It is in the conscience of believers that the guiltless-position of their souls manifest how well they know completeness in the expiation of the Cross. There is an ingredient of legalism if there is insufficient understanding that their spiritual condition involves the perpetual forgiveness of sins. This distraction will be present if there is any component containing self-dependence, and will be displayed in a lack of growth in the Word and in the walk, where instead there could be complete God-dependence. Though the walk might be weak, yet “the gifts and the calling of God” concerning their “irrevocable” redemption (Rom 11:29 KJV) have been secured “through” faith (Eph 2:8). – NC
Man would not have the holiness of God, neither would he have the love of God (e.g. Luk 19:1—NC). So He brought in a new thing—a spring of life, and “put away sin” through the Cross of His Son (Heb 9:26); and the Lord Jesus having died for sin, took His seat at the right hand of the Father, victorious over all, and sent down the promised Spirt to enable us to walk before Him (via rebirth of course—NC).
What a position I have! Done with sin; “no more conscience” of it (as far as its guilt and dominion are concerned - Heb 10:2—NC); the Lord Jesus had taken them clean off. He could not bring us into the Father’s presence with one sin upon us. No—though they were “as scarlet they shall be as white as snow” (Isa 1:18). The Lord Jesus because obedient unto death; and this settled the whole thing, and gives power to the poor sinner. With that holy freedom I can go into God’s presence, when I know the Lord Jesus is there seated at my Father’s right hand, as not only my forerunner, but my very life (Col 3:5)! I have a perfect righteousness, a perfect love, and a perfect conscience to appear in.
You could not go into God’s presence with one sin upon you: it would be folly to even think of it—madness to attempt it. One unpardoned sin would utterly unfit you for His presence. The Blood of Christ has cleansed from all sin, so that the soul in the presence of God can enjoy Him—we “joy in God” (Ro 5:11). The glorified Lord Jesus, seated in heaven, sent down the Comforter to give us power for fellowship with Himself. See the place He has taken, one with all the redeemed on earth.
We have His righteousness (1Co 1:30). We have the earnest; we wait for the inheritance. We have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. When we view the holiness, the power and the love of God, how delightful is the thought: He is my Father! The love wherewith He has loved His own Son, He has bestowed upon me. “No man has seen God at any time” (Jhn 1:18; 1Jo 4:12); and we must drink of this Rock.
It is not enough for us to just see: we must draw from Him; and there will be the conscious outflowing of what He is. What a character that truth will give us! One with the Lord Jesus in heaven, “Head of His Body, the Church” (Col 1:18). We must remember we do not drink for others, and others cannot drink for us. I must realize my own want and I must bring that want to the Lord Jesus Himself. There must be a thirsting before there can be a drinking. Have I a need in my heart that the Lord Jesus cannot meet? No! “If any man thirst” (Jhn 7:37). There must be a need, and that need must be felt, known and brought to the Lord Jesus. Is there a spiritual want in the soul that goes to the Lord Jesus without finding relief? No!
No matter what it be, it is “Come unto Me and drink.” “If ye knew the gift of God ye would ask of Me, and I would give you living water” (Jn 4:10). “Ye have not because ye ask not” (Jas 4:2). Think of the Lord Jesus sitting at the well. Which of us would not gladly go to Him with open hearts, and let Him read out of them all their need? He is not to be put off. He knew the women’s need, and left her not until she felt it, and He met it (Luk 8:46-48). If we are to be useful to sinner and saint alike, we must be more like Him.
Think of the place the Lord Jesus ever took toward sinners, and follow Him, being partakers of His grace, and remembering the word, “If any man thirst.” Now, having this water of life in us, we are in a position to say, “Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” (Rev 22:17). “He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (Jhn 7:38, 39).
—J N Darby
The Flow of the Spirit
Man would not have the holiness of God, neither would he have the love of God (e.g. Luk 19:1—NC). So He brought in a new thing—a spring of life, and “put away sin” through the Cross of His Son (Heb 9:26); and the Lord Jesus having died for sin, took His seat at the right hand of the Father, victorious over all, and sent down the promised Spirt to enable us to walk before Him (via rebirth of course—NC).
What a position I have! Done with sin; “no more conscience” of it (as far as its guilt and dominion are concerned - Heb 10:2—NC); the Lord Jesus had taken them clean off. He could not bring us into the Father’s presence with one sin upon us. No—though they were “as scarlet they shall be as white as snow” (Isa 1:18). The Lord Jesus because obedient unto death; and this settled the whole thing, and gives power to the poor sinner. With that holy freedom I can go into God’s presence, when I know the Lord Jesus is there seated at my Father’s right hand, as not only my forerunner, but my very life (Col 3:5)! I have a perfect righteousness, a perfect love, and a perfect conscience to appear in.
You could not go into God’s presence with one sin upon you: it would be folly to even think of it—madness to attempt it. One unpardoned sin would utterly unfit you for His presence. The Blood of Christ has cleansed from all sin, so that the soul in the presence of God can enjoy Him—we “joy in God” (Ro 5:11). The glorified Lord Jesus, seated in heaven, sent down the Comforter to give us power for fellowship with Himself. See the place He has taken, one with all the redeemed on earth.
We have His righteousness (1Co 1:30). We have the earnest; we wait for the inheritance. We have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. When we view the holiness, the power and the love of God, how delightful is the thought: He is my Father! The love wherewith He has loved His own Son, He has bestowed upon me. “No man has seen God at any time” (Jhn 1:18; 1Jo 4:12); and we must drink of this Rock.
It is not enough for us to just see: we must draw from Him; and there will be the conscious outflowing of what He is. What a character that truth will give us! One with the Lord Jesus in heaven, “Head of His Body, the Church” (Col 1:18). We must remember we do not drink for others, and others cannot drink for us. I must realize my own want and I must bring that want to the Lord Jesus Himself. There must be a thirsting before there can be a drinking. Have I a need in my heart that the Lord Jesus cannot meet? No! “If any man thirst” (Jhn 7:37). There must be a need, and that need must be felt, known and brought to the Lord Jesus. Is there a spiritual want in the soul that goes to the Lord Jesus without finding relief? No!
No matter what it be, it is “Come unto Me and drink.” “If ye knew the gift of God ye would ask of Me, and I would give you living water” (Jn 4:10). “Ye have not because ye ask not” (Jas 4:2). Think of the Lord Jesus sitting at the well. Which of us would not gladly go to Him with open hearts, and let Him read out of them all their need? He is not to be put off. He knew the women’s need, and left her not until she felt it, and He met it (Luk 8:46-48). If we are to be useful to sinner and saint alike, we must be more like Him.
Think of the place the Lord Jesus ever took toward sinners, and follow Him, being partakers of His grace, and remembering the word, “If any man thirst.” Now, having this water of life in us, we are in a position to say, “Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” (Rev 22:17). “He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (Jhn 7:38, 39).
—J N Darby