The Practical Effect of this Blessed Hope on the Life and Character

“Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”—St. James v. 8.

The hope of the near approach of the Lord’s coming should lead us to sit light to the world and the things of it. There is no greater temptation besetting our path than that of becoming entangled in the things of the world. We are for ever spinning cobwebs for our own bondage, and being then caught in our own web. Hence the importance of the weaning power of the blessed hope of the near coming of our Lord and Saviour. This applies in sorrow.

There were sorrows in the days of St. Paul, just as there are now, and he never taught us not to weep. What he did teach was that we “should not sorrow as those that have no hope.” The character of the sorrow may be changed. And what was the power that should thus change the character of grief? The next verse supplies the answer. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.” [66] We may look forward, therefore, to His speedy return, when the graves of those who are in Christ shall open, and when all sorrow will be lost for eternity in the blessed privilege of being “ever with the lord.” [67a] Is not such a hope enough to change the character of grief?

This blessed hope changes also the character of our joy.

Just as it gives a tone to sorrow, so also it does to joy. It makes it sober and solid. It gives it a quiet, peaceful, abiding character. Turn to the words of St. Paul. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.” [67b] And observe the verse that follows: “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” Let your joy be the sober joy of men who believe that the coming of the Lord is at hand; the calm, well-assured, abiding joy of those who, being in the Lord, are persuaded that they will be with the Lord for ever.

And the same effect will follow with reference to all our possessions.

Let no one suppose we are not to prize those precious gifts which God has given us. Ought we to think lightly of money, time, influence, power? By no means; but if we believe that the coming of the Lord is near we must sit light to it all, for it will all soon give place to the glories of His kingdom. Remember St. Paul’s thrilling words: “The time is short,” [67c] and the exhortation that follows to “use this world, as not abusing it.”

If we believe that the Lord’s coming is near we must wake up and trim our lamps.

We must never forget that real, true believers may grow cold, and dull, and sleepy. Thus even the wise virgins were asleep when the Bridegroom came. But they were thoroughly prepared, so they were up in a moment when they heard the cry, and, having trimmed their lamps, were ready. Now, the thought of His appearing should have this effect on ourselves. Who is there amongst us that does not want to be quickened; to be aroused to fresh energy for God; to have the soul filled with a holy fervour, and the whole heart glowing with the love of Christ? Who is there that should not desire to respond with every faculty he possesses to the stirring appeal of St. Paul: “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand.” [68a] Shall we sleep on as if the old world were going on for ever? Do we really believe that “the Bridegroom cometh,” [68b] and shall we not trim our lamps without one moment’s delay in order that when He comes He may find them burning brightly to His glory?

If we are looking for the speedy coming of the Lord, it should lead to a calm, happy, peaceful hope in the midst of the turmoils of the latter days.

There is nothing to lead us to expect a calm termination to the present state of things. Our Lord when He comes will come riding, as it were, on the whirlwind and the storm. It is a very common thing to find a bar with heavy breakers on it at the mouth of the finest harbours, and so we must be prepared for a stormy sea as we enter the haven of rest. Our Lord taught this very clearly when He said, “There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” [68c] And now observe the effect of these events on different characters. Through the world at large they produce what may be called a panic—“Men’s hearts failing them for fear.” [69a] But how is it to be with the people of God? Are their hearts to fail them for fear? No, for we read, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads.” [69b] They are not to be bowed down, but to hold their head erect, and with a confident spirit to look up full of hope. And why? What is it that is to make so vast a difference between the two characters? How can we explain the contrast? It is all explained in the latter part of that verse—“For your redemption draweth nigh.” It is perfectly clear that by redemption is here meant the final deliverance, for in the previous verse [69c] we read of the final coming of the Deliverer. That calm peace, therefore, is the blessed result of a blessed hope. God’s people will know that the Deliverer is at hand, and therefore will not be afraid. They will believe God’s Holy Word, and therefore what alarms others will cheer them. The same storm which sinks the great ironclads outside will bring their little bark into harbour. They will know what it all means, and, with God’s Word in their hand, they will know who is reigning, and will see in all that is frightening others the predicted signs of His near approach.

One Word in Conclusion.

The word “redemption” has a double sense in common use. It is sometimes used for atonement or propitiation simply, and sometimes for the great deliverance which is the consequence of the great propitiation. It is clear that in this passage it is used for deliverance. But another thing is equally clear, namely, this—that we shall never be able to rest in the hope of the deliverance unless we are first taught to rest for forgiveness on the completed propitiation. Redemption by power is the consequence of redemption by blood. It is the redemption by power of which the Lord said “He draweth nigh;” but we shall never be able to lift up our heads, and look up in joy to the prospect, unless we first know in our own souls the unspeakable blessing of that redemption by blood which has long since been completed for ever. It is only when we know Jesus Christ and Him crucified that we can look up in calm, peaceful confidence to Jesus Christ and Him glorified.