_They are without fault before the throne of_ GOD.
JOB declares that GOD puts no trust in His saints; that He charges His
angels with folly; that in His sight the very heavens are not clean.
This language is, of course, figurative, and not to be taken literally;
but it well describes to us the transcendent holiness of GOD, and His
utter abhorrence of all evil. In comparison of Him, heaven itself is not
pure, and angels, endued with wisdom, swift and constant to obey,
delighting in His will, even these are not perfect—fall far short of
perfection before Him. Job would show us the distance between GOD and
man. St. John, however, in the chapter of my text, would exhibit another
truth, not contradictory, but rather supplementary to Job’s, namely, the
nearness, through grace, of man to GOD. The Apostle is describing, for
the comfort and encouragement of the tried and persecuted, a vision which
he had seen of some of those who have passed away from this world, and,
as a kind of first-fruits, are already with GOD and the Lamb; and he
says, that “in their mouth is found no guile; for they are without fault
before the throne of GOD.”
“Without fault,” means here, without spot or blemish; not only free from
actual transgression, but wholly untainted by corruption of sin—not
wanting in anything that belongs to the perfect character of the approved
of GOD.
That man in his natural state is altogether faulty, that even in his
redeemed, and spiritualised, and sanctified state, while here on earth,
he has still many faults, are truths so plainly taught, so proved to our
reason and experience, that it would be idle to enforce them. How, then,
can he ever stand faultless before the throne of GOD? Now some would
answer, that for CHRIST’S sake GOD overlooks, that CHRIST, by His merits,
hides man’s faults; and so that the redeemed in heaven are not really
faultless, but that for CHRIST’S sake faultlessness is reckoned, imputed
to them. This is what may be called the popular answer to our question.
But, brethren, how utterly wrong it is seen to be, when we consider that,
in order to exalt GOD’S mercy and His wisdom in contriving justification,
it sacrifices His truth and His holiness. GOD cannot call the faulty
faultless. He Who is Truth cannot enter with His Holy Son (Who is also
Truth) into a plan of deceit, by which, to Himself, to them, to angels,
to the whole universe, sin shall be presented as holiness. GOD may agree
not to reckon with men for their sins, to forget the past, on certain
conditions to deal with the faulty as if they were actually faultless;
but He cannot—I say it advisedly, it is beyond the limits of His power,
as regulated by His truth—He cannot call evil good. And, brethren,
besides, even if it were possible that by some strange agreement with the
Son, sinful man should be passed off as holy, still his sin, while it
remained, hide it, disguise it, call it by what name you will, must
separate from GOD. Charity might forbear to punish it, or to make
mention of it. Charity might even gild it over; but Holiness deals not
with the name, but with the reality; and holiness must shrink from sin
and thrust it away. This ought to be the most readily perceived and
admitted of all Scripture truths, that GOD cannot tolerate near iniquity;
that—if I may venture reverently to use such words—even if GOD were
willing to receive to Himself an unchanged sinner, the actual reception
would be morally impossible; the same heaven could not contain holiness
and sin! No, brethren, if the sinner is to enter heaven, it must be, not
because his name is changed, but his nature; he must be actually without
fault before GOD. We see this to have been the case with those described
in the text: for it is expressly said, “In their mouth was found no
guile.” Observe, it is not, GOD mercifully overlooked their guile for
the sake of His dear Son, the Guileless One; He charitably called them
guileless; but “in their mouth was found (the testimony of truth to the
searching of holiness) no guile: yea, for they are altogether blameless,
without spot or blemish.” It is an actual, not an imputed faultlessness
that is thus described. Now, how is it to be attained by sinful men?
And here comes in a second answer of popular theology. At or after
death, CHRIST meets the departed, and by His resurrection-power quickens
that which was dead, purifies that which was corrupt, spiritualises,
sanctifies, and, as by a miracle, converts the sinner into a perfect
saint. This is an answer only second in popularity to the one we have
been considering. Those who urge it, believe that man is naturally
depraved, that, under grace, he retains much, almost all, his old nature,
that he is very faulty in deed, in will and affections. They know that
he must be faultless to gain accession to heaven and dwell with GOD and
the Lamb, and this faultlessness they hope for and pray for; but there is
no effort to acquire it; there is no concern for the absence, the
continued absence of it; it is regarded as altogether a thing of the
future; the free and perfect gift—perfect at once—to the released soul
and the raised body. Men who hold this view, are often better than their
creed requires them to be. In love of GOD and devotion to Him, they
strive to abandon sin and cultivate holiness; but they have no definite
object in view of becoming faultless here, in order to be faultless in
heaven. They seem to believe that they cannot get any nearer to
faultlessness whatever they do, and that those who have made no efforts,
ay, have even led ungodly lives, and, but for a few last sighs and
ejaculations, would have died ungodly deaths, are just as qualified, just
as fit in many cases, just as sure recipients of instantly converting and
perfecting grace in the next world!
But if this is so, why have we such solemn warnings, to the effect that
as the tree falls, so shall it lie? “He that is righteous, then, shall
be righteous still. He that is filthy then, shall be filthy still.” Why
is it that in the representations which we have of the Judgment, men are
always dealt with according to what they were in life, “Inasmuch as ye
did it,” “Inasmuch as ye did it not”? Why is the pound taken away from
him that did not seek to increase it, and given to him who had gained ten
pounds, and the commentary subjoined, “Unto every one which hath shall be
given, and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away
from him”? Why is the boaster of his privileges—“In Thy name have I cast
out devils”—instantly dismissed with the words, “Depart from me, I never
knew you”? Why are they reproved who called CHRIST LORD, LORD, but did
not the things which He said? What did St. Peter mean when he exhorted
“Save yourselves;” and Paul, “Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling;” “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall;”
and CHRIST Himself, “Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to
give to every man according as his work shall be;” “Blessed are they that
do His commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city”? Surely all this, as with a
voice from heaven, calls on us to put away the delusion, that mortal life
is not a probation, that man has not a fitness to acquire in this life,
in order that he may be faultless in heaven. The answer of truth,
brethren, to the question, “How can man be faultless in heaven?” is,
briefly, By praying, and striving, through the blessing of GOD, the grace
of the Spirit of CHRIST, and his own self-denial, and diligence, and
cultivated holiness, to become less and less faulty here. After all, he
will never, on this side of the grave, be without spot or blemish, and
perfect in holiness. Whatever CHRIST may do for him here, he will still
have much to be purged away, much to be quickened, much to be glorified.
But, be sure, there must be a seed-time here and a growing here, if there
is to be a harvest hereafter. There must be a service, if there is to be
a reward; we must be faithful in a little, before we are made rulers over
much; there must be a fitness, a partial, a main fitness acquired here,
or no admission there to the inheritance of the Saints in light.
CHRIST’S work in us hereafter is not a transforming, but a completing, a
finishing, a perfecting work. “To him that hath”—that is, that has made
use of and improved what he hath—“to him more shall be given,” and he
shall abound. He who has traced in his soul and life the outline of the
features of the blessed JESUS, shall have the likeness filled up and
finished by the Divine artist, and be wholly conformed to His image. He
who has kept down the flesh, shall have the power of the flesh destroyed
in him. He who has sought after holiness, shall be made perfect. A
great change; much taken away, much added, but not a transformation. A
great work, which can only be done then, and only by CHRIST; but which
will fail to be done then if materials are not provided for it now; if
the foundation has not been laid, and the walls have not been raised, and
all made ready for the roof of GOD’S adding, and the capping of the tower
of glory. Yes; this is the qualification, without which you cannot be
received, but, having it, cannot be refused. Labour and pray to be
faultless here, and CHRIST shall at the end perfect your faultlessness,
and shall present you faultless before the presence of His glory with
exceeding joy. But the text seems to speak not of those who had washed
away defilements, had secured pardon of offences, had repaired faults and
made up deficiencies, in short, had been sinners, but, under the
operation of the spirit of CHRIST, were become saints; but of those who
never had been faulty, spotted, or blemished “These are they which were
not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which
follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” Of course, there must have been
the spot and blemish of original sin; but, apart from this—which CHRIST’S
applied purifying power and all-sufficient merits would entirely
remove—there seems to have been in the lives of these persons no actual
sin, no omission of righteousness. Now, as there is no man that liveth
and sinneth not, it has been conjectured that the vision here exhibits
those who were taken away to GOD in their infancy, before they had the
power or the will to do good or evil, and who, therefore, as far as
actual deeds and feelings are concerned, not by work, or grace, or
conviction, but absolutely and from the first were faultless: and
probably the selection of the description as the Gospel for this day, the
festival of the Holy Innocents, has gone far to confirm this conjecture.
But, brethren, this surely is not the meaning, at least the full meaning,
of the words. They describe freedom from defilement and following of the
Lamb as things that might have been otherwise. They hold up for the
example and encouragement of those who were tempted to lust, and to
depart from following the living LORD, the praise and happiness of those
who are without fault in these respects; and therefore they suggest to
us, I think, as the most profitable and foremost thought, the
blessedness, the superior blessedness of those who never have contracted
sin, nor failed in holiness.
Men sometimes seem to fancy that the most glorious character in heaven,
the object of GOD’S fondest love, will be the once deep-stained and
wholly defiled, that have been washed in CHRIST’S blood till they are
become whiter than snow, the reckless, and rebellious, and blaspheming,
who have been subdued and converted; and that in comparison of these, the
mainly regular righteous life will almost pass unnoticed. It is easy to
account for the supposition. We read, without due consideration, of her
that sinned much, and was forgiven much, and therefore loved much; of the
returned prodigal rejoiced over more than the son who had remained at
home; of the joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over
ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance; of publicans and harlots
going into the kingdom of heaven before priests and scribes. We forget
that these things were said to men who were not really righteous, but
self-sufficient; that they were an accommodation to their own kind of
reasoning; that they were the justification of special works and
feelings, and peculiar demonstrations. Surely we are not to understand
by them anything more than that sinners were _at times_ more in CHRIST’S
thoughts than saints; that on the recovery of one lost sheep, the joy
over that one caused the rest for the moment to be put out of
remembrance. Surely we are not to understand that GOD has less love for,
and shows less favour to those who have uniformly served and honoured
Him, than to those whose life has been one of contempt and rebellion, who
have refused to accept Him till they had made trial of all else; that
GOD’S power and glory are more magnified in the ultimate conversion of
such a sinner, than in the steady control and improvement of a life-long
saint; that in themselves the reformed drunkards and defiled are better
than those who were always sober and pure; that their memories are more
blissful, and their themes of praise more satisfactory; that they are
even equal in favour, in bliss, in manifested honour to those who were
undefiled and consistently obedient, whom Holy Scripture distinguishes on
this very account, of whom it relates, that they sing a song which no
other can learn, signifying that they have a peculiar privilege and a
peculiar joy! Brethren, be sure it is not so. GOD is abundantly
gracious to all who call upon Him, late as well as early. No one,
whatever his past life, shall be refused who comes to Him through CHRIST.
In his late righteousness all his former sins shall be forgiven and
forgotten; they shall not once be mentioned unto him. He shall have too,
the joy of the righteous, and shall dwell with GOD in heaven; but still
He Who makes one star to differ from another in glory, Who bestows
different measures of reward upon different capacities, and different
attainments, has a special interest and a superior blessedness for those
who have never been stained, who have always stayed in their father’s
house, and have obeyed His will and loved His voice. In themselves they
are dearer to Him, as more like JESUS; and for them, He has seats closer
to the throne of CHRIST, and offices of honour near His person.
If this is so, if “faultlessness,” in the sense of never blotted, never
imperfect, is the state that is most blessed, then, brethren, we might
perhaps be tempted to envy the fate of those whom we commemorate to-day,
who suffered so early for CHRIST’S sake, and as soon almost as they were
born, were put to death. We might judge, too, that the little ones whom
GOD so frequently takes away so soon after lending them, are summoned to
a higher blessedness than we can ever know; and therefore that not only
would it have been gain to die in infancy, but that it is positive loss
to live to years of discretion and responsibility. Let us not err
herein. We believe that the dear innocents, whose first consciousness is
of bliss in heaven, whose reason begins to develop, and their will to
exercise itself, only when sin is impossible, are not only unspeakably
blessed, but that GOD specially loves them, and folds them to His bosom
(as we did here), because of that innocence: no guile, no defilement—all
simplicity and trust. Thankful then in their sober moments are all
bereaved parents who are assured of their departed little ones’ eternal
safety, and are spared the fears and anxieties, the heartrending
realisation of self-will developed, and the world’s evil example
followed, and the devil triumphant. The LORD gave, and the LORD hath
taken away; and, in that He has taken away, from the evil to come, Oh!
blessed be the name of the LORD.
But, brethren, it is only because we fear for the future, that we
thankfully accept such a present. Could we be sure that our little ones
would remain faultless, that they would not abuse the world, nor fall
into great error or misery, that they would grow in grace, and in the
fear of the LORD, and at length surely attain to glory; then, not from
selfishness, but for their sakes, we should covet length of days for
them. And rightly, for there is a better faultlessness, and a
correspondingly higher blessedness than that of infants, who were allowed
no opportunity (and possessed no power) to contract fault: it is the
faultlessness of those who shrink from the allowed opportunity, who
restrain the possessed power, and overcome the persuading will, who pass
through the fire without the smell of it being left on their garments,
who make manifest by a life of self-denials, and resistances to
temptations, and patience and perseverance in well-doing, their
intelligent deliberate love of GOD, and hatred of evil. These are the
tried, the eagerly accepted, the specially loved. These do the LORD’S
work, and set forth the LORD’S glory. These shall indeed be welcomed
with a “Well-done good and faithful servant,” for them shall be reserved
the best seats on the right hand of GOD; and they shall joy in GOD, and
GOD in them, with a peculiar joy, for they are likest unto CHRIST, Whose
spotlessness was preserved among so many defilements, Who with heart, and
mind, and life, consistently, unceasingly served GOD, and Who therefore
is highly exalted, and has a name which is above all other names.
Oh it is no mean privilege, brethren, which you forego, when you leave
the ranks of the faultless, when you shrink from duty, or yield to sinful
pleasure, or contract any stain of ungodliness. Say not, “It is only for
once.” It will surely be for more than once; but if it were not, still
from being faultless that _once_ makes you blotted and blemished. Say
not, “I can repent by and by, and GOD of His mercy will accept me, and I
shall be myself again.” You may not live to repent. Sin may disincline,
the Spirit provoked may leave you; but even if you do repent—though GOD
will undoubtedly forgive, and in a sense restore you—remember, you can
never be as you were before. You may be cleansed, but not as at first
clean; admitted to heaven, but not to the band of the one hundred and
forty-four thousand of undefiled; joined to the glorious choir of the
redeemed, but not allowed, not able to sing the peculiar song of the
faultless.
“But what,” some would say, “is the use of this preaching? We are all
already faulty; we can none of us have a place among these choice first
fruits of GOD’S harvest.” Brethren, faultlessness, pure faultlessness,
is no longer ours; but comparative faultlessness (and Bible
faultlessness, after all, is only comparative freedom from wilful sin)
may, and, I trust, does pertain to many of us; and for each degree of
nearness to faultlessness, if I understand the Bible aright, there is its
peculiar reward. I would put you on your guard against losing that
reward, by sinking to a lower level. I would urge you to hold fast what
you have, to subdue yourselves, to resist the world and the devil, to be
ever on the watch against danger, and to flee speedily from temptation,
if it is too strong to fight against, to seek strength and sanctification
in means of grace, to pray constantly (and strive constantly to make good
your prayer), that CHRIST would keep you from falling, and finally
present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding
joy.
SERMON VII.
PAST MERCIES REVIEWED.
(NEW YEAR’S EVE.)