Our Christ is the all-inclusive One. He is the Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. As God incarnate, He lived as a man on earth for thirty-three and a half years. Through His death on the cross, He crucified the old creation. In so doing, He brought creation back to God. Now that Christ has terminated us on the cross, what He has terminated He is replacing with Himself in resurrection. In resurrection Christ became a life-giving Spirit. Actually, the life-giving Spirit is resurrection. Thus, resurrection is not merely a thing or a matter—it is a living Person. In John 11:25 the Lord Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Today the wonderful Person of Christ, the One through whom all things were created, the One who has passed through incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, is the all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit. This Spirit is the ultimate and consummate expression of the Triune God.
If someone asks us where we are today, we should say that we are in resurrection. Resurrection is the life-giving Spirit, the life-giving Spirit is Christ, and Christ is the processed Triune God.
In the book of 1 Corinthians Paul deals with eleven problems. Six of these problems are covered in the first ten chapters, and five are covered in the last six chapters. The first six problems are division, lawsuits, incest, the abuse of freedom in eating and in marriage, the question of marriage itself, and the eating of sacrifices to idols. All these problems are related to humanity, to human life. The second group of problems involves the realm of God’s administration. These five problems involve headship, the Lord’s table, spiritual gifts, resurrection, and the gift of material things. In dealing with the problem of resurrection Paul utters a wonderful word. In 15:45 he says that the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. This is resurrection. When Christ was simply the last Adam, He was not yet in resurrection. Rather, He was in the flesh, in humanity. But through death He entered into resurrection. Now in resurrection He is no longer in the flesh, for He is the life-giving Spirit. This life-giving Spirit is the reality of resurrection.
When we are in the spirit, we are in resurrection. Resurrection is life which overcomes death. If we are truly in resurrection experientially, we are fresh and living, with life bubbling up from within. In such a case, we can be compared to a green plant. A living plant may be used as an illustration of resurrection. If a plant is flourishing and blossoming, we may say that it is in resurrection. But if the plant is withering and dying, we cannot say that it is in resurrection. Likewise, if we are living and fresh, we are truly in resurrection. But if we sit in the meetings in a formal, religious way, we certainly are not in resurrection. On the contrary, for the most part, we are still in the tomb.
We have pointed out that the first six problems covered in 1 Corinthians are related to human living. Paul’s way of dealing with these problems is very different from the way practiced by today’s ministers and pastors. For example, if a married couple has a problem and consults their pastor, he will deal with their problem either in a religious way or in a natural way. Paul’s way is profound and very difficult to describe. His way of dealing with problems is gradually revealed in the first ten chapters. Paul’s way is spiritual and uplifted. We may liken his way to a chain which has many parts linked together. The first chapter of this Epistle begins with one part of the chain, and the last chapter ends with another part. Paul begins with the word in 1:2 concerning Christ being theirs and ours. The problems among the believers at Corinth were all due to the fact that they were neglecting Christ as their unique portion. Their portion was not Greek philosophy or worldly wisdom; it was the all-inclusive Christ ministered by Paul. This all-inclusive Christ is both theirs and ours. This means that He is our unique portion.
If a couple having problems in married life were to contact Paul, he would not help them in a religious way. He would not charge the husband to love his wife or the wife to submit to her husband. This, however, is the way practiced by pastors today. Paul’s way of dealing with human problems is very different. Even his word in 1:2 concerning the called saints, those sanctified in Christ Jesus, and those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours, is a word related to the problems covered in this Epistle. Although this verse does not appear to be part of Paul’s way of approaching human problems, it actually contains the spiritual riches used by Paul to solve the problems. According to this verse, we Christians must realize that the all-inclusive Christ is ours. Furthermore, we are called saints, those who have been called by God to call upon the dear and precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. If a married sister calls on the name of the all-inclusive Christ, she will be truly submissive to her husband. The reason wives are not submissive is that they are short of the enjoyment of the all-inclusive Christ. Sisters, when you have trouble being submissive to your husbands, simply call on the name of the Lord. I assure you that after calling a few times, the Lord will touch you and supply you. Spontaneously you will become a very submissive wife. This is the result of enjoying Christ as your portion.
Over the years sisters have often come to me with problems concerning married life. In many cases I not only sympathized with the sisters, but also agreed with them. In the early years of my ministry I behaved in the same way many pastors do. I encouraged the sisters to read Ephesians 5 and also to pray, even with fasting if necessary. Many times a sister would return to say that what I had suggested did not work. All I could do then was tell the sister to be comforted and that I would try to help her. Actually, I was not any help whatever. Gradually I learned that problems in married life are not solved simply by praying and reading the Bible. Nourishment and life supply are necessary. We cannot receive the nourishment we need simply from the Bible in black and white letters, for what we need is the living Christ Himself. By pray-reading the Word and by calling on the name of the Lord, we receive the needed nourishment and supply. When a sister is supplied in this way, she can find the solution to the problem she faces with her husband.
Sometimes when I call on the name of the Lord Jesus, I am deeply touched by Him and even weep. This touch then becomes my nourishment, supply, and strength. Moreover, I have realized that by calling on the name of the Lord, I can do things which I am not able to do in my own strength. This is the enjoyment of Christ according to 1:2. If we call on the name of the Lord Jesus in every place, we shall know that Christ is ours, and we shall enjoy Him.
First Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, through Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” We have been called into the fellowship of the all-inclusive Christ as our portion. This fellowship is nothing less than the living Person of the all-inclusive Christ. This means that we have been called into this Person and into His fellowship. God has called us into Christ for our co-participation and enjoyment.