THE CHRISTIAN'S DRESS
THE CHRISTIAN’S DRESS
There is one thing which is very marked in all the Scriptures, and that is that they are not simply a compilation of writings of different times, and by different people, but that in every book you get evidence of method which shows it to be part of a whole. I might take up various points and go into detail, but that is not my purpose; I only wish to refer to that as regards this particular epistle. Scripture is not a collection of wise sayings, nor is any epistle an elaborate treatise on christianity. The truth is given in detail, and it is only put together as a whole by the Spirit of God — that is what He does in the souls of believers.
Now if we take up this epistle we may note that in all the detail there is order, method. The natural man would not discern this, but it is there. A key is needed to understand it. Unconverted people have not the key, and so they make havoc of Scripture, but when once you have the key you discern the method.
I will touch on two or three points in the epistle. We have brought before us our place as companions of Christ. Later on there is the covenant, giving the terms on which God is pleased to be with us. Then there is the life of faith, a life of activity or endurance — the practical life of the christian. Then divine discipline comes in, so that our ears may be open to divine communications. God keeps us alive by discipline that we may be partakers of His holiness, so that we may be prepared for His communications. Then at the close of the epistle we see what is our ‘dress’ before the world. People are known in the world by their attire, and here you get the proper attire of the christian — that by which we are to be characterised and known. This chapter presents that which is consistent with what comes out in chapter 10. If we enter by divine grace and teaching into God’s secret, what God is going to set forth in Christ for the [p. 311] display of His glory, we shall come out in the dress of the last chapter. Every part of the epistle is in perfect moral accord; if we were to leave any part out, it would not be complete spiritually.
With regard to the place of christians as looked at down here, there are two things which go together — inside the veil and outside the camp (verses 11 - 13). If on the one hand we have the privilege of going inside the veil, on the other hand our place in the world is outside the camp. If God encourages us to take up these peculiar and heavenly privileges, our only place in regard to the world is that which Christ has Himself taken, and thus we are in accord with His death. Anyone having the apprehension of Christ as having “ascended up far above all heavens, that be might fill all things”, is in the fellowship of the death of Christ. The very thought of Christ filling all things is the setting aside of the world system. Scripture gives us a good idea of what is now filling the world, and that is lust, pride, and ambition. This world is a scene where man seeks his own glory and is glorified. If Christ is to fill all things, that of necessity must set aside the world as it is, because Christ is going to fill the universe with the knowledge of God, and men will be subdued by the light of God, that all may be according to the glory of God. If we have any apprehension of the place of Christ, our place is of necessity in the fellowship of His death. He has died once, and we also count ourselves to be dead to sin and to the world.
The point before me now is, our dress as down here. In the first few verses we get brotherly love, hospitality, regard for those who are suffering, marriage, contentment, and finally to remember the leaders. This shows how a christian is to be marked. Brotherly love and hospitality are to have their place, then we are to regard the ordinances of God. Christians should not run after asceticism, but be content with their circumstances. If you are unquiet and unrestful in the circumstances in which you are placed in the providence of God, you will not make real progress spiritually. The principle is, “Be [p. 312] content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”. We get two things coupled together, contentment in confidence in God, and not being in fear of man. If we expect anything from man we are afraid of man, but if we are content and expecting nothing from man we are not afraid, and can boldly say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”.
But let us pass to verses 9 - 16. I am not seeking to present anything new in regard to the altar. The great point is, “We have an altar”. There was no altar within the veil. There was the ark of the covenant, the mercy-seat, and the cherubim. But there is for us an altar. What I understand by the altar is the place of God’s holy judgment. The patriarchs had an altar. It was an advantage to them, they could approach God, but the effect was that they came under the holy judgment of God; for the altar was the place of God’s holy judgment. The place of God’s holy judgment in regard to us was the death of Christ. In the death of Christ man’s state as after the flesh, the old man, came under the judgment of God. Christ was made sin for us. The cross was the place where all things came to an issue. It was an appointed place and an appointed moment, and there was the termination of the old man under the holy judgment of God. On our part our minds are to be in accord with that altar. God did not appoint suffering to us, but He did to Christ. Christ suffered when the old man came under the judgment of God. But then as we eat of that altar our minds are in accord with that holy judgment. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” If we eat of that altar our minds are in the fellowship of Christ’s death. “I am crucified with Christ”. “Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ”. “Our old man is crucified with him”. This means that by the Spirit of God our minds are in accord with the holy [p. 313] judgment of God which came to pass in the death of Christ. If it be so, it is impossible to go on with the religious world. “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle”. Those who serve the tabernacle are not entitled to eat of our altar. It is impossible that they can have the fellowship of that altar, because they seek to maintain religion as connected with man after the flesh, and if our minds are in accord with the holy judgment of God, we cannot recognise one another as after the flesh. The terrible thing is that christendom recognises the old man. The state church takes account of every man in the country as a parishioner. A minister in a chapel takes account of all his congregation; the question is not raised as to whether they have put off the old man and put on the new. Such ministers in principle serve the tabernacle, and therefore they have no right to eat of our altar, because if one is identified with that altar it follows that his place down here is dead to sin and to the world, and especially in regard to the world in its religious aspect. I can show no fellowship with men in religious ordinances of any kind. I am outside of all by my mind being in accord with the holy judgment of God.
Our coming together on the Lord’s day morning does not mean that we are in accord with christendom, and that people may come to our meetings as they would go to chapel. What I mean is that we are not in accord with all that is around, but in coming together we come together in the fellowship of the death of Christ, and as separated by that death from all the systems connected with man after the flesh. We have gone outside the camp.
We might look a little at Revelation 3: 19, 20. My reason for referring to this scripture is that the Lord is presented in it as at the door and virtually saying, I have no sympathy with what is going on inside, though He takes account of all that goes on there and gives counsel, but He is morally outside of it all. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. He does not come into this order of things, but appeals to individuals. It is a point of the last moment to apprehend the true ground of coming together in assembly. We come together in the fellowship of the death of Christ, as being apart from the systems which recognise and depend upon the old man.
I should be glad if this point could be made plain, for probably many come together as a religious duty, and the question is not raised as to the ground on which they come. People know that there are certain obligations to God, and they come together to render what is due. This is so far right, but in coming together we are in the fellowship of the death of Christ, separate from the course of things connected with man in the flesh. They have no right to eat of our altar which serve the tabernacle; they are parted from us and we from them. It is an exceedingly important point in regard to our position down here.
Now I come to another point — we bear the reproach of Christ. Christ came under reproach. He took the place of the old man, and the reproach was His identification with that man, and bearing the judgment that was his due. That man has come under the judgment of God, and we bear the reproach of that condemnation. Then we have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come (verse 14). I can understand a person saying to a christian, Well, if everyone thought as you do, the world would come to an end. I should not mind if it did. There is no assurance of permanency in connection with this world. If it should come to an end, we have to do with a living Christ. We are identified with a living Christ by the Spirit of God. The one side is as true as the other; if we are identified with the death of Christ, He is a living Christ to us; He lives again in the power of the Spirit. That is a wonderful thought, and we are attached to a living Christ by the Spirit which is given to us. Thus we can reckon ourselves dead to the world and the religious systems connected with man after the flesh, but are able also in Christ to reckon ourselves alive to [p. 315] God; we are linked with a living Christ by the gift of the Spirit. There is living water, and living water is given to the end that we should not thirst. That is the first great point; but there is also the springing up to everlasting life. Christ gives living water that we may be in the appreciation of Himself. The true measure of a christian in regard to God is the effect of the living water springing up in him, and that is seen in his appreciation of Christ. You get the fruit of it here: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (verse 15). On the one hand we have an altar, we are dead to the world, but on the other we have the appreciation of Christ by the Spirit. In the measure in which Christ is appreciated there is the capability of offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. That is real power. Our power with God lies in our appreciation of Christ. The more we appreciate Christ, the more we are prepared to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.
Take an instance. Mary of Bethany sat at the feet of the Lord and heard His word; she had a great appreciation of Christ, and you may be sure she would offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of her lips giving thanks to His name.
The woman of the city which was a sinner, when the Lord sent her away in peace, went forth in the appreciation of Christ, and she was prepared to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually — the fruit of her lips. So with many another; the capability of offering praise to God continually is in our being in the appreciation of Christ. That is the spring and secret of what is agreeable to God. When Christ was on earth, there was that which was wholly acceptable under the eye of God. That was not to be lost; it is maintained here by the Spirit of God in christians in whom the Spirit is a well of water springing up into everlasting life. We give thanks to God. The Lord Himself gave thanks to God in one of the darkest moments here, when all appeared to be [p. 316] against Him; and at the same time the ministry of Christ on earth is summed up in that He was doing good to men. By Him we can do both. In the conflict here, in the consciousness that the world is against us, we can offer the sacrifice of praise because we appreciate Christ, and if we give God thanks we also do good to men (verse 16).
Now all that makes up what one may call the dress of the christian here in this world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. My point is that it is in thanking God, and not in groaning, that our good works are seen, and with such sacrifices God is well pleased. I refer to these things as making up the everyday life of the christian.
I fear there are many true christians who serve the tabernacle. They do not see that the old man has come to an end in the holy judgment of God, or they would not seek a place in the religious systems in the world. As we are identified on the one hand with the death of Christ, eating of that altar, and on the other hand are in the appreciation of a living Christ, we “offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name”, and thus there are the sacrifices that are acceptable, well-pleasing unto God.
May God greatly enlarge our hearts in the appreciation of Christ. If we contemplate Christ on earth, we see One who was content to take the lowest place in the world, and yet in the lowest place was dispensing all the good things of God. He raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, forgave sins; He dispensed the mercy and bounty of God down here.
May God keep us in the appreciation of Christ, learning Him more and more, and thus prepared to surrender all that is of self, accepting the holy judgment of God in regard to the old man.