General Subject:Loving the Lord and Loving One Another for the Organic Building Up of the Church as the Body of Christ
Message Three Loving the Lord Jesus Christ in Incorruptibility
Outline
2. To love the Lord in incorruptibility is to love Him in the new creation, not in the old creation—Eph. 2:15; 4:24; 2 Cor. 5:17.
Eph. 2:15 Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace,
Eph. 4:24 And put on the new man, which was created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the reality.
2 Cor. 5:17 So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, they have become new.
3. To love the Lord in incorruptibility is to love Him in the regenerated and renewed spirit indwelt by the Holy Spirit—John 3:6; 1 Cor. 6:17; 2 Tim. 1:7.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
1 Cor. 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.
2 Tim. 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of sobermindedness.
4. To love the Lord in incorruptibility means to love Him according to all the incorruptible things revealed in Ephesians:
a. We need to love the Lord Jesus in His being the embodiment of the Triune God (Col. 2:9); in His being the element of the Body (1 Cor. 12:12); in His being reality, grace, peace, love, and light (John 1:17; 8:12; 14:6; Eph. 2:14; 1 John 4:8); and in His being the constituent of the one new man (Eph. 2:15; Col. 3:10-11).
Col. 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,
1 Cor. 12:12 For even as the body is one and has many members, yet all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ.
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ.
John 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way and the reality and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
Eph. 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity,
1 John 4:8 He who does not love has not known God, because God is love.
Eph. 2:15 Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace,
Col. 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
Col. 3:11 Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all.
b. All these things are related to what is revealed and taught in Ephesians, including the Triune God, Christ, and His Body, the church.
c. Ephesians speaks concerning the dispensing of the Triune God to produce the church (1:3-23; 3:16-21), of what Christ is and has done for the church (1:7; 2:13-18; 5:25-27, 29), and about the church being the Body of Christ, being the bride of Christ, and being one with Christ in the heavenlies (1:22-23; 5:23, 25-27; 2:6).
Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ,
Eph. 1:4 Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blemish before Him in love,
Eph. 1:5 Predestinating us unto sonship through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Eph. 1:6 To the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He graced us in the Beloved;
Eph. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace,
Eph. 1:8 Which He caused to abound to us in all wisdom and prudence,
Eph. 1:9 Making known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself,
Eph. 1:10 Unto the economy of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in Him;
Eph. 1:11 In whom also we were designated as an inheritance, having been predestinated according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Eph. 1:12 That we would be to the praise of His glory who have first hoped in Christ,
Eph. 1:13 In whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Him also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise,
Eph. 1:14 Who is the pledge of our inheritance unto the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory.
Eph. 1:15 Therefore I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and your love to all the saints,
Eph. 1:16 Do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,
Eph. 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him,
Eph. 1:18 The eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Eph. 1:19 And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the might of His strength,
Eph. 1:20 Which He caused to operate in Christ in raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenlies,
Eph. 1:21 Far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come;
Eph. 1:22 And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church,
Eph. 1:23 Which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.
Eph. 3:16 That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man,
Eph. 3:17 That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph. 3:18 May be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are
Eph. 3:19 And to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.
Eph. 3:20 But to Him who is able to do superabundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power which operates in us,
Eph. 3:21 To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all the generations forever and ever. Amen.
Eph. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace,
Eph. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have become near in the blood of Christ.
Eph. 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity,
Eph. 2:15 Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace,
Eph. 2:16 And might reconcile both in one Body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity by it.
Eph. 2:17 And coming, He announced peace as the gospel to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near,
Eph. 2:18 For through Him we both have access in one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her
Eph. 5:26 That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word,
Eph. 5:27 That He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.
Eph. 5:29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ also the church,
Eph. 1:22 And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church,
Eph. 1:23 Which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.
Eph. 5:23 For a husband is head of the wife as also Christ is Head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the Body.
Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her
Eph. 5:26 That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word,
Eph. 5:27 That He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.
Eph. 2:6 And raised us up together with Him and seated us together with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
d. All these matters are incorruptible, and if we love the Lord Jesus in all these things, our love toward Him will be incorruptible (6:24); such a love is not a natural love; it is a love in resurrection, the love that God Himself is in His divine essence (1 John 4:16).
Eph. 6:24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptibility.
1 John 4:16 And we know and have believed the love which God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him.
5. In the Lord's recovery we need to love our Lord Jesus Christ in all the divine, spiritual, heavenly, and incorruptible things revealed in Ephesians concerning the Triune God, the divine life, what Christ is to us, what He has done, and the church—1:3-23; 2:5-6, 13-18; 3:16-21; 4:4-6; 5:23, 25-27.
Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ,
Eph. 1:4 Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blemish before Him in love,
Eph. 1:5 Predestinating us unto sonship through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Eph. 1:6 To the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He graced us in the Beloved;
Eph. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace,
Eph. 1:8 Which He caused to abound to us in all wisdom and prudence,
Eph. 1:9 Making known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself,
Eph. 1:10 Unto the economy of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in Him;
Eph. 1:11 In whom also we were designated as an inheritance, having been predestinated according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Eph. 1:12 That we would be to the praise of His glory who have first hoped in Christ,
Eph. 1:13 In whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Him also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise,
Eph. 1:14 Who is the pledge of our inheritance unto the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory.
Eph. 1:15 Therefore I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and your love to all the saints,
Eph. 1:16 Do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,
Eph. 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him,
Eph. 1:18 The eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Eph. 1:19 And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the might of His strength,
Eph. 1:20 Which He caused to operate in Christ in raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenlies,
Eph. 1:21 Far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come;
Eph. 1:22 And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church,
Eph. 1:23 Which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.
Eph. 2:5 Even when we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)
Eph. 2:6 And raised us up together with Him and seated us together with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
Eph. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have become near in the blood of Christ.
Eph. 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity,
Eph. 2:15 Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace,
Eph. 2:16 And might reconcile both in one Body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity by it.
Eph. 2:17 And coming, He announced peace as the gospel to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near,
Eph. 2:18 For through Him we both have access in one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph. 3:16 That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man,
Eph. 3:17 That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph. 3:18 May be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are
Eph. 3:19 And to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.
Eph. 3:20 But to Him who is able to do superabundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power which operates in us,
Eph. 3:21 To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all the generations forever and ever. Amen.
Eph. 4:4 One Body and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
Eph. 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism;
Eph. 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Eph. 5:23 For a husband is head of the wife as also Christ is Head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the Body.
Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her
Eph. 5:26 That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word,
Eph. 5:27 That He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.
Morning Nourishment
2 Cor. 5:17 So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, they have become new.
Gal. 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation is what matters.
Ephesians 6:24 says, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptibility.” We all must ask ourselves what it means to love the Lord in incorruptibility. In 1 Timothy 1:17 Paul says that God is incorruptible, and in 2 Timothy 1:10 he says that the Lord “nullified death and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel.” First Corinthians 15 tells us that in resurrection the corruptible things will become incorruptible (vv. 50-53). To love the Lord in incorruptibility means to love Him in the new creation. All the things of the old creation are corruptible. This is proved by Romans 8 where we see that the whole creation is groaning under the slavery of corruption (vv. 21- 22). Everything of the old creation is corrupting. Only the new creation is not. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders’ Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul’s Epistles,” p. 517)
Today’s Reading
Ephesians 6:24 is a total conclusion of the entire book of Ephesians...Christ is incorruptible, the church is incorruptible, and all the positive items related to Christ and the church in chapters 1 through 6 are incorruptible items. We must love the Lord in these incorruptible things. This means we must love the Lord in the new creation and not in the old creation. We have to love the Lord according to the Father’s predestination unto sonship. We have to love the Lord according to the Son’s redemption. We have to love the Lord according to the sealing and the pledging of the Spirit. We have to love the Lord according to the hope of God’s calling, according to the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and according to the surpassing greatness of His power, which made Christ the Head of all things to the church. We have to love the Lord according to Christ’s resurrection, which made us alive, resurrected us, and seated us in the heavens.
Many times we love the Lord in the way of corruption. We should not love the Lord in a natural way, in the way of the old creation, but in the new creation. When some Christian groups wanted to raise money, they put out a list of those who gave, with the ones giving the most at the top of the list. This is to love the Lord in corruption. What is it to love the Lord in incorruptibility in giving? Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing (Matt. 6:3)... As the kingdom people, our righteous deeds should be kept secret as much as possible (vv. 4, 6, 18). What we do in our spirit, under the heavenly rule to please solely our Father, must not be interfered with by our flesh lusting for man’s glory. The kingdom people’s living is by the Father’s divine life according to their spirit. Thus, they are required to do good things in secret, not in public. Any public exhibition does not correspond with the mysterious, hidden nature of the divine life. In Matthew 6:4 the Lord says that our alms should be in secret, and our Father who sees in secret shall repay us.
To do things in the way of not making a display or a show of oneself is in the new creation. Sometimes when a brother testifies, he testifies because he likes to make a show or a display. When his testifying gets many Amens, he feels glorious. This is to function in corruption because it is in the old creation. When you are testifying, you must remain on the cross. When you are giving a testimony, try your best not to make a show... If we do, we are serving in corruptibility.
To love the Lord in incorruptibility is to love Him in the regenerated, renewed, and indwelt spirit. If you do anything in your flesh, that is in corruption. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders’ Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul’s Epistles,” pp. 517-519)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1985, vol. 2, pp. 52-55
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