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To be in the reality of the Body of Christ is to live in the mingled spirit—Rom. 8:4; 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 6:17; 12:12-13, 27; Eph. 2:22; 4:16, 23:
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God's unique purpose is to mingle Himself with us so that He becomes our life, our nature, and our content, and we become His expression—John 14:20; 15:4-5; Eph. 3:16-21; 4:4-6:
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In His economy God mingles Himself with us to become one entity with us—1 Cor. 6:17.
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We may be saved to the extent that we and God are completely mingled as one, having one life and one living—John 15:4-5; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:19-21a.
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The focus of God's economy is the mingled spirit, the divine Spirit mingled with the human spirit; whatever God intends to do or accomplish is related to this focus—Eph. 3:9, 5; 1:17; 2:22; 4:23; 5:18; 6:18.
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The mingled spirit is a spirit that is one spirit with God and that is the same as God in His life and nature but not in His Godhead—1 John 5:11; 2 Pet. 1:4:
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The divine Spirit and the human spirit are mingled as one within us so that we can live the life of a God-man, a life that is God yet man and man yet God—Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:19-21a.
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The God-man living is the living of the two spirits, the Spirit of God and the spirit of man, joined and mingled together as one.
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We live in the reality of the Body of Christ by walking according to the mingled spirit—Rom. 8:4.
Morning Nourishment
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."1 Cor. 6:17 "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit."
The regenerated spirit of the believers and the consummated Spirit of God are mingled as one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). Thus, the Spirit of God is no longer like a single hand that cannot produce clapping sounds; rather, the two spirits can “clap” together. Today the Spirit of God and the human spirit are mingled as one within us so that we can live a God-man life, a life that is God yet man and man yet God. Hence, the God-man life is a living of the two spirits, the Spirit of God and the spirit of man joined and mingled together as one. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 2, “The Issue of the Union of the Consummated Spirit of the Triune God and the Regenerated Spirit of the Believers, “p. 193)
Today's Reading
Romans 8:16 says that the Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.…Now we have not only the divine Spirit in our spirit but also the mingling of the divine Spirit with our spirit.…The two spirits are mingled not in the heavens or outside of us but within us. This is the focus of the divine economy. Whatever God intends to do or accomplish is related to this focus. If we would have certain basic spiritual experiences, we must have a clear understanding that the focus of God's economy is the mingled spirit, the divine Spirit mingled with the human spirit. Those who live according to the flesh and the lusts of the flesh are the lowest type of people.Those who live according to the mind and the will are somewhat higher. Humanly speaking, those who live according to the conscience, which is part of man's spirit, may be considered the highest type of people. But we are even higher than this, for we live not only according to the conscience but according to the mingled spirit. Therefore, we are on the highest level. Here, on this level, we have the Christian life and also the church life. This is the focus of God's economy. We should walk according to this, that is, according to the mingled spirit. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “Basic Training, “pp. 314-315)
How then could we expect to be in the Body life? We have not gone through Romans 8. How could we be in Romans 12? It is impossible. It does not mean that because you are humble, meek, patient, nice, loving, or forbearing that you are in the Body. It means that when you are behaving, acting, moving, and living according to the spirit, to the mingled spirit, to the indwelling of the Spirit, then you are actually moving, living, behaving in the Body of Christ. What, actually speaking, is the Body of Christ? What is the Body of Christ, practically speaking? It is the mingled spirit.…May [the Lord] show us such a fact, such a practicality! If we would see this, we would say, “Lord, have mercy upon me. I am too far off. I have never entered into such a stage of the mingled spirit. I have never entered into a stage of the Body life. I still pray for this and for that, and I still wait for this and for that. I have never realized that the reality of the Body is right within me. The regenerated spirit and the indwelling Spirit are now one, mingled together right within me.…Everything is within me. I just walk according to this mingled spirit. I just set my mind on the spirit. Life is here, and peace is here.”
I just need to behave and act and live according to this mingled spirit. If I do, I am living in the Body. I simply need to set my mind on the spirit. [Christ] is the Spirit mingled with our spirit. It is here that we live Christ, and it is here that we live the Body of Christ. When we have entered into this stage, we are right away in chapter 12. We are in the Body. (CWWL, 1980, vol. 1, “Perfecting Training, “pp. 310-311)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 2, “The Issue of the Union of the Consummated Spirit of the Triune God and the Regenerated Spirit of the Believers, “chs. 1-4; CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “Basic Training, ” ch.5; CWWL, 1980, vol.1, “Perfecting Training, ” ch.30