The way of God in Christ seems upside down to us whereby a selfless servant is to be chief among us. As it has been said 'the way up is down.' What is apostolicity? It is to be faithful to Christ and the teachings of the apostles by forsaking our lives in order to partake of Christ and His life. In His light we see eternal truth. In that light and from that light we bear witness of the truth to the world.
Give God the glory!
Lots of types and shadows to be seen here in this natural life as well as in the written scriptures... experienced by those with eyes to see. Consider the whole Church as the whole body of one man.... or a group of men. Each physical body is composed of many cells with various functions and as the old ones standing in the forefront, as for instance the callouses on our hands, are worn away they are replaced by the underlying cells ready to take on the brunt of the necessary tasks.
Then in the group, the physical child is physically injured, and when it is more than his body alone is able to handle, mother or father may add to what is needed to help heal. Or... in worse injuries, the trained expertise of physicians are called upon to further, or make possible, the healing process.
In the physical body the connection between all cells is found in the red blood which carries away the currupted garbage and carries in the needed uncorrupted components [nutrients?] In the Body of Christ, the connection between the various parts is, and is to be, the Holy Spirit...
| Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; |
| Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter [red blood of the flesh], but of the spirit [the Holy Spirit]: for the letter killeth, but the spirit [the Holy Spirit] giveth life. |
| But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: |
| How shall not the ministration of the spirit the Holy Spirit] be rather glorious? |
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
| For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. |
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II Cor 3:5-11 |
