In Taipei more than twenty years ago I spoke on what Christ is. I had discovered nearly three hundred items from both the Old and New Testaments concerning what Christ is. He is truly too wonderful; He is the wonder of all wonders. Actually, He is everything; He is the Lord, God, the Triune God, the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit. If there is God in the universe, then He is God. If there is man in the universe, then He is the most distinguished man and the real man. If there is a Savior in the universe, He is also the Savior. If God needs sacrifices and lambs, then He is the sacrifices and the Lamb. He is all in all. Since He is so wonderful, the salvation which He accomplished is also wonderful.
Unfortunately, most Christians understand the salvation of Jesus Christ according to their human concepts. They think that we need a Savior firstly because of our sins and secondly because of our afflictions and woes. Therefore, we need a merciful Savior to deliver us from our sins and our afflictions. In China, not many believe in the Lord Jesus solely because of sins, but a great number believe because of sufferings. The Chinese people have the Buddhist concept of great mercy and compassion. Thus, the new believers of the Lord Jesus usually have the thought of Jesus having great mercy and compassion, though they may not say it. In the past I prayed with some after they first heard the gospel. When they opened their mouth, they often said, “O Savior of great mercy and compassion.” Gradually, they stopped praying in this way because they observed that we did not pray like this. According to the human concept, we always think that we need a Savior because we are so wicked, sinful, and full of sufferings.
In actuality, the Lord’s salvation is of two aspects. The first aspect is mainly for solving the problem of our sins. Through His crucifixion the Lord Jesus solved this problem. Since God is righteous, sin became a problem before Him. As our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus died on the cross and solved the problem of sin. The Bible shows us that on the cross the Lord Jesus as the Lamb became our sin offering and our trespass offering to deal with our double sin—our sinful nature within and sinful deeds without. On the cross He was judged by God on our behalf and shed His precious blood; hence, God could forgive us. His precious blood not only cleanses us of our sins, but it is also eternally efficacious.
There is another aspect of salvation which is much deeper than the first aspect and is related not only to what the Lord Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. Based on the redemption accomplished on the cross, He has entered into us to be our life, our nature, and even all the elements of our entire inward being, so that we can live not by ourselves but by Him. Some may understand that our living by Him means that we have to live outwardly in a manner which is proper, good, bright, holy, and overcoming. This understanding is superficial and incomplete. The main intention of the Lord Jesus’ living in us is to transform us.
I often like to use tea as an illustration. The Chinese make tea by adding water to tea leaves. When the tea leaves are immersed in the water, the water is transformed. Originally, it was a cup of plain water, but when you put tea leaves into it and cover it, after five minutes the plain water is completely transformed. The nature, color, and flavor of the tea leaves enter into the water and transform it into tea. Water becomes tea because the element of tea has entered into the water. Christ is the tea, and we are the water. When the element of tea gets into the water, the water becomes tea. Likewise, when Christ enters into us, we become Christians. Hence, “Christian” means “Christ-man.” We all are Christ-men because Christ has entered into us, and He is transforming us with His element. This is too mysterious.
Confucius spoke of developing the “bright virtue,” which is to develop and magnify the bright virtue that we had originally. However, the Lord’s salvation is not to develop and magnify what we had originally. Rather, He Himself comes into us to be our essence and element. This is truly a mystery. Originally, there is no other element in the water, but after the tea leaves are placed into the water, the element of tea is added into the water. Thus the water becomes tea. Originally, we did not have Christ in us, but now Christ has entered into us. The entrance of Christ into us adds a new element to us. Christ as the new element is God, the Lord, life, holiness, righteousness, and light. He is all in all. He is the Son with the Father. Moreover, in reality, the Son is the Spirit. Therefore, He is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. He is all in all.