Ⅱ
Ephesians 3:16-21 reveals that the Triune God has come into us to do a building work with Himself as the element and also with something from us as the material; this is illustrated by the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:
A
The Lord sows Himself as the seed of life into men's hearts, the soil, so that He might grow and live in them and be expressed from within them—v. 3.
B
The seed is sown into the soil to grow with the nutrients of the soil; as a result, the produce is a composition of elements from both the seed and the soil—v. 23.
C
We have within us certain nutrients created by God as a preparation for His coming into us to grow in us; God has created the human spirit with the human nutrients along with the human heart as the soil for the growth of the divine seed within us—1 John 3:9; 1 Pet. 1:23; Col. 2:19:
１
The rate at which we grow in life depends not on the divine seed but on how many nutrients we afford this seed; the more nutrients we supply, the faster the seed will grow and the more it will flourish—Psa. 78:8; Matt. 5:3, 8:
ａ
If we remain in our soul, in our natural man, there will not be any nutrients for the growth of the divine seed; but if we are strengthened into our inner man and if we pay attention to our spirit and exercise our spirit, the nutrients will be supplied and Christ will make His home in our heart—Eph. 3:16-17; Rom. 8:6; 1 Tim. 4:7.
ｂ
If we are going to have the Lord as the seed of life grow within us to be our full enjoyment, we have to open to the Lord absolutely and cooperate with Him to deal thoroughly with our heart—Matt. 13:3-9, 19-23.
２
On the one hand, God strengthens us with Himself as the element, and on the other hand, we afford the nutrients; through these two God in Christ carries out His intrinsic building—the building of His home—in our entire being.
D
According to the Bible, growth equals building; the Lord Jesus declared, "I will build My church" (Matt. 16:18); this building takes place by the growth of the divine seed within us (1 John 3:9; Eph. 4:15-16; Col. 2:19; Eph. 2:21-22; 1 Cor. 3:1, 6-9, 12; 16:13).
Morning Nourishment
John 14:23 Jesus answered,…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.Matt. 13:3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow.
23 But the one sown on the good earth, this is he who hears the word and understands, who by all means bears fruit…
The Bible tells us that God is working in us and that Christ is living in us. However, the Bible uses a very striking term—build—to denote God’s work in us…. In building a house, it is necessary to have the proper material…. On the one hand, this material is Christ Himself as the element; on the other hand, this material includes something from us with our humanity. The words make an abode [in John 14:23]…equal make His home in Ephesians 3:17. The Triune God has come into us to do a building work with Himself as the element and also with something from us as the material. The word concerning building in these verses implies that God’s building Himself in Christ into us has very much to do with what we are. (Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, pp. 196-197)
Today’s Reading
In Matthew 13 the seed is sown into the soil to grow with the nutrients in the soil. This seed, therefore, does not grow just with itself; it grows with itself and the nutrients in the soil. As a result, the produce is a composition of elements from both the seed and the soil. Here we see an important spiritual principle. In order to grow, the seed must be sown into good soil;… neither sand nor stone can supply the necessary nutrients.The seed is divinity, and the soil with its nutrients is humanity. We have within us certain nutrients created by God as a preparation for His coming into us to grow in us. God has created the human spirit with the human nutrients. For this reason, human beings can believe in the Lord and receive Him.
The seed that has been sown into us is Christ as the embodiment of the Triune God. The rate at which the seed grows within us depends on the nutrients afforded by us. The more nutrients we supply, the faster the seed will grow and the more it will flourish.
According to the Bible, growth equals building. The Lord Jesus declared, “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). This building takes place by the growth of the divine seed within us. The degree of growth depends not on the divine seed but on how many [spiritual] nutrients we afford this seed. Matthew 13 indicates that only the good soil (vv. 8, 23) affords the adequate nutrients for the growth of the divine seed.
Since God’s building Himself in Christ into us depends not only on Himself as the element but also on the nutrients supplied by us, we need to be strengthened into our inner man. If we remain in our soul, in our natural man, there will not be any nutrients for the growth of the divine seed. But if we are strengthened into our inner man and if we pay attention to our spirit and exercise our spirit, the nutrients will be supplied. Then Christ will make His home in our inner being. Paul prayed that the Father would strengthen us with power through His Spirit into our inner man [Eph. 3:16]. This power, referred to in Ephesians 1:19-22, is the power that raised Christ from the dead, seated Christ at the right hand of God in the heavenlies, subjected all things under Christ’s feet, and gave Christ to be Head over all things to the church. Such power operates in us (3:20), and with it God strengthens us for His building. The Spirit through whom God strengthens us is the consummation of the processed Triune God. On the one hand, God strengthens us with Himself as the element and, on the other hand, we afford the nutrients. Through these two God in Christ carries out His intrinsic building—the building of His home—in our entire being. (Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, pp. 197-198)
Further Reading: Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, msgs. 30-31