The Marks of Jesus vs. The Grace of Christ

 

The Marks of Jesus vs. The Grace of Christ

Galatians 6:17 — “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 11:23-28 — “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft… If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.”
Philippians 3:10 — “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” 

Aspect	The Marks of Jesus	The Grace of Christ
Meaning	“The marks of Jesus” refer to the scars, sufferings, and persecutions Paul bore for the sake of the Lord (Gal. 6:17). These marks signify that he belonged to Christ and represented Him. They testify of his union with Christ in suffering, death, and resurrection.	“The grace of Christ” is God’s giving of Himself in Christ—God in the Spirit becoming life, strength, and enjoyment to man. Grace enables one to stand firm in weakness, be comforted in suffering, and supported in service (2 Cor. 12:9). Grace is Christ as the Spirit supplying us inwardly.
Symbolism	The marks signify ownership, testimony, and suffering. They show outwardly the believer’s participation in Christ’s suffering.	Grace signifies God’s bestowal, His presence in Christ, and His inward operation as divine life and supply.
Distinction	The marks are outward signs of suffering and testimony; they manifest the believer’s faithfulness and participation in Christ’s cross.	Grace is the inward reality—the life supply that empowers the believer to bear the marks joyfully and victoriously.
Explanation	The marks are the external result of inward spiritual experience, showing union and fellowship with the Lord. They are not for human glory but witness of suffering with Christ (Gal. 6:17).	Grace is the inward source and foundation of all spiritual experience. Without grace, one cannot bear the marks or live in victory amid affliction (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
Example	Paul was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, hungry, cold, and in danger many times (2 Cor. 11:23-28)—these are the manifestations of Christ’s marks upon him.	In all his trials, Paul still had peace and strength, saying, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9). This shows grace operating within him.
Application	Believers should not be ashamed of the marks but consider them a glory. When persecuted or limited for Christ, we share His testimony and fellowship.	Believers should daily receive grace and rely not on self. Grace transforms suffering into life formation and spiritual testimony.
Spiritual Principle of Paul’s Suffering in Grace	1. Suffering comes not by choice but by faithfulness to the Lord (Acts 9:16). 2. Through suffering, Christ’s life is manifested (2 Cor. 4:10-11). 3. Suffering brings the knowledge of resurrection power (Phil. 3:10). 4. Suffering strips away self and allows Christ to live (Gal. 2:20). 5. Grace sustains Paul beyond weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).	Grace does not remove suffering but empowers one to overcome in it. Paul rejoiced even in tribulation (Rom. 5:3-5). Suffering is the field where grace is displayed; grace is the power that transforms suffering into victory.
Complementary Relationship between Marks and Grace	The marks reveal outward suffering and testimony; without grace, they become unbearable burdens.	Grace is the inward strength and support; without the marks, it remains abstract. The marks make grace tangible, and grace makes the marks glorious. They are two sides of one reality—marks express grace, and grace fulfills the marks.
Related  Scriptures	2 Corinthians 12:9-10 — “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me… for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Romans 5:3-5 — “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

 

 Conclusion: 

The marks are the outward witness of suffering—the visible seal of belonging to Christ and sharing His cross.

Grace is the inward supply and power that enables believers to bear those marks and glorify Christ through suffering. Marks and grace are not opposites but complementary: the marks manifest grace; grace perfects the marks.

 

*Please refer to Life-study of Galatians, Chapter 31, The Brand of Jesus and the Grace of Christ

How to Take Christ as the Sin Offering to Deal with the Old Man, the Flesh, Sin, Satan, the World, and the Ruler of This World

 

How to Take Christ as the Sin Offering to Deal with the Old Man, the Flesh, Sin, Satan, the World, and the Ruler of This World

1 John 1:8–9 – “If we say that we do not have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
John 1:29 – “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Rom. 6:6 – “Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin as slaves.” 

Aspect	How to Take Christ as the Sin Offering to Deal with the Old Man, the Flesh, Sin, Satan, the World, and the Ruler of This World
Meaning	To take Christ as the sin offering is not only to confess sins, but to apply His cross to deal with the old man, the flesh, sin, Satan, the world, and the ruler of this world. This enables believers to live in the divine fellowship and in the freedom of the law of the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2–3; John 12:31; Heb. 2:14).
Reason	1. Sin is Satan’s evil nature injected into man, operating as a law (Rom. 5:12; 7:17–23). 2. The flesh is the dwelling and organ of sin (Rom. 7:18). 3. The old man is bound to sin and must be crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6). 4. Satan is the personification of sin and must be destroyed on the cross (Heb. 2:14). 5. The world and its ruler (Satan) are a system in rebellion against God and must be judged (John 12:31; Luke 4:5–8).
Method	1. Fellowship in the light, confessing sins (1 John 1:5–9). 2. By faith, take Christ as the sin and trespass offering (Lev. 4:3; 5:6; Rom. 8:3). 3. Declare the accomplished facts: the old man crucified, sin in the flesh condemned, Satan destroyed, the world judged, and its ruler cast out (Rom. 6:6; 8:3; Heb. 2:14; John 12:31). 4. Live by the law of the Spirit of life, walking in the Spirit, not trusting in self (Rom. 8:2; Phil. 3:3).
Explanation	The sin offering reveals that the cross of Christ has dealt with every negative factor opposing God: the old man, the flesh, sin, Satan, the world, and the ruler of this world. Taking Christ is not merely “confessing sins” but accepting an accomplished fact—Christ’s death has already condemned sin, crucified the old man, abolished Satan, judged the world, and cast out its ruler. When we confess in the light and fellowship with God, we experience this reality and spontaneously live in the law of the Spirit of life, supplying others as priests (Lev. 10:17; 1 John 5:16).
Example	1. Isaiah saw God’s glory and confessed his sin (Isa. 6:5). 2. Peter encountered the Lord and said, “I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). 3. Paul admitted, “to will is present with me, but to work it out is not” (Rom. 7:18), then declared, “Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 7:25). 4. Believers in prayer are enlightened to confess deeply and experience deliverance through the cross.
Application	1. In daily life, when the flesh, sin, world, or Satan’s power operates, immediately apply Christ’s death. 2. In prayer, stay in fellowship so the light exposes sin, then confess it. 3. In service and shepherding, enjoy Christ as the sin offering to bear others’ problems (Lev. 10:17; 1 John 5:16). 4. In church life, apply the cross against ambition and strife from the flesh and ruler of the world, preserving oneness (Gal. 5:24–26).
Related Verses	Rom. 8:2–3 – “For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death. For that which the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Heb. 2:14 – “That through death He might destroy him who has the might of death, that is, the devil.” John 12:31 – “Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the ruler of this world be cast out.” Gal. 5:24–26 – “But they who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.”

 

Key Points:

• Christ’s sin offering is a full dealing with sin, the old man, the flesh, Satan, the world, and its ruler.
• Confession in fellowship allows believers to experience this reality.
• Living in the law of the Spirit of life brings deliverance and makes believers able to supply others.

 

Conclusion:

Taking Christ as the sin offering is not merely confessing sins, but applying His cross as God’s full solution to the old man, the flesh, sin, Satan, the world, and the ruler of this world. By staying in the divine fellowship and in the light, believers experience deliverance and supply others in the Body of Christ.

 

*Please refer to the June 2025 Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part 3), Chapter 11: The Fellowship of Eternal Life – The Reality of Living in the Body of Christ

Sin Is to Live for the Self

 

Sin Is to Live for the Self

Gen. 1:26 “God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”
Isa. 43:7 “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made.”
Rom. 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Num. 18:1 “Jehovah said to Aaron…you and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary…” 

Aspect	Sin Is to Live for the Self
Meaning	Man was created by God to express and represent Him (Gen. 1:26; Isa. 43:7). Yet because of sin, man turned to live “for himself” (Rom. 3:23). Whatever is out of the self and not for God—whether good or evil—is sin in God’s eyes.
Cause	Man departed from God’s purpose, living independently of Him, centering on the self. Whether hating or loving others, if it is out of the flesh and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it is for the self and not for God (Life-study of Leviticus).
Solution	(1) Accept Christ as the sin offering and burnt offering (Rom. 8:28; Rom. 7:18; Psa. 51). (2) Let the Lord use failures to expose our corruption and ugliness, that we may reject self-motives (Luke 22:31–32). (3) Turn wholly to God and live for Him alone.
Explanation	- “Sin as for the self” includes not only evil deeds but also good works, love, and service if done out of self. - The problem is not merely outward behavior but the inward source and motive. - Before God, anything not out of Him and not for Him is sin (Rom. 14:23). - God uses light and circumstances to expose the corruption of self so that man would rely solely on Christ.
Examples	a. Serving for self: Korah’s rebellion (Num. 18:1); Gehazi’s greed (2 Kgs. 5:20–27); workers rejected by the Lord despite miracles (Matt. 7:22–23); exalting self instead of Christ (2 Cor. 4:5). b. Doing righteousness for self: Giving, praying, and fasting to be seen (Matt. 6:1–6). c. Loving for self: Loving others for fame, status, or profit (Luke 14:12–14); raising children for one’s own future (1 Cor. 7:14).
Application	- Examine motives in service, prayer, love, and parenting. - Learn to be one with the Lord in spirit and live only for His glory. - Pray to be delivered from hidden motives of “competing with God.” - Let all actions, love, and ministry be out of God, not self.
Relevant Scriptures (Expanded)	- 2 Kgs. 5:20–27 (Gehazi coveted silver; Naaman’s leprosy clung to him). - Matt. 7:22–23 “…Many will say to Me…did we not prophesy in Your name?…Then I will declare to them: I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.” - 2 Cor. 4:5 “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord…” - Matt. 6:1–6, 16 (on almsgiving, prayer, and fasting not for self-display). - Luke 14:12–14 “…When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.” - 1 Cor. 7:14 (children sanctified in the believing household). - Psa. 51 (David’s repentance). - Luke 22:31–32 (Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail). - Rom. 8:28 “All things work together for good to those who love God…” - Rom. 7:18 “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, nothing good dwells…” - Rom. 14:23 “…Whatever is not of faith is sin.”

 

Conclusion: 

Sin is essentially living for the self. Even good works can become sin if motivated by self. God’s salvation delivers us from self-centeredness, exposing and breaking the self, so that we may live wholly for His glory and represent Him as He intended.

 

*Please refer to the June 2025 Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part 3), Chapter 11: The Fellowship of Eternal Life – The Reality of Living in the Body of Christ

The Spiritual Cycle in Christian Life: Four Crucial Matters

 

The Spiritual Cycle in Christian Life: Four Crucial Matters 

1 John 1:2 – “The life was manifested… we show unto you that eternal life.”

1 John 1:7,9 – “The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin… If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

Aspect	Eternal Life	Fellowship of Eternal Life	Divine Light	Blood of Jesus
Meaning	God’s life, uncreated, endless, received by believers at regeneration  (1 John 5:11-12).	The reality of communion with the Father and the Son in the Spirit (1 John 1:3).	God’s attribute manifested, exposing the true condition of man (1 John 1:5).	Christ’s redeeming blood shed for forgiveness and cleansing (Hebrews 9:14).
Symbol	Source of life; God Himself as life (1 John 1:2).	Family fellowship; the flow of love and life.	God is light with no darkness.	Atonement, covering, cleansing.
Distinction	God’s nature, different from created life.	Not life itself, but the flowing and sharing of life.	Light is the expression of life, exposing man’s condition.	Unlike light, the blood does not expose but solves the problem.
Effect	Brings man into God’s family, into fellowship, living before God.	Enables believers to share corporate divine fellowship.	Illumination reveals the need for the cleansing of the blood.	Cleanses all sins and restores fellowship.
Example	Believers receiving life by faith in Christ (John 3:16).	Fellowship in gatherings, mutual supply in the Spirit (Acts 2:42).	During prayer or worship, believers are enlightened to see hidden sins.	Under the light, believers confess sins and are cleansed (1 John 1:9).
Application	Daily prayer and enjoyment of Christ for supply of life.	Maintain fellowship with God and others in prayer, reading, and meetings.	Do not reject the light; submit and confess sins immediately.	Rely on the blood at all times, free from accusation, restored to joy.
Interrelation	Life is the source, bringing forth fellowship, light, and blood.	Fellowship is the flow of life, leading to light.	Light exposes darkness, pointing to the need of the blood.	The blood maintains fellowship, continuing the cycle of life.
Scriptures	1 John 5:11-12 – “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life.”	1 John 1:3 – “That you also may have fellowship with us; indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”	1 John 1:5,7 – “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all… if we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”	Hebrews 9:14 – “How much more shall the blood of Christ… cleanse your conscience…”

 

Key Points

• The cycle is life → fellowship → light → blood → deeper life.
• This cycle produces spiritual growth until believers reach maturity, “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).
• God not only prepared the blood for cleansing but also Christ as our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1-2).

 

Conclusion:

The Christian life is a continuous spiritual cycle. Eternal life gives fellowship, fellowship brings light, light exposes sin, and the blood cleanses to restore fellowship—leading again to deeper life. This cycle is not for condemnation but for cleansing, growth, and maturity in Christ.

 

*Please refer to the June 2025 Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part 3), Chapter 11: The Fellowship of Eternal Life – The Reality of Living in the Body of Christ