Spurgeon: December AM
* 12/06/AM
"As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly."
--1 Corinthians 15:48
The head and members are of one nature, and not like that
monstrous image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The head
was of fine gold, but the belly and thighs were of brass, the
legs of iron, and the feet, part of iron and part of clay.
Christ's mystical body is no absurd combination of opposites;
the members were mortal, and therefore Jesus died; the glorified
head is immortal, and therefore the body is immortal too, for
thus the record stands, "Because I live, ye shall live also." As
is our loving Head, such is the body, and every member in
particular. A chosen Head and chosen members; an accepted Head,
and accepted members; a living Head, and living members. If the
head be pure gold, all the parts of the body are of pure gold
also. Thus is there a double union of nature as a basis for the
closest communion. Pause here, devout reader, and see if thou
canst without ecstatic amazement, contemplate the infinite
condescension of the Son of God in thus exalting thy
wretchedness into blessed union with His glory. Thou art so mean
that in remembrance of thy mortality, thou mayest say to
corruption, "Thou art my father," and to the worm, "Thou art my
sister"; and yet in Christ thou art so honoured that thou canst
say to the Almighty, "Abba, Father," and to the Incarnate God,
"Thou art my brother and my husband." Surely if relationships to
ancient and noble families make men think highly of themselves,
we have whereof to glory over the heads of them all. Let the
poorest and most despised believer lay hold upon this privilege;
let not a senseless indolence make him negligent to trace his
pedigree, and let him suffer no foolish attachment to present
vanities to occupy his thoughts to the exclusion of this
glorious, this heavenly honour of union with Christ.