In the series of articles on "Things that differ" the special doctrine of the "Cross of

Christ" (Volume VII, pp. 89, 117, 148, 180) was considered, and we learned that the

cross had a bearing upon discipleship, denial of self, and crucifixion of the flesh; so that it

becomes possible for a believer, by indulging the flesh, and by failing to walk spiritually,

to constitute himself an enemy of the cross of Christ; the end of such must be loss. The

epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the same thing; the failure of the redeemed Israelites,

Moses included, to enter the promised land involved them in loss, and those who drew

back, drew back to "destruction" or loss (same word as Phil. 3: 19), forfeiting as they

did "the recompense of the reward". To those who look with longing eyes at the far off

prize, such meanings will be of the utmost value, and the clearer the character of this

walk is seen, the easier will it be to avoid the error.

After telling us what such are, viz., "enemies of the cross of Christ", and what their

"end" must be, the apostle throws a threefold light upon the secret of their failure. Their

God is their belly, their glory is in their shame, and the things on earth occupy their mind.

Can a believer be said to have a "god"? At first thought we may answer, No, yet a

moment's reflection may bring to your mind the warning against "covetousness which is

idolatry". When in Rom. 6: 13 the apostle says, "neither yield your members. . . .

unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God", it is not difficult to see that sin, being placed in

opposition to God and claiming that service which is due to God, really becomes "a god"

if yielded to by the believer. What is the god that claims the service of these enemies of

the cross--"their belly". Scripture speaks plainly, and the issues are too solemn for us to

gloss over these words of warning.  Have we not at times been rebuked by some

well-meaning but unenlightened believer, when such would dissuade from some step in

the Lord's service by some such words as, "but you must live"! If faithfulness appears to

jeopardize one's means of gaining a living, this is often reckoned as too foolish to be

thought of, yet how many times do we not need to learn the ancient lesson, that "man

does not live by bread alone"; anxious thought for "what we shall eat, or what we shall

drink" is not the mark of the true disciple. The first temptation recorded in Scripture was

founded upon something that looked "good for food", and the first recorded temptation of

the Saviour in the wilderness was addressed to the claims of hunger, and in this

temptation and triumph we may see the completest contrast with those whose example is

the subject of the Apostle's warning. Israel's murmurings in the wilderness revolved

round the question of food, and as we acquaint ourselves with the teaching of the Word,

and note the tendencies in ourselves and others, it will be seen how easy a thing it is to

lapse into this subtle form of idolatry. In Rom. 16: 17, 18 the apostle calls upon the

saints to "mark" (same word Phil. 3: 17) them which cause divisions, for such "serve

not our Lord Christ, but their own belly". In I Cor. 6: 12, 13 the apostle, repudiating

the idea covered by the saying, "all things are lawful unto me", says, "meats for the belly,

and belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them", as much as to say, We take

higher ground than this for the regulation of our conduct. Many times failure to rise to

the high call of Scripture may be attributed to a "bread and butter reason"; many a

believer has been betrayed into unfaithfulness because the contrary action involved what

Scripture so searchingly calls, "the belly".  What a degradation for one who has

confessed the "one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all"!