Through the divine dispensing, the all-inclusive Christ becomes the common portion from God to the believers, continually supplying to the believers the riches of God in Christ. This can be considered as the general description of the divine dispensing in 1 and 2 Corinthians. Under this general description, there are five items which speak of the all-inclusive Christ as the power, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption from God to the believers.
Christ as the all-inclusive One belongs to all the believers. He is jointly participated in by all of them (1 Cor. 1:2b). He is our portion, given to us by God (Col. 1:12). Furthermore, He is the One into whom God has called the believers. First Corinthians 1:9 says: “God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” This shows us we have partaken of the union with Jesus Christ the Son of God and have jointly participated in His fellowship. God has called us into such a fellowship, to enjoy Christ as God’s portion dispensed to us, which includes power, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. These five items contain the divine and rich dispensing of God. God has dispensed Christ as these five items to us.
Who is Christ? Christ is the embodiment of the Triune God. For God to give us Christ is for Him to give us Himself. As what is He being given to us? To say that He is given to us to be our Savior and Redeemer is a shallow understanding. To say that He is given to us as life goes a little deeper. From 1 Corinthians 1 we see that God has given us Christ, that is, He has given us Himself, to be our power, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Every one of these five items is simply Christ Himself. Christ is the power, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption given by God to us. This is true not only on the day of regeneration, but thereafter Christ is continually given by God to us. This is like the electricity in the power station. From the day the house was built and the power lines installed, electricity has been transmitted continually into the house and has been made available for the operation of every electric appliance.
From the time we first called, “O Lord Jesus, I believe in You; I receive You,” the Lord Jesus as the heavenly electricity has been connected to us, and the transmission has begun. From that day on, it has never stopped. As far as I am concerned, during the past sixty-five years, there has continually been a transmission from God to me. With every one of us who is a regenerated and saved person, there is such a transmission within. Although at times we are weak, in darkness, and even sin and are temporarily cut off, we are forgiven and are connected once again whenever we turn and confess our sins. The transmission of Christ resumes, and we can enjoy Christ as our power, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
First Corinthians 1:24 tells us that the crucified Christ is the power of God. Christ as the power of God is with a dynamic power; He strengthens the believers, supplying and sustaining them in what they are and what they do. In all our circumstances and conditions, Christ as the power from God first enables us to suffer, second, enables us to bear the burdens, third, sustains us unshakable, and fourth, enables us to stand firm. This can be compared to what Paul said, “I can do all things in Him who empowers me” (Phil. 4:13). Christ as the power of God is daily supplying and sustaining us through His divine dispensing.
Home | First | Prev | Next