as and So

There is great safety in going back to first principles.

To make sure of being in the right way, it is good to look back at the entrance gate. Well begun is half done.

The text is addressed, not to the ungodly, nor to strangers, but to those who “have received Christ Jesus the Lord.” They have commenced well, let them go on as they have begun.

For the spiritual good and establishment of such in the faith, the apostle longs, and to this end he gives the exhortation.

I. Notice in the text THE FACT STATED. Sincere believers have in very deed “received Christ Jesus the Lord.”

This is the old gospel word. Here is no evolution from within, but a gift from without heartily accepted by the soul.

This is free-grace language: “received,” not earned or purchased.

It is not said that they received Christ’s words, though that is true, for they prize every precept and doctrine; but they received Christ.

Carefully observe:

1. The personality of him whom they received, “Christ Jesus the Lord”: his person, his Godhead, his humanity: himself.

   • Received him into their knowledge.
   • Received him into their understanding.
   • Received him into their affections.
   • Received him into their trust.
   • Received him as their life at their new birth; for when they received him he gave them power to become the sons of God.

2. The threefold character in which they received him.

   • The words of the text, “Christ Jesus the Lord,” indicate this.
   • They received him
   • As Christ, anointed and commissioned of God.
   • As Jesus, the Savior, to redeem and sanctify them.
   • As the Lord, to reign and rule over them with undivided sway.

3. The looking away from self in this saving act of reception.

   • It is not said, as you have fought for Jesus and won him, or, studied the truth and discovered Christ Jesus; but, as you have “received” him. This strips us of everything like boasting, for all we do is to receive.

4. The blessed certainty of the experience of those to whom Paul wrote: “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord.” They had really received Jesus; they had found the blessing to be real: no doubt remained as to their possession of it.

II. Notice, next, THE COUNSEL GIVEN: “So walk you in him.”

There are four things suggested by that word “walk.”

1. Life. Vitally enjoy the Lord Jesus.

2. Continuance. Remain in Christ: make him your constant place of daily movement and occupation.

3. Activity. Busy yourselves, but not with a new way of salvation. Work for Jesus, and with him, and in obedience to him.

4. Progress. Advance, but ever let your most advanced thought remain in him.

III. Notice, lastly, THE MODEL WHICH IS PRESENTED TO US. We are to walk in Christ Jesus the Lord “as we received him.”

And how was that?

1. We received him gratefully. How we blessed his name for regarding our low estate!

2. We received him humbly. We had no claim to his grace, and we confessed this, and were lowly.

3. We received him joyfully. Our first joy was bright as the dew of the morning. Have we lost it?

4. We received him effectually. We brought forth many spiritual fruits, and abounded in life, faith, love, and every grace.

5. We received him unreservedly. We made no conditions with him, and we reserved nothing for the flesh.

   • Thus we should continue to walk in him, evermore in our daily life excelling in all these points.
   • Alas, some have never received Jesus!
   • Our closing words must be addressed to such.
   • If you will not receive Jesus, you refuse mercy here and Heaven hereafter. What! will you not receive so great a blessing?

Explanatory

Inquirers are not infrequently counseled to give their hearts to Christ, or to consecrate themselves to the Lord. We would not be overcritical with what is well meant; but really this is not the gospel. The good news of grace is, that God has given to us eternal life and redemption through his Son, and that in order to be saved the sinner has nothing to do but to accept it.

But having received the gift of God, and having become partakers of his converting grace, then and therefore the divine obligation for service begins to press upon us. The Lord becomes an asker as soon as we have become recipients. “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him”: let consecration crown conversion, let self-devotement to Christ answer to his self-devotement for you.

Dr. A. J. Gordon.

If you would know how faith is to be exercised in thus abiding in Jesus, to be rooted more deeply and firmly in him, you have only to look back to the time when first you received him. You remember well what obstacles at that time there appeared to be in the way of your believing. There was first your vileness and guilt: it appeared impossible that the promise of pardon and love could be for such a sinner. Then there was the sense of weakness and death: you felt not the power for the surrender and the trust to which you were called. And then there was the future: you dared not undertake to be a disciple of Jesus while you felt so sure that you could not remain standing, but would speedily again be unfaithful and fall. These difficulties were as mountains in your way. And how were they removed? Simply by the word of God. That word, as it were, compelled you to believe that, notwithstanding guilt in the past, and weakness in the present, and unfaithfulness in the future, the promise was sure that Jesus would accept and save you. On that word you ventured to come, and were not deceived: you found that Jesus did indeed accept and save you.

Apply this, your experience in coming to Jesus, to the abiding in him. By faith you became partakers of the initial grace; by that same faith you can enjoy the continuous grace of abiding in him.

—Andrew Murray.

Since they had received the doctrine of Christ, they could not again part with it without convicting themselves either of imprudence, in having mistaken a false doctrine for a true one; or of instability, in quitting and altering a doctrine which they knew to be good and sufficient when they received it. If your belief be good, why do you change it? If it be otherwise, why did you entertain it? Though it be a heinous sin not to receive the Lord Jesus when he presents himself to us in his gospel, yet it is much more evil to cast him out after having received him; as it is a greater outrage to thrust a man from your house when you have admitted him, than to shut your doors against him at the first.

Jean Daillé.