T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I NE S S it is composed of members having mutual relations to one another, as the members of a human body have (cf. Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:12-27; Eph. 4:4, 16), but also because every member of the. church is in living union with the one head, Christ (Eph. 5:80; Col. 2:19). It is a wonderful thought with many blessed applications that ihe phurch is the body of Christ. By “ the church,” of course, is not meant any visible organization, but the whole body ■of believers united to Christ by a liv ing faith in Him, called out (which is the fundamental meaning of “ church” ) from the world that “ lieth in the evil one” (cf. 1 John 5:19) into living union with Christ as its head. We are now told still more about this glorious Son of God’s love, the head of the Church: He “ is the beginning,” not only the first, but the origin and prin ciple, of the church and all the crea ted universe (cf. Rev. 3:14). And He is also “ the first born from (rather, out of) the dead,” , the one who first rises and becomes the source of resurrection in all others. It is as once slain and now risen that He becomes head of the church, and this is why His being “ first born out of the dead” is spoken of in connection with His relation to the •church. The reason why “ He is the first born out of the dead” is "“ that (more exactly, in order that) in all things He might have the preemin ence.” “Might have the preeminence” literally translated would be “ might become the one being first.” He is •eternally before all things (v. 17), but He becomes the One having preemin ence in all things (in the realm of grace as well as of nature) by His death and resurrection. He is now first in every thing, in creation, dominion, the church, in all things (cf. Phil 2:9-11). SATURDAY, Nov. 16th. Col. 1:19, 21. Verse 19 tells us why He should have the preeminence in all things, viz., “ for it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all the fullness dwell.” There is not an •excellence of attribute or of being that does not reside in all its fulness in Jesus Christ. As another has put it, “ the totality of the Divine Powers and Attributes” dwells in Him. The word translated “ dwell” is a strong word, meaning to dwell permanently, liter ally, to dwell down, all conceivable and inconceivable fulness, infinity, has taken up its lasting abode
1009 in Jesus Christ (cf. ch. 2:3, 9). Something further still “ was the good pleasure of the Father” regarding Him, viz., “ having njade peace through the blood of His cross; through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself.” The substitutionary death of Christ upon the cross (cf. Isa. 53:6; Gal. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:21) was that by which peace was made between an offended God and the offenders. It was God who made the peace by Himself providing this atoning sacrifice (cf. John 3:16; Gen. 22:8; 2 Cor. 5:19). We talk about making our peace with God. It is not necessary, for God Himself has already made peace by the blood of the cross of the Son of His love, and all that there is left for us to do is to accept by faith and enjoy the peace which He has already made (Rom. 5 :1). The blood having been shed and the peace having been made “ through Him (Christ)” all things are to be reconciled to God, the “ things upon the earth” and “ things in the heavens.” Sin has entered and polluted heaven as well as earth (cf. Eph. 6:12), and the blood of Christ has been carried in there to cleanse it (Heb. 9:23, 24). So “ the things in the heavens” as well as “ the things on the earth” are reconciled to God through Christ, by His atoning death (cf. Rom. 8:21, R. V .; 2 Pet. 3: 13; Acts 3:21, R. V.). The atonement- of Christ has a far wider reach and sweep than our philosophies dteam of. Note the emphasis, upon the fact ‘that it is “ through Him” (twice repeated) that this reconciliation is effected and heaven and earth brought into harmony with God. SUNDAY, Nov. 17th. Col. 1:21-23. Paul has just spoken of God’s rec onciling all things unto Himself, the things upon the earth and the things in the heavens. He now speaks of the reconciliation of those to whom he is writing. “ In time past” they had been “ alienated” (from God) and “ enemies in” their “ mind,” i. e. their whole rational nature. This is the state in which all unregenerate men are (cf. Rom. 8:7; Eph. 2:1-3; Tit. 3 :3 ). The original condition of the race was one of harmony with God, but in the fall of the first Adam and in its' consequences the whole race and each member of it became estranged from God. The atti tude of each unregenerate man today is that of self-will which is hostility to
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