upon the Body of Christ? "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of

the new moon, or of the Sabbath days" (Col.2:16). All these things are only shadows of things to come. That is

exactly what God's ceremonial law was and what all the types are. They are only something that is shadowing forth

a great reality, and when the reality is come and enjoyed, the shadow can be put away, and if this is not done, the

reality will never mean in experience what God intends it to mean. The point is that in this heavenly calling, we

have all the reality in Christ, and it is all spiritual and the believer who is rejoicing in this glorious position does

not come under God's picture book. The glory of the calling of the Church which is His Body is that it has no types

or shadows. This is its glory, not its loss. It has all the reality of every type because it is complete or filled full in

Christ. If anyone says that completeness can be added to or improved by going through any rite or ceremony, they

have never realised what this completeness means. That would be a denial of this complete filling that we have in

our Lord and Saviour. What is then this one baptism of the Spirit connected with the Church of the Body of Christ?

death, burial, quickening, raising and being seated in the heavenly places in Him. This is a union that can

never be broken, and it unites every single member together. This is why we are asked to keep it, and guard it as we

would a treasure. Unity is the great thought behind this baptism. Every member of the Body has been crucified

with Christ. When He was crucified, they were crucified. They are dead with Christ; they are buried with Christ;

they are quickened, made alive with Christ; they are raised with Christ, and glory of all glories, they are seated

where He is seated (Eph.2:6), seated in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and are looking forward to being

manifested with Christ. All this precious truth is what the one baptism of the Spirit accomplishes. If we have this

we have the reality. If we have only immersion in water, we have the shadow without the substance. So let nobody

say that because a member of this company is not immersed in water, that he is not a baptised believer. If the

believer has not that one baptism of Ephesians four, he is without the one that really matters. But if we have this, we

are complete in Christ and have everything, and are baptised believers in the truest sense, just as we are the true

circumcision, though we know nothing of the external rite.

You will see that this subject has many and varied aspects, and that water baptism has its place in the Word of

God, but it is linked with Israel, the sign people, while they were still in covenant relationship with Him. While

Israel are still in covenant relationship with God, types and shadows remain. When Israel are divorced and laid

aside by God, as they are now, the divine picture book stops and we have the reality which is spiritual. We realise

we are creatures of sense and feeling. If there is something we can see or hold on to or touch or taste, that is the

thing that appears to be real to us. But we must learn that this is not necessarily the thing that is real. It is only the

shadow. If we have the spiritual reality that the Word speaks about, this glorious unity with the Son of God, this is

the thing that is real and lasting, and is what you and I, if we are members of His Body, ought to be rejoicing in,

and living in the strength of it here and now. One Baptism is ours by the operation of God Himself, (Col.2:12). The

word "operation" is the word "working". It was done by God's working, not man's. It was not done at the time any

minister or anybody else chose to immerse a believer in water. It was God's working when He identified us as

believers and all His Church with His Son. Let us rejoice in it, let us live in the joy of it and look forward in sure

and certain hope to the last great "with"--"Manifested with Him in Glory", when the glory of our great God and

Saviour Jesus Christ shall take place, His great Epiphany. At the present this glory is hidden. Then it will be

revealed to all the heavenly hosts, the glory of the Head and His Body, His Fulness. Each member will be there in

the Glory with Him, far above all. Let us thank God for such a wondrous calling and this mighty operation of His,

baptising us and linking us with His Son in a bond that can never be broken.

Praise His Name.

STUART ALLEN