Is there one answer to all your tears, all your desires, all your prayers? God has one answer and that is Christ. If you are passing through bereavement and sorrow and the heart feels it – God intends you to feel it – it is to find Christ. Blessed compensation. If I have been through deep sorrow and found Christ, what blessed contemplation. I have found that He is more than enough to fill every breach. Do you think I could, by searching with my brain, find out Christ? Every bit of appreciation of Christ has been through a sense of need. It is an experiential thing, not a doctrinal thing. There is no such thing as a mere doctrinal knowledge of Christ. No. I beg your attention to it; every bit of apprehension you may have of Christ, you have been led into the knowledge of and the blessedness of, experimentally.
(William Johnson, London, early 1900s) Golden Nugget Number 271
Golden Nuggets are published by Saville Street Distribution, Venture, Princes Esplanade, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8QD UK
In Philippians, sin and the flesh are never mentioned, except to reject righteousness in the flesh. It is Christian experience, and a man is superior to everything in this world. Chapter 2 speaks especially of the gracious and obedient character of Christ’s descent, His being obedient to death. This is in contrast with the first man.
In chapter 3 we have the energy of divine life, looking to Christ glorified as its object.
In Philippians, sin and the flesh are never mentioned, except to reject righteousness in the flesh. We have Christian experience – superior to everything in this world. Chapter 2 speaks especially of the gracious and obedient character of Christ’s descent, His being obedient to death. This is in contrast with the first man.
In chapter 3 we have the energy of divine life, looking to Christ glorified as its object. In every respect Paul is superior to circumstances: his bonds only furthering the gospel. When Christ is preached of contention, he rejoices in it, and it will all turn to his salvation. Salvation, all through this epistle, is the attainment of the ultimate result in glory, and this is the force of the word “Saviour” in chapter 3:20. Life and death are both so blessed that self disappears, because he can have no wish, though in itself dying is far better. He decides his own trial for his life by the perception of what is for the good of the church. To him to live is Christ. Everything else is dross or dung compared with the excellency of the knowledge of Christ; Paul presses on to glory. Though for four years he was chained to a soldier, he knew what it was to rejoice always in the Lord, being careful for nothing (chap. 4).
God’s peace keeps his heart, so as to be instructed in all things, whether full or hungry, whether abounding or suffering want. He is able to do all things through Him who strengthens him. He counts on his God for a blessing upon the Philippians.
Originally by JND. Lightly edited by Sosthenes, September 2014
