CONDUCTING OURSELVES WORTHILY OF THE GLAD TIDINGS
In reading these scriptures one has all of us in mind and not particularly our dear brother and sister married today. They with us, of course, share the exercises of the present time and the encouragement and the support which the Lord gives.
The apostle, in writing to the Philippians, is concerned that they should conduct themselves worthily of the glad tidings and that he might hear that they were standing firm “in one spirit, with one soul, labouring together in the same conflict with the faith of the glad tidings”. There is a great call for this at the present time because we are becoming increasingly aware of opposition to the truth around us and it is to be met by complete oneness of spirit and soul on the part of the saints. There is nothing so telling in testimony as holy separation on the one hand and then, in that separation, complete oneness of spirit and soul amongst the saints. There is nothing so effective in meeting what might be said against the saints as for brethren to be happy and contented in separation and thoroughly one in heart and soul and spirit.
In the prayer that the Lord uttered to His Father in John 17 you find that the two leading thoughts are sanctification and unity. These things as seen in our local assemblies constitute a testimony, the power of which cannot be gainsaid. Therefore the apostle here is concerned that the Philippians should be conducting themselves worthily of the glad tidings of the Christ. The glad tidings of the Christ are God’s power to salvation from everything that is contrary to the truth and the great thing is that we should be together in them, “that ye stand firm”, it says, “in one spirit, with one soul, labouring together in the same conflict with the faith of the glad tidings”. This takes form in every locality where the saints are set together. It is important in Brighton, London, Bristol and every city and place that the saints should be standing together and labouring together in the same conflict with the faith of the glad tidings.
“Not frightened … by the opposers”; the opposers are making their power felt at the present time and will probably do so more and more, but this scripture anticipates that and just speaks to us and says, ‘Go on together with the glad tidings, go on with the spirit of them, the spirit of grace’. We are to be concerned that we do not take on (even privately or secretly) any spirit of vindictiveness or revenge, or anything of that kind. We have to go on with the glad tidings, the spirit of them, grace towards all, God desiring that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. We have to see to it that we go on together in the power and gladness of the glad tidings so that we express the reality and power of salvation and are not terrified by the opposers.
Satan would seek to terrify us. That is why I read that most instructive and encouraging verse in Isaiah. It is a question there of the inheritance of the servant of Jehovah. Let us see that we are serving the Lord, that that is our attitude of mind and what we are committed to in our path here. So we are not to be taking an official position but our attitude of mind is to serve the Lord, to serve God and His interests, to stand for the truth, and as we do that there is this inheritance. The inheritance is: “No weapon that is prepared against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that riseth against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn”. That is an absolute word and the time will come when it is made good. The Lord had to stand all sorts of things said against Him, but when He was reviled He reviled not again, when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously. And that is all that the saints have to do, to serve in this way and commit themselves to the One who judges righteously. This verse then stands by us as a great promise which the Lord will unfailingly make good in His own time.
We are thus to be conducting ourselves worthily of the glad tidings, and especially we are to be standing firm in one spirit, with one soul. Let us therefore search ourselves so that we bring in nothing that will disturb the unity of the faith and the unity of the Spirit, in which we are all bound up together. The apostle goes on in the next chapter to commend to us the mind that was in Christ Jesus. A ‘going down mind’ is always the solution if there are difficulties. I remember Mr James Taylor years ago remarking4 on Abigail coming to meet David; she was coming down one hill and he was coming down the hill opposite and the result was that the difficulty which threatened was completely averted. So, the apostle says, let this mind be in you.
Let us see that the great conflict of the moment is the glad tidings of the Christ and the necessity that the saints, as affected by them, should be thoroughly sanctified and thoroughly unified! As we are there will be no standing against the testimony, whatever the opposers may say. We are not to be terrified by what they say, but on the other hand are to regard that God has given to us not only to believe on Christ but to suffer for Him also.
May the Lord encourage us in these days, because what is current may tend to affect our spirits if we are not watchful, but the great thing is the glory and power of the glad tidings and that our spirits should be maintained in accord with them. May the Lord help us!
BRIGHTON
10th July 1964
From Ministry of the Word, 1964
at a marriage meeting
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