WHAT a difference it makes whether we look at ourselves as separate individuals, or as parts of the Temple, builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. When it comes to the individual the works may oft-times cause the cry, "'Unclean,`,. unclean; " but as parts of the temple this same people are precious stones, God's own workmanship in Christ Jesus, and laid as living stones on that foundation, there to rest shining in all the beauty of another, even His own Christ; all the weight of the building resting on Him, the eternal foundation. There are these two things; first, God dealing with every individual heart; and, second, God counting you as a part of His building- a city where every stone is bright and polished, and each one reflects the glory of Christ. There every saint will show forth to the mind of God the Lord Jesus, because all will reflect His glory.
Can you say I am a called one? (Jude 1.) What, then, is the hope of His calling? (Eph. 1:18.) How does such a hope find expression here? " This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Nothing less, then, than reaching the prize of your high calling of God in Christ Jesus is your hope. It is a real thing that Christ is sitting at the right hand of God in all His beauty and glory, and the hope is seeing Him as He is, and being like Him (1 John 2:2, 3). The Father of glory sees you in all your present weakness and failure, and calls you to such a hope. He will not leave His workmanship, or leave off His work till one by one millions shall be made like to Him who is now sitting at His right hand. He is molding all to the likeness of that One, and when we shall see Him as He is, these vile bodies shall be changed, and fashioned like unto His glorious body. What a thought! Each believer like a vase molded of God, full of glory. Thousands, thousands of vases, all filled with His glory. God will DA cease working till He has made me like His Christ. G.V.W.