When I was young, I especially loved the Gospel of John because in that Gospel there are more than ten items used to describe what the Lord Jesus is. As I began to study the Epistles of Paul, however, I found many more. What Paul tells us of Christ, furthermore, is more related to life and more for our enjoyment.
Suppose in the New Testament the writings of Paul were missing. The divine revelation would not be complete. It is no wonder then, that Paul tells us he has received a commission to complete the word of God (Col. 1:25). What Paul has written is for this completing. Mainly he tells us what Christ is, not only who He is but especially what He is.
Altogether there are close to forty items in Paul’s writings describing what Christ is. In our previous message we found five in Romans and fourteen in 1 Corinthians. Now we shall go on to consider those that are mentioned in 2 Corinthians and Colossians.
In 2 Corinthians we have only two items to cover on what Christ is, but they are very meaningful. In 3:17-18 we find: “Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit” (lit.).
Second Corinthians tells us that the Lord is the Spirit. This is a short term, the significance of which is overlooked by many Christians. They fail to realize that the ultimate expression of the Holy Spirit is the Spirit.
In Genesis 1 we have the Spirit of God brooding over the dark waters (v. 2). As the Old Testament progresses, the term Spirit of Jehovah, or Spirit of the Lord, is used. In the beginning of the New Testament we find the term Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20). When we go on to the Lord’s resurrection, we find that in resurrection the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. This life-giving Spirit is the Spirit. The Spirit! The Spirit is the ultimate consummation of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jehovah, the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19), who is the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2) and the Spirit that gives life (John 6:63).
The title “The Spirit” is short, but its significance is profound. Its meaning is conveyed to us in typology in the compound ointment described in Exodus 30:23-33. The anointing ointment was made of olive oil compounded with four spices. At first there was only olive oil; but after it was mixed with the spices, it became a compound ointment.
Olive oil signifies the Spirit of God. The four spices— myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, and cassia—signify the death of Christ, the effectiveness of that death, His resurrection, and the power of His resurrection. The numbers mentioned all have their meaning. To add four spices to the one hin of olive oil speaks of humanity (represented by the number four) being added to divinity (the number one). A hand has five fingers: one thumb and four fingers. The number five signifies the Creator (the number one) being added to the creature (the number four). This adding of divinity to humanity is The Spirit. The Spirit comprises both God and man. Also included in The Spirit are the death of Christ, its effectiveness, His resurrection, and the power of that resurrection.
Second Corinthians 3:17 tells us that the Lord is now the Spirit. Christ today is the ointment, the compound ointment. He is the all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit. Perhaps now you understand why we speak of the all-inclusiveness of Christ.
“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). It is strange that this One who in chapter three is presented as The Spirit is here called our Husband. We have a Husband.
Brothers, do you realize that we have a Husband? Do not think that only the sisters are female; spiritually speaking, we brothers are also female! In the universe there is only one Man and one woman. Christ is that Man. In fact, the German translation of this verse has “man” instead of husband. Man here actually means husband. Christ is the Man, so He is the unique Husband. Humanity is a wife. As members of the church, we are all part of the wife.
Practically speaking, how do we know Christ as the Spirit and also as our Husband? When we call on the name of the Lord, we receive the Spirit. Before He touches and captures us, we are the man. This is true even of the sisters. Some wives play the role of the husband. For a sister to lord it over her husband indicates that she is void of the Spirit. If she calls, “O Lord Jesus!” and keeps calling, the Spirit will come and touch her. He will subdue her and will Himself become the Husband!
This not only applies to the sisters. What about you brothers? I have the impression that the German men are as hard as the German bread! Who can subdue you? Nonetheless, if you will call, “O Lord Jesus!” you too will be subdued. The man, then, will be the Spirit. He will be the Husband.
When we are filled with the Spirit, we all become submissive. Christ as the Spirit is then the Husband. When Paul wrote, he was not trying to pass on a doctrine to us. For him to say, “I have espoused you to one husband,” was to say something practical. He was ministering the Spirit so that we might practically enjoy the Husband.