01.08. Heavenly Unction (Munhall)

VIII. THE HEAVENLY UNCTION. BY W. B. MUNHAIJ,, D.D. THE word " Unction " occurs but once in the authorized version, 1 John 2:20. It is from the same Greek word that is rendered " Anointing " in 1 John 2:20, Chrisma. It does not occur in the Revised Version, but is rendered anointing uniformly. The word anoint usually means " To smear." Here, however, "Unction" or "Anointing" means "Rubbing in." It is the same when Jesus is spoken of as Anointed for his work and ministry. " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor," etc. (Luke 4:18). "For of a truth in this city against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint," etc. (Acts 4:27). " Therefore, God, thy God, hath anointed thee," etc. (Hebrews 1:9). The word rendered "Anointed" and "Didst anoint" in those passages is Chrio, which signifies " To rub." It is the same where Paul said, " Now he that stablisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God "(2 Corinthians 1:21).

Jesus said, " When he is come he will guide you into all truth; " and, " Ye shall receive power (Dunamis) when the Holy Spirit is come upon you; " and, " But tarry ye in the city until ye be clothed with power (Dunamis) from on high. On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit clothed the Disciples with power, and imparted unto them knowledge, so that they were qualified to proclaim Jesus and the resurrection with ability and boldness. What they received at that time was " Rubbed in." To what shall we liken these things by way of contrast? Enduement, is like unto ripening fruit. Unction, the mellowing process by which the ripe fruit is made luscious.

Euduement gave them knowledge and courage. Unction, gentleness, patience, meekness, goodness all the graces of the Spirit, so that, while like their Master, they spake the word with authority and boldness, they were also like him in temper and spirit loving, sympathetic and of a very great compassion.

Since Christ received the " Heavenly Unction," and the Disciples were not qualified for service and testimony until they were likewise furnished, how ever can we expect to accomplish anything to the glory and praise of him who bought us, without like furnishing.

Let us see what is the teaching of the Word. First, John 6:63 and John 15:5 teach that man is incapable of doing anything acceptable unto God of himself. " Nothing " is the word used in both passages to indicate the utter inability of the natural man to quicken or bear fruit.

Second, Ephesians 2:10 and Php 2:12-13, teach that God has, nevertheless, chosen man as the Agent through and by whom he accomplishes his purposes in grace. An evolution is here taught. Also an involution. God works in and then we are to work out. This is the true evolution. Only God can make something out of nothing. " But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us."

Third. Is this Anointing for Disciples now? is it for us? In Luke 24:49 it is denominated " The promise of my Father," and the Disciples were commanded to " Tarry in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high." This promise was made good to them on the Day of Pentecost, and we all know what marvelous results followed. But some say that this " Promise of my Father " was only for that company in that " Jerusalem chamber." But, in Acts 10:45-46 and Acts 11:15 we learn that eight years later it was made good to the infant Gentile Church in Csesarea, in the house of Cornelius, and was attended with similar signs and wonders. The same was also true in the experience of the infant Church of Ephesus twenty-two years later, as seen in Acts 19:6. In John 7:38-39 we find that Jesus said, " In the last day, that great day of the feast," " He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, but this spake he of the Spirit whom they that believed on him should receive." "He that believeth on me." As certainly for one Disciple as another. " But this spake he of the Spirit whom they that believed on him should receive." As truly for us as for the Disciples in Jerusalem, Csesarea and Ephesus. If they who waited upon his ministry and were personally associated with him in his work, and witnessed his " many mighty works," were not qualified for the service and work to which they were sent, until they received the " Heavenly Unction; " aye, if he himself must needs be anointed to his ministry, how ever can we, who at the best are " nothiug," hope to accomplish anything in his service without like enduenient? Unless this "Promise of my Father" is also for us, we go to war at our own charges, and our efforts are but the energy of the flesh. But the " Promise of my Father," in part fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, is found in Joel 2:28-29. Peter quoted it to those who mocked, and declared that the signs and wonders they saw were in fulfillment of this Scripture. That promise was only fulfilled in part ON the Day of Pentecost. It reaches on to the times of this dispensation, as the context clearly shows. But it is to be noticed that the Spirit is to be poured out "upon all flesh." That "sons and daughters," " old men " and " young men," " servants and . . . handmaids" are the subjects of his enduement. Surely, therefore, this Unction is for all. " For we are God’s fellow-workers."

Fourth. How may we, the Disciples of Jesus, receive the Anointing? In 2 Kings 2:1-15, we have the story of the translation of Elijah and the spiritual anointing of Elisha. It will serve to illustrate the lesson of this hour to us. Elijah was a type of Christ. Elisha in many ways typified Disciples. Elijah was about to be translated. Elisha knew it. He had a definite desire. Before it could be realized he must be tested. If we have a definite desire for the anointing, that is surely promised us, and without which we can do nothing, we shall first be tested. Christ met us at Gilgal and justified us from our sins, rolled away our reproach. This is what he did at the other Gilgal for poor Israel. Gilgal means circle. Many converted ones are lodged at Gilgal, and we can all stay there if we so elect. Their thoughts and testimony all circle around the hour and fact of their conversion to God. They make no progress in spiritual things, and, of course, never touch the secret of God’s power with men. If we elect to tarry at Gilgal we are at liberty to do so. But I trust that, like Elisha, we will press onward. And so we come to Bethel. Bethel means " House of God." Jacob fleeing from his wronged brother’s presence stopped here for a night, and God opened heaven to him in a vision. There are many Disciples resting and dreaming at Bethel. They say, " Are you not saved? Have you not mansions in heaven awaiting you?

O Come, let us Sit, and sing ourselves away To everlasting bliss.’ " In testimony meetings they tell of their conversion and then grow eloquent in their descriptions of the heavenly mansions. We may stop here if we so elect, and engage in like contemplation. Let us press on down to Jericho. Jericho was the City of " Palm Trees." It lay in the low, hot, dusty plain of the Jordan, about 850 feet below the level of the sea. The umbrageous palm invited the hot, weary, foot-worn traveler to rest. Why not tarry here? Many have yielded. They are they who spend their time time chiefly in telling of their attainments, how they have the " rest of faith " have no fret or worry, but undisturbed repose, and appear to have little or no concern for the multitudes who are hurrying down to death. They will leave a soul-saving work for a testimony meeting, where they talk of their attainments, and give vent to their censoriousness by criticising those who are not willing to loiter with them under the Palms, and who will not pronounce their shibboleth. Such are not truly sanctified. In order that we may be sanctified, truly and personally, it is necessary to get beyond Jordan. So with God’s help we press onward to the dark river. Jordan means death and judgment. Jesus "died for our sins," he was judged for us " He suffered for sins, the just, for the unjust." The dark surging billows rolled over him. Will we pass beyond? We are to reckon ourselves " to be dead indeed unto sin " (Romans 6:11). We are to believe on him. " For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Romans 10:4), that judgment may be passed by us. And so we take our place, separated from all entangling alliances, unto God, and then we are in a position to ask for the fulfilment of the " Promise of my Father." Oh, that, as thus separated, we may " ask without wavering! "

Elisha saw Elijah caught up into heaven. The Disciples saw Jesus taken up into Heaven. We are to look in the same direction. It is the living Christ that has power and authority. What is the matter with the Roman Catholic Church? She has a dead Christ, and consequently is in much darkness and superstition. Every cross and wayside shrine; every horrible pieta; every painting of Christ, of any note, almost, in Catholic countries; every sign of the cross these all tell of a dead Christ. The darkest picture this world ever looked upon was Golgotha’s tragic cross. The heavens robed themselves in midnight mourning and bowed themselves to the earth and wept. The rocks, in their dumb grief, burst in sunder because their Creator was put to death by the cruel hands of those whom he came to save and bless. If there were nothing more than this, if the seal that was placed upon the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea had remained unbroken we would be without hope death would be to us an unbroken sleep. The cross, self-considered, possesses no potentiality whatever to save and deliver for " If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; ... ye are yet in your sins. Then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished " (1 Corinthians 15:14-18). But when we view this darkest picture in the glowing background splendors of his resurrection from the dead, it glows with life, light and beauty. Paul said, "It pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me "(Galatians 1:15-16). The Anointing of the Holy One, is the revelation of the living Christ in the heart and life of the believer by the Holy Spirit. When a Disciple yields himself utterly to God separates himself wholly from the world, so that he can truthfully say, " The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world," and thus takes his true place, according to the standing God gives him in Christ Jesus; and, then with unquestioning faith looks away to the living, mediating Christ, and asks the Father, in Jesus’ name, to make good his promise, it will most surely be granted.

We all rejoice in the tens of thousands of Church organizations in the world; for their educated and eloquent Pastors; for their millions of members, with their culture, social influence and vast wealth; for the vast machinery of these Churches their multiplied and ever-increasing agencies and ministries of good; and all their great power. But, all of these and this cannot convict or convert a single sinner. God has written all over everything that is possible to human strength the word Nothing. All these agencies can be used of God to the accomplishing of his purposes of grace, but he alone can give life and power and blessing. Let us be careful that we don’t have " Confidence in the flesh " making the agencies, means and that which otherwise is possible to us, humanly speaking, the end, rather than which God has ordained to an end; and anointed by him, and having all confidence in him, we can go forward from " Conquering and to conquer " one chasing " A thousand and two putting ten thousand to flight; " " Mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds."