The more mindful we become of the Father and Son in heaven, the greater are the encouragements during the times of fellowship with other believers! We can exhort one another in knowing that the present position of those reborn cannot be any greater, even in the “New Heaven,” concerning their spotless, faultless, blameless, guiltless condition of the soul. The absence of the old human nature, together with our new nature and bodies will allow for uninterrupted fellowship with God, but we will not be any more cleansed from sin’s iniquity then—than we are now! May God give us to know this evermore fully before faith becomes sight!
Some might think a believer can be guilty of a wrongdoing, of which, until is confessed and repented, brings guilt. This is not the sense of the Blood of Christ’s efficacy, which “once” applied is ever sufficient (Heb 10:10). No, all is used for “conforming” and teaching. It’s not as though we get in and out of trouble with our Father, as if being punished out of anger; but rather He is chastising us out of love (Heb 12:5-10).
NC
We do not wait for the Rapture to see glories. Is it no glory for you to have a purged conscience (Heb 10:2)? Is it no glory to be fully entitled to be in the presence of your Father without a blush? No glory to call God, Father (Jhn 20:17)? To have the Lord Jesus as your Forerunner in heavenly places (Heb 6:20)? To enter into the Holiest without a quiver of conscience? No glory to be introduced into the secrets of the Most High God (Mat 13:11)? If you can lift your heart and say, “Abba, Father”; if you can lift up your heart and say, “Who shall condemn?” or “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” If we can believe that we are bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh (Eph 5:30), that we are part of His fullness, will anyone say there is no glory in all that?
The Book of Hebrews introduces us to most precious thoughts. It tells us to look up and see the Lord Jesus on the throne, and to look down and see the poor believing sinner shinning on the footstool. The world knows nothing of these glories. We only apprehend them by faith in the glass of the Word; but I do say boldly, that I do not wait for the Rapture to know what gory is. I look up and see the Lamb in acquired glories; I look down and see the saint in gifted glories.
Now the moral application begins. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holies by the Blood of Jesus.” There I look at myself; and will anyone say there is not glory in such a position? That is my title. Now the exhortation is that you enjoy your title (1Tim 6:17—NC). To enjoy is to obey. The first duty you owe your Father is to enjoy what He has made you, and what He has given you (rebirth—NC). “Let us draw near.” Use your privilege! It is the first grand duty of faith, and I am bold to say it is the most acceptable duty of faith.
How narrow we are to enjoy these glories. Do you ever look at yourself in the glass of the Word (Jam 1:24)? We are very much accustomed to looking at ourselves in the glass of circumstances, and in the glass of relationships. If we say in the secret of our heart, with exultation of spirit, “I am a child of God”; if, with exultation of spirit say, “I am coheir with Christ” (Rom 8:17; Rev 3:21), that is the way to begin obedience. Here it is exactly that—“Let us draw nigh with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”
We should look on ourselves as the priesthood of God (it has been said Israel had a priesthood, but believers are a priesthood—NC). The priests of old were washed when they were put into office. Then every day their feet were washed before they entered the tabernacle to serve the Lord. The pavement of God’s own presence was not stained by the foot of the priest. He went in, in a character worthy (remembering worthiness is never meritorious but bestowed—NC) of the place. Are you occupying the presence of your Father all day long in the consciousness that you are “hid with Christ in God,” worthy of the place? How will you be presented before Him by-and-by? Jude tells you, “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” You ought to know that you are in His presence now faultless and without spot. We are in a wealthy place; and having got in there we are to rest there, without a quiver (concerning any form of guilt—NC). “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (“quivering”—NC – Heb 10:23).
- J G Bellett (1795–1864)
Some might think a believer can be guilty of a wrongdoing, of which, until is confessed and repented, brings guilt. This is not the sense of the Blood of Christ’s efficacy, which “once” applied is ever sufficient (Heb 10:10). No, all is used for “conforming” and teaching. It’s not as though we get in and out of trouble with our Father, as if being punished out of anger; but rather He is chastising us out of love (Heb 12:5-10).
NC
Without A Quiver
“Now the full glories of the Lamb adorn the heavenly throne,” as Isaac Watts wrote. But let me ask, do you see glories anywhere in these “last days” that are not attached to the Lord Jesus in heaven? You will tell me that all gory belongs to Him, and I grant it; but I tell you, you ought to see glories attached to yourself. These same last days that have set Him on high, in the midst of the glories, have set the poor believing sinner down here in the midst of glories (Jhn 17:22).We do not wait for the Rapture to see glories. Is it no glory for you to have a purged conscience (Heb 10:2)? Is it no glory to be fully entitled to be in the presence of your Father without a blush? No glory to call God, Father (Jhn 20:17)? To have the Lord Jesus as your Forerunner in heavenly places (Heb 6:20)? To enter into the Holiest without a quiver of conscience? No glory to be introduced into the secrets of the Most High God (Mat 13:11)? If you can lift your heart and say, “Abba, Father”; if you can lift up your heart and say, “Who shall condemn?” or “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” If we can believe that we are bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh (Eph 5:30), that we are part of His fullness, will anyone say there is no glory in all that?
The Book of Hebrews introduces us to most precious thoughts. It tells us to look up and see the Lord Jesus on the throne, and to look down and see the poor believing sinner shinning on the footstool. The world knows nothing of these glories. We only apprehend them by faith in the glass of the Word; but I do say boldly, that I do not wait for the Rapture to know what gory is. I look up and see the Lamb in acquired glories; I look down and see the saint in gifted glories.
Now the moral application begins. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holies by the Blood of Jesus.” There I look at myself; and will anyone say there is not glory in such a position? That is my title. Now the exhortation is that you enjoy your title (1Tim 6:17—NC). To enjoy is to obey. The first duty you owe your Father is to enjoy what He has made you, and what He has given you (rebirth—NC). “Let us draw near.” Use your privilege! It is the first grand duty of faith, and I am bold to say it is the most acceptable duty of faith.
How narrow we are to enjoy these glories. Do you ever look at yourself in the glass of the Word (Jam 1:24)? We are very much accustomed to looking at ourselves in the glass of circumstances, and in the glass of relationships. If we say in the secret of our heart, with exultation of spirit, “I am a child of God”; if, with exultation of spirit say, “I am coheir with Christ” (Rom 8:17; Rev 3:21), that is the way to begin obedience. Here it is exactly that—“Let us draw nigh with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”
We should look on ourselves as the priesthood of God (it has been said Israel had a priesthood, but believers are a priesthood—NC). The priests of old were washed when they were put into office. Then every day their feet were washed before they entered the tabernacle to serve the Lord. The pavement of God’s own presence was not stained by the foot of the priest. He went in, in a character worthy (remembering worthiness is never meritorious but bestowed—NC) of the place. Are you occupying the presence of your Father all day long in the consciousness that you are “hid with Christ in God,” worthy of the place? How will you be presented before Him by-and-by? Jude tells you, “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” You ought to know that you are in His presence now faultless and without spot. We are in a wealthy place; and having got in there we are to rest there, without a quiver (concerning any form of guilt—NC). “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (“quivering”—NC – Heb 10:23).
- J G Bellett (1795–1864)
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