Faith comes before assurance, and assurance before the answer (Faith is always first, for “through” it alone establishes eternal Grace – Eph 2:8—NC). The Gentile woman (Mat 15:22) had faith in the Lord’s power, before He gave her any assurance. His intentions of relieving her were when He gave this, and she did not actually get the answer to her prayer until she returned to her daughter and found her whole. Real faith is always increased by opposition, while false confidence is damaged and discouraged by it.
It is a different thing to have confidence in God as for His doing anything for me on the ground of relationship—of my being His child, and get a distinct promise and assurance from Him. There is always the promise before the answer is given. The time of trial and suspense, while faith is in exercise (trusting God will bring you through it and that it’s for your “good” - Ro 8:28), is the time of schooling.
School is more preparing the mind for knowledge, and getting it into training, than actually acquiring knowledge. So with the soul. In trial it is learning to learn, more than getting any conscious acquisition. That come afterwards, as with the pupil who wishes to continue the cultivation of his mind after he escapes from the toil of the school-room.
Then only does he become fully conscious of what he has gained. While toiling, he was conscious of little advance, but he now finds that his mind has got into working order, and all that seemed dull and meaningless to him, as learned by rote, assumes a new meaning and use to him. To the schoolboy everything is new, and he is hardly conscious of acquisition; but afterwards he makes use of his knowledge, to reach the science of things, and to acquire more.
The soul in trial is in its school-time, and should not be discouraged in being unable to discover at once distinct acquisition in its knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, from day to day. That will come by-and-by, when the trial is over, which is but preparing the soul for the consciousness of blessing and increased knowledge of the Lord Jesus; and in this process the old man must be learned and exposed, which is always painful (it can be discouraging as we continuously learn more of our “old man” and its “devices” - 2Co 2:11, but the Father will not only “keep you from falling” - Jde 1:24, but also “make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it – 1Co 10:13—NC).
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1Pe 5:10).
From ritual to Reality:
We are “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling” (Heb 3:1). What is it that constitutes us thus? Surely these two things—that the Son has by Himself purged our sins, and that “He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:11). If there is not the same life in them as Himself, He could not call them brethren. “Because I live,” Ye shall live also.” Is He anointed by the Spirit (Luk 4:18; Mat 3:16)? They too in virtue of having been cleansed by His Blood, and united with Him as ascended (Eph 2:6), are anointed with the same. Now the High Priest suitable to such a standing as this must not only be “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, but also made higher than the heavens” (Heb 7:26).
The old Aaronic order would necessarily keep the holy brethren out of the holy place, making those who are partakers of the heavenly calling mere earthly worshipers (like the Jews who love God but not the Lord Jesus. These will be on the earth during the millennium and Christ and the saved will rule over them Mat 19:28—NC). Is this not present fact? Worship should so elevate the soul of the worshiper that nothing should be known between him and the Father, save the Great High Priest; but instead of this, the ritual, to which many saints are subjected, causes them to bow the head like a bulrush.
But to proceed, “such a High Priest became us who need not daily as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, Who is consecrated for evermore.”
How unlike Aron is the Lord Jesus, our High Priest! All His present priestly ministration I based upon the accomplished sacrifice of Himself. This entirely affects the order of worship, and changes it; for our worship is just as truly based upon the already accomplished sacrifice as is His Priesthood. It is our starting-point as worshippers. We are only in the profane place, if we approach not God on the ground of our sins having been purged by the Lord Jesus; we cannot avail ourselves of His priesthood until this be acknowledged.
The Great Priesthood is alone suitable for those who have come to God through Him. Into what an elevated position then has that one sacrifice brought us! No place under heaven is suitable for His ministry or worship. Both are properly heavenly. Worship therefore should ever lift us up to where the Lord Jesus is—the Great High Priest who is passed into the heavens. Aaron was called of God to his priesthood in the tabernacle made with hands (God isn’t cheapening the physical order of worship, but is showing a greater way to worship Him spiritually with the heart—NC), but the Lord Jesus has been called of God to His priesthood in the heavens (not via the earthly but via the heavenly—NC), the true tabernacle, and we are made “partakers of the heavenly calling” ((Heb 3:1, 14; 6:4).
The dignity of His person, the ground-work of His priestly ministry, and the place of its exercise, all alike proclaim the necessity of a change in the law and order of worship. The law with its ritual and worship all hang consistently together, but it “made nothing perfect” (complete - Heb 7:19)—it bore on its front marks of its infirmity. It is not merely men contrasted with the Son, but men having infirmity. So the word of the oath has its priesthood and order in beautiful harmony; but to attempt to blend the two (mix the earthly worship with the heavenly worship—NC) as the church has done and is doing, is to introduce the worst corruption (God now desires heavenly worship not earthly—The Lord Jesus has not His honor, and the saints have not their privilege (to worship from heaven—NC).
—J N Darby (1800-1882)
“Devotion, utter devotion, to God’s purpose concerning His people, is going to make the uttermost demand upon any servant of God. It is going to test and find out our spirit of service. And if we are going to be used of God in this utter way, it is going to bring us to the point where we have nothing left to fall back upon, either of personal interest, position, or blessing: it is simply a matter of God, and God only! If God does not do it, we are finished. We have no alternative; we have no second line; we are in this matter of the Lord’s purpose to the last drop of blood. The purpose of God in His people will demand that. It is no use—we cannot have any alternatives; we cannot have a second course: it is everything or nothing.”
—Theodore Austin-Sparks (1888–1971)
It is a different thing to have confidence in God as for His doing anything for me on the ground of relationship—of my being His child, and get a distinct promise and assurance from Him. There is always the promise before the answer is given. The time of trial and suspense, while faith is in exercise (trusting God will bring you through it and that it’s for your “good” - Ro 8:28), is the time of schooling.
School is more preparing the mind for knowledge, and getting it into training, than actually acquiring knowledge. So with the soul. In trial it is learning to learn, more than getting any conscious acquisition. That come afterwards, as with the pupil who wishes to continue the cultivation of his mind after he escapes from the toil of the school-room.
Then only does he become fully conscious of what he has gained. While toiling, he was conscious of little advance, but he now finds that his mind has got into working order, and all that seemed dull and meaningless to him, as learned by rote, assumes a new meaning and use to him. To the schoolboy everything is new, and he is hardly conscious of acquisition; but afterwards he makes use of his knowledge, to reach the science of things, and to acquire more.
The soul in trial is in its school-time, and should not be discouraged in being unable to discover at once distinct acquisition in its knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, from day to day. That will come by-and-by, when the trial is over, which is but preparing the soul for the consciousness of blessing and increased knowledge of the Lord Jesus; and in this process the old man must be learned and exposed, which is always painful (it can be discouraging as we continuously learn more of our “old man” and its “devices” - 2Co 2:11, but the Father will not only “keep you from falling” - Jde 1:24, but also “make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it – 1Co 10:13—NC).
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1Pe 5:10).
From ritual to Reality:
We are “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling” (Heb 3:1). What is it that constitutes us thus? Surely these two things—that the Son has by Himself purged our sins, and that “He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:11). If there is not the same life in them as Himself, He could not call them brethren. “Because I live,” Ye shall live also.” Is He anointed by the Spirit (Luk 4:18; Mat 3:16)? They too in virtue of having been cleansed by His Blood, and united with Him as ascended (Eph 2:6), are anointed with the same. Now the High Priest suitable to such a standing as this must not only be “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, but also made higher than the heavens” (Heb 7:26).
The old Aaronic order would necessarily keep the holy brethren out of the holy place, making those who are partakers of the heavenly calling mere earthly worshipers (like the Jews who love God but not the Lord Jesus. These will be on the earth during the millennium and Christ and the saved will rule over them Mat 19:28—NC). Is this not present fact? Worship should so elevate the soul of the worshiper that nothing should be known between him and the Father, save the Great High Priest; but instead of this, the ritual, to which many saints are subjected, causes them to bow the head like a bulrush.
But to proceed, “such a High Priest became us who need not daily as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, Who is consecrated for evermore.”
How unlike Aron is the Lord Jesus, our High Priest! All His present priestly ministration I based upon the accomplished sacrifice of Himself. This entirely affects the order of worship, and changes it; for our worship is just as truly based upon the already accomplished sacrifice as is His Priesthood. It is our starting-point as worshippers. We are only in the profane place, if we approach not God on the ground of our sins having been purged by the Lord Jesus; we cannot avail ourselves of His priesthood until this be acknowledged.
The Great Priesthood is alone suitable for those who have come to God through Him. Into what an elevated position then has that one sacrifice brought us! No place under heaven is suitable for His ministry or worship. Both are properly heavenly. Worship therefore should ever lift us up to where the Lord Jesus is—the Great High Priest who is passed into the heavens. Aaron was called of God to his priesthood in the tabernacle made with hands (God isn’t cheapening the physical order of worship, but is showing a greater way to worship Him spiritually with the heart—NC), but the Lord Jesus has been called of God to His priesthood in the heavens (not via the earthly but via the heavenly—NC), the true tabernacle, and we are made “partakers of the heavenly calling” ((Heb 3:1, 14; 6:4).
The dignity of His person, the ground-work of His priestly ministry, and the place of its exercise, all alike proclaim the necessity of a change in the law and order of worship. The law with its ritual and worship all hang consistently together, but it “made nothing perfect” (complete - Heb 7:19)—it bore on its front marks of its infirmity. It is not merely men contrasted with the Son, but men having infirmity. So the word of the oath has its priesthood and order in beautiful harmony; but to attempt to blend the two (mix the earthly worship with the heavenly worship—NC) as the church has done and is doing, is to introduce the worst corruption (God now desires heavenly worship not earthly—The Lord Jesus has not His honor, and the saints have not their privilege (to worship from heaven—NC).
—J N Darby (1800-1882)
“Devotion, utter devotion, to God’s purpose concerning His people, is going to make the uttermost demand upon any servant of God. It is going to test and find out our spirit of service. And if we are going to be used of God in this utter way, it is going to bring us to the point where we have nothing left to fall back upon, either of personal interest, position, or blessing: it is simply a matter of God, and God only! If God does not do it, we are finished. We have no alternative; we have no second line; we are in this matter of the Lord’s purpose to the last drop of blood. The purpose of God in His people will demand that. It is no use—we cannot have any alternatives; we cannot have a second course: it is everything or nothing.”
—Theodore Austin-Sparks (1888–1971)
