13-CHAPTER IX THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD

CHAPTER IX THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD

"It is finished" (John 19:30). This is the mightiest word I that has ever been spoken on this earth. It was the most X triumphant cry of victory in the hour of apparent catastrophic defeat. It is the creative spring of a God-given message which, world-redeeming and world renewing, goes forth to mankind. With it there entered something quite new to the world outlook and religious thought of man. All merely human religious thought and work proceeds from the powers of man, from his spiritual, intentional, moral effort. In this, in spite of all dif­ferences in detail, lies the common factor in all heathen religions. But now all this is set aside. The starting point of all salvation lies entirely above, not at all below. Here it is God who effects all things. All human moral activity is faulty development. Salvation must be purely grant and gift, a revelation of the undeserved love of God, that is, it must be grace. The Church as a New Creation of God The introduction of a heavenly new creation was a divine necessity. For through sin the old man is completely corrupted. Because man is not a stone but a spiritual organism, so soon as evil has forced itself into his life he works it out automatically into all parts of his being. Because of the organic character of the human personality, and by reason of the very height of his calling, at the entrance of sin there follows of itself so much the deeper a fall. Sin grips him radically, centrally, and totally; that is, as to root, centre, and circumference he is bound and lost, sold and enslaved.

Therefore he must be made a new creature. It cannot suffice that he makes only a complete change, turns himself around, and strives in practice after a new moral standard and direction in life. No, with the repentance and turning to God on man’s side there must be united from God’s side a creative act. The man who turns himself to God must, by the wonder of the new birth, be recreated in the essence of his personality. Not only his deeds and his life, no, he himself must become new (John 3:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus out of the deep fall of the old man there arises the necessity of the new creating of a new man. The fleshly organism of the one lost must, by a Divine begetting, be replaced by the spiritual organism of the one redeemed; and this new creation must be the dawn of a new world, according to its nature and being, the first step towards the final goal, a living prophet of the triumphant final promise, "Behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth." This is the church. But this can only be effected by a work of God Himself,’ for when it comes to a creative act only the Creator personally can perform it. Neither angels nor archangels, neither cherubim nor seraphim, have creative power. As Creator and Imparter of life God the infinite is throned in solitary eminence above all His creatures, even the highest and most glorious in the heavenly world.

Therefore the church rests on a Divine ground. And therefore she must rest on it; and our faith is permitted to perceive that the sending of the Son, and undertaking of the work of redemption by a Person of the very Godhead, is not only a proof of the infinity of His love (John 3:16; Romans 5:8), but is at the same time an outcome of an inner Divine necessity. Therefore Christ "must" suffer, on the third day rise from the dead, and enter into His glory (comp. Luke 24:26; Luke 24:46). But by this the church becomes forthwith the church of the Son. She lives by the work of the Son; the Son is her divine Head; and indeed, in the Son she is appointed to sonship (Ephesians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 1:9). And now our eyes behold this mighty cosmic bow which the Son of God for our sakes trod as Redeemer. From the height of the throne of heaven to the depth of the earth and of death; out of the gloom of the dark night of the grave into the brilliant light above all the height of heaven (Php 2:5-11; Ephesians 4:8-10; Hebrews 7:26)—this is the path of the Redeemer for the sinner, the path of the Head for His members, of Christ for His church.

Therefore the church is the church of the Cross, the fruit of Golgotha. Christ died that "He might bring together in one the scattered children of God" (John 11:52). Dying He became the Leader to life (Hebrews 2:10), in death the Conqueror of death (Hebrews 2:14), in the substitutionary sufferings under judgment the Cause of eternal heavenly salvation (Hebrews 5:9). And because Christ, as the Risen One, has conquered the power of death therefore is His church a living church. She is an or­ganism of risen ones, who have been made to live (Romans 6:5; Ephesians 2:5-6), interpenetrated by His energies (Php 4:13), pulsating with His life (Php 3:10-11), awaiting the revelation of the breaking forth of His full life:"When Christ, our life, shall be manifested, then will you also with Him become manifest in glory" (Colossians 3:4). The Church as the Church of Christ, the "Body" of Christ The men who believe in this belong to an entirely new world. Their life element is the Redeemer himself (Phil, i:21), their strength for victory is His grace (1 Corinthians 15:10), their glory is His cross alone (Galatians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 2:2). And because they are all organically joined to the same living Centre, Christ, therefore they form together a living unity, are one organism, suffused by the same spirit of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:17). The church is "in Christ." The New Testament sets this forth by the picture of the "body." This picture—used only by Paul—shows as no other the Savior of the New Testament riches of grace. The church is "His" body (Ephesians 1:23). She is ruled by His will, for the head is the will of the body (Colossians 1:18). In all her members she stands in direct relation to the Head (Colossians 2:19). From the Head she receives her strength. Out of the Head comes her growth (Ephesians 4:16). She is guarded by the Head; Christ, the Head, is the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23). Indeed Paul, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, goes so far as to say that the church is " the Savior of Him who fills all things in all" (Ephesians 1:23). This means that, Christ, although not as a Divine person but as the "last Adam," would not be complete without His body. Without its fruit the corn of wheat would be "alone" (John 12:24). A redeemer without redeemed were no redeemer. But now Christ has His church, now the Head has His members; therefore is the church as the body of Christ the "full complement of Him who brings to completion all things in all." This is the church of Christ. With her there steps into history a completely new type of mankind (Ephesians 2:15), in which, as far as redemption is concerned, even now all former distinctions and standards (Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 7:19) have lost their validity:"there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all things and in all" (Colossians 3:11). Already today the church is a piece of heaven on earth (Php 3:20), a projection of the new creation amidst the old (2 Corinthians 5:17), the sphere of God’s life in history. She is the creaturely vessel of an eternal life born of God, a living prophetic setting forth of the great goal of redemption, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men" (Revelation 21:3), "Christ in us the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). The Church as the Church of the Spirit The Twofold outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem and Caesarea From the historical revelation we see that in the development of salvation in Old Testament times there had been two groups of mankind; the one, inside the radiant circle of the Divine revelation in its direct preparation for redemption; the other group, since the call of Abraham and the setting aside of the nations, outside this sphere of light; even Israel and the nations, the "near" and the "far" (Ephesians 2:17). Therefore now the wonder of the new creating of the church, through the sending down of the Holy Spirit, must be effected as one double event, even by the outpouring of the Spirit not only on Israelites but also upon Gentiles. This is exactly what came to pass. In Jerusalem at Pentecost the descent of the Holy Spirit took place upon Jewish ground (Acts 2:1-47):later, in Caesarea, in the house of the Roman Cornelius, the "like gift" was given on Gentile ground (Acts 11:17; Acts 15:8-9; Acts 10:44-48). From then and onward all, whether by descent Jewish or Gentile, who have become partakers of the Holy Spirit are one spiritual organism in Christ (Ephesians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

"Mysteries" of Redemption in the Present Church Age In the then following apostolic period three chief personalities, as the most notable standard bearers, have carried forward, among Israel and the nations, the truth of full salvation in Christ: Peter, Paul, and John. In this order they follow one another as the chief leaders of the apostolic time. First Peter begins in Jerusalem (esp. Acts 2:1-47; Acts 3:1-26; Acts 4:1-37; Acts 5:1-42; Acts 6:1-15; Acts 7:1-60; Acts 8:1-40; Acts 9:1-43; Acts 10:1-48; Acts 11:1-30; Acts 12:1-25); then follows Paul moving from Antioch out among the nations (esp. Acts 13:1-52; Acts 14:1-28; Acts 15:1-41; Acts 16:1-40; Acts 17:1-34; Acts 18:1-28; Acts 19:1-41; Acts 20:1-38; Acts 21:1-40; Acts 22:1-30; Acts 23:1-35; Acts 24:1-27; Acts 25:1-27; Acts 26:1-32; Acts 27:1-44; Acts 28:1-31; 1 Timothy 2:7), and lastly John, especially in Ephesus and the churches of western Asia Minor (comp. Revelation 2:3):Peter, the man of confidence and hope (1 Pet.), Paul the herald of faith, John the apostle of love. So in this triple constellation of the most notable apostolic personalities there shines forth in historical unfolding the high moral trinity of all Christian holiness, "now abide faith, hope, love, these three." To no prophet or saint of the old covenant was this wonderful spiritual organism fully made known by Divine prophecy (Ephesians 3:5; comp. Matthew 13:17). That in the very time following the rejection of Messiah by unbelieving Israel God would carry out so magnificant, world-embracing and eternal a plan was a purpose which from before the ages He had hidden in Himself (Ephesians 3:9), a mystery which had been kept in silence from the ages of time (Romans 16:25). But now, in the New Testament time, there comes a revealing of the "mysteries of the kingdom of God" (Matthew 13:11), an unfolding of Divine counsels formerly concealed. Now a whole Savior of mysteries is made known prophetically by His Spirit and is carried out historically through His working. The connection of life and love between Christ and His own as His body (Ephesians 5:31), the inseparable oneness in the church between Israel and the believers from the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-6; Ephesians 2:11-22), the indwelling of Christ as the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), the rapture, resurrection, and transfiguration in the perfection of a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:51), the re-acceptance of Israel after the period of judicial hardening (Romans 11:25)—these all are mysteries of the Divine will¹ which He reveals and fulfils, and which He has entrusted to His own to be testified and administered (1 Corinthians 4:1; Ephesians 6:19). The Church as a Witnessing ChurchThe Seven Golden Lampstands With the message of full salvation the church has gone forth into the world. To witness for Christ is her high calling here on earth (Acts 1:8). Therefore her members are called "luminaries —heavenly lights" shining in the darkness of the world (Php 2:15), a city on a hill that cannot be hid (Matthew 5:14-16), and seven golden lampstands, with the glorified Christ in the midst, who is radiant as the sun, shining with eternal light (Revelation 1:12; Revelation 1:14; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 2:1-29.; Revelation 3:1-22). Therefore the church is commissioned to give a bright testimony. Christ and His Cross should be the theme of her life, and there must be practical carrying out of the truth, clear and perceptible to every man. In word and work, in every deed, May none see ought but Christ to read. But thereby the church becomes also a prophet of Christ, as bearer of the life, a witness also of the life. She is proclaimer and interpreter of His life to the world. She is ambassador and confessor, messenger and mouth of God, and so, according to her entire inward nature, a church with a mission. Through the church shall be made known the manifold wisdom of God (Ephesians 3:10). Through His body the exalted Head extends His holy life here below. Thus is the church, as it were, through the Spirit the continuance on earth of the incarnation of Christ. She is not only in Christ, but Christ is also in her (Colossians 1:27). He acquires form in her, expresses in her His nature, and the Head reveals Himself through His members.

Why do we carry on missionary work? Why must the church of Jesus Christ continually carry it on? Why is she permitted to do it?

First, because Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world. "I am the way, the truth, and the life:no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). Out of the solitariness and exclusiveness of the redemption in Christ arises its all-embracing application to the world and the unavoidable duty of the church to make known to the whole of mankind this one Savior.

Second, because Christ has commanded it. One has spoken rightly of a missionary " command." The gospel is made known "according to the commandment of the eternal God" (Romans 16:26).

Third, because it follows out of the nature of the church as the "body" of Christ. Just as our human physical body is the in­strument by which our invisible, inner life, soul and spirit, reveals itself, so also is the church as the body of Christ, through the working of the Spirit the means and organ of the self-revelation of the indwelling Christ, and therefore the instrument for making known His life and saving truth. "Ye shall be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8).

Fourth, because it is " gratitude for Golgotha." The missionary duty which Christ has given to His own is world-embracing. Four times in the great commission occurs the little word "all" (Matthew 28:18-20).

"All authority is given unto Me." This is the foundation of the work. Without Christ, the Victor, the cause had long since been lost. But His victory is our victory: His triumph leads to the triumph of His work.

"Teach all nations." This is the scope of the work. The gospel belongs to every man. The church of the Lord is res­ponsible to give its witness to the whole world. We can form scarcely any idea of the greatness of the field. There are living on earth about 2,300 millions of men. If a modern express train at its average speed had to travel as many miles as there are men on earth—to each man a mile—then to arrive today at our town it must have started as early as the beginning of the first century before Christ (100 B.C.). The inhabitants of Africa number more than the individual letters of 39 to 40 Bibles. Thirty-nine large volumes! And each individual letter representing a human soul, for whom Christ died!

"Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you." This is the content of our work. We take to the whole world the whole Word of God, the whole Savior, the whole salvation.

"And lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end of the age." This is the promise of the work. The King not only sends forth but goes Himself with His soldiers. The Commander-in- Chief remains with His army, and His presence is their strength for victory. But all this can be practical experience for the church only if she is a warrior church, if everything in her is marked by sanc­tification and testimony, action and growth, forward effort and movement, even by an experience of conscious responsibility, streamlined, God-wrought, filled and penetrated by the Spirit. What she is as to her standing, she must become in her walk. She is not an organization, only with "holy" institutions, but an organism of holy-acting persons. She is a society of active workers, serving and working, witnessing and bearing fruit. As redeemed she knows herself bound, in her freedom called to joyous service. She treasures the nobility of holy labor; she purposes to glorify Christ. But in all this she walks contrary to the world. Therefore light is hated by the darkness, and the message of the church is despised and rejected. Indeed, at times it almost looks as if the saints will be overcome. The Church as the Church of Hope

Therefore this tension must some day be released. Christ will come back and take His church to Himself. By exercise of divine power He will remove His people to His presence (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), and the Conqueror will unite to Himself His victorious warriors and heroes in eternal glory (John 12:26; John 14:3). "Where I am there shall also My servant be. If any man serve Me him will the Father honor." The ecclesia is a church of hope. She is certain of her victory.

Christ triumphed on the cross. The goal of the church is her being glorified with Christ. She lives "from heaven, in heaven, and with a view to heaven. Her way is everlasting, her existence eternal." She is a waiting, expectant church, a church of first­born sons, whom the heavenly inheritance beckons. She is a victorious army of future conquerors.

Nevertheless all the redeemed will be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ. Then each individual will receive according to what he had done in his life in the body (2 Corinthians 5:10). Then will each one receive the rank in the glory which is his due (1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:8). From then on, from the time of its being rapt to heaven the church will be in inseparable union with Christ. It will appear with Him at the establishing of His kingdom (1 Thessalonians 3:13; Colossians 3:4). It will reign with Him in the period of the visible rule of God. Indeed, it will be His "ruling aristocracy," His "administrative staff" in His kingdom in all the eternal ages. "Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? . . . Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). "Fear not, thou little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).

Notes ¹Ephesians 1:9-10; Colossians 2:2; Colossians 4:3; Tim. 3:9.