Reprinted from "Helps by the Way," for Dec. 1880
(1 Pet. 5:12.)
Blessed supposition this, my fellow-Christian! Has it ever presented itself to your mind, that a man divinely inspired and at the moment penning Scripture, SUPPOSES a brother, with whom evidently he has little acquaintance, to be a faithful man? Again, I repeat, this is a happy aspect in which he regards him; would God it abounded more!
In company with this, I would call attention to another word of similar character from the same divine writer (withal a man of like passions with ourselves)-Simon Peter.
In his 2nd epistle (3:15) he makes mention of his "beloved brother Paul and the wisdom given unto him"-one who had in former time been forced, in holding fast the liberty of the gospel, to withstand him to the face. How happily was grace at work when he thus commits his brethren over to the man whose rebuke doubtless had been hard enough for "flesh and blood" to bear. Whence this precious grace to one who boasted of himself above all his brethren as loving his Lord more than all beside? Ah, well we know it was from Him who was meeker than all beside, and very lowliness itself! He has been hearing the Shepherd's voice bidding him "follow Him," and is now bending his neck to His yoke of sweet constraint, and is learning to obey Him.
Blessedness, my reader, this was, which may be yours and mine to share.
But let us note more carefully the circumstances of this word of appeal as to grace that should be working in our hearts in this day as well as that. At the time of Paul and Barnabas parting company on account of the unfaithfulness of John Mark, we read "that Paul chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace 6f God" (Read Acts 15:36-41). Thus Silas (seen by comparison of this and the two chapters that follow with 1 and 2 Thess. to be identical with Silvanus) was a travelling companion of Paul. And he, as we have seen, was at one time called to give witness against his brother Peter, even withstanding him to the face. How beautiful, then, to have such words as these from him in the face of circumstances like the ones recorded. There are precious and divine beauties in this little word from one rightly esteemed as chief among the apostles; and yet, beloved, they are through grace within the range that is both yours and mine. On the one hand, Peter does not record more of the brother in question than he personally knows-he does not say as Paul does of another (Timotheus) that he knows him to be -faithful, for this he evidently does not. But blessed, touching grace (of Peter's Master it surely was) that if he cannot speak of knowing him to be faithful, yet he will suppose from the connection in which he does know him that it is so. My reader, this is passing beautiful-Peter supposes all on heaven's side. Deeply was it freighted with the love that thinketh no evil, but hopeth all things.
Doubtless the circumstance of Silas being with Paul in the prison of Philippi was not unknown to him, at least their companying together, and this was enough, where divine love was at work, to set him down, in the hope of his heart at least, a faithful brother. He will suppose him at least to be so as the fellow-laborer of his beloved brother Paul-not as alas, alas, so often now, supposing him to be anything and everything but this, because of the unhappy occasion of his brother's rebuke borne in mind. May God make us rich in grace and thoughts like these. May we "increase and abound in love yet more and more." May it be true not only that "our faith may grow exceedingly, but that the love of every one of us all toward each other may abound also." May we learn of Him who has bidden us take His yoke as "meek and lowly in heart." May we list His gracious voice as, looking upon His poor and feeble followers, unable to "watch with him one hour," He says, "Ye are they which have continued with Me in My temptations." Blessed, peerless Lord and Master! He will say at least what is in His heart if even amid the rebuke and exposure of theirs. Let us learn His ways, beloved brethren, be taught of Him to walk in wisdom's paths of pleasantness and peace. Let us, like Him, say of each other the very best we can, and as to all the rest bear it on our hearts in intercession before our Father.
Do not say, let me beseech you, that it lies upon a level too high for you to reach. True, the grace is another's to draw upon, but it is plenteous and free flowing, and only needs our emptiness to realize His fulness. And that one has proved it so we have already seen. And now in closing let me note still yet another beautiful passage. Paul has a request (of no small strain, the context readily shows) to make of his brother Philemon, and in doing so he mentions the refreshing that not only he but others had found in him. Ere making further claims he will, as he says, "Acknowledge every good thing that is in him in Christ Jesus." (Read Philemon.) Happy, happy employ! The true and only way of winning other hearts, not to ourselves alone, but for Him whose interest in it we should seek to serve. How much loving service might we beseech each other to engage in for His sake were this more the practice of our lives.
Now I would say to my beloved brethren, fare you well, and with this word, "Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way… .Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" (Rom. 14:14,19).
Yours, in the love of Him who has said to us, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."