A FULL RESULT FOR GOD
J. H. Cuckney
Romans 8: 29; Hebrews 2: 10; Psalm 55: 14
I seek the help of the Spirit, dear brethren, to pass on a simple impression as to these scriptures which refer to the idea of the full result that God is going to secure, as we sang in our hymn—
‘The harvest’s full increase
Be God’s for evermore’.
We are accustomed in our day to the narrowing down of things as they appear to us outwardly but I believe the Spirit would help us to have our eyes opened to see the great and glorious fulness of God’s thoughts. These scriptures refer to the many brethren, to the many sons, and to going up to the house of God amid the throng, and I believe it would encourage our hearts to take account of what it is God’s purpose to secure. If God purposes that there should be many
brethren, of whom Christ shall be the Firstborn, and if He purposes that there shall be many sons brought to glory, we can be assured that there will indeed be a full result for His own glory eternally.
We generally think of the idea of going with the crowd as being something that is not good.
To be carried along with the stream of the influences that are abroad in the world would certainly carry us in the wrong direction, but there is a stream of which the psalmist speaks—
“There is a river the streams whereof make glad the city of God”, Psalm 46: 4. There is that which is gathering in fulness, which has all been secured through the precious work of Christ.
It has all been gathered up and all will be made to yield for God’s glory.
What a favour, beloved brethren, to be found amongst the many brethren. What the apostle speaks of in Romans 8 is almost beyond our apprehension; we have been predestinated to be conformed to the image of God’s Son. Mr. Darby in his hymn wondered at such purposes of God in blessing—
‘And is it so? I shall be like Thy Son!
Is this the grace which He for me has won?
Father of glory! Thought beyond all thought;
In glory to His own blest likeness brought’.
Wonderful as is our portion—and it would do us good, I think, to ponder worshipfully, as Mr. Darby did, upon the blessedness of divine grace that would give us such a portion—the point and purpose of the verse seems to be that there should be many brethren among whom He should be the Firstborn. How right it is that He should thus stand out. In the midst of a vast company His position is rightly to be seen. “As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood.
So is my beloved among the sons”, Song of Solomon 2: 3. How our hearts rejoice, beloved brethren, at the full result that is assured, that is for the bringing into pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
The verse in Hebrews 2 is on the same line, again presenting what to our human minds are the imponderable workings of God. It says, “For it became him … in bringing many sons to glory …”. It has been God’s pleasure to operate in this way. “It became him”; such is God’s nature, such is He, that it is suitable that He should operate in this way in His delight, to have men before Him in acceptability, in joy and suitability, and in all the dignity of sonship. But it is many sons. God’s delight is to have His house full, and we are given a part amongst the many sons brought to glory. Again what is stressed is the pre-eminence of Christ, the One who is the Leader of our salvation. This expression as to His being made perfect calls attention to the wonderful ability He has—one hesitates to use such language—and how absolutely qualified He is to present everything to the Father. How He delights to take up what is spoken of in the later verses, this wonderful position of singing God’s praises in the midst of the assembly. How pre-eminent He is; everything depends upon Him, everything is assured as depending upon the One who has made this wonderful salvation possible, the One who is carrying through now what will yield a full result for God’s eternal pleasure. How delightful these expressions are as to singing God’s praises in the midst of the assembly. The assembly itself, I suppose, conveys to our minds the fulness of what God has secured. We are reminded in Ephesians 1: 23 that it is “the fulness of him who fills all in all”. We had a thought as to that on Lord’s day as to what is conveyed in the assembly, the vessel which is to be filled with God’s praise.
The verse in Psalm 55 has always had an appeal
to me, although it is in a negative and very solemn setting. But there is something very positive in the thought of walking to the house of God amid the throng. As our brother has said, what greater privilege could there be for man to enter into than to have access through Christ by one Spirit to the Father? and as we have been reminded it is in mind that we should enter together into this wonderful privilege. As rightly understood, what a joy it is to move together amid the throng! We understand that there are holy myriads secured for God’s pleasure and that this portion is open to us to walk amid the throng. It suggests an ease in our hearts and minds, understanding that it is the pleasure of God that we all should go up in this worshipful way. I suppose it refers to the times when the children of Israel went up year by year to Jerusalem. What a period of joy it was, and under normal conditions everything would be right.
I believe there is an appeal to us in this verse, yet a solemn warning. As we take up this privilege, as moving together to the house of God, the question is raised with us as to whether there is anything that partakes of the character that was found in the betrayer, of whom this passage speaks, whether things are right with us as we go up. It is a terrible thing to be carried along in an unreal way but, beloved brethren, what a joy it is to take account of what is normal, the way God would have us to be happy in our souls as we merge together amid the throng. We would not be unduly occupied with the smallness of things that may press upon us outwardly, but would have large impressions of all that God has secured in which He is to be glorified eternally. May the Lord enlarge our apprehension of these things, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Gillingham
22 March 1977