Anathema or Comfort
There are several passages which convey a very solemn import in connection with this subject, especially two, which we mention, as follows: One occurs in the salutation of Paul, 1 Cor. 16:22. Before he pronounces the BLESSING he excludes those who do not love Jesus, in the following words: “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
Anathema Maran-Atha!”
Anathema means accursed, condemned, devoted to destruction.
Maran-atha means, the Lord cometh.
Let him be accursed — the Lord cometh.
It is easy now, while the long suffering of God waits for men to reject, despise and hate the Lord Jesus. But JESUS IS COMING and woe be unto them who now reject Him, “when once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door.“^ Paul understood this, and therefore he says, “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22), “from the
(1) 1 Pet. 3:19. By which the master of the house Is risen also he went and preached unto up, and hath shut to the door, the spirits In prison; and y« begin to stand without.
20. Which sometime were dis- and to knock at the door, sayobedient, when once the long- ing, Lord, Lord, open unto us; suffering of God waited in the and he shall answar and say undays of Noah, while tb« ark was to you, I kaow you not whence a preparing, wherein few, tSiat ye are. is, eight souls were saved by -^y jg .35 wattA y« there-
X -,,. T ^. X tore: for y« know not when the
2 Pet. S:9. Th Lord i* not cometh, at
slack concerning his promise, a t midnight, or at the
some men count slackness; but cookcrowlng, or in the morning: is longsuffering to us-ward, not o,^ t l. ^ji,
willing that any should perish. 36. Lest coming suddenly he
but that all should come to re- yo” sleeping, pentance. 37. And what I say unto you
(2) Luke 13 :25. When once I say unl’O all, Watcfh.
(199)
wrath to come.” 1 Thes. 1:10. 0! that men would “seek the Lord while He may be found,”^ and “flee from the wrath to come.”*
The other passage is in 2 John 7: “For many deceivers have entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come (coming) in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist.” The correct rendering of ipxofjt-evov (erkomenon) is cOiiixG. Jesus was especially called the “Coming One.”^ But these deceivers denied the incarnation — the coming of Christ in the flesh — either past or future. See Alford, also Jamieson, Fausset and Brown.
This, then, is of special significance. He that denies
Jesus Christ’s Coming in the Flesh
is a deceiver and an Antichrist. That is, he is possessed of the same spirit, which will ultimately find its personification in the great personal Antichrist.
It is lamentable that this passage has been so improperly translated in our version. It is such a strong assertion that Jesus is comuig in the flesh, that it would doubtless have prevented much of the unwarrantable “spiritualizing” of Scripture, which has prevailed so largely.
(3) Isa. 55 :6. Seek ye the of the earth shall wail because
Lcrd while he may be found, of him. Even so, Amen. call ye upon him while he is 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the
near. beginning and the ending, saith
Also 2 Cor. 6 :2.
the Lord, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the
(4) Mat. 3:7. But when he Almighty.
saw many of the Pharisees and .g ^.yg yj.
Sadducees’ come to his baptism. .^^g creatures, having each one
he said unto them, O generation ^-^^^ wings, are full of
of vipers, who hath warned you ^yg round about and within:
to flee from the wrath to come? ^yy ^^^.^ y
(5) Mat. 11:3. And said un- night, saying,
to him. Art thou he that com- jyjy yjy
eth, or look we for another? Lord God, the Almighty,
Heb. 10 :37. For yet a very who was and who is and
little while, he that cometh shall who is to come,
come, and shall not tarry. John 6 :14. Then those men,
Rev, 1 :7. Behold, he cometh when they had seen the miracle
with clouds; ana every eye shall that Jesus did, said. This is of
see him, and they also which a truth that Prophet that should
pierced ‘hii»: and all kindreds come into the world.
Jesus is coming Himself at the Rapture,® to receive us unto Himself,’^ and He is coming to this earth again, at the Revelation,^ the same Jesus and in like manner as He went away*^
Lo! He comes, with clouds descending,
Once for favored sinners slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending,
Swell the triumphs of His train;
Hallelujah!
God appears on earth to reign.
But while there is such fearful foreboding of impending judgment and just retribution to those who love not the Lord Jesus, there is, on the other hand.
The Sweetest Comfort
for those who do love our Lord’s appearing.
This is apparent when we understand the true position of the Church. We have seen that it is not to be confounded with the coming Kingdom, neither does it include the Old Testament Saints, for it was founded after Christ came.^^ It was begun on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2)
*That is corporally, in the flesh.
(6) 1 Thes. 4:16. For the 8. And then shall that Wicked Lord himself shall descend from be revealed, whom the Lord shall heaven, with a shout, with the consume with the spirit of his voice of the archangel, and with mouth, and shall destroy with the trump of God: and the dead the brightness of his coming: in Christ shall rise first; 9. Even him, whose coming is
17. Then v.-e that are alive, after the working of Satan with that are left, shall together with all power and signs and lying them be caught up in the clouds. wonders,
to meet the Lord in the air: 10. And with all deceivableand so shall we ever be with ness of unrighteousness in them
the Lord. that perish; because they re-
18. Wherefore comfort one ceived not the love of the truth, another with these words. that they might be saved.
(7) John 14:3. And if I go (9) Acts 1:11. Which also and prepare a place for you, I said. Ye men of Galilee, why will come again, and receive you stand ye gazing up into heaven? unto myself; that where I am, this same Jesus, which is taken there ye may be also. up from you into heaven, shall
(8) 2 Thes. 2:7. For the so come in like manner as ye mystery of iniquity doth already have seen him go into heaven, work: only he who now letteth (10) Mat. 16:18. And I say will let, until he be taken out also unto thee. That thou art of the way. Peter, and upon this rock I will and will be complete at the Rapture. 1 Thes. 4 :17. It is like a parenthesis in God’s dealing with His people, Israel. While they are broken off because of unbelief, the Church is grafted in.^^
And being a companion in suffering with her Lord,^^ following His example,^^ walking in humility (Phil. 2:2-8; 1 John 2:6), during His humiliation,^* she shall “be counted worthy“^” of the greatest blessing in her exaltation with Him.16
The Bride of Christ.
Jesus is the Bridegroom, and the Church is His Bride.
John the Baptist stood as the last representative of the
Mosaic dispensation. He said, “I am not the Christ....
build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against
it.
(11) Rom. 11 :17. And if
some of the branches be broken
off, and thou, being a wild olive
tree, vrert grafted in among
them, and with them partakest
of the root and fatness of the
olive tree.
(12) Acts 5:41. And they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame
for his name.
Phil. 1 :29. For unto you it
is given in the behalf of Christ,
not only to believe on him, but
also to suffer for his sake.
Also Heb. 10:34.
(13) John 13:15. For I have
given you an example, that ye
should do as I have done to you.
1 Pet. 2 :21. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
(14) Acts 8:33. In his humiliation his Judgment was taken
away: and who shall declare his
generation? for his life is taken
from the earth.
(15) 2 Thes. 1:5. Which is
a manifest tolren of the righteous
judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.
Rom. 8 :17. And if children,
then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with hiyyi, that we
may be also glorified together.
(16) Phil. 2:5. Let this
mind be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus:
6. Who, being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery to
be equal with God:
7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in th» likeness of men:
8. And being found in fashion
as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the oross.
9. Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is’ above every
name:
10. That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of things
in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
11. And that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the
FatTner.
He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom, but the friend of the Bridegroom which standeth and heareth Him, rejoieeth greatly because of the Bridegroom’s voice; this, my joy, therefore, is fulfilled.” John 3:28-29. Here we have a clear distinction between the Old Testament Saints and the Bride of Christ.
They shall be perfected, but God has “provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Heb. 11:40. Not that the Church is more worthy, but because, that in the overflowing grace of God He has chosen the Church to be the heavenly Bride of Christ.*
The Church is the body of Christ,i and her precious union with Him is most clearly set forth in the epistle to the Ephesians. She is there regarded as spiritually quickened and seated in the heavenlies-*^ with her risen Lord,^^ having been “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world” to “be holy and without blame before Him in love.“22 She is to be “to the praise of the gloiy of His grace .... accepted in the Beloved,” — being “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of
♦Israel was an earthly bride, comforted with temporal blessings, and to these she shall be restored. Though now through unbelief she is desolate, her children shall yet be as the sand of the sea. Isa. 54; Jer. 3:1-18; 31:32; Ezk. 16; Hos. 1:10, 11; 2; 3. See page 162.
(17) Eph. 2:7. That in the gether in heavenly places in ages to come he might shew the Christ Jesus, exceeding riches of his grace, in (21) Eph. 1:20. Which he his kindness toward us, through wrought in Christ, when be Christ Jesus. raised him from the dead, and /-.ON I r. - io.oT xT«^ ,r ‘^^”^ Ills own right hand ^^1^ f ^H J- ..riZJ. i the heavenly pinces are the hody of CHrlst. and mem- ^22) Eph. 1:4 According as bers in particular. him beds) Eph. 2:1. And you hath fore the foundation of the world, he quickejiGd, who were dead in that we should be holy and withtrespasses and sins. out blame before him in love: /o« T7< u 1 o T>i J T. 5. Having predestined us un- (20) Eph 1 3. Blessed be ^„ ^ao%Uon of children by the God and Father of our Lord v ^^^.^^ ^.^^^^^ J Jesus Christ, who hath blessod. y pleasure of his us with all spiritual blessings in ^.°j heavenly places in Christ. q’ ,j.o the praise of the glory Eph. 2 :6. And hath raised us of his grace, wherein lie Ixth up together, and made us sit to- made us accepted in the beToYed.
her inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession
>?23
Oh! that we might receive “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” to “know what is the hope of His calling and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” 1:17-18. We should not walk “as other Gentiles walk,” “but speaking the truth in love,” gTow up into Christ our living head, working together for the “increase of the body” and edification “in love” (4:15- 17) “till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto A perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” 4 :13. That is, Christ as the head, and the Church as the body, will make one perfect man. “They twain shall be one flesh,^* “the NEW MAN which is created in righteousness and true holiness” (4:24). The true seed of the woman, which shall bruise the serpent’s head.^^
Wherefore, the Church is exhorted to “grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby” she is “sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30), but to be “kind one to another, tender-hearted” (4:32), “walking in love” (5:2) “as children of light” (5:8), “circumspectly” and “wise, redeeming the l;ime” (5:15-16), “filled with the Spirit (5:18), nourished and cherished (5:29) until sanctified and
(23) Eph. 1 :13. in -whom ye 6. Wherefore they are no also trusted, after that ye heard more twain, but one flesh. What the word of truth, the gospel of therefore God hath joined to your salvation: in whom also, gather, let not man put asunder, after that ye believed, ye were gpy 5 .y Pqj. ^yjg cause sealed with that Holy Spirit of jQ^n leave his father and promise, mother, and shall b« joined unto
14. Which is the earnest of yjg ^jf^ nd they two shall be our inheritance until the redemp- qyq Qeah. tion of the purchased possession. ^.^j
‘’’’ 9/. Mlf’’’ic? 4 ind h P”t enmity between the and the
(24) Mat 19 4. And he
answered and ^fidjinto them. ^^^.^^
Have ye not reaa. that he which ^^^.^^ ^.^
made them at the beginning ’
made them male and female, ^^^*-
5. And said. For this cause Rom. 16:20. And the God of
shall a man leave father and peace shall bruise Satan under
mother, and shall cleave to his your feet shortly. The grace of
wife: and they twain shall be our Lord Jesus Christ be with
one flesh? you. Amen.
cleansed, she is presented unto the Lord “Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing,” but “holy and without blemish,” the Bride of Christ. “For we are members of His body.”^^ Can there be anything more precious than the thought of Jesus coming to take unto Himself His Bride? It is full of tenderness and love. What will He not do for her when He presents her unto Himself! The ecstasy of that meeting is above the power of description by tongue or pen. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9. We have indeed “an earnest” “by His Spirit,” — the “first fruits” a foretaste of the joys to come. But then shall the Church experience the rest of love — the fulness of commmiion — the rapture of her Lord’s embrace, and be satisfied in the sweetness of His love.
The comfort of this truth is all lost if we fail to make the proper distinction between the Church and the Kingdom. The Church is not to be reigned over, but is to reign with Christ.
No more heart-pang-s nor sadness
When Jesus comes;
All peace and joy and gladness
“When Jesus comes.
He’ll know the way was dreary,
When Jesus comes;
He’ll know the feet grew weary,
When Jesus comes.
(26) Eph. 5 :25. Husbands, 31. For this cause shall a man
love your wives, even as Christ leave his father and mother, and
also loved the church, and gave shall cleave to his wife; and the
himself up for it; two shall become one flesh.
26. That he might sanctify it, 32. This mystery is great: but having cleansed it by the wash- I speak in regard of Christ and ing of water with the word, of the church.
27. That he might present the (27) 2 Tim. 2:11. It is a church to himself a glorious faithful saying: For if we be cfiurch, not having spot or dead with him, we shall also wrinkle or any such thing; but live with him:
that it should be holy and with- ^12. If we suffer, we shall al-out blemish. so reign with him: if we deny
30. Because we are members him, he also will deny us. of his body.
He’ll know what griefs oppressed me,
When Jesus comes;
Oh, how His arms will rest me!
When Jesus comes.
This subject of our Lord’s coming again is of such vital importance and is so largely interwoven with the whole of Scripture, that it affords a boundless field of investigation and an exhaustless mine of trath. There is much more we would be glad to say about it, but our little book has already exceeded the intended limit,* and we will only add a few words in regard to the time.
*To those who may wish for further information on this subject, we would recommend, among other helps, the sermon by Mr. Moody. “Maran-atha,” by Dr. Brookes. “He Will Come,” by Dr. Tyng. “Plain Papers on Prophetic Subjects,” by W. Trotter. Also the published addresses delivered at the conferences in England, to-wit: “Sixteen Addresses on the Blessed Hope,” and “Our God Shall Come,” and especially the Pre-Millennial Essays, delivered at the Prophetic Conference in New York and “The Great Prophecies,” by Geo. H. Pember.