The Purpose Of The Ages - Christ And The Church

by J. DORRICOTT | Category: The Purpose Of The Ages - Christ And The Church | Jan 1932

"Thismystery (secret) is great: but I speak in regard of Christ, and of the church" (Ephesians 5. 32).

How shall we write of this! What shall we say! The theme is so glorious, the subject so comprehensive, so overpowering that it appears almost beyond the power of human expression to write or speak becomingly of it. We confess to being awed in spirit as we approach this precious truth, and the spirit of confession and humiliation is also upon us, because we feel that it has not had its right and proper place in our hearts, in our ministry, and in practical exercise.

All Scripture is inspired of God, and is profitable for the various uses mentioned in 2 Timothy 3. 16, 17, but this truth. is given by the Spirit of God chiefly in the Apostle Paul's letters, and is found in Romans; 1 Corinthians; Ephesians; and Colossians; especially in the latter two as the outstanding truth that the Spirit would bring before us, as it shines there in all its brilliance and lustre.

Satan will accomplish much indeed if he succeeds in keeping from God's saints the truths which relate to Christ and His Church, because the God-glorifying, and present sanctifying effect of these truths is great. Shall we lightly esteem that which is the dearest and nearest thing to God-His great secret (now made known), which was hid in Himself as the choicest treasure of His eternal counsel and purpose? The knowledge of this truth ministers greatly to our joy, and is designed to have a practical effect upon us as individuals, and also upon the churches of God collectively.

We will commence with "Christ and the Church," as

THE SUBJECT OF ETERNAL COUNSEL AND PURPOSE.

We see from Ephesians 3. that "the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God," was made known to Paul by Divine revelation, as he says-"how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery." Our Lord had previously spoken of "My Church" (Matthew 16. 18), but the revelation of Christ the Head, and the Church as His body (the One Body), could not be made until Christ was raised from the dead by the surpassing power of God's might, and made to sit at God's right hand in the heavenlies, and was constituted "Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fulness (the complement) of Him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1.20-23).

Christ and the Church was the subject of the eternal counsels of God, and not only so, but He willed that for His own glory and the glory of His Son, He would head up in Christ all things in the heavens, and upon the earth; and that we ourselves-the Church which is His Body, should be made a heritage, and in association with Himself share in the great inheritance (Ephesians 1. 9-11); for God has given Him to be Head over all things to the Church which is His body, the complement (something added to make complete) of Him who filleth all in all. He was and is the appointed Heir of the Father, as it is written in Hebrews 1.: "Whom He hath appointed Heir of all things," which we connect with Ephesians 1. 9. We must not confuse this mystery with the great mystery of Christ and the Church. The former-the mystery of His will (Ephesians 1. 10), is the heading up of all heavenly and earthly things in Christ. All heavenly things-yea, it was purposed for Him to be made Head of the whole invisible universe of God, with its many thrones, its many dominions, its many lordships and powers; a headship which is His as the glorified Man Christ Jesus; for all these were created for Him. He is Head, also, of all visible things, for He, by His precious blood, has purchased "the field" (the world) for the sake of the treasure in it, and this world will yet know the effects of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

The earth is His, for He made it, and though everything is now estranged from Him because of sin and its consequences, yet "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof," and the day will come when the Father will say, "Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession" (see Psalm 2.and Daniel 7. 13, 14). The time of asking will then have arrived, and even the groaning creation which now travaileth in pain, will be released, "The creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God" (see Romans 8. 19-22; Isaiah 11. 5-10.) All things are not yet in subjection unto Him, but the counsel and purpose of God will be effected, and that on redemption ground. All visible things will be headed up in Him, and the Father's Heir, the well-beloved Son, will yet be King of kings and Lord of lords. He has purchased, but He has not claimed yet. All these invisible and visible things were made by Him, for Him and unto Him (John 1. 3; Colossians 1. 16; Romans 11. 86), the object of all being the glory of the Son, the Father's Heir, and this great inheritance is to be shared with another. The Father's will was that the Son should not dwell as Heir alone; it was planned and purposed that He should have a companion, a Bride to share with Him all these glories that the Father was going to bestow, for, "the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand" (John 3. 35). It was the Son who was so pre-eminently excellent before the Father, that it was His delight to plan and purpose these things for His glory and His honour, and He desired Him not to be alone but to have one who should "share His weight of bliss." We therefore come now to the eternal counsel and purpose concerning Christ and the Church, which is spoken of as "a great mystery," and as stated before, this must not be confused with "the mystery of His will," as in Ephesians 1. 9, 10, though it is associated with it, and with joy and gladness we repeat the words-" GAVE HIM TO BE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY."

We have these eternal counsels and purposes beautifully illustrated in God's operations with Adam and Eve. Adam was made head of the lower creation, all things were put in subjection to him, he was lord of all. All were to be subservient to his will. God had counselled so; that was His purpose, because Adam was a figure of the second Man, the last Adam, the Lord from heaven, who was to come.

Though man came perfect from the moulding hand of God, yet Adam was not complete, there was something lacking (shall we say someone lacking ?), he was dwelling alone. The animals were brought to him by the Lord, for Adam to give names unto them; but from these no help meet for him could be found. But the counsels of the Triune God are made known; the very workings of the mind of Jehovah are revealed. The thought, the counsel, the plan all sprang from the heart of the Eternal. It was all for the good of the man that God wrought; it was someone to be for the glory of the man (1 Corinthians 11. 7) that Elohim worked. "I will make him an help meet for him." Someone to be a complement, someone meet for him. 0 the wisdom and knowledge of God, as seen in that deep sleep! That opened side-the rib taken-the building of the woman-that perfect body, bone of Adam's bone, flesh of his flesh! When he is awakened by God he sees a glorious woman, part of himself, and this one also to be his bride, his wife-a complex being, displaying the wisdom of God, body and bride. All this displayed as the counsel and wisdom of God even before sin had entered, and this to show forth the wondrous mystery of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5.).

J. DORRICOTT | Jan 1932
The Purpose Of The Ages - Christ And The Church