Editorial
One of the older commentators wrote, “It was hard for Elijah to ascend, it required chariots and horses of fire; but it was easier for Christ to ascend than to descend, there was gravitation upward.”
The resurrection of the Lord declares His power (Rom. 1:4), and the ascension proves His honour (Heb. 2:9). The resurrection reveals the triumph of Christ through humiliation, the ascension displays His supremacy in glory. The empty tomb manifests the victory of Christ over sin, death, and Satan; the occupied throne, the full extent of His redemptive triumph. As the Risen Lord, Christ possesses full mastery over every foe, and as the Enthroned Sovereign He wields universal dominion.
Our blessed Lord Jesus is now corporeally seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high; nevertheless, the Divine Presence of the Lord may be felt and enjoyed by a believing soul anywhere. He Who is in the midst of the throne (Rev. 5:6) in exaltation, deigns to appear in the midst of His gathered people (Matt. 18:20).
The article in the Devotional section by Thomas Wilkie unfolds to us the significant results of Christ’s return to Heaven.
Brother Wilkie has stated that one of the results of the bodily ascension of Christ is the descent of the Holy Spirit. In our last issue we had the first part of our brother Norbie’s article on The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. The second part, which appears in the Doctrinal section this month, is equally important and should be prayerfully and carefully read. Strange doctrines are abroad in Christendom, on the one hand there are those who deny the personality of the Holy Spirit; while, on the other hand, there are some who overemphasize His personality to the point of minimising the personality of the Lord Jesus. It would be well to follow each reference made by our brother to the Holy Scriptures.
The beneficial influence of a truly Christian home is seen; first, in the early conversion of Timothy, and then in his life and ministry. There is a twofold relationship in every family, that of the parent to the child, and that of the child to the parent. Both of these are perfectly controlled by the Word of God. We commend to all Christians the article written by Ernie Sprunt, especially those of minor years.
How selfish we are even in our worship! Our minds generally are engaged with the work of Christ relevant to our own need. How gratifying it must be to the Lord when our hearts rise to the higher altitude and contemplate that aspect of the work of Christ related to the claims of God. Brother Darch, England, has given us much help in this regard. A clearer comprehension of these basic features of the work of the Lord Jesus at Calvary would deepen our appreciation of it, and expand our worship through it.