STEPS IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST
[p. 20] STEPS IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST
The text I give you is, “Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her” (Genesis 24: 67). The greatness of Christ’s love is not known until union with Him is known. Then you know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge. I feel one has a very feeble conception of that love. Every believer loves Him for His work. That love likes to make much of Him, as the woman in Luke 7. Then comes the love of knowing that He is your life: you are in Him. You suffer now for Him and with Him. Next, you love Him as indispensable to you — the Priest who bears you above every pressure while in His company, so that you are without a cloud before God. You are then drawn away from the earth. Next, you seek Him at His own side of things in the assembly. Many turn to the assembly to gain something for themselves. The assembly is the only place where you can find Christ on the earth according to His present interests. When in gladness of heart you have found Him there, you are sure to be interested in His interests on the earth. The queen of Sheba illustrates the greatness of your gain when you behold Christ’s glory as He is in the assembly. The more you are with Him, the more you seek to be under His full control. Then you learn Him as Head. Now your cup is full, and you come out here in His sensibilities and qualities. One step more and you are brought to the consummation of bliss. You realise that you are united to Him in heaven, and now you are in perfect concert with His mind, and you share His ability to do His pleasure; and now His love that passeth knowledge becomes known to you, and your one thought is to be descriptive of Him here. At first, you see, it is all from Himto you, but as you are really at His side you receive from Him for Himself; He is paramount, which is the proof that you are in the consciousness of union. I hope that you may fully enter into the purpose of God for you. I see that it is not enough now to desire the fair beauty of the Lord. No! there cannot be any confidential [p. 21] service now but as it comes from love, and love is only known to us as we know His love for us, and you never can know it but near Him. The love in Canticles is for yourself. Even John leaning on His breast is for oneself. It is only when I realise that I am united to Him that I am, as it were, merged in Him. If you know this greatest blessing, you will find that everything which is not Christ is less and less attractive to you, and you will find much more alone with Him than in any company.