Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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I'd like to turn the Second Corinthians and the 1St chapter. Second Corinthians chapter 1.
The 18th verse and I'd like to read a few verses in the 2nd chapter and the third.
2nd Corinthians chapter one verse 18 But as God is true, our word towards you was not yeah. And nay, for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who has preached among you by us, even by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yeah and nay, but in him was yeah, for all the promises of God in him are yeah, and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us.
Now he who establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, wherever I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not as yet unto Corinth.
Not that we have dominion over your faith, but our helpers of your joy. For by faith he stand.
Then the 2nd chapter in the 14th verse. Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are under God, a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are a savour of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
Do we begin again to commend ourselves, or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our Epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men. For as much as ye are manifested, declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
And such trust have we through Christ to Godward. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament?
Not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
But if the ministration of death written them in graven in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfast thee, behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away.
How much? How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?
First, administration of condemnation be glory. Much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious hath no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth.
For I thought which was done away was glorious. Much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Seeing, then, that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech, and not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.
But their minds were blinded, for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament, which Baal is done away in Christ.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Well, perhaps there isn't any epistle in the Word of God that speaks more about consolation and comfort.
For the apostle Paul, as he served the Lord, was having much opposition.
As he preached the gospel, he was persecuted, even in danger of his life, and then was also that which concerned him about the people of God. And it's very beautiful in this epistle how he brings Christ before us. I'm sure every one of us find in this day in which we live much that would tend to cast us down, whether it's in the world about us, or even in the home, or perhaps among the people of God.
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But isn't it blessed, brethren, that we have a portion of?
Christ, that which can lift us above the present circumstances, and that can fill our hearts, whether young or old, and give us a portion, A satisfying portion, for our hearts.
For that alone can keep us in an evil day. We look around us as it's often said, why there's confusion. We look within, there's disappointment because we know that we're failures ourselves. But if we look up, all is right. Remember a dear old sister, she was passing through a time of great trouble in her life. And this was her comment. She said my outlook never was darker, but my outlook never was brighter. And so as.
We think of how near the Lord's coming is and how soon we're going to be delivered from these bodies of humiliation and from all the conditions that exist in this world where surely we need to be looking up. And to know that at any moment we may hear the voice that we long to hear. That voice that will say, come up, hit her, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.
So we do need to be comforted and encouraged, says God, who comforteth. Those who are cast down comforted us. And so I say again, I trust that what is said tonight might encourage us in days like this, that we might have our eyes upon the Lord.
So we find here that Paul begins in these verses that we read by giving us the assurance of our position in Christ. And I think this is so important that we enjoy in our souls what God has done for us and the position that we are brought into. We know that in the Old Testament, no Old Testament St. could enjoy the wonderful things that are given to us to enjoy in Christianity.
He couldn't have the present knowledge of the forgiveness of sin.
They couldn't, they were not indwelled by the Holy Spirit as since the day of Pentecost. They didn't know the wonderful relationship that we have being part of the Church, the bride of Christ. And so surely at this time, there's so much to encourage us if we just dwell upon and walk in the good of our portion that we have.
So Paul says here in the 18th verse of this first chapter. But as God is true, our word towards you is not. Yeah, and nay, I believe He had before him. What happened when the law was given. No, and the law was given by God told Moses that when they entered the land, some were to stand on one mountain and pronounce blessings for obedience.
And some were to stand on another mouth.
And pronounce judgment for disobedience. And so there was a yeah, and there was a nay. There was a yay if they walked in obedience, and there was a nay if they were disobedient. And so he says it's not that way in Christianity. That is, all the blessings are secured to us not because of our faithfulness, for we're poor, we're failing things at best, but all the blessings are secured to us.
Because of that One who has wrought salvation, that One who by His glorious worked upon the cross, has brought us into fullness of blessing, and He wants us to be in the enjoyment of it.
He may hinder our enjoyment of us, but He can never rob us of our portion because our portion is secured to us through the work that the Lord Jesus has accomplished. I say again, He may rob us of our enjoyment of it, but all the promises of God in Him are Yeah, and in Him Amen. Because God has promised us blessing for all eternity, not because of something that we have done.
Our best works.
Were only filthy rags. Our best feelings were so changeable. But oh how blessed it is. And I hope each one here tonight is resting for your soul's salvation on the finished work of the Lord Jesus. If you have any thought that there's anything that you have to do, I'm sure you don't have that peace that God intends you to have. Being justified by faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Man likes to add something.
Thing even when the gospel is preached, many people will preach the work of Christ, but then add to it that you must do something in order to keep that salvation. You might lose it if you don't labor on, but the assurance of salvation is all founded upon the finished work of Christ, kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last times.
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You know, I sometimes say there's a double reservation. That is, we're kept for the place and the place is kept for us. It says an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. You might buy a ticket. You have the ticket. It entitles you to be on that airplane at a certain time, but something might happen. You didn't get there. You had the ticket, but you didn't get there. And so you didn't get the passage.
But there isn't any airline that when you buy the ticket assures you you're going to be there to fill a seat. But God has provided his salvation that not only assures us of a title, a sure title to glory, that assures us that He by his power is going to bring us there. So when the Lord Jesus comes, they that are Christ at his coming. So how lovely this is.
So what the apostle is bringing before them?
Is this assurance that we have that all the promises of God in him are Yeah. And in him Amen to the glory of God by us.
You know, if there was some part that we could do for our salvation, then we'd have something to boast of, wouldn't we?
To say well the Lord saved me, but I did the other part I kept myself after he saved me but it's to the glory of God and so it's to the glory of God our salvation because it's founded upon the work of Christ and is to the glory of God that he kept any one of us. I think any one of us who are honest with ourselves would say if it depended on me, I wouldn't have kept in that path but oh how wonderful the grace of God and I trust that if.
If there's anyone here who doesn't have the assurance of salvation, of eternal salvation and to see that it all depends upon what Christ has done, a hope that you'll lay hold of his precious promise tonight. Let me quote again this verse. All the promises of God in him are yeah and in him. Amen to the glory of God by us. God is going to have a people in glory who aren't going to give one bit of credit to themselves, but are going to join in that eternal.
Around the throne thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.
Then he shows too that God has given the assurance by the Spirit.
21St verse Now he who establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Tells us in Ephesians, that after ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. So when you believe, the gospel of your salvation in the Spirit of God comes to indwell you, and these three things are brought before us. Three things that take place, that is.
We're sealed. We're given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, and it says He has anointed us. The anointing in the Word of God is connected with perhaps two things. The understanding of what God has told us in His Word says the same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth. Before you were saved, maybe you looked on the Bible as a sealed book and you said, Oh well, nobody understands the Bible.
But after we are saved.
Then the Spirit of God comes to indwell us, and it says in Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him. Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. Now God has given us the Spirit. It says God hath given us the Spirit, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. And you have within you.
The Holy Spirit of God who's able to open up the scriptures. I think this is very important because the Spirit of God is willing. If there's any of us that want to understand His word, we have the capacity by the Spirit. Now, of course, we don't learn it all at once. The Bible says line upon line, precept upon precept. Hear a little, but isn't it wonderful that we have the capacity by the Spirit of God to understand what God has written?
For us in His Word, and every word of God is pure, and we need it all. The Lord Jesus on the road to Emmaus, expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Perhaps some have heard me before tell a little story about a man who was very busy in his study, and his little girl was coming in to disturb him constantly.
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And so he thought that perhaps he could do something to keep her busy. And he had an old man.
In the drawer. And he took the took the map and took the scissors and cut it into pieces and said, now here, dear, put this together. And so she got down on the floor, and he was happy for a little bit of peace while he went on with his work. But sooner than he expected she was on her feet again, telling him it was all done. He didn't know how she could ever do it, but what did she know about that map? But she had discovered something on the other side.
And she didn't work it from the side of the map.
She saw a great big hand on the other side, and so she put it together. If it had been possible to turn it over, every place would have been geographically correct.
Why? Or she saw that hand. And those who don't see that the Bible reveals Christ to us really find the difficulty because they're seeking something for their own minds. But when we see that the Lord Jesus expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Then it says about the Lord Jesus, He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. And so the Spirit is the power. You know, it takes courage to live in this world to please the Lord. Young people, everyone finds you're going against the current, and it's not easy to go against the current. It's getting a little swifter in this world and we find it's difficult to go against it. But the Lord has given us the power by His Spirit.
To go against it, Paul could say I can do all.
Things through Christ which strengtheneth me. And so we have the power to go against the current of this world, which is so against us.
And then when it says he sealed us, we all understand what a seal is on an official document. The official document may be perfect as to all the information that's on it, but it doesn't become official until there's a seal on it. If you have a title deed to your home, you know that there's a seal on it, and that's what makes it official. And you and I are marked out in this world.
As belonging to Christ, who hath also sealed us.
And the earnest means the assurance that what God has begun is going to complete. When you give earnest money, that means you're going to complete the deal you have begun. And so God has given to us. Why? Well, because when he saved us, He didn't, shall I say He didn't complete everything. We have life to live. We have bodies that have aches and pains. What is the purpose of God?
Full conformity to Christ.
Full conformity and the work won't be completed until the coming of the Lord. That's why it says, now is our salvation nearer than when we believed?
We already have the salvation of our souls, as Peter says, but we wait the redemption of our bodies, and that's one that will be complete. And more than that, we won't have this whole fallen nature inside. That's such a hindrance to us. It'll be gone. What a wonderful thing that will be. It says that.
This.
It says will be delivered from these bodies of humiliation, and that old man that so often spoils our communion with the Lord will be gone. Oh, what a wonderful thing to belong to Christ. So he has sealed us. He's given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. He's anointed us. And so Paul is seeking to encourage these Saints and brethren. I believe it's so important that we have these things clearly before us.
And so that when we start us at.
On our Christian life, we understand where God has put us. We know what our standing is before God, and if we know our standing, then He wants us to enjoy it.
Not only know it, but to enjoy it. And so the Spirit of God has been given to us to bring us into the knowledge of these things, but also to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts.
Well, the last two verses say, Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul, and to spare you, I came not as yet unto Corinth, not for that we have dominion over your faith, but our helpers of your joy. For by faith ye stand.
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Paul didn't come to Corinth. He didn't want to have dominion over their faith. He wanted to be a helper of their joy. And I trust what I say tonight is of the same character, not to have dominion over your faith, but our helpers of your joy.
That is, the enemy would keep us from the knowledge of these things. He would keep us from walking in communion with the Lord, because anything that's allowed in our lives that is contrary to His will is in that measure a hindrance to our enjoyment of Christ. That's why it says in the look of the Song of Solomon, take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.
For our vines have tender grapes, and don't we find that our own lives that often little things that we allow hinder our enjoyment of Christ?
Someone has said, how often does one forbidden thing hide from our view 1000 blessings. And I believe it's true, brethren, that if we're allowing something in our lives that is contrary to his will, it's going to hinder us. And Paul says, I'm not trying to force you. I'm not trying to push you because he says I I just want to be a helper of your joy. Isn't that lovely? That's what ministry is.
The Lord.
Sets himself before us. It says. When he calleth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him.
For they know his voice, that is, he goes to lead us brethren in the path of faith through this world. And so where we have just anticipating in the end of the 3rd chapter, it says where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. God wants to do things as Christians, not because we have to, but because we want to. Don't you like it when you have a friend who when you ask him to do something, it doesn't say, well I have to do.
Oh, it'll be a pleasure too. I love you so much. It'd be a pleasure to do that. And that's what the Lord wants the love of Christ to constrain us. And so I think that's a beautiful expression. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but our helpers of your joy for by faith they stand with just commenting last night in the Bible reading over in Vancouver that.
That it's laying hold of these things by faith, and we need the shield of faith that will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and that all our failure comes from unbelief of the goodness that's in the heart of God or failure.
Why did Adam and Eve partake of the forbidden fruit? Because they didn't believe that God had given them sufficient to make them happy. Thought they needed something outside of what He had given to them. And what was the result? They brought sorrow into their lives.
Well brethren, may the Lord help us not to want something that is beyond what is the Lord's will. For us to be content with His will is the path of happiness and blessing. It's the path in which the Lord Jesus walked. He said. The good pleasure of thy will, O God, is my delight.
Now, coming to this second chapter in the 14th verse in Mr. Darby's translation, I'd just like to comment the way it reads.
Here it says, now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ. He renders that who leads us in triumph in Christ leads us in triumph. And you can see in careful reading that that's the thought and the expression here. It causes us to triumph. And I think he's making a comparison with what happened when a Roman general in those days won a victory for Rome.
After he returned to Rome, then they held what was called.
A March of triumph, And he displayed before the people of Rome the fruits of the victory that he had won, perhaps what he had gathered for Rome's glory. And there was a March of triumph through the streets of Rome.
And some might cheer, some might blame, some might say I'm not going to go and bother to see it, but that that March of triumph was held.
And that's always touched my heart, to think that every time you tell out the gospel and the truth of God, don't be discouraged, brethren, you're holding a March of triumph. You're telling people it was a victory won at Calvary. And there's something for them to share as a result of that work that was done. And I always thought was so lovely because Paul was often beaten and persecuted and stoned. But he said I held a March of triumph in those heathen cities and no matter.
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Or whether they receive it or not, they'll all know that there was a victory won in which they can share in the good and results of it. And that's what the gospel proclaims. That's what the truth of God proclaims, that there was a V1 at Calvary. Someday the full results of it are going to be displayed, and every believer is going to have a full cup. Every believer is going to be in the full enjoyment of that.
In Christ. But Paul was running, shall I say, leading these March of triumphs in these heathen city. I'm sure that must have comforted his heart as they laughed at him and despised him, and sometimes put him in prison. Well, he said, at least the people know that there was a victory won at Calvary for their good and for their blessing.
And that's why he says we are under God, a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.
That is, God wants every human in this world to know about Christ.
After he rose from the dead, said going into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, you might say, well, how could he be a sweet savor of Christ in them that perish?
Let me use a little illustration. Supposing somebody broke into your home and they stole some of your goods and you found out who had done it and you called them to your home and said, I want to pardon you for what you've done. I don't want this to be brought up and charged against you because I care about you and I want you to know that I feel kindly towards you. I'd like to pardon you.
And the man refuses. He says I hate you, I don't want you or you're.
Pardon or anything. That's the way man treats the gospel when God tells him that he wants to pardon him for all his sins through the blood of Christ.
And so the man refuses it, and he's brought up to court. Well, it's announced in the courtroom that this person whom he had stolen from didn't want this case to come into court, had offered to pardon him, offered more than that, had begged him to take the pardon so it wouldn't have to be brought into court. And so in front of all the court, everybody knows what's in your heart toward him. God wants all the world to know.
Because God is not.
Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
And so that's the way the apostle took the attitude of others when he preached the gospel. At least he said, I told them what's in the heart of God. He says it's a triumph in Christ in them and are saved. And so he didn't look on it as a job, He didn't look at it as a duty. He didn't have to twist the word of God some way to prove his point. He said we're not as many which corrupt the word of God, but as of sincerity.
He felt in his own heart the privilege of proclaiming this message, and he didn't have to twist the Scripture. You don't have to twist the Scripture to bring out the God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son. You don't have to twist the Scripture to tell sinners that God wants them to know the unsearchable riches of Christ.
And how, how beautiful. And to see the ministry that was given to Paul. Now he comes to this third chapter.
And he speaks about letters of commendation. And then in the second verse ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men.
You know that it's necessary for a person who's going to another place where he's not known to carry a letter of commendation. So that it's it's he's known. But they knew the Apostle Paul. They knew his ministry. They'd been saved through his ministry. So he said it wasn't necessary, but it was necessary for some. And I might just say here, because people sometimes think they should be received on their own testimony. Did you ever think?
That the greatest apostle of the Christian dispensation, Paul, when he came to Jerusalem just after he had been saved, they didn't receive him.
He says he assayed to join himself to the disciples, and they were all afraid of him. They didn't accept him on his own testimony. But Barnabas was there and he said, I know this man has been saved and I've seen the evidence of it in his life. So he, so to speak, was commanded by another who knew him. And so we see here that this is the way he speaks about letters of commendation. I just speak of this in passing because.
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If such a one as the apostle Paul.
And needed to be commanded by another. Surely it is important even in our day.
Well, now what he says in the second verse is so nice. Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men.
I'd like to notice 2 points in this verse, he says, written in our hearts, known and read of all men. And this is a this speaks to us if we seek to serve the Lord. It isn't just to, shall I say, deliver a message. The Saints ought to be upon our hearts. We ought to be seeking their good.
If we're going to be faithful servants of the Lord, we need to think how dear God's people are to Him.
We were struck up in Calgary where we had three days of meetings to notice how when the Lord Jesus came into this world, He speaks of those who were His as the excellent of the earth.
I thought what a wonderful expression because sometimes we look at one another's failures and people see our failures and they don't seem like very excellent, but I thought it was lovely to thank. The apostle viewed the children of God in this way. He said you're written in our hearts. And the Lord Jesus looked upon those who responded to his love, and he called them the excellent of the earth.
Brethren, it's good to see our brethren.
Through the eyes of faith, see them as the Lord sees them.
God wouldn't allow Balaam to curse his people. He said The people shall dwell alone. And he said he hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel. Was there no failure there? Well, there was plenty. There were quarreling in their tents and all kinds of things. But he saw them from God's viewpoint. And that's so loudly. And so he said, You're written in our hearts.
But then on the other side, brethren, we're known and read of all men.
We're known and read of all men.
You confess the name of Christ and your neighbors.
Your friends at school, your friends in the meeting too, they're going to watch you, whether you're a proper epistle of Christ. And I say this to myself, I'm not just saying this to you.
People know I've often said the world sets very high standards for how Christians should act.
They know the type should be straight, and God wants us to be like living epistles so that others look. They won't read their Bibles. They'll see Christ in US. How often somebody has been saved because they saw Christ in the people who professed his name. They saw that they were the in the enjoyment and in the practical, upright life that belongs to those who confess his name.
So there is this thought of a testimony and epistles.
And he says, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart.
I think here he brings in something practical.
I say again what I said at the beginning, that.
As Christians, we don't do things because we're under certain rules. The law laid down certain rules. And he's contrasting here as we'll notice, law and grace.
We're seeking to please a person who died for us, not because we have to, but because we want to. In appreciation for what he's done for us. As we sing in a little hymn sometimes that we may in some small degree return my love again. And when you love somebody very much.
You like to do something and sometimes you say, oh, I don't want to do something small for that person. I like to do something that really puts a lot of work or labor into it because I want them to see that I appreciate them and I value their friendship and their love.
And so as Christian, as the more we meditate upon the love of Christ, then the more it will be in our hearts. You know, the law was written on tables of stone. Did you ever think, stop to think about why it was written on tables of stone? Well, I think the Bible answers that.
It says that in the coming day God is going to take away the Stony heart out of His people, His people Israel. When He blesses them on the earth, He will take away the Stony heart and give them a heart of flesh.
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You know what stone has no feeling? You can pound it as hard as you like and it doesn't have any feeling.
But he said, when Christ is written on the heart, there's feeling.
You know we have, we all have feelings and the Lord has feelings. When he was here, he had feelings, He had feelings of love. He said reproach hath broken my heart. And so Paul had feelings. He entered into what the Saints were going through and he sought to write Christ on the fleshy tables of the heart.
It's often in times of difficulty when things go hard that Christ becomes more precious.
I'm sure that she direct me she can abandoned go found the Lord more dear, more near to them than they ever had before when they were in the furnace of fire.
And you know, in the experiences of life, we'll often find that the most wonderful experiences will be in the hardest times because the Lord will draw near. And so he says He was writing Christ on their hearts, in the fleshy tables of the heart. Not like a letter. You can write a letter very easily with ink.
The law was pounded out on tables of stone, but Christ was written on the fleshy tables of the heart. And brethren, if, if in any measure this can be accomplished tonight, even as we speak of these things, if it makes an impression on your heart and mind what the Lord Jesus has done for us, then it's well worthwhile.
It's writing Christ on the fleshy tables of the heart, and so he says in the next verse and such.
Trust have we through Christ to Godward? Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Sometimes, and I'm sure always, we feel very insufficient. You meet a person in difficulty, in trouble, and don't you feel how helpless you are to help them? But you turn to the Lord and ask, You ask Him.
And to help you and it says that.