Covered Union
Believers are now, by the Holy Spirit, in union with Christ ascended, for "by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." All this most blessed workmanship of the Holy Spirit, His present ministry through gifts bestowed by Christ ascended, all the affection and care of Christ for His assembly, the perfection of the Father's love to His children, loving them as He loved His Son, are richly and blessedly brought to us through the apostolic writings. This is especially true of the writings of Paul who was emphatically a minister of the Church or assembly (Col. 1:23). This, therefore, gives them a unique charm to the believer, and through faith they necessarily produce a walk of separation and devotedness to the Lord. The important question for us is, am I living in the enjoyment of communion with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ? How can this be if His Word is not loved, received, and meditated on by us as the treasury of His thoughts, affections, purposes and ways? Jesus said, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words.... He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me." John 14:23, 24.
Young Christian
Editorial
Money is a powerful motive for most people. In these modern times we see God allowing even this motive to cause a grand distribution of the oldest book in the world. Men are using the Harvard Business School approach to marketing in this decade, to produce major changes in the 200 million dollar a year retail market for Bibles.
Both the Protestant and Catholic translations are selling well. More Bibles are in more people's hands than ever before. This surely is something to be thankful about. Now, if only the possessors of these Bibles will read them, we can be assured of much blessing. Yes, there is money in selling Bibles, but there is enduring wealth beyond measure from the infinite blessing found in that precious Word of God.
Jeremiah wrote, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart." Jer. 15:16. We too, shall find it to be the very same if we just take it in and assimilate it—think upon God's Word.
Paul, who dearly loved the gospel, wrote, "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Eph. 3:8. He tells us still more in Col. 1:25-27: "I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill [or fill full] the Word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Another marvel about the Bible is its permanence. The enemy has tried for centuries to get rid of it but could not and never shall. "The Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever" and "Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven," are two scriptures that attest to its enduring character.
The first writing that Scripture records is in Ex. 17. Before that God spoke orally to His people. Since that time, about 3500 years ago, God has by His written Word communicated more and more through the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the psalms. Lastly, the New Testament was given and as we have already quoted from Col. 1:25, we now have all God has to communicate to us. The Word is complete, that is, filled full.
Besides all the Bibles in print today, we are thankful that also many copies are on tapes that can be listened to and so reach the hearts and consciences through the ear as well as the eye. "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them." Prov. 20:12. These two avenues to the soul God desires to use to speak to us. Do we want to hear and to see? Ed.