EPISTLES OF CHRIST
Every letter must have an author; it could not write itself. It is so with Christ’s epistles; for, of such it is said, “Ye are His workmanship.” He is the author of their life, of their faith, and of their salvation.
Some persons, after they have written letters are ashamed of them, and repent that they wrote them. It is not so, however, with Christ and His epistles; for of them it is said, “He is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
Letters are sealed in one way or another. All Christ’s epistles bear the same seal, even that of the Holy Spirit.
The content of a letter is in the mind of its author before it is committed to paper. Christ’s epistles had a grace union with Him before the world began; and He then knew them to be His by virtue of the Father’s gift: hence He said, “All mine are thine, and thine are mine.” His from all eternity, and His to all eternity.
A person forms the intention when, where, and how to send a letter before he actually sends it; and this illustrates Christ’s determination as to when, where, and how His epistles should be sent into the world. “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world.” Christian, you are not in your resent position, however painful it might be, by accident; for there are no accidents in a Christian’s life. All your times, whether painful or pleasant, are in His hands.
Some letters are highly valued, not only on account of what they contain, but owing also to the person from whom they were
received; a parent, a brother, sister, friend. Each of the three divine Persons in the Trinity sets a high value on all Christ’s epistles. When the Lord’s people are in their right minds, they, on his account, highly esteem each other, although the world does not
regard them.
Some letters convey sad news, and used to be put into black-edged envelopes. Christ sometimes puts His epistles into mourning, and takes great care of them. Are you a mourning Christian? Your divine Author has said not only that “ye shall weep and lament” but also “blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted”, and ‘the days of your mourning shall be ended.”
Some letters contain a great deal of useful information; and much precious instruction may be obtained from Christ’s epistles by those who can read them: for “the lips of the righteous feed many.”
It is considered a great offence to tamper with a person’s letters. Christ pronounces a terrible woe on him who attempts to injure His epistles.
The outside of a letter may be soiled and unsightly, while its inner
contents remain clean and uninjured. Christ’s epistles may sometimes have an externally sullied appearance; but this does not mar the purity of the new man within.
A letter reaches its destination only by being carried to it. Heaven is the destination of Christ’s epistles, whither they are taken in Gods good time and way. Of one of these it was said he was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom. Some letters are lost in transit;
not so with any of Christ’s epistles, for in the final reckoning Christ will say, “Of all thou gavest me I have lost nothing.”
Christs epistles are readable, but not by those in the dark – “the world knowest us not.” Some Christians who cannot read the alphabet, can read Christ’s epistles; while others who are only wise in the wisdom of this world, cannot read them.
“….ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ…. written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3.3).
Anon