THE HIGHEST POSITION ON EARTH
THE HIGHEST POSITION ON EARTH
In every case of energy and for all progress, there must be an aim, or a goal, before the mind. Sometimes it is undefined, something desired, though greatly in the distance; while with others, where ability and assiduity are combined, there is a certain defined point of eminence before the mind. Nothing less would satisfy it even in prospect, because there is a sense of being able to attain to it. Now with a saint it must necessarily be of this latter class. It is clearly set forth in Scripture what is his proper aim, as well as the ability or grace which he may appropriate in order to reach it. The distinct aim and goal for a saint is glory in prospect, and suffering now, but as the latter is attained to, the sense of the former is apprehended and enjoyed.
It evidently runs counter to all human feelings and desires that progress should entail suffering, that prospectively there should be no hope of a time of rest and cessation from toil where one might in retirement enjoy his hardly won acquisitions. The saint must leave this scene before he enters into rest; the work must be over; for his rest is not here. The natural feeling is that a time of rest and reward will succeed the time of energetic and successful toil, and unless we understand how the death of Christ and His rejection by man on earth have affected the relations of His own to the earth, which is the scene of His rejection, we shall never be able to apprehend the highest position for a saint now on the earth. If we admit that the blessed Lord has been disallowed of men, and this cannot be denied, there is no escaping from the [p. 227] conclusion that those who would follow Him have no option from suffering. “If any man serve me let him follow me”, and this He said in reference to His death: “The servant is not greater than his lord”.
The effort has been to modify the fact that Christ has been rejected from the earth or to ignore it, and according as this effort is allowed, there must, as a consequence, be a seeking for ease and honour here, and thus the true eminence of the saint is overlooked. In Scripture, as we shall see, all manner of blessing is connected with suffering. “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake”. (Philippians 1: 29.)
Let us look at some of the advantages of suffering. The place He occupied for us is the place we are called to occupy for Him. “Let us go forth... unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach”. He suffered for us without the gate; He endured everything due to us from God; and all the enmity of man and of Satan bore down upon Him. We are in the scene where He suffered for us, and where man and Satan still retain and pursue the selfsame enmity. We are left here to manifest His life in our bodies, while we are introduced by Him into unclouded favour with God, “accepted in the beloved” in virtue of His work and suffering; and hence, as we enjoy the fruit of His suffering, and are thereby set in spirit with Him in glory, we, as a matter of consistency, take His place here with regard to man and Satan. We bear His reproach. In heaven we are in the fruition of His suffering, and we taste of it now; but while we are on earth, in the scene of His sufferings, we cannot enjoy the glory with Him, without accepting His sufferings here. There are no longer any for us from the hand of God, but now all is from the hand of man and Satan. Hence the apostle says, “that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death”. Paul knew consequent on his knowing the power of Christ’s resurrection - [p. 228] in superiority over death in the presence of God - righteousness for ever secured before Him. As soon as he was at home before God in full acceptance, then the course here was the sufferings of Christ, reaching on to the highest point, namely, conformity to His death.
Next: our being glorified with Him is in connection with our present suffering with Him (Romans 8: 17), as also if we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2: 12); as He said to His disciples, “Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”. (Luke 22: 28 - 30.) The passage in Romans is very interesting; the word for suffering is peculiar, meaning to be in company with one in suffering, and this qualifies one for being with Him in His glory by and by. If we have been in any measure in company with Him here, surely we shall not be the less so in His kingdom, and no one with a true heart would seek to be in company with Him in the scene of glory, and be indifferent about Him in the scene of His suffering. He is the same person in two scenes the most different and opposed. As we are with Him in the one in which we are now, so shall we be with Him in the one which is coming.
Next: all awards by and by must be determined by the way we have suffered for Christ in this present time. The “Well done, good and faithful servant” hereafter, is conferred according to the suffering service now; so much so that it is said, “that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer”. (2 Thessalonians 1: 5.) The principle of this is couched in the saying of Abraham to the rich man, “Remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented”. “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you”.
[p. 229] The suffering is unjustly inflicted by man; it is encountered because we follow in His path, “who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth”. If He suffered, so must we suffer, and that the more truly we are in His path.
Next: the greatest favour known to the soul is conferred because of suffering. “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you”. (1 Peter 4: 13, 14.) The sufferer not only looks forward to the day of glory, but at the present moment, he is marked with especial favour, the Spirit of God; and the Spirit of glory resteth upon him. This is known in measure by every one suffering for Christ, as his wages, if I may so say, for the present time. “He that reapeth receiveth wages”; but there is more in prospect. Thus Abraham was refreshed by Melchisedec; thus Paul was supported before the Roman tribunal; thus the children of the captivity were preserved in the burning fiery furnace. The apostles could rejoice that they were “counted worthy to suffer shame for his name”. The reason for this is, that the saint is so truly in Christ’s place that the Spirit of God and of glory must rest upon him; but this shows how distinctly and unmistakably suffering is the highest position for the saint on the earth. Hence it is said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven”. (Luke 6: 22, 23.) There is never a great work, or a bright sense of glory, but in connection with present suffering; hence “We which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh”. (2 Corinthians 4: 11.)
[p. 230] It is an immense help when you see and accept that suffering for Christ is the place of the highest distinction on the earth. We may not suffer much, but the mere conviction that suffering is the highest place, and the only one of true progress will ever be healthy discipline and encouragement.
Next: as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so do our consolations by Christ. It is very evident that if testimony and faithfulness to Christ here entail suffering, and that present and future rewards are measured and conferred in proportion to the suffering, the joy and comfort of the heart must be conditional on the sufferings. If the suffering place is the path of Christ here, it is the highest place for the saint, and surely that of the deepest enjoyment, as Christ’s own joy must be tasted there; as He said, “my joy fulfilled in them”; not yet in connection with glory, but in the very pathway He had trodden here.
There are two phases more of this interesting subject which I may mention. First, there is nothing which so draws the line between the true servant of Christ and the human imitation of service in any form, as suffering for Christ. Thus the apostle recounts his sufferings “as a fool” that (as he says) “I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we”. (2 Corinthians 11: 12.) And finally, what more distinguishes between the saint and the world than suffering? “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:)” Hebrews 11: 37, 38.
The Lord give us to see and to accept the greatness of the privilege and distinction of being counted worthy to suffer shame for His name, that we may enter more fully into the blessedness of union with Him, because, as it is true, and known in one sphere, it must be true and known in any other.