We now come to see the redemption accomplished by the vicarious death of the processed Triune God (Rom. 3:24). His death satisfied the requirements of God’s glory, holiness, and righteousness (signified by the cherubim, the flame, and the sword in Genesis 3:24), and opened up for us the way to the tree of life. He opened up anew for us a way that we may come before God and draw near to God by the blood of Jesus. Originally, when we were created, we had the position to receive God as life, but we became fallen. Now the death of Christ has brought us fallen people back to the position to receive God as life so that we can receive Him as our life. This is what was accomplished for us by His vicarious death.
Following this, we come to see the salvation in life by the God who passed through death and resurrection. Romans 5:10 says, “For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved in His life.” Christ not only died for us, but also resurrected for us. His death redeemed us that we may be reconciled to God. His resurrection caused Him to become the life-giving Spirit to enter into us to be our life to save us. The Triune God, after passing through incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, eventually became a living Spirit to enter into us to be our life. This life today is our salvation.
First, this life regenerates the ones justified by God (1 Pet. 1:3). Through the death of Christ, God justified us; through the resurrection of Christ, God entered into us to be life to regenerate us. Second, after we were regenerated, God came to sanctify us who were regenerated by Him (Rom. 6:19b, 22b). Regeneration has already been accomplished; sanctification is still going on. Third, He renews and transforms us who are being sanctified by Him (Rom. 12:2). On the one hand, He comes to sanctify us; on the other hand, He renews and transforms us. This renewal and transformation is not outward, but inward, in our mind. The Spirit of God with the life of God causes a process of metabolism to take place within us. In other words, the life of God adds into us a new element so that we can have a transformation of life through an organic operation. This is not an outward change which is artificial and false; it is an inward transformation of life which is organic and real.
Originally, we were created in the image of God; but at that time the life of God was not within us. It was not until we believed in Jesus, and God entered into us to be our life to regenerate us, that we became persons possessing God, persons not only with humanity, but also with divinity. Then this life of God within us gradually sanctifies us and also renews and transforms us so that what we live out outwardly is not merely good behavior, but God’s living. Behavior may be a performance, but living is something lived out; it is the element of the new life within us lived out spontaneously in its organic functions.
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