RESPONSIBILITY AND AFFECTION
Ephesians 4:1-3; Philippians 3:8-15
During the course of the recent days together, a remark was made that it is normal that two things flow out from relationships: responsibility and the development of affections. I have been thinking over that, and felt minded to say a little about both of these features.
In Ephesians chapter 4 where we read, Paul, still a prisoner in the Lord, was thinking of the dignity of the calling. He said, “I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you therefore to walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye have been called”. What a marvellous calling we have, beloved brethren. We have been called into the most wonderful things, including these marvellous relationships that we have been considering recently. It would seem as if Paul, while thinking over the dignity of these relationships according to the divine calling, was then thinking of the responsibility that lies upon us to walk worthily in keeping with the dignity of the calling. This first section clearly bears on our responsibilities according to the dignity of the calling. Paul exhorted the saints to “walk worthy of the calling wherewith you have been called”. He might just have left it at that, and left the saints to consider what that might mean, and expect the saints to work out what seemed suitable, but he then proceeded to give us guidance in relation to what that might mean. We are thankful for these words of specific exhortation that help us to know how we ought to walk.
He said, “with all lowliness and meekness”. How important these two features are. They characterised the Lord Jesus Himself so beautifully. We marvel at the wonder of the Lord’s own gracious words, One who was so great as to His Person and so perfect as a Man here walking in perfect accordance with the will of His God and Father, delighting the heart of His Father every step of the way, and yet he could say, “I am meek and lowly”, Matt.11:29. Think of the Lord Jesus perfectly exhibiting these beautiful features that we are exhorted to display as walking worthy of the calling. One thing I do think that we need to be preserved from is pride. I am sure that, in recent times, we have been made to feel that the Lord has brought in a great deal of humbling amongst us. That is not to be passed by with any disregard, but it is to be carefully noted. I believe there has been a need for it, and we would do well to walk humbly and in the spirit of lowliness, and yet that is not in any way out of keeping with our dignified calling, but is suitable conduct because of it.
Then Paul said, “with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love”. That is a very fine consideration to take up and be exercised about. It is easy to cause friction and difficulty, and Scripture very soberly reminds us that a root of bitterness may spring up (Heb.12:15). I am often impressed in thinking that it is not just the fruit of some bitterness, but the root. What might it grow into? We have to examine our own hearts and our own mannerisms, and see that we are walking worthy of the calling, so that we do not in any way provoke these things amongst one another which would be harmful, but that we should be marked by longsuffering, bearing with one another in love. We do well to take up these responsibilities and fill them out in view of serving to bind the saints together in love. What a good service it is to be set to be marked by longsuffering and patience, while seeking to serve in order to keep one another together in love. Love is essential to the fellowship – it cannot function without it, and life according to God cannot be enjoyed without the atmosphere of love. While these things in some way come in as a blessing from Himself, they have to be taken up by way of responsibility on our part, so that we fill out what is suited to the calling.
Paul said, “using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace”. That unity exists, but we have to be active in order to keep it, to have our part in it and to serve one another in love in view of the promotion of it. What healthy conditions would emerge all the more as we are in the good of these things. I am sure that they are operating amongst the saints here. We look round at one another, and even tonight, I believe that we can feel that we have a sense of this in circulation among the saints. It draws our hearts to one another. These bonds in love are very important, and greatly contribute to the liberty of fellowship being enjoyed amongst the saints, and the opportunity for increasing power in response to God.
But then I thought that we might look at Philippians where Paul is not touching on the question of responsibility, but is speaking as a man who is full of affection for the Lord Jesus. Paul was one who was in the enjoyment of all that he had been brought into, and on account of it, was counting all things loss because of “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord”. In verse after verse, we are given to feel that he was a man full of affection for the Lord Jesus. What a change that makes in our lives when our hearts are bound with affection towards the Lord Jesus. If that is so, we must necessarily think of all that is of interest to Christ too. Another has said, ‘Too much taken up with our work, we may forget our Master’ 1. But if I am occupied with the Master, it is unlikely that I will forget about His work. If our hearts are held in affection for the Lord Jesus, as clearly the apostle Paul’s was, then the interests of Christ here will have a great place in our hearts. Amongst these interests, Paul had love for the saints and a desire to serve them, while he himself was personally pursuing the path with energy. In Ephesians, he said “walk worthy”, but here it as though his footsteps were moving faster still. Paul speaks as if he was one running in a race; his heart was energised on account of burning affection for the Lord Jesus. The desire of his heart was to come to know the excellency of Christ in a fuller way and to come to know something of the power of His resurrection. We might ask, Did Paul not know about Christ’s resurrection? Manifestly he did; he is one of those who rendered wonderful testimony to Christ being alive. Even in that great public arena before Agrippa, he was almost considered to be full of madness (Acts 26:24) on account of the brightness of his testimony, bearing testimony that Jesus was living. Paul knew very well about the resurrection, but he wanted to know more of the power of it, the power of it operating in his own soul, and the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, being conformed to His death.
These things would undoubtedly bring testing into the life of the apostle, and would do in our lives too, but then affection for the Lord Jesus would energise us to continue in the race, with the goal before us – the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus. That is the hope that lies before every true lover of the Lord Jesus. We are looking forward to being with Christ, and to being like Him. That is what the calling is here; it is the calling on high, it is being taken out of this scene altogether to be with Christ where He is. Energy of affection helps us to move with a quickening step in the pathway.
I just leave these two thoughts with us – responsibility to walk suitably, but energy of affection to pursue with continuing zeal as we come nearer and nearer to the goal of the fulfilment of our wonderful hope in Christ. May our hearts be uplifted and encouraged, and may we continue in view of His glory.
Word in a meeting for ministry, Calgary
10 July 2019
John Laurie