Paul quotes this verse in the fourth chapter of Ephesians. The "gifts for men" are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor-teachers, gifts of healing, working of miracles, and so forth.

The purpose of all the ministries and gifts of the Spirit of God is to bring all saints to the perfect man—perfect as measured by the full stature of Christ.

Why must each saint be brought to full stature? It is that "the Lord God might dwell among them."

God has created an eternal world. God's eternal world is the heavens, the earth, man, animals, and all of nature. We understand that the present heaven and earth will pass away and there will be a new sky and a new earth, and a new humanity to enjoy the wonders of God's handiwork.

The material world that has emerged from the spirit realm is vastly superior to the spirit realm and was created for the pleasure of God.

God has created man to be in His image, to be male and female, to be fruitful, and to exercise dominion over the works of God's hands. The angels are to serve as ministering spirits to those who inherit the Divine salvation.

The adamic race is animal in nature. It was never meant to be an eternal race. It is a first step toward the human-Divine nature of true man.

The adamic race was created and then immediately died because of disobedience to God. Spiritual death has come upon all of Adam's descendants. Paradise withdrew into the spirit realm. Nature died as the Presence of God left the earth.

Into this house of death stepped true Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ demonstrated total obedience to God. Then He made an atonement for our sins. When the Lord Jesus cried "It is finished!" He was referring to the entire race of Adam and all else of the first creation.

Now came the beginning of the new world. Up from the dead came the God-man, the first of many to follow. He ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven. Then He poured out the Spirit of God on His disciples.

Many people have been predestined to be changed into His image, to become His brothers, to become the chariots of God as He is. In the Father's House, which is Christ, there are to be many rooms.

The Lord Jesus shares His eternal Life with those whom God gives to Him. The little dead gods then come to life. They are born a second time, born of God. Now they have an adamic nature and a new born-again nature. They are on their way to becoming true man.

The Christian discipleship does not consist of attempts to save the adamic personality. Rather it is true that we have been commanded to assign our adamic personality to the cross with Christ.

Our body is dead because of sin. Our new born-again nature is alive because of the righteousness of the Law that has been assigned to it. Now the race, the struggle, the warfare begins. The world, the lusts of our flesh, and our self-will strive mightily to keep us living in our adamic nature. The Holy Spirit invites us and enables us to put to death the passions and desires of our adamic nature. Death and life are struggling for dominion over our personality.

To be continued.