The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 46

tribes and nations of the earth do not to any appreciable extent, even in Christendom, acknowledt!e or ser,·e the Lord Jesus; and there are vast populations that have ~carcely heard his Name. Even in our own country, one is struck with the avoidance of any express mention of him who is Lord of all, as Lord over us. In public documents, ~xprcssive of the national mind and will, there may be reference to" Almighty God," and to a superintending Providence-cold phrases of theism; but there is an apparent reluctance to name the Lord ,Jesus Christ, and to own submission to his Word. This is grievous to thore who love him and know that he is the sole sunicient Healer of man- kind. They take their part zealously in all movements to check injustice, to stay the fcrtid streams of vice, to relicYe misery, and to spread virtue and peace; but they lament that Christ is so little sought and honoured in the efforts of philanthropy, and they_ -often cry to him in their struggle, "Lord, how long? When wilt thou return from .the far country? 'When ,Yilt thou take thy great power, and reign?" 2. We have such -correspondence now with the unseen Saviour as makes us long for bis bright presence. l t is not fair or reasonable to put the revelation of Christ to us now by the Holy Spirit against the personal revelation to his saints at his second coming, and to ask which of them is tbe more to be desired. Each is to be desired in its season, and the first whets th~ longing for the second. If I have had pleasant and profitable correspondence for :,ears with one whom I have not seen, but who is known to me by his wisdom and ,,inclncss; if he has done me more good than all the m,en whom I have seen, tauaht me, 1,dl'cd me, and stamped the impression of himself on my mind and heart; do I iot long :tu sec Lirn face to face, and eagerly wait for a day when I may be nearer to him who l ins become indispensable to me, the very life of my life? Surely it is so between Christians and Christ. They have heard his words, received his Spirit, bad much correspondence with him in prayer and the Lord's Supper, got much help from him in time of need. '!'hough unseen, he has been far more to them than all the teachers and friends whc,m they have seen; and fo!' that very reason they long to behold him. Their hearts can never be quite satisfied till they see the Lord. 3. We are weary of ourselves . .and ashamed of our faults, and therefore long to be perfected at his coming. It is true that the life of faith has deep wells of comfort, and Christians ought to be happy. It is .also true that the abiding Spirit of Ghrist is able to keep his servants from sin, and to sustain them in a course of holy obedience. But it is useless to dispute the fact that we are all imperfect in character and faulty in service. \Ve fall short of our best aims, bi under in our well-doing, spoil much good by faults of temper and even of manner, and .are unprofitable servants. The best Christians, in whom perhaps we see no blemish, sec in themselves sin and imperfection to the last. Now, we make no excuse for fault or inconsistency. Vve maintain that honest servants of Jesus Christ will aim daily and rirayerfully at amendment, and endeavour to walk more closely with God. Still, there will always be some defect till the servants see their Lord. It is his coming that will give the signal for the perfecting of his people, and their complete transformation into his likeness. Such is the doctrine often taught by the Apostle Paul: "Unreprovable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (ver. 8); "Unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the -::oming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints" (1 Thess. iii. 13); "Without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 'J'hess. v. 23). There may here be added the prospect of the Lord's kind approval of diligent though imperfect service rendered to him, for which be will award a kingly recompense. But we do not much dwell on this, because the thought of getting anything from the King is not so dear to those who love him as the expectation of being made like him, purified as he is pure.. Therefore the intense longing of the saints for the revelation of our Lord Jesus. (1) Watch and ie sober. Extravagance of mind, glorying in the flesh, indulgence of inordi- nate desire, arc not becoming in men who wait for the Lord. Be temperate in all things. (2) fVatch and pray. Ask God to help your infirmities, and to deliver you from the spirit of slumber. Your lamps will not go out so long as you pray; for then you have a continual supply of oil. (3) Watch and worlc. The Lord followed up the parable of the waitin" virains with that of the tra<ling servants. Illcssed is the faithful and wise servant whom the Lord, when he comes, shall find doing the work assigned to him. Tlie Master bids us not "prepare for <leath," as so many put it, but prepare to render acc,,m,t of our service to him at his return. Alas for the wicked an11 slothful servant~ in that day !-F. d1. 1. 1-31.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORISTHIANS. 4,