VOL. XXVIII AUGUST 1945
NO. 8 Drawn Together by the Bonds of Love God's Grace and the Song of the Lord Debtors
to His Marvelous Grace Christian Fellowships"Truly our
,fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son. Jesus Christ. IN THE
opening verses of his First Epistle, "the disciple whom Jesus loved," has told
us the tremendous importance of fellowship-that by it we may in a measure determine not
only our relationship with Him who is the light, but also how well we are living "in
the light," and therefore the sanctifying power light is having in our lives-the
progress we are making toward the heavenly goal. The chapter opens with the statement that
his Gospel was written that we might have "fellowship, one with another," as
well as have "fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." In
order to have this fellowship we must "love one another as" He loves us. (1 John
3:23; John 15:12.) This is not merely a suggestion, but a commandment as left us by Jesus.
No one can claim himself guiltless regarding the keeping of this command, but "if
any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." His
forgiveness guarantees also the assistance necessary to acquire the love that makes
fellowship not a thing of difficulty and constraint but the natural outworking of and
spontaneous expression of the Christian principle, "Christ in you, the hope of
glory." Both the
Father and the Son are spirit beings, unapproachable by fallen fleshly senses; and it is
also said of our brethren with whom we fellowship that they "are not in the flesh but
in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwell in" them. Manifestly, then, the
fellowship of which the Apostle speaks must be that of the spirit-the spirit of holiness.
We must have of God's spirit to fellowship with Him, "His spirit bearing witness with
our spirit." That fellowship, if confined to the limited portion of our day that is
given to prayer and study of His Word, will be meager indeed. Larger possibilities are
pointed out however in many Scriptures. The fellowship with the Father and with the Son
is intended to be so complete that it will include "whatsoever we do," even
to the bringing of "every thought into captivity to the obedience of
Christ." Then we can say with Jesus: "The word which ye hear is not mine, but
the Father's which sent me." (John 14:10, 24.) The Christian who attains the high
ideal of this text will glorify God in thought, word, and deed. The One who said that not
a word He spoke nor a deed He performed was His own, but the Father's, when praying for
us, raised the high standard of a oneness with each other, comparable to the oneness of
the Father and the .Son. "By one Spirit" we have "access" unto the
Father," even Jew and Gentile, bond and free, being brought nigh to each other as
they are brought nigh to Him. In no less degree must the New Creatures' fellowship with
each other be looked for along spiritual lines, their spirits bearing witness with each
other. FELLOWSHIP IN CONVERSATIONThe details
of the fellowships we have with fellow Christians will correspond with the fellowship we
have with our heavenly Father and heavenly Bridegroom. We would of course bring nothing of
evil into our conversations with the Father; nor would one who knows the joy of dwelling
in the Father's presence, "where there is fullness of joy," lessen that joy for
one moment, by bringing into his conversation, either with the brethren or the world,
even the mildest form of evil; and much less would he permit grosser forms, such as evil
surmising and evil speaking to enter into that conversation. Rather, the one who is really
dwelling in the Father's presence is jealous of that privilege, because he finds there
"fullness of joy," and gives evidence of this by always having his conversation
in harmony with the laws of holiness. Association with such a Christian becomes a powerful
means of sanctification. His conversation will add materially to the treasury of those
things which are true, just, honest,, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous,
praise-worthy things --things of truly sanctifying power to meditate on. FELLOWSHIP OF WORKSThere will
be also a similarity of motive in our activities. While each one in the
spiritual family will have his specific duties, there will be an absolute fellowship,
regardless of how different these activities may be. All will be fitted in as part of
the one great household, each member planning every act carefully that it may do its part
in accomplishing the great aim of that household -- glorifying God and "doing good
unto all men, especially unto the household of faith." The nature of our business
and recreation, yea all our temporal affairs, will be determined by our fellowship
with the Father, the Son, and our brethren. As Jesus had
His beloved John, it is not surprising to find similar discriminations in the
fellowships which we enjoy -- a tendency to spend most of our time in the company of those
who are most spiritually minded, those whose conversation and activities are most holy.
Not to have it so would indicate a lack of the "mind of Christ." The Apostle
Paul however warns us that to allow these preferences to lead
to our withdrawing from less developed brethren to such an extent that it would become
either a cutting off from or even a faction in the Body of Christ, would be not a
demonstration of our appreciation of spiritual fellowship but a demonstration of the
spirit of selfishness and of a lack of love and consideration, as well as of actual
carnality. Note the yet more severe denunciation, the harsher description of those
"who separate themselves," in Jude 16-19: "These are murmurers,
complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words,
having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the
words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;, how that they
told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly
lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit."
This danger is not to be feared by those who are living daily, hourly, moment by moment in
the presence of our heavenly Associates. If we can be truly described as "in Christ
Jesus," then we have the assurance that "the law of the spirit of life in
Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death." - Rom. 8:2. FELLOWSHIP IN ALL THINGSTo be
thoroughly satisfactory Christians, our fellowship must be as complete as is the
fellowship of the Father and the Son. Note John 16:14, 15: "The Holy Spirit shall
glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things
that the Father hath are Mine, therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall
show it unto you." We
would say, Surely this
fellowship does not include "all power in heaven and in earth." But when each of
us has the faith to lay hold on it, may we
not be "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious
power"? (Col. 1:11.) So also, not some little sample of His grace, but "My grace
[available in its entirety] is sufficient for thee." Such fellowship is not instantly
realized upon consecration. The Holy Spirit is there received, but must be maintained, and
our proportion of it increased, that we may finally know "the fullness of joy"
which continually dwelling in His presence may impart. An adult whom we know well may be
welcomed to the home with the assurance, "The house is yours"; but the small
child must reach years of discretion before our welcome can take that form. The reason
for the difference is that the adult will not attempt to use the . various appliances he
does not understand, but will wait to have them explained to him. Gradually our heavenly
Father is imparting to us the wisdom that will some day use aright the powers of the
divine nature, and the character that will always operate for the accomplishing of His
eternal purpose. No doubt by
far the greater portion of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are still "hid"
in our Father and our Elder Brother. Appreciation of the truths which His wisdom has
revealed will evidence itself in an increased joy in exercising our senses to discern both
good and evil -- not by dwelling on errors, however cunningly conceived, out by reveling
in the truth. Transforming truths have been the heritage of the Church throughout the Age,
and love of the truth has always been a test as to the Christian's worthiness of the
fellowship of the great Author. Greater
things can probably be accomplished by the exercising of the senses than any one as yet
realizes. A feeble illustration of this might be found in an experience in a certain
school for the blind. The yearly Easter hunt for candy eggs was in preparation. One of the
newer teachers, assisting in the blindfolding of the children who had partial sight,
started to tie a handkerchief over the eyes of a boy with whom he had had contact
several hours each week for some months. The boy remonstrated. Upon inquiry as to why, he
told the teacher that he did not even have eyeballs. So well had he learned to use the
remaining senses that this teacher was unaware of his handicap. The following days
seldom disclosed any eggs that had been overlooked. The advantage of senses well exercised
was also demonstrated in that those who were totally blind found more eggs than the ones
blessed with partial sight. Another teacher in the same institution noting the habit of
one of the boys of stopping at a certain point in the hallway each time in going from one
class to another, investigated and found that one pair of feet must pass that point each
day before the boy was content to leave. His sense of hearing had become so acute that he
was able to discern the sound of that one pair of feet in the midst of many others
passing. "Giving all diligence" in the use of our senses probably would reveal
to each of us much more than we already enjoy of the wisdom and knowledge hid in Christ.
More of Christ in us, not merely an anointing on us, would undoubtedly
result in a shining forth of a larger measure of His Spirit from us. A hope of glory shining more brightly
in the heart would result in a more abundant living of the fellowship that would
unconsciously, as well as consciously, "do good unto all men as we have opportunity."
"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) , His life having
become our life, the spirit of life in us having become the power of God through us for
the ministering of righteousness in the little sphere we are permitted to influence.
Though the world will see Jesus no more" (John 14:19), He did not leave them without
hope. The Church is commissioned to be a "light" in the world. "Because I
live, ye shall live also." "In that day ye shall know [in all its transforming
power, the fact] that I am in the Father, and ye in Me, and I in you." There must
therefore be a shining forth of His life from us. - Matt. 5:14, 16; Phil. 2:15; John
14:20. UNITY OF SPIRITUnder the
phrase, "unity of the spirit," the Apostle Paul describes the happy relationship of the
spiritbegotten ones, urging that an earnest endeavor be made to maintain it by
"walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, with all lowliness and
meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." The
means is simple, but difficult even to the
spirit-begotten, and impossible to the flesh. Forbearing one another in love, with
meekness, however, is absolutely necessary. Otherwise the flesh would rob every
fellowship of its joy. If God had called mostly the noble ones, and not many unwise or
base, a fair showing might have been made in the flesh. It is not to be supposed that
those who do not eventually have the Spirit of our God without measure, will ever be
entrusted with the powers of the divine nature. The dire result of possessing His power
while lacking His Spirit, in any degree, is beyond our imagination. In this sense, then,
the Spirit is of greater importance than the divine powers themselves. Since we are
invited to be "partakers of the divine nature" ["by birth": Liddell
& Scott], it is not surprising to read that "God giveth not the Spirit by
measure" -- a spirit equal to "all powers" (the words "to Him"
are in italics, meaning they are not in the Greek manuscripts). (John 3:34.) We are not
invited to bring vessels capable of receiving but a small portion of that Spirit, God
measuring it out to us, but are encouraged to prepare our capacity to its utmost. It is
God Himself who says, "I will open the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing
that there shall not be room enough to receive . it." (Mal. 3:10.) This promise is
not for those who have the "spirit of the world," but for those who have the
"Spirit which is of God" (1 Cor. 2:12), for those who have brought "all the
tithes into the storehouse." Perhaps in a desire that we might know whether we are receiving
that Spirit, Jesus in John 3:31 describes the opposite spirit, saying: "He that is of
the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth." The Jew could not have the full blessing unless
he would bring a full "tenth." We who have covenanted "all" must bring
"all" into our Father's storehouse if we would be "filled with all the
fullness of God." Our lives must not "speak of earth" while claiming to be
of heaven. "Through
the knowledge of God," the Apostle Peter assures us there "are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might be made partakers of
the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4.) Here is an ultimate fellowship, crowning all our
hopes; but is it possible that Peter's impetuosity has run away with him, causing him to
covet a station too high, and by means too simple? Is it possible that after all there
is to be no cross for each of us to take up?-that the very highest goal in the universe
is to be attained through the simple and comfortable process of "promises"?
Peter spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and his words are in full harmony
with all the Holy Spirit has revealed regarding the
future of the Church. This ultimate of fellowship, the "crown of life," will be
attained only by those who have known fellowship in His sufferings (2 Cor. 1:7; Phil.
3:10), a fellowship pictured in the bread and the wine of "the Lord's supper."
Paul calls this, "fellowship of the blood of the Christ," and "fellowship
of the Body of the Christ." (1 Cor. 10:16-18, 21.) Apparently the partakers of the
glory (1 Peter 5:1) , those. who will have common-union with the Father and the Son on
their own plane, fellowship in the divine nature, will have been no common sacrificers;
but willing, joyful sacrificers. (Acts 5:41; 16:25; Heb. 10:34; 1 Peter 4:13; 1 John 5:2,
3.) For them, all crosses are of -gold, blessings given by the divine hand; and they will, as the Apostle Paul, learn to call
them all "graces." - Phil. 1:7. In the texts
just noted, and in the text of our article, the Greek word for "communion,"
"fellowship," and "partakers," is the same. The thought of the word is
a "joint participation" (Thayer). Our English word "partnership" is
suggested as coming nearer than any other single word to expressing the full thought. (See
Prof. Strong's Lexicon.) Every Christian may enjoy an unrestricted partnership in the
Apostle Paul's exuberant Joy in tribulation, calling such hideous and painful things as
manacles, "graces," if he will but receive Paul's clearer vision of the
"glories to follow." Like Paul, his longing for that glorious, new body, the
divine one, will so overwhelm him that all his groaning will be that he, may be clothed with it, not that he may be
"unclothed." When Paul does mention the old body and his desire to be rid of it,
it is not its insufficiencies that are burdening him, but the sin , that reigns, there.
- 2 Cor. 5:2-4; Rom. 7:24. "If we
say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
truth." (1 John 1:6.) Paul, like John, finds the life of fellowship possible only,
by complete separation from the things of the world, exhorting us not even to "touch
the unclean thing," then the God of Israel will be always with us. (2 Cor. 6:17, 18.)
He is quoting a precious promise from Isaiah 52:11, one of the myriads of inspiring
voices behind him that were his daily portion, the sanctifying power of which worked in
him to his cleansing "from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the reverence of God." Lifted in vision to the very courts of heaven, he
found the most expressive of all languages too feeble to describe his joy in the
tribulation in which he was at that very time having fellowship; for he recognized that it
is "through much tribulation we enter the Kingdom." To quote very literally his
word coined for the occasion, we find him saying: "I super-abound-over in
tribulation." - 2 Cor. 7:4. KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO FELLOWSHIPCourage to
walk in a way so narrow as the one opened to us can be gained only by unusual means. The
beginning, the perseverance in that way, and the victorious end, are all dependent upon
strength gained through "exceeding great and precious promises." Over God's
own signature, these promises are given. He enters into a contract not only to begin, but
to finish the good work still going on in those who walk in close and unrestricted
fellowship with Him and one with the other in this narrow way. "Of His
own will begat He us with the Word of Truth." (James 1:18.) We are
"begotten again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the Word of
God, which liveth and abideth forever," and which will overpower all opposing forces.
Our fellowship is therefore one in which knowledge has its place. Without knowledge
there can be no sanctification, no new creature, and no final victory. If we would
"put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him which
created him in righteousness and true holiness," there must be the faith to accept
the knowledge which His "exceeding great and precious" Word gives. Each
faithful one can therefore say with David that "his delight is in the law of the
Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season." In this
we see a great difference between the Little Flock and the Great Company, the latter
bringing in their fruit after the season. Partnership, fellowship with the Father and
with the Son is necessary for fruit-bearing, for "He giveth the increase."
Unrestricted fellowship is necessary for the fruit to be "in its season." Our
partnership is to continue to the point of our being in His image. A transformation so
tremendous can be accomplished by no insignificant means. But those who "keep"
themselves in the love of God have no reason to fear that His power will not be used on their behalf,
employing every means necessary. Bear in mind that He who gives the sunshine and the rain
gives also wind and storm. "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every
son whom He receiveth." Having
fellowship with Him, living moment by moment in His presence, results in walking,
acting, talking daily more like Him. "If [therefore] we say that we have fellowship
with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but [it is equally true
that] if we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another"-not "we may have," but "we have fellowship
one with another." How simple He has made it to know whether we are really,
fellowshipping Him, whether we are really "walking in the light." "If we
say, we have partnership with Him,' when we are passing our life in the darkness, we are
lying and are not doing the truth. But if we are passing our life in the light, as He is in the light, we ever have
partnership with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ is cleansing us from every
sin." - 1 John 1:6, 7, Centenary Translation. Note well
the astounding association of "fellowship one with another" and the cleansing
of the blood of Jesus Christ. This is reasonable, however, for it is evident that one so unappreciative of
our heavenly Father as not to rejoice in fellowship with "the least of these"
who has any measure of likeness to Him, would be one who would not guard well that
likeness throughout eternity. Hence the sinfulness of carnal schisms. He who would
willfully cut himself off from any member of the Body of Christ, thus cutting himself off
from that much of godlikeness, as represented in that fellow member, would by this
evidence of carnality be proving himself unworthy of the participation he has been
enjoying in the cleansing blood of Christ. Surely one who loves the Lord, will make
certain that even a temporary separation from any member of His Body is on direct orders
from the Head of that Body. Truth begets
and sanctifies, but fellowship keeps us under the blood. May we be able to say with the
Psalmist: "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I might
dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in His temple." Joyful fellowship in that temple here is necessary
that we may have our partnership in it in the great beyond; necessary that
we may know how true it is that "in Thy presence there is fullness of joy; at Thy
right hand there are pleasures for evermore." "As for me, I will behold Thy face
in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness."
- P. E. Thomson. Drawn Together by the Bonds of LoveThe Brooklyn ConventionThe unity
manifest in the Brooklyn Convention, June 2 and 3, could not but remind one of the
Psalmist's words: 'Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together
in unity. The bonds that draw God's people together and make their fellowship profitable
are enumerated by the great Apostle: "One Body, one Spirit, one Hope of bur calling; one Lord., one Faith, one Baptism, one God
and Father of all." This is the only complete and perfect basis of unity of
Christ's Church; and where it prevails, there will be found the Spirit of Christ, the
Spirit of liberty. Members of one Body, united to the one Head, drawn together by the
bonds of love, for fellowship with the Father and His blessed Son-this describes our happy
gathering. The Lord was present and poured out His blessing to the encouragement and
refreshing of all. A number who
had expected to be present found circumstances prevented. 'There were however about the
usual number in attendance. Lack of space forbids an attempt to more than refer to the
various excellent discourses delivered, the joyful testimony and praise services,
Brother J. T. Read's rendering of a number of
selections, as well as the occasions for profitable fellowship. Briefly we make mention
of a few outstanding thoughts: Those things
that lie near to the hearts of God's children were given special attention-Justification
by Faith and by Works-not works as pertains to service or of preaching the Word, which of
course should follow, but by "works of righteousness," "works of
faith" -- a work in the heart and life, transforming it into the likeness of Christ.
When our "works" are "works of faith," our "labors"
"labors of love," and our "patience" that which is inspired by
"hope," there is not the irksomeness connected therewith that the words,
"work," "labor," and "patience" would imply, but rather a
"rest in the Lord," such as the Apostle exhorted that we "labor" to
enter into. "This is the work of God that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."
- -John 6:29. The
transformation that takes us from the first stages of Christian experience where we know
little beyond the Golden Rule-the standard of a perfect man, leads us to the next higher
step where we "suffer the evil," instead of seeking to justify ourselves. Next
we learn to "rejoice in suffering," and continuing to progress, we
"return good for evil." Further -on we are able to "pray for those that
persecute us, and at last to "patiently endure" -- "having done all to
stand." But one step remains -- the call to "come up higher." This
transformation is gradual and requires a "good fight of faith," which is a
fight that continues throughout the Christian's earthly life. It does not end until he can
say with the Apostle, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith." 'The fact that all are called "according to the foreknowledge
of God," gives courage through consciousness of this proof that final victory is a
possibility for every individual so called, and that He who foreknew our weakness has also
made in advance abundant provision for "grace sufficient for every time of
need." It was
refreshing to hear the discussion of the "Two Resurrections." 'The story of
God's' love as revealed in His gracious Plan for all the families of the earth, is most
consoling especially in these days of sorrow and affliction, and it seems each time we
hear it, "more wonderfully sweet." 'Maturity of Christian character was
emphasized -- character that is built on the One Foundation. An excerpt from Hannah
Whitall Smith as quoted by Brother Russell (Z-June 15, 1916) was given as follows: "Wherever
there has been a faithful following of the Lord in a consecrated heart, several things
have, sooner or later, inevitably followed. Meekness and quietness of spirit become in
time the characteristics of the daily life. A submissive acceptance of the will of God, as
it comes in the hourly events of each day, is manifested; pliability in the hands of God
to do or to suffer all the good pleasure of His will; sweetness
under provocation; calmness in the midst of turmoil and bustle; a yielding to the wishes
of others [where there is no conflicting principle involved], and an insensibility to
slights and affronts; absence of worry or anxiety; deliverance from care and fear --all
these, and many other similar graces, are invariably found to be the natural outward
development of that inward life which is hid with Christ in God.'" Such an
attainment requires oneness of purpose"This one thing I do." It requires
humility, resolve, concentration, perseverance. The precious
hours of fellowship had but united our hearts more closely in the bonds of peace and love,
and the friends tarried long after the close of the convention in fellowship,
"commending one another to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build
us up, and to give us an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." - Contributed. God's Grace and the Song of the LordSCRIPTURE READING: 2 CHRON. 28 AND 29."And when the burnt offering began,
FOR SIXTEEN
years there had been no song in the temple of the Lord in Israel. And then one day a
wonderful change took place. "Early in the morning the king and the rulers of the
city went up to the temple; the Levites came with their harps, and the priests were there
with their trumpets, and there was a great chorus of trained singers." And suddenly
it says, "When the burnt offering began" -the trumpets blew, and the harpers
began to play with mighty volume on their strings, and then, like the sound of many waters
came the voices of the temple singers, and the house of the Lord was filled with songs of
praise to God. So beautiful is the scene that it brings to our minds that scene recorded
in the fourteenth chapter of Revelation where, looking down into the future, John saw
one hundred and forty-four thousand standing on Mount Zion with the Lamb, and heard as the
voice of many waters, and as the sound of harpers playing on their harps, and they sang as
it were a new song before the throne; and no man could learn that song but the one hundred
and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. THE HEART'S EXPRESSION BY SONGSong is an
expression of joy in the heart. Whenever men have occasion to express great joy, they do
so by song. The Jewish people spent seventy years in captivity at Babylon, while their
land lay desolate to keep its Sabbaths. They had no song in their hearts then. Of that
time one of their poets has written: "By the
rivers of Babylon, there we sat down; yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our
harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive
required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth; saying, Sing us one
of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" - Psa. 137:1-4. There can be
no true joy in the heart that feels the frown of God's displeasure. But when God permitted
them to return to their own land, and to build again the wall of Jerusalem, under Nehemiah
the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, they dedicated the wall "with gladness,
both with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps,"
and with two great companies of singers. - Neh. 12:27. In prophecy
the absence of joy is expressed by the absence of singing (as in Isa. 16:10) ; but of the time when God's favor shall
have been restored to His people and all Israel shall be saved, the Prophet says:
"Sing, oh ye heavens: for the Lord bath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth:
break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord
bath redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel." - Isa. 44:23. THE CHRISTIAN'S SONG OF JOY AND PRAISEAnd
prophesying of the time when God's spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh, the
same Prophet further says (Isa. 35:2), the desert "shall blossom abundantly and
rejoice even with joy and singing"; and, Isa. 51:11: "The redeemed of the Lord shall
return [i.e. from the grave], and come with singing unto Zion [Christ ruling with
His Church in the Kingdom of God]; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they
shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Who has not
heard of the song of the angels when Jesus was' born? The song celebrating the good
tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people, which joy is to come
through Him who was "anointed with the oil of gladness aboveHis fellows" -
Heb. 1:9; Psa. 45:7. Jesus said
to His disciples: "These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in
you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11.) No other people on the face of the
earth have so much to rejoice and sing over as do Christians. Nothing else that we can
conceive of a man possessing in this life could mean as much as the knowledge that we have
the favor of Almighty God, and that "no man is able to pluck us out of our Father's
hand." It is therefore natural for a Christian to rejoice and sing. Wherefore the
Apostle, in Col. 3:16, says: "Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Again, in
Eph. 5:18-20, he says: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled
with the Spirit; speak.ing to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making' melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things
unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Also in Phil. 4:4 he says: "Rejoice in the Lord
alway; and again I say, Rejoice." If we are
living up to our privileges in the Lord we will be constantly rejoicing, and songs of
praise to God will constantly well up in our hearts.
ISRAEL'S LOST SONGNow let us
see why Israel lost her song. In the chapter preceding that from which out text is taken
we find that Ahaz, the king, had no use for the worship of God, so he drove out of the
temple the singers and the priests. He cut in pieces the gold and silver vessels; he hewed
down the altars, and put out the lights, and locked the doors, and the house of God was
filled with dust and dirt, and became the abode of the birds of the air that built their
nests in its neglected courts and filled it with their uncleanness. And he built altars
and sacrificed to the gods of the heathen nations and caused the people of Israel to
transgress. For sixteen years this lasted; and the judgment of God fell upon the nation,
and - many of them were taken captives or slain by the surrounding nations. The judgment
of God will fall upon all men and all nations that, having known God, choose to turn from,
His service and forget Him. Wherefore the Psalmist has said (Psa. 9:17) : "The wicked
shall be returned* into the grave, and all the nations that forget God." -------------------------------- * Rotherham
and Leeser. It was
closing the doors of the house of the Lord and forgetting God that robbed Israel of her
song. And if the song has ever gone out of your life, it is for exactly the same reason --
the temple of your heart has been closed against its rightful Lord. Of course you didn't
close the door with a slam. You would not be rude to your Lord. You just neglected to read
your Bible; earnest prayer became too much of a task; the worship of God began to lose its
attraction, and the old pleasures began to fascinate you and without actually saying,
"These be your gods, Israel," you gave yourself to them and closed the door of
your life against God. No wonder the song was gone, and conscience pointed an accusing
finger at you. SONG RETURNS WITH THE BURNT OFFERINGHow can such
a one get the song back? How get again the Christian experience which is joyful and
victorious? Look at the verse from which we have taken our text. It says, "And when
the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also." You know God
ordained various sacrifices for Israel. For example, there were the trespass offering, the
peace offering, the meat offering and the whole burnt offering. Each of these is symbolic,
and teaches a lesson concerning the Christian experience. But the highest type of all
these offerings was the whole burnt offering. In the other offerings either the whole or a
portion of that offered became the property of the officiating priest, and in some a
portion was returned to the offerer; but in the case of the whole burnt offering- the
entire sacrifice was devoted to the Lord, and consumed by the fire upon the altar. It was
typical of the kind of sacrifice God invites you and me to make of our wills and our all
to Him. It is not completed by merely giving our selves to Him as a definite act in
consecration-consecration is but the placing of the sacrifice upon the altar. The
offering of the whole burnt offering is a life work -- keeping the offering upon the altar
while Jesus, our High Priest, sees that it is all consumed. When we
first gave ourselves to God in consecration, what joy filled our hearts! What songs of
joy rose to our lips as we sought to praise Him for the blessed privilege of being counted
dead with Christ, yet rising to walk with Him in newness of life! But after a while,
little by little, perhaps we failed to keep our sacrifice as fully upon the altar as we
had done at first; a little self will began to find a place in our life, and
correspondingly some of the joy began to go out of our life, until one day we awoke to the
fact that we no longer possessed that great joy in the Lord we had once known. Perhaps we
found ourselves in the condition described in Cowper's hymn:
The way
back, as we have said, is that pointed out by our text. "When the burnt offering
began, the song of the Lord began also." When we begin again to bind our offering to
the altar, resolving to see to it that all we have consecrated to the Lord is fully
devoted to Him, that there is no withholding of anything, and when the fire begins to
consume the sacrifice, then let us "think it not strange concerning the fiery trial
which is to try us, as though some strange thing were happening to us," for this is
what we are to expect; "but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings; that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding
joy." (1 Pet. 4:12, 13.) For self in us must be fully consumed before our whole burnt
offering will be fully completed. And as the fire of those testings begins to come upon us
and consume self, then the song of the Lord will begin again in our heart, and we shall,
as the Apostle Peter says, be able to rejoice inasmuch as we are made partakers of
Christ's sufferings, and to rejoice with the Apostle Paul that in all things we may be
more than conquerors through Him who loved us. - Rom. 8:37. The time
came when King Ahaz had to die. He had been so vicious and wicked that the people loathed
him; they refused him a sepulchre among the kings of Israel, so he had to sleep in a
dishonored grave. THE INFLUENCE OF A GODLY MOTHERHezekiah,
his son, then became king. He was one of the noblest princes that ever adorned the throne
of David. He had everything against him on his father's side. But we have every reason to
believe that Abijah, his mother, the daughter of the Prophet Zachariah, was a good woman;
and no doubt in the midst of the profligacy and idolatry of her wicked husband's reign she
took the lad under her own control, and inspired him for the noble part he was to play
when he took the throne of his father. One of the
best gifts God can give in this world is a godly, sensible, praying, Christian mother. If
we had more such mothers today, we would find more Hezekiahs among the youths of the land.
Abraham Lincoln said, "All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my mother."
And many a man and woman is serving God today only because he or she had a Christian
mother who taught him to reverence spiritual things. The influence of mother's life has
restrained many a young man and young woman from entering into sinful pleasures during the
dangerous years of the formative period of their life, so that when they came to more
mature years and began to appreciate the really worth-while things in life, mother's
teaching has brought forth fruit in a determination to turn to God and serve Him. And
often when the fiery trials of experience have come to a Christian, the memory and
influence of a saintly mother has given the courage and strength to go through that
testing victoriously. May all reverence, then, be paid to Christian mothers, the extent of
whose influence has been far, far beyond what they can ever know until He in whom
they placed their faith rewards them with the privilege of knowing fully, even as they
have been fully known of Him. The love of such a mother is more like the love of God, in
its mercy and compassion, than any other earthly love. Often has the Christian mother's
love continued to pour forth its wealth of affection when all other earthly loves have
failed. Of the love of such a Christian mother one has written (George Griffith Fetter) "The
noblest thoughts my soul can claim, The holiest words my tongue can frame, Unworthy are to
praise the name More sacred than all other. An infant when her love first came; A man, I
find it just the same; Reverently I breathe her name, The blessed name of mother." JESUS HONORS HIS MOTHERAs we
understand the matter, Jesus paid a wonderful tribute of loving respect to His mother when
He performed His first miracle at her request. To paraphrase the matter, it would
appear that the occurrence was about as follows: His mother knew that the wine had given
out at the wedding feast to which they had been invited. She knew her son to be a prophet
sent of God; and she knew the powers of a prophet as they had been exercised by that
greatest of Old Testament prophets, Elijah, when for three and a half years, while a great
famine was in the land, the measure of meal and cruse of oil of the widow of Sarepta
failed not. And so she said to Him, aside, "They have no wine." Applying to her
that title which those in Palestine considered most honorable of all others, He seems to
have replied substantially as follows: "Woman, what have I to do with thy private
requests for the exercise of My power? You wish Me to perform a miracle before this
noble company that they may behold, and believe on Me. Mine hour for manifesting My Father's glory to
men is not yet come. Nevertheless, in obedience to thy wish, My honored mother, I will do
what thou desirest Me to do." How must the emotions have been stirred of leer who had
pondered many strange things in her heart since His babyhood, and her eyes must have
kindled with maternal pride and holy joy as she realized that she was about to behold her
son display powers such as only come by the gift of God, and which were to seal Him as a
prophet in the eyes of Jew and Gentile. With confidence, therefore, she said to the
servants: "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." Thus was Jesus' first
manifestation of divine power rendered in honor of His mother. What a lesson is there for
all! O that all young men and women who have godly mothers would render to them such
deference! FAINT IS THE SONG OF THE LORD TODAY"The
first thing Hezekiah did when he came to the throne was to open the doors of the
temple and start again the worship of Jehovah. He brought the priests and the Levites
together and told them first to sanctify themselves, for they had been chosen to stand
before the Lord and to minister unto the people. And then he told them to cleanse the
temple, to carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place, and to restore the vessels of
the Lord." And when this was done, he commanded that the sin offerings and the burnt
offerings be made upon the altar. "And when the burnt offering began, the song of the
Lord began also," and "they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their
heads and worshiped." All too much
has the song of the Lord died out in the ecclesias of today. In some ecclesias it has been
because of a tendency to look to earthly leaders, and a failure to prove the
interpretations of such leaders by a comparison of Scripture with Scripture. And so
the dust and the dirt and the cobwebs of human philosophies and interpretations have
been allowed to accumulate, and the ecclesias have become filled with members who give
no evidence that they ever experienced the power of God's regenerating grace which fills
the heart with compassionate love for all mankind. And the voice of the Levites and
priests, the justified and the consecrated ones, in such ecclesias, sounds more like the
shout of battle than the song of praise to the Giver of all good. In other
ecclesias of professing Christians there is no song because the members do not care to
listen to the preaching of the pure, unadulterated Gospel, "once for all delivered
to the saints" in the Bible; they consider themselves too modern, too intellectual,
for that. And there can be no song of the Lord in the heart of either minister or
congregation who preach from or accept a mutilated Bible, and contend for the
God-dishonoring teaching of a brute ancestry for one who bears the image of God, and who
remove the virgin birth and the supernatural in general from the revelation of God as
we find it in the Bible. Hezekiah
told the priests to restore the vessels of the temple, which the wicked King Ahaz had
carried away. And there are some things that ought to be restored to the ecclesias of God
today. Let the Bible come back in its simplicity, and let men preach the truth as it is
written therein. Let it be taught that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit; that He was
indeed the Son of God; that He did on the cross bear the penalty of our
sins, which is death, to remove us from death; that He was raised from the
dead, assuring a resurrection to all men; that He was the Seed through whom
blessings shall ultimate ly come to all the families of earth, both the quick and
the dead, after His return from heaven to earth; that the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ
is the great central doctrine about which the whole plan of salvation revolves; and that
it is only as men become like Jesus in character that they can ever hope to abide in His
favor. And as these teachings are restored, let the people offer once more the sin
offering for their transgressions, that is, plead before God a true faith in Jesus
Christ as the one who bore the penalty for their sins, and through whose merit and work alone
they can hope to stand before God, and let them follow the sin offering by the burnt
offering, for the latter should always follow the former, that is, a complete surrender
of the will to God, and the continued sacrifice of self upon the- altar of consecration to
God until "Christ be formed in them," and then the ecclesias will again be
filled with men and women whose hearts are overflowing with the song of the Lord, and the
spirit of gladness and worship will enable them to "offer the sacrifice of praise to
God continually, that is, the fruit of their lips giving thanks unto His name." (Heb.
13:15.) "And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also." THE DIVINE REMEDY FOR SPIRITUAL DELINQUENTSSo full of
the song of the Lord, of praise to God, were the hearts of the people, that when Hezekiah
told them of their privilege of bringing sacrifices and thank offerings unto the Lord, the
number of the burnt offerings brought was seventy bullocks, a hundred rams, and two
hundred lambs; and of the consecrated things, six hundred oxen, and three thousand sheep.
But before the burnt offerings could be offered they must be flayed-skinned-the covering
with which nature provided the animal must be removed, well picturing the fact that in
offering ourselves to God as burnt offerings, all that in man's sight might constitute a
covering or excuse for our fallen natures must be taken away; for there is no creature
that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of
Him with whom we have to do. - Heb. 4:13. This work of
thus helping to prepare the burnt offerings was a part of the duty of the priests. But in
verse 34 we are told: "But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all
the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them till the work
was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves; for the Levites were
more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests." And if any
in the ecclesias of God today, whatever their standing may have been with the
Lord as members of the antitypical priesthood, are neglecting the maintaining of
their consecration, it may be that they too are missing some wonderful privileges which
otherwise might be theirs, of assisting others to be divested of that covering in
which they have hitherto trusted, that is, confidence in the works of the natural man, and of assisting in
bringing them to that condition where they might present their bodies as a sacrifice to
God. For God has ordained that the required number of antitypical burnt offerings shall
be offered. It is the privilege of the priests, the consecrated, to assist in the
preparation of those burnt offerings. And whenever the priests grow lax and are not awake
to their privilege of service, God may grant that service to others who have been more
diligent, though they be numbered only among the Levites -- the justified. PRACTICAL LESSONS FOR THE CONSECRATEDA word
further as to the application of the lesson son and the text to the individual: 1. The
temple was opened. Let us remind you that the Scripture teaches that every child of
God is a temple of the Holy Spirit: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy;
for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." - 1 Cor. 3:16, 17. If the song
of the Lord has in any measure gone out of your life, are you willing to open the temple
of your life to the will of God again, to get it back? Jesus is saying to you today:
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door,
I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20.) Do this;
open the door of your heart fully to Him, and the song, the joy of the Lord, will fill
your soul. 2. And
then they cleansed the temple. You would not worship in a temple like the one that
Hezekiah found, moldy and dirty, and festooned with cobwebs. And just so the Holy Spirit
must have a clean temple in which to dwell. "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of
the Lord." (Isa. 52:11.) It may be in just one thing, and what seems to you a very small thing, in which you
are failing to conform your life to the divine standard. But however small it may seem to
you, if it is sin, it is taking the song, the joy of the Lord, measurably out of your
life, and causing you to lack the power whereby you might be enabled always to have
the victory through Christ Jesus. Not until every open and every secret sin has
been cleansed from your life, everything that in any manner violates your well-trained
Christian conscience, will there come complete peace, and power, and the song of the Lord
in all its beauty and joy in your life. 3. And
then they restored the holy vessels that had been taken away: And there are things
that need to be restored in the life if the song of the Lord is to begin there. How
often do you read the Bible, our "love letter from home"? The Prophet says:
"'Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and
rejoicing of mine heart." (Jer. 15:16.) Is the new creature within you being starved for lack of this
spiritual food? Is this one of the vessels that needs to be restored? And what
about prayer? Perhaps this is another vessel that needs to be restored. For any neglect of
this wonderful privilege of communion with the Heavenly Father we are bound to pay, the
price by a decrease in our spiritual joys.
Possibly
another vessel that needs to be restored is attendance upon divine worship. The
Psalmist expresses -the spirit of every one who is living up to his privileges of joy in
the Lord when he says: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house
of the Lord." (Psa. 122:1.) The admonition of the Apostle in Hebrews, 10:25,
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but
exhorting one another; and so much the more as ye see the day
approaching," is more fully applicable today than at any prior time in the history of
the Church, now that the day of the Lord is so near at hand. Certainly
all of these things must be restored if we wish the song of the Lord to begin. 4. And
then one last thing was done. The rendering of the offerings: first the sin
offering, and then the burnt offering. As for the sin offering, all you have to do is to
exercise faith in the efficacy of the sacrifice of Him who became a sin offering for us,
the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. You must realize that no amount o f work which
you could perform in the service of God can entitle you to any standing with Him; that
when you have done all you can possibly do, you are still an unprofitable servant; and
that all the Heavenly Father asks of you, in order that He may forgive your sins and
remove them as far from you as the east is from the west is that you acknowledge your sin,
and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who has made atonement therefor, not with
corruptible things, as. silver and gold, but with His own precious blood. Realizing our
constant mistakes and failures, we say, "What wondrous mercy, what amazing grace,
that He should still, wish to claim us as His children! and are "lost in wonder,
love, and praise" until we cry --
And then, in
grateful appreciation, we would stretch ourselves upon the altar for the. burnt offering
and ask God to send the fire that shall utterly consume our sacrifice, utterly consume
self-will within us, the while the song, the joy of the Lord fills our hearts. There is a verse at the end of the chapter which
says, "The thing was done suddenly." O, child of God! If you have been half-hearted, or faltering in
sacrificing your- burnt offering, decide suddenly, right now, to make- that
surrender full and complete. Decide today to live closer to God; to lay aside every
weight and close-girding sin; to be indeed dead with Christ, putting to dearth
self-will, that the life of Jesus may indeed be manifest in your body. (2 Cor. 4:10.) The
world can never give you the song of the Lord in your heart; it is the life that is
"filled with all the fulness of God," the life of the burnt' offering, the life
of full surrender to the will of God, that gives that song. Then say now in your
heart:
"And
when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also." - Contributed. Debtors to His Marvelous Grace
"By grace are ye saved through
faith." - Eph. 2-8. THE GREATEST
exhibit of God's wonder working grace will be the glorified Church. No other manifestation
of His loving-kindness has ever equaled the perfecting work accomplished in these saints
of the Lord. Having in grace chosen not many wise, noble, or great according to the
world's rule of values, no flesh may therefore glory in His sight however highly honored.
And having chosen to work out the special marvels of His grace on material so imperfect,
so prone to be otherwise than always pliable in His hands, how greatly God has needed to
be an undiscouraged workman. So often the clay
has broken on. the wheel as He sought to make it into a vessel of usefulness and of
beauty. But in loving-kindness it has been taken up again and made into yet another
vessel. Again and again His patience has been manifested according to promise, "He
shall not crush a broken reed, nor quench a wick
that dimly burns. (Isa. 42:3, Moffatt.) Seven times the just man may fall, but through
grace he "riseth up again," assisted by a hand mighty to save. Truly, "the
Lord is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish." - 2 Peter 3:9. In all His
working the ways of God are marvelous in our eyes. The marvels of His grace are the proof
that God is love. In the operation of His grace toward His people, He not only knows how
to steal the bitterness out of life's woes, but He also knows how to discard the unworthy
material we so often bring in word and deed, and to preserve the good and commendable. We
are not under law, but under grace, and what debtors to that grace we are! In the Old
Testament records, where faults and failings are impartially set forth, Moses leaves Egypt
in fear for his life. But when the record appears in the spirit of New Testament grace,
what beauty there is in having only his virtues brought to view in the words, "By
faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king." His flight in fear is
forgotten, and the triumph of faith alone remembered. And we are
under that marvelous grace wherein we are made the righteousness of God through Christ.
Our imperfections are all provided for in the finished work of Christ for us. He took
our place under condemnation, and we take His place now in the holy presence of God. He
went to the cross, bearing our sin; we come from the cross, bearing His righteousness.
With sins confessed, and cleansed from all unrighteousness, it is ours to
know that we are now complete in Christ the beloved One. But to really believe this and by
faith enter into the rest it should bring to us -- how many of us have learned to
experience this promised rest? We have struggled and wrestled to gain it, while all the
time the Word has been clear and simple, that such as have "believed do enter into
rest." And what a rest is this! "For he that is entered into His rest, he
also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His." - Heb. 4:3,
10. But too often
faith falls short of this possible rest and quietness of spirit. So life goes on in
fluctuations between long periods of self-condemnation; and too few brief seasons of
happiness when we cease to keep looking inward at self. The secret of perpetual joy and
confidence eludes us, and we are ready to confess to ourselves that too often an
unaccountable depression settles down over our spirit, making all expressions of professed
happiness seem meaningless. We know we should be happy in our knowledge of, God's favor,
always rejoicing even though outward circumstances be otherwise than calm. We know that
our lives should reflect freedom from fear, and bear testimony that we know the One whom
we have believed, and that we are therefore able to trust His word in all things. Yet
failing to realize the peace and assurance we crave, how easily we can succumb to the
Tempter's arguments, and say, "This sweet boon of rest is not for me." We see
these possibilities of full assurance taught in the Scriptures, and now and again
exemplified in the experience of some we meet; but we conclude that since temperaments
differ, ours must be the unfortunate type; therefore to keep up the effort to reach the
goal of our aspirations is all in vain. Such
conclusions are wrong, and it is well to remember the word of inspiration which says,
"Let us earnestly endeavor, therefore, to enter into that rest, that no one may fall
by the same example of unbelief" (Heb. 4:11, Diaglott) as did Israel of old. It
must be remembered that we live in the realm of faith, and that our assurance, our joy and
peace, depend not on anything we have done or could do, but on the finished redemption
accomplished for us in Christ Jesus. It is from Jesus Himself we receive the primary
principle of true faith, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He
hath sent." (John 6:29.) What is this but pointing out the great secret we want to
know? To believe on Him in the sense intended in this statement is to believe in Him as
our justification, appropriate Him as our righteousness, abiding in Him as our life,
making Him our peace, and accepting through Him our victory. All we want we may find in
Him if we will but seek everything through faith. Such faith will bring us into the fixed
conviction that since all we need we have in Christ, we may be hourly victorious, daily
victorious, and finally victorious. What God has
cleansed we are not to turn from as unclean, and what He has made simple we are to be
careful not to mystify and becloud with multiplied words. The verbosity with which
this life of rest in Christ is so often treated has hindered many from grasping its
meaning. Simply stated it becomes beautifully practical, and surely inspirational.
Theological discussions of such themes are likely to be wordy, while experimental
discoveries of great truths can be presented in language understandable by all. Having
this in mind, it affords a great pleasure to pass on the contents of a letter received
quite recently from one . who has found the secret springs of this great boon of peace and
rest. O how simple these wonderful possibilities are when the Lord can come in and speak
as never man may speak. Let us, then, give ear to the testimony of the writer of this
letter. Quoted in part, she says: "I would
like to mention here a line of thought I have been following for some time with great help
and profit. It is that instead of spending so much time in looking into my own life to
find there whether today I have climbed another rung of the ladder of grace, that I
spend more time in thinking of our marvelous Lord and of His wonders of character. In Him
we see the perfection of all beauty, grace, love, and mercy, the One to whom we may come,
finding there One who is perfect in every respect. And I like to enumerate the qualities
in which He is perfect -- not just to glibly skate over the word, giving it no
particular thought, but to feel that He is, indeed, perfect in every wonderful quality I
can name or understand -- and even then, still to know that we can never exhaust His grace
and beauty of character. Why should I look at myself in the light of His glory? What do I
expect to find in myself that will ever give me much ground for anything but humility
and the feeling that it is Himself and not me at all. My puny little efforts pale into
insignificance -- and more than that, I become so discouraged, looking inside my own
heart too closely. But when I look at Him I see the Sun of all grace, the perfection of
Hope and joy beyond us to probe to its depths. My heart expands and swells in love toward
a God and His Son so worthy of all praise and adoration. I find true joy in forgetting
self with its failures and its continual disappointments of development. But I feel
strong and mighty when it comes to singing His praise, when it comes to thanking God for
the evidence we have of His care and our sonship with Him. I become a giant when I
attempt to enumerate His blessings, spiritual and material in our daily lives and to thank
Him for these things which are never-ending. "But what
shall we say when we realize that we have only touched the fringe of all these blessings?
What a breathless view we obtain at times of the future in the presence of such a God! How
much time is spent by some of us in simple thanksgiving for these matchless blessings?
Here I do not need to 'keep my feet on the ground.' We can soar to the heavenlies, feeling
that we have fellowship of the rarest with the true Christians of -all ages, be
they living or gone from this world. I feel, too, that this is not an impractical thing, a
thing illusory and intangible, but a definte reality in which we can forget this life with
its failures and troubles, its few friends who understand or who, perhaps, are so
stultified by the restrictions of the human spirit, by our clumsy efforts to express
ourselves, by fear of being misunderstood and laughed at by a multitude of human
shortcomings and limitations. Surely this is where we meet God in true fellowship and
worship. This is the place where we find true strength: knowing we have a God who never
fails, who never weakens or grows weary of us and our coming to Him. What a God we have!
May our thanks ascend like incense daily and our worship grow to full stature. But even in
that we shall never reach. the end. So once more, my God is an inexhaustible storehouse of
grace and glory. Thanks be to His holy name." In the
foregoing letter the writer could express an assurance that in her experience this happier
frame of mind was "not an impractical thing, a thing illusory and intangible, but a
definite reality in which we can forget this life with its failures and troubles." In
this assurance thus expressed there is reality indeed. Such experiences may be new
discoveries to any of us when a loving providence finds us ready to be led, but others
have known a similar joy before us. Others have testified to being lifted up out of the
fluctuating conditions of doubt and depression alternating with times when faith
triumphed and rested. Proof of this comes to our attention in another letter received by
a friend, the writer having passed on some time ago. We are glad to append this
testimonial to the above, and quote in part as follows: "I was so
pleased to get your nice letter, and feel I should reply to it, even although in pencil. I
have not your letter at hand to refer to, but I noticed that you mentioned 'our covenant
by sacrifice' several times, and I just wonder what it all means to you. I used to think
of that as meaning what I was doing, and many an unhappy hour I had thinking how
constantly I failed in doing and in not doing. Many a time I surrendered myself to God,
but now I think I was always thinking of the 'I' in the surrender (what I would now do or
say), and that went on for a long time. "Many a
lesson God gave me, and I always laid hold of something, but I can now see, it was always
in connection with something on my part. I could fill a book, dear, with all the gracious
things the Lord showed me, and I thought I understood it all, but now 'I have entered the
valley of blessing so sweet,' and there is no more 'I' in the business. "About
eighteen months ago I was reading and studying Colossians a lot, and saw that Jesus was
everything. In Him everything in heaven and in earth was centered -- God's will for us the
Church, and His Plan for the world, and that He was always well-pleasing to the Father.
While thinking about that, it came to me how pure and perfect, how lovely and
all-satisfying to God our dear Savior was, and I thought if I were hidden in Him, then I
too would be always well-pleasing to our Heavenly Father. It was as if a door opened and that door was Christ
our Lord, and I stepped in and was swallowed up in Him, lost in Him, and God found me in
Him. What - a day I had! All the verses I used to delight in had a deeper, sweeter meaning
to me. He had overcome and He counted me as also having overcome. Out of His fulness
I am all that He was and is. 'By whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world.' "I see my
own weaknesses and failings, but I seek to follow Paul, and glory in my infirmities that
the power of Christ may rest upon me. The blood of Jesus Christ is always cleansing me,
and He has taken me into the Holy of Holies, and made me to sit down with Him, and His
banner over me is love. What a difference! I understand what it means to reckon myself
dead in the old nature, in a way I never did
before. I have entered the joy of the Lord, praise His name! and everything has a
different look in a way I can hardly describe. The work is
done, and all is finished, and I go on following in His footsteps, seeking ever to refer
all things to Him, and to lay hold...." In these
testimonies we see illustrated the verities of feasting on Christ. This is the great truth
of our standing in grace. If our vision can reach to the utmost of this wonderful
provision made for us in Jesus Christ, the days of faltering faith should be over, and the
garments of perpetual praise put on. Then will God's goodness bind grateful hearts to Him,
and the habit of song will surely be, "Hear what the Lord has done for me." - J. J. Blackburn. Greetings From AbroadThe following is a letter from our
Brother Couling of Rugby, England, who is at present on a business trip in the United
States. The message contained in this letter has been delivered to the friends in the
Eastern cities to which his business has taken him, but was intended for "all the
American friends," so this method is used to reach the larger number. Dear Brethren: ,It has been my privilege to visit the
United States and to carry with me from England messages of love to all the American
friends. As is our usual custom, these expressions of sympathy and of oneness between the
Body members were associated with Scripture texts. These Scriptures, to me, the messenger,
were so eloquent of our gratitude for deliverance from war trials, that on my own
responsibility I have related some of these experiences which the English brethren have
had to go through. The Scriptures came from Coventry and London, names I suppose very
much in the world news, and associated with Nazi Germany's frightfulness. From Coventry district came Psalm 18:1-6: "I will love thee, O Lord, my
strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in
whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will
call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies..
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made be afraid. The
sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I
called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of His temple, and my
cry came before Him, even into His ears." Those brethren Who lived through the
night of November 14, 1940, were baptised with trials of faith, by fire. The German
bombers came over from 6 p.m. approximately until 7 a.m. the -next morning.
From about 1 a.m. the enemy had everything to himself. The water services failed,
electric lights were cut off by bomb damages, and the opposition from anti-aircraft,
etc., had almost ceased. As the waves of bombers flew overhead, furniture, doors and
windows in the houses vibrated from the throb of the aeroplane engines, and one
naturally did not know how soon one of their missils might destroy ourselves and our
loved ones. Under these circumstances, brethren,
the fine doctrinal differences of this or that Scripture do not seem to matter. What
does matter is, How close are we to God and to those "everlasting Arms"? That is
why Psalm 18 is so eloquent. If the Lord were not our Rock, we should just perish. We are
reminded of the Proverb Scripture: "The people without a vision perish." We have
been forced by the weakness of our own flesh to literally call upon the Lord and He has heard. Sao this Scripture is a testimony of the faithfulness of
God and our thankfulness for deliverance. London, in addition to having the
above experiences of the early bombing, had also the pilotless flying bombs and the rocket
bombs. 'The latter travel faster than sound, and just arrive in one's midst without
warning. It had to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Nevertheless, from London
comes the expression of love to 'all American friends, and the Scripture, 2 Thess. 3:16: "Now the Lord of peace Himself
give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all." Out of Infernal noises and chaos, as
briefly described above, comes this still voice of peace -- the peace which passes
understanding, and the peace which came to God's people when all around the world was
tumbling down and crashing to destruction. So friends, when the prayer for you is that
you might enjoy this kind of peace, it is because it can be commended to you by those who
experienced its power in their own lives. I asked my son, Peter, a young man of
twenty-one, consecrated, and a Conscientious Objector, what message he would have me
take to our American friends. After a moment's hesitation he replied, "Tell them,
Daddy, that we are waiting for the Lord and the Kingdom." I was pleased with this
reply, for it is the very thing that we and the whole world are waiting for, and with
longing hearts praying, "Thy Kingdom come." There were other Scriptures I was
charged with: 2 Thess.
2:16, 17; Prov. 3:21-26; Acts 20:32; Heb. 13:20, 21. These all have the same thought of
trials and difficulties overcome by the power of our Almighty Father, and express the
truth that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. English brethren have been
through the fire, but our Continental friends have probably suf fered more. Yet I am
sure that no harrowing tales will come from their lips only as it is to show that in the
time of trouble the Lord's people are delivered and will yet be delivered. Whatever the
future may hold for us and the world, we still can say with the Psalmist: "Praise the
Lord!" Yours
by His grace, S. A. Couling. Dear
Brethren: We wish once
again to assure you of our love and prayers and to let you know how much we have felt and
appreciated your prayers on our behalf which have ascended toour Father during the severe
experiences through which
the Lord's people here have recently passed. Especially in Southern England and the
London area, the past months have been fraught with severe physical and mental strain.
The houses of many of our dear- brethren have been severely damaged by "fly
bombs" "and "rockets" and many have been the escapes from physical
injury. Our meetings have been held in spite of sudden explosions about us, and with the
sound-of "flying bombs" passing overhead. Our meeting rooms have been severely
damaged as we have passed from one place to another, but the Lord has always provided
for us the means of fellowship together. How sweet has been that fellowship! and we have
praised our loving Father for His watchful care over us, and for that peace which has
filled the heart of each one. Yes, even this experience has been among those things which
"work together for good," for we have been drawn closer to each other by the
bonds of sympathy and love. We know that your prayers and the prayers of the Lord's people
everywhere have availed much and we are grateful. Hostilities
on this side of the world have ceased, but as we look into the future we realize how great
are the problems which confront the statesmen of the world. We know not what lies ahead,
but we are conscious that a time of very severe testing will come to those who stand fast
in their allegiance to the Lord and His Word. However, we also know that He-who has kept
us through all past experiences will never
leave nor forsake us and will grant the needed strength for each day as it comes. 0, let
us all redouble our efforts to "make our calling and election sure," for the
"whole creation is groaning, and waiting-for the manifestation of the sons of God. Let us pray for one another that we may
be found among that worthy company. God bless you all. Once again we
assure you of our warm love in the Lord, and pray that you may be guided in all 'wisdom,
and strengthened with might in your loving service for the Lord and His dear ones. Your brother
and fellow-servant by His grace, Dear
Brethren: I am happy to
inform you that both Sister and myself have come safely through these five years of awful
time of war and oppression by a cruel enemy. How severely our people in general have
suffered! I need not tell you that. You know all about it. Indeed it was a time of trouble
and distress, much as the Bible announced it long ago. And yet how glad we are that all
the time we have felt the leading and protecting hand of a dear Father in heaven. How can
we praise His name for all His benefits toward us, and His loving care we have
experienced so abundantly. The time was
hard, as viewed from a bodily standpoint; but happy we are that the spiritual welfare
has been maintained, and that we might stand fast in the faith and in the strength of the
promises of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. We have
greatly missed the communication with you brethren overseas, but as the glorious
liberation by the Allies has made it possible now that the former ties of fellowship by
letter and by the printed page may be reestablished, we write at once to you to let you
know how we are doing. The comforting words of your last letter to us dated May 23,
1941, have been of much help. Indeed we have had definite evidences that we were safely
resting on the Everlasting Arms. And now you will understand that we are so anxious
to know how you and all the brethren abroad are doing -what experiences you have had in general during the time of war; how
matters have developed; and what the prospects are, viewed from the present point of time.
We hope to have your correspondence again and the contact restored, the "Herald"
again to be mailed to us so that we once more may enjoy ,its upbuilding spiritual food as
in former days. Later on we
may have the opportunity to tell the brethren something more of our experiences and of the
great thankfulness of our people toward the Allied countries for the tremendous
victories they have achieved for the peoples of Europe and particularly for the
Netherlands. The purpose of this letter is in the first place to try to restore
communication, and I hope that it will succeed as soon as possible. In the meantime I
remain with hearty Christian greetings, in which Sister joins, Your brother
in Christ, |
