THIS chapter contains several exhortations, all so very necessary in contending for “the faith once delivered to the saints.” By taking due heed to such solemn counsels, Christ’s servants would become more and more an unspeakable blessing to the Church of God which they were commanded to “feed,” as men to whom God had committed the oversight. In this way, the appearance of the chief Shepherd would be to them a cause of rejoicing: “and when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” Further, lest they be overwhelmed with too many cares, they are assured that their Master has their interests at heart, and they are commended to the care and keeping of the “God of all grace . . .”
In meditating upon these words, let us consider four things:—
I. Peter’s conception of the Most High. “But the God of all grace.”
If Peter were not enlightened from on high, his conception of the Holy One of Israel would not have been different to that of all fallen men. The natural man does not see any beauty in Christ. “And when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isa. liii, 2). The ignorant Pharisees saw no beauty in Him, no, no more than the bewitched Jews to whom He was none other than “the carpenter’s son” (Matt. xiii, 55). O what fearful ignorance, spiritual darkness, and hatred sin has brought into the world when we cannot, by nature, see any beauty in Him in whom all fulness dwells! The dreadful disregard in our day to the fourth commandment, and, indeed, to all divine commands, indicates that the vast majority know not God as Peter did, as “the God of all grace,” the fountain of love, the light of the world, and the One from whom all mercies flow. Let us fear lest Christ be a root out of a dry ground to us too. Others were so darkened in their understanding, outlook, and conscience when Pilate asked the solemn question in Matt. xxvii, 18: “Whom will ye that I release unto you, Barabbas or Jesus which is called Christ?” They said, “Barabbas.” How characteristic of fallen nature! But all those taught by the Holy Spirit and reconciled to God through the blood of His dear Son, are brought to know Him as “the God of all grace.” O for that glorious vision John and others got of Him when he declared, “And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.” In the great day, the ungodly shall know Him as the One to whom the Father hath committed all judgment, who “shall wound the head of His enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses” (Ps. lxxviii, 21). This was Pharaoh’s and the Egyptians’ knowledge of God when He made a full end of them in the Red Sea. On the other hand the penitent, lowly Israelites, found Him to be “the God of all grace,” the One great and mighty Deliverer, the One to whom “belong the issues from death.” Peter, notwithstanding his many provocations was given such an insight for himself into the fulness of Christ’s inexhaustible riches, that he, as it were, proclaims: O the precious grace of repentance bestowed upon me when I denied Him thrice, the precious privilege of reconciliation, the precious grace of forgiveness, and of perseverance! “Thou art the God of all grace.” All the graces of the Holy Spirit are precious and indispensable to the believer. Where there is one grace in reality there must be of necessity all the other graces. The godless do not desire to honour Christ but to dishonour Him. His elect people, however, desire to ascribe all the glory and honour of their deliverance from death and hell unto “the God of all grace.” “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us but unto Thy name give glory” (Ps. cxv, 1). May we be abundantly blessed with Peter’s conception of Christ’s love and fulness, as “the God of all grace.”
II. The call spoken of: “Who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus.”
Scripture speaks of three calls particularly:—
(1) The Common Call.
The common call of the Gospel is extended to all who hear the blessed trumpet of the everlasting Gospel: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isa. lv, 7). Blessed be His name, the Bible contains many such glorious invitations to the sinner to return to the God whom he has forsaken. Christ Himself, on the last day of the feast, extended this call to the vilest sinner in His audience. We read that He cried, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John vii, 37). O precious call, would that your soul would listen to it now and accept it! All Gospel hearers will be without excuse when the day of reckoning comes, because of such gracious invitations. It is pathetic to see people listening to the call of the Gospel as if it were an idle tale. This is very prevalent in our day, because we have grieved the Holy Spirit. Without Him we can do nothing. Those called to the marriage of the king’s son, ignored the invitation, yea, much worse than ignoring it, “they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise” (Matt. xxii, 5). O how long shall you hear this call and also make light of it; go back to the world, the flesh and the devil; to your dancing, to your theatres, to your gambling, to your drunkenness, and all other Satanic vices. Such a course of conduct causes the heart to become as hard as adamant against God, who is now holding out the golden sceptre to you in mercy, love, and faithfulness. If you shall refuse Him that speaketh from heaven, you shall eternally dwell “with everlasting burnings” (Isa. xxxiii, 14). Be wise, dear friends, and hear the voice of love while it is day.
(2) The Effectual Call.
This is the call spoken of in our text, we believe. It is a call out of the kingdom of the devil into the light and liberty of the children of God. How beautifully the Confession of Faith speaks of it! “The effectual call affects the heart,” it says. Apart from such a call, the spiritual Israel would have remained in the slavery of the Egypt, of a state of nature. So pleasing is sin to fallen nature, that many rather go to a lost eternity than part with their evil ways, notwithstanding many warnings. Those who are thus called realise their own inability to cease from sin, to believe in God for salvation, or to do anything wherewith they can merit God’s forgiveness. Paul-like, they are brought to see that “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. ii, 16). The effectual call finds the elect unholy indeed, and utterly lost, but the Holy Spirit quickens them and enlightens their eyes that they may see the Saviour by faith, and unstops their ears that they may hear the voice of the Beloved and live. Moreover, the effectual call causes men and women to become dissatisfied with anything short of a saving interest in Christ. Like Christian in the Pilgrim’s Progress, they must of necessity go in search of an Eternal Kingdom in obedience to the call. Blessed be His name for ever and ever that where He hath begun a good work in His people, “He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
(3) Ministerial Call.
All those called effectually by the Holy Spirit and reconciled to God through the death of His Son are not commissioned to declare the Gospel and officiate in every capacity relevant thereto. The Apostle in writing to the Hebrews re the Priesthood said, “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron” (Heb. v, 4). Woe betide any Church that will neglect the examination of all those studying for the holy ministry, without due regard as to their special call thereto. The ministry is not to be chosen or entered into like any ordinary profession: we hear of boys earmarked, so to speak, at school, because of their brilliancy and other merits, for the ministry, while yet strangers to grace and to God as well as to the ministerial call: complete aliens to Aaron’s call, Moses’s call, and David’s call. The latter was called “while waiting on the ewes with young, to feed Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance” (Ps. lxxvii, 71). Those who are strangers to Christ’s call, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. iv, 19), can never be happy nor settled down in the work of the ministry. Hence the reason, we believe, that many ministers participate in many of the frivolities of our day. Absolute willingness to leave all earthly possessions accompanies this call. The Apostles never regretted having left all and followed Him. No, God’s gracious promise, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. xxvii, 20), was their sure staff and stay in all their tribulations.
III. That there were difficulties in the way: “After that ye have suffered a while.”
This was truly a reminder that they were still in the valley of Baca, with many lions in the way, and their greatest “adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walking about, seeking whom he may devour.” All His people, however, are not called upon to endure the same sufferings, on their journey to heaven, although none are exempted from suffering, because the command is, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. xvi, 24). The Lord’s people are pilgrims, and a pilgrim’s life is never free from suffering. The Word of God tells us much regarding the sufferings of those now in glory, for the faith once delivered unto the saints. This should encourage us in a day of blasphemy and rebuke, when the love of many has waxed cold. Joseph suffered much at the hands of his brethren and at the hands of Potiphar’s wife too, with her lying accusation against him, but out of all his troubles the Lord did set him free. Faithful Jacob suffered while serving Laban. At the end of the day, Laban would have sent him away empty-handed: “Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty” (Gen. xxxi, 42). The Church of God in our day cannot expect anything else but to be held up to the ridicule of a carnal world full of Modernism, Voluntaryism, Arminianism and Romanism. Daniel suffered “a while” in refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s image. Many, no doubt, would consider him mad in not submitting to the king’s command. Daniel got his reward, however, while many of his enemies were put to open shame (Dan. vi, 24). Think of Shadrach, Mesec and Abed-nego and their sufferings: think of what David suffered from wicked Saul, his own people, and his wicked son Absalom. These all realised that their sufferings were in full accordance with the will of God, and were limited in their duration, “a while.” So they endured the cross until they reached Heaven and their eternal joy. We have reason to blush, when we consider the Covenanters’ sufferings when they gave their lives rather than deny Him who was to them “the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.” Like the Hebrew midwives in Pharaoh’s day, they feared God thus ignoring the commandment of the King. One can easily detect in the sufferings of the Covenanters a repetition of the sufferings spoken of in Psalm lxvi, 12, “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads, we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.” This brings us to say a word regarding the Apostles’ sufferings. They, like all the true soldiers of Christ, considered it a great honour to suffer shame for His sake. This is obvious from Acts v, 41: “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” Notice, it was through false accusations that they were brought before the Council and imprisoned. Wicked priests, and godless counsellors, often caused the Church much anxiety and sufferings. Our dear Church suffered in this respect, for frequently such accusations were made. We were falsely accused of deliberately putting ministers out of the Church, when the truth was, that everything possible was done to prevent this. This, along with the other false accusation that we departed from the status quo of our constitution caused us sufferings upon sufferings. Let none of us ever forget to remind our children of the sufferings endured by the late Rev. Donald MacFarlane, Dingwall, and the late Rev. Donald Macdonald, Shieldaig, in 1893, in defence of the Word of God, the principles of the Reformation, and in faithfulness to their ordination vows, as God’s ambassadors. The former, in May that year placed his Protest on the table of the Free Church General Assembly against the Declaratory Act with all its venom and deceit: thus separating himself and all who followed him, from the Declaratory Act Free Church for ever. They “suffered a while” when, being put out of their manses, they were deprived of many legitimate rights. But the Lord, whose battle they fought, provided Churches, congregations and manses for them. Above all, God gave them peace of conscience such as Paul and Silas had when they sang at midnight in the prison.
IV. Peter’s earnest prayer on their behalf, which is fourfold:—
(1) “Make you perfect.”
Peter knew very well that there was no perfection on this side of eternity. No, for the Lord’s people complain of an evil heart so long as they are in time. The request, therefore, must be understood as expressing a desire for their increase “in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” “Make you perfect”; viz., that ye be kept in all your ways from bringing a reproach upon the noble cause of Christ. Also that their hearts might be filled with godly sorrow, saving grace, fervent love to Christ and to the brethren, zeal for His glory and that they might be like the sweet Psalmist of Israel, when he said, “For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” “Make you perfect,” with that knowledge of your original depravity as Paul was when he said, “O wretched man that I am: who shall deliver me from the body of this death, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(2) “Stablish you.”
In his second petition he pleads for their stability in the truth, lest they be “carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Very likely Peter knew many nominal Christians who cared little if only they had a name to live. To such all denominations, however unscriptural, are alike. This is unstableness indeed, and is contrary to the fruit of vital godliness. Hence the petition, “Stablish you.” May He establish you against Satan’s devices and assaults, thus causing you to take deep root downward as trees “planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.” We are by nature unstable, like Reuben of whom God’s Word speaks as being “unstable as water” (Gen. xlix, 4). If He by His grace, will not establish us, we will not continue in His path and doctrine. Wicked Saul did his utmost to prevent the establishment of David upon the throne of Israel. But the Lord established David in spite of the devil and all the powers of darkness.
(3) “Strengthen.”
The third petition in his prayer is for their strengthening in hope, and faith to perform duties, overcome difficulties, etc., etc. His consciousness of himself as a weak mutable creature, such as would deny his Master again and again if not strengthened from on high, causes him to petition the Great Advocate within the veil for the necessary strength to enable them to fight a good warfare. Both spiritual and physical strength are necessary and useful in God’s vineyard. However, it is for the former the Apostle pleads here, we believe. Physical strength alone is infinitely too weak to make any headway Zionward. Nevertheless, Christ is concerned about His people’s physical strength, in the wilderness. He would not send them away empty, lest they would faint by the way. But the righteous will go from strength to strength until they will appear in glory. The Apostle Paul, entreated the Lord thrice that the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan that buffeted him, might depart from him. The Lord graciously afforded him the following precious promise: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Even unto death, God fulfilled His promise to His servant. Take courage weak ones, He will strengthen you with the right hand of His righteousness. O how weak His people feel at times, especially when confronted with certain duties! Moses felt his weakness when told to go to Egypt, but the Lord gave the necessary strength, so David-like, he could say, “for Thou my fainting soul with strength didst strengthen inwardly” (Ps. cxxxviii). Apart from His blessed strength, none of us would prove a whit better or stronger than the children of Ephraim, who although armed, and carrying bows, yet turned back in the day of battle (Ps. lxxviii, 9). Both armour and bows proved useless without the strength of God the Lord. When He strengthens His Church no weapon however mighty shall prosper against them. In His strength David went out against the mighty Philistine, who threatened to give his flesh to the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field (I Sam. vii, 12). Many are the Philistines that threaten to devour God’s weak ones, but blessed be His name, their complete destruction is as certain as that of Goliath. His strength is all-sufficient to help His people from falling and to “present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude, verse 24).
(4) “Settle you.”
His last request was indeed in full harmony with their chief desire in the world, for without the prayer of the Church in Psalm xvii, 5, how can we but fall a prey to sin and all its lusts? “Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” Notice the promise of eternal life is extended to those who will continue to the end: “But he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” It is no wonder, in view of the above truth, that Peter pleaded this on behalf of the Church of God. The crown of life is certain for such as will persevere and are found faithful unto death. “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. ii, 10). Many began most promisingly, but not being “grounded” and “settled” in divine things went back, and were no longer found in the old path they professed to take pleasure in. The pride of their heart put many astray and rendered them useless to the Church of God. Peter pleaded that they might have that blessed settlement of mind and heart that the Church had when she confessed, “I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste” (Song of Sol. ii, 3). When the Prodigal Son was reconciled to his father, when he got the kiss of reconciliation, when he got the wedding garment, the ring on his hand and the shoes on his feet, this was his supreme desire, “Settle me, settle me,” lest I go back to my former folly and be in eternal want. “Make me as one of thy hired servants.” If the Holy Spirit were to take of the things that are Christ’s and reveal them unto us, this would be our fervent prayer daily. Lastly, let us rejoice that greater than mere man or angel did plead this on behalf of His Church in the Court of Heaven. Christ’s prayer while on earth was: “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (John xvii, 11). Nothing under heaven is more certain than that if the Lord had not established, strengthened and settled us as a Church we would not be here assembled as a Synod seeking as we did from 1893 to display our banner because of the Truth. Let all those who love Zion continue to pray Peter’s prayer: “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye had suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.”