CHRIST THE HEAD AND SOURCE OF EVERYTHING TO THE CHRISTIAN CIRCLE
[p. 444] CHRIST THE HEAD AND SOURCE OF EVERYTHING TO THE CHRISTIAN CIRCLE
I must recall to your remembrance the subjects which we have had before us, in order to see where we are. We had first The Resurrection and its effects. Then, No. 2,
Christ Formed in You;
and consequently that you are in liberty. I pressed that if you do not know the second, you cannot progress in divine things: it is there, as a rule, every one is detained. It is a very striking statement, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”. One man gone in the cross, but the One who bore the judgment on me, now lives in me. I hope you enter into the comprehensiveness of this statement. We familiarly speak of getting life; but there is vastly more in this passage, even that Christ lives in you; and hence you have His motives and His tastes. Nothing could be plainer. Consequently you have liberty — you are free. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free”; this is the start; and if you do not know it you cannot progress.
From that we went on to No. 3,
Part With Me.
You enter on new ground; now you know Him, first in relation to your infirmities while living upon earth, the great Priest, the Son of God, passed through the heavens; that is one line; and the other line is that you know Him in His own assembly, above all the power of evil on the earth, outside of man. But you [p. 445] have not yet come to Him, Head of His own circle.
No. 4, I was on The Wilderness,
where we learn that there must be death to the man in the flesh, but by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus I am free from the law of sin and death.
Now I come to No. 5, to Christ (outside the world) the Head and Source of everything to His Own Circle.
Hitherto I have only conducted you outside of man; now I trust to conduct you outside of the world. Someone might say, and very justly, I do not know that I have learned to be outside of man. That, however, is not my inquiry. I seek to interest the youngest of you in the desire of your Father’s heart for you. And surely that is enough to arrest you. When you hear what is His desire for you, you turn to Him and pray that you may answer to it. I press first, that Christ liveth in you, because if you have not entered into the liberty of Christ living in you, you are not free of the man under the judgment of God. I have already illustrated this by the feast at the weaning of Isaac in Abraham’s house; he was then acknowledged heir, given his right place; and when you realise Christ in His right place, as living in you, you are in liberty.
Now I come to Christ in His own circle of things, not merely what He is to you, but as He is in His own things. I have to know more fully “Part with Me”. You may remember that when I was speaking of “Part with Me”, I did not go farther than outside of man, whether in relation to one’s self or in relation to Him (the assembly is on earth; and in your infirmities here of every sort, you need Christ as Priest to bear you above them). Now I desire to conduct you into [p. 446] His own circle. I have read this verse about the mystery, “Christ in you the hope of glory”. Mind you, it is the same Christ who lives in you. Thank God, if you know that He lives in you; now you see Him in His own place, not merely to relieve you, but drawing you into His things. It is the same Person as in Romans 8 where we read, “If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin”; but it does not mean the same; the difference I desire to show you. If Christ lives in you, you can, in His own life, enter into His things. It is not so much that He can vouchsafe full relief or liberty to you; He has done that; hence, I want to direct your attention to His things. You may be conscious that you do not know much about them. Who does? But would you not like to know more about them? The apostle writes to the Colossians of the mystery. They evidently were a godly company but they did not know it; they had heard of it, but they had not received it in faith, like many in the present day. Yet it was the only truth which could preserve them from the impending snare of rationalism and ritualism. “Christ in you the hope of glory”. Who can explain all that is comprised in those words? “Christ in you the hope of glory”; it is not now your side, but on the contrary it is the greatness of His side made known to you. Now the more you dwell on this, the more you must see how He has blessed you; that He who has freed you from every pressure on yourself, is the same One who conducts you into His own circle of things. I can quite understand how we like to limit His grace to our side of things, as the apostle writes, “All seek their own”. I do not think that means worldly things. I see often in books, and in conversation I hear much about Christ’s services to us, but comparatively very little as to His thoughts and interests. You like to know that He thinks of you; why do you not think of Him? It ought to affect you that you are so little [p. 447] occupied with His things. This accounts for our lack of freshness and vigour. What was the cause of the blight on the captives who returned from Babylon after all they had gone through? They were intimidated by the force of the enemy, and they stopped building the temple for about sixteen years; consequently, “Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why, saith the LORD of hosts? Because of mine house that is waste”. It was their own interests they were thinking of; it was not worldliness; they were entitled to earthly blessing, and for earthly blessing they were looking. Having been hindered for sixteen years, the prophet comes to them and says, when they would resume building, “From this day will I bless you”. I believe souls would be immeasurably happy if they were occupied with thinking of the Lord’s interests. You are thinking of how He is interested about you. Right enough; but if you know His interest about you you know it could not be greater. Then I ask you, Are you interested about Him?
I turn to Colossians 2: 2, 3, to see the greatness of the mystery: “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God; in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Mark all you obtain, “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. The Colossians were a faithful company; they had not been drawn into the impending delusion, even that man’s mind and religiousness contribute to the Lord’s service. It is a remarkable combination. The Corinthians were diverted from spiritual wisdom by cleaving to natural wisdom, and the Galatians sought to be religious under the law. With the Colossians it is also the mind and the body, though not in the same way as with the Corinthians and the Galatians, but to contribute to or help on Christ’s work. Hence in [p. 448] Christendom today, except a man is formally religious and educated, he would not be accepted as a minister of the gospel. One is ritualism, and the other rationalism; the one is carnal religiousness, bodily exercise; and the other, the powers of the natural mind. In order to preserve the Colossians from this impending snare, the apostle writes, when he was at Rome and in prison, “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh”. And for what? That they might know the mystery, “in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. I say to the youngest in this room, Do you believe that if Christ is living in you, that He is not enough for everything? I feel much impressed with the profound blessedness of this truth, that as Christ lives in you He personally expresses His mind and motive, everything in you! He is the source of “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”.
I shall not dwell long upon the different points, but I must call your attention to them. Next Your Completeness in Christ.
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality, and power”. As you are “complete in him”, you cannot add to what is complete; neither mentality, nor religiousness can help what is complete. Again I ask the youngest here, If Christ lives in you, is He not enough for you? You are complete in Him. That is the mystery, and as you apprehend it, you will find yourself in His circle. Still, as to this verse, one might say, Would not a religious demeanour be commendable? Would it not have an effect upon others? I reply, if you are walking in the power of Christ you will be naturally solemn and sincere. Affectation is occupation with your behaviour; if you are in the power of His grace you would walk according to His pleasure, not occupied with your appearance. If you are “complete in him”, you do not want to go outside Him “who is the head of all principality and power”.
I turn now to verse 11, and you will see how it is consequent on the previous one, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the flesh” — not ‘sins of the flesh’ — “by the circumcision of Christ”. There, beloved friends, the body of the flesh is put off in the cross of Christ. It is the antitype of Gilgal, the rolling off; the circumcision after Israel had crossed over Jordan. In the previous lectures I did not come so far as Jordan, only outside of man. Now you are outside the world; “dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world” and in Christ’s circle of things. Now you find that you cannot make any trial of man in the flesh; that you, in the circumcision of Christ, have put off the body of the flesh. Some pious copyist put in the words “the sins of”; he saw that if the body of the flesh was put off there would be no place for his religiousness, so he added “the sins of”. If a monk were the copyist, he would say, If that means simply “the body of the flesh”, then all my religion is worthless. Hence “the sins of” would make it easy for him. The true meaning is “the body of the flesh” put off in the circumcision of Christ; it is a stronger expression even than “crucified”. Now that you are complete in Christ, what can be added to Him? You cannot require an addition if you are complete in Him. I say to the youngest, Where is your affection for Christ if you do not think Him enough for you? Now you will learn that He is everything, and having put off the body of the flesh in the cross, it is not your work, it is His work that is to be carried out practically by you. It is very definitely stated: “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands”. Israel were not circumcised in the wilderness; not until they came to Gilgal were they circumcised, the rolling off the reproach of Egypt. If it has not [p. 450] been effected for you you are trying to effect it; and you sink, alas! to carnal religion, where many are. You are called to carry out practically what has been effected for you; but that is very different.
Now I turn to verse 19,
“Holding the Head”,
not with the intention of explaining it, but proceeding step by step, that you may the more easily apprehend this great subject: “Not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth”. Now you see that “the Head” is common to all the members; the Christ, who is living in you and living in me, He is your Head; and you know Him now in a new capacity; it is not merely as affording to you the greatest relief, but He is your Head; and the Head of every one of His own. I do not say that all know it; would to God that all did; but I am presenting to you the only way by which you can be preserved from the intrusion of the flesh in one form or another. In that day the snare was Judaism and gnosticism. In this day in Christendom they are designated rationalism and ritualism. Nothing can preserve you from this leaven but the assurance that Christ is “the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God”. Can you read that scripture, and believe it possible, without being cast upon God? and like the apostle exclaiming, “O the depth of the riches!” “His ways past finding out!”
In chapter 3 we come to the practical application of the truth. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above”. Literally, you have not left this place: you have accepted that you are dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world. In Romans, you are dead with Christ unto sin; here you are dead with Him from the rudiments of the world; you are [p. 451] outside of the order of things here; and hence over Jordan. Now, “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth”. You are brought into a new circle: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”. It is not now for your relief, but to make you acquainted with the interests of Christ in a wonderful way. “For ye are dead” — or “have died”-”and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore” — now you come to the practical application of the circumcision effected for you in the cross. All the members on the earth are to be mortified; all to be swept away; there is not to be any acknowledgment of them. In the life of Christ you are outside all. It is like Elisha’s act when he got power, seeing Elijah taken away; he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces, as much as to say, I have done with them; I render them useless, they cannot be worn again. That is the intention; and he took up the mantle of Elijah to appear in a new character. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” — all the works of the will are to be mortified — “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth”. These latter are habits; the former are indigenous to the nature; they must be mortified; the habits put away. “Seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”.
Now you come into personal acquaintance with Christ, and you are consciously in His circle; you [p. 452] realise, as you read in Hebrews 2: “Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one”. Hence here in Colossians we get: “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is everything”. You have come to a great experience — where Christ is everything. Surely I am addressing those who apprehend something of the profound blessedness of Christ as Head of all the members of His body. This is the mystery. Only one Head for us all. Little you may know of this grace, still if you do not look for it, if your hearts are not attracted by it, you will not advance.
Now you come to the qualities which you derive from Him as Head. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness”. These are divine affections. Whence do they come? You have now a new Head. However contrary your character as a man, when you get a new head, and so great a One, you will come out in accordance to Him. Now not only Christ lives in you, but you are brought into His circle, the Christian circle. I think the youngest here can understand the difference; when you know Christ as Head you are in His order of things; it is not merely that He has effected for you all you need. When He was down here, His disciples were conscious that He could satisfy the hungry soul, for He said, “When I was with you, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing”. But now He has gone away; and as you have part with Him, He bears you above everything of man; but now you come to Him, Head of the Christian circle. The Colossians were a true assembly, but they did not know Christ as Head,
[p. 453] though doubtless they had heard of the doctrine. I should like myself to see the assembly which knows Christ as Head (though individuals may so know Him). I believe that it would be a wonderful assembly where each was governed by one Head. Consider the qualities which the Head supplies to you in relation to one another in the Christian circle, even to “forgiving one another”; with “humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering”, etc.; you derive all from Christ the Head. The Lord lead your hearts into the knowledge of this great grace, for, as it has been said, you never understand anything until you are in it. Little as I know of it, I can see the profound blessedness of having Him as Head instead of my own. What a wonderful company the church would be on the earth, if each of us consciously had only the one and selfsame Head; however great the number, only one Head. Great indeed would be the effect; ministry would be traced to Christ Himself, and not merely to the channel — a ministry which would arrest every spiritual soul. We read in Acts 2, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, but they had no knowledge of the Head; and the Colossians were not in the power of this knowledge. I have been asked the question, What would be the difference between an assembly or an individual knowing the Head, and Acts 2? I believe that the Spirit of God never leads the servant beyond his light, that He would help him in what he knows; but I believe if Christ were known as Head, that He would dictate to you a ministry which was new to you; but the fact that He was your Head would make you conscious that you had the light of it; the dictation itself would give you the light, so that you would minister according to Christ’s pleasure. A great deal of the discrepancy which occurs amongst us in the assembly arises from the fact that Christ is not known as Head. The Corinthians, with all their gifts, did not know Him as Head. It is a wonderfully solemn moment when you [p. 454] are conscious that you have nothing to say, that you are like a blank sheet of paper; and then that Christ the Head should dictate to you some word on which you have but little light; yet the moment you serve, you know it is from Himself; and though you may be feeble in your exposition of it, yet it meets the state of souls at the time, because it is from the Head.
Now I come to another quality which is individual: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful”. It is as the peace of Christ rules in your heart that you are qualified for any service. In His peace — His profound tranquillity — you come forth to serve. Hence finally, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”. If Christ is your Head, you will be soon enlightened. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”: your service is in His own circle.
I must add in conclusion that you do not get union with Christ in this scripture; you are in His life. You are conducted into the greatness of His life; and I press this, that if you do not understand Christ’s interests as knowing His life, and that He is your Head, I do not see how you can enjoy union. If the Lord permit, I hope to speak on union the next time. I now only press that you cannot enjoy union except you are suited to Him. There can be no moral disparity between Christ and one united to Him; nothing would be more incongruous. Hence we read, “They twain shall be one flesh”; we must be of Him; it is not merely that He came and took part with flesh and blood, and bore the judgment on us; but we are to be of Him, otherwise He would abide alone. He was unique: “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die” — now comes out a new generation — “it bringeth forth much fruit”.
[p. 455] Hence it is stated in Hebrews 2: “Both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one” — note, “WHEREFORE he is not ashamed to call them brethren”. It must be plain to the spiritual that nothing of moral disparity, nothing that is not of Christ, could be united to Him. Do not be surprised, beloved friends, but be assured that God cannot support any one now on the earth who is not of Christ; He has been rejected here, and God cannot support anyone but Him. If you are not included in the “Me” (”Why persecutest thou ME?”), you cannot receive divine support. What is not of Christ will all vanish. This gives the church its peculiar elevation, it belongs to Christ in the place of His rejection; and therefore there is nothing that God can do to bless the church that He does not do; there is no blessing to which He does not call it. In the place where Christ is rejected, God could not support a David nor a Moses.
Now if you accept this truly, you will discern how it is that you have been often disappointed with the course of things. Why? Because you were looking for something besides Christ. God will support Christ, and nothing but Christ. The only thing Abraham’s steward was sworn to was kindred; he was sent to get a bride for Isaac, but she must be of the kindred of Isaac. According to the type, you must be of Christ’s kindred; it is not enough that you are converted, but you must be of Christ’s kindred.
The Lord grant, beloved friends, that every one of us may understand something of this blessed mystery, and that our hearts may be set upon “Christ in you the hope of glory” — for His name’s sake.