1905 347 The New Testament clearly shows that, since the Lord Jesus came, truths have been made known in distinctive reality to the heavenly family and the church of God. During the Lord's life He spoke unmistakeably of both, outside anything previously revealed, though the fulness of its blessedness was even further reserved until He was risen and glorified, and the Holy Spirit given as the power to make all good in us.
The truth of God's heavenly family is fully declared in holy life and relationship in both the Gospel and the First Epistle of John. Indeed the special nature and character of it awaited its revelation in the person of the Son of God, of whom John speaks as the only-begotten Son dwelling in the bosom of the Father; He declared Him. No wonder therefore that divine life and relationship depended upon Him, as it is written, "To as many as received Him to them gave He power (or, authority) to become children of God."
These realities are further unfolded in John 17 by the Son of God Himself where love's eternal purpose is touchingly breathed forth in communion with His Father, which may well beget everlasting praise and worship. Though He came into the world in grace and presented Himself to be received, neither the world nor His own people recognised Him, but rather rejected and finally cast Him out. Thus speaking responsibly all was lost as to His rights and glories; for He was without a throne and people, having no home or place in the world He created, into which He came in light and love as a divine Saviour and Giver. All was of no avail as far as the heart of man was concerned; yet even then sovereign grace and purpose shone with the fulness and blessedness of special relationship and privilege respecting the heavenly family. On the threshold of the glory from which the Lord Jesus came He turned upward from this dark world to His Father, expressing precious words as to a new set of people of whom He could say, "They are not of the world as I am not." Indeed the many precious utterances of this chapter surpass anything revealed in the past, or of Israel's coming blessing in the day of their Messiah's established kingdom in power and glory when the now rejected Lord will have the nations for His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. The recipients of such grace, and objects of so glorious a purpose of relationship and blessing have but to listen, receive, and adore, not only for the place given but for the wondrous work, its basis. Therein all the will of God has been accomplished, as the Son Himself said, "I have glorified," etc.
In the inexhaustible fulness and unfathomable depth of such a fact it is not to be wondered at that the outcome of it should surpass all gone before, and that the Son who found nothing in the world but the Cross, should have a people given to Him by the Father to whom He would manifest the Father's name. Yea, He declares the reality of the eternal life by the knowledge of God now revealed, "And this is life eternal that they might know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."
Thus eternal life and relationship are blended by Him who put the Father's name upon those given to Him out of the world and of whom as the risen One He speaks (after redemption was accomplished) "I ascend unto My Father and your Father." Distinctive indeed the relationship which is now fully known by the indwelling Spirit who bears witness to believers of being children of God according to the manner of the Father's love and purpose. Moreover it is formed and established in a world knowing not the Son nor those belonging to the Father, who are nevertheless destined to shine in the likeness and share the glory with the Son who declared "The glory Thou hast given Me I have given them." Precious, holy destiny that may well call forth the worship of the heavenly family and keep them in true separation from a world knowing them not, and hating both the Father and the Son!
As belonging to the Father He prayed for those around Him, saying, All Mine are Thine and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them." It was essential for them to be kept in His name, that they might be "one as we are" (John 17:11). But it was to be applied to all the Christians also. Such the marvellous oneness of the heavenly family as again in John 17:20-21 stated by the Son, That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us."
Truly such language exceeds anything past or future of earthly privilege or as known to the disciples when following the Father down here; and we may well extol the grace bestowing it and forming a testimony to the world that their Lord sent the Son. By-and-by, when all the heavenly ones are in the same given glory as the Son, there will be the unity in a new form (John 17:22-23); and the world will know the Son as the sent One of the Father; and that those, His own, now unknown, are equally loved with the Son, for they shall be manifested with Him in glory.
Weighty realities these for every member of the heaven-born family to ponder; and recognise so special a relationship with its many privileges. The truth should assuredly have its sanctifying effect, remembering too the Lord has bound up present sanctification with Himself, the standard and object of it. First in John 17:17 He says, "Sanctify them in (or, by) thy truth. Thy word is truth." It was the truth come down already as never before. But there is more in John 17:19, when He should go up as man where He was ever before as God. It is now a heavenly measure and character. "For their sakes I sanctify Myself that they also may be sanctified through the truth."
Nor let us be unmindful too of the practical purifying of ourselves coupled with the Lord's parting promise, "I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am ye may be also." Compare 1 John 3:3. Every child of God by the Holy Spirit may well desire to have a deepening sense of these holy privileges and responsibilities crowned with the experience of what the Son said to the Father, "That the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them and I in them."
1905 358 The truth of the church of God is equally, if not more fully, distinctive and special, than of the heavenly family, though the term "Church" is to many very vague, particularly in these days of human thought and judgment. But for this there is no ground when turning to the unerring scriptures about the church of God, founded on Christ the Son of the living God.
Indeed in such a day as the present, when in the sad moral ruin and nearing end of all in the professing church and the world, with judgment at the door, it is most important to turn to what God does in its abiding blessedness, not only in saving precious souls, and by the death of His Son bringing them to Himself in holiness, righteousness, and peace, but in giving such a place in His church. That the Lord Jesus came to seek and to save the lost is surely a truth to be sounded forth far and wide; but rarely is the further blessed fact declared, that Christ is building His church against which the gates of Hades can never prevail. This important fact was reserved for the Lord Himself to declare, as He does in Matt. 16, when as the rejected Messiah He speaks of Himself as the Son of Man. Then, asking men's judgment as to who He was, He finally puts the same question to His disciples, and Peter replies, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Then it was, in point of fact for the first time, the Lord states His intention of building His church, on the immovable rock of His blessed Person; and assuredly the material of the newly declared structure would be in character with it. Whatever aspect the building may assume, all would be worthy of Himself, and His death. Peter, being a stone of the building, was the first servant to preach Christ risen and glorified by the power of the Spirit of God, and by the same power were sinners saved and added together for it; showing that the building was formed of souls saved by sovereign grace, who became part of God's church, which the same apostle in his First Epistle designates as a spiritual house. It is the contrast to the Jew's material Temple, or house of God. Moreover those forming part of it were a holy priesthood; so that instead of Aaron and his sons being the priesthood, all believers are priests, belonging to the spiritual house, with holy liberty to offer up spiritual sacrifices by Jesus Christ.
This truth was more fully made known by the apostle of the Gentiles, and he it is who unfolded the truth that the church was in the mind of God before time began or man existed. He also speaks of it in many aspects, viz: the one new man; a holy temple; the habitation of God; and not least as the body of Christ. All this the epistle of divine purpose (Eph.) clearly sets forth, together with the signal truth, that the church like Christ as Head over all things was a mystery hid in God, but now blessedly revealed, as to its origin, nature, character, and glorious destiny. Alas, how rarely these truths of abiding reality, with the work of the Spirit of God in relation to them, are spoken of and dwelt upon in their significance, even by true believers! A cry is often seriously raised, Where is the pure gospel of Christ and the needed atonement preached? To this may be added, Where is the further truth of the church enquired after, even in its least form? Who seeks to know? What does the "new man" mean? What the holy temple growing in view of completion and heavenly glory? and where are those desiring to know and own with holy consistency the "habitation of God by the Spirit?"
Conversion we mercifully know and hear of; but it is usually followed by joining the varied denominations, each having its own claim, to the slighting of the only church of God for all who now believe. Not this only, but the same Spirit who quickens the sinner, and seals the believer, is He who forms all those believers into one body, as it is written, "For by one Spirit were ye all baptized into one body." Again God set "the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased Him" (see 1 Cor. 12:13-18). Thus the body and its membership leaves no place for human thought or will, but it is for each believer to receive this God-formed relationship, and act upon the divinely appointed communion proper to it. The truth is clearly laid down in 1 Cor. 10 and 11, where the breaking of bread is set forth in the one loaf, as the true and only outward expression of the one body of Christ; no less is the remembrance of the Lord in His death enjoined, as the saints' holy privilege on the first day of the week, "until He come." True, it is largely said, in these days of ruin and indifference, that the truth of the fellowship of the one body cannot now be acted upon for reception and discipline; and hence the breaking of bread would only be to individually remember the Lord in His death, without the expression of the one loaf or one body, according to 1 Cor. 10:16-17! But where is faith?
By these thoughts practice on privilege of the highest order is sacrificed; and the truth of God's workmanship in His forming the church for Christ its living Head is completely lost sight of in its intended responsibility for the choicest collective fellowship of all the members. Alas for such failure and indifference respecting it! Nevertheless if obedience sadly lacks, God's side of the truth continues, whether the church be viewed as the body of Christ; or the holy temple growing; or the habitation of God by the Spirit even now.
Indeed, that which is the object of the Lord's special affection must and will have its corresponding answer, when He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Blessed indeed for faith to look away from failure and ruin (save to judge responsibility as to it), and dwell in holy meditation on the unceasing devoted love of Christ, in its past, present, and future, as declared in Eph. 5:25-27. Having given Himself for His church, it is not surprising that He should sanctify and cleanse it, which He is now doing, as He will assuredly present the church to Himself glorious, without spot or wrinkle or blemish.
This then is the crowning point of the true church God is building by His Spirit for Christ. He for nearly nineteen centuries has been waiting on high for the moment to receive her to Himself; not like Isaac to welcome a Rebecca and take her into his tent, but to call her up on the clouds, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye; to receive her to Himself and have her as His bride, for the glorious marriage to follow in due time in heaven.
Till then surely the precious truth of the heavenly family and the church of God, is what the abiding Spirit would have all believers to know and enjoy, assured that the Holy Spirit has not given up His purpose and action, any more than His precious testimony and work in the gospel. He is ever true to the Father and Son who sent Him. However complete the ruin is, purpose goes on despite of the many churches, names and parties, humbling and appalling as this may be. The Spirit still gathers to the name and person of Christ, the unfailing Head of the church; so that even the twos and threes, obediently responding to His action, may prove and enjoy the promise of Matt. 18:20; "For where two or three are gathered together unto My name, there am I in the midst of them." How important, therefore, to keep His word and not deny His name! May the Lord Himself, who says He is coming quickly, create, exercise and establish His own in the truth, begetting a response in obedience to His will and word for His name's sake. G.G.