The Two Aspects of Receiving, Experiencing, and Enjoying the All-inclusive Christ as the All-inclusive Life-giving Spirit: Christ VS Spirit - Integrated Analysis
"The last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45b)
"That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:14)
"But I will never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14)
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen" (Gal. 6:18)
Aspect |
Christ |
Spirit |
Interrelationship |
Relevant Scriptures |
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Meaning |
The Son of God, God manifested in the flesh, the Executor of God's redemptive plan |
The form of Christ after resurrection, the subjective realization of Christ in the believers' lives |
Essential oneness: Christ became the life-giving Spirit after resurrection |
"The last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45b) |
Refers to the objective fact of God's Son becoming flesh, dying and resurrecting for our redemption |
Refers to the resurrected Christ becoming the life-giving Spirit, dwelling in believers and imparting divine life |
Functional complementarity: Christ accomplished redemption, the Spirit applies redemption to believers |
"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:14) |
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The core content and central figure of God's gospel |
The means and channel for believers to receive and experience Christ |
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Distinction |
More objective, the Accomplisher of God's plan and will |
More subjective, the indwelling reality in believers' lives |
Sequential experience: First knowing and believing in Christ, then receiving the Spirit dwelling within |
"It pleased God to reveal his Son in me" (Gal. 1:16) |
Focuses on the historical Christ and His work—death and resurrection |
Focuses on Christ active in believers today |
"God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6) |
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Emphasizes the judicial aspect of redemption |
Emphasizes the organic aspect of life |
Transformative relationship: Christ being formed in believers through the Spirit |
"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you" (Gal. 4:19) |
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The object of believers' faith |
The power and reality of believers' living |
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Focuses on the identity and work of the Son of God as man |
Focuses on how Christ becomes the believers' life and experience |
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Examples |
Christ crucified to accomplish redemption, saving us through His death and resurrection |
The Holy Spirit dwelling in believers, guiding them into truth |
Life cycle:
Christ becoming the life-giving Spirit → dwelling in believers → Christ being formed → Christ being expressed |
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20) |
Christ as the Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world |
As the indwelling Spirit, enabling believers to partake of the divine life |
"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25) |
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Christ demonstrating God's love, giving His life for us on the cross |
The Holy Spirit pouring God's love into believers' hearts |
"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5) |
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Paul preaching Christ and Him crucified |
Paul living by the indwelling Spirit, not by himself |
"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7) |
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Abraham blessed through faith, prefiguring our blessing through faith in Christ |
Believers receiving the promised Spirit, experiencing divine life |
"They which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (Gal. 3:7) |
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Application |
Believers need to know Christ and believe in His redemptive work |
Believers need to live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit |
Interdependence: Knowing Christ through the Spirit, receiving the Spirit through faith in Christ |
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16) |
Proclaiming the gospel of Christ to unbelievers |
Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit in daily life |
Common goal: For believers to have Christ's life and image |
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17) |
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Contemplating Christ's life, teachings, and example |
Exercising the spirit, receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit through prayer |
Practical experience: Believers being united with Christ in the Spirit |
"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27) |
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Putting on Christ, having the mind of Christ |
Bearing the fruit of the Spirit, manifesting the work of the Spirit |
Complete revelation: Christ is the content, the Spirit is the realization |
"For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6:8) |
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Being united with Christ, experiencing death and resurrection with Christ |
Sowing to the Spirit, fulfilling what the Spirit desires |
Ultimate goal: Christ being formed in believers, living out the new creation |
"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14) "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen" (Gal. 6:18) |
Conclusion:
- * The relationship between Christ and the Spirit reveals that while they appear as distinct aspects, they are essentially one in their divine nature. Christ, as the objective person who accomplished redemption, becomes the subjective Spirit who applies this redemption in believers' lives. This unified yet dual nature allows believers to experience the full richness of God's salvation.
- * Their interrelationship demonstrates a divine cycle: Christ accomplishes redemption objectively, becomes the life-giving Spirit after resurrection, dwells in believers through this Spirit, and is ultimately formed in believers' lives as they walk by the Spirit. The practical application shows that experiencing Christ and experiencing the Spirit are not separate paths but one integrated reality in the believer's life.
*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim, California, USA training Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (II) Week 20 The Way to Accept, Experience, and Enjoy the All-inclusive Christ as the All-inclusive Life-giving Spirit (who is the epitome of the all-inclusive blessings of God’s full gospel)