Acts 28 was to meet the Lord in (eis) the air (1 Thess. 4:17), while the hope

of the people of Israel is that in that day His feet shall stand upon (epi) the

Mount of Olives.  These indicate the three spheres of blessing with their

corresponding hope.  Some have felt that the words `in glory' of Colossians

3:4, indicate simply the glorious character of the Lord's manifestation, and

that it could be used of 1 Thessalonians 4 or any other phase of His coming.

While such a sentiment is in itself true, we must not allow a specious

interpretation to invalidate the high glory of our hope.  The Colossians were

directed to seek those things which are above, and lest we shall fall into the

error of saying those things which are above are simply spiritual, without

reference to place or sphere, the apostle immediately follows with the

explanatory clause `Where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God'.  Again in

verse 2, `above' is placed over against `earth'.

Under the heading Hope, p. 132, we have endeavoured to show that hope is

a realization of calling, and the calling of this church places its hopes and

its blessings `in heavenly places' and potentially they are spoken of as

already `seated together' there.  Colossians 3:4 is but the realization of what

they have held by faith, and nothing less than `the right hand of God, where

Christ sitteth' will fill that realization so that hope shall be unashamed.  On

the Mount of Transfiguration, the Saviour `appeared in glory' (Luke 9:31) and

three of His disciples, together with Moses and the prophet, beheld His glory.

The time had not then come for the believer himself to be manifested in that

glory, but as Peter said, the vision in the holy mount made the word of

prophecy `more sure'*.  The many aspects of this subject that are related with

the Lord Himself, and the great doctrines of Redemption, constitute a study in

itself and would take us too far afield.

We must be content here with these few pointers, but we believe if they

are followed out in all their connections, the word `glory' will appear still

more glorious by reason of the fact that it reveals the full unimpeachable

justification of God Himself, of Christ the Redeemer, and of all the saved of

all callings and spheres.  The glory that awaits us will be a splendour beyond

the present knowledge and experience of man, but its splendour will be

something richer and fuller than brilliance even though that brilliance

outshine the sun in its strength, it will be the glory, that will manifest how

right God has been in all His ways, He will be justified as will every one of

His redeemed people.

We may have speculated as to the essential difference that there may be

between `the crown of glory' (1 Pet. 5:4) and `the crown of righteousness' (2

Tim.  4:8).  It would appear from what we have seen to be the basic idea in the

word doxa, that these two crowns represent but two aspects of the same thing.

The Good Deposit.  The word `deposit' does not occur in the New Testament  but

it is used by expositors in an endeavour to translate with greater accuracy the

meaning of the apostle in the claim made by him in 2 Timothy 1:12.

First, let us see the passages concerned, as they appear in the A.V.

`For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not

ashamed: for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is

able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day' (2

Tim. 1:12).