The Pentecostal Church, while saved with the same salvation and standing in Christ, had no such equality for the

Gentile believer, who was taught that he was but a wild olive grafted into the true olive tree (Israel) and that he did

not bear the root, but the root (Israel) bore him (Rom. 11:17,18). In other words the Jew was still first (Rom. 1:16;

This church, the fulness of Christ, has a new and unique constitution. It is a new creation, not an evolution (Eph

2:14,15); where the word `make' should be translated `create'. It is a new man, and its goal is to grow to a full

grown male [A.V. perfect man (Eph. 4:13)].

Figures like the `Bride', the `Body', the `New Man' are used with precision by the Divine Author and not

scattered indiscriminately throughout the Word.

4.

THE SPHERE OF BLESSING

This is described as being in `heavenly places' (Eph. 1:3). The reader will notice that the word `places' is in

italics and has therefore been supplied by the translators to make sense. The original reads `in the heavenlies'.

Some have questioned the accuracy of the Authorized Version translation and have put forward the idea that the

phrase does not refer to a place, but to a spiritual experience in the life of the believer here and now. When Christ

has become all to the child of God in his experience, then, we are told, he is in the heavenlies.

The truth of this assertion can easily be checked by noticing how these words occur in Ephesians. The next

reference is in Ephesians 1:20,21 where Christ is stated to be raised and seated at the Father's right hand in the

heavenly places. Now the Lord Jesus must be localised somewhere for He has a glorified body. The disciples saw

Him leave this earth bodily and were assured that He would return in the same way (Acts 1:9-11). In Him, at the

present time, dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9) and believers look forward in faith to the day of

glory when they shall have bodies fashioned like unto His glorious body (Phil. 3:21). He is now sitting at the right

hand of God (Col. 3:1) and Ephesians 1:20 assures us that the right hand of God, where He is thus seated, is in the

heavenly places.

So the Authorized Version is correct. Furthermore Ephesians 3:10 teaches us that there are principalities and

powers (heavenly beings) also in the heavenly places. The Lord Jesus has been exalted to the highest pinnacle of

glory, that is, the right hand of God the Father and the words `in the heavenlies' are only another way of describing

this supreme sphere. Elsewhere it is described as being far above all heavens (Eph. 4:10).

Now Ephesians 1:3 teaches us that members of this most favoured company of God's children have been blessed

with every blessing that is spiritual in this same sphere. If this was not tremendous enough, chapter 2:6,7 goes

further and declares that such are not only quickened and raised but seated together where He is in the same

heavenly places. Chapter 1:20 gives us a seated Christ in this highest of all spheres and chapter 2:6 a seated Church

there in Him. It is impossible to get higher than the ascended and glorified Christ, and so we come to the climax of

revelation in the Word of God so far as the redeemed are concerned.

This revelation is so overwhelming that it leaves the human completely staggered. No wonder Paul prayed that

the Ephesian believers might know something of the Lord's exceeding resurrection power; that they might be

strengthened with might by His Spirit (1:17-20; 3:16).

In and of ourselves we are utterly inadequate to rise in our understanding to anything so tremendous as this. We

are of the earth earthy, and always tend to gravitate earthwards in our thinking. It is no wonder that Christians

stumble at such teaching and some frankly do not believe, but even oppose it as being error. If the reader thinks this

exaggerated, let him try and pass this truth on to other believers and note their attitude. He will probably be pulled

up with a jolt! But this must not affect our reception of God's truth. We are each one of us RESPONSIBLE TO HIM,

not to other Christians. Let us humbly bow in His Presence with utter thankfulness and realize that the least we can

do is to accept and believe what He has said. Anything less than this shows the basest ingratitude for all the riches

of grace and glory He has lavished upon us. The phrase `in the heavenlies' occurs only in the Epistle to the

Ephesians. It is found nowhere else in the Word of God.