`Cancellation' of every ordinance, rite, or ceremony, whether found in the law of God, or imposed by the

tradition of man is found in the cross of Christ. The believer who realizes the truth of Colossians 2:14 is free beyond

words, and finds that for him indeed Christ is all, and in His fulness he stands complete.

The cross of Christ has another message beside the redemptive side of His great sacrifice. This we find in such

expressions as `take up his cross' or `endured the cross'. The prison epistles supply an exposition of this somewhat

neglected aspect of the doctrine of the cross, in the teaching of Philippians. The cross itself is not actually

mentioned in 2 Timothy, but the doctrine of the cross, namely `suffering and reigning', is prominent. So in

Philippians 2:8 we have the cross as the lowest point of the Saviour's humiliation, before the corresponding

exaltation, and in chapter 3 where we read of `the out-resurrection' and `the prize of the high calling of God in Christ

Jesus', we read of those whose walk made them `the enemies of the cross of Christ'. Once again therefore the charge

that the close study of the prison epistles tends to a neglect of the fundamentals is not only demonstrated to be false,

but a neglect of the prison epistles must mean ignorance of some aspects of vital truth.

In our last heading we looked at the references in the prison epistles to the cross of Christ. We remember,

however, that the same epistle in which the apostle says that he determined to know nothing among men save Jesus

Christ and Him crucified, (1 Cor. 2:2) makes it clear that without the resurrection, Christ died in vain (15:12-19).

The epistles of the Mystery are pre-eminently the epistles of the Risen Christ.

The first great prayer of Ephesians 1:18,19 has as its third item:

`The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,

which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead' (Eph. 1:19,20).

In the epistle to the Philippians the apostle makes it his prayer:

`That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection' (Phil. 3:10).

In the epistle to the Colossians the completeness of the believer's acceptance in Christ is associated with the

`Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who

hath raised Him from the dead' (2:12).

The second epistle to Timothy places emphasis on the resurrection of Christ, for the apostle says:

`Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel' (2:8).

The historic fact that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead is the testimony of the four prison epistles.

Moreover, the blessed association of the believer with that resurrection is a vital part of the doctrine of the epistles of

the Mystery.

`And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus' (Eph. 2:6).

`If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God'

(Col. 3:1).

Further, whether the believer who is addressed in these epistles looks forward to the blessed hope of his calling,

or whether he eagerly pursues the equally blessed prize of the same calling, he knows from their teaching that there

is no such thing as passing straight into glory apart from resurrection. He may be looking forward to enjoying all

`spiritual' blessings but this does not dispense with the need for a `body', for Philippians 3 says:

`We look for a Saviour, Who shall change this body of our humiliation that it may be fashioned like unto the

body of His glory' (3:20,21 author's translation).

The power which alone will enable one to run the race with the `prize' in view, is `the power of His resurrection',

and is associated with attaining unto `the out-resurrection', out from among the dead (Phil. 3:10,11).