Let us now consider the various aspects of the church unfolded in the book of Ephesians. Firstly, the church is revealed as the sonship. Ephesians 1:5 says, “Having predestinated us unto sonship through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Gk.). This sonship is the church, or the church life. The sonship to which we, the chosen ones of God, have been predestinated is a blessing in the divine life that we might enjoy the church. This sonship came into being at the time of the Lord’s resurrection. In His resurrection, the Lord Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was born to be the firstborn Son of God. Acts 13:33, containing a quotation of Psalm 2:7, says, “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” The words “this day” refer to the day of resurrection. On the day of resurrection the only begotten Son of God in the flesh was begotten by the Father to be the firstborn Son of God. Prior to this time, the Son of God was the only begotten Son of God, but in resurrection He became the firstborn Son of God.
We are told clearly in the Bible that in the Lord’s resurrection not only He Himself was begotten, but that all of God’s chosen ones were born (1 Pet. 1:3). The only begotten Son was uniquely one. Besides Him, there was no other. But the only begotten Son was, in resurrection, born to be the firstborn Son. This implies that there are other sons. Hallelujah, we are the other sons! I am certain that I am included among the many sons of God. The words “many sons” are found in Hebrews 2:10, which indicates that the Father is “leading many sons into glory.” God the Father has many sons, and God the Son has many brothers. The “many brothers” are mentioned in Romans 8:29, which says, “Because whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He should be the Firstborn among many brothers.” On the day of resurrection the Lord Jesus brought us all into sonship. According to Hebrews 2:11 and 12, Christ’s many brothers are the church: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the church I will sing hymns of praise unto You.” The many brothers of Christ, who are the many sons of God in the divine sonship, are the church. This concept is very deep.
The church is the corporate sonship, the totality of God’s divine sonship. This implies that the church must be a corporate entity which has the very nature of God. Sonship implies both nature and source, for sonship indicates the source and nature of the church. The source and nature of the church are God the Father. In the Bible, the name Father always denotes the source and nature. In a family, the father is the source with the nature. All children come out of the source of their father and have their father’s nature. The church is a corporate entity issuing out of the source of God the Father and having the nature of God the Father. We in the church have the nature of God the Father. Our nature is divine because we have come out of that unique source which is God the Father Himself.
Since I came to this country, I have often asked the brothers what their national origin is. There were some who have told me that their origin is British, others Danish, and still others Spanish. Now we must ask what the church’s origin is. The origin of the church is God the Father. A person’s origin is expressed in his face. But does the church have the appearance of God the Father? Do we truly bear His expression? We have not only the origin, the source, of the Father as our appearance, but also His nature as our content. The divine nature, which is God Himself, is the very nature of the church.
Today, many talk and argue concerning who is the church. Look at yourself: Do you look like a part of the church? Instead of this, you may resemble a turtle. Your way of going out to play tennis gives you the appearance of a turtle. How can we call a turtle part of the church? Even if you would label a turtle as part of the church, the turtle would still not be part of the church. Many times I have said to myself, “So many of the poor people on earth walk, work, and live like turtles, yet they claim to be the church.” Who are the church? The Christians who have come out of the origin of God the Father, who bear the appearance of God the Father, and who are filled and constituted with the divine nature of God the Father—these are the church.
Again I say, if you have seen this vision, no one will be able to deceive you. If others attempt to cheat you, simply smile at them and say, “Dear one, you simply don’t know what you are talking about. You resemble a turtle who labels himself as part of the church. You are trying to sell me the wrong cargo. I want to buy that which has its origin in God, not something on the low level of a turtle. I have seen the vision of the church. Don’t try to cheat me with your cheap cargo. Now let me tell you what the church is.” By speaking this way in the past, I received a bad name because all those who approached me about this matter were exposed. However, do not apply this word to others—apply it to yourself. You say that you are in the church, but what kind of a person are you? Do you live like a turtle, or like someone whose origin is God the Father? Are we being constituted with the divine nature, or are we still in our Chinese, Japanese, or American nature? The church is not a composition of Chinese, Spanish, and Americans. It is a corporate entity filled and constituted with the divine nature of God the Father.
When you hear that the sonship of the divine nature is the church, you may reply, “How can we be such a being?” Firstly, we need to be regenerated, and then we need to be transformed. We were born of a national origin, such as Chinese, Japanese, American, Spanish, British. But this is no longer our origin. Today, our origin is God the Father. We have been born of His nature, and now His nature is doing a transforming work within us. His nature is not only the begetting nature, but also the transforming nature.