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Scripture Reading: 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 2:20
There are three major steps in God’s salvation for man. Each step comes out of God’s love for man, and none of these wonderful steps has ever come up in man’s heart. The first step of God’s salvation is that God Himself became a man to be joined to man. There are millions of people in the world who have concepts about how to worship God, but no one ever had the thought that God became a man in order to be joined to man and to be one with man.
Without God entering into man and being joined to man, there would be no way for man to contact God and be saved by Him. Without being joined to man and becoming one with man, God could not provide man with a salvation that is subjective and real. God does not save man merely outwardly, nor does He want man’s salvation to be something apart from Him. Rather, God wants to enter into man and to inwardly carry out His work of salvation. God wants man to be joined to Him so that man can receive God as his salvation. Such a salvation involves a divine-human union and human-divine oneness that has never come up in man’s heart; this speaks of God’s incomparable love toward man.
The honorable, holy, and great God became a man to be one with the base, common, and small man. Jesus Christ is the union of God and man. He is not only man but also God; He is not only God but also man; He is God yet man and man yet God. We must realize that Jesus is a proper man, being both the expression of God and the pattern of man. In Him, people can see the God of glory; in Him, people also can see a perfect man. He is truly the union of God and man, man and God. As such a God-man, He was manifested both as the glorious Lord who created the universe and as a perfect man during His thirty-three and a half years on the earth. After this proving of Himself, He went to the cross and suffered death on our behalf.
The second step in God’s salvation involves His death on the cross. God’s becoming flesh is the first step in His salvation, and His crucifixion is the second step of God’s salvation. Everyone who studies history or observes current affairs has to admit that the cross is something special. It is hard to find a symbol among the human race that surpasses the cross. Although the cross is a simple symbol, consisting only of a horizontal line and a vertical line, it has become the most excellent sign in the six thousand years of human culture. However, although people in the world know about the symbol of the cross, very few know its true significance.
Some people regard the cross as a sign of self-sacrifice, whereas others regard the cross as a sign of victory. Some even regard the cross as a good luck symbol that will help them avoid bad luck. No matter how people interpret the significance of the cross, it is a very special symbol among the human race. People all over the earth recognize the sign of the cross. Countless people wear a cross as part of their jewelry, countless preachers speak about the cross every day, and countless Christian publications include depictions of the cross.
The apostle Paul, who endeavored to preach God’s salvation, said, “I did not determine to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). The subject of his preaching was Christ and His cross. He spoke of our glorious Lord and of His crucifixion. The cross is superior, wonderful, and excellent; consequently, we need to consider what makes the cross so excellent. Many say that the cross shows that the Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself for others. Others say that the cross shows that Jesus Christ was willing to be sacrificed for His beliefs. For those who hold these views of the cross, the significance of the cross is related to ethical teachings such as dying for the sake of some virtue or sacrificing oneself for the sake of justice. These human interpretations, however, miss the significance of the cross as revealed by God. According to God, the cross signifies substitution; that is, the Lord Jesus died on the cross as our Substitute, suffering God’s judgment on our behalf.
As the Lord of the universe, God has rules, laws, and principles for everything. When we look at the universe and the things created by God, we can see many rules and laws. These rules and laws come from a God who is both disciplined and perfectly upright. However, man has transgressed against God’s law. For example, God requires man to honor his parents, but man rebels. God requires man to love others, but man hates. God requires man to be honest and not bear false witness to deceive others, but man is filled with hypocrisy and lies. Man’s outward conduct on the earth constantly violates the law of God. When a citizen violates the laws of a nation, there is punishment from the government of the nation. Similarly, when the laws of the Lord of the universe are violated, there is also need for punishment.
God is the sovereign Lord of the universe, and as His creatures, we have the obligation and duty to obey His law. However, our outward conduct is completely contrary to His law. According to His righteousness and law, He must punish us and put us to death because our actions are contrary to His law. However, He also fervently loves us and is determined to gain us. Without us, He is not satisfied. Without us, He has no joy. Without us, He cannot accomplish His eternal purpose. Thus, there is a conflict. According to His righteousness and law, God must punish and condemn us, but according to His heart, He loves us and longs to gain us. Consequently, God’s way of salvation must reconcile His love with His righteousness.
Only God’s way of salvation can solve this problem. His way involves coming as a man to stand in the position of a man to receive God’s punishment as man’s Substitute. Although man violated His ways and deserves to be punished and condemned by God, He stood in the position of a man and bore the sins that man committed. He bore the sins of man and became the Substitute for man on the cross. When He was punished on behalf of man, He expressed His love for those whom He was about to save, and He proved and satisfied His righteousness. If we could write two words on the cross, one would be love, and the other would be righteousness.
If we look at the cross, we will understand how much God loves man, and we will understand the righteousness of God. The Lord Jesus was crucified because God so loved the world and because God is righteous. If God had no love for man, He would not have died for man, and if God was not righteous, He would not have borne the sins of man. Through the Lord Jesus’ death on the cross, God’s love for man was demonstrated, and God’s righteousness was satisfied.
Anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus will be moved to say that His death on the cross was the expression of God’s love. God so loved us that He became a man and gave up His life on the cross, shedding His precious blood for us. When we look at the cross, we should sense His love, but when we consider the cross, we should also think of His righteousness. If God forgave us without the shedding of blood, He would have put Himself in an unrighteous position, a position that would have annulled His ways and His righteousness. In order to keep His ways and preserve His righteousness, He became a man and gave up His life, perfecting His love and His righteousness toward man. The substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus on the cross was not just a matter of virtue or sacrifice to obtain justice; it perfected the love of God and the righteousness of God toward man so that God’s love and righteousness could be fully accomplished on man.
This wonderful death was prophesied and described in the Old Testament, including His crucifixion on the cross and the shedding of His precious blood (Psa. 22; Isa. 53). When He was on the cross, He bore our sins because God put the sins of the world upon Him. As He was dying on the cross, darkness fell over the land for a period of time, and during this time, He felt deeply distressed, even separated from God. He cried out with a loud voice, saying, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46). If Christ was dying only as a martyr for the sake of some virtue or for the sake of justice, God’s presence would surely have been with Him. However, God forsook Him during His crucifixion because He was bearing the sins of man at that time. At that very moment, in God’s eyes the crucified Jesus was the greatest sinner because He was bearing all the sins of man. When He was on the cross, He was bearing the iniquity of the world. God executed judgment upon Him because He was bearing the sins committed by mankind.
The cross is mysterious. First Peter 2:24 says that Christ “Himself bore up our sins in His body on the tree.” When He was crucified on the tree, He bore up our sins. We committed the sins, but He bore the judgment for our sins. We committed the sins, but He suffered the consequence of death. We committed the sins, but He tasted the suffering of sins on our behalf. He was not merely sacrificed on the cross; rather, He stood in the position of our Substitute in order to bear God’s judgment for us. He bore God’s punishment for us, and He suffered the pain of death for us. He suffered death on the cross to satisfy the righteous requirement of God. Without the cross the sins of man would not have been removed before God. Without the cross there would have been no way for God to forgive man despite His desire to do so. Because of the cross God and man can contact each other.
Because of the fall there was a barrier of sin between God and man. Through the cross, however, this barrier has been removed. Although God and man were separated by sin, God can reach out to man, and man can come to God through the cross. Sin created a separation between God and man, but the cross bridged this gap. The cross speaks of the union between God and man, and it issues in fellowship between God and man. Through the cross God is joined to man and communicates with man. The cross has removed the sin that condemned man, and the cross has removed the demand of death upon man. The cross has removed the barrier between God and man, causing man to be reconciled to God, bringing man back to God, and joining man to God. Through the cross man can draw near to God, pray to God, and receive God. Through the cross God can forgive man, accept man, justify man, enter into man, and be joined to man.
God’s salvation does not require that we be virtuous or do good in order to pay for our sins. Instead, as our wonderful Substitute, He became a man in order to bear God’s punishment on our behalf. Hence, the cross speaks of redemption through substitution. Because of the cross, we can communicate with God. We can approach God, and God can draw near to us. This is the second step in God’s wonderful salvation.
God’s salvation comes out of His great love. He was willing to become our Substitute because of His love. He became a man and died on the cross because of His mercy and love toward us. This wonderful salvation is something that could never have come up in our heart. He became a man to be joined to us. He was crucified for us so that we could contact Him. These things never came up in our heart, and they are above all that we could ask or think.
God’s way of salvation did not stop with the step of His crucifixion. His crucifixion was efficacious in its substitution, but it did not manifest His power. Without resurrection death would be the end, and without His resurrection the Lord’s power would not be manifested. However, He died and was resurrected. After being buried for three days, He resurrected and became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b). Now He is the Spirit. He entered into death and came out of death. He not only died but also resurrected.
Some people find it hard to believe that it is possible for a person to be resurrected after death. Many years ago a college student told me that he found it difficult to believe that Jesus Christ had resurrected from the dead. Although the thought of resurrection seemed strange to him, I was able to show him that the principle of resurrection is very common. I pointed to a wheat field where tender green shoots of wheat were growing and said that this crop of wheat started out as grains that were sown into the ground. In the ground the shell of the grain decayed and died, but this death activated the power of life within the seed, which brought forth many grains. If the grain did not die and break, the life within it could not be manifested. If something lifeless is buried in the ground, nothing will grow, because it has no life. However, if a seed is buried in the ground, the life within it will be manifested after a period of time. Jesus Christ is God, and He is the eternal life. Therefore, His death and burial were only an opportunity to manifest Himself as life.
If we put a grain of wheat on a table for people to appreciate, the power of its life will not be manifested. However, if we put it into the ground, it will have an opportunity to manifest its life. Similarly, the life of God in Jesus Christ was given the opportunity to be manifested through His death and resurrection. His death through crucifixion was an opportunity to manifest His life in resurrection. Through resurrection His divine life was released. The Lord even compared Himself to a grain of wheat when He said, “Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).
If Jesus Christ did not go through death and resurrection, He would have abided merely by Himself alone, but through death and resurrection He became the Spirit, and He entered into millions of people. He entered into the disciples, including Peter, John, James, and Paul. When He entered into Peter, He was enlarged in Peter. When He entered into James, He was enlarged in James. Through death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus entered into myriads of people to be enlarged in these ones. Through His resurrection He has spread all over the world. Without death Jesus Christ could not have been resurrected, and without resurrection He would have remained by Himself. However, Jesus was resurrected, and He became the life-giving Spirit to enter into many people. This is the reason that Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Christ not only died for us on the cross, but He also wants to live in us. This is the third step in God’s wonderful salvation. He not only bore our sins on the cross, but He also wants to be life in us. He not only died for us on the cross to save us from God’s judgment upon our sins, but He also is living in us today to deliver us out of the power of sin. This is God’s wonderful salvation.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” The mystery of a Christian, the power of a Christian, the authority of a Christian, and the motivation of a Christian depend on Christ’s living in him. Jesus Christ is living in all those who have called on the name of the Lord. Those who fellowship with the Lord Jesus and approach Him through prayer can testify that Jesus is living in them. The Savior in whom we believe is not a historical figure. He is living in us today, and He is a real person. As believers, we all can testify that our Savior, who was crucified on the cross and died for us two thousand years ago, was resurrected and is now living in us. He is not merely a historical figure; He is living in us as our Savior. This is the power of a Christian and also the life of a Christian.
Many Christians are not clear about Christ’s living in them. They only know that He was crucified for the sins of the world, and then He resurrected and ascended. Although they know that the Lord Jesus is sitting on the throne, they do not know that He is also dwelling and living in them. Many believers do not know that the Lord Jesus, who is in the heavens, also became the life-giving Spirit in resurrection in order to enter into and live in them. We should not think that He occasionally comes down from the heavens to visit us but then goes back to the heavens. Rather, He is dwelling and living in us. We need to know that He is living in us, have a taste of His living in us, and experience the fact of His living in us.
I once met a sister whose husband would not come home until very late at night. She was deeply troubled, and she came to seek my opinion about the situation. After listening, I asked, “Are you saved? Do you belong to the Lord?” She said, “Yes.” Then I asked, “Do you know that the Lord Jesus dwells and lives in you?” Although she believed that Jesus had been crucified for her and also believed in His resurrection and ascension, she had no realization that the Lord Jesus was living in her. I told her that the Lord Jesus’ living in us means that He is moving and doing things in us, even such things as making a phone call, writing a letter, or cleaning a room. Christ is doing such things because He dwells in us and lives in us.
After hearing this, she again asked what she should do about her husband, and again I answered that Jesus was living in her. It might have seemed to her that my answer had nothing to do with her question, but this was in fact the real answer. I could have told her to be patient and tolerant, but these human methods would have been useless. Even though she was very troubled, I told her that Jesus Christ, who was living in her, had the best way; thus, she should go home in peace and bring this matter to the Lord. I told her that since the Lord was living in her, this matter was not her concern only, because she, as His house, was being hurt by her husband’s actions. I told her that the Lord Jesus, as the One dwelling in her, would surely take care of her.
When I said this, she seemed to understand and asked, “Brother Lee, does this mean that I should pray?” I said, “Whether or not you pray is not the key issue. Go home and let the Lord take care of this matter. However, if you pray, pray to the Lord who is dwelling in you.” I pointed out that her previous prayers were to Jesus in the heavens but that she should now discuss and seek advice from the Lord who was living in her. Because Christ lived in her, it was not her business that her husband did not come home until late at night; rather, it was the Lord Jesus’ business. Although she had never prayed in this way, she was willing to try.
When she returned home, her husband was still out, and she began to feel lonely and cast down, but then the thought of having a discussion with Jesus, who was living in her, came to her mind. After having a wonderful discussion, she had a sense that the Lord wanted her to make some tea, prepare some snacks, and joyfully wait for her husband to come home no matter how late he returned. Although she had a sense that the Lord wanted her to listen for her husband’s footsteps, open the door, greet him, relieve him of any burden in his hands, serve him tea and snacks, and keep him company, she felt that she could not do this, because it was difficult for her to submit to him. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit worked in her, and she was reminded that Jesus was living in her. When she again discussed this with the Lord Jesus, she received the same sense to prepare some snacks and wait at the door. In tears she knelt down and said, “Lord Jesus, You are my Savior. I am willing to give You the ground; it is no longer I who live but You who live in me.” Her tears ceased, and she began to smile. She cheerfully made some tea and prepared some snacks. When her husband came home very late, she heard his footsteps and opened the door for him. As soon as she opened the door, she lowered her eyes and took his briefcase from his hands. As his wife was putting out the snacks, her husband thought that he was in a dream, but this caused his heart to turn, and it resulted in a complete change in behavior. This was the work of God’s wonderful salvation.
According to God’s wonderful salvation, He desires to enter into man and to be joined to man. The Lord Jesus accomplished redemption on the cross. He was judged on behalf of man to fulfill God’s righteous requirement and express His love toward man. He was resurrected from the dead to become the life-giving Spirit, and He is now living in His believers so that His divine life can be propagated. A proper Christian fellowships with Christ, prays to Christ, and draws near to Christ. When we draw near to Christ, we will not merely live out some measure of goodness but, rather, Christ Himself. This expression of Christ is actually Christ living Himself out of us. As we love Christ and fellowship with Christ, we no longer live out ourselves; instead, we experience Christ’s living in and out of us.
