(Col. 1. 3-6.)

I just want to say a brief word about these three things. These Colossians had faith in the right person; love to the right people; and a hope in the right place. No wonder Paul thanked God when he heard of it. It had come to them by the hearing of faith. A faithful minister of Christ had carried the gospel message to them and they had received it, and it brought forth its fruits. It always does when received in faith into the soul; and where the fruits are not seen we are not called upon to believe that the gospel message has been received in reality.

They had faith in the right Person. It was "faith in Christ Jesus." They had "no confidence in the flesh." It was not a little bit of faith in Christ and a big bit in themselves. It was not a company concern in which Christ was simply one of the company. It was Christ alone. My reader have you exercised faith in Christ alone? You must do so if ever you are to be in the glory of God.

Observe it was not for the strength of their faith, or the amount of their faith, or the kind of faith, that Paul gave thanks, but because their faith was in the right Object, it was in Christ Jesus. We sometimes find that people who are anxious to be saved are greatly hindered for a long time, because they have made their faith the object instead of Christ. They are looking at, and occupied with their faith. They are saying; "I think I believe." "I fear I don't believe." " I wonder if I do believe? " "Have I the right kind of faith?" "I'm afraid my faith is not strong enough."And all these foolish expressions only tend to show that their faith is the object before them, and not Christ.

Now we must not forget that it is not the strength of our faith, nor the amount of our faith, or anything of that kind that saves us. It is having faith in the right person. It may be strong or weak. It may be only a touch of the hem of His garment, or a grasping Him with a mighty grasp-but it is He. It is Christ. It is the right object. It is not confidence in self, but Christ. Then when we have touched Him, God gives to us blessing according to His own estimate of the value of the Person and sacrifice of Him whom we have trusted. He does not bless us according to our estimate of Christ, but according to His own. He knows the value of His work. He knows how rightly to estimate it, and blesses accordingly. How precious this is.

Second, they had love to all the saints. It was not love to a mere few who saw eye to eye with them. Alas, there is too much of that sort of thing in these days. No, it was "love to all the saints."Their hearts took in all. The new life within them necessarily and naturally took in the whole family of God, of which they were but a small portion. All had the same life, and nature, and hopes, and aspirations; and all are to be conformed to the image of God's Son, and share the glory with Him above. Necessarily then, the affections now out to all.

We must never forget however, that flesh, the old nature, may work in the children of God, if not watchful, and careful, and prayerful; and such may fall into the snare of the devil, and be found in a condition and in a position where we are debarred from following them, or having any fellowship with them. We are told to " have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them " (Eph. 5:ii). What then? Is the love to cease, or does it cease then? Certainly not. In fact it cannot cease. But it will display itself in another way, by "abiding in the light so that there is no cause of stumbling" (i John 2:10). It will weep and pray for such, and long for their restoration, but follow them it will not.

But it is right here where so many make a mistake, and fail to distinguish between true love and mere human kindness, and they speak evil oftentimes of those who refuse to follow them in their unscriptural and evil ways. This is very wrong. It must be "love in the truth," and "for the truth's sake." We are never told or asked to lay down the truth for the brethren, but "our lives" (i John 3:16). God's holy truth must ever be given first place, and then all other things will naturally fall into theirs. If faith makes the Christian, true love will display the Christian (John 13:35); therefore let us see to it, that our love goes out to all the saints, but let it be "love in the truth."

Thirdly, "the hope which is laid up for you in heaven." What a wonderful thing to have a heavenly hope. We are not Jews with earthly hopes, and prospects, and longing to be blessed on the earth. No. We were "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world," and are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:), are "partakers of the heavenly calling" (Heb. 3:i), and we are "waiting for God's Son from heaven " to take us there (i Thess. 1:10).

There are no events to take place before the Lord comes for His saints. It may be at any moment. It will take place suddenly; "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" (i Cor. 15:52).The summoning shout will be heard and '' the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (i Thess. 4:16-18.)

Now is, "that blessed hope " the hope of the reader of these lines? If so, happy are you to be numbered amongst those who are to be "forever with the Lord."Well may we give thanks for you. A chosen one. A called one. God grant you may be found a faithful one. Let it really be a hope in your heart, and not a mere doctrine in your head. Let it mold all your life, and demonstrate to a Christless and Christ-rejecting world the power of the gospel to make heavenly men on earth, and keep heavenly men, while on earth, till the time comes to take them into their own place and portion, with and like Christ forever. W. E.

New Zealand.