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We will now study the nineteenth lesson concerning life, which is also the last experience of life — being full of the stature of Christ. We will deal with this subject in a rather simple manner because many of the related aspects have already been discussed in the previous chapters, leaving very little to be said at this point. Furthermore, we have only experienced this lesson very little; therefore, we do not have much to say.
When we speak about being full of the stature of Christ, we mean that our life in Christ has attained to the realm of full maturity. If we have really experienced all the lessons of life mentioned previously, then the life of Christ can be fully wrought into us. At this time we will be full of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
The growth of the stature of Christ within us can be divided into five steps. First, Christ enters into us to become our life. Second, Christ living within us through the Holy Spirit gradually grows in us. Third, Christ is formed in us. Fourth, Christ is manifested through us. As Christ grows and is formed in us and manifested more and more, one day every part of our being will be filled with His elements; then we will attain to the fifth step — Christ becoming matured in us, or we being full of the stature of the fullness of Christ. At this time our experience of life in Christ has reached its climax.
Every saved Christian has the experience of the first step — Christ entering into them to become their life. If anyone has not experienced this first step, he is not saved; neither can he speak of the experiences of life that follow. Concerning the second step — Christ living and growing within us — every seeking Christian is in the process of this experience. As to the third step — Christ being formed in us — many have not attained to this stage. When we come to the fourth step of Christ being manifested through us, even fewer have experienced it. Finally, as to the fifth step — Christ being matured in us and we being matured in His life and full of His stature — people with this experience can rarely be found in all the churches on earth today. Therefore, in this lesson of being full of the stature of Christ, there is not much that we can say. We simply list a few main points and discuss them briefly.
Concerning being full of the stature of Christ, we must first realize that none can attain to this stage individually. This experience is attainable only in the Body. It is entirely an experience that is gained in the Body.
A Christian who has experienced the brokenness of the flesh and the natural constitution will automatically see the Body of Christ. From this time forth, he deeply realizes from his experience that apart from the Body of Christ he cannot live — he can neither live in the Lord nor touch His presence. If he is detached from the Body of Christ, he cannot even be a Christian. Therefore, from the time he sees the Body of Christ until he becomes mature in the life of the Lord, his spiritual life is in the Body and so also is his whole spiritual experience. Hence, his being full of the stature of the fullness of Christ is also an experience in the Body.
Not only is it impossible for anyone to experience being full of the stature of the fullness of Christ outside of the Body, but, practically speaking, even in the Body, none can be full of the stature of Christ individually. To be full of the stature of Christ is a Body matter. Therefore, only the Body can be full of the stature of Christ.
Being full of the stature of the fullness of Christ is mentioned only once in the Bible — in Ephesians 4:13. In this passage the writer is not referring to individual saints, but rather pointing out the fact that one day the Body of Christ, which is the church, will attain to such a stage. In Ephesians 3:18 we read that to apprehend the breadth, the length, the height, and the depth of Christ, we need a togetherness with all saints. From these two Scripture references we see that the stature of the fullness of Christ and the unsearchable dimensions of Christ cannot be experienced by ourselves individually but by being in the Body and joined together with all the saints.
Therefore, simply speaking, the maturity of the Christian life takes place in the Body. We should never expect that we can attain to the maturity of life individually. In fact, when one sees the Body, he can no more be individual.
Concerning the content, being full of the stature of Christ means that we are full of the life and nature of Christ. When a person’s experience of life reaches its climax, the life and nature of Christ have permeated all the various parts of his being. The different parts of his spirit as well as the mind, will, and emotion of his soul are filled with the life and nature of Christ. Even his physical body at times is supported by this strength from the spirit. (Christians today cannot as yet be full of the element of Christ in their body; this can only be attained when we are raptured and transfigured.) At this time his life comes to maturity.
There are many among us who have believed in the Lord for years, but to this day there is but little of the element of Christ in them. Their thoughts are filled largely with themselves. Though there is little filthiness or corruption in their thoughts, there is also little of Christ. This also means that in their thoughts there is very little of the stature of Christ. With regard to their will, though it may not rebel against God, oppose Him, or seem to be wrong in any way, the element within it is largely of themselves and very little of Christ. With regard to their emotion, their mood, desire, and inclination may be blameless, but they are still not filled with the element of Christ. This proves that the stature of Christ within them has not reached full measure and that they have made very little progress in spiritual growth.
How can we gradually be filled with the life and nature of Christ? We know that man has three parts: spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is the center, the body is the outer circumference, and between these two is the soul. When we are regenerated, Christ as the Spirit enters into our spirit. From this time, He lives and grows within us. First, He fills us in our spirit; then He spreads outward from our spirit to the mind, emotion, and will in our soul. He uses the cross to deal with our self and our natural constitution, that is, to deal especially with our soul-life, which is in our mind, emotion, and will. The more our mind, emotion, and will are dealt with and broken by the cross, the more Christ as the life-giving Spirit can enter into these parts. At a certain point all the elements of our mind, emotion, and will are Christ; then the stature of Christ is fully grown in us.
At this time all the considerations, concepts, ideas, and viewpoints of our mind; all the pleasure, anger, sorrow, joy, delight, and inclination of our emotion; and all the judgment, decision, intention, and choice of our will are filled with the element of Christ. Our mind is like the mind of Christ, our delight is His delight, and our intention is His intention. In other words, when we think, it is Christ who thinks; when we delight, it is He who delights; and when we intend, it is He who intends. At this time every part of our inward being has been dealt with by the cross, and there is no place for self or the natural constitution; all the ground has been given over to Christ. We can say that our whole being is filled with Christ’s life and nature.
This is like pouring grape juice into a glass of water, with the water representing us, and the grape juice typifying the life and nature of Christ. One who is newly saved can be compared to a glass of water with a little grape juice added, the greater part being water. There are Christians who seem at times to have, and at other times not to have, a little grape juice in the bottom, causing others to doubt their salvation. With others, one can be certain that they contain the grape juice, though very little. Formerly, it was purely water; now there is the element of grape juice within it. When there is more growth in life, it is as if the grape juice increases, and the color thus becomes deepened. Before, when loving others, the love of such a person was solely of himself; now in his love for others there is undoubtedly an element of Christ added. Before, he looked at things in a certain way with a certain concept; now it is different; there is the element of Christ added. Likewise, his emotion and will have the element of Christ added into them. Whatever he loves or delights in, whatever he considers and decides upon, may still be mixed with impure elements, but to some extent the element of Christ has been increased, and the color of Christ deepened. This means that Christ has grown within him.
With regard to Christ being formed in us, we may use as an illustration grape juice whose color is deep enough to be easily recognized. Before Christ is formed in us, we may be likened to grape juice that is very lightly colored, making it difficult to be identified. However, when Christ is formed in us, men can definitely see the grape juice inside. Proceeding a little further, the water in the glass will no longer be seen; it will be swallowed up and overshadowed by the grape juice. This means figuratively that the life and nature of Christ have increased in us to such a degree that Christ has become all in us, overshadowing and swallowing up all our own elements. What is manifested is completely the element and color of Christ. This we call the maturity of life, or being full of the stature of Christ.
When a person arrives at the full stature of Christ, he is in the same position as Christ, not only in objective fact but also in experience. Christ is seated in the heavens, and so also is he; Christ is on the throne, and so is he. At this time he is not easily shaken; neither can he fall easily.
Before a man’s spiritual life attains to maturity, he is not stable. A month ago he may have been greatly uplifted and zealous for the Lord; the next month he may be exceedingly depressed and weak to the point of even being unwilling to come to the meetings. Some brothers and sisters, when they are well received and lifted up, become overjoyed and beside themselves; but when they are opposed and troubled, they become depressed and downcast. These ups and downs prove that their life is still immature. However, when man’s life has attained maturity and is seated with Christ on the throne in the heavens, he does not rise and fall or waver easily. When you welcome him, he is a certain kind of person; when you oppose him, he remains the same. If you lift him up, he is on the throne; if you trouble him, he is still on the throne. When the prophet Elijah heard that Jezebel desired to kill him, he became exceedingly fearful; he fled and sat under a broom shrub, requesting that he might die (1 Kings 19). This is because he had descended from Mount Carmel. Likewise, when one descends from the heavenly position, he is easily confused and frightened. Nevertheless, one who has attained to maturity of life lives in the spirit, in the life of Christ; he shares His position and is not easily disturbed or excited. Just as Christ is stable and sure in the heavens, so also is he. One whose life has attained unto maturity is one who is stable and steady.
As Christ Himself is unshakable in the heavens, so are those who are full of the stature of Christ and who share the same position as Christ. He changes not because of place or time; no matter what kind of environment he encounters, he remains seated in the heavens, unchanged. He shares the same position as Christ. This is the condition of one who is full of the stature of Christ.
Another condition of one who is full of the stature of Christ is that he reigns with Christ. One must attain to the position of reigning with Christ in order that his life might become mature. If we desire to learn whether or not we are mature in life, we should ascertain whether or not we can reign in the spiritual life. We cannot ask a six-year-old child to rule; even if we crown him king and give him reign, with everything subject to his control, he will run off to play ball. If the life is insufficient, there is no possibility of reigning. When one’s life attains to maturity, he reigns automatically. Consider the woman in the Song of Songs. It was not until her inner life became bright as the dawn, beautiful as the moon, and clear as the sun, that she manifested her majesty and was as terrible as an army with banners (6:10). If one has not attained to this transcendent and heavenly state and yet claims himself to be experienced and standing in a high position, he is only displaying his own glory and power; it is an ugly display and certainly not reigning. Therefore, reigning is not only a matter of position but also of life. In order to reign, one needs the position and much more, the life.
This is true not only of the spiritual life but also of the physical life. A statement made by a child is of very little significance. The same statement, in the same situation, at the same time, when spoken by an adult, has some measure of weight, and when spoken by an elderly person of seventy or eighty years of age, is more weighty. The weight of the word is measured according to age. When a certain age is attained, the word has depth. In like manner, authority is based on life. When life matures, it can reign. Therefore, the experience of reigning depends on the maturity in life.
In Numbers 17, in order to prove that Aaron was invested with His authority, God caused his rod to bud, blossom, and bear almonds. This budding, blossoming, and fruit-bearing is the story of life. The rod represents authority. Among the twelve rods, only one budded and bore fruit. This proves that only those whose life matures can reign.
When our life attains unto maturity and fullness, we will be raptured and transfigured. At that time we will be seated with Christ on the throne and reign with Him. All that we are will be full of the stature of the fullness of Christ, and all that we do will be to reign with Christ. The same principle applies today to the maturity of life. When our life attains to the full stature of Christ, then we are able to reign with Christ.
Another issue of one who is full of the stature of Christ is that of dealing, together with Christ, with the enemy. To deal with the enemy is to fight the warfare. However, we should not use the term warfare here, because it does not convey the meaning of full maturity in life. When we are really full of the stature of Christ and our life has attained unto full maturity, our spiritual warfare is over. Then we are seated far above all in a victorious position and need only to deal with the enemy.
It was in the same process that the Lord Jesus fought the battle. From the time of His temptation at the beginning of His ministry, He continually fought with Satan. But when He ascended to the throne, He ceased fighting. Nevertheless, He continues to deal with the enemy, until eventually he will be subdued beneath His feet and become His footstool (Heb. 1:13). When we attain to the stage of dealing, together with Christ, with the enemy, it is proof that our life has attained to its highest peak.
For a victorious one, there is no need to fight. All he needs to do is to be situated in a certain place; then all the robbers and prowlers will disappear completely, daring no more to act foolishly or do evil. His awe-inspiring reputation has been gained through much warfare in the past. This example explains the principle of Christ in dealing with the enemy. If neither Christ nor His name were in this universe today, imagine how much more violent Satan would be! It is simply because Christ is dealing with the enemy today that wherever the name of Christ is lifted up, the enemy flees, and the power of darkness vanishes.
Sometimes we see the same condition in the church or in the work. As long as there are one or more who have a deeper life, trouble can hardly arise in the church or in the work. Once those persons leave, however, many problems arise. This is because they are in authority dealing, together with Christ, with the enemy. Their presence there subdues the enemy. It is as if there were no need for dealing, but in reality their presence is the dealing. Therefore, dealing with the enemy is superior to fighting the warfare.
When the life of a Christian reaches this stage, every part of his being comes to maturity. He is waiting to be raptured to enter into glory with Christ. The Bible uses the reaping of the harvest to illustrate the rapture of the saints. When the harvest is ripe, it is ready to be reaped. Therefore, we should not view the matter of rapture merely as prophecy. Rapture is a matter of life. As the life of the church or the life of the saints grows and matures continuously in Christ, at a certain stage it becomes fully ripened and, in the sight of the Lord, is ready to be reaped from the field of the world into the barn of heaven. This occurs at the time of the Lord’s return, the time of the rapture of the church (Rev. 14). When we are raptured, we will be brought by the Lord into His glory to enjoy the glory with Him. Thus, the purpose of God’s salvation is fulfilled.
Therefore, when the life experience of a Christian attains to the full stature of Christ, it has reached the climax. He shares the same position with Christ, and he reigns and deals with the enemy together with Christ. His whole being is filled with the element of Christ. Aside from the fact that the body has not yet been transfigured into the body of glory, all else has reached its highest or final point. The life experience of a saint in Christ thus comes to a conclusion. Other than waiting to be raptured and entering into glory, there is nothing else left to be desired.
