Verses 18-23

The union of Christ with the Church, is a union so real that the body must be there, in order for Christ to be complete. It is man in resurrection who occupies this place; and this doctrine is essentially practical: it gives the whole power of God in a life of resurrection here below, which sets us above the flesh. If we do not realize this life, we walk as men; and the lively understanding of this life of resurrection brings death upon all that is not heavenly. The power of faith makes us walk in high and heavenly places; and it is nothing less than the power of God (the same power which raised Christ from the dead and set Him at the right hand of God), which works in us both to will and to do. In these days, the Church has not miracles for its portion, but the power of the Spirit in the invisible world.
Herein is the understanding of the mystery of Christ. All things will be gathered together in one in Him; and, being united to Him, we likewise enjoy this inheritance, God redeems and inherits all things in Christ, and God establishes Christ the heir over all things as man; but the Church is the body of Christ, united to Him in the enjoyment of this inheritance; therefore it is said, " the inheritance of God in the saints."
In Christ all is manifested-in Christ the Son, Heir of all things; it is on Him that all hangs. But in the counsels of God, it is in us also that these things are manifested-in us, the saints; with whom God surrounds Himself in order to enjoy the fullness of His glory; as it is written, " to the glory of God by us."
But there still remains one thing essentially necessary to our enjoyment of this glorious destiny which belongs to us in the counsels of God; it was not only needful to reveal to us the counsels of God, but also to raise us to the height of that which is given to us, by placing us in a position, in a state whereby we are made capable of this enjoyment. Christ is the Heir of all things, and we are His co-heirs. In what way are we associated with Him so as to share in the inheritance of the glory? How did He Himself (the One who in grace partook of the consequences of sin on the cross), become raised to enjoy the glory? God raised Him from the dead, and set Him according to His merits, and according to the dignity of His person, at His own right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. He has taken the Man who was dead, and has set Him at His right hand in the glory. Man, in the person of Christ, is raised above all except the throne, by which He has been raised. And is he alone?-No. The same power which raised Christ, and set Him at the right hand of God; the excellent greatness of that power which raised the Man who was dead to the right hand of God, works with the same might in him who believes.
This is what raises us to the capacity and to the position where we can enjoy, and where we do enjoy, the glory of God in Christ. For if God has set Christ over all, by taking Him from among the dead, He has given Him also as Head to His body, which is the Church. We partake in this glory as being the body, the members of Him who inherits it; we partake of it according to the same energy which has set Christ there; Christ thus exalted, is Head over all things, and
Head of His body, which is the Church. The members have their part in the inheritance, by virtue of the working's of the same power in them, which wrought in Christ when He was taken from among the dead and set at the right hand of God. The body is complement to the Head; it is in this sense its fullness. Christ fills all in all: this is His glory. It is He who divinely fills the whole universe-the Church is the body of Him who does it.
This great and wonderful truth is unfolded practically and morally in the second chapter. But before going further, let us here remark, that there are two things in which the operation of the Holy Spirit is manifested in the Church-these are wisdom and power; but the one is manifested at the present time more than the other. It is said, that Christ is the wisdom and the power of God; if you take the most advanced Christians, you will find in them more of wisdom and knowledge of the ways and counsels of God than of power. In the beginning of the Church, the great mass of believers were less enlightened than at present; but the power was greater, for the devils trembled. Though this power is precious, inasmuch as it is a testimony that Jesus, as man, has conquered Satan; yet the most precious thing is wisdom; and so much the more, as what we have now to do is to discern the evil and separate from it, and not to establish a new dispensation. However, God always gives that which suits the need of His Church.
And it is the same thing that we see in Joseph; first, when persecuted by his brethren; afterward, when in Egypt. That which characterized him was his wisdom; his knowledge of the thoughts of God. This is what is now given to us, even the thoughts of God. The position of the Church is known by spiritual understanding; by wisdom I know what is my portion...my affections are drawn towards what God has presented to me for eternity. The Church, in a special way, has need to understand this; she will then avoid the wiles of Satan. In Israel, when the enemies had the upper hand, it was knowing the thoughts of God which sustained those who were faithful. We see that the prophets of Judah, to whom God had entrusted His thoughts, did not perform a single miracle. Understanding of the thoughts of God will make us humble. It is a lowly position to know that we have nothing but what is in God. The effect spiritually, will be to turn our hearts towards Him who is our portion; and that will draw the Church away from all that is of the world; because God is about to take her up out of the world, that will force her to find her sources of joy and strength only in Him. Here, however, there is a character of power attached to this knowledge. It is the power of the resurrection which places us in the same position as. Christ in heaven. That is our position, if we have spiritual intelligence: how power and wisdom are united r It is a work of power in us, and not our own wisdom.