MATTHEW 7
Ques What is the distinction between the gate and the way?
CAC The gate is a definite point; there is no gradual merging. As definitely counting on God the way is entered. I suppose there is a point we reach when in the sense of the goodness of God and the availability of God as a resource we definitely commit ourselves to it. Obedience is what is essential to all our relations with God. Well, it is a narrow gate, too narrow for the mind of the flesh to entertain, yet soberly considered, it is the only way to God. Obedience is the only principle possible to an intelligent creature in his relations with God. All the evil that has come in has been on the principle of disobedience. My life in all its detail must be subject to the will of God. There may be creature will in reformation. I may do my own will in doing what is good — the clean side, but it may be the broad road.
Rem The gospel is received on the principle of faith and obedience.
CAC Mr. Darby said there are only two exercises Godward for man — obedience and praise. Have we really entered that way, so that the will of God exercised through the lordship of Christ regulates our whole life? Well, it is a very narrow way. Mr. Darby said that if we never did anything but what was on the principle of doing the will of God, two-thirds of our lives would disappear. Saul of Tarsus soon got it. “Lord, what will thou have me to do?” Well, had he not entered the strait gate? Then with thousands of people only one will is operative; it is the principle of unity.
Rem “In that I now live in flesh, I live by faith, the faith of the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me”, the apostle said (Galatians 2: 20).
CAC He is intent on an object and has a powerful motive. “The Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me”. That is, it is the immense claim of such a love by such a Person. We cannot be said to be really converted till we have accepted the principle of obedience. It involves new birth, for the flesh cannot entertain such a principle. It is an impossibility for the flesh to come into this line of subjection. Life here is the power to live in relation to God as in Romans, where it is a vital principle by which we occupy our relations with God. It is our privilege all day long to live as justified persons, as discharged from all our liabilities, so that there is no hampering from the guilty past, which is very important.
Rem Why does it say in verse 14, “they are few who find it”?
CAC The Lord would indicate that the path He would have us move in is not a popular one, but different from all others.
Rem You strive — the matter is laid upon us.
CAC People in the world are largely governed by what the majority do. That is to have no place with us but we are to be just governed by the will of God. And that is the happy way. When we turned every one to his own way we found it an unhappy way and it ends in death. The happiest moments of our lives were when we did things just on the principle that they pleased God. Those were happy moments. It is important to have the previous section in mind, so that we have confidence in asking. It is always giving up confidence in God that leads to disobedience. It was so in Eve’s case. Life means loss if we do not think of it in relation to God. The Lord was the [p. 59] exemplification of it. The unfathomable miracle of His life is that a divine Person should take up that position and be happy in it. It would be good for us all to accept that that is the way of life, as Enoch did. To have the consciousness of having God with us in the path we are walking — there is no greater happiness than that. So we need to beware of false prophets who would divert us. They would never lead us into the subjection of this path but into the paths of our own will.
Ques Would Romans 8 afford the support necessary?
CAC Yes; God for us, Christ for us and the Holy Spirit for us. There is room in this narrow way for divine Persons to be with us in it.
Ques Would fruit be linked with life?
CAC Yes, and as men can take account of it, not only what is for God but what is attractive and beneficial to men — that is the test and the test of the false prophet. The test of this in the assembly is what is profitable for me; edifying power is the test of ministry. Are we being built up in the knowledge of divine Persons? If not it is an unprofitable kind of thing. The only motive of true ministry is to magnify divine Persons; if it is to magnify himself it is a false prophet. The test is, Is this really making me happy in relation to God? If it does not it is not worth while presenting it. It sounds a bit selfish but it is a very good test. It is easy to settle down in a kind of religious life and miss the real kernel. One’s exercise should be to bring forth more fruit that would really benefit the saints. Emphasis on the title is valueless in those who do not do the will of God. They are confounded in the day of His glory. They have been doing all this on the principle of lawlessness, even using the Lord’s name; it is very searching. It shows it can only be recognised in the power of the Spirit. He cannot genuinely be called Lord but by the Spirit. Things are only genuine when in the Holy Spirit. ‘In the year of our Lord’ is a current saying. It entails subjection to divine authority in Him — of grace and love but still authority. He says, ‘You are workers of lawlessness, doing it all in your own will’. The Lord is quick to recognise the principle of obedience where it is found, and it comes out in a thousand ways. He knows it and loves it; His whole life was full of it. It is needful for us to face all these things and what stability it will give us! It would establish us on such a rock as no storms could shake us. All this puts us on a foundation that cannot be disturbed, cannot be shaken. I think all this has the assembly in view.