a measure of both and yet be a picture of misery. The Christian grace of abiding `joy',

not the empty bubble that the world calls `fun', will transform the previous fruits and

make the whole attractive for Christ.

All this should be accompanied by a grateful spirit:

One of the basest of human faults is ingratitude, and to be ungrateful in view of the

supreme work of the Father described in this context is to sink low indeed. He has `made

us sufficient' or fitted us for a tremendous goal, nothing less than an inheritance in the

heavenly holiest of all in the light. Hagion we can read as `holy things' as well as `holy

people', and bearing in mind Heb. 9: 8 where the same word is rendered `holiest (of

all)', referring to the most holy place, the dwelling place of God's glory in the

Tabernacle, we can better appreciate how this inheritance is `in the light', the (shekinah)

glory of God.

Here is something that eclipses any blessing that Israel possessed, great though these

were. No Israelite would ever dream of dwelling in this most sacred place. Indeed, he

lived his whole life without entering it once. Only the high priest, Aaron, had this unique

privilege and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement, by virtue of his being a

type of Christ Who has entered `within the veil' in resurrection and ascension as the

Forerunner (Heb. 6: 19, 20). But the Body of Christ is so favoured and graced that it will

not only enter heaven's most sacred place, but will dwell there permanently, for there and

not on earth, is their inheritance and each one is a living stone in this heavenly Temple

and habitation of God (Eph. 2: 19-22). Nothing short of this is the tremendous goal for

which the Father has fitted us. How grateful in practice should we then be!

Before the Apostle passes on to further truth, he bids us take a look back into the past:

The word `deliver' means to `rescue from danger' and how great this danger can be

realized by remembering that in our unsaved state we were under `the authority of

darkness' or, as Eph. 2: 1-3 expresses it, we walked according to the `prince of the

power of the air', namely Satan himself, who animates all the unsaved.  Eph. 6: 12

refers to the `world rulers of this darkness' under his control, the evil principalities and

powers who were defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary (Col. 2: 15) but who still

seek to overthrow us and against whom our `wrestling' is directed. The whole might of

these dark Satanic forces was directed against the Son of God at Gethsemane to prevent

Him reaching the Cross and accomplishing there complete victory over them all. "This is

your hour, and the power of darkness" He said (Luke 22: 53). Let us never forget that

Calvary means final victory over every foe for all the redeemed.