The Gospel Magazine

The Gospel Magazwe 187
of JESUS CHRIST was given unto Him "to show lmto His servants
things which must shortly come to pass; and He 8ent and signified
it by His angel unto His sermnt John." The servants to whom the
Revelation was to be made known were " the seven Churches which
are in Asia" (Rev. i. 1, 4).
The Apostle ~aul gloried in this title. He frequently called
himself" a servant (or bondslave) of JESUS CHRIST" (see Rom.
i. 1; Gal. i. 10; Phi!. i. 1).
As the servants or bondslaves of the LORD JESUS, GOD'S people
have been bought with the price of His precious blood. He definitely
paid the price to redeem them from spiritual bondage, and
from the curse. They are therefore now His property, not only by
gift, but by purchase, and through the regenerating power of His
SPIRIT they have turned to GOD from idols and from the darkness
of sin, to serve the living and true GOD, and to wait for His SON
from Heaven, Who hath delivered them from the wrath to come.
They have, therefore, through infinite grace and mercy, " become
!'lervants to GOD." As such they are exhorted to "yield their
members servants to righteousness unto holiness." Having been
delivered from the hand of their enemies their constant desire and
aim should be to "serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before Him, all the days of their life" (Luke i. 74, 75).
This title of "serv!l.nt," then, implies devotedness to Him ''''ho
hath bought His people with His blood. It implies a daily
endeavour to live wholly unto Him, by His grace. It implies holy
separation from all evil principles and associations, and a yielding
of the whole being to the service of our LORD and MASTER.
This service follows regeneration and reconciliation. Before we
go any further we may well ask ourselves, Does this title of a servant
of the LORD describe me ~ Have I through grace ceased to be a
servant of sin and satan, and become a servant of righteousness and
of GOD ~ If so, what grace we need whereby we may serve GOD
acceptably with reverence, and godly fear.
2. Another description of the people who are secure from every
evil weapon is "their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD."
This and the other description show very clearly that the promise
of the text is given only to GOD'S people. The people of GOD,
taught by the Spirit, acknowledge that they have no righteousness