My Lord
My Lord
My Lord. - PHILIPPIANS 3:8
HERE the apostle asserts his interest in Christ, calling him his Lord; not only as Christ had an interest in him and lordship over him, but in so far as he had an interest in Christ. "My beloved is mine, and I am his."
DOCTRINE. Saints may, and ought to plead an interest in Christ as their Lord. The Lord's people sometimes fall into the hands of strange lords, who are hard lords to them. But in the worst of times a child of God may tell a fivefold tale of Christ, which their graceless enemies cannot. Every saint may say of Christ,
1. He is my Lord God. For as low as his work and cause are, the believer's Lord is God, and his God, John 20:28. "The fulness of the Godhead dwells in him." "He is God manifested in the flesh." Now an interest in God as our God, is an interest above expression. His infinite wisdom is theirs to direct, his power to protect them. "Happy is that people that is in such a case; yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord." Why then should they be afraid of men, however severe masters they be?
2. My Lord, proprietor, master and owner. We and all ours are the Lord's, therefore he may dispose of us as he will, and we are to submit. In the day of the soul's closing with Christ, we gave up ourselves and all our's to the Lord, and so must we say, "we are thy servant's, O Lord! truly we are thy servants." But of others, Satan is their lord and proprietor.
3. My Redeemer. "He gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity." When our lives were forefeited to the justice of God, he came and bought them with his precious blood. And shall any thing be too dear to us to lose for him.
4. My Lord and husband. He sought the believer in spiritual marriage, who has consented to him, and so he is their husband. A noble relation! "For thy maker is thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name." And therefore it is below a child of God to prostitute himself, his soul and conscience, to the lusts of men, or pollute them to please the greatest on earth.
Lastly, My Lord and King. He has subdued them to himself. They have accepted him as their King and Lawgiver. His throne is in their hearts, and his laws are there; and therefore they can do nothing contrary to their allegiance to him, command it who will, under the most severe penalties. And in the strict observation of his laws, they may expect such protection and provision from him who is the King of kings, as he sees good for them.
The saints may plead this relation to him and interest in him, for they really have it. Though their real state be capable of degrees, and one is more holy than another, yet this honour have all the saints, and that equally. He is as much the Lord, God, Husband, and King of the meanest soever, as of the strongest. And they ought to plead it.
1. It is very pleasing to God, Jer. 3:4. God loves to have his children know their relation to him, and therefore are the Scriptures written and the Spirit given, that we may know the things freely given us of God. We need not blame any but ourselves, if we walk in darkness. It is the weakness of our eyes that keeps us from seeing our privileges, and it robs God of the sacrifice of praise.
2. It is very comfortable and strengthening to the saints themselves, 2 Pet. 1:10. This would not only heighten our comforts in the worst of times, but heighten our graces, our love, repentance, obedience, our trust in him, and dependence upon him.
USE I. O! the happy state of the saints, beyond all the world. Christ is theirs. Mine is a sweet word, especially when it is joined to the most glorious object. Nebuchadnezzar could say, my kingdom, my majesty; but my Lord and my God, is a note of an infinitely higher strain. This is a property that is above all other, that may comfort in the want of all, and will supply all other wants, and is a property which none can take from us.
2. Let the saints improve their faith to this degree of assurance, that they may confidently, though humbly, call Christ their Lord. But of this before. It is the weakness of the saints, that they dare not say, My Lord. It is no presumption in a gracious soul to say so, who has taken Christ for his Lord. Thou mayest say it.
1. If Christ be Lord of thy heart, having the chief room in thy affections, Psal. 73:25, hast thou seen a glory in him, that has darkened all created excellency, so that he reigns in thy affections, and thy heart is his captive, so that he is dearer to thee than what is dearest in the world?—call him then thy Lord, for he is Lord of thy heart.
2. If he be Lord of thy life, so that thou endeavourest continually to live to him and not to thyself, not to thy lusts, Phil. 1:21. The great design thou hast in the world is to please him, and to walk before him to all well pleasing, in heart, lip and life; and what is displeasing to him, is displeasing and a burden to thee also. Call him then thy Lord.
3. If he be Lord of thy all, so that thou art content to part with all that is dear to thee rather than with him, his favour, his truths, his work, and cause, Luke 14:26. If thou hast laid down thy all at his feet, to be disposed of what way he will, call him then Lord.
Lastly, Let the people of God follow their duty to Christ as their Lord, in spite of all opposition from the world. If the commands of men go cross to the commands of Christ, though they were the highest powers on earth, let us remember we are to obey our Lord God rather than men; and let us never do a thing to please our lords on earth, that will displease our Lord from heaven. This day, alas! is a day in which the commands of our rulers on the ministry of this Church cannot be obeyed in the judgment of many worthy ministers, without disobeying our great Lord and Master; though others are not of that mind. This threatens to rend this Church asunder, to separate ministers from their flocks, and to shut up many kirk doors, and yours among the rest. Prepare for snares, and cleave to the Lord whatever come. If God baffle not the designs of our enemies, they will not rest here, but having begun at the sanctuary, there will be a proceeding to the city; and though ministers may smart first, professors will not want their share. But cleave ye to the Lord, to the purity of doctrine, worship, discipline and government instituted by himself; and though the laws of men should overturn all these, choose you rather to sit by the house of God, though lying in rubbish, than to embrace that in religion which has no stamp but that of human authority, for he is our Lord, and his orders we must obey on all hazards.