In a previous paper we were looking at the terms "this age" and "that age," and saw that the expressions applied, not to mere dispensations or periods of time, but to moral spheres:one away from God and at enmity with Him; the other where He has His rightful place, and man in reconciliation enjoys His presence and love. It is of immense importance to see this, for eternal issues depend upon our relation to one or the other of these two spheres.
We may now look at some other terms which are applied to them, and we shall doubtless find that, although the names differ according to the line of truth being unfolded in the context, yet the spheres are the same two, ever in sharpest contrast with each other.
In Matt. 13:38 we have at one glance the world and the two spheres in it, composed of "children of the kingdom" and "children of the wicked one," where the former will be easily recognized as belonging to the "coming age," their characteristics being detailed in the " Sermon on the mount "(chaps. 5 to 7).
There is a similar contrast in John 8:23, "Ye are from beneath; I am from above, ye are of this world, I am not."
In John 5:24 we have the terms "out of death unto life," where death is but another name for "this age," so-called, because in John's Gospel Christ's presence among men as " the Life " shows all else to be dead. '' Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood ye have no life in you " (John 6:53).
In Acts 26:18 we have "from darkness to light," from "the authority of Satan to God." If death characterizes "this age" as under sentence from God, darkness characterizes it no less as separated from God, who "is light." In the very beginning of man's history as a fallen creature, he departed from God and submitted to Satan,* hence the apostle's mission "to turn from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God ":agreeing with Eph. 6:12. *This formed the two spheres, of which, in the one, Satan is the god (2 Cor. 4 :4) and the prince (John 14 :30), and in the other Christ is the center, and life, and hope. In the one or the other we all are. If unsaved, under Satan as our god and prince in the one; if saved, under Christ the true God and true Prince in the other.* "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against spiritual powers of wickedness in the heavenlies" (R. V.).
Rom. 5:12-21 affords another contrast," In Adam " and "In Christ." "In Adam " is death and condemnation-but another mode of expressing what is true of "this age." "In Christ" is life and righteousness.
Rom. 8:5-9 gives still another, "In the flesh" and " In the Spirit." " In the flesh " is to be " unable to please God," "not subject to His law, nor indeed can be," and " in the flesh " all certainly are who are not Christ's (ver. 9). Hence "in the flesh " is but another term for "this age." " In the Spirit" is the other sphere, where all are who are Christ's; where the Holy Spirit, dwelling in each individual, makes known the riches of the grace which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Cor. 6:14-16 plainly applies to the two spheres -to wit; "believers," "unbelievers"; "righteousness," "lawlessness";" light," "darkness"; " Christ" "Belial"; "temple of God," "idols."
Eph. 2:2, 3 is another instance:"children of wrath," "sons of disobedience," designate the class of " this world," whilst "we "who are "saved by grace " designate the other.
" Old man" is another term, used in Eph. 4:22, to express that which formerly characterized one as belonging to "this age," now "put off " and another "put on," corresponding to the new creation inside.
Chap. 5:8 is in the same line, "sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord:walk as children of light."
In Col. i:13 we have:" Who delivered us from the authority of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." This is far more than mere contrast, since it shows that these believing ones, once under "the authority of darkness," had not only been delivered from such authority but placed in the light under other authority, 1:e., the authority of the One who, as man, was the perfect expression of light (John i:4), and of the love of God, who is both "light "and "love"; brought now into this "kingdom," where " light" and "love" have their full development; and praise goes up, even now, to Him who has taken them out of the one into the other.
James ever looks at the practical side of things, and in chap. 4:4 he shows the enormity of being still linked with the world; it is nothing less than "enmity with God"! Alas, that this is so lost sight of to-day, even among the people of God. In i Pet. 2:10 the primary reference no doubt is to the sentence "Lo-ammi" ("not My people ") passed upon God's ancient people in Hosea for their sins, but that sentence was passed upon them, because, with all their religiousness, their Bibles, and all God's gracious dealings and pleadings with them, they remained but a part of "this age," hence He will not allow that they are a people at all, until they have accepted Christ, when they will not only be "a people," but ''God's people."
Thus it is plain that there is and has been from the beginning, before God, a sphere which is utterly at variance with Him, at enmity against Him, having its origin in a daring attempt to dethrone Him, and that sphere includes all who of the human family stand in mere fallen nature. Close our eyes to the fact we may; educate, cultivate, make strides in art and science we may. but the stern, cold fact remains that "all have sinned and are short of God's glory" (Rom. 3:23). Savage or civilized, rich or poor, old or young, moral or immoral, the sovereign upon his throne or the slave in his cabin, all belong to "this age " who have not been taken out of it. None can enter the "coming age" without being washed (see Rev. i:5, 6). No way of escape but by the blood of Christ. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood:and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls:for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Lev. 17:11).
The sentence of death is upon "this age" and all who belong to it. The death of a Substitute is the only gateway out of it and into "the coming age." The skin-covering God put upon our first parents is an acknowledgment of this; it is the proof that death has been gone through on their behalf, and for them ended the old status. The fruit of that death covers them. Abel owns this by presenting himself through a slain lamb. Cain refuses it; and in them the awful chasm between the two spheres we are considering is clearly marked.
To Noah and his house, and all the world of their day, the ark was the dividing line between the two spheres. The Deluge figures the awful baptism of judgment our Saviour passed through on the cross. It saves all within the ark, but it is the sure condemnation of all who are without.
Abram was the first man called upon to carry out the distinction between these two spheres in practical life, being called to "get out of thy country, kindred, and father's house." Hence he is to put the badge of condemnation upon his flesh and upon that of his household. Therefore they call him now "the Hebrew," 1:e., "he who has crossed over."
When Jehovah came down to execute judgment upon all the gods of Egypt and deliver His people, every house had to do with death-the houses of Israel as well as the houses of the Egyptians. In each case it was the representative of the house which was slain. Among the Egyptians it was the first-born; in Israel it was an innocent substitute. Death was against the Egyptians, so that they exclaimed, ''we be all dead men." Death saved Israel, and its sign was put upon the house. In this connection, how the enormity of Moses" sin in not circumcising his child comes out! (Ex. 4:24-26.) He the leader, the lawgiver, would lead God's people to liberty, without the badge upon his own child of the only principle upon which deliverance was possible.
How beautiful and simple is Christian baptism in view of what we have been looking at! The Christian puts the badge of the same thing upon himself and his house; only of course it goes as much farther than circumcision as Christianity goes beyond Judaism. The full truth as to man's condition is out now. The, promised "Seed" came and "died for all;" therefore "we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead " (2 Cor. 5:14). Thus all, by that death, proved to be dead, burial is now in order; not self-entombment, nor burial to one's own death, but to His death-"buried with Him by baptism unto death " (Rom. 6:4).
Peter, "the apostle of the circumcision," familiar with Old Testament types and the lessons they were designed to teach, saw clearly the connection between the ark of Noah and baptism. "The like figure also now saves us, even baptism" (i Pet. 3:21, 22). Baptism is the fitting symbol of putting out of sight the "first man," and all that springs from him, and at the same time the badge of the new sphere whose Head has "gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God:angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him." God is not cultivating any other ground; He is long-suffering, but He is not looking for fruit from any source save from the "True Vine." There must be connection with Him for fruitfulness, and there can be no link with Him save on the other side of death. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone." "Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now from henceforth know we Him no more. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:16, 17); and baptism is the badge of this new sphere. "As many of you as have been baptized unto Christ, have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27), in figure now introduces to that new sphere where the distinctions mentioned in ver. 28 are obliterated. And if the promise to the believer be, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house," he puts this badge upon his household, in acknowledgment that salvation is for them, not because they are his household, but because of the death of Christ-the only hope for them, as for any. "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism unto death " (His death).
Beautiful badge, showing the full testimony of God as to man's lost estate, and God's remedy. Christ's death-precious death-the only ground of blessing. But those who believe need to realize that their sphere is one not yet manifested. It cannot be manifested until "the Lord the Spirit" of it is manifested (compare 2 Cor. 3:18, literal, and Col. 3:4). It is yet "the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ" (Rev. i:9). In whatever measure we are seized with the glory and blessedness of what is really ours, to be entered upon and enjoyed by faith now, in that measure the glare of "this age "will shrink up into its own nothingness, and the heart go out in deep pity for those who are of it, and have only sorrow beyond it. J. B. J.