(Kersten, Heidelberg Catechism, Vol.1. part 13)
The Significance of the Name Christ for The Mediator and for His
Elect
Lord's Day 12
Psalter No. 194 St. 3, 4
Read Psalm 45
Psalter No. 124 St. 6, 7
Psalter No. 401 St. 3, 4
Psalter No. 421 St. 5
Beloved!
Since man was created in the image and likeness of God in
knowledge, righteousness and holiness, he was a prophet, priest and
king. As a prophet he knew God, his Creator, as a priest he served
Him, offering himself in perfect love, and as king he had dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over
every creeping thing on the earth. Thus his creation after God's
image shone forth to the glory of God.
In his fall man's nature changed entirely. He became a debtor to
the justice of God, that sentenced him to death. Moreover, his
nature was so corrupted that his understanding is darkened and he no
longer knows his Maker and Creator, so that instead of offering
himself to God, he serves sin with both soul and body, and the king
of the world has become a slave of the devil. God the Father does in
His providential reign prevent him from living as he wishes, so that
God shall endure the world until the last elect shall be gathered
in; but this long suffering and reign of God does not change man's
corrupt state. Bound with chains of darkness, sin and Satan, he runs
to his eternal perdition. The consciousness of the existence of God,
nor what Rom. 2:14 and 15 calls the work of the law written in their
hearts, nor the small remnants of his dominion to which the world
once was subject, cannot enable him to climb up, no matter how hard
he tries, to the glorious and perfect state in which God had created
him. On the contrary, he moves farther and farther away from it.
Whether living in open sin or seeking life in self-righteousness, he
is with soul and body a servant of sin and of the devil. He will do
the lusts of his father, the devil. Not by improvement, but only by
regenerating grace fallen man can be delivered from the state of his
deep misery. The world does reach for a lost paradise, but by the
destructions that the development of its power brings and will bring
about, it gives abundant proof that not fallen man, but only God can
deliver us from the slavery of sin, and restore us into fellowship
with Him.
How clearly Scripture speaks of this, not only when the Lord
Jesus testifies: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God", but also when the
apostle calls God's people a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
peculiar people, that (as prophet) would show forth the praises of
Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light,
hence a people that shall be prophet and priest and king.
It is only in true fellowship of faith with Him Who was anointed
with the Holy Spirit without measure, of Whom David sang in Psalm
45: "Therefore, God, Thy God, has anointed Thee with the oil of
gladness above Thy fellows." He is the Mediator, whose name is
Christ, that is anointed. Why He bears that name, and why His
followers are called Christians is explained by the twelfth Lord's
Day of our Heidelberg Catechism.
Lord's Day 12
Q. 31: Why is He called Christ, that is Anointed?
A. Because He is ordained of God the Father, and anointed with the
Holy Ghost to be our chief Prophet and Teacher, who has fully
revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning
our redemption; and to be our only High Priest, who by the one
sacrifice of his body, has redeemed us, and makes continual
intercession with the Father for us; and also to be our eternal
King, who governs us by His word and Spirit, and who defends
and preserves us in (the enjoyment of) that salvation, He has
purchased for us.
Q. 32: But why art thou called a Christian?
A. Because I am a member of Christ by faith, and thus am partaker of
His anointing; that so I may confess His name, and present
myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to Him; and also that
with a free and good conscience I may fight against sin and
Satan in this life; and afterwards reign with Him eternally
over all creatures.
This Lord's Day therefore teaches us the significance of the
name Christ, both for the Mediator and for His elect.
Let us then hear:
I. How that name speaks of the ordination and qualification of
the Mediator;
II. Of which offices the Name testifies; and
III. Why His people are called after that name.
As we have already mentioned while speaking of the Mediator's
personal name, the name Christ is His official name. That is the
difference between the two names: Jesus and Christ. The first is His
personal name which He received by means of the angel, and which
teaches us who He is; while Christ is His official name which
teaches us what He is, prophet, priest and king, as the catechism
declares in the first question of this Lord's Day.
The name Christ, which in Hebrew is Messiah means Anointed. In
olden times when a chosen one was called to an important office, he
was anointed. Thus Scripture mentions anointing to prophet, to
priest and to king. At God's command Elijah had to anoint Elisha,
the son of Shaphat, to be prophet in his place. The prophets are
called God's anointed in Psalm 105: "Touch not mine anointed, and do
my prophets no harm." The anointing of priests is described in much
detail in the books of Moses, and Moses was commanded thus, "And
thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they
may minister unto me in the priest's office." Scripture also speaks
often of the anointing of kings.
Anointing was a symbolic act that signified both the ordination
and the qualification for the office. To make this plain we shall
speak of the anointing of David. After the Lord had rejected from
the kingship, Saul, who was anointed with oil from a breakable vial,
Samuel was commanded "Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send
thee to Jesse, the Bethlehemite; for I have provided Me a king among
his sons." Who of Jesse's sons had been ordained of the Lord was
still hidden for Samuel, and when the man of God looked on the
stature and height of Eliab, he thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed
is before Him"; but the divine answer was: "I have refused him." As
Abinadab passed before Samuel, it was, "Neither has the Lord chosen
this." Samuel said the same of Shammah and of all the seven sons
which Jesse brought to Samuel. Then, at last, David was called from
behind the sheep, and of him the Lord said, "Anoint him, for this is
he." Samuel therefore had to look away from all that pleases the
eye, and anoint the chosen of the Lord. The anointing expressed that
God had ordained David to be king in Saul's place. It was the same
with the anointing of all kings. The anointing of priests and kings
had the same signification. It showed that God had ordained them to
their office.
Anointing had so great a signification that David said, when
Saul had been given in his hands at Engedi, "The Lord forbid that I
should stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the
anointed of the Lord."
But there is more.
Truly David, to confine our remarks to him, was a hero who had
slain a lion and a bear. However brave he might be, and however much
his soul might rejoice and strengthen himself in God, in order to be
king of the people of God, that were hated by all the heathens who
continually made war with them, his hands had to be taught to war.
David had to be qualified. In his anointing he was given a pledge of
that qualification. In full measure the holy anointing oil was
poured upon him, the whole contents of the horn was emptied over
him. Here, too, it was as in Ps. 133, "The ointment that ran down
upon the beard; that went down to the skirts of his garments."
As then the ointment was poured out in a generous amount, so the
Holy Spirit would rest upon the anointed one to qualify him for the
office to which he was ordained.
Thus anointing signified ordination and qualification, and was a
type of the anointing of the Son of God as Prophet, Priest and King.
This anointing was done in eternity, not in time. When Mary poured
the ointment upon Him, she was not anointing Him for an office.
"Against the day of my burial has she kept this." He never was
anointed with oil. That was impossible.
The anointing of officers in the Old Dispensation was but a
shadow of the anointing of Christ in eternity. What happened here on
earth was but a limited action. However generously the Holy Spirit
was given to the person, and however much grace he received, the
Spirit was received with measure. The full horn or vial was soon
emptied, and as the overflowing stopped, so the dispensation of the
Holy Spirit was also limited. But Christ received the Spirit without
measure. He could say, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me;
because the Lord has anointed me." Of that complete, unlimited,
eternal anointing, David sings in Psalm 45: "Therefore God, Thy God,
has anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." And
Peter testifies in Acts 10: "Ye know how God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Ghost." This anointing of the Lord includes
His being ordained, and also qualified. The ordination is from
eternity, the qualification took place in the fullness of time.
Before the foundation of the world the Son of God was chosen by
the Father to the threefold office, and in the Council of Peace, God
the Son engaged His heart to approach to the Lord for His elect.
No one in heaven or on earth could help man who in God's decrees
had already fallen. Then in God's unfathomable love the only
begotten of the Father, Whose delights were with the sons of men,
was ordained so that He as the Head of a better covenant, would lead
His people on to salvation, enlightening their foolish mind, atoning
for their sins, and breaking their bands. To be able to do that He
must in time be qualified. Was He then not qualified? No. To be able
to save His people He must be God, but also man, as the 6th Lord's
Day taught us. He was and remained eternal God. Yet He had to become
man. A body had to be prepared for Him. In accepting our human
nature, He was being qualified as our Mediator. Thus He was ordained
in eternity, and qualified in time. Thus the angels could announce
to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem, "For unto you is born
this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."
Furthermore, the qualification applies to the human nature.
There can be no qualification in the divine nature, for
qualification means adding gifts, and nothing can be added to His
divinity. He is very God, one in essence with the Father and the
Holy Spirit. What gift or glory could be given to the divine nature?
How could we speak of the Godhead of the Mediator partaking of the
Holy Spirit, since the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as
from the Father? The anointing in as far as it means qualification,
communicating abilities can only refer to the human nature of
Christ. It includes the complete preparation of the human nature, so
that the secret counsel of God regarding our salvation may be
revealed. The Apostle refers to this in I Tim. 3:16: "And without
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in
the flesh." This qualifying strengthened Christ to bring the
sacrifice necessary for our reconciliation, and to fight the battle
for the eternal victory. Of that qualification of His human nature
we also read in Luke 2:40, "And the child grew, and waxed strong in
spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him."
In the baptism of the Lord, God openly demonstrated His
anointing. Jesus descended into the water and when He was risen, the
Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the shape of a dove and remained
upon Him.
Thus Christ is the servant of the Father to complete the great
work of salvation, entrusted to Him, to save the elect without
violating any of God's attributes. God's only begotten Son was
chosen for that purpose and qualified thereto by the Holy Spirit.
"No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of
God."
Thus in the name of Christ we see the great love of the Father,
Who gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in Him
shall not perish but have everlasting life. Oh, He is precious to
you who believe. His name is as an oil poured forth, and reveals to
you not only the Mediator who became man, but also the eternal
counsel of God in which the Son was ordained, and the church was
entrusted to Him. Truly the salvation of God's people lies immovably
firm, above all the attacks of all enemies that so distress God's
people, and it is placed in the hands of Him Whose work cannot fail.
He is the Christ, the ordained and qualified Mediator. Should we not
exclaim with Peter: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God"?
The meaning of the name Christ becomes even richer as the
instructor unfolds for us, in the second place
II
of which offices of the Mediator this name speaks.
The anointing of Christ refers to the three offices of Prophet,
Priest and King.
In the 3rd Lord's Day the Catechism teaches us that God created
man after His own image. In order that the fallen but elect sinner
shall have again the glory that He shall never lose, the Son of God
out of eternal love, became an office-bearer, and caused himself to
be anointed by the Father with the Holy Spirit as Prophet, Priest
and King. The prophets, priests and kings in Israel were but shadows
of Him, and had no significance apart from Him. He is our chief
Prophet, our only High Priest, and our eternal King. That is evident
from the fact that He bears all three offices. None other was able
to do so, no one could even foreshadow Him in that. We read of
Melchizedek that he was a priest and a king, and David was a royal
prophet, but who bore all three offices at once? Who had such a
fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as was necessary to fulfill
those three offices? God's people had to look away from God's given
servants to place their only hope upon the One anointed by the
Father to be Prophet, Priest and King. He was anointed to be
Prophet, our chief Prophet and Teacher, Who has fully revealed to us
the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption.
That counsel and will is from eternity. It is the counsel of God
concerning the salvation of sinners; concerning the persons and the
way by which they shall be saved. That counsel is kept entirely
hidden from us. The cherubim stared upon the mercy seat that was
above the Ark of the Covenant, as if they would say that it was a
mystery above their understanding that the law could be silenced for
a condemnable people. How much more is this mystery above the
understanding of man's sin-darkened mind. "No man knoweth the Son,
but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son,
and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him." That way ordained by
the counsel of God, Christ, the highest Prophet has revealed
completely. He spoke through the prophets who testified of that
redemption. He could say, "I have manifested Thy Name unto the men
which Thou gavest Me out of the world."
He sent His apostles who were guided by the Spirit into all
truth to declare that eternal counsel and to write in the infallible
Word of God all that must be revealed of that counsel for the
salvation of man. He is the Prophet of Whom Moses spoke in Deut.
18:18: "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren,
like unto thee; unto Him ye shall hearken." He is the highest
Prophet to Whom all prophets were subject, the only One who can only
reveal the counsel of God to us and He Himself testifies, "All
things I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." He has
done so from the beginning and will do so to the end. After His
ascension He teaches by His Spirit and by means of the ministers He
has sent. Oh what blessed teachings He gives His people! Never would
man know of God's eternal counsel if Christ did not teach him.
Neither our bringing up, nor our great knowledge of the Bible, nor
our clear conception of the doctrine of salvation can reveal to us
the secret of God's eternal good pleasure. The way of salvation is
and remains a mystery for us. Yea, even after having received grace,
it is only the continuous teaching of Christ that takes away the
covering from the eyes. Never would a soul oppressed by grief and
guilt flee to Jesus, but would rather turn away from Him, if He,
that great Teacher of righteousness had not revealed the way of
salvation to him. Even those led farthest in grace must cry out, "We
see through a mirror darkly." Of the lessons of this Teacher we must
sing,
"Sweeter are Thy words to me
Than all other good can be."
This chief Prophet is also our only High Priest, "Who by the one
sacrifice of His body, has redeemed us, and makes continual
intercession with the Father for us."
He was also promised as Priest: Thou art a Priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4). He was a very different Priest
than Aaron and his sons were. In Israel only a man from Aaron's
family could be priest. Melchizedek was not a priest because of his
family ties; neither on his father's, nor on his mother's side were
there any priests known. Paul therefore refers to his office when he
states that this Melchizedek was without father, without mother, and
without descent. This statement cannot, of course, refer to
Melchizedek as a man. Paul intends to tell us that Melchizedek was a
priest only by the sovereign pleasure of God that knows no beginning
or ending, an only and eternal priest, and as such a type of the
only Priest, Christ.
It is evident that our Lord sprang out of Jude, out of the royal
tribe, out of which according to Aaron's dispensation no priest
could ever come. Therefore, according to that order, Christ could
not be a priest. Yet He is a priest of a much better order according
to the order of Melchizedek. He is an only and eternal Priest, and
as such He excels above all priests. He brought the sacrifice that
alone could satisfy the Father and that all the priests of the old
Covenant could not bring. He needed not to offer sacrifice for
Himself, for He had no sin; but He offered Himself for His people,
so by that satisfaction they would be acquitted from the judgment of
eternal death. He bore their punishment for them. He rendered
perfect obedience. Thus by one offering, which needs never to be
repeated, He has perfected forever them that are sanctified and has
delivered His people from eternal condemnation and out of their
wretched misery.
The all-sufficiency of that one sacrifice is forever apparent,
also from the intercession with which Christ intercedes before His
Father. In that intercession Christ continually shows His Father the
sacrifice once offered, so that the guilt of His people shall never
come before the judgment seat of God. What a High Priest! No, there
is none other, nor is another necessary. Here is satisfaction for
guilty souls. Not a penny will they ever be able to pay; on the
contrary, they daily increase their debt; but in the sacrifice once
offered is perfect satisfaction, a payment acceptable to God. By
imputation and by the believing acceptance thereof God's children
find peace with God and a free access to the Father. "Who is he that
condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again,
Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also maketh intercession
for us." This High Priest makes His people free forever.
Moreover, this Priest gives so much comfort in all the
circumstances of the lives of His people. "We have not a high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was
in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
Hence God's children can come to Him with any trouble, for He
understands their complaint and knows their sorrow, and fathoms
their grief. When they may tell Him their sorrow, He pours the balm
of comfort into the wounds of their soul, lightens their grief and
shall fill their heart and mouth with joy in the everlasting
atonement for their sins, which all is granted to them
notwithstanding all their iniquities. Oh, that God's people would
make more use by faith of that high priestly office.
"Exalted by Thy might from depths of desolation
They praise fore'er Thy Name, thy justice and salvation."
The glory of the Anointed of the Father now shows forth
especially in His kingly office. He is anointed "to be our eternal
King, Who governs us by His word and Spirit, and Who defends and
preserves us (in the enjoyment of) that salvation He has purchased
for us."
Of that kingly office Christ Himself often spoke here on earth.
To Pilate's question, "Art Thou a King then?" He replied, "Thou
sayest that I am a King. To this end was I born, and for this cause
came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth."
To His disciples He declared: "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My
Father appointed unto Me." Yea, He spoke of His glory, "The Son of
Man shall sit upon the throne of His glory." (Matthew 19:28) Set as
King upon the holy hill of Zion, He was typified in the theocratic
kingship especially of David and Solomon, and He sits upon His
throne forever. He vanquished all the power of hell. He crushed the
head of Satan, arose a victor over the grave and ascended to heaven
full of glory, where He gathers His church and rules, defends and
preserves it.
To that end all power is given Him in heaven and on earth, and
no man and nothing can resist Him in the execution of His office for
the eternal salvation of His people.
In the time of love He forcibly takes the chosen sinner out of
the palace of the strong man armed, and brings him into His kingdom.
Not one shall bow before Him except by this King Himself, Who
overcomes all opposition; but then it is a most willing surrender.
Christ establishes His kingdom in the soul of His elect and His Word
attains dominion by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus He urges
heart and mind to do His will and to walk in the midst of the paths
of justice. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, He shall
protect and save His Church. He will not give the soul of his turtle
dove unto the multitude of the wicked and forgets not the
congregation of the poor forever. Were that not so, the church would
have been consumed long ago, for the triple-headed enemy does not
cease attacking. However hard satan, the world and sin may rage,
they shall not prevail; for the Lord is a wall of fire round about
His people to whom He has spoken, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome
the world."
This Prophet, Priest and King not only administers His offices
for His people, but He also makes them to be prophets, priests and
kings. Because His own partake of His anointing, they are called
Christians. Thus the instructor teaches us in answer to the
question, "But why art thou called a Christian?" Let us finally
consider this question.
III
Why His people are called by that name.
The instructor asks a personal question here, you must answer
for yourself. What kind of answer shall many give who bear the name
of Christians? Alas, of many we must fear that they have the name of
Christian, but have never become a Christian. "Thou hast a name that
thou livest, and art dead." Consider now only the protestants, and
ask how many bear the name of Christian unworthily and show
themselves enemies of the cross of Christ. They revile His name and
deny His office. But no, ask yourself why you are called a
Christian, and then compare your answer with that of the instructor:
"Because I am a member of Christ by faith, and thus am partaker of
His anointing." A true Christian therefore is a member of Christ.
Formerly the name disciple was used, or men called each other
brothers. But at Antioch Christ's followers were first called
Christians (Acts 11:29).
Probably it was first given to them by the heathens. These
people spoke, walked and lived as Christ had spoken, walked and
lived; they showed that they were His followers; they were
Christians. This nickname given them derisively they took as an
honorary title, given them in the providence of God. Since then
those who believe in Christ are known by that name. Therefore,
Agrippa said to Paul, "Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian."
And Peter wrote, "If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf."
A true Christian is a living member of Christ. To be a Christian
we must be born again. Who gives that a thought when mentioning that
name? Anyone who is not a heathen, Jew or Mohammedan is called a
Christian. Who else is a Christian, but he who escaped from the city
of Destruction, and persevering in flight came through the strait
gate upon the narrow way to the heavenly Zion. God the Holy Spirit
called them from death to life, ingrafted them in Christ and granted
them true faith by which they exercise living communion with Christ,
so that in Him they bear fruit. Christ lives in the Christian, and
the Christian in Christ. Therefore they are named after Him. They
partake of His anointing.
They are also prophets and priests and kings, because He is the
Prophet, the Priest and the King, and He anointed them with the
Spirit He had received.
Nobody can or may name himself after Jesus.
Jesus is the personal name of the Mediator. He alone is the
Savior and nobody, nobody can ever have any part in the work of
salvation. It is a gross sin of the Jesuits that they appropriated
the name of Jesus to themselves; they take the salvation of sinners
out of His hands to their own eternal destruction. We may call
ourselves after Christ, after His official name, because the Lord
makes His people to partake of His anointing.
And thus they become prophets who confess His Name, priests who
present themselves a living sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him, and
kings who with a free and good conscience fight against sin and
Satan in this life, and afterwards reign eternally with Him over all
creatures.
"By faith I am partaker of His anointing so that I may confess
His name." Confessing includes knowing. As prophets they know the
name of the Lord. "For they shall all know Me, from the least of
them to the greatest of them," saith the Lord. They are taught by
the chief Teacher, and in no college, however much learning can be
obtained there, can anything of the knowledge of God in Christ be
learned. A believer, however much despised by the world and called a
fool, has a higher education than the wise man before whom the world
bows down, but who in haughty pride rejects the Word of God. "The
secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." They alone shall
know, and shall follow on to know the Lord.
Those that know the Lord shall also confess His name, as the
poet does, "O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name; make
known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto
Him; talk ye of all His wondrous works." The Lord also admonishes,
"Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also
before My Father which is in heaven, but whosoever shall deny Me
before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in
heaven." Grace is indeed necessary to fulfill this prophetical
office. Peter denied his Master because of a maid, and many times we
cannot bear to see a sour face for the sake of Christ. We often keep
silence when we should speak, and speak when we should keep silence.
Also among God's children there is so much timidity and fear of each
other. Oh, then to speak when the enemy within says that it is not
true, that God's people will notice it, that it is better to say
nothing, or when our proud self stirs us up and we fear that we do
not speak solely to the honour of our God.
Conquering grace is necessary to give us liberty and to deliver
us from fear of man. Then it seems that the Lord gives His approval
upon the talking of His deeds. To that prophetical office belongs
also a close walk, so that we testify with our actions, which often
speak louder than words. Then, as you readily feel, there must be
something of that priestly sacrificing. Also in the members of
Christ the offices are not to be separated. The prophet is also a
priest who presents himself "a living sacrifice of thankfulness to
God." Now we offer ourselves a living sacrifice of thankfulness when
in true self-denial we honour Him by the grace He gave us, that we
do not seek our own honour, but His honour alone and walk humbly
before Him. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and
a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Such a sacrifice,
however imperfect it remains in itself, is pleasing to the Lord,
since it is sanctified by the offering of Christ. They who fear the
Lord are also anointed to be kings. In the strength of Christ they
are conquerors of Satan, and sin, and the world. Powerless in
themselves they can do all things through Christ, Who gives them
strength, and with Whom they shall reign forever.
Let us now sing Psalter No. 401: st. 3, 4.
Application
What do you think, beloved, are you who bear the name of
Christian such a Christian? Are you a true Christian, a living
member of Christ? Alas, how many are content with having the name,
and do not worry about the fact! They have been baptized, they had a
good bringing up; perhaps they had converted parents; they never
lived a rough life, and they heard the word gladly. Now they live in
the supposition that all is well with them. There are so many that
were much worse, that disregarded their bringing up and turned to
the world. Yes, there are also such.
They show by their actions that they have a name that they live,
but yet are dead. How we should look on them with pity! May the Lord
prevail over them and open their blind eyes. Do not therefore draw
the conclusion that all is well with you who have never sinned so
grossly. If you are not born of God, you are no true Christian.
Search your soul in the presence of Him Who knows the hearts, see
your lamp shall be put out in eternal darkness, see Christ shall
say, "I have never known you." The almost Christian shall be cast
out forever.
A true Christian is taught by the highest Prophet. The lessons
he receives instill in him true knowledge of God and of self. You
may freely examine yourself whether or not you are a true Christian,
by asking whether you have learned to bemoan your sins before God
and accept the punishment of your iniquity; whether you flee from
sins because they are an affront to God, and your soul began to love
Him because He is perfect; whether you fled from the world in spite
of all opposition of strangers and acquaintances, and your natural
inclination to sin, and you have learned to abhor your own virtue
and righteousness before God, so that not only the gross wickedness,
but also your best works became sin. He who partakes of the
anointing of Christ loses all stays outside of Christ, and must
always go to that fountain of salvation to receive out of His
fulness instruction and cleansing and redemption. Oh, do not doubt
whether Christ shall perfect His work in you to His glory and your
salvation.
Do seek continually to increase in spiritual knowledge. Ask
yourself what advances you have made. What has the Holy Spirit
taught you this year or last year? Let the regression in self urge
you more and more to seek refuge and rest in Christ. His dominion be
over you and give you grace to die to all that is outside of Him,
that you may confess and glorify His Name and present yourself a
living sacrifice to Him. Must God's people not complain that they
live too much for themselves and seek too much their own honour?
That hinders them in their inner life, and weighs upon their
conscience. The King of Zion make them to walk as kings and to tread
upon the mire of the earth. They need have no fear; neither devil,
nor world, nor sin shall prevail over them. The apparent victories
of the world are really its losses and bring the church nearer to
its glory. With an eye upon Him in Whom we are more than conquerors
we may be encouraged to sing, "I shall not die, but live before
Him."
After a little the journey through Mesech will be ended, and you
shall reign with Christ over all creatures. Oh, what an eternal
triumph is prepared for God's people! May Christ administer His
offices in us more and more, and cause us to walk by His power as
prophets, priests and kings. Amen.
(continued in part 14...)
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