They are all born again. Their privileges and honors are the following:

      1. Their constitutional king is the only begotten Son of God; whose title and honors are--image of the invisible God--effulgence or the Father's glory--Emanuel--Upholder of the Universe--Prophet of the Prophets--High Priest of the Temple of God--King of kings--Lord of lords--the only Potentate--Commander and Covenant of the people--Captain of Salvation--Counsellor, Lawgiver, Redeemer, Deliverer, Mediator, Saviour, Advocate, Judge. He is Sun of Righteousness, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star, Light of the World, the Faithful and True Witness, Bishop of Souls, Great Shepherd of the Sheep, Head of the Church, Lord of all, Heir of the Universe, the Resurrection and the Life, the Son of Man, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Amen, etc., etc., etc. Such is the Christian's King, whose assistance in all these characters, offices, and relations, as exhibited under all these figures, is guaranteed to him in the Constitution. Indeed it is all expressed in one promise--"I will be your God, and you shall be my people."

      2. It is guaranteed that "their sins and iniquities are to be remembered no more." "There is no condemnation to them who are under Christ." "Sin shall not have dominion, nor lord it over them.' The Lord imputeth to them no sin. They are all pardoned, justified, and saved from sin.

      3. They are adopted into the family of God; made sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty; children of God, and heirs--joint heirs with Christ. They have an advocate in the heavens, through whom their persons and prayers are accepted.

      4. They all know the Lord. "All thy children shall be taught of God." The Holy Spirit of God writes the law of God upon their hearts, and inscribes it upon their understanding: so chat they need not teach every one his fellow citizen to know the Lord, "for they all know him from the least to the greatest." They are all sanctified through the truth--separated and consecrated to God.

      5. They have the promise of a resurrection from the dead, and eternal life; an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading--new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness alone shall dwell forever.

      Such are the constitutional rights and privileges of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven. And these have obtained for them the following titles and honors: Kingdom of heaven; Israel of God; chosen generation; body of Christ; children of God; habitation of God; [245] family of God; Jerusalem from above; Mount Zion; peculiar people; the elect of God; holy nation; temple of the Holy Spirit; house of God; city of the living God; pillar and ground of truth; living stones; seed of Abraham; citizens of heaven; lights of the world; salt of the earth; heirs of God; joint heirs with Christ, etc., etc.

      These privileges, honors, and emoluments belong to every citizen of the kingdom of heaven. Indeed, they are all comprehended in the summary which Paul (from Jeremiah) lays before the believing Hebrews: "This is the constitution which I will make with the house of Israel after those days: I will put my laws into their mind, and inscribe them upon their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them; because I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more."¹ To this summary the reader may add those scriptures in the margin as confirmatory to the above.²

[A. C.]      

Source:

Alexander Campbell. "The Subjects of the Kingdom." The Millennial Harbinger Extra 5 (August 1834): 408-410.

[MHA1 245-246]