Contrasts of Glory

What a wondrous privilege to gaze by faith upon Him there in the glory! Thus do we become like Him; we are changed into the same image. This is strikingly seen in Stephen when he prayed, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." How like Christ's utterance, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Stephen, however, did not add the last clause.
Is there a truer way of becoming practically heavenly? Mere acquaintance with the doctrine of our heavenly position will not have this transforming effect. Occupation of heart with the heavenly Man cannot fail to influence the soul, and to detach us from all here. Christianity is in this respect altogether higher than law. It presents to us not a legal code, but a blessed Person whom we are to learn to know.
Did Stephen look up "filled with the Holy Spirit?" It is one great feature of Christianity that the Spirit of God is here, the gift of the Father to all who believe in the Son. There is a difference, however, between being "sealed" with the Spirit, and being "filled" with the Spirit. This is to allow the divine In-dweller His own blessed way with us, producing in us precious fruit to the glory of God. To this we are exhorted.