Previously we mentioned nine aspects of the external, corporate ministry of the Body of Christ. The first of these corporate ministries is that of being the light of the world, including the bearing of the latter-rain witness of the last days.

Christ Himself is the perfect fulfillment of each of the nine aspects except, of course, the aspect termed "the Bride of the Lamb." Christ is not His own bride. The Body of Christ is the Bride of the Lamb. Yet it is the Divine Substance of Christ that forms the Body in us. Eve was formed from Adam's substance. Adam was joined to that which originally had been part of himself.

The Body of Christ, when it has been brought to the fullness of the stature of Christ, will be the perfect fulfillment of each of the nine aspects. Then there will be two Lampstands, two Lights of the world—Christ and His Bride.

Seven lampstands are set forth in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation. These seven are the assemblings that bear the name of Christ. But they are only the one Church in different conditions and perhaps in different ages. There is but one second Lampstand—the one Church, the Body of Christ.

Christ and His Body are two witnesses, and yet they are one witness because the Witness is Christ in His Body. The Lord works with His Body but also dwells in His Body.

The Father and Christ are two witnesses, and yet They are one witness because the Witness is the Father in the Son. The Father works with the Son but also abides in the Son.

And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. (John 8:16-18)

We know God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. Christ never was alone, except for the moment when the wrath of God fell on the sin that Christ had become for us. The Father and the Son, the two Men, are the Light who entered our sin-darkened world and accomplished a perfect redemption for us.

Whenever the Church serves as the Lampstand of God, the Light of the world, it is Christ in the Church who is the Light of the world.

It is nothing the Church does that is the light of the world. It is Christ, and God in Him, who is the Light of the world.

There is no wood, no humanity in the Lampstand. The Lampstand was hammered from solid gold, from that which typifies Divinity. The Lampstand, the Body of Christ, is Divine even though it is created in the personalities of imperfect people.

To be continued.