THE POWER FOR US, AND THE POWER AGAINST US
THE POWER FOR US, AND THE POWER AGAINST US
Amongst the many things which the church of God lost was the distinct personality of the agents for good or for evil in this world — even the Holy Spirit and Satan. So long had the minds of men vaguely apprehended the sources of good and evil, that when an action which bespoke the personal presence of either took place, men — even christian men — were not prepared justly to appreciate it, nor to act suitably in reference to it. Therefore it is that we hear discussed the qualities of the vessel by which God wrought the work, as though that work were a mere providential act of God; or lower still, as if it were a mere accident, the result of the presence of certain qualities in the vessel, in conjunction with the peculiarity of a certain time, or the meeting of kindred minds in other men.
Now God does work in providence, and in those very scenes too in which He Himself is about to act, for everything is in His hand; but this ought not to have hindered men from seeing that He was there working in the midst of the scenes and circumstances which He had previously ordered. And so of the instruments He is about to use, He forms them for Himself, and for the use He is about to make of them, separating them from their mother’s womb and calling them in due time.
What right minded christian would judge that the Reformation was only the result of the state of Europe at that time — the revival of literature, the discovery of the art of printing, the gross and exceeding wickedness of the professing church, and the condition of the nations — and would not rather see that even as God set all the Roman Empire in commotion as to a taxing (Luke 2), in order that Jesus should be born in Bethlehem, so He ordered it that those circumstances should all tend to the furtherance and promotion of that which He was about to do by Luther, who was himself also previously prepared for such a work? But to faith it was God Himself who was working. Even as John, when on the sea of Galilee, recognised the One who stood on the shore, and at whose bidding there came a multitude of fishes — “It is the Lord”, John 21: 7.
It is practically important to us thus to apprehend that in a certain action, however helped by the circumstances connected with it, God or Satan is there engaged in a direct work. For if it be God, the saint not only is to be connected with it, but, in the exercise of a spiritual mind, is to act and judge of everything in relation to it. This, in its way, is fellowship, which He graciously permits His people to have with Him in every work wrought by the Holy Spirit in this world. The saint, if spiritual, owns it, and it forms him and gives him a character for the time being. The instrument too is lost sight of, which is a most happy thing for the soul; and he is only in company with the Spirit of God, with others, like him, so taught to apprehend it. On the other hand, if Satan be detected in a certain work here, through instruments, and as taking advantage of the circumstances there found, the saints’ only course is to flee or to resist it as Satan. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. But where the soul has not laid hold on the direct personality of God or [p. 72] of Satan in any action, it is weak to resist Satan, because Satan is not detected; man is seen, and it may be saints — alas, too often his instruments — are seen, and our rule of action towards them is merely founded on their being ill-instructed and erring through ignorance. This is weakness, for Satan is there, and it is his way to keep hidden behind his instruments, for, if detected, he has lost his power over a saint.
At the present time all this is most important, both for the comfort and blessing of the soul, and for distinctness of action in every way in our path and service as saints. For in our day too there is a distinct work of the Spirit of God, in which we are to find our place; not because there are blessings there, or that it is a better place than others, though that be true; but because it is a distinct work of the Spirit of God, and we find our place, as well as our joy, in being there, in a spirit of obedience, as well as happy fellowship. The word had spoken of a cry being made which would arouse the sleeping virgins; this cry has been made, and we are in the results of it. This action of the Spirit of God, which occupies the sphere of the lifetime of any who may have lived during the last forty or fifty years, is that which primarily demands the attention of the people of God. The result of this cry is very extensive; it awakens not only the sleeping wise, but the foolish. Everything in the professing church assumes a distinctness. Seeds which had lain there unproductive of results for ages — from the word of God down to the various doctrines of men — now are springing up and bearing fruit. One only needs to look abroad to see this; there are activities abroad, which refer to what previously existed as a warrant for their being. And the saints of God in like manner refer to what previously existed as their warrant for their peculiar action — peculiar now, as in contrast to what preceded, for “they all slumbered and slept”. This is why the calling of the church is now at length better understood, and [p. 73] the place of the Holy Spirit abiding here; this is why the hope of the church is being understood, and the person of Jesus more displayed to the souls of His people.
And what remains now? That we “go forth”. There is the trimming of the lamps going on, and all that which it comprises, both as to personal ways and doctrine, the putting away of everything that would hinder the shining of our lights; and all that remains is now even as at the beginning, a going forth to meet Him.
This is the action of the Holy Spirit in our day. What a loss if the world in any of its various forms should still hold any of His saints in sleep as to it! Saints they may be, having part in the result of God’s counsel, but as to their life now, not walking in God’s counsel.
This is the larger sphere of action of the Spirit of God in these days, but there has been another, within that sphere, where we have not the Spirit of God only, but an active work of Satan to destroy the testimony God purposed to raise, and to rob the church again of those truths He has been re-teaching His saints during the last forty years. Where, may I ask, are we in reference to those two activities? Is what God has been teaching us about Christ so precious to us that we must let everything go but this? Are the truths we have learned during these last forty years so important to us, and to the church of God, that we dare not let them be imperilled, nor give them up? And have we seen God, by His Spirit, again active for the preservation and maintenance of these truths? and have we co-operated with Him in this action? There may be a settling in our souls of what is right and what is wrong; but it is not merely this that we shall have to seek, but having personally to do with God in that which He is doing, so that our souls have faith in Him as to our place in, and connection with, it. If we have this faith we walk with Him; we have a calmness which merely settling [p. 74] the right and the wrong could never give. The soul, too, by this arrives at the settlement of questions by a safer rule, for it judges of them from the place it is in. We walk with God, and in His light we see light.
It is not merely a question of truth committed to us; there is but the sovereign and faithful grace of help given after complete ruin had come in. The arm made bare bespeaks, to the spiritually minded, a presence with us which, though it was always true, comes with a greater sweetness and preciousness now, because it tells us of a love and purpose which nothing could turn back.
May His saints know this love and presence, and walk in it; and may we love the way, and have our hearts in it, rough though it be. He trod it — the blessed One — and the Holy Spirit abides and leads in the way too. May we know and love and seek fellowship with Him!