[Sons to Glory!]

So "the building" in the NT refers to the ekklesia (Greek: called-out gathering) being built into a dwelling place by God. The Greek word gets translated as building, edifying, up-building, etc.

According to my understanding, God uses three basic terms for what He's doing with the ekklesia, body, bride and building. All three terms are used by God, I believe, to help convey to man the meaning and importance. That is, these three things a man will find critical and the center of desire. A man's body; a man's bride; and a man's dwelling place. It's hard to name three things that a man would be more attuned to! God uses all three to show us how He desires us, and the way He desires to have a living relationship with us.

Christ is the head and we are His body. Therefore He is one with us, and very interested in our well being. The ekklesia is also His bride. No normal man can deny how much he desires his bride and to be completely one and in a loving relationship with her! So also is Christ's desire for us.

Then the other aspect is the building, His house, His temple. We are to be a dwelling place of God! So in this life we are being built up into a habitation. All we do either builds up or tears down this dwelling place. Ephesians is one book that is full of speaking regarding this building work. The letter to Philadelphia in Revelation is also full of this. The Bible ends with the NJ, the consummation of the building work. God desires this through us!

So I don't know if that addressed your question at all regarding the building. Please let me know. If you want, I can post a short paper I wrote on the above topic (Body, Bride & Building), with scriptural references - it was an awesome revelation!