The organism of the Triune God is consummated also by its building up of itself in love (v. 16). Love is the inner substance of God. Thus, the love in which the Body of Christ builds itself up is not our own love but the love of God in Christ, which becomes the love of Christ in us. By this love we love Christ and the fellow members of His Body.
The building up of the Body of Christ is consummated by our growing into Christ and by the Body building up itself in love. This indicates that our growing into Christ is a kind of self-building, for our growing into Christ is part of the building up of the Body. Therefore, the Body is built up consummately by the growing of all the members into Christ. This is the Body building up itself in love.
We need to keep the oneness of the Body of Christ (vv. 2-3).
The oneness of the Body of Christ is the unique oneness of the Spirit. This oneness is in all of us. We all have the oneness which is the Spirit who is the essence of the Body. The Spirit is both the essence of the Body and the oneness of the Body. This means that the essence of the Body is the oneness of the Body.
Those who are divisive know essentially that they are divisive. They will not admit this or confess it, but deep within them there is an essential factor which tells them that they are divisive. On the contrary, we may have the full assurance that we are not divisive but are keeping the unique oneness of the Spirit. There is an essential factor within us which testifies that we are keeping the oneness of the Body. Regarding the unique oneness of the Spirit as the oneness of the Body, there is an essential judgment within the believers.
The oneness of the Body must be kept diligently. According to Paul’s word in Ephesians 4:2-3 we keep the oneness of the Spirit with all lowliness, meekness, and long-suffering and by bearing one another in love. Furthermore, we keep the unique oneness of the Body of Christ in the uniting bond of peace.
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