ROMANS AND COLOSSIANS

^[p. 533] ROMANS AND COLOSSIANS

I am thankful that you have been occupied with Jordan and the land. In speaking of such things one fears to go beyond what one has at least tasted, but I think I can say the greatness and blessedness of what it is to be in association with Christ in life, and in the sphere of His life, enlarges before one’s soul. This is Colossians, and it is, so to speak, the counterpart to Romans 6. In Romans 6 we break morally with the whole circle of things where Christ is not. We refuse to live where He died. It is evident that the secret spring of this is in affection. Knowledge of doctrine, and even faith in the doctrine, will never make a man dead to sin. It is as we are drawn to Him in affection that we break in heart with everything that is going on in the place where He died. We accept death here because He died here. This is Marah, and it is the lack of accepting this experimentally which is the source of almost every failure in the wilderness, and it is also for lack of it that we oftentimes wander so much and journey so little.

I do not think it is the mind of God that there should be a long gap between Marah at the beginning of the wilderness, and the brazen serpent and Jordan at the end. I am sure, if the first were fully and truly accepted, we should quickly reach the other. Romans 6, Romans 8 and Colossians are distinct steps, but they naturally follow each other, and there is no divine reason why there should be a long halt between them. If we accepted death to everything that is morally characteristic of the world and of our old man, we should really want death in the Jordan aspect as our way into association with Him in life and love. Romans shows how we are brought out of the circle of darkness and lust and death; but Colossians opens up the way in which we are brought in to a wondrous circle of light and love as quickened together with Christ and risen with Him. This latter is Jordan, and ^[p. 534] introduces us to a sphere where Christ is everything and in all — the assembly as the home on earth of divine affections.

I think the fact that the pot of manna and the budding rod were in the ark is full of significance. These types suggest to us how the blessed Lord wins our hearts so as to attract us into the sphere of life. We must know Him as the Source for our hearts of heavenly grace suited to wilderness need. There is not a trial or pressure in the pathway here, or in the service, for which He cannot supply the suited grace. “My grace suffices thee” is manna. I believe the Lord desires to become indispensable to us, and all-sufficient for us, in the pathway here, that thus He may become supremely attractive to our hearts, and that we may be mightily drawn after Him to the sphere of His life.

Then the budding rod of priesthood speaks of His infinite capability to lead us in. We are not left to make our own way in. It is as sustained and upborne by Him that we pass in to join Him in that holy scene of divine glory of which He is Minister. For Colossians and Hebrews go together, and the sanctuary is morally the land.

It is a blessed comfort and joy to my heart to know that it is such a delight to His heart to lead us in. All that is needed on our side is hearts responsive to Him and to the Father’s love.