We have noticed of late, and facts have come before us, where young converts, and, indeed, older Christians, have been ensnared by the enemy with a spirit of lawlessness.
“O! we are saved now; we are Christians; we are not under law; can we not in many things do our own will? Why should we be so narrow and strict? Can we not go where we like, and hear what we like?” And if all this is not said and done, yet what a large portion of our time is spent in doing our own, will?
Perhaps nothing has been more seriously forgotten than this: that the Christian is sanctified by “the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” We are not set apart, as a nation, from Egypt, unto the obedience of the law of Moses, to stand before that mount, to tremble beneath the sound of the righteous claims of a holy God, (“And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake”); neither are we set apart to be a struggling people, striving in vain to keep the law of Moses. We are not sanctified, or set apart merely to obedience, but to the obedience of Christ. (1 Pet. 1:22Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2)).
What, then, was the obedience of Christ? Was it a mere question of right and wrong with Him? Had He to use His private judgment as to what was right and wrong? Did He avoid stealing because it was wrong to do so? What was the principle on which He ever acted?
Let us hear Him on the subject: “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.” (Psa. 40:7, 87Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:7‑8)). What a sight is this! A person on this earth, Jesus of Nazareth, set apart from eternity to come and do the will of God; and, in His case, that will to reach to our redemption by His blood. But in every act He could say, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God.” “For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” (John 6:4848I am that bread of life. (John 6:48)).
And in answer to this unmixed delight to do the Father’s will, in every thought and act, a voice was heard from heaven, which said, “Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.”
To this obedience the believer is set apart by the Spirit; not the trembling, quaking bondage of Sinai, but the obedience of Him, who could thus say, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God.”
In the obedience of Christ, then, we see two things a nature that delighted to do the will of God, and power to do that will. He never could possibly have said, “How to perform that which is good I find not.” The delight of His heart, and every action of His devoted life were well pleasing to the Father. No leaven within, no spot without. His was obedience perfect before God. Such is, then, the standard set before us; such the obedience unto which we are set apart, sanctified. All the rest of mankind doing their own will. Christians separated from them, to delight to do the will of God their Father.
Is it not evident, then, in order to do this, there must also be the same two things in the believer? There must be a nature that delights to do the will of the Father. That nature must be holy; or it cannot delight to do the holy will of God. But man, in his fallen condition, is the very reverse of this; and circumcision, baptism and religious ceremonies, do not change his evil nature. The blessed Lord teaches he must be born wholly anew. He must have a new nature. And even, then the other thing is needed—power.
Such a case is supposed and described in Romans 7. He is born again, has a new nature, can truly say, “I delight in the law of God after the inward man,” but he has no power. He says, “for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Does not this show the need we have, not only of a new nature wholly from above—of God—but also the absolute need of power; that is, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost; “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” This we find is the all-important subject of Romans 8:1-171There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For 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: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:1‑17).
It may be asked, But has not the believer two natures; and is there not conflict still with an evil nature? And if we are set apart to such a perfect example—the obedience of Christ—can we say that we do always the things that please the Father? Can we say that we have no sin? (1 John 1:88If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)). He knew no sin! Can we say so? Surely that perfect copy is placed before our eyes; but can we say we have never failed—can we say, even as believers, “We have not sinned”? Should we not “make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us”? All most true; and hence mark the divine perfection of the Word of God: we are not only set apart by the Spirit unto the obedience of Christ, but the sanctification of the Spirit [is] unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.
It is impossible to enjoy the power of the Holy Ghost for obedience, unless we receive the seal, the witness of the Spirit to the infinite and immutable value of the blood of Christ. O, sweet relief! O, lasting victory! The blood of Jesus the answer to all that I am, and all that I have done. Not like the blood of bulls and goats that needed repetition, and never purged the conscience; but the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth from all sin. Set apart to that, to the sprinkling efficacy of the blood of Christ. What a peace! God says, “and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Believer, is it not thus written? Is not this your place?
We press, then, this much neglected, blessed truth the obedience of Christ. O, what need of prayer and searching of the Word of God, and what dependence on the Holy Spirit, both to know and power to do, yea, to delight to do the will of God. What have we done this day because it is His will?