LESSONS ON THE GOD-ORDAINED WAY
Lesson Two
The Economy of God
Scripture Reading:
1 Tim. 1:4b …God’s economy, which is in faith.
Eph. 3:9 And to enlighten all that they may see what the economy of the mystery is, which throughout the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things.
Eph. 3:10-11 In order that now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies the multifarious wisdom of God might be made known through the church, According to the eternal purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Tim. 3:16 And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been manifested what we will be. We know that if He is manifested, we will be like Him because we will see Him even as He is.
Ezek. 1:15-20 I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, …a wheel within a wheel. Whenever they went, they went in their four directions; …Wherever the Spirit was to go, they went—wherever the Spirit was to go.
I. Definition of the word “economy”—1 Tim. 1:4b:
A. In Greek the word economy is composed of two words, oikos (household, abode, dwelling place) and nomos (law), Oikonomia denotes household regulations or household management.
B. This word refers to a household administration and management.
II. The economy of God is—Eph. 1:10, 3:9-11:
A. God’s household management, God’s household administrative arrangement, the divine dispensation—Eph.1: 10, 3:9.
B. A plan made by God according to His good pleasure—Eph. 1:9.
C. An eternal plan God made in Christ—Eph. 3:11.
D. To dispense God Himself into His chosen people in His Trinity in three steps:
1. Of God the Father, who is the source, the origin—Eph. 1:3-6.
2. Through God the Son, who is the course—Eph. 1:7-12.
3. In God the Spirit, who is the instrument and sphere—Eph. 1:13-14.
E. For the producing of the church as the kingdom of God, consummating in the New Jerusalem—Eph. 3:10; 1 Cor. 4:17, 20; Rev.21:2; John 3:29.
III. There are seven great matters in God’s economy—1 Tim. 3:16:
A. God becoming flesh—John 1:1, 14; 1 Tim 3:16.
B. Christ’s passing through human living—Phil. 2:6-8; Luke 4:17-19.
C. Christ’s crucifixion—Rom. 6:6; Heb. 2:14; John 1:29, 12:31; Gal. 5:24; Eph. 2:15a; John 12:24.
D. Christ’s resurrection—Acts 13:33; Rom. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:3.
E. Christ’s ascension—John 20:17; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11.
F. The Body of Christ—Eph. 1: 23; 4:1-6.
G. The New Jerusalem—Rev. 21:12-14, 19-21.
IV. The main emphasis of the Bible is concerning the economy of God; “God became man, that man may become God but not in the Godhead” being the essence of the entire Bible—1 John 3:2; Gen. 1:26; John 12:24:
A. God became man through incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
B. Man becoming God through regeneration, sanctification, renewing, transformation, conformation, and glorification.
C. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate consummation of God’s economy—
Eph. 5:31-32; Rev. 21:2, 9-10; 22:17.
V. The economy of God being likened to a great wheel with Christ as the center—
Ezek. 1:15-21; Eph. 1:10; Dan. 2:34-35:
A. The hub of the wheel signifies Christ as the center of God’s economy.
B. The rim signifies Christ’s counterpart, the church, the Body of Christ.
C. The many believers as the members of Christ are the spokes spreading from the hub to the rim, spreading to the Body of Christ consummating in the New Jerusalem.
D. The great wheel is not just the economy of God but also the moving of the economy of God.
1. From Genesis 1 until now, the move of God’s economy has never stopped, and today this great wheel has reached us.
2. In every age and in every generation, this great wheel has been moving and today we all are a part of the move of this great wheel on earth.
Excerpts from the ministry:
THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “ECONOMY”
The Greek word for economy is composed of two words. The first word oikos means “house” or “home,” denoting a household or a dwelling place; the second word nomos means “law.” When these two words are combined together, it means “household law,” and it may be explained further to mean “household administration.” Hence, the word economy means “household law,” “household management,” or “household administration.” Since it is a household administration, it implies an arrangement or a plan. Since the household administration is to enforce the household rules, naturally it has an arrangement with a plan. Since it is an arrangement or a plan, there must be a purpose. (The Economy of God and the Mystery of the Transmission of the Divine Trinity, p. 20)
THE ECONOMY OF GOD
God’s Household Management, God’s Household
Administrative Arrangement, the Divine Dispensation
God’s New Testament economy is God’s household management, God’s household administrative arrangement, the divine dispensation (plan). By dispensation we mean here an arrangement, that is, a plan.
This economy, this dispensation, is revealed in Ephesians 1:10 and 3:9. Ephesians 1:10 says, “Unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in Him.” The Greek word rendered “dispensation” here is oikonomia, from which we get the English word “economy.” … The Greek word rendered “dispensation” in Ephesians 1:10 can also be translated “stewardship” or “household arrangement”. The word “administration” may also be used because eventually this dispensation, this stewardship and household arrangement, will become an eternal administration. The entire universe will eventually be under one administration.
Then in 3:2 he speaks of the stewardship of the grace of God, and in 3:9, of the dispensation of the mystery. In 3:9 Paul says, “To bring to light what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things.” God’s mystery is His hidden purpose. His purpose is to dispense Himself into His chosen people. Hence, there is the dispensation of the mystery of God. This mystery was hidden in God from the ages, that is, from eternity and through all past ages, but now it has been brought to light to the New Testament believers.
In 1 Timothy 1:4 Paul speaks of “God’s dispensation which is in faith.” Once again, the Greek word rendered “dispensation” is oikonomia. In Greek the words “God’s dispensation” here also mean God’s household economy. This is God’s household administration to dispense Himself in Christ into His chosen people so that He may have a house, a household, to express Himself, which household is the church, the Body of Christ. Paul’s ministry was centered on this economy of God (Col. 1:25; 1 Cor. 9:17).(The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 14-15)
A Plan Made by God According to His Good Pleasure
God’s economy is a plan made by God according to His good pleasure. …Ephesians 1:9 says, “Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself.” God’s good pleasure is the desire of His heart. This good pleasure was what God purposed in Himself for a dispensation, for a plan (v.10). …This means that God Himself is the initiation, origination, and sphere of His eternal purpose. God has a plan, a desire, and according to His plan, He has a purpose. …God’s good pleasure is to dispense Himself into us. This is the unique desire of God. We may say that God is “dreaming” of dispensing Himself into us. His longing, His aspiration, is to dispense Himself into His chosen people. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 15)
An Eternal Plan God Made in Christ
God’s economy is an eternal plan made by God in Christ. …Ephesians 3:11 says, “According to the purpose of the ages which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The purpose of the ages is the purpose of eternity, the eternal purpose, the eternal plan of God made in eternity past.
God made His eternal economy in Christ. The Christ revealed in the Bible is the embodiment of the Triune God and all the processes through which He has passed, including incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and descension. In such Christ God made His eternal economy. …Christ is everything in God’s economy. In fact, all the contents of the eternal economy of God are simply Christ. Christ is the center, circumference, element, sphere, means, goal, and aim of this economy. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 16-17)
To Dispense God Himself into His Chosen People in His Trinity in Three Steps
In what way does God dispense Himself into His people in His Trinity? This dispensing has three steps. First, it is of God the Father. The Father is the source, the origin. Second, this dispensing is through God the Son, who is the course. Third, God’s dispensing is in God the Spirit, who is the instrument and sphere. Through these steps of God the Father, through God the Son, and in God the Spirit God dispenses Himself into His chosen people. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 17)
For the Producing of the Church as the Kingdom of God,
Consummating in the New Jerusalem
God’s New Testament economy to dispense Himself into His chosen people is for the producing of the church (Eph. 3:10). This dispensing brings forth the church for the manifestation of the multifarious wisdom of God according to His eternal purpose made in Christ (Eph. 3:9-11). This means that through the dispensing of God in His trinity the church is produced to exhibit God’s manifold wisdom.
1 Corinthians 4:17 and 20 show that the kingdom is the church life today. In verse 17 Paul refers to his ways “which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church.” Then in verse 20 he says, “The kingdom of God is not in speech, but in power.” These verses show that the kingdom of God is the church everywhere, and the church everywhere is the kingdom. The kingdom is here because the church is here.
The church as the kingdom of God will have a consummation, and this consummation will be the New Jerusalem for the eternal expression of the Triune God. Revelation 21:2 says, “I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” The New Jerusalem is a living composition of all the saints redeemed by God throughout all generations. It is the bride of Christ as His counterpart (John 3:29) and the holy city of God as His habitation…As the bride of Christ, New Jerusalem comes out of Christ, “her Husband”, and becomes His counterpart, just as Eve came out of Adam, her husband, and became his counterpart (Gen. 2:21-24). The New Jerusalem is prepared as a bride for her husband by participating in the riches of the life and nature of Christ. As the holy city of God, she is wholly sanctified unto God and fully saturated with God’s holy nature to be His habitation. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 17-18)
THERE ARE SEVEN GREAT MATTERS IN GOD’S ECONOMY
There are seven great matters in God’s economy. The first five matters are the five steps of God’s economy, which are incarnation, human living, death, resurrection, and ascension. These five steps bring in the sixth great matter, which is a great issue—the church, which is the Body of Christ, the house of God, the kingdom of God, and the counterpart. Hence, this great issue is of five aspects: the church, the body, the house of god, the kingdom of God, and the counterpart. This issue with five aspects has a consummation—the New Jerusalem; this is the seventh great matter. We must clearly see these seven great matters in God’s economy: five major steps bringing forth an issue with five aspects that consummate in the New Jerusalem. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, pp. 49-50)
God’s Becoming Flesh
The crystallized significance of incarnation is not only that divinity was brought into humanity but also that God was brought into man that He might be mingled with man to be a God-man. God brought Himself into man to be mingled with man as one.
(The Governing and Controlling Vision, p. 20)
Christ’s Passing through Human Living
God becoming flesh was His bringing Himself into man. When God passed through human living in the human life, this was God living the God-man life in the flesh to live out the divine attributes in human virtues. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, p. 20)
Christ’s Crucifixion
Christ’s crucifixion is that He accomplished an all-inclusive death. On the negative side, His death terminated the old creation (Rom. 6:6), including all persons and things related to the old creation: Satan (Heb. 2:14), sin (Rom. 8:3b; John 1:29; Heb. 9:26b, 28a), the world, (John 12:31; Gal. 6:14b), man’s flesh (Gal. 5:24; Rom. 8:3b), the law of the commandments in ordinances (Eph. 2:15a), and everything outside of God. Thus, Christ’s death completely removed and thoroughly terminated all defilement and corruption in the universe brought in through Satan’s rebellion and man’s fall.
On the positive side, Christ’s death released the divine life in Him as a basic factor of God’s new creation. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, p. 21)
Christ’s Resurrection
Christ’s resurrection, the beginning of the new creation, has a threefold crystallized significance. In this resurrection the firstborn Son of God was produced, the many sons of God were simultaneously produced, and Christ Himself was made the life-giving Spirit. Acts 13:33 says, “You are My Son; today I have begotten You.” Today refers to the day of Christ’s resurrection (Psa. 2:7). Christ’s resurrection was His being begotten by God as the firstborn Son (Rom. 1:4). First Peter 1:3 says, “God… has regenerated us… through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Hence, God also regenerated all His chosen people to be His many sons through Christ’s resurrection. Thus, God’s firstborn Son and His many sons constitute a universal, corporate new man with the firstborn Son as the Head and the many sons as the Body. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, pp. 21-22)
Christ’s Ascension
After His resurrection, the Lord ascended to the Father with His resurrected body (John 20:17). That was a secret ascension; it occurred forty days prior to His public ascension, which took place before the eyes of the disciples (Acts 1:9-11). (The Governing and Controlling Vision, p. 51)
After He accomplished redemption in the flesh, Christ was resurrected. After His resurrection, He was qualified to ascend to heaven. For the sake of His disciples, however, He did not ascend to heaven publicly on the day of His resurrection. Rather, in the evening of His resurrection He came back to be with His disciples, and He appeared to them through a period of forty days and spoke the things concerning the kingdom of God (John 20:19; Acts 1:3) to give them some “private tutoring.” Then after forty days He ascended to heaven openly before their eyes. (The Governing and Controlling Vision,
pp. 51-52)
The Body of Christ
Through these four steps of God’s economy the many sons of God were produced. Corporately, the many sons of God are the church; organically, they are the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is the church, the house of God, the kingdom of God, and the bride, the counterpart, of Christ. In each aspect, the church takes the Body of Christ as its organic factor. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, pp. 22-23)
This one God and Father as the source involves three aspects—the Father, the Son, and Spirit. He is over all—this refers to the Father, the source; He is through all—this refers to the Son, Christ; and He is in all—this refers to the Spirit. The Father is over all; the Son, Christ, is through all; and the Spirit dwells in all. These are not three but one. When the source comes, the element also comes; this is the Son who is through all. Furthermore, the life-giving Spirit comes to dwell in all. Thus, we see that the Triune God and His chosen and redeemed people are constituted into one unit, one entity, which is the Body of Christ. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, pp. 26-27)
The New Jerusalem
The New Jerusalem: it is a mingling, a constitution, of the Triune God with His chosen and redeemed people. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, p. 40)
In the New Jerusalem the twelve tribes of Israel represent the Old Testament saints (Rev. 21:12) and the twelve apostles represent the New Testament saints (v. 14). We also see that God is in it, Christ is in it, and the Spirit is in it. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, p. 40)
The Lamb refers to Christ, whereas the river refers to the Spirit. Hence, we see that the New Jerusalem is constituted with the Triune God and His redeemed people.
Furthermore, the three kinds of materials—gold, pearls, and precious stones—which constitute the city of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:19-21) indicate that the New Jerusalem is the Triune God wrought into His redeemed people.
In the New Jerusalem gold signifies the holiness of God the Father, pearls signify the overcoming death and life-dispensing resurrection of God the Son, and precious stones signify the transforming work of God the Spirit. This is why we say that the New Jerusalem is the mingling, the constitution, of the redeeming God with His redeemed people. (The Governing and Controlling Vision, pp. 40-41)
“GOD BECAME MAN, THAT MAN MAY BECOME GOD”
IS THE ESSENCE OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE
Today we have come to this high peak of God’s divine revelation. I would even say that we have probably reached the highest peak of the divine revelation in the entire Bible. (Living a Life According to the High Peak of God’s Revelation, pp. 38)
The words “God becoming man and man becoming God” sound very simple, but to be able to see how God could become man requires us to spend much time to study. He came to become man that man may become Him, but how can man become God? We also need to look into this point carefully. Strictly speaking, these words are the essence of the entire Bible. The entire Bible is an explanation of the eternal economy of God. Up to the present time it has been thirty-five hundred years since the Jews began to read the Old Testament; Christians have been reading the Old and New Testament for nearly two thousand years. Millions of people have read the Bible. However, unfortunately, not many have truly seen the proper significance and real meaning in the Bible. This does not mean that throughout the generations no one has seen the visions in the Bible; but what people saw is fragmented. (The High Peak of the Vision and the Reality of the Body of Christ, pp. 19-20)
God Became Man through Incarnation, Human living,
Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension
In the resurrection of Christ, first, Jesus with His humanity was begotten to be the firstborn Son of God; second, we the God-chosen and Christ-redeemed people, were begotten to be the many sons of God; and third, the last Adam in His humanity, who is the incarnated Jesus, became the life-giving Spirit. It was the last Adam, the incarnated Jesus, who became the life-giving Spirit; hence, the life-giving Spirit is the very Jesus Christ. (The High Peak of the Vision and the Reality of the Body of Christ, p. 19-20)
Man Becoming God through Regeneration, Sanctification,
Renewing, Transformation, Conformation, and Glorification
God became man through incarnation; man becomes God through transformation… Our transformation into God, however, is not something that happens unexpectedly. Rather, it is a lifetime transformation until we are conformed to His image. Eventually, we will enter with Him into glory; that is, we will be redeemed in our body. That will be the final step of the redemption of our whole being that brings us into glory. Therefore, it is through regeneration, sanctification, renewing, transformation, con-formation, and glorification that we may become God.
The New Jerusalem is the Ultimate Consummation of God’s Economy
The issue of this process is an organism. This organism is God joining and mingling Himself with man to make God man and also to make man God. Among the Divine Trinity, as far as the Father is concerned, this organism is the house of the Father, the house of God; as far as the Son is concerned, it is the Body of Christ. The house is for God to have a dwelling place, whereas the Body is for God to have an expression. The ultimate issue is the New Jerusalem. (The High Peak of the Vision and the Reality of the Body of Christ, p. 31)
THE ECONOMY OF GOD IS LIKENED TO A GREAT WHEEL
WITH CHRIST AS THE CENTER
The Hub of the Wheel Signifies Christ as the Center of God’s Economy
In Ezekiel 1 God’s economy is likened to a great wheel (vv. 15-21). The hub of this great wheel signifies Christ as the center of God’s economy, and the rim signifies Christ’s counterpart, the church, which consummates in the New Jerusalem. The many believers as the members of Christ are the spokes of the hub spreading to the rim, to the Body of Christ consummating in the New Jerusalem. This great wheel is not just the economy of God but also the moving of the economy of God. From Genesis 1 until the present, this wheel has been continually moving. The move of God’s economy has never stopped, and today this great wheel has reached us. When I moved from mainland China to the island of Taiwan with about three hundred fifty to five hundred others [in 1949], there were few Christians on that island who knew what God’s economy was. But because of the moving of the great wheel of the divine economy, within five years the number in the churches increased to fifty thousand. Eventually, the Lord, the Motivator, burdened me to come to this country. This also was part of the moving of this great wheel. In every age and in every generation, this great wheel has been moving, and today we all are a part of the move of this great wheel on earth. Sometimes the move of this wheel is quite slow, but at other times it is so fast that we can hardly keep up with it. (Life Study of Joshua, Judges & Ruth, pp. 7-8)
References: The Economy of God and the Mystery of the Transmission of the Divine Trinity, Msg. 2; The Conclusion of the New Testament, Msg. 1, 2; The Governing and Controlling Vision in the Bible, chs. 2-5; Living a Life according to the High Peak of God’s Revelation, ch. 5; The High Peak of the Vision and the Reality of the Body of Christ, chs. 2-3; Life-study of Joshua, Judges & Ruth, ch. 2.
