John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.

The True Vine, as a Portrait of Christ,
Being an Organism by which the Triune God
Accomplishes His Eternal Economy

The true vine in John 15, as a portrait of Christ, is the organism of the Triune God by which He accomplishes His eternal economy. This true vine is the organism in the eternal economy of the Triune God. The Lord Jesus is the tree. We are the branches. When we are joined to and mingled with Him, we become the organism of the Triune God. The Triune God is operating and working in this true vine today. Since we are the branches of this vine tree, we are organic. We are not placed on a wooden table. Rather, we grow on a tree. For the branches to be on a tree is something organic rather than organizational. Only a fabricated tree is organizational. A real tree is not organizational. That is why a real tree will grow, and its growth will eventually bear fruit. Since we are the branches of the tree, we are organic and can grow and bear fruit.

This Turning Wheel in God’s Economy
Having the Body of Christ as Its Axis

We know that every wheel has an axis; it is the center of the wheel. The great turning wheel of God’s economy has the Body of Christ as the axis and the center. In a certain sense according to the truth, we can say that this axis is Christ. But as far as God’s New Testament economy is concerned, this axis is the church, the Body of Christ. This is why we say here that the turning wheel of God’s economy has the Body of Christ as its axis. This means that all of God’s move and work today are joined to the church and are for the church, the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22).

The Body of Christ as the Axis of God’s Economy
Being the Organism of the Triune God

According to the human understanding, the Triune God is in heaven. But according to the revelation of the Bible, we have to say conclusively and definitely that the Triune God is in the Body. The Body of Christ is where the Triune God is located today. It is true that the Triune God is in heaven, but mainly He is not working there. Rather, He is working in the Body of Christ. Today the Triune God is doing only one central work, which is the building up of the Body of Christ. Everything that God is doing in the universe is for this central work. Today we who are in the Lord’s recovery are in the center of this central work of God. The mysterious organism of God’s New Testament economy is right here with us. If we truly see this revelation, our life and service will be absolutely different.

The Growth of This Divine Organism

The growth of this organism in the divine life equals the organic building up of the organism by itself in the divine life. When a baby is born, he needs to grow by drinking milk. This growth is the building, and both the growth and the building are organic functions. To build a house is organizational; it is not organic. It is done by putting together different materials. It is an organizational building. But our body is not like this. Our body is built up organically. It is not built up by adding some flesh or skin from without but by the growth of itself through eating.

The Living of This Organism

The living of this organism is the corporate and organic living of the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:5). All the members live together by taking Christ as life (Col. 3:3-4a), and all care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25-27). This kind of living is also an organic living produced by the union and mingling of the Triune God with the tripartite man (Rom. 8:2-13).

The Service of This Organism

Next we look at the service of this organism. The service of this organism is the corporate, organic service of the Body of Christ (12:4-8). Our living is corporate, and our service is also corporate. In this service every member is necessary (1 Cor. 12:14-22). Moreover, every member functions organically according to his measure (Eph. 4:16b).

Furthermore, this service of the organism is the organic service of the New Testament priesthood of the gospel (1 Pet. 2:5, 9). This service involves the preaching of the gospel for the saving of sinners, offering them up as sacrifices to God (Rom. 15:16). Following that, there is the nourishing of the believers and helping them to grow so that they can offer themselves up as living sacrifices to God. In addition, there is the perfecting of the saints that they may do the work of the ministry unto the organic building up of the Body of Christ. Finally, we have to lead the saints to prophesy, to speak for God, for the organic building up of the church. These are the four steps in the practice of the new way: the preaching of the gospel, the nourishing of others, the perfecting of the saints, and the prophesying for the Lord. This is the organic service of the Body of Christ. It is for everyone, and it is in a priesthood. Everyone preaches the gospel to save sinners, everyone nourishes the believers, everyone perfects the saints, and everyone prophesies. In this way all of us will arrive at a full-grown stage, and the Body of Christ will be built up. By this the great work of the organic service in the Body of Christ will be accomplished.

The Organic Building Up of Itself in Love

For us who are working for the Lord, the most difficult lesson to learn is to not have an organizational work but to have an organic work. In order for the Body of Christ to grow and be built up organically this way, we need to hold to truth in love and to grow up into the Head, Christ, in all things. When we lead and help others, we have to point out a way for them to learn to practice holding to truth in love and to grow up in all things into the Head, Christ. By this, they will be able to touch and enjoy Christ, and Christ will have the preeminent place in them. They will then grow and be built up. In this way, out from the Head, all the Body, being joined together through every joint of the rich supply and being knit together through the operation in the measure of each one part, will be able to grow gradually unto the organic building up of itself in love. (The Mysteries in God’s New Testament Economy, ch. 3)