"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9
THE ANXIETIES of a faithful pastor never end in this world. First he is anxious that his people be brought to Christ, and then he is anxious that they be kept abiding in Him to the end. What a fountain of consolation is this text while he looks upon those, of whom in his heart he has the sweet persuasion that they are "sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints", and repeats these words in his heart, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ". It is this sweet truth, the faithfulness of our covenant God, that is a rock to the pastor's soul, and makes him feel that those who are now "dearly beloved, and longed for", will soon be "his joy and crown". But not only to the pastor, to the flock also, especially in time of temptation, affliction, and desertion, these words are like "the snow of Lebanon, or the cold flowing waters from another place". Sometimes it pleases God to withdraw His comfortable presence from the soul, chiefly to humble us in the dust, to discover some unmortified corruption, or to lead us to hunger more vehemently after Him. Such was David's state when he said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul" (1 Samuel 27: 1). And again, when he wrote the 42nd Psalm. Such was the feeling of Job when he said, "the arrows of the Almighty are within me"; and again, "Oh that it were with me as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness" (Job 29:2-3). In such an hour as this, when the feeling of distance from God is almost insupportable, ah! how cheering, how full of nourishment, what a heavenly cordial may this word in the hand of the Spirit be: "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."
1. Believers are called to share with Christ. To have fellowship with another, is to have things in common with him. Thus in Acts 4:32, it is said of the first Christians, that they were "of one heart and of one soul, neither said any that ought of the things which he possessed were his own, but they had all things in common " ' They had all their goods in common, they shared all they had with one another. This is what John desired to see amongst Christians in spiritual things, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us" (I John 1:3). The same expressions is used here, "Ye are called unto the fellowship of his Son". How strange, that a creature of sin and shame should be called to share with God's dear Son. Yet so it is; He shared our flesh and blood with us, that we might share His throne with Him.
(i) We share with the Son in His justification. Once Jesus was unjustified. Once there were millions of sins laid to His charge. Men, devils, nay, even His holy Father, hurled their fierce accusations at Him. He stood silent. He could not answer a word. Although "he did no sin, neither was guile found his mouth"; yet He had agreed to bear the sins of many, and therefore, He was dumb under every accusation. "It was exacted, and he was made answerable". This was His chief agony in the garden, and on the cross, that at the bar of God He was unjustified; "He was numbered with the transgressors". His only comfort was, "He is near that justifieth me" (Isaiah 50:8). He knew that His trial would be short and that He would overcome. The hour of darkness is now past. The wrath of God has all fallen upon Him. The thunder clouds have spent their lightnings on His head. The vials of God's anger have emptied their last drops upon Him. He is now justified from all the sins that were laid upon Him. He will bear the scars to all eternity, Revelation 5:6; but not another drop of agony shall ever fall upon His soul When He comes a second time it is "without sin" (Hebrews 9:28). Have you the Son? Do you believe the record that God has given concerning His Son? Do you with purpose of heart cleave to the Lord Jesus? then you share with Him in His justification. You suffered in His suffering, you obeyed in His obedience, you died in His death. You are as much justified as Christ is. You have as little to do with the guilt of your past sins as Christ has. There is as little guilt lying upon you as upon God's dear Son. The vials of wrath have not another drop for Christ, and not another drop for you. "By Jesus all that believe are justified from all things" (Acts 13:39).
(ii) We share with the Son in His Father's love. When Jesus was about to leave this world, He said to His disciples, "I leave the world and go to the Father". When He died He cried, "Father into thy hands I commend my spirit". When He entered into heaven and passed up the opening ranks of the adoring angels, the Father said, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee"; as if He had said, Never till this time did I see thee so worthy to be called my Son. Ah! it was a blessed exchange when He left the frowns and curses of the world for the embrace of His Father's arms; when He came from under the outpoured wrath of God into His full eternal love and smile; when He left the crown of thorns for the crown of glory. Such is the change of every poor sinner in the moment that he is persuaded and enabled to embrace Christ. Dost thou believe with all thine heart that Jesus is the Son of God? Can you say you have fled for refuge to Christ? Then you share with Christ in His Father's love. Christ says, "I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God" (John 20:17). God is as much your Father as He is Christ's Father. Your God as Christ's God. The Father loves you with the same full, unchanging, soul-satisfying love, with which He loves Jesus (see that never to be forgotten prayer, John 17:26). Oh! what a blessed change for an heir of hell to become an "heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ" (Romans 8:17). For one who deserved, and still deserves, to share with the devil and his angels, to share with Christ that sits at the right hand of God. Oh! to inherit God, to have a son's interest in God! Eternity alone can reveal the full meaning of that word, "Heir of God, and joint heir with Christ".
2. God is faithful to souls in Christ. "God is faithful, by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of his Son." When a soul is in affliction, temptation, or desertion, his cry is, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me". Sometimes this feeling approaches to actual despair. Here is a rock for the soul to lean upon, "Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever", and "God is faithful" who called us to share with Christ. Hearken to the voice of the great Shepherd, "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." Satan desires to have you. The world are laying snares for you. Your own wicked heart would sometimes be for leaving the hand that has saved you. But "none is able to pluck you out of the Father's hand". Hearken to the Father's own word, "Thou art my servant, I have chosen the and not cast thee away" (Isaiah 41:9). The soul united to Jesus is not like the grass, but like the palm tree. Even in old age he shall bear fruit, he shall be full of sap and flourishing. "To show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him" (Psalm 92:15). At the very time when Zion was saying, "My God hath forgotten me", God had her walls engraven on His hands, Isaiah 49:16. Look still to Jesus, oh! deserted soul. The love of God shines unchangeably on Him. Abide in Him and you will abide in the Father's love. Your afflictions may only prove that you are more immediately under the Father's hand. There is no time that the patient is such an object of tender interest to the surgeon, as when he is bleeding beneath his knife. So you may be sure if you are suffering from the hand of a reconciled God, that His eye is all the more bent on you. "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."