CHAPTER II.—What it is wherein we have peculiar fellowship with the Lord Christ
communion if we assume faithfulness in those relationships.
However, this topic is commonly addressed, and I will discuss it in more detail in a later example.
CHAPTER II
What it is wherein we have peculiar fellowship with the Lord Christ— This is in grace—This proved, John 1:14, 16, 17; 2 Cor. 13:14; 2 Thess.
3:17, 18—Grace of various acceptations—Personal grace in Christ proposed to consideration—The grace of Christ as Mediator intended, Ps. 45:2—Cant. 5:10, Christ, how white and ruddy—His fitness to save, from the grace of union—His fulness to save—His suitableness to endear—These considerations improved.
II. Now that we have established that the saints have a distinct communion with the Lord Jesus, it is necessary to explain in what way this unique fellowship exists.
This communion is found in GRACE. Grace is attributed to Jesus in an exceptional manner. In John 1:14, it is said that He dwelt among us, full of grace and truth – grace in its true and substantive form. All that came before Him was merely symbolic and representative, but in Christ, grace is realized in its truth and substance. "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (verse 17), and "from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (verse 16) – meaning we have communion with Him in grace. We receive every kind of grace from Him, and that is how we fellowship with Him.
Likewise, in the apostolic benediction, where the imparting of spiritual blessings from the three persons of the Trinity to the saints
is precisely distinguished, grace is ascribed to the Lord Jesus Christ:
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Cor. 13:14).
Paul is so pleased with this that he adopts it as his motto and the sign by which his epistles are recognized: "The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is the sign of every letter; this is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all" (2 Thess. 3:17, 18). He even considers "Grace be with you" and "The Lord Jesus be with you" to be equivalent expressions. Although he stated that the former was the sign in all his letters, he sometimes uses one expression alone, sometimes the other, and at times combines them both. Therefore, it is specifically grace, gospel grace revealed in or exhibited through the gospel, that we are to focus on in the Lord Jesus. He is the capstone in the building of God's temple, to whom we cry out, "Grace, grace!"
(Zech. 4:7).
The term "grace" has various meanings. In its most prominent senses, it can be understood under one of these three headings:
1. Grace of personal presence and attractiveness. We speak of a person being "graceful and comely," either in terms of their inherent qualities or their adornments. In the case of Christ, this is essentially the subject of nearly half the book of Song of Solomon. It is also mentioned in Psalm 45:2: "You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips." I also include in this category, with regard to Christ, the acceptance of grace that I place in the third position in relation to us. The incomprehensible gifts and fruits of the Spirit bestowed upon Him and manifested in Him contribute to His personal excellence, as will become evident later on.
2. Grace of free favor and acceptance. "By this grace we are saved"
– that is, through God's free favor and gracious acceptance in Christ. This sense is found in the common expression, "If I have found favor in your sight," meaning if I am freely and favorably accepted by you. For example, it is said that God "gave grace"
(favor) to the humble (James 4:6). Other instances can be seen in Genesis 39:21, 41:37; Acts 7:10; 1 Samuel 2:26; 2 Kings 25:27, and so on.
3. The fruits of the Spirit that sanctify and renew our nature, enabling us to do good and restraining us from evil, are also referred to as grace. When the Lord told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you," He meant the assistance against temptation that He provided (Col. 3:16; 2 Cor. 8:6, 7; Heb. 12:28).
Regarding the latter two, which relate to Christ in terms of our reception of them, I call them "purchased grace," for they were indeed purchased by Him for us. Our communion with Him in these aspects is referred to as "participation in His sufferings and the power of His resurrection" (Phil. 3:10).
Let's begin with the first point, which I refer to as personal grace.
Regarding this, I will do two things: (1) explain what it is and its essence, specifically the personal grace of Christ, and (2) explain how the saints have immediate communion with Him in this grace.
To address the first point, I would like to make the following observation: We are discussing Christ as the mediator, and when I mention the "grace of His person," I do not mean:
1. The glorious qualities of His Deity considered in isolation, apart from the office that He undertook for us as both God and man.
2. The outward appearance of His human nature, whether during His earthly sojourn, bearing our infirmities (which the prophet
Isaiah describes quite differently in Isaiah 52:14), or His current exalted state of glory. It is a vain imagination to place undue emphasis on the exaltation of His human nature, as it leads to a false and corrupted view of Christ based on carnal perceptions.
Such a view amounts to knowing Christ only in His earthly form, as warned in 2 Corinthians 5:16, which is further exacerbated by the proliferation of foolish imagery. Instead, what I mean is this: the graces of Christ's person as He is vested with the office of mediation, His spiritual preeminence, comeliness, and beauty, as appointed and anointed by the Father for the great work of reconciling all His elect to Himself.
In this regard, the Scripture describes Him as surpassingly excellent, comely, and desirable, far beyond any comparison with the most exceptional and valuable created goods, or any imaginable endearment. Psalm 45:2 proclaims, "You are fairer than the children of men; grace is poured into your lips." Christ's beauty and graciousness far exceed anything found among mortals. The Hebrew term used here, ָָיְפָיִפי (japhiaphitha), is doubled to emphasize its significance and elevate its subject beyond all comparison. The Chaldee paraphrase affirms, "Your fairness, O King Messiah, is more excellent than the sons of men." It is exceedingly desirable. While inward beauty and glory are expressed here through physical form and appearance, which held great esteem in those who were to rule or govern, the true essence lies in the spiritual beauty and glory that dwells within Him. As Colossians 2:9 states, "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily."
In Song of Solomon 5:9, the daughters of Jerusalem inquire about the personal excellencies of the Lord Christ, asking the bride, "What
is your Beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women?" She responds in verse 10, "My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand." She proceeds to provide a detailed description of His excellencies until the end of the chapter, concluding that "he is altogether lovely" in verse 16. In particular, she affirms that He is "white and ruddy," a combination of colours that creates the most beautiful complexion.
Firstly, He is white in the glory of His Deity and ruddy in the preciousness of His humanity. Genesis 49:12 portrays this, stating,
"His teeth are white with milk, and his eyes are red with wine."
Whiteness represents the complexion of glory. When describing the appearance of the Most High, the "Ancient of days" in Daniel 7:9, it is said, "His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool." In Christ's transfiguration, when He displayed the radiance of His Deity, His face shone like the sun, and His garments were white as light, as recorded in Matthew 17:2. Mark 9:3 describes it as "white as snow, so white that no launderer on earth can bleach them." It was a divine, heavenly, and surpassing glory. This is further emphasized in Revelation 1:14. The angels and glorified saints, who continually behold Him and are fully transformed into the same glory, are said to be clothed in white robes. His whiteness signifies
His Deity and the glory that accompanies it. Hence, the Chaldee paraphrase attributes this entire passage to God, stating, "They say to the house of Israel, 'Who is the God you will serve?' ... Then the congregation of Israel began to declare the praises of the Ruler of the world and said, 'I will serve that God who is clothed in a garment white as snow, whose countenance shines with the splendour of fire.'" He is also ruddy in the beauty of His humanity. The name
Adam derives from the red earth from which he was formed. The word used here points to Christ as the second Adam, who partook of flesh and blood, as mentioned in Hebrews 2:14. The beauty and
comeliness of the Lord Jesus, resulting from the union of these two aspects in one person, will be further explained.
Secondly, He is white in the beauty of His innocence and holiness, and ruddy in the blood of His sacrifice. Whiteness symbolizes purity and holiness. Lamentations 4:7 describes the Nazarites, who exhibited symbolic holiness, as being "purer than snow" and "whiter than milk." The prophet Isaiah associates scarlet, red, and crimson with sin and guilt, contrasting them with the whiteness that represents innocence in Isaiah 1:18. Our Beloved was "a Lamb without blemish or spot" (1 Peter 1:19). As stated in 1 Peter 2:22, "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." He was
"holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26).
However, despite His whiteness, He became ruddy through the shedding of His own blood. Naturally, His blood was poured out in agony when thick drops fell to the ground during His soul's anguish, as described in Luke 22:44. Additionally, His blood was abundantly poured out through the scourging, thorns, nails, and spear. John
19:34 states, "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water." He was saturated in His own blood. Morally, His redness was due to the imputation of sin, whose colour is red and crimson. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 affirms,
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin." He who was white became ruddy for our sake, pouring out His blood as an offering for sin. This aspect also enhances His gracefulness: through His whiteness, He fulfilled the law, and through His redness, He satisfied justice. "This is our Beloved, O daughters of Jerusalem."
Thirdly, His endearing excellence in the administration of His kingdom is also expressed here. He is white in love and mercy towards His own, and red with justice and vengeance towards His enemies, as stated in Isaiah 63:3 and Revelation 19:13.
In general, the personal excellence and grace of the Lord Christ can be understood in three aspects:
1. His fitness to save, which stems from the grace of union and its necessary effects.
2. His fullness to save, resulting from the grace of communion and its free consequences.
3. His excellence to endear, based on His complete suitability to the needs of human souls.
Firstly, His fitness to save arises from the grace of union. The uniting of the divine and human natures in one person makes Him a suitable
Saviour. By partaking in God's nature, He reaches out to God, as stated in Zechariah 8:7. By partaking in our nature, as mentioned in Hebrews 2:14 and 16, He reaches out to us. Thus, He becomes the mediator between God and man, bridging the gap caused by sin and bringing us near to God. It is through this union that He has the capacity to receive and bear the wrath intended for us. Sin's infiniteness lies in its object, and the punishment's infiniteness rests in its subject. These arise from His union.
Union refers to the conjunction of the divine and human natures in one person, as mentioned in John 1:14, Isaiah 9:6, Romans 1:3, and Romans 9:5. Its necessary consequences include:
1. The subsistence of the human nature in the person of the Son of God, without having a separate subsistence of its own, as indicated in Luke 1:35 and 1 Timothy 3:16.
2. The communication of attributes in the person, whereby the properties of both natures are ascribed to Christ interchangeably, regardless of whether He is referred to as God or man, as seen in Acts 20:28 and Acts 3:21.
3. The execution of His office of mediation in His single person, taking into account both natures. This involves the agent, Christ
Himself, who is both God and man. He is the principle that gives life and efficacy to the entire work (principium quo), and He operates through both natures (principium quod). This includes the active working of each nature (energeia or drastikē tēs phuseōs kinesis) and the resulting effect (energēma or apotelesma), encompassing and relating to all of them. Thus, the excellency I am referring to is rooted in His personal union.
Secondly, His fullness to save comes from the grace of communion, which includes all the resources given to Him by the Father through the anointing of the Spirit for the purpose of our salvation. As Hebrews 7:25 states, "He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him." He has been granted all fullness for this purpose, as Colossians 1:19 declares, "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell." He did not receive the Spirit in limited measure, as mentioned in John 3:34. From this fullness, He provides a suitable supply to all who belong to Him, "grace upon grace," as stated in John 1:16. If His fullness had been given in limited measure, we would have exhausted it.
Thirdly, His excellency to endear stems from His complete suitability to fulfill all the needs of human souls. Whoever has any lack in relation to the things of God will find that Christ fulfills that lack.
This applies specifically to those given to Him by the Father. Is someone spiritually dead? Christ is life. Is someone weak? Christ is the power and wisdom of God. Does someone carry the burden of guilt?
Christ is complete righteousness—the LORD our Righteousness. Many individuals are aware of their needs but do not know where to find the remedy. Whether it is life, light, power, or joy, all of it is found in Christ.
This is a general overview of the personal grace of the Lord Christ.
He possesses the fitness to save, combining compassion and ability, tenderness and power, to carry out the work of salvation to the utmost. He has the fullness to save, encompassing redemption, sanctification, righteousness, and the Spirit. Moreover, He has the perfect suitability to meet the needs of every soul. Therefore, He becomes exceedingly desirable and altogether lovely, as will be further explored in detail. In the first place, the saints have distinct fellowship with the Lord Christ in relation to this grace, which will be explained in the following chapter.
Now, from the introduction made into the description of the one with whom the saints have communion, we can draw some motives to stir us up to seek that communion. We can also consider the inadequacy and insufficiency of all other ways and things that people engage their thoughts and desires in. This is what the daughters of Jerusalem, ordinary and common believers, did when they heard the spouse describing her Beloved. They were instantly stirred up to seek
Him together with her. They asked, "Where has your Beloved gone, that we may seek Him with you?" (Song of Solomon 6:1).
Just as Paul said of those who crucified Him, the same can be said of all who reject Him or refuse communion with Him: "If they had known Him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." If people truly knew Him, if they had any acquaintance with Him, they would not reject the Lord of glory. Christ Himself calls those who despise His gracious invitation "simple ones," "fools," and "scorners"
(Proverbs 1:22). Those who despise Christ are the ones who do not know Him, whose eyes the god of this world has blinded so that they cannot see His glory. The souls of men naturally seek something to find rest and satisfaction in, something to commune with. There are two ways in which people pursue what they desire. Some set a certain
end before them, such as pleasure, profit, or even acceptance with God in religion. Others seek after an end, but without certainty, pleasing themselves with various paths and thoughts. They keep searching because they gain something along the way, even if they grow weary (Isaiah 57:10).
Regardless of your condition, whether you are eagerly pursuing a specific end, whether secular or religious, or whether you are wandering in your own imaginations and tiring yourself with the breadth of your ways, compare what you aim at or what you do with what you have already heard about Jesus Christ. If anything you desire or pursue resembles Him, if anything is equal to Him, then reject Him as someone who lacks form and attractiveness. But if indeed all your ways are mere vanity and a source of frustration compared to Him, why do you spend your resources and efforts on what does not satisfy, on what is not true sustenance?
Here are two practical uses to consider:
Use 1: Those of you who are still young, in the prime of your lives, full of health, strength, and the vigor of your spirits, earnestly pursuing various things—consider, I beseech you, what are all your beloveds in comparison to this Beloved? What have you gained from them? Have they brought you peace, tranquility, and the assurance of eternal blessedness? Their paths are twisted paths, and those who follow them will not experience true peace. Look, here is a worthy object for your deepest affections, someone in whom you can find rest for your souls, someone who will never grieve or trouble you for eternity. He stands at the door of your souls and knocks. Oh, do not reject Him, or else you may seek Him and not find Him! Take some time to study Him; you do not love Him because you do not know
Him. Why does one of you waste time in idleness, folly, and