COMPARISON OF THE EPISTLES
[p. 307] COMPARISON OF THE EPISTLES
2 Corinthians 3: 1 - 6; 2 Corinthians 5: 14 - 21
FER The thought was to touch on five epistles — Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Colossians and Ephesians, and to note the leading point of each.
I think there is an essential distinction between these epistles. In Romans and 1 and 2 Corinthians you are on moral ground, but when you come to Colossians and Ephesians, you are on the ground of purpose. The apprehension of this distinction helps us to understand them.
Ques Wherein lies the importance of the distinction?
FER You are not prepared to come on to the ground of purpose until you know what is moral, until you are established in what is moral. That is fundamental.
Ques Does what is moral include responsibility?
FER Well, it does. It is what is necessarily consequent on the revelation of God. In Romans you get a christian here in responsibility. God having come out involves man being here, not for his own will, but for the will of God. In 1 Corinthians you get another point, which is consequent on the presence of the Spirit, that is, privilege, which necessarily flows from it. Now in 2 Corinthians you get ministry leading up to the thought of a “man in Christ”. In all three, it is moral, not exactly purpose.
Ques What did you say the ministry is leading up to?
FER To a “man in Christ”. At the close of 1 Corinthians you have the “last Adam” — Man risen — but at the close of the second epistle you get a “man in Christ”. Leading up to this is the ministry of the new covenant, and the ministry of reconciliation. The [p. 308] ground is moral, it is necessarily consequent upon the way God is pleased to reveal Himself.
Ques Does not Romans 8 touch purpose?
FER It does at the end — “all things work together for good”, etc. That is to bring in assurance of heart.
Ques Does Corinthians bring in corporate responsibility?
FER It does; but the great thought is privilege — “ye are the temple of God”, and “the body of Christ”. It is more the thought of privilege consequent on the presence of the Spirit.
Ques Does the second epistle continue the thought of privilege?
FER No. The second epistle takes up the ministry leading up to “a man in Christ”, to prepare you to enter on the ground of purpose.
Ques Will you say a word as to the ministry of the new covenant?
FER It is the ministry of the gospel. It is ministered to saints, but it is really the gospel; then the ministry of reconciliation is all leading up to the truth of a “man in Christ” at the end. Reconciliation presents what man is for God.
Ques Is the ministry of reconciliation beyond the gospel?
FER It all forms part of the gospel. The two things, new covenant and reconciliation, are distinct. It is not very difficult to apprehend the distinction, because what God is toward man, and what man is to God, are very distinct. You get both in Christ.
Ques Do you get reconciliation in Romans?
FER Not developed. It is only just touched upon.
Ques When you speak of ministry, do you mean what had already been ministered?
FER The apostle was giving the character of his ministry. “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament” — “hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation”. The ministry has all come out, but it has to be maintained. It was specially confided to the apostle, but provision has been made for the maintenance of the ministry.
Rem Only a “man in Christ” could appreciate purpose.
FER Quite so. A “man in Christ” is an abstract idea, and when you can enter into the idea of a “man in Christ”, you can enter upon the ground of purpose.
Ques Do you refer to chapter 5 or 12 for a “man in Christ?”
FER Chapter 12. There the apostle speaks of a “man in Christ” in an abstract way, that he had known such.
Rem I think it would be well to develop it a little, and to press the importance of having in the history of the soul what is moral, before entering upon purpose.
FER It leads up to and prepares one for entering into purpose.
Rem Otherwise the tendency would be to build the house from the roof.
Ques Is what is moral connected with the work of God in the soul?
FER Not exactly. I think it is a necessary consequence of the way God has been pleased to reveal Himself — of light having come in from Him.
Rem That is, you must have righteousness, holiness and so on.
FER Exactly. It is moral, not exactly purpose.
Ques How do you distinguish between that and responsibility?
FER If I understand where I am, it involves responsibility as long as I am down here. It is perfectly possible for me to be here for God’s will, or, to a certain extent, for my own will. But I am responsible to be here for God’s will. As long as God is absent, the element of responsibility must come in. We are to be here for God’[p. 310] s will.
Rem You mean what is presented in Romans 12: 2.
FER Yes. Romans speaks of the ruin of man — man’s moral state.
Ques As having already utterly failed in responsibility?
FER Yes. It opens in that way.
Ques “The kingdom of God is righteousness”, etc., that is moral?
FER Yes; but if you enter into the kingdom of God, you are to be here for the will of God.
Rem There is a tendency to pass by many things, and to try to enter into purpose, before the soul is established.
FER People may try to do so, but it is wrong.
Ques What would be the result of an unestablished soul taking up purpose?
FER I should think that, some way or another, he would be likely to come to grief.
Ques What is the effect of ministry?
FER It leads up to the apprehension of a “man in Christ”. It is the way God takes to lead souls into the apprehension of that. In Romans, a christian is said to be in Christ, but being “in Christ” and “a man in Christ” is not the same thought. Every christian is in Christ — “There is ... no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus”, but the other is different. Every christian is “in Christ” and therefore he has responsibility as a man on earth. He is in Christ, but in responsibility; but when you apprehend a “man in Christ” you are outside responsibility. A “man in Christ” goes into the third heaven, and hears unspeakable words, which it is not possible for man to utter. He does not glory of himself. If you apprehend a “man in Christ”, apart from self, he must be also apart from responsibility in the wilderness path here.
Ques Is that what is meant by, “whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God”?
FER Yes, I think so. The ministry of the new [p. 311] covenant, which is the first step towards the understanding of a “man in Christ”, is really to make us acquainted with what God has taught. If a man has got thus far, he is prepared to recognise that he is for God. First, God is for us, then we are for God.
Rem So the ministry of the new covenant is preparatory to that of reconciliation.
FER Yes, I think so. The ministry of the new covenant is what people really want.
Ques Do we have purpose presented in Galatians when they were in a legal state?
FER The apostle presents the thoughts of God to them to measure their defection.
Ques Where is it presented in Galatians?
FER It says, “ye are all God’s sons”. It is in that way.
Ques Is it not helpful to see that ministry opens up that which already exists, and is already declared?
FER Yes, I think so. Ministry is not a proclamation. The gospel is a proclamation undoubtedly, but ministry is not. Ministry is to bring home to souls what lies behind the proclamation. You get the two things in Christ — God perfectly declared, and man perfectly for God. Reconciliation was there because Christ was there. Men were viewed as being on a different footing because Christ was there. Ministry has to be maintained. The apostle gives us the character of the ministry. Gifts are given to the church “till we all come in the unity of the faith”, etc. The Spirit of God maintains ministry.
Ques Where would you turn to in Acts for the proclamation?
FER “Be it known unto you ... that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things”. The proclamation is in the name of Jesus Christ.
Ques Is there no proclamation now?
FER There would be if you went among the heathen, but I think in christendom it is much more the [p. 312] ministry of the gospel.
Ques If a man were speaking to a company of unconverted people, would it not be the proclamation of the gospel?
FER Well, but, in one sense, they are professedly christians. That is the difficulty in a country like England.
Ques But supposing they were perfectly ignorant?
FER Still, they will be judged on that ground.
Ques Then the idea of the proclamation is carrying the gospel to those who have never known it?
FER I think so. In a place like England, you have to urge that they are responsible in regard to where they are. They have gone forth to meet the Bridegroom (using the figure of the ten virgins) and you have to take them upon that ground.
I see one thing very evident at the present time — there is distinct hostility to christianity, even in those who do not go to church or chapel, not merely indifference, but distinct hostility. Still you have to go on preaching the word, and doing the work of an evangelist, even more urgently, for you cannot close your eyes to the condition of affairs. There is general apostasy coming.
Ques Will not every man be judged according to his place?
FER Yes. God will judge perfectly rightly. The severest judgment of God will come on christendom. You need only read 2 Thessalonians to see that.
Rem Then now you have to call people’s attention to the proclamation that has been made.
FER Yes, and to explain it. The ministry of the new covenant is virtually the ministry of the gospel. I think when you go beyond the proclamation of the facts of the gospel, you go on to ministry. I think it much more ministry than proclamation now.
Rem Paul says, “believed on in the world”. It was already an accepted thing in his day.
[p. 313] Rem J.N.D. used to say it was not merely the facts, but the bearing of the facts.
Rem Also that you could not be too simple in preaching the facts.
FER Well, the great fact is Christ ... Christ is the Head of every man, and all consequences flow from that. God has set Christ as the Head of every man, and man is responsible to come to Christ and get living water.
Ques What is involved in Christ being the Head of every man?
FER Every man is subjected to Christ, and man is responsible to bow to Christ, and if he does, he receives forgiveness of sins, and gets living water.
Ques What is the difference between headship and lordship?
FER Headship gives pre-eminence — for example, Adam was head, but he was not lord. I should present Christ as Head, as the last Adam, and as the giver of living water.
Rem One would be grace, and the other responsibility.
FER Exactly. Christ did not take up His place as Head, and as last Adam, until resurrection. That is the ground on which He takes up His place as Head of every man, as having borne death, under which every man was.
Ques Is the idea of headship that God has a Man through whom He can approach man in grace?
FER That is the point. The effect is that every man is tested by the voice of God through Christ, and those who answer to the test get living water. Others prove themselves lawless, and come under judgment.
Ques As to administration, is that headship or lordship?
FER Lordship. It is really the authority and power of God as against all evil. Blessing comes in through the Head. In Revelation 22 you get, “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star”,
[p. 314] and then it speaks of living water, “whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”.
Every servant acts under the Lord, you get direction from the Lord. The idea is found in the end of Mark — “The Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following”. If you preach Christ, you preach the Head. Jesus is the Christ, and the anointed Man is the Head of every man.
You have the thought brought out in another form in the end of Romans 5, “by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life”. That is, there is the righteous One, and it is through Him towards all to justification of life.
Rem There is nothing more wonderful than for the Son of God to have taken a place in reference to man. He became man in order to do this, and so to give living water.
FER He is the one Man in whom God addresses Himself to all men. Christ is the Head of every man because He has borne man’s liabilities, and He will impart living water to all who believe. Men come under judgment as being lawless.
Ques Shall we get on to reconciliation a little?
FER In the new covenant you get the declaration of God’s mind. The new covenant is virtually the gospel — the declaration of God’s mind towards man, i.e., righteousness and the Spirit. Man’s immediate liabilities were death and the curse. Christ took the curse and died for all. ‘Liabilities’ represent that under which man is at the present time. “It is appointed unto men once to die”, and “if one died for all, then were all dead”. The liability of Israel was a broken law, and the curse, and Christ bore the curse. ‘Liability’ is that under which man is now. Christ comes in as the Head of every man because He has borne the liabilities of every man, and He imparts [p. 315] living water.
Rem That is only available for the one who believes.
FER He gives living water to all who believe. The one who believes in Christ, and bows to the Head, gets living water.
Ques Do you mean the Holy Spirit by “living water”?
FER The Spirit of Christ. Christ is the last Adam to man, every man is tested by Christ. If there were the assertion of the lordship of Christ, there would be the “day of the Lord” now. It is by the mercy of God that lordship is not asserted now. We claim Him as Lord because we want salvation. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower”. ... If a man is to be delivered from the bondage of evil, he needs salvation to come in. As to the gift of living water, Christ gives life — “the Spirit is life”. “The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life”. That is what the last Adam does, He is the quickening, the life-giving, Spirit.
Ques How far does ‘Mediator’ go? Would it take in Christ as Head and Lord?
FER I think as Head. It is the Man, the One in whom God puts Himself in communication with men. “One mediator ... the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all”, making known God’s mind towards man — “Repentance and forgiveness of sins”. If you go behind that, it is love, the disposition of God towards men, made known through the death of Christ. If God is completely for man, as a necessary consequence man must be completely for God, That is reconciliation.
Man is for God in Christ. “If any one be in Christ, there is a new creation”. Reconciliation is in Christ — all is to be for God. It leads on to the thought of “a man in Christ”.