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CHAPTER TWO

THE ELEMENTS, ESSENCE, AND REALITY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

Scripture Reading: Eph. 4:4-6; John 20:22; Rom. 8:4, 6, 9-11, 13b; Gal. 2:20a; 1 Cor. 1:2a; John 3:5-6, 29; Titus 3:5; Rom. 12:2a; Eph. 4:23; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:21; Rom. 8:30; John 17:21a, 23a; 1 Cor. 6:17; 1 Tim. 3:15b-16; John 15:1, 5; John 7:39; Rev. 22:17a; Phil. 1:19; 2 Cor. 4:16; Phil. 3:10a; John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13-15; 1 John 5:6; Rom. 15:16b; 14:17; Eph. 3:16; 1:23

OUTLINE

  1. The elements of the Body of Christ:
    1. The processed Triune God-the divine element-Eph. 4:4-6:
      1. The Triune God passing through incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection in order to enter into the members of Christ to be the element of the Body of Christ-John 20:22.
      2. The Triune God, having entered into the members of Christ, existing and living in the Body of Christ together with the members of Christ-Rom. 8:9-11; Gal. 2:20a.
    2. The tripartite man regenerated by God-the human element-1 Cor. 1:2a:
      1. Their spirit being regenerated-John 3:5-6; Titus 3:5.
      2. Their soul being renewed and transformed-Rom. 12:2a; Eph. 4:23; 2 Cor. 3:18.
      3. Their body being transfigured and glorified-Phil. 3:21; Rom. 8:30.
    3. The Triune God being mingled with the tripartite man-Eph. 4:4-6:
      1. The tripartite man becoming one with the Triune God-John 17:21a, 23a.
      2. The tripartite man becoming one spirit with the Triune God-1 Cor. 6:17.
    4. Issuing in a hybrid entity of divinity mingled with humanity:
      1. The Triune God, who possesses divinity with humanity, being mingled with the tripartite man, who possesses humanity with divinity-Rom. 8:6, 10-11.
      2. Divinity begotten in humanity, living in humanity, and expressed in humanity; humanity begotten of divinity, living by divinity, and expressing divinity-1 Tim. 3:15b-16.
      3. Issuing in an organism in which God is life to man and man has God as life-John 15:1, 5.
  2. The essence of the Body of Christ:
    1. The Spirit as the essence of the Triune God be coming the essence of the Body of Christ-Eph. 4:4:
      1. The Spirit being the ultimate consummation of the processed Triune God-John 7:39; Rev. 22:17a.
      2. The Spirit bringing the processed Triune God into the Body of Christ through regeneration-John 3:5-6, 29; Eph. 4:5-6.
      3. The Spirit as the processed and consummated God, containing divinity and humanity, the all-inclusive death of Christ, and His surpassing resurrection, becoming not only the element of the Body, but also the essence of the Body-cf. Exo. 30:23-25.
    2. The capacities of the essence of the Body of Christ:
      1. The essence of the Body of Christ, containing the divinity of the Triune God, having the capacity to supply the divine life-Phil. 1:19.
      2. The essence of the Body of Christ, containing the excelling humanity, having the capacity to supply the excelling humanity-2 Cor. 4:16.
      3. The essence of the Body of Christ, containing the all-inclusive death of Christ, having the capacity to put to death the negative things-Rom. 8:13b.
      4. The essence of the Body of Christ, containing the surpassing resurrection of Christ, having the surpassing capacity of resurrection-Phil. 3:10a.
  3. The reality of the Body of Christ:
    1. The reality of the processed Triune God being His consummated Spirit of reality-John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 5:6:
      1. The reality of all that the Triune God is, has, and can do being this Spirit of reality.
      2. The reality of the death and resurrection which the Triune God passed through also being this Spirit of reality.
    2. This Spirit of reality making everything of the processed Triune God a reality in the Body of Christ-John 16:13-15:
      1. All that the processed Triune God is, including righteousness, holiness, life, light, power, grace, and all the divine attributes, being realized by this Spirit of reality to be the attributes of the Body of Christ in reality-Rom. 15:16b; 14:17; Eph. 3:16.
      2. All that the processed Triune God experienced, including incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, also being realized by this Spirit of reality to be the experiences of the Body of Christ in reality.
  4. The essence and reality of the Body of Christ being altogether matters of the Spirit of the processed and consummated Triune God:
    1. This Spirit being the secret to all that the processed Triune God is to the Body of Christ:
      1. The Spirit being the processed Triune God.
      2. The Spirit being the totality of all the attributes of the processed Triune God.
      3. The Spirit also being the effectiveness of all the processes of the processed Triune God.
    2. This Spirit dwelling in our regenerated spirit, being joined as one spirit with our spirit-Rom. 8:9-11a; 1 Cor. 6:17:
      1. We should have our whole being turned to and set on this joined spirit-Rom. 8:6b.
      2. We should also live and walk according to this joined spirit-Rom. 8:4.
      3. When we thus live in this joined spirit, we can live out the Body of Christ to become the corporate expression of Christ-Eph. 1:23.

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