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"THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH.--To this period belong the
blessings of the mystery. The only calling or revelation that has pierced the present
temporary heaven and touched that which can be spoken of as eternal is that dispensation
of the grace of God which has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the
super-heavenlies far above all. This shows the unique character of the church of the one
body. It is connected both by time and place with that which begins before the present
heavens were made and goes on when the present heavens shall be no more. The church
of the mystery is the only link during this age between the time before sin entered and the
time when sin shall be no more. All other purposes are `under the heavens'. This one
alone places those who are blessed under its terms `above the heavens'. If these things
are so, it would be very surprising if the doctrine and practice of this peculiar people were
not different from all others" (Volume XI, page 76).
If we pay regard to the context, "above the heavens" here refers to a position above
those heavens associated with the six days' creation. Taken out of its context it might
possibly form the butt for an adverse critic, but such criticism, however sincere, would be
harmful and untrue.
One more quotation should be enough to cause any honest critic to retract the
accusation that we teach that the sphere of blessing of the church is "far above" the
heavens, in the widest significance of the term. We quote the following to show that we
are not misrepresenting our critic's attack:--
"This is true of Christ's exaltation also. He is not outside the heavens, He is highest in
them."
This is our critic's statement. Now for our own, taken from our pamphlet Far above
all (pages 6-8):--
"Of no other company of believers is it said their sphere of blessings is IN the
super-heavenlies . . . . . The special sphere of blessing which belongs alone to the church
of the one body is mentioned five times in this epistle, and a study of these
occurrences will supply us with valuable information. First of all we translate the word
`super-heavenlies' in recognition of the presence of the particle epi with which the word
begins. It is not simply ouraniois which is the usual word, but epi-ouraniois. Secondly,
the information supplied by the five references demands some such translation. Passing
therefore to the second reference, we find, in 1: 20, 21, that this sphere of blessing is:--
(a) At the Father's right hand.
(b) Far above all principality and power.
That this tremendous height is the destined sphere of the church of the mystery 2: 6
declares. There the believer is associated with the risen Christ, `made to sit together in
the super-heavenlies in Christ Jesus'. Christ the Head and the Church His Body are
blessed together THERE.
The next two references, 3: 10 and 6: 12, show the super-heavenlies as the abode
of principalities, powers and rulers. Be it noted that angels are not mentioned. Angels
are heaven's messengers. The church of the one body is blessed even above heaven's
nobility. Dominions and thrones are beneath it in its super-heavenly sphere . . . . . While
epouraniois is used outside Ephesians, no other company of believers is blessed IN
these exalted regions as their sphere. The blessings of the church of the one body are not
only `heavenly' but `up in heaven'."