 |  |
A | Eph. The One Body; in the heavenlies;
"The perfecting
apostles, &100:, given; their special work.
(or re-adjusting)
The dispensation of the mystery.
of the saints."
Paul specially appointed.
Teaching
B | Phil. No mention of the One Body, the Head,
having
Or the fulness.
special
The saints with the bishops and deacons.
"Unto a work
reference
Adorn the gospel; have the mind of Christ.
of administration."
to the
Heavenly citizenship and hope,
members
"Discern the things that differ."
of the
C | Col. Christ the Head of the Body, the fulness,
One Body.
and the riches of the mystery.
"Unto a building
No bishops or deacons.
up of the
Warnings against foes.
Body of Christ."
Charged to hold the Head.
D | Philemon. Personal application of the truth.
Teaching
A | I Tim. "Abide at Ephesus." Timothy's special
having
instructions in view of the dispensational
"Till we all come
special
change. Bishops and deacons appointed;
to the unity of the
regard to
their special work.
faith--i.e. the full
individual
The mystery connected with proper worship.
knowledge of
servants
Paul specially appointed.
the Son of God."
with
B | Titus. Left in Crete to set in order the things
respects to
lacking. Bishops appointed to maintain
their work of
the truth against Judaistic opposition.
"Unto a
administration
"Adorn the doctrine."
perfect Man."
while
The present hope.
the new
C | II Tim. No bishops or deacon now.
"Unto the measure
teaching
The truth of the mystery forsaken.
of the stature
was being
"Rightly divide."
of the fulness
announced.
"Opposers of the truth."
of Christ."
These epistles are too full for any outline to do more than suggest their content and
view point. It will be seen that the first three have relation to the great doctrinal bases of
the dispensation of the mystery, while the second three have regard to the history of the
"re-adjustment of the saints and the work of administration, the building up of the
body of Christ, until believers arrived at the unity of the faith, the knowledge of the Son
of God, the perfect Man, the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ."
The 2nd epistle to Timothy supplies us with the sad fact that Paul was allowed to see in
his closing days the precious truth committed to him forsaken and forgotten, and gives us
the last word for our guidance until "that blessed hope" is realized. The heavenly
realities remain untouched and unmoved, blessed be God, but the earthly exhibition of
these things has all but vanished. There is no church in a local sense on earth, the only
way in which believers to-day can exhibit in any measure the blessings of the present
dispensation is for them to
"walk worthy of the calling wherewith they have been called, with all lowliness and
meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."