SEATED IN THE PLACE OF AUTHORITY

SEATED IN THE PLACE OF AUTHORITY

The issue of this is self-evident. The Man of Nazareth in the midst of the throne, occupies the seat of final authority, and therefore constitutes the last court of appeal. There can be no appeal beyond that throne. His word is the universal law, His verdict the irrevocable sen­tence. As in resurrection, God rejected man apart from Christ, so in Christ's enthronement, He receives man in Him. Thus those who are united to Him are already seated in Him in the heavenlies. Forevermore therefore the word of the Church is that which so often occurred in apostolic preaching, "Jesus is Lord." (1 Cor. 12:3) Also proclaimed by the disciples and the Master Himself “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.” (John 13:13) It is the word of salvation to the individual, the word of reconstruction to society, the word of ultimate deliverance to all the nations. Herein therefore lies the true center of sin, as He Himself said, "of sin, because they believe not on Me." (John 16:9) It is still true of the world at large that:

"Our Lord is now rejected,

And by the world disowned.

By the many still neglected,

And by the few enthroned." (Major Whittle)

Yet He is God-enthroned, and the future of an individual, of society, of a nation is being determined by the relation of each to Him. The Man of Nazareth, ascending on high, led captivity captive, and passed beyond all principal­ities and powers, yea, beyond every name that is named to the very throne of God, and there today He sits, still rejected by men, and  yet being crowned  by thousands who listening to His voice, obey it.

It is impossible to pass from this contemplation of the ascension of Jesus to the center of all government, and to see in Him man's wounded God, without becoming con­scious of a great comfort and of a great strength. The comfort ever comes as we behold on the throne of the Eternal, One Who bears amid the dazzling splendor, marks that tell of His having suffered and died for us men, that He might bring us into union with His unending joy and eternal Love.

Moreover when the work presses, and the battle thickens, and the day seems long in coming, it is good for the heart to remember that the present conflict is with defeated foes, and that there is no room for question as to the final issue, for the Man of Nazareth is not only SEATED IN THE PLACE OF AUTHORITY, He carries forward the work of active administration. This is a fact too often forgotten amid the tur­moil and the strife. High over all the thrones of earth stands that throne of the Eternal, and SEATED on it is THE ASCENDED MAN, watching, ordering, preventing, and through all the apparent chaos, moving surely towards the ultimate triumph of the Infinite Love. He initiates the true poli­cies selects the proper agents, and even when man least understands, moves ever onward.

In the Person of the crowned Man of Nazareth justice acts forevermore in mercy, and mercy moves in unerring justice. Justice acts in mercy by pardoning, purifying, perfecting upon the basis of that Passion, the signs of which are in the evidences of the slaying. Mercy operates in justice by the justification, sanctification, glorification of those who submitting to the Kings receive the blessing of the Savior.