The Practical Knowledge Of Christ

Adapted from a Sermon by

George Burder

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,

(Ephesians 4:20-21 ESV)

This morning in our series of sermons adapted from George Burder, our subject is The Practical Knowledge Of Christ and our text is Ephesians 4:20-21: But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

The gospel of Jesus Christ provides the only effective remedy for all the diseases of the moral world---the only effective relief to fallen, guilty, dying man. We have, at all times, reason to be ashamed for the vices of mankind, and especially for those of our own country; but, bad as things are, they would be infinitely worse if the influences of the gospel were withdrawn; if the doctrines of Christ had never been preached; if Christian examples were not exhibited.

Multitudes among us, who are not real and spiritual Christians, are yet very different from men in a heathen state; from such men as are described by the apostle Paul in the verses preceding our text. Exhorting believers to a holy conduct, he says, "this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds."(Ephesians 4:17) Such is the faithful but sad picture which, from having lived two years in Ephesus, he was enabled from his personal knowledge to draw.

But the gospel of Christ, preached by himself and others, had produced in many persons a happy change. Many, who were once in total darkness, had been savingly enlightened; many, who had been dead in trespasses and sins, had been made alive spiritually; many, who were once "far from God," had been "brought near by the blood of Christ."(Ephesians 2:13) And now, he affectionately exhorts them, in this chapter, to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they had been called."(Ephesians 4:1) They must be different from their still Pagan neighbors, who wallowed in vice; for, says he in our text, "that is not the way you learned Christ," or rather, "not so you---for you have learned Christ;" having learned of Christ, you must learn to live like Christ. He who taught you, is himself holy, and requires you also to be holy.

This sentiment is applicable to all the professed disciples of Christ; to us here this morning, as well as to the Ephesians. The text then presents to us the following most valuable lesson:

Those who are taught by Christ, are under the strongest obligations to walk according to his instructions.

To illustrate and enforce this sentiment, let us, 1. Consider what is meant by being taught of Christ; and 2. The obligations under which they are laid who are so instructed.

1. What is meant by being taught of Christ---our text speaks of learning Christ----of having heard him, and of having been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus. These expressions may include learning of him, as our teacher; and learning him, as the great subject of his teaching: for he is both the Master and the subject.

Christ is the great Teacher of the world. All the efforts of heathen sages to enlighten the world came to nothing. The great philosophers had done little or nothing to better the condition of mankind at large. The apostle Paul, who well knew what their attempts had been, declares that, after all, "the world did not know God through wisdom"(1 Corinthians 1:21)---it was reserved for his own Son to enlighten mankind.

Some of the wisest of the heathen sages were honest enough to confess their ignorance, and to declare their expectation of the great Teacher. That Teacher at length appeared. For several years he went about Judea, diffusing heavenly wisdom wherever he went, with a simplicity and dignity that astonished his hearers, and constrained them to say, "No one ever spoke like this man."(John 7:46) Having finished his work on earth, he entrusted the business of instruction to other hands; qualifying them for it by his Holy Spirit, and promising to support their efforts by his own presence and blessing,

The apostle says that the Ephesians had "heard about him and were taught in him."(Ephesians 4:21) Not personally indeed; for Christ never visited Ephesus; but ministerially. The apostles and other teachers had "the mind of Christ;"(1 Corinthians 2:16) his Spirit had led them into all truth; and both by their preaching and their writing they published it to the world.

We also are still favored with the word of Christ. Many of our Lord's precious discourses were committed to writing by the four Evangelists. The apostles also wrote many epistles to churches or individuals; which epistles are of no less authority than the gospels; and taken together with the Old Testament (which is also "the word of Christ") we may still be said to have heard and learned of him. His truth, ministerially declared to us, in and by his ordinance of public preaching, or perused by us in private, is to be received, "not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God;"(1 Thessalonians 2:13) "which is able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."(2 Timothy 3:15)

And so we are exhorted, to beware "not to refuse him who is speaking from heaven,"(Hebrews 12:25) and to realize that we are no less bound to pay attention to the written word, than if we heard the voice of Christ himself. This gospel delivered to us, is "a fragrance from life to life, or a fragrance from death to death,"(2 Corinthians 2:16) and the original sanction still applies to it: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."(Mark 16:16)

But Christ is not only the great Teacher, but he is himself the chief subject of all divine teaching. Our text speaks of the truth "as it is in Jesus"---he is, as it were, the center in which all the lines of divine truth meet---he is the great subject of the gospel; so that "preaching Christ," and "preaching the gospel," are the same thing; according to what the apostle Paul alludes to as to his own practice, he was determined "to know nothing among the people except Jesus Christ and him crucified."(1 Corinthians 2:2)

And the words may also refer to the purity of the doctrine taught; to know the truth as it is in Jesus, is to know and receive the pure unadulterated truth, as it was at first delivered by him and his apostles; and without that mixture of error, which the weakness or wickedness of men has since introduced. Or it may further imply that to know the truth aright, is to know it practically, as not only taught by the lips of Jesus, but as also beautifully exemplified in his holy life; in his harmless, devout, and benevolent practice; for Christ taught by his example, as well as by his doctrine.

But, likely, we are to understand by the words mainly this---that Jesus Christ, and salvation by him, is the sum and substance of what we are to learn. "I am," said Christ, "the truth"(John 14:6)---the substance of the numerous ordinances of the Old Testament---of their priesthood, their altar, their sacrifices, their washings---they were "a shadow of the good things to come;"(Hebrews 10:1) and they did come, in and with Christ, who is the body, the substance, the soul of them all.

Thus, when the apostle Paul reproves the Galatians for entertaining some dangerous errors about justification, he aggravates their fault, by saying "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?"(Galatians 3:1 NKJV)

It is plain that what he distinguished by the name of "the truth" was the gospel method of salvation by Jesus Christ, the acceptance and justification of a sinner, through faith in the blood and righteousness of Christ. In short, that great doctrine which is represented in so solemn a manner by the apostle John, in his first epistle, fifth chapter, and called a testimony or record, testified by the Three in heaven and Three on earth, which is this, that "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."(1 John 5:11)

We by no means exclude from the truth, the duties which fall upon believers; for we will now see how those are not only necessarily connected, but form an essential part of it.

Indeed, to know the truth of the gospel aright, is to be taught by the Holy Spirit, not merely words and propositions of truth or to yield the assent of the understanding to them---it is far more; the heart as well as the head is influenced; divine things, truly learned, have a powerful influence on the affections of the soul, on the inclination and disposition of the heart, and upon the whole conduct, allowing for those deviations and imperfections, which are, unfortunately, found in the best of men.

This is strongly implied in the text, and forms the second branch of our sermon; for the apostle is, you will remember, exhorting the Ephesians to walk differently from the unconverted heathen, and to be renewed in the spirit of their mind, and, in a word, to become new creatures.

And here we may observe, that the text, with many other similar passages in Scripture, plainly implies that some who professed to obey the gospel, disregarded its practical influence.

The gospel must be allowed to be "a good message"---"good news of great joy,"(Luke 2:10) and well calculated to excite the attention, the affectionate attention of men in general. And it would do so universally, were it not for the strong and unhappy prejudices of the carnal mind. And so we find, that, although it is "the wisdom of God"(1 Corinthians 1:24) and "the power of God,"(1 Corinthians 1:18) it is rejected by some as foolish and irrational, and by others, as even immoral in its tendency.

This is implied by the apostle Paul when he writes, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?"(Romans 6:1) And more distinctly, "And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying;" to which he adds, "Their condemnation is just;"(Romans 3:8) that is, the condemnation of those who teach and practice such things, is both certain and just. And Jude speaks of "ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God (that is, the gospel of his grace) into sensuality;"(Jude 4) perverting the Holy gospel into an encouragement to vice.

But this was never the doctrine nor the practice of the apostles and first Christians. Yet we are not to be surprised, if there were some unhappy instances of Antinomian perverseness. The gospel, especially when it becomes the religion of a nation, embraces persons of every description, according to the parable of the net, "The kingdom of heaven (the dispensation of the gospel) is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind:"(Matthew 13:47) and agrees with another parable, in which the tares and the wheat are represented as growing together in the same field.

James also speaks clearly of "dead faith;"(James 2:17) a faith "without works;"(James 2:18) a faith which does not work, as true faith always does, by love. But let not James be misunderstood. He does not say that true faith may exist without works; for, as faith refers to the testimony of God as believed, he that rejects the necessity of holiness, rejects an essential part of that testimony; for the gospel insists both on "the water and the blood"(1 John 5:8) which issued from the side of the crucified Savior, picturing the double virtue of his death, to purify the heart, as well as to purge the conscience.

There may be a high degree of scriptural knowledge, without real grace. The apostle Paul supposes the possibility of having "all knowledge,"(1 Corinthians 13:2) and yet being destitute of the essential grace of love, which always accompanies genuine faith. The apostle John is very explicit: he says, "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness,"---that is, practice wickedness, "we lie and do not practice the truth"---we do not act in harmony with the true and holy doctrine of the gospel.

Again. The direction given by the apostles to the churches, as to their conduct towards bad men, ordering them to be excluded from their communion, make it plain that holiness is the law of God's house. And awful beyond description or conception, will be the proceedings in the judgment of the great day of Christ, when all men will appear before his tribunal, and when all will be judged according to the evidence of their works.

The fullest account we hear of that decisive day, is from the lips of the Great Judge himself, recorded in the 25th chap. of the Gospel of Matthew, which account, you will notice, relates only to the trial of the professors of the gospel, and the sentences then to be pronounced will be based on the evidence presented---the evidence of the fruits of faith, or of the lack of them.

Whatever be the conduct of professed Christians, the gospel gives no support whatever to unholy attitudes or ungodly practices. On the contrary, it always and everywhere insists upon holiness; upon dying to sin, and living to righteousness; and positively declares, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord.(Hebrews 12:14)

Our Lord, in his wonderful intercessory prayer, prays for his disciples in this way, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth;"(John 17:17) and it appears from the commission he gave to the apostle of the Gentiles, that he was sent "to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ."(Acts 26:18) And this effect was actually produced, and the evidence that the Gentiles were really converted was, that God had "cleansed their hearts by faith."(Acts 15:9)

Let us now consider some of the obligations under which believers are placed, to walk in a way that conforms with the holy gospel.

1. The unchangeable authority of God.

While God is God, and men are his creatures, they must be bound to obey his known will. Their obligation to obedience is not canceled or weakened by their being brought into a new state by grace. They have additional helps, not known to the law, but no release from its obligations. They do not, indeed, obey with a view to merit life and the favor of God; nor will their partial failures result in death; but the authority of God over them is not annulled or diminished. The holy and unchangeable law of God, as to the substance of it, is love; love to him and love to our fellow men; and this according to the stipulations of the covenant of grace, is written by the Spirit on the heart. Some express themselves too loosely on this subject; they say believers will love God, and love will compel them to obedience; it will do this; and so far they say well; but why set aside the authority of God to command, and the duty of believers to obey?

2. We press the necessity of a holy walk, from the whole of the Savior's gracious designs and undertakings on behalf of his church.

The first hint of his designs was, that he should bruise the serpent's head,(Genesis 3:15) that is destroy his power, counteract his temptations, and restore man from the guilt and misery of the fall. But can this be done without restoring him to the exercise of love and obedience?

Consider the offices of Christ.

He is a Prophet; he teaches the whole will of God; and an important branch of that will is our sanctification. He instructed his apostles to "teach men to observe all that he had commanded them."(Matthew 28:20) We know in what a spiritual manner he expounded the law, and pointed out its purity. His disciples ought to make that their constant rule, and be satisfied with nothing less than complete conformity to it; and in this they are assisted by the gospel; in which, "beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, they are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."(2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV) And this is the argument in the text---You have learned Christ, you have been taught by him. Christ is a holy teacher, and he makes holy disciples; if we are not holy, we are not his true disciples.

He is also a Priest. The work of a priest was to offer gifts and sacrifices for the people, and also to intercede for them. What one branch of Christ's intercession for his people is, we have already seen; it is that they may be kept from evil; that they may be holy. To take away guilt was not the only, though it was the first, design of the sacrifice of Christ: he had a further object; he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity; that he might "purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."(Titus 2:14) He died for us who were dead, that we, who live through him, might not live to ourselves, or to sin, but to him who died for us and rose again.(2 Corinthians 5:14)

Jesus Christ is likewise a King; as such he reigns in us and over us. He opposes and restrains both our outward enemies, and our inward lusts. He will not allow sin to have dominion over us. Other lords have had dominion, but now he assumes the throne of the heart, and will not endure a rival. The words which follow our text show what was the design of the writer---If we truly learn of Christ, then, he says---"put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness"(Ephesians 4:22-24)---or, "in the holiness of truth;" and the apostle goes on to point out particulars; he speaks against lying, excessive anger, dishonesty, improper conversation, bitterness, clamor, and slander; and exhorts to industry, love, and generosity; in short, he says , "Be imitators of God, as beloved children."(Ephesians 5:1)

3. A third obligation arises from gratitude---the love of Christ constrains us; and love is the fulfilling of the law.

Of old, God enforced his commandments on Israel, from the consideration of the great things he had done for them. "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,"(Exodus 20:2) and we, as Christians, are hereby taught that, "because God is the Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments;"(Question 44, The Westminster Shorter Catechism) because, he has delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, we are by gratitude constrained to "serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."(Luke 1:74-75)

4. Another argument for holy living is derived from our own personal comfort, which is best promoted by it.

One grand evidence of personal interest in Christ, arises from the fruits of faith. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"(Romans 8:1) and who are they? they are such as walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. And the apostle John says, "By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments;"(1 John 2:3) and again, "Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked."(1 John 2:6) Conscience, it is true, derives its peace first from the blood of Christ; but a holy life provides an additional evidence, by which the reality of our faith is made evident both to ourselves and others.

5. The glory of God, and the good of men, require that we should walk worthy of our vocation.

The end that God has in view in all his works is his own glory; it is fitting that that should also be our end. Christ has assured us that his Father is glorified by our bringing forth much fruit; let this then be our constant aim. Our Lord's direction is, "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."(Matthew 5:16) There is a language in a holy and useful life that cannot be misunderstood; that speaks to the heart; that silences opposition, destroys prejudice, and adorns the doctrine of God our Savior. This the apostle Peter recommends to the first Christians, against whom all manner of evil was falsely spoken; "Keep," says he, "your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."(1 Peter 2:12)

IMPROVEMENT.

As we close, let us consider two great lessons that may be learned from this discourse---To know Christ---and To live Christ. To be taught by him; and then to prove that we are so taught, by our holy obedience to his will.

1. Let every one of us be concerned to know him. It is for our life.(Colossians 3:4) Remember the words of our Savior, "This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."(John 17:3) Life is short, and this is the principal business of it. Then, do not lose any opportunity. Make profitable use especially of the Lord's Day. Be a diligent hearer of the word; and hear it more than once every Lord's day if possible. Let the hours before sermons, between sermons, and after sermons, be well employed; and some part of them in secret.

Avoid Sunday visits; they are the ruin of religious profession, and tend to undo in the house all that has been done in the church; unless, which is too seldom the case, the time is devoted to religious exercises; but nothing must exclude private religion. On weekdays too, find some time for hearing the word. Most people find some leisure for visits and amusements; and can none be found for lectures and meetings for social prayer? Read the Scriptures daily; in so doing, Christ, by his Spirit, will be your teacher, and you will grow in grace and in the knowledge of him.

And what a shame it is and a sin will it be for any persons to remain in darkness, who dwell in a land of light, where the word of God is so freely available! How much better would it have been for such to have been born in heathen countries than in this, if the means of grace are wholly neglected!

Is this knowledge, in some happy degree, already attained? Prize it above all acquisitions, and be thankful to your heavenly Teacher. With holy Paul, "count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus."(Philippians 3:8)

Finally, let believers reveal the excellency of their knowledge, by its holy and excellent effects. The reality and solidity of our professed knowledge must be manifested by its practical effects. "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."(John 13:17) "You are my friends," said Christ to his disciples, "if you do what I command you."(John 15:14) Thus let us "hold fast the word of life,"(Philippians 2:16) by a conversation "without offense toward God and men;"(Acts 24:16 NKJV) this will convince the world that we have been with Jesus, and that we have so learned of him, as to have become "wise for salvation."(2 Timothy 3:15)