THE GROUND OF APPROACH TO GOD
[p. 315] THE GROUND OF APPROACH TO GOD
There are two things between which it is important for Christians to distinguish. I refer to God’s approach to man and man’s approach to God. They are never confounded in Scripture, and the second is consequent upon the first. It is as we enter into the reality of God’s approach to us that we desire to approach Him. Now, for this we need to apprehend the platform of resurrection, as otherwise we cannot approach God according to His mind. The apostle speaks to the Colossians as being on that platform, and as having been quickened together with Christ. Hence in chapter 3: 1 he exhorts them — “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God”.
It is necessary also to distinguish in our minds between the fact of resurrection and the platform of resurrection. The fact is a matter for faith — you believe in God who raised up Jesus our Lord. Now, in regard to ourselves, we are not yet raised as a fact, but we are said to be risen with Him. When we are raised as a fact we shall be caught up to heaven, and will not talk then about the platform of resurrection. But we are not yet risen as to fact, and hence we speak about the platform of resurrection as a ground to be occupied by the soul according to the import of Christ’s resurrection. Now, to know Christianity in its true power we must occupy this platform. I do not deny that souls may be pious, and know a good deal, as even the Jews did, without reaching it; but they do not fully know Christianity. You may say that I am using the term in a wrong sense, but I do not think it is so.
I see revealed in Scripture certain things which are for God, and certain things which are for man. This [p. 316] can be discerned in Hebrews 12, where we find enumerated the things to which we have come (verses 22, 23). These are Mount Zion, the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, myriads of angels, the universal gathering, “and Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven”. These are all clearly for God. You get this idea conveyed in the term “firstborn”, for it refers probably to the firstborn who were redeemed out of Egypt and were claimed by God. They were for God. The passage then goes on — “and to God the Judge of all”. Then follow things which are for man — “spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling”. These refer to blessings on man’s side.
Christianity consists in apprehending the things that are for God, and in the apprehension of these you get the consciousness of the things that are for man, and I use the word consciousness intentionally. In the line of divine teaching we learn what God has provided for Himself, for it is only in the first that there are things for God, that there can be anything for man; and God has approached man with a view to accomplish what is for Himself. The world broke with God entirely over Christ, and it is, in the presence of the Spirit, convicted of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Well, then, what is there for man? Nothing, save as God has come out to accomplish certain things for Himself and for His own glory. It is only in this way that there can be anything for man.
Now, in resurrection everything is for God. This is its import. Whatever of life God brings out of death is devoted to Himself — is for His glory. You will remember what the Lord said to Martha in John 11: 40 — “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” The sickness of Lazarus was for God’s glory, that his resurrection might be a witness to the Son of God on His way to the cross, that God might thus be glorified.
[p. 317] We get many blessings short of resurrection — forgiveness of sins, for example; and people accept these, but shirk the resurrection platform because everything that is on that is for God. I do not go there to know the forgiveness of sins, but to approach God as a priest.
The glory of God is a most important thought. It is His distinctive triumph. The idea in glory is distinction, and the glory of God is His distinction. We get the idea of distinction in the heavenly bodies — one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and so on. Glory as regards divine Persons is distinctive; for instance, the glory of the Son is not exactly the glory of the Father. The glory of God is in His complete triumph over every evil, or rather, I should say, in the triumph of all that God is over the power of evil. Hence resurrection is for the glory of God, for it sets forth the triumph of God. And no attribute of God is compromised, but He is glorified in all His attributes. He is glorified in Christ’s resurrection, and now are seen His love, His righteousness, His holiness, His power.
Man achieves the greatest glory chiefly by destruction. Men are much more dazzled by the victories of one who has effected destruction by war than by one who rules well in times of peace. The glory of God is very different from this. His glory is complete triumph over the power of evil, and this is set forth in resurrection. Death — the great enemy — is annulled in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the ground of resurrection God has a free hand, if I might so speak, to act in grace towards man without reference to evil, sin, the flesh, etc. He forgives freely, He can justify, redeem, and give the Holy Spirit. God can act towards man on that platform apart from all that is in man. Man is justified by the faith of God.
Why has God thus approached man? Because He is accomplishing all for Himself. God is to be all in all, and He is working for His own glory. He has [p. 318] approached man on resurrection ground to accomplish what is according to His will. Everything that reaches this platform is devoted to God. God is the object.
In the process or course of God’s dealings with the soul, I do not think that when man believes that he is really conscious of anything. No doubt consciousness will follow, but I doubt if it does so very quickly. I think it is some time before the believer becomes conscious of things, for this involves the new man being put on. Speaking humanly, I am as a man conscious of certain things, and consciousness is peculiarly individual. “No one knows the things of a man save the spirit of man that is in him”. That is to say, I am conscious of my things, and no one else is.
Now the same thing is true, I suppose, in regard to the new man, though there the consciousness is intimately connected with the Spirit of God. I am conscious of certain things in the new man, but that is a different thing from faith. It is by faith I am justified, but this is hardly consciousness.
And who has the consciousness of forgiveness of sins? The Christian who has put on the new man. I believe there are thousands of Christians who have faith, but who have hardly the consciousness of forgiveness, because it is known in the new man. Well, I see this, that God has approached man in the testimony of forgiveness of sins, and in the gift of the Holy Spirit, in order that the believer may be conscious of what is for God. For thus the work of the Holy Spirit goes on, forming the Christian in the divine nature and bringing him into liberty.
In Romans 8 we see the Holy Spirit leading the believer into the consciousness of what is for God. In Romans 5 we have had what is for man. But in Romans 8 the thought of sonship is brought in, and sonship is for God, and God has no higher thought in regard to any Christian. But there are many Christians who are not in the good of Romans 8, although they might [p. 319] be able to repeat the chapter word for word. But souls are often not in liberty, lacking the formative work of the Spirit.
Next I come to the truth of the Church. The Church is for God. Of whom is the Church composed? It is composed of all the sons of God. They have the Spirit of sonship, and compose the Church of the firstborn which are written in heaven. The Church is for God, although men may and will get the light of it; but if we look at it as the heavenly city we find that it is for God, for it has the glory of God, or if we look at it as the Church of the firstborn it is a worshipping company for God. It is in this respect like the sons of Aaron, who had the service of the sanctuary, and had no inheritance amongst the people. They were set apart for God.
The mind of God is first apprehended in detail by faith. We must begin with this before we get consciousness. The Holy Spirit does not stop at the first step, but brings us by faith on to the resurrection platform. But to reach that, I must be consciously free of that which has been removed for God. This is more than faith — it is deliverance.
First, we apprehend the calling to sonship; then we see that sons of God are priests because they are sons. We have this thought in Hebrews, where Christ is spoken of as priest because He is Son. So with us, for who could have full access to God save sons? None but those who know God’s love could fully enjoy access. It is sonship which enables us to be priests, and as such only are we priests.
The next point is deliverance. We must be consciously free of that from which God is free in His approach to man. The tenth and eleventh verses of our chapter mean that we are to be consciously free from what God has removed. This brings us to the resurrection platform, where we can take part in true priestly service.
[p. 320] There is another work which the Spirit does, in which lies the secret of deliverance, and that is, the forming of the believer in the divine nature. But in Colossians 2: 12 - 15 we just have, “Ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God”. This means that you enter into the light of God’s purposes set forth in Christ’s resurrection to put man in touch with heaven, outside of every order of man down here, philosophic, sentimental, or religious. We are entitled thus to be free from the power of the flesh, and although still in the world, to be free from its influences. That is the platform of resurrection, and when we reach that platform we are suited to be of the worshipping company.
Quickened together with Him is a further thought, and is the source of spiritual affections. It means that the love of God is effective in us. It is first shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and nothing can separate us from it — that is one side. But the other side is that we love God as having recognised the love of God and the obligation that flows from it. We love God and we love Christ, who has brought to us the light of love, and then we love the brethren. God is the supreme object of these spiritual affections.
But just to touch again on the three points that have been before us. We have, first, the apprehension of what is for God. It is here that we find the lack in souls in ability to distinguish between what is for God and what is for man. Second, the apprehension of the Church. The Holy Spirit leads us into the light of God’s pleasure that we are risen with Christ, thus in touch with heaven, and frees us from what is of the earth. Third, the Spirit forms believers in divine affections, so that they should be a company “holy and without blame before him in love”.
Perhaps you say you cannot understand much about it. Well, I only suggest these things to you. The apostle says, “Set your mind on things above”. If [p. 321] you are free from all that closes in death, then set your mind on things which are above. The energy of the Spirit is needed for this.
Christians are often greatly occupied about the earth and the things which are to happen there, and make a special study of prophecy in that way; but they never get the truth in this way. But set your mind on things in heaven, and then you will know all about the earth. It is what takes place in heaven that affects the earth. When the Church goes to heaven and Satan is cast out of heaven, that means a great deal for the earth. But I only say this by the way. Set your minds on things above, on that scene of unclouded bliss where Christ is.
People fail of the reality of Christianity, not of being Christians; but God does not get His portion in them. The priests were God’s portion. May God give us discernment. If you apprehend what is for God, then you will get the consciousness of what is for man; and it is in the putting on of the new man that we get the consciousness of everything.