THE INTRINSIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE "GRAFTED LIFE"

THE INTRINSIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

Grafted Life

Christ Being “Cut” on the Cross So That We Could Be Grafted into Him

Christ’s Becoming the Branch of David Not Meaning by Itself That He Could Be Grafted Together with Us

Christ was “cut” on the cross so that we could be grafted into Him. Christ’s becoming the branch of David does not by itself mean that He could be grafted together with us. In other words, Christ entering into humanity by itself does not bring us into the grafting; what is needed is the cutting.

Grafting Requiring Cutting;Two Branches Not Being Grafted Together Unless Both Are Cut

Christ Being Cut When He Died on the Cross

Grafting requires cutting; two branches cannot be grafted together unless both are cut. Christ was cut when He died on the cross. May we see the Lord’s death on the cross in a new way. His death was not only for our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reconciliation but also for ushering us into the organic salvation. His death is the steppingstone for our organic salvation. His being cut on the cross enabled Him to be joined with us.

Our Being Cut When We Repented and Received the Lord

We were cut when we repented and received the Lord. In our experience of opening to the Lord and praying, “Lord, I would like to receive You; I open to You,” there was a cutting. The prodigal son in Luke 15 had [58] lived his life in a reckless way and had been involved in all kinds of sinful behavior. However, he came to himself and realized that he needed to return to his father (vv. 17-18). This was a turning and a kind of cutting. To repent means to have a change of mind. We turn ourselves; we have a change in our realization and our consideration, and this eventually produces a change in our way of life. The grafting begins with cutting. The Lord was cut when He died on the cross, and we were cut when we repented and received Him.

After the Cutting Occurs,the Joining and the Organic Union Taking Place;Therefore, in GraftingOur Having the Cutting, the Joining,and the Organic Union

After the cutting occurs, the joining and the organic union take place; therefore, in grafting we have the cutting, the joining, and the organic union. What a vivid and remarkable depiction of our salvation! What goes on in the grafting process is a depiction of a most remarkable spiritual reality. We have been cut through our repenting, Christ has been cut through His death on the cross, and we were then joined to Him. Even more, we began to enjoy an organic union with Christ.

After Christ Was Cut on the Cross,His Being Resurrected to Become the Life-giving Spirit

By Becoming Such a Spirit, Christ Being Ready for Grafting

After Christ was cut on the cross, He was resurrected to become the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:17a). By becoming such a Spirit, Christ was ready for grafting. This describes the process that our Lord has gone through so that grafting could take place. He entered into humanity, lived a human living, passed through death and resurrection, and now as the Spirit He can actually enter into us, and we can enter into Him.

Once We Repent and Receive the Lord,He as the Life-giving Spirit Entering into Our Spirit,Bringing the Divine Life into Us,and Our Being Grafted Together with Christ

Once we repent and receive the Lord, He as the life-giving Spirit enters into our spirit, bringing the divine life into us, and we are grafted together with Christ (John 20:22; Rom. 8:11). The Lord went through this process. I very much appreciate that Brother Lee fought for the matter of Christ becoming the life-giving Spirit. If Christ did not become the life-giving Spirit, we would have nothing. However, if we have Christ as the life-giving Spirit, we have the grafted life, the organic union, and the reality of being able to live the Christian life. We are joined to Him. On His side He went through this process. What love motivated Him to pass through such a process so that Christ could be joined to us! He brought the divine life into us, and as a result, we are grafted together with Him.

As the Life-giving Spirit, Christ Bringing the Key to Death and Resurrection into Us, the Believers, That We May Die and Be Raised with Christ

As the life-giving Spirit, Christ brings the key to death and resurrection into us, the believers, that we may die and be raised with Christ (Gal. 2:20). This is the reality of Galatians 2:20, in which Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” This is the old “I” apart from Christ; this is the wild olive tree. Christ lives in us, yet we are still here, but we have been joined to Christ in the process of grafting.

In This Death and ResurrectionOur Being Grafted Together with Christ

In this death and resurrection, we are grafted together with Christ. The old man, the old “I,” has been crucified, but there is a new “I.” We are still here, but we are living in a different way because of this organic union.