Scripture Reading: S. S. 7:10-13; 1 Cor. 15:58; 16:10; Eph. 4:12; Rev. 2:4-5
Ⅰ
In Song of Songs 7:1-9 the Shulammite is qualified to be Solomon's co-worker; this indicates that eventually Christ's lovers need to share in the work of the Lord and work together with the Beloved for His Body— 1 Cor. 15:58; 16:10; Col. 4:11; Eph. 4:12.
Ⅱ
If we would work together with the Beloved, we must know the central work of God—3:17a; Phil. 2:13:
A
God's central work, His unique work, is to work Himself in Christ into His chosen people, making Himself one with them for the Body of Christ—Gal. 4:19; Eph. 3:17a; 4:16.
B
The principle in God's work is to gain persons and by gaining them to have a way to go on for the carrying out of His economy—Acts 9:15; 13:1-2:
１
The right priority is not for us to work for God but for God to work Himself into us—Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13.
２
It is not that we work for the Lord but that He works on us; therefore, we should not be merely the Lord's workers but the Lord's work—Eph. 2:10.
３
The kind of person we are determines the kind of fruit we produce; if our person is wrong, we may build up something by what we do but tear down more by what we are—Matt. 7:17-18.
Ⅲ
If we would work together with the Beloved, we need to realize that God's work has certain essential features:
A
The initiation of God's work must be according to His will—15:13; 1 Cor. 8:6.
B
The advance of God's work is according to His power—3:5; Phil. 3:10.
C
The result of God's work must be for His glory—John 7:17-18; Eph. 3:21.
D
No work can be initiated by ourselves, no work can be carried out by our own power, and no work should result in our own glory.
Ⅳ
If we would work together with the Beloved, there should be no differ-ence between life, work, and move—Mark 1:14-15:
A
With the Lord Jesus there was no difference between life, work, and move:
１
The Lord worked everywhere and all the time because His life, His work, and His move were all the same; He lived His work, His ministry.
２
With the Lord Jesus every aspect of His life was the same; there was no distinction between life and work.
B
Just as the Lord's life was His work, so our living should be our working—Phil. 1:20-21a.
Ⅴ
If we would work together with the Beloved, we need to work by a life that is all-sufficient and all-mature, able to fit all situations, that is, able to endure any kind of treatment, to accept any kind of environment, to work in any kind of condition, and to take any kind of opportunity, for the carrying out of the ministry—John 14:6a; Acts 27:22-25; 2 Cor. 6:1-13.
Ⅵ
If we would work together with the Beloved, we must be willing to bear His reproach—Heb. 13:13; Rom. 15:3:
A
"For, I think, God has set forth us the apostles last of all as doomed to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men"— 1 Cor. 4:9.
B
"We have become as the offscouring of the world, the scum of all things"— v. 13b.
Ⅶ
If we would work together with the Beloved, our work must be for His Body—S. S. 7:10-13; Eph. 4:4, 16:
A
The work is the Body seeking increase; the work is the reaching out of the Body in growth—Acts 13:1-2; Eph. 4:4, 16:
１
The work derives its existence from, finds its place in, and works for the good of the Body; the importance of this principle cannot be over-emphasized—v. 12.
２
The Body is the governing law of the life and work of the children of God today—1:22-23; 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 12-13, 27.
B
The work of the Triune God in us is to produce and build up the Body of Christ—Eph. 3:16-21; 4:4-6, 12, 16.
C
All the co-workers should do the same one work universally for the unique Body; the starting point of the work is the oneness of the Body—v. 4; 1 Cor. 16:10.
D
The Shulammite wants to carry out with her Beloved a work that is for the entire world by sojourning from one place to another; this indicates that our work must be for the Body—S. S. 7:11; Eph. 4:12.
Ⅷ
If we would work together with the Beloved, we should express our love for Him in the place of His work; in the midst of the Lord's work, we should give Him our love—S. S. 7:12; Mark 12:30.
Ⅸ
If we would work together with the Beloved, we need to have the first love and the first works—Rev. 2:4-5:
A
The first works are works that issue from and express the first love.
B
When we are filled with the first love for the Lord, everything we do will issue from and express our love for Him—Eph. 3:19; 4:16; 2 Cor. 5:14-15, 20. . 2005 Living Stream Ministry