The well-known servant of Christ, G.V.Wigram, once asked Richard Hill, a retired judge, five questions.
1. Is Christ between you and the coming judgment of God? Mr. Hill was able to reply, “Christ has borne on the Cross all the judgment for me. I shall never come into judgment for I am passed from death to life.” It was well that Mr. Hill had Scripture to rest upon, even the very words of the Lord Jesus Christ;—“Verily, verily, I say to you, He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has ever-lasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life” (John 5:24). Words could not be plainer nor more assuring. Has the reader got the same answer to the question as Judge Hill? If not, as you read these lines trust the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, and you will be happily able to give the same answer by God’s grace.
2. Is Christ between you and your sins? “Yes,” was the answer, Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3); “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24); “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). Again Mr. Hill could take up the clear assurance of Scripture as a simple believer on the Lord Jesus. This was the language of faith. Can our readers give the same answer as Judge Hill? If not, trust the Saviour at this moment and the same answer will be yours.
3. Is Christ between you and the law of God? This question was not so readily answered. “Well,” said Judge Hill, “it seems to be so according to Scripture, though I pray every week, ‘Lord, incline our hearts to keep this law.’ Still Paul said, ‘Ye … are become dead to the law by the body of Christ’ (Rom. 8:2); and again he says, ‘The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death’ (Rom. 8:2); ‘Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear’ (Acts 15:10). I think I heard some one say at your meetings, ‘The law is neither the ground of life, nor the rule of life—Christ is both.’”
Seeing that none has kept the law, evidently life cannot be procured that way. How sweet to realise that the Lord of glory died under the curse of a broken law that the believer might be free from it either as a ground or rule of life, Christ is both. How that lifts the matter up to a wonderfully higher standard. Christ is the believer’s life, and as he walks in the Spirit he will fulfil the righteous requirements of the law (see Romans 8:4). Surely a believer will not steal, commit adultery, bear false witness, kill, if he is walking in the Spirit.
4. Is Christ between you and the world? With great hesitation Judge Hill answered “I hope so—it ought to be so. Is it not written ‘Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world’ (Gal. 1:4)? Paul could say, ‘The world is crucified to me, and I to the world’ (Gal. 6:14). He said of His disciples, ‘They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world’ (John 18:16).” It is all very well for the believer to thankfully acknowledge that he is delivered from the approaching doom of the world, but is it not just as important to be separate from the ways of the world—ways which will result in that doom—ways which only bring deadness of soul, corruption and ultimately doom?
In a motor bus in the North of England an earnest Christian got into conversation about eternal matters. The interest widened till all in the bus were listening. The conductor got uneasy. At last he went to the Christian, and told him that if he did not stop he would throw him out of the bus. The Christian replied, “If I had been giving these passengers the latest tips in the horse racing, you would not have threatened to throw me out. What you say only proves how far you are from God.” Could not this incident be reproduced many times in every direction. The world that rejected Christ will reject His followers. Can the reader answer the question, Is Christ between you and the world?
5. Is Christ between you and Richard Hill? Judge Hill was more hesitating than ever. At length he replied, “I fear I cannot go that far. Thank you, I will think about it, pray about it, and answer God.” I wonder what answer he gave to God.
Notice in all the first four questions Judge Hill was able to quote Scripture very happily, but in answer to the last question he quoted no Scripture. At least his answer was honest, and led to exercise in the presence of God.
It is a great matter when Christ is enthroned instead of self. How happy it was for Paul to be able to say, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Really we have no moral right to anything but the life surrendered to the will of God. Nor is the claim legal in any way. It can only come by the constraint of love, as we read, “The love of Christ constrains us; because, we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that He died, for all, that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but UNTO HIM which died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:14-15).
Has that constraint reached me? Has it reached you? The claim is made, the claim of love, not for your spare time, spare money, or for spare anything, but for YOU, spirit, soul and body. Then all will be held as from the Giver. Till this point is reached, we have not reached the divine obligation of love. With this surrender, we shall be available for the pleasure of the One to whom we owe everything in time and for eternity.