29. Classification and System

Classification and System

Chapter 28 This represents one of the last, best results of the scientific method. It originally brought creative order—cosmos—out of primitivechaos, and it everywhere reduces confusion to systematic and orderly arrangement. It is a perpetual process of discovery. Exact habits of research disclose hitherto hidden features, relations and adaptations; variety and complexity are seen to be subordinate to unity and simplicity, and the traces of one plan, purpose and master design compel confidence in divine authorship and inspire awe and wonder.

Examples of classification and its results in orderly system might be indefinitely multiplied. This method is mainly useful in the following directions, serving to group:

Of classified facts and events we may find a leading example in the festivals of the Jews; in the great facts of Hebrew history, such as the passing out of Egypt, the passing through the sea, the passing into Canaan; or the prominent events of our Lord’s career, His birth, baptism, temptation, transfiguration, crucifixion and resurrection and ascension. Of grouped teachings and precepts, we may instance those which concern unselfish giving, secret praying, perpetual watching; or the various instructions scattered through Scripture upon such subjects as separation, service and reward. Of predictions, first of all, those which foretell the Messiah’s first and second advents; then those that forecast Jewish history; then the destiny and doom of the nations of the world. Of persons and characters, how naturally we group together Abraham, Moses, Aaron and Joshua; Ezra and Nehemiah; the various women, so conspicuous in the Bible, Miriam, Deborah, Esther, Mary of Bethlehem, Mary of Bethany, Mary of Magdala, Anna, Elizabeth, etc. Of duties and dangers, praying, witnessing and giving; and the corresponding perils, carnality, unbelief and sloth-fullness. This principle of classification, thoroughly carried out, would reduce the whole of Scripture to a consistent system of teaching, where one fact or truth offsets another and modifies and qualifies it. To classify all the teachings of the Word of God on affliction would reveal a consistent body of truth of marvelous extent and value. For instance:

• Afflictions are not accidental or incidental, but providential—of divine appointment (Psalms 66:11; 1 Thessalonians 3:3).

• Not a mark of His anger, but of His love, and fatherly yearning for our profit (Hebrews 12).

• To be borne not only with patience, but with rejoicing on account of their results (Romans 5:1-5).

• To be abundantly recompensed in the future perfection and glory of the believer (2 Corinthians 4).

• Sometimes affording an opportunity for vindication of God, as in case of Job 1-2.

• Always affording opportunity for the display of the supporting strength of God (2 Corinthians 12).

The teachings of Scripture concerning conscience are well worthy of being classified:

• Common to all men (Proverbs 20:27; Romans 2:14; Romans 2:16).

• A tender and weak conscience to be respected (Romans 14:2).

• The source of happiness and misery (Proverbs 14:14; Acts 23:1).

• To be kept void of offence, etc. (Genesis 42:21).

• Capable of defilement (Titus 1:15).

Similarly, it is most useful to group and systematize Bible teachings on covetousness, discipleship, faith, forgiveness, grace, humility, idolatry, judgment, love, meekness, obedience, patience, peace, perseverance, praise, prayer, the promises, repentance, self-denial, sin, temptation, truth, unbelief, wisdom, worship, etc. The full teaching of the Word upon Righteousness, and its relations to Law and Grace, may be found in Romans 3:9-28, where at least seven particulars are grouped together:

“The Things of Christ,” form a special matter of revelation as to which our Lord promised that the Spirit would take and show them unto us (John 16:14-15). Search will show what these things are, such as:

• The Rest of Christ (Matthew 11:27-30)

• The Divine Sonship (John 1:12; Romans 8:16-17)

• The Perpetual Presence (Matthew 28:20; John 14:23)

• The Peace of Christ (John 14:27)

• The Knowledge of Christ (Php 3:10)

• The Faith of Christ (Romans 3:22; Galatians 2:20)

• The Mind of Christ (Php 2:5; 1 Peter 4:1)

• The Intercession of Christ (Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 4:16)

• The Body of Christ (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:4-13).

• The Cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14)

• The Love of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14; Ephesians 3:19)

• The Power of Christ (2 Corinthians 12:9)

• The Life of Christ (Galatians 2:20)

• The Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)

• The Stature of Christ (Ephesians 4:13)

• The Coming of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:1).

“The Things of the Spirit” are also referred to in 1 Corinthians 2:14.

These concern His person and work, beautifully comprised under a threefold aspect, as the Spirit of Life (2 Corinthians 3:6; Romans 8:2); of Light (2 Corinthians 4:6; Genesis 1:3), and of Love (Romans 5:5; Ephesians 4:23).

These three briefly comprehend all His offices and activities, imparting light upon truth and duty, communicating divine life, and shedding abroad in the heart the Love of God, so that we love both God and man.

Hence, the Things of the Spirit include our attitude toward Him, set forth under three main warnings; we are not to:

• Resist Him, as the Spirit of Life (Acts 7:51; Hebrews 10:29).

• Quench Him, as the Spirit of Light (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

• Grieve Him, as the Spirit of Love (Ephesians 4:30).

The figures by which the Spirit’s character and work are expressed are also very helpful.

• Water, as diffused in the atmosphere, distilling in dew, descending in rain.

• Oil, as connected with anointing.

• Breath or atmosphere, the secret of vitality.

• The Dove, the one bird that secretes no gall, etc.

Two prayers of Paul for the Ephesians are on record; they stand out prominent in that epistle and are the only prayers of any length which are found in his epistles. Carefully studied, they are seen to be companion prayers, singularly corresponding to each other, and obviously meant as mutually complementary. They are not only similar in length, but in structure; one of them emphasizes the exceeding greatness of the Power of God, and the other the exceeding abundance of His Love. In the former Paul expresses his ceaseless yearning that Ephesian disciples may have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of their hearts being so enlightened as to know to what exalted destiny He calls and appoints them, and how immeasurable the power by which He perfects them for glory. In the latter, he shows like solicitude that they should be so strengthened in spirit as to be able, rooted and grounded in love, themselves to comprehend the infinite dimensions of God’s gracious purpose toward them and know His unknowable love, if only by learning that it cannot be fully known but passeth understanding. Thus each prayer covers its own ground, but taken together they cover all that it is most desirable to know of God in Christ. Moreover, the order is important; they could not exchange places; the former is for a spiritual vision; the latter is for a spiritual experience. It is a greater thing to be so rooted and grounded in love as to know God’s love by a like love, than to be so illumined as to know His power without possessing a like power. In one case we get a glimpse of what God can do; in the other we have a fellowship in His nature and interpret Him by a like experience. We are reminded of the order of creation: first light, then life. Few things in the whole compass of Scripture yield richer results by comparison than these two prayers, where the order of the first and second could not be reversed. The Biblical teaching as to Satan, his wiles and assaults, and how God turns his whole malignant testing and afflicting of saints into a blessing, can be seen only as we thus classify and systematize many different testimonies and historic examples. He appears in many aspects, characters and activities, such as the following:

1. A fowler, spreading his snares, to entice and entangle (Psalms 91:3). But God uses these to make us wary and watchful, like a bird (Proverbs 1:17).

2. A captor, binding and enslaving (2 Timothy 2:26; Luke 13:12; Luke 13:18). But again this makes God’s unloosing and delivering the more conspicuous.

3. A sower of tares in the field (Matthew 13:39), designed to counterfeit discipleship. But the Lord uses this to show how dangerous it is to trust to outward appearance or venture on condemnatory judgments.

4. A sifter with his sieve (Luke 22:31-34). He would sift the chaff from the wheat, to let all the grain fall to the ground. But the Lord uses his sieve to reverse the process, and separates the chaff that He may gather and preserve the grain.

5. A deceiver, deluding and blinding his victims (1 Kings 22; Matthew 24:24; 2 Corinthians 11:14). He means to deceive if possible the very elect. But God only uses him to compel His saints to test all teaching by the Word and the fruits in the life.

6. A destroyer, with his scourge and stake in the flesh (Job 1; Job 2; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). God uses him to develop patience, to exhibit His strength that is made perfect in weakness, and mature the martyr spirit.

7. A warrior arming sinners with his panoply, and carrying on war against God and saints (Revelation 20). God uses his worst assaults to make the final conquest of Christ the more glorious.

Further examination will reveal much more of this marvelous teaching, of which the above is a brief and partial outline. A kindred subject, developed by such classification, is the “Devices” of the Devil, referred to in 2 Corinthians 2:11. This suggests his subtle inventions and machinations for betraying souls into error and evil. Comparative study shows the following as his main methods:

Diversion, turning the mind from things great to small, the unseen and eternal to the visible and temporal (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Delusion, lies and wiles (2 Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; Genesis 3:4; Ezekiel 13:22); by denials, evasions, misrepresentations.

Doubt, inducing hesitation, by a “gospel of negation,” leading to uncertainty, mental and moral (Romans 14:23).

Double-mindedness, compromise, trying to serve God and Mammon (Matthew 6:24; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Leviticus 20:24-27).

Darkness, enveloping the soul in gloom, either of imaginary difficulty, alienation from God, or despair (Isaiah 50:10).

Deadness, substituting “dead works” for living, form of godliness without its power, ritualism, etc. (Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 9:14).

Delay, procrastinating all that is good, leading men to put off the time of decision and action (Acts 24:25; Acts 26:28).

Such comparison and classification of Scripture testimony has a corrective value. For example, there has always been a tendency to deny or evade the personality of the devil, and construe all references to Satan and satanic influence as referring to the working of the innate depravity of the human heart, or the subtle attraction of vicious surroundings and associations. But when the various references to the devil in Scripture are compared and collated such views are corrected and are seen to be irreconcilable with the Scripture testimony.

1. First of all, personal terms and names and titles are repeatedly applied to Satan, as distinctly as to any historic personage or the incarnate Son of God.

2. Again, personal utterances, plans and activities are constantly ascribed to him, and particularly a superior subtlety and strategy to that of which man is capable.

3. Again, the temptations with which he assailed Adam in his innocence and our Lord in His sinlessness preclude the idea of a perverse human self as their source and suggestion.

4. Again, the devil is represented as entering into Judas, and filling the heart of Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Ghost—as beguiling Eve, etc.

5. Again, the devil is expressly distinguished from the world and the flesh in several passages of Scripture, notably Ephesians 2:2-3; James 4; 1 John 2; 1 John 3; 1 John 4.

6. Yet again, our Lord’s mission was and is to destroy the devil and his works, Him that had the power of death, etc., which is meaningless if he be not a personality separate from man.

7. Finally, his doom is personal and individual—and though man, if he persists in sin, is involved in it; it is a separate condemnation on separate grounds (Matthew 25).