contrast than that of Ephesians and Philippians in their point of view. Ephesians teaches

boldness with confidence, because there the question has entirely to do with being

accepted in the Beloved; Philippians speaks of fear and trembling, because it has

reference to the service, the running, and the contest of the believer subsequent to his

perfect acceptance in Christ".  The "Hope" does not figure in the epistle to the

Philippians; the very word is used only by the apostle there with reference to himself.

Phil. 1: 20, his hope of deliverance and faithful testimony; 2: 19, 23, his hope of sending

Timothy to the Philippians.  To have misgivings therefore about the "hope", when

reading Phil. 3: about the "Prize" is an evidence of failure to discern the things that

differ. The hope of the believer is that of being with the Lord in glory and of sharing in

the resurrection. This is a part of redemption; unto this every member of the One Body is

sealed and pledged by the Holy Spirit "until the redemption of the purchased possession,

unto the praise of His glory". No conditions are attached to the hope, no fears are

expressed regarding its attainment, and no efforts are called for to qualify for it.

A passage from Colossians may help us to see that this is so. "Giving thanks unto the

Father, which hath MADE US SUFFICIENT to be partakers of the inheritance of the

saints in the light" (Col. 1: 12). Here is not the "fear and trembling" attaching to the

Philippian prize, but the "boldness and confidence" of the Ephesian hope. What must be

the state and condition of those who are to be the partakers there "in the light", what

holiness, what righteousness, what spotlessness, what worthiness? God alone knows the

standard He has set, but "one thing I know", Christ is my sufficiency, in Him I am

"sufficient" for the heavenly places "in the light". By no act or endeavour can we make

ourselves sufficient, but the grace that "made us alive together with Christ" will "make us

sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus".

The prize forms no integral part of the unity of the Spirit, but the "one hope" does

(Eph. 4: 4). A crown that may be won, may be lost, and the glory of reigning with Christ

is directly connected with "enduring", whereas living with Him is simply the outcome of

"having died with Him", a participation which is the joyous reckoning of every believer

(II Tim. 2: 11-13). When the hope of the one body is spoken of in Col. 3: we do not

read, "when Christ the righteous judge shall appear", but "when Christ who is our life

shall appear, then shall we appear with Him in glory", and here is exactly the same

argument that we found in II Tim. 2: 11, "ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in

God". The apostle who wrote these inspired words, who so fully taught the perfect

acceptance of the believer in the Lord, did not entertain any doubt regarding the hope

when he penned the, "if by any means" of the prize. To be exercised in mind as to any

question of worthiness regarding the Hope, and to assume certainty with regard to the

Prize and the Crown, are alike to be shunned.

Another series of difficulties arises in connection with the question of the scriptural

meaning of death. Many of our readers have come to the conclusion that the Scripture

teaches that the dead are dead, and not alive in another world, that the scriptural figure of

sleep disposes of the traditional idea of spirit activity after death, that the Scriptures'

united witness is that the only hope before Jew, Gentile, or Church of God is by the one

way--resurrection.  Tradition uses the expression "sudden death--sudden glory",