LOWLINESS AND MEEKNESS
Andrew Martin
Ephesians 4: 1-6
This section has been in my mind a little, today, and particularly I have been thinking of the two features of lowliness and meekness, because it seems to me that the apostle is saying that these are features which are suited to the calling. We speak of our calling, “the calling wherewith ye have been called”. We often relate it in our minds, I suppose, to the most exalted things. We have been called to sonship, that is a wonderful thing, a wonderful blessing, and it is a wonderful thing to be enjoyed, as we do. I am sure that enters into the experience of the saints every week, we have been called to sonship and, in that sense, there is nothing greater. We have our part in the assembly, we have our part down here, but we have been called to sonship. There is a hymn of Mr Darby’s which speaks about
…here we walk as sons (Hymn 120)
And yet sonship is really connected with our heavenly portion. So, as we go through this scene, people do not look upon us in that sense as Sons, it is a secret that we carry. We are here as sons. But the apostle says that I exalt you to “walk worthy of the calling”, worthy of sons. Someone might say well in that case the most exalted relationship we could be in would surely mean that we would walk in full confidence and superiority to what is around, and of course, the believer is superior to what is around; but what is suitable to the sons are these features of lowliness and meekness, particularly also “long-suffering, bearing with one another in love” and so on. These are features which marked the Lord Jesus, lowliness and meekness. He speaks of it Himself, “come to me” he says “all ye who labour and are burdened”; He says “I am meek and lowly in heart”, Matt 11: 28, 29. You think of the meekness and lowliness of Jesus. It has been commented hasn’t it in the past by others that meekness has particularly to do with our relations with one another, and lowliness has particularly to do with how we are before God. You can understand that, can you not, that before God, He is infinite in His greatness, and we are creatures, and we are to be marked by lowliness before Him. In relation to one another, we are to be marked by meekness. I think these features are very often found among the brethren. In saying this, I am not in any way implying that there is a shortcoming, but just to call attention to it, that these are features of Jesus and if we are to be here in accord with our highest calling, these are the most fundamental features that we have to display, meekness and lowliness. You think of it, even marching when He came in to claim the throne, He came into Jerusalem, did He not, riding upon the ass in order to fulfil the word of the prophet, “Behold, thy King cometh”, meek and riding upon an ass, upon a colt, the foal on an ass”, Zech 9: 9. You think of the Lord coming in in that way, being borne in. I suppose we may think of it in relation to the present testimony, that the features of Jesus are borne by those who have the privilege of carrying the present testimony in these days. You think of that. I was thinking of the colt, the foal of an ass: the ass had to be redeemed, that is one of the very early pieces of legislation that came out in relation to Israel, every ass that was born had to be redeemed. There was the product of redemption in carrying the testimony, in figure, because Jesus was the vessel of the testimony. You think of it, what it is today, we who have been redeemed, every redeemed soul has been called to bear the testimony and to bear it in a particular way, in meekness and in lowliness.
He goes on to say, “using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace”. The unity of the Spirit, it exists, there is that which exists, every believer who has the Spirit, in that sense is bound together in the uniting bond of peace. Satan comes in, the difficulties come in to disrupt it, but the unity of the Spirit exists and he says, “There is one body and one Spirit”. What a precious thing that is, that there is one body. There is that here upon the Earth which corresponds to the Lord Jesus Himself, one body and one Spirit, divine person here who has taken His abode in the assembly and by His coming here, has formed the one body. The one body was formed at Pentecost, although it was not fully expressed there. It required Paul’s ministry really to bring it all about, to bring out the truth of it. It required too Peter’s ministry, in relation to bringing in the Gentiles, it required that to bring in the expression of the body, but the body existed, it existed there, and we have been brought into it. And then “one Lord, one faith, one baptism”, we own one Lord, there is only one. The apostle says to the Corinthians, “other lords have had dominion over us”, but we own one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The truth that believers should hold, is the truth that should be held, that is applicable to every believer. There is just “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all and in us all”. You think of the apostle spoke even to heathens, did he not, says “in him we live and move and exist”, Acts 17: 28. The presence of God is everywhere in that sense, there is nothing hidden from Him. He is in every place. How wonderful it is to be conscious of that. Well, this passage has just been in my mind dear brethren. I feel the test of it, all the lowliness and meekness. The features of Jesus Himself being displayed in this way. Long-suffering, what long-suffering He showed. Bearing with one another, how He did that, He said “how long shall I bear with you”, Mark 9: 19. Think of bearing with one another, but not just in patience but in love, using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit. A precious thing the unity of the Spirit. May we hold to it, may we seek to maintain it in every way.
For His Name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Buckhurst Hill
8th June 2021