INTELLIGENCE IN THE INNER MAN
INTELLIGENCE IN THE INNER MAN
FER It is important to remember that all these chapters (14 to 16) are connected with the disciples being left here as witnesses to Christ; we lose the point if we do not keep that in view. Chapter 14 shows that Christ would provide means by which He would have a place here; chapter 15 that there should be evidence of vitality in those in whom Christ was; chapter 16 that the witness would be intelligent, otherwise the witness would not be adequate.
Ques I suppose they give us what fits the company to be here in His absence?
FER Yes, it prepares for witness. Chapter 13 brings home to us the complete break-up of everything as connected with Christ upon earth.
Ques What is the witness to?
FER To Christ and all that He will be when He comes again.
Ques What difference is there between this witness and what we get in 1 John 5?
FER I think it is much the same; there is a witness in the saints to what is coming in by Christ, but the witness from heaven is already here. We anticipate eternal life, and in that way we witness that Christ is coming in the power of the last Adam; there is the witness thus to what He will be: “He will shew you things to come” — the day of display and glory is anticipated in a way by the witness; we are to be characterised by what will be rather than by what was.
AH What comes out morally in us now is what will be displayed in the New Jerusalem.
Ques Is that where the thought of intelligence [p. 199] comes out?
FER I think so; the witness must be intelligent in all that is coming. It comes out in the previous chapter that there could not be fruit-bearing apart from vitality, and this is by the Spirit of God. He alone could strengthen us for these things to be made known to us. In principle every babe has the unction, the ability to enter into these things, yet one just converted would not enter into them; the Lord says, “I have yet many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now”. We have to be strengthened for it. We have to grow up into things, just as in natural life.
The Spirit is truth subjectively, that is, in the saints; all truth lies in the Spirit, but that is not the same thing as our having it in our own intelligence. You have to look to it that the man who assumes to unfold anything to you is a spiritual man; you cannot learn from man, but only from the spiritual man.
In natural things a babe cannot take in the things of a man. In 1 Corinthians there was not in the saints the spiritual state. The preparation is in being strengthened in the inner man, then you get Christ dwelling in your heart by faith. The Spirit of God will practically displace the old man. The only figure that sufficiently illustrates it is the place a husband has in the heart of his wife if he is absent: he dwells with all his interests in the heart of his wife. All truth is presented to us objectively in Christ, but made good in us by the Spirit; all intelligence lies in the Spirit, but we have to get it in the enlargement of the inner man. We used to say we have everything in Christ and understand it by the Spirit, but that overlooks the formation of the inner man, the man that understands; the old man does not understand; that is what the apostle prays for in Ephesians 3, “to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man”. In chapter 14 everything depends on the spirit of truth; you want the christian whose affections are formed and regulated by truth; this is not done [p. 200] in a moment, it implies an entire revolution. Christianity brings in new objects which call for a complete readjustment of the affections: “loins girt about with truth” is not a moment’s work.
Ques Is that what is expressed in Ephesians 3?
FER I think so. In the affections formed and governed according to truth you get the inner man. Christ dwelling in the heart is His having His right place in our affections, it puts aside all else.
Ques Is what you have been speaking of growth?
FER Growth in intelligence can only be commensurate with growth in affections.
Ques You do not mean that you have to wait a long time before you can have enjoyment?
FER Oh no; but at first you enjoy everything on your own side and it takes time before we come to looking at and enjoying things from God’s side, that is, what Christ is to God, not only what He is to us.
Ques What is the point of “the Christ”?
FER The Head and Centre of the divine system, and He dwells in your heart by faith; Christ, and every interest of Christ, governs the heart, and all contrary is displaced.
Ques What is the difference between “things to come” and “all things that the Father hath”?
FER I do not see any difference. What the Father has is “every family” — all that He purposes for the glory of Christ and for His own satisfaction, the accomplishment and display of His counsels. When He comes out in the revelation of Himself, He wants what is adequate for that display. Meanwhile we have the intelligence of all these things. Take a family as a whole, what characterises the family is not what is found in the babes, but what is found in the parents; a family will take its character from what is in the parents.
Ques Is there any difference between the anointing from the holy One and [p. 201] the unction?
FER It is the same word.
Ques Is it the Father’s world which is seen in the millennium?
FER The counsels of God come out in the world to come: “All the Father’s counsels claiming equal honours to the Son”. They come out in connection with the complete revelation of God. Scripture does not separate the heavens from the earth, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”. In the millennium there will be complete connection between the heavens and the earth: the heavenly city comes down from God that all the earth may get the light and good of it; the earth is thus under the influence of heaven. We shall have a fine time then! You will be able then to go and teach everyone on earth their calling.
Ques Do you mean that the church will be telling people on earth their calling?
FER I think it will all shine out in the heavenly city: her light is like unto a stone most precious. The earth must be cognisant of it in some way; the testimony must be spoken, I suppose; how else can it come out? It is not like a star shining in the firmament. The heavenly city is not a material but a moral thought. God must make known in the universe the exceeding riches of His grace; it must be made manifest in some way or the lesson would not be conveyed. The bride is presented under a material figure, but we must get the material thought out of our minds. The saved nations will walk in the light of the city. That must mean some great lesson to the kings of the earth.
Ques Do you think those on the earth will be conscious of having heavenly visitors?
FER Very likely. The city is composed of actual men. The Lord says in John 17, “The glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou [p. 202] in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me”.
Ques What is the witness there?
FER It is unity, but the unity must be seen; how it will be I do not attempt to explain, but we must take up these things morally, not materially: there will be moral connection between heaven and earth.
AH His servants shall serve Him.
Ques Will it be as in Jacob’s vision?
FER I think so. If anyone can give any better thought let us have it. The place which the church has at the present time is most remarkable; it stands between God’s ways in the past and what is to come out in the future — every thread of the past gathered up in the church while it is being instructed in all that is to be displayed in the future.
Ques Will it be with the nations as in Romans 9?
FER Hardly; the nations now have come into the olive-tree. It is not that they are walking in some light presented to them, such as the heavenly city: that is what will come out in time to come, but now they are viewed as grafted into the olive-tree — are given the place of privilege.
Ques Will not the fact itself of the church being in heavenly blessing be a witness to them?
FER Well, yes; but how will it be known? I think there must be witness of it: “that the world may know”; it must come out in display in some way — what should be witnessed now.
AH J.B.S. used to say we should come back to earth.
FER We shall not be cabined and confined, there will be unbounded liberty. The instruction we are getting now in every way of God is in order that we may be intelligent in all. Every thread has been gathered up in the church. We shall be able to tell a Jew all about the flock, the Shepherd, the house [p. 203] of God, eternal life, the holy priesthood, the peculiar people — all the things that properly belong to a people on earth. We know it all better than they. You may depend upon it that a very great deal will be dependent on the heavenly city in that day.
MG What a wonderful place the church has!
FER The church is an adequate witness when there is nothing displayed. Perhaps we have limited this chapter to the peculiar things belonging to the church, but it is more than that, it takes in the whole scene of glory.
What we are and the place we have in relation to God and Christ and to each other will all come out in display: “What ye have spoken in the ear ... shall be proclaimed upon the housetops”.
AH Then there is a very striking connection between the prayer in Ephesians 3 and these chapters.
FER There it is in connection with the work of the Spirit in the inner man, and here it is with the coming of the Comforter: the Spirit will not only open up these things, but will prepare you for them. The Lord said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now”.
AH Then it is no wonder that the opposition is so intense now against the truth.
FER No wonder at all, for all this world system must go to make room for what is in Christ. It is only what was foreshadowed to Job: God would allow a moment to come when all was broken up, all the social foundations. This is what God will do in regard to Israel. A fearful upheaval will be brought about by Satan, everything upon which man with any conscience rests will be broken up; but God is in His holy temple, and He can reinstate His people. Job’s folly was that he did not wait for God to see what He would do. Israel will find out that God can reinstate them in greater blessing than before. Job is in this way a deeply [p. 204] interesting book.
AH We are going through a kind of college course?
FER I think so. I have no greater wish down here than to be instructed in every way of God.
Rem Very few are seeking this.
FER More’s the pity! I want to see a revival among brethren, Christ dwelling in the heart by faith; people are looking for some wonderful work outside, but we want revival inside.
Ques How is it to be brought about?
FER Only by the Spirit of God; but if we were exercised about it God would be faithful and show His hand. Who can question the subtle influence of the world which is invading us at this time? There is a vast number who consent to the truth but are gradually bringing in the world with them.
AH Are not all the barriers which keep out the world being broken down?
FER Few people are really bent on wisdom as their supreme interest. Many among us consent to it, but you must seek for it as for hid treasure, or you will not get it. It is remarkable that in that chapter you find that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. As we grow in the knowledge of God we learn what to avoid and how to please Him.
Ques If we are not growing we are exposed to the inroads of what is around?
FER I think so. Only get people into the holiest and they are safe! If you could encourage people to draw near, I think they would in a kind of way be secured. It is a wonderful thing to get any apprehension now of that with which God is going to fill the universe of bliss. Each one of us has to take care as to himself; I have no wish or ability to affect other people, I can only seek to go on myself. I saw in J.N.D. that he affected others by going on himself — [p. 205] that is the true way. It was what he was rather than what he said.
WJ Paul’s word to Timothy was, “Take heed unto thyself”.
FER It distresses one to see things so miserably low down; people take up christianity as if to patronise it, they have no apprehension of God’s way, but almost think it is an honour done to christianity that they have taken it up. It is a great mercy for them that it has taken them up!
AH You witness against the world, but also of that other world.
FER It all means that Christ should be a living reality in my heart now, not only in heaven. “When wisdom entereth into thy heart” — you have not got to go to heaven for it. “Exalt her, and she shall promote thee”: that is what we want, to be promoted by Christ, or not at all.
(Note: This reading immediately followed the reading entitled “Fruit, the Evidence of Vitality”, printed in Volume 19, p. 267.)