8
THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING
`Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you' (4:10).
`Remember my bonds' (4:18).
2 TIMOTHY IS A PRISON EPISTLE.
`Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner' (1:8).
`Wherein I suffer trouble ... even unto bonds' (2:9).
`At my first answer no man stood with me' (4:16).
PHILEMON IS A PRISON EPISTLE.
`Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ' (1)
`Now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ' (9)
`Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds' (10).
`He might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel' (13).
`There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus' (23).
Here then are five epistles, each one unmistakably written from prison. The epistle to Philemon is somewhat of
a private nature. Philemon was host to the church at Colosse, and the epistle shows something of the home life at
the time of writing. We feel there is not sufficient evidence given us in these epistles to decide in what order they
were written, but - and this is far more important to us - they have a most definite inter-relation that is of the utmost
importance for us to observe, for a true realization of the scope of each epistle is essential to the correct
interpretation of smaller passages.
Before we set out this intimate inter-relationship, it will be necessary to discuss the presence of a principle that is
found throughout the pages of revealed truth. Truth is balanced, not arbitrarily but morally and essentially. The
truth revealed in Scripture concerning the Lord's people deals with their standing and with their state. Not standing
only, for all privilege without some responsibility is fatal to growth. Not state only, for the burden of responsibility,
with the knowledge of so much failure, would depress and render salvation fruitless. These two sides of the
Christian life, standing and state, are expressed in a variety of ways. These are some of them:
State
Standing
SALVATION.
SERVICE.
REWARD OR PRIZE.
FREE GIFT.
NOT OF WORKS.
UNTO GOOD WORKS.
IF WE SUFFER,
IF WE BE DEAD WITH HIM,
WE SHALL ALSO REIGN
WE SHALL ALSO LIVE
WITH HIM.
WITH HIM.
Two passages from the epistles may be studied here with profit. The first is from Corinthians :
`According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and
another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no
man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall
be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he
hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he
himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire' (1 Cor. 3:10-15).
Standing and state are here represented in the figure of foundation and building. The foundation is not in
question: `he shall be saved' even though he be saved `so as by fire'. `He shall be saved' even though `he shall suffer
loss'. There is the greatest difference between `he shall suffer loss', and `he shall be lost'. The test, the reward, and
the loss relate only to the subsequent `work'. Notice the repeated reference to a man's work: `every man's work shall