Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me. And the life, which I now live in the flesh, I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
[Footnote 80: Eph. 4. 13.14.15.]
[Footnote 81: Col. 3.9.10.]
[Footnote 82: 1 Cor. 6.11.]
[Footnote 83: Gal. 2.20.]
But this state of manhood, [84] "by which the man of God may be made
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, does not take place,
until Christ be fully formed in the souls of believers, or till they are
brought wholly under his rule and government. He must be substantially
formed in them. He must actually be their life, and their hope of glory.
He must be their head and governor. As the head, and the body, and the
members are one, according to the apostle, but the head directs; so
Christ, and, believers in whom Christ is born and formed, are one
spiritual body, which he himself must direct also. Thus Christ, where he
is fully formed in man, or where believers are grown up to the measure
of the stature and fulness of sonship, is the head of every man, and God
is the head of Christ. Thus Christ the begotten entirely governs the
whole man, as the head directs and governs all the members of the body;
and God the Father, as the head of Christ, entirely guides and governs
the begotten. Hence, believers [85] 'are Christ's, and Christ is God's;'
so that ultimately God is all in all.
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