Christ today is the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b) indwelling our spirit (Rom. 8:16). We have seen clearly that this is simply for the building. God's eternal plan is to get a living building, but Satan came into man, into man's flesh, trying to frustrate God. However, God is wiser than His enemy. He came in the likeness of the flesh to crush the flesh, and then in resurrection He became the Spirit. This is the crucial point. He became the Spirit to come into our spirit, and we are joined to Him as one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). We may say that this was for life-imparting, for saving us, or for our enjoyment. But all of these points are for one ultimate point, that is, for us to be built up together. Christ's dealing with the flesh and being the life-giving Spirit in our spirit are for one goal, that is, for the building.
In the New Testament, the concept of building is much different from our natural concept. Our natural concept concerning building is that one piece of material is placed upon another piece repeatedly, piece upon piece, until we have a high tower. But in the eyes of God, this is not building. This is a piling of material. Some may say that we Christians are people of togetherness, so they think building is just to get together. But togetherness is not building. If you sit together with me, and we talk to one another about our personal affairs, this is togetherness. Building is not just to get together, to be piled up. Building in the New Testament is growth in life. God's salvation is absolutely not a matter of doing, working, acting, or behaving. God's salvation consummates in one thing—our growth in life. We all have to grow. The vine tree in John 15 is not a matter of doing, working, behaving, laboring, or striving. The vine tree is altogether a matter of growth. Growing is the real building.