BASIC WORD: TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE TO DO ALL THINGS IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST

TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BEING TO DO ALL THINGS IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST, IN THE FACE OF CHRIST

To live the Christian life is to do all things in the person of Christ, in the face of Christ (2 Cor. 2:10 ; 4:6-7). This section is very deep and wonderful. We need to exercise our spirit, turn our heart to the Lord, and focus on these wonderful points.

The Greek Word for Person Being Literally “Face,” as in 4:6;Its Referring to the Part Around the Eyes,the Look as the Index of the Inward Thoughts and Feelings,Which Shows Forth and Manifests the Whole Person

The Greek word for person is literally “face,” as in 4:6 ; it refers to the part around the eyes, the look as the index of the inward thoughts and feelings, which shows forth and manifests the whole person. A married brother knows that the look his wife gives him can indicate whether or not she is happy with him. The look is the index of the inward thoughts and feelings, which shows forth and manifests the whole person.

The Apostle Paul, Who Was a Pattern for the Believers,Being One Who Lived and Acted in the Presence of Christ,according to the Index of His Whole Person,Expressed in His Eyes

The apostle Paul, who was a pattern for the believers (1 Tim. 1:16), was one who lived and acted in the presence of Christ, according to the index of His whole person, expressed in His eyes. When Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:10 that he forgave a brother in the person of Christ, it is as if he is saying, “I forgave this person in the face of Christ, in the Lord’s look, in the part around His eyes, which conveys His inner feelings.” We know when we have someone’s eyes. Sometimes my granddaughter will say, “Look at me, Grandpa.” She knows that when I look at her, this indicates that she has my person. If I am not looking at her, she does not have my attention. When we look at the Lord in our spirit, when we look at the index of His whole person expressed in His eyes, He infuses us with His love, His sentiments, His feelings, and His inner thoughts.

Whenever Our Heart Turns to the Lord,the Veil Being Taken Away from Our Heart,and Our Being Able to Behold the Lord of Glory with an Unveiled Face;Actually, Our Turned-away Heart Being the Veil;an Unveiled Face Being an Unveiled Heart to Behold the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ

Whenever our heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away from our heart, and we can behold the Lord of glory with an unveiled face; actually, our turned-away heart is the veil; an unveiled face is an unveiled heart to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (3:16 , 18 ; 4:6-7 ; 1 Sam. 16:7 ; Eph. 1:18a). Second Corinthians 3:16 says, “Whenever their heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” Verse 18 goes on to say, “We all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.” Let us stay in the process of being transformed from one degree of glory to another degree of glory.

The Lord is in our spirit, so His face, the part around the eyes, His presence, is in our spirit. An unveiled face is an unveiled heart. When we turn our heart to the Lord, our face is unveiled, and we behold the Lord face to face. First Peter 3:4 says that our spirit is the hidden man of our heart. In The Economy of God there is a marvelous diagram showing how our heart surrounds our spirit (The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1964,vol. 3, p. 198). When we turn our heart to the Lord in our spirit, which is the index of His eyes, His presence, His face, the veil is taken away from our heart, and we behold the Lord face to face. This means that in the Lord’s eyes, our face is our psychological heart. Ephesians 1:18 speaks of the eyes of our heart. Our physical eyes are on our face. The eyes of our heart are our real inner face. This is why the Lord said to Samuel, when he went to David’s house, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). In the Lord’s eyes our countenance is our heart. An unveiled face is an unveiled heart to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. When we turn our heart to the Lord, we are beholding Him face to face, and the eyes of our heart are beholding the index of His eyes in our spirit. How wonderful that we can behold the Lord eye to eye and face to face!

The Glory of God Being in the Face of Christ, and His Face,His Person, Being the Indwelling Treasure in Our Spirit

The glory of God is in the face of Christ, and His face, His person, is the indwelling treasure in our spirit (2 Cor. 4:6-7 ; 1 Pet. 3:4). Second Corinthians 4:6b speaks of “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The next verse then says that “we have this treasure in earthen vessels.” Therefore, this treasure in verse 7 refers to the face of Jesus Christ in verse 6 . This treasure in us as God’s earthen vessels is the face of Jesus Christ. This treasure is not a doctrinal or a historical Christ but the face of Jesus Christ.

Our Being Earthen Vessels Who Are Worthless and Fragile,but within Our Spirit Our Containing a Priceless Treasure,the Face, the Person, of Christ Himself;in the Whole Universe There Being Nothing So Precious as to Behold the Face of Jesus

We are earthen vessels who are worthless and fragile, but within our spirit we contain a priceless treasure, the face, the person, of Christ Himself (2:10 ; 4:6); in the whole universe there is nothing so precious as to behold the face of Jesus (Gen. 32:30 ; Exo. 25:30 ; 33:11 , 14 ; Psa. 27:4 , 8 ; Rev. 22:4). His face, His person, is a priceless treasure to us! In our spirit we contain a priceless treasure—the face, the person, of Christ Himself. In the entire universe there is nothing so precious as to behold the face of Jesus. I hope that right now our hearts are turned to the Lord and that we are beholding the face of Jesus. Surely, we cannot be sad if we are beholding the face of Jesus. The face of Jesus is His presence, and His presence is His smile. When we behold the face of Jesus, we are looking at Him face to face; we are looking at the index of His eyes in our spirit. Inwardly, we can pray, “Lord, I turn my heart to You right now.” Whenever our heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away, and we behold Him face to face and are being transformed from one degree of glory to another degree of glory.