GRACE GAZETTE
Volume XIXIssue33
/Published occasionally for mourners in Zion/
/Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;And
make straight pathsfor your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out
of the way; but let it rather be healed.Hebrews 12::12-13/
IN AND OUT AND UP AND DOWN//
//
/The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from/
/this time forth, and even for evermore.Psalm 121:8/
//
All of the promises of GOD which ultimately benefit the sons of GOD,
were made directly to JESUS CHRIST as their SUBSTITUTE and MEDIATOR. We
see this clearly set forth in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, “/Now to
Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds,
as of many; _but as of one_, And to thy seed, _which is Christ_.” (Gal
3:16/)He speaks of the same to the Romans, “/For the promise, that he
should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed,
through the law, _but through the righteousness of faith_.” (Rom 4:13/)
Many have erred in thinking that the activity of Abraham’s “FAITH” was
counted (i.e.; imputed or applied to his account) to him as
“RIGHTEOUSNESS”.Yet the reality is that the ONE who is the OBJECT and
BASIS of Abraham’s FAITH is that RIGHTEOUSNESS.It is not simply that
Abraham believed, but rather that he “/_believed GOD_/”.CHRIST is the
RIGHTEOUSNESS of HIS saints in every generation.“/But _of him are ye in
Christ Jesus_, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and _righteousness_,
and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He
that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1Cor 1:30-31/)
It is not possible that a man can have a right understanding of the
application of the promises of GOD, if he does not recognize that all of
these promises come to men through and in JESUS CHRIST.HE is the
INHERITOR of all of the blessings of GOD.The glorious truth that is now
revealed is that the sons of GOD, those who were hidden in HIM from
before the foundation of the world, are made heirs and joint heirs with
HIM./“And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and _heirs
according to the promise_.” (Gal 3:29)“And _because ye are sons_, God
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,
Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son,
then _an heir of God through Christ_.” (Gal 4:6-7/)
This truth lays an axe to the root of all of man’s religious endeavors
wherein he would attempt to earn the favor and blessing of GOD through
his own obedience.This is the error of the Jews which is repeated in the
free-will religion which is so appealing to the flesh and so prevalent
in the present day./“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end (/i.e.;
the goal or conclusion/) of the law for righteousness to every one that
believeth.” (Rom 10:3-4/) /“The law was our schoolmaster _to bring us
unto Christ_, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith
is come, _we are no longer under a schoolmaster_.” (Gal 3:24-25/)CHRIST
is the FAITH of HIS people.They have no HOPE but HIM. HE is their
OBEDIENCE.HE is their PERFORMER.HE is their LAWKEEPER.HE will never
leave nor forsake them that are HIS.
When the LORD came into the world as an infant of days, HE was
overshadowed by those Angels which were given charge to watch over
HIM.“/Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most
High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any
plague come nigh thy dwelling. _For he shall give his angels charge over
thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their
hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone._ Thou shalt tread upon
the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample
under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I
deliver him: _I will set him on high, because he hath known my name._ He
shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in
trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I
satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”(Psa 91:9-16/)HE came to do HIS
FATHER’s will, and HE performed it perfectly and fulfilled the exact
purpose for which HE was sent into the Earth. /“Thou shalt call his name
JESUS: for _he shall save his people from their sins._” (Mat 1:21/)/“Who
gave himself for us, that he might _redeem us_ from all iniquity, and
_purify unto himself a peculiar people_, _zealous of good works_.” (Tit
2:14/)
The LORD said that HE is the DOOR of the sheep. (see John 10:7) HE calls
HIS sheep by name and they follow HIM.“/I am the door: by me if any man
enter in, he shall be saved, and _shall go in and out,_ and find
pasture.” (John 10:9/)As we read this, our thoughts are turned to the
promise given to CHRIST (and in HIM to those who are HIS sheep) in Psalm
121:8, “/The LORD shall preserve _thy_ _going out and thy coming in_.”
/Just as all aspects of the life of the MAN CHRIST JESUS, was watched
over by HIS FATHER, so too are the steps of the righteous who are hidden
in CHRIST.There is no time when HE does not preserve them and keep them
from falling.
The LORD made a similar promise unto the nation of Israel, but it was
conditional based upon their obedience to the law which HE had given
them./“Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou
be when thou goest out.” (Deut 28:6/) They did not receive this blessing
because they did not abide under the conditions upon which it was
promised.This is given for our instruction as Paul points out, “/For
what the law could not do, in that _it was weak through the flesh, _God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
(Rom 8:3-4/)
Foolish is the man who expects to receive such blessings on the basis of
partial obedience (which all will confess is the best that a sinful man
might do; see Rom.7:14-25) or weak faith.Apart from the perfect
RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST there can be no fulfilment of the law nor any
blessing bestowed upon that basis.CHRIST is our LAWKEEPER and HE is that
ONE who directs our going out and our coming in./“O LORD, thou hast
searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my _downsitting_ and mine
_uprising_, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my
path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there
is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Thou hast beset me _behind and before_, and laid thine hand upon
me.”(Psa 139:1-5/)This promise is first fulfilled in CHRIST and bestowed
on all those who are HIS.“/Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or
whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou
art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take
the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
(Psa 139:7-10/)
This is the heritage of the sons of GOD.They have reaped the benefits
which CHRIST has procured for them, they have inherited all of the
blessings which the FATHER has been pleased to give unto HIM.The
Psalmist said, “/Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I
cannot attain unto it.” (Psa 139:6/)We cannot fully appreciate the
blessings which are ours in CHRIST, so we are compelled to fall down and
worship at HIS feet even with that multitude which no man could
number./“I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood
before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to
our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the
angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four
beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Saying, Amen: _Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and
honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen_.”
(Rev 7:9-12/)Do you rejoice in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST or do you
seek to add to that which is PERFECT?
Weary, working, burdened one, Wherefore toil you so?
Cease your doing; all was done Long, long ago.
Till to Jesus' work you cling, By a simple faith,
Doing" is a deadly thing—"Doing" ends in death.
Cast your deadly "doing" down, Down at Jesus' feet;
Stand "in Him," "in Him" alone, Gloriously complete.(J.Proctor c.1860)mam