Christ the Head of all.
"To gather together under one head all things in Christ." Unity a characteristic of God's works. Unity of the solar system, the stars, the heavens. In the moral and spiritual world there are diverse orders of holy being. To us only two are known—angels and men. But there may be many more. All these it is God's purpose to form into one economy. Jesus Christ is the Center of this great plan. We have some glimpses of this in the Apocalypse. Besides countless angels, "Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying," etc. (Revelation 5:13). This does not imply that there will be nothing outside this glorious host of holy beings; for the Apocalypse affirms the contrary.
I. This subject gives us an exalted conception of the place of honor to be occupied by Christ in eternity. As was his humiliation, so will his glory be.
II. It gives us also an exalted conception of the glory and dignity of all true believerses How glorious the fellowship of such an order of beings! How insignificant the honors of earth, for which men toil so hard!
The seal of the Spirit and the earnest of the inheritance.
I. THE SPIRIT IS HIMSELF THE SEAL BY WHICH BELIEVERS ARE KNOWN AS GOD'S.
1. In his inward operations on their hearts.
2. In the outward effects of his working.
II. THE SPIRIT IS ALSO THE EARNEST OF THE INHERITANCE. Heaven a condition more than a locality. Heaven is brought to men before they are brought to heaven. Renewal of soul is the beginning of heaven. It is thus the firstfruits of their inheritance. It is the pledge and assurance of "more to follow." Apart from this there is no heaven. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."