THE EXEMPLIFICATION OF THE TRUTH IN PAUL (1)
[p. 281] THE EXEMPLIFICATION OF THE TRUTH IN PAUL (1)
This letter is marked by the truth being exemplified in the vessel by whom it came. The truth lies there in the apostle. The reflection of these great truths which are developed is seen in the apostle; so he constantly refers to himself, so that there might be mutuality, and all might be of God. He firmly establishes his veracity in the first chapter, and it was in keeping with God and Christ. He calls God to witness upon his soul.
This epistle is parallel with Deuteronomy, so you get unfolded in chapter 1 that the saints should have the Spirit of the Lord.
What do you understand by the spirit of the new covenant?
It is the administration of it. Moses was king in Jeshurun, that is in the affections of the people. In Deuteronomy 33: 3, “Yea, he loveth the peoples”. The place the people had when gathered together. Moses speaks on the wilderness side of Jordan, in the plains of Moab; it was a retrospective view, and he brings forward what God’s dealings were behind what was outward. The Lord is that Spirit, in bringing the love of God into our hearts. It would connect itself with the cup in the Supper. The spirit of the new covenant is the way He administers it. He is King in Jeshurun. He has got your heart and He administers there. Christ had been displaced at Corinth. The great love of God involves the inheritance. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”. This is one of the greatest subjects of Scripture. The Spirit of the Lord makes way for the love of God; He has the right of way in our affections. Moses commanded, the divine order was established, and Moses was king.
[p. 282] Did Paul need to be commended? He is raising the question whether Christ has right of way. The apostle was the representative of Christ; he was Christ’s minister; so that the place they gave him indicated the place Christ had in their hearts.
In the heads of the tribes assembling together, the love of God will be brought in. The heads refer to the moral government of the house. “Christ’s epistle ministered by us”. What comes after leads to that, what Christ writes on us refers to it.
The first thing is to see whether the Lord has liberty with us. Has He the right of way in our hearts? Ye are Christ’s epistle. God is set forth. Christ is the writer; what Christ is, and what God is, is written. Moses has great concern that there should be a representation of God ere they leave; and it is from that book that the Lord quotes. Moses says, “What doth Jehovah thy God require of thee ... ?”, Deuteronomy 10: 12. It is not a legal command, but the spirit of the thing. The Lord quotes from Deuteronomy in Matthew 22: 37. He says, “On these two commandments the whole law and the prophets hang”. This must come out before Jordan is crossed. The Scriptures bind the strong man. The man in Christ does it; the Scriptures are the weapon, “Who is my neighbour?”; the neighbour is brought in. “Go, and do thou likewise”. That beautiful spectacle is seen before crossing Jordan. God is loved, and the neighbour is loved, and the enemy is put to rout. “Yea, he loveth the peoples”. It is Jehovah who loves them. In 2 Corinthians 5 we are brought in for God.
The basis of Moses’ blessing is, “Who shall bring an accusation against God’s elect?”, Romans 8: 33. Romans adjusts us, we are said to be “one body in Christ”, we are not one body in flesh. That lays the basis of Corinthians. Moses was faithful; he comes into prominence personally. The mediator comes [p. 283] before God in faithfulness. He secures the presence of God for the people; ‘I cannot have it otherwise, you must be with us’; in that light we should read Deuteronomy.
The ministry of the Spirit is righteousness and glory. These expressions convey to us what God is.
The Lord has abundant resources. He said to Zacchaeus: “Today I must remain in thy house”, and he “received him with joy”. In that way we bless the cup, “Today salvation is come to this house, inasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham”; he is an heir to Abraham. The Lord is the heir; ‘the more space you give Him, the more you will get, Zacchaeus’. He says, “The half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man ... I return him fourfold”. He was a son of Abraham and what marks Abraham is the dispensing of blessing. The Lord is on the line of administration, He gave gifts to men. The principle of the sons of Abraham is, We bless, we have the means to bless. Peter, too, administers. “Silver and gold I have not; but what I have, this give I to thee”. Peter is on the administrative side, and John has the family spirit. So Peter says, “What I have”. He says, “Look on us”, a combination of the administrative and family sides, “In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean rise up and walk”. That is what he had. The word of God is made a means of making money today; the Lord preserve us from it!
The Man you know is made Lord and Christ: He is the One in charge. It is wonderful for us, because He is on our side. Think of what you are connected with! We have come “to Jesus, mediator of a new covenant”. What have we got? “We have such a one high priest ... minister of the holy places”; we have Him. Roman Catholics might boast of what they have, the pope and a great many things; but we have Him, and the glory system; He never changes. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and to the ages to come”. We have come to the whole system, nothing less.
The children of Israel said, “For this Moses ... we know not what is become of him”, but Moses asserted himself; they did not have long to wait to see what had become of him!
The Lord is preparing a people, everything is on the upward line. You want to save the truth and the brethren at the same time. In Numbers 31, “There is not one man of us lacking”. The principle of recovery is needed. The Lord says, “I have besought for thee”. Recovery begins with prayer. We cannot say, we have not lost a man. The responsible man fails, but the faith of the responsible man does not fail. There are extremely few you cannot pray for. Death is only the end of that. The Lord never gives any of us up. James says, “He that brings back a sinner from the error of his way”. The Lord would have us seek to save our brethren, and to hold all saints in relation to Christ. Our hearts are to be directed “into the patience of the Christ”. As with the High Priest, Aaron and his sons with him, you get the prayers as wide as the thought of the breast-plate.
The sons of Abraham should be here in blessing.