+II. The causes to which this state is to be ascribed.+--1. _The love
of Christ._ 2. _Love revealed in sacrifice_ as another step towards
final purity. 3. _The work of the Holy Spirit_ (ver. 26). 4. _The
Word of God_ (ver. 26). A right understanding of its testimony and a
heartfelt belief in its truth.
+III. The great end for which all these means of holiness are brought
into operation.+--"That He might present it to Himself a glorious
Church" (ver. 27). The likeness of God will be put on her, the image
of God shine in her; that attribute of Divinity--holiness--which is
the perfection of Divinity will be her crown.--_C. Bradley._
_The Divine Ideal of the Church._
+I. We have an array of stupendous facts concerning the
Church.+--1. _The Divine prevision._ Before the eternal Son of God
could give Himself for the Church, He must have had it in His mind.
2. _The Redeemer's actual love for the Church._ 3. _The Redeemer's
amazing self-sacrifice on behalf of the Church._ 4. _That the
Redeemer has a very definite purpose concerning His Church._
+II. The distinguishing marks or signs of the members of the
Church.+--They are personal and experimental. 1. _The casting out of
natural impurities._ Improvement is not enough. Nothing but a
thorough re-creation can effect what is required. 2. _The instrument
of this change is the truth._ 3. _This change, this introduction into
the Church, is a thing complete in itself, becomes historical, and
ought never to need repeating._ 4. _The way is open for the
appearance of the other personal and experimental
sign--sanctification_ (ver. 26). 5. _Christ's idea of the Church
given in these verses is not abstract, impracticable, and untrue to
the possibilities of ordinary human nature._
+III. Here we catch a glimpse of the future and eternal glory of the
Church.+--How stupendous an event it will be when, at the
consummation of all things, the whole Church will be presented to the
Lord Jesus! What can secure Church membership? Neither early
training, nor baptism, nor the holding of an orthodox creed, nor
associating with a religious and devout assembly, nor the filling of
ecclesiastical office, nor even intelligent approach to the table of
the Lord. Such things are means to an end. That end is true
membership in the Church of Christ. And that membership is attained
and secured by Divine renewal of the heart, and by that conformity to
the mind of Christ which is expressive of the new life. The true
unity of the Church of Christ is that spiritual oneness which has its
expression in identity of Christian life.--_W. Hudson._
Ver. 25. _A Noble Self-sacrifice._--Caius Gracchus, who was the idol
of the Roman people, having carried his regard for the lower orders
so far as to draw upon himself the resentment of the nobility, an
open rupture ensued; and the two extremities of Rome resembled two
camps--Opimius the consul on one side, and Gracchus and his friend
Fulvius on the other. A battle ensued in which the consul, meeting
with more vigorous resistance than he expected, proclaimed an amnesty
for all those who should lay down their arms, and at the same time
promised to pay for the heads of Gracchus and Fulvius their weight in
gold. This proclamation had the desired effect. The populace deserted
their leaders. Fulvius was taken and beheaded, and Gracchus, at the
advice of his two friends, Licinius Crassus and Pomponius, determined
to flee the city, and reached the bridge Sublicius, where his
enemies, who pursued him close, would have overtaken and seized him
if his two friends had not opposed their fury; but they saw the
danger he was in and determined to save his life at the expense of
their own. They defended the bridge against all the consular troops
till Gracchus was out of their reach; but at length, being
overpowered by numbers, and covered with wounds, they both expired on
the bridge they had so valiantly defended.--_Biblical Treasury._