The Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — is a mystery, in fact, a mystery of mysteries! Small and finite as we are, we human beings cannot understand this mystery thoroughly; even less can we define it in a full way. Many things relating to the matter of life are not within the comprehension of men; men can only have a general idea of them. For instance, though we have life in our physical body, no one can explain it thoroughly, for life is a mystery. Furthermore, there is a spirit within us — this is even more of a mystery. What is the life of man, and what is the spirit of man? No one can give a full explanation. We are not able to comprehend such a comparatively small mystery as man, to say nothing of the Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. There are many other inexplicable things in the universe — electricity is one example; in certain aspects, we with our limited mind can only understand that they are so, but we cannot perceive why they are so. If we cannot fully understand things such as electricity, how much less can we understand the Triune God!
Although we cannot understand this mystery of the trinity of the Godhead, we can receive and enjoy this mysterious God. We cannot understand, but we can enjoy! In former days men had no knowledge of vitamins, though they greatly enjoyed their benefit. Praise the Lord! The Triune God is not for us to understand but to enjoy. All that He is for us to enjoy is revealed in the Scriptures; we can simply accept Him according to scriptural revelation. Although we cannot fully understand Him, yet we may, according to all that is declared in the Scriptures, accept whatever is said.
For instance, John 1:1 says, “The Word was with God,” and it also says, “The Word was God.” Based upon the statement, “The Word was with God,” the Word and God are two distinct entities. But the further declaration, “The Word was God,” clearly indicates that the Word and God are one. Are They two then, or are They actually one? We cannot clearly explain such a mystery, but we can accept what is said in the Scriptures just as it is.
Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “The Lord is the Spirit,” and it also says, “The Spirit of the Lord.” The Lord is the Spirit tells us that the Lord and the Spirit are one. Thus, in the following verse the Lord is called the Lord Spirit. (The Spirit of the Lord is “the Lord Spirit” in the original text.) The Lord Spirit as a compound name is used to show that the two, the Lord and the Spirit, are one. But the title the Spirit of the Lord clearly indicates that the Lord and the Spirit are two. We really cannot thoroughly understand this kind of statement. But since the Scriptures have said it, we must accept it as such.
The Scriptures in many instances and in many ways tell us that God is uniquely one. Both in the Old Testament and in the New, there are many passages that declare this. We have selected just a few:
First Corinthians 8:4: “There is no God but one.”
Isaiah 45:5: “I am Jehovah and there is no one else; / Besides Me there is no God.” In verses 6, 21-22; 46:9; and 44:6, 8, we also find the same words.
In these passages God repeatedly says, “There is no God besides Me.” He does not say, “There is no God besides Us,” but, “There is no God besides Me.” Me is singular, indicating only one. These repeated declarations of God strongly prove that God is uniquely one.
Psalm 86:10: “You alone are God.” Here it does not say, “Ye alone are God,” but, “You alone are God.” This also proves that God is only one. It is You, not many, as would be signified by Ye.
That God is one is a clear and definite revelation of the Scriptures. But in Christianity, besides this orthodox teaching or interpretation, which is based on the clearly stated revelation of the Scriptures, some say that there are three Gods — the Father is one God, the Son is one God, and the Spirit also is one God, and that these three become one corporate God. Individually speaking, they say, there are three Gods; corporately speaking, there is one.
Others say that there are two Gods — the Father is one, and the Son also is one, but the Spirit is not, because the Father has His person and the Son also has His person, but the Spirit is only a power, a means, just like electricity, and has no person.
Such statements concerning the existence of three Gods or two Gods are contradictory to the fundamental revelation of the Scriptures; therefore, we should not accept them. We must stand absolutely on the scriptural revelation and believe that God is one.
In Isaiah 6:8 God says, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” God speaks of Himself on the one hand as “I” and on the other hand as “Us.” This proves that “I” is “Us” and “Us” is “I”; “I” and “Us” are identical. Then is God singular or plural? If you say that He is plural, He says “I.” If you say that He is singular, He says “Us.” This is rather mysterious and difficult to understand, so we just take the scriptural revelation as it is.
Furthermore, in Genesis 1:26; 3:22; and 11:7, God also speaks of Himself as “Us.” The unique God, in His divine words, has many times spoken of Himself as “Us.” This is really a mystery difficult to comprehend, but we must believe that this is due to the matter of the three persons of the Godhead — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
The Lord says in Matthew 28:19, “Baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Here the Lord speaks clearly of the three persons — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. But when He speaks here of the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, the name is in the singular number in the original text. This means that though the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are three, yet the name is one. It is really mysterious — one name for three persons. This, of course, is what is meant by the expression three-in-one, or triune.
Regarding “the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” as spoken by the Lord here, we may ask, Is this name Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit? It is difficult to answer. All we can say is that the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This name includes the three — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — and tells us that God is three-in-one. Although God is only one, yet there is the matter of the three persons — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
In John 14:23 the Lord says, “If anyone loves Me...My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.” Also, in 17:11 He says, “Holy Father...that they may be one even as We are.” In both of these places the Lord speaks of Himself and the Father as “We.” This must also be due to the matter of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The matter of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is revealed mostly in the Gospel of John. It shows us,
(1) The Father is the source (13:3), the God whom no man has ever seen (1:18; 5:37). All that He has is in the Son (16:15), He is expressed in the Son (14:7-11), and He does His works in the Son (v. 10). He is the One hidden within, and the Son is the One manifested without; yet the One who is manifested without is the One who is hidden within — the two are just one (10:30). Oh, how mysterious!
(2) The Son is the expression (1:18). He is the God who was from the beginning and who was with God (vv. 1-2). He is equal with God (5:18, 23), is one with the Father (10:30), and comes forth from God (13:3; 7:29) to express the Father (14:8-9) and live because of the Father (6:57). In the flesh (1:14), as the Lamb of God (v. 29), He was crucified, shedding His blood for redemption (19:34). After death and resurrection He became the Spirit breathed into the disciples (20:22). He became their life (10:10), and He also became the bread of life for them to eat and enjoy so that they may live because of Him (6:35, 57).
(3) The Spirit is the entering in of the Son into us who believe in the Son to be in us the reality of the Son (14:16-20) and to communicate and impart to us all that He has received from the Son (16:13-15). The Father is in the Son (14:10-11), the Son became the Spirit for us to drink in as the water of life (7:37-39; 4:10, 14), and the Spirit comes into us and abides with us so that we may enjoy the Son (14:17-18). The Spirit in us is the Son in us (vv. 17, 20; 17:23, 26). In this Spirit we are joined to the Triune God as one (vv. 21-23).
Thus, the Gospel of John shows us clearly that the Father is the source of all, the Son is the expression of the Father, and the Spirit is the coming in of the Son. In the heavens, where man cannot see, God is the Father; when He is expressed among men, He is the Son; and when He comes into men, He is the Spirit. The Father was expressed among men in the Son, and the Son became the Spirit to come into men. The Father is in the Son, and the Son became the Spirit — the three are just one God.
This matter of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — the trinity of the Godhead — is one which we cannot use our mind to comprehend. When the Lord was in the flesh, He told the disciples clearly that at that time He could not speak much with them, for they could not bear it; but when the Spirit of reality would come, He would guide them into all the reality (16:12-13). What He meant was that at that time He had not yet become the Spirit, so He could not come into them. He could only be outside of them. He had already told them much, and if He were to tell them more, their mind would not be able to comprehend it. But when He would rise from the dead and become the Spirit to enter into them, He would then be in them and bring them into all the reality to enjoy the Triune God. We cannot therefore simply use our mind to understand the mystery of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The conclusion of mental analysis is certainly that the Father is one, the Son is one, and the Spirit also is one; thus, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are three Gods! This is the reasoned judgment of your mind. But if you check with your own experience, you will declare that the Lord who dwells in you is surely one. According to your mental understanding, there are three Gods, but according to your experience, there is but one. Therefore, do not count on your mental understanding but on your experience. If you follow your mental understanding, you will be puzzled, but by your experience you are clear that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are the three persons of the one God.
The term three persons does not exist in the Scriptures but is added by men in their interpretation. Since they cannot say that the three — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — are three Gods, what else can they say? So the designation three persons is used. Actually, to use the designation three persons to explain the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is also not quite satisfactory, because three persons really means three persons. Therefore, Griffith Thomas (famous for his expositions on the book of Romans) in his book The Principles of Theology, wrote in this way concerning the trinity of the Godhead: “The term ‘Person’ is also sometimes objected to. Like all human language, it is liable to be accused of inadequacy and even positive error. It certainly must not be pressed too far, or it will lead to Tritheism...While, therefore, we are compelled to use terms like ‘substance’ and ‘Person,’ we are not to think of them as identical with what we understand as human substance or personality...The truth and experience of the Trinity is not dependent upon theological terminology.” Therefore, concerning the three persons, we can only say this much. We should not “press too far,” or it will lead to tritheism.
The matter of the trinity of the Godhead — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — was already revealed in the Old Testament:
(1) The first sentence in the Old Testament states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). In the original language the subject God is plural in number, whereas the verb is singular in number. This contains the meaning that God is three-in-one.
(2) In Genesis 1:26 not only is the word God used in plural number in the original language, but God speaks of Himself as “Us.” Subsequently, the Old Testament speaks several times in this manner, as we have pointed out previously. This explicitly declares that the persons of God are plural. But here, in Genesis 1:26, the word used for the “image” of God in the original language is singular. Although God is “Us,” plural, the “image” of “Us” is singular, one. Therefore, this also contains the meaning of God being three-in-one.
(3) In Exodus 3:6 the Lord said to Moses, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” This passage reveals that God as the God of the patriarchs is threefold. With the God of Abraham the emphasis is on the Father, with the God of Isaac the emphasis is on the Son, and with the God of Jacob the emphasis is on the Spirit (see The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by Watchman Nee). Therefore, the name for Himself which God revealed here also contains the meaning of three-in-one. Although He is one God, yet there is the matter of threefoldness, that is, the threefold person — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
(4) In Numbers 6:24-26 the Lord commanded the priests in the Old Testament to bestow a threefold blessing upon the children of Israel. This undoubtedly is because He, the God who bestows the blessing, is one in three persons. In the first place, to “bless you and keep you” is evidently the work of God the Father; in the second place, to “shine upon you and be gracious to you” is manifestly the work of God the Son; and in the third place, to “lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace” is undoubtedly the work of God the Spirit. Therefore, this means that the Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — may bless, be gracious, and give peace to His chosen people.
(5) Not only does the Old Testament say that the priests on earth bestow a threefold blessing on the people of God in His name, but it also says in Isaiah 6:3 that the seraphim in the heavens give a threefold praise to God, saying, “Holy, holy, holy.” The reason they praise God by repeating the word holy three times is, without any doubt, because the God whom they praise is one-in-three. Then following this, verse 8 says that the God whom they praise speaks of Himself as “Us,” plural, which means that He is a threefold person.
(6) The Old Testament mentions several times that the Angel of Jehovah in human form (who, in the New Testament age, is the Christ who became flesh and took the form of a man) is Jehovah Himself (Exo. 3:2-6; Judg. 6:11-24; 13:15-24; Zech. 1:11-12; 2:8-11). It seems that the Angel of Jehovah and Jehovah are two, but actually They are one. This must also be due to the fact of the three persons of the Godhead, just as in the New Testament Christ and God are two yet also one.
(7) In Psalm 110:1 David says, “Jehovah declares to my Lord, / Sit at My right hand / Until I make Your enemies / Your footstool.” Jehovah here, of course, is God, and the One whom David calls “my Lord” is the Lord Jesus, as He Himself indicated in Matthew 22:42-45. So Psalm 110 speaks of God and the Lord Jesus. God speaks of Himself here as “My,” and of the Lord Jesus as “Your.” The Lord Jesus is God, but here it says that God speaks to Him, and that between God and Him there is the difference of “My” and “Your.” He and God are one, yet They are two. This must also be something of the three persons of the Godhead.
(8) The Old Testament even reveals the three names — Father, Son, and Spirit. Second Samuel 7:14 speaks of the Father and the Son. Isaiah 9:6 speaks of the Son and the Father. Psalm 2:7 speaks of the Son. Ezekiel 36:27; 37:14; 39:29; and Joel 2:28-29 speak of the Spirit. According to the above passages, we also see that (1) the Father is the source, because the Son proceeds out of the Father; (2) the Son is the manifestation, because the Son is given to us and comes to us; and (3) the Spirit is the One who enters into us, because the Spirit is put within us for us to possess and enjoy. This exactly corresponds with the points revealed subsequently in the New Testament.
Even so, what is revealed in the Old Testament concerning the Trinity — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — is still not sufficiently clear for our understanding. It is not until we come to the end of the first book of the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew, that the Lord speaks clearly of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and speaks of the three together, using the singular name for them. This disclosure was only made after the Lord’s death and resurrection, because the Son had accomplished all that the Father had planned, and the Holy Spirit was about to come to apply all that the Son had accomplished upon man. Then it was possible to baptize people into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, that is, to baptize them into the Triune God. This God is the God who plans, the God who accomplishes, and the God who applies; He is the God who is three-in-one and one-in-three — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
Andrew Murray, in The Spirit of Christ, chapter 20, confirms and strengthens what we have said here. He says, “In the Father we have the unseen God, the Author of all. In the Son God revealed, made manifest, and brought nigh, He is the Form of God. In the Spirit of God we have the Indwelling God — the Power of God dwelling in human body and working in it what the Father and the Son have for us...what the Father has purposed, and the Son has procured, can be appropriated and take effect in the members of Christ who are still here in the flesh, only through the continual intervention and active operation of the Holy Spirit.”
In eternity without a beginning, God the Father planned according to His desire; in time God the Son accomplishes it. He first accomplished creation. After creation, when man fell, He became a man to redeem fallen men. On the negative side, He died to redeem men; on the positive side, He rose from the dead and released the life to produce many sons for God the Father, thus accomplishing the plan of God the Father. After His death and resurrection He became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45) and as such comes into our spirit, bringing the Triune God wholly into us, not only to unite with us but to mingle with us as one. It is at this point that this God is so mysterious, yet so complete and full. Today when we preach the gospel, we are telling people that man needs such a God; man needs Him as his Savior, life, and all. When men believe, we baptize them into this Triune God. So there is the matter of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
Besides Matthew 28:19 and the Gospel of John, the following places in the New Testament also reveal to us the trinity of the Godhead either implicitly or explicitly:
(1) Matthew 6:9-10: Here the Lord teaches the believers to pray by expressing a threefold desire. This is without a doubt due to the fact that the God to whom the Lord wants the believers to pray is one-in-three. The name for which prayer is made in the first place is related to God the Father, the kingdom for which prayer is made in the second place is related to the Son, and the will for which prayer is made in the third place is related to the Holy Spirit. This can be easily realized according to the teachings elsewhere in the Scriptures.
(2) First Corinthians 12:4-6: Here we read that the Spirit of gifts, the Lord of ministries, and the God of operations — all three — are related to God’s inspiration upon us.
(3) Second Corinthians 13:14: Here we read that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit — all three — are with us at the same time.
(4) First Peter 1:2: Here we read that the choosing of God the Father, the sanctification of the Spirit, and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ — all three — have caused us to obtain salvation.
Each of the three passages above, whether it is concerned with the inspiration of God upon us, the apostle’s blessing for us, or the salvation which we obtain, mention God, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit together. This proves not only that all three are God but also that the three are one. They are three-in-one.
(5) Revelation 1:4-5: Here we read, (1) “From Him who is and who was and who is coming”; (2) “From the seven Spirits who are before His throne”; and (3) “From Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth.” This clearly reveals that God is three-in-one.
(6) Revelation 4:8: Here we read that the four living creatures in the heavens give threefold praise to God, saying, “Holy, holy, holy.” In the Old Testament the priests on earth blessed the people with a threefold blessing, and the seraphim in the heavens praised God by uttering “holy” three times; likewise, in the New Testament the believers on earth pray by expressing a threefold desire, and the four living creatures in the heavens praise by saying “holy” three times. This evidently is because the God to whom they pray and whom they praise is one-in-three.
(1) The Father is God. First Peter 1:2 says, “God the Father.” Ephesians 1:17 says, “God...the Father of glory.” These verses tell us that the Father is God.
(2) The Son is God. Hebrews 1:8 says, “Of the Son...O God.” John 1:1 says, “The Word was God.” These verses tell us clearly that the Son is God.
(3) The Spirit is God. Acts 5:3-4 says, “Why has Satan filled your heart to deceive the Holy Spirit...You have not lied to men but to God.” This word definitely tells us that the Spirit is also God.
Therefore, the Scriptures clearly reveal to us that all three — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — are God. This does not mean, however, that They are three Gods. We have already seen how the Scriptures tell us clearly and definitely that God is only one. Although there are three — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — the three are not three Gods but one. This is really a mystery! It is unsearchable! But praise the Lord, we can simply receive and enjoy this mysterious One according to what the Scriptures have said!
Isaiah 9:6 says, “A child is born to us, / A Son is given to us; / ...And His name will be called /...Mighty God, / Eternal Father.” In this verse Mighty God matches child, and Eternal Father matches Son. Yes, He is a child, yet He is the mighty God. The child who was born in the manger in Bethlehem is the mighty God. Since the child and the mighty God are one, so also the Son and the eternal Father are one. The Son is the eternal Father. It is indeed difficult to fully explain this matter, yet this is the word of the Scriptures. “A Son is given...and His name will be called...Eternal Father.” Does this not plainly say that the Son is the Father? If the Son is not the Father, how could the Son be called the Father? If we acknowledge that the child of whom this verse speaks is the mighty God, then we must also acknowledge that the Son of whom this verse speaks is also the eternal Father; otherwise, we are not believing the clearly stated revelation of the Scriptures. However, we deeply believe that according to the words here, the Lord Jesus who became the child is the mighty God, and the Lord Jesus who is the Son is also the eternal Father. Our Lord is the Son, and He is also the Father. Hallelujah!
John 14:7-11 says, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and henceforth you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been so long a time with you, and you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how is it that you say, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak from Myself, but the Father who abides in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; but if not, believe because of the works themselves.” In these verses the Lord clearly reveals to us the mystery that He and the Father are one; He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him; when He speaks, it is the Father who works; when men see Him, they see the Father; when they know Him, they know the Father, because He is the Father; He “and the Father are one” (10:30).
Second Corinthians 3:17 says, “The Lord is the Spirit.” The Lord spoken of here, of course, is the Lord Jesus, and the Spirit, of course, is the Holy Spirit. Does this not clearly and definitely tell us that the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit? Our Lord is the Holy Spirit. He is the Father, and He is also the Spirit. He is everything!
Many brothers and sisters have Darby’s New Translation of the Bible. Darby was considered the one with the greatest knowledge of the Bible in the previous century. Some called him the king of expositors. In his New Translation he puts the verses preceding 2 Corinthians 3:17, from verses 7 through 16, in parentheses, indicating that verse 17 immediately follows verse 6. The last part of verse 6 says, “The Spirit gives life.” Therefore, according to Darby’s realization, verse 17, “The Lord is the Spirit,” indicates that the Lord is that Spirit who gives life, as mentioned in verse 6, and this Spirit who gives life, of course, is the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this proves that Darby acknowledged that the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit.
Besides Darby, according to our knowledge, there were the following persons who, in their writings, based on 2 Corinthians 3:17, also acknowledged that the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit:
(1) In his book The Spirit of Christ, chapter 25, Andrew Murray says, “It was when our Lord Jesus was exalted into the life of the Spirit that He became ‘the Lord the Spirit’... The disciples knew Jesus long, without knowing Him as the Lord the Spirit...There may in the ministry be much earnest gospel preaching of the Lord Jesus as the Crucified One, without the preaching of Him as the Lord the Spirit...It is as the knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ as the Lord the Spirit, and of the Spirit of Christ as changing believers into His likeness, lives in the Church, that the ministry among believers will be in Life and Power, — in very deed, a Ministry of the Spirit.”
(2) Henry Alford (an authority on the meaning of Greek words in the New Testament) in The New Testament for English Readers, vol. 2, page 265, says, “‘The Lord’ as here (2 Cor. 3:17) spoken of, ‘Christ,’ ‘is the Spirit,’ is identical with the Holy Spirit...Christ, here, is the Spirit of Christ.”
(3) Marvin R. Vincent in his Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 3, page 308, says, “The Lord Christ of verse 16 is the Spirit who pervades and animates the new covenant.”
(4) J. Oswald Sanders in his Spiritual Maturity (published by Moody Press), page 144, says, “William Barclay comments: Paul seems to identify the Risen Lord and the Holy Spirit. We must remember that Paul was not writing theology; he was setting down experience. And it is the experience of the Christian life that the work of the Spirit and the work of the Risen Lord are one and the same. The strength, the light, the guidance we receive come alike from the Spirit and from the Risen Lord. It does not matter how we express it so long as we experience it.”
We are not the only ones who have seen from the revelation in 2 Corinthians 3 that the Lord is the Spirit; a number of spiritual men have seen it as well. Christ, the risen Lord today, is the life-giving Spirit. That is why the apostle Paul called Him the “Lord Spirit” (v. 18). He is not only the Lord but also the Lord Spirit.
Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 15:45 states, “The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.” The last Adam, of course, is the incarnated Lord Jesus, and the life-giving Spirit, of course, is the Holy Spirit. There can never be another life-giving Spirit besides the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this verse also tells us clearly that the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit. The Lord was made flesh and became the last Adam, and later, after death and resurrection, became the life-giving Spirit. The words spoken by the Lord in John 14:16-20 also confirm this point. Here the Lord tells us that He will pass through death and resurrection to become another Comforter, that is, the Spirit of reality, who will come to abide with us and dwell in us. In verse 17 the Lord says that the Spirit of reality “abides with you and shall be in you.” Then in verse 18 He says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” Over thirty years ago in Shanghai, when Brother Watchman Nee was explaining this passage to us, he pointed out emphatically that “He” (the Holy Spirit) in verse 17 is the “I” (the Lord) in verse 18. The Lord said in effect, “When He comes, I come. He is I; I am He.” The Holy Spirit is the Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit. Also, in verse 17 the Lord says, “The Spirit of reality...shall be in you,” and then in verse 20 He says, “I in you.” This also proves that the Holy Spirit who is in us is the Lord who died and rose and now lives in us.
In addition, Romans 8:9-10 shows that the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ, and the Spirit of Christ is simply Christ Himself. Thus, the Spirit of life mentioned in Romans 8:2 is the Christ who is in our spirit to become our experience.
Therefore, the Bible clearly reveals to us that the Son is the Father, and the Son is also the Spirit. Otherwise, how could these three be one God? Five years ago I raised this question with one who would not agree that the Son is the Father and also the Spirit. He answered that the Father is one God, the Son is one God, and the Spirit is also one God; and these three are united together to become a corporate God. Immediately, I advised him never to speak in such a way. This is really heresy. He replied, “Do not the Psalms use the term gods?” I answered, “The ‘gods’ in Psalm 82:1 refer to the angels.” If anyone has the concept that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are three Gods, how could he then, based on scriptural revelation, acknowledge that the Son is the Father, and the Son is also the Spirit? But we must wholly accept and acknowledge the revelation in the Scriptures. Brother Watchman Nee in Hymns, #490, stanza 5, says, “Thou, Lord, the Father once wast called, / But now the Holy Spirit art.” Thus, in his hymn he called the Lord not only the Holy Spirit but also the Father. This, of course, is based on 2 Corinthians 3:17 and Isaiah 9:6.
It is easy to read the Bible, but it is not easy to understand it. Actually, the Bible is not principally for man to understand but for man to receive and enjoy. The Lord Jesus said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). The words that proceed out through the mouth of God are the words of the Bible, and they are just like food. Food is not for man to understand but for man to receive, eat, and enjoy. Therefore, when we read the Bible, we should not exercise our mind overmuch to analyze or understand it, but simply take it according to what it says — that is sufficient. If you use your mind to analyze and comprehend the Bible, it is unavoidable that you will understand it wrongly, thus misinterpreting the words of the Lord. For example, we read in Revelation of the seven Spirits of God (1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6). Seven Spirits means, in the original text, “seven Spirits.” Since this is so, let me ask you, Are there seven Spirits of God? If you say that God has seven Spirits, that is a great heresy. If, on the other hand, you say that the Spirit of God is not seven Spirits, you are disagreeing with what is clearly recorded in the Scriptures, for Revelation distinctly says “the seven Spirits of God.” Is the Spirit of God, then, seven or one? There is no need to exercise the mind overmuch, seeking an explanation. If God says that there is one Spirit, then there is one Spirit; if God says that there are seven Spirits, then there are seven Spirits.
Likewise, with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, the three are one. It is exactly similar to the seven Spirits being one — it is something which we cannot reason out or explain. For two thousand years many have attempted to resolve it with their mind, but none have succeeded. Concerning such a mysterious matter, if only we would cease our reasoning, all would be well. If we insist on analyzing it, one will say “seven,” another will say “one,” and we will begin to contend with one another. For two thousand years many of the contentions in the church have been due largely to the different opinions rendered by men in connection with biblical doctrines.
In the Old Testament the structure of the lampstand was quite unique: below was one lampstand; above were seven lamps (Exo. 25:31-37). It was one lampstand, yet it had seven lamps; there were seven lamps, yet it was one lampstand. The same picture is presented in Zechariah 4:2. Therefore, it is correct to say that there is one lampstand, and there is nothing wrong with saying that there are seven lamps. So also is the Spirit of God. Without question, He is one Spirit; but He is also called “the seven Spirits,” that is, the sevenfold intensified Spirit.
In the same principle, while our unique God has three persons — Father, Son, and Spirit — we should never consider Them as three Gods. Although They are three, yet They are one God; although one God, yet there are the three persons — Father, Son, and Spirit. This is the unique God whom we serve and worship. This also is the only Lord whom we believe and adore. Hallelujah!
Some may ask the following question: In John 17 the Lord Jesus was praying to the Father — if you say that the Son is the Father, then how could the Son pray to the Father? This is not difficult to explain. The first part of the passage in Exodus 3:2-12 says clearly that it was the Angel of Jehovah who appeared to Moses, but later it says that He was Jehovah. Most Bible expositors say that the Angel of Jehovah refers to Christ, the second person of the Triune God. This is right. But in verse 6 He says that He is “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” We have previously pointed out that in relation to the God of Abraham, the main emphasis is that He is the Father; with the God of Isaac, the main emphasis is that He is the Son; and with the God of Jacob, the main emphasis is that He is the Spirit. So He is not only the second person of the Triune God; He is also the whole God. He is the first person, the Father; He is the second person, the Son; and He is also the third person, the Spirit. This Angel of Jehovah is the very Triune God. The Triune God is the One who sent the Angel, and He is also the Angel who was sent. Jehovah who sent is the Angel who was sent; the Sender and the Sent are one. Judges 6:11-24 and 13:15-24 also reveal that the Angel of Jehovah (who, of course, also refers to Christ) is Jehovah Himself. Zechariah 12:8b proves that the Angel of Jehovah is Jehovah God. This means that Jehovah God sent Himself to be His Angel. If we understand this principle, there will be no more question as to how the Son could pray to the Father when the Son is the Father. The praying One and the One who listens to the praying, the Son who prays and the Father who listens, are one.
Furthermore, Zechariah 2:8-11 also verifies this point. “Thus says Jehovah of hosts, After the glory He has sent Me...I am now waving My hand over them...and you will know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Me...Now I am coming, and I will dwell in your midst, declares Jehovah. And many nations will join themselves to Jehovah in that day and will become My people; and I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Me to you.” This passage is spoken by Jehovah of hosts (v. 8), but in this passage Jehovah of hosts says, “Jehovah of hosts has sent Me” (vv. 9, 11). This means that Jehovah of hosts sent Jehovah of hosts. That is why verse 8 says, “Thus says Jehovah of hosts...He has sent Me.” Actually, who sent whom? Who is “He”? And who is “Me”? No matter how we read it, we are not clear. Even the translators of the Chinese version could not arrive at a decision. That is why in one place it is rendered as“he,” with a note that says “I.” In another place it is rendered as “I,” with a note that says “or, he.” Because “he” is “I,” and “I” is “he,” Jehovah of hosts is “he,” and Jehovah of hosts is also “I.” Jehovah of hosts is both the Sender and the sent One. Since Jehovah of hosts is both the Sender and the sent One, why could it not be that the Lord is the Son who prays and also the Father who listens to the praying? The Father who listens to the praying is the Son who prays, and the Son who prays is also the Father who listens to the prayer. Andrew Murray has said that the best prayer is one which is prayed by the Christ who dwells within us to the Christ who sits on the throne in heaven. The One who prays and the One who listens to the prayer are the one Christ.
It is difficult to explain this matter adequately in doctrine, but in our experience it is really so. In the first stage of my Christian life, whenever I prayed, according to the general concept, I prayed to the Lord in heaven. But after some time, it seemed that the Lord who is in heaven had come into me and dwelled in me. I did not know at that time whether He was in heaven listening to me or indwelling me and praying within me. Of course, it could be said that it was the Holy Spirit in me who was helping me to pray (Rom. 8:26). But actually this Holy Spirit who is in me helping me to pray is also the Lord who is in heaven. Therefore, the One who prays within me is the One who listens to me in heaven. The two are identical.
Romans 8, on the one hand, says that the Lord is in heaven today (v. 34). But on the other hand, it also says that He is in us (v. 10). This is not only true today concerning the Lord who has already become the Spirit; even while He was in the flesh, it was also true. At that time He told Nicodemus that He was the One who “descended out of heaven” and “who is in heaven” (John 3:13). So when He prayed in John 17, He was on earth, and at the same time He was in heaven; He was the One who prayed on earth, and at the same time He was also the One who listened to the prayer in heaven.
The electricity in the lights in the meeting hall is, on one hand, in the meeting hall; on the other hand, it is also in the generator; it is in both places. These are not two different electricities but one. At the end in the power plant, electricity is generated, while at the end in the meeting hall, it illuminates. Thank the Lord, He also has two ends: at the end in heaven, He is the Father, and at the end on the earth, He is the Son; at the end in heaven, He is the One who listens to the prayer, and at the end on earth, He is the One who prays. He is both the One who prays on earth and the One who listens in heaven.
Furthermore, Hebrews 1:8-9 says, “Of the Son...O God... Your God...” First it says, “Of the Son...O God.” This means that the Son is God. But later it says “Your God.” This is rather difficult to explain. Since the Son is called “O God,” why does it also say, “Your God”? According to our mental understanding, this simply means “God’s God.” Based upon this concept, it is no wonder that not long ago I received a book saying that this passage speaks of two Gods. Actually, it is not speaking here of two Gods, but of one God from different aspects. From the aspect of the Son being God, He is God; therefore, it says, “O God.” From the aspect of the Son being man, God is His God; therefore, it says, “Your God.” We must see the various aspects of our Lord. On one hand, He is God, and on the other hand, He is also man. As God, He is God; as man, God is His God. On one hand, He is the One who prays, and on the other hand, He is also the One who listens to the prayer. He is both.
The Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — has the aspect of being three-in-one and also the aspect of being one-in-three. As the three-in-one, He is “I”; as the one-in-three, He is “Us.” From the aspect of the three-in-one, “the Word was God”; from the aspect of the one-in-three, “the Word was with God” (John 1:1). From the aspect of the three-in-one, “the Lord is the Spirit”; from the aspect of the one-in-three, it is “the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:17). From the aspect of the three-in-one, the Son and the Father are one (John 10:30; 14:7-11); from the aspect of the one-in-three, the Son is with the Father (1:1-2), the Son shares the glory with the Father (17:5), the Son is the beloved of the Father (v. 24), the Son has become one with the Father (vv. 11, 21-22), and the Son takes the same action with the Father (14:23).
Second Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Here three things are mentioned: grace, love, and fellowship. Grace is mentioned first because the emphasis of 2 Corinthians is on the grace of God. Second Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Verse 12 of chapter 1 says, “In the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world.” This book speaks of the grace of the Lord; therefore, when it reaches the end, it mentions the grace of the Lord first, then the love of God, and last the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. This sets forth the reason why God is three-in-one: it is thus that He can dispense Himself into us, work Himself into us for us to enjoy, and be our all. The love of God, that is, the love of the Father, is the source. The grace of Christ, that is, the grace of the Son, is the flowing out of the love of the Father. And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is the flowing into us of the grace of the Son, together with the love of the Father, for us to enjoy. This can be proved by our experience. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit within us is the transmitting of the grace of the Son into us. And the grace of the Son within us is simply the practical tasting and enjoying of the love of the Father. The love of the Father is the source, the grace of the Son is the manifestation, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is the transmission, transmitting the grace of the Son with the love of the Father into us. The result is that all three persons — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — become our enjoyment. You have the fellowship of the Holy Spirit within you, and the more you live in this fellowship, the more you will have of the grace of Christ; then, the more you have of the grace of Christ, the more you will enjoy the love of God. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit brings the grace of Christ, and in the grace of Christ there is the love of God. Therefore, the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are not three different things but three stages of one thing for us to possess and enjoy. Likewise, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are not three Gods but three stages of one God for us to possess and enjoy. For example, ice becomes water, and water becomes vapor — one substance assumes three forms. When it reaches the vapor stage, it is available for us to breathe in. Thus, all that the Father has is in the Son, and all that the Son has is received by the Holy Spirit, who brings Him into us for us to enjoy (John 16:14-15).
(1) The Father is in us. Ephesians 4:6 says, “One God and Father of all, who is...in all.”
(2) The Son is in us. Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you.” Also, in John 14:20 the Lord says, “I in you.”
(3) The Spirit is also in us. John 14:17 says, “The Spirit of reality...shall be in you.”
Therefore, the Bible clearly states that the Father is in us, the Son is in us, and the Spirit also is in us. Our experience tells us that these are not three in us but just one. The Father is in the Son to be in us, and the Son who is in us is the Spirit. The Spirit in us is the Son in us, and the Father is in the Son to be in us. Therefore, as long as we have the Spirit, we have the Son and the Father too. First John 2:23 says, “Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who confesses the Son has the Father also.” Romans 8:9-10 further reveals that the Spirit of Christ in us is Christ Himself in us. Therefore, when man has the Spirit, he also has the Son; and when man has the Son, he also has the Father. The Father is in the Son, and the Son is the Spirit who comes into us for us to have and enjoy as the Triune God. In word there are three, but in experience there is only one. It is really a mystery!
Today’s Christians have a traditional way of saying that “Christ is in the Holy Spirit.” But the Scriptures do not have such a form of expression. There is not one verse in the Scriptures which says that Christ is in the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures say that the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11, 20), but the Bible never says that the Son is in the Spirit. This is because the Father is manifested in the Son, and the Son who comes into us is the Spirit. It is not that the Son who is in the Spirit comes into us, but it is that the Son who comes into us is the Spirit. Therefore, “Christ is in the Holy Spirit” is a traditional saying, while “Christ is the Spirit” is the scriptural expression. The Bible says, “The Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17). Unfortunately, there are people today who insist on the traditional saying and condemn the scriptural saying as not in accordance with the truth and therefore wrong. May the Lord grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may discern what is of man’s tradition and what is from divine revelation.
The Triune God is wholly a matter of the Spirit. First, in essence, He is Spirit. John 4:24 says, “God is Spirit.” (In Greek there is no article before the word Spirit.) This refers to the essence of God. For example, the essence of a wooden table is wood; thus, we can say that the table is wood. God is Spirit; God’s essence is Spirit. Second, in His economy, God is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit (Matt. 28:19). God has His economy, and in His economy the Father is the One who plans, the Son is the One who accomplishes, and the Spirit is the One who applies it all. The economy of God eventually is in the Spirit. Third, in His redemption, the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45). The Lord came to be the last Adam, accomplished redemption, and was resurrected to be the life-giving Spirit. Today the Lord whom we enjoy is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:17), and the Spirit is the very Triune God. His essence is Spirit, His economy eventually is in the Spirit, and His redemption also leads to the Spirit. Consequently, the Lord whom we have, enjoy, and experience today is the Spirit. The God who planned in eternity, who in time came to create, who became a man, died on the cross, accomplished redemption, resurrected and ascended, and descended to visit us — this God is the Spirit. There is too much to say about this Spirit. This Spirit is too rich! In this Spirit there is God, and in this Spirit there is also man. In this Spirit there is the effective killing power of the cross, and in this Spirit there is also the resurrection, the life of resurrection, and the power of resurrection. In this Spirit there is ascension and transcendency, and in this Spirit there is also glory and enthronement, kingship and the kingdom. Hallelujah, this Spirit is all-inclusive!
This Spirit is the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2), just as the breath breathed into us (John 20:22), to be our life. This Spirit is also the Spirit of power (Acts 1:8), just as the wind blown upon us (2:2, 4), to be our power. This Spirit is the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45; 2 Cor. 3:6), the Spirit of the bountiful supply (Phil. 1:19), the Spirit who sets man free (2 Cor. 3:17), the sanctifying Spirit (1 Pet. 1:2), the transforming Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18), the leading and interceding Spirit (Rom. 8:14, 26), and the Spirit of many other functions. This Spirit regenerates us (John 3:5-6), anoints us, seals us (2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30), and now is in us to be the pledge of God as our eternal portion (1:14; 2 Cor. 5:5). This Spirit is also the firstfruits, that is, the foretaste of the freedom of the glory into which God is going to bring us (Rom. 8:23). We have all been baptized into this Spirit, and now we have been given to drink of this Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13).
This all-inclusive and almighty Spirit has come into our spirit (2 Tim. 4:22) and joined with our spirit as one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). Therefore, we must turn to our spirit. Today if we would experience the Lord and enjoy Him as everything to us, we must turn to our spirit.
However, it is not sufficient just to learn to turn to our spirit. In our daily living we must walk according to the spirit. It is rather difficult to say whether this spirit is the Holy Spirit or our spirit, for it is the mingled spirit of these two spirits. We must not walk according to our emotions, according to our mind, or according to our will, but just according to this spirit. All our speech, conduct, daily living, activity, and work must be done according to this spirit (Rom. 8:4-6; Gal. 5:16, 25). If we set our mind on the spirit and walk according to the spirit in such a way, we will be those who live in the spirit, those who constantly have the Lord Spirit’s indwelling, and those who walk with the Lord Spirit. The Lord Spirit will become our living and our all, and we will enjoy all the riches of the Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. We will live in the Body which has been baptized in and filled with the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:4), that is, the church, to become the dwelling place of God in spirit (2:22), filled unto all the fullness of God, that God may be glorified therein (3:19, 21).
