Scripture Reading: Gen. 8:4—9:17; 1 Pet. 3:20-21; Rom. 6:3-5
Ⅰ
The ark of Noah passed through the water of death and came to rest on the mountains of Ararat; this is a type of Christ in resurrection passing through death and resurrecting out of death—Gen. 8:4; 1 Pet. 3:20-21:
A
Since the ark is a type of Christ, the fact that the ark passed through the water and came out of the water signifies Christ in resurrection.
B
Christ, and Christ alone, could enter into death and come forth out of death in resurrection because He is resurrection and is of resurrection—John 11:25; Acts 2:24; Rev. 1:18.
C
Eight persons were in the ark when it passed through the flood and when it came to rest on the mountain—Gen. 7:7:
１
Whatever the ark experienced, they also experienced by being in the ark.
２
This illustrates how the believers, by being in Christ, were crucified and resurrected with Christ—1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:4; Rom. 6:6; 2 Cor. 5:14; Gal. 2:20a; Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12; 3:1.
３
Because we are in Christ, His experience has become ours—1 Cor. 1:30.
D
In His resurrection Christ became the life-giving Spirit to come into us and to impart His resurrection life to us—15:45b; John 20:22; Rom. 8:11.
Ⅱ
The living of Noah and his family after the flood signifies the living of the church in Christ's resurrection; this is a seed of the church life—Gen. 8:4—9:17:
A
Eight people emerged from the ark—8:18:
１
Christ was resurrected on the first day of the week, or the day after the Sabbath—the eighth day of the old week; thus, the number eight signifies resurrection—John 20:1; cf. Gen. 17:12.
２
Since all the believers in Christ, the components of the church, were included in Christ's resurrection, they are the resurrected people—Eph. 2:6; 1 Pet. 1:3.
B
The altar is a type of the cross of Christ, and the offerings are types of the different aspects of Christ—Gen. 8:20-21:
１
The building of an altar and the offerings on it signify the offering of Christ to God through the cross.
２
The first thing we need to do in the church life is to be terminated on the cross and then experience Christ and offer to God the Christ whom we have experienced for God's satisfaction—Eph. 5:2; Heb. 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:5.
C
In the church life we are brought back to God's original purpose for the expression and representation of God—Gen. 9:1-7; 1:26.
D
Our Christian life and church life are a covenant life; because the church life is a life under God's covenant, we can actually be called "the church of the covenant"—9:12-17; Heb. 13:20-21.
Ⅲ
As those who have been baptized into Christ, the believers should walk in newness of life in order to live the church life in the resurrection life of Christ for the building up of the Body of Christ—Rom. 6:3-5; 12:4-5:
A
In the Gospel of John we have a picture of the church life in resurrection— 2:1-22; 12:1-11:
１
Christ, who is the resurrection and the life (11:25), changes death into life for the building of the house of God—2:1-22:
ａ
Since the day of His resurrection, the Lord Jesus has been enlarging His Body in resurrection life—vv. 19-22.
ｂ
Today we are still within the "three days" (v. 19), because the Lord is still working for the building up of His Body under the process of resurrection.
ｃ
Our living as Christians is a matter of changing death into life for the building up of the mystical Body of Christ.
２
In John 12:1-11 is a miniature of the church life in Christ's resurrection—a corporate life produced by the resurrection life, a life of feasting in the presence of the Lord, and a life with the functions of serving, testifying, and loving.
B
In Acts we see the propagation of the church life in resurrection—1:22; 2:24, 31-32; 3:15; 4:2, 10, 33; 5:30; 10:40-41; 13:29-30, 33-34, 37; 17:18:
１
The apostles were witnesses of the resurrected Christ, not only in word but also by their life and action, especially bearing witness of His resurrec-tion—1:22; 2:32; 4:33.
２
Bearing witness of Christ's resurrection is the crucial point, the focus, in carrying out God's New Testament economy.
C
In Romans Paul speaks of walking in newness of life for the Body of Christ expressed as local churches—6:3-5; 12:4-5; 16:1, 4:
１
Baptism signifies our identification with Christ; through baptism we are immersed into Christ and become a new person, taking Him as our realm, that we may be united with Him in His death and resurrection—6:3.
２
To walk in newness of life means to live in the realm of resurrection and to reign in life—5:17.
３
To be in the likeness of Christ's resurrection is to walk in newness of life, and such a walk is for the Body, which is absolutely in the resurrection life of Christ—6:5; 12:4-5.