THE SECOND PART: A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Epistle of Paul to Romans
Message One—The Body of Christ in Romans
Scripture Reading: Rom. 12:1-16; 14:1; 15:5-7; 16:1, 4-5, 16b, 20
I. The subject of Romans is the gospel of God–to make sinners sons of God to constitute the Body of Christ, which is expressed as the local churches—3:23; 8:14, 29; 12:4-5; 16:1, 4-5, 16b.
II. In His salvation God is making sinners the sons of God to be constituted the Body of Christ for the expression of Christ—8:14; 12:4-5:
A. Sons are the children of God who are in the stage of the transformation of their souls; they are growing in the divine life and also are living and walking by being led by the Spirit of God—8:14, 16; 12:2.
B. In order to be the members of the Body of Christ, we need to be conformed to the image of Christ as the first-born Son of God—8:29; 12:4-5.
III. The will of God is to obtain a Body for Christ to be His fullness, His expression—Rev. 4:11; Eph. 1:5, 9; Rom. 12:2, 4-5:
A. In Romans 12 the will of God is that we whom God has chosen, redeemed, justified, sanctified, and conformed unto glorification may be members one of another to have the living of the Body of Christ—8:29-30.
B. To live the Body life is to “prove what the will of God is”—12:2, 4-5.
C. If we are proper members of the Body, acting and functioning in the church life, we will be persons in the will of God—1 Cor. 1:1-2; Eph. 1:1; 5:17.
IV. We are one Body in the organic union with Christ—Rom. 12:4-5:
A. Romans 12 speaks of the Body from the angle of the organic union, from the uniting life, from the life that unites us together, not only with Christ but with all the other members of Christ—vv. 4-5.
B. We are one Body in Christ, having an organic union with Him: this union makes us one in life with Christ and with all the other members of His Body:
1. The Body is not an organization or a society but is altogether an organism produced by the union in life that we have in Christ—John 15:1.
2. The Body is something that is held together in the organic union with Christ, and the actuality of the Body is the remaining in the organic union with Christ—vv. 4-5.
V. If we would live the Body life, a life in the reality of the Body of Christ, we need to live a grafted life—Rom. 6:5; 11:17.
VI. In order for the Body of Christ to he built up, we need to reign in life, that is, be under the ruling of the divine life—5:17, 21; 12:1-16:
A. Every aspect of the living of the Body life in Romans 12-16 requires us to be ruled by the divine life.
B. We can live a life of the highest virtues for the Body life only by reigning in life—12:9-12, 15-16, 18.
C. When we are reigning in life, living under the ruling of the divine life. the issue is the real and practical Body life—5 :17, 21; 12:4-5.
VII. Romans begins with the designation of Jesus Christ to be the Son of God for the mass reproduction of the many sons of God as the members of the Body of Christ, and Romans ends with the practice of the local churches as the expression of the Body of Christ—1:3-4; 8:29; 12:4-5; 16:1, 16b:
A. The local churches are the practical expression of the Body of Christ—vv. 1-5a, 16b. 23.
B. Although the churches appear in different places, they are not separate, and although they are local, they are still part of the unique universal Body of Christ—12:4-5, 16; 16:16b:
1. On the one hand, the Body of Christ is expressed in localities city by city as the local churches—Rev. 1:11.
2. On the other hand, because the fellowship of this Body is universal, these local churches are still one—1 Cor. 10:16; Eph. 4:4.
C. For the practice of the Body life, all the local churches must receive all genuine believers unconditionally, according to the way God and Christ receive them—Rom. 14:1-3; 15:5-7.
D. Romans 16 displays the real and practical Body life; here we see that all the churches and all the saints live in the universal fellowship of the Body of Christ.
E. In his greetings Paul unveiled some crucial indicators of the proper church life both in a particular local church and among the churches: serving the church. risking our lives for the church, having the church in our home, acknowledging that the church is the church of Christ, and extending hospitality to everyone in the church and being a host to all the churches—vv. 1-5a. 16b, 23.
F. We must be governed by the vision of the Body of Christ and follow in the footsteps of Paul (who took the lead in the fellowship of concern among the saints and between the churches), by bringing all the saints in all the churches into the blending life of the entire Body of Christ—vv. 1-23.
G. When we live in the fellowship of the Body of Christ and express this Body in the local churches, the result will be God’s crushing Satan under our feet, our enjoying the grace of Christ and the peace of God, and the giving of glory to the only wise God—vv. 20, 27.
Ministry Excerpts:
THE FOCUS OF ROMANS
Most Christian teachers teach that the book of Romans is a sketch of the Christian life. Yes, it is. But I’m sorry to say that perhaps not one of so many teachers has ever said what is the ultimate focus of the book of Romans. Most of the Bible students and teachers would consider that the main subject of the book of Romans is justification by faith. Martin Luther stressed this book to the uttermost. Martin Luther was very strong on justification by faith. But at least there is one book with one verse which says that justification is not only by faith, but also by works (James 2:24). This offended Martin Luther because he was so strong for justification by faith. So he said the book of James should be burned. I don’t blame him because he was so burdened at that time. He concentrated his entire being on this one thing—justification by faith, not by works.
While he was quite strong concerning justification by faith, I would say that he didn’t stress much concerning the Body. The Body is more clearly revealed in the book of Romans than in many other books. Whether Martin Luther saw the Body in Romans or not I don’t know, but I do know he did not stress it. All the Christians know that Martin Luther was a strong teacher and minister of justification by faith. He may have seen something concerning the Body, but that was not his stress. Now, however, we all have to see that justification by faith is just the first station of this book of Romans.
FOUR STATIONS
The book of Romans has four stations. The first is the station of justification, then sanctification, then the Body, and then the churches. The journey begins from the first station of justification; it passes through sanctification to reach the Body. Finally, there are the churches to express the Body. From this sketch, there is no argument that the real focus of this book is the Body. It is not even the churches, but the Body. The churches are simply the expressions of the Body. It is altogether right to say that Romans is a sketch of the Christian life, but most of the teachers of the Bible didn’t see the focus of the Christian life. The focus of the Christian life is not justification nor sanctification but the Body. If you miss the Body you don’t have the center of the Christian life; you don’t have the goal; you don’t have the aim; you don’t have any direction. For what are you sanctified? You are sanctified so that you can practically be a member of the Body. The Body is the focus, the center, of the Christian life. By His mercy, the Lord has shown us this vision. It is in the Bible; it is in Romans, but Christians have not seen it. When I was young I read some expositions on the book of Romans. Most of them said that from chapter twelve to the end of the book Paul tells us how to walk as a believer. This is not wrong. But the strange thing is that none of these teachers pointed out that the way to walk as a believer must be firstly to live in the Body.
You cannot imagine how many Christian sermons have been given on Romans 12:1. Whoever would speak on consecration would surely use this verse. But few of these messages would tell us the purpose of the consecration. What is the goal of consecration? If you read Romans 12:1-5 carefully, you can see that the purpose of consecration is so that you can realize the Body. Consecration is for the Body.
The Body life is the first item of the believer’s walk. If you would know how to walk as a believer in Christ, the first item is to live the Body life. Romans talks about the Body life in a way to show us that this Body is the focus of the Christian life. From this point in the Perfecting Training, we will begin to spend more time in the book of Romans.
IN CHRIST
In the last meeting I gave you that little phrase, “in Christ.” This little phrase indicates the organic union we have with Christ. As we are in Christ surely there is a kind of union. When the Bible was being translated into the Chinese language, this term, “in Christ,” bothered the translators to the uttermost. Nearly all of them said there was no way to translate the Bible into Chinese. In the Chinese language there is not such an expression to say that you are in someone. Humanly speaking we would not say that one person is in another person. But the Bible has this expression, that we are in Christ. Even this kind of expression was first used by the Lord Jesus in John 15 where He said He is the vine, we are the branches, and we should abide in Him (v. 5). Due to our background, we Christians take this kind of expression for granted. We never bothered to check it out. Even before I was saved I heard messages concerning abiding in Him. Sometimes I didn’t pay attention to what they were talking about, but at other times I did pay attention and I asked, How could you abide in Jesus? No doubt this expression strongly indicates that there is a kind of organic union, which spontaneously implies mingling. When you put tea into water, could you say that the tea abides in the water just in a kind of union without mingling? Likewise, how could we just be in union with Christ without mingling?
“In Christ” is a short phrase, but don’t consider that this is a small expression. This is a great expression because it reveals such a great thing—that between you and Christ there is an organic union. If you do not have such an organic union, I would not call you a brother. A brother or a sister must be one in this organic union. Don’t take this phrase, “in Christ,” for granted.
SUPPORTS OF THE FOCAL POINT
The Bible has a principle: every book in the Bible has a focal point which is supported by many verses. These supports may be considered like the four legs supporting a table. Even a small table has four legs supporting it. To find out the supports of a focal point in a certain book, you have to take care of the context of the entire book. In Romans, the expression, “in Christ,” does have adequate support. What are the verses which are the supports of this organic union “in Christ” found in Romans?
In chapters one through four it is hard to find any support of the organic union. But in chapter five there are several supports. Verse 10 says we are saved in His life. We were justified, reconciled, through the death of Christ, but we shall be saved more in His life. Then 5:17 reads, “For if by the offense of the one death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Martin Luther stressed the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness very much, but I doubt whether he stressed that the abundant grace and the gift of righteousness are for reigning in life. To reign in life is much higher than being saved in life. Then verse 18 uses the term, “unto justification of life.” This means justification is for life or unto life. Verse 21 goes on to say that grace might reign unto eternal life. Unto means with a view to or resulting in. Grace reigns with a view to or resulting in life. In chapter five, life is mentioned at least four times: first, we need to be saved in life, second, we need to reign in life, third, we are justified for life, and fourth, grace reigns, resulting in life. So according to chapter five, life, not justification, is the focus.
Now let us go on to chapter six. Verse 3 says, “As many as have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death.” Many teachers have stressed that we are baptized into His death, but they have not stressed adequately that we have been baptized into Christ. That we have been baptized into Christ Jesus is the strongest support of the phrase, “in Christ.” How did you get into Christ? You have been baptized into Christ. Although I do not like to speak concerning others’ shortage I must point out that many Christians today stress the tail more than the head. They pick up the tail and forget about the head. Many teachers have stressed that we have been baptized into His death. I have never heard a message at a baptism telling people that they have been baptized into Christ. They always said we are baptized into the death of Christ. But this verse concerning being baptized into Christ is the strongest support of the thought of the organic union in Christ.
Verse 4 goes on to say that we “should walk in newness of life,” and verse 5 says that “if we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.” This indicates a process of growth where we are growing into His death and through His death into His resurrection. This is an organic union in which growth takes place so that one partakes of the life and characteristics of another. In 6:5 there is an organic union. This growing together with Christ is a kind of organic union. In this organic union, the life grows. Growth takes place. One part partakes of the life and characteristics of the other part. That means we partake of the life and characteristics of Christ. This is the organic union.
Verse 8 goes on to say that “we shall also live with Him.” If you are not one with Him, how could you live with Him? It doesn’t mean that you simply stay together with Him; it means that you live together with Him. Verse 11 says that we are “alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Verse 13 says that we need to present ourselves to God as alive from the dead. This also indicates our union with Christ. The last verse in this chapter also is a support for the organic union: “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Today the Pentecostal people often ask, Have you received the “gift”? My answer would be, What kind of gift do you mean? This would open their eyes. When they speak of receiving the “gift,” they are mainly referring to speaking in tongues. But I have received a bigger gift than a tongue! I have received the eternal life. This is a much bigger gift. This shows the superficiality of today’s Christians. We have received the gift of eternal life. This means the organic union is a free gift.
Chapter eight also has some strong supports for this matter of being in Christ as an organic union. Verse 2 mentions the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Here is life, here is the Spirit of life, and here is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This is a strong support. Verse 6 says that “the mind set on the spirit is life and peace,” and verse 10 says that “the spirit is life because of righteousness.” In the Life-study of Romans we pointed out that these verses in chapter eight reveal four layers of the matter of life. First, God’s Spirit is life. Second, our human spirit is life. Third, the mind is life, and finally, our body is life. This life firstly is the life of the Spirit. Then this life comes into our being, into our spirit. Then it saturates our soul and, eventually, saturates our body. This is the organic union.
Chapter eleven, revealing the grafting, also is a strong support of the organic union. All of us were wild branches, yet thank the Lord, His grace has grafted us into Christ! Again, it is ridiculous to say that mingling is a heresy. The branches grafted into the tree are not only united but mingled. To say that they are only united and not mingled is terrible. They are not like two iron bars. Two iron bars may be united, but they are not mingled. But if a branch is grafted into a tree, no doubt the two are mingled. The two bars of iron can only have a kind of connecting. They don’t have the organic union. An organic union is a matter of mingling.
From chapter eleven we go to chapter twelve. Chapter twelve indicates that we need to consecrate our bodies so that our minds may be transformed to see and discern the will of God, which is just to have a Body for Christ produced out of the organic union. Verse 5 says, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.” This verse means we many are just one Body in Christ, in this organic union. Have you seen all these supports of this one focal point—in Christ? Chapter twelve continues by saying that as a believer, based upon the organic union in Christ, you need to realize the Body life by having all three parts of your being exercised. Our body is mentioned in verse 1 where we are told to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. So our body needs to be offered. Then in verse two we need to have our mind renewed. Our mind represents our soul. It is the main part of our soul. So this refers to the transformation of the soul for the Body life. The body needs to be presented, and the soul needs to be transformed. Then in verse 11 we have to be burning in spirit. This refers to the exercise of the human spirit, the mingled spirit, for the Body life. For the Body of Christ we have to offer our body. Then our soul needs to be transformed, and our spirit needs to be on fire. Thus, all three parts of our human being are exercised. In order to realize this focus of the Christian life, that is, the Body of Christ, we need to fully experience the organic union in Christ with a thorough realization that we are organically one with Christ in life.
To practice this Body life, you must first have your body offered to God. After having your body offered to God, you must have your soul transformed. You must be transformed in your soul by the renewing of your mind. Rarely can you hear teaching concerning this point among today’s Christians. You can hardly hear a message on transformation or on the renewing of the mind. In the past twenty years we have put out many messages on transformation. This is absolutely and thoroughly needed. Our body must be offered and consecrated; our soul must be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Then our spirit has to be burning, to be on fire. If this is your case, I have the full confidence you are now practically in the Body life. If you don’t realize the organic union in Christ and you do not have your body offered, your soul transformed by the renewing of the mind, or your spirit burning, you are just outside of the Body and apart from the Body, practically speaking.
AN ENTRANCE INTO THE PRACTICAL BODY LIFE
From now on we will spend much of this Training on Romans. If you have some leisure time, think about Romans, and pray about the Body of Christ. Restrict your consideration, your feeling, and your sensation about the Body of Christ to Romans. If time and occasion allow, I also hope you would fellowship with some others. It is best to fellowship with only two or three, or at the most four. We, the married people, do have a privilege in that we always have at least two. Fellowship about this, and pray. This is not a small thing. We need a strong revelation, and we need a stronger vision to see this matter. It is too mysterious! The mystical Body of Christ is too mysterious for us human beings to grasp. Yet we do have the life of this Body, and we also have the Spirit of this Body. Thank the Lord for this. So pray and exercise your inner being to think over this book concerning the Body. Also remind yourself of what we have covered in the past two Training Meetings. Don’t consider that these are simply doctrines. You must consider that these are precious light from the very heart of God. They are altogether worthy of our thinking, considering, praying, and fellowshipping. This Training has no intention to pass on to you mere doctrine. We have the heavy burden to help all of us enter into the practical Body life. We all need an entrance into the practical Body life. If we could have this kind of life, this kind of vision, of the Body we will be able to enter into the practical Body life. (Perfecting Training, msg. 24)