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CITIZENSHIP

^[p. 144] CITIZENSHIP

I desire, beloved friends, to say a word to you in regard to citizenship. Citizenship of necessity has its centre in a city, although it is not confined to a city. The idea of a city arose very early in the history of humanity. It did not arise from any divine conception, so far as we know. The first city that Scripture speaks of was that built by Cain, and it is a well-known fact that, while Cain built the city, he did not call it after his own name; he called it after the name of his son. I connect that in my mind with the position of the Jew as having murdered Christ, for Cain was the type of the Jew guilty of the murder of Christ, and Barabbas is properly the production of judaism. The name Barabbas, as you know, signifies the son of the father; that is, he bears the characteristics of his father. It was a dreadful thing that the people whom God had taken out of Egypt, before whom all His wonderful signs had been set forth, to whom the oracles of God had been committed, that they should be possessed of a murderous heart. When His beloved Son appeared in their midst Barabbas was the product, as we may say, of that system of things. Now Cain’s city was called after the name of his son; that is, the son of the murderer, and that son was in type Barabbas, who, beloved friends, was the choice; man’s choice in preference to Christ! Now in that you have one feature of the world-city: it bears the name of the son of the murderer, who was according to his father, because he was the son of the father. I speak of that because it conveys to us some idea of the character of the world city.

The next city that we find is that of Babel. I speak of these cities so that you may have some ^[p. 145] conception of the world with which you have to deal. It is of great moment that believers should be alive to that which exists in antagonism to the testimony. The thought of Babel is negative. I do not want to be negative. I hope by the Lord’s help to set forth what is positive, but I wish to bring before you that which marks the Babylonish world with which we have to do. What marked Babel was that it was the banding together of men. There seems to have been a leader: “A man said to his fellow”. There was one who led humanity; the object was centralisation, and the purpose was, “Let us make ourselves a name”; “Let us build ourselves a city and a tower, the top of which may reach to the heavens”, Genesis 11:4. We are not told after whose name it was called. God gave it a name; when He divided their tongues God showed its character, and it was called Babel, but that which prompted the building of the city was “Let us make ourselves a name”; “Let us build ourselves a city and a tower”. There, I believe, you get the characteristics of the Babylonish system with which we have to do. It is marked, as I have said, by murder; that is, by murderous opposition to Christ; however fair its appearance, however wonderful its works, however much the ingenuity of man marks it, that which is behind it is murderous opposition to Christ. Men would band themselves together; you have it in the cities of this day; the endeavour is to band men together. We know that it is anti-christian.

Well now, in connection with Babylon you will observe a certain energy, and that energy finds its expression in Nimrod. We are told that the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and that he was a mighty hunter before the Lord. In the present Babel system, the present feature of the world system, you will find the energy of Nimrod. There are many mighty hunters today. I need not enumerate ^[p. 146] them; they may have varied pursuits, but they are all after the same thing. They are hunting with all their might, with all their energy; they are after something for their own exaltation; they are pursuing all that which adds to their dignity in this world. It is a spirit that is often found even among God’s people. Nimrod was the full expression of it, he was a “mighty hunter before the Lord”, Genesis 10:9. It was before the Lord; and that which goes on before the Lord will come under the righteous judgment of the Lord. So the mighty hunters of today; all the untiring energy that man puts into the pursuits of this life, the commercial life, and the other pursuits, you may depend upon it nothing escapes the eye of God.

It is the greatest comfort that everything comes under His eye. He is the sovereign Ruler, and everything that happens is under His eye. The saints may suffer from it, and they do suffer, for a “mighty hunter” will disregard the rights of God, he will trample the saints under foot, as we know has been done, but the souls of the martyrs are under the altar (Revelation 6:9 - 14), and they cry to the sovereign Ruler, “How long, O sovereign Ruler, holy and true”. God’s eye is over everything on earth, all is “before the Lord”. Now that conveys to us some idea of the present state of things, and one feels how solemn it is as time goes on. While these terrible Babylonish characteristics are becoming stronger and more in evidence, what a solemn consideration it is for the saints of God as to how we are to shape our course in the present day in regard to it. I believe the Lord would speak to our hearts about it all. You cannot allow yourself to recognise that system in the least degree, for in the measure in which you recognise it you are unfaithful to Christ.

Now I want to show you, if I can, the means of ^[p. 147] preservation for the saints. I wish to dwell upon the positive side, and that is, that God takes account of His people; and in His world there is going to be a counterpart to all that exists in man’s world. You will find, that whatever there may be in this world built up by man’s energy to captivate the saints, there is something to answer to it in God’s world. Whilst citizenship necessarily centres in a city, yet it involves a country. I happen to live in a country where citizenship is a great feature. The citizen is supposed to have title to all the privileges of the nation. And now I want to show you that God opens to us an order of things which every privilege is opened up to the believer. The first thing that meets one on becoming a citizen of any country is the constitution. You cannot become a citizen of the United States unless you have some idea of the constitution.

I want to say a word on the constitution. The first element that presents itself to the believer, as I said, is the constitution. The constitution is the fundamental principle on which any nation rests. Every country has its constitution. I want to show you what is the constitution or order of things into which the believer is introduced. The constitution of GOD’S world is sovereign mercy; everything is on that basis. It is a wonderful thing that on the principle of faith you have come into an order of things, the first element of which is the principle of sovereign gift. There is no nation like that in this world. If you go to any nation under the sun and seek citizenship, you will not find anything on the principle of sovereign gift; but what God supplies us with is all on the principle of sovereign gift. It is the first thing that God impresses us with, and it has a wonderful effect on our souls. If the light of God’s sovereign mercy enters into one’s soul it has a marvellous effect upon us. But you must have it ^[p. 148] in your soul. It is necessary that the constitution should be understood, that it may become, not simply objective, but part of our being, and give character to us. It is sovereign mercy, made known in Christ, entering your soul that gives character to you, and enables you to be a suitable citizen of God’s order of things.

Now the next thing that is presented to you is the city; that is, you have a city; you are said to have come to a city, and that city is “the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem”. There are two things which mark that city. The first is, it is constituted in life, it is the city of the living God; and the second is that it is heavenly, “the heavenly Jerusalem”.

I want to say a word in regard to the heavenly Jerusalem. My conception of it is that it is inwardly the outcome of the ministry of the apostle Paul. Historically it was built by the ministry of the twelve apostles; their names are in the foundations, Revelation 21:14. The foundations and the walls are historical. They were built under the eye of man; they were reared up by the testimony of the twelve. The walls of the city are detailed and may be traced in the early chapters of the Acts, but the inward part of that city is private; it is, as it were, formed in affections through the ministry of Paul. I take the formation of the inward part to date from chapter 9 of the Acts; it is introduced in connection with sonship. You can never understand the heavenly Jerusalem if you do not understand sonship. The city is formed inwardly in the light of sonship. It was established outwardly in life; it was the city of the living God, but it is also in the dignity and liberty of sonship. Sonship has not reference to protective walls; walls are protective, but sonship has reference to relationship; that is to say, sonship has to do with our affections; the inward affections ^[p. 149] of the saints are formed in the light of sonship. As such it is the heavenly Jerusalem; it is pre-eminently heavenly, and it comes down — that is it is in liberty, it is free. How is it free? It is free on account of sonship; it is formed in the light of sonship, and is free; it goes up to heaven, and it comes down from God out of heaven. Prophetically John saw it; he says, “I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven”, Revelation 21:2. What a wonderful spectacle! A city established in life, and inwardly formed in affections, and it comes down from God out of heaven. It is a very wonderful thing to have a city like that, and I would enlist the sympathy of the youngest believer in it. That is what you are come to; you are come to the city of the living God, and moreover it is heavenly, and it is free as being heavenly.

The next thing is the “universal gathering”. I will not enlarge upon that; the best illustration I can give you is the houses of Parliament. Parliament is the convening of the representatives of the nation. I allude to it for a moment to show that it is a large enough thought for any political mind. I use the word political advisedly. You may say you have not a political mind, but you will have it by God’s grace as you advance in your christian experience in God’s things; that is to say, you will be interested in the principles and the legislation of God’s world.

The next thing you come to is “the assembly of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23); these are the privileged ones. You come into society beyond anything upon earth; you come to the privileged ones; they are “the assembly of the firstborn who are registered in heaven”. In other words, you come into touch with the saints viewed in their heavenly character; they are a wonderful company, and you belong to them. The disciples did not appreciate what was in God’s mind for them when they were elated by the power by which they overcame the wicked spirits, Luke 10. The Lord says, “in this rejoice not ... but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven”, Luke 10:20. The saints of this dispensation are viewed in that light. We have the firstborn’s portion, we are come into the position of the firstborn ones; we are the true Levites of God. The Levites were taken in the place of the firstborn; they had no inheritance; they had cities. Cities in Scripture refer to buildings; that which is distinguished from the land — the country. The Levites had cities, but no inheritance. We are the true levites of God, and our place is in heaven: “the assembly of the firstborn who are registered in heaven”. That is wonderful society! Can the world offer you anything to equal it? God provides for you whatever your heart craves as formed by the Spirit. There are many desires, and God meets every desire every desire that the Spirit produces in your soul is met. God provides for all your desires in His own country.

Then you come to God Himself, the universal Judge. He is the “Judge of all” (Hebrews 12:23); there can be no question but that we shall get justice. As come to the Judge of all, you need not fear any charge brought against you; you need fear nothing; you have come to the Judge of all the earth, and He will do right. I have not any doubt that every cause of mine will be fully vindicated. You need not attempt to vindicate yourself; God will vindicate you. He is the Judge of all. It is a wonderful thing to have come to God in that light; it puts your heart at perfect rest in regard to the malignity of the enemy. God will take care of you. The Lord Jesus Christ knew that. He left everything with God. Paul left things with God. The Judge of all the earth will do right.

^[p. 151] Now I will go on to the “spirits of just men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23). What gives character to a man is his spirit; it is all a question of his spirit. What kind of a spirit has a just man? The Lord Jesus Christ was the just Man; He was the just One. What kind of spirit had Christ? His was a wonderful spirit, but, beloved friends, the Spirit of Christ is the spirit of all “just men”. Is not that wonderful; a humanity after the pattern of Christ? That is the spirit of “just men made perfect”. So we come into touch with a humanity which is after Christ — the spirits of just men! a wonderful fellowship, a wonderful communion! It really refers to the humanity that God will have in His presence. If He is the Judge of all no humanity can remain in His presence except the just humanity, and we have come to the “spirits of just men made perfect”. I look at it morally. I do not deny that it is the entirety of the divine system. It speaks of the principles of the divine system which is before us. It is a wonderful thing that in it there are men that are “just”, and we have come to their spirits; and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.

Jesus is the great central attraction in the midst of that humanity — the lowly Jesus, and it is “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant”, Hebrews 12:24. In the midst of all that scene of glory it is the lowly Man you have come to; it is Jesus; not the Son of God, not the Christ. It is the Man, it is the One whom Luke presents to us. Where is the christian who has not read the gospel of Luke with delight? It is the Man, it is Jesus, beloved friends, in the midst of humanity, in relation to a just humanity.

And then we are told that we are come to the “blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel”, Hebrews 12:24. The heart turns to Jesus with delight and pleasure; for amidst the vast scene of glory that God has before Him, the one central ^[p. 152] point for the affections of the heart is Jesus, the same as He was on earth. There is no change in Him, and it is Jesus who has effected the new covenant. The apostle Paul presents Him to us as the One in whose face the glory shines. The love of God, expressed in the death of Christ, shines in His face. As the apostle says, “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”, 2 Corinthians 4:6. In the face of that Man, that is the glorious shining. I do not think you will ever have a conception of the glory if you do not see the position of Jesus here upon earth as Man, the most approachable of all men. He is the Mediator of the new covenant. He took up the cause of man. He took up the covenant, and His glory is that He has made it effective; the glory shines in His face, and you have come to that Man! It is a wonderful scene in that world, in God’s country, but the great central figure is Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant.

We were dwelling this afternoon on the blood of Christ: it was the life, the blood was the life, that is, the blood of Christ represents the surrender of His life, and when I say that I am not simply speaking of His physical life. That was of course involved, but His life morally consisted in affection in connection with the bonds that had been formed here on earth in connection with Israel. The Lord laid down all that, He surrendered all that, and the blood of sprinkling speaks wonderful things; it speaks “better things than that of Abel”; it speaks of God’s love. Abel’s blood cried for vengeance, but the blood of Christ speaks of all God’s love. That is what we have come to. I hope I have made it plain; I think it is very needful to the understanding of it that you take account of it as a country — God’s country, with all its blessings, so that you should ^[p. 153] see that you are a citizen of it, and that as a citizen you have title to every part of it, every privilege of the country. And what wonderful privileges are opened up to us in this chapter!

I wish now to say a word about Paul’s remark in the epistle to the Philippians. Paul as to his aspirations was set for God’s calling, but as to his position in this world as a disciple of Christ, he was on the down line, he was possessed of the mind of Christ, and as a man in this world he was going down. Jesus went down. You will find in chapter 2 of Philippians that the mind of Christ found its expression in Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus; they were willing to surrender completely their own things for the good of God’s people. The Lord Jesus Christ has gone down in regard to the saints and God’s glory. Paul had His mind. Timothy had His mind. Epaphroditus had His mind. Timothy “naturally” cared for the saints (Philippians 2:20), and Epaphroditus was grieved because the saints heard he was sick; he was not thinking of himself or of his recovery, he was thinking of the saints; he had the “mind of Christ”, 1 Corinthians 2:16. Paul surrendered all for the good of the saints, and counted everything loss for Christ, that he might have Christ for his gain. Christ was everything to him. That is the man who has Christ for his goal. And he had aspirations too; he pressed towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. That was what he had before him, and then he goes on in regard to others, that they might be like-minded, and he shows that our citizenship is in heaven. I close with that. I leave that with you.

May the Spirit of God draw our hearts heavenward. It is a wonderful escape from the present order of things. We await from heaven Jesus as Saviour. Our citizenship is there, and our expectation is that Jesus will appear from heaven as Saviour, “and ^[p. 154] transform our body of humiliation into conformity to his body of glory”, Philippians 3:21. That is the road that is opened up to christians, so that there is a perfect way of escape out of the darkness of the present Babylonish world which we have to do with.

I have referred to the thought elsewhere that in the Scriptures you will find that from the very earliest date God had indicated a special place. In Eden there was a garden; it was in Eden, and that indicated that there was a special place in God’s mind for man. So in the ark there were one, two, and three storeys, indicating the same thing. In the tabernacle there was the holiest of all, the holy place and the court. In the temple there were three tiers of chambers. Now I believe that in all these things God indicated that He had reserved a special place, and I need not add, beloved friends, that that special place is for the assembly. The Lord says, “in my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2) and He adds to those who share His affections, “I go to prepare a place for you”. For those who share His rejection He has prepared a special place.

May the Lord set our hearts on it now. The hour is not far distant when we shall hear what John heard — the “voice ... as it were of a trumpet ... which said, Come up hither”, Revelation 4:1.

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