The Christian Ambassador

By Wm. Bunting

His Politics

IT is well known that during his term of office an Ambassador cannot become a citizen of the country to which he is accredited. Be that term ever so protracted, and be his relations with those to whom he is sent ever so amicable, he remains a stranger in that land. He has no voice in its government, He must not interfere in its politics. He has no vote in the electing of new members to its legislature; nor may he even influence a citizen as to how he should cast his vote. Never for a moment must he regard himself otherwise than as a stranger in the country of his ambassadorship. All his political interests are in his homeland. Thus it should be with the Christian. Our Lord said, “My Kingdom is not of this world” (Jo. 18:36). He declined to act as an arbitrator in the affairs of men (Lu. 12:13). In allegiance to Him, Paul declared, “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20, R.V.). It follows that the governing of the world should be left to those who are of the world. It is true that as God’s people we are to recognise that “the powers that be are ordained of God.” We are therefore to “be subject” to them (Rom. 13:1), though with the proviso, that should there arise any question of divided loyalties, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29, R.V.). We are also to “Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour:to whom honour” (Rom. 13:7). Moreover, we are enjoined that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim. 2:1, 2). There is no warrant in the New Testament, however, for our engaging in worldly politics. If in civil government the “potsherds of the earth” strive amongst themselves for place, it is not for us to support one or other contending party. We wield a more potent influence for our fellows' well-being in the closet with God upon Election Day than we could in the local polling-booth. Further, it is not, we believe, in keeping with our heavenly calling that a brother should sit as a Magistrate or as a Member of Parliament. The New Testament certainly does not contemplate such a thing. It affords full guidance as to how parents, children, masters, servants, and subjects should act, but it is surely significant that it offers no direction or advice to Christians who would exercise the public responsibilities which devolve upon judges and rulers.

The Corinthian saints to whom this Epistle was addressed were evidently forgetful of their strangership here below, hence the strong appeal for separation which we find in the next chapter. In

this appeal there are five great questions, and it is of interest in our present study to note that while the first of these suggests the business yoke (" What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?”); the third, the social yoke (“What concord hath Christ with Belial?”); the fourth, the marriage yoke (“What part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”); the fifth, the religious yoke (" What agreement hath the temple of God with idols?”); the second question—" What communion hath light with darkness?”—suggests to us the political yoke. “What communion hath light with darkness?” Of course, there can be none. Therefore the clarion call of v. 17 follows: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

We ourselves cannot too often be remined of this great truth. With many there is the tendency to forget our heavenly citizenship and to become entangled with unequal yokes of a social and political nature; but we are not here, beloved, to join with Christ rejectors in their schemes for world betterment. We are here to testify to men that the present world order will end in dire and awful judgment, and to call upon them to repent and be reconciled to God.

“I am a stranger here within a foreign land.
My home is far away upon a golden strand;
Ambassador to be of realms beyond the sea,
I’m here on business for my King.

My home is brighter far than Sharon’s rosy plain.
Eternal life and joy throughout its vast domain:
My Sovereign bids me tell how mortals there may dwell,
And that’s my business for my King.”
His Peril

The Ambassador’s peril is that should he speak or act wrongly he may be recalled and even disgraced by his sovereign. Personal misconduct, an untactful public utterance, especially at a time of international tension, or unfaithfulness in guarding the interests of his fatherland may quickly eventuate in this. Indeed the Country to which he has been commissioned may request his sovereign to replace him, should he be accused of contempt, or of plotting against its internal or external security. History affords many examples of ambassadors being removed from office. An American who had formerly been a British subject, once wrote to the British ambassador in that land, asking how he should vote. The latter replied, giving advice and instructions. The whole matter, however, leaked out, and the diplomat was summoned to London for having interfered in American politics. On another occasion, the United States ambassador in England in a public speech made disparaging

remarks about the Moral Decalogue. The result was that he had to relinquish his post and return to Washington in dishonour, for having misrepresented his Country. Some readers, too, may remember that after the outbreak of the first World War, Von Papen, the Military Attache to the German Embassy in the United States, was recalled at the instance of the latter Government. All of this also has a solemn and salutary lesson for us. The Apostle himself feared least there should be a breakdown in his testimony and his service be disapproved of God (1 Cor. 9:27). His supreme desire was that he might be enabled to complete his life’s work. Listen to his noble language: “But I hold not my life of any account, as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24, R.V.). It will be noticed that the R.V. text omits the words, “with joy,” found in the A.V. What concerned Paul was not the frame of mind, whether happy or unhappy, in which he would finish his course, but whether he would finish it at all. That he did finish it, and finish it in triumph, we know from 2nd Tim. 4. Many like Saul who was “removed” (Acts 13:22), however, like the Israelites whose corpses were strewn across the desert sands (1 Cor. 10:5), and like some of the sinning Corinthians (1 Cor. 11:30), have been taken away before their time. It is a solemn and sobering thought, An Ambassador of Christ may, under Divine discipline, fill a premature grave, because of sin in the life, or of unfaithfulness in service. In the case of one being taken Home, of course, it is not for us to pass judgment. Rather is it our responsibility to judge our own consciences in the presence of an all-seeing, holy, and sin hating God.

(To be continued)

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The Tabernacle

By the late Handley Bird, India

THERE are seven successive steps found in this great object lesson, as follows—First, the Gate, a revelation of and entrance into, an understanding of the Spiritual; second, the brazen “Altar”—devotion to God and consequent holiness of life; third, “the Laver”—the renewing by the Holy Ghost, of the mind and inner disposition; fourth, “the Table”—Christ sanctified as Lord in the heart; fifth, “the Lamp”—the Holy Ghost illuminating and guiding; sixth, “the Golden Altar”—the resurrection privilege of intercession; and seventh, “the Holiest” —rest and worship—liberty from “sense” and the seen! These are God’s mile-stones which will show us where we are in our pilgrimage.

Nebuchadnezzar’s image of earthly glory and power, began with gold and ended in mud! but this perfect picture of Divine glory begins with “brass” and ends in gold—leading us from glory to glory as the Lord the Spirit reveals more and more of Christ. Let us note this progression—In the Court, the foundation of the pillars is of “brass” with chapiters and fillets of silver, while in the Holy Place the foundations were of silver and the superstructure of gold.

In the Court the linen was pure white with colour on the gate only; in the Holy Place the linen was all coloured—while overhead, cherubim were wrought into it; in the Holiest all around and above, the drapery was glorious with cherubim and colour.

In the Court the holy vessels were of wood and brass; in the Holy Place of wood and gold.

In the Court the foundations were all brass; in the Holy Place brass and silver; in the Holiest of silver only.

In the Court was the light of the sun; in the Holy Place that of the golden Lamp; but in the Holy of Holies, the Shekinah glory alone.

The Court was a double square open to the sky; the Holy Place was a double square but roofed; while the Holiest of all was foursquare, a perfect cube.

In the Court were offered sacrifices of slain animals; in the Holy Place those of bread and incense; but in the Holiest a spiritual worship unaided by ceremony or symbol.

In the Court the Cherubim were seen in bronze only; in the Holy Place they are in linen, while in the Holiest they are of gold.

In the Court the Levites serve; in the Holy Place the priests; and in the Holiest none save the High Priest.

Thus plainly written is the necessity for God’s people to “go on to perfection.” To stand still is to retrograde, to lose ground, until we “need one to teach us again” the earliest lessons learned in the school of grace. It is to “become” spiritual dwarfs who will hinder the whole church and rob her of blessing she would otherwise receive. Therefore it is that we must “press on”; for too oft to “drink in blessing from God” and yet not to grow and increase, is to be" nigh unto a curse!” The cry of the Holy Ghost in every renewed heart which He indwells, is “let us come boldly,” “let us labour to enter,” “let us draw near,” “let us go on,” “let us go forth,” “let us run,” etc. Twelve times is this word reiterated in the Epistle to the Hebrews. To refuse to go forward is to apostatize. There is no room for self-congratulation, no time to ungird. It is growth or death.

A withering curse upon much evangelical Christianity, is the spirit of complacent satisfaction with its attainment, experience and apprehension of truth, a self-congratulation which considers any advance in holiness of life or further revelation of truth to be “dangerous” and heretical.

By all the unveiled glory of Jesus’ perfections, by the Holy Spirit’s marvellous unfolding of Scripture, by the unpossessed promises so immense and mighty to the obedient heart, by the impulses, longings and ambitions of the Divine life implanted, and by the very wonder of the awful price paid and the sufferings endured “to bring us to God,” are we beckoned and urged on and up, nearer and ever nearer to God.

It may be that the Court with its outward manifestations of Divine power—as typified in the bronze—its bloody sacrifices and its varied ordinances, portrayed the Jewish dispensation; the Holy Place, the Christian dispensation, the day of the Church wherein is no visible cloud, nor any manifest Shekinah, but an apparently absent Lord and a silent God, the Holy Ghost quietly working in and through the believer; and the Holiest, the glory that shall be, within the veil where God is all in all.

Be it so, then how many a " Jew” is there yet in the church of God! Christians who have never learned their priestly privilege, content with pardon for the past and oft repeated forgiveness for oft repeated sins by oft repeated applications of the blood, which was what every pious Jew enjoyed. Inside the Gate, in the place of acceptance and blessing, but caring, oh so little! whether God gets His portion in them or no.

Every believer is a priest by birthright, as every Israelite, in the purpose of God was designed to be, a purpose yet to have its glorious fulfilment; as one day every saint will measure up to God’s will for him and minister as His priestly one; alas that they do not enter into the joy and privilege now!

Because of Israel’s unfitness for the office, Levi is chosen in their stead, and after their failure Aaron and his sons are appointed to Levi’s forfeited privilege, and thus still further narrow is the circle of those who will give the Lord what He seeks for.

We see clearly marked in this story of the soul’s progression, certain transition stages, On the Door, the entrance into the priest’s sphere of office, were lingering traces of the lesser glory without. That is, its sockets were of brass and there were no Cherubim on its linen. Again on the Veil, we find the sockets of silver where all else is golden, and Cherubim in linen as in the Holy Place. Yet it was but a step from one to the other. David belonged to the Court and had right to its blessings alone, but his faith and love linger ardently for the priest’s privilege. We hear him saying, “one thing have I desired and will seek, that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah to behold the delights of the Lord and to consider the Tabernacle.” We find him clad in ephod and robe, and offering his sacrifice of praise as a priest, and at least on one occasion the energy of his faith outstripped his dispensation and he entered into the House of God and did eat the shewbread, for which he is commended by his Lord.

Happy the souls who have thus learned to anticipate a glory “which shall be revealed”; to whom God’s promises are not all in the far future, but are richly enjoyed now through faith which obeys the Holy Ghost and enters in with true heart and full assurance. Such know already days of heaven upon earth, they live as " seeing the King in His beauty in the land of very far distances,” while they have the glad assurance that when He comes in His glory they shall share it with Him.

For his spiritual children in Corinth, the Apostle Paul’s great desire was that they might be “confirmed unto the end, blameless in the day of Jesus Christ.” Very solemn are the warnings his letter contains lest any should fail of the enabling grace of God and miss the joy that remains for the people of God. Listen to His words—" Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” “If any man’s work abide he shall receive a reward, his payment.” “When the Lord comes He will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” " Know ye not that we shall judge angels”... but that “the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom.” “All run the race but one receiveth the prize, so run that ye may obtain.” " All our fathers passed through the sea . . . but some were overthrown in the wilderness and could not enter in because of unbelief.” “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed . . . thanks be to God which giveth us the victory.” “Therefore be ye steadfast, unmoveable.” And lastly, then “face to face.” This was the goal “our beloved brother Paul” had ever before him and of which he writes, “as my beloved sons I warn you,” lest you miss it.

It is evident that the reward may be forfeited even though the soul is saved; and that the future hope may be marred, of those who build unworthy lives though upon a true faith in Jesus. Again, the Judge will reveal the dark and evil counsels of the heart, hidden under the fair profession of those who were “wise, strong and honourable, puffed up,” with position and reputation, in a world that treated the Apostle as “the filth and offscouring of all things.”

“The wicked man” among the Christians is delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus; with an awful prospect of deprivation in that blessed day, that almost swallowed up and guilty one in overmuch sorrow! His spirit saved, but cut off from the enjoyment which belongs to those who by grace are preserved spirit, soul, and body, blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as that part of the Lamb of the peace-offering, which the offerer had not appetite for, could not be eaten on “the third day,” but was “burned,” so, alas, that which the believer does not now enjoy of the power and grace of the Lord will be an eternal loss, once that resurrection day dawns.

Then, again, we read that the “unrighteous” that would defraud his brother should “not inherit the kingdom of God”; while to add to the solemnity of these repeated warnings the Apostle tells us that he will run and fight, will beat his body black and blue in the hardships of ceaseless service for God and souls, lest after all his sacrifice and work he should be a castaway—or “lose his life,” as it is rendered in Mark—and be “disapproved” at the coming of the Lord.

From “Where His Honour Dwells.”

to be contnued.....

God be praised