Our fellowship with God He is the resurrection not only of peace, but of fellowship and communion between God and man. When man sinned, you know he was banished by God. He was turned out of paradise, and the cherubims were set to guard the way to “the tree of life.” There was no access for man to God, and God would have no correspondence with him—what correspondence can there be between heaven and hell, guiltiness and righteousness? Well, Christ recovers this, for He Himself is the way to it: for He tells us: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me” (Joh 14:6). And, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (Joh 10:9); that is to say, they shall have free access to God, and his soul shall be filled with the fatness of God’s house of mercy. Reader, there are a good many of you designing for a communion-table; see that you go in by the right door. It is easy to get man’s door, to get a token from men; but, depend upon it, you will infallibly eat and drink damnation to your own souls if you do not enter by the door of Christ Jesus. It is impossible that we can take up the human nature, as the medium of communication to the divine nature, unless we see light in the Lord’s light (Psa 36:9). However, it is in this way that we come to have communion and fellowship with God. He is the resurrection of our fellowship and communion with God: “Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1Pe 3:18). Christ is God’s way to us and our way to God.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Muckle Kate Not a very ordinary name! But then, Muckle Kate, or Big Kate, or Kate-Mhor, or Kate of Lochcarron was not a very ordinary woman! The actual day of her salvation is difficult to trace to its sunrising, but being such a glorious day as it was, we simply wish to relate something of what shone forth in the redeemed life of that "ill-looking woman without any beauty in the sight of God or man." Muckle Kate was born and lived in Lochcarron in the county of Ross-shire. By the time she had lived her life to its eighty-fifth year she had well-earned the reputation of having committed every known sin against the Law of God with the exception murder. Speaking after the manner of men, if it took "Grace Abounding" to save a hardened sinner like John Bunyan, it was going to take "Grace Much More Abounding" to save Muckle Kate. However, Grace is Sovereign and cannot be thwarted when God sends it on the errand of salvation, and even the method used in bri
Read more
  Severance from Christ is death   to the Church. A Christless Church is a headless trunk. We may retain the doctrine and ethic of the New Testament, but, nevertheless, amputation of the Head means death. Even a partial severance of connection involves paraylsis - loss of spiritual power and loss of spiritual feeling. II.  INTERNALLY, THE CHURCH IS THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST. It is filled with Christ. He is not only the Head above it; he is the life within it. He does not only teach, bless, command, and lead from without; he inspires his people and lives in his Church. Christ fills " all  in all;"  i.e.  the Spirit that was in Jesus of Nazareth is in the whole universe, inspiring all creation and all providence with wisdom and goodness, purity and grace. The same Spirit is in the Church. As yet, unhappily, the Church is not filled with Christ. Though Christ is received into the heart of Christians, every door within is not yet flung open to the gracious Guest. But in the perfect
Read more

Lo, I am with you always

Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20) SUCH were “the words of Jesus” when He was just about to ascend to Heaven. The mediatorial throne was in view – the harps of glory were sounding in His ears; but all His thoughts are on the pilgrim Church He is to leave behind. His last words and benedictions are for them. “I go,” He seems to say, “to Heaven, to my purchased crown – to the fellowship of angels – to the presence of my Father; but nevertheless, ‘Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’” How faithfully did the apostles, to whom this promise was first addressed, experience its reality! Hear the testimony of the beloved disciple who had once leaned on his Divine Master’s bosom – who “had heard, and seen, and looked upon Him.” That glorified bosom was now hid from his sight but does he speak of an absent Lord, and of His fellowship only as among the holy memories of the past? No! With rejoicing emphasis he can exclaim – “Truly o
Read more