CHAPTERS 6, 7
CHAPTERS 6, 7
Ques You said last time that these three chapters take in the three things we get in Titus 2?
FER I think they do in a general way, I meant only in a general way — soberly, righteously, and godly. The great thought here (chapter 6) is piety, and you get more of sobriety in chapter 7. The connection between chapters 5 and 6 is simple, at the end of chapter 5 you reach the Father — morally reach Him — and chapter 6 is that you follow what is suitable to Him, you seek Him in secret, and He rewards you openly.
[p. 55] Ques How far do you get the Father known in Matthew?
FER I think it goes to the recognition of it by those on earth. There is an analogous passage in 2 Corinthians 6: 17, 18. It is not the heavenly privilege, but refers to what they were to be here under the eye of their Father.
Rem That is the cause of the expression, “heavenly Father”.
FER I think what we may speak of as a heavenly privilege is a different thing.
Rem Our practice would not be beneath the level of what is here if we were in the power of what is heavenly.
FER 2 Corinthians 6 is all taken from the Old Testament. Promises are in view, I do not think it gives you the new man.
Ques Will you tell us what the new man is?
FER The new man is a new creation. I do not think this chapter goes to the extent of the new man.
Ques And would you contemplate that when it says, “He that is born of God cannot sin”?
FER Yes; only John puts all those things as tests, the great principle with John is that he first takes you within, that is, he takes you in as children. All those things are tests of profession.
Ques But does not John bring the thing down to you here?
FER Ah! yes; but I think he takes you in first that you may come out. I am speaking of “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God”. Then in chapter 4, “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us”, etc. You come out there.
Ques Is it the Ephesian thought, children of light and love? John and Paul run together.
FER Well, John and Paul always do run together. Loving the brethren is a test. John takes [p. 56] ground, like all the catholic epistles, that it is the last time, and there were many antichrists. In Matthew 5, it is not reaching the Father by the Spirit of sonship, but we reach the Father in practice, we are in accord with the Father. I think many people could approach the Father by the Spirit of sonship who do not approach in this way.
Ques. Is it conditional?
FER In a certain sense, but it is that you know yourself to be a son of the Father.
Ques How is the relationship brought about?
FER Well, it is not exactly a relationship brought about, but you are morally like the Father.
Ques It is not being born again?
FER No, you are manifestly the children (sons) of God because your practice is according to God.
Ques But then you would say, you must have the new birth?
FER Oh, yes. It is a very high standard here, you are to love your enemies, etc., and “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. The Father in Luke is the standard.
Rem That ye may be children (sons). It is put conditionally.
FER Yes, quite so. I do not see how it is possible that the Lord could have given anything short of that standard when He was here upon earth.
Ques Does not the chapter suppose that you have your place on earth? And in that way would it not rather be a contrast with a son now, not only to carry out these principles but to go far beyond them?
FER It really flows now from having the privilege of going in, you come out to manifest the character of the Father.
Rem There will be a people here who will carry these principles.
FER Yes; but their heart will be [p. 57] in heaven.
Rem You get the idea of laying up treasure in heaven, all in that line.
FER Because the principle is, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”.
Rem Quite a new thing to a Jew.
FER You cannot get practice beyond this, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”.
Rem It was the Lord’s own path down here.
FER I do not know that we quite apprehend the perfection of the communion that will exist between heaven and earth, I mean, in the millennium; I have not thought much about it, but I have got an idea of it. I think the heavenly company will have interests upon earth, and there will be saints on earth who will have interests in heaven. It is very evident to me that there is the establishment of a concord between heaven and earth. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel are in the gates of the city. It must mean something to Israel and the nations. There is a company on earth who learn the heavenly song. All that indicates a very intimate connection between heaven and earth.
Rem And I suppose indicates relationships all the way up and down.
Ques What would you say is the motive power for this moral life? In Christianity we have the power of the Spirit?
FER Well, I think the Father, in a certain sense, is the motive power. I should say the Spirit is the formative power, not the motive power. The revelation of God is.
Rem The Spirit is the subjective power.
FER The Lord brought all the light of heaven to them, for the moment you may say, and that was the motive power. It was suitable to their practical association with the Lord in the light of the Father. I think there will be a company again in special privilege [p. 58] and association with Him, and that this character will come out in them again.
Rem All this for the moment was in view of the setting up of the kingdom.
FER Yes; but all that was doubtful. Then you get in chapter 6 almsgiving. There is no almsgiving in heaven, nor prayer nor fasting, are there?
Rem No, nor daily bread.
FER And these are the three things taken up. If you have reached your Father in heaven you must have to say to Him, and whatever has that religious character on earth, must be in reference to your Father who seeth in secret. Any man who has the knowledge of God must long to be with God, he will not wish to be with men. I do not know any greater privilege down here than to be able to withdraw from even your most intimate circle to be with your Father who seeth in secret.
Ques It was the reign of Christ they were to pray for. The Father’s kingdom will be the kingdom in manifested power?
FER Yes; I think you get all the great principles that belong to it, “Thy kingdom come”, etc. I do not think, as far as I can see, that a saint is at home — free with the Father — unless he is in conformity to the Father’s nature. Crying “Abba, Father”, is not the same thing. To be at home with the Father you must be partaker of the divine nature, that is more than crying, “Abba, Father”. You want to be one in nature with Him to be at home with Him. You are partakers of the divine nature by being formed in the divine nature.
Ques How are you formed in the divine nature?
FER By the Spirit the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, the saint is formed by the light that is presented to him.
Ques Are you thinking of 2 Peter 1 when you [p. 59] say that?
FER I am thinking of the general run of Scripture.
Rem It is more than being a child of God.
FER The moment you get into the light you have the place of child, but I think it is another thing to be formed by that place.
Ques Do you get anything of what you are saying in Luke 15?
FER Yes, the father was at home with the prodigal when he kissed him; but the son had to be made at home with the father.
Rem Luke 15 covers a great deal of ground.
FER Luke 10 gives you your side; but chapter 15 gives you the Father’s side.
Ques Would you say the good Samaritan in Luke 10 sets forth the riches of grace, and the prodigal son in Luke 15 the glory of the grace?
FER Pretty much so. There is perfect relief from the good Samaritan. That is grace, but it is our side. When you come to the prodigal, he is reconciled for the father’s satisfaction, and that he may know he is for the father’s satisfaction. It has been said that in chapter 14 you get the house, and in chapter 15 the guest. Until Christ completely governs the heart it is impossible to be at home in the Father’s presence. It is the Holy Spirit’s work. What it means is, Christ is now all to you, it is most utter and complete displacement of self.
Ques Is not Romans 3 the best robe?
FER That is more the wedding garment.
Ques Can you tell us how to put the best robe on?
FER I think we see it carried out in Paul, “whom we preach, warning every man”, etc. He preached Christ, and it involved all that is beyond. I do not think there is anything for us but Christ. I believe a man is what his glory is. If a man’s glory is in his shame, it describes his debasement; if Christ is your glory it describes what you are morally; a man’s glory is what his heart cherishes. Do you think so?
Answer. I think it is very good.
FER But it is very true. In this chapter 6 we have the Lord propounding something entirely different from all they had ever heard. I do not think they had the idea of doing everything for the Father before.
Ques What does “reward you” refer to?
FER I think He would give you some public recognition in the present time, He will mark you with His approval. A man may go on through evil report and good report, but in some way you will get marked, I think. In the last part of the chapter a very important principle comes out in connection with God, it is practical confidence, dependence and confidence.
Ques What does “mammon” refer to?
FER Always to the god of this world. A single eye is not pursuing two objects; if a man is scheming for his own advantage, and at the same time seeking to walk before God, he has not a single eye. My conviction is, that he has not learnt to what a wonderful extent a man may trust God. I do not mean a man is to lie down and do nothing, but if you seek His kingdom and righteousness you may depend upon it He will not neglect your needs.
Rem The Lord says in another place, Not a hair of your heads shall perish, just after telling them of the dreadful things that should happen and the persecution they would be subject to.
FER Well, not a hair does perish, for God takes care of all. Man may take life, but that is all. There is a beautiful character of piety in the chapter. You have reached the Father, and that pervades everything, all your religious devotions and your character down here; you do not resort to worldly schemes and plans, but seek His glory, and all needed things are added. Then I think chapter 7 brings you outside more, you [p. 61] get the contrarieties here, you have to meet all sorts of things in the world, you must beware of false prophets, not cast your pearls before swine, etc. I think it is an unvarying principle in Scripture that you must go in before you can come out.
Ques What about verse 14, “few there be that find it”?
FER I am afraid it is too true; men do not want to be saved, it is that side. He puts it in contrast with, “broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat”.
Ques. Is the gate Christ?
FER Well, it may be; but the idea it conveys to me is, that it lets in only what is of Christ.
Ques “Narrow is the way”, is it not death?
FER Yes, death to the flesh. There is everything congenial to the flesh on the broad road, I think a man has to do violence to himself naturally if he is to enter upon the narrow road.
Ques Is it broad because a number go on it?
FER No; it is because it is congenial to men.
Rem We are looking at the application rather than explanation.
FER The explanation is this, that the way of life is open, but in the very nature of things it must be a narrow way, it must be distinct and apart from all that is of nature.
Rem And then the Lord introduces the false prophets who would divert you.
FER The way of life then was the path of the despised Christ; if the way had been after some distinguished person, men could have pursued it; but to go after a rejected Christ, to be in His company, men had to do violence to themselves.
Rem It marked rather a narrow path when the Lord said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and [p. 62] brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple”.
FER There is scarcely a single thing to which a man has not to do violence to follow Christ in this world. I do not mean that we should be without natural affection. My impression is that the way of life is as narrow as ever. I do not believe it is a bit easier to confess a glorified Christ than to follow a humbled Christ.
Ques Do they not go inevitably together?
FER Yes. Violence must be done to the whole system of natural affection if something comes to which it has to give place.
Ques What does casting pearls before swine mean?
FER You will meet with certain classes who are morally dogs and swine, you do not put your good things before them. It is a matter of spiritual discernment. It does not mean exactly man in his natural state. I do not think every man is a dog, it refers to special men. The apostle prays that he may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for faith is not the portion of all.