Some "Fear Nots" of the Bible
A PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE.
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 1
"For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee. Fear not: I will help thee" (Isa_41:13).
A tender-hearted surgeon was walking through the large ward of a big hospital when he saw a little one, with bandaged eyes, in distress and waving her hand about. He went up to her and grasped that outstretched hand. Instantly there was a change-the little one was comforted and became restful and contented. And that child, may be, is a picture of some reader of this chapter-in a spiritual darkness that may be felt, with a sense of loneliness and desolation, and yearning, oh, so much, for the touch of a vanished hand, and full of fear and dread concerning the future. Just hold out your hand to the dear Lord, and he will welcome and grasp it, "saying unto thee. Fear not, I will help thee."
"Noa then, lad, tha mun howd on!"
In a small village near Manchester, where I was conducting some evangelistic services, a quarryman lay dying. He was an Atheist. A farmer, the head of the local body of Free-thinkers, hearing of his friend’s serious condition, and fearful lest at the approach of death he would send for the minister and turn religious, had hastened to his side and urged him to die game. But the dying man replied, "It’s a’ reet axin me to howd on, but, mon, aw’ve nowt ta howd on tee!" Once again Atheism was weighed in the balances of human need and experience and found wanting. When you come to the death valley will you have "nowt ta howd on tee?" Would you not rather be amongst the redeemed ones who, having washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb, have something solid and enduring to hold on to? Yes, better still, have Someone holding on to them, for it is written: "I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee."
An engine-driver of the old L.B. & S.C.R. lay in the Mildmay Hospital at Bethnal Green, London, awaiting an operation for appendicitis. Though a Christian man, as he thought of the ordeal awaiting him, he naturally shrank in fear and was troubled in soul. This, of course, we can quite understand. He was made ready for the operation, and, as he was about to be carried into the operating theatre, the nurse, observing his timidity and fear, said, "When you are put on the operating table, look at the wall and you will find there a message from God for you." He did so, and he found painted on the wall, "I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee." "Praise God," said he to me afterwards, "that was just the word I wanted, and I was rested and comforted."
The "Fear Nots" of the Bible are many and varied, and form a wonderful study.
Observe, before He speaks He grasps. He first grasps that outstretched hand, and then speaks the assuring word. He does not only sit upon His throne in the heavens dictating and forwarding messages of comfort to our souls, but He comes at the call of dire need right to us and grants direct and personal contact. "No distant God have we, Who loves afar to be! Made flesh for me, He cannot rest until He rests in me."
And what does His grasp mean? Seven mercies and blessings:
1. Salvation. "He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters" (Psa_18:16). What a graphic picture we have here of man’s utter helplessness. Sinking amidst the swirling waters, battered and bruised by the buffeting waves, with no firm standing ground, is there no help? Yes, if there comes that Petrine cry, "Lord, save me!" The help comes from without and from above. He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out." "And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him," and he was saved from death.
2. Security. "They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." (Joh_10:28). What a glorious security is ours when He grasps the hand.
3. Friendship. As a pledge of love, the hand is held in a vice-like grip: "I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand." Becoming my Saviour, I am in a position to learn and know Him as Friend.
4. Confidence. The little one is full of fear and trembling, and you say, "Give me your hand," and that means good-bye to fear. So is it between the Lord and the soul. An abiding confidence is ours as a result of His hold of our hands.
5. Assistance. The hand is offered to assist: "I will help thee."
6. Strength. "The arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob" (Gen_49:24). With His firm grasp there comes the impartation of strength Divine.
7. Submission. This is to be willing to be put anywhere, and to be used anyhow. That is not so difficult as it sounds. What matters where we go and what we have to do if only His hand leadeth!
PROMISED HELP.
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 2.
"Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you" (Isa_35:4). Surely this is one of the strangest "Fear nots" of the Bible! We have to strengthen the weak hands, confirm the feeble knees, and establish the faint-hearted by the declaration of His sure and imminent coming to wreak vengeance! And this thought is by no means confined to the Old Testament Scriptures, for it is to be found in the New Testament: "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."
I. For the Oppressed. It is a message to the downtrodden and oppressed, to those writhing under cruel wrong, smarting from oppression, indignant through some gross injustice. Brooding over the wrongs they suffer people are tempted to take vengeance into their own hands, and, moved by hasty and unrighteous impulses, make mistakes over which they will long mourn. "Avenge not thyself," is the Divine command. "Vengeance is Mine: I will repay, saith the Lord." Justice will be meted out some day to those oppressors by the God of Righteousness, hence be patient, and fret not thyself because of evildoers. Let not the wrongs you have suffered sour you. There comes to mind a tragic instance and illustration of this. A young woman who should have benefited largely under her father’s will, was cruelly defrauded of most of her money by a solicitor who had to do with the estate, and from a position of affluence she sank into a state of extreme poverty. She so brooded over the cruel wrong she had suffered, that her whole life was ruined thereby. She cherished hard thoughts of God, questioning His justice, cultivated a spirit of suspicion toward all mankind, and allowed herself to be so overwhelmed by bitterness that she became a bugbear to all her fellows, and this was so pronounced as old age crept on, that she was avoided by all. Remember, persecuted, defrauded, or oppressed one, that the eyes of God are upon you; He knows all. He will now bind up your broken heart, soothe your bruised and troubled spirit, granting ample compensations even in this life, and will most certainly, sooner or later, mete out justice to the oppressors, eye for eye, tooth for a tooth.
II. For the Sympathetic. This is also a message to those who, though not smarting under wrong done to themselves, yet are appalled at the sight of cruel oppression and wrong inflicted on others. There are many tenderly sympathetic souls who suffer more from the wrongs inflicted on others than if they personally were the aggrieved ones. Noting how these oppressors seem to flourish, and how slow the wheels of God grind, they are liable to become "hasty of heart" (A.V. margin for "fearful"), rush to rash conclusions, even going to the length of denying either the existence or the power of God. A sympathetic naturalist so brooded over the present conditions of the world-the work of nature, red in tooth and claw, and the world of men at strife and enmity one with another-that he was so moved with indignation as to exclaim that, if he had been the Creator of the world, the patent facts would break his heart. He spoke truer than he thought, for the Creator of the world died of a broken heart on account of the sin of the world. No, no, we must not lose heart or patience. God still observes, and will most certainly rectify wrong, and mete out punishment to the oppressors sooner or later. Therefore "Be strong, fear not; behold your God will come with vengeance."
III. For the Jew. This is a message particularly for the Jew. Many members of this people of the "wandering foot" have so brooded over the wrongs Israel has suffered now for two millenniums, that they have thrown overboard their faith, and have become rank atheists. Certainly no nation has suffered such cruel oppression and wrong. But if we read prophecy aright, Israel has yet a far more awful ordeal to pass through, "the time of Jacob’s trouble." But the Lord is neither forgetful nor unobservant of His people. He is quietly noting everything. Even now, blessed are those who bless Israel, and cursed are they who curse. But "behold your God will come." And His coming will mean salvation for Israel, vengeance on the enemies of Israel, and recompense for the friends of Israel.
DIVINE ASSURANCE.
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 3.
"Fear not, I have called thee by thy name" (Isa_43:1). In a great prison an amazing scene took place. By the intervention and intercession of a man of influence, a free pardon was secured for a noted criminal who had spent a long time in that gaol. The Governor of the prison intimated to the prisoners assembled that he held in his hand a free pardon for one of them, and after a few remarks, called out the name of the fortunate individual. But the man moved not; he could not believe the pardon was for him, but for another who may be bearing the same name; and it was only with the utmost difficulty that he could be persuaded that it was really for him. Those who witnessed the occurrence said it was an unforgettable and amazing scene.
True is it that the Lord is Redeemer. But is it for me? Can I have a share in that redemption? It may be for others; but, oh, has it anything to do with me? Surely this message settles that difficulty: "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine." He called me! And He came to assure me that it is a call for and to me. He calls me by my name.
The more one ponders over this "Fear not," the more pregnant it seems with meaning:
1. He Lives. "I have called thee." It surely declares that He lives. He died. That death was redemption’s price. But death did not permanently hush that voice. He still speaks; therefore, He still lives.
2. He is Near Me. "To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart." It surely declares that He is near. He calls-not shrieks or shouts. "He shall not strive (lit., squabble) nor cry (scream)" (Mat_12:19). He is quite near, and therefore gently and lovingly calls.
3. He Remembers Me. It surely declares that I am not forgotten: "I have called thee." "How long wilt Thou forget me, O Lord," cried the Psalmist. Ah, He never forgets. And I’m not lost in the crowd either. He knows my name.
4. He Longs for Me. It surely declares that He asks for my friendship. To call me by my name speaks volumes. We never call strangers or casual acquaintances by their names; that is the sole prerogative of friendship. Being my Saviour, He desires to become my friend and adviser. Connect 1Ti_6:1 with 1Ti_6:7 : "I have called thee by thy name," "Even every one that is called by My name." He calls me by my name in order that He might put His Name upon me.
A middle-aged woman was so wrought on by the Spirit of God at a Lancashire cottage meeting I once conducted, that she interrupted the service by kneeling down, and crying for mercy. She sought the Lord earnestly and perseveringly. But was redemption for her? That was the trouble. It seemed too good to be true. And so she spent several days strangely incredulous. Calling one day, she inquired if there was such a text in the Bible as "Fear not, for I have redeemed thee," as it had flashed into her mind that morning whilst she had been troubling over the matter of her soul’s salvation, and she could not remember having seen it before. I was glad to point her to Isa_43:1, assuring her it was without doubt the Lord’s own message to meet her present need. This she recognised, and immediately began to bless and praise the Lord, and lived in full assurance of faith the rest of her days.
THE LAME PRINCE.
Bible "Fear Nots, No. 4.
"And David said unto him, Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake" (2Sa_9:7).
How welcome this royal "Fear not" must have been to the trembling and fearful prince, Mephibosheth! How unexpected it was! What a surprise it was to him, being altogether different to what he really expected.
The King’s "Fear not" would fall on his ears as a peal of silvery bells. But who was this Prince Mephibosheth? He was Jonathan’s son, the last survivor of the royal house of Saul. When news of the death of King Saul and his sons on the fatal battlefield of Gilboa reached the royal palace, the nurse, snatching up in her arms this infant son of Jonathan, fled with him to Lo-debar. In the hurry she let him fall, when his feet were permanently injured. Sixteen years had passed when, upon David inquiring, "Is there any that is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?" and hearing of the survival of this lame prince, sent and had him brought into his royal presence. Tremblingly must Mephibosheth have made that journey; and, at last, ushered into the king’s presence, must have expected his death. When lo! nothing but grace was meted out to him.
It is a lovely picture of salvation. Convicted of sin, and aware of your lost and ruined condition, do you feel you dare not entertain any hope of securing His grace and favour? Then listen and take to heart this story.
I. He was the King’s Enemy, owing to his relation to Saul, though, thank God, the king was not an enemy of the poor trembling prince. We are by nature at enmity with God, though God is not at enmity with us, and is ever beseeching us to be reconciled to Him.
II. He was Lame Through a Fall. And so is it with us. What moral and spiritual weakness and sickness and infirmities are ours by the Fall.
III. He was in a Far Country, away from the king. Far, far away from Jerusalem, the place of blessing, of peace and worship, at Lo-debar, "the place of no bread." We, too, are by nature in the far country, away, far away, from God.
IV. He was Sought Out by the King. No, it was not a matter of Mephibosheth seeking the king, but the king seeking him. Wherein do you think our Christian faith differs from all other faiths that have ever been or are? In this, and this alone, all other faiths represent man, in the first instance, seeking God (which is not true, for man, left to himself, does not want God), but the Christian faith represents God as seeking man, which alone is true to fact. Man is indifferent to God; but God is not indifferent to him.
V. He was Received In his Deformity, just as he was, without any attempt to improve himself. Ah, that we must remember:
"Just as I am without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st mo come to Thee:
O Lamb of God, I come."
VI. He was Received for Another’s Sake, for the sake of Jonathan. And we are received for Another’s sake, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Accepted in the Beloved."
VII. He Learned to Estimate Himself Aright, but only after he came to David When Mephi-bosheth said, "What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" he may have simply indulged in an Eastern’s habit of self-deprecia-tion in the presence of his superior. Yet it may have been a genuine and sincere expression of his deepest feelings. But, pray note, he only expressed this view after he came to David. It is only after we come to the Lord Jesus that we take low and truer views of ourselves, and get to see sin in the light of Heaven.
VIII. He Got in David More than he had Lost. What he had lost he regained, plus David’s friendship and fellowship. We gain more in Christ than we lost in Adam.
IX. He Dwelt with the King in the royal palace, and upon royal fare: "For he did eat continually at the king’s table." Oh, what blessed news! And we, too, may leave the pit and the dunghill and dwell in the holiest of all by the Blood of Jesus.
Poor conscience-stricken sinner, fearful of just and deserved judgment, listen to our blessed Lord’s "Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jesus’ sake." Dare, therefore, to entertain hope of finding mercy, and cling to the Rock of Ages.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE FEARFUL.
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 5
"But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee" (Isa_43:1). Strange fears possess the souls of many Even some great ones of the earth have not been free from them. Dr. Johnson, with all his philosophy, was very careful not to enter a room with his left foot foremost. If by any chance he did so, he would immediately step back and re-enter with his right foot foremost. He was terribly afraid of death, too, and would not suffer it to be mentioned in his presence. Julius Caesar, to whom the shouts of thousands of the enemy were but sweet music, was mortally afraid of the sound of thunder, and always wanted to get underground to escape the dreadful noise. Marshal Saxe, who loved to look upon the ranks of opposing armies, fled and screamed in terror at the sight of a cat. Peter the Great could scarcely be persuaded to cross a bridge, and whenever he placed his foot on one he would cry out with fear. The number thirteen is considered, by some an unlucky number, and the breaking of crockery, but particularly glassware, is a harbinger of misfortune. Some fishermen on their way to their boats return home and will not sail that day should they meet either a woman or a cat. These are superstitious fears, with no foundation in fact, and sensible folk, but especially Christian people, ought to get rid of them. The Lord says to such: "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, Fear not." Suffer not such fears any longer to enthral you.
Other fears possess the mind at times. Strange fears of impending disaster, or coming sorrow, of threatening calamity; fears sometimes that remain inarticulate, but which weigh like a load of lead upon the spirit. These sometimes spring from an overwrought nervous system, from a deranged physical constitution, from a diseased or weakened body. One evangelist, well known to the writer, had periodical fits of depression and despair, when strange fears took a grip of him, and when he thought the Lord was angry and displeased and had turned His face from him. But his friends knew very well that he was then troubled with his liver, and when he had emerged from a bad bilious attack, all was well-the Lord’s smile had again been gained, and the Lord again presented Himself. But, as a matter of fact, the Lord had been with him all the time; only his deranged physical system had called up phantoms of fear and despair. The Lord loves to speak to such, saying, "Fear not." And He will come and quieten and soothe the nerves and give rest and quietness. A friend who occasionally suffers from a restless and fearful spirit, gained great comfort and help from the words: "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures," and trusted the Lord to exercise the sweet compulsions of His grace, making aim restful and quiet. "He maketh me."
But there is another fear, that is the common possession of man, a fear that springs from superstition or a fear of God and of the future. We are going to say that this fear is natural to man, but we would check ourselves and say that it is unnatural-this fear was born when sin came into the world, and death by sin "I was afraid. . and I hid myself," confessed the first man Adam, to a Holy God, after he had sinned Ah, this fear is not groundless, but rests upon a fact; for as sinners we have every reason for fear. But to be redeemed means three things in the Sacred Records. In Exodus 13 13 it means:
I. Deliverance from Death. This is a solemn thought indeed. But the Divine One exclaims: "Fear not, oh sinner, for I have paid the price of thy redemption from certain and awful eternal death." He tasted death that we might drink the cup of salvation. In Exo_6:6 redemption is spoken of in relation to
II. Deliverance from Bondage, the awful Egyptian bondage. Israel were not only to be saved from death by the destroying angel because of the sprinkling of blood on the lintels and doorposts, but taken right out of galling bondage. Many, alas, who know something of the value of the sprinkled Blood, are yet in bondage to the world. But He assures such, "Fear not, oh sin-bound believer, I will snap thy chains, and lead you into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." In the Book of Ruth redemption is spoken of as
III. Deliverance from Penury. Ruth by marriage was related to Boaz, and he had to do the kinsman’s part, and that meant buying back the inheritance and marrying the widow. Redemption meant for Ruth and Naomi good-bye to poverty. And our Heavenly Kinsman says, "Fear not, oh bankrupt soul, I have redeemed thee; I will unite Myself with thee, and thou shalt share My wealth.
IN TIMES OF DARKNESS.
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 6.
"The Lord hath said that He would dwell in the thick darkness" (2Ch_6:1). "Lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him (Abraham), and He (the Lord) said unto Abraham." (Gen_15:12, Gen_15:15). "Fear thou not, for I am with thee" (Isa_41:10).
Walking through the conservatory of a friend one day, my attention was drawn to a small plant completely covered by a flower-pot. "Do you know why I have put this slip in darkness?" he inquired. "It is because I want it to strike a deeper root." Evidently darkness was necessary, however unpleasant, for the striking of a deeper root.
How puzzled young Christians are with experiences they never anticipated. When they first sought the Lord, and received from Him pardon, justification and life, what joy fell to their lot. "O happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away," they sang and shouted exultingly. Their sun shone with great intensity, and the Lord was near. But sometimes the joy departs, their sun goes down, the face of the Lord is hidden, and darkness is their lot. Why the darkness? Sometimes sin is the cause-and quick confession will restore the gladness; sometimes a week and ailing body is the cause of such soul-travail-when rest, suitable food, or medical attention will cause the sunshine to break forth once again; often, yes, very often, none of these reasons explain, but this-the darkness was thought necessary by the Divine Husbandman for the young convert to strike a deeper root, and get a firmer hold of God. But whatever the cause, we beseech of you to cling to the fact that "the Lord hath said that He would dwell in the thick darkness." He is with you in the darkness saying, "Fear not, for I am with thee."
A lady was endeavouring to assist a young Christian in a similar experience many years ago, when they met Sir Arthur Blackwood, who gave a message that was just the Lord’s own word. "I remember meeting him (Sir Arthur Blackwood) one day, when C.T., who was with me, and was then a young Christian, was in low spirits, from which I could not raise her. As we went round the railings of the Parish Church we suddenly came face to face with him; and seeing our downcast faces, he said to us, ‘Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.’" (Isa_50:10). It was just the word for them.
How bewildered newly consecrated souls are with experiences they never anticipated! After they had fully surrendered to their beloved Lord and Master, and laid themselves upon the altar of sacrifice, they expected, and indeed received through the incoming of the Holy Spirit, a changed heart, and consequent deliverance from all the power of the enemy, they were conscious of a profound inward peace, and a very lively sense of the presence of the Father. Joy was full, communion deepened and uninterrupted, and a new delight experienced in prayer and the study of the Sacred Scriptures. So far, everything had happened just as they were led to expect. But by and by a change took place-all deep emotional experiences ceased, and, while still conscious of an inward calm,, the soul seems shrouded in darkness.
Some of the darkness of the dreary past can well be understood. Then it was either the outcome of repeated failures in the daily walk and conversation, and the consequent upbraidings of a self-condemn ing heart, or it may have been caused by a tired and jaded body. But not so in this case. Now, unconscious of anything done to grieve their Lord, in the passession of a conscience void of offence toward God and man, and a body in good health, the cry is raised in agonising tones: "Why this darkness?"
May not the solution to this difficult problem be found in the story recorded above? May not His purpose in the darkness be the striking of a deeper root, a firmer hold of Himself, a deeper and grander knowledge of the Divine? Verily this is so. The darkness sometimes is but the Father’s loving method of weaning His child away from everything else, to find in Him his or her all. He sees the subtle temptation to be taken up with mere emotional experiences, and not with the Lord Himself; to rest in the blessings of the deeper life, and not alone in the Blesser. And, as He can never be satisfied until our whole undivided attention has been gained, He has by darkness shut us in unto Himself, until we are able to say:
"Once it was a blessing, now it is the Lord; Once it was the feelings, now it is His Word; Once His gifts I wanted, now the Giver own; Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone."
But what must we do when passing through such dark experiences? What can we do but sink into the arms of Infinite love? Pray remember, He has not forsaken thee, for "the Lord hath said that He would dwell in the thick darkness." Oh, never, when in the darkness, harbour a doubt of the Divine presence! This was the most fruitful source of Israel’s murmurings, for it is written: "They tempted the Lord saying, Is the Lord amongst us or not?" (Exo_17:7).
The Husbandman is never so near the vine as when he is pruning it. A short while ago a journey was made by rail. In the same compartment were other two passengers, a mother and her little girl. The wee one was very busily engaged with some toys upon the seat. By and by a long dark tunnel was entered, and one wondered that no cry of fear had escaped from the lips of the frightened child. Emerging into the light of day, the mystery was solved: the child had forsaken her toys and was clinging with her little arms around her mother’s neck. Canst thou not do likewise? Rejoice in that He has counted thee worthy of dwelling with Him in the darkness, thank Him that though "a horror of great darkness" has fallen upon you, He speaks a comforting word, and in so doing thou shalt have "songs in the night."
THE PROMISED PRESENCE
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 7.
"My Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not" (Hag_2:5).
The two strong foes of Christian service are depression and discouragement. These two enemies have ever worked sad havoc, but never more so than at the present moment. We are entering upon the spiritual harvest-time of the Christian year. Whilst the Christian worker must sow beside all waters, labouring and reaping in season and out of season, the season of greatest opportunity is now on us. And never was there greater need for Christian witness than at the present. But when the Christian warrior should be buckling on his armour for the fray, and when the sower and reaper should be girding up their loins preparatory to labouring in God’s great field, depression and discouragement are paralysing the Lord’s servants, or causing the hands to hang down, and the knees to be enfeebled.
Of course there are sufficient causes for depression and discouragement to-day. As we look around us and note worldliness and vice at full flood, and the deadness and fruitfulness of much Christian ministry, with the apathy and indifference concerning the perishing multitude on the part of many of the Lord’s people, and the steady decline in Church membership and Sunday School attendance, we feel our hearts and spirits drooping, are tempted to hang our harps on the willows, and thrust our sword into its scabbard. It was so in the days of Haggai. By Divine intervention and the clemency of Cyrus, King of Persia, a remnant of Israel had returned from the Babylonian captivity, and with zeal had commenced the work of national restoration. But political intrigues had stopped the rebuilding of the Temple, and the enthusiasm of the first return had died away in the face of the prolonged difficulties. The two brave leaders, Zerubbabel and Joshua, still survived, and kept alive their own zeal; but the mass of the people, dismayed by past events, were now more concerned about their comforts than about the restoration of the House of the Lord. Depression and discouragement had paralysed all godly effort, and the work of the Lord had ceased.
The Lord’s people were in great need of a tonic, and the Lord sent His prophet Haggai to administer it, which he did most effectively. "Fear ye not," was one of his messages. When such a word fell upon their ears they might have replied: "Fear ye not! Why, look at our feebleness, our defencelessness, our adversaries, and our sad condition; we cannot but fear if we open our eyes!" But there are two antidotes in (1) the Lord’s promise, and (2) the Lord’s presence. His gracious promise-"According to the Word that I convenanted with you"-is indeed a grand encouragement, and His presence-"My Spirit remaineth among you"-is indeed the great source of cheer and strength.
Observe the duty of strength "be strong," twice repeated. But how can the feeble be strong? Note the fountain of strength-the Lord’s presence and Spirit. The purpose of strength certainly is work: "Be strong. . . and work."
Christian worker, despondent because of the present serious decline in Assemblies and diminution in Christian service, remember the Lord’s own word, "My Spirit remaineth among you, fear ye not." He is with you as your ally, partner and, enduement. Remember that following Paul’s sad prophecy concerning the "perilous times" and dark days in 2 Timothy 3, comes his urgent appeal to redouble Christian service: "Preach the Word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine… Do the work of an evangelist" (2Ti_4:2, 2Ti_4:5).
It seems fully clear by Act_18:5, and a study of 2Co_1:8; 2Co_2:1,2Co_2:4, 2Co_2:13; 2Co_4:8-9; 2Co_6:10; 2Co_7:5-6, that Paul was at that moment suffering depression.
"Grief beset the spirit of Paul," is the Arabic version of Act_18:5. Reasons for discouragement and depression can easily be seen. He was alone in a strange city, and solitude was a hard trial to so sensitive a nature; he had no money, and had to engage himself to a tent manufacturer; he was not well, was overworked and persecuted, and failure seemed to dog his steps. Yet he did not allow this mood to silence his voice in Christian testimony, or paralyse Christian effort, for "he testified" boldly for his Master.
Fellow-pilgrim, are you mourning over some besetting sin, and smarting under a sense of failure and shortcoming, and feel it is no use trying to live the Christian life any longer? Just take heed to His own Word to you: "My Spirit remaineth among you, fear ye not." And in that indwelling Spirit you have all you need for victory over sin and holy living. Just let Him have His own way with you, and all will be well. He will then tread down the enemies within and lead you to victory.
Unsaved one, if His Spirit no longer remains with you, then you would have every cause for fear. But He is with you. The very existence of good desire within you, and regret over the unsatisfactory past are so many proofs that the Spirit of God is striving with you. Let the Holy Spirit lead you to Christ, and to the precious Blood, then He will become in you the source of purity and power.
WHEN DANGERS ASSAIL.
Bible "Fear Nots" No. 8.
"Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2Ki_6:16). This is a "Fear not" for those overawed at the magnitude of the forces arrayed against them. It was truly an appalling sight that Elisha’s man-servant saw. Dothan, their residence just then, lay on an isolated hill in a wide plain. Rising up early one morning to perform his accustomed tasks ere his master arose, he saw a great host of the enemy surrounding the town, and they were utterly undefended and apparently at the mercy of the besiegers. No; we are not at all surprised at the man’s alarm and dismay. It verily was a fearsome sight.
The King of Syria was at war with Israel. His method of warfare was not by a regular continued invasion, but by dashes across the border on undefended places. But he found himself forestalled at every point. Whatever place they decided to attack they found their plans were known, and the carefully planned surprises were defeated. No wonder he suspected treachery, and, calling his servants together, challenged them on the matter. Their prompt answer implied that Elisha’s intervention was well known by them. They declared that Jehovah revealed those carefully made plans of theirs to Elisha, who instructed the King of Israel. Therefore the Syrian king determined to send an expedition for the capture of Elisha, never dreaming that this servant of the Lord, who knew all his former schemes, might know of this one too.
No; we are not at all surprised at the servant’s fear. And there is no wonder that we, too, are appalled as we remember the forces arrayed against us. Worse foes ring us round than those whose armour glittered in the morning sunshine at Dothan. A recently retired business man, in a letter, said: "These are terrible times we are living in, and it seems as if Satan is allowed to put forth tremendous powers in these last dark days." How true are these words. All the Satanic forces seem to have united in one desperate onslaught upon the forces of righteousness and truth, and against the Lord’s own people. Of the reality of those mighty enemies and of their bitter and fierce attacks, the Lord’s people are not ignorant.
Are we not as helpless to cope with them as this servant was? Then why should not we fear? Ah, this incident teaches us that we are not alone and deserted even when we seem most to be. And that, like Elisha, it is our duty, not so much to pray that the Lord and His host might be with us, as to recognise their presence. Elisha did not pray that the Heavenly guards might come, for they were there already. The manifestation was the miracle. God’s messengers are ever near us. Let us remember this, and thus, ever recognising their presence, and, above all, the presence of the mighty Lord, be delivered from all fear. For "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them."
WHEN TEMPTED TO FEEL LONELY.
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 9.
"Fear thou not, for I am with thee" (Isa_41:10). The children had been some time in bed. All was quiet in the home, with the mother alone in the kitchen sewing. Suddenly a wee voice was heard at the top of the stairs: "Are you there, mamma?" One of the little ones could not sleep, and, troubled at the quietness below, feared they were alone. On being assured that mother was indeed present, the timid little one went off again to bed and was soon fast asleep.
You doubt the existence of God. Is there any wonder, when you have never taken the trouble to go to the stairs and inquire, "Are you there?" You have read, and meditated, and considered with others on this matter, airing your rusty old views, but you have never seriously inquired directly of Him. Shame on you! If you will but seek Him He will assuredly manifest Himself to you. Or may be you are a true Christian. For long He has been a blessed reality. But there has not been much traffic between Heaven and your soul of late, and He seems to have withdrawn His presence, and there is a strange and ominous silence. "Are you there, Lord?" Is that your heart-broken inquiry? Here is His answer: "Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee: yea I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." Oh the blessedness of that gracious presence!
This is one of the most familiar of texts; this is one of the most familiar of truths. But do we live up to it. Ah, that is quite another matter. If I am truly born of His Spirit, and a member of the family of faith, having my sins pardoned, and justified by faith, am a partaker of the Divine nature, then He is with me. This is a fact, whether I have the enjoyment of that presence or no. We must depend less on moods and more on facts. Moods are transient whilst facts remain. And the enjoyment of the fact depends very largely on its clear and persistent recognition. You feel the Lord has forsaken you, and you are greatly troubled. But what saith the Lord? Listen, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee;" "Fear not, for I am with thee." It is wonderful to think that He is within call. It is glorious to think that I can go to the foot or head of the stairs, and in response to my inquiry, "Are you there. Lord," hear His voice saying, "Fear thou not." But this message for the lonely one means infinitely more than that he is within call; its full significance is that He is by my side. And He is with me to "strengthen," to impart strength, to "help"-to do practical service, to "uphold," to accompany and support us daily in the heavenly pilgrimage.
This was the Lord’s most repeated message to His people. For it was not only what they needed most, but also what they needed to be reminded most of.
This was His message to a backslidden people. Israel had been carried away captive. The Lord had been compelled to so chastise them. But if He had felt it necessary to send them into captivity, He had gone with them into the foreign land, and was sharing their hardships and heartbreaks. And all the while they were unaware of that gracious presence. Having forsaken Him, they thought they were forsaken of Him. But they were mistaken. He was sharing the strokes He had been compelled to lay so heavily upon them. He had gone with them into captivity, and was near enough to not only hear, but help.
This was His message to faint-hearted and fearful Israel at Kadesh Barnea (Num_14:9). And the recognition of this was the secret of their own unfaltering confidence. They passed the message on, but it was unheeded, hence the judgment of the forty years’ wanderings in the desert.
This was His message to a Christian worker about to undertake serious responsibilities (Deu_31:8). What a stupendous task awaited Joshua! Not merely was the task huge owing to the fact that he had to lead three millions of people, but because he had to succeed one so great as Moses. But the Lord’s presence was His sufficiency.
This was His message to a peace-maker, who felt his loneliness in the midst of enemies (Gen_26:24). What a splendid peace-maker Isaac was, to be sure, but what need there was just then of a cheery word from his Lord.
Yes; His presence with us is a fact. Do we live up to that fact? If we did, for one thing there would be freedom from anxiety. How often we quote Php_4:5-7 : "Be careful for nothing," or, as R.V., "In nothing be anxious." This freedom from carking care seems impossible. But read on: "The Lord is at hand," i.e., "The Lord is close by you," a reference not only to His imminent advent, but to His present nearness. A sea captain, who had just arrived from a voyage, said: "We had a terrible storm coming up channel. I was on the bridge continually; but when the pilot came on board I went straight to bed, and in two minutes I was sound asleep." Precisely. The presence of the pilot made all the difference in the world. But, if believers, our Heavenly Pilot is already on board. Shall we not recognise that gracious presence and find relief from overwhelming care?
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR INTERCESSORS.
Bible "Fear Nots," No. 10.
"Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to humble thyself before thy God thy words were heard: and I am come for thy word’s sake" (Dan_10:12, R.V.).
There is much that is strange and mysterious about this incident in the life of Daniel that great statesman, saint, and prophet. He was now an old man of eighty-nine. Seventy-three years had passed since his deportation from his beloved land of Judah. Two years had gone since the imperial monarch, Cyrus, had permitted the faithful remnant of Israel to return to Jerusalem. For some reason or other Daniel began a season of special prayer. What particular petition he offered we know not. Maybe he was praying for the remnant on receiving a report concerning the difficulties they were meeting in the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the restoration of their national life, and probably he desired to know what would befall his people in the future (see Dan_10:14). He had been engaged in earnest and persevering prayer for three weeks before an answer came. Though no doubt puzzled and bewildered at this long delay, the aged prophet continued his supplications. Then a vision was granted. "A Man" appeared. Comparing Daniel’s description of the appearance of this august Person with that given by John in Revelation 1, we are bound to conclude that it was the Lord. Daniel’s servants that were with him "Saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves," leaving their master alone. The effect upon God’s aged servant was overwhelming. "And I Daniel alone saw the vision. . . and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength." But in his fear and distress the Lord spake this most comforting and cheering "Fear not," which is bound to be an inspiration to all the Lord’s praying people.
I. Prayer is Heard at Once in Heaven, though the sensible answer may seem to be delayed. That is, of course, prayer offered from a humble and trustful heart. How significant is the phrase, "Set thine heart," not only to "understand," but also to "chasten," i.e., humble, "thyself before thy God." Our S.O.S. signals are always noted, and an account of the same kept before the Lord. Never for one moment allow the enemy to persuade you that your cry has gone unheeded. No; a thousand times, no. "For from the first day. . . thy words were heard."
II. Delays in Answering Prayer are Not Always Due to God. Some delays are due either to un-preparedness or unfitness on the part of the suppliant or the petition. But not all delays. Delays do not always mean denials. The Lord in the vision explained to the aged intercessor how it happened that he had received no visible answer to a prayer that had been offered with success three weeks previously. And the explanation was that there had been a conflict between the powers of light and darkness, betwixt the invisible powers which rule and influence nations and peoples. Strangely fascinating is this subject, yet how little we know or can know of it. The veil hiding the invisible is here slightly withdrawn, revealing titanic opposition to the performance of the commands of the Lord. As to the ultimate success of the powers of light there can be no doubt, for Satanic powers are not omnipotent; but the delays through opposition are trying and testing times to the eager and anxious souls. In Daniel’s experience a suitable explanation was given him for the delay, but the Lord is not able to explain to all of His servants. And what then? Well, surely we can trust even when we cannot trace. And we can persevere in our entreaties until our prayers are answered. Daniel persevered in prayer three weeks; let us persevere for three, thirty, or three hundred weeks. Pray through. Never give up, however sorely tried you may be with Heaven’s silence. Prayer conflict is an experience not to be trusted to all the Lord’s people, but only to the ripened and mature saint. Jacob’s determined reply to the Lord, "I will not let thee go except Thou bless me," is to be commended. Many a lost battle would have been won if perseverance had been practised a little longer on the part of the combatants.
88. "Excepts" Of The Bible
"Excepts" of the Bible
CONCERNING YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Bible "Excepts," No. 1.
"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom" (Mat_5:20).
In other words, except you are better men and women than those whom you consider to be the very cream of your society, you will not enter the Kingdom. Then what kind of men were these referred to by our Lord? The general idea is that they were hypocrites; but this is a mistake. Without doubt there were some who merited that designation; yet not all. "Pharisee" meant one "separated," and described those who had severed themselves from all wrong and questionable things. They were great religious teachers and leaders of that day, and therefore they must be taken as types of the highest conformity with the Law which the Old Testament affords. Luk_18:11-12 gives us a good description of them. By this we learn that they were punctual in attendance at Divine worship, believed in and practised public and private prayer, were temperate in eating and drinking, were generous and benevolent, supported the house of prayer, and read and studied the Sacred Scriptures. What more could be desired of them? And yet our Blessed Lord declares that there is no hope for us unless we are better than they!
"No, I cannot say that I am a Christian; but I am doing my best." Are you? Do you pray three times a day, read and study the Word of God, frequent as often as possible the meeting place, and support well its honoured institutions? "No!" Then cease talking about "doing your best." But granted that you are. Here was a large class of individuals who really were doing their best, and yet our Lord said that that was not sufficient. If you reflect for a little upon this, you will be compelled to exclaim: "This is staggering." Surely this word of the Lord’s ought to bring despair to the hearts of all who are honestly doing their best. Why, He states in another place (Isa_64:6) that, in His pure eyes, even our best is as filthy rags! Then if that is His estimation of man’s best, what must His opinion be of man’s worst?
Verily, our Lord’s words would be terrible if they stood alone, but, thank God, they do not. Just before He made this astounding statement, He declared that He had not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. That is to say, He has perfectly fulfilled all God’s righteous claims. Thank God for that! If my best is not sufficient, God’s best is more than enough; if my righteousness will not pass muster, there is another righteousness that will see me through There is an excellent righteousness-the righteousness of the Lord’s own providing-which becomes ours through faith.
Let us trace the great contrast between man’s righteousness and God’s righteousness.
I. The Former is Prospective, whilst the Latter is Possessive. "The righteous man under the law became righteous by doing righteously; under grace he does righteously because he has been made righteous." What an amazing difference! The one hopes to gain God’s favour by becoming righteous through desperate struggles, whilst the other begins working after gaining God’s favour in Christ. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Far, far better, to enter into present possession of God’s righteousness than vainly strive to work out one of your own.
II. One is Only External, whilst the Other is Both. This is described for us in Mat_23:28. Man’s righteousness is confined entirely to the life that is seen by man, but the righteousness of God is both concerned with the external and the internal, because it is both imputed and imparted.
III. Whilst the Former is Ceremonial, the Latter is Spiritual. The Scribes and Pharisees had made the observance of ceremonies the be-all, and end-all, of religion. Now ceremonies are all right in their place, yet vital godliness is not a series of ceremonies, but a deep inward spiritual reality.
IV. One is One-Sided, whilst the Other is Full-Orbed. Righteousness is not only a state of being right with man, the fulfilling of every relation in which we stand to others, but also a state of being right with God, the fulfilling of every relation in which we stand to God-not only a character man approves of, but a character God approves of, too. This the Pharisees lost sight of, for they narrowed their conception of righteousness to man, and left God out of the reckoning, and this was fatal.
V. One was, and is, an "It," whilst the Other is "He." Ah, this is the crux of the whole matter: "The Lord our righteousness" (Jer_23:6). It is what the Lord is for me, and within me. This is a Living Righteousness. And what the Lord is in Himself, He proposes to make us, if we will but trust and rest in Him. When He becomes my righteousness (which far, far exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees), this will see me through. Blessed be His Name for ever and ever!
NECESSITY OF REPENTANCE.
Bible "Excepts," No. 2.
"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luk_13:3, Luk_13:5).
In Scotland there is a ruined tower known as the Tower of Repentance. A sceptic passed by it one day, and seeing a shepherd-boy reading his Bible, scoffingly asked: "Can you tell me the way to Heaven?" Instantly the lad replied, "By way of yonder Tower!" It was the right answer. The boy had certainly read the Book of books to profit. Repentance was our Lord’s first message on commencing His short earthly ministry, and it is His first word to all sinners. What He asks first of us is not our appreciation, but our repentance.
"Do you mean to tell me that there is no chance of me getting to Heaven unless I weep and wail; this is quite ridiculous."
We quite agree with you.
"How can you? You have just said that my repentance is essential, and is not repentance being sorry, mourning, and weeping?"
By no means. Our definitions are often woefully astray. To repent is to be sorry for our sins, is often said. It is nothing of the kind. It is quite distinct from it: "Ye sorrowed to repentance" (2Co_7:9). Here sorrow is spoken of as something quite apart from repentance, though leading up to it. Mere sorrow is not repentance. If so, then what about Esau? "He found no place for repentance, though he sought it (the blessing) carefully with tears." Judas, the betrayer of our Lord, was filled with sorrow and remorse on accomplishing his dastardly work, yet he went out and hanged himself. Don’t forget the lesson of Acts 2.
Under the mighty preaching of Peter at Pentecost, the people were pricked to the heart, and cried, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" There was most certainly real and genuine sorrow, yet the preacher replied, "Repent." There can be sorrow without repentance, yet no repentance without genuine and heartfelt sorrow.
The events which gave rise to this pronouncement are unrecorded. Who these Galileans were is uncertain. They were fiery and turbulent people, often in rebellion. Probably many of them came to observe one of the feasts at Jerusalem, and Pilate, who had long desired to arrest some of them, surprised them whilst they were offering sacrifices, and slew them. The Tower in Siloam incident is unknown. It is evident that the people foolishly sat in judgment upon these unfortunate individuals who had so suddenly lost their lives, assuming that they must have been wicked to have merited such fate, and self-righteously imagined that they were much better because they had not so suffered.
This statement of our Lord’s proved to be prophecy, and was, literally fulfilled thirty-five years afterwards in the siege of Jerusalem, when over one million perished. Multitudes of the priests, who were going on with the sacrifices, were slain, and their blood mingled with the blood of their victims; and multitudes were buried under the ruins of walls, houses, and temple.
But this word is for all, dear reader. "Except ye repent, ye shall. . . perish." Awful word, dreadful in its significance! It is unfathomable. Twice over our blessed Lord repeated this "Except," and the repetition is impressive, emphasising its importance.
Repentance simply means "a change of mind." This was the first great truth that Luther discovered, and from which the Reformation came. It means a change of mind leading to a change of heart and purpose. First, a change of mind about myself, about my spiritual state, and the right object in life. I discover that instead of being all right I am all wrong. This will most assuredly lead to great sorrow; and if my eyes do not weep, my heart will. Second, there will be a radical change of mind about sin. Sin, that seemed so light a matter before, is seen as a hateful thing, something to be detested and dreaded. Then there will be a change of mind about God. I shall see God as an outraged Being: a Divine One of infinite love and compassion.
It is, of course, a change of mind leading to a change of conduct. Some years ago we were much impressed with the statement of a cultured Jew, who said that "the chief difference between Jewish ethical books and Christian devotional writings is that in the former repentance does not mean weep but return." Of course, he was labouring under the erroneous definition so many give of repentance. Return to God; that is the fruit of repentance. There is often a return, but not to God: "They return, but not to the Most High" (Hos_7:16). This may be a return to some duties or spiritual exercises; but these, instead of a return to God will be of no avail.
And what is the producing cause of repentance? The goodness of God as manifested in the Cross (Rom_2:4). This is well illustrated in the account of Dr. Pentecost’s conversion. Impressed by some revival services, he tried, but in vain, to produce what he imagined to be repentance. In a despairing mood he went again to church, but at the close of the sermon he was so devoid of feeling as not to recollect the subject. But as he stepped into the aisle, the dying love of Jesus was made real to him. In a moment he saw that Jesus died for him. Justification by faith, which at that time he had never heard stated, was as clear as it had been ever since. Darkness was gone, and all deadness of heart. He was not thinking of himself, but of the work of redemption wrought out by the Redeemer, fie knew that he was saved, not through his efforts, or resolves, not even on account of faith, but because Jesus had put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Said he to himself: "If God is satisfied with what Christ has done for me, I ought to be, and I am." With a glad, peaceful heart he went forward; and so may we.
COMING TO CHRIST.
Bible "Excepts," No. 3.
"No man can come to Me, except the Father… draw him" (Joh_6:44).
If that is so, why urge me to come to Jesus if I do not feel the drawing power of the Father? Why bother me about coming at all if all who are drawn do come? You see, I will come if I am drawn, for I won’t be able to do anything else. And why should I be condemned for not coming if I am not drawn? Where does moral responsibility come in? And where would the justice of God come in if He punishes me for not doing what I could not possibly do?
These are by no means imaginary difficulties, put up simply for the sake of demolishing them: for ages souls have encountered and wrestled with these fears and doubts and difficulties, and many a sore combat have they had with these giants of imagination and reason.
We have often remarked that many spiritual spectres exist solely through lack of Bible knowledge, and through careless reading of the Holy Book. Here we have a striking proof of this failing. To all who are the victims of the doubts and views we have just expressed above, we would say, "Read on!" The text printed at the head of this paper was not the whole of our Lord’s utterance at that time. Read Joh_6:45 : "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God." In other words, God draws men through teaching! That at once simplifies matters. There is no mystery about that. God is seeking to draw men by the teaching of His Son, and of His gracious Spirit, through the sacred Scriptures, and the ministry of His redeemed ones. Thus it resolves itself into whether men will listen or not.
In our Lord’s discourse He had spoken of bread from Heaven which Jehovah would give, and they then asked for that wondrous Bread of which He spoke. He offered Himself as that Bread. But this offended them. How could He be that Bread from Heaven, seeing they knew (or imagined they did) all there was to know about Him! Our Lord’s reply was not a defence of Himself, but a revelation of the reason of their blindness. In Joh_6:44 He declares man’s utter helplessness; He then produced a prophecy from Isaiah, remarking that God was now teaching men, and seeking through that teaching to draw them. But that teaching of God was not done personally by Him, but through His Son who had seen the Father. The Jews were not to expect the Father would teach them personally, for none had seen the Father but His beloved Son; they must expect to be taught by His Word, and by His Spirit, and by His ministers.
"Draw," it is a beautiful term, denoting the secret work of Divine love upon hearts and minds of men. God loves to draw. And His method of drawing men by teaching is.
I. In Harmony with His Movements in Nature. The tides are caused by the drawing power of the moon; evaporation, and in consequence the fertilising shower, is the result of the drawing power of the sun; the growth and position of plants and trees and flowers depend upon the alluring and attracting power of the same sun; all nature proclaims that God loves to draw. As in nature, so in grace. Of course His method of drawing in grace differs from His method of drawing in nature. And that leads to our next thought, viz., that God’s method of drawing men by teaching
II. Honours and Ennobles Man. If He draws by teaching, then it proves that man is not a block of wood or stone. A block of wood or stone cannot take in knowledge. But man is a rational creature, possessing amazing mental and moral powers and reasoning capabilities. This the Lord recognises in this method of drawing, and thus He honours and ennobles man. You have lost the key of a box or drawer-if you think little of the box or drawer you will prise it open; but if you value it you will not damage it by using force, but try the gentle art of persuasion or send for a locksmith. God will not force, but draw; not compel, but persuade; all out of respect to man.
Then again, this method of drawing men
III. Honours and Uplifts His Word. Archbishop Leighton said: "The outward means of drawing is by the Word; it is the sound of that harp that brings the stones of this spiritual building together." Building by music and melody? Yes; the music and melody of the Word. The Scriptures thus become the instrument and agent of the drawing of the Lord. What an honour is thus conferred upon the Word!
This method of drawing men also
IV. Honours and Exalts the Son. The Ancients declared that their god Jupiter had a chain of gold which he could at any time let down from Heaven, and by it draw the earth and all its inhabitants to himself. Only a fable, yet it is true that our God, the only wise and true God, has a Golden Chain, the Lord Jesus Christ, which, in the fulness of time. He let down from Heaven to earth to draw His erring creatures to Himself, Did He not say of Himself: "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me." The lifting and drawing power of the Word of God is the story of the Cross it declares and proclaims. It is that, and only that, that wins men and women.
This method of drawing men also
V. Honours and Glorifies God. We have said that the Lord draws by the Word, but it was He who caused all Holy Scripture to be written; we have also stated that He draws by His Son-but He gave His Son; we say that He appeals to intellect-but He gave man his reasoning faculties. There is only one conclusion possible, that God’s method of drawing men and women through teaching honours and glorifies Himself.
All these facts impose a serious responsibility upon man. Bishop Hooper wrote: "God draweth with His Word, and the Holy Ghost, but man’s duty is to hear and learn; that is to say, to receive the grace offered." "If a man cannot come without being drawn, and the drawing consists in being taught of God, we come to the root of the difficulty, when we raise the question: Why cannot men be taught of God? Why do they not receive His instruction? Plainly not for want of mental capacity. ‘Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life,’ tells the simple and the whole truth in the case. Learning comes before coming: but you have learned of Him-will you not come? Remember it is written: "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out."
CONVERSION.
Bible "Excepts," No. 4.
"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" (Mat_18:3).
After a long and dreary voyage, a ship, battered and torn by many a storm, was nearing home. Suddenly the captain discovered by the chart that the steersman was heading the vessel straight for some hidden rocks. What do you think he did? Set the men to the pumps, scrub the decks, tend the sails, or paint the woodwork? Verily no. Of course, these things are good and necessary enough in their place, but if the ship is to be saved the course must be changed, the helm must be altered.
We are all on the ocean of life, sailing one way or the other. If unconverted, then the frail barque of life is heading for destruction. This fact can be discovered by consulting the chart-the Book of Books, the Bible. If the course is wrong, what must be done? Try self-improvement, casting evil habits overboard, and cultivate the good? All this is right and proper in its place, but, if the soul is to be saved from shipwreck, the course must be altered-you must turn! That is precisely what the above text declares. Remember this, that if you do not turn, you will never reach the happy goal. Conversion is thus an absolute necessity.
"But I have tried to turn, and though succeeding for a while, I find I’m soon back again in the old way." That may be so; but it proves that you have not yet learned the all-important secret. If the helm will swing back into its original position, then there must be two at the wheel. That has to be done in many a storm at sea. One at the wheel cannot keep the vessel heading in the right direction. Ah, that is why so many fail in the spiritual voyage of life-they have never felt the need of the pierced Hand. And have never invited the Pilot to come on board!
The fact is, a mere turning is not sufficient. There is what is called "Turning over a new leaf," but that is not conversion. The word "Convert" is a Latin word in English dress-"vert," to turn, "con," together; that is to say, a turning, not alone and unaided, but in company with another. Act_3:26 illustrates beautifully this point. "God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." There is the truth of conversion-He will do the turning with your consent; He will put His hand on the helm of your life, and not only turn you into the right course, but keep you there, and that is the blessing needed. Like the prodigal, you are in a far country; unlike him, you are not left to find your way back to the Father alone, for the Lord Jesus is there, anxious to accompany you back. "Wilt thou go with this Man?" That is the all-important question. Look again at the text at the head of this page: "Except ye be converted." That signifies the work of another. And that Another is none other than the Lord. Henry Martyn declared that the conversion of a Hindu is a greater miracle than the raising of the dead. But then every conversion is a miracle, and a miracle the Lord alone can accomplish. Thus is clearly shown the true nature of conversion.
If converted, then the fact will be shown in many ways. A Chinese farmer, who spoke of his faith in Christ, was asked to give some real concrete proof of that conversion. After a moment’s reflection, he said: "I believe I have a little proof. When I used to clear the stones off my fields, because it was more convenient, I just tossed them over into my neighbour’s fields; but I don’t do that now. I carry them and throw them into a gully or some other place, where they will not harm anybody." That was indeed a most convincing proof of conversion, and it would be well if more could give a similar testimony. Be that as it may, there will always be some convincing proof of the reality of conversion in all genuine believers.
But pray notice that something else besides conversion is needed: "And become as little children." Our Lord not only speaks of the necessity of conversion, but also of childlikeness. May we not take this childlike spirit as one fruit of conversion? This was our Lord’s reply concerning greatness in the Kingdom. There was nothing wrong in the mere asking of this question or the desire to get on; the error lay in the spirit which actuated the query. Our Lord’s answer must have appeared to the questioners as a dash of cold water. Before you become concerned as to the greatness in the Kingdom, make sure first that you have entered into that Kingdom.
How strange our Lord’s reply seems: to become great you must become little-in fact, you become great by becoming little. This must have startled His disciples. This was certainly the very first time that a teacher had ever dared to lift up such an ideal. But it is true. The motto of the kingdom of this world is to be found in Gen_3:5; the motto of the Kingdom of Heaven is our text. To see them in their true light just put them together: "Ye shall be as gods." "Become as little children." Satan declared that the path to happiness and blessedness is by becoming great; the Lord said that the path not only to blessedness and happiness, but also to true greatness, is by becoming little. Which is true? You have only to look at the exponents of these two views to find in their lives and destiny the truth or falseness of their claims. The Lord was, and is, the greatest Preacher and pattern of humility, and Satan was, and is, the greatest preacher and pattern of pride. "The one great ambition of Satan was to become a god, and he became a devil; one of the supreme acts of the Son of God was to become a child, ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name.’ So in our case. Seeking to become gods, men became devils; seeking to become as little children, they become Divine, the partakers of Divine nature."
In cases of serious illness, how glad are we when the doctor can say, "He has got the change for the better." As the Great Physician considers your case, dear reader, can He say that you have had the change for the better? Have you been converted yet? If not, just put yourself into His hands, and He will pull you through.
SEEING AND BELIEVING.
Bible "Excepts," No. 5.
"Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe" (Joh_4:48).
This does seem a strange way of treating a wealthy man who had travelled twenty-five miles to seek healing for his son! Fancy, hastening all that distance in an effort to secure the aid of the Healer, and then to meet with such a rebuff!
It was a nobleman that was in distress-the rich have afflictions as well as the poor; it was a boy who was sick unto death-illness is no respecter of persons, coming to young and old alike; it was a father in dead earnest about bringing the Saviour and his son into touch with one another. Oh, that all parents were as anxious and determined to do the same.
Yes, we must admit that there does seem a certain amount of severity in our Lord’s reply. But there was a needs-be for such conduct. What was wrong with the nobleman? Some think the gentle Saviour was severe because He came to the Lord not for the Lord’s sake, but for his son’s sake, driven there by the strong constraint of an outward need, rather than drawn by the desire of the soul. No doubt there is a little truth in this explanation, yet it does not fully meet the difficulty. The satisfying answer is our Lord’s anxiety to purify and strengthen faith. The rich man possessed faith in the Lord Jesus, but only a faith in His presence, and not in His Word; it was a faith which rested only on the miraculous. The Lord was seeking to show His pupil that His word was as effectual as His presence, and to lead him into the deep meaning of the Old Testament utterance, "He sent His Word and healed them." Thus our Lord’s conduct was designed, not to extinguish that little spark of faith, but to blow it into a fierce flame; and the method adopted had the desired result.
"If God wants me to believe, why does He not put a sign in the sky?" That is how some speak and think. Our Lord’s treatment of this nobleman is the answer. True faith is a matter of the heart, and not merely of the head; and real faith is called into being not by any miraculous sign but by the Word of the Lord. Besides, as a very eminent writer so forcibly points out: "If belief was to depend upon a visible sign in the sky, a standing miracle would have to be worked in each generation to give that generation a fair chance with the others-a supposition which is contrary to all of God’s ways of working. It is, further, extremely doubtful whether such a sign would accomplish its object. ‘If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.’ We can imagine without much effort, the brilliant article in the next magazine, which would prove that it was a comet; and even if the explanation did not satisfy the intellect, such a mere ‘nine days’ wonder’ would have no effect upon the heart."
How precious then is faith in the estimation of the Lord, and what pains He takes to produce, purify, and strengthen it. That may be one explanation of many of His strange dealings with the sons of men. His great longing is to lead us deeper into the life of faith.
"But what is faith?" Strange that, though folk exercise faith every day of their lives, yet they are frequently making this inquiry. The first occurrence of the word "Believe" is in Gen_15:6. Abraham "Believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness." According to a competent authority, the word "believed" literally means "to steady oneself by leaning on something or someone." This gives a vivid illustration of what faith really is-"as a man lays his trembling hand on a staff, so we lay our weak and changeable selves on God’s strength."
Pray notice (1) that true faith has God for its origin and object. "Abraham believed God." In John 6 the Lord calls it a "work of God," hinting at a deep thought that it is God who gives the true inclination of mind to trust. Then (2) notice that faith is an act and not a mere sentiment. It is not something that comes to a man apart from himself, and outside of himself, without reference to him. There is a very close connection between faith and the will. In the strictest sense of the word faith is the exercise of our most inmost nature-it is an effort of the will.
Three stages may be discerned in faith, for faith is a progressive act or series of acts. The first stage is a belief in Him, a mere acceptance of His revelation. But there is no saving element in it. It is possible for a person to have this kind of faith and yet be lost True faith is something more than this. It is imperative that the next stage be reached, viz., a belief on Him. This is where the saving element comes in. If I am weary and tired and believe that the chair is able to bear my weight, merely believing that will not rest me, I must believe on it, let it take my weight. And what then? There is a third stage, believing into the Lord. I may believe on a chair or staff, and be rested, but the chair and staff and I remain separated and distinct. Not so with Christ and the soul. Believing on Him will lead to believing into Him, becoming one with Him, united to him by ties of life and love. What a blessed union is this! Words cannot describe it fully. Let us pray:
"My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour Divine."
EATING HIS FLESH.
Bible "Excepts," No. 6.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you" (Joh_6:53).
"This marking is terribly one-sided-why, the most important text of all is not marked; may I mark it?"
By special request, one day I called to see a blacksmith who had just returned from the London Brompton Hospital for Diseases of the Chest. I was delighted to find him deeply concerned about spiritual things, and anxiously inquiring his way to Zion, with his face thitherward. What had awakened him was a printed text of Scripture attached to a bouquet of flowers a Christian lady visitor had given him: "By grace are we saved. . . not of works." I found him ripe for the Lord, and soon had the joy of leading him to the Saviour. What a change could be at once noticed in him-he was rejoicing in a present and eternal salvation. Seeing that he had not a light and handy New Testament, and as all spiritual babes must have food I gave him a marked copy of the Book of books.
A day or so after, I again called on him-but what a change! I had left him bright and rejoicing, but now he was sad and bewildered. On asking the reason for this change, he replied: "Just after you left the other day, Sister— (referring to a High Church worker) called. I told her you had just been and showed her my new treasure. Upon examining it, she exclaimed: This marking is terribly one-sided. Why, the most important text of all is not marked; may I mark it?’ Of course I assented, and taking out her fountain pen she deeply underlined, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.’ She then explained it to mean that unless I partook of the blessed sacrament I would not be saved. Now, which of you is correct?" No wonder the poor fellow was puzzled, and in doubt and distress. But I was soon able to satisfy him, and never again did he doubt his safe and secure standing in Christ through faith. On this lady’s finding, we are meditating on "the most important text of all."
As is well known, this sacramental view of the Lord’s, Supper" is held tenaciously by adherents of both the Romish and High Church. According to their belief, everything depends upon the eating and drinking of the sacred elements. Suppose they are correct, see in what a most serious position they place themselves. If their view is the correct one, and this is to be understood literally, then all the Roman Catholic laity, and some High Church members, too, are lost, for only the priests drink the wine!
This is a startling and sobering thought, but it is one all who view this Scripture statement sacramentally should seriously consider. Besides, how could our Lord mean the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, seeing it was not instituted till quite a year after this! No; this passage does not refer to the Lord’s Supper at all.
What scattered the doubts and difficulties in the mind and heart of the blacksmith referred to, was a quotation from that devout and loyal churchman, Bishop Ryle; and it may not be out of place to give it here. He says: "Few passages have been so painfully wrested and perverted as this. The eating and drinking referred to here do not mean any literal eating and drinking. Above all, the words were not spoken with any reference to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. It means that reception of Christ’s sacrifice which takes place when a man believes on Christ crucified for salvation. It is an inward and spiritual act of the heart. . . whenever a man, feeling his own guilt and sinfulness, lays hold of Christ, and trusts in the atonement made for him by Christ’s death, at once he eats the flesh of the Son of Man and drinks His blood. Faith in Christ’s atonement is a thing of absolute necessity to salvation."
A very poor and illiterate woman lay dying. She was so ill and weak that the doctor forbade visitors. But a ritualistic curate managed to make his way into the sick room. "You are very ill, Mrs.—, would you like to partake of the holy sacrament? You see you cannot be saved unless you do, for the words of our Lord in St. Joh_6:53 are sufficiently clear on that point. Besides, it will help you to die happy." The poor soul was almost too ill to speak or listen, but as she had given herself to the Lord a good while before this at a Mission Hall with which I was connected, she knew better. "I hope you will excuse me, sir. I am a very ignorant woman, and cannot tell where it is, but somewhere in the Bible it says, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,’ and ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life,’ and that’s enough for me." Armed by the Word of God, she was more than a match for the astute’ theologian, and he left her as a bad case. Oh, the importance of clinging to the Word of God in all its simplicity!
DRINKING HIS BLOOD.
Bible "Excepts" No. 7.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you" (Joh_6:53).
These words formed part of our Lord’s great discourse, following the miracle of feeding a multitude with but five barley loaves and two small fishes. There was a pause in our Lord’s teaching, and the Jews, mystified with our Lord’s remarks, took advantage of this pause to dispute among themselves. In answer to a fresh question, our Lord introduced a new statement, which we have in the Scripture at the head of this study. The figure is made repulsive on purpose, in order to provoke thought. It is sometimes difficult to make people think. But attention is at once arrested by some unusual remark. So in this case. The thought of drinking blood was more repulsive to the Jew than to us. He had a religious horror of touching or tasting anything in which blood was; in fact, they were forbidden to touch blood, much less drink it.
This statement proved too much for many of His disciples (Joh_6:66) and they left Him. They made the blunder so many are making to-day, in taking what He said literally. What He meant was a spiritual eating and drinking. This they ought to have clearly seen. The fact that He said they had no life in them unless they did eat and drink should have shown them this. They had natural animal life, but no spiritual. Ralph Erskine once said: "Christ is the food of my life; I would die if He did not feed me with His flesh and blood." He well understood the meaning of our Master’s words. Let us carefully trace the meaning and force of our Lord’s strange statement.
I. Spiritual Life begins by Drinking in the Meaning of the Blood-Shedding. That was the comment of a Scotch minister on Joh_6:53, over one hundred years ago, and is suggestive. Drink, drink, drink again and again of the great ocean of truth connected with the Lord’s atoning sacrifice. To hear some people talk one would think there was but a trickling stream of truth they had long ago exhausted. Ah, no; the ocean of blood-shedding truth is vast and deep, and we can never say the last word on that subject. If we keep on drinking in the meaning of the blood-shedding, we must also keep on eating-appropriating-the meaning of the broken body. Yes; oh, so true! Spiritual life does commence in the soul of man as soon he begins, by faith, to drink in the meaning of the blood-shedding.
II. Spiritual Life can only Come to Men through the Atoning Death. The figure used by our Lord is suggestive of a way into life only through death and sacrifice. His flesh and blood could only be available by death. Only by His vicarious sacrifice alone can eternal life be obtained. Bread can only become bread by crushing and the furnace, so that when our Lord likened Himself to bread He was in effect emphasising the necessity of His atoning death.
III. Spiritual Life can only be Received by a Definite Appropriation of Faith. This is implied in the figure of speech used, in the, reference to eating and drinking. These acts are definite and clear; and, moreover, they are simple. We do not wait until we understand all the mysteries of digestion before we satisfy the craving appetite; nor should we postpone acceptance of Christ until we are able to fathom the mysteries of redemption. No, no, even a child of tender years is able to eat and drink. Oh, how important is this thought! So many are postponing decision until they axe able to understand Divine things clearer. They fail to note that the mere natural man cannot understand the things of God, for they are only to be spiritual discerned. We beseech thee, friend, lay hold of Christ-stretch forth the hand of faith and take Him-eat and drink of Him, and all will be well.
IV. Spiritual Life can only be Sustained by Dwelling in His Presence. Drummond well says. "A person who abides in the presence of Jesus Christ in some mysterious way appropriates, unconsciously and unavoidably, the life and character of Jesus Christ, so that he is built up like Him." This is a fine thought.
Here is a true story I have read somewhere. A soldier was given up to die. On his parents being notified, his old father hastened from a long distance to his bedside in the hospital, carrying with him a bundle-handkerchief with something wrapped in it. The poor soldier lay half conscious, and nothing that father or attendants said could rouse him, until the father exclaimed: "Here is a loaf of your mother’s bread which I have brought you." "Bread from home," said the dying man. "Bread from home! Give me some;" and from that hour he began to improve, to the surprise of all. Oh, dying soul, we have to offer you bread from home, bread from Heaven-Won’t you say, "Give me some?" If you do, and you thus eat His flesh and drink His blood, life, Eternal Life, will be yours.
THE NEW BIRTH.
Bible "Excepts," No. 8.
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (Joh_3:3, Joh_3:5).
If one "except" and one "verily" be impressive, what shall we say of two "excepts" and four "verilys"? Thus our attention is drawn to something of tremendous importance. And truly this has to do with vital realities. In the third chapter of Genesis we read how man lost life; in the third chapter of John we discover how man can get it back again.
There is no narrative in the New Testament better known than, this, and yet none so misunderstood. Of course the doctrine it proclaims is misunderstood-indeed, unless one has experienced in their own lives the sublime truth it enunciates it cannot possibly be understood. But even the plain facts of the story are misunderstood. Poor Nicodemus could bring most of us up for libel. True, he came to Jesus by night, yet that does not make him a coward. Surely caution is not cowardice. Perhaps he came at night because he knew it was the only time he was sure to find Jesus at leisure for a quiet hour’s talk. All who brand him a coward should remember that it was Passover time, and the bright Passover moon would be shining, making the streets almost as light as they would have been by day.
The reply of our Lord to the greeting of Nicodemus is most significant, and ought to have our closest attention. The repetition of the words, "Verily, verily," amongst Jewish writers was considered of equal import with the most solemn oath. Here are some great lessons from our Lord’s reply to Nicodemus.
I. It is not Mere Direction but Disposition, not Teaching but Life, that man Needs. "We know that Thou art a Teacher come from God." Nicodemus thought that all that Israel and the world required to elevate them was a teacher, and teaching, but our Lord’s reply shattered that idea. The deepest need of man is not to know, but to be helped to do. It has been well said that the worst man knows more than the best man practises. It is life man needs, and this is his first need.
II. Until Man has this Position through the Gift of Life, he cannot Understand, much less Follow the Directions. Regeneration is essential to a true understanding of the things of God. Except a man be born again he cannot see."
III. Regeneration is a Universal Need. "Except a man," not a Jew or a Gentile. All need this stupendous change. And please note the nature of the change. In the Reptile House at the Zoo we notice the snakes at certain times of the year cast off their skin. Yet notwithstanding this change, they remain snakes. Men may change the form and habit of their lives without having a change within, and be a sinner still. Our Lord-insisted upon a radical change from within.
IV. Baptism with Water alone is Not Sufficient to Bring About this Great Change. "Except a man be born of water and of the spirit." The former was the only new birth the Rabbi knew anything of. Those converted to the Jewish faith were baptised, and were known as those who had been born again. Cranmer, in 1553, significantly wrote: "All that be washed with water, be not washed with the Holy Spirit." You have been baptised with water; have you been born of the Spirit?
V. The New Birth takes Place at the Cross. There are two "musts" in this chapter, both imperative. In Joh_3:7 we have the "must" for the sinner, and in Joh_3:14 the "must" for the Saviour. There is indeed a very close connection between Regeneration and the Atonement. The Cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the true birthplace of the soul.
As is well known, the greatest obstacle to the progress of the Gospel in India is the caste system. Individuals cannot marry, eat, or work only within their own caste. The Brahman is the highest caste. As a rule, there is no way of entering this caste. The Rajahs of Travancore belong to one of the lower castes, but that he might be admitted to the sacred caste, a most extraordinary ceremony has been invented. The cow throughout India is a sacred animal. To be born of a cow in a future state is considered a high honour and privilege. A golden cow, made of gold according to the weight of the Rajah is made; in it is put the five products of that animal (milk, curd, butter, urine, dung), and in this mixture His Highness bathes, remaining for the prescribed period, and when the ceremony has been performed the prince is regarded as being born again. One ceremony cost ‘a325,000. What a vain attempt to invent a royal road to regeneration. Ah, there is only one way, and that is God’s way. And that way is pointed out so clearly in Joh_1:11-12 : "As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God." Thus regeneration follows, and is the result of a definite acceptance of the Lord Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Will not you receive Him here and now!
FRUITFULNESS.
Bible "Excepts." No. 9.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (Joh_12:24). All nature each Autumn sounds a loud Amen to the declaration of the sweet singer of Israel-"Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness." The fields, orchards, and gardens are laden with fruit. The Lord’s crown of goodness then lies gloriously heavy on the brow of nature. The fruit, and much fruit, gladden both the heart of God and man. But in the rejoicing of the "harvest home" let us not forget the important "except" of fruitfulness. One of the most familiar facts in nature is that, in plants and seeds, life comes by death. The principal event which renders the seed corn valuable to man is its death. There could not possibly have been fields laden with golden grain had there not previously taken place in secret a great surrender, and a dying to self. This is a great principal in the moral as well as in the natural realm.
"And there were certain Greeks among them." I wonder if they had been amongst those who had welcomed Jesus as King of Jerusalem? If so, they were not satisfied by admiring the Lord Jesus, but longed to come into a more personal knowledge of Him. Would that all the Lord’s admirers would do likewise! There are so many who imagine that the good opinions they entertain of the King of Glory will prove a sufficient passport to eternal bliss. What a vain hope is this! No, No, nothing can take the place of personal faith and vital contact with the Lord Himself. Let all mere admirers pray, "We would see Jesus."
Why these Greeks should seek Philip’s mediation we know not. We do notice that Philip’s name is more purely Greek than any of the other disciples. Does not this indicate that probably he had Greek relatives and connections? "Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus." How blessed it is when Christian brethren unite in bringing others to the Lord Jesus.
Undoubtedly the Lord had Himself in mind when He gave expression to this great fact of nature. Their request was as a narrow window through which Jesus’ yearning spirit saw a great expanse, nothing less than the coming to Him of myriads of Gentiles, the "much" fruit of which He speaks. But before that could take place death on the Cross must be His.
There are several words in this verse pregnant with meaning. "It abideth alone." Here we have one reason why the Lord came down to be a man and die-He could not bear to be alone in the glory, alone with the Father and the holy angels. Without the sons of men, He felt He would be alone. And He desired us to share His glory. Oh, verily this is the language of love!
"Except a corn of wheat fall." Ah, that is a familiar word, is it not? Man has fallen, and to lift him up the Corn of Wheat, the Lord Himself, must fall, die and fall into the ground.
"And die." Man died at Eden. The Son of Man must die to give man life. Here is the great fundamental principle of the Gospel. Christ’s death was and is the source of spiritual life of the world. He fell to the ground in His incarnation, and seemed buried alive in the world, so much was His glory veiled. He died; this immortal Seed submitted to the laws of mortality. And He lay in the grave like the seed under the clods. But He arose; and from His Cross and Passion sprang up a mighty harvest of benefit to mankind. The first fruits were seen at His resurrection. "Christ died alone; He arose again with many," so wrote the venerable Bede.
But there is an important lesson here for all who have received life through that atoning death. What was true in respect to the Saviour is equally true respecting His own dear children. If we are to be fruitful in life and service we, too, must die to self as well as to sin. One has very forcibly pointed out that the key to the application of the words of the Saviour is the Greek present. "For five centuries the Greeks had marched at the head of humanity. The whole world gathered round the torch of Greek genius. Yet they failed to regenerate society. Why? Their master words were self-culture and self-enjoyment. This was, according to the Greeks, the chief good of human life, the supreme aim. The gods of Olympus were represented as beings who lived only to enjoy themselves. When they came to earth they came only for the sake of pleasant adventure, or selfish amusement, caring nothing for the sorrows and sins of humanity. And the character of the gods was reflected in the worshippers. But Christ calls upon them to substitute self-oblation for self-culture, self-sacrifice, for self-gratification. In other words, He asks them to reverse the whole bent of their thought and conduct." How startled they must have been when they heard this great principle enunciated. They were well aware of its force in nature, but they never dreamt it ought to be applied to their own lives. We now know differently. But do we act up to our knowledge? Remember, if we live for self we live in vain.
SUFFERING.
Bible "Excepts." No. 10.
"And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days" (Mar_13:20).
That is to say, however dark the days might be, and however heavy the weight of sorrow pressing upon us and the bitterness of the cup of suffering we are drinking, things not only might be, but would be, worse, were it not for the controlling hand of an almighty and loving Heavenly Father. God’s people are always the special object of His care. "But for the elect’s sake"-"but for the sake of God’s own people those days will be cut short" (Weymouth Version). Ah, yes! there is always an "except" in suffering. There is a Hand on the affairs of this world, controlling the events of life, working, scheming, and planning on behalf of His people. The Lord’s own are never left to the mercy of the enemy of souls, or to circumstances. The days of darkness and of sorrow have been shortened for our sakes. This will be actually the experience of all who will be called to pass through the awful Tribulation days; it is the present-day experience of all the Lord’s own, for it is through much tribulation we enter the kingdom. Let us illustrate this from real life.
Bending over the suffering man of God, just then in the grip of a paroxysm of pain, the doctor, though inured to the sight of suffering, was strangely moved, and exclaimed, "Surely Hell cannot be worse than what you are suffering!" "There is no wrath in this," was the calm reply of the suffering one. Splendid! Not only did the sick one recognise that, through Christ, he had been saved from the wrath to come, but he was assured that for some all-wise purpose the Lord had permitted the affliction. He kissed the Hand that was smiting him. He did not rack his soul by questions of, "What have I done that I should suffer like this?" and the like. He rested on the fact that there was love and not wrath in his cup of suffering. Here was the "except."
A worker had just lost his only daughter, a sweet, winsome maid of seventeen summers, the very light of his eyes. Only a wee while before the mother, too, had passed away to the Home beyond. Desiring to speak a word of comfort, a fellow-worker remarked to the bereaved one: "My brother, you have indeed been called to pass under a heavy cloud, and to drink a bitter cup of suffering." "Thank you for your sympathy," was the reply; "there is suffering-true; but, thank God, there is no cloud." Praise the Lord! This is what grace does. There was an "except" in that sorrow: suffering, but no cloud. There was a blessed consciousness of the Master’s presence in the valley of suffering, so much so that he could say:
"Days of darkness still come o’er me;-
Sorrow’s paths I often tread;
But the Saviour still is with me.
By His hand I’m safely led."
The street in which the house stood was temporarily softened to secure quiet, and the sick room was darkened. Bending over the patient, the visitor asked: "What do you do when the paroxysm is coming on?" The reply was: "I abandon myself to pain and-to Christ."
Why that suffering was allowed was a mystery. But there was an "Except" in it, for it is written: "In all their afflictions He was afflicted, and the angel of His Presence saved them;" and again, "I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee."
It was indeed a bewildering case. After a lifetime of holy and devoted service for God and the people, to be cut down by cancer! and the hearts of many were filled with strange questionings. But not so the sufferer-she was calm and quiet in soul and buoyant in spirit, and to visit her was a real means of grace. Someone had sent her a leaflet, and she handed it to me, assuring me it was indeed her own experience. It was called "Pillows of Comfort," and was as follows: "An aged sufferer dying from cancer, had been made more comfortable by three pillows being placed under his head. A friend, calling and inquiring, ‘How are you to-day?’ he replied, ‘Very comfortable indeed. See! I lie on three pillows. They remind me of three pillows on which my soul is resting.’ Putting his hand on the undermost one, he said, ‘This is the pillow of God’s Infinite Wisdom; the second is the pillow of God’s Infinite Power; and the third and top one is the pillow of God’s Infinite Love.’" What a glorious "Except" this was in the valley of sorrow and suffering.
He was an out-and-out Christian, and an enthusiastic worker, delighting in deeds of love and mercy, but consumption had laid him low. There he lay upon his bed, weak in body, and though generally bright and cheerful to-day he had a drooping and disconsolate spirit. "You see, it’s just like this," said he, "here I am, though quite a young man, yet, so far as service for God is concerned, just a useless log. It does seem hard that I should be denied the privilege of serving God, and doing something for the One Who has done, and is doing, so much for me." And this was spoken in such a mournful tone. "But, my friend, you, and all who make similar laments, are making a great mistake," I replied. "True, you are shut in by your illness, but, thank God, not shut out from service. The fact is, we must reconsider and reconstruct our conceptions of what constitutes true service. Have you not heard Milton’s famous lines concerning service, ‘Those also serve who only stand and wait.’ How true this is! A servant serves her mistress just as much when silently standing in her presence awaiting her pleasure as when bustling about the house. She also serves though she only stands and waits. The time has been when you were able to hurry here and there in happy service for your King; but now He is bidding you to quieter service. Have you not heard of the talent of silence? In past days you exercised other talents; now He is calling you to trade with this. It is now your inexpressible privilege to wait upon your God in a happy, listening silence. Then another branch of service is open to you. In Luk_2:37, we read of one who, though of a great age, and consequently unable to buzz about in "busy service, yet ‘served God with fastings and prayers night and day.’ Perhaps you never thought that praying for others was real and valued service, yet such is indeed the case." Ah! this sad soul found there was an "Except" in his cup of suffering, and, though he had to spend his days lying on his back, discovered that he, too, could render important service.
DEPENDENCE.
Bible "Excepts," No. 11.
"Thou couldest have no power at all… except it were given thee from above" (Joh_19:11).
A retired merchant, who formerly lived in Southport, hit upon an ingenious plan of keeping himself humble and ever in remembrance of his indebtedness to, and dependence upon God. Amongst the many elaborately furnished rooms in his costly mansion was one furnished in simple style-sanded floor, old fashioned hearth-rug, settle, fender, and chairs-just a copy of the humble cottage home he first had when he began married life as a labourer. In this room he frequently sat just to remind himself of his once lowly position, and to keep himself humble and lowly before the Lord, Who had so wondrously blessed his commercial labours with such conspicuous success.
We all need to be kept lowly respecting our mental, physical, and spiritual attainments. It is good for the Lord’s people to frequently sit before Him, and recall to mind their once loathsome and degraded condition, giving all glory to the One Who alone has made them different to others. It would be well if we, as a nation, would sit in reflective mood; and, remembering our once uncivilised and degraded condition, and how, through the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and all its attendant blessings, we have so been lifted up that now we form an empire on which the sun never sets, and have also become one of the dominant nations of the world and then give all the glory to Him. The study of national history is one method of cultivating the humble and lowly spirit. Think for a moment of the prevalent popular watchword in connection with the late lamentable war, viz., that all we required for the successful prosecution of the war were men, money, and munitions. As we saw this placard everywhere, we asked ourselves the question, "What about God? Is He not needed?" Oh, in our eagerness after the material forces required by our beloved King and country for the successful completion of the war, we were in grave danger of forgetting the one real essential-God, GOD.
Pilate boastfully spoke to our Lord of his power and might, when the Master broke silence by a sudden flash of bold rebuke to remind the proud and arrogant Roman governor, and all his tribe in all lands and all ages, of man’s utter dependence upon God. "Thou couldest have no power at all against Me except it were given thee from above." And it seems as if this bold reminder that all power is derived from God, and that its exercise should be guarded and guided by His will and used for His purpose, sobered and somewhat subdued the haughty Roman. Ah, it does not do to forget this "Except" of dependence upon the Lord!
Are you, in the enjoyment of physical power, revelling in bodily health and vigour? Pray remember it was God Who gave you your being and Who sustains you in health daily. The very breath you breathe is a gift from Him. One gentle snap of the silver cord by that Divine Hand and you cease to live. Pray forget not that thou couldest have no bodily strength and vigour at all except it were given thee from above.
Perhaps you possess great mental powers, and have, or are, acquiring vast stores of knowledge hidden to others. Problems that baffle those of lesser mental calibre form no difficulty to you. Whence has come these great receptive powers? Here is the Divine declaration to you through His Word: Thou couldest have no mental power except it were given thee from above. Surely you will bow before Him in humble acknowledgment of this fact?
Maybe you hold some position of trust and responsibility, having others under you; you may be either a manager, magistrate, or ruler of some sort, or an employer of labour. Pray, what think you, is the meaning of this Scripture: "Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south." Then where does it come from? "From above." Thou couldest have no governmental power except it were given thee from above. It was the Lord Who raised you to your present position.
This is applicable to the Lord’s people. Perhaps you are a Christian and rejoice in the fact that you are not living in the shallows as so many are, but that you are living the deeper life, and possess a knowledge of the Word and of Divine things hidden to many. Give Him the glory.
To sum up: Success, promotion, knowledge, authority, growth of influence, are all gifts which God keeps entirely in His own keeping. Have you recognised that "every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above?"
DELIVERANCE.
Bible "Excepts," No. 12.
"How can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house" (Mat_12:29).
As my Aunt Matilda Jane said when the doctor told her she had a nasal catarrh: "It is a common cold in the head, and I haven’t sent for you to christen it, but to cure it." In the moral and spiritual world there is far too much christening and too little curing. Of course the christening is all right and good in its place. A satisfactory christening is really the first step to curing. A doctor cannot prescribe for a patient until he has made a right diagnosis. But it is quite one thing to christen, and another thing to cure, as thousands sorrowfully know. In dealing with the sins and ills of mankind, our adorable Lord makes at the same time a perfect diagnosis, and proposes to make a perfect cure. In this "Except" we have a clear illustration of this. The trouble with the unregenerate is that the mighty evil one is strongly entrenched in the citadel of the natural heart, and the only hope is in the coming of a stronger than he to put him to flight. That One has come, and is ready to deliver all who come to Him in repentance and faith.
This "Except" is really a simple little parable. Here is a house or palace tenanted by a strong man armed; before possession can be secured, and his goods cleared out, the strong man must first be overcome and expelled. A poor man, blind and dumb, was brought to the Lord Jesus. He was in this deplorable state through demon possession. The Lord cast the evil one out and the dumb spake. Our Lord’s enemies had to admit that a miracle had indeed taken place, but they tried to explain it away by an absurd and preposterous statement. In reply, our Lord pointed out the folly of division (Mat_12:25), how unlikely that Satan would blunder thus (Mat_12:26), and that, instead of co-operating with sinners, he was arrayed against them (Mat_12:29). Our Lord’s heart overflows in pity for these reckless slanderers who made so hideous a charge, and He warns them that they are coming near the edge of a precipice-that their blindness is hurrying them towards a sin which hath never forgiveness (Mat_12:31).
In this declaration our Lord throws a dim light into the dark world of supernatural evil, and by thus lifting the curtain a little we see the dark beings at work. The strong man is Satan; the stronger than he the Lord Himself; the house, both this world and also the unregenerate heart.
I. The World is the Strong Man’s House. We usually say that Satan resides in Hell; by Eph_6:11-12, we see that the earth and the air form his present abode. Satan got possession of this world at Adam’s fall. In Adam’s fall Satan gained the crown God had placed on Adam’s brow. And our Lord did not deny the usurper’s claim to have the right to give all the kingdoms of the world (see Luk_4:5-8). How can he be ejected? Our "Except" is the answer. Satan suffered an awful defeat at the Cross (Joh_12:31). The sentence upon the enemy has been pronounced and made known, and by and by, when the Lord Jesus comes again, will be executed. The final victory is certain. The Stronger is coming again, and will bind and expel him (see Rev. 20). May that day be hastened!
II. The Human Heart is the Strong Man’s House. In our "Except" we have a solemn view of the condition of unredeemed man. The sinful soul is a palace, though in ruins (Luk_11:21). Mankind through sin has become the very home and dwelling place of Satan. Why, the presence of his goods proclaim the fact of his presence. Have you ever pondered over 1Jn_5:17, R.V.: "The whole world lieth in the evil one." The word "in" is the same word used elsewhere of Christians when they are said to be "In Christ." Just as the Christian is united to Christ, so the natural man is united and possessed by Satan. Then note the word "lieth." It could be rendered "lieth asleep." It is a condition of unconsciousness. The saved ones are in the Lord’s everlasting arms, whilst the great mass of unsaved humanity is in the arms of Satan, lulled to a false sense of security. Is not Eph_2:1-2 very impressive: "The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience?" "Thus Satan imparts his wisdom and strength to the unbelieving in the same manner as the power of God is imparted to the believer by the Holy Spirit. This impartation of energising power from Satan is not toward a limited few who might be said, because of some strange conduct, to be possessed of a demon; but is the common condition of all who are yet unsaved."
DELIVERED IN THREE TENSES.
In a prayer meeting one with fervour prayed: "Lord, make us grammatical Christians!" when he really meant "genuine." No sooner was this petition presented than another prayed: "O God, Thou hast blessed us in the past tense; Thou art doing us good in the present tense, and in the future tense Thou wilt save us to the end." All who really trust the Lord Jesus become "grammatical" Christians by being saved in three tenses.
I. Threefold Deliverance in Relation to sin.
1. Our Past. Deliverance from guilt of sin, through Christ’s atoning death.
2. Our Present. Deliverance from power of sin, through His intercessory life in the Glory.
3. Our Future. Deliverance from the presence of sin, when He comes for us.
II. Threefold Deliverance in Relation to Trouble.
As Paul, so are we, often in trouble of various kinds. Yet He delivers in all three tenses.
The Great Salvation.
SAVED WITH DIFFICULTY.
"And if the righteous scarcely (with difficulty) be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear" (1Pe_4:18).
It has been thought that, as Peter wrote his first epistle ten years before the destruction of Jerusalem, the above was a prophecy. We do know that when Cestus Gallus came against that city, many of the Lord’s people were shut in it; when strangely he raised the siege for a little while, the Christians immediately departed to Pella, in the dominion of King Agrippa, an ally of Rome, and there they were in safety. They had barely time to leave the city when the Roman army returned under the command of Titus, and never left the place till they had destroyed the temple, razed the city to the ground, and slew upwards of a million of its wretched inhabitants. This may be so, yet we are quite sure that the verse has a much deeper application than the one just referred to. It has a reference to the subject of salvation, and points out that we are saved with difficulty.
"Scarcely" does not mean that there is the least degree of uncertainty about our salvation. The believer’s salvation is assured in Christ; he is in present enjoyment of salvation, and is as sure of reaching the home beyond as if he was already there. Neither does it mean that though our ultimate salvation is assured, we shall just to say get there, as a shipwrecked mariner scarcely gains the shore on a plank. No doubt that will be the character of the home-going of many, but it is not God’s ideal for us. Read 2Pe_1:11. He desires that we should have an abundant entrance-to go sweeping through the gate, not crawling through. As one has well said, if there are any back seats in Heaven, they were all taken up long, long ago.
The word "scarcely" really means "with difficulty." That is the rendering in the Scofield Bible. "If a good man is only saved with difficulty" (20th Cent.). "And if it is difficult even for a righteous man to be saved" (Weymouth version). The word "scarcely" is used in Act_14:18 and Act_27:7 in the sense of something only done with difficulty. And there are three difficulties we may mention.
I. Attributes. God had a difficulty about our salvation with Himself, on account of His attributes. In the Lord’s parable of the wicked husbandmen there is a single sentence pregnant with meaning: "What shall I do?" Here God is portrayed as in a dilemma. We often speak of the simple plan of salvation, and thank God, it is simple and plain. But there is a danger of thinking slightingly of it on that account, a danger of forgetting in the thought of the simplicity the difficulty of salvation. Simple things often cost a great deal. It takes a genius to produce a simple commodity that becomes a boon and blessing to mankind. The simple plan of salvation was only wrought out after much trouble. The difficulty lay within Himself. He had no difficulty in loving us, neither had He any difficulty in inducing Himself to lay bare His arm on our behalf. The trouble lay with His attributes, particularly those of Mercy and Truth. Mercy clamoured for man’s salvation, whilst Truth and Justice demanded man’s condemnation. In Psa_85:10 we are told of the meeting of Mercy and Truth: "Mercy and Truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." This is a prophecy that was fulfilled at the Cross. In the parable we have already referred to, that of the Wicked Husbandmen, the problem was solved by the sending of the Son. Oh, the wisdom of God! Well might Paul in Eph_1:7-8, magnify the prudence of the Lord in the evolving of the scheme of redemption. So wise and prudent has He been in solving this great difficulty that Heaven marvels and Hell quakes. Even the Devil cannot find a flaw in the Divine programme of redemption. Every Divine attribute is now at work for man’s salvation.
II. Stubbornness. God solved the great difficulty concerning His attributes, only to be confronted by another, the difficulty with the unrighteous owing to their stubbornness. He desires the salvation of man, but man, left to himself, desires it not, though in desperate need of it. And pray remember our Lord’s delicacy. He never forced Himself upon any man. "About the fourth watch of the night He cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them" (Mar_6:48). "And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went, and He made as though He would have gone further" (Luk_24:28). Yes, He would not force Himself upon them, but waited their invitation. But the difficulty with man’s stubbornness He has solved in the case of multitudes to-day, thank God. By His Holy Spirit and by His mighty Word, and by His servants, He lays siege to the city of Mansoul. Have you surrendered yet to His love?
III. Waywardness. God has also a difficulty with the righteous, owing to their waywardness. If the stubbornness of the unrighteous presents a formidable difficulty to the Lord, what shall we say of the difficulty owing to the waywardness of the Lord’s own saved people? Lot vexed his righteous soul through living in Sodom, but was also a sore trial to his Lord, and only with difficulty could be rescued from the doomed city. And what a trouble the Lord had with wayward Peter: and what a lot of trouble He has with all of us, too. The statement in the Scripture at the head of this article settles, once for all, the question of salvation beyond this life. If God finds the salvation of the individual so difficult a matter now, with the Holy Spirit’s co-operation, and the aid of the Holy Book and good men, what hope can there be of salvation in Hell, where there are none of these aids?
SAVED THROUGH FAITH.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Act_16:31). "Because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" (Joh_20:29).
How often the words of Mrs. Luke’s children’s hymn, "I think when I read that sweet story of old," are on our minds and hearts, Especially have we lingered on the sentence:
"I wish that His hands had been placed on my head.
That His arms had been thrown around me;
And that I might have seen His kind look when He said,
‘Let the little ones come unto me.’"
Under the influence of the thought that the contemporaries of the Man, Jesus Christ, were more fortunate in seeing and hearing Him than we of the present day, with a sigh of regret, feeling that though the highest blessedness cannot be ours, the second-best may be, we say:
"Yet still to His footstool in prayer I may go.
And ask for a share in His love."
But are we right? Listen to the Lord’s own declaration: "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed." This surely demolishes the common and prevailing notion. Christ counted all those then living who had not seen Him and yet had believed as more blessed than the others who believed because they had seen. Thomas saw and was blessed, for every one who believes is blessed. Yet this was not the supreme blessedness. The highest blessedness of all is reserved for those who cannot see Him with the eyes of flesh. And for reasons we shall presently notice.
Before considering the nature of the blessedness, shall we not put in a good word for Thomas, for surely he has been hardly dealt with. His name is now synonymous for doubt and for unbelief. Pray, remember, that when he said, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe," he was only asking for the same evidence the others had received. They had seen the Lord and the tragic marks of His passion, and believed, and he desired the same evidence. Instead of scolding him, we ought to pity him. By absenting himself from the gathering of disciples, he missed the sight of the Lord: and, unable to accept their testimony, for eight days he was sad and sorrowful whilst the others were rejoicing. Sometimes we wonder what had kept him away from that gathering. Being of a pessimistic turn of mind, perhaps he was away nursing his grief and disappointment over the capture and death of the Lord. What a mistake is this! Yet how many absent themselves from the meeting for prayer or worship for the very same reason. It is well to notice that he did not get relief from his crushing sorrow until he gathered together with his fellow-believers. Irregular attenders at the house of prayer-listen! Christ did not appear to Thomas until he was in the company of his fellow-disciples! We must attend the place of assembly even when we feel least inclined to do; and most certainly we shall not return to our homes empty, for the Lord will meet with us and speak the comforting and delivering word. This incident is of great dispensational interest. For Israel, as a nation, stands now precisely where Thomas stood. Though many Gentiles and individual Jews have believed and are believing in Him Whom they have not seen; yet Israel, as a nation, Thomas-like, will only believe when they see. This is the teaching of Zec_12:10-14 and Rev_1:7. But theirs will not be the highest blessedness. That is ours. Those who see not, yet believe, are most blessed, because
1. Their faith is the real and genuine article. A faith which exists by seeing is not of the most robust nature.
2. It is a faith which honours Christ, because it is satisfied with the evidence of His resurrection and being which He counts as quite sufficient.
3. It is a faith which honours the Word. We sometimes say that the world hangs upon nothing. True. And yet it is better to say that the world hangs upon the "Word of God, for "He upholdeth all things by the Word of His power" (Heb_1:3).
4. It is a faith which leads to sight, to spiritual vision. Thomas considered sight as an aid to faith; he was mistaken, for faith is an aid to sight. Some speak of "a blind faith," but this is wrong, for real genuine faith has eyes to see, hands to grapple with, and feet to run by. How suggestive are the words of the Psalmist: "I had fainted unless I had believed to see." Seeing is not believing. The believer sees more on his knees than the non-believer of keenest intellect can discern by standing on tiptoe.
5. It is by faith which leads to the blessed state of justification and salvation.
SAVED BY GAZING.
"And it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live" (Num_21:8).
Life for a look. True; but what kind of a look? Remember, sight is a gift, but seeing is an art. There is a great difference between a glance and a gaze. Your attention is drawn to something in which you have no interest; you look and turning away, immediately forget what you have seen. That was a mere glance. You are walking in a picture gallery. A friend draws your attention to some notable work of art. You glance at it, then taking a seat, gaze upon it, and your gaze discovers what is entirely hidden to a mere glance. The bitten Israelite received life not for a glance, but for a gaze. According to Dr. Young, the word in the original translated "beheld" in 1Pe_4:9, is very strong and definite, and could be rendered "when he beheld attentively." No; the Lord has promised life not merely for, but in a look. This Dr. Watts recognised. When did he say the Cross became wondrous to him, and for which he counted gains of losses? When he had surveyed it.
"When I survey the wondrous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died."
You know what it is to survey. You have seen men with measuring lines and rods, and delicate instruments on tripods, measuring and surveying every inch of the ground, and noting every hill and dale. Have you ever surveyed the Cross? You have, of course, given it a passing thought; but have you ever, after reading the account of our Lord’s passion recorded by the four evangelists, closed the book, and shutting your eyes, given one hour to gazing at it with the eyes of the mind? If so then let me tell you what first happens-you will be bitten, for
I.There is a Bite for a Gaze, the bite of an awakened conscience. In the case of the Israelites, only bitten ones looked; in our case, we are bitten by looking, bitten by an awakened conscience, by the Word of God, and by the Spirit of God. It is at the Cross all true penitence begins. It is when we see the goodness of God as revealed in the Cross, that we are led to genuine repentance. It is strange but true, that we need, for our soul’s awakening, to see our sins, not in ourselves, but in another. Let us illustrate. Here is a young man, who has never realised his sins though he has often suffered from them, and has often been reprimanded by his parents. But one day, whilst sitting at the fireside, he notices a look in his mother’s face, sees the lines of care about the mouth and brow, and the truth flashes upon him: That is what my sin has done; she is suffering because of my sin. And his heart is broken. Have you ever asked why He went to the Cross? Not for His own sin; not because He could not avoid that bitter experience. Gazing at that marred visage, has not the truth flashed into your mind: "That is what my sin has done." It is as we gaze at the Cross that a sword pierces our very soul, and we know for the first time what is true penitence.
II. There is also a Death for a Gaze. We sometimes say, "He died that we might live." Quite correct. Yet it is equally true to say that He died that we might die. It is finely expressed in that verse:
"Once I was dead in sin, and hope within me died; But now I’m dead to sin, with Jesus crucified."
Cowper wrote a haunting sentence: "The Cross once seen is death to every vice." The young fellow referred to who saw what his sin was doing in his loved mother would surely have done with sin. Repentance is not mere sorrow for sin, but being sorry enough to quit it. It is at the Cross we loathe our sins and turn from them to God.
III. There is Life for a Gaze. "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." It did come to pass in the experience of multitudes that day; and it still comes to pass in the experience of all who similarly look to the Cross to-day, for our Lord claims this as a picture of the salvation we find in Him. Looking is the simplest thing in the world. Almost all knowledge comes through looking. We look at the physical world, and are taught what nature has to teach; we look at books, and learn what printing has to teach us; we look at the Cross, and by gazing upon it there is life, life eternal. Therefore we are bidden to do what all can easily do.
"There is life for a look at the Crucified One,
There is life at this moment for thee;
Then look, sinner, look unto Him and be saved,
Unto Him who was nailed to the tree.
Look! Look! Look and live!
There is life for a look at the Crucified One,
There is life at this moment for thee."
SAVED AND JUSTIFIED.
"Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom_4:3). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Act_16:31).
A large tenement house was on fire some years ago. It was thought that all had been saved, when, to the horror of the rescuers and spectators, two children appeared at the topmost window. The staircase was a roaring furnace, and all means of egress was thus cut off. What could be done? Quickly strong men got hold of a stout blanket, and holding it taut to break their fall, shouted to the children to jump. But all that the bairns did was to look out with frightened eyes. Meanwhile the fire was hissing and roaring, and leaping from floor to floor, until it seemed to clasp the entire fabric in its fiery embrace. "Jump! Jump!! Jump!!!" yelled the people until they were hoarse, but all to no purpose. Just then a man came round the corner. In a moment he took in the whole situation. Stepping quickly forward he cried, "Jump!" and the children instantly obeyed, and they were saved. Going up to him, the would-be rescuers asked how it was that the children had jumped directly he gave the command, whilst all their entreaties were useless. "I’m their father," he said.
What was it that saved the children? Blankets? Hardly. Obedience? Not altogether. It was faith in their father that led them to trust his word. It was through faith they were saved. Believing in their father they were enabled to believe on him. The faith that saves is the faith that believes on and not merely in: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." In the Gospel specially written in order that men might believe, viz., John, in the R.V. in every instance but one (Joh_14:1) the confidence we are exhorted to place in Him is faith on Him. Many say they believe in the Lord Jesus, but they have never yet believed on Him. This is the one vital step.
How subtle is the enemy. In the biography of Dr. Andrew Bonar, is this confession: "I resolved to enter upon the study of Divinity. My chief motive was the indistinct hope and belief that thereby I should be more likely to find salvation." He soon found out his mistake and saw that faith was necessary. He was then tempted to trust his own faith. "He showed me I was resting my hope upon my belief, not upon the Object of that belief, and not drawing joy from that Object."
"That whosoever believeth, may in Him have eternal life" (Joh_3:16, R V.). I have sometimes been inclined to think that faith is greater than love. Love is sometimes given to the unworthy, but that is never true of trust. As soon as trust finds that it has been misplaced it dies. The prodigal son or daughter is loved by the suffering parents though they may not be able to trust them. But 1Co_13:13 is decisive. Yet faith has the precedence. An Irish class leader, in the middle of last century, called three times on a poor woman, and on his third visit she said: "Oh, sir, I do not love God." "What have you to do with loving God," he replied. "He requires it not in your present state, but to fear Him. How can you love until you apprehend His love to you? This you cannot do until you believe. It is folly to think of loving God before you obtain pardon and get the virtue of the covenant blood to wash away sin." She said: "Sir, I never understood it before." Like many others, she thought it was necessary to love God before she could trust Him; whereas faith must precede love to God.
Have you ever noticed the value of the conjunction "and" in relation to faith. The first blessed result of faith is shuddering. "The devils also believe and (literally) shudder" (Jam_2:19). Salvation begins with a shudder. When the sinner trembles at the thought of personal sin and uncleanness, and the goodness and holiness of outraged Deity, there is great hope. The Second blessed result of faith is justification. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom_4:3). The third blessed result of faith is salvation. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Many have a difficulty about faith. So had Frank Crossley, that great engineer and philanthropist, of Manchester. A great sorrow led him to pray, and, says his biographer, "through the praying there came believing." And soon he was rejoicing in the Saviour.
SAVED BY HOPE.
"For we are saved by hope" (Rom_8:24).
Is this correct? I thought we were saved by faith! To say the least, one cannot help being startled when first this statement is read and noticed. What a man Paul was for gripping the attention of his hearers and readers! There is nothing commonplace in his writings. And it is good thus to have our attention arrested, and our thoughts gripped. Remember, this is the statement of one to whom the doctrine of Justification by Faith was no mere doctrine, but a blessed personal experience. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," was his word to the Philippian jailer. Salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus was so preached by the apostle that none have ever excelled him. Not only is this a statement by one loyal to the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, but it is a message to those already in a justified state, as its position in the Epistle indicates. Thus are we introduced by St. Paul to the sweet and loving ministry of hope. Hope is the great lever that lifts the world. Rob a person of hope, and at once you paralyse the mainspring of action. Let us definitely hope. Hope has to do with the unseen future. It is a God-given assurance concerning the future. "Faith appropriates, but hope anticipates; faith looks backward and upward; hope looks onward. Faith accepts, but hope expects." Hope has been called "the balm and lifeblood of the soul," so vital is it. The various renderings give three tenses. "For we are saved by hope" (A.V.). "For by hope we were saved" (R.V.). "It is in hope that we have been saved" (Wey.). "For our salvation lies in hope" (C. & H). "In this hope we were saved" (20th Cent.). Thus we have the three tenses, past, present, and future. All are right, though what harmonises with the context is the ministry of hope concerning the future.
I. What Hope has Done in the Past. "For by hope were we saved." Hope has a very great deal to do in our salvation. The apostle does not say "we hope we are saved," but "we are saved by hope," which is an altogether different thing. There is no such vagueness concerning the salvation Paul referred to-he speaks of a salvation already received and enjoyed. "Saved" is a medical phrase; to save means to make or to keep sound. The first condition of recovery is hope in its possibility. Despair often renders the skill of the best physician unavailing. Faith has no chance of doing us any good if hope has not visited us beforehand. Like the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, the sinner lies battered and bruised by the highway of life, despairing of ever being healed and saved. But hope comes as a ministering angel whispering words of encouragement, pointing out the glorious possibilities. Then, when the angel of hope has kindled hope in the breast, faith comes along and easily leads the once hopeless one to the Saviour. Most sinners come to Christ supported on one side by faith and on the other by hope. Praise God,
"None need perish. All may live, for Christ has died."
Now note, what hope has to say about the future: "For our salvation lies in hope." Hope, having led the sinner to Christ, does not leave him, but speaks constantly of a glorious future, declaring that though our salvation has not yet been fully realised here, it will be in the great time to come. In God’s great scheme of redemption there is not only a new heart for us (which all His people have now), but a new body. We possess much, but there is more to follow both here and in the great future. It is always "more to follow."
II. What Hope Does in the Present. "For we are saved by hope," i.e., Kept saved by hope. To be saved means not only to be made, but to be kept, sound. "For we are saved by hope," that is to say, kept, preserved, sustained in our trials by hope. Richard Baxter, the Puritan preacher and writer, suffered all his life with a weak and ailing body. Often he was tempted to wish he had never been born. What kept him from it? Listen to his testimony: "What should support and comfort me under my bodily languishings and pains, my weary hours, and daily experience of the vanity and vexation of all things under the sun, had I not a prospect of the comfortable end of all? I, that have lived in the midst of great and precious mercies, have all my life had something to do to overcome the temptations of wishing that I had never been born; and had never overcome it, but by the belief of a blessed life, hereafter." Richard Baxter was saved by hope. So will it be with the Lord’s people. They have to meet many storms and suffer many hardships, but are cheered at the bright prospect ahead:
"Hope, like the gleaming taper’s light.
Adorns and cheers our way;
And still as darker grows the night,
Emits a brighter ray."
SAVED BY REGENERATION.
"According to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Tit_3:5).
It was indeed a pitiful case. There the young woman lay in the great hospital apparently dead to all around her. She had a loving husband and comfortable home, but her life and strength seemed ebbing away. At last the doctor decided that the only remedy left was transfusion of blood. But who would submit to this weakening operation? Her husband, a strong, healthy man, out of love to his wife, willingly offered himself. Warm, rich, vigorous blood was taken from him and infused into the almost lifeless form of the patient, and she recovered- saved by transfusion of life.
Something like that was in the mind of the writer of Tit_3:5. By nature ours is a pitiful case. Unlike the poor woman referred to, we have not even a spark of spiritual life in us; we are dead through trespasses and sins. Not only are we "without strength," but we are also exposed to the righteous wrath of an outraged God. We have seen how to be saved from the sword of Divine Justice. It is the Blood of Christ that maketh atonement for the soul. Saved by His out-poured life, we need to be saved by His in-poured life. "Men’s lives have been prolonged by the transfusion of blood from vigorous frames. The value of the blood of Jesus Christ thus passes into our veins. The Church chose for one of its ancient emblems of the Saviour the pelican, which fed its young, according to the fable, with blood from its own breast. So Christ vitalises us. He in us is our life." For recovery of the soul He not only has poured out His life for us, but in regeneration, He pours His life into us, making us partakers of the Divine nature. We, too, require to be saved by transfusion of life. We have faint illustrations of this in nature. As by infusion of new life by the grafting process, the crab-apple tree is saved from its bitterness and use-lessness, and the common dog-rose made a thing of beauty, so the soul and life is by the life of God made sweet and beautiful and useful.
Pray observe that this is not "the regeneration of washing," but "the washing of regeneration." The words in each sentence are the same, but in different order, and order here is a vital matter. By way of emphasis, let us repeat that sentence; not "the regeneration of washing," a fiction man is so prone to idolise, but the "washing of regeneration," i.e., the cleansing which we get when we are regenerated, or born again, the cleansing that the new life gives, a life which is given on the ground of the shed Blood. All the baptisms of water in the world cannot cleanse the soul; it is the washing of the Spirit which alone is effectual.
It is important to notice that there must be the application of the precious Blood of Christ before we can receive the life of God. In the Tabernacle and Temple this truth was zealously guarded. Before the great Laver was reached the brazen altar of sacrifice must first be approached. There is no doubt whatever that the Altar was the first thing encountered. In Lev_4:7, it is called "the altar at the door."
Why are the instructions respecting the Laver not given after the altar in Exod. 27, but reserved until chapter Exo_30:18? To guard the great doctrine of Atonement. Atonement must come before cleansing; the cleansing of the blood before the cleansing of regeneration.
He saves not only by regeneration, but also by renewal. What is meant by renewal? In the words of T. Binney: "By regeneration we understand the commencement of the life of God in the soul of man, the beginning of that which had not an existence before; by renewal the in-vigoration of that which has been begun; the sustenation of a life already possessed."
Nature in Spring undergoes a mighty renewal. The long, cold, trying winter has gone, and at the call of spring the naked trees put on their garb of glory and beauty, and life in its freshness and attractiveness is peeping through the scarred surface of the ground. Nature is having its periodical renewal. And does not the Christian soul need renewal? Verily, that need is great. Let us seek for an outpouring of His grace, and then we shall be able from experience to say and sing:
"There is Springtime in my soul to-day.
For when the Lord is near.
The dove of peace sings in my heart.
The flowers of grace appear."
SAVING BY LOSING.
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life, for My sake, shall find it" (Mat_16:25).
In other words, if we are" to save either soul or life we must lose them. What, save my life by losing it! This does, indeed sound strange! Who would have thought this? Every one of the evangelists record this utterance, and this is both a proof of its importance and of the effect it had upon them. Verily, God’s way of salvation is altogether different to man’s. Here a great principle is enunciated: What I keep I lose; what I lose I retain.
"But how can this be?" you exclaim. We would like to associate Joh_12:24 with this Scripture: "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." Here is a farmer who has a good store of precious grain. He desires to save it, but in order to save it he must lose it. What the farmer sows he keeps; what he keeps in his barn deteriorates by keeping, or is eaten by vermin. If a corn of wheat be not cast into the ground it will for a time abide alone, and then presently cease to exist. The only way of saving the corn of wheat is by losing it. As in the vegetable world, so in the moral and spiritual world. In Luk_17:33 our Lord applies this principle to the subject of our salvation, and in Mat_10:39 to the subject of Christian service.
I. To Save my Soul I Must Lose It. No one seems to know where the word "soul" came from. Some think it to be an Icelandic word for the sea, meaning that, like the sea, it is mighty, mysterious, unfathomable, and perhaps, billowy. Others say it is from the verb "to see," suggesting that it is the part of our being that thinks, reasons, loves. The soul is that immortal and eternal part of my being; it is "my think;" it is myself.
In the old days of the pirates, when pursued by those sea-pests, to save gold, silver, and valuables, the captain and passengers threw them overboard, where they would be able to find them again; they lost them in order to save them. In times of danger, precious treasures are deposited in banks, and diamonds in transit are put into the captain’s care for safety; lost, in order to be saved. Friend, have you yet discovered that you possess a Jewel of immense value? That jewel is your soul. Many treat their souls as the people of the transvaal formerly treated diamonds, when, not knowing their value, they gave them to their children to play with, and even built them into the mud walls of their farmsteads. The soul is a precious jewel, indeed, and for safety must be lost in God. As the farmer, in order to save his corn, commits it to the keeping of God by placing it in the earth, so we, in order to save our souls, must in the words of Peter, "Commit the keeping of their souls to Him as unto a faithful Creator."
Of course we commit our souls to God, not to be lost in Him in the sense that the Buddhists and Pantheists believe, viz., to be entirely absorbed in Deity, for we ever retain our personality and identity.
Many things lost are never found; not so with our souls. But they are not found as they were lost. The lost seed is found in a glorious harvest. This is also true in respect to our bodies. If the Lord tarries, we may have to lose them in the grave, but on the Resurrection morn we shall have a glorious find (see 1Co_15:42-44). But quite as great a change now takes place in the soul hidden in God. Pearls, when they have lost their lustre, regain their brilliancy by being buried in the sea. When we are hidden in God, the lustre of whiteness and purity is regained by His grace.
II. To Save my Life I Must Lose It. There is the dread possibility of a saved soul and a lost life. That was the case with the dying thief-his soul was saved, but his life had been wasted in the service of sin, and was therefore irretrievably lost. What a grand thing it is for young lives to surrender to the Lord Jesus, and to be lived in His blessed service for His glory! Yet many who turn to the Lord in their youth lose their lives because that, though their souls are saved, their lives have not been fully yielded up to God. Do you know the difference between a piece of coal and a costly diamond? The latter receives the light and then gives it forth, whereas the former takes in and absorbs all the light, and gives none. Our Lord said that John was a "burning and a shining light." We cannot shine without burning, that is, without losing. Samson’s wife, in order to save herself and family from burning, betrayed her husband, but the very evil she wished to avoid overtook her. And so, in His application of this principle to service, the Lord, in effect says: "If to follow Me seems to you, as it is, very dangerous, and you decide in order to save your life, not to deny self and take up the Cross and follow Me, the very evil you wish to avoid will overtake you."
SAVED BY HIS LIFE.
"For 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 His life" (Rom_5:10).
What, saved by His life? I thought we were saved by His death! This is indeed a startling statement. Saved by His life-which life? The life He lived before the Cross, the life poured out on the Cross, or the life He is now living since the Cross? The answer to these questions gives the message of this study.
If you will carefully scrutinise the text and context you will see that this is a message to reconciled ones, to those who have already been saved by His death. Let this be very clearly understood: the apostle is not referring to the life our Lord Jesus lived before the Cross. That is how some view this text. Many teach that in studying the life of Christ, and seeking to imitate and copy it, we shall be saved. It sounds rather philosophical and attractive to the generality of men, but it will not work in actual experience. As a matter of fact, contemplation of that life, instead of saving, only condemns. All honest endeavourers have to confess:
"Dear Master, in Whose life I see, All that I would, but fail to be."
Contemplation of His life always leads to shame, and is powerless to help. It is also quite clear that the apostle is not referring here to either salvation through the poured-out life, or the poured-in life, though these are glorious truths. This is a message to those who have already been saved by His death, and by infusion of His life.
Rightly understood, this is a sample of Paul’s close, clear, and keen reasoning. Look at the Lord Jesus on the Cross, so weak and frail; see what a mighty work He did for us in that weakness. But He lives. If He accomplished so much for us in that weakness, what can He not do for us in His untiring energy and unlimited and Almighty strength! You see the apostle is drawing attention to the work the Lord Jesus is now doing for us in the Glory. We do not think as much as we ought of the life He is now living for us. He died to save us; He lives to keep us saved. Let us illustrate this in various ways:
I. As a Patient is Saved by the Life of his Doctor. On the death of a friend or relative, have you never heard the remark that, humanly speaking, if only the old family doctor had been alive, the deceased would have been saved from physical dissolution. And there is a great deal of truth in the assertion. Here is the doctor who has known us all our lives, has attended and pulled us through serious illness, and therefore understands our physical frame as no one else can.
What a desperate state we were in when we first called the Great Physician in! We proved indeed that His touch has still its ancient power, for He healed us of our spiritual disorders. But remember that He still lives to keep us well. Verily His own are saved by His ceaseless skill and care.
II. As a Child is Saved by the Life of the Mother. Humanly speaking, many a motherless child dies prematurely through lack of a mother’s loving care. The only sister of a young man known to the writer passed away at the age of sixteen. The mother died eleven years before. She had been grossly overworked and neglected, and he constantly affirms that had his beloved only sister known a mother’s care she would have been alive to-day. Praise God, He Who saved us when we first trusted Him ever lives to keep us saved. We are ever the objects of His tender regard. Constantly He is mothering those who trust Him.
III. As an Absent Official is Saved by the Life of a Friend at Court. In Eastern countries enemies plot the disgrace and ruin of an absent official, and happy is he who has a friend at court to defend his interests. Satan is well called the accuser of the brethren, and Job_1:6 hints at the possibility of his admission to the court of Heaven. The adversary could do us immense injury there, but for the fact that we have a Friend at Court.
"There for me the Saviour stands. Shows His wounds, and spreads His hands."
He ever liveth to make intercession for us, and we are saved by His life of intercession from dismissal and disgrace. Ah, thank God, we have indeed a Friend at Court!
IV. As an Army is Saved by the Life of its Commander. History records many a battle lost, and many an army defeated and annihilated, when the General fell mortally wounded. But no shaft of death can ever harm our ever-living Commander. He has passed through the gates of death to immortality; and, as earthly Generals usually select a hill from which to watch the tactics of the enemy, and send reinforcements to any section over-pressed and in danger, so our General is now seated on Mount Zion with His eye upon us, to succour us in times of danger and pressing need. Saved by His ceaseless vigilance.
"Hold the Fort, for I am coming,
Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven,
By Thy grace we will."
A man in delirium complained he was deserted, unloved, and uncared for, and all the while his loving wife and the skilful nurse were anticipating every wish, and crying because of his ravings! "But," you say, "the poor fellow was in delirium, and not responsible for his ravings." Yet there are thousands of poor sinners guilty of the same folly. "No one cares for me," they moan, when the Lord died for them, and is now seeking to save, Yea, worse still, sometimes the Lord’s own people in despondent moods take up the same complaint when all the time, he knows, and loves, and cares, and is living His ascended and glorified life specially on their behalf.
NOT SAVED.
"The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" (Jer_8:20).
A Devonshire farmer, reporting to the writer the condition of the crops in his part of the country, said: "Round my way the grass is saved, and the oats and wheat are saved." We thought the expression suggestive.
Surely no one from Devonshire can wonder what it means to be saved! For the crops to be saved means that they have been severed from the earth and carried to a place of safety for future use; not to be saved means to be left rooted in the ground, left out at the mercy of wind and weather, to die, and to rot.
To be saved by the Lord means that you have been separated from the world, having ceased to draw nourishment from that quarter, and are housed in God’s precious barn-Christ-for safety and for service. "The harvest is passed, the summer is ended," and then we hold our harvest thanksgiving services throughout the country because "the crops have been safely garnered and are saved," and we do well in thus acknowledging the goodness of the Lord in this time of the nation’s need; but is it possible that any reader, whilst thanking God for the saving of the harvest, has to confess, "Yet I am not saved!" More concerned about the salvation of the crops than the salvation of an immortal soul! Alas, alas, that is only too true in many cases! When shall we place first things first?
Jerusalem was besieged. The inhabitants, pressed beyond measure, had waited deliverance, but in vain. They expected the Egyptians to come to their relief, and that in the dry summer season when travelling was easy; but the golden opportunity has passed, and immediate destruction now stared them in the face. "The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved," was therefore the wail of these disappointed inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they merited such disappointment, for they had no right to seek the help of Egypt; and they had done so in spite of all the prophet Jeremiah’s warning. But this will also be the experience of all who do not look to the right place for salvation, for none but the Lord Jesus can do helpless sinners good.
Where are you looking for salvation? It is sad to see the lock on some people’s faces when you ask them that personal and important question, "Are you saved?" There is often not a look of concern, but of contempt, which is often accompanied by a sneer and mocking laughter. There may be sometimes a look of pity; but it is a pity that you should demean yourself by troubling over such matters. Two evangelists had conducted a successful mission in a country town, and many had received Jesus Christ, and were rejoicing in their new found rest and peace. Two companions out for a walk encountered some converts, and one said sneeringly: "These people say they are saved!" "Oh, indeed," said the, other, "I wonder if they got a special revelation?"
More truth is said in jest than some imagine. They had received a special revelation of themselves and the Cross, and also had the threefold witness of the Word, the Spirit, and their changed lives. Ah, that word "saved," once the subject of jest, is now sweet and precious to many of us.
It is sad to think that many a harvest time has come with its golden opportunities, but in many cases the confession yet is, "Not saved." Special evangelistic missions have been held, bringing golden opportunities for deliverance, the harvest time of opportunity had come, a time of ingathering had arrived, yet it passed, and finds you still as you were. Less than twenty years ago a farmer herded a handful of sheep on the golden soil of the Colorado district in the loneliness of a mountain wilderness, and the whole district might have been his almost for the asking. But there he lolled and dreamed away his days, neglectful of the riches over which he trod. Others came to find there one of the richest goldfields known to man, for the gold seems inexhaustable. It is reported that the farmer still lives. He lost his opportunity. "What a foolish man!" you say. Yet there are many greater. Within your reach now is Christ and His unsearchable riches, aye yet you go on in your spiritually impoverished and destitute condition!
But one more golden opportunity has come. If we accept Christ now we will be able to say: "The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, the crops are saved; and I, too, am saved, thank God!"
LOOKING (Heb_12:2).
1. To Christ, for Salvation-A definite act.
2. At Christ, for sanctification-a definite habit.
3. For Christ, for glorification-a definite hope.
Autor: James Smith