Morning, December 6
Go To Evening Reading
“As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.”
1 Corinthians 15:48
The head and members are of one nature, and not like that monstrous
image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The head was of fine
gold, but the belly and thighs were of brass, the legs of iron, and
the feet, part of iron and part of clay. Christ’s mystical body is no absurd combination of opposites; the members
were mortal, and therefore Jesus died; the glorified head is immortal,
and therefore the body is immortal too, for thus the record stands,
“Because I live, ye shall live also.” As is our loving Head, such is the body, and every member in particular.
A chosen Head and chosen members; an accepted Head, and accepted members;
a living Head, and living members. If the head be pure gold, all the
parts of the body are of pure gold also. Thus is there a double union
of nature as a basis for the closest communion. Pause here, devout
reader, and see if thou canst without ecstatic amazement, contemplate
the infinite condescension of the Son of God in thus exalting thy
wretchedness into blessed union with his glory. Thou art so mean that
in remembrance of thy mortality, thou mayest say to corruption, “Thou art my father,” and to the worm, “Thou art my sister”; and yet in Christ thou art so honoured that thou canst say to the
Almighty, “Abba, Father,” and to the Incarnate God, “Thou art my brother and my husband.” Surely if relationships to ancient and noble families make men think
highly of themselves, we have whereof to glory over the heads of them
all. Let the poorest and most despised believer lay hold upon this
privilege; let not a senseless indolence make him negligent to trace
his pedigree, and let him suffer no foolish attachment to present
vanities to occupy his thoughts to the exclusion of this glorious,
this heavenly honour of union with Christ.