8. The need of collecting and collating all passages dealing with the same subject, where cognate terms or different expressions are used. This is essential if the expositor is to he preserved from erroneous conceptions thereof, and in order for him to obtain the full mind of the Spirit thereon. Take as a simple example those well-known words, "Ask, and it shall he given you" (Matthew 7:7). Few texts have been more grievously perverted than that one. Many have regarded it as a sort of blank check, which anybody—no matter what his state of soul or manner of walk—may fill in just as he pleases, and that he has but to present the same at the throne of grace and God stands pledged to honor it. Such a travesty of the Truth would not deserve refutation were it not now being trumpeted so loudly in some quarters. James 4:3, expressly states of some, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss": some who "ask" do not receive! And why? Because theirs is but a carnal asking—"that ye may consume it upon your own lusts"—and therefore a holy God denies them.

Asking God in prayer is one thing; asking becomingly, rightly, acceptably and effectually is quite another. If we would ascertain how the latter is to be done, the Scriptures must be searched for the answer. Thus, in order to ensure a Divine hearing, we must approach God through the Mediator: "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you" (John 16:23). But to ask the Father in His name signifies very much more than just uttering the words "grant it for Christ’s sake." Among other things it signifies asking in Christ’s person, as identified with and united to Him; asking for that which accords with His perfections and will be for His glory; asking for that which He would were He in our place. Again, we must ask in faith (Mark 11:24), for God will place no premium upon unbelief. Said Christ to His disciples, "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7), where two further conditions are stipulated. In order to receive we must ask according to God’s will (1 John 5:14) as made known in His Word. What a deplorable misuse has been made of Matthew 7:7, through failure to interpret it in the light of collateral passages!

Another example of failure at this point is the frequent use made of Galatians 6:15, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature" (or "new creation"). It is most proper and pertinent to use that verse when showing that neither the ceremonial ordinances of Judaism nor the baptism and Lord’s supper of Christianity are of any worth in rendering us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. So too, though much less frequently, we are reminded that, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6), that is out of gratitude to God for His unspeakable Gift, and not from legal motives—only for what they may obtain. But how very rarely does the pulpit quote "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God" (1 Cor. 7:19) —that which respects our submission to the Divine authority, our walking in subjection to God’s will, is omitted. It is only by placing these three verses side by side that we obtain a balanced view. We are not vitally united to Christ unless we have been born again; we are not born again unless we possess a faith that works by love; and we have not this saving faith unless it be evidenced by a keeping of God’s commandments.

It is the duty of the expositor to gather together the various descriptions and exemplifications given in Scripture of any particular thing, rather than to frame a formal definition of its nature, for it is in this way that the Holy Spirit has taught us to conceive of it. Take the simple act of saving faith, and observe the numerous and quite different expressions used to depict it. It is portrayed as believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31), or the reposing of the soul’s confidence in Him. As a coming to Him (Matthew 11:28), which implies the forsaking of all that is opposed to Him. As a receiving of Him (John 1:12), as He is freely offered to sinners in the Gospel. As a fleeing to Him for refuge (Heb. 6:18), as the manslayer sought asylum in one of the cities provided for that purpose (Num. 35:6). As a looking unto Him (Isa. 45:22), as the bitten Israelites unto the serpent upon the pole (Num. 21:9). As an acceptance of God’s testimony, and thereby setting to our seal that He is true (John 3:33). As the entering of a gate (Matthew 7:13) or door (John 10:9). As an act of complete surrender or giving of ourselves to the Lord (2 Cor. 8:5), as a woman does when she marries a man.

The act of saving faith is also set forth as a calling upon the Lord (Rom. 10:13), as did sinking Peter (Matthew 14:30) and the dying thief. As a trusting in Christ (Eph. 1:13) as the great Physician, counting upon His sufficiency to heal our desperate diseases. As a resting in the Lord (Ps. 37:7) as on a sure foundation (Isa. 28:16). As an act of appropriation or eating (John 6:51) to satisfy an aching void within. As a committal (2 Tim. 1:12): as a man deposits his money in a bank for safe custody, so we are to put our souls into the hands of Christ for time and eternity (cf. Luke 23:46). As faith in His blood (Rom. 3:25). As a belief of the Truth (2 Thess. 2:13). As an act of obedience unto God’s holy commandment (2 Pet. 2:21) in complying with the terms of the Gospel (Rom. 10:16). As a loving of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 16:22). As a turning unto the Lord (Acts 11:21) —which implies a turning from the world. As a receiving of the witness of God (1 John 5:9, 10) as an all sufficient ground of assurance, without the evidence of feeling or anything else. As a taking of the water of life (Rev. 22:17). Most of these twenty expressions are figurative, and therefore better fitted than any formal definition to convey to our minds a more vivid concept of the act and to preserve from a one-sided view of it.

Much harm has been done by incompetent "novices" when treating of the subject of regeneration, by confining themselves to a single term—"born again." This is only one of many figures used in Scripture to describe that miracle of grace which is wrought in the soul when he passes from death unto life and is brought out of darkness into God’s marvelous light. It is termed a new birth because a Divine life is communicated and there is the commencement of a new experience. But it is also likened to a spiritual resurrection, which presents a very different line of thought, and to a "renewing" (Col. 3:10), which imports a change in the original individual. It is the person who is Divinely quickened and not merely a "nature" which is begotten of God: "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7), not merely something in you must be; "he is born of God" (1 John 3:9). The same person who was spiritually dead— his whole being alienated from God—is then made alive: his whole being reconciled to Him. This must be so, otherwise there would be no preservation of the identity of the individual. It is a new birth of the individual himself, and not of something in him. The nature is never changed, but the person is—relatively not absolutely.

If we limit ourselves to the figure of the new birth when considering the great change wrought in one whom God saves, not only will a very inadequate concept of the same be obtained, but a thoroughly erroneous one. In other passages it is spoken of as an illuminating of the mind (Acts 26:13), a searching and convicting of the conscience (Rom. 7:9), a renovating of the heart (Ezek. 11:19), a subduing of the will (Ps. 110:3), a bringing of our thoughts into subjection to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), a writing of God’s Law on the heart (Heb. 8:10). In some passages something is said to be removed from the individual (Deut. 30:6; Ezek. 36:26)—the love of sin, enmity against God; while in others something is communicated (Rom. 5:5; 1 John 5:20). The figures of creation (Eph. 2:10), renewing (Titus 3:5) and resurrection (1 John 3:14) are also employed. In some passages this miracle appears to be a completed thing (1 Cor. 6:11; Col. 1:12), in others as a process yet going on (2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 1:16). Though the work of grace be one, yet it is many-sided. Its subject is a composite creature and his salvation affects every part of his complex being.

Physical birth is the bringing into this world of a creature, a complete personality, which before conception had no existence whatever. But the one regenerated by God had a complete personality before he was born again. Regeneration is not the creation of an individual which hitherto existed not, but the spiritualizing of one who already exists—the renewing and renovating of one whom sin has unfitted for communion with God, by bestowing upon him that which gives a new bias to all his faculties. Beware of regarding the Christian as made up of two distinct and diverse personalities. Responsibility attaches to the individual and not to his "nature" or "natures." While both sin and grace indwell the saint, God holds him accountable to resist and subdue the one and yield to and be regulated by the other. The fact that this miracle of grace is also likened to a resurrection (John 5:25) should prevent us forming a one-sided idea of what is imported by the new birth and "the new creature," and from pressing some analogies from natural birth which other figurative expressions disallow. The great inward change is also likened to a Divine "begetting" (1 Pet. 1:3), because the image of the Begetter is then stamped upon the soul. As the first Adam begat a son in his own image (Gen. 5:3), so the last Adam has an "image" (Rom. 8:29) to convey to His sons (Eph. 4:24).

What has been pointed out above applies with equal force to the subject of mortification (Col. 3:5). That essential Christian duty is set forth in the Scriptures under a great variety of figurative expressions, and it is most needful that we take pains to collect and compare them if we are to be preserved from faulty views of what God requires from His people on this important matter of resisting and overcoming evil. It is spoken of as a circumcising of the heart (Deut. 11:16), a plucking out of the right eye and cutting off of the right hand (Matthew 5:29, 30), which tells of its painfulness. It is a denying of self and taking up of the cross (Matthew 16:24). It is a casting off of the works of darkness (Rom. 13:12), a putting off of the old man (Eph. 4:22), a laying apart of all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness (James 1:21) — each of which is necessary before we can put on the armor of light or the new man, or receive with meekness the ingrafted Word, for we have to cease doing evil ere we can do well (Isa. 1:16, 17). It is a making no provision for the flesh (Rom. 13:14), a keeping under the body, i.e., of sin (Rom. 6:6; Col. 2:11) and bringing it into subjection (1 Cor. 9:27), a cleansing of ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (2 Cor. 7:1), and abstinence from all appearance of evil (1 Thess. 5:22), a laying aside of every weight (Heb. 12:1).

9. Equally necessary is it not to sever what God has joined together. By nature all of us are prone to run to extremes, particularly so those with a philosophical turn of mind, who, seeking for unity of thought, are in great danger of forcing a unity into the sphere of their limited knowledge. To do this, they are very apt to sacrifice one side or element of the Truth for another. I may be quite clear and logical at the expense of being superficial and half-orbed. A most solemn warning against this danger was supplied by the Jews in connection with their interpretation of the Messianic prophecies, by dwelling exclusively upon those which announced the glories of Christ and neglecting those which foretold His sufferings: so that even the apostles themselves were evilly affected thereby, and rebuked by Christ for such folly (Luke 24:25, 26). It is at this very point that the people of God, and particularly His ministers, need to be much on their guard. Truth is twofold (Heb. 4:12): every doctrine has its corresponding and supplementary element, every privilege its implied obligation. Those two sides of the Truth do not cross each other, but run parallel with one another: they are not contradictory but complementary, and both must be held fast by us if we are to be kept from serious error.

Thus we must never allow the grand truth of God’s sovereignty to crowd out the fact of human responsibility. The will of the Almighty is indeed invincible, but that does not mean that we are nothing better than inanimate puppets. No, we are moral agents as well as rational creatures, and throughout are dealt with by God as such. "It must needs be that offenses come," said Christ, but He at once added, "woe to that man by whom the offense cometh" (Matthew 18:7). There the two things are joined together: the infallible certainty of the Divine decrees, the culpability and criminality of the human agent. The same inseparable conjunction appears again in that statement concerning the death of Christ: "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2:23). Again, our zeal for the doctrine of election must not suffer us to ignore the necessity of using means. They who reason, If I be elected, I shall be saved whether or not I repent and trust in Christ, are fatally deceiving themselves: "chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13) is proof. None are ever saved until they believe (Luke 8:12; Heb. 10:39), and therefore all are to be exhorted to do so.

Particular redemption (Christ making atonement for the sins of His own people only) must not prevent His servants from preaching the Gospel to every creature and announcing that there is a Saviour for every sinner out of hell who appropriates Him for his own. Sunder not the two halves of John 6:37: all that the Father gives Christ shall come to Him, albeit the individual must seek Him (Isa. 55:6; Jer. 29:13). Nor does the inability of the natural man annul his accountability, for though no man can come to Christ except the Father draw him (John 6:44), his refusal to come is highly blameworthy (Prov. 1:24-31; John 5:40). Nor is a divided Christ to be presented to sinners for their acceptance. It is a delusion to imagine that His priestly sacrifice may be received while His kingly rule is refused, that His blood will save me though I despise His government. Christ is both "Lord and Saviour" and in that unalterable order (2 Pet. 1:11; 3:2, 18), for we must throw down the weapons of our warfare against Him and take His yoke upon us in order to find rest unto our souls. Thus repentance and faith are equally necessary (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21).

While justification and sanctification are to be sharply distinguished, nevertheless they must not be divorced (1 Cor. 1:30; 6:11). "Christ never comes into the soul unattended. He brings the Holy Spirit with Him, and the Spirit His train of gifts and graces. Christ comes with a blessing in each hand: forgiveness in one, holiness in the other" (Thos. Adams, 1650). Yet how rarely is Ephesians 2:8, 9, completed by the quoting of verse 10! Again, the twin truths of Divine preservation and Christian perseverance must not be parted, for the former is accomplished via the latter and not without it. We are indeed "kept by the power of God," yet "through faith" (1 Pet. 1:5), and if in 1 John 2:27, the apostle assured the saints "ye shall abide in Him," in the very next verse he called on them to "abide in Him"; as Paul also bade such work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, and then added "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous, but was not willing to live the life of one. Means and ends are not to be separated: we shall never reach heaven unless we continue in the only way (the "narrow" one) which leads thereto.