CRYSTALLIZATION-STUDY
OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

MESSAGE THREE

GOD

OUTLINE

1. God, as the second crystal in the writings of John, is unveiled as the fountain (source) of life:
1. Flowing out to dispense Himself with His divine life as the life element, the life supply (Christ as the tree of life), to meet the need of His elect and to be their pleasures and satisfaction (Rev. 22:1-2; cf. Psa. 36:8-9). For this purpose, when Christ died on the cross, not only blood (signifying redemption judicially) flowed forth but also water (signifying the water of life organically to be dispensed into God's elect)—John 19:34.
2. Whatever He flows out is "bright as crystal"—Rev. 22:1.
3. The Lord's calling with a promise:
1. To the thirsty and water-seeking Samaritan woman He said that He has the living water, which is able to cause her to never thirst again—John 4:10, 14.
2. To those who held the Feast of Tabernacles, on the last day of their feast, He said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes into Me, as the Scripture said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water"—John 7:37b-38.
3. In John's last book, Revelation, He said to all people, "I will give to him who thirsts from the spring of the water of life freely"—Rev. 21:6b.
4. The Lord as the Spirit calls with His bride, "Let him who is thirsty come; let him who wills take the water of life freely"—Rev. 22:17b.
5. The Lord as the Lamb will "guide them [those who answer His call] to springs of waters of life"—Rev. 7:17b.
6. We all know that this calling with a promise from the Lord is still sounding today to everyone who lives on this earth.
2. God's existence:
1. Self-existing and ever-existing, without beginning and without end.
2. From eternity to eternity—Psa. 90:2.
3. God's person:
1. God is triune, three-one—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; Matt. 28:19:
1. The three coinhere—John 14:10, 20.
2. The three are equal.
3. According to Their essence, the three are one; thus, there is the aspect of the essential Trinity. The Son is the embodiment of the Father (Col. 2:9), and the Spirit is the reality of the Son (John 14:16-18):
1. A Son is given to us, yet His name is called the eternal Father—Isa. 9:6.
2. The Son as the last Adam became the life-giving Spirit—1 Cor. 15:45b.
3. The Lord is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:17) and the Lord Spirit (v. 18).
4. Such words in the Scripture are strong evidence that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are essentially one.
4. According to the economy, the three are three; thus, there is the aspect of the economical Trinity. The Father is the Originator, making the divine economy (Eph. 1:9-10; 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:4b); the Son accomplishes the divine economy made by the Father (John 5:19; 8:28); and the Spirit applies to God's elect what the Son has accomplished (16:13). Even so, They are still one in harmony in the economical Trinity (10:30; 17:21, 23):
1. The Father spoke in heaven concerning the Son, the Son stood in the water on the earth, and the Spirit soared as the dove in the air—Matt. 3:16-17.
2. The Father chose the believers before the foundation of the world, the Son redeemed them in time, and the Spirit seals them after they believe in the Son—Eph. 1:4, 6-7, 13.
3. Words like these in the Scripture are strong evidence that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are economically three. Thus, God's elect participate in what the Triune God has done and enjoy Their work with Themselves for their satisfaction.
2. The order among the three:
1. The Father is the Head—1 Cor. 11:3.
2. The Son subjects Himself to the Father—John 5:19, 30; 8:28; 1 Cor. 15:28.
3. The Spirit testifies concerning the Son—John 15:26; 16:13-14.