It is now about one hundred and forty-five years since the Spirit of God opened the eyes of many of the beloved saints to the truth of the Church as the body of Christ, united to Him by the Spirit, to wait for His coming as the Bridegroom for His bride.
Looking back over the history of the years before this precious recovery, we together thank God for the grace that at all times preserved a testimony to the truth of the gospel and that gave the knowledge of forgiveness of sins, and peace with God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Many noble witnesses suffered for the truth in those dark days of superstition. Their names and their record of faithfulness will not be forgotten.
While we rejoice and give thanks for this testimony of faithfulness maintained by the grace of God through the dark ages, we would not forget the recovery that added the blessedness of the long lost truth that "Christ and we are one." God by His Spirit has now gathered a testimony on that ground, bearing witness to the truth that the Church is a heavenly company, waiting as the chosen bride for her Beloved, separated in spirit by the calling of that grace that has made us heirs together with Him, to be glorified together when He comes!
It is with these thoughts in mind that the following meditation has been written. Are we not in danger of losing the preciousness and freshness of this truth, dear saints of God? Can we be reminded too often of this wondrous secret, hidden in God, but now disclosed from the heart of Christ in glory? May we hold it fast, and live in the joyful anticipation of seeing the face of Him who "loved the church, and gave Himself for it" (Eph. 5:25).
Let us first think of what the Church is to Christ. "Christ... loved the church, and gave Himself for it." His present service is to separate the Church, through the revelation of His love for it, that it might be His peculiar treasure as the espoused virgin of His choice. He, the Son of God in Manhood, is to have a bride! We, the members of His body, were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, to share with Him in Manhood all His given glory unto the ages of ages. It is this revelation of coming glory with Christ that separates our hearts from the vain glory of this present world, and gives to the Church its proper stranger ship and pilgrim character. While enjoying this, we do not desire or seek the honor and the glory of a world that has rejected the precious Object of our affections.
The Church as the bride is the object of His love. This love was proved even unto death, when He, the eternal Son of God, bore the wrath and the judgment of God, exhausting all of it, that we might know nothing of those waves and billows. By this He revealed the depths of the divine bosom, while at the same time making atonement for sin according to the holiness of God. Language itself is exhausted in telling the suffering of those three hours of darkness when the wrath of God fell upon Him. He is the very One upon whom the heavens had opened to declare that He was, and is, the delight of the Father's heart. Every moral glory shone out in noon-day radiancy at the cross. God was there made known in His holiness. He who dwells "in the light which no man can approach unto," (1 Tim. 6:16), was there judging sin according to the true nature of God, and at the same time revealing Himself in love in its fullest measure. He suffered all this so that we might know the divine bosom in all its blessedness, as the source from which we have received grace and been made heirs together with Him. Christ in resurrection is the beginning of new creation. The Church, His bride, shares His headship over all things.
While we rejoice in the truth that: "The Son of God... loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20), as an individual, let us never forget what the Church is to Christ, collectively. Every one that is indwelt of the Spirit now forms part of the body of Christ. How rich the revelation of this blessedness! Paul received it by revelation from Christ in glory (Eph. 3:1-10). He tells us of the precious expression of it in the breaking of bread, when the unbroken loaf on the table speaks to our hearts of our place as members of His body (1 Cor. 10:17), while the broken loaf tells us of His death (1 Cor. 11:24), for "Christ... loved the church, and gave Himself for it" (Eph. 5:25).
How precious to "come together" as gathered in His name; not as a sect or party, but as members of His body, gathered by His Spirit to give expression to the truth of the "one body" in the breaking of the bread, till He comes to receive His bride.
The Church, united to Christ in glory, is absolutely heavenly in calling and hope. We are now gathered to a rejected Christ (John 12:32). At His coming we shall be gathered to a glorified Christ (Eph. 1:10). The life we have received is heavenly in its source (1 John 1:1-3). The Object of that life is Christ in glory (Phil. 3). The hope of that life is our being "glorified together" with Him (Rom. 8:17). The Church will be the Eve in His paradise, the Queen on His throne, the richest and brightest glory of the inheritance He has won. In calling any out of the world, He betroths them to His Son, to be one with Him in thought, desire, and hope now, and eventually to be glorified together with Him in His glory! 0 let us not lose in our souls the preciousness of what the Church is to Him! Let us rejoice in being gathered as members of His body, bearing His reproach, because of our heavenly calling, as we remember Him in His death, while living in daily expectancy of His coming for His bride. While rejoicing in our individual blessing, may we hold fast and rejoice in the rich revelation of the truth, "Christ... loved the church, and gave Himself for it."
The Vision of Coming Glory
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Pro. 29:18. Keeping the law in the book of Proverbs is walking in wisdom's ways. In the Old Testament we have the vision of coming glory. on the earth. The voice of wisdom in the Word will lead to that "perfect day" (Pro. 4:18).
For us, the "vision" is of coming glory with Christ above. The truth of the Church as the bride of Christ in glory was "hid in God," and given to the Apostle Paul by revelation (Eph. 3). It is that "better thing" of which we read in Heb. 11:40. Should we not value this precious revelation, and burst into praise as we discover the revealed secret of such infinite grace that has made us heirs with Him, of the whole vast scene of new creation? -He, the One "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12:2. This energy of faith is seen in Paul, who having been caught up to paradise, and hearing and seeing the blessed Lord in glory, with all the rich revelation of coming glory, now tells us that he pressed "toward the mark for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:14 (J.N.D. Trans.) There we shall be with Him and like Him, when He shall subdue all things unto Himself.
The vision of this coming glory, as revealed in the Word, sustains the believer in the path of faith. He lives in a new atmosphere, with new thoughts, new hopes, new pleasures. We know that Christ is "head over all things to the church, which is His body" (Eph. 1:22, 23). The knowledge of resurrection glory with Christ strengthens the inward man, so that we faint not, knowing that "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. 4:17.
Oh, what loss when the beloved flock of God loses this vision of coming glory! We need the finished work of Christ on the cross to give us peace, the Person of Christ for our meditation, and the coming glory with Christ to separate our hearts from the vain-glory of this present world.
"O worldly pomp and glory, •
Your charms are spread in vain!
I've heard a sweeter story!
I've found a truer gain!"
In the epistle to the Ephesians we are seen as already seated with Christ in heavenly places, while we await the time when He will "gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him." Eph. 1:10. Then the next verse tells us: "In whom... we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." v. 11. This is followed by the prayer of the Apostle that the eyes of our heart (J.N.D. Trans.) may be enlightened to "know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." v. 18. Oh! beloved saints of God, think of that blessed Man in the glory waiting to take His inheritance until He has His bride with Him! His saints, now united to Him as members of His body, to be presented to Him "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing"! Eph. 5:27. "Quickened... together" (Eph. 2:5), we have life in a risen Christ. "Raised... together" (v. 6), by the Spirit united to Christ in glory, soon to be "glorified together" (Rom. 8:17). What a revelation of blessedness to cheer our hearts as we own that we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth! May we glory in our heavenly calling, though it brings the reproach of Christ.
In the epistle to the Colossians we have the widest scene of glory in the revelation of God. First Paul marks the real fruit of the Spirit in these dear saints in chapter 1, verses 1 to 8. Then he earnestly prays that they "might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (v. 9). This understanding would give character to their walk (v. 10), and would enable them to suffer in patience, and even in joyfulness, because of the vision of coming glory with Christ (v. 11).
Paul then looks on and sees Christ in headship over all the new creation scene of glory, "In which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col. 2:3 (J.N.D. Trans.) Hence we see old things passed away; behold all things become new; and in this new creation, "all things are of God" (2 Cor. 5:18). The true nature of God is seen in all this new creation. Shortly, every trace of sin, and all the ruin brought into this Adam creation by sin, will be gone forever! This is "the day of God."
Now philosophy and man's vain (empty) deceit would rob the child of God of this precious revelation (Col. 2:8). Paul gloried in his sufferings, desiring that the truth of the Church as the body of Christ might be apprehended by faith. The revelation given by Paul was that "better thing," contrasted with the Old Testament promises of earthly blessing which had been the subject of Old Testament prophecy. These Old Testament saints who died in faith will have their place in heavenly glory, though never forming part of the Church. They are the "friend(s) of the bridegroom," of which Scripture speaks in Rev. 19:9 and John 3:29.
No wisdom of man could ever discover the things that belong to revelation (1 Cor. 2:6-16). They were hid in God, but given to us through the revelation given to Paul. Now, after being long lost to the Church, they have been recovered to us now in precious grace, but only enjoyed in the measure in which faith walks in obedience to this exceedingly precious revelation.
There will be various families in heaven and earth in the coming day of glory (Eph. 3:15; J.N.D. Trans.). He who is the bridegroom of the Church will have His bride as the espoused Queen of His marvelous grace, to sit with Him on His throne, and share all the glory of that new creation with Him unto the ages of ages. Then He shall be crowned with many crowns, while eternal praise will rise from the whole redeemed throng. Heaven and earth will burst forth in His praise.
The heavenly hosts will be glad and rejoice and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb will have come, and His wife will have made herself ready. Their song shall be one mighty "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" (Rev. 19:6). This One who sits upon the throne is the precious Lamb of God who loved the Church and gave Himself for it.
May the blessedness of this wondrous revelation of His grace warm our hearts, give character to all our ways, and lead our hearts to say with the energy of the Spirit, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus"! (Rev. 22:20).
May the precious remembrance of Himself in death, from week to week, lead our hearts to worship and praise Him who has made known the marvelous truth that "Christ and we are one."
"That bright and blessed morn is near
When He, the Bridegroom, shall appear And call His bride away.
Her blessing then shall be complete,
When with her Lord she takes her seat,
in everlasting day."