IN THESE "PERSONALS" FROM JUKES, THEY ARE EASY TO UNDERSTAND HENCE NEED TO BE READ FULLY AND COMPLETELY. IN THE END IT COMES DOWN TO FOLLOWING CHRIST JESUS. SO THEN IN DOING THAT ONE HAS TO READ THE GOSPELS. AND THE VAST MAJORITY WHO CALL THEMSELVES "CHRISTIAN" JUST DO NOT READ THE FOUR GOSPELS ANYWHERE AS OFTEN AS THEY SHOULD. WHEN A PERSON DOES READ THE GOSPELS THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO BE CORRECTED IN WHERE THEY FALL SHORT OF BEING LIKE JESUS IN THEIR THOUGHTS, IN THEIR WORDS, IN THEIR ACTIONS, IN THEIR PRACTICES - Keith Hunt
Offerings - Personal for You #2
Salvation in them all
by Andrew Jukes THE IMPORT FOR YOU PERSONALLY 2. But let us pass on to the MEAT-OFFERING. Here, as man for men, Christ offered Himself as the fruit of the earth, that is, as man's meat. In doing this, He gave Himself to God, yet with SPECIAL REFERENCE to man, and as meeting man's claim on Him. Man had a claim upon man; God had ratified the claim, saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." In the Meat-offering, Christ met and satisfied this claim, by giving Himself to God as man's portion. Let us, in the light of His sacrifice, learn how far His members, though but "leavened bread," may yield themselves to God as man's meat. To turn then to our Pattern. What; as meeting man's claim, was the character of His Offering, and what the measure of it? For its character, "the bruised corn," "the oil," "the salt," and "the frankincense," are sufficiently explicit. For the measure of it, it is enough to say, the Type Shews us the WHOLE CONSUMED. Such is our standard. Its import we cannot mistake. The question is, How far we may be conformed to it? To answer this let us look to other days, and see how far poor sinful man has been conformed to it. Time was when the Church, though but "a leavened cake," (Lev.23:17) was so far filled with the anointing of the Holy Shost, that "the multitude of them which believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to every man according as he had need" (Acts 4:32-35). Here was a Meat-offering, and a costly one: but costly as it was, it was not then a rare one. In that day there were living men, who for the gospel had "lost all things," (Phil.3:8) who yet, while suffering this, were willing to suffer more, even to give their own lives to God for others. "Yea," says Paul, "if I be poured out," (he alludes to the Drink-offering which was offered as an adjunct to the Meat-offering - Num.15:1-12) - "Yea if I be poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you" (Phil.2:17). Nor was he alone in this. Time would fail to tell of others, Onesiphorus, Epaphroditus, Philemon, Phebe, who "oft refreshed the bowels of the saints." (Philemon 7). Their lives were indeed a Meat-offering. There is yet a Church. There must yet be offerings; and thank God we yet hear of sacrifices. But what is their measure, what, their character? How far are they conformed to those we have but just spoken of? Let each here judge himself. This only will I say, that just in measure as we are like our Master, just in proportion as we accept His words as the rule for the measure, as well as the manner of our sacrifice, just so far as in the steps of those of old, we "sell that we have, and give alms," just as we "give to him that asketh of us, and from him that would borrow of us turn not away," just so far shall we find our path a sacrifice, involving not only cost, but unexpected trial. As of old, so is it now. The box of alabaster, of ointment, of spikenard very precious, cannot be poured upon the head of Christ, without exciting the anger of those who see it. Even disciples must complain. "When the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose was this waste?" Even so is it now. Self-sacrifice is still reproved, even by those who follow the Crucified One. With not a few, such a course is sufficient proof of the lack of common sense or common prudence in the person guilty of it. But what saith the Lord? "When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me: for in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her" (Mat.26:7-13). And in that coming day, when the gospel shall have done its work, in gathering a people out of all nations, when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, - in that day when the righteous answer, When saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee, the King shall say, Inasmuch as ye did it to my brethren, ye did it unto me. 3. I pass on to THE PEACE-OFFERING. This was that view of the Offering which showed us the Offerer fed. In the Peace-offering, the offerer, with the Priest, and God, partook of, that is, found satisfaction in, the offering. Can it be said in this aspect of the offering, our self-sacrifice can at all resemble Christ's? Can our poor offerings yield any satisfaction to our selves? Can they afford any satisfaction to Christ and God? I must take heed what I say here. But what saith the Lord? Let His Word in each case supply the answer. That answer will teach us that in this aspect also the Peace-offering has a fulfilment, not only in Christ, but in His members. And FIRST; for God's part. Does God find satisfaction in our offerings? The following witness is sufficiently clear: - "To do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased: (Heb.13:16). So again, the offering sent by the Philippians to Paul was "a sweet savour:" God found in it something pleasant to Him: - "The things which were sent from you, are an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well- pleasing to God" (Phil.4:18). The words here used in the original are the very same as those which the Septuagint have used to express "a sweet savour" in the Peace-offering (St Paul's words are (Jukes gives the Greek - Keith hunt) in the Peace offering the Septuagint version gives (practically the very same words - Keith Hunt). What stronger proof can we need of God's satisfaction in, and the value He puts upon, the offerings of His Church. "God loveth a cheerful giver;" (2 Cor.9:7) and as our greatest gift is "to give ourselves," (2 Cor.8:5) so the presentation of our bodies as living sacrifices is "acceptable unto the Lord" (Rom.12:4). And we need to remember this. It is possible, nay, it is easy, in our zeal against the doctrine of salvation by works, to leave the impression that all works are useless, none acceptable to God, or accepted of Him. I fear there are not a few who, practically at least, are in error upon this very question. The works of the flesh are indeed dead works; but the fruits of the Spirit; as they flow from Christ, as they are the witnesses of His grace, an offering to His praise, so do they come up before God through Him "a sweet savour." But the Priest also fed in the Peace-offering. For the joy which------ our Priest finds in our offerings, poor and feeble though they be, it is enough to know, that even in the cup of cold water, in the bread to the hungry, He is refreshed and fed. "I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink" (Mat.25:35), Oh, did we but know His joy in seeing us yield ourselves an offering for Him, to find that in a world which hated Him, some remember Him while still away: - if we but realized the gladness of His soul in some work of faith or labour of love, forgotten it may be by the feeble doer, but treasured in the book of Him who is "not forgetful;" - we could not, I think, give up ourselves with such narrow, selfish, grudging hearts. Could we, if in our services to the poor we saw Christ in them, and realized that He received our gifts, present them with such niggard hands? Would not our best be freely offered Him? Suppose Him wanting bread. If we knew He lacked, that He was hungry, naked, sick, or suffering; would not our last shilling ("shilling" - shows then Jukes was an Englishman I think - Keith Hunt) our most precious time, be freely given to minister to Him? We can do so still. "I was sick, and ye visited me: I was a stranger, and ye took me in. Verily I say, Inasmuch as ye did it to my brethren, ye did it unto me" (Mat.25:40). But further, the Peace-offering fed the offerer. And surely we------- have been strangers to self-sacrifice, if we need be told the joy it imparts to him who sacrifices. But what saith the Word? Paul, speaking of his service, says, "Yea, if I be sacrificed, I joy, and rejoice with you" (Phil.2:7). So again to the Colossians, "I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ" (Col.1:24). So again, "I count not my life dear unto me, so that I might finish my course with joy" (Acts 20:24). Not only is it true, that for our service "every one shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour;" (1 Cor.3:8) but in our service, in yielding ourselves to God, there is present joy with which a stranger intermeddleth not. "It is more blessed to give than to receive;" (Acts 20:35), and he who gives himself to God shall know this blessedness. "Sorrowful" he may be, "yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich" (2 Cor.6:10). The very costliness of the sacrifice increases our joy, when we know that He, to whom we offer, rejoices with us. (How so true it is, but I fear for various modern reasons in our "space age" time, many have forgotten the verses Jukes has just quoted. They are still in the Bible. They still mean what they say and say what they mean. Serving and helping others, yes in our material ways with what the Lord has given us to work with, for the service of others, is not as widespread as it can be, or should be, in the Christian's life. I do know that some "Christian people and churches" indeed do MUCH to help and serve other needy people near and far. And that is very commendable, and as Jukes has said, such works of charity are NOT forgotten by the Lord. And it is still part of the teaching of the Bible that we shall be "rewarded" in the resurrection by our WORKS. I am reminded of the Vancouver, British Columbia, man, who some years ago sold some land and found himself with 20 million dollars. He was elderly, had raised his family, who were all doing fine and well off as we say. The man needed little of this 20 million dollars. He called his children and told them he wanted to GIVE AWAY the vast portion of this money. They all agreed he should do so, and have a fun time in so doing. He went to a home for abused women and children, which was going to have to close down because the Canadian Government was not going to fund it any more. He throiugh another lady asked the lady in charge what she needed....she smiled and said one need, "You have it" he said, through the other lady. Then he asked her if there were other needs. She thought this was a joke of some kind. She smiled and yes, "well...well...just about everything for a home like this." He replied, through the other lady, "You have it." His reply went over her head, said continued to mention a few other needs, "You have it" the other lady said. Now she looked at the woman who had brought this gentleman to her. The other lady said, "It is true...you really can have it all, whatever you need to continue this home, you have it." The lady then broke down and cried. Oh, for more people in this world like this man from Vancouver, B.C. - tears fill my eyes - Keith Hunt) 4. Thus far we have only followed the sweet-savour offerings, in their application to the Christian's walk. Are the remaining offerings, THE SIN and THE OFFERINGS, equally applicable to us upon this same principle? I believe they are; though, as in the preceding offerings, only applicable in a secondary way. God forbid I should be mistaken upon this point, as though I thought that the saint could atone for himself or others. In this sense, any interference with the Sin-offering would be a setting aside of the work of Christ. Still, there is a sense and measure in which the Sin-offering has its counterpart in us, as bearing on our self-sacrifice: there is a sense in which the Christian may bear sin, and suffer its judgment it his mortal flesh. Just as the Burnt-offering, - which, in its first and full application, shews Christ in perfectness once offering Himself for man; by that One Oblation of Himself once offered, meeting God's claim on man, and so reconciling us to God for ever; just as this Burnt-offering, while as offered for us is secures our acceptance, has also, as an example to us, an application to OUR WALK, shewing how man in Christ should offer himself, through the Spirit giving himself to God; just so is it in the Sin and Trespass-offerings. The saint, as having been judged in the person of Christ, and knowing that for him Christ has borne the cross, follows on by that cross to judge and mortify all that he finds in himself still contrary to his Lord. The flesh in him is contrary to that Holy One: the flesh in him therefore must die, And instead of making Christ's cross the reprieve for that flesh, the child of God will use that cross to slay it. Others may preach the cross of Christ as an excuse for carnal and careless walking, He who abides in God's presence will surely learn there that by the cross we must be crucified with Christ. If he says, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," he will add at once, "by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal.6:14). I know indeed that "there are enemies of the cross, whose God is their belly, who glory in their shame;" (Phil.3:19) who are using the doctrine of the cross, to spare that flesh which the cross should crucify. But God's truth is, that so far from "the flesh" or "old man" being saved from death by the cross, it is by it devoted to death and to be crucified; and that Christ's death, instead of being a kind of indulgence for sin, or a reprieve of the life of the flesh, the life of the old man, is to His members the seal that their flesh must die, and that sin with its lusts and affections must be mortified. (It was but lately that in looking over a work just published, I found the following objection to the doctrines of grace; that, "if death be the penalty of sin, and Christ in dying for His people indeed bore the punishment due to them, how comes it that any believers die?" Full well has the so-called Evangelical preaching of the day merited such a rebuke - a rebuke which could never have been heard; had the full truth of the cross been stated, namely, that Christ's death is the witness to His people, that, since they are His members, they must also be crucified with Him. See Rom.6; Gal.2; 1 Peter 4). The fact is that the child of God, who, through ignorance of God's mind, or disobedience, instead of judging the old man with his works, makes provision to fulfil the lusts thereof; such a one, if indeed he be Christ's, by not judging himself, only brings upon himself God's judgment. Happy they who, in communion with the Lord, learn and judge the flesh there, rather than in chastening from Him. "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord" (1 Cor.11:31). But if we reject this path: still the flesh must die. If we do not mortify it, God most surely will. "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh" (Gal.5:24) - "Our old man is crucified with Him" (Rom.6:6). And just as, because we are alive in Christ, we can, as risen with Him, yield ourselves to God, in spirit giving Him the fruits of righteousness, a sweet savour to Him by Jesus Christ; so may we also, as one with Christ in the power and energy of the same Spirit, mortify our members which are upon the earth, and yield our flesh to death, to be crucified with Him. How full, then, of teaching is the Sin-offering, viewed even in this lower light, merely as an example to us! How does it seal that truth we are so slow to learn, that the flesh, the old man, must be judged and mortified! I ask, how is this aspect of Christ's Offering, and our offering with Him, apprehended by Christians? Another has said, - "The boast of our day is that Christ crucified is preached." But is He, even in this one respect, fully preached, or the doctrine of the cross fully apprehended? Let the WALK of those who make the boast answer. It is not insinuated that such are chargeable with licentiousness or immorality. But are they, therefore, not chargeable with 'walking after the flesh' and 'making provision to fulfil its desires?' In the multitude of particulars it is difficult to make a selection ... Alas! Full well do many of the professing Christians of our day shew that they are but HALF taught the very doctrine in which they make their boast; that they have but half learned the lesson which even the cross teaches. They have learned that Christ was crucified FOR THEM, but they have NOT learned that they are to be 'CRUCIFIED WITH HIM.' .................. TO BE CONTINUED Even in the early days of the "church" the body of Christ, Jude had to encourage and exhort the saints to contend for the "faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). THE FAITH was now forming itself into "another gospel" which was not another but some were PERVERTING the Gospel of Christ (Paul writing to the Galatians so said). This Website is devoted to the RESTORING of THE faith once delivered to the saints. May you have the hunger and the thirst for righteousness; may you be a lover of the truth; may you be searching the Scriptures daily to see if these things be so that you find on this Website. If you so do, then Jesus has promised you that you will be filled, that you will KNOW the TRUTH and the truth will make you FREE. Keith Hunt |
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