Seeing God's New Testament Economy in the Book of Acts - Part 2 of 2

   Did you know that just like the U.S. has an economy, God also has an economy?  Most people when they hear the word economy think about jobs, wages, and the country's deficit. The word economy is actually in the Bible in Ephesians 1:10, 3:9, and 1 Timothy 1:4. 

   I like the footnote in the Recovery Version of the New Testament  because it helped me understand  the spiritual meaning of this  word:  "The Greek word oikonomia, means house law, household arrangement or administration, ... "

   But what is God's plan or household administration? I 
I like the clear way Witness Lee explains what God's economy is on pages 561-562:

"After studying all the books of the Bible for many years, we began to see the overall revelation in the Scriptures concerning God's New Testament economy.  Through the word, the Lord showed us that in this economy the Triune God became a man in the Son.  This means that the accomplishment of God's New Testament economy began with the incarnation.  Through Christ's human living, death, resurrection, and ascension everything necessary for the accomplishment of God's economy was done.  After breathing the Spirit into the disciples essentially (John 20:22) [this is the arrow with the word Dispensing under it], the Lord, in His ascension, poured out the Spirit upon the Body economically (Acts 2:17).  The outpouring of the Spirit was the completion of the accomplishment of God's New Testament economy.  Now the Triune God as the processed all-inclusive Spirit is both within His chosen people and upon them, and with them He is carrying out the New Testament econom" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Acts. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1985, Print). 

     The Lord being within His believers isn't a once for all thing.  The Lord wants us to receive Him as our daily spiritual bread.  When I was in college, I read a book called The Economy of God.  I have never forgotten how this book helped me to see that all that the Lord passed through are just like the ingredients in a smoothie. His incarnation is like the banana, His human living like strawberries, His death like protein powder, His ascension like yogurt, and His outpouring like coconut milk. Every time we call, every time we sing, every time we read the Bible, every time we tell someone about our faith in Christ, every time we fellowship with other believers, we are drinking all the rich ingredients embodied in this divine smoothie.  And something brother Lee's ministry has etched into my own heart is this spiritual drink is the divine supply to carry out God's economy on this earth today!

Blog update 5-22-13:  You can now order your free copy of The Economy of God and The Normal Christian Life through Bibles for America.

You can listen to excerpts from the Life Study of Acts along with excellent commentary by tuning into the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.

Other Blogs on the Life Study of Acts:

In the Book of Acts What is Christ Doing in Ascension?
What Does the Early Church Look Like in the Book of Acts?
According to Acts 5:31 What is the Lord Doing as the Ruler of the Earth?
How Did the Lord Spread the Gospel in Acts 8?
What Vision Did Saul Have at His Conversion in Acts 9:3-8?
How Does the Gospel Reach the Gentiles in Acts 10?
How is Acts a Book on God's Move & Prayer?
Seeing God's Move & Satan's Frustration in Acts 14
Prayer, the Spirit, & the Word - The Way the Lord Carries out His Work in the Book of Acts
Seeing God's New Testament Economy in the Book of Acts - Part 1 of 2 
Seeing God's New Testament Economy in the Book of Acts - Part 2 of 2