EXTRACT

HFN Would you help us in regard to the service of praise, so that we may see the spiritual import in the service of God of the position of the brethren, the assembly, and the sons?

JT To be concise, there are three things that may be mentioned. The first is the Lord’s brethren according to John 20, and the second is the assembly according to Ephesians 5, and the third is the sons of God, spoken of in Hebrews 2. Now the thought that has been often expressed, at least by myself, is that these three items may be regarded as three phases of the same group of persons. The first phase is the brethren of Christ, according to John 20; and the second the assembly, in its peculiar relations with Christ, wifely or marital relations with Christ; and the third is the sons of God; all three running on to eternity. The passage in Ephesians 3, treated of yesterday, points to what we call eternity; “all generations of the age of ages”, Ephesians 3: 21. It is the nearest thought to it, I would say, that our minds can take in. It develops out of the position of Deity; that is, “the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3: 19), and the thought of Deity in Christ whose love surpasses knowledge. These great thoughts enter into the doxology at the end of chapter 3, as it is said “to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages, Amen”, Ephesians 3: 21. That position would include the three items spoken of, besides the divine Persons, of course. Certain things have been said that would seem to clash with what I am saying, but what I am saying I have said many times, and said it in Croydon nine months ago, although it was not as clear to me as it is now, and I hope the brethren will see that as far as I am concerned, it is what I understand to enter into the Lord’s supper, and that we should be free in using these terms, the spiritual import of which lead to the highest altitudes in the service of God. J. Taylor (Vol. 60, p.350)

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