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God formed the New Testament church as one spiritual body comprised of many individual members. As such, it was suitable to accommodate His living presence (zoe) on earth and governance by His immediate headship.
The spiritual body of the church is often referred to in the New Testament as the “body of Christ.” (cf. Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17, 12:13-27; Ephesians 1:23; 2:16, 3:6, 4:4, 4:12, 16; 5:23, 30; Colossians 1:24; 2:19; 3:15) It was assembled before the foundation of the world to be legally representative and organically representational of Christ on earth. The “body of Christ” was animated and formed in eternity by the Spirit of God. He cultivated it in time. The animation of the New Testament church in eternity occurred through the regeneration, indwelling, and leading of the Spirit. Its formation in eternity was fulfilled by the baptizing and sealing of the Spirit. The cultivation of the New Testament church in time was accomplished through the filling of the Spirit. Animation In eternity, the New Testament church was created to accommodate both divine life (zoe) and human life (psuche) in one body. (Ephesians 2:22) It was intended to be a fellowship of redeemed human beings assembled together under the immediate headship of Jesus Christ. The head and body of the New Testament church were joined by shared, eternal life. In time, the practice of the New Testament church was designed to be animated by the indwelling life (zoe) of Christ. By the Spirit of Christ, the New Testament church lived and moved in accordance with His shared life (zoe). The spiritual animation of the church in time was originated by the eternal regeneration, indwelling, and leading of the Spirit of God. Human cooperation was satisfied by faith alone. Regenerated by the Spirit Simply stated, to generate means to create or produce and to degenerate means to decline or fall to a state less desirable than the original. To regenerate then means to reform or recreate to a new and improved state. God generated the human race in a perfect state of holiness. The Fall caused the degeneration of mankind to a less desirable state that was incompatible with Him. Concordant with His eternal plan, God was willing to regenerate humanity to a new and improved state of holiness. The regeneration of fallen mankind is a gracious act of God. Through His regenerative work, He reforms or recreates man into a new and improved state of life that is accommodative of His indwelling life (zoe). (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5-7) Indwelt by the Spirit Through the divine act of regeneration, humanity was made accommodative of divine life (zoe). The actual union of life shared with God occurred through spiritual birth. (John 1:12-13, 3:3-8; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18) Born of the Spirit, divine life (zoe) was manifested within regenerate mankind by the indwelling of the Spirit of God. Consequently, the Apostle Paul stated, “… Christ lives (zoe) in me ….” (Galatians 2:20) and “Christ…. is our life (zoe)….” (Colossians 3:4). By spiritual birth, the New Testament church is utterly privileged to enjoy God through an intimate union of shared life. By eternal design, His indwelling presence was intended to be the source of animation for church practice. Relative to the indwelling presence of the “Spirit of life (zoe), the New Testament church is presented with a continuous choice. Contrary to faith, it can live and move by the powerlessness of its old earthly life (psuche). Concordant with faith, however, the ecclesia is privileged to live and move in accord with the incomparable power of the indwelling, eternal life (zoe). Led by the Spirit Fallen mankind begins life (psuche) on earth by physical birth. Relative to his natural, fallen condition, he is described as “according to the flesh” and “in the flesh.” (Romans 8:4, 5) As a result, the fallen naturally exist in the “domain of darkness,” the realm of sin and death. While remaining “in the flesh” and inhabiting the “domain of darkness,” fallen humanity lives and moves by the controlling influence of the old, fleshly nature. In contrast, after regeneration and spiritual birth, the members of the New Testament church are described as “according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4, 5) and “in the Spirit” (Romans 8:9). Consequently, they are said to be “led by the Spirit.” (Romans 8:14; cf. Galatians 5:18) Relative to Pauline usage, “being led by the Spirit” does not primarily mean to be guided down a specific path for service. Instead, it is first and foremost descriptive of being positioned in the realm or sphere of the Spirit of Christ and, therefore, subject to His controlling influence. “It refers to that general control by the blessed Spirit of those born of the Spirit, living by the Spirit, in the Spirit.”1 |
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Formation
The distinct community of the New Testament church was formed into one spiritual body by the baptizing and sealing work of the Spirit of Christ. It occurred by the grace of God alone. Baptized by the Spirit The New Testament church was formed into one body by the baptizing work of the Spirit of God. “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:13) The Greek verb for “baptized” in the verse mentioned above is baptizo (bap-tid'-zo). The English word “baptized” does not constitute a translation from New Testament Greek but a transliteration. Therefore, it is merely an English representation of a Greek word. The literal, figurative, and theological meaning of baptizo provides insight into the meaning of its usage in the New Testament. The literal translation of the Greek word baptizo is to dip, immerse or submerge. Figuratively, it can mean “to overwhelm.” “Theologically, baptism may be defined as an act of association or identification with someone, some group, some message, or some event.”2 Therefore, as used in the context of the New Testament, the most suitable translation of the Greek word baptizo is “identification with.” Through the baptizing work of the Spirit, the New Testament church community is spiritually identified with the person and work of Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27) United as one body in Christ, the church community is comprised of “many members” who are “individually members one of another.” (Romans 12:4, 5; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:12, 20; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 3:15) Sealed by the Spirit The formation of the New Testament church achieved by spiritual baptism was achieved by spiritual baptism. Its formation was assured by the sealing of the Spirit of Christ. “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14) “The word ‘seal’ is indicative of security (Matthew 27:66; Ephesians 4:30), authentication and approval (John 6:27), certification of genuineness (John 3:33), and identification of ownership (2 Corinthians 1:22; Revelation 7:2; 9:4). Relative to the church, “God is the One who seals, Christ is the sphere in which the seal is done, and the Holy Spirit is the instrument of the seal.”3 The sealing of the Spirit assures that the New Testament church is perfectly secure in Christ, approved of the Father in Christ, and a beloved possession of God in Christ. |
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Cultivation
Beyond its animation and formation in eternity, the New Testament church is cultivated in time by the fullness of the Spirit of God. It occurs by the grace of God alone through faith alone. Filled by the Spirit Jesus cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38) John clarified that the “living water” was descriptive of divine life (zoe) ministered within by the Spirit of God. (John 7:39; cf. John 4:7-14) The words of the incarnate Christ indicated that the indwelling Spirit of God desires to minister life (zoe) through His people. The flow of “rivers of living water” from the innermost being is experienced in accordance with the fullness of the Spirit. Thus, the Apostle Paul commands the New Testament church to “be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18) The verb pleeroústhe (be filled) is in the present imperative and, therefore, means to be constantly, moment by moment, filled with the fullness of the Spirit of Christ. The apostolic command to "be filled with the Spirit" means to keep on being filled with the fullness of the Spirit to the point of overflowing. Concordant with the will of God, the “living water” of eternal life is thereby enabled to flow like a river from Him through the Spirit-filled New Testament church to the world. The Apostle Paul further exhorted the New Testament church community to “walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16; 25) His desire was for the church to walk in continuous dependence on the fullness and consequent movement of the indwelling Spirit of God in Christ. By grace alone, walking by the fullness of the Spirit obligates a daily, moment-by-moment choice of faith to yield to the indwelling Spirit of God. Walking by the fullness of the indwelling Spirit is evidenced by the fruit and manifestation of the Spirit. “… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). In contrast, the manifestation of the Spirit is inclusive of spiritually gifted ministry, spiritual fellowship, participatory worship in song, abundant thanksgiving, and mutual submission. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 5:19-21; cf. 2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:1) By the fullness of the Spirit, the ecclesia of God is cultivated in time through the overflowing ministry of divine life (zoe). It is the source from which the Gospel is proclaimed, captives are released, the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the oppressed are set free, and the dead are raised. (cf. Matthew 11:5; Luke 4:18) |
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By the Spirit
The New Testament church is one spiritual body animated, formed, and cultivated by the Spirit of Christ: |
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God designed the New Testament church to accommodate the “treasure” of His life (zoe) on earth (2 Corinthians 4:7). By His indwelling life (zoe), He alone was the source of the church's animation, formation and cultivation.
Divinely animated, formed, and cultivated, the body of Christ is legally representative and organically representational of God in space and time by grace through faith alone. Consequently, it provides an irrefutable demonstration of His nature to both the angelic host and a world characterized by sin, separation, and darkness. © 2023 James Hiatt |
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