One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (Quality: Good)

[0:00] Continuing our meditation upon the fourth chapter of the epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, I read this morning the fifth verse.

[0:15] One Lord, one faith, one baptism. The fourth chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians, the fifth verse.

[0:33] One Lord, one faith, one baptism. It will be in your minds that we have been speaking from these verses of the nature of true spiritual unity.

[0:54] That it is the unity of the spirit in the sense that it is of a spiritual nature and also that it is of the Holy Spirit that this unity is established and souls are brought into it.

[1:17] Then we notice that this unity is expressed symbolically under the figure of a body. There is one body. And that that one body, the true spiritual united church of Jesus Christ, is indwelt and animated by one spirit, one holy spirit of God.

[1:45] And every member of that body, everyone in the unity of the spirit, is effectually, personally called by the grace of God from darkness to light.

[2:03] And in that one calling, there is a blessed hope of eternal life and glory. And then follows their text.

[2:16] One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Here are three of the seven ones I pointed out to you that express the perfect nature of this spiritual union.

[2:31] I cannot remember whether I pointed out to you that there is a trinity in this subject and that the unity of the spirit rests upon the unity of the trinity.

[2:51] There is one spirit, one holy spirit of God, divine, eternal, glorious, essentially divine.

[3:06] There is one Lord, one Lord Jesus Christ, one holy spirit of God, one holy spirit of God, and there is one Father. There is God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[3:22] And all true unity rests upon the unity of the trinity. These three are one, one in the divine nature, one in purpose, one in love, one in everything that pertains to the unity of the spirit.

[3:45] And I would just further mention this, for this is a subject that calls, I think, for much instruction. The unity of the spirit does not only rest upon the unity of the divine persons in the trinity which it does, but it rests upon their spiritual operations.

[4:19] For if it were not for the spiritual operations of the divine persons in the trinity, there could be no spiritual union amongst men.

[4:30] How be it? There is a glorious unity in the Godhead. For instance, the unity of the spirit depends upon the operations of the Holy Spirit in men.

[4:48] His quickening power, his operations of grace whereby they are brought to repentance and to believe in Jesus Christ and united to him as the head of the body.

[5:05] One spirit whose teaching teaches them the knowledge of the truth and guides them into it. It is the Holy Spirit's operations in the hearts of men that produce the unity.

[5:25] There is one Lord, one Lord who has redeemed the whole body of the church by his most precious blood.

[5:38] If it were not for the redeeming blood of that one Lord, there could be no unity. Although there would be a perfect unity in the trinity, but just as the Holy Spirit, that one spirit, must operate saving in the hearts of men, that one Lord must redeem them all in that unity by his precious blood.

[6:10] There is one God and Father of all. There is one holy and eternal Father in the trinity. But that one Father must impart his own spiritual life to the souls of men that they may be true children of him, children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

[6:39] He must be the God and Father of all. Of all. Well, if the Lord directs, we will come to that truth in due course.

[6:53] But this morning, I'm asking your attention, your prayerful attention, to this first word in the text, one Lord.

[7:10] There is no question, of course, as to who that one Lord is. It is the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, he is the one Lord.

[7:26] And, he bears that title and designation Lord, especially with regard to his headship and authority and rule and dignity in the church of God.

[7:45] With regard to the trinity, he is the Son, the only begotten Son. Begotten, though it is a mysterious term to use of an eternal generation.

[8:03] In the trinity, Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In the church, he is the Lord. He is the head. And, for our consideration this morning, it has opened up to my mind in these two considerations.

[8:25] first, to speak a little of the Lord Jesus Christ as the one Lord, and then, more fully, to set before you how everyone who is brought into the unity of the Spirit is brought to own and honour and glorify and love and believe in Jesus Christ as a Lord to them.

[9:01] I need not be very long on the first part. One Lord. The very title and expression means one Lord who is head, who is ruler, who is governor.

[9:18] ruler. And, we may consider believingly of this one Lord as being exalted above all heavens and all principalities and powers.

[9:35] It refers, first of all, to his supreme exaltation. that is expressed, of course, in the word we read in the Acts of the Apostles this morning, where Peter plainly proclaimed to the people that that same Jesus whom they had so recently crucified had risen from the dead, had ascended into heaven and had been made Lord, that God had made that same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ.

[10:24] Now, how did God make him Lord? By exalting him to his own right hand, by clothing him with honour and majesty Jesus Christ is one Lord with regard to his exalted state in heaven and he is exalted above all and oh how worthy he is to be Lord.

[10:57] I said sometimes if there is one place in heaven exalted above all others that belongs to Jesus Christ by right if there is one highest manifestation of glory it is in Jesus Christ if there is one centre in heaven and there is to which every heart turns with adoration and praise love and honour it is Jesus Christ if there is one name on every holy lips of all that ransomed host it is Jesus Christ for he is Lord God brethren if we could only enter into this believingly and feelingly it would be good to us even to think of

[12:04] Jesus Christ as being exalted in heaven good to think of it for though it is but very little we can understand his exaltation and it's a glory we can never see in this life and the descriptions of it in the scripture must necessarily be very much below his actual glory as it is in heaven for what words could describe it but isn't it good to you who love Jesus who love his name who feel that it was for you he shed his precious blood and suffered died at

[13:04] Calvary isn't it good to you to think of him in heaven although you cannot understand nor realise all that his glory is but it's good to think of him as being there as being exalted that the head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now that that diadem adorns his sacred head whatever in whatever way heaven worships him he's worthy to be worshipped whatever his glory is he's worthy to sustain it whatever honour rests upon his blessed head he's worthy of that honour he is Lord Lord now there's another consideration in this one

[14:09] Lord with regard to that supreme exaltation in heaven in our nature but there is one Lord with respect to his authority in the church only one as I said the very title Lord bears the meaning of ruler or governor now there's only one ruler in the church and the word and appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ is the law in the church of God what whatever he has said is to be believed whatever he has appointed is to be observed whatever pre-steps he has enjoined are to be obeyed and nothing else the introduction of things into the professing church of God and it was not very long before things began to be introduced into the professing church of God that had no authority from the

[15:34] Lord Jesus Christ has caused no end of contention and division and strife and disunity there's no doubt about it brethren if every church adhered strictly and exclusively to what the Lord Jesus Christ has said and appointed and laid down there would be far far more more union than there is now for that voice from heaven that spake at the time of his transfiguration speak still this is my beloved son hear ye him hear ye him for that constituted a new rule and authority for the church hitherto it had been hear Moses and the prophets now it's hear him not that the Lord

[16:44] Jesus Christ in any way whatever laid anything down contrary to Moses and the prophets but it established a new rule because Jesus Christ was to be Lord there is one Lord one rule one authority Jesus Christ is one Lord and then again there is one Lord with regard to his coming glory when you read this and the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first there is no question as to that

[17:44] Lord is there is only one Lord anyway only one only one glorious person will appear into visibility again in the day of his appearing and that will be Jesus Christ that same Jesus that the disciples saw with their eyes ascend up into heaven will likewise come again out of heaven with power and glory and it is that one Lord and every eye shall see him every eye shall see him and they also that despised him crucified him and many shall wail because of him and many shall lift up their heads with joy in that day for he who appears in such majesty will be their

[18:51] Lord their Lord the Lord they believed in loved served and followed oh my friends if by the grace of God you and I are brought to believe in Jesus to honor him to cleave to him when he comes he will be our Lord to receive us to himself we shall lift up our heads with joy although sometimes the thought of that day seems overwhelming in its solemnity but we shall lift up our heads with joy if he is our Lord there is one Lord in heaven's high glory there is one Lord in his authority in the church on earth there is one

[19:54] Lord in his coming glory at the last day one Lord before I come to the other part of this consideration perhaps I may just drop one or two observations and one is this there is one Lord exclusively that is to say there is no other but this title Lord has been assumed by a great many people in the church professing church you know that it is ascribed and assumed by the bishop of Rome and I can never understand how Christian ministers can permit themselves to be called my Lord bishop I see nothing of that in the scriptures do you and

[20:56] I thought with what indignation the apostles Peter and Paul would have rejected any such title as Lord if it had been ascribed to them with what indignation they would have rejected the very suggestion that they were lords now my friends that title belongs to no one in the church at all except Jesus Christ no one and to him it does belong in all that it means and all that it is in all the honour and power and supremacy and glory of it one Lord exclusively now there are some things that I feel it's right occasionally to mention without dwelling too much on them one

[22:02] Lord pray what do they mean when they speak about our lady I read nothing of that in the scriptures why they speak about the mother of Jesus Christ the Virgin Mary so she was almost on a par with her son one Lord and one lady the apostles would never have used such a term with regard to the Virgin Mary besides she was not a virgin after the death of Jesus Christ no there's no such description to the to Mary in the scriptures it is very significant in view of the excessive adoration that is given to the Virgin Mary that there's hardly any mention of her in the New Testament only once after the resurrection of Jesus

[23:08] Christ and then she is only mentioned as meeting in humble capacity with the disciples and not having any sort of precedence amongst them and when the apostle John in the revelation saw the glory of heaven he saw that one Lord and he had on his vesture and on his tie a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords but he never saw anything of the Virgin Mary or he never hints that he ever saw anything of the Virgin Mary not but that her blessed spirit was in heaven there's no question about it but there was no throne for her in heaven that John saw no one had paid to her in the courts of bliss that

[24:11] John heard there was one Lord now I must come to the other part of this word one Lord now if Jesus Christ then is the one Lord what follows it follows that all who are in the unity of the spirit are brought to acknowledge him as being their Lord he is their Lord but what do I mean when I say they're all brought to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord I certainly don't mean that they acknowledge him in word only you remember his words not everyone that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven and again he said why call ye me

[25:18] Lord Lord and do not the things that I say I mean something much deeper than to call Jesus Lord when I say that all in the unity of the spirit are brought to acknowledge him to be their Lord now I mean these things first of all they're all brought with a heartfelt faith to believe in him as the Lord every faith every heart turns to Jesus Christ as Lord where there is imparted the principle of living faith if we speak of the exercise of faith that is to say the believing of faith if that is a useful way helpful way to put it the exercise the believing of faith and if we speak of it as the eye of the soul look unto me and be ye saved we may say this that the eye of faith in every heart everywhere in the world in every generation all looks to the one

[26:54] Lord all for if the Holy Spirit impart the spirit of faith and it is his work to do that to a heart sooner or later he will direct that heart to look to one Lord sooner or later sometimes as I think heart puts it our faith looks back to see the burdens that he bore when hanging on the accursed tree and hopes her guilt was there faith in every child of God looks back to Calvary believing me and there is the one Lord the one Lord suffering and dying for the church shedding his most precious blood one

[28:00] Lord there at Calvary and similarly faith in the heart looks up to the one Lord in heaven believing me and the same faith looks forward to the one Lord coming again in his glory when I say that everyone in the unity of the spirit believes in the one Lord I mean a heartfelt looking longing believing thing we might all of us ask ourselves if we have this faith really to look to Jesus it is so simple and yet it is so spiritual and yet it seems so difficult for some to understand what it is to simply believingly look to Jesus

[29:04] Christ as the one Lord there seems something about every spiritual exercise in the heart that however simple it is in itself needs the Holy Spirit to give us to understand it and to exercise it to believe there's nothing more simple and yet we need the Holy Spirit to teach us what it is to believe and to help us to believe to submit to Jesus Christ there's nothing more simple but no one ever does it unless the Holy Spirit brings their heart into that submissive frame to love Jesus Christ there's nothing so mysterious about that but no one understands what it is to love Jesus Christ to the Holy Spirit inspires that spiritual affection in their souls there's one

[30:12] Lord brethren there's one Lord in the sense that not only does every believing eye look to him but every believing heart submits to him that must needs be if he is the one Lord submission to him becomes all who are in his church and body now what a gracious submission this is submission to one Lord and it's very wonderful that there should be that submission when you consider what hardness of heart and what rebellion there is in human nature especially where it is permitted to gather power and control the spirit it is dreadful the strength there is in the rebellion of the unbelieving and carnal heart against

[31:24] Jesus Christ but grace can break that down it is the grace of God that subdues our spirit and grace acts graciously mind grace acts graciously the law acts legally but grace acts graciously so that when our heart is really subdued to this one Lord it's subdued in a very gracious kind tender way and manner and what is of grace produces grace submission to one Lord is not something forced hard but it's something gracious it is as gracious a submission as grace is grace that brings us to it brethren if the grace of Jesus

[32:36] Christ acts upon our heart it will bring us to submit our very souls to him we shall say this in the feeling of it oh Lord other lords beside thee have had dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy name and another thing there is nothing that brings the heart into a subjection to this one Lord more than a sense of his love his love is so irresistible yet it may be so gentle you take a block of ice and you reduce that to small fragments you've got to hammer and hammer and hammer and hammer at it to break it to pieces and every piece is as hard as the original mass but if the sun shines warm on it how gently the ice melts into water there's no violence there's no knocking of it to pieces there's no shattering but irresistibly the ice yields itself to the melting influence of the warmth of the sun now my friends that's as near as I can explain to you what it is for the love of

[34:23] Christ to act upon a person's heart now we might threaten people with the consequences of sin and every word be true enough we might even cause them to have terrible fears about the future and that might do something to break down their opposition of heart to Jesus Christ but still that wouldn't be a loving submission but if you ever know the love of Jesus Christ you will feel that which acts upon your heart irresistibly it wins you over it softens all the hard rebellion in the mind it makes you so willing it produces love in that very submission and you will understand this far far better than any comment on the scripture can explain it the love of

[35:31] Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again my friends and you young people listening to me this morning and all of you I couldn't wish you nothing nothing more nothing better than that you should know the effect of the love of Jesus Christ upon your heart because if you know that you would know everything in spirit and principle that constitutes real spiritual saving experience and living faith that would answer a hundred difficulties in your mind

[36:35] I assure you it would you may be hung up in your minds about this difficulty and that problem and something else you can't understand and something else you can't think is right but if you knew the love of Jesus Christ that would all vanish and you would feel there was one Lord to you and to that one Lord all the feelings and desires and affections of your heart were brought into a willing submission and you would say this reign all me as king and accomplish thy will and powerfully bring me out from all ill till falling before thee I Lord thy love name ascribing the glory to God and the Lamb yes there is one

[37:41] Lord and every child of God every real Christian is brought to own with living faith and loving submission and willing obedience that he is Lord to them amen Mik oh I want to finish in Peace Shoulder If you need to