A
To believe into Christ is to receive Him and be united with Him as one—1:12-13; 3:16.
B
This faith brings us into the life union with Christ, who is the embodiment of God realized as the all-inclusive Spirit to be our faith; faith links us with the Triune God.
C
As the organism of the Triune God, Christ is the true vine, and we are His branches who have been organically united with Him by believing into Him; we need to remain in this organic union by abiding in Him—15:1, 5.
D
Faith is the linking of our salvation; it links God with us and links us to God; this linking makes us God-men.
E
We live Christ by a linking organ, and this linking organ is faith; thus, Paul says in Galatians 2:20 that the life that he lived, he lived by faith, the faith of Jesus the Son of God, “who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
F
When we call upon the Lord by saying, “O Lord Jesus, I love You,” He becomes the faith imparted into us so that we spontaneously live Him by this faith; living faith operates through our love for the Lord (5:6); He Himself as the faith becomes our faith, and this is the linking organ to link us to the unlimited, infinite Christ.
G
By just speaking a simple word to the Lord in conversation with Him out of our love for Him and by a little calling on the Lord, we are infused with Him; the infusing of Christ into us causes us to have Him as our faith, which is the linking organ that links us with Him; this is the way to live Christ—Phil. 4:6, 12.
H
We believers walk by faith, by our unseen God, not by sight; this faith links us all the time to our wonderful God—2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:27; 1 Pet. 1:8.
I
To walk by faith means that our walking is linked with God; in Luke 18 the Lord indicated that we also suffer persecution by faith; in Luke 18:8 the Lord said, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”—this means we have to suffer all the persecutions by faith.
Morning Nourishment
John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name, who were begotten… of God.3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.
Believing into the Lord is not the same as believing Him (John 6:30). To believe Him is to believe that He is true and real, but to believe into Him is to receive Him and be united with Him as one. The former is to acknowledge a fact objectively; the latter is to receive a life subjectively. (John 3:16, footnote 2)
I still remember my conversion when I was at the end of my nineteenth year of age. I was born into, raised up, and educated in Christianity. I had heard much preaching and teaching about the Bible, though I was not saved. But one afternoon I heard the gospel, and within a few hours I was a changed person. Actually, it was the linking faith that changed me. At that time from my sincere heart, from the depths of my being, I cried to God. That was the faith, imparted into me as my believing element, that linked me with the marvelous God. Faith is the linking of our salvation; it links God with us and links us to God… I was a sinner, an enemy of God, but I became a God-man. This is because something linked into me, linked with me, and linked me to God. That was faith. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” pp. 295-296)
Today’s Reading
The believers live Christ by this faith,… the faith of Christ, the Son of God (Gal. 2:20b). We cannot live Christ by and in ourselves. We live Christ by a linking organ. This linking organ is faith. So Paul says in Galatians 2:20 that the life that he lived, he lived by faith, the faith of Jesus the Son of God. It is as if Paul is saying, “I live Christ not by my faith but by the faith of Jesus the Son of God; that is not my faith but His faith.”How could you live Christ? You need to call upon Him by saying, “O Lord Jesus, I love You.” Call on Him and say just this much to Him. Then right away He “jumps” within you… This “jumping” Jesus as the faith imparted into you links you with Him. Then you cannot help but live Him during the day. When you call on Him in this way, He becomes the faith imparted into you so that you spontaneously live Him by this faith.
You should call on Him in such a way when you arise in the morning… There is no need to say much. To speak to the Lord a little bit is good enough. When you say this to the Lord, you receive another infilling. Christ right away is imparted into you as your faith. Actually, He Himself as the faith becomes your faith, and this is the linking organ that links you to the unlimited, infinite Christ.
When I tell people to call on the name of the Lord, they think that they need to call on Him loudly and repeatedly. There is nothing wrong with this. Whatever way we call upon the Lord is right… We can just say a simple word: “Lord Jesus, You know I am too busy. I have to rush to go to the office. Thank You, Lord.” With just this little bit of calling, you are infused. The infusing of Christ in you causes you to have Him in you as your faith, which is the linking organ that links you with Him. This is the way to live Christ.
To walk by faith means that our walking is linked with God, and He is altogether rich. We walk by faith, and faith links us to Him. The Lord indicated that we also suffer persecution by this faith… In Luke 18:8 the Lord said, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” This means that we have to suffer all the persecutions by faith…, not being threatened by any kind of opposition. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” pp. 296-297, 301)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” ch. 9