The four Gospels, particularly John’s Gospel, reveal the purpose for which Christ came to this earth. He came that we might realize God’s building. We have seen many passages which show how Christ is related to God’s building. Christ’s entire work was for the purpose of being life to us that the tabernacle of God might be enlarged. The way for Christ to increase the tabernacle of God is for Him to impart Himself to us as life. Most Christians know that Christ came that we may have life abundantly, but very few realize the purpose for which He became our life. It is that we may have abundant life for God’s building. Christ’s impartation of life to us is not the goal, but the process. The goal is God’s building.
At the end of Scripture there is a city built up with Christ as the center. From Christ there flows the river of life, and in that flow of life there is the tree of life. This river and this tree minister life to all those of whom this city, God’s ultimate building, is composed. This picture clearly reveals that the purpose of Christ being life to us is that a city may be built up from this life and with this life. We must realize that even today the purpose of Christ being our life is the building of God.
When Christ was on the earth, He Himself was the tabernacle, God’s building. He was the dwelling-place for God to express Himself. But this tabernacle must be enlarged, and it is enlarged as we experience Christ as our life. As we enjoy Christ as our life, we are translated from Adam into Christ; we are transformed from Adam’s character and nature into Christ’s character and nature. Thus we become the enlarged tabernacle, the holy city, New Jerusalem. Christ came to be our life for the express purpose that He-the dwelling-place of God-could be enlarged. He is the one grain, out of which the many grains are produced. He is the one vine, out of which the many branches issue as the enlargement of the vine.
The Gospel of John presents Christ Himself as the tabernacle, whereas the book of Revelation unveils the holy city, New Jerusalem, as the tabernacle. These are not two tabernacles, but one tabernacle in two stages. The first stage is the individual Christ, whereas the last stage is Christ enlarged in millions of His believers. This is the corporate Christ. Thus we have covered the four Gospels and the ministry of the Apostle John.
In the order of the New Testament, first Christ came to be life to us. Following Him, there are the apostles, the gifted persons, with certain kinds of ministries. Following them are all the Christians, who function and serve as the members of the Body. The consequence or issue of Christ as life is the gifted persons with their ministries, and, as a result of their ministries, there are the Christian members, who function and serve. Christ as life is for the building, the ministry of the gifted persons is for the building, and the functioning of all the members is also for the building. Everything is for the one purpose of the Body of Christ being produced, prepared, and built up.
Ephesians 2:20-22 says, “[We are] being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye [we] also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 4:11-16 continues: “And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints to the work of the ministry, to the building up of the Body of Christ, until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at a full grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but holding the reality in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; out from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by every joint of supply, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh growth of the body unto the building up of itself in love” (Gk.).
First Corinthians 14:12 says, “So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.” Here “edifying” means “building up.” Gifts are for the building up of the church. Romans 12:4-10 says: “For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same function: so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another. And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another.”
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