Iii) FATHERS
C.R.Byng
1 John 2: 13 (first clause)
We have been rightly reminded that the Lord would have regarded our beloved brother as one of the fathers amongst us. One of the great features of a father, which John brings out here as his reason for writing to them, is that they "have known him that is from the beginning". That would be the basis of the stability that marks a father, that he knows Him that is from the beginning. That is in particular as to the beginning of Christianity. When we think of the glory of the Person of Christ, we think of Him as in the beginning. "In the beginning was the Word", John 1: 1. But when we think of Christianity as set on in relation to the resurrection and ascension of Christ and the descent of the Spirit, we think of Him that is from the beginning, the One that has remained faithful from then until now and will to the end. We have been affected in our spirits at the growing weakness in body of our beloved brother, but the stability that has marked him was related to his knowledge of Him that is from the beginning. And that is the basis on which the testimony is going to be carried through to the end. The knowledge of divine Persons is the great source of strength to be preserved in the testimony. Our beloved fathers amongst us are persons who steady us and strengthen us, because their experience is related to Him that is from the beginning as in a spiritual order of things. Whilst we are still here in flesh and blood in literality, in our spirits as the "workmanship" of God we are moving in a great spiritual realm where divine Persons are known in all their glory. The transition from what is final is in the Lord's ordering, but it does not involve any essential change, because we go to be with divine Persons, that we have learned to know in a scene of testimony.
The Lord would encourage us to be marked by this feature of depth, for the word used here for "known" involves coming to know Him and continuing so to do. We are not to be moved about, but steady in the understanding that He that has set on this great period of testimony is going to carry it forward in triumph until the end. The measure in which we are acquainted with Christ, is directly related to our understanding of the greatness of the Spirit who helps us to discern according to God. Steadiness in discernment is due to our knowledge of the Spirit. But the knowledge of Christ from the beginning would involve, too, a knowledge of the Father, the Father of glory. And so this would all bind us up in the great spiritual sphere in experience. Mr Stoney has recorded a conversation with Mr Darby: 'I remember once saying to JND, with reference to the Lord's words,"for their sakes I sanctify myself" - 'Then sanctification is immeasurable'. 'Yes', he replied, 'immeasurable'. (JBS Letters Vol 2, p. 59). That is the order of things we are called into, an immeasurable order of sanctification. We are bound up with a glorious, living Person who has gone into the presence of the Father to sanctify Himself for us, so that our part here in this scene is to be sanctified to God in relation to everything that is proceeding for His glory. There are those who are going to miss our beloved brother as a father by way of natural links. The Lord in His wisdom has brought those to an end. But all of us, including the family, have links with him as a spiritual father and those are never going to end. Our links with all the brethren are going to remain. He has gone on before, but we are all going to be found in the day of God according to the glory entrusted by God to each one. But the time remains, beloved brethren, until the rapturing call of Jesus is heard. The Lord would help us to be deepened in our understanding of the glory of divine Persons, and especially the glory of Him that is from the beginning, so the testimony will be carried forward, not with a lack, but with increased strength, as the homegoing of our beloved brother casts us more upon God, that there may be nothing lacking either in this city or in this area.
Well, let us be strengthened to have faith in God and to desire to be here as those who know Him that is from the beginning, so that the testimony is carried forward according to the divine will, for His Name's sake.
LONDON
13 November 1974