LIFE FOR THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY
Much more, we shall be saved in His life from death. This kind of saving from death includes being set free from sin, and also includes sanctification, transformation, conformation to the image of Christ, and the building up of the Body. We are independent because we are short of life. In Ezekiel 37 the bones were dried up thoroughly, so every bone was individual and separate from the other bones. The bones were separated and detached from one another because there was no life. Because there was no life, they were disjointed, separated, and absolutely individualistic. The bones of our human body are joined together to be one body through, by, and with life. In like manner, we are built together into one Body through, by, and with the divine life.
THE TRANSFORMATION AND GROWTH OF LIFE
We need to be impressed that in many respects we are still full of death. We are still so weak, loose, sloppy, careless, independent, individualistic, and unwilling to be coordinated with others. All these are signs of our weakness, and our weakness is simply deadness. We need the divine life. The more life we have, the more this life will swallow up the death in our being. Then there will be a real transformation in us.
Do not think that transformation is something that happens in a sudden way. Transformation goes on hour after hour, moment by moment, and little by little all day long. By the Lord’s mercy, I have been under the transformation of the inner life for many years. We should not think that it is necessary to pray and fast for a period of time to undergo the process of transformation. Transformation does not come in a sudden way but works in a very normal way day by day. Bit by bit the transformation of the inner life works in a very normal and ordinary way, even with the small things in our daily life. We may not be able to sense the transformation of life, but after a certain period of time there will be a difference in our being because of the growth of life.
We cannot see much growth in life in a young child from day to day, but after a year we are able to see some growth in life. From one day to the next we cannot see any difference in the flowers or fruit trees. But after a certain period of time, we are able to see the flowers blossom and the fruit trees bear fruit. The growth of the plant life is not something that comes suddenly but gradually. After a certain period of time, we are able to see the blossoms and the fruit, the evidence of the growth of life.
If we mean business with the Lord to enjoy Christ as the life within us, there should be a change with us after a certain period of time. If there is no change or progress with us after a certain amount of time, this indicates that we are not enjoying the saving inner life of Christ. The more that we say, “O Lord, Amen,” the more life we will receive. Spontaneously, we will be saved in His life from all the signs of death. We will be saved from all the weakness and inability to meet God’s requirements according to His divine standard.
KNOWING THE POWER OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION LIFE
In Philippians 3:10a Paul said that he wanted to know the power of the Lord’s resurrection. This power is His resurrection life which raised Him from among the dead (Eph. 1:19-20). We need to know and experience the life power of the Lord’s resurrection to be saved in His life.
SAVED IN LIFE TO REIGN IN LIFE AND BE BUILT UP INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST
We need to bring this fellowship to the Lord and pray-read the verses in the Scripture reading in Romans until we sense that the life within us is really ruling and reigning like a king. Then we will not only walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4) and not only be saved in life (5:10), but we will also reign in life (5:17). Then we will have the full freedom. We will reign as a king in life by taking Christ as life. Nothing will be a bondage to us because we will be free in our enjoyment of the saving life of Christ. As we are being saved in His life, we will be sanctified, transformed, and built up into the Body of Christ. Sanctification, transformation, and the building up of the Body come out of the saving of life.
THE WAY TO ENJOY THE SAVING OF LIFE
The way that we enjoy this saving of life is revealed in Romans 10. Verses 12 and 13 tell us that the Lord is rich to all who call upon Him and that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. When we call upon the name of the Lord, we are saved in His life. When we call upon Him, we enjoy the saving life. May the Lord be merciful to us so that we may enjoy His saving life to the fullest extent day by day.
(The Crucial Revelation of Life in the Scriptures, Chapter 15, by Witness Lee)
