CHAPTER FOUR

THE MYSTERIOUS LAW
OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE
IN GOD'S NEW TESTAMENT ECONOMY

Scripture Reading: Col. 3:4a; Rom. 8:2; 7:21, 23, 25b; 8:6b, 4b, 13; 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28; Gal. 2:20a; 5:16a, 25; 1 Thes. 5:17; Eph. 6:17

1. The law of the Spirit of life being the key to the mysterious organism in God's New Testament economy:
1. The mysterious organism in God's New Testament economy depending on Christ being our life—Col. 3:4a.
2. The mysterious law of the Spirit of life in God's New Testament economy depending on the Spirit of life as the law—Rom. 8:2a.
3. This law of the Spirit of life being the key to Christ being our life.
2. The three persons and the three laws in the universe:
1. The first person being God, who has become the first law, the law of the Spirit of life—Rom. 8:2a.
2. The second person being Satan, who has become the second law, the law of evil—Rom. 7:21, 23, 25b; 8:2b.
3. The third person being man, who has become the third law, the law of good—Rom. 7:23b.
4. The evil law of Satan overcoming the good law of man, taking man captive; but God's law of the Spirit of life overcoming the evil law of Satan, releasing man—Rom. 7:23; 8:2.
3. Christ as life and the Spirit of life as the law:
1. Christ as life being the element in the Body of Christ—what the Body of Christ is.
2. The Spirit of life as the law being the capacity of the Body of Christ.
3. The Father as the source of life in the Body of Christ producing the Son as the life element of the Body of Christ; the Son as the life element in the Body of Christ bringing in the Spirit as the capacity of the Body of Christ.
4. First the source, then the element, and finally the capacity.
5. This capacity being the key to everything related to life and service in the Body of Christ.
4. Christ being the life element of the Body of Christ, and the Spirit of life being the essence of this element; this essence becoming the law in the Body of Christ, which is the innate ability of the Body of Christ.
5. The law in the life of the Body of Christ, that is, its innate ability, being a living person, the Spirit of life; the Spirit of life being the realization of Christ as life to His Body; Christ as the life of His Body being the embodiment of God the Father as the source of life—hence, the Triune God Himself having become the law, that is, the innate ability, in the Body of Christ.
6. The living in the Body of Christ depending on this law—the Spirit of life:
1. Our mind needing to be set on this law—Rom. 8:6b.
2. Our walk needing to be according to this law—Rom. 8:4b.
3. Our needing to put to death the practices of the body according to this law—Rom. 8:13.
7. The main gifts in the service of the Body of Christ depending on the Spirit of life, which is this law:
1. The service of the Body of Christ being through the gifts of the Spirit.
2. The gifts of the Spirit being divided mainly into two kinds: the gifts in life and the miraculous gifts:
1. The gifts in life being those enumerated in Romans 12:6-8, and also being the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the discerning of spirits, helps, and administrations as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28.
2. The miraculous gifts being the others listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28.
3. The service of the Body of Christ having the gifts in life as the principal part and the miraculous gifts as the supplement.
1. The principal gifts depending on the growth in life, and their key being the law of the Spirit of life.
2. Hence, the principal part in the service of the Body of Christ depending also on our following the law of the Spirit of life.
8. The cooperation needed by the law of the Spirit of life in God's economy:
1. Ceasing from our own struggling and striving—Gal. 2:20a.
2. Whether in life or in service, spontaneously going along with the operation of this law of the Spirit of life within us and cooperating with it, with the two (it and we) acting as one man, the outward being in harmony with the inward—Gal. 5:16a, 25.
3. Cooperating by prayer and by having a spirit of dependence, and thus maintaining our fellowship with the Lord of life and the Lord of work—1 Thes. 5:17; Eph. 6:17-18.