We learn not only by positive statement, but by comparison. For example: if David

had said "Wash me and I shall be white", that would have been a true statement. But

how much more forceful are his actual words, "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than

snow". Thus, from Ephesians we learn the high calling of the church, but such positive

teaching is enhanced by comparing it with that which relates to the heavenly calling of

Hebrews. In both epistles Christ is the exalted and seated One. To the Hebrews, as High

Priest, He is within heaven's holiest of all, a sphere which is above them. But to the

Ephesians, as Head over all things to the church, He is not seated there alone, for the

church is seated there, too. The nature of this revelation of love and grace is such that it

is no matter for surprise to find it questioned and combated. But, while nothing but

revelation could justify such a statement, the poverty of our appreciation of

superabounding grace is no warrant for lowering heaven's greatest of all blessings.

When Abraham "looked for a city which hath foundations", or when he and his

children "desired a heavenly country" (Heb. 11: 10, 16), they certainly "sought" and

"set their mind" on things above and in so doing exemplified the principle of the

"seek . . . . . set" exhortation of Col. 3: 1, 2; but neither Abraham nor any of his seed

could ever look away, above all heavens, to the seated Christ, and know that where He

sat in that supernal glory, there was the sphere of all their blessing and hope. Such a

prospect was never put before them. It was hidden with the mystery from the ages and

generations that preceded the testimony of the Lord's prisoner. Here then is one great

fact that we must keep to the fore when, by faith, we endeavour to follow out the

injunction of the apostle to "seek those things that are above". We will remember that it

is "where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God".

Having seen where Christ sits, there follows the next consideration: Why is He

seated? The apostle does not say: "seek those things which are above where Christ is",

or "where Christ standeth", or "where Christ intercedeth", but "where Christ sitteth".

In the figures of the O.T. a seated posture is associated, among other things, with a

king, a judge, and a refiner. While every reference will afford contributory light, the

most illuminating passage is found in Zech. 6: 13:

This speaks of Christ as the "King-Priest", the Priest after the Order of Melchisedec,

and points once again to the Epistle to the Hebrews. It was the fact that Christ is seated

that appeared to the apostle to be the most important fact in the presentation of the truths

brought out in Hebrews, for, the moment he states the glorious fact that the Saviour

"purged our sins", he passes straight on to the climax, namely, that