The relation of these passages is full of suggestive teaching; we leave it without

comment, trusting that our reader will be worthy of the title of "Bereans." Let us now

consider the second outline of verses 3-14. It will be observed upon reading these verses

that the words, "To the praise of His glory," or a somewhat similar phrase, occur at the

close of the three divisions to which we are calling attention.  We set forth the whole

passage as follows:--

A1 | 3-6-. The blessings of the Father.

B1 | -6. To the praise of the glory of His grace.

A2 | 7-12-. The blessings of the Son.

B2 | -12. To the praise of His glory

A3 | 13,14-. The blessings of the Spirit.

B3 | -14. Unto the praise of His glory.

Just as we have found the emphasis to be upon the almighty and changeless purpose of

God, so the emphasis here is the goal towards which that purpose moves, "To the prasie

of His glory." All spiritual blessings in the heavenlies (holiness and blamelessness before

Him, predestination to sonship, and acceptance in the Beloved) are the blessings which

are peculiarly connected with "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." They have

a relation to that period known as before "the overthrow of the world," and are destined

in the ages to come to be to the praise of the glory of His grace, as Eph. 2: 7 declares,

"That in ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness

towards us in Christ Jesus.

Another very important truth which claims attention is the constant fact that the

blessings of the Father are only ours as "in Christ." The spiritual blessings are in the

heavenlies, but if they were not also "in Christ" they would be unattainable, for how

could we reach them apart from being raised together and seated together in Christ? We

were chosen before the overthrow of the world, but that could only be possible "in

Christ," for we existed not. We have been predestinated unto sonship, but only "by Jesus

Christ." We have been made accepted, but only "in the Beloved." The emphasis is still

the same as we consider the blessings which are particularly connected with the Lord

Jesus Christ. Redemption is through His blood, forgiveness is according to the riches of

His grace. The dispensation of the fulness of times is only glorious inasmuch as all

things are gathered together "in Christ," "in Whom" we have obtained an inheritance.

As we appreciate the teaching of the Prison Epistles we shall find that the glory of

Christ becomes more and more the transcendent theme. A text which could well be

written across these epistles is that found in Acts 19: 17, "The name of the Lord Jesus

was magnified." The words uttered by John the Baptist, "He must increase," receive

added fulness as read in the light of these messages to the Gentiles.  May we, viewing

the blessings which are ours set forth in these epistles, ever remember with practical

application that these blessings should redound to the praise of the glory of Father, Son,

and Spirit. In our next paper we hope to exhibit more in detail some of the blessings

which are peculiarly ours "in Christ."