Home | First | Prev | Next

CHAPTER FOUR

THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
BY THE GROWTH IN LIFE

(2)

Scripture Reading: 1 Pet. 1:2b, 2c; 2 Pet. 1:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:2, 5, 9; 2 Pet. 1:5-7; 3:18; 1 Pet. 5:10; 1 Cor. 12:13b; 3:6-7; Eph. 4:12-13, 15-16; Rom. 8:23b, 30

OUTLINE

  1. The believers' growth in life unveiled in the writings of Peter:
    1. Its base:
      1. The sanctification of the Spirit—1 Pet. 1:2b.
      2. The redemption of Christ through His vicarious death on the cross—1 Pet. 2:24a.
      3. The sprinkling of Christ's blood, as the precious blood of the Lamb without blemish and without spot—1 Pet. 1:2c, 19.
      4. The regeneration through Christ's resurrection—1 Pet. 1:3b.
      5. The God-allotted, equally precious faith—2 Pet. 1:1b.
      6. The divine power which has granted to us all things relating to life and godliness—2 Pet. 1:3a.
      7. The precious and exceedingly great promises and the divine nature—2 Pet. 1:4.
    2. Its way:
      1. By drinking the milk of the word—1 Pet. 2:2a.
      2. By enjoying the grace of Christ and the all grace of God—2 Pet. 3:18; 1 Pet. 5:10.
    3. Its progression:
      1. From babyhood growing into the priesthood—1 Pet. 2:2, 5.
      2. From faith to virtue, from virtue to knowledge, from knowledge to self-control, from self-control to endurance, from endurance to godliness, from godliness to brotherly love, and from brotherly love to the divine love—2 Pet. 1:5-7.
    4. Its issue:
      1. To enjoy the continual and daily salvation—1 Pet. 2:2b.
      2. To be fruitful—2 Pet. 1:8.
      3. To be transformed into living stones (1 Pet. 2:5a) as materials for the building up of the spiritual house of God (1 Pet. 2:5b), consummating in the priesthood for offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through the telling out of the virtues of the Lord who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light, that is, through the preaching of the gospel of God (1 Pet. 2:5c, 9).
    5. Its consummation:
      1. To enter into the eternal kingdom of their Lord Jesus Christ richly and bountifully—2 Pet. 1:11.
      2. To be glorified with God's eternal glory as the redemption of their body in the New Jerusalem—1 Pet. 5:10; Rom. 8:30, 23b; Rev. 21:1-3, 10-11.
  2. The believers' growth in life unveiled in the writings of Paul:
    1. Its base:
      1. The righteousness of God—Rom. 1:17.
      2. The redemption of Christ—Rom. 3:24b.
      3. The justification by God—Rom. 3:24a; 8:30b.
      4. The reconciliation to God—Rom. 5:10a.
      5. The washing of regeneration—Titus 3:5.
      6. The renewing of the Holy Spirit—Titus 3:5.
      7. The complete salvation of God—Rom. 1:16.
      8. The salvation of God in the life of Christ—Rom. 5:10b.
      9. Putting us into Christ—1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 3:4.
      10. The identification with Christ in His death, resurrection, and ascension—Rom. 6:3-6; Eph. 2:6.
      11. The abounding grace of God—Rom. 5:20.
      12. Making us the church as the Body of Christ—Eph. 1:3-23.
      13. Creating both the Jews and the Gentiles into one new man—Eph. 2:13-16.
      14. Making all the believers in Christ a new creation—2 Cor. 5:17.
      15. Making the believers one spirit with the Lord—1 Cor. 6:17.
    2. Its way:
      1. By drinking the spiritual milk—1 Cor. 3:2a; Heb. 5:12b.
      2. By eating the spiritual food—Heb. 5:14a.
      3. By drinking the Spirit—1 Cor. 12:13b.
      4. By being watered—1 Cor. 3:6b, 7b.
      5. By God operating in us—Phil. 2:13.
      6. By Christ living and making His home in us—Gal. 2:20a; Eph. 3:17a.
      7. By the Spirit of Jesus Christ supplying bountifully in us—Phil. 1:19b.
      8. By the growth of God—Col. 2:19.
      9. By the supply out from the Head, Christ—Eph. 4:16a.
    3. Its progression:
      1. From the fleshly man to the soulish man, and from the soulish man to the spiritual man—1 Cor. 3:3; 2:14; 3:1a.
      2. From infancy to maturity—full growth—1 Cor. 3:1b; Col. 1:28b; Eph. 4:13b.
      3. From dust to plants, and from plants to precious stones—1 Cor. 3:6a, 7a, 12a.
    4. Its issue:
      1. Growing into Christ, the Head, in all things—Eph. 4:15.
      2. Growing unto a full-grown man—Eph. 4:13b.
      3. Growing unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ—Eph. 4:13c.
      4. Growing unto the building up of the Body—Eph. 4:12b, 16c:
        1. By being perfected—Eph. 4:12a.
        2. By being joined together and knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part—Eph. 4:16.
        3. In love—Eph. 4:16c.
    5. Its ultimate consummation:
      1. To be transfigured in the body in the completion of the full redemption—Phil. 3:21; Rom. 8:23b.
      2. To be glorified with the glory of God in the corporate expression of the New Jerusalem—Rom. 8:30c; Rev. 21:2, 10-11.

Home | First | Prev | Next
The Constitution and the Building Up of the Body of Christ   pg 27