06 THE
GLORY OF THE CROSS
(Excerpt)
IN the
last part of the fifth chapter, and in the sixth, we learn the practical
character of the entire Epistle. Hasty readers are likely to think that there
is a division in it, and that the latter part treats of practical, spiritual
life, while the first part is devoted to theoretical doctrines. This is a great
error. No part of the Bible is theory;
it is all fact. There is no part of the Bible that is not spiritual and
practical. Moreover, it is all doctrine. Doctrine
means teaching. Christ's talk to the multitudes on the mount is called
doctrine, because "He opened His mouth and taught them." Some people
express a sort of contempt for doctrine; they speak slightingly of it, as
though it belonged to the realm of abstruse theology, and not to practical,
every-day life. Such ones unconsciously do dishonor to the preaching of Christ,
which was nothing else but doctrine. That is to say, He always taught the
people. All true doctrine is intensely practical; it is given to men for no
other purpose than to be practiced.
Sermonizing
Not Doctrine
People are
led into this error by a wrong use of words. That which they call doctrine, and
which they speak of as impractical, is not doctrine, but sermonizing. That is
impractical, and has no place in the Gospel. No preacher of the Gospel ever
"delivers a sermon." If he does, it is because he chooses for a time
to do something else besides preach the Gospel. Christ never delivered a
sermon. Instead of that, He gave the people doctrine; that is to say, He taught
them. He was "a Teacher sent from God." So the Gospel is all
doctrine; it is instruction in the life of Christ. The object of this Epistle is clearly seen in
this closing portion. It is not to furnish ground for controversy, but to silence
it by leading the readers to submit
themselves to the Spirit, whose
fruits are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness. Its purpose is to reclaim those who are
sinning against God by "trying to serve" Him in their "own weak
way," and to lead them to serve indeed "in newness of Spirit."
All the so-called argument of the preceding portion of the Epistle is simply
the demonstration of the fact that "the works of the flesh," which are
sin, can be escaped only by the
circumcision of the cross of Christ,--by
serving God in Spirit, and having
no confidence in the flesh.
"Brethren,
even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye which are spiritual, restore
such a one in a spirit of meekness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be
tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if
a man thinketh himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth
himself. But let each man prove his own work, and then shall he have his
glorying in regard of himself alone, and not of his neighbor. For each man
shall bear his own burden.
"But
let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all
good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap. For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh
reap corruption; but he that soweth
unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
And let us not be weary in well-doing; for
in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all
men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.
"See
with how large letters I have written unto you with mine own hand. As many as
desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only
that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For not even they who
receive circumcision do themselves keep the law; but they desire to have you
circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the
world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as
shall walk by this rule, peace be unto them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of
God. "From henceforth let no man
trouble me; for I bear branded on my body the marks of Jesus. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with your spirit, brethren. Amen." Galatians 6, R.V.
A Radical
Change
When men
set out to make themselves righteous, pride, emulation, vainglory, boasting,
criticism, fault-finding, and backbiting, leading to open quarrels, are the
result. So it was with the Galatians, and so it will ever be. It can not be
otherwise. Each individual has his own conception of the law,--for, having
determined to be justified by the law, he reduces it to the level of his own
mind, so that he may be judge,--and can not resist examining his brethren, as
well as himself, to see if they are up to his measure. If his critical eye
detects one who is not walking according to his rule, he at once proceeds to
"deal with the offender," who, if humble submission--not to God, but
to his judges--be not tendered, must be turned out of the church, lest the
robes of "our righteousness" be defiled by contact with him. The
self-righteous ones constitute themselves their brother's keeper, to the extent
of keeping him out of their company, lest they should be disgraced. In marked
contrast with this spirit, which is all too common in the church, is the
exhortation with which this chapter opens. Instead
of hunting for faults, that we may condemn them, we are to hunt for sinners,
that we may save them.
"Sin
Coucheth at the Door."
To Cain
God said, "If thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee
is its desire, but thou shouldest rule over it." Gen.4:7, R.V., margin.
Sin is a
venomous beast, lurking in secret, watching every opportunity to spring upon
and overcome the unwary. Its desire is to us, but power has been given us to
rule over it. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body."
Nevertheless it is possible (not necessary) for the most zealous ones to be
overtaken. "These things write I unto you, that ye may sin not. And if any
man sin, we have a Comforter with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and
He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the
whole world." 1Joh. 2:1,2, R.V., margin. So, even though a man be
overtaken in any trespass, he is to be restored, and not thrust further away.
The Gospel
Means Restoration
"For
the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have
an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety
and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that
sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the
will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should
perish." Matt.18:11-14. Christ is now in the heavens "until the times
of restoration of all things."
Save the
One
The Lord
represents His work by the case of the shepherd who seeks after the one sheep
that has gone astray. The work of the Gospel is an individual work. Even though
under the preaching of the Gospel thousands accept it in one day, as the result
of one discourse, it is because of its effect on each individual heart. When
the preacher, in speaking to thousands, addresses each one individually, then
he is doing the work of Christ. So if a man be overtaken in a fault, restore
such an one, in the spirit of meekness. No man's time is so precious that it is
wasted when devoted to the salvation of one single person. Some of the most
important and glorious truths that we have on record as uttered by Christ, were
addressed to only one listener. He who looks after and cares for the single
lambs of the flock, is a good shepherd.
The Glad
Tidings
By E. J.
WAGGONER
(Excerpt- To be continued)
No comments:
Post a Comment