Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/217

 The Three Ways. asx

Further, we learn that Jehovah, who alone possessed im- mortality originally, has highly exalted his Son, our Lord Jesus, to the same divine, immortal nature; hence he is now the express image of the Father's person. (Heb. i : 3.) So we read, "As the Father hath LIFE IN HIMSELF [God's definition of " immortality ' ' life in himself not drawn from other sources, nor dependent on circumstances, but independent, inherent life], so hath he given to the Son to have LIFE IN HIMSELF." (John 5 : 26.) Since the resur- rection of the Lord Jesus, then, two beings are immortal ; and, amazing grace ! the same offer is made to the Bride of the Lamb, being selected during the Gospel age. Yet not all of the great company who are nominally of the Church will receive this great prize, but only that "little flock" of overcomers whoso run as to obtain it; who fol- low closely in the Master's footsteps; who, like him, walk the narrow way of sacrifice, even unto death. These, when born from the dead in the resurrection, will have the divine nature and form. This immortality, the independent, self- existent, divine nature, is the life to which the narrow way leads.

This class is not to be raised from the tomb human beings ; for we are assured by ths/ Apostle that, though sown in the tomb natural bodies, they will be raised spiritual bodies. These all shall be "changed," and even as they once bore the image of the earthly, human nature, they shall bear the image of the heavenly. But " it doth not yet appear what we shall be' ' what a spiritual body is ; but " we know that when he shall appear, we shall be Kke him" and share in "the glory to be revealed." i John 3:2; Col. i : 27 ; 2 Cor. 4: 17; John 17: 22; i Pet. 5: 10; 2 Thes. 2: 14.

Not only is this high calling to a change of nature con- fined exclusively to the Gospel age, but it is the only offer of this age. Hence our Lord's words quoted at the begin-

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