prison epistles of Paul deal with the `exceeding' things of divine revelation? One cannot help feeling when reading

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them that the apostle had difficulty, humanly speaking, in conveying the fulness of truth in human language.

Here we have the unsearchable riches of Christ, riches of grace (Eph. 1:7,8) wherein God has overflowed

towards us; riches of glory (Eph. 1:3,18; Phil. 4:19; Col. 1:27; 2:2) and exceeding riches of grace to be shown by

God to every member of this exalted company in the ages to come (Eph. 2:6,7). Here too, the Lord Jesus is exalted

to the highest place (Eph. 1:19-23; 4:10) that in all things He might HAVE THE PRE-EMINENCE or first place (Col.

1:18; Phil. 2:9-11).

This is the acid test of all doctrine, what does it do with the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it put Him in His rightful

place, first and foremost in the heavenly places far above all? We submit that this calling exalts Him as no other, for

it is based not just on His resurrection, but on HIS ASCENSION and exaltation to the Father's right hand in the highest

glory and without this the whole revelation would collapse.

In a small booklet like this, one can only scratch the surface of these spiritual treasures contained in Paul's prison

ministry. To appreciate their fulness of revelation, the reader must read, search, pray, and meditate upon them

continually. Untold wonders await the child of God who will humbly ask the Lord for the `spirit of revelation'

(Eph. 1:17,18), opened eyes and an understanding heart (Col. 1:9) to receive and to practically acknowledge this

glorious Secret which God wills to make known to His saints (Col. 1:27).

What then shall be our response to such a Saviour, but to live lives that glorify Him? Shall we not seek to

support by prayer and every possible way those who, like Paul, are out to make all men see what is this

`dispensation of the Mystery' (Eph. 3:9 R.V.)? Let us not only do this, but endeavour ourselves to pass on these

precious things to others so that they may share in our supreme joy. We close with two passages from Ephesians

and Colossians, with the prayer that God may write their truth and wonder upon heart and mind.

`God ... quickened us together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), and raised us up with Him, and made

us to sit with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus' (Eph. 2:4-6 R.V.).

`If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right

hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth' (Col. 3:1,2

JOHN'S GOSPEL AND THE BELIEVER

Let us look at some of the figures that are used in John's Gospel to indicate the relationship that exists between

the believer and his Lord. We know that in the dispensation of the mystery, the believer forms part of the church

which is the Body of Christ, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. No such figure of course occurs in John, but

there are in it certain symbols of relationship indicative of the calling of those to whom it ministers.

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For a survey of other relationships in which believers stand today, see pages 33-37.