In looking back at the end of the year upon the state of the nation, the Lord’s people have reasons to be sorrowful and yet to rejoice.
The Church — the Church devoted to Christ her Head and faithful to His Word — dwells in the midst of an evil generation. There are those who profess the name of the Lord Jesus and yet have openly and grievously departed from adherence to the precious doctrines of the gospel of salvation, with all the dishonour to God which this involves. Precious souls are being deceived and entertain the hope that they have peace with God, when there is no peace. The politicians have been engaged in a great debate during the year on the economic situation as applicable to our own nation in particular. In this debate the wisdom of man has been stretched to its limits to discover solutions to the problems which have arisen; yet one has to record the widespread and constant lack of any reference to God, as the God of providence who ruleth in the kingdom of men. What a striking evidence of a state of backsliding! Then, actual transgression of the divine law has increased on every hand. Adultery, murder, violence, robbery and an utter disregard for authority and many other evils have made themselves manifest as never before in our lifetime.
Yet the Word of God still speaks in such a situation thus: “I will leave in the midst of thee, an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.” Today, the true Church as resident in the midst of much evil on every hand, in our nation, possesses great and precious privileges from God. As individual believers they possess a living faith, hope and love toward God as revealed in His Son Jesus Christ, with all the spiritual blessings this brings according to the measure of grace given them in the sovereign kindness of God. The inspired Word of God is theirs with its full revelation of the mind of God for every conceivable time of need. There are still men, called of God, who preach the whole counsel of God and the unsearchable riches of Christ to sinners and saints. And this gospel is preached without let or hindrance in our sin benighted land. The Church can rejoice in this surely, as the Lord’s Word will not return unto Him void, but will accomplish that which He pleaseth. The Church enjoys also, in the midst of an evil world, the private and public worship of God and an edifying and comforting fellowship with one another. While thousands of men and women are roaring out protests against the Vietnam War, and in the process have no regard for God or His holy Sabbath Day — the day for their processions — the Church of Christ have “a throne of grace” to turn to at all times and under all circumstances, where they may quietly wait upon the Lord in believing prayer. And we may not omit reference to the strength given to many Christians to witness by personal example and precept to the grace of their Lord and Saviour and the power of His gospel, before and to their Christless and worldly fellow creatures. “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord.” Here we have a privilege bestowed upon and a duty required of the Church in the midst of a backsliding and dark generation.
Now it can be said, after a wise and humble review of the state of our nation, that the Most High has left in our midst a god-fearing remnant according to the election of grace. What a divine mercy this has been and is now! Otherwise Britain would have been entirely like unto Sodom and fit for nothing but the devastating fire of His divine wrath. The remnant in the midst must not give way to despondency, but must seek God’s help to hold fast to the faith once delivered to the saints, until He will arise and have mercy on Britain.
Now, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of His people, and the alone Head over His Church, which is His body, is the appointed source of all the blessings she has enjoyed, does enjoy and shall enjoy. He is said to walk in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, in reference to the seven churches addressed in the book of Revelation. Surely He has been dwelling in the midst of His Church in past generations and does so now. He declared: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
He dwells in the midst of His Church, although they may be few in number in many places throughout the land. They were few in Noah’s day, in Jeremiah’s sad time in Jerusalem and Judah, and when the Lord Himself was on the earth. And today, the Lord’s people are a little flock in many places. The Church is also treated with complete indifference, if not with positive hatred by the world; and are warned by their King, “Marvel not if the world hate you: for ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” The public worship of God according to the rule of Scripture has been abandoned by the vast majority, and the precious gospel of Christ and Him crucified, as proclaimed by the Church for the salvation of sinners, is despised by the most. There are of course those who give their ear to a spurious gospel. The world have plenty of money to squander on the many pleasures of sin which are for a season; but have no money to support the Cause of Christ in the land.
Yet, Christ Jesus has been and still is in the midst of this Church. One precious promise, among others, He gives and fulfills, namely: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” He is giving His servants grace and His Word to discharge their duty as ambassadors for Him. He is, by means of His Word and by the effectual working of His holy Spirit, calling sinners here and there, out of darkness into the light of the knowledge of the glory of God’s salvation in Himself and by faith in Him; and has been thus adding to the Church such as have been saved. What a wonderful work this is, for which the Church has had reason to bless and praise Christ Jesus and the Father through Him. The Lord Jesus has proved again and again His presence with His people, even in the dark day, by granting them strong consolations in their times of affliction and trial, by giving them tastes of His Covenant love and strengthening them by the presence and upholding power of His Spirit. He has enabled the Church to overcome the attacks of Satan and to stand fast in the truth and in the liberty where-with He has made them free. The very existence of the Church in a Christ-hating generation, is a proof, if proof is required, of His presence in her midst. “God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved.”
Let the Church look back and recall how gracious and faithful her Saviour and Lord has been toward her; albeit her unprofitableness and unworthiness have been apparent time and again. Vexations and trials have been experienced and divine reproofs and corrections have been received; yet He abideth faithful and declares: “This is my rest, here still I’ll stay; for I do like it well.” And so, the Church in the midst of an evil world and Christ in the midst of His Church here, are outstanding matters for praise to the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The Church and the world will stand one day, before the Judgment seat of Christ.