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The High Calling - FF November2006
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
It is common among Christians to expect a place in heaven after death. In general this is a good expectation - if the Christian is consecrated to God. Many Christians,
however, do not appreciate the need for committing one's life to God. They suppose that believing in Jesus, and avoiding sin in their lives, is sufficient. These are both very good decisions. But Paul says we should go further than this. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).
This can be done by thoughtfully taking ourselves to God in prayer, expressing to him that we yield our life to Him, and will seek thereafter to serve Him, and the
Truth, and the Brethren, as the chief cause of our life. This is making a thoughtful and deliberate consecration of ourselves to God.
When this is done, then it is appropriate to symbolize this decision by water baptism. This permits others to know the determination we have made. This may help
them to understand the way we live our lives - which is different than the world. This may also encourage others to think about their opportunity for consecration to God.
Three Legs of the Christian Life
There are three basic components to the Christian life, for those who have consecrated their lives to God. One, a vital one, is character development. "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). We are transformed from our natural tendencies, into persons reflecting the character likeness of our Lord Jesus - who himself displays the character of Jehovah.
This is not an easy thing to do, specially
at first. We all have our own natural inclinations, and sometimes these are not
consistent with godly character. In this case we have to change our speech, or
conduct, or habits, to put them in accord with the character which God would
have us exhibit to others. A guiding principle to direct our thoughts, words
and actions, is "love." The apostle John said, "God is
love" (1
Components of Love
Joy - Love exultant
Peace - Love in repose
Long-suffering - Love enduring
Gentleness - Love in society
Goodness - Love in action
Faith - Love on the battlefield of life
Meekness - Love in resignation
Moderation - Love in training
Every day we can express some or all of these qualities. As we do, they should become the natural, rather than exceptional, responses to our experiences.
Study and Service
The second leg of Christian life is study, and the third is service. Every Christian should have a Bible and value it. In western societies this is a given. In poorer countries, every one concerned with things of the Spirit should save their funds and acquire a Bible - then treasure and value it.
We should be familiar with the scriptures. We should know how the books of the Bible are arranged, what subjects they cover, how they relate to each other. The Old
Testament has three parts - historical (Genesis through Esther), devotional (Job through Song of Solomon), prophetic (Isaiah through Malachi).
The New Testament begins with five historical books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts). Then follow the epistles of Paul, 14 in number. The sequence as they appear in our modern Bibles was chosen by Martin Luther, according to his estimate of the prominence of the ecclesia to which each epistle was written.
Then come the general epistles, sometimes termed "Catholic" epistles. The term "Catholic" here does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church. The word means general, or universal. It refers to the fact that most of these epistles were
written to brethren generally, rather than to specific ecclesias.
There were seven of these epistles - James, two from Peter, three from John, and Jude. The prophecies and visions of Revelation close the Bible. The 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 of the New Testament make up the 66 books of sacred writing.
To properly understand God's Plan of the Ages, we recommend to all of our readers the book by Pastor Russell, The Divine Plan of the Ages. If you do not have a copy of this book, you may secure one by writing or emailing your request to us. We will send a magazine edition of that book, with a lovely four color cover, with the
next issue of Faithbuilders Fellowship.
Service
No child of God can demonstrate the sincerity of his consecration without service for the Truth or the Brethren. This may be through distribution of the Truth to others, supporting the saints engaged in the work, encouraging brethren, supporting ecclesia
meetings and functions, teaching children, witnessing to neighbors, or other means. Let each one look for opportunities to serve, even though this means the sacrifice of
time or money or both. This is the lesson
of our Lord Jesus in the parable of the talents -
Patience and perseverance in these areas - character, study, service - will produce in us what the Lord looks for in those who become members of his Bride class (Revelation 19:7-9). Then, at the end of our life, we will receive the commendation . "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:21). Our reward will be in heaven. We will be raised divine, spirit
beings, in fellowship with Christ and all the saints who have gone before.
By attending to the things of the spirit, we can make sure not only of our present calling to follow Christ, but our election to the Bride class as well. "Give diligence to
make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. (2 Peter 1:10).
Close of the High Calling
At some time the High Calling will close. Because some brethren anticipated the Kingdom would come soon, very soon, after the year 1914, a large number of
brethren living after that time supposed that the High Calling did end in the years following 1914. They supposed they had received the call, but no others were being
admitted.
Among those who "closed" the door
to the High Calling were those who later took the name Jehovah's Witnesses. This
is the reason why Jehovah's Witnesses today do not encourage people to run for
the High Calling - the Heavenly Calling. After Pastor Russell died in 1916,
control of the society which he founded to promulgate the Truth was taken
illicitly by Judge Rutherford. He had a forcible character, was competent in
speaking and writing, and enjoyed a certain prominence among brethren at the
time. Thus, irrespective of the fact that Bro. Russell had not selected him to
participate in the board of directors - and certainly not as leader of them -
Judge Rutherford nevertheless managed to secure control of
That is all part of history, as is the large division of brethren which followed as a consequence. The Bible Student Movement as it exists today is heir to the movement
continued by brethren who left the society
to pursue the Truth, and its witness, according to the spirit of the original
movement. But even among them, some factions presumed the High Calling had
drawn to a close. In retrospect, all of this closing of the "door" of
the High Calling was clearly wrong. Had brethren of that time known that the
approaching
But time has advanced. Now we are but one generation away from the Kingdom being established in the Earth. The High Calling is still open. The Harvest of the
Gospel Age still continues. But it will close in the coming years. When it will close we do not know. Presumably it will close some time before the year 2043, if that year
marks the end of 6000 years from Adam, and the start of the Millennium. All the more, then, should we encourage all Christians of faith to take the opportunity of entering into the door of opportunity now. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able ... When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door" (Luke 13:24, 25).
Two Ages of Redemption
Bro. David Rice
The Key of the Divine Plan
The key to understanding God’s Plan is to recognize that He has planned not simply one, but two different and distinct ages of redemption. The first is for calling, developing, and polishing the elect who will constitute God’s divine family, and rule with Christ in heaven during the Millennium. This is the Gospel Age.
The second is the Millennial
Age. It is called the Millennial Age because it is a thousand years long.
In that age God will resurrect all the dead of past ages (John 5:29,
Wars will cease worldwide. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth(Psalms 46:9). Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isaiah 2:4).
There will be universal education about God, and what He expects. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).
Every man, woman and child who has ever lived will have an opportunity to gain everlasting life. The earnest expectation of the creation waits ... because [then] the creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption (Romans 8:19, 21).
The curse will be lifted. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:4).
Distinguish the Ages
Distinguishing
these two separate and distinct ages of redemption clarifies much of the
obscurity respecting God’s plan for the world. For example, what will happen to
the billions of humanity that do not know the one True God, Jehovah, or his
son, Jesus Christ? Are there not many good hearted people in the world without
a saving knowledge of Christ? Some suppose God will graciously take them to
heaven, their ignorance notwithsanding. But no scripture allows this, and
Others suppose they
are lost forever, perhaps even to horrible suffering. But the scriptures also
do not allow this. The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life
(Romans 5:18). God is love (1
The Scriptural
answer is that in the Millennial Age all living generations will be taught the
Truth, and all the dead of past ages will be raised to life, redeemed from
death through the Ransom sacrifice of our Lord. Then they will learn the Truth.
Then they will have an opportunity to secure everlasting life by reformation
and obedience to the Truth. Even those from wicked
The Purpose of the Present Age
When Christ died at
This is the
greatest conceivable opportunity. It is an offer to be heirs of God joint-heirs with Christ Jesus of all the spiritual blessings God plans for
His elect. However, this offer is contingent. It is contingent upon following a
devoted life, and walking humbly before God, as Jesus walked (Romans 8:17,
In the present Gospel Age the path to life is narrow and secured by few. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:14). And there are conditions. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). If we suffer, we shall also reign with him (2 Timothy 2:12). Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Revelation 2:10).
You can make your own estimate of the number who meet these conditions. By any count, it is a relatively small number. So what of the remainder? What of the billions who know not the Master Hindus, Moslems, Buddhists, Shintoists, or simple unbelievers? Or the millions in Christian cultures who pay no heed? Or the large majority of even Christian people who ignore the criteria expressed above? The answer is the same for all C God has another plan for these. They will have their opportunity for life in the Millennium. The Heavenly Call will then be closed, but the call to perfect, unending human life on Earth, will still be a wonderful opportunity.
Narrow, Yet Broad Enough
Yes, the heavenly call really is as narrow as the texts above say. Even the Apostle Paul said, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13, 14).
Pursuing worldly pleasures, ease, and present comforts, will not secure the prize of the overcomers. Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [seeking] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:1, 2).
On the other hand, the way is broad enough so that even the simplest can attain it. It is not a matter of skill and ability, but of a heart willing to patiently put on the spirit and character of Christ through our lifetime. It will not admit a single person who deems the Christian goals unworthy of their daily attention and effort. But it will not restrict a single person who humbly follows the Master.
Two Paths for Christians
In light of these
scriptures, one may wonder, what of Christians who do commit their lives to
God, but do not follow through with a life of consecrated devotion? Paul
addresses this question in
This building can be either with the divine principles represented by gold, silver, precious stones, or our time can be wasted on earthly pursuits represented by wood, hay, stubble C combustible elements which will not abide the testings God allows to come our way (verse 12). In verse 13 Paul says the work of every man will be manifest by the fire of trial and experience, Aand the fire shall try every man=s work of what sort it is.
Verse 14: If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward the reward promised to the overcomers. Him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne (Revelation 3:21).
Verse 15: If any man’s work shall be burned [metaphorically, like wood, hay, stubble], he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. In other words, the trials will purge the dross, he will receive life beyond the veil,* but the reward of reigning with Christ, being part of his Bride class (Revelation 19:7, 8), will be missed. Thus the exhortation: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).
Various Ages
There are various
ages in the Divine Plan. (See the accompanying article on the Chart of the
Ages.) Two of them are ages of redemption, which follow the sacrifice of Jesus
at
God’s Plan of redemption is comprehensive. In the dispensation of the fullness of times God will gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth (Ephesians 1:10).
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* Beyond the veil is
a common expression among Bible Students. It refers to our Heavenly Home. It
derives from a type in the Old Testament,
In the most holy there was but one article of furniture, the ark
of the covenant, representing the presence of Jehovah in heaven. This chamber was separated from the holy by a curtain called the vail in Exodus, and the second veil in Hebrews. Thus the expression used so often, beyond the veil, which means beyond the present fleshly conditions into Heaven itself, in the presence of God. There we will appear during the resurrection.
R2503 - New Heart
Meantime a new nation, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar
people, is sought and found by the Lord to be
the spiritual Seed of Abraham and to obtain the greatest blessings--the
heavenly.--`Rom. 9:30-33`; `11:26-32`.
But we will look down into the
future and see what the fulfilment of this prophecy will mean to fleshly
We are not to understand that
the removal of the stony heart and the giving of the new heart of flesh will be
an instantaneous work or a miraculous work. The Apostle explains the method by
which the Lord will do this great thing for
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this is my covenant
with them [Jacob, fleshly
::R2504 : page 188::
love of God with
all the heart, mind, soul and strength, and a love of the neighbor as oneself. The stony heart condition means
"me," "my," "mine," "right
if I can, wrong if I must."
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The promise held
out before the Church, and before fleshly
::R2504 : page 189::
families of the
earth, with the light of the
knowledge of God, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
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For instance, note the prophecy by `Joel
(2:28,29`) that this promise of the holy spirit
is of two parts. One outpouring of
God's spirit upon his servants and handmaidens
("new creatures in Christ") has
already had its fulfilment throughout this Gospel age: the other promise, that God would pour out his
spirit upon all flesh, still awaits fulfilment, and will
be accomplished after the overcoming Church has been glorified and the
blessing of all the families of the earth has begun. The
matter is covered slightly from the attention of the ordinary reader by reason
of the outpouring upon the Church being mentioned last.
This same
outpouring of the holy spirit upon fleshly
The spirit of
the Lord, the holy spirit, is the spirit of the truth, and when the truth shall
be made known to
In connection with these transformations of heart and will, will come the blessing which the Lord promised upon the earth. It shall yield its increase; the wilderness shall blossom as the rose, and the whole earth shall become a Paradise of God. The beginning of these blessings will be with Israel, and thus all the Gentiles shall have not only the lessons of the Scriptures for their instruction in righteousness, but also the illustration of divine providence operating on behalf of those who are influenced by the truth and its spirit. Thus will be fulfilled the declaration, "This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden."-- `Ezek. 36:35`.
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The Scriptures point out to us that the new heart
condition is essential also to Spiritual Israel; that all who would be in
harmony with the Lord must first get free from idols, and be separated to the
Lord God; and that then they must inquire of the Lord that he may do for them
the good things of his promise--working in them both to will and to do of his good
pleasure. As the death of Christ was the turning point of fleshly Israel
(Dives), and led them into blindness and trouble, so also it was the turning
point or beginning of favor to Spiritual Israel (Lazarus carried to Abraham's
bosom) --the poor, the humble, acknowledging themselves to be sinners, were
freely cleansed through the merits of Christ's sacrifice and made acceptable as
the children of Abraham. This class, from the day
of Pentecost to the present, have presented themselves in turn,
fully and unreservedly to the Lord; to have his will, his spirit, renewed in
them, and such have indeed received a newness of
spirit, a newness of heart. But the new heart is not with them a heart
of flesh, for they are begotten unto the high calling, to be children and heirs
of God, joined in heirship with Jesus Christ their Lord--to partake of the
divine nature, which already is reckoned as being
begun in them through the begetting by the spirit of adoption. It is for
these to remember that in order to develop in the spirit they must walk in the
spirit, in the Lord's footsteps, observing to the best of their ability the law
of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus;-- that thus
they may be transformed by the renewing of their minds (wills) and be enabled
to prove the good, the perfect, the acceptable will of God; and thus faithfully
doing, to be ultimately received of him into all the exceeding glories promised
to the new creatures in Christ, and to be joint-heirs with him in the great
work of blessing Israel and the world through the Millennial Kingdom.--`Rom.
12:2`; `8:17`.
OUR WEDDING
GARMENTS
APPARENTLY many of the Jewish
customs connected with marriage were so ordered by the Lord as to be typical of
matters connected with the marriage of the Church to Christ. The Jewish maiden
was betrothed to her intended husband by her father, or some substitute for
him. Her father stipulated the conditions as between her and the bridegroom.
When these were signed she was considered "espoused." The bridegroom
came about a year later to receive his betrothed one and thereby to make her
his bride, and to install her in the home as his joint-heir.
One of our Lord's parables
took note of the fact that when a kingly bridegroom brought home his bride, he
expected that all of his servants would be more than ever on the alert to
welcome him and to honor him--intent to note the first sound of his approach
and to open immediately when he should knock. Our Lord used this to illustrate
how awake all of his true disciples should be that, at his Second Coming, they
might not be asleep and overcharged with the cares of this life, but hear the
knock--the testimony of the Scriptures respecting the times and seasons and
manner of his Second Presence in the harvest of this age. We remember the
precious promise given to all of the Lord's followers who would be found thus
awake and alert: their Lord would become their servant. He would cause them to
sit down to meat--to enjoy a spiritual feast. He would gird himself as a
servant and serve them with rich dainties. How we have seen this parable in
process of fulfilment during the past thirty years. The knocking has been heard
by one and another of the Lord's true servants. Those awake have heard, have
discerned his presence, his parousia. And all such have experienced the
blessing promised--the Master has become the servant. The servants are seated
at his table and are being bountifully fed with rich spiritual food, such as
never before was tasted, and such as they were not aware he had provided.
The parable of the wedding
garment illustrates another feature of Truth from another standpoint. It was
the custom at weddings that all the guests, as they entered the house, should
be handed a wedding garment. The acceptance of this implied that they would put
it on and wear it. (`Matt. 22:1-13`.) The parable shows how one, representing
probably a class, rejecting the wedding garment furnished him, was expelled.
Interpreting the parable:
Coming to the door, desiring to enter in, would imply faith in respect to the
marriage. The robe would represent justification; the imputation of Christ's
righteousness shows that all who would be acceptable at the wedding must appear
in the imputed righteousness of Christ, and not in their own more or less
filthy garments of imperfection and unrighteousness. But surely this garment
represented something more than mere justification, else why should it be
called a "wedding garment"? These garments were not provided for the
public in general, but merely for those who had been invited to the wedding and
who had accepted the invitation and were desirous of entering in on the terms and
conditions of the host. Applying this we see that God is not supplying
justification to the world in general, nor to believers in general, but merely
to such believers as accept the terms and conditions attaching to the marriage
supper arrangements.
We might assume that all
believers were invited to this feast and that all the invited ones were
informed that wedding garments were provided for them, but that only those who
accepted the invitation and actually came to the wedding and entered in through
the door were actually given the wedding robes. Applied, this would mean that
all believers were informed respecting the merit of Christ's sacrifice and its
sufficiency for them as a covering for all their blemishes and as making them
acceptable at the wedding feast if, leaving sin and worldly business and
pleasure, they would come as guests to the wedding. The promise and tender of
the wedding garment was a promise of full justification from sin and a full
imputation of restitution rights, but with the understanding that in order to
be sharers of the heavenly blessings all earthly rights, earthly honors and
talents, must be surrendered, must be buried, that the individual might be
reckoned as a New Creature in the provided robe.
The coming of the guests to
the door desiring to enter in to the festival, pictures our compliance with the
Lord's call and willingness to sacrifice self and to have ourselves buried as
old creatures that we might appear as New Creatures in the wedding garments.
The acceptance of the garment and the putting of it on, therefore symbolized
that the individual had not only consecrated himself unto death, but that his
consecration had been accepted and that thenceforth he was a New Creature
privileged to enter in and to participate in all the privileges and joys of the
occasion. The point we wish specially to emphasize here is that the wedding
garment in the parable represents more than merely justification--it represents
additionally sanctification or consecration, to be dead with Christ; to suffer
with him; to be baptized into his death; to drink of his cup. Only by such a
consecration could anyone possibly have right to be at the great banquet,
either as a member of the Bride class or as a member of the "great
company," her companion.
If now we have clearly in mind
the meaning of the wedding garment, what would be suggested by the taking of it
off--its repudiation? Would not the rejection of the robe signify a rejection
of the consecration unto death--the consecration to share in his cup
of sufferings--the consecration to suffer with him and to be dead
with him? Is it not a fact that all this must be included in the wedding
garment symbol? Must it not represent all the sacrifice we covenanted
when we accepted justification on condition that we would sacrifice our
justified rights? Is not this our robe as New Creatures and not our robe as
human beings?
Surely the "wedding
garment" can be worn only by those who, as New Creatures, still have
fleshly bodies, whose imperfections are covered by the robe. Surely none but
New Creatures ever had on this wedding robe and surely no one ever became a New
Creature, except by the full consecration of his earthly restitution rights,
sacrificial, after the manner showed us by the Lord. So then, to take off the
wedding garment would not signify merely the rejection of our Lord's merit as
our Redeemer, our Ransomer, but it also would include specially the practical
renouncing of the terms and conditions of sacrifice, on account of which
we obtained the robe. Would it not seem, therefore, that a repudiation of
membership in the Body of Christ, a repudiation of our share in his cup and
repudiation of our baptism into his death, might symbolically be represented as
a taking off of the wedding garment?
Why anyone should wish to draw
back from fellowship in the sufferings of Christ seems difficult to understand.
Indeed, happy are we if our own loyalty and appreciation of the privilege is so
great that we cannot understand the attitude of those who repudiate their Vow
to suffer with him, to be dead with him, that they may also share in his
resurrection and live with him, that they may also reign with
him.
THE
PEACE OF GOD
"And the peace of
God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus."--`Phil. 4:7`.
PEACE is defined to be a state
of quiet, or tranquility, freedom from disturbance or agitation--calmness,
repose. Such a state of mind our text affirms of God. His is a mind tranquil,
calm, undisturbed, never agitated, nor even wearied nor perplexed by any of the
cares of His vast dominion. Yet this perfect peace of God, the Scriptures show,
is due neither to the fact that there are no disorders in His vast domain, nor
yet to any stoical indifference to pain or pleasure, but rather to that perfect
poise of His glorious attributes which makes Him Master of His situation as
Sovereign of the whole universe.
Have we admired the coolness
and calm self-possession of a great general, such as Grant or Napoleon, in the
midst of the confusion and smoke of battle? or of a great statesman, such as
Gladstone or Bismarck, in the midst of national perplexities and perils? or of
skilled physicians or others in critical times and places? These are only faint
illustrations of the peace of self-possession and self-confidence which rules
in the mind of God. He is never confused, bewildered, perplexed, anxious or care-worn,
nor in the least fearful that His plans will miscarry or His purposes fail,
because all power and wisdom inhere in Him.
The scope of His mighty
intellect reaches to the utmost bounds of possibility,
comprehends all causes and discerns with precision all effects;
consequently, He knows the end from the beginning, and that, not only from
philosophical principles, but also by intuition. As the Creator of all
things and the originator of all law, He is thoroughly acquainted with all the
intricate subtleties of physical, moral and intellectual law, so that no
problem could arise the results of which are not manifest to His mind.
"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all."--`I John 1:5`.
God, the Creator of all
things, is also the competent Sustainer of all things. In silent grandeur, from
Age to Age, the whole physical universe fulfils His will, without a suspicion
of disorder or mishap; and the same Power is pledged for its sustenance
throughout the eternal future.
Thus from His own vast, inherent
resources of Power and Wisdom, springs the peace of God. But not from this
source alone is the Divine peace; for peace is the certain concomitant of
inherent goodness. God is the impersonation of every virtue and every grace;
and consequently He has the blessed satisfaction and peace of conscious moral
perfection as well as inherent Wisdom and Power.
GOD'S EMOTIONAL NATURE
Yet we find this peace of God
coexisting with much of disorder and trouble. As a Father He shows us that He
bears a father's love to all His intelligent creatures --"the whole family
[of God] in Heaven and in earth"-- and that for His "pleasure they
are and were created." (`Eph. 3:15`; `Rev. 4:11`.) He created them in His
own likeness--with the same mental and moral attributes, so that He might have
communion and fellowship with them as sons, and they with Him as a Father, that
thus, in mutual fellowship and communion, the Creator and the creature might
find pleasure, happiness and delight.
This likeness of God includes
in all not only the same mental faculties, but also the free exercise of the
same in the formation of character. A creature incapable of thus forming
character would not be in God's likeness. And for the purpose of developing
character, the alternative of good and evil must be placed before him. The
right and the wrong principles of action must be discerned and the individual
left free to his own choice in the matter, that the pleasure of God may be
realized in the virtuous character resultant from the free choice of righteousness.
Since the love of God for His
newly created and innocent creatures is akin to, but much stronger than, the
love of an earthly parent for an innocent infant; and since that loving
interest and solicitude does not grow cold as the creature advances in years,
but earnestly watches for the development of the principles and fruits of
righteousness, it is manifest that, like an earthly parent, God experiences the
sense of either pleasure or pain, according as His free, intelligent creatures
choose the right course or the wrong. Of this we are fully assured, not only by
thus reasoning from the fact of His Fatherhood, but also by all of those
Scriptures which speak of some things as abominable, displeasing, hateful and
despicable to Him and as giving Him no pleasure; which say that His anger burns
against them, and that His indignation and wrath wax hot, even to their
destruction. Other Scriptures speak of His pleasure, love, joy and delight in
pleasing things--in the principles of righteousness and those who obey
them--the appreciation of pleasurable emotions of an opposite character, for
pain and pleasure may properly be considered the ebb and flow of the same
emotion.
These exhibitions of the mind
of God indicate clearly an emotional nature in the Divine Being, of which fact
we might also judge from the realization of our own emotional nature, since man
was created in God's image. No, dear friends, God is not a God of stoical
indifference, insensible to the emotions of pleasure and of pain; but the perfect
poise of His attributes preserves the equilibrium of peace under all
circumstances, whether of pain or pleasure.
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FAITH THE BASIS
OF PEACE
If we would know the
foundation and security of this abiding peace which is able to survive the
heaviest storms of life, we have only to look to the teaching and example of
the Lord and the Apostles. What was it that held them so firmly and gave them
such rest of mind while they suffered? It was their faith--their faith
in the Love, Power and Wisdom of God. They believed that what God had promised,
He was able also to perform, and that His righteous and benevolent Plan
could know no failure. By the mouth of His Prophets He had declared, "My
counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure....Yea, I have spoken
it and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will
also do it." "The Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall
disannul it?" (`Isa. 46:9-11`; `14:27`.) On the assurances of God they
rested. In Him their faith was anchored; and it mattered not how fiercely the
storms raged or how they were tossed by the tempests of life while their anchor
still held fast to the Throne of God.
The language of our Lord's
faith was, "O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee; but I
have known Thee." He had been with the Father from the beginning, had
realized His Love and His goodness, and had seen His Power, and had marked His
righteousness and His loving kindness and Fatherly providence over all His
works. And so it is written, "By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant
justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities." (`Isa. 53:11`.) The
knowledge which He had of the Father gave to Him a firm footing for faith in
all God's purposes concerning the future. Hence He could and did walk by faith.
And that faith enabled Him to overcome all obstacles and to secure the victory
even over death.
So also it is written for our
instruction--"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith"--that
faith in God built, in our case, upon our Lord's testimony of the Father; and
again it is written that, "Without faith it is impossible to please
God." It is only through steady, unwavering faith that the peace of
God--the peace of Christ--will abide with His people. While the Lord was with
His disciples, and they saw in Him the manifestation of the Father, their faith
was strong and they had peace in Him, as He said, "While I was in
the world I kept them." But not until after He had left them was their
faith anchored in God. After Pentecost they experienced the same peace
that Christ had enjoyed--the blessed peace that came from a knowledge of the
fact that God acknowledged them as sons and heirs, and joint-heirs with Christ,
if they would continue faithfully to follow in the steps of the Redeemer.
CULTIVATION OF UNWAVERING FAITH
Herein is also the basis of our peace. No matter how
fiercely the storms of life may assail us, we must never let go our anchor and
allow ourselves to drift, but always remember that "the foundation of God
standeth sure"; that "His Truth is our shield and buckler"; that
"what He has promised He is able also to perform," notwithstanding
our human imperfections and frailties; that covering these we have the imputed
righteousness of Christ, our Surety and Advocate; and that "the Father
Himself loveth" us, "He considereth our frame and remembereth that we
are dust," and so has compassion for the sons of His Love and is very
pitiful and of tender mercy. Indeed, "What more can He say than to us He
hath said," to assure our faith and to steady and strengthen our hearts to
patient endurance in the midst of the trials and conflicts of the narrow way of
sacrifice.
There is nothing which puts the Christian at greater
disadvantage in the presence of his foes than for him to let go, even temporarily,
his grip upon the anchor of faith. Let him do so for a moment, and of necessity
darkness begins to gather round him. He cannot see the brightness of his
Father's face; for "without faith it is impossible to please God";
and while he grapples again for the anchor, the powers of darkness fiercely
assail him with doubts and fears. These attacks are generally based upon his
human imperfections, which he should ever bear in mind are covered by the Robe
of Christ's righteousness.
If we would have the peace of God reign in our hearts,
we must never let go our anchor, "nor suffer Satan's deadliest strife to
beat our courage down." The language of our hearts should always be,
"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." With this faith the peace
of God, the peace which the Master bequeathed to us, ever abides. Thus
"the peace of God which passeth all understanding will keep our hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus"; for it is written again, "Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee."
In the midst of the Christian warfare let our hearts
be cheered and our minds be stayed, not only with such assurances that all the
Divine purposes shall be accomplished, but also with such promises of personal
favor as these:
"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the
Lord pitieth them that fear Him; for He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that
we are dust." "Can a woman forget her sucking child?...Yea, they may
forget; yet will I not forget thee. Behold I have engraven thee upon the palms
of My hands." "The Father Himself loveth you," and "It is
the Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." "Such as are
upright in their way are His delight." "Delight thyself also in the
Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart"--the peace of
God, even in the midst of storm and tempest.
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