LIVING IN THE SPIRIT
III. THE LORD IS THE SPIRIT
THE ALL-INCLUSIVE SPIRIT
“The last Adam [Christ] became a life-giving Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45b
“And the Lord is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
The Spirit is the coming of the Triune God to His chosen people. In order to accomplish this divine economy, Christ passed through four major steps: incarnation, human living, crucifixion, and resurrection.
Through such a process, the Spirit of God, who formerly possessed only divinity, is now compounded with the elements of Christ’s humanity, His human living, the effectiveness and fragrance of His death, and the power and effectiveness of His resurrection, to become an all-inclusive Spirit.
IV. THE HOLY OINTMENT— A TYPE OF THE ALL-INCLUSIVE SPIRIT
The holy ointment in Exodus 30:23-25, as a compound of pure olive oil and four kinds of spices, is a full type of the compound Spirit of God.
1. Myrrh: signifies the death of Christ.
2. Cinnamon: signifies the sweetness and effectiveness of Christ’s death.
3. Calamus: signifies the resurrection of Christ.
4. Cassia: signifies the power and effectiveness of Christ’s resurrection.
“But this He said concerning the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were about to receive; for the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:39
This means that before the Lord was glorified, the compound Spirit was not yet in existence. It was after His resurrection that the compound Spirit was completed and entered into the believers to become one spirit with them.
“But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17
V. THE MEANING OF LIVING IN THE SPIRIT
Christ today is the Spirit. As such a Spirit, He comes with all His riches into our regenerated spirit to join Himself to us to be our life and everything. If we realize this, we should live in the spirit.
1. WALKING ACCORDING TO SPIRIT
The basic rule in the life of a Christian is to be led and regulated by the Spirit.
“As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25
Christ as the all-inclusive Spirit is the sphere of our daily living. If we walk in Him, we will enjoy all His riches.
In the New Testament there are many commands, such as “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “Being subject to one another,” “Abstain from fleshly lusts,” and “Let us not become vainglorious.” We must realize that these words are not for us to strive to keep by our own effort. It is only when we speak, walk, and behave according to the Spirit that we can live out all these virtues of Christ.
2. SETTING THE MIND ON THE SPIRIT
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
“Set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth.” Colossians 3:2
The mind represents the person and is the key to our daily walk. Our mind should not be independent from the spirit. Rather, it should obey the Spirit and mind the things of God
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