Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

14 Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them. that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but be carried away with things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible,—as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. 19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God]: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto Me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. 20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Verse 9: Let love be without hypocrisy—The world is full of effusive expressions of affection,—and so, we fear, are many professing Christians—without real love in the heart: “Talking cream and living skim milk,” as Mr. Moody phrased it. “Let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth” (I John 3:18). Abhor that which is evil—This is impossible to the unregenerate, and only intermittently possible for the carnal Christian; but to one who has obeyed the first two verses of this chapter and surrendered to God, it is a holy instinct! “Ye that love Jehovah, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10). To be a good Christian, a man must be a good hater! Cleave to that which is good—Here is not only the negative, the abhorrence of evil; but the positive, the discerning and holding fast that which is good. As Paul says in Philippians 4:8: “Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, [in a person] take account of these things.” Trust the anointing which you have received (I John 2:20, 27) for discernment; and trust the study of the Word of God, to teach you what is really good.

Verse 10: In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another—Of course all Christians “love the brethren” —that is a sign of spiritual life (I Joh 3:14). But to be tenderly affectioned—how few are! “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.” Beloved, are we willing to be made tender? It is God’s will for all believers. In honor preferring one another—How beautiful a grace! Really to prefer from your heart other believers before yourself, to be glad when others are honored above you.250 Farrar well renders, “Love the brethren in the faith, as though they were brothers in blood.” Vincent prefers the A.V. rendering, “kindly affectioned,” perhaps properly, since our word kind was originally kinned, and “kindly affectioned” is, having the affection of kindred!

Verse 11: In zeal not sluggish—The words have no reference whatever to worldly “business” or affairs, but wholly to spiritual matters. Luther renders, “In regard to zeal, be not lazy,” which is the meaning. Alford renders, “In zeal not remiss,”—saying, “Not business”, as in the Old Version, which seems to refer it to the affairs of this life; whereas, it relates as in all these verses (11 to 13), to Christian duties as such.” Satan would use the doctrine of grace, or the assurance of faith, to settle down believers into spiritual slothfulness. Watch against that. Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord—The word translated “fervent” (used of Apollos in Acts 18:25), means ardent, or burning. Be ardent in spirit in our Lord’s service. It is the opposite of dignified, cold, unemotional. Christ has loved us with infinite fervency. Let us serve Him in the same spirit.

Verse 12: In hope rejoicing—Our hopes are bound up with our Lord’s coming, in prospect of which we should constantly be filled with exultation. In tribulation remaining patient—Patience in trial is the only path to our perfecting; wherefore James says we should count “manifold trials to be all joy”; and, “let patience have its perfect work, that we may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.” In prayer steadfastly continuing—So did the early Christians (Acts 2:42,46,47; 6:4; 12:5, 12). But do not forget to watch expectantly, and to give thanks in your prayers. (Col 4:2.) Ten will attend Bible teaching, and one hundred Sunday preaching, to two or three who “in prayer steadfastly continue”: but be thou of that two or three; for they prevail, and to them Christ reveals Himself; and they become channels of blessing to countless others.

Verse 13: To the needs of the saints contributing—“So to make another’s necessities one’s own as to relieve them.”

When you obey this injunction and begin wisely to inquire about the saints’ needs, you will be astonished at two things: first, at the actual pressing necessities of many saints all about you; and second, at the way God will supply your own necessities as you minister to them. When the Holy Spirit took complete possession of the early Church, “Not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common”; with the result that “neither was there among them any that lacked.” Now this shows the basal spirit of Christian giving. It is not “saying in our hearts” that what we have is “our own,” but holding all in stewardship to the Lord, ready to be ministered, as He shall direct. It is true that Paul, in his epistles, which give the constitution of the Church of God, does not direct those that are rich in this world’s goods to “sell all that they have”; but to “do good, to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.” This passage (I Timothy 6:17-19) should be most carefully regarded as at once the Divine protection against the awful “community of goods” of socialism and communism, because the Bible teaches constantly the rights of personal, private property; and also as the foundation principle of our giving.

Pursuing hospitality—Here the word for hospitality is literally love to strangers, “stranger-loving,” and the translation “given to” is not strong enough. In its forty or fifty occurrences in the New Testament, this word is very frequently translated “pursuing,” which is the literal meaning. You have it three times in Philippians 3: in verse 6, “persecuting the church”; in verse 12, “I follow after”; and in verse 14, “I press on” The meaning here, then, is, pursuing hospitality,—persecuting folks, even strangers, with kindness! What a wonderful testimony of love, hearty obedience to this simple exhortation to pursue hospitality would be! We have in Hebrews Thirteen three uses of this Greek root phil (meaning love): (1) “Let love of the brethren (philadelphia) continue”; (2) “Forget not to show love unto strangers” (philoxenia); and, (3) in verse 5, “Be free from silver-loving” (philarguros). If you are tempted to philarguros, philadelphia and philoxenia will cure you! “Given to hospitality,” then, means far more than being “willing to entertain” those who may call on you. It indicates going after this business, pursuing it, following it up! The Lord will reward some day even a cup of cold water given in His Name. Let us make “Strangers’ Inns” of our homes. We are not staying here long. And the Lord may send “angels” around when we least expect! “Forget not to show love unto strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”251

Of course it is taken for granted in all these exhortations that we have presented our bodies to God according to the opening verses of the Chapter; and thus by the indwelling Holy Ghost are enabled to walk in His revealed will, as those could not who were under law.

Verse 14: Bless them that persecute you: bless, and curse not—Here is a verse that needs no comment, in view of our Lord’s words of Lu 6:27, 28: “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you”; and of His blessed example. But note, in our present verse it is not mere outward blessing that is commanded, but refraining from inward reservations, or private expressions, for sometimes we speak sweetly to opposers, but our after words prove that we did not allow our hearts to go out in love to those enemies. And by the way, do not stumble if you find other Christians speaking ill of you, even persecuting you. Bless them, too!

Verse 15: Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep—Now here is a verse that takes us out of ourselves. The literal rendering is, Rejoice with rejoicing ones, and weep with weeping ones. Believers, of course, are especially meant in both cases. There will always be some that are weeping. Blessed is he who, like the Lord at Lazarus’
grave, can enter into others’ sorrow even unto tears!

“Alas, there is such a phenomenon, not altogether rare, as a life whose self-surrender, in some main aspects, cannot be doubted, but which utterly fails in sympathy. A certain spiritual exaltation is allowed actually to harden, or at least to seem to harden, the consecrated heart; and the man who perhaps witnesses for God with a prophet’s ardor is yet not one to whom the mourner would go for tears and prayers in his bereavement, or the child for a perfectly human smile in his play. As to the Lord Himself, the little child, the wistful parent, the widow with her mite, the poor fallen woman of the street, could lead away’ his blessed sympathies with a touch”—Moule.

Verse 16: Minding the same thing one toward another—Let us quote several comments by beloved writers: “Be of one mind amongst yourselves”—Conybeare. “The harmony which proceeds from a common object, common hopes and common desires”—Sanday. “The loving harmony when each in respect to his neighbor has one thought and endeavor”—Meyer. “Aspiring after the same aims, aiming at the same object for one another as for ourselves. Having the same solicitude for the temporal and spiritual welfare of the brother as for one’s own”—Godet. “Actuated by a common and well-understood feeling of mutual allowance and kindness”—Alford. Evidently the reference is not to uniformity of thought, but to charity of attitude.

Not minding high things, but being carried away along with the lowly—This sixteenth verse is in close connection with the spirit of verse 15. It is the spirit of Philippians 2:2 to 5: “Be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind [not of one opinion, but one heart-intent]; doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” “High things” are a continual temptation. Carefully read here the excellent remarks of Godet: “There frequently forms in the congregations of believers an aristocratic tendency, every one striving by means of the Christian brotherhood to associate with those who, by their gifts or fortune, occupy a higher position. Hence small coteries, animated by a proud spirit, and having for their result chilling exclusiveness. The apostle knows these littlenesses and wishes to prevent them; he recommends the members of the church to attach themselves to all alike, and if they will yield to a preference, to show it rather for the humble.” Lay these words well to heart. They are continually needed.

The word rendered “carried away with” really means the opposite of its King James rendering “condescend to.” The idea of one pardoned sinner’s thinking of “condescending” to another! The word really means “to be carried away along with,” as has been every Bernard, Assisi, Luther, Zinzendorf, Bunyan, Wesley, Whitefield, Spurgeon, Moody. All the saints filled with the Spirit have found themselves among the lowly of this earth. For that matter, there is not, and never has been, a real assembly of God of wealthy upper class people only! “Not many mighty, not many noble are called.” The rich have to come where the poor are to hear the gospel. Once received, the gospel of Christ is the blessed and only real leveler of us all. Beware always of any “religious” movement cultivating the rich!

Be not wise in your own conceits—Paul in Chapter 11:25 used exactly the same expression, warning us as Gentile believers of the danger of being “wise in our own conceits.” This searching expression, “wise in one’s own eyes,” or “conceit,” occurs five times in the Old Testament, and two here in Romans,—seven in all. Of such a one, Solomon says, “There is more hope of a fool than of him.” He is first cousin to the sluggard, and to a blind rich man; and all of these are related to “them that know not God.” See Proverbs 26:5, 12, 16; 28:11; 3:7. The self-conceited are not among those who are “weeping with them that weep.”

Verse 17: Render to no man evil for evil—This takes for granted that some will do you evil. Satan and the world hate God’s saints who walk with Him; and will do them all permitted evil. Now do not lay it up against the doer, if evil has been done you. Alas, some real believers are thoughtless; some jealous, some envious, some possibly even spiteful. Put far away the expectation of “getting even” with anybody. “If any man have”—really have—“a complaint against any, even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3:13). The Lord forgets, as well as forgives! (Hebrews 8:12).

Taking care by forethought for comely [or seemly] things before every one (literally, all men,—whether Christians or not)—“Before the eyes of all men taking care for what is good” (Meyer). This exhortation has no special reference to “making provision for ourselves or our families in an honest manner,” as some have thought (from the Old Version). It means to take careful forethought for such a course of Christian behavior (“honorable things”) as will commend itself to all—whether Christians or not. We forget, most of us, thus to view our lives as a whole, day by day, detecting and rejecting whatever in ourselves others might criticize as not honorable.

Verse 18: If it be possible—as much as in you lieth—be at peace with all men—Paul himself did cause trouble everywhere, as did our Lord, who said, “Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” But neither Paul nor his Lord was ever the selfish cause of trouble. It is not always possible for a Christian to be at peace with all men, but he can be a peace-lover; a peace-liver; and often a peace-maker, among men. As James says, “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that make peace.” Perhaps the most fruitful cause of trouble for a Christian is his claiming “his rights,” forgetting Paul’s description of us Christians throughout this dispensation:

    “For Thy sake we are killed all the day long;

    We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”252

Verse 19: Avenge not yourselves, beloved; but give place unto the [coming] wrath [of God]—Believers are here seen sorely tempted to seek to bring about by their own hand that righting of matters which belongs to God only. The motto of Scotland, “Nemo me impune lacessit”—“No one treads on me unpunished!”—applies to man in the flesh throughout the world. Note Paul’s word, “Give place unto the wrath,”—to the coming wrath of God in the day of wrath, of Chapter 2:5. As for “the wrath of man,” we know it “worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). Oh, how hard, yea, how impossible, for those who have not yielded their bodies a living sacrifice to God, to leave the visitation of wrath wholly in God’s hand!

For it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto Me; I will recompense, saith the Lord—Let us not dare seek to steal from God what He so distinctly asserts to be His province alone,—vengeance,253—the dealing out just desert to evil action.

God’s “vengeance” must require that infinite knowledge of conditions, of motives, of results upon others, which God, the just Judge, alone possesses. And He has faithfully promised to “recompense.” The Greek of this word is startling: it means to pay back, personally and accurately. Both Romans 12:19 and Heb 10:30 quote the passage in Deuteronomy 32:35 which prophesies the coming vengeance of God. The word is also used in II Thessalonians 1:6. In these shallow, sinful days, men have forgotten that there is a day of reckoning; but the saints must not forget. “Forestall not God’s wrath,” says Meyer, “by personal revenge, but let it have its course and its sway. The morality of this precept is based on the holiness of God. Hence, so far as wrath and love are the two poles of holiness, it does not exclude the blessing of our adversaries and intercession for them.”

Verse 20: But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head—Here are specific directions for active love toward an enemy,—praying for him meanwhile, as Christ commanded: “Bless them that persecute you, pray for them that despitefully use you.” There is no more terrible danger than that of cherished revenge; and nothing marks out so blazingly a Christian path as love toward a foe. The Indians who inhabited America when the white man came, hated one another, tribe against tribe. The war paint, the warpath, the tomahawk, the scalp lock,—and pride in it all! was the hell-mark wherewith Satan branded these poor heathen,—and where are they today? No less devilish are the ghastly family “feuds” in certain parts of America. No less significant is the kind of man admired in some regions: “He won’t take a word from anybody”; “He’ll fight at the drop of the hat,” and the like.

Now the promise is most striking indeed, that in a deed of kindness to an enemy we shall “heap coals of fire upon his head.” Of course, as always, when the literal statements of God’s judgment are made, we are apt to shrink in timidity and unbelief, and seek to evade the actualities. But remember exactly what we are dealing with: we are asked to step aside from self-avenging, and “give place” to God’s coming vengeance and recompense. Of course, we continue loving our enemies and praying for them, hoping they may repent. Thus we are sharing the feeling of God Himself, who “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and would have all men to be saved.” Nevertheless, we know in our hearts that many will refuse Divine mercy, and go on to that day of vengeance. And what do we read in the Scriptures about “coals of fire” at that time?

Let burning coals fall upon them;

Let them be cast into the fire,

Into deep pits, whence they shall not rise (Psalm 140:10).

Upon the wicked He will rain snares;

Fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup (Psalm 11:6).

It is a trifling exposition that would make the “coals of fire” of Romans 12:20, quoted from Proverbs 25:21, 22, a mere figure—and meaning, really, nothing!

The knowledge and constant remembrance by the saints of the coming literal doom of the wicked, is both a deep incentive to a holy walk, and a strong motive for loving and praying for them. But let us not forget that the more we are “a sweet savor of Christ unto God” as we preach the gospel, the more we become “a savor from death unto death in them that are perishing” (II Corinthians 2:14-16). Paul significantly, just here, adds the words: “And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as the many, corrupting the Word of God” (II Corinthians 2:17). Our Lord Himself said, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin.” It is a fearful thought that in our kindness to enemies—enemies of our Lord and of ourselves for the gospel’s sake, we may be increasing their doom: but the responsibility is theirs; the obedient kindness, ours!

Verse 21: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good—“Evil” here directly connects itself with that hatefulness in others of verse 20; but it also includes all the evil in the world, through which the Christian walks as a stranger and a pilgrim. This plan of setting forth a positive path of “good” before His saints, instead of a mere negative “Thou shalt not,” is the constant way of God in grace. Compare, “Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need” (Ephesians 4:28). It is not merely, Stop stealing; but, Begin giving! Just as in the following verse of Ephesians we read: “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.” Merely to stop doing wrong things will finally make a monk out of you; doing good, will put you in Paul’s company. No one is “overcoming” in the sense of Romans 12:12, save those whose time is filled with good: praise, prayer, and thanksgiving towards God; and loving ministry towards men!

“There is a faith unmixed with doubt,

A love all free from fear;

A walk with Jesus, where is felt

His presence always near.

There is a rest that God bestows,

Transcending pardon’s peace,

A lowly, sweet simplicity,

Where inward conflicts cease.

“There is a service God-inspired,

A zeal that tireless grows,

Where self is crucified with Christ,

And joy unceasing flows.

There is a being ‘right with God,’

That yields to His commands

Unswerving, true fidelity,

A loyalty that stands.”

238 A man desiring to enlist in the British army comes, after the physical examination, to present himself to the enlisting officer. He is still his own man. Then the enlisting officer gives him “the king’s shilling”—as enlistment money. He signs an attestation as to his age, place of birth, trade, etc., and takes the oath of allegiance: “To be true and faithful to the king and his heirs, and truth and faith to bear of life and limb and terrene honour, and not to know or hear of any ill or damage intended him without defending him therefrom.” Having accepted the king’s money, and taken this oath, he is now legally the king’s own soldier.

239 It is sad and terrible to see how professing Christianity has departed from all this blessed “intelligent service” in the Holy Spirit, back into the darkness of man-prescribed religion! Imagine Peter setting up holy days, in the Book of Acts; as, “Ash Wednesday”; “Good Friday”; “Lent”; “Easter”! It would all have been denial of their new connection with a Risen Christ, and of the Presence of the Comforter! It would have been turning back to Judaism, yea, to Paganism, for the name “Easter” is simply “Ishtar,” the great goddess of Babylon. (See on all these things, Hislop’s Two Babylons.)

We will either yield ourselves to God, and be led by the Holy Spirit into the “intelligent service” that belongs to this dispensation and to the true Christian; or we will be hiding away from God in the false “Christian” forms and ceremonies “Christendom,” with its religion, has taken on.

God abhors “ceremonies,”—since the blessed Holy Ghost has come, and has brought liberty!

240 “Fashioned” is literally, schemed-together-with. It is the very word of I Corinthians 7:31: scheme (Greek, schema), made into a verb, with the conjunction along-with (sun), for prefix. The devil will rope you into his “scheme,” unless you surrender your body to God to be by Him delivered.

241 The Greek word for “regeneration” (palingenesia), occurs only twice in the New Testament, here in Titus 3:5, and in Matthew 19:28. Mr. Darby’s contention that this word is “not used in Scripture for a communication of life, but for a change of state or condition,” seems refuted by the fact that the Greek word for renewing (anakainōsis) in this same verse, is also used but twice—Titus 3:5 and Romans 12:2. Its cognate verb is also used twice: II Corinthians 4:16, and Col 3:10. In all four instances, it has to do with the operation of the Holy Spirit upon one already born again. So that, if the word translated regeneration in Titus 3:5 does not have in it any reference to the “communication of life,” there is no real definition of salvation at all in this verse: but the verse claims to be such a definition!

As to the use of “regeneration” in Matthew 19:28, and the assertion that the word here is “evidently a change of state and condition, and not communication of life,” the very opposite is what Scripture asserts concerning Israel at that time, for this passage concerns the saved Remnant at the opening of the Kingdom. Of this Remnant, God says, “They shall be all righteous,” “they shall be those written unto life” in Jerusalem. It will certainly be the communication of life, yea, the receiving of them will be “life from the dead,” when they shall have “looked on Him whom they have pierced.”

242 The word for “renew” (anakainŏō) is used only by Paul. It means to “grow up new, afresh” (Thayer),—like foliage in the spring. Man’s spirit having already been created anew, and being joined to the Lord; and witnessed to and cared for by the Holy Spirit; man’s soul-faculties are now to be taken over by that same blessed Spirit; so that the whole mind and disposition and tastes of the man will become conformed to the fact that he is a new creature.

243 This new man is not Christ personally, any more than our old man was Adam personally. However, we sustained such a relation to Adam that the “old man” was ours, as much as “by nature” we were Adam’s children. So since we are in Christ, the “new man” belongs to us,—being that sum total of the marvelous Divine graces and dispositions “created” for, and to be realized in, the believer in union with Christ. Note that believers have “put off” the old man; but are here told to “put him away,”—be not influenced by him.

244 5.A “clean heart” is taught in the Scripture most plainly. Even in the Old Testament David prays, “Create in me a clean heart.” In Acts 15:9, Peter speaks of the occasion of the Holy Spirit’s falling upon those of Cornelius’ household, as, “cleansing their hearts by faith.” And Paul says in his charge to Timothy, “The end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned” (I Timothy 1:5). And further, to Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (II Timothy 2:22).

Now it will not do, in interpreting the Bible, an infinitely accurate Book, to deal loosely or confuse terms. When David said, in Psalm 108:1, “O God, my heart is fixed,” repeating it in Psalm 57:7, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing, yea, I will sing, yea, I will sing praises”—I say in such an utterance the Psalmist is not claiming that there was not iniquity present with him, but that his heart was by Divine grace fixedly choosing God and His will: as he says in Psalm 18:23, “I was also perfect with Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.” Here he recognizes evil present with him, but his heart is fixed for God.

To confuse the flesh with the heart is a vital mistake. Paul says we have no confidence in the flesh. But on the other hand we may have complete confidence toward God, at least when our faith has been “perfected” (I Thess. 3:10). The heart is the throne-room of the being. When it is really handed over to God, “the peace of Christ rules” therein. If no provision is made for the flesh, but instead the Lord Jesus Christ is put on (Romans 13:14); if we obey II Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1, refusing “unequal yokes” with unbelievers, refusing to have “portions” with unbelievers, “keeping ourselves from idols,” “cleansing ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit,” “perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” and consenting to be “separated” to God and “touch no unclean thing,”—then God “walks in us.” Our hearts are wholly given to Him and “do not condemn us.”

Such a surrendered believing heart is called in Scripture, a “pure heart.” To be among those thus “cleansed” by simple faith, and to have such a pure heart, should be the longing desire and purpose of every believer.

Do not confuse, therefore, a clean, perfect heart toward God as taught in Scripture with the supposed “eradication of the sin-principle” from the flesh. The flesh is unchanged until Christ comes. But God will cleanse our hearts, by faith, ind the Holy Spirit will form Christ fully within us.

245 Of course there is all manner of looseness of talk by those who do not discern, hold, and continually speak in terms of, the one Body of which Christ Risen is the Head. We do not have any right to use the word “body” of any but the true, mystical Body of Christ: those who have been “by the one Spirit baptized into One Body.” The confusion of the Scripture doctrine of the true Church, the Body of Christ, with the Church’s outward relationships, responsibilities, and testing, as the House of God on earth, has given rise to innumerable evils. The Church which is Christ’s Body is the blessed company of all true believers from Pentecost to its Rapture at Christ’s coming. The House of God is “the pillar and stay of the truth” upon earth, just as Israel was before the cross. But Just as there was an elect Remnant, Simeons and Annas, Zachariahs and Elizabeths,—the true Israel—in our Lord’s day; while the temple, the House of God, had been invaded by all manner of corruption and merchandising, having been built up by Herod the Great, a son of Esau;—so, today, the true Church is not what you see gathering into meetings all about you, but that company of true believers known to God, all of whom have been baptized by the Spirit into One Body, and who also are indwelt by the Spirit. All others, however prominent “church members” they may be, are simply part of the “great house’ of II Timothy 2:20, where vessels “unto dishonor” as well as those “unto honor exist; which the “house of God” set forth in I Timothy 3:15 has, through man’s failure, become.

246 Of course, it will be to many, as it was to the author, a startling revelation, that the Spirit is ready to engift each believer for Divinely appointed service! Those mentioned as “unlearned” in I Corinthians 14:23 were evidently believers, but ungifted; or, as Alford says, “plain believers,” persons unacquainted with the gifts of I Corinthians 12.

247 Alford well says, “The measure of faith, the gift of God, is the receptive faculty for all spiritual gifts; which are, therefore, not to be boasted of, nor Pushed beyond their province, but humbly exercised within their own limits.”

248 ”An apostle was sent direct, as an architect, authorized by Christ to build His Churchapter Apostles were authorized, on the part of Christ, to found and to build, and to establish rules in His Churchapter In this sense there are no longer apostles.

“But it appears to me, that in a lower sense, there may be apostles and prophets in all ages. Barnabas is termed an apostle. Junius and Andronicus are called apostles, and it is said of them that they were ‘of note amongst the apostles’ (Romans 16:7); so that there are others who were not named.

“As regards the revelation of God, it is complete; as regards any authority to found the Church it no longer exists; neither the twelve nor Paul have had any successors. The foundation cannot be twice laid. But one may act under an extraordinary responsibility as sent by God. We may cite as examples, without pretending to justify all that they did, a Luther, a Calvin, a Zwingli, and perhaps others. So for prophets; although there be no new revelations of truth, there may be, as proceeding from God Himself, a power of applying to the circumstances of the church, or of the world, truths hidden in the Word; such as, in practice, might render the ministry prophetic. Moreover all those who expressed the mind of God ‘to edification’ were called prophets, or at least, ‘prophesied.’

“Prophets, who were associated with apostles as the foundation, because they revealed the mind of God, may, it appears to me, in a subordinate sense, be believed to exist,—those who not merely teach and explain ordinary and profitable doctrine,—but who by a special energy of the Spirit can unfold and communicate the mind of Christ to the Church where it is ignorant of it (though that mind he treasured up in the Scripture)—can bring truths, hidden previously from the knowledge of the Church, in the power of the testimony of the Spirit of God, to bear on the present circumstances of the Church and future prospects of the world, and thus be practically prophets (though there be no new facts revealed, but all are really in the Word already), and thus be a direct? blessing and gift of Christ to the Church for its emergency and need, though the Word be strictly adhered to, but without which the Church would not have had the power of that Word” (Darby).

249 Many years ago, at the Keswick Convention, in England, I was returning, about seven o’clock, from an early morning walk. I passed the “Drill Hall,” and down came MacGregor (G.H.C.) and greeted me. I said, “Your face looks pale; are you not well?” “Oh yes,—only a bit weary,” said he. Then, by questioning further, I found he had just then finished with the last case left from the previous night’s meeting! That was teaching indeed. He had patiently labored all night long to expound to one after another “the Way of God more perfectly!”

It is our privilege just now to have beneath our roof a beloved sister in her eighty-fourth year whose energies for over forty years have been constantly used in teaching others. Although having to support herself by public school teaching, yet with a steadfastness that is deeply touching, one thing she does with every one with whom she comes in contact: she teaches each the gospel. Many people, and even preachers, have come to her for instruction, even when she was confined to her bed in sickness or infirmity. There they sat patiently listening to her words concerning Christ. Her great passion is to “make all men see” Paul’s wonderful explanation of our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

[Later: Alas for us,—not for her! our beloved Mrs. S—— has gone triumphantly Home!]

250 For “love of the brethren,” and “tenderly affectioned” there are two beautiful records in the Greek: philadelphia, and philostorgos, the latter used of the closest family ties.

251 I doubt if the. reference in “unawares” is to Abraham in Genesis 18. for he at once recognized the Lord, and knew His attendants. The statement seems rather an absolute one of inspiration, involving such a possibility for any of us!

252 One who had visited the Chicago stock yards on a slaughter-day said to me, “Our guide took us to where the swine were being slaughtered. Here there was squealing and grunting everywhere, and the moment the men laid hold of one for slaughter, it gave a wild shriek, and the uproar was terrible. By and by we approached another building and heard no sounds; and we found that here the sheep were being slaughtered, without complaining—in silence!”

253 Quaint old John Trapp says: “In reason, revenge is but justice; Aristotle commends it. The world calls it manhood; it is doghood, rather!”