JUNE 30TH, 1944

JUNE 30TH, 1944

MY DEAR BROTHER, — I gladly send a line in reply to your enquiry, though in relation to the great and holy matters to which you refer I feel much more inclined to take the place of a learner than a teacher. But what we have is to be available for others, whatever may be its measure, and in communicating we often get adjustment and enlargement.

I do not see that the Lord will ever give up His place as Head. I think that Ephesians 3: 21 shows that the assembly will be “in Christ Jesus” — that is, under His headship — eternally, and this in relation to there being glory to God. But my impression is that priestly service is looked at as being taken up in relation to the place where sin has been. The ^[p. 334] sanctuary suggesting holiness in contrast with all that is stained by evil. The saints are “a holy priesthood” to offer up spiritual sacrifices, and this service goes on now under the headship of Christ, but I can hardly suppose that it will go on eternally. The priestly side of things seems to me to stand in relation to time conditions, whereas sonship is eternal. Of course the two go on side by side at the present time, that is to say, both may have place in one meeting, and sonship now gives its own peculiar touch even to what is priestly in the service.

But I do not think that Christ will ever cease to sing praise to God, for He will be the Firstborn among many brethren eternally when nothing remains but what is the fruit of divine purpose, and I cannot suppose that He will be silent to God in that blest eternity. So that if, by grace, we pass in the assembly from what is priestly to what is eternal, He does not cease to hold the place of Head to us, and as in that place He first ministers to us out of the fulness that is in Himself (John 14: 18; Colossians 2: 19), and then voices God-ward the response which is suitable. I desire that we all realise more what it is to have Him come to us as Head for both sides of His blessed service....

With much love in the Lord to your dear wife and yourself,

Yours affectionately in Him,

June 30th, 1944.