The Two Aspects of Receiving, Experiencing, and Enjoying the All-inclusive Christ as the All-inclusive Life-giving Spirit: Christ VS Spirit - Integrated Analysis

 

The Two Aspects of Receiving, Experiencing, and Enjoying the All-inclusive Christ as the All-inclusive Life-giving Spirit: Christ VS Spirit - Integrated Analysis

"The last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45b)

"That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:14)

"But I will never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14)

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen" (Gal. 6:18) 

Aspect	Christ	Spirit	Interrelationship	Relevant Scriptures
Meaning	The Son of God, God manifested in the flesh, the Executor of God's redemptive plan	The form of Christ after resurrection, the subjective realization of Christ in the believers' lives	Essential oneness: Christ became the life-giving Spirit after resurrection	"The last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45b)
	Refers to the objective fact of God's Son becoming flesh, dying and resurrecting for our redemption	Refers to the resurrected Christ becoming the life-giving Spirit, dwelling in believers and imparting divine life	Functional complementarity: Christ accomplished redemption, the Spirit applies redemption to believers	"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:14)
	The core content and central figure of God's gospel	The means and channel for believers to receive and experience Christ
Distinction	More objective, the Accomplisher of God's plan and will	More subjective, the indwelling reality in believers' lives	Sequential experience: First knowing and believing in Christ, then receiving the Spirit dwelling within	"It pleased God to reveal his Son in me" (Gal. 1:16)
	Focuses on the historical Christ and His work—death and resurrection	Focuses on Christ active in believers today		"God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6)
	Emphasizes the judicial aspect of redemption	Emphasizes the organic aspect of life	Transformative relationship: Christ being formed in believers through the Spirit	"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you" (Gal. 4:19)
	The object of believers' faith	The power and reality of believers' living
	Focuses on the identity and work of the Son of God as man	Focuses on how Christ becomes the believers' life and experience
Examples	Christ crucified to accomplish redemption, saving us through His death and resurrection	The Holy Spirit dwelling in believers, guiding them into truth	Life cycle:   Christ becoming  the life-giving Spirit → dwelling in believers → Christ being formed →  Christ being expressed	"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20)
	Christ as the Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world	As the indwelling Spirit, enabling believers to partake of the divine life		"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25)
	Christ demonstrating God's love, giving His life for us on the cross	The Holy Spirit pouring God's love into believers' hearts		"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5)
	Paul preaching Christ and Him crucified	Paul living by the indwelling Spirit, not by himself		"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7)
	Abraham blessed through faith, prefiguring our blessing through faith in Christ	Believers receiving the promised Spirit, experiencing divine life		"They which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (Gal. 3:7)
Application	Believers need to know Christ and believe in His redemptive work	Believers need to live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit	Interdependence: Knowing Christ through the Spirit, receiving the Spirit through faith in Christ	"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16)
	Proclaiming the gospel of Christ to unbelievers	Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit in daily life	Common goal: For believers to have Christ's life and image	"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17)
	Contemplating Christ's life, teachings, and example	Exercising the spirit, receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit through prayer	Practical experience: Believers being united with Christ in the Spirit	"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27)
	Putting on Christ, having the mind of Christ	Bearing the fruit of the Spirit, manifesting the work of the Spirit	Complete revelation: Christ is the content, the Spirit is the realization	"For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6:8)
	Being united with Christ, experiencing death and resurrection with Christ	Sowing to the Spirit, fulfilling what the Spirit desires	Ultimate goal: Christ being formed in believers, living out the new creation	"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14) "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen" (Gal. 6:18)

 

Conclusion:

l   The relationship between Christ and the Spirit reveals that while they appear as distinct aspects, they are essentially one in their divine nature. Christ, as the objective person who accomplished redemption, becomes the subjective Spirit who applies this redemption in believers' lives. This unified yet dual nature allows believers to experience the full richness of God's salvation.

l   Their interrelationship demonstrates a divine cycle: Christ accomplishes redemption objectively, becomes the life-giving Spirit after resurrection, dwells in believers through this Spirit, and is ultimately formed in believers' lives as they walk by the Spirit. The practical application shows that experiencing Christ and experiencing the Spirit are not separate paths but one integrated reality in the believer's life.

 

*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim, California, USA training Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (II) Week 20 The Way to Accept, Experience, and Enjoy the All-inclusive Christ as the All-inclusive Life-giving Spirit (who is the epitome of the all-inclusive blessings of God’s full gospel)