But it may be objected, Has there not been failure and division amongst those who professed to own the spirit of God? Sadly true; but nothing could more clearly prove the truth of these statements respecting the Spirit’s presence. What has been the cause of all the sorrow and division? The setting aside the sovereign guidance of the Holy Ghost. But to say that failure is a reason why any should not own the guidance of the Spirit in the assembly, or refer to it as an excuse for remaining where He is disowned, is like a person saying because he, or any other Christian, has failed in walk, that therefore he should, as an individual, cease to walk in the Spirit. Should not our past sins and failures make us the more watchful and earnest to walk in the Spirit? He alone is the safeguard of the Christian and the church. Blessed Guardian!
The source of every failure the church has ever had, has been by disowning the guidance of the Spirit; no matter what comes, if she only trusts her blessed Guardian, all is well. So with the Christian: if walking in the flesh a straw may cause a fall, but if walking in the Spirit, no matter what temptation, all is well. Every past failure then in the church, or assembly, calls for unfeigned subjection to the Spirit of God. What would you think of a man saying, Such a person, who professed to be a Christian, has failed, and has been found drunk in the streets; therefore I may remain a drunkard with safety. Is it not the same in principle to say, Such of the children of God have failed to keep the unity of the Spirit; therefore I may now remain where the Spirit is not owned. I beg of you judge not this weighty question by the failures of men, but by the Word of God.
What then is the “one body”? (Eph. 4:44There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)). The Church of Rome is not even the catholic church; much less can she be the “one body.” Catholic means universal, so that the millions of the Greek and Anglican and other churches are so many millions of living witnesses against the catholicity of the Romish Church. It cannot be either the one church, or the one body, being but a division — and the same remarks apply to every other division.
“All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them.” “And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one” (John 17:10,2210And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. (John 17:10)
22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17:22)). These precious words of Jesus embrace every child of God during this dispensation. What then is the glory that the Father hath given to Jesus? He hath “raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:19-2319And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:19‑23)). And again, “And He is the Head of the Body, the church: Who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence” (Col. 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)).
The glory then given to Jesus is given to Him as The Risen Christ — and as the risen Christ, He is the beginning and head of the body. Every member then of the one body must be risen with Christ. And thus if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, or a new creation. Now does not Jesus say, “And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them”? And this is true of all that are His. Then every Christian is one with the risen Christ in the highest glory; as it is written, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 2:66And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)).
What a vast difference then there must be between a heavenly risen body, and an earthly society; the only earthly society that God ever had, was the nation of the Jews. Even during the lifetime of Christ, the little company or flock of disciples were of that nation. It was not until after His resurrection and ascension to glory that the Holy Ghost could be given to form “the church, which is His body.” This was the mystery kept hid from ages, that the earthly society, or nation of the Jews, should for a time be set aside, and that the Holy Ghost should gather out of all nations, Jews and Gentiles, a Heavenly Body — and that this body should be joined to the head in risen, highest glory; blest with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And, mark, all this is true of every child of God during this dispensation; because Christ says to the Father, “All Mine are Thine.”
(Continued from Volume 2, and to be continued).