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Scripture Reading: 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 2:15-16; 3:6; 4:11-16; Rom. 12:1-6
What is in God’s heart, and what is the desire of God’s heart? We all must realize that God’s heart’s desire is the Body of Christ. This is very clearly depicted in the type of the tabernacle and the Ark. The Ark is a type of Christ who is the testimony and embodiment of the invisible God. With the Ark there is the need of the tabernacle. Without the tabernacle, there is no place for the Ark. Without the tabernacle the Ark becomes homeless because the tabernacle is the dwelling place for the Ark. All the people of Israel realized this, so they did their best to offer something for the tabernacle and to work together to build up the tabernacle. Then after the tabernacle was built, the glory of God filled it immediately. This is the heart’s desire of God. God is seeking a tabernacle for the Ark. God is seeking a Body for the Head. God is seeking the church, the genuine church, for Christ. Christ is the Ark, and the church, the Body of Christ, is the tabernacle.
Today people pay attention to many so-called spiritual works, but most of them neglect the heart’s desire of God. What is God’s heart’s desire? God’s heart’s desire is the building up of the church, the building up of the Body of Christ. King David was called a man after God’s heart because he was always seeking to obtain a dwelling place for God. When he became king, there was no tabernacle for the Ark. The Ark was like a wandering homeless person. David had a heart to seek a dwelling place, a place of rest, for Jehovah, for the Ark. This matter was so pleasing to God, because this is God’s very heart’s desire. Moreover, David not only prepared a tabernacle, a tent, for the Ark of God, he also intended to build a temple, a house, for the Ark. Although David did not do the building work directly, he prepared nearly all the materials for the building of the house of God. He knew the desire of God’s heart, so he was a man after God’s heart.
Today God is seeking the same thing — a tabernacle, a temple, a house. Today God is seeking after a Body for Christ. However, although there are so many Christians on the earth, it is very difficult to meet a good number of Christians in any one place who are built together as the genuine expression of the Body of Christ. Everywhere you go, it is easy to meet Christians. However, it is very difficult to find the genuine expression of the Body of Christ anywhere on earth today. This is what the Lord is after; He is seeking to have the genuine expression of His Body on this earth in this age.
Since God’s desire is the Body of Christ, all the work of Christ and all the work of the Spirit are for the Body of Christ. Moreover, all the gifted members, all spiritual growth, and all the functions, ministries, and gifts of all the members of the Body are for the building up of the Body. Everything that God does in Christ and as the Spirit is for the Body, and everything that He gives to the church is for the building up of the Body of Christ.
The work of Christ includes His incarnation, death on the cross, burial, resurrection, and ascension. All this work is for the Body of Christ. For example, Ephesians 2 says that Christ created in Himself one new man. This new man is the Body of Christ. When I was young, I had the thought that in redemption and through regeneration, the Lord created thousands of new men. This was my thought until I received the light from Ephesians 2 that the new man created by Christ in Himself is not many but one. Ephesians 2:15 says, “That He might create the two in Himself into one new man.” Of the thousands and thousands of people included in the two — the Jewish and Gentile people — the Lord created in Himself just one new man. Then immediately following verse 15 we are told that this one new man is a Body (v. 16). Christ is the Head, and with one head there can be only one body. Thus, the new man cannot be thousands of individual new men. The new man is a collective man, a corporate man, a universal man. The new man is too, too big, but it is still one. The creation of this new man is the reason that the Lord Jesus died, resurrected, ascended, and came down as the Holy Spirit. All of the Lord’s work is for the creation of this new man, which is His Body.
All the work of the Holy Spirit is also for the Body of Christ. This work includes at least two aspects, which can be seen in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13: “Even as the body is one and has many members, yet all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit.” On one hand, we are baptized into the Holy Spirit; on the other hand, we are given to drink of Him. In both cases the Spirit is likened to water. We are baptized into this “water,” and we also have to drink this “water.” The Holy Spirit is like water that we can be immersed in and a living stream that we can drink into us. These verses also reveal that we have been baptized in one Spirit into the one Body. Thus, we can realize from these verses that we are baptized in and are given to drink of the one Spirit in order to realize the Body life. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring the Body of Christ into reality. Ephesians 2 shows that the work of Christ is to create the Body, and 1 Corinthians 12 says that the work of the Holy Spirit is to bring the Body of Christ into reality.
After the work of Christ to create the Body and the work of the Spirit to bring the Body into reality, why is there still the need for the work of the gifted members? The work of the gifted members is necessary because the Body still needs to be built up. All the gifted people who are given to the church — the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers — and all their work are for the building up of the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.” The work of Christ is to create a Body for Himself, the work of the Holy Spirit is to bring this Body into reality, and all the gifted persons are given to the church for the building up of the Body of Christ.
All our growth in the spiritual life is also for the building up of the Body of Christ. Your growth, my growth, and the growth of every believer in the spiritual life is for the building up of the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:16 says, “Out from whom all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love.” Here we see that we are being built up by growing up. We are built up by growing up in the life of Christ. What are we growing for? We are growing up to be built up. The more we grow up, the more we will be built up. The building up of the church depends upon the spiritual growth of every member of the Body.
All the functions, ministries, and gifts of all the members of the Body are also for the building up of the Body (Rom. 12:1-6). If you have the gift of healing, you must realize that even divine healing is for the building up of the Body. All gifts, including the gift of teaching, the gift of speaking in tongues, and even a little gift of love, are for the building up of the Body. According to Romans 12, even the love that we show to other members of the Body is a gift that is for the building up of the Body of Christ.
Thus, the Word of God clearly reveals that the work of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, all the gifted persons, all the growth of the spiritual life, and every function, ministry, and gift of every member of the Body are all for one thing — the building up of the Body of Christ. The work of Christ is to create the Body of Christ in Himself. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring the Body into existence. The gifted members — the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers — are given to the Body for the building up of the Body. Furthermore, all growth in life and every gift, ministry, and function of every member of the Body are for the building up of the Body.
Now I wish to ask you, why has the Lord regenerated you? The answer to this question is the main point of this message. Why has the Lord regenerated you, and what have you become as a result of being regenerated? Some might answer, “I am a Christian.” Of course, this is correct. Others may say, “I am a child of God,” or “I am a branch in the vine.” All these answers are correct, but we must also realize that regeneration has made us members of the Body of Christ. There is a big difference between being a member of the Body of Christ and being an individual person. Once we are regenerated, we are no longer an individual person; we lose our individuality. Once we are regenerated, we become members of the Body of Christ. If we realize that we have become members of the Body of Christ, this will change our entire Christian life.
After you have heard such a word, if I were to ask you, “What are you today?” you might answer, “I am a member of the Body of Christ.” However, what would you answer if I asked, “Are you in the Body right now?” Consider this question, “Are you in the Body of Christ right now?” If I were to ask you this question, you may have some trouble answering me in a definite way. You realize that you are a member of the Body, so you cannot say no. However, you also realize that you are still so individual and independent of all the other members, so you dare not say yes either. If you were able to say yes in a definite way, then I would ask you a third question — “Who are the ones you are related to in the Body?” The first question is, “What are you?” If you answer, “I am a member,” then I would ask you, “Are you in the Body now?” If you answer yes to this second question, then I would also ask you, “To whom are you related?” In response to this third question, some may answer, “I am related to Christ.” While this answer is not incorrect, consider the members of our body. Take my hand for instance. Suppose that I were to ask my hand, “What are you?” If my hand could respond, it would say, “I am a member of the body of this man.” Then I would ask my hand, “Are you in the body now?” The hand would answer, “Yes, I am in the body.” Then I would ask the third question: “To whom are you related?” The hand would then say, “Mr. Lee, it is quite clear that I am related to the arm on one end and to the fingers on the other end.” Our relatedness to the other members proves that we are in the Body. If you say that first you are related to Christ the Head and second to the apostle Paul (because he was the most spiritual apostle, and you like him the most), then I would say that you are not really in the Body. You are a member of the Body, but in your practical daily life you are not in the Body. You may know the Scriptures so well and even preach them and teach them much, but you are still an individual, independent Christian and are not related to anyone.
One of the leading brothers may say in response to this, “I meet with the brothers and other believers every day.” This may be the case, but to meet with the brothers and sisters is one thing, and to be related to the brothers and sisters is another. As a leading brother, you may meet together with the brothers every day, but I would still ask you, “To whom are you related in a definite way?” The relatedness that I am referring to is not a matter of friendship. Friendship is not good enough. We must be related in the Spirit of Christ, in the Spirit of life. To whom are you related in the Spirit? This is something very vital.
We all have to be related to some other brothers or sisters in the Spirit in a definite way. The New Testament reveals that we are living stones for the purpose of being built together (1 Pet. 2:5). Stones that have been used to build a building are all related to each other. Each stone is related to at least two or three other stones. If the stones are not related, then there is no genuine building. If we say that we have been built up, then I would ask, “With whom have you been built up?” If you answer, “The brothers,” then I would ask, “Which specific brothers have you been directly built up with?” The proof that you have been built up is that you are related to some specific brothers and sisters. If you do not know whom you are related to, then I am afraid that you have not been built up. You are in the air, not in the building. If you really are built together with the saints, then there will be some whom you are related to. This is very practical.
How much we are related to the other members is not only a proof of how much we have been built up, but it is also a test of how much we have been transformed, because the more we are transformed, the more we will be united with and related to others. For example, suppose that an American brother and a Chinese brother are placed together. In the natural man it is impossible for these two brothers to be related. After one day of being together the American brother will no longer be able to go along with the Chinese brother, and the Chinese brother will no longer be able to go along with the American brother. How then can these two brothers be related as one? You may answer, “In Christ.” Yes, but both these brothers are already in Christ. They are both already in Christ, but one is in Christ with a Chinese mind, and the other is in Christ with an American mind. Thus, the only way for these two brothers to be related as one is to be transformed. Both of their minds must be transformed. The more these brothers are mutually transformed, the more they will be united together. Through transformation these two brothers will grow together. Sometimes we see a brother who is very peculiar. I tell you, we can never be related to others as long as we are peculiar. To be related to others, we all have to be normal brothers and sisters — normal to the extent that there is nothing special about us. How can we become such normal Christians? The only way is to be transformed.
How then can we be transformed? The way to be transformed is to be renewed. The first thing that must be renewed is our mind. Our mind is the biggest troublemaker. In addition, we must also be renewed in our emotion and will. If I remain in my natural emotions, I will seem very peculiar to you, and after not too long a time I will no longer be able to go along with the brothers. Sometimes we see a brother who is very dear, yet we dare not commit ourselves to him because we realize that he is still so natural in his emotions. He is so good, nice, lovely, and even dear, but he has not yet been transformed in his emotions. Thus, we all must be transformed by being renewed in our mind, emotion, and will.
There is only one thing that lasts. The only thing that can last even into eternity is the Spirit. In China there is a group of co-workers who have been working together for more than thirty years. For over thirty years we have been related together, especially with Brother Watchman Nee. The reason we have been able to stay related and to work together so closely for over thirty years is that we all have been learning not to go along with our mind, our emotion, or our will. We go along only with the Spirit. Over these years we all have been learning to be transformed. Without the grace of the Lord, I would have split with the co-workers many years ago. Over the years there have been troubles, difficulties, and hard times, but our relatedness has been kept by our learning to go along with the Spirit. Many times, quite a number of us were together, and in tears we each told the Lord, “Lord, I have to go along with You. I just have to go along. I am suffering in my emotions, and I am suffering in my will, yet I have to go along with You in the Spirit.” You and I can never be related in the mind, emotion, and will. We can be related only in the Spirit. The Spirit must overrule and govern the mind, emotion, and will; that is, our mind, emotion, and will must be under the control of the Spirit. When I am not happy in my emotions with another dear co-worker, what should I do? Should I just go along with my emotions? I should not. Instead, I should subdue my emotions under the control of the Spirit so that the Spirit will be a spirit of the emotions, a spirit overruling the emotions, a spirit governing the emotions. Then I will be transformed by the renewing of the emotions. My emotions will become spiritual. They will be emotions under the control of the Spirit. I repeat, the only thing that is long-lasting is the Spirit. You must believe me. Our friendship must be in the Spirit so that it can last for eternity. If it is just in the emotions, then our friendship will never last. Our relatedness must also be something in the Spirit. Thus, we all have to be transformed by the renewing of our whole being through the Holy Spirit.
The way to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, emotion, and will is to drink the Spirit. There are two aspects to our experience of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). The first aspect is to be baptized into the Spirit, just as we were baptized into water. The second aspect is to drink the Spirit. To be baptized into the Spirit is something outward, whereas to drink the Spirit is something inward. When you drink a glass of milk, it saturates your being. In the same way, when you drink the Spirit, the Spirit saturates you. What does it mean to be saturated? To be saturated simply means to be transformed. Thus, we have to drink of the Holy Spirit day by day so that He will saturate our whole being, and in so doing, He will transform our whole being.
This saturating of the Spirit will keep us related, and the more we are saturated with the Spirit, the more we will be related. As a result, we will realize the Body life, the church life. This is not merely some sort of doctrine or teaching. We all need to see something regarding the genuine life of the Body and regarding our need to be transformed by the renewing of the natural man through the Holy Spirit, of whom we are drinking day by day. In order to realize the genuine life of the Body, we have to be baptized by the Holy Spirit and to drink of this one Spirit. The more we drink of Him, the more we will be saturated with Him, transformed by Him; and the more we are transformed by Him, the more we will be related together and realize the genuine life of the Body of Christ.
