According to 2 Corinthians 4:7, we have this treasure in earthen vessels “that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” The Greek word translated excellence may also be rendered transcendence, surpassingness, exceeding greatness. The fact that we are earthen vessels proves that the excellence of the power is of God and not of us. In ourselves we are earthen vessels, fragile and worthless. How can we shine forth the glory of the gospel? We do this with the power that is of God. Although we are earthen vessels, God has shined this precious treasure into us. Now this treasure becomes the source of the power energizing us and enabling us to shine forth God’s glory. Therefore, this treasure, the indwelling Christ, in the earthen vessels is the divine source of supply for the Christian life. It is by the excellent power of this treasure that we can now live a crucified life so that the resurrection life of Christ may be manifested for the shining of the gospel of the glory of Christ.
The shining reality of Christ is the treasure in us, the earthen vessels. Outwardly we are earthen vessels, but inwardly we have a priceless treasure-Christ as the embodiment of the processed Triune God to be the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit. This treasure has a power, and this power is excellent. Christ as the life-giving Spirit in us is the One who shines and works. This is the treasure we have in us.
In chapters two, three, and four of 2 Corinthians Paul uses five very significant and expressive symbols of the believers: captives in a triumphant procession for the celebration of Christ’s victory, incense-bearers scattering the fragrance of Christ, letters written with Christ as the content, mirrors beholding and reflecting the glory of Christ in order to be transformed into His glorious image, and earthen vessels containing the Christ of glory as the excellent treasure. We need to be deeply impressed with the significance of these symbols. We need to have the consciousness that we are captives of Christ and also His incense-bearers, those bearing Him as incense. We should not simply work for Him but should spread abroad the sweet fragrance of Christ. We also need to realize that we are letters written with the “ink” of the Triune God. Moreover, we are mirrors beholding and reflecting Christ and earthen vessels containing Him. How marvelous! We need to consider these symbols again and again, for they illustrate matters that are deep, profound, and experiential. May we experience all the matters indicated by these symbols. We all need to be such believers.
According to Galatians 2:9 and Revelation 3:12, the believers are symbolized by pillars. First, the pillars are the prominent ones among the believers in the church today. This is indicated in Galatians 2:9 where Paul speaks of “James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars.” These pillars were prominent ones in the church at Jerusalem.
The pillars are also the overcomers among the believers in the temple of God in the coming age and in eternity. Revelation 3:12 says, “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall by no means go out anymore.” Here we see that the overcomer will be made a pillar built into the temple of God. Because he is built into God’s building, “he shall by no means go out anymore.” This promise will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom as a prize to the overcomer.
In Revelation 3:12 the word “make” is very significant. The Lord says that He will make the overcomer into a pillar. The Lord makes us pillars by transforming us, that is, by carrying away our natural element and by replacing it with His divine essence. Therefore, the meaning of “make” in 3:12 is to constitute us into something, to construct us in a creative way. In the church life today the Lord is making us, constituting us, into pillars in the temple of God. The Lord’s work in the church is to work Himself into us as the divine flow to carry away our natural being and replace it with His substance that we may be gradually processed by His transforming element. As the result of this transforming work, we become pillars in the temple of God.
Revelation 3:12 tells us that the overcomers will be pillars in the temple of God in the coming age. However, Revelation 21:22, speaking of the New Jerusalem in the coming age and in eternity, says, “I saw no temple in it, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.” Here we see that in the New Jerusalem the Triune God Himself will be the temple. This means that for the overcomers to be pillars in the temple means that they will be pillars in the Triune God. This involves being mingled with the Triune God and constituted of Him. This is a mystery.
Even in today’s church life, the overcoming saints are pillars in the Triune God. Furthermore, these saints sometimes have the consciousness that the church is actually nothing other than the Triune God. This fact is indicated by the golden lampstands as a symbol of the church (Rev. 1:12, 20). Furthermore, the lampstand is the embodiment and expression of the Triune God. The gold of the lampstand signifies the nature of the Father; the form signifies Christ as the embodiment and image of God; and the seven lamps signify the Spirit as the expression. Therefore, the lampstand is the embodiment of the Triune God and also a symbol of the church. Hence, it is not too much to say that, in actuality, the church is the Triune God, because the lampstand is the church and also the embodiment of the Triune God. Now we can see that the pillars in the church today are pillars in the Triune God. In the coming age these overcoming believers will be pillars in the temple of God, which is God Himself. From this we see that being made a pillar involves the Triune God being mingled with and constituted into the faithful overcomers.
Home | First | Prev | Next