Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vols. 13–63

Verse 1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I have become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling symbol If there is no love to God, and no love to man, the vital element is lacking. Whatever sound we make, if the Word of God is not in us, it is a sound that has no meaning, conveys no heavenly meaning. "I have become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." What if any of us who bears witness for Christ with our tongues should be found to be no better than this?

2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. Judas had, no doubt, faith in God's miracles, but yet he was not saved. Selfishness was his ruling motive—he had no love to God or man. How this clips the wings of those lofty ones who hover on high, boasting of their knowledge and of their gifts! There are many who have few gifts—obscure and unknown, but love God much—these are the accepted ones! Before God the balances of the sanctuary are rather turned by the shekel of love than by any weight of talent or position.

3. And though Ibestow allmy goods to feed thepoor, and though Igive my body to be burned, andhave not charity, it profits me nothing. Love is a matter of the heart, and if the heart is not right with God, external acts, though they are very similar to the highest acts that flow from love, are of no service! God requires the heart to be right, and if that is not right, whatever comes out of us is not acceptable in His sight.

4. 5. Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up. Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil Always try to put the best construction on other people's actions and work. Let gentleness triumph.

6-11. Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Charity never fails: but where there are prophecies, they shall fail; where there are tongues, they shall cease; where there is knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done a way with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I become a man, I put away childish things. Much of what we call knowledge, much of what we call eloquence, will all be put away. As our spiritual growth shall increase, we shall not need these childish things.

12, 13. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then, face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abides faith, hope, charity, these three. Three abiding Graces. Some have said that faith and hope will not be found in Heaven. Why not? Why not? It seems to me there will be plenty of room for them— plenty of space for them. Am I to be an unbeliever when I get to Heaven? Am I not to believe when my disembodied spirit goes to Heaven? Am I not to believe in the resurrection of the dead? Am I not hopefully to expect it? Am I not in Heaven to believe in the Second Advent of Christ? Am I not to be hoping for it? Am I not to believe in the complete conquest of Christ, and that He shall reign from the river, even to the ends of the earth? And am I not to hope for it? To miss faith and hope in Heaven were to miss two things which the Apostle expressly tells us are the abiding things!

13. But the greatest of these is charity. It is the highest, the pinnacle. It is not the foundation—that is faith. Just as a rose in full bloom is greater than the stem that bears it, so, while faith is most necessary, and hope most cheering, love is the most beautiful and brightest of the three!

Verse 1. Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. He was not made an Apostle by man, neither did he take the office upon himself, but he was made an Apostle by the will of God.

1. To the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. The saints in Ephesus, the saints where they cried, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians," had to bear an earnest witness against idolatry. And, dear Friends, today saints in London will not have a very easy time of it if they are faithful to their Lord, for there is much to protest against in this evil generation! But as there were holy ones in Ephesus, God grant that there may be many such in London!

2. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul would have us peaceful, restful, quiet. That peace must be based upon Divine Grace—he does not pray that we may have peace apart from Grace, but, "Grace be to you, and peace."

3, 4. Blessed be the God andFather ofour Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with allspiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. The high mystery of Election is taught in the Word of God, but some are afraid to speak of it. Not so our Apostle! He brings it out very clearly and distinctly, and so should we, only taking care to keep it in the proportion of other Doctrines.

4, 5. That we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. You hear much about the free will of man. Hear a little about the free will of God! You would think, from the talk of some, that God was man's debtor and must do according to the will of man. But it is not so. He is a Sovereign, and gives His Grace to whom He chooses, and He would have us know that it is according to the good pleasure of His will.

6. To the praise of the glory of His Grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Are there four words in any language which contain choicer meaning than these, "Accepted in the Beloved"? Oh, if you can say that, if you can feel it to be true, you are among the happiest of men and women! "Accepted in the Beloved." You can never be accepted apart from Christ, the Father's best Beloved. But there is merit enough in Him to overflow and cover all our sins, and we are accepted in the Beloved.

7. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches ofHis Grace. Notice how the Apostle keeps on insisting that we have everything in Christ. He says, times out of number, "in Him," "in Christ." We have redemption. We are free. We are no longer under bonds. What is the price? "Through His blood." What is the result? "Forgiveness of sins." What is the measure of our liberty? "According to the riches of His Grace."

8. Wherein He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. Not drowning us with floods of His Grace, but handing it out to us as we are able to take it. The riches of His Grace we have, but He uses wisdom and prudence, teaching us little by little as we are able to bear it, and raising us up by degrees from one stage of Grace to another, according as our poor frames can endure the joy!

9. 10. Having made known unto us the mystery ofHis will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him. There are things in Christ in Heaven. There are things in Christ on earth. But all the things in Christ shall be gathered together. All the redeemed shall come as one great host to bow before the Throne of the Infinite Majesty.

11. In whom also—Notice those words.

11. We have obtained an inheritance. We have got the inheritance. Even now we have entered upon possession of the Kingdom of Grace.

11, 12. Being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel ofHis own will; That we should be to the praise ofHis glory, who first trusted in Christ. The first saints led the way in the front of the army, and they are to the praise of God's Glory to this day. We thank God for the Apostles and martyrs who went before us. We will follow them as they followed Christ.

13. In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the Gospel ofour salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. After faith, the Holy Spirit is given to dwell in the soul. That is the seal. It is not that the Holy Spirit brings a seal with Him. He is the Seal. Where He dwells, He is the seal of God's love to that man.

14. Which is the earnest ofour inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise ofHis glory. The Holy Spirit is first, the seal, and next, the earnest. We all know what an earnest is. It is different from a pledge. A pledge is given and then it is taken back again when the stipulation is carried out. But an earnest is part of what is to be ultimately received. The man who receives an earnest of his wage gets a few shillings, say, on Thursday, instead of taking all on Saturday. He never returns that. It is a part of his wages. And so the Holy Spirit is a part of him. When we have got Him, we have got Christ—

Shall safely convey me home." 15, 16. Therefore I, also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. Is that the way that we pray? Do we make mention of people in our prayers? It is well to do so! It is a good plan to keep a list of persons for whom we ought to pray and to put it before us when we draw near to God, and go over the names. I know one man of God who has kept a debtor and creditor list with God for many years. He puts his requests down in the book, and when they are answered he puts that down, and if they are not answered, he repeats them. It is a very wonderful book. I think that he told me that there is a name down there of a person for whom he has prayed, who is not converted yet, and that out of several for whom he began to pray, he is the only one who is not converted—and that he is the only one that is alive! The others were brought to Christ and died in the faith, but he, not yet brought to Christ, still lives—and my friend prays on with as great a confidence of the conversion of that man as I have that Christmas will come in due time! I wish that we did business with God in some such fashion as that, but our prayers are shadowy, unreal. God teach us how to pray!

17, 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling. You see he gave thanks to God for their faith and for their love. But there are three Divine sisters that must never be separated—faith, hope, and love, and so the Apostle prays, "that you may know what is the hope of His calling."

18-21. And what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, andset Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality, andpower, andmight, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. See how high Christ is raised! The same power that brought Christ from the dead and set Him on high, works in the salvation of every Believer! Nothing less than Omnipotence can save a soul—and Omnipotence at its very best in the glorification of Christ is none too great for the salvation of a sinner!

22, 23. Andhasput all things under His feet, andgave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all-in-all May God bless to us the reading of that Chapter.