The essence of a Christian is that, although he is upon the earth, he is heavenly; and how could he know and grow in that, unless by the revelation of a heavenly Man who is his Life (Col 3:4)? Who is or could be that heavenly Man but the Man Christ Jesus, Who, after having put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, takes this new place there, Head of a family, and is so revealed to us by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven (1 Corinthians 2:10).
Besides having the detailed Word of the Father, we want an object to attach our hearts to; we need it that we be not lost in “the abundance of revelations” of God (2Co 12:7). Here then is One Who can claim every affection, Who can detach us by the revelation of Himself, the worthiest of all objects, an Object worthy of God the Father, and surely of us the children who delight in what He delights in. This is none other than the Lord Jesus, but it is He after all the evil is judged, after all the good is won, after love had nothing to do, nay, even righteousness no other task but to bless us.
This is what God now can afford to do as the Father. This is what He is now doing through the infinite sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. But this is what He now reveals, through the Lord Jesus in His presence, and by the Holy Spirit sent down gives us to know. His setting Himself apart at the Father’s right hand is a root of divine truth, yea, and the root of our distinctive blessedness. He is there the Life-Source (Col 3:4) according to Whom the Spirit forms us by the truth (2Co 3:18; Rom 8:29). It is thus essential in order that He fitly and fully should be the means of that wondrous display of truth and love that the Father looks to be reproduced in those that are His here below.
This then is the further intimation in the words, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” We require the Father’s Word; but we also require the Father’s Son thus set apart in heaven, and in the order too. For the Father’s truth that is made known in the Net Testament epistles invariably precedes our full appreciation of the Lord Jesus (the NT increases our appreciation of the Lord Jesus—NC) at His right hand, thus sanctifying Himself that we might be sanctified through the truth.
But then when we have seen the Lord Jesus there in the glory, when we appreciate the all-importance of having Him as an Object before our souls entirely outside the world, according to which the Holy Spirit is carrying us on and transforming us while we are here below (2Co 3:18), the truth is everywhere made more personal and powerful.
Not only that the truth abides in the Word, but that it is thus applied with increase of blessing. As He said, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself,” But not stopping at this, “that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” Thus we see, if we begin with the truth and rise to see or personal position with the Lord Jesus, the truth only receives more and more point and reality through it.
—William Kelly (1821-1906)
MJS devotional excerpt from “None But The Hungry Heart” for May 12
5-12. Trusted Trainer
“He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
In every field, whether the arts, industry, sports, or the Christian life and service in general, the necessary training goes far deeper and is much more rigorous than the actual performance. “Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace—namely, righteousness” (Heb. 12:11, Wey.)—MJS
“The Father chooses the servant who is suited to carry out His will; but though that servant be endowed by Him with power to do so, yet unless he be controlled and disciplined by the Spirit of God he will continually fall into the devising’s of his nature, no matter how godly and divine may be his intent. For we greatly err if we think that having the divine thought is all that is necessary as to our service; we must truly and efficiently be expressive of the thought; and this subjects us, as servants of God, to discipline which we often cannot understand.
“Discipline for known faults or shortcomings we can easily comprehend; but when it is that peculiar order of training which fits a man to be God’s instrument and witness, we can no more understand it than the plants of the earth can understand why they must pass through all the vicissitudes of winter in order to bring forth a more abundant harvest.” -J.B.S.
“God leaves us in the world that we may learn the sufficiency of His grace in practice, as we know the triumph of it in Christ.”—MJS
“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter” (John 13:7).
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/
Besides having the detailed Word of the Father, we want an object to attach our hearts to; we need it that we be not lost in “the abundance of revelations” of God (2Co 12:7). Here then is One Who can claim every affection, Who can detach us by the revelation of Himself, the worthiest of all objects, an Object worthy of God the Father, and surely of us the children who delight in what He delights in. This is none other than the Lord Jesus, but it is He after all the evil is judged, after all the good is won, after love had nothing to do, nay, even righteousness no other task but to bless us.
This is what God now can afford to do as the Father. This is what He is now doing through the infinite sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. But this is what He now reveals, through the Lord Jesus in His presence, and by the Holy Spirit sent down gives us to know. His setting Himself apart at the Father’s right hand is a root of divine truth, yea, and the root of our distinctive blessedness. He is there the Life-Source (Col 3:4) according to Whom the Spirit forms us by the truth (2Co 3:18; Rom 8:29). It is thus essential in order that He fitly and fully should be the means of that wondrous display of truth and love that the Father looks to be reproduced in those that are His here below.
This then is the further intimation in the words, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” We require the Father’s Word; but we also require the Father’s Son thus set apart in heaven, and in the order too. For the Father’s truth that is made known in the Net Testament epistles invariably precedes our full appreciation of the Lord Jesus (the NT increases our appreciation of the Lord Jesus—NC) at His right hand, thus sanctifying Himself that we might be sanctified through the truth.
But then when we have seen the Lord Jesus there in the glory, when we appreciate the all-importance of having Him as an Object before our souls entirely outside the world, according to which the Holy Spirit is carrying us on and transforming us while we are here below (2Co 3:18), the truth is everywhere made more personal and powerful.
Not only that the truth abides in the Word, but that it is thus applied with increase of blessing. As He said, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself,” But not stopping at this, “that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” Thus we see, if we begin with the truth and rise to see or personal position with the Lord Jesus, the truth only receives more and more point and reality through it.
—William Kelly (1821-1906)
MJS devotional excerpt from “None But The Hungry Heart” for May 12
5-12. Trusted Trainer
“He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
In every field, whether the arts, industry, sports, or the Christian life and service in general, the necessary training goes far deeper and is much more rigorous than the actual performance. “Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace—namely, righteousness” (Heb. 12:11, Wey.)—MJS
“The Father chooses the servant who is suited to carry out His will; but though that servant be endowed by Him with power to do so, yet unless he be controlled and disciplined by the Spirit of God he will continually fall into the devising’s of his nature, no matter how godly and divine may be his intent. For we greatly err if we think that having the divine thought is all that is necessary as to our service; we must truly and efficiently be expressive of the thought; and this subjects us, as servants of God, to discipline which we often cannot understand.
“Discipline for known faults or shortcomings we can easily comprehend; but when it is that peculiar order of training which fits a man to be God’s instrument and witness, we can no more understand it than the plants of the earth can understand why they must pass through all the vicissitudes of winter in order to bring forth a more abundant harvest.” -J.B.S.
“God leaves us in the world that we may learn the sufficiency of His grace in practice, as we know the triumph of it in Christ.”—MJS
“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter” (John 13:7).
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/