2 TIMOTHY 1 (FIRST READING)
[p. 378] 2 TIMOTHY 1 (FIRST READING)
CAC The testimony of our Lord is very much the same as the glad tidings, and it must always be in suffering and reproach. Paul in prison is a kind of pattern of the testimony.
Ques What is the difference between the testimony of the Lord and “the testimony of the Christ”, 1 Corinthians 1: 6?
CAC It is here the thought of the Lord’s power as being the support of the testimony, but in the testimony of the Christ it is God’s anointed Man who is the subject of testimony. Then again the testimony of God is in contrast to everything that is of man. It is something introduced into this world which is purely of God. There was a danger that Timothy might be ashamed of it; that is why Paul exhorted him not to be. The Lord’s power would be security for the maintenance of the testimony, but that power must be used by faith. It is not that the testimony will be all right whatever becomes of the saints! There is great strength in seeing it is the testimony of our Lord. It is very encouraging, and it is brought before us as a source of strength. There is no need to be ashamed if such a power is available. The exhortation is, “be strong in the Lord, and in the might of his strength”. It is the might of the supreme One. Nothing but the sense of the Lord’s support could sustain a man when his brethren had all forsaken him, but Paul had the inward consciousness that the Lord is the supreme One, and He is Master of the situation. The great point is to be exercised to be on the line on which we can get the Lord’s support. It is the testimony the Lord supports, and to have His support we must be on that line. To know this would awaken exercise and desire to be in the condition in which we can have His support.
Ques How far does this apply to the servants of the Lord as distinguished from all saints?
CAC I thought it applied to saints viewed as soldiers. This is a militant epistle; the saint is viewed as a soldier. It goes very well with what is said in Joshua 5: 13 - 15, “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as [p. 379] captain of the host of the Lord am I now come”. It is characteristic of this epistle. Of course it applies specially to those prominent in service, just as an officer, if really a leader, gets most of the rough work. The apostle was the general of the army; but the very humblest are fighting; it is the Lord’s host. Everyone is animated by the desire to do his bit. We hear in the world about each one doing his bit; our work is to see that we are really set to do our bit for eternity, not for this world nor for time, but working it out in time. There are many exercises, many difficulties, and all is marked by opposition and difficulty; and there is a great tendency to droop and hang our heads, but we have to hold fast and not to droop. There must be no surrender. There is always a danger of giving up christianity according to God, and of dropping down to something according to man.
Rem This warfare is not a combat to enable one to hold one’s head above water; it is for the elect’s sake. Paul’s idea of glory is eternal glory.
CAC Quite so. It is all glad tidings; there is no part of the testimony but what is of the greatest good for man. The word of God was not bound even though Paul was cast into prison, for he had many conversions. The very fact that Paul was imprisoned was the means of furthering the glad tidings; his bonds were made manifest in all the palace as being in Christ; all turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.
Rem The highest measure of gospel light is the truth of the resurrection.
CAC That is the whole point, it is something entirely outside the course of this world. We have to keep in mind Jesus Christ raised from among the dead. When there is a tendency to droop, we must carry in our minds the great truth of Jesus Christ raised from the dead. It will keep us free from the whole system of this world. The glad tidings is connected with the manifestation of life and incorruptibility coming to light in that man Jesus Christ. Not only life, but a bodily condition has come into view in Christ raised from the dead, that of incorruptibility. If we were really in the light of christianity, we should be accounted by the world a set of perfect fools, and people would arrive at the sober conviction that we were not fit to be at large!
Rem We see a case in point in Paul; his judges arrived pretty much at that conclusion.
CAC [p. 380] Although christendom holds as a doctrine the truth of the resurrection of Christ, the moment things take a tangible shape in souls it puts them outside the religious world, and, if outside, the reproach is very great.
Rem Suffering is open to all, whoever they may be, if in the truth.
CAC Salvation involves deliverance from all the elements of evil that are in the world, and in this respect many things that pass for good, and which perhaps we may have thought good, are only evil in God’s sight. If we are maintained in the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, it brings us into a region of things entirely outside all man’s schemes and plans, and that is the only way to be holy. There is no holiness connected with man in the flesh. There is not an atom of holiness to be found in the world, even if we search for it from pole to pole, but we are called with a holy calling.
Ques Is the calling a positive position following on a negative position? The Red Sea came first, salvation and deliverance; then the calling — a people were set apart for God in a peculiar way.
CAC I think so, according to His own purpose and grace given in Christ Jesus. That is the positive character of it, every saint is called. It should awake an exercise in the soul. The natural man may be taken up with the truth of purpose without any kind of divine exercise; that is Calvinism — what is to be will be. The purpose of God, if rightly viewed, produces exercise; it shows what God has before Him and we should be exercised to be on that line. Timothy and Paul were in the light and good of it; it was a substantial reality to them, so that they were prepared to be despised, and ill-treated, and shut up in prison. The apostles were not regarded as popes or archbishops in those days; they would seem to have been in disgrace even among christians. John has to say, I have given a letter of commendation but no notice has been taken of it.
Paul’s was a service of great labour. He served in the light of the purpose of God and he was in the good of it in his own soul. He could say at the end of his course that he had not given up anything. He had held the position and the enemy had been defeated all along the line. In verse 16 he gives Onesiphorus the Distinguished Service Order!
Ques In Hebrews 8 and Philippians 1 the calling is spoken of differently. Why is it called here [p. 381] a holy calling?
CAC We reach a spot where there is no death. Christ has “annulled death and brought to light life and incorruptibility”, and we are called to that according to His purpose and grace. It is all very wonderful. We have to come to it and as we are in the light of it we are on the life-line. It is life outside this world. We do well to ask ourselves what our life consists in, where is it? Is it our business, our family circle, or our hobbies? If we are honest we shall answer truly. Each one of us knows what we are most interested in, and what our hearts find joy in. God has opened up life and the great thing is that we should each be exercised to be on that line.
Ques Would this new position be God’s thought for every man?
CAC Yes, it is for men, and so it is preached as the glad tidings. The elect obtain it, but it is God’s thought for every one. It is Paul’s gospel for the present moment. I think as we come into this order of things God finds pleasure in it.
Ques Would you say that in giving out the gospel one can present the truth that God is pleased to bring men into the same position that the Son is in at present?
CAC It is a stupendous thing, but when you begin to talk on that line you will find great difficulty in sustaining the attention of your congregation!
Rem Every one has his own little bit. I suppose Paul was a herald, apostle and teacher.
CAC Paul was a herald; he stood in the market place, and proclaimed the gospel, and when that was heard he was recognised as an apostle; he became a teacher. A teacher is one who gives instruction in detail.
Ques Would the epistle to the Romans be the gospel to the saints?
CAC Yes, but not exactly the herald side; it is Paul teaching the gospel, and all that Paul teaches, if taken up in a right way, is sufficient. Paul is in prison and in that way is a pattern man, and the nearer we get to his position the better for us. Brethren get accredited by the world sometimes. We are in great danger if the world begins to pat us on the back. We need to be on our guard. There are certain things to be done in the world, but when the world approves, it is to be feared.
Rem The godly man is always in reproach.
CAC Yes, the character of the moment is reproach.