shadow, let us see to it that we do not, for a little peace, yield the true

place of the substance.  Our stand must be that every member of the church of

the One Body is ipso facto a `baptized believer', and that no amount of emphasis

on the type can lift it into the place of the reality:

`The things which are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen

are eternal (age-abiding)' (2 Cor. 4:18).

The underlying meaning of the type of baptism is that of union.  This

union may be set forth by the immersion of a believer in water; it may be set

forth by the baptism of the Spirit, bringing with it supernatural gifts, as in 1

Corinthians 12, or it may not be set forth manifestly and typically at all.  The

last statement suits the case of the present dispensation.  The members of the

One Body observe neither days, fasts, feasts, nor ordinances.  These are

shadows; the body is of Christ (Col. 2).  The one baptism unites us to the risen

Christ, and we have no command to set forth this union in symbol or type;

neither have we any warrant to look for `signs' in connection with our baptism

by the Spirit.

Was the baptism of Matthew 20:21,22 in water?  Was the baptism of 1

Corinthians 10:2 in water?  (See Exod. 14:22 `upon dry ground', also 15:19, Psa.

66:6 and Heb. 11:29).

One God And Father.  The purpose of the ages is to bring many sons to

glory.  Sin has necessitated redemption, and it has been necessary for all the

children of God to have been `born again'.  The cycle is suggested by the unity

of the Spirit.  The goal is one God and Father.  This member is expanded, like

the one dealing with hope:

`One God and Father of all, Who is above (over) all, and through all, and

in you all' (Eph. 4:6).

Are we to gather from this that the last item of the unity of the Spirit

teaches the universal fatherhood of God?  That `all' is governed by the context.

If the word `you' is retained in the clause `in you all', the idea of the

passage is made apparent.  lt can be translated, the Father is over all, through

all, `and in all To You'.  Just as Christ is head over all things To The Church,

though not yet Head over all things manifestly and universally, so the Father is

to us.

What a calling is ours?  Christ raised and ascended far above all, as Head

over all things now to us, and the one God and Father, over all, through all, in

all to us, as well.  What peace this brings; what triumph, what confidence?

Well may we be exhorted to give diligence to keep such a treasure.  Let us guard

this perfect sevenfold unity of the Spirit in the bond of that peace made by the

blood of Christ, until that day comes when stewardship ceases, and the joy of

the Lord remains.

The unity of the Spirit is followed by the diversity of its members.  In

the unity, the emphasis is upon the fact that there is one Body, one Spirit, and

one Lord of all; but in the next section, which comes under the heading `The

measure', the theme is the variety of the gifts of the Lord, and the individual

responsibility of each member to use the gifts as unto Him.