`when in love He predestined us' others see what is called a pregnant structure, necessitating a repetition of the

words to get the full sense :

` That we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love, in love having predestinated us'.

The words `in love' need not necessarily be limited to the words that immediately precede them, as Alford says :

` He may have foreordained, and did foreordain IN LOVE, and this is implied in what follows from kata `according

to' hegapemeno `the Beloved'; but the point brought out, as that for which we are to bless Him, is not that in love

He foreordained us, but the fact of that foreordination itself: not His attitude, but His act'.

The words en agape `in love' are used by the apostle both in Ephesians and in Colossians at the conclusion of his

statements concerning the church :

The Church, the body builds up itself `in love' (Eph. 4:16).

The Church comprehends when rooted and grounded `in love' (Eph. 3:17).

The Church in its walk that is worthy is lowly, meek, longsuffering and forbearing `in love' (Eph. 4:2).

The Church as it imitates God, walks `in love' (Eph. 5:2).

It is the whole concept of Ephesians 1:3-4, not one isolated act, that is considered as taking life and shape `in

love'. This could only become an actuality by the interposition of the Son of God. By His redeeming grace and

atoning sacrifice, sin and uncleanness, guilt and condemnation, distance and death, enmity and all uncharitableness

have been removed, and the purpose of the ages rendered gloriously possible, and to be triumphantly attained `in the

While the title `Beloved Son' occurs a number of times in the New Testament, the use of the participle of

agapao, here translated `Beloved' as a title of Christ, is unique. It occurs only here in the sixth verse of the first

chapter and is never again repeated. It is indeed a unique privilege to be so blessed, so chosen, so purified, so

presented as the Church of the Mystery is and will be.

Then, what can we say when we call to mind the future, `in glory'. Members of the body of Christ, are made up

of those who have sinned and come short of His glory, yet who by grace rejoice in hope of the `glory' of God, and

look forward to the liberty of the glory of the children of God. They are vessels indeed `afore prepared unto glory'.

Though sown in dishonour, they shall be raised `in glory' having heard the gospel of the `glory' of Christ. In

Ephesians itself we find the threefold charter of our calling (1:3-14) with its threefold chorus `to the praise of the

glory of His grace' or `unto the praise of His glory'. The Father Himself is called `The Father of Glory'; the

inheritance abounds in `riches of glory'; even the tribulations of the apostle Paul were for the `glory' of this church,

the answer to the most wonderful of prayers, is granted `according to the riches of His glory', and throughout all the

generations of the age of the ages, through the church, `glory' will be ascribed and redound to Him.

So the `blessed hope' is `the appearing of the glory' (Tit. 2:13) and its consummation is to be `manifested with

Him in glory', Who is to us `the hope of glory' (Col. 3:4; 1:27).

If the riches of the glory of this mystery is expressed to-day in the fact that during Israel's rejection, Christ is

preached among the Gentiles, the hope of glory, what will it be when, with sin and sorrow, death and disease,

uncleanness and anxiety gone for ever, this Church is presented endoxe `in glory', a glorious church indeed.

The purifying, c1eansing, sanctifying of the Church before its presentation in glory, can be faintly seen

prefigured in the Eastern custom which is described in Esther :

` Now when every maid's turn was come to go into King Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months,

according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six

months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the

women;) Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out

of the house of the women unto the king's house `. Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the

uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but

what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight

of all them that looked upon her `. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and