I.　We must establish the churches in the reality of the one new man—Col. 3:10-11; Eph. 2:14-15; 4:22-24:

A.　If we are conscious of the one new man, we will not think that the churches in our country have nothing to do with the churches in other nations; instead, we will realize that all the churches are the one new man today—2:15; Rev. 1:11; 2:1b.

B.　In order to become the one new man in reality, we must allow the peace of Christ to arbitrate in our hearts—Col. 3:12-15; 2:14-18:

1.　The Greek term for arbitrate can also be rendered "umpire, preside, be enthroned as a ruler and decider of everything"; the arbitrating peace of Christ dissolves our complaint against anyone—3:15, 13.

2.　If we allow the peace of Christ to arbitrate in our hearts, this peace will settle all the disputes among us; we will have peace with God vertically and with the saints horizontally.

3.　Through the arbitration of the peace of Christ, our problems are solved, and the friction between the saints disappears; then the church life is pre-served in sweetness, and the one new man is maintained in a practical way.

C.　In order to become the one new man in reality, we must let the word of Christ dwell in us richly—vv. 16-17:

1.　When the peace of Christ arbitrates in us and keeps us in a situation full of oneness and harmony, we become the place of God's speaking, His oracle— vv. 15-16; Rev. 2:1, 7.

2.　We must allow the word of the Lord to have the first place in us so that we may experience His word operating within us and ministering the riches of Christ into our being—Col. 3:16; Psa. 119:1-5, 130; Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; John 17:17.

3.　By allowing the word of God to inhabit us, we can become a proper human being, a God-man filled with Christ as the reality of the attributes of God— Col. 3:17-25; Phil. 4:5-8.

D.　In order to become the one new man in reality, we must persevere in prayer— Col. 4:2-3:

1.　We must allow adequate time for prayer, which will enable us to absorb more of the riches of Christ as the all-inclusive land—1:12; 2:6-7; 4:2.

2.　We must set aside definite times for prayer; our attitude should be that prayer is our most important business and that nothing should be allowed to interfere with it—Dan. 6:10; Acts 12:5, 12.

3.　We must remain in an atmosphere of prayer by continually exercising our spirit—Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 4:7; 2 Tim. 1:7; Col. 1:3, 9.

E.　As we are ruled by the peace of Christ and inhabited by the word of Christ through persevering in prayer, He permeates and replaces us with Himself until all our natural distinctions have been eliminated and we become the one new man in reality—3:15-17; 4:2-3; 3:10-11.

II.　We must bring the churches into the God-ordained way of practicing the church life with all the saints functioning as priests of the gospel of God— Rom. 15:16; Rev. 1:5-6:

A.　We must be built up into God's holy priesthood—the New Testament priest-hood of the gospel—1 Pet. 2:5; Rom. 15:16.

B.　We must tell out the virtues (such as love, grace, and forgiveness) of the One who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light—1 Pet. 2:9.

C.　We must carry out the stewardship of the grace of God in God's economy— Eph. 3:2; 1 Cor. 9:16-17.

D.　We must minister to others the unsearchable riches of Christ as the grace of God—Eph. 3:8.

E.　We must offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, that is, offer up the saved sinners as members of Christ to constitute the Body of Christ—1 Pet. 2:5; Rom. 15:16b.

F.　We must see that we have been chosen and appointed by God to bear remaining fruit—John 15:16.

G.　We must practice the four major steps of the God-ordained way to build up the Body of Christ:

1.　We must preach the gospel to beget people by imparting the divine life into them so that they become children of God and members of Christ—1 Cor. 4:15.

2.　After we beget people through the gospel, we must feed them as the lambs in the Lord's flock, cherishing them as a nursing mother would her own children—John 21:15; 1 Thes. 2:7.

3.　Then we must perfect them through the group meetings, exhorting and consoling them as a father to his own children—v. 11.

4.　We must practice and perfect others to prophesy for the building up of the church; prophesying to build up the church is the consummation and the goal of the ministry of the New Testament priests of the gospel—1 Cor. 14:3-5, 12, 31.

H.　We must fulfill the requirements for the ministry of the priests of the gospel:

1.　By being revived every morning—Psa. 119:147-148; Prov. 4:18.

2.　By overcoming every day—Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 4:16.

3.　By being filled with and living in the Spirit every moment—Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:25.

4.　By walking according to the spirit in everything—Rom. 8:4:

a.　Without murmurings and reasonings—Phil. 2:14.

b.　Without selfish intentions and greedy ambitions—Gal. 5:26.

5.　By being in one accord and in harmony with all the saints—1 Cor. 1:10.

6.　By not being blown by the winds of teaching—Eph. 4:14.

7.　By not teaching anything different from the truth concerning the New Testament priesthood of the gospel of God—1 Tim. 1:3-4.

8.　By watching prayerfully, laboring diligently, and struggling earnestly to carry out each step of the duties of the New Testament priests of the gospel of God—Matt. 26:41; Rom. 12:11; Col. 1:29; 1 Cor. 15:58.

9.　By awaiting the Lord's coming through living and working in the light of His judgment seat—Phil. 3:20; 2 Cor. 5:10.