NOTES OF AN ADDRESS BY S. R. ,NEW YORK, NOV. 26,1903.
(Col. 3:, first verses.)
What a blessed privilege and dignity it is to be incense-bearers, as we have been hearing-to make manifest the savor of Christ's name! This is surely priestly work, as in Peter a holy priesthood, etc. The material of our sweet incense is to be the savor of Christ, who is ever fragrant to God; we offer the sacrifice of praise, confessing His name. It is not to be counting over our mercies merely, but the primary thought is that we are to be offering the praise of Christ to God.
Paul does not ever lose the sense of priesthood and nearness to God; he is a worshiper when led about or in prison, his feet in the stocks, or when cast out and in bitter trial. We all alike are privileged to have in our censers the same blessed perfume that the apostle had.
He realized also how to be a royal priest, to show forth the praises of Him that hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, in kingly dignity. In the presence of God we are a holy priesthood, and in the presence of the world a royal priesthood to show forth the praises of Him who hath called us.
In Colossians it is not primarily priesthood, but in a sense a deeper truth. They have been taught to look on their own position according to Christ's position ; and He has measured it for us by His cross, His death and resurrection. We are "dead with Christ," God having set the seal of His condemnation on what sinful man is; man, as such, having no standing before God. The Christian has learned that God looks for nothing in him as a child of Adam. Oh what blessedness when souls see how God set us aside and condemned us in the person of His blessed Son on the cross, showing us the blessed relief of being done with self entirely, crucified and dead with Christ! This must be in connection with seeing that in the death of Christ God has set us aside. If we would know the sweetness of the things of God, it must be in connection with the cross of Christ. " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God." We are not to be occupied with a dead self any more than with a sinful self, or with a good self. It is not self at all that we are to be occupied with, but Christ risen and glorified, with Christ where He is; and he shows us that we are in the same atmosphere with our Lord though our feet are still in the sands of the wilderness. It is occupation with that blessed One, His person, His love, His sympathy, His riches :these are now to occupy us in connection with a glorified Christ, for all these things are above. They do not accord with the things that are about us here.
The savor of Christ is not earthly, but heavenly- a savor of that which is above; and we are pilgrims here. So far as occupation of mind and real life are concerned, it is hid, not merely from the gaze of the world, but with Christ in God. The world looks on us with pity, scorn, or indifference, and may say, " How is it that a man of such abilities is content to go on with religious things and humble people! " and if the world does understand our life, it's the saddest reproach to us.
I would not take out of this text the safety of being hidden-blessedly so. But below the other thought is the principal one, that all our springs are in Him. Does that describe our life practically? It is what God sees. We live in an age of superficiality even in divine things-such a public kind of life; the necessities of toil and business make it difficult to live much in private. The enemy would constantly use the necessary duties of life to shut out from the communion with God. Many do seek it morning and evening. We miss the thought of it if we think God wants a half hour of time; He wants us to lead the hidden life when our hands are in toil. Declension-how often has it been just this lack of constant abiding in the hidden life, thus bringing the soul into the presence of God in the sanctuary! What more beautiful than to see the child of God growing in spiritual intelligence! The root of all is to be leading practically the hidden life that has Christ in glory so before the heart that the soul feeds on Him. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom "-not of God now, nor Scripture, but in such a way that it presents Christ to us ; so that, though not speaking explicitly of Christ, it presents Christ to us. '' Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God shall man live." Is that our bread ? Then we are living on the bread Christ fed on, entering into the place into which He has introduced us by death and resurrection. The Lord give us in this, not to have service before us, but fellowship with Him!