and the grave--something
well calculated to terrify the enemies of Christ: but we may joyfully
hope for and await his speedy coming to deliver us from this
miserable, filthy pollution.

"According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all
things unto himself."

THE GLORIFIED BODY OF THE CHRISTIAN.

34. Think of the honor and the glory Christ's righteousness brings
even to our bodies! How can this poor, sinful, miserable, filthy,
polluted body become like unto that of the Son of God, the Lord of
Glory? What are you--your powers and abilities, or those of all men,
to effect this glorious thing? But Paul says human righteousness,
merit, glory and power have nothing to do with it. They are mere
filth and pollution, and condemned as well. Another force intervenes,
the power of Christ the Lord, who is able to bring all things into
subjection to himself. Now, if he has power to subject all things
unto himself at will, he is also able to glorify the pollution and
filth of this wretched body, even when it has become worms and dust.
In his hands it is as clay in the hands of the potter, and from the
polluted lump of clay he can make a vessel that shall be a beautiful,
new, pure, glorious body, surpassing the sun in its brilliance and
beauty.

35. Through baptism Christ has taken us into his hands, actually that
he may exchange our sinful, condemned, perishable, physical lives for
the new, imperishable righteousness and life he prepares for body and
soul. Such is the power and the agency exalting us to marvelous
glory--something no earthly righteousness of the Law could
accomplish. The righteousness of the Law leaves our bodies to shame
and destruction; it reaches not beyond physical existence. But the
righteousness of Christ inspires with power, making evident that we
worship not the body but the true and living God, who does not leave
us to shame and destruction, but delivers from sin, death and
condemnation, and exalts this perishable body to eternal honor and
glory.

_Twenty Fourth Sunday After Trinity_

Text: Colossians 1, 3-14.

3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying
always for you, 4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of
the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5 because of the hope
which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in
the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even
as it is also in all the world