The Epistle Written by Christ Himself
By Eugene Leland
It Should Be Highly Prized — Even Though So Valuable, It Is Obtainable There is nothing, perhaps, that affords more pleasure than to receive a letter from an absent relative or friend. This is especially true when the letter comes from one whom we love, and in whose counsel we have confidence. The writers of the New Testament seem to have understood this; for of the twenty-seven books of which it is composed, twenty-one are letters. And the book of Revelation also may be considered as a letter, for the apostle was directed to write it and “send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia.” Knowing the pleasure derived from the reception of a letter, some may have been led to wonder why our Saviour did not write one or more epistles either to the church or to the world. An epistle from Him, it would seem, would be regarded with the utmost esteem, if not with reverence, by all His followers, and its admonitions and counsels would be carefully studied and implicitly obeyed. CHRIST HAS WRITTEN AN EPISTLE
Ah, but He has written an epistle to the world, and written it twice over! To be sure, it is brief, yet it is so comprehensive that it covers “the whole duty of man.” But instead of treating this “epistle of Christ” with reverence or even with respect, instead of heeding its counsels and obeying its precepts, the vast majority of the human family do not even know that such an epistle ever was written; and those who do know it, or who ought at least to know it, disregard its requirements with impunity, and observe them only to the extent that public opinion or personal interest demands. A letter is written for the purpose of having it read. It would be a waste of time to write a letter if no one was ever expected to read it. The apostle Paul wrote to the brethren concerning his first epistle to the Thessalonians, “I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.” 1 Thess. 5:27. Of course it should be read. That is what it was written for. The same thing is true of the “epistle of Christ.” It was written to be read. But in order to read an epistle intelligently, we must be able to comprehend what is written. What is this “epistle of Christ”? It surely must be of more importance than any one of the twenty-one epistles the apostles wrote, coming as it did from Christ Himself. What is this “epistle of Christ”? Listen: “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of182the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” 2 Cor. 3:3. What, then, is the “epistle of Christ”?—It is the law of God, the Ten Commandments, written first upon tables of stone, and the second time upon fleshy tables of the heart. What significance could there be in mentioning the tables of stone in this connection, unless the same thing that is written upon them is that which is written upon the fleshy tables of the heart? In fact, this is directly stated in Jer. 31:33: “After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.” The tables of stone are lost to the world; but the “epistle of Christ” has not been lost, for it has been rewritten upon more enduring monuments. Not one jot or tittle of this “epistle of Christ” has been lost or changed in the rewritten form. And as in the tables of stone, so in the fleshy tables of the heart, the “epistle of Christ” is written to be read. Every time one meets a true follower of Christ, he will be able to read at a glance, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me,” “Thou shalt not covet,” and all the rest of the “epistle of Christ,” between these two. That is what the followers of Christ are in the world for. The commission given to the disciples, to go “into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” is only another way of telling them to give to all the world an opportunity to read the “epistle of Christ.” In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed. Rom. 1:17. God’s righteousness is His obedience to the law, for it is witnessed by the law. Rom. 3:21. And God’s righteousness, His obedience to the law, is manifested in us. Rom. 8:3, 4. Hence preaching the gospel is simply exhibiting to the world God’s obedience to the law in us, which is the “epistle of Christ.” Surely it is a most exalted privilege to be in possession of so valuable a writing, and to be the means of presenting it to the world for them to read. Ancient manuscripts of the New Testament epistles are regarded as very valuable, and they are preserved with the greatest care. Autograph letters by distinguished men are kept under lock and key, and not permitted to be handled, or even to be seen except under glass. In how much higher esteem, then, should an autograph copy of the “epistle of Christ” be held! Almost fabulous sums have been paid for autograph manuscripts of distinguished authors; but an autograph copy of the “epistle of Christ,” the most priceless of all ancient manuscripts, may be obtained by the poorest and the humblest without money and without price. Yea, the poorest and the humblest may himself be an autograph copy of the “epistle of Christ”; and as such, he will be known and read of all men. Who will surrender himself to be such an epistle?