The following are answers given by Charles Henry Mackintosh to questions submitted by the reader of his writings. I try to add the question topic and the scripture reference to his answers.
1. Chastening.
Answer: The teaching of Hebrews 12:5-12 “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees. . .” It is peculiarly precious, and most gladly would we expatiate upon it, did our space permit. We can merely remark here, that the object of the Holy Ghost in the passage is to encourage our hearts under chastening, by the assurance that it is from the hand of a loving Father who only corrects us for our profit, in order to subdue our indwelling gravity, and to make us, practically and experimentally, partakers of His holiness.
2. Sisters at Bible Reading Meetings.
Answer: We do not look upon a reading meeting such as you describe as an assembly, and hence we do not see any scriptural objection to a sister’s asking or answering a question. No doubt, a sister may ask questions in such a way as to leave herself open to the charge of teaching and usurping authority over the man. She may show, by her manner of putting her question, that she considers herself competent to teach the brothers present. This should be avoided, and will be by every Christian woman of good taste and sound judgment. It is not that we doubt in the least the competency of many sisters to instruct a brother, were it a mere question of knowledge or experience. But it is not a question of competency, but of moral fitness, and in the settlement of this question there are great principles involved, in reference to which the Holy Ghost seems peculiarly peremptory. As to reading meetings in general, we may be permitted to say that it is very needful to have some one present who is capable of giving the mind of God on the passage or subject under consideration, otherwise a quantity of time is lost in vain conjecture and useless speculation. We do not, of course, attempt to lay down a rule, but merely give our judgment in a general way. We know full well that where humility of mind and earnestness of heart characterise the members of a reading meeting, they will do more towards promoting edification and comfort than mere knowledge, however profound and extensive.
3. Judas at the Lord’s Table.
Answer: Your question is an interesting and important one. “Does the permitted presence of Judas Iscariot in our Lord’s chosen band on earth furnish any argument in favour of our toleration of evil in communion with us as Christians?” We would say, most assuredly, it does not. If the argument, so constantly based on the case of Judas, proves anything, it proves too much. To what does it amount? What does it prove? Why that we ought, knowingly and deliberately, to have at the Lord’s Table a man capable of selling Christ for thirty pieces of silver — knowingly and deliberately to have fellowship with a traitor. This is the amount of the argument; and we know that what procures too much proves nothing at all. But it may be asked, Why did our Lord, who knew what he was, permit his presence? The answer is very simple. Our Lord allowed Judas to manifest himself. Had He acted on His divine knowledge of what was in the heart of Judas, it would have been no example for us; for we cannot judge the heart, but merely the life and doctrine. To say that we may ignorantly have a traitor in our midst is true; to say that we ought knowngly to have one, is false. In the former case we confess and mourn over our infirmity; in the latter we openly defend a piece of downright wickedness. We cannot understand how any one with a single atom of spiritual sensibility can have recourse to this argument respecting Judas. We deem it not merely weak and foolish, but very wicked.
4. Union with Christ.
The believer is united to Christ in resurrection. There could be no union with Christ on this side of death. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone.” This is a great cardinal truth of all importance at the present day. “We are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” This can only apply to a dead and risen Christ. In the purpose of God, the Church was united to Christ before the foundation of the world; but this union is only actualised in the case of an individual when he is quickened and united to Christ by the power and presence of the Holy Ghost.
5. Judgment.
We firmly believe in the immortality of the soul, and we cannot but marvel that not one of those “evangelical clergy and laymen,” to whom you have submitted your paper, has ever “given you a reply, or warned you that you were treading on dangerous ground.” We do not wonder at your “feeling hampered in teaching Sunday School children and others,” for, truly, “the views you hold are completely your own,” and not what we have learnt after twenty-five years’ study of Holy Scripture.
We deem it very unsound and dangerous to teach that people will only be judged for rejecting the gospel. “For this we know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things [and not merely because of their rejection of the gospel] comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:5-6) “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’ sake, [and not merely because of their rejection of the gospel] the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.” (Colossians 3:5-6) “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” (Revelation 20:12)
These passages, and many more which might be adduced, teach us distinctly, that men will be judged for their sins, and not merely for the rejection of the gospel. “For every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account at the day of judgment.” The reception of the gospel takes the soul completely off the ground of judgment for sins. The rejection of the gospel leaves the soul on the ground of judgment; but the judgment will be, in every case, according to a man’s works. To deny this is to remove a great moral embankment, and make way for a rushing mighty tide of lust and passion.
We think you have entirely missed the divine object in that governmental act to which you refer at the close of Genesis 3 “And now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever; therefore the Lord sent him forth,” etc. This act had nothing to do with the question of the immortality of the soul, but was simply designed to prevent the perpetuation of a life of misery in this world. Had man, in his fallen condition, been allowed to eat of the tree of life, he would have lived for ever in that same state. This the Lord God could not permit, and therefore drove him out. But if He drove him out in government, He followed him in grace, to bring him back to Himself by a new and living way, even through the rent veil of the Saviour’s flesh.
6. Power of Godliness.
Your question is interesting and important. We believe that the ground on which the Christian has power to keep down sin, to mortify his members, to exercise the mastery over the flesh, is that “the flesh” has been “condemned” — “the old man crucified.” But when it becomes a question of power, you must have the Holy Ghost. The ground was laid in the work of Christ for us. The power to occupy the ground is through the Holy Ghost in us. Now this will furnish a reply to your second enquiry, “Why was this power lacking under law, according, to Romans 7?” Under law, there is neither the ground nor the power. This makes all the difference. A soul under law knows neither the work of Christ for it, nor the work of the Holy Ghost in it. “If ye are led of the Spirit, ye are not under law.” You cannot have the two things. But if I am under law, sin has power over me; for “the strength of sin is the law.” On the other hand, if I am under grace, I have power over sin, for “sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law, but under grace.” The believer’s position is entirely changed. “He is not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,” — “He is not under law, but under grace.” The Lord be praised for such a blessed position! May we have power in the Holy Ghost to occupy it! May the Lord’s richest blessing rest upon you, beloved friend, and upon all those around you who love the Name of Jesus!
7. Card playing, I would add gambling in our day.
Answer: We would just ask you one or two plain questions, Can you engage in a game of cards, or any other game, in the Name of Jesus, or to the glory of God! Can you ask God’s blessing thereon? Are you, when so engaged, redeeming the time?
8. 1 Cointhians 15:22. It appears it was if it refers to believers.
Scripture: 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Answer: It refers to believers. Verse 23 seems to prove this very clearly: of course all shall be raised; but here it is not merely a question of being raised, but of being “made alive in Christ.”
9. Perfect love and its outflowings.
Answer: Your difficulty as to the word “our,” in 1 John 4:17, will be at once removed by the correct reading in the margin — “Herein is love made perfect with us.” God has perfected His love toward us by introducing us into a position of association with His risen and glorified Son. This assuredly is the perfection of love. It is not merely that we are forgiven and saved from the eternal consequences of our sin and guilt, but we are actually identified with a risen Christ, at the right hand of God, so that the inspired apostle can say, “As He is, so are we in this world.” Marvellous grace! It is not possible for love, even the love of God, to go beyond this; and hence it is said, “Herein is love perfected with us.” If you will take from the ninth to the eighteenth verse, you will find four distinct results of the love of God, four distinct things which that love bestows upon us; namely, life, peace, power, and boldness.
Four points:
- Life. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (verse 9) There is no life but in Jesus. “In Him was life.” “He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life.” All outside of Him is death. Men talk of seeing life, and enjoying life; but it is all a fallacy. There is no life to be seen or enjoyed but in Christ. As some one has truly said, “The very moment a man begins to live, he begins to die.” Such is man’s natural condition. The seeds of death are in his very nature, and at his birth these seeds begin to germinate, so that in living he is dying. Hence our Lord said to a master in Israel, “You must be born again;” you must get a new, an eternal life; and this life was in the Son. But ere the life could flow forth to us, the Son had to die; for we could only get life through death.
- But then there are many who have life that have not peace. They are quickened by the word, the voice of Jesus; but their consciences have not been set at liberty — they feel themselves tied and bound by the cord of their sins — they do not know what the cross of Christ has accomplished for them. Such persons need to ponder the tenth verse of our chapter. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Thus the love of God meets me at each point with the very thing I want. It meets me with life when dead; and it meets me with propitiation when exercised and anxious, and gives my soul peace. I find that God so loved me, even when I was an enemy, as to send His Son to atone for and put away all my sins. This sets me free, and nothing else can. It is of the utmost importance that quickened souls should be led to see and understand the true ground of rest for the conscience, should be led to rest and rejoice in the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, and in that alone. I am not to rest in the fact of my conversion, in the circumstances thereof, the feelings attendant thereon, or the experiences connected therewith. It must be the blood, and the blood alone.
- But not only do we want life and peace, we want power also, and this we have as the fruit of the love of God. “Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” (verse 13) The new nature in the believer is dependent upon the Holy Ghost for power. Very many Christians fail to recognize the distinction between the new nature in the believer and the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 3:16 is conclusive on the point. “Strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.” Here we have the two things. “The inner man” is the new nature which the Holy Spirit strengthens. He surely does not strengthen the old nature. No; He strengthens the new to subjugate the old. I have no power but by the Holy Ghost. I can neither think, feel, experience, speak, or act aright but by the Holy Ghost.
- Finally, we have boldness in the day of judgment. “Herein is love perfected with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is so are we in this world.” Here we reach the very loftiest point to which the love of God could conduct us. I read, that “for every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” But so completely am I taken off this ground by union and identification with a risen and ascended Saviour who met death and judgment on my behalf, so entirely am I taken off the ground on which, as a man in nature, I once stood exposed to judgment for every idle word, that I actually have boldness in the day of judgment, “because as He is so are we.” Is there any judgment for Him? Surely not. He met it all. Death and judgment are behind Him. Well, as He is so are we. This is the perfection of love. May I then speak idle words? Far be the thought. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” The very nature which has been communicated to me is incapable of sinning; and although my old nature is as bad as ever, and ready to speak idle words, if not mortified, yet am I called and privileged to walk ever in the power of the new nature, which cannot sin, because it is born of God. I do not refrain from idle words because I am afraid of the day of judgment, but because I possess a nature which cannot speak idle words; and if my old nature betrays me into an idle word, I judge it, because I am not to come into judgment.
10. Ecclesiastes, and referring to chapter 3:1-8.
We believe the key to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, and indeed to the entire book, will be found in the expression, “under the sun.” The Spirit of God has furnished us, in this interesting book, with a commentary upon all under the sun — a glowing picture of the old creation, and of man in the midst of it. “Under the sun” there is time for everything. God has set one thing over against another. If there is a birth, there is a death; if there is a smile, there is a tear; the sorrow stands over against the joy. Thus it is “under the sun.” This is the law of the old creation. But look at Paul in Philippians 3. Had he “a time for everything?” No. “One thing I do,” he says. And why? Because he had found his life, his sphere, and his object, “above the sun” — in that “new creation” of which Christ is the Head and the Centre, and wherein “all things are of God.” We have frequently heard Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 abused in the way you allude to; but it has invariably been by those whose hearts are in this present evil world, and who are bold enough to quote Scripture in defence of their worldliness. Alas, for all such!
11. Spirits in Prison.
We believe that 1 Peter 3:19, “in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,” teaches us that the Spirit of Christ, in Noah, testified to those whose spirits are now in prison because they rejected the testimony.
12. The unconverted husband.
The Christian wife to whom you refer would need peculiar grace and wisdom to enable her to deal rightly with her unbelieving husband. A tender, gracious carriage on her part might be greatly owned of God to win the heart of her husband. As to whether she ought to leave him and go to the Lord’s Table, thus running the risk of his going to the public house, we do not deem ourselves warranted in laying down any rule. A Christian wife, under such painful circumstances, must be much in the divine presence in order to know how to act. “I will guide thee with mine eye” — not by rules and regulations
13. Faith.
We do not see any objection to your understanding the word “it” after “believes” in Romans 1:16. The gospel is assuredly the power of God to salvation to every one that believes it, and it is the gospel I am called upon to believe in order to salvation, as many passages of Scripture distinctly teach. Faith is the grand principle which connects the soul with God; it lays hold of His revelation, and believes it, because it is His. It is well to see this. “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And then he adds, for our comfort and consolation, “It was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” So, also, in John 3:33: “He that has received His testimony has set to his seal that God is true.” Many other passages might be quoted to show the place which faith occupies in Christianity. It is the principle on which we are justified in contrast with the principle of works. As we read in Romans 1:17, “The righteousness of God is revealed, on the principle of faith (ek pisteo), to faith.” Under the law, righteousness was required from man; but in the gospel it is revealed by God. Under the law, righteousness was on the ground or principle of works; in the gospel, it is on the opposite ground or principle of faith. You cannot meditate too profoundly on this great cardinal truth. But not only do we get righteousness by faith, we also live by faith. (Compare Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38) “The just shall live by faith.” This takes in the whole of the divine life in all its details. It is a great mistake to limit the life of faith to mere dependence upon God for temporal things. True, it is most blessed to be cast upon God for everything — to hang on Him like a child, in all our need, from day to day. We would not pen a single line to derogate from the value of such an attitude. But there is a way of speaking of a life of faith which limits it to mere trust in God for food and raiment, and to this we seriously object. It is not correct, and its moral influence is decidedly pernicious. There is no other way for any Christian to live but by faith.
Do not imagine for a moment, dear friend, that we deem your question either “stupid or strange.” Quite the opposite. We are only too glad to be allowed to minister in any little way to exercised souls. May the Lord relieve you of every burden, and stay your heart upon His own eternal grace and truth!
14. Good Conscience.
Leamington. You were quite right in leaving a place in which you were compelled to act contrary to your conscience. As to trials and difficulties, we believe the more faithfully we walk the more of such we shall have to encounter. May God sustain you, and open your way for you!
15. Almsgiving.
We are truly sorry to find the minds of Christian men occupied with such a question, as the mode in which we should lay up our offerings for the poor, whether by a box sent round, after communion, or set up at the door. It seems to us a very simple matter indeed, if only we take Scripture as our guide. We read in the first epistle to the Corinthians the following plain directions, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” Now, it may perhaps be said, that this passage had reference to a certain local matter, and forms no sort of warrant for assemblies of Christians everywhere taking up collections every Lord’s day. Yes; but are there not poor saints now as there were then?
16. Treasure in Heaven.
Matthew 6:19 ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,” is surely addressed to the disciples of Christ (see Matthew 5:1). And most needful it is that we should attend to such instruction. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust [not merely can, but] doth corrupt, and where thieves [not merely can, but do] break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust [not merely can, but] doth corrupt, and there thieves [not merely cannot, but] do not break through nor steal.” You will observe that our blessed Lord is setting forth in this passage the moral characteristics of earth and heaven. There is no such thing as moth, or rust, or thief in heaven. On earth there is. May we set our affections on things above. “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupte” (Luke 12:33)
17. Seeking the Kingdom of God.
The words which you have quoted are full of practical power: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” We are to make the things of God our grand object, and He assures us that all our wants shall be attended to. But be it noted, we are not to seek “the kingdom of God,” etc. in order that “all these things may be added.” This would be a fatal mistake indeed. If I give myself to the Lord’s work, in order that my temporal wants may be supplied, I shall very speedily make shipwreck. But, on the other hand, if I make the Lord’s work my paramount object, my wants shall be perfectly met.
“Make you His service your delight,
Your wants shall be His care.”
18. Taking an oath.
You ask “If we deem it lawful for witness in a court of law to take the oath usually taken by witnesses,” etc.?
This is entirely a question for individual conscience. “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” We deem it perfectly right for a witness, when called upon by the magistrate, to take the oath usually administered. Under the Mosaic economy, when anyone heard “the voice of adjuration,” he was bound to utter, or give evidence. (See Lev. 5) And when the High Priest said to our blessed Lord, “I adjure thee by the living God,” He immediately spoke.
The magistrate is the expression of the power of God, and when he adjures us, we are bound to give evidence. But, as we have said, let each one act according to his light. The enlightened and liberal government under which we, in England, are privileged to live, has, with characteristic leniency and considerateness, made provision for sensitive consciences in an Act of Parliament to which you refer. The form which such persons must use commences thus: “I, A. B., do solemnly, sincerely, and truly, affirm and declare, that the taking of any oath is, according to my religious belief, unlawful.” Nothing can more fully illustrate the genius of the British Government than the wording of this form. May God, in his infinite mercy, bless our Queen and preserve our constitution! May His gracious providence strengthen the pillars of that throne, under the shadow of which we enjoy a measure of freedom hardly known by the subjects of any other Government in the world.
19. The Angel of the Church.
We believe the term “angel,” in the first and second chapters of Revelation, applies to one who could convey the mind of God to the Church. We quite agree with you in thinking that there is no foundation in Scripture for the idea that the “angel” was a pastor or elder. It has been thought by some that the term angel refers to a certain mystic representative of the Church — one who personified the assembly, and in whose person the assembly was addressed. There is much to favour this suggestion in the very teaching of the chapters before us. Take, for example, the following: “Unto the angel of the church of Smyrna write. … I know thy works. … Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison,” etc.
The Lord seems to pass from the angel to the Church as though they are one and the same, and this would greatly favour the idea that the angel was some mystic personage representing the Church. But it becomes us to speak with great modesty on a point concerning which there has been, and is, such diversity of opinion.
20. Hebrews 6.
We think you have quite mistaken the import and application of the passages of Scripture to which you refer. Hebrews 6 has been again and again referred to in our pages; see particularly vol. 4., page 25. 1 Corinthians 9:27 has also been explained; see vol. 3, page 221. As to Hebrews 10:26-30, we believe it applies to the deliberate giving up of Christ — wilful departure from Christianity. Its primary application is, as we judge, to a Jew, who, having made a profession of the truth of Christianity, should deliberately return to Judaism; and the apostle tells such an one, that “there remains no more sacrifice for sin;” that he could not look forward to a great annual day of atonement as of old; that there remained nothing but a fearful looking for of judgment. The earliest symptom of this departure was the forsaking of the assembly. Now, dear friend, we are most thoroughly assured that these scriptures do not apply to you. It is not that we wish, in the smallest degree, to take away the edge from any portion of the word of God, nor yet to prop up any soul in a false condition. Nothing is farther from our thoughts; but we feel that the enemy is seeking to trouble you by a misuse of Scripture; he is leading you to write hard things against yourself, when the Spirit of God would lead you to rest in all confidence in the fulness and sufficiency of Christ. Thousands of souls have been exercised by those very scriptures to which you have called our attention; and while we doubt not, that in many cases this exercise has been used of God to deepen the work of grace in the heart, and to give a firmer grasp of Christ, still we deem it of importance to have correct apprehensions of the scope and object of the various parts of the word of God. May the Lord Himself give you settled peace in His own perfect work!
21. The church’s place.
Your two questions are exceedingly interesting, and far too important to be discussed in the brief space allotted to our correspondents. We believe the place of the Church is quite unique. It is formed by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven consequent upon the death and resurrection of Christ, and His session at the right hand of God. It is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and the boundaries of its existence down here are Pentecost and the rapture. The saints of the Old Testament will have their own place assigned them in the dispensational wisdom of God. He names and fixes the place and portion of “every family in heaven and earth.” They could not possibly belong to a body which had no existence till after their time. They will have part in the first resurrection and in heavenly glory; but the Church must ever occupy its own peculiar place as the body and bride of Christ. Wondrous place! May we enter more into it, and walk more worthy of it!
With regard to your second question, we are disposed to judge that the saints of the Old Testament, and even the apostles themselves, previous to the descent of the Holy Ghost, had very imperfect conceptions of the nature and effects of the work of Christ.
22. Simon Magus.
We have long felt persuaded that Simon, in Acts 8, was a mere professor, and not a truly converted man at all. As to the words to which you refer in verse 13, we believe it was merely a faith founded upon the miracles which he saw performed by Philip. We see the same thing in the history of our blessed Lord’s ministry. “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all.” (John 2:23-24)
23. Walkikng in the Light.
Norfolk. We deeply sympathize with you in your present very trying position; but we believe your path is plain, namely, to walk according to the light which has shone in upon your conscience and understanding. One of the greatest practical difficulties of the present moment is to keep a wide heart while treading a narrow path. Some one has well said, “I must be as wide as Christ, and as narrow as Christ.” Here is the difficulty. We live in a day in which we are in danger, on the one hand, of shutting ourselves up within the narrow enclosure of our own opinions, tastes, and predilections. Hence the value and force of the first clause in the aphorism just quoted. But, on the other hand, we meet with a great deal of what the late Mr. Hewitson so justly designated “An every-body-liking and everything-approving spirit;” and hence the need of the second clause. We are clearly called to walk in grace toward all, even toward those who, as we believe, are in error. To exhibit an intolerant bearing, a morose or sour temper, a bitter spirit, is not Christian-like, but the very reverse. But then we must be faithful as well as gracious. There is great moral beauty in Lydia’s words to Paul in Acts 16 “If,” says she, “ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide.” There is a great principle wrapped up in these words. To accept of hospitality, where there is manifest and positive unfaithfulness to Christ the Lord, is to prove that He has a very low place in our hearts.
If there be honest ignorance, it is, of course, another thing. Where a man is sincerely living up to his light, grace can bear with him, even though he may be involved in a mass of error and confusion. But where there is the deliberate and intelligent cushioning of truth to carry out one’s own will or serve one’s own interests, or to be on good terms with one’s fellow, then verily, faithfulness to Christ demands bold and unflinching decision. We must bear in mind, that “God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Beauteous combination! Rare and exquisite adjustment! “Power” without love might display itself in a haughty independence, or an intolerant dogmatism. “Love” without power might issue in a total disregard of the claims of truth. “A sound mind” will enable us to adjust, with a delicate hand, the claims of that and this, and to discern the fitting occasion for the exercise of each. Oh, dear friend, what a Volume we possess in our precious Bible!
24. The Gospel.
Your communication was mislaid, else it should have received an earlier notice. Pray excuse the seeming neglect. We believe it is the same gospel which is referred to in the various passages to which you call our attention; but the Spirit never varies His mode in designating the gospel, without, as we believe, having some specific object in view. Whether we are able to discern and define the object in each passage is, of course, another thing. It would require an entire number to unfold the meaning of the expressions in those four passages which you quote. In general, we may remark that the term made use of in any particular passage gives the leading characteristic thought in the mind of the inspired writer. Thus, for example, in the expression, “The gospel of the grace of God,” grace would be the leading thought. In “the gospel of the glory of Christ,” glory would be the prominent idea. So also, in the expression, “gospel of God,” or, “Gospel of Christ;” in the former, the object is to bring God prominently before the soul; in the latter, Christ.
25. Discipline and Goverment.
Your question is a very interesting and important one. “Is any one, now by God’s grace a believer, when suffering the bitter consequences entailed by past sin, entitled to take the comfort of those passages in the Word which speak of trial and chastening as being sent in love from a Father’s hand?” Doubtless, in such a case, the Father may use the necessary consequences of past sin as a present discipline for the soul of His child; but we are disposed to view this and such like cases as illustrative of that great and solemn governmental rule, “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) You may see men suffering, all their lifetime, the natural consequences of past folly and excess. True it is that God, in His grace and mercy, overrules, and turns their very consequences to account, by using them for holy discipline; but all the while they are the fruit of past sin.
It is very needful to be able to distinguish aright between the actings of grace and the actings of government. They are often confounded. It is most solemn to think of the government of God. No exercise of His grace can ever interfere with the principles of His government. Grace pardons and restores; but government takes its course. If you sow tares, you cannot reap wheat. Grace can pardon your folly in sowing tares, but it will not change the crop. Moreover, as you walk through the field of tares, you may praise the grace that has pardoned your folly, while you weep over the folly that sowed the tares. The Bible abounds in illustrations of these things, and so does the history of the Church of God in all ages. We consider the question to be a thoroughly practical one. It has been briefly handled in one of our earlier volumes. See an article entitled, “Grace and Government.”
26. John 15.
The following, from the pen of a recent writer may help you as to your difficulty in John 15, “The true vine, therefore, is not Israel; quite the contrary, it is Christ in contrast with Israel, but Christ planted on earth, taking Israel’s place as the true vine. The Father cultivates this plant, evidently on the earth. There is no need of a husbandman in heaven. Those who are attached to Christ, as the remnant of Israel, the disciples, need this culture. It is on the earth that fruit-bearing is looked for. The Lord, therefore, says to them, ‘Ye are clean already, through the word which I have spoken to you;’ ‘Ye are the branches.’ Judas, perhaps it may be said, was taken away. The others should be proved and cleansed, that they might bear more fruit.
“I do not doubt that this relationship, in principle, still subsists. Those who make a profession, who attach themselves to Christ in order to follow Him, will, if there is life, be cleansed; if not, that which they have will be taken away.” (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, vol. 3, page 491)
27. Stopping Short.
We believe the two tribes and a half stopped short of the true inheritance of the people of God; and though where there was personal energy, the effects of their so stopping short did not appear, yet we know they were the first to fall into the hands of the enemy.
No doubt this has a voice for us; “for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.” We are ever prone to stop short of our true position and portion, to remain at this side of Jordan, to take our place amid the gifts of God’s hand, rather than with Himself in the proper heavenly inheritance of His people. Oh, for a higher range, a closer walk, a more profound and intimate communion!
28. Gentiles Under Law.
The first attempt to put the Gentiles under law is historically recorded in Acts 15, where you may see how it was met by the Holy Ghost, the twelve apostles, and the whole Church of God. The epistle to the Galatians may be most profitably studied in connection with your question.
29. What is my motive?
You ask, “What is the difference between going to the British Museum and the Crystal Palace?” It is possible there may be a greater energy of worldliness in the latter than in the former; but as to the rightness of going to this or that, it would simply hinge upon this question, “Have I any business there? or does my duty call me there? Can I serve Christ there?”
30. The call to the Ministry.
The teaching of 1 Corinthians 9:14 is very plain. The apostle, in the opening of this chapter, gives a statement of his rights and privileges as an apostle. “Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?” (i.e., with their hands for temporal support.) Thus he goes on stating his rights, and giving his authority for those rights, both from the law and ordinances of God. But for what end does he make this statement of his rights? Simply that he may give all up for the gospel’s sake. “But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me; for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.”
Now, dear friend, you will observe a very marked difference indeed between the object of the apostle Paul, in thus stating his rights, and the object of many who quote his words. He states his rights only that he may abandon them; many quote his words only that they may insist on those rights which he abandoned for the gospel’s sake. There would be no grace, no moral beauty in relinquishing privileges to which one had no right; but when the right is duly established, the grace that relinquishes it is fully manifested. Thus it was with Paul. He had a right to live by the gospel, but grace led him to live by the work of his hands. He would take nothing from the Corinthians; but that was to their shame. He did receive “once and again” from the Philippians; that was fruit abounding to their account. But the apostle’s rule was to maintain himself by the work of his hands. Such was the lofty ground occupied by this incomparable servant, and we hold it to be the very highest privilege of a servant of Christ, and any who do not or cannot enjoy it are shorn of one of their holy dignities.
But the Lord is very gracious, and He meets us in our feebleness and poverty. Moreover, society is so constituted that it is immensely difficult for one who is called to the work of the ministry to combine with that work any secular calling sufficient to maintain himself and his family, if he has one. If a man holds a situation, he must fulfil its duties. If he is in business for himself, he must attend to it, and maintain it in its integrity, else he will soon be gazetted. If, therefore, any one be called forth to work in the gospel field, it must be a very distinct matter indeed. The gift and the call must be unmistakable. He must know where he is, who has sent him, and what he has to do, else he will, sooner or later, make shipwreck. We have known, within the immediate circle of our own acquaintance, certain who threw up their honest secular callings, under the impression that they were called to give themselves to the work, and live by faith, as they expressed it (though surely it is a great mistake to confine the life of faith to such a very narrow range). What was the end? They actually lost their reason! and even when reason was restored, there was the entire abandonment of the Christian course. The simple fact is, there was neither gift nor call in the cases to which we refer and hence the giving up of the occupation was a grievous mistake.
In a word then, dear friend, we have no hesitation in stating that, as a rule, every man should abide in his callings, provided it be a godly one. If he be called to the work of the ministry, if God has gifted him for it, and that he finds his secular calling a positive hindrance, then true devotedness of heart to Christ will lead him to give all up that he may obey his Master’s call. But it must be very distinct. His pathway must have solid embankments. The immediate business of his heart and conscience must be with God, and not with men; not with his brethren, else he will never get on.
31. The Greater Works.
You desire to know the meaning of John 14:12. We believe it teaches us that the works wrought by the Holy Ghost, as the witness of Christ’s exaltation, were greater than those wrought by Himself in the days of His flesh. Your difficulty arises from comparing the works viewed abstractedly. You say, “We know that He gave sight to the blind, raised the dead,” etc. Yes but He was down here, whereas now He is at the right hand of the Father, and the Holy Ghost is here as the witness of His glorification. This makes all the difference. The descent of the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentecost, placed the disciples on advanced ground as to everything.
32. Infant Salvation.
If memory serves us, we have, on a former occasion, referred to the question of the salvation of all who die in infancy. Here is our authority, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which is lost.” The body of the infant dies because of Adam’s sin; the soul of the infant is saved by the death of Jesus.
33. The Utterance of Faith.
The Scriptures to which you refer do most distinctly and blessedly set forth the wide aspect of the grace of God and the work of Christ, nor do we know of any hindrance, so far as the love of God, the work of Christ, and the testimony of the Holy Ghost are concerned, to any believing soul adopting the language which you quote, “I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” May God the Holy Ghost establish your heart in the truth!
34. The Saints’ Rapture.
We fully believe that the Church will be caught up to meet her Lord and be with Him, before the great tribulation, and before the apocalyptic judgments. You merely ask our opinion, and we give it without entering upon the proofs. We believe that Scripture distinctly teaches this great and most important truth; but our space does not admit of elaborate proof.
35. The House of Rimmon.
We regret the disappointment in reference to your letter, and fear it must have gone astray. As to your difficulty with respect to Elisha’s answer to Naaman, we cannot agree with either of the solutions proposed in your letter of the 12th of December. We could not, for a moment, admit the idea of any “evasion” on the part of the Lord’s servant. What object could he have in evading Naaman’s difficulty? Then as to his giving his “sanction” to Naaman’s frequenting the house of Rimmon, we consider it wholly untenable. He did not tell him to go, for this would be to sanction idolatry. He did not tell him not to go, for this would be placing him under a yoke of legality. He simply says, “Go in peace,” which was casting him back upon the grace which he had already experienced, and the exercise of an enlightened conscience. There were three things which Naaman received in connection with his cleansing, namely, an enlarged heart, an enlightened understanding, and an exercised conscience. His enlarged heart tells itself forth in the words, “Take a blessing of thy servant.” His enlightened understanding exhibits itself in his request of two mules’ burden of earth to build an altar to the God of Israel. And his exercised conscience is evidenced by his difficulty as to the house of Rimmon. Now it is easy to see that there would have been a lack of moral order in placing such an one under any formal rule; whereas there was most lovely order in casting him upon his responsibility to the One whose grace had so fully met his need. “Go in peace” was the suited utterance for a cleansed leper, and “Go, wash” for a leper uncleansed. So in the New Testament, the sinner is pointed to a Saviour; the saint to his Lord. The two things must never be confounded.
36. Life More Abundantly.
The scene in John 20:22 must be distinguished from the day of Pentecost. In the former, we have the risen Christ breathing upon His disciples the power of resurrection-life — life more abundantly. In the latter, we have the glorified Christ shedding upon His people the Pentecostal gifts of the Holy Ghost.
37. A young Convert as a question about Restoration.
Here is the answer: There is nothing in John 13:10 about asking for forgiveness. The entire scene in the opening of this chapter sets forth the present action of Christ toward His people. The washing of regeneration makes us clean — clean every whit; and Christ’s present action is to maintain us in the power of that cleansing, or to restore us when, through want of holy vigilance, we have lost it. You may read, in connection, Ephesians 5:25-27.
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
38. The Unjust Steward.
The moral conveyed in the parable of the unjust steward, in Luke 16, we believe to be simply this: use the present with your eye on the future. If you possess this world’s riches, spend them in the Lord’s service, with your eye on the everlasting habitations. Read, in connection, 1 Timothy 6:17-19. If we deny ourselves, and under the constraining power of the love of Christ live for others, and do good to all men, it will be remembered and rewarded in the kingdom.
39. Woman’s Covering.
We believe that woman’s covering, in 1 Corinthians 11, is manifestly distinct from her hair. Verses 5 and 6 place this beyond all question. As to the question when or where, we must remember that the apostle does not speak of “coming together” until the seventeenth verse. The whole passage teaches us that the covering on the woman’s head is the expression of her subjection to authority. The woman is to be subject to the man, as the Church is subject to Christ.
40. First Resurrection.
There are various classes or families who will have part in the first resurrection. Not seeing this simple fact has led to much confusion. As to Matthew 16:28, we believe it refers to the scene in the opening of the following chapter.
“Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” The next chapter; chapter 17 is The Transfiguration.
41. The Lamb’s Wife.
In Isaiah 54:5, and Hosea 2:19, and many other passages of Old Testament Scripture, we have Israel presented, in the mystic relationship of wife, as in Revelation 21 we have the Church. But the difference between the two is immense, and very material as bearing upon our character and conduct. The former is earthly; the latter heavenly. The former will stand connected with the Messiah, known on the earth; the latter with a heavenly Christ — the Son of God — not known after the flesh — not known in earthly relationship. The Church only knows a glorified Christ above. Her relationship with Him is in heavenly glory. She is connected with Him as one cast out from earth — rejected — crucified — risen and glorified. This stamps the Church’s character. The restored nation of Israel will know Christ as the one exalted in the earth — the great King — the Lord of hosts. The Church, on the other hand, is called “the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.” She is linked with Him in that wondrous character. Hence, all those who, through grace, form part of the heavenly body, should walk as heavenly people — a people who have broken with the world — the intimate companions of a rejected Christ — partakers of His sufferings. As to the terms “Bride” and “Wife,” they set forth a positive relationship between the Lord and His heavenly and earthly people. It may be said that they set it forth mystically or figuratively; but yet they do set forth a real relationship with its holy affections, privileges, and responsibilities; and while it is quite true that an individual is not the Bride, yet should each individual member cultivate the affections and exhibit the characteristics of this high and holy relationship. We may further add that, in human life, the term bride suggests a different idea from that of wife. The former is a title connected with the joys of the day of espousal; the latter awakens the thought of matured companionship in all the joys and sorrows of life. But we must beware of being too human in our mode of handling these holy mysteries. “The Spirit of truth” can alone enable us to enter into them.
42. The Particular Resurrection.
In Philippians 3:11, the apostle sets forth the grand object of his hope to be, resurrection from among the dead.” (exanastasin ton nekron) It is not merely resurrection of the dead, but something quite peculiar, quite distinct, even a resurrection from among the dead — a resurrection after the pattern and example of Christ’s resurrection. As regards the expression, “If by any means,” it does not imply any doubt, but simply declares that the apostle was quite ready to reach that glorious goal by any route his Lord and Master might see fit to appoint.
43. Dispensational Position.
Matthew 11:11 teaches us that, looked at dispensationally, John the Baptist was less than the least in the kingdom of heaven, though, officially, the greatest of prophets. You will find this subject gone into in our paper on “The True Workman.” It is very needful to distinguish between the position which a man may occupy in the dispensational dealings of God, and his own personal walk and moral condition therein. The very feeblest member of the Church of God occupies a position which the very highest of the Old Testament saints could not have thought of. Very many find difficulty as to this, because they are looking at men and their ways, rather than at God and the dispensational dealings of His grace. No doubt, the higher our dispensational position, the higher should be the tone of our character and conversation; but we can never arrive at the truth on this subject by comparing men with men.
44. Free Salvation.
Ezekiel 3:20, and many kindred passages, present man in responsibility under the government of God; they cannot, therefore, be applied to one who is the subject of free, sovereign and unqualified grace. The gospel meets me as an utterly lost sinner, as one condemned under the law. It brings me a full and an unconditional salvation. It gives me eternal life, not temporary or conditional life. It is truly wonderful how men, with the Bible in their hands, can talk about “the possibility of a believer in Jesus being lost.” It shows very plainly that they neither understand the totality of man’s ruin, nor the reality of God’s salvation. As to James 2:14, the little word “say” is the key to it, and to the entire context. The apostle does not say, “What doth it profit though a man have faith?” Mere lip profession is valueless to God and man. Of what use is it to say, “I go, sir,” if we do not go? Oh! for reality! May the Lord stir up our hearts, and lead us forth in genuine devotion to Christ! We live in a day of widespread profession. The doctrines of the gospel are too much taken up in the intellect, without any true exercise of soul before God, and the result is a merely worldly profession, which is really paving the way for infidelity. What we want is whole-hearted consecration; and we ask you, dear friend, and all our Christian readers, to join us in waiting on the Lord for more spiritual energy — more depth of work in the soul — more separation from everything that tends to hinder our testimony to our absent Lord. May God grant us these things more and more abundantly, to the praise of His holy name!
45. Women Preaching.
We have, in one of our earlier numbers, gone into the subject of women speaking or teaching in public. We believe the teaching of the New Testament is distinctly against it. Whatever is meant in Acts 21:9, and 1 Corinthians 11:5, it is impossible they can contradict 1 Corinthians 14:34, and 1 Timothy 2:11-12. These latter are plain and positive, and admit of no question whatever. The former may present difficulties when you come to apply them; but Scripture cannot gainsay Scripture.
46. The Cleansing Word.
The word is constantly spoken of as cleansing. (See Psalm 119:9; Ephesians 5:26) Blood and water both flowed from the pierced side of our blessed Lord — the blood to expiate our sins, the water to cleanse and sanctify us practically. Our sins were cancelled by blood; but our ways, our habits, our whole man must be cleansed day by day. If you will look at John 13:1-14, you will be able to understand the meaning of our Lord’s words in chapter 15:3. They were clean every whit through the washing of regeneration, but needed to have their feet washed day by day, in order to their being maintained in the power of communion.
47. Addressing the Lord Jesus.
We do not think that John 16:23 prohibits our addressing the Lord Jesus in prayer. Our Lord is opening up to the disciples the new and blessed ground to which they were to be introduced through His resurrection and the gift of the Holy Ghost. They were to have access to God as their Father in His name. Hitherto they had asked nothing in His name. Now they were to ask and receive, that their joy might be full. We merely add, that in Acts 7:59 we find Stephen addressing the Lord Jesus.
48. The Friends of Jesus.
A careful study of John 13 – 16 would help you much as to your question. It is our privilege, as the “Friends” of Jesus, to have fellowship with Him in everything in which He is interested. We are identified with Him in life, position, and hope. God has, in His infinite and marvellous grace, called us to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ. Hence, whatever interests Him should interest us; for we are one with Him. Would that we more appreciated this immense privilege; but oh! beloved friend, we have to mourn over our barrenness and poverty. Lord, enlarge our hearts!
49. The Beast of Revelation.
We stated very recently that we have no light as to the number of the beast. Doubtless light will be given as the time approaches. May we be found waiting for the Son from heaven, and not for the beast on earth!
50. The Church under Responsibility.
In Revelation 2 and 3, the Church is viewed in the place of responsibility, and as under judgment. We must not confound this with the Church as the body of Christ. In this latter aspect, there can, of course, be no question of responsibility or judgment, inasmuch as Christ will infallibly maintain His Church in all the perfectness which belongs to it as His body. If we do not distinguish these two aspects of the Church, we shall be confused as to many passages of the New Testament. The Church as a responsible vessel — a steward — a witness on the earth, is one thing; and the Church as the body of Christ — the bride of the Lamb — is another. In the former aspect it has failed; in the latter it never can. As to your own personal condition, dear friend, there is much we should like to say to you, did space permit; but for the present we can merely commend you to the blood and advocacy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May God bless you!
51. Modest Apparel.
We most cordially agree with you, dear friend, in deploring the sad conformity to the world as exhibited in the dress of many professing Christians. It is most sad, and evidences but too plainly the bent of the heart, the tone of the mind, and the moral condition of the soul. We are often deeply pained, in looking round at assemblies of Christians gathered for the purpose of showing forth the Lord’s death, to mark the style of dress, the light, airy, fashionable appearance, the profusion of artificial flowers, and various other appendages, so unlike what one would expect to find on the persons of those who profess to be dead to the world. It is not, we may truly say, that we desire to see Christians adopting a certain costume or livery, or that we should like to see them slovenly in their appearance. Far from it; we love neatness and simplicity — “modest apparel” — moderate, suitable attire. It may perhaps be said that many take their place in the Christian assembly who have been accustomed all their lives to dress elegantly, and they never think of such thing. This we can quite understand, and make allowance for; but, at the same time, we feel called upon to offer a word of warning to Christians on the subject of conformity to the world in dress and other things. It is a subject which demands serious attention. We believe that, where the heart is true to the Lord, the word of exhortation will be received and acted upon; the Lord knows we offer it in love, and under a deep sense of personal failure. May He act on the hearts and consciences of His people by His word and Spirit, and give them to carry themselves aright in these things, that His name may be glorified in the deportment, walk, and appearance of His people!
52. The Cup which we Bless.
You ask, Is it incumbent at the Lord’s Supper to give thanks separately for the wine? We cannot do better than quote for you the whole testimony of Scripture on the point. We are more thoroughly convinced, each day we live, of the urgent need of keeping close to the written word. Truth must be the girdle wherewith to strengthen our loins for every line of action. It is not what we ourselves or others think, or feel, or say. There is far too much of this within us and around us. We want to bow down to the authority of Holy Scripture. We want a “Thus says the Lord” for all that may be pressed upon us. If Scripture is silent, we may well be silent too, inasmuch as it speaks fully and clearly in reference to all we need to know. But when Scripture speaks, its authority is paramount, and we have no right to pursue a line of conduct, as to the smallest matter, for which there is no foundation in the word of God. We may deem certain things very right, very good, and very suitable; but still the question remains to be asked and answered, “Where is the authority?” An all-important question now-a-days. Who are we? What is man, even the best of men? or what are his thoughts worth? Just nothing, if not founded on the eternal foundation of the Holy Scriptures. Do we not see, every day, how easily men slip away from Scripture, and get into their own notions? And do we not also see the disastrous consequences of so slipping away? It is like the points on a railway; at first, the measure of divergence seems to be hardly perceptible; but look at the end!
What, then, says the Scripture in reply to your question? We turn, in the first place, to Matthew 26, and there we read, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to the disciples, and said, Take eat, this is my body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.” (Verses 26, 27)
Again, in Mark 14 we read, “And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them, and said, Take eat, this is my body. And He took the cup; and when He had given thanks, He gave to them, and they all drank of it.” (Verses 22, 23) So also in Luke 22 we read, “And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” (Verses 19, 20) The word “likewise” in this last quoted passage implies that our Lord did with “the cup” as He had done with “the bread.” Finally, in the first epistle to the Corinthians we read, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16) “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake, and said, Take eat; this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Oh! dear friend, how important it is to keep close to the veritable words of Christ, and to be so close to Him as to value what He says! There is a deplorable amount of ignorance of Scripture amongst us. The very plainest and simplest precepts of Christ we seem not to know, or to have wholly let them slip from the memory of our hearts. Even on the momentous subject which you have brought under our notice, what ignorance, what carelessness, what inaccuracy, what divergence of thought, what difference of judgment, what conflict of feeling, as to the order, the nature, the character, the meaning and object of the precious Supper of our Lord! Why is this? Is not Scripture sufficiently full, plain, explicit, and authoritative? Has it left any ground for difference of judgment? Does it afford any margin in the which to insert our own opinions and feelings? Not the breadth of a hair: It tells us the order, and it tells us the mode; it gives us the elements, and explains to us their deep and wondrous significance. It gives us the authority of Christ, and the powerful influence of His example. What, then, do we want? What is the deficiency? Ah! we want subjection to the authority of Christ. We want to do His will. We want that accurate acquaintance with Scripture that flows from the practical carrying out of what Scripture says. Here, we may rest assured, lies the root of the whole matter. “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” But how is it ofttimes with us? Have we not often found ourselves persisting in a course of action, and persisting in a line of thought for which there is not a shadow of foundation in Scripture? How is it, for example, that we so often find all manner of things introduced at the Lord’s Table, rather than the one thing which it is divinely intended to set forth? The teaching of Scripture is clear and emphatic, namely, “Ye do show the Lord’s death;” and yet, how often do we find anything and everything but this introduced at the Table? It may be said, “Do not a great many things flow from the Lord’s death? Do not life, righteousness, and everlasting glory flow to us from the death of Christ?” Unquestionable; but where is it said in Scripture that we do show life, righteousness, glory, or any other precious fruit of the death of Christ, in the Lord’s Supper? Nowhere. “Ye do show the Lord’s death.” True, it is, “Till He come:” but we do not show His coming, but His death, till He come.
Now, there is far more involved in a right apprehension of the import and object of the Lord’s Supper than many are aware. We feel convinced, that where the Lord’s death is kept prominently before the soul, at the Table, there will be a depth of tone, a subduedness of soul, a chastening of the heart, an exercise of conscience, which will shed a distinct influence over the whole life, walk, and character. And, on the other hand, where, instead of the Lord’s death, all manner of things are introduced, you will find levity, unsubduedness, lack of self-judgment, and of profound exercise or conscience.
We earnestly entreat you, dear friend, and all our Christian readers, to give this matter much calm and prayerful consideration in the light of Holy Scripture; and may the Lord give unity of judgment, thought, and feeling, the sure result of being so near to Him as to feel and own the authority of His word! As to your immediate question, we think it perfectly plain that thanks should be given in connection with the cup, as well as with the bread.
53. Not under Law.
No one, surely, possessing a spark of reverence for Scripture, would think of placing Matthew 5:19 in opposition to Romans 6:14. The apostle declares, in the most distinct and positive manner, that we are not under law, either for justification or as a rule of life. But is this to lead us to the conclusion that we may break the commandments, even the very least? Far be the revolting thought. “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Assuredly, teaching that we are not under law, and teaching men to break the commandments, are not the same thing. And, on the other hand, I can teach the commandments as part of the revealed mind of God, and, at the same time, maintain that I am not under the law.
54. Christians in Debt.
“A. B.” You ask, “Is it right for Christians who are in debt to give money for benevolent purposes?” Most assuredly not. We must be just before we are generous. If I am in debt, I have no right to give money in charity. Were I to do so, there would at least be, as another has said, a measure of honesty in my writing on the back of whatever I bestow, these words, “Borrowed from my creditors without their consent.” But, dear friend, we should go very much further than this. We believe that, as a rule, Christians should not go in debt at all. “Owe no man anything” is a precept so plain, that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. We do not here enter upon the question of how far persons engaged in trade can carry out this holy and happy rule. There are certain terms upon which the manufacturer sells to the warehouseman, and the warehouseman sells to the shopkeeper, such, for instance, as, “Cash in a month,” or the like, and so long as these terms are observed, it may be questioned how far one is actually in debt. We believe that it would be far safer and better, in every way, for persons in trade, to pay cash, and take the discount. And, unquestionably, a man is in debt, if his stock in trade and the debts due to him are not amply sufficient to meet all liabilities. It is a poor, hollow, worthless, unprincipled thing for a man to traffic with fictitious capital, to live by a system of “kite-flying,” to be making a show at his creditor’s expense. We fear there is a deplorable amount of this sort of thing even amongst those who occupy the very highest platform of profession. As to persons living in private life, there is no excuse whatever for their going into debt. What right have I, before God or man, to wear a coat or a hat not paid for? What right have I to order a ton of coals, a pound of tea, or a joint of meat, if I have not the money to pay for it. It may be said, what are we to do? The answer is plain to an upright mind and a tender conscience, we are to do without rather than go in debt. It is infinitely better, happier, and holier to sit down to a crust of bread and a cup of water paid for, than to roast meat for which you are in debt. But, alas! dear friend, there is a sad lack of conscience and sound principle as to this important question. People go on, from week to week, taking their places at the Lord’s Table, making the highest profession, talking of high and holy principles, and all the while they are over head and ears in debt, living far beyond their income, taking food and raiment on credit from any one who will trust them, and knowing in their hearts that they have no reasonable prospect of being able to pay. Surely this is most grievous and dishonouring. Indeed, we do not hesitate to pronounce it practical unrighteousness, and we most solemnly warn the Christian reader against all such loose and unprincipled conduct. We have seen a great deal of it latterly, and we can only regard it as one of the many bitter fruits of the spirit of Antinomianism so rife at the present moment. Oh for a tender conscience and an upright mind!
55. Laying up for the Future.
You ask, “Is it right to lay up money for the future?” This is entirely a question between the heart and the Lord. If one cannot fully trust the Lord for the future, both for himself and for his family — if one has not such a sense of what God is, and what the life of faith is, as to lift the heart entirely above the range of creature confidence, human hopes, and earthly expectations, he can, of course, only lay up money, or insure his life. In the case of a mere man of the world, it is very laudable to deny himself in order to lay up for his wife and children; but the man of God stands on different ground altogether. We believe it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in a store of money, or in an insurance policy. “Leave thy fatherless children to me, and let thy widows trust in me.” We have often seen the truth of the old proverb: “If you lay up for a rainy day, God will send you a rainy day.” And as to children, the best provision you can make for them is, to teach them to provide for themselves by honest industry.
56. God or Man.
We think it very much better to go to God about our wants than to go to the very best of men.
57. The Sample Kingdom.
Matthew 16:28 refers to the Transfiguration, which was, as it were, a sample of the coming kingdom of the Son of man.
58. Christians and Politics.
You enquire, “What is taught in the Word regarding the position of a Christian when called upon to vote for a Member of Parliament?” You will, perhaps, be startled when we tell you that your question involves the very foundations of Christianity. We would ask you, dear friend, to which world does the Christian belong? Does he belong to this world or to the world above? Is his citizenship on earth or in heaven? Is he dead to this world, or alive in it — which? If he be a citizen of this world — if his place, his portion, and his home be here, then, assuredly, he cannot take too active a part in its affairs. He should vote for town councilors and members of Parliament, he should strain every nerve to get the right man into the right place, whether it be at the municipal board, or on the floor of the House of Commons. He should put forth every effort to mend and regulate the world. If, in a word, he be a citizen of this world, he ought, to the best of his ability, to discharge the functions pertaining to such a position.
But, on the other hand, if it be true that the Christian is, as regards this world, “dead” — if his citizenship is in heaven, if his place, his portion, and his home be on high, if he is only a pilgrim and a stranger here below, then it follows that he is not called to meddle in any way with this world’s politics, but to pass on his pilgrim way, patiently submitting himself to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, yielding obedience to the powers that be, and praying for their preservation and well-being in all things.
But, we must remember, you ask, “What is taught in the Word” on this point? An all-important question. What, then, says the Scripture? A passage or two will suffice. Hear what our Lord says, when addressing the Father in reference to “His own in the world:” “I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Again, hear the inspired apostle on this subject: “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our citizenship (politeuma) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:17-20) So also, in the epistle to the Colossians, we read, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
Some, however, may say that the fore-going Scriptures no longer apply — that “the world” of John 17 is not the world of the nineteenth century — that the former was a pagan world, whereas the latter is a Christian world. To all who take this ground, we have nothing to say. If the teaching of the New Testament was only designed for a bygone age, if it bears only upon the things that were, and has no application to the things that are, then, indeed, we know not where we are, or whither to turn for guidance or authority. But, thank God, we have a divine and, therefore, all-sufficient directory for all ages, all times, and all conditions. If, therefore, we are to be guided by Scripture, we have no warrant whatever for meddling in this world’s politics. The cross of Jesus has snapped the link which connected us with this world. We are identified with Him. He is our Model. If He were here, He would find His place outside the range of this world. You would not see Him at the council-board, on the bench, in the House of Parliament, or with the sword in His hand. By and by, He will wield the sceptre, draw the sword, and hold the reins of government in His hand. (May God hasten the day!) But now He is rejected, and we are called to share His rejection. Our path in this world, as Christians, is obedience or suffering. We are called to pray for all in authority, but not to be in authority ourselves. There is not so much as a single line of Scripture to guide me as a voter, or a member, or a magistrate. If, therefore, I act in these characters, I do so without one word of direction from my Master — nay, more, I act in a way utterly opposed to Him, and in direct opposition to the spirit and teaching of the New Testament.
May God make us more faithful to Christ! May we be delivered more completely, in heart and spirit, from this present evil world, and be enabled to pursue, with holy decision, our pilgrim path across the sand of the desert! We are quite aware that what we have written on this subject will prove unsavory and unpopular; but this must not deter us from speaking the truth, and we trust it may not deter us from acting the truth also.
59. Observing of Days.
You enquire, “Is it right for Christians to avail themselves of ‘Good Friday’ and ‘Christmas-day’ for the purpose of meeting together for worship and edification?” There is a great deal to be said on both sides of this question. We should, of course, say, all things being equal, it is well to meet together for worship and edification as often as we can, and well too to avail ourselves of every opportunity of bringing people under the sound of the gospel. Furthermore, there are many who are engaged in business or in manual labour all the week, to whom a meeting on a week-day would be a great boon. All this would make the matter plain enough, were there nothing more to be considered. But then there are many who object to aught that might look like a sanction of Christendom’s observance of the above named days, an observance resting wholly, as we know, upon a traditional basis, and having no authority whatever in holy Scripture. Who knows whether December 25 and Good Friday are really the anniversaries of the events which they are said to commemorate? There is not a shadow of authority in Scripture for either the one or the other. It is not that the mere fact of the world’s observing these days should lead us to object thereto, for on that ground we should also refuse to observe the Lord’s Day; but then we must remember the words of the apostle, “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” If we can avail ourselves of these days, just as we should of any national or local holiday, then by all means let us do so. But, on the other hand, care must be taken not to lend our countenance to superstitious observances resting on a traditional foundation. The careful study of Romans 14 would put the heart into the right attitude touching this question. Whether it be a matter of eating or not eating, observance or non-observance, we are to bear with one another in subjection to the authority of the one Lord. This fine moral principle regulates everything. We have no right to lord it over each other’s conscience. For ourselves we must say that we feel only too thankful to attend a meeting for worship, edification, prayer, or gospel testimony, whenever we have an opportunity. But, at the same time, we would desire to respect the conscience of our brethren who feel a difficulty as to Christmas Day and Good Friday.
60. Preaching Christ.
We could not too strongly condemn the practice to which you refer, namely, that of “brethren,” whether old or young, “standing up to preach the gospel, and occupying three-fourths of the time in attacking the various religious systems of the day.” Alas! that any should so forget their proper work, so lose sight of the glories of the gospel of Christ, and the need and danger of precious immortal souls, as to spend their time in such a profitless, or rather, we should say, such a reprehensible manner. Whatever has the evangelist to do with systems? He has to do with Christ and precious souls; enough, surely, to occupy him during any hours he may have for public work. We can hardly imagine how any one, having a spark of love for souls, or any real sense of the solemnity of eternity — the reality of God, of heaven, of hell, of sin, of death, and judgment, can spend his time in attacking systems, when his Master has given him an opportunity of preaching the precious gospel. For our part, we should not sit for five minutes to listen to any preacher who could so shamefully forget his high and holy commission. All such preachers should be left to preach to empty benches. We may just add, that we feel more deeply impressed than ever with the feeling, that all who know the gospel of the grace of God, and possess any measure of gift, should give themselves earnestly and devotedly to the glorious work of evangelisation. We want evangelists, we long for evangelists — large-hearted, earnest, devoted evangelists — men who know their work, and are determined, by the grace of God, to stick to it, no matter who may affect to undervalue it. God has pronounced the feet of the evangelist to be “beautiful;” all heaven is interested in the work of evangelisation; and we never met a spiritual saint on earth who was not interested in it also. No doubt the evangelist should have a distinct object before him; not merely conversion, but planting; not merely the salvation of souls, but the glory of Christ in their position and walk. We most fully own all this; but still we say, from the very depths of our heart, May God raise up from amongst us many gifted, ardent, whole-hearted evangelists.
61. Christ or Doctrines.
Many seem to feel a difficulty in reconciling these passages to which you refer, namely, John 3:16, and Rom. 8:29-30. But we must remember that no one passage of God’s word can possibly clash with another. If they seem to do so, according to our thoughts, it simply proves our ignorance. There is then most perfect harmony between the truth of God’s eternal counsels, and the truth of free salvation — between His sovereignty in predestination and election, and the message of His love to a lost world — between His deep and unsearchable purpose, and the glorious display of His character and the activities of His nature. True it is that theologians find difficulty in working both these things into their theological systems; but it is enough for us that both are found in the Holy Scriptures. We are not called to frame systems, but to receive, in artless simplicity, every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. If this were borne in mind, it would hush the reasonings of many a restless spirit, and remove many a stumbling-block off the pathway of the anxious enquirer. We find one class of theologians who always take up one side of this great question, and present one line of scripture quotations in support of their view. They are right, so far as they go — right in what they hold. But then they reject the other side of the question, and either pass over or explain, in a one-sided manner, a large body of scripture texts which plainly support that side. They are wrong in what they reject. They hold predestination and election, and there they are right. They reject free salvation, and there they are wrong. Then, again, we find another class of theologians, who seem to see only the other side of the question, namely, God’s love to the world and free salvation to every creature under heaven, and so far they are right — right in what they hold. But then they reject predestination, election, and final perseverance, and here they are wrong — wrong in what they reject. The former hold divine sovereignty, but deny, virtually, human responsibility. The latter hold human responsibility, but practically ignore divine sovereignty. Those hold the permanency of salvation, but deny its freedom. These hold its freedom, but deny its permanency. We find both in the Word, and believe them. To reconcile them is none of our business. They are reconciled already, inasmuch as they are taught in the Word. It would be a great mercy to souls, as well as a safeguard to truth, if men would preach Christ, and not doctrines or systems of doctrine. Let the teacher unfold doctrine; but let the evangelist preach Christ.
62. The Heart’s Treasure.
“Ought Christians to attend secular concerts?” Your question amazes us, and the statement contained in the body of your letter not only amazes, but pains us exceedingly. We do not know exactly why you think it needful to adopt the word “secular,” unless it be to convey the idea that vain, worldly music is introduced. But however this may be, whether the music be sacred or profane, we can only express our unfeigned sorrow to think that any bearing the name of Jesus should be found attending such scenes: it proves but too plainly that their hearts are not finding their centre and object in Him whose name they bear. It is, in our judgment, always a poor, low thing for a Christian to ask, “What harm is there in going to a concert or a flower show?” A person might as well ask, “What harm is there in swallowing a handful of ashes?” If we have gotten good wholesome food, we shall not think of eating ashes; and if our hearts are filled with Christ, we shall never think of asking what harm is there in going to a concert. The great question, after all, is, “What is my object?” Is it Christ or self-pleasing, Christ or the world, which? It is truly melancholy to contemplate the low tone of many who profess to be looking to Christ for salvation. It would seem as though they cared not how far they live from Him, provided they can escape hell at last, through His atoning work. The cross is merely viewed as the means of deliverance from the coming wrath, and not as the power of separation from this present world. This, you may be sure, dear friend, is the secret of much of the low walk, the self-indulgence, and the worldly tone of professors of the present day. The power of the cross is not felt, risen life is not understood, true strangership is not apprehended, fellowship with a world-rejected Jesus is not cultivated. True, the name of Christ is used, but it is tacked on to the world, to nature in its unrenewed state, to man in the flesh. This is a deep and subtle snare of Satan, against which we feel called upon to warn our Christian readers. We should like to enlarge, but our narrow space forbids, so we must content ourselves with merely suggesting to our Christian friends a very safe test in reference to all questions of the right and wrong of going hither and thither. It is this: just ask, “Shall I find my Lord there?” If this question be honestly put and answered, it will solve a thousand difficulties.
63. Man’s Weakness.
Luke 13:23-24 gives us our Lord’s reply to a curious enquirer, a reply designed to make curiosity as to others give place to anxiety about himself. In John 6:37, our Lord declares Himself to be the servant of the Father’s gracious purpose in receiving all who came to Him, inasmuch as none came save such as were drawn by the Father. Both these passages are sadly misused through lack of attention to the context.
64. Heart, Not Attitude, in Worship.
We are extremely sorry to find the minds of Christians occupied with such a question as that of bodily attitude in singing. We are not aware of any passage in the New Testament affording authority on the point. Our worship is to be “in spirit and in truth,” and, assuredly, bodily attitude has nothing to do with that. The question for us to consider is not the attitude of the body, but the state of the soul. If we might venture to offer an opinion, we should say that in hymns of direct address to the Lord, it is fitting we should stand up. But we would say, in all brotherly love, do not let us fall out about such questions. The devil would delight in raising strife about any or every trifle. Let us, by the grace of God, frustrate his schemes, and where the absolute claims of truth are in nowise involved, let us bear and forbear to the uttermost. We must take care that self is not at work, and while we fancy we are contending for something of importance, it is in reality our own will we are seeking to carry out. Where Scripture is silent, we have no right to legislate; when it speaks, let all be subject. We feel most fully persuaded, that if our hearts were more taken up with Christ, and more thoroughly devoted to His cause, we should neither have time nor disposition to contend about such trifles. We should be ready to stand or to sit as the occasion may demand, but never dream of forcing a certain attitude upon any one.
65. Confession.
We read in the first epistle of John, that “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession involves the moral judgment of sin in the conscience, which is a very important element. It is one thing to ask for pardon, and another thing to confess my sins. The believer is forgiven all trespasses; he stands on the ground, and breathes the very atmosphere of forgiveness. But if he commit sin, there must be the confession of that sin, in the presence of God, ere he can enjoy the sense of pardon, or be restored to communion. To ask for the forgiveness of my sins, as though I were yet in the condition of an unforgiven sinner, would be a denial of the truth of the gospel. But if, as a child of God, I sin against my heavenly Father, in thought, word, or deed, my communion must be suspended until, by confession founded on the death and advocacy of Jesus, my sin is forgiven, and my conscience cleansed from the soil which I had contracted. It is a most perilous thing to go on with unconfessed sin upon the conscience; it hardens the heart, deadens the moral sense, and puts one into the hands of Satan, who may lead us we know not whither. May the Lord keep us in the security of His own presence.
66. 1 John 5:6.
1 John 5:6 refers to the fact recorded in John 19:34. The blood of atonement and the water of purification both flowed from a crucified Christ. Verses 7 and 8 are read as follows by the four editors: “For they that bear witness are three, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three agree in one.” All the rest is omitted. This makes the passage very simple. You may, perhaps, be aware, that when the four editors, Griesbach, Scholz, Lachmann, and Tischendorf, agree in a reading, it takes precedence of the Received Text from which our unrivalled Authorized Version was made; but we can never touch the question of various readings without bearing the strongest testimony to the incomparable excellence of our precious English Bible, for which we heartily bless God every day.
67. Exhibitions.
Weston-super-Mare. To find professing Christians going after shows and exhibitions of any kind is, in our judgment, a melancholy proof that their hearts have never yet found a satisfying object in Christ. If Christ be dwelling in my heart by faith, I shall not be found at shows. It will not be so much a mere question of the right or the wrong of the thing; but the fact is, it will never occur to me. The Lord Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, “Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” There is no more longing for the streams of false delight which this poor world offers, when once the heart has found its place beside the fountain of living waters. Do you think Paul ever thought about the right or the wrong of going to any public amusement? “One thing I do,” he says. And this is his language, not merely as an inspired apostle, but as a devoted Christian man. It is most deplorable to think of having to reply to such a question; it proves too plainly the low tone of things amongst many who profess and call themselves Christians.
68. All Welcome.
May the Lord meet the desire of your soul! It can never be “too late” for any one to come to Jesus, until “the Master of the house has risen up and shut to the door.” Till then, there is a hearty welcome for all who will come. “All things are ready, come!”
Continued in Part 2.
Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded 
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