Joshua 1:16-18

The people's answer.

This passage can only be interpreted of Jesus, of whom Joshua was the type. Implicit obedience is no longer due to any human leader, nor has been since Joshua's death. Even a St. Paul can say, "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say" ( 1 Corinthians 10:15 ). And St. Peter urges the clergy to remember that they are not "lords over God's heritage" ( 1 Peter 5:8 ). And this because we each "have access by one Spirit to the Father by the faith of Jesus Christ" ( Ephesians 2:18 ; Ephesians 3:12 ). We may remark—

I. THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN IS BOUND BY A VOW OF OBEDIENCE . Jesus is the Captain of our salvation. He leads us in the warfare against every kind of evil. To disobey is to mutiny, and mutiny in every army is a capital crime. Yet here we may remark on the forbearance of our Joshua. All his troops are more or less guilty of this crime. Yet

But there is a limit to His patience (see below). Though we sin often we must take heed to repent as often, and strive to do better for the future. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ," at least in such a manner as to make him strive sedulously after obedience, "he is none of his" ( Romans 8:9 ). The best we can do is to ask Him to "renew our will from day to day," that so, after each of our frequent falls, we may brace ourselves up to a renewed obedience. And thus, by virtue of His merits, not of our own, shall we be recognised as faithful soldiers of the true Joshua—Jesus Christ.

II. THAT THE LAW IS STILL " OUR SCHOOLMASTER TO BRING US TO CHRIST ." We must still "hearken to Moses" before we can hear the voice of Christ. Still in our childhood must we be subject to law, be under tutors and governors, have duties prescribed for us, obey precepts "contained in ordinances," before we reach the glorious liberty of the children of God," before we find the law "written in our hearts," and a power existing within us prompting us to a spontaneous obedience. We must all know the period of struggle, when, "after the inward man," we "delight in the law of God" ( Romans 7:22 , Romans 7:23 ), but find another law in our members at conflict with it. So must we learn to find the only deliverance from "the body of this death," in Jesus Christ our Lord, just as to follow Joshua was the only escape from the wilderness. And if we live up to the law that is set before us, we shall find through it a pathway to a better land, the land of promise ( Galatians 3:18 ). For "the law is not against the promises of God, God forbid" ( Galatians 3:21 ). It is "holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good" ( Romans 7:12 ). But its object was to show us "the exceeding sinfulness of sin," and the terrible reality of our bondage to it, that we might learn the infinite value of the reconciliation which has been effected for us in the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

III. " THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH ." This is recognised as a fact by the followers of Joshua. So the followers of Jesus must acknowledge the fact that to sin against Him, to refuse to obey His words, leads to destruction. And they must separate themselves from all that "walk disorderly" ( 2 Thessalonians 3:6 ; 1 Timothy 6:5 ; 2 Timothy 3:5 ). For they only who do His commandments "have right to the tree of life." All they that do otherwise are "without," shut out from the joys of eternal life, and condemned to the "second death" ( Revelation 21:8 ; Revelation 22:14 , Revelation 22:15 ).

HOMILIES BY S.R. ALDRIDGE