"Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead" (2 Tim. 2:8),

that would be a salutary word indeed, for without the resurrection all are without hope. Paul was more incisive and

exclusive, what he did say was:

"Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead

ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL:

WHEREIN I SUFFER ... unto bonds" (2 Tim. 2:8,9).

The same Saviour and the same resurrection provide Peter's Gospel with blessed assurance of the fulfilment of

the promises made to David concerning his THRONE (Acts 2:24-30). The same Saviour and the same resurrection

takes us "far above all ... thrones" as we have seen in Ephesians 1:19-23. The Gentile members of this "Body" do

not inherit or share "promises", they share on equal terms "His promise", and that found in the gospel entrusted to

Paul alone. These believers do not share the promise of the Father (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; 2:33). These joint-

partakers do not take to themselves the promise of Acts 2:39. These fellow-heirs do not inherit the promises made

unto the Fathers, and which were confirmed during the earthly ministry of Christ (Rom. 15:8). They are concerned

with "the promise of life" which antedates the beginning of the ages (2 Tim. 1:1,9; Tit. 1:2,3). The seal which they

have received is "the Holy Spirit of promise" not "of the promises" (Eph. 1:13) for they were, while in the flesh,

"strangers from the covenants of promise" (Eph. 2:12). The teaching of Ephesians 3:6 is not that the unequal

partnership that existed between the Jewish believer and the Gentile believer has been exchanged so that the Gentile

now enters into the promises, originally held so exclusively by the Jew, in equal terms. No, the teaching is that a

new promise is brought to light, a promise that Abraham never knew; a New Man has been created and into that new

company and concerning that one new promise no one has precedence over another. The membership of this Body

is "concorporate" and the partaking of the promise found in that Gospel preached by Paul the prisoner, is a

"joint-partaking". The new company, as Paul wrote to the Colossians, is "a new man" and it is "created", not

evolved from the period covered by the Acts:

"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but

Christ is all, and in all" (Col. 3:11).

It is sometimes used as a "proof" that the church must be the Bride because the word ekklesia is feminine. Only

ignorance would use such a feature, which mistakes gender in grammar for sex. Kephale "Head" is also feminine.

In French La Table is feminine - so should we speak of "her" and "she"? - need we continue?

Most of our available space has been occupied with stating the doctrine of the One Body, with little or no

emphasis upon the corresponding practice that should ensue. This aspect we can only touch upon, but however

slightly this is done, its importance is great.

(1) In Colossians chapter 2 the apostle deals with the danger of allowing ANYTHING to come between the

believer and his Lord. Whether it be "philosophy" or "the rudiments of the world" or whether it be the perpetuation

of God-given ordinances which have been rendered obsolete by the coming of Christ (Col. 2:14-17), these are but

shadows, the body (or as it means here the substance) is of Christ. The first responsibility therefore is to "Hold the

Head" (Col. 2:19).

(2) We have also a responsibility toward fellow-members of the one Body. We must not only "Hold the Head",

we must comfort one another in the light of this fact, "we are members one of another" (Eph. 4:25). We hold the

Head, "from Whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth,

according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of

itself in love" (Eph. 4:16).

(3) The walk that is worthy of the high calling of the Mystery places first and foremost, the keeping of the

"Unity of the Spirit" (Eph. 4:1-3). In this unity the Risen Lord is central; faith and hope are ranged on either side,

but the first feature in this unity is "one Body". It appears that we cannot fully or truly entertain the "one hope" of

our calling, or hold the "one faith" or even honour the "one Lord" if we are uncertain regarding the unique character

of the new constitution brought into being in the dispensation of the Mystery. We can say no more, but we are glad

that we have had space enough left to stress the exceeding preciousness of "these three" exhortations.

Hold the Head.