THE Nations and peoples of the World were never brought so near to one another as they are today, as far as modern means of intercommunication and travel are concerned. News and information can reach all parts of the earth in a matter of minutes and men can travel from one side of the World to another in a day or two. Conditions and events pertaining to every corner of the globe are universally known, with a few exceptional cases. All nationalities, languages, tongues and peoples have never been so much in contact with one another as at this period in man’s history. And yet, parallel with this international intimacy and knowledge there obtains among the Nations, great and small, anxiety, disagreement, discontentment, oppression, strife, confusion, suspicion, and suffering, and a world-wide lack of peace and goodwill between nations and lesser communities. The facts which can substantiate these assertions are common knowledge to our readers. Look for example, at Poland, Hungary, the Arab States, Israel, Kashmir, Malay, China and Formosa, and even the Union of South Africa with its racial policy—in all these areas there is conflict and animosities of various kinds. Then there is the conspicuous and overshadowing opposing influences of particularly America and Russia. To whatever direction one may turn, peace and genuine friendship between most of the nations is greatly lacking. Of course, the Scriptural explanation of the basic reason for this is, that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah, xvii. v. 9). And from the hearts of all men, by nature, there emanates; firstly, enmity to God, and secondly, a hating of one another; for “The carnal mind is enmity against God” (Rom. viii. 7), and men are described in Titus, iii. v. 3, as “hateful and hating one another.”
And so with all the modern advantages of intimate communication, education, fuller knowledge of the world at large, and a common professed desire among men for at least worldly prosperity and peace, and so on; Yet the world today is a stage upon which there is to be seen the spectacle of every man’s hand against his neighbour.
Now there are men who recognise this serious and alarming state of affairs, as far as the external aspect is concerned; but who do not realise the fundamental and deplorable fact of man’s inherent sinfulness as at the very root of enmity and conflict among men. And so on humanitarian grounds and with some sense of moral obligation with respect to themselves and others, they have been in this our day, actively concerned with the immense task of preserving what is called “world peace” and bringing to an amicable end, conflict, oppression and disagreement. The motives of some world famous men have been mixed, in professing to pursue these aims, and how futile and useless many of the methods employed by such world Statesmen, are in the view of the enlightened Christian. Money, men and munitions of war, atomic missiles, economic aid, conferences of politicians and others, treaties, pacts, and the United Nations Organisation; and these means and more, have been employed in seeking to bring the present tension and strife in the world to an end. Human devices will never attain this end, when men depend upon their own wisdom, words and works to put the world right, and without a thought of God, the moral Governor of the world, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. And how can it be expected that Atheists, Pagans, Moslems, and anti-God Communists, etc., in the United Nations Organisation, shall ever contribute to the bringing about of true peace among nations in the world? And with them, professing Christians who never seem to think of suggesting that God’s help should be invoked, or that the precious religion of the Lord Jesus Christ should be recommended and propagated, are deluding themselves and spending their strength for nought, if they think to be successful in bringing about peaceful settlements, and peace and tranquility in the world of today. They are but trusting in “chariots and horses,” which have failed already, and will disappoint them again; and so the Eisenhower doctrine, as American assistance for the Middle East has been described, will never bring to the Arab States the wisdom and peace they need. Only the doctrine of Christ can do that and especially in regard to the greatest need there is, even for spiritual peace in the souls of guilty, ruined sinners and the blessed fruits thereof. All the gold and silver in the world will not cause men to cease hating God and their neighbour; and all the political ingenuity of men will never bring men and nations to love the Lord their God and their neighbour as themselves even in a measure. The wisdom of the wise among worldly men is increasingly being exposed as foolishness, in its application to the divisions and the strifes which prevail throughout a large part of the earth.
We do not, at this time, discount or disregard the use of all lawful and proper means and methods to bring the peoples of the present day to live in peace and harmony and to seek one another’s good and prosperity. But there must of necessity be along with all that, the overruling consideration, by men in places of authority in State and Church in responsible Nations, that without God, the light and guidance of His Word, the doctrines and principles of the Gospel of Christ, and the exercising of the power of the Holy Spirit, no fundamental or enduring success can be attained in the quest for the healing of the Nations.
There might be a glimmer of hope that men would be influenced to begin to lay aside their hatreds and swords, if the eminent rulers of professed Christian Nations would turn to God through Christ Jesus for divine help and assistance in a public manner and call upon their peoples to join them in humbling themselves before God on account of sin and to plead with Him to use them and direct them, in His infinite wisdom and by His almighty hand for the peace and tranquility of disturbed areas of the world. But all the signs point to the fact that world rulers today are priding themselves in their sagacity, their political wisdom, their expert handling of finance, their possession of powers provided by science, their ability to deploy military might, and so on; and thus, without God or divine guidance they reach out after peace and safety for themselves and others. What they seek is eluding them, yet they seem not to discern this. Fear, suspicion and apprehension still impose themselves upon the Nations.
In the midst of all this, the Lord’s people, in all parts of the world, have in His great name, a strong and all sufficient refuge to turn to. “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble: and he knoweth them that trust in Him”: (Nahum, i. v. 7) And the time will yet come when “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee” (Psalm xxii v. 27). And this will be brought to pass through the instrumentality of God’s holy word and the blessed gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and by the abundant outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit, when the Lord will thus “sprinkle many nations” (Isaiah lii. v. 15). Christ the Prince of the Kings of the earth shall then come into His own and “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (Psalm lxxii. v. 8). And, “He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor” (Psalm lxxii. v. 4). Then we are told, “All kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him” (Psalm lxxii. v. 11); and many other blessed and universal fruits of His dominion shall be effected, “and all nations shall call him blessed” (Psalm lxxii. v. 17).
And so at this present stage in world affairs, we see the world seeking peace and satisfaction, without regard to the Christ of God and the holy gospel of salvation and peace for lost men; and the search is doomed to failure. But the whole earth will yet be filled with His glory: “Amen, and amen” (Psalm lxxii. v. 19).
Sermon.
BY REV. F. MACDONALD, M.A., N. Tolsta.
“I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil” (John xvii. 15).
The petition before us forms part of the great intercessory prayer of Christ. In considering this request of the Saviour, two matters fall to be treated.
- The negative aspect of His prayer, namely “I pray NOT that thou shouldst take them out of the world.”
- The positive part—”but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil.”
These petitions may seem to us, to be less important than some of the others in this prayer, but on closer examination, we shall see that they are on a par with the highest of His cravings. Before offering a few thoughts upon each of these points in turn, we may make a brief remark or two upon this whole prayer in general. Undoubtedly it is a wonderful prayer in every way. Whether we consider, who it is that prays; those for whom He prays; or that for which He prays, they are all alike equally wonderful. Here, we have the King of Grace as a suppliant at the Throne of Grace. Here we have the Great High Priest making intercession on behalf of His own. This intercession is based upon the sacrifice of that same High Priest; and here it may be noticed that the High Priest of the Old Testament economy stood in a special relationship to God, to Israel, and to the sacrifice. In these three respects, Christ as the Great High Priest after the order of Melchisedec excelled the high priest of Old Testament times. Who can fathom the intimacy and glory of the relationship that existed between God the Father, and God the Son? Again in His relation to Israel, that is His own Blood bought people, Christ infinitely transcends the high priest of the Old Testament era. Of Him it is true, as it is true of none other, not only that He took bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh, but that he had a fellow feeling with them. In spite of His perfection, He was nearer to His people and more sympathetic towards them than Aaron or any other high priest could ever have been.
Further, in His relation to the sacrifice which He offered up through the Eternal Spirit, without spot unto God. The Lord Jesus stands altogether alone. The high priest of the Old Testament must have had his own feelings as he dealt with the victim upon which the sins of the people were laid; he must have had in fact, feelings, that were even different from those of the people, for after all, it was his duty to slay, and to offer up the bloody sacrifice. Now, in connection with Christ, and His relationship to His sacrifice, we are again presented with a mystery; with a relationship, that remains unfathomed by mortal man. In the words of Holy Writ “He gave Himself for our sins.” The Priest and the Sacrifice are one.
Another wonder unfolds itself to view, when we consider those for whom he prays. Were they worthy? Verily, no. Did they honour Him? Verily, no; in fact there was nothing in them to merit any favour at His Divine Hand. Indeed so far from possessing merit, they were children of wrath even as others, enemies in their minds by wicked works, and strangers to all that savours of godliness. “Pray not for the world, but for those whom Thou hast given me.” Herein then is a marvellous thing. “I pray for them,” He says, I pray not for the world, but for those whom Thou hast given me.” “Given me”—that is the key. That in part solves the riddle, that they so utterly unholy, and unclean in themselves, should become the objects of His everlasting love, and thus the subjects of His great intercessory prayer. Yet another wonder presents itself here, namely, that for which He prayed. Every petition for them (that is His people) beginning at “keep through thine own name, those whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are,” to the last, which most appropriately is “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory” are all full of wonder. He prays for unity, for preservation, for sanctification, for usefulness, and for Eternal perfection for them. Oh what glorious petitions—what a wealth of meaning is in each one of them.
With these few preliminary remarks, we come now to examine the first part of the petition recorded in verse 15, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world.” This Divine request unlike some others often cuts across the desire of the child of God. There are occasions in the lives of the children of God, when their prayer is that they would be taken immediately out of this world. In a time of first love when the word of God, and the mercy of God is sweeter far, than honey to their taste, and their consciousness and fear of the evil of sin is lively and strong, they, in their childish ignorance have in some cases been ready to pray for death. It seems strange to us to condemn or deny such a blessed desire, but such a desire in no way accords with the mind of Christ as expressed in this petition. We confess even when praying that we know not what to ask for, as we ought, but Christ makes no such confession for His prayers are dictated by infinite wisdom and love. The newly regenerated sinner thinks, surely, that his prayer expresses, as it were much sanctification, but he is but a child, and speaks as a child. Then again when troubles, and trials beset our path, when we meet with great discouragements, and feel like Job, that God has become our enemy or like Elijah that we are fighting a lost battle, we are again tempted to pray, “Take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” But is desire to be rid of trial and vexation a worthy motive for such a prayer? Ah, no, and therefore Christ’s prayer for us will prevail in spite of all our agonising cries. It is not without good reason that He prays, “Take them not out of the world.” In this connection four reasons readily occur to our minds. The first of these is the Glory of God. This is the chief end of man, and this was, as we see from this chapter the all consuming desire of Christ on earth. Oh how often these words were upon His lips “Glorify Thy name.” It is primarily with this in view that the Saviour pleads that His people should be left in this world.
Even our salvation is a secondary matter compared with the glorifying of God. To this end, all things were and are created, and speaking reverently, the Lord would not save one soul unless in so doing He could glorify Himself. To fail in this would be an infinitely greater tragedy than that millions of souls should perish eternally. Alas this generation has lost sight of this very fact. The salvation of souls with some appears to be a matter of far greater moment than that God should be glorified, and with others deliverance, comfort, and peace of mind seem to be more important than the Glory of God. Our first desire, then, in adversity or prosperity should be that God in all things would be glorified. The highest duty and privilege of any believer is to glorify God, irrespective of the circumstances in which he may be placed. Knowing then that the Glory of God was Christ’s aim and purpose, we are warranted to aver that that was His object in praying for His people.
The second reason that suggests itself to us is “for their own sakes.” As proof of this we adduce the words of God to Israel, whose experience was no doubt typical of the true Israel of God. In Deuteronomy viii. v. 2-3 we read that the Lord led the children of Israel for forty years in the wilderness. If He had so desired, it would have been a comparatively easy matter for him, to bring them in immediately to possess the land of Canaan. He, however, furnishes them, with good reasons, for the course that He preferred to take. They were left in the wilderness to be humbled, to be proved, that they might know what was in their heart, and that God would know whether or not they would keep His commandments. In this connection He says further that in humbling them He suffered them to hunger, and fed them with manna, that He might make them know, that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. As it was then, so it is now. For these ends already referred to, God leaves His people in the world.
Let us look for a moment at each of these in turn. The first is to humble them. God’s people must be humbled. If they are to be made conformable to the image of Christ, the first born among many brethren, they must be clothed with humility. Of all the graces that shone forth in the life and sufferings of the Son of Man, He himself saw fit to emphasise and commend humility. Pride lurks in the human breast. Pride was the downfall of the fallen angelic hosts. Pride was the ruin of man, and a proud heart is an abomination in the sight of God.
In Heaven pride is not. The heart of the meanest of men upon earth is full of pride, while the heart of the highest angelic spirit is void of such an evil. No, one may be ready to object saying that the sinner who is brought under the influence of Divine Grace is greatly humbled in the sight of God. In his own experience he verily feels himself as a dead dog, unworthy of the least favour at the hand of Divine mercy, and yet, the remnants of pride are still in that heart, and it only requires a short time in the wilderness, for the sinner to learn by painful experience that the monster is not yet dead. How readily are we tempted to become proud of our attainments in the life of faith, and even to boast of that grace that in its very nature excludes all human boasting. The man who finds no occasion to mourn over the secret pride of his wicked heart, has yet to learn what grace means. This was then a good reason for God leaving His people in the wilderness.
Further, the second reason, which is “to prove thee and to know what was in thine heart” is also necessary. The newly born sinner professes to possess love, faith, hope, and all the other kindred graces of the Spirit. In fact He may be very conscious of their presence but now God is about to teach him that these graces must be subjected to a secret test.
God is about to prove the nature, the sincerity, the reality of these graces. It is one thing to feel that we love the Saviour of sinners; it is quite another thing to prove to ourselves and others the sincerity of that love. The mere feeling of love does not portend the presence of this genuine grace. The point is will that love stand the privations, the drought, the trials of the wilderness? If not, it must be discredited and indeed the same is true of all the graces of the Spirit. To believe, for example, when under the Divine and conscious influence of the love of God, is one thing, to exercise that same grace, in the face of much which is calculated to call in question the love of Jehovah, is another thing altogether. That faith that believes in the absence of feeling and in spite of opposition is we believe, more glorifying to God. We see then that the graces given must be proved.
The next reason cited is that they might know what was in their heart, and oh! how necessary is this! Who would believe if they were told at the beginning of their spiritual life, that, their hearts were still full of unmentionable, and indescribable evils? In fact, we feel that one would be almost ready to deny the presence, far less the power of such evils, but the wilderness will soon alter their views on that subject. It is not only that they find the resurgence of old sins which they thought were gone forever, but to their shame and consternation, the presence of “new” evils. It is the knowledge of these things that more and more prostrate them in the dust before God, and weans them from placing any confidence at all in their own strength. There is nothing we believe so humiliating in the experience of the child of God as the sins of omission and commission of which they are guilty after the entrance of grace into the soul. That they could be as they are, and feel as they are; that they could think and act, and speak, as they so often do; this it is that humbles them. The sins of the days of their ignorance are terrible even to remember, but there is something appalling and abasing when they reflect upon their sins in a state of grace.
When they consider their profession in the light of their manifold opportunities, the unutterable goodness and forbearance of God, they are indeed ready to cry out: “Woe is me for I am undone.” In their graceless days, what did they know of spiritual pride? Of deadness, or of sloth? Could they then understand how a man of God could be plagued by self glorification and vanity, eating their way into every exercise in which they would engage? But now they know by bitter experience what is in their hearts. Oh what ingratitude, what pride, what hypocrisy, what untold evils reveal themselves. It is evident then, that the longer they are left in the world, the deeper is their insight into the abyss of wickedness within, but blessed be God these fresh discoveries of innate depravity coincide with fresh discoveries of Covenant grace and love.
The last, but by no means the least reason, seems as it were to embrace them all. Namely, “To do thee good at thy latter end.” It is this pre-eminently that God has in view; in humbling, proving and trying His own. Their latter end will be peace according to the promise of Jehovah, but the way to that goal lies through the thorny wilderness path. They would like to have their latter end in view, and it would be good for them to consider that this is God’s purpose in every trial to which they are subjected. Let us remember, then, in the drought of the wilderness, in every trying dispensation, and in every dark providence, of the wilderness, these precious words are engraven, “To do thee good at thy latter end.”
The third reason for Christ’s petition is for the sake of the world at large. One might be ready to question this as a good reason for leaving the children of God in the world, but they have a very special duty to perform to the world. The disciples of Christ were compared to “lights” and again to “salt.” Should they be removed the world would be immediately enveloped in darkness, and men would sin, without any fear of contradiction or detection. The word for light connotes the light given from a lighthouse. A light whose rays both warn, and direct. Such is the light of the church in the midst of a sin tossed world.
Again in being compared to salt, they are left in the world to preserve the world from utter putrification. Although despised by worldly men, they owe more to them, than ever they realised. What Lot was to Sodom, they are to the world. Their witness alike to the justice and mercy of God, is most necessary. Were it not for their presence the fire and brimstone of Divine vengeance would immediately consume the universe. In the case of many, the witness of the children of God, only adds to their condemnation, but for others it is the means in the hand of God to bring them to repentance, and faith in Christ Jesus. How essential then is their continued presence, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, let worldly men consider this; let the children of God see to it, that they by His Grace fulfil their high and holy duty to their fellow sinners here, for, “Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord,” and again, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”
Once more Christ prays that His people should be left in this world to show Satan the power of God’s grace. This universe was the sphere of his first great and terrible victory, and it is only proper that he should be defeated, foiled, and overcome in that same planet. God’s people are an eyesore to Satan. He would banish them all from his domains, but this he cannot do. He may torment them. He may endeavour to make their lives as miserable as possible, but to expel them from this earthly scene is beyond his power. It is as though God were saying to the great arch enemy, “I will show you what grace can do.” Here is a poor sinner, regenerated by the grace of God, sin lurks in his heart and nature, the world, the flesh, and the devil surround and oppose him at every step, and still that sinner, by grace, is more than a conqueror, through Him that loved him, and washed him in His own Blood. Surely that must be galling to Satan. Surely this is victory indeed, as the Scripture says, “Who is he that overcometh, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.”
That Satan should be defeated by such a poor weak creature must be most vexing to one who so readily boasts in his power over the souls of men. To leave the sinner in the very midst of sin and temptation, and yet to conquer is God’s way. Man has his own ways of overcoming evil. Many have sought refuge in the monastic life, fleeing from the presence of sin, but in vain. To shut oneself out from the temptation in a mere physical way is a comparatively easy matter, but to shut evil out of the heart is utterly beyond the power of man. The heart will furnish itself with sin, and can feast itself upon the most unlawful objects of desire, in the entire absence of physical temptation. What God does is, to crucify the desire for the sinful object, rather than to remove the objects of sinful desire.
The Lord then prays that His people be left here, to bear daily witness to the power of grace. The citadel of innocence fell once, before the devil’s subtle and mighty power, but he will never achieve the victory over grace in the least of the Lord’s chosen ones.
“But that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”
We come now to consider the second part of this petition “but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”
Christ is about to take leave of His disciples, and He protests in verse 12, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name, those that Thou gavest Me I have kept.” He is now concerned for their keeping, after His departure, and prays earnestly for such a blessing on their behalf. God’s people are a people who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, and that is no small blessing. Among other things there are three which largely depend on their being thus kept. Namely, their usefulness, their happiness, and their safety. When the child of God falls, it is not only that his usefulness is greatly impaired, and that the enemy rejoices, but he becomes of use to the enemy. This is solemnly illustrated in the case of Samson, whom the uncircumcised Philistines made to grind in the prison house. As far as their happiness is concerned, it is intimately bound up with their being kept. Their safety too is evidently dependent upon their keeping.
No particular evil is specified.
Further, it is worth while observing that no particular evil is specified by the Lord. He simply says “keep them from the evil.” That, we believe, is better than although the Saviour had referred to some particular sin, as it embraces every kind of evil that is in the world. A desire to be kept from certain evils betrays a heart that is not right with God. The prayer to be kept from all evil accords with the mind of those saved by grace, and is an echo of Christ’s own prayer. We may be seeking a sign for good. We may be yearning for some great comfort or revelation, while we overlook this best of all signs, that we are the Lord’s. To desire sincerely to be kept from every kind of sin, is the voice of the Spirit of God, making intercession in the Soul, and answers to the mind of Christ in the petition under discussion. Do we honestly, and inwardly desire to be preserved thus from evil? If so, we are undoubtedly of the household of faith. We have indeed the mind of Christ, and what more can we ask? Now, although it is true that the election of grace are kept by God, and by God alone, nevertheless it may be helpful to enquire as to how they are kept. We read of David saying in a certain place, “I have kept myself from mine iniquity.” We read of Paul enjoining upon believers to keep themselves in the love of God. Now, both Paul and David knew very well that it was not in him that walketh to direct his steps, and that their safe keeping was entirely of God yet they use such language as we have already referred to. One might suppose, seeing that God has pledged Himself to keep the feet of the saints that no effort or vigilance is required on their part, but that is a terrible fallacy. That would be full bred antinomianism and a plain perversion of truth and experience. The Lord then keeps His people by giving them a deepening sense of their own inability, weakness and depravity.
Such a consciousness prevents them from venturing into the danger zone. For example, the Apostle says in writing to Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts,” or in other words keep far away from temptation. Thus the Lord preserves His own. Again in Psalm 17 we find David praying, “Keep me as the apple of the eye.” This is a very beautiful petition, expressive of David’s desire to be kept by the Lord. If we turn to nature and ask how is the apple of the eye kept, we might find light on this passage. The eye is so situated in the body that it is peculiarly guarded, both by the brow, and the eyelid, but there is more than this in the metaphor. The eye, if we may so speak, being a most tender and useful organ is hyper-sensitive to danger and pain. The mere approach of danger is almost sufficient to close the eye instinctively, in protection of itself. It is thus with the inner eye of the soul. The mind or conscience of the man of God is made sensibly alive to moral and spiritual evil and danger. By the grace of God it refuses to look upon evil, and instinctively closes itself at the approach of error and lust. In that way then the Lord keeps His people from falling and answers the great intercessory petition of Christ. “Keep them from the evil.” If we are thus kept our prayer will be “Lord keep me.” At all times, in all places, under all circumstances, from all sin, in the strength of grace.
“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless, before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”