In the previous lessons we saw that the Christ who passed through incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, and ultimately became the Spirit, has now entered into us to be our life. He is the center and focus of our Christian life. All of our spiritual experiences are intimately related to Him.
In this lesson we will help you to know more concerning this living person, that you may enjoy Him more and apply Him to your daily life in a practical way.
The New Testament reveals Christ in two aspects:
1. THE OBJECTIVE ASPECT
Christ resurrected and ascended to be the Lord of all.
“God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:36
Today He is our High Priest in the heavens interceding for us.
“Having therefore a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus.” Hebrews 4:14
One day He will come back from the heavens.
2. THE SUBJECTIVE ASPECT
Christ resurrected to become the life-giving Spirit to enter into the believers’ spirit to become their life and to transform them.
“And we all...beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image... even as from the Lord Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
Finally, He will be magnified in us, so that for us to live is Christ.
“Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death; for to me to live is Christ.” Philippians 1:20-21
As the ascended and glorified Lord, Christ is objective; but as the indwelling Spirit within us, He is subjective, experiential, and enjoyable.
1. CHRIST IS THE UNIQUE PORTION GIVEN BY GOD TO THE SAINTS
“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the portion of the saints in the light.” Colossians 1:12
The word portion in Greek can also be translated “lot.” This is based on the background of the good land recorded in the Old Testament. God gave the good land to His chosen people to be their inheritance and enjoyment.
“A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.” Deuteronomy 8:7-9
The good land with all its riches is a type of the all-inclusive Christ as everything to us.
2. ENJOYING CHRIST AS GOD’S PORTION FOR US
“God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9
God’s desire is to dispense Himself in Christ into us. For this He has called us to partake of and enjoy this all-inclusive Christ.
In chapters three through eleven of the Gospel of John, we see the different needs of various kinds of people. One by one, all these needs are met by the Lord of life.
1. The moral: represented by Nicodemus, an upper-class man. Because he sought Jesus, he received life’s regenerating.
“Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a man is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
2. The immoral: An immoral woman, at the moment when she was most thirsty, met the Savior, and experienced life’s satisfying.
“But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall by no means thirst forever; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a spring of water welling up into eternal life.” John 4:14
3. The dying: By the word of life the Lord healed the dying son of a royal official; thus he received life’s healing.
“Jesus said to him, Go, your son is living. The man believed the word which Jesus said to him and went his way.” John 4:50
4. The impotent: By God’s mercy, a man who lay in his sickness for thirty-eight years received life’s enlivening.
“Jesus said to him, Rise, pick up your bed and walk.” John 5:8
5. The hungry: A hungry crowd, through Christ’s rich supply of life, enjoyed life’s feeding.
“Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fishes, as much as they wanted.” John 6:11
6. The thirsty: When the human enjoyment came to its end, the Lord was there as the river of living water for man to receive life’s thirst-quenching.
“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38
7. Those under the bondage of sin: The Lord as the light of the world rescued a woman in sin; thus she received life’s setting free.
“Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
8. The blind: A man who was born blind, through the anointing of the Lord’s Spirit, received life’s sight.
“The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash; so I went and washed, and I received sight.” John 9:11
9. The dead: The Lord turned death into life. Through Him the dead and buried Lazarus received life’s resurrecting.
“Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, even if he should die, shall live.” John 11:25
The above nine cases not only represent the conditions of various kinds of people; they describe the need of every man. Only the Son of God can fully meet these needs.
This shows us that if we experience Christ, all of our needs will be fully met.