"CORPORATE BODY OF CHRIST"

1Pet 1:22-2:5  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:   If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious. To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
 

Living faith moves one to action that will help our brothers and sisters.  In conjunction with this is the aspect of the need for corporate mindedness within of the Body of Christ.  The early church possessed a corporate mindedness that was later lost and replaced by an individualistic mindset that preachers today actually base their ministries upon as they speak and teach the Word to people.  Today we have ministers who preach to people in a style that relates to an individual "pilgrim's progress" type of walk rather than the proper and biblical corporate mentality that we see in the Apostles' teachings.  "Pilgrim," in the John Bunyan story, journeyed all alone for quite some time.  This is a misconception of the Christian walk.  God is working in a Body called his Church, a group of called out ones, and not leading isolated pilgrims in separate journeys apart from one another.  A Church is not a building christians attend, but is the true group of Christians themselves.

A "Pilgrim's Progress" mentality has replaced the corporate mindedness that the church began with and this error is robbing God's people of great blessings.  There is more anointing when a body of believers together praise than there is when one individual praises God.  Bunyan's thoughts were wonderful in regards to lessons we learn in our journeys, but he erred in making it appear to be an isolated and lonely journey.
 

Peter said we must love one another and possess unfeigned love of the brethren.  The aspect of love and the fellow believers is in view here.  Let us begin this discussion by first of all looking at the aspect of animate love for the brethren, and then move on towards the aspect of the brethren-mindedness this love requires.

James spoke about faith that is animated and acts, and is fulfilled in works towards our brothers.  Note the issue of our relationship with others in this teaching about faith and works.  The issue regards our brother and sister in the Lord.  This targets the church and specifically delineates the world from our "family" in Christ.
 

Jame 2:14-17  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Matthew reads that Jesus looked for this kind of living faith that would take a believer into glory.  Without this "faith that works," we are lost.
 

Matt 25:31-35  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Matt 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Again Jesus, as well as James, mentions the brethren.  According to the Sonship of Christ, Jesus is our brother.  He is not brother to a sinner, since His Father is not the Father of the sinner.  A sinner must repent and be born again in order to make God His Father.  So this is talking about the Church again.

Notice that these people did not consciously do these things they did in order that they might be saved, but spontaneously did them as an automatic result of having living faith.  We know this since they questioned Jesus about the time they fed Him and gave Him drink.  They did not know they did these things to Jesus.  So they were not people who checked off works from a list of "Things to do to go to heaven."  They did not think, "Okay, I need to feed Jesus to go to Heaven, and feeding the least of those His brethren is feeding Him.  So let me feed a neighbour."  No.  All they were aware of was their faith in Jesus.  They knew they required faith to be saved.  And that faith, after it was in them, then took over and caused them to spontaneously begin to commit good works.  And no, they were not robots either.  I am not saying they could not stop themselves from doing good, or that they "blacked out" and performed good works, and then came to consciousness afterwards without knowing what they did.  God does not force us to do good.  They simply felt it good to do good to others, but not for the need to be saved.  They already were saved by the living faith.  Had the lord come before they had a chance to do good deeds, their possession of living faith saved them.  If the Lord tarried and they soon began to experience the faith moving them to do good deeds, that same living faith was the cause.

The reference to "sheep on the right hand" tells quite a tale!  It implies manifest action  in the form of good works.  The kind of faith that saves has action that results.  The right hand is a term used to speak about power and authority throughout the Bible.  The sheep were said to be at the "right hand."   The sheep at the right hand had active faith and love.  We can see why they were placed at the right hand of God.  God's "power" motivated them to do good works.  If there is no such action then there is no saving faith.  Saving faith truly unites us with God.  And when we are united with God, we are united with everyone else who is united with God.  It gives us the same heartbeat God has which is to help others.  The believers hearts are knit together with God's heart, as it were.

We must have a relationship with God that is based upon experience.  There must be practical love-action.  Head-knowledge alone is useless.  This kind of relationship, with experience that accompanies it, causes a reaction.  That reaction is committing good works.  The reaction does not save, though.  It confirms real salvation, but does not itself save.  Unless we have that reaction, we have inactive faith.  Dead faith.  Inactive faith cannot move us to do good works.  God isn't looking for works, but is informing us that good works result from the goal He wants in us, which is living faith.

Living faith also makes you praise God unashamedly.  (Whatever happened to the demonstrative worship and shouts of praise from the day of Pentecost?  It is still around if you go to the right places).  The reason for a fiery, living saint of God is the presence of living faith, too!  (Intellectualism replaces heart-experience seems to be the cause of such so-called "sanctity" and lack of praise.)

How many of us can say we enjoy the following?:
 

Psal 98:4  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

At this time let us return to the scriptures in our opening textual reference and see the reasoning behind Peter's words.

Peter said we must purify our souls in obeying the truth.  When we obey the truth through the Spirit, our souls are cleansed!  This means we will no longer hate, nor envy, but will love instead.  If we find this is not occurring in our lives, then we must conclude that we do not possess living faith, and we have not actually obeyed the truth.  We must love one another seeing we are born again of the Word of life.
 

1Pet 1:22-23  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Peter continued:
 

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever."

Flesh is as grass, reads the Bible.  This means flesh will fade away.  The Word speaks about people who are said to be "of the flesh," and who "walk after the flesh."  Those "after the flesh," who will pass away and not live forever, are known to be unable to manifest proper love for God.  How could they?  They are not empowered at God's right hand by His Spirit to live an animate faith.  Galatians 5 adds thought to this and lists all the things that flesh will work in our lives.  Flesh will make adulterers out of us, and liars, and jealous types, unless we have the Spirit of God and refuse to walk after the flesh.

Sinners and unbelievers do not have God's Spirit and therefore cannot choose which way to walk -- after the Spirit or after the flesh.  They are secluded into flesh walking since that fleshly motivation is all they possess.  They which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.

The love of which we are speaking is not the kind of love that is natural and humanly engineered.  Heathens cannot manifest this love since it is "of the Spirit."  Note the term "Fruit of the Spirit."  It is "of" God.  It derives from God.  Its God's own love that manifests through our lives due to the union we have with Him when fruit of the Spirit is present in a believer's life.  Jesus implied this when He said a branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine (John 15).  And we cannot bear fruit of the Spirit except we have the Spirit of Christ in us.    New Birth gives way for such living faith, because it is being born of the water and Spirit.  We have the potential to walk after the Spirit and produce fruit of the Spirit when we have experienced the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

In contrast to flesh that fades as grass, Peter said God's Word is eternal.  If we are born of that eternal Word, we will live forever, unlike unregenerate flesh.  This provides the opportunity for us to an commit good deeds since the living Word by which we were born also produces living Faith if we care to comprehend the Word and hear it.  And this living faith in turn produces works.  So without good works coming forth from our lives, we can trace the problem back to the fact that we simply are not receiving the Word after we are born again, or we are simply not born again.  The Word both births us and afterwards it provides us sincere milk by which we grow.
 

The fruit of the Spirit, such as love, is actually the fruit of the tree of Life.  The issue is "living faith," remember.   Life is in view here.  And since it is of the Spirit, we know that it is of the same nature as the Life that was in the tree of Life.  We will find that the Gospels teach that Jesus looks for this kind of fruit in our lives that we may enter glory.  Of course, He knows who has it or not, but He is teaching us how we can tell if we are ready or not.  If we are not ready to enter glory, we had better know why we are not ready and go about to discover how we may seek God for the remedy.  It is vital we have fruit of the Spirit.

Having noted that we must cleanse ourselves by a birthing experience, Peter then explained we must crave the sincere milk of the Word to continue to grow after our new births.
 

1Pet 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Note the aspect of "newborn" babes.  This refers to new birth as the opening text says in 1 Peter 1:23.

The Word of God birthed us and will also make us grow after we are born.
 

1Pet 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

So we are born again by the Word and we grow by the sincere milk of the Word.  We must love one another and grow in that love.  And here the corporate mentality comes into play.  By now we can see that such a mentality is necessary for our entrance into glory!  This corporate love will erect a spiritual temple that is necessary for the Spirit of the Lord to work amongst us!  Peter taught this!  Get this.  God cannot -- simply cannot -- manifest in this world unless people (plural) unite in love.  In 1 Peter 2, we see this taught after the apostle wrote about the need to love one another seeing we are born of the Word.  We are meant to be lively stones and that implies lively faith.  Again the stress upon life is in view.  This means we will love one another in active love.  Not merely in tongue or in word, but in deed.
 

1Pet 2:1-2  Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1Pet 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

See the need for love?  First Peter tells us to lay aside the things which separate and divide us from one another.  Then we read that we must unite ourselves into a spiritual structure for God's Spirit to dwell in and work.  Without unity with one another, by reason of divisive attitudes against one another, how can we unite and form a temple?  We need love for one another in order to unite like this.

Why was Peter so concerned with this aspect?  Simply because it was good?  No.  Peter knew it was God's requirement to have a Body in this world through whom He can manifest His Spirit.  That is the entire reason God made Adam in His image and then told Adam to fill himself with the fruit of Life.  God made Adam as a living vessel, formed like Him since that would best suit His need to fill a vessel and manifest Himself in the physical world.  Then God told Adam to multiply and fill the earth.  To multiply what?  God wanted Adam to multiply himself so that there would be many "Adams" for God to fill and manifest through into this world.  By eating the fruit of Life, Adam would have placed God's Spirit in him, since God is Life.

God does not dwell in physical buildings, no matter how beautiful the stained glass windows appear.  He allowed Solomon to build a temple to shadow forth His real intention of dwelling inside a temple of lively stones -- people.  He dwells in the united hearts of believers that comprise a spiritual house in the world for Him.  He does not promote an individualistic mindedness amongst His people.  Yes, He does indwell the individual believer, but that is for personal salvation.  But in regards to working in this world to touch unbelievers, He absolutely requires a corporate body of believers.  They are to "show forth" praise.  That means there is an outward work towards the people of the world.  "Showing something forth" is "making something visible" to others.
 

1Pet 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We may genuinely be personally saved from sin, but the manner in which the world will know that is by seeing us show forth His praise through union with other believers.  He did not say to do so isolatingly.  He said to do so in the context of being in a temple of many believers.  And God indeed desires the world to know that we are saved so that they can reach out for the same experience.  This is what John meant when He said that God is invisible, but when we love one another people can indirectly see God by seeing our visible fruit of the Spirit in action -- love for one another in deed.
 

1Joh 4:12  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

When we love one another, people see God in us.  Notice that we need another with us in order for people to see God in us.  People cannot see God in us as individual believers, but as a corporate Body of loving believers.  Isolationists do not fulfill this need.  People who never worship with a body of believers never fulfill this need.
 

The world cannot see inside your heart and tell that you love your brother.  What this can only refer to is the outward love by way of action with our brother.  And how can that occur if we are not physically with our brother or sister?

The work of God requires two or three to agree.
 

Matt 18:19-20  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Once I discussed the pagan invasion into the church of heathenistic beliefs of the soul of man.  Interestingly enough, that chat inspired some to speak of the hermits who cloistered themselves away from people.  However, Jesus told us to reach the world -- to go into all the world -- not cloister ourselves away from the world like a hermit.

The Bible's description of separation from the world is not isolation from it.  We are to be separate in activities and thought, not in physical division.  We must unite with those also taken out of the world spiritually and erect a spiritual temple.  But when we think that a literal building of stone and wood is holy, as does every false religion, and lose our concept of the Church being the called out people of God, we lose our effectiveness in this world.  God can only move amongst united believers who love one another.  A building has nothing to do with it.  The New Testament Church is meant to be the only religion without a holy physical building.

We must cement ourselves one to another.  With feelings and grudges in our hearts against one another, we divide from one another and hinder a spiritual building of God.  This is what 2 Peter is telling us.  We must build ourselves up as a community of believers in order to erect a sort of portal for the Spirit of God to enter our world of material matter by way of using our members to do good deeds and help others.  John said the world knows God is real, though it cannot see Him, when it sees us love one another.  Regardless of how correct we might think our doctrine to be, and no matter how much intellectual awareness we possess of Jesus' parables, records of His miracles, and despite the abundance of supernatural workings in our lives, unless we love one another and erect a spiritual temple of believers, we are utterly useless to God.  Recall that the Corinthians came behind in no gift (1 Cor 1:7), but were so divided that Paul called them children and carnal (1 Cor 3:1-3).  They performed miracles galore!  But they were awful Christians!  No wonder he taught them about love along with the gifts of the Spirit.  God requires us to unite in love that He may dwell amongst us.  Our independence of one another robs us and others of God's manifested presence.

Hermit-like existence is simply unbiblical and robs ourselves from God's manifested presence.  It appears so "holy", yet is monstrous in its effects upon us.

Notice how Peter spoke to a group of believers, and not an isolated individual.  (How would the hermit relate to such words seeing he is isolated from anybody else?)
 

1Pet 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

"You" as lively "stones."
 

1Pet 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

"You" are a peculiar "people."

The Bible speaks to people moreso than to individuals so far as the work of the Spirit is concerned.  The vital need of unity evident in Peter's words of loving one another comes into clear focus when we realize these things.

Filthy souls filled with malice and guile cause the ruination of our lives, and costs us the loss of God's presence manifesting in our midst.  It stops God from moving amongst us.  We must cleanse our souls by obeying the truth "through the Spirit."  The reference to the "Spirit" demands our recognition of a true experience of new birth that unites us with God's heart.

Let us unite until we are of one mind in desiring to see God move.  Forget the individual differences and opinions.  They all fall short in importance when aside the need to get God's Spirit into this world touching the heathen.  I do not by any means condone ecumenicism.  That is the seeking of fellowship at the expense of doctrine.  No.  All must believe the single doctrine of the Bible and unite together.  Those who do not hold to that doctrine cannot unite for they are not even newborn of the Spirit anyhow.  Notice that Peter mentions the need to obey the truth before he says anything about union.  Think of it -- one mind.  We can be so in accord until we erect a spiritual structure of habitation for the Lord that we will manifest one great mind:  the mind of Christ.

Some might say that it is not necessary to physically fellowship with other believers, but that in the Spirit we are always in unity whether we are locally together or not.  True.  God can see us in unity in the Spirit although we be far apart.  But yet John still stressed that people will not see God in us unless we love one another outwardly, and that demands local fellowship.  Whether it is in a house meeting or a church building, we must fellowship locally with other believers.  And then we must carry on that fellowship in activity outside our meeting places, yet still together, where the world can see our love and thereby see God.
 

2Chr 5:12-14  Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

We read of 120 united priests who opened the way for God's Spirit to fill the temple like a glory cloud.  Does that sound familiar?
 

Acts 1:15  And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

Acts 2:1-4  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

On the day of Pentecost, 120 believers united with one accord in one place when God's Spirit fell and filled the house and themselves.

God cannot walk into a shaky spiritual structure any more than we can walk into a physical structure that is falling down.  Saints of God must unite in solid love and praise that cements us together into a temple of believers. Without a structure cemented by love, God will not enter.  Disunity of minds with all the thoughts fastened on lesser causes of individual quirks prohibits God from moving amongst a people.  Love unites us together.  Love has a way of making us work together.    Even Paul taught the need to even forget personal liberties, if retaining them meant expending the precious commodity of a brother or sister who might be offended at those liberties and isolate from us.  Many people miss this true message of 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14.  He said the Kingdom of God is not built upon such small things like meat and drinks and what we may consider issues of personal concern, but upon the larger, unifying elements of righteousness, peace amongst one another, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  Do anything to preserve that Holy Ghost joy in our fellow believer!  The Corporate Body of Christ is the goal of God in this world.  Sacrifice what you may deem to be perfectly lawful to yourself and your own walk for the sake of the greater need for the entire Body to walk and work in this world.  The BODY of Christ is more necessary, in the whole, than the individual walk.  Yes, an individual walk of each believer is necessary for a BODY to exist -- I know that.  But Paul taught us that the individual walk points to the goal of a BODY of Christ.  And therefore we must sacrifice whatever offends a brother or sister and causes them to disunite with the Body.

Unity in the Spirit builds up a temple for God to work in.  Cloistered hermits deny God that opportunity to work by way of their part in uniting with believers.  Not only were the 120 in one mind but also in one place (Acts 2:1).  Hateful believers likewise deny God this opportunity.  And if He cannot enter due to a lack of unity, then He cannot lead us as a Body.

Multitudes have been kept from real Spirit leading due to an invasion of pagan and heathen customs and ideas of buildings and temples being, in themselves, holy.  Empirical Rome slaughtered Christians in arenas with the lions, but the worst attack came when it donned the guise of Christianity.  This wolfen spirit of antichrist put upon itself the sheepskin of Christian appearances and dedicated its pagan temples to the followers of Christ.  Some grapple and fuss over Easter and Christmas celebrations being pagan and never see the evil of the greater error of an incorrect concept of the human soul and the thought of holy buildings being amalgamated into our concept of apostolic thinking.

If God cannot lead us due to a lack of united and spiritual "temple-building" of believers, then we are not His disciples.
 

Our holiness is not in our clothing or sanctimonious reputations.  It is in our lifestyles.  We are not to fashion ourselves after the worldly manner of hatefulness and self-seeking desires.  Worldly attitudes is the true worldliness
 

1Pet 1:14-16  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation ("lifestyle" -- Greek); Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

The holiness above (of attitudes) is the holiness Peter refers to as follows:
 

1Pet 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

The difference of loving one another is the issue.  Jesus said this factor distinguishes His people from the world.  This is true holiness and separation.
 

John 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Jesus said that the love factor truly separates you from the world.  It distinguishes you as His disciples.  The purpose and goal of obeying the truth is to live holily.  And those who live lives in unfeigned, genuine love are those who are living holy lives.  Our holiness of "thought" puts within us a pure heart.  We must use that pure heart to love one another deeply, and that is corporate.

Oh, how we must see the need for corporate unity!

Now that we are born again of God's Word, we must grow and love one another in order to erect a spiritual temple.  Make your goal that same desire to grow in love for one another.  Since we know it comes by the Word of God, then let us crave that Word of God.  Lower all other priorities you may place at the top of your list to make way for this goal of all goals.

Not only does faith come by the hearing of the word, but so does unfeigned love.  You see, living faith causes us to act and commit good works because it is alive.  We will love in deed.  Since Paul used the term unfeigned love, we know that feigned, or faked, love exists. This is love that is not genuinely of the Spirit, and not real and is a put-on for people to see and resultingly think that we are true.  But true love of God only comes from true birth and true feeding upon the Word of God.  I must also point out that although we must love the lost souls of the world, this specific issue of love in the epistles is not talking about that.  It is focused upon the love of the believers amongst one another alone.  God is trying to get a spiritual temple constructed in the context of Peter's writings.  Sinners cannot help us erect a spiritual temple of God since they are not lively stones made so by coming to the lively rock, Jesus Christ.  Peter referred to believers when he wrote that we must love one another.

As a lion is at home in a pride of lions, a bird in a flock of birds, and a fish in a school of other fish, the habitat of the Christian is the Church.  A "pilgrim" or Hermit who is isolated from other believers is not at home, if he ever was born again.  I am not speaking about a cold, dry fellowship in a church building amongst unregenerate souls, but a gathering of truly born again saints of God.
 

1Cor 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Paul wrote this passage.  In Peter's letter, we find that he, too, stressed these very same three eternal elements.  And these aspects demand a conscious experience amongst others around us

FAITH:
 

1Pet 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

HOPE:
 

1Pet 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

CHARITY
 

1Pet 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

So we see it all ends up with reference to loving others.  There is a constant stress of issue with these three elements throughout the entire Bible.

• FAITH:  Peter said we can continue living righteously in the midst of trials through trusting in God.  This empowers us with His strength to carry on.
• HOPE:  We hold to the truth that we will receive rewards of glory when salvation is completed.  This keeps us holy.
• LOVE:  We erect a spiritual temple for God to dwell in and minister through us.  We make a portal for Him to enter and move in this world to influence events.  He dwells in the corporate body of believers so far as working in this world is concerned.  If we cannot carry on with faith and hope, then we will not erect and keep erected a spiritual house for the Spirit to work in.  So, ultimately, the corporate mindedness required for God to move in the world is the practical goal in God's mind of present faith and hope.

1Cor 12:31  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

In speaking about working the gifts of the Spirit, Paul taught that earnestly coveting them can bring about that operation.  We know that since the Corinthians manifested every gift of the Spirit (1 Cor 1:7).  But he said a better way exists -- a way the Corinthians had not taken.  That better way is by having deep love for one another with the thought of doing something about it.  Love in action.  It is obvious they had not taken this route since they divided and envied one another (1 Cor 3:1-3).

Picture it like going to the Tree of Life in the Garden.  God is life and He is Love.  The two elements go together inseparably.  Jesus said He is "the way."   And we find Paul saying there is a more excellent "way."  Paul's more excellent "way" of love is actually God's own life itself.  So, by saying Jesus is the Way, He said that He is love.  We can all work miraculous faith and miracles, but yet we are useless to God without love.  Why?  Is not a miracle helpful in seeing people helped?   Not in God's mind.  Let me explain my point using Jesus' words in Matthew 7.

Jesus said many would come to Him saying they performed great wonders and miracles in His name, professing faith in His Lordship.  Yet He will give them the unfortunate news that they cannot enter the Kingdom since He did not know them.  (Recall that Paul spoke of this same issue in Galatians 5 when he wrote that the people who do works of iniquity cannot inherit the Kingdom.)  The word knew implies deep and intimate love.
 

Matt 1:24-25  Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

The miracle workers of  Matthew 7:21-23 will not have eternal life since they did not know God.  Let me clarify the ramifications of such a statement.  There is a difference between simple love and knowing.  God "loves" everyone, but He does not "know" everyone.  He only knows those who love Him in return.  Knowing involves two, whereas one may love a person and that other one may not respond with like love.

These "Lord, Lord" criers who performed miracles did not love their brothers or sisters because we cannot say we love God if we do not love our brothers and sisters.  Jesus stated a fact that He never knew them.  So they had not that true love for God.  Knowing involves love on both parties behalves.  Then Jesus called them workers of iniquity.  Were the miracles works of iniquity?  No.  The iniquity was in their lack of love for their brothers, and therefore we see the implication that they committed iniquity of divisions and hatred as the Corinthians who had all the gifts of the Spirit, but who were yet were envious and required the teaching of 1 Cor 13.
 

Matt 7:21-23  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Blend these thoughts together with:
 

1Cor 13:1-3  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

We have not eaten of the fruit from the tree of life if we do not have LOVE, regardless of the amount of miracles we have performed.

This brought out even clearer in Luke's account of the same conversation.  We see this aspect of living your brother in the context of the "Lord, Lord" criers who did not know Jesus, proving that their predicament of being lost involved their ill treatment of their brothers..
 

Luke 6:42-46  Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

"Why call ye me Lord and do not the things I say?"  What things?  What did they do instead?  They were trying to pull motes from their brothers' eyes while not seeing the beam in their own eye of criticism.  And in the midst of all of this Jesus involved the aspect of a tree whose fruit is good, as in the tree of life, as opposed to a tree whose fruit is evil as in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  This is quite illuminating.

We must understand that good works may only be the good side of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  And we know how damnable that tree was to Adam.  We can see that the stress of religious good deeds to reward salvation is so wicked.  We do need good works, but there is fine line here that we must clearly see lest we walk over it into salvation by works.  Remember both the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were both trees, so we have need of seeing a more detailed viewpoint in order to distinguish the proper fruit from the improper fruit.

These people told Jesus they did many wonderful works.  Now, realize that the proper tree in the Garden of Eden for consumption was the tree of life.  There is the aspect of life.  Tie this in with the thought that James said living faith produces love in action.  Dead, inactive faith and feigned faith may accompany good works, but these works are the result of a feigned faith.  A counterfeit faith.  A "put-on" faith that is mock and not genuine.   Such works do not originate from any real faith but from a desire to make people think we possess faith and to feign salvation, while one continues in sin behind closed doors.  There is a "good" side to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  But it is not rooted in God's Life.

Fruit from the tree of Life produces living faith and living active love, not simply love in word or tongue.
 

1Joh 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Jesus' flesh may have bled forth the life of the flesh, His blood, but He was spiritually eating of the tree of eternal life as He cried, "Not my will but thine be done."  He was in a Garden called Gethsemane which might as well have been called the Garden of Eden, for in that term Gethsemane is the interpretation "Olive press".  The abundance of olive trees in the garden gave rise to the name depicting an olive being pressed to ooze forth olive oil, which represents Holy Ghost flow.  Olive oil was used to anoint priests and kings in Old Testament times, typical of the Spirit of God flowing forth to anoint and empower.  We see Jesus bleeding His holy and sinless Blood forth in spiritual burden showing us a picture of a man with God's Spirit within allowing that Spirit to flow out from Him in physical visible action, typical of Fruit of the Spirit seen in our lives as we love in deed.  When the Bible speaks of fruit of the Spirit being love and joy, etc., it means love and joy in action.  Fruit is what we can see to let us know the tree is mature, so the fruit of the Spirit must be that which can be seen by others.  When we are spiritually mature, we know how to let God's Life flow from our lives in physical and tangible action of love.  A tree that is not mature cannot bear fruit.

When Jesus said, "not my will but thine be done," He was allowing the Life within Him to flow forth.  He was the olive that was pressed to ooze forth anointing of the Spirit of God from within Him.

Jesus is looking for a Bride that loves Him and knows Him in order to bear fruit for Him, as Adam was in the Garden of Eden and found a woman made from his own side whom he knew who bore his children.  The miracle workers of Matthew 7 did not know Him.  They were not manifesting fruit for Him in the world.  The gifts of the Spirit are not the fruit of the Spirit.

Jesus denied His own will and accepted His Father's will and looks for a Bride who likewise denies her will and accepts His Father's will.  He wants a bride with His same convictions.
 

Matt 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

It is not simple agreement with God's will that is being taught here, but it is doing God's will that Jesus is looking for.  That is linked with living faith and love.  How else can we "do" God's will?  In the discussion about the vine and the branch in John 15, Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing.  And this doing corresponded to fruit on the branch.  So exerting human good actions is feigned love.  Its not genuinely His love.  His love is the result of His Spirit in us flowing through and coming forth into manifested love.

We can have the ability to know what a person should or should not do as the result of feeding from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but the Tree of Life is filled with God's love.  And having that Life in us does more than tell us what is good or evil.  Living faith works active love.  Knowledge of good and evil makes us judges, but love covers the multitude of sins.
 

Only One has been set up to be Judge in this spiritual Kingdom, and it is not you nor I.  It is God.  Why be law-givers, eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, when we can be life-givers?
 

Jame 4:11-12  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of [his] brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

The woman handed Adam the fruit of Law -- the knowledge of good and evil.  She was in effect a law-giver.  Eating that fruit made them both self-protective and pointers of the fingers of accusation, as judgmentalism and condemnation causes anybody influenced by it to similarly do so.
 

Gene 3:12-13  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Legalism abounds amongst pointing fingers, upholding what is right and wrong.  Legalists cry our, "love the truth!"  But they feignedly speak of "Love one another."

Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, of which Matthew 7 is part, Jesus stressed the heart as opposed to concern over good works.  The gifts of God, Paul said, are temporal.
 

1Cor 13:8-10  Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

The gifts will only remain until that which is complete is come and we enter the eternals.  But the three things that exist now and will continue to exist throughout eternity are faith, hope and charity.  Gifts will cease at the appearing of Christ, but not these three.  So we must not seek gifts above these three.  Discipline yourself in these three areas, for they are in the fruit of Life.  These three are eternal, and if a man eats them he will live forever.
 

Prov 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

Gene 2:15-17  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

"Keep" means to protect.  In Adam's keeping and dressing of the Garden he was not to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.  Likewise we must keep our hearts, but in doing so we must not eat a law-mentality that many ministers are handing out to their people.  Such food makes us judges and finger-pointers.  You can always tell where fruit of the knowledge of good and evil is being handed out -- the people there are severely judgmental.  Adam was to guard the Garden and keep any evil influence outside the Garden.  The Garden had to remain pure.

Peter said that our hearts are purified by obeying the truth.  Had Adam not eaten of the forbidden fruit, he would have obeyed the truth, for God commanded him not to eat of it.  So in allowing the Garden to become defiled, he became defiled through disobedience.  When we defile our hearts by concentrating upon alien elements in contrast to the things God wishes us to stress, such as knowledge of good and evil in stead of life and love, we will defile our entire beings.  I am not saying we must compromise truth for the sake of loving everyone, but I am saying that our concentration upon outward good and evil as opposed to the divine instruction to centre upon Life is the error of Adam and continues to be the error of mankind in general.  And many Christians are repeating that error!
 

Hebr 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled;

Adam defiled the entire human race.  He fell and entered Law -- the realm of the knowledge of good and evil.  God's law is holy, but it was instituted to reveal to man his weaknesses and God's righteousness.  God had to work with man in that manner since man threw himself into the thinking of good and evil.  Adam died.  Thorns grew forth from the ground that Adam was made from.  This shows us what happened to his heart.  Rots of bitterness sprung forth.

Adam's heart was contaminated after an openness that was intended to be filled with the oneness of God's heart.  God intended man to fellowship Him.  Fellowship.  That's an important word.  Corporate unity.
 

Hebr 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

No, this may not specify gathering in a church building every week, but it can involve that.  Many argue and fuss when we say we must gather together for worship in a church building according to these verses, and they say that this is not necessarily speaking about such gatherings.  I agree.  But such gatherings do provide fulfillment of this command.  It is not referring to a holy building, for God deems no building of this earth holy.  We may do so in a building, but the gathering He has in mind is in spirit and unity.  That is itself erects a temple whether we be in a house, or a gymnasium for the purpose of touching God together.

If holiness is corporate love and unity, and if that corporate love erects a temple, then we have a holy temple of believers.

Let us eat of this fruit of life.  If we do, it will flow from our hearts, since that which is in the heart will be that of which we speak....
 

Matt 12:34  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

From the heart flow the issue of life.
 

Prov 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

Two aspects of the Garden of Eden are in view in this verse.  "Keep" and "life."  Adam was to keep the Garden and eat fruit from the tree of life in order for that life to manifest through him.

Let the life that is within us be eternal life that is holy and from God, and not natural fallen life contaminated with negative feelings towards others and grudgings.

With a pure heart, a heart kept from contamination, Peter said we must love one another.  This is a Garden well kept!  Kept from judgmentalism.   Law was judgment.  Law condemned and sentenced and its sentence was death.  What a circle!  People try to ever be good and are ever judged into death.  Is it not enlightening to see how the Spirit gives life, and speaks of God's love?
 

1Cor 15:56   The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law.

1Pet 4:8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Law points fingers, but love covers sins.
 

Prov 10:12  Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Law disrupts corporate unity.  Law makes us compare ourselves amongst ourselves.  Again I stress that law is not unjust and unholy.  But when you put a holy law amongst carnal people, there is a clash and problems arise and things are distorted.  Notice how Paul explains that carnal people cannot handle a spiritual law.
 

Roma 7:12-14  Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Paul could not handle the law in carnality because it messed him up and caused him to react as follows:
 

Roma 7:9-10  For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which [was ordained] to life, I found [to be] unto death.

His mindset of the knowledge of good and evil messed him up badly!  Notice the repetition of the terms "good" and "evil."
 

Roma 7:15-21  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that [it is] good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Law makes us compare ourselves with ourselves.  Legalism joys in casting adulterous people to the ground to be stoned.   It judges between ourselves thus inadvertently exalts ourselves by slinging mud on others when it is in our carnal hands.  Legalistic church congregations are filled with rivalry and bitter feelings.  Little does the Spirit of God move.

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul wrote of taking brothers to a court of law.  Talk about legalism!  In the same chapter he referred to the temples of the Holy Ghost and implied the better need for corporate unity.

The Corinthians were "nothing", regardless of the abundance of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 13:1-3).
 

The concept of the Bride is not understood by those who look with a perspective of individualistic Christianity.  Only the corporate minded viewpoint can see the reality of the Bride of Christ.  Modern churchianity concentrates upon the individual.  Looking at buildings has somehow taken our sight off the corporate unity of believers.  People enter auditoriums and never enter corporate unity.  They sit and watch an actor portray a show as the minister speaks.  Lifting up their own praises together as one has been replaced by watching a man act and perform.

The other end of the stick shows believers performing before God, who sit in their mental auditoriums.  They try to perform to please God so much so as to incite Him to throw a rose of blessing for their great performance. Both are wrong.

We are meant to work together with God's Spirit.  First we must construct a temple of corporate praise in love and unity for one another (this demands more than yourself!).  Then God moves in and we labour together with Him.

The Bible focuses upon corporate unity.  We must fellowship with each other in heart.  One big heart that is joined with God smacks of love.  Those who sit in isolation at home and have "church" in a hermit-like existence contradict their very vocabulary.  Church is a group of fellowshipping believers.

Remember that Eve lost all she had when she was apart from Adam her husband.  I need you so that I can get to glory with the Body.

Compare these two passages:
 

1Joh 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1Joh 2:9-11  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

The light is unity of the Body of Christ with LOVE.  Fellowship depends upon this love.

John had fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  He wants us to join them all.
 

1Joh 1:3-4  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Fellowship in the Spirit creates a temple for God to dwell in.  One who hates his brother has not entered the Garden and has no eternal life in him..
 

1Joh 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Such a person may be as outwardly sanctimonious as can be, as the Pharisees were, and may know all that is good and evil there is to know, but there is no eating of the fruit of life in that one.

God laid down his life for us in His love.  We ought to lay down our lives also.  Our souls.  Our natural lives.  Our self-lives. Soulish people are selfish people.

Jesus' blood, figurative of the natural life, or soul, poured out as He cried, "Not my will but thine be done."  He loved the Father.  Lack of love causes one to cling and protect their own lives despite the need of others.

God so loved the world that He GAVE.
 

Compare the next two passages and note how faith and love are intertwined.
 

1Joh 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Jame 2:15-17  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

1 John 3:17 says there is no love of God in one who shuts up his bowels of compassion when he sees a brother in need.    James said the same thing, and explained it as being dead faith and not living faith.  True faith will result in helping your brothers.  God made it so because He is concerned with a Body in this world that is His Body.
 

The serpent entered the Garden and defiled it.  It ruined the fellowship, bringing division and  lack of unity.  Eve considered herself and the wisdom she could acquire, rather than the whole concept of her union with Adam and their work for God.  The corporate cause was lost from her mind.

If we do not keep our hearts knit together from division, we have opened the door for the tempter to succeed in breaking up the greatest thing in our lives -- our part in the Body of Christ.  A pure heart is kept from the serpents that divide and isolate with their isolationist, individualistic concepts of the Christian.
 

2Tim 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The foundation of the temple is spoken of here.  And the temple is the corporate body of believers. (Connect this with Matthew 7:21-23).
 

2Tim 2:20-22  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, [and] prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Notice the need for people to join those who are pure in heart and call upon the name of the Lord that he might manifest in their midst!  This erects a temple of God.  Join the temple of corporate believers.  Form a corporate mindset about your entire concept ofd Christianity.
 

Jame 2:8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Jame 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

By observing Adam's need to "keep" the Garden as we must "keep" our hearts, we can see how that Life from the tree of life is connected with "keeping" our hearts.  Fellowship exists in true definition of the word "Church":  "Called out ones."

Let us issue forth life, and not judgment and Law.  Let us then erect a temple of corporate unity amongst believers.  It is not ascetic monasticism that God wants.,   It is corporate love and faith!

Amen!