e have received Christ Jesus
as Lord,' and all depends on keeping the channels of communication open
so that the reception may be continuous and progressive. We must live
near and ever nearer to the Lord, and seek that our communion with Him
may be strengthened. On the other hand, it is not only by the
spontaneous development of the implanted life, but by conscious and
continuous efforts which sometimes involve vigorous repression of the
old self that progress is realised. The two metaphors of our text have
to be united in our experience. Neither the effortless growth of the
tree nor the toilsome work of the builder suffice to represent the whole
truth. The two sides of deep and still communion, and of strenuous
effort based on that communion, must be found in the experience of every
Christian who has received Christ, and is advancing through the
imperfect manifestations of earth to the perfect union with, and perfect
assimilation to, the Lord.

To all men who are ready to despair of themselves, here is the way to
realise the grandest hopes. Nothing is too great to be attained by one
who, having received Christ Jesus as Lord, walks in Him, rooted and
builded up in Him, 'a holy temple to the Lord.'

RISEN WITH CHRIST

'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ sitteth on
the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on
things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For
ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in
God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in
glory. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are
upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry: 6. For which
things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the
children of disobedience. 7. In the which ye also
walked sometime, when ye lived in them. 8. But now
ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put
off the old man with his deeds; 10. And have put
on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge
after the image of Him that created him: 11. Where
there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor