The Body of Christ, the One New Man

Part 2

The Phases of Growth of the Body of Christ

When Adam was formed, that was his first day of existence as a “new being”, just like a “newly born baby” that needs to grow up. Yes, Adam, the first man was not like any human being or a baby because unlike a baby he was not born, but rather created by God. No womb was used. No union between a man and a woman to produce a child. But whether he was born or not, that was his first day of existence, commonly called as “birthday”. Yes, Adam wasn’t born like everybody else. He was created by God. But Luke 3:38 says that Adam was the son of God. It means he came from God. And as a creature he had a beginning. We can say that he wasn’t born just like everybody, but he had a beginning and that beginning is also called “birth”.

The same also with the church, the body of Christ, it was “created” after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24). It was not born. It was created. But whether it was born or not, its first day of existence is called “birthday”.

And as a new creature like a new-born baby, the church must grow up into adulthood or full maturity. A baby grows and goes into phases as a human being from infanthood to full maturity. First, a baby. Then, a child, a youth, and finally an adult.

The church also as a new creature has phases of growth:

Phase 1.  At the cross, the church which is Christ’s body was “formed” in his flesh through his death.

Phase 2. At Christ’s burial, the body of Christ was in the womb of the earth for three days and three nights. Waiting to be born.

Phase 3. At Christ’s resurrection, Christ was “born again” as the Son of God (Acts 13:33).  Christ received a “brand new” body which is a glorious body, an immortal body, a spiritual body, an incorruptible body, a powerful body and a heavenly body with flesh and bones. Those who believed in him became members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones (Ephesians 5:30). They were called as “the body of Christ” as we are called today.  At that moment that Christ rose again unto “new life”, the body of Christ was “BORN”. That’s the new creature. That’s the “One New Man”. Christ and his people became “ONE”. That day was the day of “REGENERATION” (Matthew 19:28) when Christ “SAT” in the THRONE OF HIS GLORY, which means “HE BEGAN REIGNING”. Yes, he began his everlasting kingdom, through his church the body. That is THE REIGN OF GRACE (Romans 5:21). That was the day of the “REGENERATION” of the Body of Christ (Titus 3:5) as a “NEW CREATURE” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Let’s compare this to what happened to the “FIRST MAN” Adam.

§  First, God created the “earth” or ground first.

§  Second, God took “dust” from the ground and he formed man.

§  Third, the body of man and all its parts were formed and shaped by God but still “lifeless” like a doll or a robot or a dead man.

§  Fourth, God breathed into the nostrils of man the “breath of life”.

§  Fifth, man became a “living soul”.  It means the lifeless body received “the spirit” or the breath that gives “life” and that body became alive.  That was the “beginning” or “birth” of Adam the first man.

The body of Christ church is also like that.

§  First, God created the “heaven”, the new heaven in Christ.

§  Second, God took the glories of heaven and he formed the body of Christ.

§  Third, the body of Christ remained buried in the ground like a heavenly seed that was sown into the ground. Heaven buried on earth (Jesus Christ from heaven was sown or buried under the ground).

§  Fourth, God breathed “the Spirit of Life” into the body of Christ.

§  Fifth, the body of Christ, as “New Man” was “born” and began its existence. Unlike the “first” man, the body of Christ did not become a “living soul” but “a quickening [life-giving] spirit”. A new life, a new day. That was the “beginning” or birth of the church, the body of Christ.  Remember John 3:6 “that which is born of the Spirit is SPIRIT”. The body of Christ is not a living soul but a life-giving spirit. It is now what gives life as “rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Spirit from Spirit. The flesh begets flesh. The Spirit begets spirit.

Phase 4. The body of Christ [the One New Man formed in his body of flesh and born in the Spirit] ascended into heaven as glorified body. The body of Christ is “IN” Christ and Christ is “IN” his body. They are “ONE”.  Remember Romans 6:3-5 and Ephesians 2:5-6: The body of Christ church died with Christ, was buried with Christ, rose again with Christ, ascended with Christ and sat with Christ in heavenly places at the right hand of God far above everything in heaven and earth. It means Christ has been sitting in heaven at the right hand of God [that’s authority] as “King” ruling and reigning over his kingdom, the body of Christ church.  Matthew 28:18 says that “ALL POWER in heaven and earth” was given to Christ. Since that resurrection day, Christ has been reigning as King. Read Acts 2:30-36 and Ephesians 1:20-23.

At the ascension of Christ, the body of Christ received “gifts” for the “edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:8-12) which were needed “UNTIL” the body of Christ was no more child (Ephesians 4:14;  1 Corinthians 13:11) and become of “FULL AGE”  (Hebrews 5:14) and “A PERFECT MAN” (Ephesians 4:13).

Phase 5. At Pentecost, the body of Christ was empowered by the Holy Ghost to be “WITNESSES UNTO CHRIST” (Acts 1:8).  And the church was “FILLED with the HOLY GHOST” (Acts 2:4).  This was evidenced by the church “Speaking with other tongues”.  Remember, the first members of the church were “Israelites” taken from the House of Judah [the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin] called Jews and from the House of Israel [the lost sheep, the other ten tribes of Jacob] called Greeks and/or Gentiles… gathered by Christ (John 10:16).   That’s why the first beginnings of the church were with “signs and wonders… divers miracles…and gifts of the Holy Ghost” (Hebrews 2:4).  The Jews require “a SIGN” (1 Corinthians 1:23).  So the church received “the manifestation of the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:7), the “spiritual gifts” for the “EDIFYING OF THE CHURCH” (1 Corinthians 14:12).  These gifts were given and were to operate “UNTIL” the COMING OF CHRIST (1 Corinthians 1:7-8).  They were given to function as VISIONS and REVELATIONS of the Lord to teach the Body of Christ… knowledge in part and prophesying in part until “THE PERFECT [REVELATION]” is come (1 Corinthians 13:8-10), the “UNITY OF THE FAITH, and of THE KNOWLEDGE of the Son of God”, which is no other than the “COMPLETION” of THE WORDS OF GOD – The Holy Scriptures, when Paul the Apostle wrote his “LAST” epistle  (Colossians 1:25). That’s the COMPLETE REVELATION of God.

Phase 6. Saul, who later became Paul the apostle, was saved by God and God began revealing to him the mystery and molding him for years for his ministry as the apostle of the Gentiles.

Phase 7. Paul was commissioned by God and progressively received revelations from the Lord Jesus Christ, and he wrote to these churches:

1.      To the church of the Thessalonians he wrote

a.       1^st Thessalonians

b.      2^nd Thessalonians

2.      To the church of the Corinthians he wrote

a.       1^st Corinthians

b.      2^nd Corinthians

3.      To the churches of Galatia he wrote

Galatians

4.      To the church of the Romans he wrote

Romans

5.      To the church of the Hebrews he wrote

Hebrews

Phase 8. After the Acts period, after the final rejection of the Jews of the gospel, Paul turned his back on the Jewish nation and he turned to the Gentiles only. At this point in time, the Jewish nation was judged by God and became no more God’s people, and became “Gentiles”. The Jewish nation then joined the northern Israel nation and the Gentile nations in being “Gentiles”.

Then Christ continuously revealed to Paul his final revelations to humanity contained in Paul’s prison epistles. These final epistles of Paul completed the word of God. Paul wrote his final epistles to churches and friends.

1.      To the church of the Philippians he wrote

Philippians.

2.      To Timothy his son in the faith he wrote

a.       1^st Timothy

b.      2^nd Timothy

3.      To Titus his son in the faith he wrote

Titus

4.      To the church of the Ephesians he wrote

Ephesians

5.      To Philemon his friend he wrote

Philemon

6.      To the church of the Colossians he wrote

Colossians.

Phase 9. After Paul wrote his last epistle, which I believe is the letter to the Colossians, all the gifts given since Christ’s ascension stopped operating and fulfilled their purposes. And the “COMPLETED” Scriptures are now the edifiers of the church. There is only one place since this time that can edify the body of Christ and perfect the saints for the work of the ministry and it is the Completed Words of God, which Paul completed.

Colossians 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, TO “FULFIL” THE WORD OF GOD;

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Phase 10. After a generation which is 40 years (Hebrews 3:9,10,17), according to Christ’s very words in Matthew 24:34-35 “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”, the Lord Jesus Christ arrived/came from heaven and destroyed the apostate nation – the Jewish nation, its city Jerusalem and its temple, through the Romans. It was prophesied by the prophets and confirmed by Peter the apostle in 2 Peter 3:10-15 about “Passing away of the heavens and the earth” and the coming of the “NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH”.  Christ’s coming back is a coming in judgment for the wicked and the redemption and salvation of his elect (Luke 21:28; Hebrews 9:28)

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Yes, the first heaven [temple] and the first earth [people of God, Israel nation] passed away. That’s the “OLD CREATION”. They were replaced by the “NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH”. You may say, “Hey!! That’s replacement theology!” It’s okay! No problem. Whatever you call it doesn’t matter. The fact is, the New Heaven and the New Earth replaced the Old Heaven and the Old Earth.

The New Heaven [Temple of God] is Christ himself and his church. Because Christ and his church are “ONE”. Christ is all and in all.

Acts 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

The New Earth [The People of God] is the Church of God, the Body of Christ wherein there is no more distinction. The One New Man “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:11).

The old temple and the old city were destroyed and will no more be restored. They were replaced by the new temple and the new people of God. 

Well, the creation of that new heaven and the new earth did not begin in 70 A.D. but it ended that time. The Body of Christ came to its fullness when Christ returned.

The New heaven and the new earth are the “NEW CREATION” of God. And just like the “FIRST CREATION” that was created in six days,  it was created like that, which means, the creation is not instantly like a magic. It was created beginning at the first coming of Christ and ended on his second coming. Just like the first creation, God was satisfied and blessed at his work and “saw everything that he had made, and behold it was VERY GOOD… thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 1:31; 2:1).

-To be continued