As Christians responsible for our part of the Church's history today, let us ask ourselves: are we leaving all behind, counting all but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord? Have His charms, His beauties and excellencies led captive our affections? Are we pressing on through the wilderness with hearts throbbing with glad anticipation of that nuptial day when we shall be joined to Him in holy wedlock forever?
The Church, that which is called by Christ's name, has sadly failed and made a dismal descent from those early, bright days of her pristine fairness before she left her first love. But how early she is called back "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent." Rev. 2:4, 54Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Revelation 2:4‑5).
The terrors of Nero to Diocletian follow, marking as in Smyrna, the second stage of the Church's history. But the heart once estranged, though checked by this chastening, is but one stage later found dwelling where Satan's throne is, having lost in her soul the sense of her high, holy and heavenly calling. (Phil. 3:14: 2 Tim. 1:9: Heb. 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1).) She becomes a part of the world's system, a religious part lobe sure, but none the less the world. And why not, since Satan is both "god" and "prince" of it?
Religious Political
With the term "god" you get the idea of something religious: with the term "prince" the idea of what is political; thus he is the religious and political head of this world. Satan makes no war against religion; he is willing that men should be religious. It is the displacement of Christ he seeks, or if allowed. He must be a cross-less Christ. As the flesh stands opposed to the Spirit, and the world to the Father (speaking characteristically), so Satan stands opposed to Christ and the Church.
Satan is intolerant of Christ, the precious Christ of God, dead, risen and now Man in glory. This is what he will not have, since His cross severs us from the world as an evil system. Christ's place on high determines Ours. The Jewish system was essentially earthly, her place and portion being here within the precincts of time. The Church is a heavenly thing with a heavenly place, a heavenly portion, and a heavenly prospect. Her course through this world should be that of a stranger here.
The World's Sun Set
The children of Israel were instructed to wear a ribbon of blue (heavenly color) upon the fringe of the borders of their garments, (Num. 15:3838Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: (Numbers 15:38)) down where their garments touched the earth. So we should carry our heavenly principles down to where we come in contact with this work, maintaining separation from it refusing its objects, principles and associations. "The whole world lieth in wickedness" and "now is the judgment of this world." 1 John 5:1919And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. (1 John 5:19); John 12:3131Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. (John 12:31). It is not what it seems to be, but what the cross of Christ has made it. God is not trying to improve it, but Christ is choosing people out of it. When Lord Byron died, Sir Walter Scott, his contemporary, upon hearing it exclaimed. "It's as though the sun had gone out." This is what took place when Jesus, the light of the world died on the cross. This world's sun set there, and ever since, this world has been a dark place, the valley of the shadow of death. (His death: compare Psa. 22 and 23.)
That which professes His name has gone in the way of Cain, and the way of Cain is the course of this world. Cain slew his brother, then went out and built cities and Red the earth with music and song. Has that which professes Christ's name the character of one betrothed to a man who hung on a cross? The Apostle reproaches the saints of Corinth for "reigning as kings." To what indictment should we be subject? Have we mourned His absence yet? Have we walked with a widowed heart? Have we cast our lot in with Him at cost and loss anti suffering and shame? Have we walked with Him in white? (Rev. 3:44Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4).) Have we, like Rebekah, gone forth leaving all behind, to cross a trackless waste, inspired by the blessed prospect of seeing Him face to face, of being clasped to His heart, never to part?
No Welcome Too Large
To see and be with Him who “loved the Church and gave Himself for it" to be consciously His loved one should disengage our hearts from what is here. What relationship, portion, place, rank or station could compare with being His bride, sharing His glories, entering the joy of His presence, with no cloud above, no spot within. There is no welcome too large, no scene too bright, no place too high for those espoused to Christ, for those for whom Jesus died. But the last utterance of that which professes His name, while being false to His love "glorifying herself and living deliciously." where He received a cross and crown of thorns, is "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." For her description and doom read Rev. 17, 18 and the first verses of 19. It is the judgment of this faithless spouse, those left after the real Bride has been caught up. This introduces us to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
You will remember that He appeared in the midst of the golden candlesticks in the character of fudge, girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. (This is before His coming, so contemplates the mixed mass of true and false.) He loved her still, but such was her state that His affections must be righteously girded in. Peter had already said, "The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God." Such was the state of the profession before the canon of Scripture was complete.
God's reality, those who have been subjects of His regenerating saving grace, though flecked with much defacing and throwing but a feeble flickering ray, have left a trail of light down through the ages, the only light of this dark place.
A Trail of Light
There are those who may be obscure contributing nothing to this world's history, better known up there than down here, who having caught the radiance from the face of that blessed One in glory, have shined it out again. This is true, in measure, of all who have accepted the gospel of the glory of Christ. It is God who said that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts, for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
F.C. Blount