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was made known. Such in brief is the first item in this sevenfold unity. This we have to
guard.
Some will deny that the one Body is peculiar to the dispensation of the Mystery.
Some will teach that the body of I Cor. 12: is "all one and the same". Some even go
so far as to teach that the One Body comprises every saved one from Adam onwards. All
such attempts to destroy the testimony of the Lord's prisoner must be resisted. We must
not, however, miss the emphasis on the one Body. We can have no connection with
"bodies"; such cannot be recognized for one minute. All other unities, bodies, leagues,
societies, are outside this sacred circle.
ONE SPIRIT.--The body, without the spirit, is dead, being alone, says James. What
is the animating spirit of the One Body? Referring to the mortal body, the apostle says:--
"But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies because of His Spirit
that dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8: 11).
The analogy holds good. The Spirit of the risen Christ likewise is the one Spirit of the
One Body. In Eph. 1: and 2:, two mighty energies are opposed. One is that of the spirit
that now energizes the children of disobedience, the other, though not called by the name
"spirit", is the Spirit of Him Who wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.
Another facet of this truth is revealed in Eph. 2: 18. It is the Spirit of sonship:--
"For through Him we both have access by One Spirit unto the Father."
This is the Spirit in Whom we "the both" cry, according once more to Rom. 8:,
"Abba" (Hebrew), "Father" (Greek). The one Body and the one Spirit anticipate the
one God and Father of all. It has been suggested that the apostle's meaning here is that
the Gentiles share in the work and witness of "one and the self-same Spirit" of I Cor. 12:
When the apostle desired to express that truth he uses the phrase to hen kai auto pneuma,
whereas in Eph. 4: to auto, "the self-same", is omitted. Had the apostle intended to
emphasize "the self-same", what a weight the sevenfold expression would have! The fact
that we have the sevenfold "one" instead is sufficient to decide the apostle's intention.
ONE HOPE.--This item is extended:--
"Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling."
This is the one hope of the mystery. If the theme of the mystery pervades Eph. 1:,
then it is possible that the word rendered "his" in 1: 18 should be rendered "its",
referring to the mystery:--
"The eyes of your heart having been enlightened: that ye may know what is the hope
of its calling", i.e. the hope of the calling of the Mystery.
"That blessed hope" is the "appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus
Christ", expressed in other words in Col. 3: 4:--