12神的长子是原型，我们是大量生产。基督是榜样、模子和模型。神已将我们都放在祂里面，使我们模成祂长子的形像。至终我们都要模成模子的形状。有时候姊妹们作饼，将面团放在模子里。面团放在模子里，就有模子的样式和形像。不但如此，面团也必须烘烤，使饼成形，有模子的样式，毫不改变。……同样，神的长子基督是原型、模型和模子，我们是一块块的面团。我们都已被放在模子里，现今神的手正在揉我们。我们已被命定模成神儿子的形像，使祂在许多弟兄中作长子。这是神的目的。神的目的是要产生祂长子的许多弟兄。当基督是独生子时，祂是独一的，但神渴望得着许多儿子，作祂儿子的许多弟兄。这样，神的独生子就成为许多弟兄中的长子。祂是长子，而我们是众子。……没有众子，神绝不能得着国；没有众弟兄，基督绝不能得着身体。因此，神的众子是为着神的国，基督的众弟兄是为着基督的身体。神的国就是身体生活，在召会里的这身体生活就是神的国，在此祂得着彰显，并且祂的管治权在地上得以施行。这就是神的目的。
12God’s firstborn Son is the prototype, and we are the mass production. Christ is the model, mold, and pattern. God has put us all into Him that we may be molded into the image of His firstborn Son. Eventually, we all will be conformed to the mold. Sometimes when the sisters make cakes, they put dough into a mold. By being put into the mold, the dough assumes the pattern and image of the mold. Furthermore, the dough must also be baked so that the cake may bear the pattern of the mold without any change…Likewise, Christ, the firstborn Son of God, is the prototype, pattern, and mold, and we are pieces of dough. We all have been put into the mold and are now being kneaded by the hand of God. We have been predestinated to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, that He may be the Firstborn among many brothers. This is God’s purpose. God’s purpose is to produce many brothers of His firstborn Son. When Christ was the only begotten Son, He was unique, but God desired to have many sons who will be the many brothers of His Son. In this way the only begotten Son of God becomes the Firstborn among many brothers. He is the firstborn Son, and we are the many sons…Without the many sons God could never have a kingdom, and without the many brothers Christ could never have a Body. Thus, the many sons of God are for the kingdom of God, and the many brothers of Christ are for the Body of Christ. The kingdom of God is simply the Body life, and this Body life in the church is God’s kingdom where He is expressed and where His dominion is exercised on the earth. This is God’s purpose.