suffice to give some indication of what the mystery is.

Two great intentions were before God in taking up Paul in His grace, according to this chapter:

1. Verses 7 and 8: As minister of the gospel to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

2. Verse 9: As minister of the mystery to make all see (to enlighten all) as to the stewardship or administration of the mystery.

How wonderful the truth that God created all things by Jesus Christ that they might serve Him in effectuating His eternal purpose, that there might be in the present time a manifestation to principalities and powers in the heavenlies of the all varied wisdom of God. The mystery of God's masterpiece, and He employed all His own resources to purpose and effect it. Little wonder that we read in Colossians 2: 3 that in the mystery are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

This being so, may we set ourselves to be more thoroughly acquainted with this blessed truth, in which through grace and redemption we have such an intimate part. May we apprehend and live in the light of these things so as to minister pleasure to the heart of God, and honour our Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Assembly. This privilege is open to us now in a way that it will not be in the glory. There will be no contrariety there — no testing, for we shall be circumstantially commensurate with our blessing; Christ will be universally owned, but now while He is the rejected One may we by the Spirit's power walk in the truth of these blessed things.

Answers to Correspondents

Answers to Correspondents

Norman Anderson

As published in the monthly magazine "Precious Things" between 1956 and 1990

Question:

When will those who are spoken of as "Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb" be raised and translated?

Answer:

In replying to this question at least three Scriptures come to mind:

1) Hebrews 11: 40, "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."

2) Hebrews 12: 23, ". . and to the spirits of just men made perfect."

3) Revelation 20: 4, "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and (those) which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years was finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no power."

From the first quotation we learn that the Old Testament worthies will be made perfect when the New Testament saints are perfected. This being made perfect is to exchange the disembodied condition for the embodied condition.

The second quotation declares plainly that in the present time, and subsequent upon our Lord having obtained an eternal redemption, the Old Testament saints are now, as to their spirits, in the good of redemption — being perfect. Nevertheless, they await our being perfected, which we shall be at the coming of our Lord. Then, according to Philippians 3: 20, 21 our change will be effected — we shall have bodies of glory like to our Saviour. Then, too, they shall be made perfect, bodily, for there will be no disembodied spirits in glory.

"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" (1 Cor. 15: 51).

This chapter teaches that mankind is divided into two races. God by His grace and power has brought about a transfer from Adam to Christ, "In the Adam all die, in the Christ shall all be made alive. but every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." Surely the Old Testament saints belong to the latter — "those that are Christ's at His coming"! It may rightly be said that the theme of 1 Cor. 15 is bodily death and consequently bodily resurrection — for death only touches the body and resurrection applies only to the body.

As to the final quotation, please note only three classes are mentioned.

a) The throne seated ones;

b) the martyrs of chapters 6 and 13;

c) The rest of the dead.

The "throne seated and the "martyrs" have their part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20: 6). The rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years are finished, then they all shall be raised to stand before the Great White Throne to receive final and eternal punishment — "and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire".

Where, then, are the Old Testament saints? Obviously among the "throne seated" ones! How and when did they get there? By the translating power of the Lord Himself at the rapture (1 Thess. 4: 13-18). We conclude then that: "Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb" are Old Testament saints such as the "friends of the Bridegroom" in John 3. Little wonder that John Baptist added, "This my joy therefore is fulfilled."

Question:

Recently I heard a speaker say that Daniel would sleep in the dust till he should stand in his lot at the end of the days. I always understood that the first resurrection embraced both Old Testament and New Testament saints. I would like a little light on this matter, please.

Answer:

I nowhere read in Daniel that the prophet would, "sleep in the dust till he would stand in his lot at the end of the days." I do read that, "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12: 2). As to the prophet himself, "go thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days" (12: 13).

Israel sleeps, nationally, among the nations today, despite whatever is happening in Palestine. The national death of Israel is not unknown in prophetic Scriptures. See, for instance, Isaiah 26:2-19 — where national death and national resurrection are treated; also Ezekiel 37: 1-14. This it is of which Daniel treats, note there, this national revival follows the time of unparalleled trouble. This ties up with our Lord's prophetic description in Matt. 24: 29-31.

When Daniel stands in his lot at the end of the days, I doubt not he shall have changed his vantage point. Having lost earthly blessing he shall have gained heavenly. Fresh from the marriage supper of the Lamb he, with many, shall witness the descent into the air, out of heaven from God, of Holy Jerusalem, "having the glory of God" (Rev. 21: 9-12).

Question:

Would you, please, explain 1 Peter 3: 19 — Preaching to the spirits in prison. And, also 1 Samuel 28: 11-14. Was it Samuel who was brought up? A. P., N. Ireland.

Answer:

Taking 1 Peter 3: 19 first, let us set out the statements relative by citing the New Translation of J.N.D.

"For Christ indeed has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in flesh, but made alive in (the) Spirit, in which also he preached to the spirits (which are) in prison, heretofor disobedient, when the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing" (1 Peter 3: 18-20).

(Please read also Genesis 6: 3, 4; 1 Peter 1: 10-12; 2 Peter 1: 21; 2 Peter 2: 5; Hebrews 11: 7.)

Please note that the preaching of righteousness by Noah, while the ark was preparing, was "in the Spirit of Christ." This explains how Christ in the Spirit preached in Noah's day.

The question asked, probably arises from an error, only too commonly held, that our Lord went into the prison to preach to spirits held there. The tense used is important to the understanding of the passage. Note, therefore, that these imprisoned spirits were not such when they heard the preaching. They were in their bodies. The Spirit of Christ, in the preaching of Noah, warned them of the coming flood — the judgment of God upon the world that then was because of the appalling wickedness then prevalent (Gen. 6: 5-12). So then, Christ preached to them by His Spirit, in Noah, during the period of God's long suffering. At the time Peter's first Epistle was written, they were — as to their spirits — in prison having been carried away — in their bodies — by the waters of the flood, because of their wanton disobedience. Hence the warning to the mockers of Peter's day (and ours) who scoffingly asked, "Where is the promise of His coming? for from the time the fathers fell asleep all things remain thus from the beginning of the creation. For this is hidden from them through their own wilfulness . . the then world, deluged with water, perished" (2 Peter 3: 4-6; and Luke 17: 26, 27).

The foregoing leaves a solemn question with our readers; Is it really to be thought that if our Lord had actually gone and preached to the spirits in prison, His preaching would have been confined to those who were disobedient in Noah's day? A second opportunity of repentance is not any time given to such as refuse the testimony of God. Read, 2 Thess. 1: 7-10 and Chapter 2: 8-12.

Turning now to the matter of the "Witch of Endor" and the question "was it Samuel who was brought up?" Please note — we do not read she brought Samuel up! We do read she had a "familiar spirit." Such were undoubtedly diabolically empowered to impersonate dead persons. When the witch of Endor saw Samuel himself rising from the earth, she gave a loud shriek of terror, indicating that Samuel's appearance was entirely unexpected by her. The familiar spirit was rendered impotent by the power of God. He, in the exercise of His super-abounding power had brought Samuel up from the grave for the express purpose of pronouncing the impending doom of Saul, the king whom the people had chosen, and whom he had earlier abandoned. So, Samuel, the prophet, divinely raised for the occasion, said, "Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me" (see 1 Samuel 31: 2-6 for the fulfilment of this; also read 1 Samuel 28: 11-20). The witch was as much surprised as Saul at the appearance of Samuel. She obviously had no part in bringing him up — this was by the direct intervention of God.

Let us remember that Satan has terrific power and that he has an army of demons under his control and at his command. He is thus able to impersonate, to imitate; but he can neither create nor annihilate.

We would utter a word of solemn warning to any of our readers who may be tempted, in this day of increasing Satanism, to dabble in the occult. This so-called "Spiritualism", or more properly "Spiritism," is of Satan, the deceiving devil, and has its origin in the abyss (Isaiah 8: 19, 20 refers).

Samuels' words to Saul, "Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up?" would indicate the dead have neither pleasure nor desire to be contacted by the living.

Question:

"Knowing that Christ having been raised up from the dead dies no more. Death has dominion over Him no more" (Romans 6: 9)

Does this imply that death had, at some time, had dominion over Him?

Answer:

Not at all! We must remember, as the questioner remarks in his quotation from John 10: 17, 18, "death had absolutely no claim or power over Him."

Why then did He die? For sins — the fruit; and sin — the root. For this He had come into the world — had become incarnate.

He did not die as we die, we cannot help dying, for in our case "the wages of sin is death". The sentence passed by God on Adam was "In the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt certainly die" (Gen. 2: 17). Adam ate in disobedience and in consequence "by one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death; and thus death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5: 12).

So our Lord was exempt from death, for the consensus of Scripture testimony concurs in declaring His sinlessness, viz.: 1 Peter 2: 22, "Who did no sin." 2 Corinthians 5: 21, "Him Who knew not sin," and, 1 John 3: 5, "in Him sin is not." "He gave Himself." "Christ died for us." "Christ died for our sins."

Mr. Darby has written: "No one takes His life from Him; He gives it up, but at the moment willed of God. He is abandoned in fact to the effect of man's iniquity, because He came to accomplish the will of God; He suffers Himself to be crucified and slain. Only the moment He yields up His spirit is in His hands . . . He works no miracle not to die, but He works a miracle in dying. He acts according to His divine rights in dying." (Col. Writings. Doctrinal No. 3. vol. 10 page 182.)

Thus death had no dominion over Him except as He submitted to it. Having done so He is finished with that responsible order of life to which death applied. To which, in you and me, sin attached. He, as raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, has forever left that condition to which death's dominion related, into which He had once voluntarily entered. So, "Death has dominion over Him no more."

Some New Things

Some New Things

N. Anderson.

God in infinite grace, on the ground of accomplished redemption, Romans 3: 24, 25, has transferred us from under the headship of fallen Adam to a NEW STANDING under the headship of the risen Christ, the Last Adam, Romans 5: 12-21. In this new standing we are delivered and free from condemnation for there is nothing to condemn. Romans 6 treats of the manner in which this deliverance has been effected, for sin has been conclusively dealt with, in that Christ has died unto it sacrificially. Having died unto sin once for all He lives unto God, and the believer is enabled to reckon that he has died with Him. Romans 6: 11 exhorts us to "reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

If we have a NEW RACIAL HEAD in Romans 5, we have a NEW MASTER as described in Romans 6: 13. In consequence we are under a NEW RULING PRINCIPLE — grace, not law (v. 14). Thus we are enabled to render a NEW SERVICE (vv. 15-23) for, going back to verse 4, "we should walk in newness of life."

Coming under the power and attraction of a NEW ATTACHMENT — Christ who has died and risen again — we gladly accept that we have died to that in which we were held, and we bear fruit to God. We serve Him as bondman, "in NEWNESS OF SPIRIT, and not in oldness of letter" (Romans 7: 5, 6, ).

Coming into Romans 8, we learn that we possess a NEW LIFE with its NEW POWER — "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus."

Thus our NEW STANDING is not only suitable to us, but also to God. "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, having sent His own Son, in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, (i.e. as a sacrifice for sin) has condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit." So, the believer produces a NEW PRACTICE, Romans 8: 4. N. Trans.

The gift of the Spirit supplying us with needed power is viewed in a variety of ways. Perhaps, before reviewing these ways we might say a word more about the beginning of this unique chapter.

Verse 1 — affords an epitome of Romans 5: 12-21, for "in Christ Jesus" certainly covers the truth of transfer from Adam to Christ.

Chapter 6 is covered by Romans 8: 2, freedom from the law of sin and death.

Chapter 7 with its teaching of freedom from the law is comprehended by Romans 8: 3.

Finally the teaching of the hortatory part of the epistle, Romans 12 onwards, is covered by Romans 8: 4.

To return to the theme of "the Spirit." If we have been given, through grace, a new standing in contrast with our old standing — "in Christ Jesus" as against "in Adam" — we have been given a state which corresponds with our standing, "in Spirit" in contrast with "in flesh," verse 9.

Verses 9 to 11, the Spirit is spoken of as "the Spirit of God;" "the Spirit of Christ;" "the Spirit of Him that has raised up Jesus from among the dead;" finally, "He that has raised up Christ Jesus from among the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies also on account of His Spirit which dwells in you."

As "the Spirit of God" — He forms the saints in the divine nature; as "the Spirit of Christ" — He forms them after the character of Christ; then as "the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus" — He is the pledge of the ultimate resurrection of the saints who have believed the gospel of their salvation. There is only one Man out of death in Romans — the Man Christ Jesus. As "the Spirit of Him that has raised up Christ" — He is presented in a sufficiently embracive manner to take in also the Old Testament saints (see for this 1 Corinthians 15: 20-23). We grant that the indwelling of saints by the Spirit is the distinguishing feature of the present era. Three times at least is this distinct and distinguishing feature emphasised in Romans 8 — see verse 9 and twice in verse 11.

In view of that which follows in this chapter, is it not more than interesting to observe that the sin which has enslaved man — body, soul and spirit for such is the order in which God has given him up according to Romans 1: 21, 26, 28 — may be comprehended by that statement at the close of Romans 5: 20; "but where sin abounded grace has overabounded."

The Spirit gives us the consciousness of the new position in which God has put us, for He is the Spirit of sonship. The enjoyment of this in its exceeding blessedness finds expression in those precious words, Abba, Father." But the position is not just one of place, for the Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God. Sons by adoption supposes a past history; children by birth brings us as a new generation into the family of God. Being such puts us into heirship with Christ, heirs indeed to that vast inheritance which belongs to God, which He gives to His children in association with Christ. At the same time the children are introduced to suffering with Christ, in view of being glorified together with Him. Surely this is the new hope!

Without attempting the impossible, improving the world around us for the world is doomed, we live in holy separation from it, while awaiting the realisation of the hope. And while we wait we carry on a witness to the Saviour God in the power of the Spirit of God. We do this, not only orally but as living morally changed lives (see Romans 12: 1, 2).

So we wait with longing hearts for the revelation of the glory to us. We know that this shall be at the rapture. If we are waiting to go in, creation around us is waiting for us to come out, and this shall be at the appearing. Then shall be manifested, in the company which has suffered here with Christ, the glory of creation's Lord. His likeness shall be upon every one of them (Romans 8: 29 and also verse 19). This is our new destiny, for then He shall be wondered at and glorified in all those who, having believed the gospel of God concerning His Son (Romans 1: 16), have proved that it is His power unto salvation.

In the meanwhile creation groans in the travail that the sin of man has caused. The whole creation has been subjected, not of its own will — as was its fallen head — but by reason of Him Who has subjected it. When the Creator subjected it to vanity, He did so in hope of its deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. We who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, have also a link with a groaning creation. Have we not bodies of humiliation (Phil. 3: 20, 21)? As such we share the groan of creation. As to our souls we have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, and as to our bodies we wait the exercise of His power to redeem them, setting them free from every evidence of the fall. While we wait we are helped by the intercession of the indwelling Spirit. He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. At the same time forming in us exercises which deepen us in the knowledge that all things work together for good to those who — while they are loved by God — love Him in return. Has He not called us, not according to our need, deep and dire though it was, but according to His purpose? And the realisation of that purpose shall make His Son "Firstborn among many brethren," and also paramount in the coming universe of bliss and glory.

No opposing force can thwart the purpose of God! "What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who against us? He who, yea, has not spared His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him grant us all things?"

The Spirit helps us here in the presence of the trials and the opposition while Christ at God's right hand helps us there. We face the universe, with its seen and unseen powers, in the confidence of the love of Christ in all its constancy — the Cross has not exhausted it — also in the happy confidence that no malignant foe can touch us.

Nor can we ever lose our place, for God has set us where His love has its rest for evermore — "in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The Orderings of God

The Orderings of God

Gen. 49: 10; Isa. 25: 6-10; Ezek. 21: 25-27; 2 Thess. 2: 1-2; Rev. 22: 10-21.

From an address by N. Anderson.

There is a blessed thread running through the Word of God, indeed there is a multitude of threads, but there is no tangled skein. Praise God, all His threads are sorted out. This particular thread presses upon me with regard to our first Bible reading. One has no desire to take from the practical character of that reading nor from the practical world already given tonight. If we are to be practical in our Christian living we must have a stimulating, powerful attraction to impel us.

In our Scriptures there is a blessed focal point, not so much a code of doctrine, but a living, charmingly attractive Man. In this prophetic sketch of the tribes of Israel in the last days there is a mingling of good and bad. There is the thread of God's ordering and the ravelled thread of man's disorder. The aged patriarch sketched out what would befall his sons in their last days. Thank God, every now and again the eyes of his heart were fixed on some bright spot. As we read the first eleven chapters of Ezekiel we see the reluctant departure of the glory of the Lord from the scene into which the house of Israel, in disobedience and rebellion, had brought chaos. Yet before the departure of the glory the Spirit of God draws it all out before us in pictorial fashion. There is an amber spot, and in the midst of the brightness "the likeness as the appearance of a man." This is the vision of the glory of God in governmental majesty which will bring all into subjection to the will of God. Have we seen the vision of that Man in the amber brightness? All the threads of the governmental ways of God are depicted in this symbolic scene, indicative of the truth that God will order heaven and earth according to His own mind, and that by the Man in the midst of the throne.

So the aged and dying Jacob gave glimpses of that Man in Genesis 49. Turning from Reuben, Simeon and Levi, he directs attention to another of his sons, Judah. He is like a breath of fresh air in the squalor of the account of the preceding three. Judah speaks of a greater than himself, and Jacob says "unto him shall the gathering of the people(s) be." In our day with its weakness, breakdown, and consequent discouragement, the Spirit of God would urge us to be "looking unto Jesus."

The peoples, the tribes of Israel, are in confusion and continual harassment today, but all God's ways relative to them shall be sorted out for His own pleasure and their undoubted deliverance and blessing. Unto Him — "Shiloh," who shall bring in tranquillity and prosperity with security, shall they gladly gather. Yes, Shiloh shall surely come! How good it is for us to have our hearts directed to the coming One. But we recall that Daniel prophesied that Messiah would be cut off and have nothing. The sufferings of the cross preceded the coming glory. There shall be a full answer to the cross in the world to come, and then the once rejected Christ shall have everything. Blessed indeed it is for us all to "look unto Jesus," to lift our eyes from one another and to view Him now and where He is, with the assured hope of His coming again. This thread, then, runs through the Word of God and when He comes everything in heaven and in earth shall be headed up in Him. How worthy He is of that ordered place of universal supremacy. How able He is too, to sort out our often tangled affairs. Let us not fail to bring them all to Him. Speaking assembly-wise where are we practically in regard to the truth that He who is the appointed centre of gathering for that coming day is such for us today? Sadly, we so often take little account of this truth. We get our eyes on one another. Differences are not only multiplied but magnified. Restraint comes in, as someone mentioned in prayer. Where, brethren, does it come from? Not from the Christ of God! We sing, "How by dying Thou hast freed us, from the man of sin and shame." That is the source of it, whether resident in my breast or yours. May we unceasingly and unsparingly judge ourselves. The Spirit of God would ever magnify Christ to us, in suchwise that, instead of wanting our own ways, we shall follow in the way that leads to the exaltation of the Christ for whom we wait. There is only one way for the assembly of God, and that is dominated by the glory, grace, charm, and kindness of the Man who shall yet be seen in the amber brightness of the throne of God, as described by Ezekiel the prophet. Prophecy, dear brethren, in its chief interest points us to Christ as the Centre to which all God's ways lead.

Isaiah 25

This refers to the day when the prophecy of Genesis 49 shall fructify — the day of Shiloh's coming. He then shall reign in righteousness, administering peace and prosperity. Isaiah tells us "the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isa. 32: 17).

There cannot be peace and blessing, for there cannot be order, without righteousness. The establishing of righteousness will necessitate the putting down by power of all that is contrary. As regards collective exercise in the present day, if assembly life and testimony is to be maintained then righteousness must be maintained in our responsible witness. This calls for the exercise of godly discipline. If we fail to discipline ourselves, and I speak assembly-wise, the Lord may have to do it for us. If we would scrutinize and judge ourselves we should not come under the hand of the Lord in actual judgment (see 1 Corinthians 11: 30-32) "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."

Brethren, in these days of general failure may we each humble ourselves before the Lord. Conformity to His Word will promote righteous conditions amongst the saints. If there is departure from the Word of God fellowship is disrupted — the honour of our Lord is wrapped up with the exercises and activities of His saints.

In Isaiah 25: 6, Jehovah intimates that He will bring in a day of festivity. He will do it righteously, for the kingdom shall be established through judgment. "The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity" (Matthew 13: 41).

The Lord is the Righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4: 8). If we wish to enjoy, even in this our day, the good things of God, we must act on the principle of righteousness. In the coming day of manifestation He will take away the covering vail from the peoples and all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; He will wipe away tears from all faces. He has spoken it and He will be as good as His word. Then there shall spring from the hearts of His earthly people, the tribes of Israel, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the LORD (Jehovah); we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

They shall then confess — This is the One in whose face we once spat; from which we plucked the hair; whose back we smote; whom we pierced and crucified. They will then appreciate, when He rides forth prosperously because of truth and meekness, His right hand teaching Him terrible things, that this was the once despised Nazarene, and will then know that He who once was lifted up at Calvary was none other than the Hope of Israel — the I AM. They will prostrate themselves before Him. No longer will He bear a reed in mockery but He shall wield the righteous sceptre. Then, truly — "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" (Psalm 110: 3). Lord, haste the day of Thy coming again!

In the prophetic meantime there will be an impostor (see Revelation 13: 11). Our Lord had said, in John 5: 43 — "I am come in My Father's Name, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."

The beast which arises from the chaotic state of things in the post-rapture, pre-millennial, period will claim the rights due to Christ the true King of Israel. Behind the Jewish beast will be the Roman beast imbued with diabolical power. The Jews may be deceived, but not so Jehovah! According to Ezekiel 21: 25-27, He shall say, in regard to the profane wicked prince of Israel — "Remember the diadem, and take off the crown; . . 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."

The whole, apparently prosperous, system established by the Roman beast shall be overturned by the Righteous Judge. The head of the revived Roman Empire and his Jewish satrap, the anti-christ, shall be put down at the coming of our Lord with His saints. Then our Lord "shall be glorified in His saints and admired in all them that have believed."

What a prospect lies before us to be with and like Christ at His coming. The Assembly will radiate the glory of the One who loved it and gave Himself for it, throughout the universe of bliss and glory.

At that time the cry of joyful acclamation shall rise from earth, "He hath done this." He shall be owned as, "the Governor among the nations." It shall then be patent to all that "the kingdom is the Lord's" (Psalm 22). The true David, the warrior King, shall subdue His enemies, and as the true Solomon He shall be able to say, "The Lord My God hath given Me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent." According to Psalm 72: 15, " . . . prayer shall be made for Him continually; and daily shall He be praised. . . men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed." His people, thankful to have Him on the throne in the execution of universal dominion with all its attendant blessing, will pray that nothing might occur to bring His blessed rule to an end.

Regarding Revelation 22, we have the opportunity to be truly subject to Him in this world during the period of His rejection, whether in regard to keeping His sayings — His Word, or in the practice befitting obedience to Him — our work; all in the appreciation of Himself. He has said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last," and, "Surely I come quickly."

Yes, He is coming. This blessed thread runs through the Word from Genesis to Revelation. While we wait for Him to come let us be watching, let us be longing, and let us occupy till He comes in the energy of that grace which He supplies and in the spontaneity of affection for Him. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

An Outline of Things to Come

An Outline of Things to Come.

N. Anderson

Extracted from Scripture Truth, Volume 38, 1953, page 184.

First, the Lord will come for His own, as stated in 1 Thessalonians 4. This is commonly spoken of as "the Rapture." The dead in Christ will rise first: the living will be changed; and all caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. "We shall be like Him." This will be manifested when He is manifested, but it will have taken place at the rapture.

Referring to 1 Thessalonians 4: 16, we may connect "The Lord Himself" as uttering His "shout" for the Church; the "voice of the archangel" for those of Israel who were of faith, the "trump of God" for those Gentiles who died in faith during the past dealings of God. Not alone shall the Church be caught up to have part in this blessed first resurrection, but all those that "are Christ's at His coming."

This will be followed by the Judgment Seat of Christ, of which we read in 2 Corinthians 5, and other scriptures. Then will take place a review of our lives in the light of His perfect judgment. No penal punishment here, for we shall then be "like Him," and the word "shall not come into condemnation [judgment]" (John 5: 24) stands true. Everything that was of God in life and service will meet with manifest, Divine approval. Everything contrary will receive disapproval. Individuals will receive reward or loss, as stated in 1 Corinthians 3: 13-15, and in the parables of Luke 19 and Matthew 25.

At this time God will have resumed on earth His work and dealings amongst the Jews. His ways with Israel have long been in abeyance. He had last of all sent His Son, saying, "It may be they will reverence Him when they see Him." They replied, "This is the Heir: come, let us kill Him, that the inheritance may be ours" (Luke 20: 13, 14), and so they crucified Him. On the cross He prayed for them — "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Hence they had been mercifully treated, as having sinned ignorantly. Presented consequently with the glorified Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, through Stephen, by his martyrdom they sent an embassy after Him, saying, "We will not have this Man to reign over us."

Thus, during the out-gathering of the Church, according to eternal purpose, Israel was set aside. Now that the Church is removed, God reverts to His promises to Israel, and raising up messengers He calls a remnant in heart and conscience to Himself. His witnesses will go out in resumption of the testimony given once to His disciples, but interrupted, as is indicated by Matthew 10: 23. Their testimony will be effectual in the earth, and the sealed remnant of the tribes of Israel together with the innumerable host from amongst the Gentiles, as recorded in Revelation 7, are the fruit of this testimony.

A tremendous movement will simultaneously be taking place amongst the nations. Roman imperialism will revive in its final ten-kingdom form, as we see in Revelation 13, Rev. 17 and Rev. 18. The nations controlled by Satan, will produce "the beast."

Apostate Jewry will produce Antichrist, the false prophet, the second beast.

Apostate Christendom will produce in its full corruption the harlot, who rides the beast — "Mystery, Babylon the Great."

The political beast in league with the religious beast will enter into a covenant with the Jews for seven years — the seventieth week of years, predicted in Daniel 9. In the midst of this week he causes sacrifice to cease by claiming divine honours for himself, bringing in thus the overspreading of abominations and consequent desolation. Then shall burst forth the time of "Jacob's trouble," the great tribulation, which rages for the last half of the week.

We must note that the great tribulation, whilst having particular bearing against Israel in the land, will be world-wide in its effects. It shall come "upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth;" or "the earth-dwellers." It is these and not the Church that are thus to be brought into trial.

Israel had refused their Messiah when He came in His Father's name. Now they believe the devil's lie, and receive him who comes in his own name, with dreadful results. But, on the other hand, the time has come for a godly remnant to cry, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."

Then Messiah shall come. Scriptures which tell of His coming "to His holy temple" shall be fulfilled. "The Deliverer" shall come out of Zion. "Shiloh" arrives, "and to Him shall the gathering of the people be." (Gen. 49: 10). At His coming in power and great glory this unparalleled trouble shall be cut short for the elects' sake, for, had it not been, no flesh should have been saved.

At His coming the "beasts" will be destroyed. But just before this the Roman beast with his confederate kings will have unseated and destroyed Babylon, "the whore." All heaven will rejoice at the overthrow in "one hour" of this religious corruption of the ages. The spurious "church," the counterfeit "bride," is thus overthrown.

Meanwhile in heaven Satan, the "accuser of the brethren," is discomfited by seeing the triumph of Christ in His saints, the judgment seat having taken place, and their fidelity having been recognized in spite of his seductions and opposition to them. He is now cast out from the heavens to the earth, and soon to be banished into the abyss.

All heaven is now moved for the marriage of the Lamb is come. Then Christ with His Church, united to Him, rides forth triumphantly through the opened heavens; and hence the overthrow of all the antagonistic powers, whether the Roman, or the Assyrian, or Gog and Magog.

The glory of the Millennial age will commence by the Son of Man purging out of His Kingdom, by angelic means, all offences and those who practice lawlessness, as indicated in Matthew 13. Then His angels will "gather together His elect . . . from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt. 24: 31). Moreover the two houses of Israel, Judah and Ephraim, shall be united. Instead of being two sticks they shall be "one stick, and they shall be one in Mine hand" (Ezek. 37: 19). Then, "The Lord of Hosts shall reign . . . before His ancients gloriously" (Isa. 24: 23).

The Son of Man will have received from the "Ancient of days" an "everlasting dominion" (Dan. 7: 13, 14). The holy temple will have been built according to the Divine plan given in Ezekiel, and it will be filled with His glory, while His vice-regent, a prince of the house of David, will act for Him in Jerusalem — see, Ezekiel 44: 3.

Then, "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea " (Hab. 2: 14). His people shall be "willing" in the "day of His power" (Ps. 110: 3), and the scripture will be fulfilled which says "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee .... will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing" (Zeph. 3: 17).

Paul before King Agrippa

Paul before King Agrippa

Acts 26: 1-20

N. Anderson.

Acts is a book of transition — the history of the change of dispensation. This was inaugurated by the downcoming of the Holy Spirit, consequent upon the upgoing of the Man, Jesus Christ.

The great change by the power of God, through the Spirit, is from the earthly to the heavenly. For a time the testimony of God, in the hands of the twelve apostles, lingers at Jerusalem. But, had not our Lord said, "but ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

Man had been tested in innocence — he fell; in conscience — and he corrupted his way; under law — and he embraced idolatry; then in grace, in the Person of the Saviour — he crucified Him; finally there was the test by the Spirit in His witness to the glorified Christ. Stephen was the mouthpiece of that testimony and Scripture says, "and they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Note the intensity of his intercessory spirit and also the spirit of his Master.

The devil had urged the Jews on to silence the voice of the Lord's chief witness. How exultant must the Prince of Demons have been! Yet, to his utter chagrin, the Lord intimated to him in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus — You have taken away my best man, Stephen, I'll take away yours, Saul. This He did, in infinite grace, Saul, was then at the height of his mad career, manifesting that he was a true Benjaminite, "Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil" (Gen. 49: 27). But between the morning of his devouring and the night of his dividing a work of God had begun in his conscience. The martyrdom of Stephen, undoubtedly, was the starting point of that work — "He maketh the wrath of man to praise Him." "It is hard for thee to kick against the goads." The nagging voice of conscience hurt him keenly but, as the sharpened stick which spurred on the stubborn camel or mule, he redoubled his efforts to extinguish the testimony to the exaltation of the once Crucified Christ. Just then on his way to Damascus heaven was opened by a light shining upon him — just as had the veil of the temple been rent at the death of Jesus, the tomb, too, on His resurrection. So now was heaven opened with the outshining of the light of the glory of Christ.

Saul was smitten to the earth by the light from heaven. Here in his defence before King Agrippa, a quarter of a century of experience in the service of the glorified Son of God behind him, he declared, "at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun." In Acts 9, "a light from heaven" in Acts 22, "a great light from heaven." Here, not an anti-meridian, a light above the brightness of the noon-day sun. There had been no change in the light — rather there had been in his apprehension, for he had grown spiritually since the light had shone upon him and into his heart. He wrote the saints in Corinth, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4: 6). No wonder that he said, "I could not see for the glory of that light" (Acts 22: 11).

Two great things took place in Saul that day.

1. He learned the intimate link between the persecute saints on earth and their Head in heaven. "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest" was the answer to his question, "who art Thou Lord?"

2. He accepted His claims over him, "What shall I do, Lord."

So our Lord made known the purpose of His appearing to him: "to make thee a minister and witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I shall appear unto thee." Please read verses 16-18.

"Minister" or "Appointed Servant" — a public administration would be committed to him, see Ephesians 3: 8, 9.

"Witness" — the same word as "Martyr" (Phil. 2: 17; 2 Tim. 4: 6).

"Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles" — an entirely new thing, distinct from both Judaism and Paganism, yet to be available to all such. See Romans 1: 16, "to the Jew first and also to the Gentile." "To open their eyes" — that they might so receive the truth of God, as to see themselves as they really are, 2 Cor. 5: 14, "Then were all dead." "That they might turn from darkness" — abysmal ignorance of God, Eph. 4: 18. that in consequence, they would be brought "from the power of Satan" on the one hand, blessed deliverance indeed, and on the other hand they might be brought to God. Blessed freedom from Satan's power, and indescribable introduction to the blessedness of reconciliation. "That they may receive forgiveness of sins," fruit of the redemptive work of Christ in offering Himself as a sacrifice for sins upon the Cross. Also, "an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me." How wonderful and magnanimous the blessings for those delivered!

The erstwhile persecutor was "not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." And so he continued his double ministry — the Gospel and the Mystery.

Perseverance

Perseverance

Acts 2: 41-47 (N. Tr.)

N. Anderson.

Whilst we are singularly favoured of God with the knowledge of His Word we have nothing of which to boast in ourselves, as it is written, "he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord" (2 Corinthians 10: 17).

Do we so value the wealth of divine revelation that we persevere in the appreciation and practice of it in the face of mounting opposition? How striking it is to read of these early converts that they persevered. In what did they persevere? First of all, in the apostles' teaching. The outstanding feature of this is the pre-eminence of Christ. In the words of Scripture "Christ is everything and in all" (Colossians 3: 11). We cannot envisage a confession of the pre-eminent Christ without bowing in thanksgiving before God, for the full knowledge of God has reached us through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Has He not said, "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me"? This adorable Person, to whom we are eternally indebted for wealth of divine revelation, is the focal point of the apostles' teaching.

The gospel is "the gospel of God . . concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord;" it is also the gospel "of the glory of the blessed God" (1 Timothy 1: 11), and the gospel "of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God." We learn from Ephesians 1 that in the administration of the fullness of time God will head up all things in heaven and earth in Christ. He is the destined centre of the world to come. If we consider the mystery, the revelation of the truth of Christ and the Assembly, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden there. We know that the full truth of all this — Paul's gospel and Paul's doctrine — was not revealed at the time of Acts 2, but we are now favoured with the completion of the Word of God, and it is certainly right to say that the outstanding feature of the apostle's teaching is the pre-eminence of Christ.

We urge our younger brethren to feast their souls upon Christ as presented in the Holy Scriptures. In the gospels for His life of spotless worth; His declaration of God; His manifestation of the Father; His redeeming death; His glorious resurrection; His promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit; and finally, His being received up in glory. Then the Acts with the blessed effects of the coming of the Spirit, and the formation of the Assembly as the vessel for the continuance, morally, of the life of Christ in the very world which had rejected Him; followed by the epistles with their teaching of the galaxy of glory, centring in the Christ of God. The deep things of God are unfolded to us by the Holy Spirit in these inspired writings, but faith and affection for Christ are essential if we are to gain from the Spirit's ministry. Let us remember that the children of Israel in Egypt all fed on the Lamb roast with fire. In the wilderness they were all sustained by the same manna, and all drank of the same refreshing stream from the smitten rock. Do not be afraid of deep truth — do not be deterred from searching out the precious things of heaven. No truth, however simple or deep, is discernible by the natural minds, but be assured that the Spirit of God adapts the divine riches to the feeblest apprehension, leading us on in spiritual expansion. Go in, dear young believers, for the knowledge of Christ. God is going to put the impress of Christ on everything in the world to come and He works now, in the power of the Spirit, to put the impress on our spirits. Christ ". . . filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1: 23).

As Christ becomes pre-eminent in our hearts and lives we shall persevere in the apostles' teaching. We shall not move outside the scope of the divine teaching (see 2 John: 9, 10) — we shall abide in the doctrine. One of the marks of the true disciple is to "hear" the apostles (1 John 4: 5, 6).

The complement of the apostles' teaching is the "fellowship." It would seem that while individual responsibility is everywhere enjoined upon us a believers, we are in danger of treating fellowship as a minimal quantity. Let us not lose sight of the fact that Assembly privilege and responsibility are incumbent upon us. There is an interesting passage in the great faith chapter, Hebrews 11: 28, as to Moses, "By faith he celebrated the passover;" then in the next verse, "by faith they passed through the Red Sea."

The moment we came under the shelter of the redeeming blood of Christ, we became part of a unique company — the Assembly of God. In the Laodicean condition of religious profession the voice of our Lord sounds as He stands, knocking, outside the door, "If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with Me."

Please note, that while He appeals to the individual He aims at recovery on Assembly lines, for He says, "he that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Assemblies" (Revelation 3: 22).

Through the apostles' teaching we are brought together by the Spirit's power under the attraction of the pre-eminent Christ. This fellowship, divinely formed, is regulated by the apostolic teaching. Fellowship is a "sharing together," a joint participation. In our case it is related to the acknowledgment of the Lordship of Jesus, and in the light and enjoyment of what is revealed in Him as Son of God — "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

We are not just so many individual believers bound for heaven some day; we are associated together, we have a common status and common blessings and responsibilities. We are in this fellowship by the calling of God. Our bond is the Spirit of God. The basis of the fellowship, as we learn from 1 Corinthians 10, is the blood of Christ. While we sing "In that death all love was centred" let us not forget that God's judgment upon all that we were according to the flesh, and upon all that the world is, has been clearly set forth in that death. The fellowship is established by God outside of all human organisation and association. Christ is owned as Lord there, and those in it rejoice in the divine blessing administered there by Him.

1 Corinthians 10 distinguishes the Assembly of God from everything belonging to this world, hence the apostle exhorts us to "give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God." The Assembly is a distinct entity, and the fellowship of believers is Assembly fellowship. For fellowship to be practically realized there must be unity of heart and mind. We are exhorted to "be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."

Whose mind is to predominate in this blessed fellowship? The Spirit would immerse our minds in the mind of Christ, "let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." This is the lowly mind, the self-effacing mind, the mind to go down. This certainly is unnatural to us — there is no rush to take the lead in being least among the brethren. Do we not like to be recognised? To be thought something of? Think on the Cross, dear brethren, our blessed Lord made Himself of no reputation, He humbled Himself even unto the death of the Cross. What are we? What is our dignity, our opinion, our reputation, in the light of the Cross of Christ? As we are led into communion with Christ His mind will be formed in us and true fellowship result.

1 Corinthians 2: 16, speaks of "the mind of Christ." This is a different word from that used in Philippians 2. We have the ability to think right. We have a thinking faculty (in having the Spirit) which is "of Christ."  "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God."

How richly favoured is the fellowship in which God has set us, for there by His Spirit dwelling in us, is the ability to think according to God, and this way of thinking translates itself in moral power into a way of living. The beautiful graces of Christ are reproduced in those who have part in this wonderful fellowship.

There are no spectators where fellowship is known and enjoyed; all believers are active participators. How sad if we are content to sit back and leave everything to others. Responsibility is commensurate with privilege. May we have grace and diligence to shoulder our responsibilities. Whilst the spirit of grace would give us to share sympathetically in helping any who are experiencing pressure under the weight of trial, none of us is excused from carrying his own load in the service of God (Galatians 6: 2, 5). When the camp of Israel set forward in its wilderness journeyings the Levites carried their own appointed load. True Levitical service is open to us all in the fellowship, for we are, each and all, privileged as well as responsible to bear the testimony of the Lord.

Do not let us make room for the disruptive spirit of clergy and laity amongst the saints. WE have one Lord, one Head — Christ. anyone who has received gifts from the ascended Head must exercise it in the fellowship as the Lord's servant. We are all servants of the pre-eminent Christ. "Let every man prove his own work."

May we give all that we are and have in the support of the testimony of our Lord. What we have received is certainly not for self-glory but for the glory of the Lord and for the good of all. We are all "stewards of the manifold grace of God." "As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another . . .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 for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4: 10, 11).

SEPT/OCT 1971 —  CONTINUED

The first feature of the second couplet of those things in which these believers persevered is "the breaking of bread." The fellowship which is regulated by the apostles' teaching is expressed in the breaking of bread. As believers gather on the first day of the week for the remembrance of their Lord in His appointed way, they give expression to at least two things. One is that the fellowship is based upon the death of their Lord, and the other is that it embraces all who are redeemed in virtue of their having been baptized by one Spirit into one body. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread" (1 Corinthians 10: 16, 17).

When we bless the cup we declare that our fellowship is based upon the shedding of His blood. This has bought us justification from our guilt; cleansing from our sins; and has given us boldness for entering the holiest of all — the presence of our God. As we break the bread we declare that the love of Christ has been expressed in the offering of His body, once for all, and that we have been sanctified, set apart to God. This involves the solemn teaching that all that was contrary to God in us has been dealt with in holy judgment at the cross. Consider such Scriptures as these: "Our old man has been crucified with Him" (Romans 6: 6) "Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ" (Romans 7: 4).

In regard to the abolition of the distance which sin had brought in between us and God — "and you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death" (Colossians 1: 21, 22). The whole question of sin and guilt has been dealt with to God's entire satisfaction in the death of Jesus. The breaking of bread in which we participate expresses our hearty identification with Christ in His death. May we truly answer to that by standing apart in holy separation from all that has been judged in His death.

Let us draw attention here to the fact that all believers are viewed as blessing the up and breaking bread. It is abnormal for any believer not to participate in "breaking bread." The act of partaking of the Lord's supper is before us in 1 Corinthians 11, while in chapter 10 we have the solemn obligation resting upon those who do partake. That act puts us under responsibility to be true to the Lord whose table it is. As we break bread together we express that we are one loaf, one body. We are thus responsible to be true to that membership of the one body of Christ. Faithfulness would lead us to stand apart from every religious organisation which virtually denies the existence of this living organism, the body of Christ. Whilst we may break bread only once a week, on the first day, or as often as we do, we are always at the Lord's Table. We are always in the fellowship and so always responsible to be true to it, and to our Lord.

As we take account of the Lord's own words spoken from the glory to the apostle Paul, "This is My body which is for you," we are reminded of the love which brought Him down from glory to the death of the cross. Think of all that was sacrificially involved for Him there — being made sin, being abandoned of God — and let us praise Him again and again. As we think of Him bearing the judgment of God let us say, "Grace and obedience brought Him where sin and disobedience brought us." The distance now is gone and in consequence standing in the known favour of God, let us partake of the Lord's Supper in responsive love to Him as in fellowship with all saints and with an intelligence gained from thankful acceptance of the apostles' teaching.

The last feature of the things in which these believers persevered is — "and in prayers." Not just one prayer meeting a week but "prayers." The whole tenor of our way is to be marked by prayer. We read, "persevere in prayer" (Colossians 4: 2).

The fellowship regulated by the apostles' teaching, expressed in the breaking of bread, is sustained by prayer. Praying, individually and collectively, bespeaks awareness of our own need and weakness, and at the same time expresses our complete dependence upon and confidence in God. How soon would our difficulties and troubles which do arise — often because we have been untrue to the fellowship through disobedience to the apostles' teaching — be solved were we brought down together before God in believing prayer. Our Lord is the Master of Assemblies, and He is sufficient for every situation and would gladly be entreated of. Instead of trusting to any fancied ability of our own let us get quickly to Him in prayer. He hears and He answers prayer. If we give ourselves to prayer we shall gain in His presence needed wisdom, so that every exigency might be met to His honour with consequent blessing. James says, "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

Let us pray more and talk less. In the presence of God we are all brought low, but if brought low He will lift us up. How much need there is for prayers. Pray for one another; pray for the Lord's servants; pray for the prosperity of His Word among the saints; pray for the out-going of the gospel; pray for all saints; pray for all men; pray for rulers and all in authority; pray in all things, pray in all places, persevere in prayers. A trusting people is a confident, contented and serviceable people.

There was an issue from all this in Acts 2. Fear came upon every soul. There was a powerful spiritual influence exerted and felt inside the company and felt also outside the company. While a transitional character is obvious in this book we simply observe that though they continued daily in the temple there was a divinely formed perception which discerned between the old earthly order soon to go out and the new heavenly order coming in. They broke bread from house to house. They distinguished the breaking of bread from the temple order. The element of separation early manifested itself. May we in our late day in the testimony of our Lord separate the precious from the vile — "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach" (Hebrews 13: 13).

Finally, verse 47, there were "praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added . . . daily." There was blessing upwards — praising God, there was blessing downwards — such as should be saved.

God grant that we may be powerfully affected by His Word, to the end that we might persevere in these blessed things under the attraction of the PRE-EMINENT CHRIST.

Features of the Philippian Epistle

Features of the Philippian Epistle

Illustrated in the lives of Old Testament worthies.

Philippians 1: 20, 21; 2 Samuel 15: 19-23.

N. Anderson.

At this juncture in the history of King David as he fled before the treachery of Absalom who had stolen the hearts of the men of Israel, the devotion of Ittai the Gittite was touching indeed. His was a heart which could not be stolen, for it had been won by David. This incident fitly illustrates the verses we have read from Philippians 1.

Ittai was so attracted to David that the king had become the very reason for his existence. Note his language, how confident his affection, "As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be."

Nature would say, "life or death," faith says, "death or life." Ittai looked for the happy reversal of the king's circumstances — it might seem like death at the moment, it would issue in life.

So Paul in Philippians 1. He had Christ as the Motive for his living — his "raison d'etre." ". . . Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." This was at once the language of faith and affection. Only faith could see gain in death and only affection would lead to such devotion as to make Christ the supreme Object of his life. There was worked out practically in Paul the principle enunciated by his blessed Lord, for had He not said, "As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by (on account of) the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by (on account of) Me" (John 6: 57). Just as David was the reason for Ittai's living; just as the Father was the reason for the Son's living, so Christ, feasted on with delight, is the reason for the believer's living.

Philippians 2: 1-16; 2 Kings 2: 1-15

Elisha's attraction to Elijah serves to illustrate the moral application to the saints of this presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ. As occupied with the man who went up to heaven, and vested with his mantle, Elisha came out in the spirit and power of his master. So true was this that the sons of the prophets declared, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha."

Note verse 1 of our Old Testament Scripture: Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Communion with his master was the outcome of companying with him at Gilgal — the place of circumcision, figurative for us of the acceptance of the truth of death with Christ. This involves the acceptance of God's judgment upon all that we are as sinful. There are three outstanding marks of the Christian company, detailed in Philippians 3: 3: "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit (by the Spirit), and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh"

They went down to Bethel together. Bethel means "the House of God." In the first mention in Scripture of the House of God (Genesis 28: 16-22) we learn several things: "Surely the LORD is in this place," consequently, "How dreadful is this place." God's holiness is learned there for "this is none other but the House of God." But if we learn what we are in the light of what He is, and acknowledge this sobering truth, we also find that the House of God is, "the gate of heaven." There is the light of divine administration and highest privilege and blessing. In the good of this — suggested by the setting up of the pillar and the pouring of oil upon it — witness and response is produced in the power of the Spirit of God from one who hitherto had only lived for self.

How suggestive were the movements of Elisha, as in the company of Elijah he travelled from point to point. Jericho, with its memories of God's triumphant overthrow of the system which opposed His intentions of blessing for His people Israel. Jordan, too, with its story of the memorable crossing by the children of Israel when the waters fled before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the Earth.

The consideration of the spiritual import of the places visited would stretch this simple paper beyond the writer's present intentions. Let it suffice for us to emphasise that Elisha who became occupied with the man who "went up . . . into heaven" (2 Kings 2: 11, 12) — had known what it was to company with the man who, "went down" (v. 2).

In Philippians 2 we are exhorted as those who believe on the Christ who has gone up, highly exalted indeed, to "let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." This was the mind to go down. He came down into the bondman's form, becoming Man, humbling Himself, becoming "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." This was self-effacement to the last degree.

How much dishonour has been brought against our God: how ill-famed has the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ been: how much distress and division wrought amongst saints: how much weakness and impoverishment in the testimony: yes, evil has been let in like a flood through our love of self-exaltation.

May God so affect our hearts by the constant occupation with the charm and grace of our once humbled Lord that by the power of the Spirit of Christ we might model our lives after Him — "Christ once humbled here." Then occupied with the Man who has gone up, who first went down into the deepest depths of humiliation in His obedience to God, we shall come out like Him — Christ our Model — to the glory of God.

Philippians 3: 1-21; Genesis 12: 1 with Hebrews 11: 8-10.

Abraham, beyond many, illustrates in his history the powerful effect of the calling of God. "When he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."

The call of God cut right across everything Abraham had in this world. The power of another world exerted its attractive influence and henceforth he lived in the faith and light of it. Faith led him out of his own settled order of things in answer to the testimony of God. He set his face and directed his steps towards the land of God's promise. He looked for the city which had foundations. That city was designed by and would be built by God. There would be the administration of His will in righteousness in the hands of a competent Administrator. Our Lord has said "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it, and was glad" (John 8: 56).

Henceforth, in the delivering power and light of that world which he had in hope, he confessed that he was a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth. A stranger is not at home in the scene where he is. A pilgrim is moving on to another scene which has exerted its drawing power on him.

So faith, as demonstrated in Paul, Philippians 3: 14, presses toward the mark for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus. Paul had come under the attraction of a glorified Christ when on the Damascus road, consequently all was changed for him. there was what was behind — this he was gladly forgetting. Those things had made everything of himself, had made him of some account in this world. He looked at them now as under the shadow of the cross of Christ. This formed his judgment. He turned his back upon it all. "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ".

At this point in his history twenty-five years or so lay behind him since he had trusted the Saviour. How did he now assess all that which, the bloom of his conversion, he had counted loss? "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." Christ in the glory had captivated him. That captivating Christ had been crucified by man's world. For Paul this closed the door of that world but opened the door into another world. Christ, the Centre of the world to come, drew Paul on and he was reaching forth unto those things which were before and so he said, "I press toward the mark".

Abraham in his day, Paul in his, looked on and pressed on. May we, in this our day and generation, have like faith and purpose of heart. We are in the midst of a decadent profession — lukewarmness abounds. May we fix our eyes on Christ in the glory and remember that there was a day in His pathway through this world when it was fittingly said of Him, "the zeal of Thy house devours me."

Oh for a rousing of heart after Him! Governed by the moral power of heavenly citizenship let us press on, looking for our coming Saviour who will use the first touch of that power which will bring in "the world to come, whereof we speak" to transform us for, and translate us to, that heavenly sphere.

God grant that we may assess everything here in the light of that glorious day when the Man of God's counsel shall be supreme. May we live our lives unto Him until we are with Him — Christ in glory our mark.

Philippians 4; Joshua 1 and 5.

Brought out of the wilderness with the entering of the land of promise before them, how can Joshua and the people ever hope to cross the overflowing Jordan? How can they possibly meet and dispossess the enemies? God had spread the inheritance before them in Joshua 1: 1-4, saying that He gave it to them and that "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you." Every step of the way would be contested and diligent exercise, faith and dependence would be needed all the way. Was there apprehension or trepidation? How encouraging the word of the Lord, "I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Thrice over He exhorted Joshua, "Be strong and of a good courage." How true it is that God never enjoins anything upon His own but what He supplies the power to perform.

So we find in this remarkable history in the book of Joshua that Moses' successor, Joshua, found all his help in the divine resource. He placed himself unreservedly, in subject and dependent obedience, under the direction of the man with the drawn sword. He did ask, "Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?" How challenging the reply, "Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come." Virtually he had turned the question upon Joshua, almost saying, "Who are you for?" As Joshua took the dependent, subject place he found that the power of God was available for him and so he moved forward in obedience.

In Philippians 4, faith takes the dependent place (v. 6) and finds the garrisoning of the peace of God. In obedience to the truth which has been learned (v. 9) the presence and support of the God of Peace is proved. So in regard to every circumstance of the pathway, "Pleasing or painful dark or bright," the believer can say, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Faith draws confidently on the divine supply given, "according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Just think of it, "Your need . . . His riches in glory." The channel through which those riches meet our need — "by Christ Jesus."

Here then is the supply of all the might which we shall need as, laying hold of the great teaching of the purpose of God in Ephesians and Colossians, we set out to walk the path of a heavenly Man on earth.

May the Lord be pleased to lead us — may we be pleased to be led — more and more into the appreciation now that:

Philippians 1 Christ is the Motive of our Christian living.

Philippians 2 Christ is the Model for self-effacement.

Philippians 3 Christ in glory is the Mark to which we travel.

Philippians 4 Christ is our Might for every inch of the way.

May we live for Him, manifesting the features which marked Him, while we reach out to Him where He is, in the power supplied by Him, until we are with Him, for His Name's sake.

The Epistle to the Philippians

The Epistle to the Philippians

N. Anderson.

This epistle is of first importance, coming as it does between Ephesians, which views the saints seated in the heavenlies, and blessed with every spiritual blessing there, in Christ Jesus, and Colossians in which the saints are exhorted to set their minds on those things which are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. It exemplifies, particularly in chapter 2 in its reference to our blessed Lord, the moral beauty of the life of a heavenly Man on earth.

Phil. 1: 1 — the epistle is written by the bondman of Jesus Christ. Verse 5 — lays emphasis upon the sterling quality of continuance, "from the first day (A.D. 50) until now (A.D. 60)." Verse 21 — the motivating power for this is seen in the word of Paul, "for me to live is Christ." See also in this connection the words of our Lord in John 6: 57. So the MOTIVE for the believer's living is Christ.

In Phil. 2: 1 — the apostle pleads for likemindedness. His ground for so doing is well known indeed, for this is the mind which energised our Lord Jesus. He is the MODEL for the believer.

Note His Personal greatness — "in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." He is God.

The first man thought it a thing to be grasped at to be equal with God, Genesis 3: 5 — "Ye shall be as gods." He reached up out of the place in which he had been created and in consequence he fell. He who had been given dominion (Genesis 1: 26-28) lost his place by disobedience and thereby became amenable to the judgment of God. The Second Man, Christ, brought no reputation — indeed He made Himself of no reputation, taking upon Himself the bondman's form. Please note His two steps downward:

1: ". . made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of as servant, and was made in the likeness of men." This does not diminish the reality of the nature which He assumed — for that is declared in the words, "form of a servant" — yet He was not merely man, for even in His incarnation He was Son of God.

2: "And being found in fashion as a Man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Phil. 2: 6-11. Note, the Gospel of John particularly, presents the Son of God in the co-equality and co-eternity of Godhead. The Gospel of Mark presents Him as the Perfect Servant. The Gospel of Luke presents Him as the ever Obedient Man. The Gospel of Matthew presents Him as the King.

Phil. 2: 9. God's approval of this blessed Man in the grace and beauty of His downstooping, with the obedience which marked Him all the way to the death of the cross, has been demonstrated in that He (i.e. God) has highly exalted Him. He has conferred upon Him such dignity and honour in setting Him where He is (Eph. 1: 21, 22) that when the moment for His display arrives, He shall be set forth, publicly, invested with it. Then, as the heavens open and He is manifested — and the Name of Jesus, which He had borne in His lowliness, shall be sounded forth throughout the universe — every knee shall bow, of heavenly, earthly, and infernal beings, and every tongue shall own His Lordship to the glory of God the Father.

Verse 12: yet the Christian company has the privilege of obeying Him now. According to Phil. 1: 6, "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

In Phil. 2: 13, even now, between the commencement and the completion, God is engaged presently in working in His own both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Thus they shall, in the absence of their apostle, work out their own salvation.

The moral graces of Christ are being produced here in the saints while still in that world which has crucified their Lord:

Verse 15 — in the saints,

Verse 17 — in the apostle,

Verses 19-23 — in Timothy,

Verses 25-30 — in Epaphroditus.

In Phil. 3, we see Christ is everything to the Christian. The calling on high of God, in Christ Jesus, is the MARK to which they are hastening. This calls for a supply of grace and power to help them along their heavenly road, hence we read, Phil. 4: 13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Christ is the Christian's MIGHT.

May the Spirit of God so entrance our hearts with Christ that we shall go on our heavenly road imbued with the anticipation of the heavenly hope: "For our conversation (commonwealth) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our body of humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body (body of glory), according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

Power and Spirituality Considered

Power and Spirituality Considered

1 Corinthians 14: 1-4.

N. Anderson.

"Follow after love, and be emulous of spiritual (manifestations), but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaks with a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks mysteries. But he that prophesies speaks to men (in) edification, and encouragement, and consolation" (1 Corinthians 14: 1-4 N. Tr.).

It is evident that "power" — even supernatural power — is distinct from spirituality. The spiritual condition of the christian company at Corinth was at a very low ebb, yet we read of them, "Ye are enriched by Him (Jesus Christ) in all utterance; and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you; so that ye come behind in no gift (charismati); waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 1: 5-7). Yet, this being so, it had been reported that there were contentions among them (1 Cor. 1, 2).

Twice over they were exhorted to, "Glory in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1: 31) and, "Let no man glory in men" (1 Cor. 3: 21). The apostle judged them as being carnal (1 Cor. 3: 1). "There is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men (according to man)?" (1 Cor. 3: 3). They gloried as though what they had received from God had emanated from themselves (1 Cor. 4: 7). "Now some are puffed up" (1 Cor. 4: 18); also it was commonly reported that there was unjudged fornication among them (1 Cor. 5: 1).

Brother was going to law with brother and that before unbelievers (1 Cor. 6: 6). They did wrong and defrauded their brethren (1 Cor. 6: 8). There was moral evil, distinct from and additional to that which is named in 1 Cor. 6: 18. Nor do we have to read far before we conclude that liberty was being abused and brethren sinned against. Five evils are listed in 1 Cor. 10: 6-11. In 1 Cor. 11: 16 there was contention against God's order in the creature realm; and in verses 20 to 34 the Lord's Supper was being treated in a disorderly fashion.

All these evils and yet an exercise of gift — especially the gift of tongues. Let us beware of, and eschew, that which makes man prominent. Edifying gift in its exercise gives prominence to Christ. It is one of the functions of the Spirit's ministry to glorify Christ (please read the words of our Lord as to this in John 16: 13-15). We conclude, therefore, that the exercise of power among the saints of God, as and when gathered to the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, is not necessarily an evidence of spirituality.

"To the praise of the glory of his grace"

"To the praise of the glory of his grace"

N. Anderson.

The ministry of our Lord, as recorded in the Gospel of John was preparatory to the truth of the Mystery, as later revealed to, and administered by, the apostle Paul. In John 10: 16, for example, He spoke of "other sheep," obviously Gentiles, but only after He had spoken of giving His life for the sheep, in verse 11. This distinguishes Him as "the Good Shepherd"

This was new teaching indeed, that Jews and Gentiles should be blessed together and to form "ONE FLOCK and ONE SHEPHERD." There is, of course, no organic unity here. The Old Testament prophets had witnessed that Gentiles should be blessed. For instance, we have several cited in Romans 15: 8-13. These citings from the prophets while bearing out that grace would visit the nations yet they do not negative the fact that Israel would still be the head and not the tail. Here, though, our Lord intimated that oneness of blessing which would result from His shepherding — levelling both. While being an advance on that prophesied in the Old Testament it was not yet the unfolding of the Mystery.

In John 11: 47-52, the overruling of the hand of God is clearly seen in the prediction made by Caiaphas, for the divine comment is, "And this he spoke not of himself; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad."

Here we have the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit emphasised, spite of the unfitness of the holder of the office. Again, while there is no intimation of the Mystery here, there is assuredly that from amongst Jews and Gentiles there would be formed ONE FAMILY. This intimates clearly that the way was preparing for the eventual revelation of the truth that the saints on earth would be one with Christ in glory. Then again, in the prayer of our Lord in John 17: 20-23, does it not open out that something more than Gentiles rejoicing with His people may be expected? "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us . . ."

The testimony would continue beyond the apostles — the then remnant of Israel — and the prayer was sufficiently embracing to take us in. For in this our day we have been brought to God by the application to us of the apostles' word in the power of the Holy Spirit. This second unity is one of our abiding in the blessed mutuality of the communion ever existent between the Father and the Son. A unity of communion, only possible to those having the same life and nature as have the Father and the Son. The practical issue from this would be spiritual power reflected in the witness before this world of the saints — "that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me."

Please read Acts 2: 44-47, also Acts 4: 4, 31-35. Such the impact on men of this manifest unity, their being "of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common," that they had "favour with all the people. And the Lord added . . daily," also later, "many of them which heard the word believed."

While blessing attended this expressed unity of communion there was the exposure of that which was contrary, Acts 5, calling forth the exercise of holy government. Holiness having been pronounced, "great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things." "And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women."

Whatever the present sad state of things in the christian profession, nevertheless the world has seen the saints in true unity and has been affected to the extent that many believed. Yet however blessed this has been, exemplifying — to borrow descriptive language from Hebrews 2: 11 — that this new company was "all of one," with the Sanctifier, the revelation of the Mystery was still awaited. This being so, sufficient has been said to support our premise that the ministry of our Lord has prepared the way for that revelation.

Psalm 63

Psalm 63

A Song for the Wilderness

N. Anderson.

What can I do in the wilderness — where there is loneliness, distress, affliction, sorrow, even persecution? Cast myself upon God Who cares for me and is unfailing!

"Early will I seek Thee" — Having known Him in the secret of His presence, in the Sanctuary, in communion with its resultant praise, I would also know Him where the pressure is. Too, sadly, Sanctuary experience is uncommonly rare, yet we may know Him — He would have us know Him — in the wilderness as in the Sanctuary.

"Thy power, Thy glory" — power which supports, glory which transports — surely the wilderness blossoms as the rose! Praise flows to Thee, for Thy loving kindness which is better than life. Life is so uncertain and so brief: His loving kindness is so sure, so enduring! This makes life worth living, even with its trials, causing the soul to bless God's Name.

O grace, which evokes response from the barren sands; satisfaction! The fatness of God's house makes the soul rejoice indeed — and so, to praise.

The bed of affliction becomes the bed of His remembrance — the place of sweet meditation. The sense of His protective covering sustains the joy of the soul.

"Thy right hand" is for Thine own — Thine enemies will know it in deserved judgment: we know it now in blessing while anticipating the day when the King shall come into His own. Then shall everyone, who is cast upon Him, glory.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation

N. Anderson.

Luke 2: 14, "Good pleasure in men," is the present fruit of "Glory to God in the highest."

A further consequence awaits the world to come, when Christ, having been manifested, shall establish righteousness in the earth.

"The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32: 17).

"Glory to God" must be secured primarily.

"In the highest," envisages the establishment of His will, and of His claims to universal sovereignty.

Today we are looking back to the Cross. There, the Son of God, by His sacrificial work, secured the glory of God; we are now looking forward to the day of manifestation with all that blessedly shall attend it in the world to come. yet, here and now, a substantive reality is "good pleasure in men."

Reconciliation has been effected. Where God was grieved and disturbed — by the advent of sin — He is now complacent. The portent of this was signalized in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Apart from the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, the most stupendous occurrence in the history of time and of the timeless eternity had taken place. God had come into His creation — He had become Man!

The heavenly hosts were set agog! The far reaching effects of this marvellous and gracious condescension were anticipated and celebrated by them in praise. The first, Righteousness — for God was to be glorified. Second, Peace — for earth was to be freed from the thraldom and misery of the curse. The third, Joy — for God was to find His pleasure where once all had opposed Him. Of all this, so the heavenly host intimated, the Birth of Christ was the Pledge. But the Cross of Christ was the Basis!

Do we not read in Romans 5: 10, "Reconciled to God through the death of His Son"? Romans 5 and Colossians 1 coalesce in these two things; the character of the subjects of reconciliation, and its imperishable Basis. Romans 5: 10 — "enemies;" Colossians 1: 21 — "Alienated and enemies." Colossians goes deeper than Romans. The latter (up to this point) lays emphasis on practice, the former, additionally, predicates an alienated mind. So Romans deals largely with the matter of guilt, Colossians with the state. Both guilt and state have been fully accounted for "Through the death of His Son" (Romans 5), and "in the body of His flesh through death" (Colossians 1).

Earlier in this 1st chapter of Colossians we are taught that, "by Him to reconcile all things to itself, having made peace by the blood of His cross — by Him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens."

So then, all things are to be brought into the good of reconciliation. Such is the value of the shed blood of, "the Son of His love" — shed upon the Cross — that there is to be such a cleansing from defilement that God will find His pleasure universally.

In the meantime persons are affected, "yet now has it reconciled."

We may now pause, and seek to answer the question, What are the features of Reconciliation?

Where enmity and hatred existed, now intimacy and affection subsist.

Where distance and estrangement were, nearness and complacency are.

Those reconciled are now at rest before God and He is at rest in having them thus.

The source of reconciliation:

"All things are of the God Who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 5: 18).

The sphere of it: "If any one be in Christ, there is a new creation" (2 Cor. 5: 17).

We are reconciled as being in Christ, where there is nothing to disturb; where there is only that which gratifies the heart of God.

To summarise:

The Pledge of it — the Birth of our Lord.  Luke 2: 14.

The Subjects of it — guilty enemies.   Romans 5: 10.

The Basis of it.      Col. 1: 21, 22.

The Source of it.      2 Cor. 5: 18.

The Sphere of it.      2 Cor. 5: 17.

The Repository of the truth of it.    2 Cor. 5: 18.

The Testimony of it —  "Be reconciled to God." 2 Cor. 5: 20.

The present Gain of it.     Romans 5: 11.

The Effects of it: —

Where enmity and hatred were, intimacy and affection are.

Where distance and alienation were, nearness and complacency are.

The reconciled are now at rest before God, and He, the Reconciler, is at rest in having them thus.

Thoughts on Revival

Thoughts on Revival

2 Chronicles 34 and 35.

The Word of the Lord in the ascendant

N. Anderson.

May/June 1968

The revival in the days of Josiah, king of Judah, followed the dreadful lapse during the reigns of Manasseh and Amon. These two, Manasseh especially — although he was converted towards the end of his days after being disciplined under the government of God by a Babylonish captivity — had dissipated all the goodly effects of the wonderful revival in the days of Hezekiah. Josiah set out to rid the land of idolatry. By the eighteenth year of his reign he had purged the land and the house. This being accomplished he set about repairing the house of the Lord with a view to full recovery.

During the search of the house for the money needed for the work of restoration, "Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses." This he delivered to Shaphan the scribe saying, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD." How sorry a reflection on the preceding condition in Judah — the Word of God had been lost! Now it was recovered!

The book was found, it was brought to the king; it was read before the king, and it was immediately effective. The king heard the words of the law. He rent his garments, thus expressing his heartfelt contrition at the prevailing condition of things. Harkening to God's Word he sent the priest and the scribe to enquire of the LORD. The Word of God and prayer are ever the antecedents of revival. The prophetic word was given — judgment must fall on this intolerable state of affairs amongst the professed people of God. Yet the mercy of God takes account of real repentance. He marks the contrite heart, the self-humbling, the rending of the garments, the weeping of repentance. God hears — God blesses.

National revival for Judah, extending to all that were present in Israel, started with one man. The words of the book which had so affected him he read to all — priests, Levites, and all the people, great and small. He and they stood to the recovered Word. The first result of this obedience was the keeping of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This was indicative of their recognising that the judgment of God was met by sacrifice, and of their desire to be in moral accord with His holy requirements. How deep the self-judgment of those days! What a cleansing of their houses and associations would follow!

The Passover was killed; they sprinkled the blood; they roasted the Passover with fire; the singers were in their place; all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day; the burnt offerings were offered. There had been nothing like this since the days of Samuel the prophet, some four hundred years before.

The moral of this great revival was that it flowed from the reading and application of the Word of God. The prerequisite of revival in any day must be a whole-hearted acceptance of that Word manifested in an unqualified obedience to it. May we in our day take heed to the Word of God. We can only affect others in the measure in which we ourselves are recovered to God. The measure of our obedience to the Word of God will be the measure of our moral power with others.

Note also, although seven hundred years had elapsed since the Word of the Law had been given by Moses to Israel, and although serious division existed between the twelve tribes, nevertheless this remnant movement returned in principle to that which was from the beginning. Their national history commenced with the Passover, and now the door is open for the recovery of all the people of God. True revival would affect our souls in regard to all the truth of God for all the saints of God.

Any who are recovered, in this our day and generation, would seek to gather together to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ in the acknowledgment of His Headship of the Assembly; in the recognition of the presence of the Holy Spirit as the representative of Christ in the Assembly, and as the sole power for reception and communication of the truth of God. They would embrace the truth of the mystery of Christ and the Assembly, and thus prove the blessedness of deliverance from human organization. They would find this divine revelation very humbling to themselves, producing self-judgment and separation from evil in the power of known good. What a moral adjustment would be brought about in their everyday lives — what a setting of their house in order; what cleansing of associations; what keeping of themselves from idols. But with all this, what communion with God in the enjoyment of the revelation of Himself in the Person of the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. How full the response in worshipping the Father in Spirit and in truth, and how rich the ministry of the Word amongst them. How empowering this would be to the testimony of the Gospel, for as God is honoured in their giving Christ His place amongst them in the realized power of the indwelling Spirit, there will be a rich outflow in the attractive sweetness of saving grace to the unconverted.

May God grant that we all, writer and reader alike, may lay these few thoughts to heart and be thus enabled to truly pray, "Revive Thy work in the midst of the years" (Habakkuk 3: 2).

"Wilt Thou not revive us again; that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Shew us Thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us Thy salvation. I will hear what God the LORD will speak; for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints; but let them not turn again to folly" (Psalm 85: 6-8).

Romans 16: 25-27; Colossians 1: 12 to 2: 3

Romans 16: 25-27; Colossians 1: 12 to 2: 3.

N. Anderson.

The reception of the gospel in faith is essential to our apprehending the truth of the Mystery. Justification by faith and the confession of Jesus as Lord bring into salvation (see Romans 10: 8-13). The nature and character of God are brought out in the gospel. His nature — love; His character — holiness and righteousness. All presented on the principle of faith to faith. This involved the sacrifice of Christ whereby God's righteousness in blessing man was established. Man after the flesh has been judicially set aside thereby. The First Adam has been superseded by Christ, the Last Adam. If He is preached according to the gospel He is the new racial Head. It is equally true that He is the Head of every man (1 Cor. 11: 3 and Rom. 5: 18). So if God has to say to man for blessing He says it in Christ.

We learn from Col. 1 that Christ is preached according to both the gospel and the Mystery. He is pre-eminently Son of the Father's love. Into His kingdom we have been translated by the Father, having been delivered from the authority of darkness, blessed deliverance and translation. The Son of His love is Head of Creation, having entered it in inimitable grace by assuming Manhood. In doing so He takes precedence of all as Firstborn of all Creation. Not as first one born, that would make Him part of creation, but as First in rank. This declares His glory and His grace. He, as the active agent of the Godhead, brought creation into being, for His was the word which brought all things out of nothing.

We read in Col. 1: 16 that all was created "in Him" and "by Him" — He accomplished it "for Him." All shall serve His purpose, He shall be glorified in all.

Having shed His blood — this at once involved His incarnation and crucifixion — He shall yet reconcile all things in heaven and in earth to the Godhead. By His efficacious death He has now reconciled those who form the Assembly, in the body of His flesh through death. Thus we are in suitability to Himself. We have been brought to God by the gospel, and as sealed with the Holy Spirit, form the One Body of Christ. This leads us to the blessed apprehension of the truth of the Mystery. So we have been "baptised by one Spirit into one body" (1 Cor. 12: 13).

Christ is our life, He is our Object, that life in all its moral beauty is being reproduced and perpetuated in the members of His body, the Assembly, in the very world where He was rejected and crucified. This truth, "Christ in you, the hope of glory," is the crown of that which we have already seen in the ministry of our Lord. He was not then glorified, the Spirit could not be given, while as we have suggested His ministry prepared the way for what has now come to pass — Christ and the Assembly are one. This was implicit in the word of our glorified Lord to Saul of Tarsus, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" To this the astonished Saul replied, "Who art Thou, Lord?," and there came the answer, "I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest." Thus was the arch opponent won, and he went his way, to have revealed to him from the same Lord the truth of the Mystery, and to have committed to him the administration of it.

We have learned, I trust, that Gentile believers along with Jewish believers have been united to the glorified Christ. This is just what the truth of the Mystery means.

Romans 16: 25-27

Romans 16: 25-27.

N. Anderson.

The Roman epistle commences with that which is "of God"; it concludes with an ascription of praise — "to God . . . be glory." God has revealed His righteousness in grace, through Jesus Christ, and such is the value of redemption that glory is secured to God, through Christ for ever. Romans 11: 36 declares, "for of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

The verses heading this short paper give us to know that there is power with God to establish us. We have need of this establishing which gives to us a sense of certainty. So God would have us established in regard to what the apostle Paul calls:

"My gospel"

"The preaching of Jesus Christ"

"The revelation of the mystery."

The epistle to the Romans gives us the teaching of Paul's gospel. In it there is: —

Romans 1 — the revelation of the righteousness of God against the dark background of the ruin of man.

Romans 3 and 4 — Justification on the principle of faith.

Romans 5 — Brings out the blessedness of peace with God; reconciliation; justification of life and the truth of the believer's blessings as transferred from the headship of fallen Adam and being now under the Headship of Christ.

Romans 6 — Deliverance from the power of sin and standing in grace.

Romans 7 — Deliverance from the bondage and condemnation of the law and attachment to the risen Christ.

Romans 8 — Deliverance from condemnation; freedom from the law of sin and death in the power of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Sins have been so answered for in the death of Jesus that God is righteous in justifying the believer. Our guilt has been satisfactorily dealt with. We are brought from the distance and condition of enmity into the nearness and complacency of reconciliation. Hence — though having been made fully aware that we had sinned and come short of the glory of God — we joy in God in addition to rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.

From Romans 5: 12 we are taught that not only our guilt — our sins — but the state of sin in us which produced the sins has been dealt with, sacrificially in the death of Christ. We have been transferred from our old standing "in Adam;" we are now "in Christ" — and there there is no condemnation, for there is nothing to condemn. We are freed from the state of being "in the flesh" — we are now "in the Spirit." We are waiting in hope for redemption by power, for then our bodies will be delivered from all that belongs to this groaning creation. We shall be conformed to the image of God's Son.

God would have the truth of these blessed things built into our souls and He is, the apostle says, "of power to establish you according to my Gospel."

The second blessed feature of this establishing power is, "the preaching of Jesus Christ." Preached in relation to the gospel He is the Mercy Seat. For God to meet with men is blessed indeed. The mercy seat speaks of the throne of God (see Psalm 99: 1). Every claim of God must be met to His glory. His rights must be maintained if He is to meet men in blessing. So Christ is set forth a propitiation, read, "a mercy seat through faith in His blood" (Romans 3: 25). The only way to God in righteousness is through faith in that blessed Saviour. God "is just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."

He is Lord, the administration of the grace of God is in His hand. He is the head of every man (see Romans 5: 18) and so God extends the free gift to all men to justification of life. He is the Head of a race which stands before God in the righteousness which His act of obedience in sacrificially dying at Calvary has secured. Little wonder that the gospel testimony says "that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved."

Precious Saviour!

Preached according to the revelation of the mystery He is the Head of the body (see Ephesians 5: 23 and Colossians 1: 18). He is Head over all things to the Assembly. He is the risen and exalted Man, set at God's right hand "far above all . . ."

The gospel is preparatory to the mystery. One blessed effect of the establishing power of God is that we accept, as vital and delivering truth, that God has finished with man after the flesh. His judgment of that man was expressed at the Cross. The established believer has, as someone has expressed it, "Changed his man." There is only one Man before God — the Man Christ Jesus. Unless we are established in the truth of the gospel we cannot rightly go on to the truth of the mystery, for we learn from Romans 12: 5 we "are one body in Christ."

Our position thus is apart from all that is of the flesh, apart from all that belongs to the line of the fallen head, Adam. Just as Eve was of Adam, derived from him by the creatorial work of God, so the Assembly is derived from Christ by the new-creation work of God. In Ephesians 1, already partly quoted, we learn that the Assembly as the body is the "fullness of Him that filleth all in all."

The Assembly, then, is the complement of the glorified Man. As the body, the Assembly expresses the life of Christ the Head. As His bride the Assembly will answer to the love of her Husband for evermore. As His wife she will share with him in the administration of the world-to-come as His helpmeet.

The mystery is not part of God's ways, although the glory of it will be displayed in that period when all His ways shall be headed up in Christ, the administration of the fullness of the times. Neither is it an appendix to the Old Testament, for it was hidden in past ages; silence was kept as to it during the time ages. Now, since Christ has been crucified, raised, and exalted, and the Holy Spirit has come down from heaven, the silence of the ages has been broken — the secret of God is revealed, a fit companion has been secured for His Son.

This product of God's eternal purpose is made known by the prophetic Scriptures according to the commandment of the eternal God. The truth of the mystery will only be found in the epistles of Paul, for to him alone was the administration of it committed. It is now made known, as was the Gospel (Romans 1: 5), to "all nations for the obedience of faith." Verse 27 connects with verse 25: "Now . . to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen."

In closing, we repeat that all which emanates from God shall eventuate in praise to God. For just as it has been written in regard to the wonder of God's judgments and the unsearchability of His ways, so we would apply to His eternal purpose and the Mystery which is God's masterpiece — that is, that Christ and the Assembly are one — this ascription, "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen." (Romans 11: 36).

Romans 8: 14-30

Romans 8: 14-30

N. Anderson.

A normal feature of sonship is the leading of the Holy Spirit. Amongst other things, He leads to the moral judgment of what we were so that we might accept the truth of being identified with Christ. He was crucified that judicially "our old man" would be crucified with Him. Accepting this we realise we need power to live to God. The Spirit then is, "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus." Hence He leads in the consciousness of deliverance from the bondage of sin, also from the bondage and fear of the law. On the positive side the Spirit leads into the liberty and joy of sonship. This is the new place of the believer, through grace and redemption. The Spirit is also the witness with our spirits of our new and proper relationship as children of God. This ensures heirship with Christ. Though not at home any longer in the world where Christ was crucified, where consequently suffering with Christ is our portion, the hope of glory with Christ is spread before us. In the light of this, present time sufferings are not worthy of being compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us. This shall be the glory of Christ's supremacy and also of the Father's house. These shall be revealed to us in the moment of our being caught up to meet our glorified and glorious Lord.

So, we are waiting to go in and, if so, creation awaits our coming out. Creation expects the manifestation of the sons of God.

The creation is in subjection to the bondage of corruption with its suffering and death. It has been made subject to vanity — unlike man, the fallen head — "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 . . . into the liberty of the glory of the children of God" (verses 21, 22 N. Tr.). Creation has no place in the glory of grace but it will have in that which glory gives.

The Creator would not have it that the creation have the ascendancy over man, and so He subjected it. The period of its subjection is limited, God has His own purpose and in His own time He shall glorify the many sons. In the meantime the whole creation groans and travails together in pain until now, and we groan too as linked with it in these bodies of humiliation. If the creation awaits its deliverance, we do also — we await redemption by power. We are redeemed by blood, every judicial question which could be raised has been settled to God's eternal and righteous satisfaction, we are waiting to be freed from the weakness of our present condition. We shall yet have bodies like unto Christ's body of glory — bodies suited to the treasure which they now contain.

The Spirit is the first-fruits of that coming glorious day and it is the Christian company which possesses Him as such. We have been saved in hope — in hope of the glory! While we hope we wait with patience. And thus are we helped for the Spirit understands the inarticulate groans of the saints of God deeply inwrought with holy sensibilities. While they do not know what to pray for as they ought "the Spirit itself makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered." Whilst unutterable on our side, they are not unknowable with God who searches our hearts, for He knows what is the mind of the Spirit Who prays according to God. We do now however that all things work together for good — things pleasing and otherwise. The things which beset saints in their journey here are allowed of God. We are sons of God and are being educated as sons for the day of glory. Rejoice then that we are among those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. That purpose is impossible of being thwarted for it will eventuate in our being conformed unto the image of His Son. When this does take place Christ shall be manifested amongst His brethren in the day of kingdom glory, grace has wrought with this blessed end in view. The many brethren are being formed now in order to their being His representatives then. He shall be the Firstborn among many brethren, all praise to Him.

"Satisfied with favour"

"Satisfied with favour"

N. Anderson.

"And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD; possess thou the west and the south" (Deuteronomy 33: 23).

In these verses, part of the blessing of Moses the man of God, four truths suggest themselves which lead us, as to the New Testament equivalent, to the Ephesian Epistle.

1. "Satisfied with favour". This indicates something which Naphtali, whilst he enjoyed it, did not find in himself; he found it in another. For this favour he looked from self to God. Indeed this word "favour" is translated in verse 16, "the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush." Ephesians 1: 5, 6 (N. Tr) reads, " . . . according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has taken us into favour in the Beloved," the measure of which favour can only be rightly appreciated as we learn the place which our Lord Jesus Christ (His work on earth well done) has now on high with the Father, blest Object of all the Father's love, in that scene of bliss and joy supernal. In Him the Father rests, finding in Him everything which accords with His own love and holiness; and as learning His place of acceptance with the father we learn our own too as in Him — a satisfying portion for our souls, lifting us above the sphere of time and sense. Well might we sing with overflowing hearts:-

"We bless Thee, God and Father,

We joy before thy face;

Beyond dark death for ever,

We share Thy Son's blest place.

He lives a Man before Thee,

In cloudless light above,

In Thine unbounded favour —

Thine everlasting love."

Standing in this favour, nothing of God's eternal purpose is hidden from us; so the apostle prays that we might be enlightened in the eyes of our heart in order to know the hope of God's calling (sonship, verse 5); the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (vv. 8-10); and the working of His mighty power by which all shall be implemented as a result of the resurrection of our Lord (v. 20).

Here the eternal purpose of God is objectively presented to us, it is for us to know. It is a very blessed thing to have the prophetic word opening up the future and revealing the things to come, but in Ephesians 1 we are taken back (as verse 4 tells us) before the world's foundation, into the counsel chamber of eternity to be initiated into the deep things of God. How blessed our portion, to be given such a place of nearness so that the things which lie nearest the Father's heart for His own glory and that of His beloved Son (and our part in it all, through grace and salvation as sealed by the Holy Spirit on the ground of accomplished redemption) should be full revealed to us.

Satisfied with this favour, may we be preserved from seeking favour at the hands of a world which has rejected and crucified God's beloved Son — HE in whom we have been taken into favour.

2. Every objective blessing and privilege calls for response and a practical subjective answer on the part of the recipients of blessing. If Ephesians 1 brings before us the favour in which we now stand; if the apostle prayed that we might apprehend the greatness and grandeur of the purpose of God, chapter 3 brings before us what should be our answer to it.

Ephesians 1 is objective — what we should know;

Ephesians 3 is subjective — what we should be filled with.

Chapter 1 shows what has been made available to us in association with the glorified Christ on the ground of His redemptive work; chapter 3 what is wrought in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thus we may apply the second part of the blessing of Naphtali to chapter 3: —

"Full with the blessing of the LORD."

Paul, in his prayer (Ephesians 3: 14), commences at the very fountain head  -  "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in the heavens and on earth is named." We belong to one of the heavenly families, to that family which is related to the Father in blest association with His dear Son, in regard to which He said, "Go to My brethren and say to them, I ascend to My Father, and your Father . . ." (John 20: 17).

As belonging to this innermost family it is our privilege to be blessed "with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ." The choicest things of God — the things of the Father and of the Son — are made known to us; hence the apostle, in his prayer, seeks a corresponding response.

The resources at the Father's disposal for our blessing are spoken of in superlative language — "the riches of His glory." Everything, too, is administered in that same free giving of God which brought us faith in Christ as Saviour, as the apostle prays, "that He would grant you," according to the riches of all that He is and has, "to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man."

In chapter 1, the greatness of His power is towards us; in chapter 3, it is "the power that worketh in us;" and in chapter 6, we are to be strong "in the power of His might" in order to stand against the onslaughts of spiritual wickedness.

We certainly need this power by which alone we are able to apprehend all that is spread before us in Ephesians 3: 17-19, and there is that within us (fruit of God's operation by the Spirit) here designated "the inner man," which is the subject of His gracious ministry with the intent "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith."

The Lord Jesus, who has proved His heart's love to us in the depths to which He went, seeks our hearts; not that He might have occasional response from us, but that He might have a continual dwelling place in our hearts; He would win our hearts that He might have undivided sway there. There are lawful claims upon us — natural, domestic, secular — yet if we yield to that amazing love of His, the moment we are free we shall turn to Him in holy, happy communion; His claim of love transcends all others.

For the moment we see Him not, but until we do may faith be in exercise to gladly accord Him this place. Then, like the tree, our roots will strike deep until they are founded in the depths of divine love. We shall be formed in the divine nature — that which is presented in the ministry of John as the marks of that nature will have a prominent place with us, and thus the whole circle of divine interests here — "all saints" — will find a near and dear place in those affections which embrace Christ and are rooted and founded in the love of God. Then, "with all saints", we shall take in the vast expanse — "breadth, and length, and depth and height" — of the counsel of God. The whole vista of that which the Father has planned, and is working for His own glory and for that of His Son, will be affectionately apprehended by us. Mere mental intelligence will not do; how great a place love has in the intelligent acquisition of truth! If we loved more we would learn more.

To look out on these four dimensions we must needs be at the centre of divine purpose, and this is the Assembly's place — by the side of her glorious Head. Should this contemplation of the vast range of glory and of blessing tend to stagger and overwhelm us, we find a calm resting place in the love of Christ. Never, in time or eternity, shall we reach the end of the love of Christ, for it passeth knowledge.

All this precious wealth, prayed for on our behalf by the apostle Paul, has in view our being filled into all the fulness of God. Incomprehensible! but good by the Spirit's power for faith. Of our Lord Jesus Christ alone could it be said, while He moved in grace through the world, ". . in Him all the fulness . . . was pleased to dwell," and now that He has ascended, "in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." True of Him here in meekness; true of Him now in glory. May we then write over these precious words of Holy Scripture, "Full with the blessing of the Lord," and join in this ascription, "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 ages of ages. Amen."

3. Now such a one who is "Satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord," is invited to "possess the west and the south." We would take these further words as again suggestive of other precious things in the Ephesian epistle.

The Lord Jesus in speaking to the people in Luke 12: 54, 55 said, "When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, there cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass."

Let us consider a few thoughts suggested by the shower and the heat. Those who are taken into favour in the Beloved, and to whom the privilege is afforded of being full with the substance of Ephesians 3: 14-19, are described as forming "one body" (Ephesians 2: 16 and Ephesians 4: 4). The Assembly is composed of those who have believed the gospel of their salvation (Ephesians 1: 13), who are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ (v. 7), and are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (v. 13).

The company thus composed is called in Ephesians 1: 22, 23, "the Assembly, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all."

The day is hastening when the body will be with Him in manifested glory, to display Him in His all-varied features throughout the bounds of the world-to-come. In the meantime it is here in the world to set forth his moral graces. The Assembly as Christ's body is the vessel for the expression of His life in that very world which crucified Him — that world where He has been in meekness, long suffering, gentleness, peace, righteousness, holiness, goodness, kindness, love. The triumph of God is being witnessed today in that He is, by the power of His Spirit, producing the features of Christ's life in the members of His body.

Though refused here He ascended up on high (the earth rejected is the heaven accepted) and from thence, as the glorified Head, He sends down the showers of heavenly refreshment and nourishment to sustain "the whole body." He has given gifts "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

Everything that is necessary for the body flows down from him, and all is in view of that time when "we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

The gifts given by the ascended Christ are the apostles and prophets (these abide today in their authoritative writings — the New Testament), the evangelists, the pastors and the teachers. The evangelists go out with the glad tidings of the grace of God in the light of the revelation of the mystery which was made known to the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 3: 3-6), and the Head uses them in the gathering of souls for the Assembly, thus contributing to the growth of the body. The pastors exercise a gracious shepherd care to bind the saints together; and as thus bound together they are brought under the ministry of the teachers whom the Head uses for the instruction of His own as to His love to them in giving them such a place of unsurpassed blessing in union with Himself. How blessed are those who, in the simplicity of faith and in the sweetness of first love, hold the Head, eschewing the poverty stricken organisations of men. The body is a living organism, and can be sustained only by the impulse of life from its glorious Head.

These heavenly showers, where received, will establish our souls, preserving us from the inpouring floods of Satanically inspired false doctrines. How active he is in opposition to every truth of the Holy Word of God in this our day. How deadening the effect of the "wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."

May we all have an ear for Christ's Word. Only that which we receive from Him will benefit our brethren. To receive from Him we must abide in Him. Communion carries edifying communications which are to the good of all the saints of God, for they are replete with the sweet pervading of the love of Christ.

4. As we are brought under the influence of the warmth of the south wind there will be a speaking of the truth in love. What is there so sweet and tender, so heart-warming as love? And this love of Christ is a sacrificing love, for it has been fully demonstrated in the giving of Himself — "Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it."

This love is a giving love. The intrusion of the mind of man and the principles of the world amongst the people of God is destructive of fellowship and true growth. On the contrary as we live in communion with our Head in heaven we receive the gain of that holy love which diffuses amongst the members of His body. This love draws us under the power of that energetic ministry of the heavenly showers which flow from Himself in the glory. Thus, and only thus, will the body — every member functioning harmoniously in its place — make increase to the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4: 16).

The Lord grant that, being satisfied with favour and full with the blessing of the Lord, we might receive largely from the showers of the west, thus promoting more the warm influences of the south wind.

A Word on Service

A Word on Service

N. Anderson.

It is spiritually natural — if one may use such an expression — for anyone who is the subject of the saving grace of God, having trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, to desire to serve. There is a word given to servants, secularly, in the Colossians 3: 22-25, enjoining a character of service which could well be translated into the sphere of Christian service.

"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God; and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done; and there is no respect of persons."

If our service is going to be glorifying to God, honouring to the Lord, and effective in blessing to others, whether saint or sinner, this character must ever mark us.

While the Scripture speaks of secular service, indeed, that of the bondslaves, we learn that true service is not merely with a view to personal reward; and it must be with singleness of heart — disinterested service, exercised in the fear of God, and as being consciously under the eye of the Lord. He is the Appraiser of all service and will certainly reward all that is done unto Him. A salutary word, however, is enjoined upon all who serve. We are under His government, we serve under His Lordship. This being so, let us take this word to heart, so that our service in whatever sphere and of whatever kind may be circumspect, righteous, honourable; that it might be as becometh those who belong to God and who are acting in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we seek grace to act faithfully in all our service. One constant mark of the true servant is that he ever gives prominence to his Lord. We cannot possibly do this if we seek to exalt ourselves by and in our service.

A shining example of true servant character is given us in John Baptist. John 1: 6: — "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light . . "

Let us pass on now to verse 15 and listen to John's own words in his service: — "John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me; for He was before me."

The first thing that John says indicates that he has a very clear appreciation of the greatness and glory of the Person of his Lord. Verses 19 and 20: When asked, "who art thou?" John replied — "I am not the Christ." Five words! They persisted, "Art thou Elias?" — "I am not." Three words! "Art thou that prophet?" — "No." One word! Then in verse 22: "What sayest thou of thyself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." Whilst disclaiming any honour for himself he was true to the service committed to him. In verse 21, on being asked, "Art thou that prophet?" (a reference to Deuteronomy 18: 15) his reply was terse indeed — "No."

Yet he simply, as to himself, confessed to being what he truly was in the service of God, a voice. He was to serve his Lord in witnessing to Him and he hid himself behind his testimony. In verse 26 he said, "There standeth One among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." A most commendable servant was John the Baptist. He had no exaggerated ideas about himself. He was honest in his admission as to himself and thus he was useful in his confession of his blessed Lord.

"And many resorted unto Him (Jesus), and said, John did no miracle: but all things which John spake of this Man were true" (John 10: 41).

This is blessed indeed, to do nothing spectacular but in the quiet, steady continuance of service and testimony to speak of Him, our Lord, the precious Christ of God! How commendable if this be truly appended to your service and to mine: "All things we spoke of this Man were true." How blessed, too, could there be in our case such a result as that which followed John's witness, "And many believed on Him (Christ)."

"Not I, but Christ, be honoured, loved, exalted,

Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard;

Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,

Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word."

John did no miracle. In this respect his life was quite commonplace, yet how many true things he said of Christ. He confessed His sacrificial glory in those memorable words, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

He confessed His pre-time glory, "for He was before me." The glory of Christ's Person and work were prominent in his witness, and when John's work was done — he himself foully murdered — those who had often heard him were brought face to face with the Object of his witness and service — JESUS. And this was their verdict, "All things that John spake of this Man were true."

We tend to set a value on the spectacular and sensational in our service. Let us remember that the Lord so often uses the quiet, unpretentious witness of those whose chief commendation is that they are absorbed with Himself. Even the aged widow, Anna, has this recorded of her, "She spake of Him."

May we have like grace to serve Him in like manner, for He is eminently worthy.

"Sit thou at my right hand"

"Sit thou at my right hand"

Psalm 110: 1.

N. Anderson.

The importance of the present position of our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be overstated. He has gone there by the way of unparalleled suffering — the way of the cross.

A more than interesting event took place as recorded in Genesis 35. As Jacob and his entourage journeyed they left Bethel on the way to Ephrath which is Bethlehem, the predicted birthplace of the coming King (cf. Micah 5: 2). There Rachel travailed in birth and brought forth her last son. With her dying breath she named him, "Benoni" — son of my sorrow; but Jacob named the child "Benjamin — son of the right hand. Later in this book we learn that the sons of Israel cannot be blessed until Benjamin is brought forward.

The Psalm at the head of this meditation looks on to the world-to-come, with it administration of kingdom and sanctuary blessings from the hands of the King-Priest, the Son of the right hand. The exercise of the true Benjamin character, the putting down of every opposing element, will be the precursor to our Lord's glorious rule. Let it now be said that He who shall fill the place of universal supremacy is the One who first has plumbed the depths of deepest sorrow and suffering.

Without any doubt we can see our Lord Jesus Christ in this Psalm's prophetic announcement. Indeed, did He not silence His captious objectors in the Gospel — those false shepherds from amongst Herodians, Sadducees, and Pharisees — with three questions posed from this Psalm? "What think ye of Christ? whose son is He?" When they replied, "The Son of David," He said unto them, "How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord saith unto my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son?" Thus were their cavils silenced.

The "right hand" speaks of authority, power, and eminence. According to Exodus 15: 6, delivering and subduing power belong to the right hand. In Genesis 48: 14 the right hand is the dispenser of sovereign and irrevocable blessing. In the Psalm, David's Lord is invited by Jehovah to sit on His right hand. This is a fundamental truth, used by our Lord in the synoptic gospels as attesting the greatness of His Person. His exaltation thus is hailed in Acts 2: 32-36, as indicating God's approval of Him and at the same time reversing man's judgment.

There He is seated today: —

Hebrews 1: 3, in virtue of Who He is   -  Personally.

Hebrews 1: 13, as superior to angels   -  Positionally.

Hebrews 8: 1, as Priest, superseding Aaron  -  Officially.

Hebrews 10: 12, on account of His sacrifice  -  Redemptionally.

Hebrews 12: 2, because of His perfection  -  Morally.

1 Peter 3: 22, He is there in supremacy  -  Pre-eminently.

Let us remember, whatever truth is contained in these sayings, He is Himself commensurate with the position because He is the Son in the eternal greatness of His Person.

The Psalm tells us, prophetically, that He is there and shall be there until the moment of the kingdom, when all His foes shall be beneath His feet. In the interim, the "until," He is not inactive. Indeed, the Assembly belongs, peculiarly, to the period of the "until." We have often remarked that the hallmarks of this present period are — there is a Man in heaven, and a divine Person (the Holy Spirit) is here on earth.

Viewing Christ at God's right hand we learn something of His mediatorial glories: —

1. He is the Shepherd.

2. He is the Feetwasher.

3. He is the Advocate.

4. He is the Priest.

5. He is the Lord.

6. He is the Bishop of our souls.

7. He is the Head.

As Shepherd — He laid down His life for the sheep. He leads them outside of the Jewish order. He gathers them — from Jew and Gentile — together in one. He gives them eternal life.

As Feetwasher — He applies the cleansing property of the Word to us, freeing us from the defiling effects of the world through which we are passing, so that we might know the blessedness of part with Himself in the Father's world.

As Advocate —  He acts towards us in view of our recovery to the communion of eternal life, when the allowance of sin has robbed us of its blessed joy.

As Priest — He ministers succour, support, and salvation to us here in the wilderness journey where pressure and trial are, so that, lifted above the pressure, we might find ourselves in His company at home before God in the holiest, needing and asking nothing, but as purged worshippers giving worship to God in the beauty of holiness.

As Lord — He subdues us individually and collectively according to God. The bounty of heaven is under His hand and He administers it gladly amongst His own from His place at the right hand of God.

As Bishop — He cares for and controls His own in every exigency of their pathway.

As Head — He nourishes and cherishes every member of His body, the Assembly. He expresses His life morally in His members.

In these mediatorial offices He acts for His own — in some, individually, in some, collectively; as Head, corporately.

Thus, as we take account of the varied services of our blessed Lord in which He is engaged towards His own whilst He is at the right hand of God, we are assured He is not inactive.

Soon, for He is coming, the "until" shall end in His having the Assembly with and like Himself. Thenceforth the ways of God on earth, with an earthly people in view, shall resume and run on to the grand and glorious finale of the Kingdom.

May we acquaint ourselves with Him where He is today at God's right hand. May we lay hold of that rich ministry which He makes available for us. Then we shall fitly and faithfully represent Him in the world from which He is absent, until we are with Him above. What a moment, when the "Until" of the Psalm has ended, and He shall appear amongst the holy myriads of His saints, to be honoured and adored where once He was put to shame and crucified.

Some Men in the Epistles

Some Men in the Epistles

N. Anderson.

1. OUR OLD MAN — Rom. 6: 6. Has reference to all that believers were as in the flesh — they have died to that in the death of Christ.

2. THE OLD MAN — Eph. 4: 22; Col. 3: 9. Man in general, under the headship of fallen Adam, or "sin in the flesh."

3. THE NEW MAN — Eph. 4: 24; Col. 3: 10. What believers are as "in Christ" — "a new creation."

Note: Christ is nowhere said to be "the New Man." We read as to this, "after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" Christ is not a creature! While this is true, it is quite correct to say that the New Man is Christ characteristically.

4. ONE NEW Man — Eph. 2: 15. Embraces all believers from among the Gentiles and Jews.

5. INNER (or, INWARD) Man — Rom. 7: 22; 2 Cor. 4: 16; Eph. 3: 16. That which is formed in the soul by the sovereign operation of God, by the activity of a divine Agent — the Holy Spirit. Who uses a divine instrument — the incorruptible Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

6. OUTER MAN — 2 Cor. 4: 16. What we are naturally or externally.

7. HIDDEN MAN — 1 Pet. 3: 4. That which has been wrought in us in new birth — a new moral being. The graces of this hidden man of the heart are to be ornamented by obedience to the Word of God.

8. NATURAL MAN — 1 Cor. 2: 14. This is the unbeliever — devoid of any work of God in him. Consequently not born of God, nor sealed with the Holy Spirit.

9. SPIRITUAL MAN — 1 Cor. 2: 15. The believer, not only sealed with the Holy Spirit, but walking according to the Spirit.

10. CARNAL MAN — 1 Cor. 3: 1, 3, 4. A believer walking according to the flesh.

11. FIRST MAN — 1 Cor. 15: 47. The order in which man was created.

12. SECOND MAN — 1 Cor. 15: 47. The order of our Lord's Manhood — heavenly, holy, sinless.

13. FIRST ADAM — 1 Cor. 15: 45. Adam, the fallen head of a fallen race.

14. LAST ADAM — 1 Cor. 15: 45. Christ, the Head of a new race, taking character from Himself.

15. EARTHY MAN — 1 Cor. 15: 48. The origin of the first man was "dust" — "dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." His character being commensurate with his origin — "earthy."

16. HEAVENLY MAN — 1 Cor. 15: 48. The origin of the "Second Man" was "out of heaven." His character, as is that of all who are of His order, being spiritual and heavenly.

"When the Spirit of God calls our Lord "the Second Man," it is as good as telling us that all other men are but the reproduction of the First Man" (see Bible Treasury, Vol. 4, p. 348) Our Lord Jesus Christ is different, distinct, and distinguished, from the First Man. Truly Man — spirit, soul, and body — He has superseded and hast thus displaced the First Man entirely.

He has been raised from among the dead by the glory of the Father. Having accomplished redemption by His sacrificial death for sin at the cross, He has ascended up where He was before. Being by the right hand of God exalted, He has sent down the Holy Spirit to indwell His own, whom He has left in the world, to be "Another Comforter" in His room and stead. Also, as the Last Adam he has given them life in association with Himself as glorified. Thus He has a company here in this world from whence he has gone, in which, by the Spirit, He is reproducing His life.

"All like Thee, for Thy glory like Thee, Lord,

Object supreme of all, by all adored.

He is the "heavenly One," His own the "heavenly ones."

While Scripture teaches that "our OLD MAN is crucified with Christ" it never teaches that the First Man has been crucified. Human relationships belong, not to the order of the "Old Man," but to that of the "First Man," however sadly they have been coloured by the features of the Old Man. These relationships will continue for believers until our Lord shall come for us all, or until death shall intervene. While, as trusting Christ, "we have put off the Old Man"

and "have put on the New Man" (Col. 3: 10), we shall not put off the First Man until we leave this responsible sphere.

Morally, we are now of the order of the Second Man; and the Spirit of God, occupying us with Christ in glory, produces in us those features ever delightful to our God in Christ.

It is our privilege so to respond to this work of the Spirit that we introduce into the relationships of life the grace of the heavenly Man. Shortly we shall be with and like Him in the glory, then we shall certainly, and forever, be done with the order of the First Man.

Believers are: —  Heavenly in origin, in character, and in destiny (1 Cor. 15: 47, 48, 49).

"As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall bear the image of the heavenly."

Son of the Right Hand

Son of the Right Hand

N. Anderson.

(Extracted from Scripture Truth Vol. 46, 1977-9, pages 225-30.)

Genesis 35: 16-20 Hebrews 1: 3 and 13

Exodus 15: 6 Hebrews 8: 1 and 2

Psalm 80: 17 Hebrews 10.11-14

Psalm 110: 1 Hebrews 12.1 and 2

The four readings from the Hebrew Epistle are to be our theme, and I draw attention to the Old Testament scriptures as an introduction to it.

The Right Hand

This touching incident appeals to the heart and stirs the deepest feelings. A mother is travailing in birth, and the midwife is saying it is going to be another son, and "you will have this son also". But she died in giving birth to that son, although she lived long enough to see him, and to name him. She named him in relation to the condition in which she was, calling him Benoni, the son of my sorrow. Rachel had a very prominent place in the divine line. Jacob had his place, a key place, so to speak, in the ways of God, for God is the God of Abraham, and Isaac and of Jacob; and Rachel was absolutely essential in the ordering of God for the accomplishment of His designs. She named her son Benoni, as though, looking with the eye of faith down the passage of history, she saw that blessed Person of whom Isaiah wrote, "Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief". Jacob, when he renames his son, looks down the page of history with the eye of faith and he also takes account (I say this suggestively) of the Christ of God, not in relation to all that failing, sinful man could heap upon him, but in the light of the purpose and the calling of God. She said, Benoni, son of my sorrow. Jacob says, "that will never do, his name is Benjamin, the son of the right hand". So very early, you see, on the page of divine history, these two things are stamped by divine impression: the path of the suffering of the Christ of God, and the path of triumph and glory that was bound to ensue.

Exodus 15: 6, lifted in a sense out of its setting, gives some idea of what is connected with the thought of the right hand. "Thy right hand . . . is become glorious in power"; glorious power is connected with the right hand of God. The hand that has become glorious in power will establish the will of God and put down, as it did then historically in regard to Pharaoh and his host, every opposing element. When the will of God is established and every evil suppressed, the righteous government of God will be established in the Son of the right hand.

Psalm 80: 17, "Let thy hand be on the man of thy right hand". God's hand is laid upon him. Psalm 89: 19 says, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty". The Mighty one of Psalm 89 is the Man of the right hand in Psalm 80. God has a Man upon whom He can lay His hand, and if He lays His hand upon Him, it means that He is committing everything for His own glory to Him. There is no doubt who that Man is. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand" (John 3: 35). There is One before Him upon whom He can lay His hand, and in doing so bestows upon Him everything to God's glory. His hand is upon the Man of His right hand, upon the Son of Man whom He made strong for Himself.

Psalm 110 starts without preliminaries, "the LORD said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool". The name LORD in capitals in the A.V. signifies God's personal name, Jehovah, and "my Lord" has the meaning, my Master. There are thus two Persons. The God of Israel addressed the Messianic King "Sit thou at my right hand".

Obviously at the time of address He was not at the right hand. The Psalm is prophetic. Our Lord Jesus tells of this in Matthew 22. The shepherds of Israel, self appointed, all made an assault against the Son of God. The Herodians were the political faction in Israel; the Sadducees, the rationalists, the Pharisees ritualists. Politicians, rationalists ritualists, all join together, an "ecumenical" movement against the concentrated truth of God presented in the person of the Son of God. They were asking Him questions with the intention of ensnaring Him; but He could not be ensnared, and He asked them a question: "What think ye of Christ, whose son is he?" That put them on the horns of a dilemma. They said, "David's son". He replies, "How then does David in spirit call him Lord (Psalm 110: 1) saying, the LORD said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool?" After that, "neither durst any man . . . ask him any more questions". Our Lord gives us warrant to see that Psalm 110 applies exclusively to Himself. It gives us witness to the glory of that blessed Person who was traduced here by men. They dishonoured Him, they brought Him down, they treated Him ignominiously. The Psalmist, speaking by the Spirit of Christ, honoured Him, glorified Him; but beyond what the prophetic Spirit had to say in the rest of Psalm 110, this part of the Psalm has already been fulfilled. "Sit thou at my right hand"; that is where He is today; "until I make thy foes thy footstool". We are living in the "until". Our lot is cast in that word in Psalm 110, "until". "Sit thou" does not mean cessation of activity for Him; it means exaltation, glory and honour for Him. Hebrews 2 tells us, "We see not yet all things put under him", but there is something we do see, "we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels on account of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour". That is where and how He is today, and we have a link with Him in the period covered by the word, "until".

Our Lord occupies a waiting position today, and if this waiting is nearing completion, and the glory of the coming kingdom that belongs to the Benjamin, the Man of the right hand, nearing apace, how much nearer is the end of the "until" insofar as we (believers in the Lord Jesus Christ today) are concerned. In other words, how much nearer must the Rapture be, that blessed moment when He is going to descend into the air, and to give a rallying shout. Then every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is going to leave this world, to join Him in view of coming with Him in the glory of the Kingdom. He is coming for us in order that He might bring us with Him. Thank God we know Him now in the "until" period, know Him as Hebrews depicts Him in the verses which will now be our theme.

In approaching these four passages from Hebrews I feel so inadequate in speaking about Him. He is so great, so glorious that He is beyond human explanation. It does not matter how much we learn of Him, He is always ahead of us. The great apostle of the Gentiles was always saying that there is something about Him that he was still reaching for; "that I may know Him". This was the great ambition of his affection and life.

He is There in virtue of His Person

The context of Hebrews 1: 3, "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high". One of the facets of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son, is that He has by Himself made purification for sins. Do you say that forgiveness of sins is elementary? Do you know that it took such a Person as this to effect it? The fifth chapter of Revelation tells me that in the glory they are going to sing a new song, and the burden of the new song is, "Thou west slain and hast redeemed to God by Thine own blood". Surely that covers the forgiveness of sins. He is the one and He is the only one who could, and who has, dealt with our sins. Having made by Himself the purification for sins, [He] set Himself down on the right hand of the greatness on high. He is there today because of who He is, and every part of these verses sets forth His greatness and glory. One of the facets of His greatness and glory is that He has, by Himself, made purification for sins.

He is There in Virtue of His Preeminence

I simply say with regard to Him at the right hand (verse 13), He is there pre-eminent in relation to the myriads of angels. Revelation 5 also tells us there is an innumerable company of angels, and He takes precedence over them all, because of who He is, and because of where He is, at the right hand. "To which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand"? There is only one archangel named in scripture, Michael, but even Michael is not at the right hand; Michael is at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. Gabriel, now called an archangel, is at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ; they are all there, and, what is more, the devil is going to be there. He is going to bow the knee to Jesus and to own that Jesus Christ is Lord. "Wherefore God hath highly exalted him (that is, He is at the right hand), and given him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly beings, earthly beings and infernal beings", and that takes it down into the nether regions where the devil will be. And when the infernal beings hear that blessed name of Jesus sounded out, they are all going to bow the knee, and the devil will be the first to say, "He is Lord", not willingly, but by power. Our Lord Jesus Christ is positionally pre-eminent above the angelic hosts because they are only ministering spirits, and He is the Lord of all (1: 13, 14).

He is There in Virtue of His Priesthood

In Hebrews 8: 1, He is there in virtue of His office, superseding the priesthood of Aaron. "We have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." There is a wealth of meaning behind the word "such". Our Lord Jesus Christ is set down as priest at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. You will notice here it says the right hand of the throne; it is an official position. Hebrews speaks of the throne, not quite so much on the line of government, but as the throne of grace (4: 16). The administration of all the divine support, succour and sympathy that the saints of God need, is embodied at the foot of the throne; and the One who sits there in the administration of it is none other than that blessed Man who has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. "He knows what sorest trials mean, for He has felt the same." He has been through it all and is qualified to act as our priest in the presence of God. But the kind of ministering that I am referring to — succour, support, sympathy and salvation — belongs to Him at the right hand of God to minister to us here where the pressures are, so as to relieve our spirits of the downward pull of it all, that we might be free to join Him as the minister of the sanctuary, giving to Him that which He will offer Godward.

He is There in Virtue of His Sacrifice

Chapter 10: 12. He is there on the ground of redemption. He is there in virtue of His sacrifice. Our passage commences: "every priest standeth". In the Old Testament order of things every priest stands, and never sits down. He never sat down, because his work of sacrifice was never done. He was daily ministering and offering, oftentimes the same sacrifices, bulls and goats — we read of it in the book of Leviticus —  which can never, never, take away sins. There is a difference of only one letter between the exercise of the Aaronic priest and such an high priest as ours. It is the difference between 'never' and 'ever'. He sits forever because the work that he does is done for ever. Thus, ineffectiveness was written over the Old Testament priestly order. How utterly misguided has been the organised priestly order extending over the whole history of Christianity, in imitation of what God has set aside!

Thank God the Lord Jesus Christ, unlike those priests, is brought in here in verse 12, "But this man". Take notice of the 'buts' of scripture; they emphasise contrast. "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down." Note the correction from "one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down" to "one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down"; that is, He sat down in perpetuity. He sat down everlastingly because His work is everlastingly done. After a work so gloriously completed, "He . . . for ever sat down on the right hand of God". When I say, He is there in virtue of His sacrifice, I do not mean that He is there sacrificing. That was done on the cross for ever and the greatness and perfection of His work is here in verse 12. In verse 14 we learn that the results are as good as the work and His saints are as clear from sins and iniquities as the One who has done the work. We read here, "by one offering he hath perfected, [the same language as before] in perpetuity them that are sanctified". Christ is at the right hand in all the glory of redemption's work, and we know Him there, on the basis of what He has done at the Cross.

He is There in Virtue of His Moral Perfection

Let us recall the verses in full, for every phrase is significant. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

The witnesses are not spectators looking at the saints running the race. They are witnesses to all that faith can do. It has often been said: faith believes the incredible, sees the invisible, and does the impossible, and this could be written over chapter eleven.

In view of the cloud of witnesses, what are we to do? Scripture answers: "Let us lay aside every weight and sin which doth so easily beset us". The words, 'besetting sin' are often misused. It is not in this passage some particular sin, but sin, which easily besets or entangles us, like a piece of rope on the track getting between a runner's feet and tripping him up.

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking off unto Jesus." What are we going to look off from? Let us look off from the witnesses, look off from our brethren, look off everything else, but look unto Him!

"Looking off unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith." This means that He was the One who began and completed the whole course of faith. He has gone the whole way.

"Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Just think of Him as the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief, yet joy was set before Him. It does not say He despised the cross, but He despised the shame, that is, he despised what men did to Him. The cross was different for it involved His being made sin, which established the glory of God. He despised the shame of what puny man heaped upon Him.

What is the result? He is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. He is there because of His moral perfection and beauty. Thank God for the true Benjamin, Son of the right hand. May God give us grace to run with endurance, looking off unto Jesus.

The Sufficiency of Christ

The Sufficiency of Christ

Colossians 2: 5-19; Colossians 3: 1-4.

N. Anderson.

I think you will agree that there is a long story between Colossians 2: 6, and Colossians 3: 4. In the first of these we have the Beginning; in the other, the Consummation of the Christian pathway. In the Colossian epistle we have one of the fullest presentations of the glory of the Son of God. In Colossians 1, the Spirit of God brings out His glory step by step, and He is the living object Who shall fill and absorb us for eternity. We shall never tire of the glory, all-sufficiency and charm of our Saviour. In the present day the devil's invasion of the Christian profession is most marked. How sad that traditions of men, philosophy, science (falsely so-called), vain deceit, etc., have been allowed by those who profess faith to permeate the Christian company in spite of the greatness and sufficiency of Christ. It is all around us to-day, hence we need this epistle now more than ever before.

Referring to the first Colossians 5: 12, the apostle turns to thanksgiving. It is blessed to begin there realising that however much we may increase in spiritual apprehension, we are no more fitted thereby for "sharing the portion of the saints in light" than when we first believed in Christ. Though the tide of evil is engulfing Christendom we are made fit and that by the Father. His work is perfect and cannot be improved upon.

The apostle then sketches out for us in blessed detail the glories of Christ. There were at that time those who, while not openly excluding Him, were in no wise honouring Him. Indeed, according to chapter 2, they were belittling and displacing Him to the irreparable loss and damage of men's souls. In contrast to these the apostle glorifies Him. He declares the Son to be the firstborn of all creation. He had entered through incarnation into the creation which He Himself had created. He is the Firstborn (in rank not in chronology) on account of Who He is — God in the glory of His Person. He is the beginning thus of the first creation and, as the first born from among the dead, He is the beginning of the new creation. All our links with Him are in resurrection.

In Colossians 2 the apostle embarks on solemn warnings as to the incoming evil and presents that which preserves from it by setting forth the truth of our identification with Christ in death, resurrection and life. In v. 6 they are said to have received Christ Jesus the Lord. He speaks of the manner of their receiving Him — "as." How then had they received Him? Broken down by the gospel of the grace of God which had saved them; conscious of their utter helplessness, absolute unworthiness and deserving of divine judgment, they had been drawn to Christ with the certain knowledge that He alone could do them good and bring them to God. The whole tenor of their Christian life has to be of the same character for now they are to "so walk in Him." Christ is all-sufficient for all the journey. Can we each say truly, "He is as indispensable to me today as in that day when I first trusted Him as my Saviour and Lord." If any of us cannot so speak, may our gracious Lord use this word to recover us.

Then they were to be rooted and built up in Him. No doubt "rooted" suggests the thought of a tree with its growth and fruitbearing, that which is for His eye and pleasure. "Built up" suggests the house, that which is seen in testimony here in this world. We have our part in both aspects of Christian life thus figured. May we strike our roots deep into this fertile soil and be built up "in" Him, the sure foundation. They were to be "stablished in the faith." To be so we need to know what the "faith" is. No book of man's wisdom can school our souls in this. The sure Word of God is our only text book, hence the constant need to steep our souls in the precious Word of God. Do we read and meditate upon the Scriptures as much as we could do, not just as much as we ought to? It is certain that if we read, seeking Christ on every page, the light of God will flood our souls. "The faith" is the whole body of the revealed truth of God; the complete teaching of Christianity in which we have the revelation of God in the Son and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge which find their centre in Christ Who died and Who is now triumphantly risen and glorified — an inexhaustible store. This is the blessed substance of the faith. They were to follow the apostle's teaching — "as ye have been taught." It has often been said, "What is true is not new and what is new is not true." They had received that which was from the beginning through the apostles and were not to depart from it. The hallmark of apostolic authority is, "We are of God." The mark of faith is, "he that knoweth God heareth us" (1 John 4: 6). Innovations, however learned and attractive, are to be tested by the Scriptures — the alone Word of Truth. If they do not stand four-square with apostolic teaching — whoever propounds them — they are of no value. Indeed they are positively evil; let us throw them away. The mark of a healthy Christian is the tenacious hold he has on the original teaching. At the beginning of the dispensation "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking bread and in prayers" (Acts 2: 42). Only thus shall we abound in thanksgiving. Does our study cause us to do this? Philosophy, legality etc., turn a man in upon himself; an unhappy occupation. "The faith" gives us an object outside of ourselves, the living glorious Lord Jesus Christ Who so eclipses everyone and everything that we abound in thanksgiving to God through Him. In the midst of a rapidly apostatising Christendom we have, through grace, received true and sound ministry but let us remember that the greater our privilege the greater is our responsibility. The way to grow in the truth of God is by obedience and the way to obedience is affection.

He then gives warning as to what things are to be avoided in v. 8, setting them in sharp contrast with Christ Himself in Whom dwelleth "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." We cannot get help from anything outside of Himself. Ministry which does not bring Him livingly before us will not do. True ministry exalts Christ and edifies the saints. Ministry which does not do this can well be left alone. In Colossians 1: 19 we are assured that "all fulness" dwelt in Him for the specific purpose of effecting reconciliation. He took flesh and blood in order to lay down His life to bring us to God but He never gave up His Manhood and the fulness of Godhead dwells in Him bodily today as the glorified Man. Everything of God is concentrated in that Man and we are filled full in Him. He Who is great enough to fill "all things" delights to fill our hearts. May the Lord give us each to grow in the knowledge of God, appreciating that anything not according to Christ is not according to God.

In v. 11 we have the thought of circumcision or cutting off. Put simply we may say that in relation to all that we were as in Adam, we have been cut off in the cutting off of Christ. He went to Calvary to bring to an end under the judgment of God that sinful state that was in us. Do we endorse this? Do we praise Him for it? It is a necessary step in our soul's history. God has come to an end of man in the flesh — have I? Do I appreciate that the flesh in me is as unable now to do anything towards or for God as in my unconverted days? The Spirit of God states here doctrinally that as men in the flesh we have come to an end before God in the cross of Christ. As buried with him in baptism, our profession is that we have been put out of sight according to the flesh in the death of Christ. It is incumbent therefore that each one of us should be true to our baptism. Then, too, we are "risen with Him." God would engage the soul with positive blessing — our association with Christ risen. Moreover, we are "quickened" with Him. Not only is our standing on resurrection ground but in this new position we have the life which belongs to it — the life of Christ. Thus we have touched on what is ours "in" and "with" Him. We are now identified with Him in death, resurrection and life. What manner of people ought we to be?

Colossians 2: 16 gives a list of things from which the Christian needs to be delivered. They are described as "shadows". What do we want chasing shadows who have been brought to the glorious substance? We have no part in the shadows but we have in this new thing — this living organism — the body of Christ. The body is not a development of the shadows; neither is it a product of man's philosophy, "the body is of Christ." The body is derived from Christ just as Eve was of Adam, as the woman is of the man, so also the Assembly as the Body is of Christ; the product of His deep sleep at Calvary; part of Himself, in union with Him. then as the "body is of Christ," so it receives all the nourishment and direction it needs from Him. Our hearts are directed high above the shallows of the mind of man, and above the shadows of the law to our Head in heaven. All that we need to enable us to be here in the expression of His life, in the world which has cast Him out, comes down from Him in glory, and it reaches out to the members of His body in suited ministry through the joints and bands. The joints are for energetic movement and the bands for uniting.

May it be ours dear brethren, to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils and look to our living glorious Head for everything. As we do so healthy, living, spiritual progress will be promoted amongst us and instead of furthering the scattering influences of the devil we shall promote the uniting and binding together of the brethren. Thus shall we further this blessed work of the whole body, increasing with the increase of God. All leads to the grand climax of Colossians 3: 4 everlasting in glory where we shall be with and like our blessed Lord for evermore. Amen.

The Sufferings of Christ

The Sufferings of Christ

N. Anderson.

"The Lord has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth my ear to hear as the learned" (Isaiah 50: 4).

In verses 2 and 3 He speaks plainly of His Godhead glory but in the verse quoted above it is the same blessed and powerful Person brought before us in a different condition. No longer in the conditions proper to His Godhead but rather in those of lowly Manhood. the glory of His Person thus introduces His humiliation. He took the place of the Learner — the Disciple. Why? "That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary."

He took the Learner's place in order to acquaint Himself experimentally with that which his people were to pass through. He would experience, sympathetically, the trials of their way. They so often, because of their sinning, suffering under the chastisement of the governmental hand of God — He, their sinless Messiah, feeling for them acutely, as has been said by another, "He first bore in His spirit that which he removed by His power." "In all their afflictions He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old" (Isaiah 63: 9). Read also Isaiah 53: 4, 5.

He suffered also so often at the hands of wicked men on account of who He is, with all His acute and holy sensibilities, even when they did not inflict actual physical suffering upon Him. The words of Proverbs 18: 14 may certainly be applied to Him. In this connection read Mark 3: 5. How could He be ought but a sufferer in this world gone far from God, and where sin was reigning unto death? This was not sympathetic suffering, for He felt the contumely with which He was treated. He was indeed, "a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53: 3). He did suffer actual indignities at their hands and from their tongues — see Psalm 69: 7-9, 19, 20; and Isaiah 50: 6; Isaiah 52: 14.

He so obviously and often suffered for righteousness sake at the hands of His enemies; and apart from their repenting, this will bring deserved judgment upon them. But He also suffered for sin, sacrificially and judicially, at the hands of God and this only "on the tree." And this secures blessing for men as it has secured glory for God.

1. He suffered because of Who He is.

2. He suffered sympathetically with a suffering people — thus He learned how to succour them in their time of trouble.

3. He suffered for righteousness' sake at the hands of men.

4. He suffered for sin actually upon the cross. For there He, who knew no sin, was made sin for us.

We shall praise Him for evermore: and God has exalted Him to His own right hand. Shortly God shall display Him to the universe — just answer indeed to all His suffering here.

The Cross

The Cross

N. Anderson.

The teaching of the Galatian epistle as to the death and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the moral lessons which flow from its application is of the utmost importance. Speaking of this holy and solemn theme we refer first to Acts 2: 23, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."

There are, decidedly, two aspects of the death of our Lord here. First, it was according to God's counsel and foreknowledge; secondly, it was the culminating action of the hatred and rebellion of men. Thank God, from long before time began, in view of the incoming of sin with all its dread consequences, a divine counsel determined that the establishment of the will and glory of God, and the laying of a righteous basis for the blessing of men, should rest on that very death which was the crowning act of man's hatred. The death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is the basis of all God's designs for the blessing of men. Indeed, we can rightly and thankfully say that the cross is the centre of eternity. Eternity past, as we speak, looked forward to the cross, and eternity to come will look back to the cross. By the cross, with the sacrificial death of our Lord, God has been vindicated; sin has been dealt with; the devil defeated; righteousness established; and the love of God has flowed out towards those who otherwise would have been, deservedly, banished from His presence for evermore.

The cross is the touchstone for righteous judgment, as our Lord has said — "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out" (John 12: 31).

There are many references to the death and crucifixion of Christ in the Galatian epistle. In Galatians 1: 1 we have His death referred to in the words — "God the Father, who raised Him from the dead." Thankfully we are not left finally with His death. Whilst we speak freely on this occasion of that death, we do so in the knowledge of the triumph of His resurrection. If the first verse reminds us that Christ has been into death, verses 3 and 4 tell why He died. Let us pause and ponder these words — "our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself . ." Wonderful indeed, as we read in Matthew 13: 44-46, that in order to obtain the treasure or the pearl He should sell all that He had; but here we learn that He "gave Himself." Amazing love! And He gave Himself for "our sins."

We may say with the hymn writer — "My sins deserve eternal death but Jesus died for me." We might have thought that His sole object in doing so was to deliver us from eternal judgment; that He has done so is blessedly true, but here we read that He "gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world."

We shall surely be taken out of the present course of things, spirit, soul and body, when He comes for His own. Yes, we shall be transported from this world where He has been crucified into that world where He has been glorified. Praise God for such a blessed prospect; but He desires that we should be for Him in this world, separated from its spirit, its habits and its pleasures. Praise Him again and again for bearing the cross for us — our sins have been so satisfactorily dealt with to the glory of God that when the stroke of judgment falls, as it most surely shall, it will not fall upon those who have trusted Him as Saviour. The stroke of judgment fell on Him at the cross and we are for ever free. May we, in response to that "love so amazing, so divine," stand apart from the world which rejected and crucified Him. May we be non-conformist to this Christ-rejecting world, and stand apart in holy separation from its religion, politics, pleasures of sin, and pride of life, so coming under the transforming power of His attractive grace that we may be more conformed to His image.

We observe, too, that He has so given Himself, "according to the will of God, and our Father." The pleasure of God is involved in the work that Christ did when He gave Himself for our sins. He is glorified in having the saints in holy separation from this present evil world in response to that love that gave Christ to die. And God is "our Father;" we are brought into relationship with Himself as revealed in the Person of the Son. Christ has been crucified to remove all that stood in the way. Well might we worship before God saying — "to Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

In Galatians 2: 20 we read (the apostle speaks in the first person), "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." The law is not a rule of life but of death, and Paul had said, "I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." He had gone through the exercise of an awakened soul under the law and learned that instead of giving life it ministered death on account of what he was. Not one of us has power to keep the law, and the law has not the power to vitalise us — it can only accuse and condemn. So Paul said, as to the responsible life to which the law addressed itself, "I am crucified with Christ."

Christ had actually died and risen again, and if God in His pre-determinate counsel had associated Paul with Christ's death wherein the consequences of the broken law had been fully met, then Paul, by faith, identified himself with that death. What a wonderful identification on the part of Paul with Christ in crucifixion — that death which speaks of the awful judgment of God against sin in the flesh. Crucifixion speaks of the shameful death which our Lord died; truly, in the eyes of the world He was the off-scouring of all things — a spectacle for heaven and earth — outcast from the earth. Paul applied the truth of Christ's death to himself. Taking stock of himself in all that he was as a man in the flesh under the law with its complete inability to remedy his fallen condition, he said, "I am crucified with Christ."

As to that condition which had come under the condemnation of God in the cross he took his place with the crucified Christ. He did not say, "We are . . . ," for he had come to this judgment of himself, and so speaks of it experimentally, "I am . . ." The road is open for every believer to travel the same way, but we must do it for ourselves and say — "If God has come to an end of man after the flesh and expressed that in the crucified Christ, then I say Amen to God. I accept that He has judged me. I am crucified with Christ." The Paul also said, "nevertheless I live."

Crucifixion with Christ is not the end of the story, for Christ lives in a life to which sin, law, or death, have nothing to say. We have Christ for our life. The apostle said — "Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."

He still lived in the responsible condition here upon earth, but he lived to God, for he has Christ for his life. He lived by faith — faith which has the Son of God for its object; and the Son of god exerts the most powerful influence, unlike the law which demands and prohibits, and accuses and condemns the man incapable of complying — "the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." God grant that we all might take our place in association with Christ, saying "I am crucified with Christ," and thus prove for ourselves the motivating and empowering effect of the love of the Son of God.

Galatians 3: 1, ". . . before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you . . " Of course, this does not mean that our Lord had been actually crucified among these Galatians; rather that the gospel preaching of Paul among them had graphically portrayed the truth that Christ had been crucified. Why then had Paul thus portrayed Christ among them? To emphasize the truth that the end of all flesh had come before God in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that they, each and all of them, might for themselves take up the truth, appreciating that the entire legal system was entirely incapable of perfecting them before God either positional or practically. All that the law can do, being weak through the flesh, is to accuse and to condemn. Indeed, Christ as we read in the Roman epistle (Rom. 10: 4), "is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

So the apostle would have them obey the truth in spite of their apparently having been bewitched by those who oppose the truth. Have we reached the end of the old man? Have we really arrived at the truth that we are no longer in the flesh? God's judgment upon all that man after the flesh is, whether religious or irreligious, has been most plainly declared in the cross. God is finished with man of fallen Adam's line — am I? His trial of man has ended at the cross. There He has for ever condemned sin in the flesh. Oh, may we thankfully respond and sincerely say, "Yes, I am crucified with Christ."

Here then we learn that the only way of deliverance is by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in Galatians 3: 13 we read, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."

The curse of the broken law must be sustained; were it sustained in us we must be for ever damned. Praise God it has been sustained by One competent to do so. Our blessed Saviour has redeemed us from the curse of the broken law, and He has done so by having been crucified, thus Himself bearing the curse. This then is the only way of redemption for the Jew to whom God gave the law, and for the Gentile to whom God did not give the law, as we read in verse 14, "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;" in verse 13 the reference is especially to the Jew — "us;" then Christ having been made a curse — the judgment thus being borne — blessing extends in verse 14 to Gentiles, that whether Jew of Gentile "we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

Christ bore the curse — the judgment of God for breaking the law — by being made a curse. He so completely identified Himself with the condition of those who had broken the law — let it be clearly said and emphasized, sacrificially in His being crucified — that blessing flows freely beyond all Jewish limits.

Attention has been drawn to Deuteronomy 27 in regard to the "curse." There Moses charged that six tribes should stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless, the other six should stand upon Mount Ebal to curse. When the pronouncement is given only the curses are mentioned. How significant then is that word — "As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse" (Galatians 3: 10). It has been said, "As sure as they took legal ground, they could only get a curse; and accordingly the curses only are heard." How glad we are to know that the cross removes the curse.

We turn to Galatians 4: 4, 5 — "But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

The deepest judgment yields the highest blessing! In consequence of what Christ has done, and as having been sent forth from God for the purpose, redemption and sonship are available for those who believe. We do not here expound the background of the Epistle's teaching as to the condition of servile bondage which obtained under the law, but desire only to stress the blessed fruits of our Lord having been crucified. "The fullness of time" refers to the close of God's probationary dealings with men. God has sent forth His Son — God has done it! Here is the unfolding of the story of the sovereignty and the love of God. How wonderful the epitome of the ways of God in verse 4! There are three aspects of Christ's Sonship — Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David. The grace of His incarnation is before us here. Think of God's Son made of a woman! A real Man, sin apart, to be available to men, and to bring the richest blessings of God to them. For as the woman's seed He would bring deliverance from the thraldom of Satan, sin, and death; He would bruise the serpent's head; yet not without suffering to Himself. The necessity of His crucifixion lies behind these blessings of redemption and sonship. "Made under law" He would, as we have seen, remove the curse by bearing it Himself. those that were under the law thus receive sonship by virtue of what He has done in being crucified; and Gentiles, too, "because ye are sons," fruit of love divine. Note, we are not sons by attainment; we do not reach sonship by acquiring the consciousness of sonship; nay, but having been brought into the relationship we have been given the Spirit of God's Son that we might know the sweet intimacy and consciousness of the relationship. Every barrier to our being brought into such blessing has been removed righteously by the death of God's Son; to Him be everlasting glory! We are now no more servants, but sons, "and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

We pass on to Galatians 5: 11 — "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence (the scandal) of the cross ceased."

Paul certainly did not preach circumcision anywhere, nor at any time, whatever may have been alleged against him. It is plain that the enemies of the gospel of saving grace, the enemies of the cross of Christ, did not hesitate to calumniate the apostle, hoping thereby to strengthen their own case. The only circumcision which Paul taught at any time was that spiritual answer to the literal — "ye are complete in Him, . . . In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands . . . by the circumcision of Christ" (Colossians 2: 10-12).

Indeed, had Paul preached circumcision, as did those Judaisers who came to Antioch, saying — "Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved," he would not have been persecuted (Acts 15: 1). It was the refusal to acknowledge man after the flesh which incurred for the apostle such bitter and inveterate hatred and suffering. In the cross there was, as we have seen in considering chapter 2, the judicial end of man after the flesh — religious or irreligious.

God seeks nothing, asks nothing, of that man; but offers everything necessary to set man up in righteousness. Why, the apostle said — If there is no persecution it would mean that the "offence (scandal) of the cross is ceased." In the eyes of the religious world the cross is a scandalous thing. How indignant man is that the gospel declares that righteousness is only available by faith in the crucified One. As our Lord went forth "bearing His cross" How exultant were the boastful religionists at having (as they thought) so accomplished His end! Hence the Scripture announced that "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness." Let those who have trusted Christ as Saviour cry out — "but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1: 18-19). There God fulfilled the Scripture which said, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." What a blow then to man is "the scandal of the cross."

So we see from our verse in Galatians 5 there has been no mitigation, neither of man's scorn, nor of God's judgment. No! the scandal of the cross has certainly not ceased! All hope of blessing is found alone in the redemption that the crucifixion of Christ has wrought. Our wisdom lies in confessing our utter ruin, and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour in faith which rests entirely on His finished work. In verses 19-21 the works of the flesh are seen in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22 and 23. May we say no! to the works of the flesh in the spontaneity of the living power of the Spirit who ever delights to occupy us with Christ; He who perfectly exemplified in the moral beauty of His life, as He walked through the world, the ninefold fruit of the Spirit. Thus shall we practically evidence the truth — "they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5: 24).

We turn now to Galatians 6: 12 — "As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain your to be circumcised; only let they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ." This is an extension of the theme we have considered from chapter 5. Evidently the truth of the cross is inimical to the glory of man. If we set out to make a fair show in the flesh we set aside the truth of the cross. Further down we read in verse 14 — "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

Both man and man's world are judged in the cross. Estranged from God, man has surrounded himself with a system of things in which he can be content without God. The true character of the world is seen in the cross of Christ, for while man thought he had judged Christ there as being unworthy of a place in man's system of things, God in the cross has judged the world as unfit for Himself. If then the world has been crucified to me in the cross of Christ, then I am finished with the world; and just as clearly if I am crucified unto the world then the world is finished with me. God grant this to be true practically of everyone of us. Thus the apostle brings back to Galatians 2: 20, and to the truth of identification with Christ in His crucifixion — "I am crucified with Christ;" and also to Galatians 1: 4 — "Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world."

If we enter into these truths we shall stand in holy separation now in view of that day when He will take us out of the world altogether. Thus we close — "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Amen.

Some Marks of Wisdom's Children

Some Marks of Wisdom's Children

Luke 7: 29-35, 47-50.

From an Address

N. Anderson.

I desire to follow the line of the grace of God which has been before us. In doing so we cannot fail to draw attention to the vessel of grace, our Lord Jesus Christ. We are aware that the four Gospels each bring Him before us in some particular way.

In MATTHEW, the Gospel of the King, He is the Vessel of Administration. Not only does He enunciate the principles of the kingdom, but He demonstrates the power of it.

In MARK He is the Vessel of testimony.

In LUKE He is the Vessel of grace.

In JOHN He is the Vessel of Glory, for He both declared and manifested the Father's Name.

How much has been said and written on the inexhaustible theme of the Christ of the Gospels. As was earlier presented to us in ministry from the 5th chapter of Luke, Christianity is neither a modification of Judaism nor an appendix to it. It is not a patch on an old garment, nor is it new wine in old bottles. It is entirely new, and superseded the old. Let us emphasise that it is what it is because Christ is Who and What He is. He is the centre of gathering; His work, in redemption at the cross, has laid the foundation for all. I would say to my younger brethren, steep your souls in the truth of Christ's Person and Work and do it while you are young. Thank God for the grace which was brought to us by the Man of Luke's Gospel, He is the focal point of all the Scriptures (Luke 24: 27). He is the true Joseph — see Genesis 49: 22, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall."

The law system could not contain the grace of God. Judaism is too small, but grace is so large and it reaches over the wall to bring us all, Gentiles and Jews, into richest blessing. "The grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared" (Titus 2: 11, N.T.). That grace appeared in the Person of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of it we are here in this gathering tonight — saved. We are numbered with those who are styled — "wisdom's children." God has acted in just the right way to reach and bless those who otherwise would perish for ever. We have read Luke 7: 29 — "And all the people that heard Him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptised with the baptism of John."

They justified God! What does this mean? If we speak of God justifying the sinner — well, he is made right with God, he is declared to be righteous before God. If we justify God we do not make Him right, but declare that the way that He has taken to reach and bless us is just the right way. He drew near to where we were in the Person of the Son. He did not rend the heavens, emblazoning them with some miraculous phenomenon. Isaiah cried in his day — "Oh that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldest come down . . ." (Isaiah 64: 1).

But He came down in lowly and attracting grace — Bethlehem's manger and Golgotha's cross unitedly tell us how He came — and what He has done that we might be brought from the distance and darkness; indeed, that we might be reconciled to God! Those who were then baptised were saying practically, "All that God says about us is absolutely true." They, unlike the proud Pharisees and lawyers, accepted the counsel of God against themselves and found the grace that met all to God's satisfaction and their salvation. The self righteous would not lower themselves to confess the truth — they "rejected the counsel of God against themselves," but they missed the blessing and though our Lord was taunted that He was "a friend of publicans and sinners" yet, "Wisdom is justified of all her children." He who was the Friend of the friendless was justified in the way that grace had taken, by all who had "tasted that the Lord is gracious."

There is a new generation in the world, product of sovereign grace, and we seek to draw attention to some of their marks.

Number 1 — surely is that they have come under the attraction of the Christ of God.

Number 2 — as they have been drawn to Him — for they proved that He was able to "Draw and win and fill completely, till the cup o'erflow the brim" — they justify God. Let the hypocritical cavil and carp as they will, but wisdom is justified of all her children. Do we all declare that the resources of God have been rightly employed and directed? Had the Saviour not come as He has done, meeting "the claims of glory and the need of ruined men," we never could have been blessed at all. Are we then amongst this new generation — "Wisdom's children"? Three passages in the gospel come to mind in connection with this new generation. Here, Luke 7: 35, and in Luke 8: 21 — "My mother and my brethren are these which hear the Word of God, and do it." Again, Luke 10: 21 — ". . Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes;" thus a spiritual generation has been brought into being by the grace of God. Every sin that could have been charged against those who belong to it has been forgiven. In Luke 7: 48, the Saviour said to the "woman in the city, which was a sinner . . . thy sins are forgiven."

Mark Number 3 is — they stand before God in the grace of forgiveness. Our Lord spoke those words of forgiveness in the house of an austere Pharisee who had denied Him the common courtesies of hospitality. The Lord Jesus said to him, verse 47 — "her sins which are MANY, are forgiven." In tender, charming grace He said to her, "Thy sins." No need to emphasise to her her guilt — she had wept it out at His blessed feet. The grace resident in Himself had drawn her into the uncomfortable atmosphere of the Pharisee's house, hence He said to the arrogant religionist, "her sins which are MANY are forgiven." The grace that had drawn her irresistibly to Christ loosed her from her sins, and His word gave her the assurance that all were forgiven, and as forgiven she "loved much." Do we wonder that those who sat at meat with Him said, "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" The answer to the unspoken question was implicit in His final word to the woman — "Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace." thus Forgiveness, Salvation, and Peace, are the possession of Wisdom's children!

Number 4 is Obedience. Wisdom's children are "obedient children" (1 Peter 1: 14) In Luke 8: 19-21, already alluded to, He owned, as in moral relationship with Himself, those who "hear the Word of God, and do it." This tests us always and everywhere. If I am young it tests me at school; it tests me in my home; as I grow older it tests me at my work; it tests me in the company of the brethren; it tests me in the path of service to the Lord. I am tested everywhere. Forgiveness is the fruit of sovereign grace — it is of Himself entirely. Obedience is a matter of responsibility — of my response in practical everyday living to the One who has blessed me. May we have grace to be true, to be real. How worthy is His that we should be so. May we by our conduct everywhere and at all times give plain witness to Whose we are and Whom we serve. In this same chapter (verse 35) was one who had been delivered from demon possession. Bound with chains and in fetters nothing could restrain him. It was not restraint but freedom that he needed. Whilst men could not bind him, the devil had bound him fast. Then he met the stronger than the strong man — Jesus — He set him free!

Mark number 5 is that they are delivered from the power of Satan. We speak of three freedoms; from sin, the world, and Satan. "If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed." Yet the grace that freed this man enslaved him, for he besought the Lord that "he might be with Him." Are we equally and thankfully Christ's bondmen? What a blessed change of masters! And how changed the conditions of service. Those who went out to see what was done found the erstwhile demoniac, out of whom the demons had been cast, sitting — tranquil now — at the feet of his Deliverer. He was clothed and in his right mind. He had before been unfit for human society, but now he is in the true sense "made meet" for the presence of his Lord. Those who saw him were afraid! The mighty power of God had been operating and here was its evidence. Our Lord said to the man — "Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee." This is what commends witness to the saving grace of God, the evidence of a changed life! In Luke 9: 20 the Lord asked His disciples — "But Whom say ye that I am?"

Mark number 6 is that Wisdom's children appreciate and confess the glory of their Lord. Many and varied were the expressed opinions of men but faith gladly owns the Person of the Christ. They know the answer to such queries as — "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?," and, "What manner of Man is this! for He commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey Him." Creation's Lord, the Master of the elements was there, yet in lowly and accessible grace. He is the pivot of our faith.

"What think ye of Christ is the test

To try both your state and your scheme;

You cannot be right in the rest,

Unless you think rightly of Him."

John Newton, whose words are quoted, went on to say, "I dare not confide in His blood, nor on His protection rely, unless I were sure He is God."

Mark 7 is in verse 23 — "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Wisdom's children take up their stand with and for a rejected Christ. It is comparatively easy to be a Christian in the company of fellow believers, in the gatherings and in the home where His precious Name is honoured. But we must face the world in one form or another. Am I prepared there to deny myself? At whatever cost to myself will I take my stand for my Saviour who was crucified for me? Do I make the cross mine? Am I so affected by this truth as to put the cross between myself and anything which would weaken my testimony as belonging to Him? In Luke 10: 20 the Lord exhorts His own to rejoice, not in the spectacular exercises of divine power, but that their names are written in heaven. "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3: 20). Let us never forget that before our names could be enrolled in heaven our precious Saviour was numbered with the transgressors! We can say then that the

Eighth Mark is that we are heavenly by the divine calling of grace. We are heavenly in origin, heavenly in destiny, and now have the privilege through grace supplied, to be heavenly in character (see 1 Corinthians 15: 47-52).

Mark 9. In Luke 10: 22, we have the light that the Father is so complacent in the Son that He has delivered all things to Him.

Number 10, they are brought to the heart of the faith system, for they have the Son's revelation of the Father. In verses 38-42, these members of the new generation learn that at the feet of Jesus is their place if they would be discipled in His Word.

Number 11 is to listen under His Word. In the next chapter, verses 1-9, another feature,

Number 12 is dependent and persevering prayer.

As to Luke 11: 13, the Holy Spirit has been given to everyone who believes the gospel of their salvation. They are sealed with the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1: 13). Reception of the Spirit, He who is the power for learning, practice, and worship, is mark

Number 13.

Luke 11: 34-36 speaks of the single eye — to be fixed upon its Object. Wisdom's children would be occupied with Christ. What a blessed occupation! This will make us true light-bearers in this dark world during His absence.

Philippians 2: 15, lights in the world, "irreproachable children of God" indeed, pleasurable to Him, and thus useful for Him. This is mark Number 14.

The crowning mark is given us in Luke 12: 31-40. Our treasure is with our Lord in heaven. We look for Him as Saviour, "Who shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to His body of glory, according to the working of the power which He has even to subdue all things to Himself" (Philippians 3: 21).

Fitting indeed that we should close this simple survey of the marks of Wisdom's children with Number 15, the hope of His return. May we all be "like man that wait for their Lord."

"The Word became flesh"

"The Word became flesh"

John 1: 14; 1 John 4: 2.

N. Anderson.

According to these and many other passages of the Word of God it is evident that the predilection of God was with men. Christ, the eternal Word, in emptying Himself (Philippians 2: 5-8) passed by the hosts of unfallen angels and became a Man, infinite grace! The designs of God for His own glory and pleasure were inextricably associated with highest blessing for His creature man. Though sinful and rebellious and plunged into such abysmal darkness and distance, men should be brought near to God, and in order that this might be accomplished our Lord became a Man.

In 1 John 4: 2 we read — "Every spirit which confesses Jesus Christ come in flesh is of God." How true and how increasingly necessary it is to emphasise — "Jesus Christ come . . . ". This stresses His pre-incarnate existence and testifies to His Deity. It is equally necessary to emphasise — "come in flesh."

He became Man, wonder of wonders! This witnesses the interest of God in men. In Proverbs 8 we are privileged to view our Lord as Wisdom personified. Before time began — "before His works of old . . I was brought forth . . when he prepared the heavens, I was there . . when He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him . . and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, and My delights were with the sons of men."

So the Word became flesh and tabernacle amongst us, full of grace and truth. John says, "and we beheld His glory." Yes, there was downstooping; there was self-emptying; there was the humbling of Himself — but there was "glory". He brought into flesh the glory and sweetness of His eternal relationship with the Father.

John 3: 12, 13.

Having spoken with Nicodemus of the Kingdom of God and of the necessity of New Birth for either seeing or entering that Kingdom, He now speaks of the heavenly side of the Kingdom. All that which "a master of Israel" would have known from the Old Testament as to the Kingdom, fell within the range of our Lord's expression — "earthly things." Yet He was here in the grace of His incarnation to witness of "heavenly things." Hence, we have His remarkable statement — "And no man hath ascended up into heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man, which is in heaven."

Already in John 1: 18 we have had, "which is in the bosom of the Father." This "which (who) is in" is a divine and eternal predicate. Our Lord in becoming Man has given up nothing of His Godhead — He has not ceased to be all that He ever was in the co-equality of Godhead. And there He stood, corporeally present and apparent to Nicodemus, yet He said something about Himself, under a title which belonged to Him in His Manhood — "Son of Man," which could only be true because of His Godhead. "Son of Man," a human title; "Who is in heaven" — a divine predicate. He had taken upon Himself flesh and blood (see Hebrews 2: 14) in order to carry into effect the eternal purpose of God. The Father's work, given Him to do, would remove every impediment to the outflow of divine and eternal love. The Son came to die in order that the love of God might be known, enjoyed, and responded to by men who otherwise would be righteously consigned to the misery of eternal woe.

Thus our Lord went on to speak of His lifting up as Son of Man, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Praise His blessed Name for ever.

John 6: 61, 62. "Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?"

If, in coming down, He never ceased to be all that which He had ever personally been, so in going up He did not cease to be what He had become in coming down. The blessedness of this is emphasised to us; He has gone up where He was before, but in a condition in which He was not there before; He has gone up in Manhood — He abides a Man for ever. How necessary then it is for us all to know that in becoming flesh He did not cease to be God, and now that He has gone from earth to heaven, having by His work of redemption — His sacrificial work on the Cross — opened heaven and heavenly blessing to men, He has not nor shall He ever, cease to be Man. Thus there is emphasised to us that the predilection of God is with men; and so we delight to sing:

"We bless Thee, God and Father,

We joy before Thy face;

Beyond dark death for ever,

We share Thy Son's blest place.

He lives a Man before Thee,

In cloudless light above,

In Thine unbounded favour —

Thine everlasting love."

John 14: 1-3. "I go to prepare a place for you."

In taking His place in Manhood in the Father's house He has prepared a place for men there. He is not busy preparing the place, no, His going there in abiding Manhood has prepared the place for His own. Such is His love — that same love that brought him down from the glory, into the world; and down into death at the Cross — that it cannot be satisfied while He is there and His own are here. He is coming again to receive them unto Himself that where He is there they may be also.

The heavenly things of which He told are the property of all those who are His own. There is a heavenly people on earth today to whom the heavenly things belong. They now have the light of them by the Spirit, from the Word, but they have it in circumstances entirely foreign to them, for has our Lord not said, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world"!

Yet, "I am no more in the world, but these are in the world." So His own are in the world but not of the world (see John 17: 11, 16). His love then cannot be satisfied until they (the heavenly ones) are with Him (the heavenly One) where He is at home.

May we know and enjoy these blessed truths in such a way that we might spontaneously and practically answer to His love until we hear His voice and rise to meet Him, to be like Him and with Him for evermore.

"Like Him! O grace supreme!

Like Him before Thy face;

Like Him to know that glory beam

Unhindered face to face.

O love supreme and bright!

Good to the feeblest heart;

That gives us now, as heavenly light,

What soon shall be our part."