1 (Proverbs viii. 23). It is in Him, as the Head, the Church has been blessed with every spiritual blessing. (Ephesians i. 3-6). It is well for us to get a comprehensive view of the whole scheme of salvation, which God has purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hear the words of St. Paul to Timothy :-" God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling." Works are entirely excluded in the matter of salvation, except as evidences thereof. "Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." God's purpose in Christ Jesus has been revealed in the fulness of time by the coming of the Son of God in the flesh. "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Tim. i. 9-10). When we consider the Son of God in His Divine and human relationships, He is a most suitable Person to be the Head and Representative of His people. He is the Father's Fellow and equal. He has one hand on Divinity as the Mighty God, and the other on humanity as the Holy One and the just. The fulness of the Godhead and the fulness of the manhood dwell in the wonderful Mediator, the man Christ Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God, and the Firstborn of every creature. He is the Creator, the Preserver, and the End of all things, "and He is the Head of the body, the Church. Who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the Pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell." "Christ is Head over all things to the Church." (Col. i. 15-19. Eph. i. 22). Jehovah Father is spoken of as First purposing in Himself and then in Christ Jesus :-"Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself." Christ is to be the One grand Centre of ingathering." That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in One all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him." Believers have their eternal inheritance in Him. (Eph. i. 9-11). How shall I enlarge upon this subject for the children of God? They have eternal life in Christ Jesus (Rom. vi. 23); they are Redeemed in Him (Rom. iii. 23); they are in a state of no condemnation. in Him (Rom. viii. 1); they are called, justified, sanctified, and glorified in Him. "Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified." The believer has everything in Christ Jesus. When the Father gives His Son to a person, He freely gives all things with Him:-"For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." I shall not linger any longer upon our first head, as I wish to dwell more particularly upon our second, and on this account I shall proceed : Let us now consider, secondly, the certainty of God's promises in Christ Jesus, They are yea and in Him Amen." It is a very fair question to ask, what is the difference between the "Yea" and "Amen" promises in Christ? Did you ever think upon this subject carefully? Is there any spiritual teaching contained in the "Yea" and "Amen" promises in Christ? Or has the Holy Ghost spoken in vain? I think there is a difference, and I shall try to point it out to you. The great and grand Promise running through the Old Testament is Christ. All the promises of God are made to the children of God in Him, and are recorded for their comfort and encouragement in the Scriptures. The "Yea" of the Promise denotes its truth, but the "Amen" of the Promise denotes its actual accomplishment. You may take as a general illustration of the difference between the "Yea and "Amen" Promise, the following:-The Old Testament is the "Yea" of the Promises, but the New Testament is the "Amen" of the Promises. I do not mean to say, that the Old Testament does not contain many Promises, which are both "Yea" and "Amen," that is, Promises made and accomplished. The same is true also of many Promises in the New Testament. I simply throw out the illustration as a general one. Christ is promised in the Old Testament as the "seed of the woman which is to bruise the serpent's head." This seed was to descend through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This seed was to be born of a virgin (Isa. vii. 14); and in a particular place, Bethlehem (Micah. v. 2); and at an appointed time. The sufferings and death of Christ were also foretold in the Old Testament. Now all this was the "Yea" of the Promise concerning Christ. But, if we turn to the New Testament, we have the "Amen" of the Promise in the actual accomplishment of those things which had been previously spoken. St. Paul says, the seed is Christ:-" Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ" (Gal. iii. 16). We turn to St. Matthew's Gospel and we frequently find him saying; "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet." Read the following Scriptures:Matthew i. 22-23; ii. 15-17-23. The fulfilment of a Promise is the "Amen" of the Promise, whether it concerns Christ or us. Christ was "Yea" in the types of the Old Testament. He was figured forth by the PASCHAL LAMB in the 12th of Exodus. We turn to the New Testament and see the "Amen" as stated by the Apostles. "For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast." (1 Cor. v. 7-8). And again, "For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled. A bone of Him shall not be broken." (John xix. 36). The Manna which fell in the wilderness was a type of Christ. It was the "Yea" of Him. But when we read our Lord's words, we have the "Amen." "I am the living bread which came down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John vi. 51.) The Smitten Rock in Horeb, whence came water, that the people might drink, was the "Yea" of Christ. (Ex. xvii. 6). The "Amen" we have recorded in 1st Corinthians x. 4. "And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ." The Mercy seat was the "Yea" of Christ, for it was the meeting place of God and His people. (Ex. xxv. 22). The "Amen" is Christ Himself. God has set forth Christ to be a Propitiation, a Mercy seat, where He can meet with and bless the spiritual seed. (Rom. iii. 23). We are encouraged by the "Amen" truth of the Promise to draw near to God. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." I shall only add that familiar illustration the Brazen Serpent as lifted up in the wilderness. In the type you have the "Yea," in the antitype you have the "Amen." "For as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him. should not perish, but have eternal life." (John iii. 14-15). Here we might enlarge much, but we shall forbear. Again, God has His "Yea" Promises in dealing with sin. "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin." The "Amen" of which is, when He speaks by His Spirit to the heart; "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins; return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee." The "Yea" of the promise is :-"I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." The "Amen" of the Promise is: "I have written My laws in their hearts, and I have cast all their sins behind My back." The " Yea" of the Promise is "And all Thy children shall be taught of the Lord." The "Amen" of the Promise is: Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me," saith Jehovah Jesus. (Isa. liv. 13. John vi. 45). Here we might go on shewing you the difference between the "Yea" and "Amen" of the promises of God in Christ. Perhaps I have said sufficient upon the subject to give you an idea of my meaning. Now, many of the Promises of God in Christ are to some of us only "Yea." In a short time they shall be "Amen." Indeed, there are many Promises in the Word of God, which are only "Yea," as yet, to us all. In a while they shall be "Amen." This is not our rest. Here we have no abiding city, but we seek one to come. The children of God shall come from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and with all the prophets in the Kingdom of God. We may only know the "Yea" of many Promises at present, but in due time, we shall be made to enjoy the "Amen" of them. "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto us abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Then we shall be able to say exultingly:-" All the Promises of God are to us in Christ Jesus "Yea" and in Him "Amen" to the glory of God the Father. The Promises of God are described by St. Peter as being "exceeding great and precious." Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." (2 Peter i. 4). They are exceeding great if we consider the Giver of them. The great God. They are exceeding great, also, if we consider the things promised. Take a few examples. "God promised eternal life before the world began." (Titus i. 2). "And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life." (1 John ii. 25). Those who are the called of God receive "the promise of eternal inheritance." James says: "Blessed is the temptation; for when he is tried, crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him." (i. 12). And again he says: Hearken, my beloved brethen, hath not God chosen 66 (Heb. ix. 15). St. |