It has pleased the Lord to set up His kingdom in the world. He has done this by establishing the reign of His grace in the hearts of poor, needy sinners whom He has made His own blood-bought heritage. He has set it up, too, in the worshipping assemblies of His people where His truth is acknowledged — even where two or three are gathered together in His Name. This is His Cause — a Cause or interest with which He is identified, owning this people as His own, and recognising their service, however poor and weak it may be, as service rendered in the interests of His kingdom.
The Lord’s Cause, so far as its outward form is concerned, is sometimes very inconspicuous, while at other times it is more noticeable. In Elijah’s day it was so inconspicuous that the prophet complained — “I, even I only, am left”. But God assured him that His Cause was not as low as he thought — “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him”. At Calvary, too, it appeared to be very low. We read that the women were there beholding afar off. At other times it appeared to grow as at Pentecost and later on in the history of the Church as at the Reformation in Europe, when the Church began to come forth again “as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners”.
The strength of the Lord’s Cause is not to be reckoned by its outward appearance. Its outward appearance, especially when it is very low, makes men despise it and not wish to be identified or in any way associated with it. At such times men attempt to erect a more imposing structure and call it the Lord’s Cause. With this structure they are not ashamed to be identified, though it is of their own making and contains all the inherent weaknesses necessarily bound up with the work of men’s hands. The Lord’s Cause, on the other hand, however insignificant it may be in the eyes of men, has this essential property — that it is of the Lord’s making. He has built it; He has established it for Himself and for His own glory. Though possessing no strength of its own, yet it is supported and protected by Omnipotence, and is destined to outlive all man-made structures.
Those who are Christ’s true disciples in whom the grace of God has been implanted make up Christ’s kingdom. Every one in whom a lively hope has been begotten belong to and have the greatest interest in the Cause of Christ in the world. They desire its prosperity in their own souls and in the world. Whatever appears to be against the interests of that kingdom they deplore and grieve over; whatever tends towards the prosperity of that Cause or kingdom they welcome. They know that the foundations of that kingdom lie deep. They are not enamoured by every superficial appearance of prosperity. What they want is real prosperity for Christ’s Cause — and only this will satisfy them. They have earnest longings for the coming of Christ’s kingdom and heartily put their ‘Amen’ to David’s prayer — “Let the whole earth be filled with His glory”. They desire earnestly that whatever part of the earth the Lord would be pleased to visit with refreshing showers, that He would not fail to visit their own souls. They have inward breathings after God, the living God. They have longings and desires to be conformed perfectly to His image.
The true people of God fear whatever would adversely affect Christ’s kingdom whether in their own souls or in the world. They know that there is in them that which would destroy them if it were not for the Lord’s upholding and His preserving care over them. They know that there is in them what would mar and bring a reproach on the Lord’s Cause in the world, if they were left to themselves. They know that this old nature, this natural enmity to divine things, must be brought down in them if their soul is to prosper and be in health. They know, too, that only the Lord’s gracious preserving care over them can keep them from bringing a blot on Christ’s Cause. Aware of their readiness to fall, they need to cry constantly, “Lord, keep me”. Their great encouragement is this — that the Lord’s Cause is destined to flourish. Whatever will happen to them, they are assured of this that —
“His large and great dominion shall
from sea to sea extend:
It from the river shall reach forth
unto earth’s utmost end.
Ps. 72:8.
They know that Christ is the Head of His kingdom and that “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,” and that His enemies shall be made His footstool. With this they are satisfied.