Ephesians: For His GLory (7)
For His Glory
His exhortations have great power, since he himself has taken these matters seriously enough to suffer confinement in the Lord’s service.
THE end of all true religion is practice
The whole Christian Church is brought by the Gospel into “one body,” of which Christ is the head, and all true believers are the members. This body is inhabited by “one Spirit,” even the Holy Ghost, who pervades the whole, and animates it in every part. It is his presence only that gives life; and were he withdrawn for a moment, the soul would be as incapable of all spiritual motion, as a dead corpse is of all the functions of the animal life. To “one hope are we all called, even to an inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us.” The “one Lord” of all is the Lord Jesus Christ, who “purchased the Church with his own blood,” and presides over it as “Lord of all,” and will judge every member of it in the last day. To all of them there is but “one faith;” to which all, without exception, must adhere, and by which alone they can be saved. Into this new-covenant state they are all admitted by “one baptism,” “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” And of all there is one God and Father, “who is above all,” by his almighty power; “and through all,” by his superintending providence; “and in all,” by the constant operation of his Spirit and grace.
The force of this observation is universally acknowledged, in reference to the corporeal frame. The whole human frame proceeds from one source, is subject to the same wants, nourished by the same supplies, and affected with the same lot. In reference to that, it is judged reasonable that every part should have the same care one for the other; and that every member should sympathize with the rest, whether in a way of joy or sorrow, according as circumstances may require. All idea of a separate interest is quite excluded; and the happiness of every individual part is bound up in the welfare of the whole. Much more, therefore, may all disunion be proscribed in so sacred a body as the Church, where not merely the prosperity of the different members is at stake, but the honour of Almighty God also, and the interests of the whole world.
A departure from this rule is declared to be a proof of grievous carnality: and, if fostered in the soul, and promoted in the Church, it is judged a sufficient ground for the most marked disapprobation from every child of God:
In the body, no one member can say to another, “I have no need of you:” the least and lowest has its appropriate office, as well as those whose powers are of a superior order: nor does its difference of form or office cause it to be overlooked, or its welfare to be despised.