THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE TESTIMONY
[p. 30] THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE TESTIMONY
Ephesians 6: 10, 11; Isaiah 59: 16, 17; 2 Thessalonians 2: 6 - 12
My thought is to continue on the line of the testimony, and the armour as we have it given in Ephesians 6 is essential in the maintenance of it. We have had the testimony before us, as a rallying-point for the saints in the ruin of the church. No one can gainsay the ruin of the church. No person with any intelligence in Scripture could maintain that Christianity, as it is in the world, is according to the mind of God. If you could dissect it and find out the elements of which it is composed, they would be very various. No doubt there are certain elements of truth in the creeds, but then we find in practice a large infusion of heathenism and Judaism. As Christianity advanced in the world, and spirituality declined, other elements were admitted.
I pointed out in connection with the first epistle to Timothy that we find nothing that answers to the features of the house of God, as set forth in that epistle, in what is abroad now. My point was, there are two things essential to the individual, and especially so to the servant of the Lord. Still I do not want to talk to servants, but to believers. I do not care to limit what I say to servants. One is to know how to behave himself in the house of God. This is very important. I cannot think that anything absolves us from our responsibility as to that while the Spirit of God is still here, for if the Spirit of God is here, the house of God is here.
Then we ought to learn that fundamental lesson, “Not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord”. So far as I understand the second epistle to Timothy,
[p. 31] the point is that in the general confusion the testimony of the Lord is a rallying-point of saints, and I believe this to be of great moment.
I judge that of late years a great many people have run rather into the idea that they might construct some sort of representation of the church. I think it has been in the mind of a good many to construct a sort of ecclesiastical system but it has always broken down, and to my mind it is useless to go on that line. I do not think that is the thought of the Spirit of God; my impression is that in an evil day the Spirit of God has provided a rallying-point, and that rallying-point is the testimony. The second epistle to Timothy is perhaps the last epistle that Paul wrote.
There was another point — that the testimony is always a witness of what God is going to display. This gives the testimony a very definite character. To testify beforehand of that which is to be displayed is an unvarying principle in the ways of God. In regard to the first coming of the Lord, God gave testimony of that. So too in the Old Testament — in the recovery of the Jews from Babylon, God first gave testimony. But now testimony goes a great deal farther. Testimony is of all that which God has bound up in Christ, of which Christ is the beginning, centre and head. It is a witness to Christ as in relation to “all things” (or rather the witness of all things in relation to Christ). A great many of us have had limited ideas in regard to Christ, and so too in regard to the return of Christ. We have talked of the coming of Christ in connection with the kingdom. The point is that Christ is not simply King, but He is very much like the sun in our solar universe. He is the head and centre, the beginning of a moral system which is to be displayed in connection with Him. Scripture is full of it. Even when God brought Israel out of Egypt into [p. 32] the wilderness, He gave them in the tabernacle a figurative representation of the “all things” — things in heaven and things on earth. The “all things” are not yet come to pass; but what has come to pass is that Christ, as the ark of the covenant and the mercy-seat, has come in, and thus all things are grouped around Him. The Lord Himself spoke very much about “all things”. He spoke of all things in connection with the coming of the Comforter — “All things that the Father hath are mine”, and taught that the Spirit would make known to the disciples all things.
I say that much in connection with the principle which I put forward, that is, that God displays nothing until He has previously given witness of it. We are waiting for the blessed hope and appearing of the Lord Jesus, not simply for the appearing, but for the display of all that God has established in Him, and in the meantime I think our rallying-point is the testimony. I do not think anything but that will bind us together according to God. I do not think zeal for ecclesiastical order will do it. If you ask what the testimony of our Lord is, it is comprised in one word, and that is, the Christ. The thought of the Christ covers a great deal, it not only refers to Christ personally, but covers all that of which the Christ is the head and centre, and that is an immense field for consideration.
I was speaking last time of what should characterise those to whom the testimony is dear. I referred to the appropriateness of fasting and feasting. Fasting is not always abstaining from food, but denial of self in legitimate things within your reach, which are inappropriate in the absence of the Bridegroom. Then feasting is in the house, in the power of the Holy Ghost — all the joys connected with Christ at God’s right hand.
Now I go a point farther, that is, as to our equipment.
[p. 33] It is difficult to stand in the evil day without proper moral equipment. It is no slight matter to withstand in the day of evil. I do not see many people who withstand when prosperity is brought against them. They get engulfed by it; and some people break down under adversity. The devil has plenty of methods to catch people, and, as I said, they often break down. Many would stand under ordinary circumstances; but supposing temptation were to come in some severe and subtle form, in the way of prosperity or in some way which would tend to gratify you naturally: how would you stand then? We want to withstand, in an evil day, every allurement of the enemy. The Lord stood against all. The devil came to Him with every kind of temptation, in natural things, in spiritual and in worldly things, but the Lord withstood in the evil day. And there is another important point which we see in Christ, He not only withstood every temptation, but He dislodged the foe. He went into death that He might destroy him, and He came out victorious. The enemy was not only withstood, but dislodged, and those who had been subject all their lifetime to bondage were delivered. The same thing should be true in regard to us. We have to withstand the power of evil in this world. The great point is not how a person begins, but how he continues. Continuance is the test. Starting is not the real test of strength. Many may go ahead in a race at the start, but the real test is the power of stay or continuance. You want to be able to withstand in the day of evil and to dislodge the enemy. You get the figure of this in the case of the children of Israel when they came into the land of promise; the first thing was to withstand. The enemy sought to prevent their getting into the land; but when they got into the land, they had to dislodge the enemy, and they [p. 34] never did it thoroughly. I think that is our part. It is a great thing and I wish I could impress on all the importance of it.
Now I want to give you an idea with regard to the armour, Ephesians 6: 10 - 18. The idea is that the seat of wickedness is the heavenly places. In Isaiah 59: 17 - 20 we read, “For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord”. I refer to this to show that the armour is that which is characteristic of Christ in His coming again, and really characteristic of Him as Jehovah. I want you to notice this, because as it is a principle that the testimony refers to that which God is going to display, so the armour anticipates the coming of Christ in power. The passage that I referred to speaks of the coming in of the Redeemer to Zion; then it is that He puts on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation upon His head, so that evidently righteousness and salvation are characteristic of Jehovah. Everlasting righteousness and salvation will characterise Christ when He comes out in blessing. You cannot understand the bearing of the armour if you do not apprehend that. In contrast to this look at 2 Thessalonians 2: 8 - 10, which also refers to the coming of the Lord in connection with the revelation of the wicked one. The state of things which the [p. 35] Lord will meet at His coming is seen, which He will destroy. The principles which you get there are falsehood, unrighteousness, confusion and moral destruction. These four principles stand in contrast to the different parts of the armour, which are truth, righteousness, peace and salvation. The Lord Jesus comes in with the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation. He comes in truth, righteousness, peace and salvation, but while He comes in that way, it means destruction to all that is opposed to Him. He will destroy all that is opposed to God with the “brightness of his coming”. He will come on behalf of His people to bring salvation; He comes as Redeemer to Zion. Now the armour is that which is properly characteristic of Christ at His coming, and in contrast to the principles which accompany the revelation of the wicked one. The principles which characterise the lawless one are exactly opposed to the principles which come out in the Redeemer.
Now a word or two with regard to the epistle to the Ephesians. The first thing which you get brought out is a very important point — the mystery of God’s will. God has made known to us His will to head up all things in Christ. We have read that passage often enough, but have we ever realised the greatness of it? It means a universe centred in Christ. The next thing in the epistle is the place of the church in relation to that universe, that is, a place in heaven. The saints are raised up together and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. You cannot understand that except in relation to the universe of which I spoke. The next thing in the epistle is the state which is correspondent to that, because if the church is set in another place, then there must be a state corresponding to it. Supposing such a thing were possible as that a beggar in this world were to be put in the position [p. 36] of a king; the beggar must have a state to suit his new position. Saul was a very simple man until God took him up, until then he had not the heart of a king. God gave him the heart of a king. His state was altered to suit his position, and so it must be, as I said before, even in this world. If a man is taken from a very low position and finds himself in a very high position, there is a great alteration in what I might call the state of that man. Now when we look at things in divine light, our position is in heaven. None of us is in heaven actually, we are here upon earth; but it is important to remember that the place of the church, in reference to the great scheme which is centred in Christ, is in heaven, and what is already true in regard to us is that God has wrought in us a state suited to that place. You may say you apprehend it very poorly, and it is quite true that we see very little evidence of it, but none the less the state is there — it is Christ dwelling by faith in our hearts. As surely as you have Christ dwelling by faith in your heart, you have the state. Now supposing the state be in some measure true of you, that is, that you have been strengthened with might in the inner man, you will have a great increase of intelligence. Put a beggar in the place of a king, he would need more intelligence as a king than as a beggar. How are you and I going to get the increase of intelligence suited to another place The more really Christ is dwelling by faith in your hearts, the more you will be able to apprehend with all saints the breadth and length and depth and height, so that you really get the intelligence suited to the place. Now supposing that you apprehend the new place and have the state suitable to the place, you have to stand your ground against the wiles of the devil, so that you may not lose your place. The next thing is to dislodge the enemy. What do you think is the instrument for that?
[p. 37] There is nothing but the sword of the Spirit — the word of God. That is the weapon confided to us. There is nothing by which you can dislodge the enemy except the testimony. It is a great thing to be able to handle the testimony. A great many are not qualified to handle the testimony because they are not equipped with the whole armour of God. You want to be invulnerable. I do not suppose armour, in a worldly sense, is of much use in the present day. The weapons surpass the armour, they penetrate the armour, but in this chapter, the point, in regard to us, is that we should be invulnerable morally, so that we cannot be wounded. When the wicked one is revealed he is defective in every point. He comes with lies and makes himself out to be God; then he comes in unrighteousness, he does not give God His rights. And there is no peace, because where unrighteousness is there is bound to be confusion; and there is no salvation, because the whole system, and all that he comes with, is moral destruction. There is no moral soundness. When Christ comes the first great point is truth, for He is the revelation of God. There is a striking expression, “Whom the Lord will destroy with the brightness of his coming”. The brightness of His coming is the revelation of God. Now the brightness of His coming to us is truth. Christ has come in the light of God. He has come in truth, and now we can have our loins girt about with truth, because Christ is light to us, we are in the light of God. We have the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The only-begotten Son has declared God. It is a very simple thing to understand what truth is. Christ came not only in grace, but in truth. He came in truth not imputing trespasses, He came in truth so that man might be recovered, so that the affections of man might be regulated by truth. Truth orders [p. 38] and regulates everything according to God. Where you find the soul of a man in the light of the revelation of God, the affections of that man are not irregular, but directed and regulated in divinely-appointed channels.
But Christ came not only in truth but in righteousness, He came to maintain what is right. Christ came in the assertion of the rights of God, and the rights of God are right, and where the rights of God are not allowed nothing is right. Then He came in peace. He is the Prince of peace. He came in that character with regard to us, for peace is bound to follow upon righteousness. When once the rights of God are asserted and maintained the effect is peace. Then He came in salvation. That is the character in which Christ came, “a light of the Gentiles and God’s salvation to the ends of the earth”. There is no salvation possible except by Christ. There is no salvation in Adam or Adam’s race. Salvation is exclusively and entirely in Christ, I might say that Christ is truth, Christ is righteousness, Christ is peace, Christ is salvation, and Christ is the sword of the Spirit, for the sword of the Spirit is the testimony; and if we want to withstand in this day and to dislodge the enemy we have to be equipped with what is characteristic of Christ.
There are two parts of the armour which do not so distinctly apply to Christ. They are faith and prayer, but every other part of the armour is that which is properly characteristic of Christ Himself. If we anticipate the coming of Christ it will have a twofold power, it will be destruction of the power of evil, and at the same time be salvation and blessing in the world. He comes on the one hand to destroy the wicked one, and on the other hand He will appear to them that look for Him a second time apart from sin unto salvation. He comes in truth to assert the rights of God in mercy and in peace as the [p. 39] blessed Prince of peace, and He comes to believers as salvation. The Lord Jesus said, “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world”.
We want to see that the armour is that which is properly characteristic of Christ, and to take it up in the order in which it is given here. It is given in suitable moral order. I do not think you will get much understanding of righteousness if you have not the truth; and if you have not righteousness you will not know much of peace; and if you do not know peace you do not know salvation. It is most important that the revelation of God should be effectual in us in ordering and directing our affections, then we can stand here and assert the rights of God in mercy. Peace follows upon that. Peace is the effect of righteousness, and following upon peace we can stand in faith, that is, in the conviction that God is above all evil. Then you can take up the helmet of salvation, that is, Christ, and the sword of the Spirit, which I take to be the testimony of Christ, and the last part of the equipment is prayer. Faith and prayer are important principles in regard to us. The enemy has plenty of strongholds in this world in the hearts and minds of men; if we only are properly equipped, we should find that the power of the enemy would be dislodged. I can understand anybody saying that Christianity at the present day is very feeble. I know it is, and I think I see the reason — people are not equipped with the armour. They do not know what the sword of the Spirit is. The mass of people have come under the influence of a worldly Christianity. If Christianity had been intended to be a system in this world, what would be the use of the armour? It is because we expect to find a foe here that armour is wanted, and you not only want armour, but the sword of the Spirit — the testimony [p. 40] to dislodge the enemy. I wish I had more confidence in the sword of the Spirit.
God is going to dispose everything according to the mystery of His will. We have to stand here for Christ until He comes to assert His rights.