The Body of Christ

It may be asked: when were the elect in Christ Jesus?  All the elect were in Him when they were chosen in Him.  As it is written: “Thine eyes did see My substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all My members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them” (Psalm 139:16-17).  


The substance of Christ mystical, (I Corinthians 12:12-27) that is, all His spiritual members were known and beloved in Christ when they had no being in themselves: yet they were the fullness of Him who filleth all in all.  As it is written: “And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23).  
     
The church being complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10) is from everlasting united to Him: and it is written: “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:30-32).  All the body of Christ, from the first believers to the last are justified by the same blood. 

Abraham, Isaac and Israel were justified by the precious blood that justified Peter, James and Paul: and it is the same blood that justifies believers today.  The children of God must be taught whose they are, that is, they belong to King Jesus Who purchased them.  They must be taught what their privileges are, that is, that they are a priestly house with the privilege of approach unto God by Jesus Christ.  

As it is written: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (I Peter 2:9-10). And again it is written: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:6-7).                                                                           
                                                                                                                                     -------elder Allan Ison

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