(Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-2115Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And 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 1:15‑23)
14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14‑21).)
The apostle, as we have said, addresses himself in the third chapter, to “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” as in the first, to “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The different titles indicate different lines of truth and blessing. In the first prayer, it is the Christian in Christ: in the second, it is Christ in the Christian. Hence it is that the apostle prays in the first chapter that the saints may have a true apprehension of their standing in Christ as risen and glorified; and in the third, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith—that they may be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. This is evidently radical. The one we have called christian standing; the other, christian state. Would to God that the latter were a fair reflection of the former—that our practical ways truly answered to our place in Christ before the face of God our Father.
“For this cause I how my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” The familiar titles of “Father” and “family,” awaken thoughts of home and affection. The glory of the Person of Christ rose up before us in meditating on the first prayer; but here it is love, rather than glory that surrounds Him, and surrounds us as one with Him. But wondrous to the eye as that glory will be, sweeter to the heart will be the Father’s love.
Doubtless there are many glories which belong to Christ as the Son of the Father which no creature can share. Infinite must the distance necessarily be, between the Creator and the creature—between Jesus as God, and the highest angel that bows before His throne. But we speak of Him here as man, and of the place winch is due to Him as such.
God having fully judged sin in the Person of Christ on the cross, and put it away forever, we are brought into His presence in the dignity of “the sons of God,” and loved with a perfect love. As John says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God”—“And if children,” as Paul says, “then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2). Rom. 8:1717And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17).) Here dwell for a little, Ο my soul. Let thy thoughts be fully engaged. Never did more wondrous or more blessed truth engage thy meditations. Can it be, that God’s many sons are loved even as His own beloved Son? Yes, Christ Himself has said it, and that is enough, more than wonderful though it be. When He speaks about the coming glory in John 17 He says, “The glory which thou gavest me I have given them;” this, observe, is His given glory as the Son of man, not His higher glory as the Son of God. We must ever keep in view in all our meditations, His own proper, Personal glories. But why does He give to the saints His glory as Son of man? “That the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.” Nothing can be plainer, nothing can be more definite than this.
Here concentrate all thy thoughts, Ο my soul. Words of deeper, richer, fuller, better blessing to thee, never dropped even from the lips of Jesus. God only can love where all is unlovable. The spring of His love is in Himself, not in its object. This thou canst not understand, yet it is the fountain of all thy blessing. Thou mightest be able to form some idea of divine wisdom, or power, or righteousness, or rather, how God can exercise these attributes; but who can understand that He loves the saints as He loves His Son? In virtue of the work of Christ, we might understand something of Him giving us the place in heaven that belongs to Christ, but to love us as He loves Him, is incomprehensible.
Love is the spring of action, therefore love is a better thing than action. Love delights to serve, but love is better than service. There might be action and service without love, but there could not be love without both. God loved the world and gave His Son. Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it. Had there been no love, there could have been no cross, no crown, no glory. But love secures all, and all forever. Glory may fade, or pass away as in Israel of old, but love—never. (1 Cor. 13) Even towards the ancient people, God’s love is the same, and just because His love and counsels are unchangeable, the glory will yet be restored, and shine a thousand-fold brighter than ever. “Love never faileth.” Grant, Lord, in thy mercy, that this thy love may be the light of our eyes and the strength of our hearts—that every word of thy mouth, and every dispensation of thy providence may be seen in the light of it. Oh! what will it be, blessed Lord, to dwell in thy love and with thyself forever! Hasten, Ο hasten, the ingathering of souls, and the dawn of that happy day, for thine own name’s sake.
“Brethren, look up! and view the home,
The blessed home prepared in heaven,
Though here with faltering steps we roam,
What sweet assurance there is given.
The Lamb is there upon the throne,
The rainbow arch of love is o’er Him,
And He will ne’er forget His own,
Who bow with lowly hearts before Him.
Brethren, look up! and now rejoice,
Though sorrow’s clouds our path bedim.
The trusting heart and joyful voice,
Alone can sing heaven’s choral hymn;
The opened heavens e’en now reveal
The glories of our radiant home—
Oh brethren! join the glad appeal—
The Spirit and the bride say, Come!”
But may I indulge the thought, a timid soul inquires, that now, at this present time, the Father loves me, a poor, weak believer, as He loves His own beloved Son? Surely thou mayest when He says it. His object in making known His love to us, is that we may believe it and enjoy it in this world. To doubt it would be to dishonor Him and injure our own souls. The manifestations of His love may vary, nay, must vary, according to our subjection to Christ and obedience to Him. (John 14:2323Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23).) But the love itself can never change. “God is love.” Acquaint thyself with the blessed course of His love, as drawn by the apostle in 1 John 4:8-188He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:8‑18). True, the millennium will be the outward display of it, but the cross is the deeper expression of it. And God’s love never can be sweeter to the heart than now. Even amidst the higher glories, love will be the better thing, so what must it be now amidst the sorrows and sufferings of this present time? Let His love then, Ο my soul, be thy refuge in every time of trouble. Nothing will so shield thee from the attacks of the enemy—nothing will so strengthen thy confidence—nothing will so increase thy devotedness—nothing will so fill thee with peace and keep thee humble. The higher the truth we receive, the deeper it humbles us in the presence of God. It was when Paul was unfolding the great mystery—the Church, that he speaks of himself as “less than the least of all saints.” Ver. 8.
That the deep sense of the Father’s love to His children might be wrought in their hearts, the apostle thus prays: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” The title “Father of the Lord Jesus Christ,” is that relationship which brings out the love of the Father’s heart, and ranges around his Son as a center, every order of beings, both in the heavens and the earth.
The title “God of our Lord Jesus Christ,” brings out the glory—the given glory of the exalted Son of man; and, enough for the heart to know, He shares both with us. Loved as He is loved, and in the same glory with Him; and that not only during the first, or millennial age, but throughout the ages to come”—forever and forever! What a future! What an eternity! What is time or earth to thee, my soul, in view of eternal love and glory?
“Every family,” is said to be a better translation than “ whole family.” There will be many families both in the millennial heavens and on the millennial earth. Under the name of Jehovah, the Jews only were named or included. As it is written, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:22You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. (Amos 3:2).) But we have in the apostle’s prayer the contrast to this. Under the name of Father—” Father of the Lord Jesus Christ......every family in heaven and earth is named.” We read of principalities, powers, angels, Jews, Gentiles, and the Church of God. But “every family” necessarily comes into view under the name of Father. When God delivered His ancient people out of the land of Egypt, it was under the title of Jehovah, His covenant name. He was not the God of any other nation in the same sense. But when the highly favored people had sadly failed, and when He chose to place the crown of universal dominion on the head of a Gentile king, He makes Himself known as “the God of heaven.” (Dan. 2:3737Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. (Daniel 2:37).) Now He speaks from heaven, not as in covenant relationship with a people on earth. But when He brings forth His Son, the “heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds,” He takes the title Father, and under this name He takes in the wide circle of creation—of “every family” both in the heavens and the earth. The blessing is no longer limited to the favored Jew or to the honored Gentile, but it is extended to every class of beings which He has made. The Father’s Son, center of all His ways, Creator and Redeemer—He is worthy—worthy that every knee should bow to Him—worthy of universal glory!
“Kings shall fall down before Him,
And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him,
His praise all people sing.
Outstretched His wide dominion
O’er river, sea, and shore;
Far as the eagle’s pinion.
Or dove’s light wing can soar.”
But, pray, may I ask, what place will the Church have in these wide scenes of encircling glories? No question, personal and important though it be, is more easily answered. She will he in association with Christ before God, as the bride the Lamb’s wife. Need more be said? Can more be said? Every family, or circle, will have its own special, distinctive glory, and the joy and glory of each one will be the common joy and glory of all; but the Bride will have a place of nearness and intimacy which none others can share. Now, the Church is spoken of as the body of Christ, which is the figure of her oneness in life with Him. “We are members of his body.” Nothing can be so vitally connected with the head as the members of the body. “He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit.” Every true Christian is thus inseparably connected with Christ; and by the Holy Ghost’s presence on the earth, all Christians are formed into one body. “There is one body and one Spirit.” This is the all-important truth for the present time. We cannot be in the current of God’s thoughts unless we are endeavoring to carry it out practically. “Endeavoring to keep the unity Of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” This is like the one—the chief exhortation for the Church; the unity of the body is the one, great principle. Eph. 4:3, 43Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:3‑4).
In 1 Cor. 10; 11 The same important truth as to the unity of the body is also taught. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread.” These verses leave no doubt as to what the Church is—one body. Chapter 11 is equally plain as to what the Church does: “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” What we are and what we do, are here plainly taught. May we readily bow to the truth, and willingly obey it.
By and by, in heaven, when the body of Christ is complete, the Church will be known more especially as the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. Of course, both terms, body and Bride are figures, but they point out two most blessed relationships—oneness in life, and oneness in affection. As the wife ranks with the husband, so will the Church rank with Christ forever and forever. Bride is a temporary title; wife is a permanent one. But throughout the endless ages of eternity, the wife will retain the bloom and beauty of her nuptial day. No sign of age shall ever be seen on the fair Bride of the Lamb. “Not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” Oh! wondrous, wondrous truth! Oh! blessed, blessed hope! “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.....Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Rev. 22
“Bride of the Lamb, rejoice! rejoice!
Thy midnight watch is past;
True to His promise, lo! ‘tis He!
The Savior comes at last.
For thee, His royal Bride—for thee,
His brightest glories shine;
And happier still—His changeless heart,
With all its love, is thine.”