T. Austin-Sparks · 1 of 2

God's Object in Christ

Reading: Ruth 1:1-5; 4:11-17; Matthew 1:6-16.

Here we are in the presence of a, if not the, all-governing, all-comprehending, all-encompassing truth, which is that God from the beginning has worked, and does ever work, on the line of His Son. His Son is God's starting-point and ending-point in all His works. Christ is the beginning, and Christ is the end of the work of God. Christ casts His shadow forward and backward over all the ages. If at any time we ask: 'What is it that explains the government and the ways of God?' whether they be in the nations, or in the people of God as a whole or in individual lives, there is always one answer - from God's standpoint that answer is Christ.

God's Answer in all Things is Christ

What lies behind all God's government and all His ways? What has God always and only in His eye and mind in His activities, wherever they are, whatever they are? The answer is the same - Christ. What is behind His dealings with us individually or together? There is only one answer, and that answer is His Son. His Son is going to be the answer and the explanation of every activity of God. God has confined Himself to His Son, has bound Himself up with Christ, will not do anything apart from Him, but will do all things in relation to Him. If God is ever found to be against us, or the world, or any particular course, decision, situation; or refusing to countenance something, judging it; it is because He sees that in some way the interests of His Son are involved in an injury. On the other hand, if we would find God committing Himself to us, free to go with us, we must ourselves be wholly committed to His Son. There must be on our part the same singleness of committal, devotion, interest, zeal and jealousy for the Son of God as there is with God Himself. That is where we shall meet. We shall meet God in Christ and God meets us in Christ. Just in so far as Christ has His place, and is really our concern, not in mind, in thought and in word only, but in action and in spirit, so shall we find the Lord.