For this reason, there must be a process of transformation. First Corinthians 3 reveals that the believers originally are plants, but through the process of transformation by the riches of Christ and by His life, these plants become minerals. They are transformed from plants to be gold, silver, and precious stones. According to the scriptural principle, precious materials are not created but are transformed from some previous elements. This process of transformation is a process of dispensing. The apostle Paul and his co-workers bore the responsibility to be the stewards in God’s great family to execute this dispensing which dispenses the riches of the great household, that is, the riches of Christ, bit by bit to all of us. This dispensing was given to those in the ancient times as well as to those in this age. After we enjoy all these riches, these riches produce a transformation within us. Paul has also used this term in one of his other epistles, which says, “And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind” (Rom. 12:2). We must be transformed from wood, grass, and stubble to gold, silver, and precious stones before we are qualified to be the materials for the building up of the church. Paul warned us that the foundation is laid, and that other foundation no one is able to lay. But when we build upon this foundation, we have to take heed with what materials we build. Do we build with wood, grass, and stubble, or with gold, silver, and precious stones? If there is not much gold, silver, or precious stones, but much wood, grass, and stubble, the judgment day will come and the Lord’s judging fire will be a test as to which parts will remain and which parts will be burned (1 Cor. 3:10-15). Paul said clearly in 1 Corinthians 3 that the work of some shall be consumed. But this does not mean that these ones will perish. We are not saved by our works, but by the redemption of the Lord. However, if one’s work is consumed, his salvation will be one that is “as through fire.” What will remain are the gold, silver, and precious stones. Gold refers to the Father’s nature, silver refers to the Son’s redemption, and precious stones refer to the transformation of the Spirit, which produces precious stones. Hence, to use gold, silver, and precious stones for the building of the church is to use the Triune God as the element for building. Today the Triune God is embodied in Christ. All the fullness dwells in Christ bodily. What we have received from the apostles is a divine dispensing, which dispenses all the divine riches in Christ into us. Tonight, while we come to God’s Word, we are receiving the dispensing of this word, which dispenses the riches of the divine element of Christ into us. Within this dispensing is holiness, righteousness, redemption, and many other things. This is clearly revealed in the New Testament.
At the end of the New Testament, we see the coming New Jerusalem. The entire city proper bears the golden nature of God. It is a golden city built upon a golden hill. The twelve gates are twelve pearls, which refer to the dispensing of life in the death and resurrection of Christ. This can be seen from the way the oyster produces the pearls. When an oyster is wounded by a piece of sand, it secretes its life element around the sand, eventually producing a pearl. This typifies Christ secreting His life in resurrection to embrace us, making us the pearls. The wall of the New Jerusalem on four sides is built with jasper, which has the same appearance as God. Thus, the city fully transmits God’s glory and expresses God’s image. Such a city concludes the revelation concerning Christ in the Bible, and especially that in the New Testament. This Christ is ultimately enlarged and expanded to become a city. This enlargement and expansion is the church. The church is His enlargement, continuation, and completion. When we see and understand the New Jerusalem, we will realize that the result of the stewardship of the apostles in dispensing the riches of Christ is the church. The ultimate consummation of this church is the New Jerusalem. This is the dispensing that we are speaking of here.
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