CHAPTER V.—Other consequential affections
take delight in his honor, glory, and presence with them. For his sake, they find delight in his servants (though despised by the world) as the most excellent in the world, and in his ordinances, which are considered the wisdom of God even though they may appear foolish to the world.
CHAPTER V
Other consequential affections:—1. On the part of Christ—He values his saints—Evidences of that valuation:—(1.) His incarnation; (2.)
Exinanition, 2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:6, 7; (3.) Obedience as a servant; (4.) In his death. His valuation of them in comparison of others. 2.
Believers' estimation of Christ:—(1.) They value him above all other things and persons; (2.) Above their own lives; (3.) All spiritual excellencies. The sum of all on the part of Christ—The sum on the part of believers. The third conjugal affection—On the part of Christ, pity or compassion—Wherein manifested—Suffering and supply, fruits of compassion—Several ways whereby Christ relieves the saints under temptations—His compassion in their afflictions. Chastity, the third conjugal affection in the saints. The fourth—On the part of Christ, bounty; on the part of the saints, duty.
II. Christ values his saints, he values believers, which is the second aspect of the conjugal affection he has towards them since he has entered into the relationship we are discussing. I won't need to dwell on this for long; there are countless evidences of it in heaven and on earth. A few considerations will support this assertion. Consider
them in two ways: 1. Absolutely; 2. In comparison to others, and you will see the high value he places on them.
1. Everything that Christ has done or does, everything he has undergone or suffered as a mediator, was for their sake. These things were so great and difficult that had he not esteemed believers above all else, he would never have undertaken them.
Let's look at a few examples:
(1.) He was "made flesh," manifested in the flesh, for their sake.
Hebrews 2:14 states, "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature." The apostle further emphasizes the extent of his valuation of them in verse 16:
"For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham." He did not hold angels in such high esteem. Whether you interpret "took part" (ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι) as properly "took" or "took hold of," as our translators did, and supply the word "nature" and refer it to Christ's incarnation, where he took on our nature and not that of angels, or whether you interpret it as "helped"
(ἀναλαμβάνεσθαι) and consider it as the result of Christ's incarnation, it doesn't matter for our current purpose. The fact that he preferred the offspring of Abraham over angels, valuing them more, is clearly expressed. And note that he came to help the offspring of Abraham, that is, believers. His esteem and valuation are reserved for them alone.
(2.) For their sake, he became "flesh" in such a way that there was an emptying, a self-humbling, an eclipse of his glory, and he became poor. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, "For you know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor." While being rich in eternal glory with his Father (John 17:5), he became poor for believers. The same person who was rich also
became poor. It is evident that the riches referred to here can only be those of the Deity, as they are opposed to the poverty he undertook as a man. This is also expressed more fully in Philippians 2:6-7:
"Though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." Several factors indicate that the "form of God" refers to the essence of the Deity. First, it denotes equality with God the Father. Nothing other than God can be equal to God. Not even Christ, in his role as mediator and in his greatest glory, can be equal to that which is infinite, except that which is also infinite. Second, the "form of God" is contrasted with the "form of a servant," which is referred to as the "likeness of men" in verse 8. "Taking the form of a servant" is explained in the following words: "being found in human form." This phrase is used to describe his incarnation in Romans 8:3. God sent him "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας). Thus, in taking on true flesh, he was in the "likeness of sinful flesh." In this act, he "humbled" and "emptied" himself, making himself of no reputation. By assuming flesh, there was a condescension, a debasement of the person of the Son of God, which was inevitable. If God humbled himself to "look down on the heavens and the earth"
(Psalm 113:6), then it was certainly an inconceivable condescension and abasement to not only behold but also unite himself with our nature. Although nothing could diminish the essential glory of the Deity, when that person appeared in the form of a man and the form of a servant, the glory of his manifestation was eclipsed. He appeared completely different from what he truly was and had been from eternity. Hence, he prays to his Father to "glorify him with the glory that I had with you before the world existed" (John 17:5) in terms of its manifestation. Therefore, although the divine nature was not debased, the person was.
(3.) For their sake, in taking on flesh, he humbled and emptied himself to become a servant, considered of no esteem or value in the eyes of the world, and a true and genuine servant to the Father. He humbled himself and became obedient for their sake. Everything he did and suffered in his life falls under this consideration, which can be categorized into three aspects: [1.] Fulfilling all righteousness. [2.]
Enduring all sorts of persecutions and hardships. [3.] Doing all kinds of good to humanity. For their sake, he assumed a life and a course of action directed toward these goals, as pointed out in Hebrews 5:7-8— a life of prayers, tears, fears, obedience, and suffering. He did all this with cheerfulness and delight, considering his task as his "food and drink," and always professing that the law of obedience was in his heart. He was willing to do God's will. The one who will severely avenge even the slightest opposition from others was willing to endure anything and everything for believers.
(4.) He didn't stop there. For their sake, he became obedient even to the point of death, death on a cross. As he states to his Father, "And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth" (John 17:19). In all that came before, his aim was to die. He was born and lived in order to die. He valued believers above his own life. If we were to consider for a moment what was involved in the death he underwent for them, we would realize the immense value he placed on them. In that death, there was the curse of the law, the wrath of God, and the loss of God's presence. It was a terrifying cup that he tasted and drank from so that believers would never have to taste it. A person would not willingly undergo what Christ endured for us in that one aspect of being forsaken by God, even if it were accompanied by no other distress from which a mere creature might possibly emerge. Christ himself tells us what we should think of this in John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." There can be no greater demonstration
or evidence of love than this. What more can anyone do? Yet he tells us elsewhere that there is another heightening and intensification of this love: "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). When he did this for us, we were sinners and enemies who deserved destruction. What more could be done than to die for us when we were still sinners? Such a death, in such a manner, accompanied by the worst that God had ever threatened sinners with, demonstrates the highest possible value that Christ himself placed on us.
To give up one's glory, riches, ease, life, and love from God, and to endure loss, shame, wrath, curse, and death for someone else, is evidence of a deep valuation. And we are informed that all of this was done for the sake of believers. Certainly, Christ held them in high esteem. Rather than allowing them to perish, to not be his and partake in his glory, he was willing to give up everything for their sake (Ephesians 5:25, 26).
It would be endless if I were to go through all the instances of Christ's valuation of believers in their deliverances, afflictions, and all conditions of sinning and suffering—what he has done, what he does in his intercession, what he delivers them from, what he procures for them. All of these reveal one thing—they are precious to him, his jewels, his diadem, his crown.
2. In comparison to others, the whole world means nothing to him.
They are his garden; the rest of the world is a wilderness. As it is written in Song of Solomon 4:12, "A garden enclosed is my sister, my bride; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed." Believers are his inheritance; the rest are his enemies and hold no value in his eyes. In Isaiah 43:3-4, it is said, "For I am the LORD your
God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your
ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life."
Christ deals with his church in this way, giving up all others for their sake, because he loves her. She is precious and honorable in his sight, and therefore he esteems her greatly. He governs all nations and their interests according to what is good for believers. In Amos 9:9, amidst the siftings of nations, God's eyes are on the house of Israel; not a single one of them will perish.
In heaven, angels are appointed to minister to believers (Hebrews 1:14). In the world, nations are either blessed or destroyed for their sake, preserved to test them or rejected for their cruelty towards them. They will receive their final judgment from Christ based on how they treated these despised ones. The pillars of the earth are upheld for their sake, and patience is exercised towards the perishing world. In short, even the least, weakest, and poorest believer on earth is valued by Christ more than the entire world. If our hearts were filled with thoughts of this, it would greatly console us.
In response to this, believers also value Jesus Christ. They esteem him above all the world and everything in it. As mentioned earlier, they find delight in him and continually declare in their hearts, like
David, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you" (Psalm 73:25). Neither heaven nor earth can offer them anything comparable to him, in whom they find their delight.
1. They value him above all other things and persons. One person said, "I would rather fall with Christ than reign with Caesar. The earth is beautiful, the heavens are beautiful, but Jesus is the most beautiful." Christ and a dungeon, Christ and a cross, are
infinitely sweeter to their souls than a crown or a scepter without him. This was true for Moses, who considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt
(Hebrews 11:26). The reproach of Christ is the worst consequence that the wickedness of the world or the malice of Satan can bring upon his followers. The treasures of Egypt were considered the greatest in the world at that time, yet Moses willingly cast away all of it, regarding them as loss and filth, for the sake of the cross of Christ. Truly, believers are willing to part with the world, even their lives, for him. Acts 20:24 says, "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God." It is known what Ignatius said as he was led to martyrdom: "Let anything come upon me, as long as I may obtain Jesus Christ." The stories of martyrs from the past and present, those who suffered in bearing witness to Christ under persecution, the disregard for life shown by women and children for his sake, and the contempt of torment while his name sweetened their suffering—all of these testify to the truth of this.
2. They value him above all spiritual excellences and righteousness. Philippians 3:7-8 says, "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." The apostle Paul recounts the spiritual excellences and privileges he enjoyed under Judaism, which made him highly regarded by his countrymen and set him apart as the only acceptable person to God. Yet, he considers all of it as loss and rubbish compared to knowing the Lord Jesus. He willingly gives up everything he had
worked for and abhors them all. When people have been strongly convinced of their duty and have labored for many years to keep a good conscience, praying, hearing, doing good, denying themselves, and being zealous for God's sake, they are reluctant to part with what they have achieved. How much more reluctant when it comes to things as excellent as their duty to God, blamelessness of conduct, hope of heaven, and the like! But when Christ appears to the soul, when his excellency is known, all these things lose their appeal, their beauty fades, and the soul not only willingly parts with them but considers them defiled.
The soul cries out, "In the Lord Jesus alone is my righteousness and glory." Among countless testimonies, Proverbs 3:13-15 confirms this truth: "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her." This passage speaks of Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, the eternal
Wisdom of the Father. He and his ways are better than silver, gold, rubies, and all desirable things. In the gospel, he compares himself to the "pearl in the Field," for which the merchant sells all he has to obtain. All worldly righteousness, all religious ways, are given up for that one pearl. The glory of his Deity, the excellence of his person, his all-conquering desirability, his incomprehensible love, his wonderful undertaking, his unspeakable condescension, his effectual mediation, his complete righteousness—all of these captivate believers' eyes, fill their hearts, and possess their souls. And this is the second mutual conjugal affection between Christ and believers. All of this, on the part of Christ, can be summed up in two points.
1. He gave up everything, did everything, suffered everything, and continues to do everything as a mediator because of his love for
and esteem of believers. He gave up the greatest glory, endured the greatest misery, and performs the greatest works ever known because he loves his spouse, because he values believers. What more can be said? How little do we truly grasp the depth of these words? How incapable are we of fully comprehending its mysterious depths? He loves and values his saints so much that having undertaken from eternity to bring them to God, he delights in the very thought of it. He pursues this purpose through heaven and hell, life and death, through suffering and action, with mercy and power, and he will not cease until he perfects it. For...
2. He values them so much that he will not lose any of them for eternity, even if the entire world conspires to take them from his hand. When he foresaw the opposition, dangers, and trials they would face, he cried out, "Holy Father, protect them" (John
17:11)—"Let none of them be lost." And he plainly tells us in John 10:28 that no one can snatch his sheep out of his hand.
And although he was then in the form of a servant, and it could be assumed that he might not be able to keep hold of them, he truthfully says that his "Father is greater than he" (John 10:29).
Therefore, he entrusted them to his Father, and no one can snatch them out of his Father's hand. And while the world, afflictions, and persecutions from the outside may be conquered, there is no guarantee that sin from within, aided by Satan, will not prevail and bring about their ruin. But he has provided against Satan by promising that the gates of hell will not prevail against them, and he has taken care to ensure that sin itself will not destroy them. This indeed reveals the depth of his love—that while his holy soul detests every sin, and his poor spouse is sinful (believers are full of sins, failures, and weaknesses), he covers it all, bears with it all, rather than lose them. He
preserves them by his power from sins for which no remedy is provided in the covenant of grace. Oh, how our dear Lord Jesus bears with an immense amount of sinful follies for this reason!
Are not our souls amazed by the thought of it? Infinite patience, forbearance, love, grace, and mercy are all put to work to fulfill his valuation of us.
On our part, this can be summed up in two points:
1. Upon discovering him in our souls, we rejoice in parting with everything we once delighted in or trusted, for his sake, so that we may enjoy him. Sin and lust, pleasure and profit, righteousness and duty—all must go if we are to have Christ.
2. We are willing to part with everything rather than parting with him once we do enjoy him. The thought of parting with peace, health, liberty, family, spouses, and children is distressing and burdensome to even the most devout saints. But their souls cannot bear the thought of parting with Jesus Christ; such a thought is as cruel as the grave. The worst fear they have, in times of fear and abandonment, is that they will be unable to enjoy Jesus Christ. As long as they can enjoy him here, be like him in the future, be ever in his presence, they can freely and cheerfully part with everything, no matter how beautiful or valuable, in this life or the next.
III. The third conjugal affection on the part of Christ is pity and compassion. Just as a man nourishes and cares for his own body, so does the Lord care for his church (Ephesians 5:29). Christ has a deep empathy with his saints in all their troubles, similar to the way a man feels for his own flesh. This aspect of Christ's conjugal love is directed towards the various trials and pressures of afflictions that his saints experience in this earthly life. He does not treat believers
as the Samaritans treated the Jews—fawning over them in prosperity but despising them in trouble. Instead, he is like a tender father who, even though he may love all his children equally, puts in the most effort and presence for the one who is sick and weak, even though that may make them more difficult to bear and seemingly unmanageable. Moreover, he goes beyond mere empathy and actually suffers with them, sharing in all their troubles.
Now, all the sufferings of the saints in this world, where their head and husband displays pity, tenderness, care, and compassion towards them, can be categorized into two types or related to two main areas: 1. Temptations, and 2. Afflictions.
1. Temptations (including sin, which is related to them) arise from, within, and through believers' own weaknesses, as well as from external adversaries. The disposition of Christ's heart and his behavior towards them in this condition is described in Hebrews
4:15: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." This verse strongly affirms that we do have a high priest who can and does experience and share in our struggles. The word "touched" falls short of expressing the original meaning; it is "to suffer together"
(συμπαθῆσαι). The apostle declares that we have a high priest who can and does suffer with us, enduring our weaknesses. He further clarifies how Christ suffers with us and has fellow-feeling for us in our infirmities and temptations in the next verse: "He was tempted in all points like as we are" (Hebrews 4:15). It is in relation to our infirmities, our temptations, and our spiritual weaknesses that he demonstrates compassionate sympathy and shared experience with us. Whatever our infirmities may be, to the extent that they are temptations, he suffers with us under them and shows compassion towards us. That is why on the last
day, he says, "I was hungry," etc. There are two ways of expressing fellow-feeling and suffering with another: (1)
Through friendly grieving (per benevolam condolentiam), and (2) Through gracious supply (per gratiosam opitulationem).
Both of these qualities are prominent in Christ:
(1) He grieves and labors with us. In Zechariah 1:12, the angel of the LORD speaks as one deeply affected by the state and condition of Jerusalem. He commands the entire world to take notice that what is done to them is done to him (Zechariah 2:8-9). Jerusalem is "the apple of his eye."
(2) He provides abundant support. Isaiah 40:11 says, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."
Here we have both tender compassion and assistance. The entire description of Christ in this passage reflects the utmost tenderness, compassion, and condescension that one can imagine. His people are portrayed as being plagued by many weaknesses. Some are like lambs, others are burdened with pregnancy, and others are very delicate. None of them are strong or comely. Yet, to all of them,
Christ is a shepherd who takes care of his own sheep, leading them to pleasant pastures. If he sees a weak lamb, he does not push it away but takes it into his bosom, providing relief and refreshment. He leads it gently and tenderly, just as Jacob led those that were burdened with young. This is what our caring and tender husband desires.
When it is mentioned that Christ is compassionate and suffers with us in Hebrews 4:15, it is added in verse 16 that he provides "grace to help in time of need" (χάριν εἰς αὔκαιρον βοήθειαν)—seasonable grace, grace that comes at the right moment to assist. This
demonstrates compassion, for offering timely help, like the Good Samaritan, is crucial. Lamenting our troubles or miseries without providing help serves no purpose. Christ, however, gives timely help
—εὔκαιρον βοήθειαν—seasonable help. Help is always excellent because it addresses a need, but when it comes at the right time, it is crowned with success. A pardon given to a criminal when they are about to be executed is sweet and welcome. That is the kind of assistance Christ provides. All his saints can rely on this as a certain rule in both their temptations and afflictions: when they are in need, they will not lack relief, and when they can bear no more, they will be provided for (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Hebrews 2:18 emphatically states, "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted."
It is true that there is something in all our temptations that goes beyond what Christ experienced in his temptation. There is something within us that sides with every temptation, and there is enough within us to tempt us, even if there is no external opposition.
However, instead of diminishing his compassion towards us, this actually increases it. If he will provide us with help because we are tempted, the more severe our temptations are, the more ready he will be to assist us. Here are some ways in which Christ provides timely help (εὔκαιρον βοήθειαν) in and under temptations to sin:
[1.] By keeping the soul, which is vulnerable to temptation and exposed to it, in a strong habitual opposition to the particular sin it is prone to. This was the case with Joseph. Christ knew that Joseph's great trial, the one that could have ruined him if he had been overcome, would come from the hand of his mistress tempting him to commit adultery. Therefore, he fortified Joseph's heart with a steadfast resistance against that sin, as evident from his immediate response without any deliberation (Genesis 39:9). While Joseph was
not as strong in other areas, as seen in his oath by the life of Pharaoh, in regard to that specific sin, he was fortified by habitual grace.
Christ is exceedingly kind and tender to his saints in this regard. In the course of their lives, due to the company they keep, the society they are exposed to, and the activities they are involved in, they are prone and susceptible to great and violent temptations, each in their own way. Christ shows great kindness and tenderness by fortifying their hearts with abundant grace against the sins to which they are most exposed. Even though they may be weak and frequently caught off guard in other areas, they are often preserved from falling into their besetting sins.
[2.] Christ, at times, through a strong impulse of actual grace, rescues the soul from the very brink of sin. This was the case with David (1 Samuel 24:4–6). He was on the verge of succumbing to temptation, as he himself testifies. The temptation was about to overpower him when a mighty impulse of grace rescued him. Christ, to show his saints their own weaknesses and frailties, sometimes allows them to approach the edge of the precipice, only to cause them to hear a word behind them saying, "This is the right way, walk in it"—and that word comes with power and effectiveness, leading them back to himself.
[3.] By removing the temptation itself when it becomes so strong and intense that the poor soul does not know what to do. This is referred to as "delivering the godly out of temptation" (2 Peter 2:9). It is like rescuing a person from a trap while leaving the snare behind to capture another. I have known many who have experienced this in various perplexing temptations. When they have become utterly weary, tried every means of help and assistance, and have been unable to find a satisfactory solution, suddenly and unexpectedly, the Lord Christ, in his tenderness and compassion, rebukes Satan so that
they no longer hear a single word from him regarding their temptation. Christ intervenes in the midst of the storm and says,
"Peace, be still."
[4.] By providing fresh supplies of grace in proportion to the growth or increase of temptations. This was the case with Paul (2
Corinthians 12:9). When faced with any temptation, regardless of its nature, growing stronger, Paul fervently sought its removal. Yet, he received only the assurance of the sufficiency of God's grace to sustain him, despite the escalation of the temptation.
[5.] By giving them wisdom to make a right, holy, and spiritual use of all temptations. James instructs us to "count it all joy when we fall into various trials" (James 1:2), which can only be done if there is a holy and spiritual purpose to be found in them. James himself demonstrates this in the following verses. Temptations have manifold uses, which experienced Christians, with suitable assistance from Christ, can employ. One of these uses is to bring us to a knowledge of ourselves. Just as Hezekiah was tested to discover what was in him, temptations often reveal hidden corruptions within the soul that were previously unknown. Similar to Hazael and his shocking crimes, lesser sins are also exposed in the saints. They would never have believed that they had such lusts and corruptions within them until they were confronted with temptation. Some, when tempted with pride, worldliness, or loose behavior, have been startled and led to realize their neglect of many duties and their lack of communion with God, which they had previously been oblivious to. This is due to the tender care of Jesus Christ, who provides suitable assistance. Without his help, no one can possibly make use of or improve upon a temptation. This assistance is truly suitable, for a temptation that might otherwise be a deadly wound to another person becomes a lancing of a festering sore and a means of releasing
the corruption that might have endangered their very life (1 Peter 1:6).
[6.] When the soul is at times overcome to a greater or lesser extent by temptations, Christ, in his tenderness, offers mercy and pardon, preventing his saints from sinking entirely under the burden (1 John
2:1-2).
By one, several, or all of these means, the Lord Jesus manifests his conjugal tenderness and compassion towards the saints in and under their temptations.
2. Christ shows compassion towards believers in their afflictions.
"In all their affliction he is afflicted" (Isaiah 63:9). It seems that all our afflictions, at least those of a certain kind, namely, persecutions, are primarily his, and we participate in them
(Colossians 1:24). Two things clearly demonstrate Christ's compassion in this regard:
(1.) He intercedes with the Father on their behalf for relief (Zechariah 1:12). Christ intercedes not only for our sins but also for our sufferings. And when the purpose of our afflictions is fulfilled, we will receive the relief he intercedes for. The Father always hears him, and every deliverance from trouble, recovery of health, easing of pain, and freedom from any evil that has afflicted us is granted to us through the intercession of Jesus Christ. Believers are unaware of their true condition if they consider their blessings as mere acts of common providence. Indeed, this may be why we often fail to appreciate and be thankful for them, and why we do not fully enjoy them. We do not see how, by what means, or for what reason they are given to us. The people of God in the world are alive and preserved today solely because of the intercession of the Lord Jesus.
His compassion has been the source of their deliverances. Therefore,
he often restrains their sufferings and afflictions so that they do not fully consume them. He is with them when they pass through fire and water (Isaiah 43:2-3).
(2.) He will ultimately avenge the sufferings of his saints upon their enemies. He avenges those who cry out to him, and he does so swiftly. The controversy of Zion leads to the day of his vengeance
(Isaiah 34:8). He observes their distress and considers the state of the world in relation to them (Zechariah 1:11). During the affliction of his people, his messengers report to him that the whole earth is at rest and quiet, satisfied and indulgent, feasting and exchanging gifts.
Then Christ looks to see who will come to their aid (Isaiah 59:16-17), and when he finds no one willing to help, he takes it upon himself to destroy their adversaries. He accomplishes this vengeance in two ways:
[1.] Temporally, upon individuals, kingdoms, nations, and countries (as illustrated in Isaiah 63:1-6), just as he did with the ancient
Roman world (Revelation 6:15-16). He does this in two ways:
By raising up notable adversaries as examples to the world. Just as he dealt with Pharaoh, saying, "For this very purpose I have raised you up" (Exodus 9:16), he continues to deal with adversaries today. He incites one with fury, another with folly, he frustrates a third, and he utterly and terribly destroys yet another. Like a provoked lion, he does not rest until he has obtained his prey.
In general, through the outpouring of his wrath upon the antichristian world and all who partake in their vengeance and persecution. He will utterly destroy them, leaving such a mark that whoever hears of it will be shaken to the core.
[2.] He will plead with the adversaries of his beloved in eternal vengeance (Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:6; Jude 15). It is evident from this that Christ abounds in pity and compassion towards his beloved. There are numerous examples, but these should suffice and readily come to mind.
In response to this, I emphasize the purity and faithfulness of believers towards Christ in every state and condition. The apostle
Paul worked towards this goal for the church in Corinth, desiring to present them as a chaste virgin to Christ, free from corruption and deception (2 Corinthians 11:2-3). Likewise, those who follow the Lamb on Mount Zion are described as not being defiled with women, symbolizing their purity (Revelation 14:4). The nature of this defilement will be further explained.
Now, there are three aspects to this faithfulness:
1. Believers maintain loyalty to Christ by not allowing anything else to take the place of affection and esteem that belongs to Him. This was the failing of the Galatians in their conjugal devotion to Christ. They did not keep themselves faithful to Him. Although they initially received Christ for life and justification, accepting Him as the sole source of their salvation, they were later seduced and began to incorporate the righteousness of the law alongside Him. The apostle Paul vehemently admonished and reproved them for this. Therefore, the first aspect of faithfulness that believers possess towards
Christ is that having received Him as their righteousness and salvation before God, as the fountain from which all their blessings flow, they refuse to allow anything else to take His place. For example, if we receive Christ for our acceptance
before God, any competition for our affections must come from our own efforts to establish a righteousness that would please
Him. However, such efforts hold no value either before or after we receive Christ. Prior to receiving Him, the apostle Paul regarded all his works, advantages, and privileges as loss and even as dung, focusing solely on Christ and His righteousness.
After receiving Christ, any works we do, including those ordained by God for believers to walk in, are of no account when it comes to justification and acceptance before God. It will eventually become evident that Christ abhors debates and arguments concerning the role of our works and obedience in securing acceptance with God. Believers will find no peace in adulterous thoughts of that kind. The faithfulness we owe to Christ demands a different perspective. The necessity, usefulness, and excellence of obedience in light of the gospel will be explained later. It is remarkable how difficult it is for some professing Christians to remain faithful to Christ in this matter.
They engage in numerous disputes, invent distinctions, and employ various strategies to maintain some form of compromise, allowing them to play around with their affections for Christ. However, those who truly love Him have a different mindset. Therefore, above all else, the saints strive to keep their affections pure and devoted solely to Jesus Christ. He has been made their righteousness by God, and they acknowledge nothing else for that purpose. At times, they may even question their own interest in Him when He seems absent and withdraws
Himself. They remain solitary, refusing to be comforted by anything or anyone else because Christ is not present. When
Christ is absent from the soul, when it cannot see its own interest in Him, many lovers offer themselves, enticing its affections to find solace and relief in various things. But despite prolonged mourning, the soul will lean on nothing but Christ.
Even in the wilderness, in the darkest of times, it will wait until Christ comes to take it up, until it can emerge leaning upon Him
(Song of Solomon 8:5). The book of Song of Solomon provides numerous instances of this kind of devotion.
2. Believers maintain their conjugal affection for Christ by cherishing the Holy Spirit, the Comforter whom Christ sends to abide with them in His place. Christ Himself states that He sends the Holy Spirit for this purpose (John 16:7). He gives the Holy Spirit to us to abide with us forever, fulfilling all His purposes and working upon us and within us. He dwells in us to keep and preserve us blameless for Christ. The Holy Spirit bears
Christ's name and is intimately connected to Him. Whatever is done to any of Christ's followers is done to Him because the Holy Spirit resides in them. Therefore, the saints preserve their conjugal affections for Christ by striving in every way not to grieve the Holy Spirit, whom Christ has sent to dwell with them in His place. The apostle Paul reminds believers of this in Ephesians 4:30, saying, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit."
Christ sends His Spirit to believers for two main purposes: (1) sanctification and (2) consolation. All the specific actions attributed to the Holy Spirit, such as purging, teaching, and anointing, can be attributed to these two purposes. There are also two ways in which we can grieve the Holy Spirit: (1) in terms of sanctification and (2) in terms of consolation.
1. In terms of sanctification, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of holiness. He is holy in Himself and the source of holiness in us.
He works holiness in us (Titus 3:5) and persuades us towards it through His unquenchable motions. When we oppose Him by engaging in unholy, polluted, and defiling behavior while He is
working for our benefit, it deeply grieves Him. The connection between these aspects is evident in Ephesians 4:28-31. The apostle Paul powerfully urges believers towards holiness, citing the Holy Spirit's presence and indwelling as the reason (1
Corinthians 3:16-17). Indeed, nothing grieves a loving and tender friend more than opposition and disregard when they are most concerned about our well-being, especially when that wellbeing holds such immense significance for us. Consequently, believers make it their mission to keep their hearts loyal and their affections chaste towards Jesus Christ. They strive earnestly not to grieve the Holy Spirit by walking carelessly, negligently, and foolishly. The Holy Spirit has been sent to dwell with them, and therefore, no anger, wrath, malice, or envy should reside in their hearts, as these emotions are contrary to the holy and gentle Spirit of Christ who dwells within them.
They pay attention to His promptings, make use of His assistance, utilize His gifts, and nothing weighs more heavily on their hearts than the desire to live in a manner worthy of the presence of this holy substitute of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(2) In terms of consolation, this is the second significant purpose for which Christ gives and sends His Spirit to us, who is specifically called "The Comforter." To achieve this purpose, He seals us, anoints us, establishes us, and grants us peace and joy. I will speak about all of these in detail later. However, there are two ways in which we can grieve the Holy Spirit in relation to His mission and violate our faithfulness to Jesus Christ:
1. By finding our comfort and joy in things other than Him and failing to be filled with joy in the Holy Spirit. When we derive our joy and delight from creatures or worldly pleasures, rather than from what we receive through the Spirit of Christ, we are
unfaithful to Him. This was the case with Demas, who loved the present world. When we view the ways of the Spirit of God as burdensome and long for them to be over so that we can pursue our earthly labours, or when our delight and refreshment lie solely in worldly things, we are not suited to Christ. His Spirit may wonder, "Why do I continue to dwell with these poor souls?
I offer them unspeakable and glorious joys, yet they reject them for perishable things. I offer them spiritual, eternal, and enduring consolations, but all is rejected for something of no value." This is something Christ cannot tolerate. Therefore, believers are extremely careful not to place their joy and consolation in anything except what is administered by the Spirit. Their daily task is to crucify their hearts to the world and its allurements, so that they may not have strong affections for transient things. They strive to see the world as a crucified, lifeless entity devoid of beauty or attraction. If they ever become entangled with creatures or inferior forms of contentment and lose their superior joys, they cry out to Christ, "Restore to us the joys of Your Spirit!"
2. The Holy Spirit is grieved when, due to darkness and unbelief, we refuse or fail to receive the consolations He offers us, even though He is abundantly willing for us to receive them.
However, I will address this further when discussing our communion with the Holy Spirit.
3. By faithfully observing Christ's ordinances and worship. When Christ marries His church to Himself, establishing a relationship, the essence of their pure and devoted affection for Him lies in their commitment to maintaining His ordinances and worship as He has prescribed. He refers to the breach of this commitment as "adultery" and "whoredom" throughout
Scripture. He is a "jealous God," and this jealousy is directed towards His ordinances. The complete apostasy of the Christian church, turning to false worship, is referred to as "fornication."
The church that leads others into false worship is called the "mother of harlots." For this reason, believers who genuinely seek communion with Jesus Christ strive to keep their hearts faithful to Him in His ordinances, institutions, and worship in two ways:
4. They accept, practice, and acknowledge only what is appointed by Him in His worship. They understand that from the beginning of time, God has never allowed nor will He ever allow the will of creatures to determine His honor or the principles of His worship, whether in terms of content or manner. It was both witty and accurate when someone stated regarding the second commandment, "It is not images or idols that are forbidden, but the making of them for ourselves." It is inventing and finding ways of worship or means of honoring God that He has not appointed, which is strictly forbidden. Believers are aware of how will-worship is received by God: "Who has required these things from your hand?" and "In vain do you worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." These are the responses it receives at best. I will express what is on my heart and endeavor to defend it against the world, with the Lord's help: the principle that the church has the power to institute and appoint anything or any ceremony in the worship of God, beyond the orderly observance of such circumstances that necessarily accompany the ordinances Christ Himself has instituted, is the root cause of all the dreadful superstition, idolatry, confusion, bloodshed, persecution, and wars that have plagued the Christian world for so long. I believe a significant portion of the Book of Revelation aims to expose this truth.
Moreover, I have no doubt that God's great controversy with this nation for many years, pursued with such anger and indignation, was due to the fact that, in contrast to the glorious light of the gospel that shone among us, the wills and fancies of men, under the guise of order, decency, and the authority of the church (a chimera that no one truly understood—its nature, power, or where it resided), were imposed on people regarding the ways and worship of God. The supposed glory, beauty, attractiveness, and conformity that were argued at that time were nothing more than what God described in the Church of Israel (Ezekiel 16:25 onwards). Consequently, the Spirit of God was ridiculed in prayer, the powerful preaching of the gospel was despised, the Sabbath was derided, and holiness was stigmatized and persecuted. What was the purpose of all this? So that Jesus Christ could be deposed from His exclusive privilege and authority in legislating for His church, so that the true bridegroom could be set aside and adulterers of His bride embraced, and so that taskmasters could be appointed over His house, which He never granted to His church (Ephesians 4:11).
It was all for the sake of introducing a ceremonial, pompous, outwardly impressive worship derived from pagan, Judaical, and Antichristian practices. Yet, not a single word, jot, or iota of support for such practices can be found in the entire Bible.
Therefore, those who commune with Christ are careful to admit, practice, and acknowledge nothing in the worship of God, whether private or public, unless they have His warrant. Unless it comes in His name with the declaration, "Thus says the Lord
Jesus," they will not listen to even an angel from heaven. They know that the apostles were commanded to teach the saints only what Christ had commanded them (Matthew 28:20). You are aware that many in this nation, not too long ago, thousands of them, left their homeland and ventured into vast and desolate
wilderness in the farthest corners of the world to keep their souls undefiled and faithful to their dear Lord Jesus in matters of worship and His institutions.
(2) They eagerly embrace, receive, and practice everything that the Lord Christ has appointed. They diligently seek His mind and will in order to understand it. They go to Him for guidance and ask Him to lead them in unfamiliar paths. The 119th Psalm can serve as a model for this. The righteous soul yearns for instruction in the ways, ordinances, statutes, and judgments of God. They are tender in this regard: they willingly submit to, accept, and dedicate themselves to the constant practice of whatever is of Christ, while rejecting anything that comes from any other source.
IV. Christ demonstrates His love for His saints through generosity— through the rich, abundant provision He makes for them. "It pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell" (Colossians 1:19), and this was done so "of His fullness we might all receive, and grace for grace" (John 1:16). I will not go into the details of the provision
Christ makes for His saints, including the daily influences of the Spirit of life and grace that they receive from Him, the abundant bread He provides, and the refreshment they derive from Him. I will only observe that Scripture affirms His abundant, bountiful manner in doing all things for them. The general statement is found in Romans 5:20: "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."
When grace abounds much more than sin, it is truly abundant grace.
Anyone who considers the extent to which sin has abounded in every soul will readily agree. It is therefore said that He is able and that we are to expect Him to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). When it comes to pardoning mercy, He
"abundantly pardons" (Isaiah 55:7); He multiplies or adds to pardon, such that grace and mercy abound above all our sins and iniquities.
When He gives us the Spirit, He pours Him upon us abundantly (Titus 3:6), not only inviting us to freely drink from the water of life but also bestowing Him in such copious measure that rivers of water flow from those who receive Him (John 7:38-39)—those who have drunk from Him will never thirst again. When it comes to grace, He also gives abundantly; we receive "abundance of grace" (Romans
5:17), and He abounds toward us in all wisdom and prudence (Ephesians 1:8). This is why the invitation in the Song of Solomon 5:1 is given. If we feel limited in any way, it is because of ourselves;
Christ deals bountifully with us. However, the great sin of believers is that they do not make proper use of Christ's bounty; we do not daily partake abundantly of His mercy. The oil never ceases as long as there are vessels to contain it; the supplies from Christ never fail, except when our faith fails to receive them.
Our response to Christ then becomes a matter of duty. Two things are required for this:
1. We must pursue and practice holiness in its power as obedience to Jesus Christ. All gospel obedience is regarded as obedience to Him, as He Himself commands us (Matthew 28:20). As He says in John 15:14, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." It is required of us to live for Him who died for us (2 Corinthians 5:15)—to live for Him in all holy obedience, to honor Him as our Lord and King. I do not suggest that there are specific precepts or a unique law of Jesus Christ that, when observed, justifies us, as the Socinians imagine. Surely, the gospel requires nothing more than "to love the Lord our God with all our hearts and with all our souls"—which the law also required. However, now that the Lord Jesus has brought us into a state of acceptance with God where our obedience is pleasing to Him, and since we are to honor Him as we honor the Father,
we must have a distinct regard for Him in all our obedience. As Titus 2:14 says, He has redeemed us for Himself. Believers view
Jesus Christ in their obedience in the following ways:
(1) As the author of their faith and obedience, for whose sake they have been granted the ability to believe (Philippians 1:29), and by His Spirit, He works that obedience in them. Thus, the apostle says in Hebrews 12:1-2 that in the course of their obedience, they continually look to Jesus, "the author of our faith." Faith encompasses both the grace of faith and the fruit of faith in obedience.
(2) As the One through whom we have acceptance with God in our obedience. Believers recognize that all their duties are weak and imperfect, unable to endure the presence of God. Therefore, they look to Christ as the One who bears the iniquity of their holy acts, who adds incense to their prayers, and who purifies their imperfect works, making them acceptable to God.
(3) As the One who has renewed God's commands to them, with powerful obligations to obedience. This is seen in 2 Corinthians 5:1415, where the apostle says, "The love of Christ compels us," which we will explore later.
(4) They consider Him as God, equal with the Father, to whom all honor and obedience are due (Revelation 5:13). However, I have recently discussed these matters in another treatise concerning the worship of Christ as Mediator. In all their obedience, the saints have a special regard for their beloved Lord Jesus. They constantly think of Him, considering Him from these various perspectives. His love for them, His life laid down for them, His death for them—all His acts of kindness and mercy compel them to live for Him.