THE "LOGOS"

THE “LOGOS”

From Luke 1:2, it appears to me that “the Word” was what Christ was in the apprehension of the apostles; and John speaks from this standpoint. The Word was to them the substance and expression of all that was divinely blessed for man (the intelligent and the intelligible), and thus the soul and limit, so to speak, of that vast system in which the blessed God is displayed. But all this hangs on incarnation. The introduction to John’s gospel gives the real genealogy of “the Word”. He was with God, and truly God; and, being such, He became flesh and “dwelt among us full of grace and truth”.

Colossians 2:13-19 It cannot be said of any who are not in the truth of the assembly that they are holding the Head. Not that one would ignore their faith as believers, but merely to know the grace of God in connection with salvation and the forgiveness of sins does not enable one to hold the Head in the light of this scripture, nor introduce one into the position to do so. In order to hold the Head we must be brought consciously into the truth of the assembly as the body of Christ, and thus know ^[p. 325] the support and supply of the Head from which the body by joints and bands increases with the increase of God. It is the love of God and not merely the grace of God which effects this for us when we apprehend the truth of the assembly. It is the response to love known and enjoyed, the answer to that which flows from Christ as Head and supreme in connection with His assembly, that enables one to hold the Head. In verse 13 we have the first thing toward it as “quickened together with Christ”. For this there must be the apprehension that the death of Christ has been the complete exclusion of ourselves, and the introduction of the love of God. That which excluded us has introduced love, and opened the new order of things for us apart from the old order altogether. It is only those who are quickened together with Christ who can hold the Head, and for this there must be a moral condition. There are multitudes of christians in christendom around us who are not in the truth of the assembly and who are like units scattered about, losing the apprehension of their true place and privilege, and all the blessings in connection. How can such be “quickened together with Christ”, or hold Him as Head? To be quickened thus is to bring us morally and consciously into the sphere of His present life. They may know the grace of God in forgiveness, but this is quite distinct from knowing what the love of God introduces us into as a company or His assembly upon earth. The term Son of God has been often used by christians without the consideration or knowledge of what it implies. Scripture speaks of believers as the sons of God, and this always in connection with the purpose of God which is never attached to an individual. All the purpose and counsel of God centre in the Son of God, but in Him alone as a Son. The term sons of God implies the company or assembly, His body, of which there are many members and joints of supply. When we stand in the ^[p. 326] light of this truth we begin to hold the Head, and to know our responsibility to minister nourishment from the source of supply. All true service flows from this, and there is nothing in order without it, as coming from the place where love has introduced us, and looks for an intelligent response to its own desire for us.

Psalm 132 God never departs from His own mind or is diverted from His own purpose, even though this is not as yet completely fulfilled. The thought here is a dwelling- place for Jehovah, and His pleasure to dwell among men in Zion. Revelation 21 carries us on to God’s fixed dwelling-place in the new heavens and earth in the eternal state. When God dwells with men all sorrow, etc., will be effaced from hearts, for nothing of that kind suits God! It was only on the basis of redemption that God could dwell with men in the wilderness when divine writing made known His will. David, the man after God’s own heart, had a ruling desire, i.e., to build a house for Him to dwell in, but as yet this has not been fulfilled. There is an ‘if’ attached to this in Psalm 132 which has never been carried out. Verses 13 and 14 have never yet been fulfilled, but there is the certainty of divine purpose. God never forgets a right prayer or holy desire, so He will fully answer those of David, and this ensures the kingdom in the future. But what about now? The true David has come — “the root and offspring of David”, and He has come to establish a dwelling-place for God upon earth, and has accomplished it! He came to accomplish redemption, and lay the foundation of the house of God. Israel was not gathered, but a little company was gathered round Himself as we find ^[p. 327] it in John 20: 19, and this was preparing an habitation for God. This was ‘the Zion’, the rest that God desires! Here God can “rest in his love”, since that which hindered its outflow has been removed in death. Acts 1:14, etc., and chapter 2 tell of a little company in the light of God, and this was the fruit of Christ’s coming. God ever begins with small things, not like man’s way in building Babel of old, but calling out one man. The greatest event that the earth ever saw was a Babe laid in a manger because there was no room for it in the inn! The contrast is in Revelation 19 when Christ comes out with the armies of God. Contrast, too, the little beginning of Acts 2 and the heavenly city! Man begins great and ends small, but God’s way is opposite to this. The little company in peace was held by affection for Christ round Himself, and here God took up His abode as His house upon earth. There is no lack where Christ is. He “abundantly supplies with bread” (verse is). There may be much in ourselves to hinder our being fed, but taking the place of ‘poor’ we are sure to know no lack. If there is a house for God there must be priests for His service, so He clothes them with salvation, and causes them to shout aloud with joy! Ephesians 2:4, etc., means that quickened and raised with Christ we may go in as priests in worship. Ephesians 6: 10, etc., gives us the armour wherein we may be “strong in the Lord” as in His dwelling-place here, and through which His enemies are defeated, and clothed with shame! We stand here in testimony with the sword of the Spirit, and claim the inheritance for Christ. It is only as in the consciousness of abiding in God’s house that we can do this, and when Christ comes to whom the inheritance belongs, He will take it with us. When the church comes down from heaven the throne of God is there! Everything is then set right in heaven and established on earth. God makes His full display though His glory is veiled in the church, and nations ^[p. 328] walk in the light of it! God dwells with men, and good is dispensed to all. John 17 is then fulfilled, i.e., “that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me”.