Eve received her life from Adam; she was the bone of Adam’s bone and the flesh of Adam’s flesh. Hence, she had the same character, life, and nature as Adam. In like manner, the church comes out of Christ and has the same character, life, and nature as Christ. Therefore, in this respect Eve is a type of the church, which has the same character, life, and nature as Christ.
Eve not only came out of Adam but also was brought to Adam (Gen. 2:22) to be joined to Adam and to become one flesh with Adam (v. 24). In like manner, the church is joined to Christ and becomes one with Christ. Only Eve, who came out of Adam, could be joined to Adam; likewise, only the church, which comes out of Christ, can be joined to Christ. As Adam and Eve were joined to become one complete unit, Christ and the church are also joined to become one complete unit. However, Adam and Eve were joined to become one flesh, whereas Christ and the church are joined to become one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17).
Eve was a part of Adam’s body as Adam’s counterpart, typifying that the church is Christ’s Body as Christ’s counterpart. Ephesians 1:22b-23a says, “The church, which is His Body.” Christ’s Body is not an organization but an organism constituted of all the regenerated believers for the expression and activities of the Head. The church is this organic Body. Moreover, the church as the Body is also the counterpart of Christ (Eph. 5:31-32) to match and complement Him completely.
Eve was Adam’s reproduction, Adam’s duplication, signifying that the church is Christ’s reproduction, Christ’s duplication. The church comes out of Christ and has the same character, life, and nature as Christ. In the church there is only Christ and there is no element other than Christ. Therefore, the church is Christ’s reproduction, Christ’s duplication.
As Eve was Adam’s multiplication, the church is Christ’s multiplication produced through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Pet. 1:3). Christ was the unique grain that fell into the ground and died, and in resurrection He brought forth many grains (John 12:24), that is, many believers, to constitute the church as the Body of Christ to be His multiplication.
As Eve was Adam’s increase, the church is Christ’s increase. John 3 shows that Christ is immeasurable and unlimited (vv. 31-36). Such a One needs a universal increase to be His bride to match Him (vv. 29-30). Hence, God first regenerates us through His Spirit (vv. 3-6) that we may have the eternal life of Christ (vv. 15-16, 36a). Then He fills us with His unlimited Spirit (v. 34) that we may become the bride, the increase, of the all-inclusive Christ, who is above all (vv. 31-35).
Just as Eve became the fullness of Adam, the church becomes the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 1:23 shows us that Christ is the One who fills all in all and that the church is His fullness. Christ, who is the infinite God without any limitation, is so great that He fills all things in all things. Such a great Christ needs the church to be His fullness. The fullness of Christ issues from the enjoyment of the riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8). Through the enjoyment of Christ’s riches the church becomes His fullness.
Just as Eve was Adam’s expression, the church is Christ’s expression. The fullness of Christ is the expression of Christ. The fullness does not refer to the riches of what Christ is; it refers to the expression of those riches. When we enjoy the riches of Christ, we become His fullness that He may have a full expression.