We need to see the principles of the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. The tabernacle (Exo. 25:8-9; 40:1-2) as the precursor of the temple (1 Kings 6:1), the priesthood (Exo. 28:1), and the offerings (Lev. 1—7), all as types of Christ, were ordained by God to be the main line for God's chosen people to worship God, serve God, contact God, and partake of God until Christ as the fulfillment of all the types came (Heb. 9:8-12).
The law as the testimony of God (Psa. 78:5) was given by God to be the side line alongside the main line to guard the chosen people of God until Christ as the end of the law (Rom. 10:4a) came (Gal. 3:23-25).
God has ordained Christ to be the centrality and universality of His economy to fulfill His good pleasure (Eph. 3:8-11; 1:9-11). The law as the alongside factor has been ended by Christ (Rom. 10:4a), and the believers are no longer under the law (Rom. 6:14).
Colossians 1:15-19 shows that the spirit of the Bible exalts Christ. These five verses are unique in the Bible in exalting Christ. Christ must have the first place; He must have the preeminence. Christ has the preeminence in the Godhead because in the Godhead, He is the image of God, the embodiment of God, and the expression of God. He is in the first place, even in the Godhead. Then in the old creation, He was the first creature, the Firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15). In the new creation, in resurrection, He is also the first. He is the preeminent One. Furthermore, in the Body of Christ, in the church, Christ is the first. In the Godhead, Christ is the first; in the old creation, Christ is the first; in the new creation, Christ is the first; and in the church as the Body of Christ, Christ is the first. He is first in everything.
Since He has the first place in all things, we must give Him the first place in our being and in all that we do. He must be first in our marriage, in our spending of money, and in our demeanor. In the way that we dress, we must give Christ the preeminence. The spirit of the Bible is just to exalt Christ. When we come to study the Psalms, we must realize this. We must realize that we cannot exalt anything higher than Christ. If we exalt anyone or anything other than Christ, we break the spirit of the Bible. If we are going to interpret any types or explain any parables, we must take care of this spirit. The spirit of the Bible is to exalt Christ.
The spirit of the Bible exalts the Christ ordained by God to have the preeminence (the first place) in the old creation, in the new creation, in the Body of Christ, and in everything (Col. 1:15-19). Also the spirit of the Bible does not give any orthodox position to the law (Gal. 4:21-25) given by God alongside His economy (Rom. 5:20a).
Many teachings in Christianity today are off the mark because they do not take care of the lines, the principles, and the spirit of the Bible. We have to stay on the line of the tree of life. Whether or not we speak with the oracle of God depends upon what we speak. A prophet is one who has received the word from God. Then he speaks the word in the line of the tree of life, in the proper principles, and in the spirit of exalting Christ. In whatever we speak, we must have a spirit to exalt Christ.