In this message we come to the partners of Christ, to the corporate partnership. In Hebrews 1 and 2 we have seen that we have been constituted to be the brothers of the Firstborn Son of God, and, as the many brothers, we have been formed into the church. Taken as a whole, these two chapters reveal that God is the source and that out of Him have come the many brothers of the Firstborn Son of God who have been formed into the church. The church is simply the expression of God Himself in Christ. In the church we have God. In the church we also have the Son of God, God’s appointed Heir. In the church we also have the Captain of salvation, the Firstborn Son of God, and the Son of Man. In the church we have the many brothers of the Firstborn Son of God and the partners, the joint-heirs of the appointed Heir. All of these heirs are the partners of the unique Heir. The issue of all of this is a glorious expression of God. One day, in the New Jerusalem, this will fully come into being. There, in the New Jerusalem, we shall see the glorious expression of God in full. In the New Jerusalem there will be the throne of God with the Almighty God sitting upon it (Rev. 22:1). There in the New Jerusalem will be the Father, the Son as the Lamb, and the Spirit flowing as a river of water. The many brothers of the Firstborn and the many sons of God will also be there. In the New Jerusalem we shall see the Lord of all, the Captain, and the High Priest. That city will be the full expression of the glorious God. This is the glory, the rest, the good land, and the region into which we shall enter after we have crossed many rivers.
While I am speaking, I have a glorious vision in front of me. Oh, I have seen the church! In the church we not only have justification by faith, personal salvation, and forgiveness of sins—we have everything. The church life is a small focus through which we can see the whole picture of the New Jerusalem. Everything that will be in the New Jerusalem in a full way we have in the church today in a miniature way. I have the sensation that in these days we have entered into glory, into rest. This is a foretaste of the full taste that is coming. We are in the glory, in the good land. Christ is not only our God but also today’s Moses. He is a better, higher, and more excellent Moses. He is also our Aaron and our real Joshua, and we are His Calebs, His partners, comrades, and companions.
In Greek the word partners is the same word as partakers. The same Greek word has these two meanings. A partaker is absolutely different from a partner. I may be a partaker of my breakfast, meaning that I am one who enjoys breakfast, but I am a partner of a corporation, meaning that I am a joint-owner of that corporation. Because these two English words are the same word in Greek, the translators have had difficulty in rendering the correct meaning of the Greek word. The King James Version made a big mistake in Hebrews 3:14, translating it as “partakers of Christ.” But according to the context, here the Greek word should not be translated “partakers” but “partners.” The portion from 3:7 through 3:14 deals with entering into the good land. The type of this entering into the good land was entering into the land under the leadership of Joshua. Joshua entered into the good land, and Caleb was his partner in this matter. We should not consider Caleb as a partaker of Joshua, for Caleb did not enjoy Joshua; he was a comrade, companion, and partner of Joshua in entering into and possessing the good land. Christ today is our real Joshua, and we must be His Calebs. In this respect, we are not His partakers; we are His partners. When we enjoy Christ, we are His partakers; when we follow Him, we are His partners. My burden in this message is to tell you that we are not only partakers enjoying Christ but also partners following Him. As His partners, we are working together and cooperating with Him.
God has a great operation in the universe. The goal of this operation is to accomplish a glorious expression. This glorious expression is the goal into which we all are going to enter. Our view must be broadened to see that God’s operation in the whole universe is to accomplish a glorious expression of Himself. The Son of God was appointed to accomplish God’s plan. He has been appointed to run this corporation. He was appointed to this office in eternity past.
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