God used one man—Adam—to begin a race of beings in which He was to reveal in the universe His love, by creating man (second to the trinity concerning significance) in His “image” and after His “likeness.” He used one man—Noah—to manifest to the world afterwards the urgency of His “righteousness” (2Pe 2:5). He used one man—Moses—to reveal Himself to the world through a certain people, and one man—Paul, to reveal His Son within those whom He knew would choose to reciprocate that love to Himself and others.
“Christ in you” (the “mystery” of the Gospel - Col 1:27) was hinted at by the Lord Jesus Himself (Mat 16:18), but desired that the conception of this truth was not be known in the minds of any until Paul (Act 9:3-6). Thus, Jesus chose to reach the world through one nation—the Jewish Christians (Matthew 15:24; Jhn 1:31; Act 11:26).
NC
Paul wrote that “it pleased the Father to reveal His Son in me” (Gal 1:16). This is the ground of the Church’s special dignity, and the Gospel which Paul represented and preached. It was not the Gospel of the Messiah, the Hope of Israel, nor the Gospel of the once crucified One, now exalted “to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sin” but it was the Gospel of the Son of God revealed in him.
The Son had been revealed to the disciples by the Father before (Mat 16:17); but now He is revealed in Paul. The Holy Spirit in him was the Spirit of the Son (Rom 8:9; Gal 4:6; 1Pe 1:11—NC); and upon the Son thus revealed within, hangs everything that is peculiar to the calling of the Christian and therefore the Church.
Thus we read, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God . . . and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Ro 8:16, 17). Again we read, “That we are predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:5), that is, as Paul here speaks of himself, to have the Son revealed in us.
This being the predestinated condition of the Church, there comes forth as in the train of this, all the believer’s holy prerogatives—acceptance in the Beloved (Eph 1:6), with the forgiveness of sins through His Blood—entrance into the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3), so as to have made known to us the mystery of the will of the Father—future inheritance in and with Him (Heb 9:15), in Whom all things in heaven and earth are to be “gathered” (Eph 1:10)—and the present seal and earnest of this inheritance in the Holy Spirit (2Co 1:22).
This bright roll of privileges is inscribed by the Apostle thus—spiritual blessings in the heavenlies; and so are linking us with Him Who is the Lord in the heavens (Eph 1:3-12). All this follows upon the Son being revealed in us, by which the believer puts on Christ, so as to be one with Him every stage of His wondrous way: dead, quickened, raised and seated in heaven in Him (Eph 2:6).
A mediator such as Moses, whose best service was to keep Jehovah and the people apart (Deu 5:5, 22-33), could never answer the purpose of this marvelous love of our Father. But in the Son we are accepted; we have everything by our oneness with the Mediator Himself (Jhn 17:26). Nothing less than this could fulfill the desire of our heavenly Father’s heart towards us.
The wall of partition, whether between God and sinners, or between Jew and Gentile, is broken down; and we stand together on its ruins, triumphing over them in Christ, our heavenly Father rejoicing over them also. This is marvelous workmanship of the love of God, and the forming and completing of this union of Christ and the Christian is the husbandry which the Father is now tending. He is not, as once He was, caring for a land of wheat, and oil, and pomegranates that His people might eat without scarceness of the increase of the field (Deu 11:12); but He is the “Husband” of the Vine and the branches (Jhn 15:1). He is training the Body in union with the Son of His love until all of the members come (Rom 11:25) into the knowledge of Him “to a perfect man” (Eph 4:13).
It is this union which makes us of the same Family with the Lord Jesus, and entitles us to hear of Him as “the First born” (Ro 8:29). It is this union of life which gives us the same glory with the Lord Jesus, and entitles us to look after His as “the Forerunner” (Heb 6:20). It is this which gives character to that life which we now have, and to that glory in which we shall be manifested, when He “Who is our Life shall appear” (Col 3:4).
—J G Bellett (1795-1864)
As we are shown to identify the ongoing manifestations of the old man within our soul, let it be known that this no longer derives from our will after the new man, for we ourselves are never again after the old man (Ro 8:9). We can also know that this only causes us to continue exercising our faith in the acceptance we have of our Father’s forgiveness through Jesus His Son, our Lord. May the encouragement of confidence in Him—by the Spirit—continue to grow in those who will be wholehearted for Him (Phl 1:6; Eph 3:12; Heb 3:14)!
“Christ in you” (the “mystery” of the Gospel - Col 1:27) was hinted at by the Lord Jesus Himself (Mat 16:18), but desired that the conception of this truth was not be known in the minds of any until Paul (Act 9:3-6). Thus, Jesus chose to reach the world through one nation—the Jewish Christians (Matthew 15:24; Jhn 1:31; Act 11:26).
NC
Body Beautiful
Paul wrote that “it pleased the Father to reveal His Son in me” (Gal 1:16). This is the ground of the Church’s special dignity, and the Gospel which Paul represented and preached. It was not the Gospel of the Messiah, the Hope of Israel, nor the Gospel of the once crucified One, now exalted “to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sin” but it was the Gospel of the Son of God revealed in him.
The Son had been revealed to the disciples by the Father before (Mat 16:17); but now He is revealed in Paul. The Holy Spirit in him was the Spirit of the Son (Rom 8:9; Gal 4:6; 1Pe 1:11—NC); and upon the Son thus revealed within, hangs everything that is peculiar to the calling of the Christian and therefore the Church.
Thus we read, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God . . . and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Ro 8:16, 17). Again we read, “That we are predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:5), that is, as Paul here speaks of himself, to have the Son revealed in us.
This being the predestinated condition of the Church, there comes forth as in the train of this, all the believer’s holy prerogatives—acceptance in the Beloved (Eph 1:6), with the forgiveness of sins through His Blood—entrance into the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3), so as to have made known to us the mystery of the will of the Father—future inheritance in and with Him (Heb 9:15), in Whom all things in heaven and earth are to be “gathered” (Eph 1:10)—and the present seal and earnest of this inheritance in the Holy Spirit (2Co 1:22).
This bright roll of privileges is inscribed by the Apostle thus—spiritual blessings in the heavenlies; and so are linking us with Him Who is the Lord in the heavens (Eph 1:3-12). All this follows upon the Son being revealed in us, by which the believer puts on Christ, so as to be one with Him every stage of His wondrous way: dead, quickened, raised and seated in heaven in Him (Eph 2:6).
A mediator such as Moses, whose best service was to keep Jehovah and the people apart (Deu 5:5, 22-33), could never answer the purpose of this marvelous love of our Father. But in the Son we are accepted; we have everything by our oneness with the Mediator Himself (Jhn 17:26). Nothing less than this could fulfill the desire of our heavenly Father’s heart towards us.
The wall of partition, whether between God and sinners, or between Jew and Gentile, is broken down; and we stand together on its ruins, triumphing over them in Christ, our heavenly Father rejoicing over them also. This is marvelous workmanship of the love of God, and the forming and completing of this union of Christ and the Christian is the husbandry which the Father is now tending. He is not, as once He was, caring for a land of wheat, and oil, and pomegranates that His people might eat without scarceness of the increase of the field (Deu 11:12); but He is the “Husband” of the Vine and the branches (Jhn 15:1). He is training the Body in union with the Son of His love until all of the members come (Rom 11:25) into the knowledge of Him “to a perfect man” (Eph 4:13).
It is this union which makes us of the same Family with the Lord Jesus, and entitles us to hear of Him as “the First born” (Ro 8:29). It is this union of life which gives us the same glory with the Lord Jesus, and entitles us to look after His as “the Forerunner” (Heb 6:20). It is this which gives character to that life which we now have, and to that glory in which we shall be manifested, when He “Who is our Life shall appear” (Col 3:4).
—J G Bellett (1795-1864)
Be Encouraged!
As we are shown to identify the ongoing manifestations of the old man within our soul, let it be known that this no longer derives from our will after the new man, for we ourselves are never again after the old man (Ro 8:9). We can also know that this only causes us to continue exercising our faith in the acceptance we have of our Father’s forgiveness through Jesus His Son, our Lord. May the encouragement of confidence in Him—by the Spirit—continue to grow in those who will be wholehearted for Him (Phl 1:6; Eph 3:12; Heb 3:14)!
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