Message Ten

The Divine Spirit Mingled with Our Human Spirit—
the Secret of God’s Organic Salvation and
the Key to the Entire Christian Life

Scripture Reading: Rom. 5:10, 17; 6:4; 7:6; 8:2, 4, 16

Rom. 5:10 For if we, being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more we will be saved in His life, having been reconciled.

Rom. 5:17 For if, by the offense of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Rom. 6:4 We have been buried therefore with Him through baptism into His death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we might walk in newness of life.

Rom. 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter.

Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.

Rom. 8:4 That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit.

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.

I. The divine Spirit of life dwelling in our human spirit, with these two mingled together as one spirit, is the secret of God’s organic salvation and the key to the entire Christian life for the reality of the Body of Christ in the church life to consummate the New Jerusalem—Rom. 8:2, 4, 16; 1 Cor. 6:17:

Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.

Rom. 8:4 That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit.

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.

1 Cor. 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

A. The divine Spirit of life is the Spirit of God processed and consummated to be the life-giving, compounded, and indwelling Spirit, who indwells the believers as the reality of the pneumatic, pneumatized Christ, as the consummation of the processed and consummated Triune God, and as the reality of the divine resurrection; it is through such a Spirit of life that the eternal, only wise God, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden through the ages, dispenses Himself in His processed and consummated Trinity into the believers to be their dynamic salvation as their life and everything—Rom. 16:25.

Rom. 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel, that is, the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which has been kept in silence in the times of the ages

B. The human spirit of the believers is the believers’ spirit regenerated and indwelt by the divine Spirit of life and mingled with the divine Spirit of life as one spirit; it is through such a human spirit that the people chosen by God participate in the dynamic salvation of God as their living in this age and their destiny in eternity.

C. Hence, “the Spirit…with our spirit” in verse 16 of Romans 8 (the key chapter of the book of Romans concerning the Spirit of life and the spirit of the believers) is the most crucial secret in the whole book of Romans for God to execute His dynamic salvation and for the believers to participate in it.

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.

D. We all have to know these two spirits in the divine enlightenment that we may enter, by the Spirit of life in our regenerated spirit which is mingled with the Spirit of life, into the intrinsic essence of the dynamic salvation of God in Christ, which is the Triune God processed and consummated to be our eternal inheritance for our enjoyment.

II. We are being saved in life by Christ as the life-giving Spirit—5:10:

Rom. 5:10 For if we, being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more we will be saved in His life, having been reconciled,

A. Having been reconciled to God, we are being saved in Christ’s life, we reign as kings in this life, we walk in newness of life, and we serve in newness of spirit—v. 17; 6:4; 7:6.

Rom. 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter.

B. The Spirit of life is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Christ is Christ Himself, Christ is in us, Christ Himself is life, and our spirit is life—8:9-11; John 14:6; Col. 3:4:

Rom. 8:9-11 But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Yet if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way and the reality and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.

Col. 3:4 When Christ our life is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.

1. “Christ...in you” is the crucial point of the book of Romans 8:10.

Rom. 8:10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.

2. In chapter 3 of Romans Christ is on the cross, shedding His blood for our redemption; in chapter 4 He is in resurrection; in chapter 6 we are in Him; now in chapter 8 He is the Spirit in us.

C. “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery bringing you into fear again, but you have received a spirit of sonship in which we cry, Abba, Father!”—vv. 14-15:

Rom. 8:14-15 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery bringing you into fear again, but you have received a spirit of sonship in which we cry, Abba, Father!

1. The spirit of sonship is our regenerated human spirit, mingled with the Spirit of the Son of God.

2. Sonship is the reality of being a son; thus, the spirit of sonship is the spirit of the reality of being a son—v. 16.

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.

D. Romans 8:23 says that we have received “the firstfruits of the Spirit,” the foretaste of our full enjoyment of God; verse 26 says that the Spirit helps us by interceding; and verse 29 reveals that the Spirit conforms us to the image of the Son of God.

Rom. 8:23 And not only so, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan in ourselves, eagerly awaiting sonship, the redemption of our body.

Rom. 8:26 Moreover, in like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Rom. 8:29 Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers;

E. All the above items are included in the one phrase saved in His life; to be saved in His life is to be saved in Christ Himself as the life-giving Spirit—5:10; 1 Cor. 15:45b.

Rom. 5:10 For if we, being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more we will be saved in His life, having been reconciled,

1 Cor. 15:45b the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.

III. Romans reveals that the Spirit of life is doing a fourfold work within us:

A. The Spirit of life is the liberating Spirit:

1. When we walk in the Spirit of life, we are freed from the law of sin and of death—Rom. 8:2.

Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.

2. It is not knowledge that liberates us but the Spirit of life Himself; therefore, we need to pray ourselves into the liberating Spirit to live, move, and have our being in this Spirit, who is mingled with our spirit—v. 4.

Rom. 8:4 That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit.

B. The Spirit of life is the delivering Spirit:

1. Because we are bound, we need liberation, but because we are fallen, we need deliverance.

2. If we are in the Spirit of life, we will have a deep conviction that we need deliverance from our attitude, motives, thinking, loving, hating, decisions, temper, disposition, and many other items—5:10.

Rom. 5:10 For if we, being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more we will be saved in His life, having been reconciled,

C. The Spirit of life is the sanctifying Spirit:

1. To be sanctified is to be saturated through transformation with all that God is—6:19, 22; 12:2.

Rom. 6:19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness unto lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness unto sanctification.

Rom. 6:22 But now, having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end, eternal life.

Rom. 12:2 And do not be fashioned according to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and well pleasing and perfect.

2. Sanctification equals transformation in Romans 12:2, which says, “Be transformed by the renewing of the mind.”

D. The Spirit of life is the glorifying Spirit:

1. Eventually, the Spirit of life will glorify us for the full corporate expression of the Triune God in our entire tripartite being—8:30.

Rom. 8:30 And those whom He predestinated, these He also called; and those whom He called, these He also justified; and those whom He justified, these He also glorified.

2. He is leading many sons into glory by His divine sanctification to make us His glorious church—Heb. 2:10-12; Eph. 5:26-27.

Heb. 2:10-12 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in leading many sons into glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of One, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brothers, Saying, “I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the church I will sing hymns of praise to You.”

Eph. 5:26-27 That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, That He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.

IV. Romans reveals that the Spirit of the Son of God for our sonship is carrying out a fivefold work within us:

A. The Spirit of the Son of God is the witnessing Spirit, witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God—Rom. 8:16.

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.

B. The Spirit of the Son of God is the leading Spirit; if we live under this leading, we will walk and behave in a way that proves we are God’s sons—v. 14.

Rom. 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

C. The Spirit of the Son of God is the interceding Spirit; there is Someone within us who is always praying for us and for others—vv. 26-27.

Rom. 8:26-27 Moreover, in like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. But He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to God.

D. The Spirit of the Son of God is the conforming Spirit, doing a work to conform us to the image of Christ as the firstborn Son of God—v. 29.

Rom. 8:29 Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers;

E. The Spirit of the Son of God is the building Spirit:

1. All the sons of God are the members of Christ, and all these members are built up and coordinated together by the Spirit—12:4-5; Eph. 4:3-4.

Rom. 12:4-5 For just as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, So we who are many are one Body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Eph. 4:3-4 Being diligent to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace: One Body and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling;

2. The mutual membership and organic relatedness in the Body for the proper church life is the ultimate work of the Spirit of life and the Spirit of the Son of God for our sonship.

V. The key point of the entire Christian life is that Christ as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit lives in our spirit, and as the Spirit He mingles Himself with our spirit to make these two spirits one—1 Cor. 15:45b; Rom. 8:16; 1 Cor. 6:17:

1 Cor. 15:45b the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.

1 Cor. 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

A. In our mingled spirit there is no problem, so there is no need of solutions; whatever we need is in our spirit—Phil. 1:19; 4:23.

Phil. 1:19 For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Phil. 4:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

B. We need to forget about our weaknesses, our shortcomings, our failures, and everything of the self and set our mind on the spirit, that is, remain in the spirit by always paying attention to our spirit, using our spirit, and caring for our spirit—Rom. 8:6.

Rom. 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.

C. We need to be burning in spirit by praying in order to spend more and more time in the presence of the Lord; when we are genuinely burning in spirit, we are beside ourselves and are fools because of Christ—Matt. 6:6; 2 Cor. 5:13; 1 Cor. 4:10.

Matt. 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your private room, and shut your door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

2 Cor. 5:13 For whether we were beside ourselves, it was to God; or whether we are sober-minded, it is for you.

1 Cor. 4:10 We are fools because of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are glorious, but we are dishonored.

D. Even though our surroundings and circumstances may be miserable, we ourselves must be joyful in spirit, living in the reality of the kingdom of God—Rom. 14:17; cf. Dan. 3:19-20, 25; Acts 16:23-25; Eph. 4:1.

Rom. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Dan. 3:19-20 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury and the countenance of his face was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He responded and commanded that the furnace be made seven times hotter than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and throw them into the blazing furnace of fire.

Dan. 3:25 He answered and said, Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not harmed. And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.

Acts 16:23-25 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely, Who, having received such a charge, threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. And about midnight Paul and Silas, while praying, sang hymns of praise to God; and the prisoners were listening to them.

Eph. 4:1 I beseech you therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,

E. When we are burning and joyful in spirit, we enjoy God, reign as kings in life, walk in newness of life, and serve in newness of spirit—Rom. 5:10-11, 17; 6:4; 7:6.

Rom. 5:10-11 For if we, being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more we will be saved in His life, having been reconciled, And not only so, but also boasting in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Rom. 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter.

F.When we turn to our spirit, remain in our spirit, and walk and live according to our spirit, we are the real sons of God and the living members of Christ, who are organically related to one another and built up together as a living Body to express Christ as a reality in the church life to consummate the New Jerusalem.