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c. In Love

The Body builds up itself in love. This is not our own love but the love of God in Christ, which becomes the love of Christ in us, by which we love Christ and the fellow members of His Body. We must love one another with the divine love for the building up of the Body of Christ.

E. Its Ultimate Consummation

Like the writings of John and Peter, the writings of Paul also reveal the ultimate consummation of the believers' growth in life.

1. To Be Transfigured in the Body
in the Completion of the Full Redemption

Our growth in life will consummate ultimately in our being transfigured in the body in the completion of the full redemption (Phil. 3:21; Rom. 8:23b). We have been redeemed in our spirit through regeneration, and now we are being redeemed in our soul through growth and transformation. Ultimately, we will be redeemed in our body through glorification. Hence, the redemption of our body is the consummation of the full redemption, which includes regeneration, transformation, and glorification.

2. To Be Glorified with the Glory of God
in the Corporate Expression of the New Jerusalem

In the ultimate consummation of the believers' growth in life, the believers will be glorified with the glory of God in the corporate expression of the New Jerusalem (Rom. 8:30c; Rev. 21:2, 10-11). The New Jerusalem is the final, ultimate sign in God's economy (Rev. 1:1 and the first paragraph of note 12), and the final, ultimate goal of all God's redeemed people (Heb. 11:10, 16; 12:22; Gal. 4:26). As such a great sign in God's economy, the New Jerusalem signifies all God's redeemed, justified, regenerated, sanctified, transformed, transfigured, and glorified people. All the aspects of the New Jerusalem need our growth and transformation. Therefore, by His mercy and grace I would urge you to do your best to grow in Christ and to be transformed in His life by the Spirit. Then He will have a way to build up His Body today to consummate in the upcoming New Jerusalem.


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The Constitution and the Building Up of the Body of Christ   pg 44