The Recompense and Its Power

The Recompense and Its Power. In his Bible lesson, Ken Millspaugh spoke to a pressing need of the time. The text was Colossians 3:24-25, in which it was stressed that the recompense for wrongdoing is applicable to saints as well as to aliens. Hence, "we must not separate the privileges of the gospel from its responsibilities," he remarked. 

The principal emphasis made concerned Paul's accent in the text and context, in which he specifies some of the particulars involved in putting on the characteristics of God's elect (v. 12). Contrary to today's popular insistence, the Apostle's emphasis was not on the temporal benefits to be received, such as good domestic and job relations. Rather, it was on "the reward of the inheritance" reserved in heaven for the faithful (v. 24; cf. I Pet. 1:4; II Pet. 1:11). All the efforts essential to doing what Colossians 3:12—4:1 requires are to be expended "as to the Lord" (v. 23), and with a view primarily to "the recompense of the reward" to be received therefor at the last day (Heb. 11:26). 

That state of the case undercuts the carnal appeal to present rewards for godliness as the principal consideration in religious life, and entails the possession and constant use of genuine faith, which is anchored to "that within the veil" (Heb. 19), it was observed. Such is the drift of the whole of new covenant Scripture, and the situation is placed beyond all controversy by the blessed Jesus' example (Heb. 12:1-2). The secret of victory over the present evil world is to have heaven singly in one's eye, as says Paul in another place (Gal. 5:16). 

On the kingdom's enabling and compensative principle which operates in this area, a highly pertinent point was made. Although much personal discipline is required in donning the identifying traits of God's election in Christ, including steadfast denial of ungodliness and worldly lusts, heaven's ineffably great reward makes it all far more than worth while (Rom. 8:17-18). In addition, current operation of "the law of the Spirit of life in Chnst" (v. 2) renders the process and experience delightsome. Thus, as John recognizes, the life of faith is "not grievous" at all, as they that are after the flesh suppose it to be (I Jn. 5:3). God's Companionship (II Cor. 6:17-18) in it is responsible for that blessed circumstance.

The Life That Is by Faith

The Life That Is by Faith. "The just shall live by faith," declared the Prophet Habakkuk (Hab. 2:4). Paul picked up this assertion and three tunes over applied it to the means of life Godward under the new covenant (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38). The meaning is, He that is reckoned by God to be just shall live by his faith in the basis upon which that reckoning is made, i.e., the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in his behalf. So the Apostle's declaration, "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Hunself for me" (Gal. 2:20, RSV; cf 3:10-12).

The sense of Habakkuk's expression, as operative under Christ, is, The justified shall live by his faith. The idea of the just living by his faith, unless understood as we have indicated, would be self-contradictory. If a person were himself just, he would have no need of faith in order to life. He could live unto God by his own merit—that of his justness, or righteousness. Since, however, all have sinned, and are guilty before God (or unjust), if anyone is to live Godward, he must do so on the basis of the propitiation for his sins which Christ has made. In other words, he must live by, through faith, relying on that disposition of his sms (Rom. 3:21-26). That is to live by faith, as the just, or justified, are said to do; it is to live vicariously, as it were, in and through the Person and work of Another. This is done in full recognition of the wretched fact that, of himself, the believer is unrighteous-not just—and so is wholly dependent upon God's grace, given him through the Son, for His acceptance with and life unto the Father.

A Bit of Wax and a Bit of Clay

"As it was in the Lord’s first coming, ‘He is set for the rise and the fall of many in Israel.’ The same heat softens some substances and bakes others into hardness. A bit of wax and a bit of clay put into the same fire--one becomes liquefied and the other solidified. The same light is joy to one eye and torture to another. The same pillar of cloud was light to the hosts of Israel, and darkness and dismay to the armies of Egypt. The same Gospel is ‘a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death,’ by the giving forth of the same influences killing the one and reviving the other; the same Christ is a Stone to build upon or a Stone of stumbling; and when He cometh at the last, Prince, King, Judge, to you and me, His coming shall be prepared as the morning; and ye ‘shall have a song as when one cometh with a pipe to the mountain of the Lord’; or else it shall be a day of darkness and not of light. He comes to me, to you; He comes to smite or He comes to glorify." --Alexander MacLaren 

Christ, the great Illuminator of, and Remedy for, Moral Darkness

Christ is the great Illuminator of, and divinely appointed Remedy for, the moral darkness caused by the entrance of sin into the world, both making manifest and dispelling the darkness. As He Himself declared, "I am the Light of the world. He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (Jn. 8:12).