In Christ as the Good Land vs In Christ as the Soil

 

In Christ as the Good Land vs In Christ as the Soil

Exo. 3:8 - "A land flowing with milk and honey"

Josh. 14:1 - "The inheritance which the children of Israel received in the land of Canaan"

Col. 1:12 - "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share in the inheritance of the saints in the light"

Col. 2:6-7 - "As therefore you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, having been rooted in Him"

 

Analysis Items	In Christ as the Good Land	In Christ as the Soil
Core Meaning	• Christ is the portion allotted to all saints, as the Israelites received the good land of Canaan as their inheritance (Col. 1:12) • Not material land, but the all-inclusive Christ as the life-giving Spirit • The riches of the good land typify the different aspects of Christ's unsearchable riches • Provides enjoyment and satisfaction; relationship of inheriting the inheritance	• Christ is our living land and rich soil • We have been rooted in Him and can walk in Him • Absorbing Him enables us to grow by the elements absorbed from Him • Provides growth and building; relationship of taking root and growing
Main Features & Elements	Flowing with milk and honey (mixture of animal and plant life): • Milk: redemptive aspect (juridical redemption) - John 1:29 • Honey: productive aspect (organic salvation) - John 12:24 • Becomes a table and feast for our enjoyment (Matt. 26:26-28) • Constituted with milk and honey, able to supply to those in need (S.S. 4:11)	Eight rich elements (Col. 2:8-15): 1. Fullness element: all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (v.9) 2. Authority element: Head of all rule and authority (v.10) 3. Killing element: putting the flesh to death (v.11) 4. Burial element: causing us to be buried (v.12a) 5. Resurrection element: causing us to be resurrected (v.12b) 6. Vivification element: making us alive (v.13) 7. Blotting element: blotting out the handwriting in ordinances (v.14) 8. Victory element: overcoming the evil spirits in the air (v.15)
Old Testament Types	• The rich produce of the land of Canaan (Deut. 8:7-10) • The land flowing with milk and honey (Exo. 3:8) • The Israelites receiving their inheritance (Josh. 14:1) • Rich inheritance and enjoyment	• Nutrients and growth environment in the soil • Taking root in fertile ground • Absorbing nutrition from the land for growth • Foundation environment for life growth
New Testament Application Examples	• The bread and cup at the Lord's table (Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 10:17) • Inheriting the portion of the saints in the light (Col. 1:12) • Enjoying Christ's unsearchable riches (Eph. 3:8) • Enjoyment and supply in meetings	• Believers being built together in Christ (Eph. 2:21-22) • Walking in Christ (Col. 2:6-7) • God's farm, fellow workers planting and watering (1 Cor. 3:6,9) • Building and growth in Christ
Personal Experience Level	• Enjoying Christ's milk and honey • Being satisfied in God's word (Psa. 119:103) • Lips dripping honey, milk and honey under tongue (S.S. 4:11) • Being filled and satisfied with Christ's riches	• Absorbing Christ's rich elements • Growing with the growth of God (Col. 2:19) • Being made full in Christ, lacking nothing (Col. 2:10; Phil. 1:19) • Drawing life supply from the soil
Practical Application Exercises	Enjoying in the light: • God is light (1 John 1:5) • God's word is light (Psa. 119:105,130) • Christ is light (John 8:12; 9:5) • Christ's life is light (John 1:4) • Believers are light (Matt. 5:14) • Church as lampstands (Rev. 1:20) Eating God's word: • God's word is milk for us to drink (1 Pet. 2:2) • God's word is honey for us to eat (Psa. 119:103; Ezek. 3:3) • The Lord's word as life supply (John 6:57,63,68)	Spending time absorbing the Lord: • Need tender, newly grown roots (2 Cor. 4:16) • Forget environment and weakness, focus on absorbing the Lord (Col. 4:2) • Long-term gathering and storing (S.S. 4:16) Experiencing fullness: • Spend time absorbing the all-inclusive land • Elements of Christ's rich soil being absorbed into us • Being made full in Him experientially (Col. 2:10)
Church Life Application	• Enjoying Christ together in meetings • Sharing Christ's riches • Supplying life to one another • Fellowship at the Lord's table	• Being built together in Christ (Eph. 2:21-22) • Becoming God's dwelling place (1 Tim. 3:15) • Building up the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23) • For God's house and God's kingdom
Mutual Relationship	Relationship with soil: • First enjoy the riches of the good land, then take root and grow in the soil • Good land provides content for enjoyment, soil provides environment for growth • From enjoying Christ's riches to taking root and being built in Christ • Both are for experiencing Christ and building Christ's Body	Relationship with good land: • Based on enjoyment of the good land, enter deeper rooting experience • Soil provides growth environment, good land provides rich content • Growth in soil makes enjoyment of good land richer • Both complement each other, neither can be lacking
Life Growth Stages	Beginning stage: • Mainly enjoy Christ as the riches of the good land • Initial taste of the Lord's grace • Being attracted by Christ's love All stages need: • Continue enjoying the Lord's riches • Remembrance at the Lord's table	Growing stage: • Begin experiencing Christ as the various elements of soil • Learn to absorb supply from Christ Mature stage: • Deeply rooted in Christ • Able to supply others, become building material • Function in the Body
Important Scriptures	• Deut. 8:7-10 - Description of the good land's riches • Eph. 3:8 - "The unsearchable riches of Christ" • S.S. 4:11 - "Your lips drip honey; honey and milk are under your tongue" • Matt. 26:26-28 - Institution of the Lord's table • Psa. 119:103 - "How sweet are Your words to my taste! Sweeter than honey to my mouth!"	• Col. 2:8-15 - Complete description of Christ as soil • 1 Cor. 3:6,9 - "I planted, Apollos watered... we are God's fellow workers; you are God's farm" • Eph. 2:21-22 - "Being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit" • Col. 2:19 - "Growing with the growth of God" • Col. 1:19 - "All the fullness was pleased to dwell in Him"
Ultimate Goal	• Enjoy Christ as the all-inclusive portion • Be filled with Christ's riches • Become the expression of God's riches • Inherit the inheritance together with all saints in the light	• Take root and be built in Christ • Grow unto the measure of Christ • Build up the Body of Christ • Become God's dwelling place in spirit
Daily Practice	Morning revival: Enjoy Christ as the riches of the good land Bible reading: Enjoy God's word as milk and honey in the light Meetings: Enjoy Christ at the Lord's table Prayer: Taste the sweetness of the Lord's word	Morning revival: Absorb supply from Christ as soil Bible reading: Absorb Christ's rich elements Meetings: Being built together in Christ Service: Supply others with absorbed elements

 

Core Points

In Christ as the Good Land:

• Christ is our inheritance and portion for enjoyment
• Emphasis on satisfaction and supply through milk and honey
• Reception-focused: receiving what Christ has accomplished
• Fellowship-oriented: sharing riches at the Lord's table

In Christ as the Soil:

• Christ is our environment and source for growth
• Emphasis on development and building through eight elements
• Absorption-focused: drawing from Christ's inexhaustible supply
• Building-oriented: being constructed into God's dwelling

Conclusion:

These two aspects of experiencing Christ are complementary and essential:

• The Good Land provides the content of our Christian experience - the riches to be enjoyed
• The Soil provides the environment of our Christian growth - the elements for building
• Together they enable believers to both enjoy Christ's riches and grow in Christ's life
• The ultimate goal is the building up of Christ's Body as God's eternal dwelling place
• Daily practice should include both enjoying and absorbing Christ for a full Christian experience

 

*Please refer to the 2025 June Semi-annual Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (Part 3), Chapter 3: Enjoying the All-Inclusive Christ as the Good Land—Our Portion