Great Stairs: Fairfax House

Fairfax House in York is a rather elegant Georgian townhouse which, though much restored, has preserved the opulence and exquisite tastes of that age, at least for the upper classes. I seem to be developing a fascination with staircases, to which the occasional post about ‘great stairs’ offers testimony. At first, I was disappointed to be directed away from the grand staircase, below, instead having to use another, above. Yet at the tour’s end, I descended the grander, for it was all part of a useful one-way system.

I recall a work colleague briefly commenting on some governmental plan to ‘increase social mobility’. This expression means to elevate our children to a higher standard of living, and to try and continue that trend from the 1950s whereby the younger generation lived a better, wealthier life than the one which raised them. He acerbically pointed out that social mobility is not just one direction of travel: if some rise, others are likely to fall; if some get richer, others become poorer. Of the Lord Jesus, in Luke 2:34, the aged Simeon declares:

 “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against”

Jesus Christ is the ultimate Agent of Mobility. He is the House of two staircases; by Him we rise or fall, ascend or descend, are elevated or demoted. He is the stairway to heaven and the Judge declaring sentence of hell; He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, as well as the dread Sovereign before whom His enemies must appear.  

For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:5-13, NKJV

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