i f our lives need to be ‘skimmed’ off.”
ful believer must face are manifold— of many different kinds. But look carefully at the phrase used in this con nection: “ if need be.” We can find comfort in the fact that such trials are in God’s wisdom necessary for our good and His purpose. Another comforting thought is to be found in thé expression used “for a season.” The A. S. V. margin renders this phrase as “ for a little while.” Troubles are easier to bear when we know they are but “for a little while.” O U R S A L V A T I O N by J. Denham Smith "Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed"— Romans 13:11. Not nearer being saved; For all who have believed Are saved; the Eternal Word is pledged, We cannot be deceived. Not nearer having peace, For peace we have with God: Sweet peace and pardon through the price
Christ”—a reference to the time of our blessed Saviour’s return. Not only can we rejoice at the present time in salva tion, but in the Saviour Himself (verse 8). Having in the previous verse mentioned the Lord Jesus, the Apostle now speaks of our love for Him. Even as Rebekah learned to love Isaac from the old servant’s description before she actually saw him (Gen. 24), so we love Him though we have not yet beheld Him with the eye of flesh. We not only love Him, we believe on Him, and thus believing we rejoice. The tense is the present—it is not simply that we w ill rejoice some day, but we do rejoice right now. This joy the true Christian has in Christ cannot be fully expressed in human terms. It is “ joy unspeakable.” It is also a glorious joy— “full of glory.” Rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are even now “ receiving” ( present participle) that which is called “ the end of your faith.” By this Peter means the thing which faith results in. This is “ the salvation of your souls.” Having mentioned salvation, he proceeds to speak of its greatness, of its wonderful character. The Old Testament prophets were tremendously in terested in this salvation we now possess. They “prophesied of the grace that should come unto you” (verse 10). They were exceedingly anxious to learn more about this salva tion. They wanted to understand more fully their own prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. This shows, by the way, that these Old Testament prophecies were not simply human predictions made by clever men. If they did not understand the prophecies they themselves spoke and wrote, this is proof that those predictions came from a higher Source—from God. The Apostle Peter de finitely states that the Holy Spirit was in these prophets and that He spoke through them. The divine predictions of the Old Testament are here summed up under two headings—those about Messiah’s sufferings (fulfilled at Christ’s first coming), and those about His glory (to be fulfilled at His second advent). It seems that these prophets of old were very curious as to the exact nature of these future Messianic events and also they particularly wanted to know the time element involved. They were shown, however, by God that it was not for them to fully understand these great things. It was made clear to them that they were not writing just for them selves and their own generation, but rather for people who would live at a later time. Is it not wonderful that we today can understand their messages in a way they could not? This is because we have the full testimony of those who were with the Lord Jesus and witnessed His work in fulfillment of the prophecies regarding His first coming to earth. These men who were with Him preached the gospel to us in the power of the Holy Spirit. This same Holy Spirit was actually sent down to abide on earth on the Day of Pentecost— “ the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.” The section closes with the affirmation that the holy angels, with wisdom far exceeding the human, neverthe less have a surpassing interest in these matters. When we recall that unlike ourselves they do not have a direct connection with salvation, their concern puts us to shame. How much more should we who are so vitally involved be anxious to learn all that is revealed of these momen tous truths of the Word of God, and indeed “ desire to look into” them! END
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Of sin-atoning blood. Not nearer being meet For our divine abode; Even now, "As He is so are we," The righteousness of God. Not nearer as to rank, Our title is secure; Now are we sons and heirs of God, Our heritage is sure. But we are nearer now (O blissful, wondrous day!) The full redemption promised long, When death shall die away. The body, though redeemed, Must wait till Jesus come; He'll call from earth, and from the grave His ransomed people home. High time it is to wake With hope of bliss so dear High time with earth's dark night so spent, And heaven's bright morn so near.
In the final analysis, all of these testings and trials are allowed to come to us so that our faith may be re fined, even as gold is refined in the flame (verse 7). The picture behind this statement is that of gold, heated to a molten state, so that impurities would rise to the sur face where they could be skimmed off. In all the mani fold trials of the Christian life, our loving heavenly Father is dealing with us, “ refining” our faith. The Eng lish translation of verse 7 may give the impression that it is the trial itself which is more precious than gold. The meaning is rather that the refined faith which re sults from the trial is exceedingly precious and will some day receive “praise and honour and glory” from God. This will take place “ at the appearing of Jesus
JUNE, I960
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