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behind it of being initiated into a secret. We are dealing now not with the secret
concerning the church, but the secret of being able to triumph over all circumstances,
trials, difficulties, and come through to the glory of God. This secret is fully made
known in verse 13, `I can do all things through Christ Who strengtheneth me'.
Note not some things, not just the things that we think we are capable of, but all things
that the Lord in His wisdom and love may ask us to do for His sake. Have we not
sometimes shrunk back from some aspect of service, because we felt utterly unable to
accomplish it, or perhaps through some fear of the consequences such a work would
bring? Here is the glorious answer. The ascended Lord Jesus is waiting and ready to
strengthen us with resurrection might so that we can carry out all things to His glory. No
wonder that in the first prayer of Ephesians recorded in chapter one we have the
following:
"That ye may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who
believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ,
when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His own right hand in the
heavenly places, far above all . . . . ." (19-21).
We live in an age of power. Man is wresting secrets from nature and getting to know
more and more of the huge reserves of power inherent in matter and this to his own
undoing. But however great atomic energy may be, there is one thing it cannot do, it
cannot give life to a corpse or conquer death. Nothing less than resurrection power is
sufficient for this tremendous task and we may be sure that the power that conquers the
last enemy, death, is more than a match for any difficulties, dangers or tests that we may
undergo in this life. Why then do we fail so often? The Apostle stresses that it is to
`usward who believe'. Is it not lack of trust, absence of appropriating faith in this
almighty storehouse of energy, that is at the bottom of all our troubles? It is only when
we rely moment by moment with childlike faith on resurrection power that we can say
`I can do all things'. We can understand now why Paul wrote in Phil. 3: 10 `that I may
know Him, and the power of His resurrection'. This should be our aim too if our service
is going to count at all in the practical working out of the truth of the Mystery.
As we look back on our findings in previous articles, we trust the reader has realized
how the great and fundamental truth of resurrection enters into the warp and woof of the
purpose of the ages. That which orthodoxy to all intents and purposes casts aside
becomes the very basis of God's almighty plan to bring all things to perfection.
Summing up we have found that:
(1)
Resurrection is the basis of the gospel of God's grace.
"If thou shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved" (Rom. 10: 6-9; I Cor. 15: 2-4, 14).
(2)
Resurrection is behind the promises of God.
"Abraham . . . . . a father of many nations, before Him Whom he believed, even God,
Who quickeneth the dead" (Rom. 4: 16-21; Heb. 11: 18, 19).
(3)
Resurrection will accomplish the restoration of Israel and world blessing.
"O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves,
and bring you into the land of Israel" (Ezek. 37: 12-14).