As the believer finds trouble from the world

Posted : 20 May, 2013 02:24 AM

Psalm 119:79 Let those that do not fear turn to me, and those that have known Your testimonies.





As the believer finds trouble from the world, he prays that he

may find help from the Lord's people. The very sight of our

Father's family is cheering. It brings not only fellowship but

help. For the wise distribution of gifts in the body-each having

his own gift-was ordained for the mutual help and sympathy of

the several members. It is painful therefore to see Christians

often walking aloof from each other, and suffering coldness,

distance, differences and distrust to divide them from their

brethren. Who then will not pray, that He, who has the hearts

of all His people in His hand, would turn the hearts of those

that fear Him and know His testimonies, unto their brethren? It

was the honor of Mordecai, that he was "accepted of the

multitude of his brethren." In the primitive church, "Demetrius

had good report of all men, and of the truth itself;" and the

members of the church generally "did eat their meat with

gladness and singleness of heart; praising God, and having

favor with all the people." 'Then,' as Chrysostom exultingly

exclaims, 'the Church was a little heaven.' Then they could

say to each other-"Behold, how good and pleasant it is for

brethren to dwell together in unity!" and even their Heathen

neighbors were awed and constrained into the confession-

"See how these Christians love one another."

Alas! that our Jerusalem should no longer exhibit the picture

of a "city compact together"-that so many "walls of partition"

should separate brother from brother, so that our Zion has

very rarely been exhibited in her "perfection of beauty," when

"the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of

one soul." Prejudice and misconception divided Job from his

friends. Want of forbearance cankered the union of the

members of the church of Rome, and even prevailed to

separate chief friends-Paul and Barnabas. Diversity of

sentiment injured the influence of brotherly love at Corinth.

And thus it has been in every successive age of the church; so that the full answer to the Redeemer's prayer, and the

grand display to the world of the Divine original of the gospel,

is yet to be manifested. But as "the communion of saints" was

the peculiar feature of primitive Christianity, and ever since

has formed an article of her faith; in proportion as we return to

the primitive standard, we shall hold closer fellowship with

each other-as "members of one body"-"considering one

another, to provoke unto love and to good works" "bearing

one another's burdens;"-and "receiving one another, as Christ

also received us, to the glory of God."

Lack of Christian self-denial presents the main hindrance to

this "keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." But admitting that some of the brethren are "weak in the faith" in

comparison with ourselves-are we then to be 'rolling endlessly

the returning stone,' obtruding always the same stumbling offence upon them? We are "not to please ourselves" in

compelling them to adopt our views; but rather to "receive

them, and bear their infirmities." Accursed be that charity, that

is preserved by "the shipwreck of faith!" But though scriptural

truth must never be denied, there are times when it may be

forborne. The Apostle "knew and was persuaded of the Lord

Jesus, that there was nothing unclean of itself;" yet he would

rather allow even the misconception of conscience, until

clearer light should be given, than endanger the unity of the

church. Liberty must give place to love; and for himself, he

would rather restrain himself from lawful indulgence, than

hazard the safety of a weaker brother, or turn from one that

loved his Savior. Wherever, therefore, in the judgment of

Christian charity, we discover those "that love our Lord Jesus

Christ in sincerity," we must be ready to give them our very

hearts, to view them as brethren, as one with ourselves, and

to welcome them with brotherly love, as those whom, with all

their infirmities, Jesus "is not ashamed to call His brethren."

We must be ready to turn to them, as those that fear God, and

have known His testimonies. And does not the believer's anxiety for the company and

assistance of the Lord's people rebuke Christian professors,

who are far too closely linked to the society of the world?

Surely, if the lovely attraction of many of its most avowed

votaries can compensate for the absence of their Savior's

image, they can have but little relish for that heavenly

enjoyment, which unites the children of God together in close

and hallowed communion with God. And do we not see a

proof of the deteriorating influence of this worldly spirit, in their

readiness to feel disgust at the infirmities of the real brethren

of the Lord, and to neglect the image of Christ in them, from

the unsightliness of the garb, which may sometimes cover it?

But let us mark the completeness of the Christian-combining

the fear with the knowledge of God. Knowledge without fear

would be self-confidence. Fear without knowledge would be

bondage. But the knowledge of His testimonies, connected

with an acquaintance with His ways, molds the character of

men of God into the spirit of love; and qualifies them, "as

fathers" in the gospel, to counsel the weak and inexperienced.

Should we, however, be excluded from the privilege of their

communion; or should they be prevented from turning to us;

may it not be the appointed means of leading us to a more

simple dependence on Divine teaching and grace, and to a

more blessed anticipation of our Father's house in heaven,

where all will be harmony, peace, and love? 'We shall carry

truth and the knowledge of God to heaven with us; we shall

carry purity there, devotedness of soul to God and our

Redeemer, Divine love and joy, if we have these beginnings

here, with whatever else of permanent excellence, that has a

settled, fixed seat and, place in our souls now: and shall there

have them in perfection. But do you think we shall carry strife

to heaven? shall we carry anger to heaven? Envyings, heart burnings, animosities; shall we carry these to heaven with us?

Let us labor to divest ourselves, and strike off from our spirits

everything that shall not go with us to heaven, or is equally unsuitable to our end and way, that there may be nothing to

obstruct and hinder our "abundant entrance" at length into the

everlasting kingdom.'



by

Charles Bridges

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