First a little background -- In John 17:6 Jesus prays concerning his own, "Yours they were, and you gave them to me; and they have kept your word." The discussion in today's excerpt relates to the fact that we were given to Christ. There is a lot to mull over in this short section so I encourage you to take some time and think about what is being said here.
Colossians 1:16 tells us that all things were created for Christ. So the author writes ...
Now, all things were created for Christ; the greatest thing created for Him is His Church. The worlds were created for Him; there would have been no creation, but that Jehovah purposed Christ should have a kingdom. The heavens were created for Him; there would be no heaven, or heaven of heavens, but that Jehovah purposed that His SOn should have a kingdom; but "the church" is more than the kingdom, more to Him than earth and heaven. Angels were created for Christ; no angel would ever have winged his way through infinite space, but that it was Jehovah's purpose that His Son should have attendants: but the Bride is more than the attendants. Whatever be the thrones our blessed Christ is to occupy; whatever be the dominions He is to possess; whatever be the principalities over which He is to rule -- He will give us "to sit with him on his throne, even as he also overcame, and is set down with His Father on his throne."
Christ was set up as Lord of the universe; but His people are "the members of his body" -- His own flesh and blood, and "No man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church" (Eph. 5:29) All other creations are from without; the Church, in some mysterious way, is from within.
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